Languages Books

If I would only have the joy to read one book in my lifetime, it should be See Under: Love.

See Under: Love took my breath away, moved me to tears and touched me in the tenderest reaches of my soul. It is brilliant, imaginative, engaging and humane. The way characters, themes and time wind into each other transport the reader to a place far beyond the mundane. I loved every word. Immediately upon finishing, I went back to the first page to reread. My second reading was more deliberate and careful, and I caught much that I had overlooked in my first pass. I am sure that I will reread it again and again.

I originally bought this book after Jonathan Safran Foer enumerated it in his "Five Most Important Books" for an August 2007 Newsweek piece. Foer called it, "The novel of the 21st century" though it was first published in English in 1989. I thank Jonathan Safran Foer for his own works and, here, this recommendation. And in turn, I hope that I can pass this rare jewel on to others. This is my first review (well, not really a review which is elsewhere on Amazon but a recommendation) but I am compelled to do so. Months after the reading, I find myself thinking about See Under: Love and feeling grateful that I experienced it. This is not an easy book to read but the rewards are multifold. And when you are done, read the transcript of a talk that the author gave for a San Francisco Symposium at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0411/is_1_51/ai_85068470 for even greater insight.

David Grossman has taken the worst that man has to offer and spun it into a magical, magnificent ouevre which will touch you with the human spirit and make you proud to be alive.

Words fail. I beg anyone who has been considering buying into Jonathan Safran Foer's hype to instead find themselves a copy of this, the book from which he appears to have stolen most of his ideas, instead.

All hyperbole aside, this wonderful book has few equals. It demands attention, and reflection, and time, and it rewards those willing to invest those things in it beyond compare. Nothing short on a meditation the way our lives are impacted by the moral calculi of others, and the way our own actions reverberate throughout the generations.

As an Israeli who have read it in Hebrew, I would like to add a few words. One thing: this book is entirely different if you read it in Hebrew. It losses a lot in the translation, and not because the translation is bad, rather that the combination of different layers of very special Hebrew combined with Yiddish, along with the cultural context, makes it a book that is an impossible mission for the translator. Of course, you can't ask someone to learn Hebrew just for this book (and this still won't be enough, because he has to be born again as an Israeli and grow up here to understand everything...), but the book has numerous universal aspects that can be translated, and it's still, even after the translation, a must-read.
And now, for the book itself (if there is such a thing the book itself...).
This is by-far the greatest Israeli book that I have ever read. I had one feeling that went along with me throughout the journey: I don't know how the hell he did. I just don't know. Like a magician that makes a trick you just can't figure. The scope. The depth. I cannot describe this book. It defies space and time. It is a masterpiece.

I don't think I am qualified to write a review of this piece of art. Think Toni Morrison on LSD, or maybe Falkner writing in Hebrew as Isaiah, composing in a way never before conceived, about of all things, The Hollocaust! I guess this most twisted example of human depravity requires such a book. However, if I had not read Mr. Grossman's beautiful love narrative, " Someone to Run With" I would not have known at first if it was a work of genius or a tale told by an idiot, and might not have hung in there long enough to declare it the former - 5 stars! However, a second reading may be required to understand the nuances.

One of the best novels I have ever read. Don't miss it!

This is a quick read that would be perfect for a little inspiration when trying to come up with some ideas for a short story from complete scratch. The first part is a valid, informative, and amusing view of the writer as a a cranky perfectionist. The second part divulges the authors personal techniques for coming up with short stories off the top of his head. The ideas are solid and I have no doubt they'd be useful in that particular situation. For novel writing or for brainstorming short stories with characters or settings lacking a plot , you'll probably want a different read. Also, the marketing tip that is given as the reason for coming up with these techniques is worth the price alone.

As a writer myself for over ten years, I've studied writing as much as time has permitted me, and I very much enjoy reading pieces which bring me fresh and inspiring insights into the philosophies and methods of writing. While I've read many books and articles on writing, only a few, like Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, or Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively by Rebecca McClanahan, have served to get me excited about writing by reminding me of the reasons why I write.

Bruce Holland Rogers' piece is one of those rare gems, and whether you are a veteran writer or one just starting out, I highly recommend that you read Mr. Rogers' essay. I learned much from it, and you will too.

- Gregory Bernard Banks, author of "Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death & Life", plus other books and Amazon Shorts.

...since most of the reviewers below me have done a stellar job of covering the precise contents of scribe Rogers' "short-short" article, I'm not going to get into that. Please scroll down to some of the colleagues below for their insights on the cleverness of Mr. Rogers' suggestions for breaking out of the temporary writing doldrums.

There was something in his this writer's bio that I actually found quite fascinating -- the connection between how psychology and writing interconnect (this is something he and his spouse are interested by).

** Is there something unique to the writer's psyche which makes them writers?

** Or -- in perhaps yet another take on this -- can *anyone* be a writer? As in, is it a skill which can be learned?

** Moreover, are Rogers' techniques for cracking out of a writer's slump actually applicable, for example, to non-writers? As in, follow these five easy steps, young woman/man and you too will be able to write yourself into a tornado?

Rhetorical questions, all, perhaps...

I was inspired by his note about how the publishing industry has always been a tough one to break into -- and any writer looking for a hard and fast rule about how to get in there -- and stick there like, um...molasses? -- is demanding something that hasn't been invented yet. Kudos for that one. Persistence, we love.

Would be keen to come and check out a writer's forum in Greece, however. Curious to know when the author actually gives those...

This two-part essay is a look at the nuts and bolts of being a writer. The first part examines the nature of the writer's mind and why writers always seem to be trying to outrun failures nobody else can see. The second is a list of applied tactics to produce work on a tight deadline.

Part one, "Why Writers Are Cranky," starts from the presumption that writers, as a class of people, are dissatisfied with the whole world, themselves included, and are trying to do something right. Why else, the author suggests, would we expend so much effort trying to make up for past shortcomings? We are our own worst critics, always trying to do better than last time, always trying to leave the world a little better than we found it. Professor Rogers' insights into the source of this spur are by no means definitive, but they are strong and incisive.

Part two, "Five Emergency Tools," is a selection of tactics Professor Rogers has personally used to get short stories out under the deadline. I've only used two myself so far, but if they are representative, I can tell you two things. First, they work. Second, they only work for short stories or scenes; if you are looking to write a novel, you'll need to go with a different set of tools, or else use these to build your book scene by scene.

Combining both the insightful and the handy, this article is one that will speak to writers right where they live. Keep it close at hand, because you'll read and use it more than once. And what greater compliment can you give a writer than that his article will be read and used?

Bruce Holland Rogers offers up a humorous, yet real world, assessment of the perils and pitfalls of writing, as well as insight into the worth of writing as a process. The first half of this Amazon Short deals with the general attitude of writers, specifically, why are they so cranky? His insight is keen and, I think, accurate. I believe the ability to re-read your previous work without the ability to improve it is the key factor in authorial crankiness, and a vexation unlikely to disappear anytime soon. The viewpoints Rogers shares on his personal likes and dislikes of the literary profession are right on the money, and are probably held by the vast majority of writers, even when they may not be conscious of them.

The second half of the article deals with five techniques to help writers of fiction begin projects that have impending deadlines. I have written nonfiction almost exclusively (and that only for small audiences in very specialized areas), but even so, some of his creative techniques (especially "a crowbar") have applications outside of fiction. Regardless of what you write, or for what audience, the five tips he presents are entertaining and thought-provoking.

For writers, would be writers, or people interested in the writing process, this is a great Amazon Short, and I recommend it.

Simon's saga is an okay tool to study for the SAT. I know, I used it myself. Some words are helpful but others are painfully simplistic.

SPOILER ALERT:
The story gets really weird later on in the book. Nothing I've found mentions the weird 'twist' the story has.

Basically, the world is infested by aliens and Simon has to murder 'the controller.' It's really, really odd. For a book about the SAT, it doesn't really make sense to have such a weird plot. It's not a novel, it's a freaking study guide! Besides, it advertises itself as a story about college life and mentions nothing about cracking open heads on sidewalks.
END SPOILERS.

Frankly, the tone of the author got annoying to me, fast. Simon's banter and Axel's stereotypical nerdiness just turned me off.

I guess the book is okay if you're fine with dealing with a terrible story. It's not bad at first, but later it gets really odd.

fun to read easy to read
easy to remember
very good

This book offers an engaging way for students as well as proficient, but non-native speakers of English to grasp the subtle meaning of new words by putting them into context. It is a big plus for the non-native speaker or 8-12 year old if they can read along with an adult or native-speaker so they do not always have to refer to the dictionary. A very good teaching resource for parents and teachers alike.

My son is a high school senior and needed to raise his SAT verbal score by 20 points to get into the college of his choice. After buying countless expensive SAT study guides I came across Simon's Saga and thought it was a unique, interesting way of writing a study guide. I purchased it, and it was the first SAT book that my son actually read and used. After using this book my son raised his verbal SAT's by 60 points and has been accepted to his first choice college. Thank you, Phillip Geer, for finally writing a worthwhile, affordable study guide!

Obviously written by a talented educator who knows how to maximize students' potential, this book truly deserves five stars - it's original, educational, and very effective as an SAT vocabulary-building tool. The approach is unusual, to say the least. On one level it's a fun story, but on another level it's a hilarious spoof on some interesting topics such as boy-girl relationships, the arts, creative writing, and education. Simon, the narrator, draws students in with his easy and open tone and students enjoy the witty repartee between the characters. Before they know it, they're thinking about political and other issues from new perspectives. A book that does this and boosts word power? Yes, indeed.

Simon's Saga engenders lively class discussions on important topics that today's intelligent students are thinking about -America's role in the world, the effects of globalization, the role of the media, stereotyping of people, changing values, and cultural identity. This is the type of thinking students need to do to get a good score on the critical reading section of the new SAT.

The book is packed with first-rate exercises that educate as they reinforce the SAT words. Cleverly, the author has made the exercises part of the story. My students look forward to answering the questions for Simply Simon and Axel Speaks that come at the end of each funny episode. I strongly recommend this book for all high school students preparing for the SAT and for classroom use by high school English teachers. Thank you, Philip Geer, for this creative learning tool!

A wonderful book for little ones just learning to read. Compelling illustrations of jungle animals (including a sweet baby elephant) and repetitive words make this celebration of splashing in pools of water a joy!

This book is an absolute treat. My son loves the pictures and it's a very simple subject matter. Hot weather and cooling off. Easy to read and will be memorized, word for word, by your child from day one.

We didn't find this book in the local library until my oldest was almost too old for it, but that didn't stop her from loving it. Vibrant colors and expressive illustrations always draw me in. Usually it's the meter of the words that keeps me there (and makes me willing to own it, knowing I'll never get to use the excuse that the library needs it back for a while!). In this book, it's the interaction rather than the meter -- simple enough for the smallest, fun for everyone as we pretend to squirt each other. The different size of different words (corresponding to the reading volume) even helps reinforce that it's the words on the page that you're reading. The very best part of the whole book, though, is that it was the "happy, cool, clever" baby elephant that figured out what s/he and all the other big, competent, grown-up animals needed on that hot, hot day. All babies should have this book for the summer nearest their first birthdays! Don't expect to put it away come winter, though.

This is easily one of Helen's top three favorites, hands down. She loves the elephants and all of the animals splashing around in the water after the baby saves the day. A parent that can produce a credible elephant trumpet can score some major points with the kids when this book is being read.

The board book edition of Splash!, adapted from the award-winning picture book by author/illustrator Flora McDonnell, is the perfect book for babies and young children.


The elephants, the rhino and the tiger are hot! All the animals are hot until they go to the watering hole to splash, play and get relief from the sweltering heat.


The story is engaging for children. My toddler runs to me with Splash! saying "hot, hot". As we read the story, she looks forward to telling me when the animals are "hot". She giggles when the animals are splashing in the water and kisses the baby elephant at the end. I appreciate the interactivity this book stimulates, as well as the fact the hero is a baby.


The illustrations play an integral role in telling the story of Splash!. You can tell how miserable the animals are just by looking at them. When you see the bold yellows and oranges, you can almost feel the oppressive heat, while the water's refreshing coolness is evident in the clear blues and greens.


With its vibrant colors and fun words, Splash! will quickly become a favorite among any baby's or preschooler's growing library.

The shipping was slow but well worth it once I received the book, a very thorough and professionally prepared work!

Mr. Britton writes a scholarly and fairly much complete analysis and history of the secret agent/spy genre on television. Not even that, but the review is fun and enjoyable to read and not burdened down with academic jargon (a definite plus). In the opening chapters, there is a readable history on how this type of adventure series evolved from the earlier pulp literature of the twenties and thirties, and in the conclusion an examination of the "why" are the spy series so popular?

The author even mentions some of my favorite but short lived favorites such as "Spy Games" and the seventies "Hunter" series (wish they would come out on DVD).

However, favorites such as "I Spy," "Mission Impossible," "Get Smart," The Avengers," and even "The X-Files" are given a chapter each to discuss each of what the series brought to popular culture. Again, highly readable.

I encourage all (serious) TV fans and secret agent afficiandos this text a try.

Now, if someone can just help me find the exact titles and authors of the rest of the Praeger Collection on Television?, it would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
JThree
[...]

Dr. Britton's Spy Television is must reading for any nostalgia buff. If a person thinks that all TV is garbage, he or she should read this book and find out otherwise. In a smorgasbord of informatively well-written chapters, Dr. Britton has reminded those of us who remember many of the shows featured here that once upon a time, TV spy shows were better than rock concerts and modern sitcoms and soap operas. Finally, one can read in one volume: what The Prisoner was really all about; how The Man from U.N.C.L.E. paved the way for this genre and its influence lives on. Even The Bionic Woman gets encyclopedic coverage. The Avengers is given a delightful treatment and one will never view the series in the same light again after reading this book. Dr. Britton has conducted personal interviews with Robert Vaughn (U.N.C.L.E.) and Robert Conrad (The Wild Wild West) to relate their intriguing retrospectives upon their own fame and series. One will want to purchase DVDs or blow dust off VHS boxes and go down memory's mansion of wonderful spy TV.

I loved the chapter on I Spy and Sheldon Leonard. I Spy was my dad's favorite show when I was a kid. He enjoyed the on-location sets in Hong Kong, Japan, Europe and Latin America. We got to see contemporary life in those countries, not the stereotypes (Chinese can't speak proper English; they're subservients or gangsters; women were either prostitutes ("World of Suzie Wong") or cunning Dragon Ladies. (Remember, the only Chinese then on TV were "Hop Sing," the manservant in Bonanza and the housekeeper in The Courtship of Eddie's Father.) I Spy dealt with stereotypes by ignoring them. It had the nerve to show Culp and Cosby with regular business people, competent police officers, family folk, etc. who just happened to live in Hong Kong or Japan or Mexico. In one show, gangster Martin Landau tried to buy the services of a Chinese waitress. She rejected the money and his "offer," and I expected him to explode. Instead, to my surprise, Landau looked at the waitress with respect and said something along the line of "you can't be bought. I like that in a woman," and he backed off. Wow! Very heady stuff in the 1960s! I now watch the DVDs with my kids. It was interesting that I had to explain some of the racial stuff because it's not so obvious nowadays and/or we've made advances along the way. Thank you, I Spy, SL, Bob Culp and Bill Cosby.

This book also covered more obscure and hard-to-find shows such as Bergerac, the Sandbaggers, and Return of the Saint. And, of course, there were lots of silly or just plain awful programs as well. Fans of the Man from Uncle, Secret Agent, etc. will find much to enjoy, though. Great read, especially when you want an escape from watching TV.

From the early 1960s, TV spies were presented in light of anti-Communist propaganda, and through the years this model has developed to cover murky motives and adventures fraught with international intrigue. Spy Television considers how both popular and obscure spy shows came to TV, analyzes how and why the shows either succeeded or failed, and examines how fact and fiction have been incorporated into the genre. Britton earned his Ph.D. in American Literature and his penchant for uncovering sources and roots readily shines.

This book is a must have to a DBA. It contains all the little gotchas in managing SQL Server. All the items that we come across while searching for something that I think"Man I gotta remember that". 99% of them are in this book, so I don't have to print them out and maintain a seperate library.

Not a book to buy if you are looking something to read to learn SQL Server. This is a reference for someone who already is using it extensivly.

Ross

Overall, this is an excellent book that covers a wide variety of topics useful to any SQL Server 2000 DBA. At this time, though Apress hasn't posted the Table of Contents on Amazon.com, the Table of Contents is posted at the Apress web site.

I took away one star for the CD. It is extremely handy to have a copy of the book on the CD in PDF format. However, rather than having a single PDF file with a Table of Contents linking to each chapter and topic, each chapter is contained in a separate PDF file on the CD. Unless you know which chapter you want to reference, it is tedious to look in separate files for the Table of Contents or the Index, then try to guess in which file the item you are looking for can be found.

A less significant complaint is that the CD holder is found about three-quarters of the way through the book, rather than at the end of the book, which makes it more difficult to quickly flip through the book.

Other than these minor complaints, it is an excellent book.

This is an easy to use reference book. It has a useful index and directions are written in a step by step format.

This book has 100s of relevant and useful "How Tos". Very useful.

Not a tutorial, but a practical working guide to administering SQL Server 2000. Lots of "How to" items covered.

You don't need to read the entire book in order to benefit from it. Specific topics are covered using Checklists to make sure you don't miss anything important. Highly recommended!

This book is one of the best programming language books I've read, along with "Oh! Pascal!" by Cooper and Clancy. It's use of humor and simple, straightforward examples, grab your attention right away and keep it through the entire book. It's hard to believe a programming book can be hard to put down, but this one was.

It also explains complex concepts in simple, elegant ways, just like good programs should be written.

I would recommend it to anyone learning FORTH, and I would recommend sections of it for people trying to understand specific concepts in any language. For example, the explanation of stacks was excellent!

I bought my own used copy of this book, but it is available in its entirety online, so it is unlikely to ever be reprinted.

Somebody REPRINT THIS BOOK!

"Starting Forth" is the only Forth book I own. After reading it, I was able to implement a Forth runtime system, compiler, and interpreter, from scratch, in 8086 assembly - the results can be found at home.earthlink.net/~jknapka/jkf.html . I credit this mainly to Leo Brodie's skill as an expository writer. The book is a gem; if someone were to reprint it, I for one would buy several copies, just in case.

The reason no one will reprint "Starting Forth" is that Forth is not sufficiently trendy. If we rename the language "JavaForth", we'll be drowning in reprints...

Sigh.

This book is a very clear introduction to programming and the stack. The cartoons are very entertaining and descriptive, and the book would make light reading even for beginning programmers. Those who program, but not yet in Forth, will also be happy with the quick introduction.

Why on earth is this fabulous book out of print?

A wonderful book. I bought mine in 1980, and a week later I had an old Northstar Z-80 computer running real-time behavioral experiments in FORTH at (so it seemed) blinding speed.

We need this book!

Upon encountering this book in Foyles on Shaftsbury Ave I picked it up and dusted it off. It was discounted so I bought it... it has been invaluable to me in the past and I thank myself for finding it almost everyday.

Inside the book are all the classics of bad thinking analysed -- everything from the common red herring argument, to argument from authority and the classic Popperian argument that an argument must be weak if it cannot be proved wrong (something amazingly the vast majority of people just do not seem to get).

All of the beliefs that lead to much of the misery in the world and the poor allocation of resources to solve the worlds problems are all here... indeed if people were to read this book the malaise of mysticism, faith-based healing, religious fundementalism, bad science and even worse political reasoning would be avoided...

Oh... and if you're a business person, like I am, you will immediately benefit by avoiding 90% of the rubbish that passes for wisdom in the business/ self-help section of your bookstore.

Treasured.

In my biased opinion, this ranks as one of the finest books on the subject of critical thinking. Unfortunately, it is highly priced on Amazon.com, but one can find cheaper alternatives on the internet. Thouless focuses a lot on how social proof, and other biases do impede one's ability to think rationally, especially when facts are not conclusive, or when there are more than two plausible arguments in a given scenario. Good for policy makers, students, regular folks, and people who routinely make decisions under uncertainty.

Reading this book opened my eyes to exactly how badly crooked thinking runs our society today: how little emphasis we place on actual evidence and argument, what kind of dishonest argumentation our politicians and news providers use, etc. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I had to go to a used bookshop in Perth, Australia to find it! Why isn't this masterwork still in print? We need it just as much now as they did in the 1930s!

I last read this book about 15 years ago as a student and the lessons of the 38 dishonest tricks used in arguments detailed in the book have left a life-lasting impression on me. It is an invaluable book which is still relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1930. Could the copyright owner(s) please reissue this book or better yet, contribute to the public domain?

Although written at the end of the 1930's, the book is amazingly relevant today and one of the most clearly presented and well thought-out books of its kind that I've ever read. It is well worth your time.

As a kindergarten teacher, this book has made a big difference on how to prepare children to read. This book offers many wonderful tips on how to help your child as parents to better equip your child even before a teacher introduces your child with reading concepts.

I am a teacher of children with mild to moderate specific learning disabilities who went through the teacher education program at Ashland University in Ohio. Like countless other teacher education programs, ours stressed only a "whole-language" model of instruction, to the exclusion of all others, especially those that stress explicit phonics instruction.

I bought this book at a symposium given by the International Dyslexia Association, and I am so thankful that I did. As a parent of elementary school-age children I needed to know the things in this book. Specifically...

*Why a book like this is necessary in the first place.

*What is this "great debate" that reading teachers, and educators keep talking about?

*How do children learn to read? Amazingly, this is not taught in many teacher education programs. Why? Because almost all of the research ever done on the issue, any research worth its weight in cotton candy points to the explicit teaching of phonics to be the way that most children learn to read. As the authors so beautifully, and succinctly point out "The English written code is a sound symbol code, not a word symbol code. That is the game."

Parents of school-age children especially need to carefully read this book. Although I myself am a teacher, I believe in a "parent as consumer" focus in education, and, given this, caveat emptor! Parents need to know what they are getting in return for their hard earned tax dollars.

Please email me if you would like to continue this discussion.

I purchased this book because my younger child is exhibiting signs of having reading difficulty in the future. In contrast, my older child learned to read on her own prior to entering school. From my own experience I realize that there is a wide variation in what children need in school. My easy reader would have found a "face the teacher and practice the sound" program exceptionally boring. I selected this particular book because I wanted "straight talk" on how a school could teach these two, very different, kids. Instead of the "straight talk" I wanted got a very biased presentation. For example, the child that gets phonics is "beaming with success." Secondly, the "researcher" reports the test scores that occur during "whole language" teaching but does not compare it to the scores that occurred during phonics periods. In addition, they do not identify the lag between when a child is taught to read and when they are tested. Thirdly, they should be more clear about why these shifts have taken place. My friends 2nd grader knows phonics well but cannot read because he cannot put it together in context. What happened to those kids in a highly phonics based program. Did they all "beam with success?" Lastly, a credible researcher provides a balanced report that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. This book reports phonics as strong and whole language as weak. So, if you want "straight talk" on why phonics is the only way then this is a book for you. I you want to find a balance that will work for many different kids, then keep looking.

This book explains the difference in teaching methods for reading and how effective the methods are. It is written for parents. I appreciate the facts presented on actual studies that have been done on methods in learning to read. As a parent of two preschoolers (and I am not an educator), I am now educated on how I can make a difference in my child's performance in school after reading this book. I like the recommended reading lists by age that can be found in the appendix or at the author's website which is www.proactiveparent.com . The author stresses that the earlier you are proactive - the better chance that your child becomes a good reader. It has been proven that it is much more difficult to become a good reader after the 1st grade. The author points out that usually reading problems are not detected even in "good" schools early enough. She details what parents can look for and what to do when your child is having a problem at a very early stage in leaning to read. The author also has a newer book titled "Parenting a Struggling Reader" that is more for parents with children with reading difficulties. "Straight Talk" is more written for parents of all children before their children read. "Straight Talk" tells parents how to be proactive to ensure their children love reading.

This book was truly spectacular if you are interested in really understanding how kids learn to read and what you can do to help! I learned so much from this book, if I had the money, I would buy a ton of them and give them out to anyone who has kids, will have kids, or works with kids.

This book does an amazing job of developmentally (Pre-K through grade 3) describing the skills kids need to acquire in order to read. It fairly reviews the current debate on how kids need to be taught reading, what parents can do (tons of specific age appropriate activities & lists of good books based on reading level), and it describes the research based warning signs for a child who is at risk for reading difficulties.

I bought "Succeeding with Use Cases" primarily for Part 3 on model-based specification. The book gives a "Blue Collar" approach for specifying operations in terms of change of state. The approach is highly pragmatic and aids writing precise, testable specifications. The author clearly explains what to do. I highly recommend this book.

Example after example; model after model! After reading this book, I was ready to begin implementation! Chapter 3, Operational Profiles, will convince and evangelize engineering and management. The degree of detail is perfect for the professional. Great Work!

I was really happy to see Richard's new book. I have always thought that if you are going to go to the effort of writing good use cases, then you should make use of that information as much as possible in the project. This book has a prominant place on my professional bookshelf, and I refer to it often.

Richard Denney gives some great information on using your project use cases in project management, quality control, and reliability. He has a wealth of experience that he shares throughout the book. His book is well written and easy to understand. I am not aware of any other book that covers this information in the context of a software project.

Once you are comfortable with writing use cases (and of course I must recommend my own book Applying Use Cases: A Practical Guide for that purpose), then definitely start exploring what you can do with the use cases once they are written by getting a copy of Richard Denney's book, Succeeding With Use Cases: Working Smart to Deliver Quality.

This book is about uses of use cases in software engineering. The focus is on doing and managing projects.
Topics are among others selection of standard products, management of project portfolios, or grounding projects in business goals. The last topic is an application of use cases to QFD, a process originally from the automobile industry. Other topics are reliability engineering, modelling and project management (this list is not complete).
All the topics of the book have use cases as a common factor. It is not an introduction into use cases. The application of use cases in this book goes further than what is described in the Rational Unified Process for example. Therefore other books are better in introducing the topic of use cases.
Demo excel sheets are available from the author. The examples are worked out excellently and instructive. The book focuses on the practicalites of software engineering and addresses primarily project leads, designer, architects and testers. Most of the material was new to new, although I have been using use cases for years. It will have the most value for organizations already modelling their software. In my opinion extreme programmers will not find it as useful.

I'm a software engineer, specializing in requirements and software quality. I've known about QFD and the House of Quality for over a decade, and I've been using Use Case methodology for years. This is the first (and perhaps the only) book which combines the two methodologies and explains in a straightforward yet sufficiently detailed way how to use these methodologies. If you are struggling with many requests from multiple customers and are trying to identify what is really important, you should read this book. In particular, if you want to satisfy the customers who drive your business, i.e., generate revenue, you need to read this book. This is a low-tech approach; all you need is a spreadsheet. Understanding Use Cases, QFD, or House of Quality is not a prerequisite. Even if you are already familiar with these methodologies, I think you will still learn a lot from this excellent book.