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Every catechetical leader should have this and reflect on it regularly to keep in focus what is really important, and the tremendous responsibility that we have to always go deeper.

The book is easy to read and easy to understand. It should be in every library for those wanting to increase their knowledge about our Catholic faith.

The book came in great condition. It arrived earlier then stated and the book is very easy and fun to read

A term, concept, calling, and duty from the early days of Christianity, "catechesis" (related to catechism) is the part of Catholicism concerned with "education in the faith of children, young people, and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted...in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life." The Second Vatican Council called for a renewal of catechesis in 1971. The "Directory" provides guidance for this catechesis that is a central part of the Church's activity and aims at all times in all situations with all persons. Mostly for Catholic bishops and priests, the "Directory" nonetheless does have particular sections for lay persons; and its general material on Catholic ideals and theological principles, organizations and procedures, and texts and other resources apply to anyone interested in catechesis, the lifeblood of Catholicism.

With so many attacks on Christmas and on Santa Claus, this book is a breath of fresh air.
This man truly embodies not only the spirit of St. Nick but the true and real Christmas spirit. He relates how he got to be "Santa", stories about children and their parents, about his service to the disabled and about how children and adults do a double take when they see his real beard. Judging by the picture on the jacket of the book, I can see why. The man looks like Santa!
He also talks about the real miracle of Christmas, the birth of Jesus and how when Christmas is put in that perspective, it makes everything else about Christmas more wonderful.
It will make you laugh, it will make you cry but most of all, it will make you believe!

I was told about this book right before Christmas 2004. I bought two copies and sent one to my mom. We both read and cried about this book! This is such a heart-warming book! This brings back the magic of Christmas. I really loved the end where Santa tells us grown ups why he thinks Santa helps kids have faith. It teaches them to help others, to think of others, and puts God's love and face on a very special time of year. I really liked the part when Santa is talking to a young girl that is asking him how he flies. Santa tells her that with all of God's love, her Parent's love and her love, it gives Santa the magic he needs to fly on Christmas Eve. There were several things that Mr. Butchart shared in this book that my Husband and I will use when we have kids. If you have anyone in your life that thinks telling their kids that there is a Santa is lying to their kids tell them to read this book before telling their kids that. Also if you are one of those parents that ruin the magic of Christmas for their kids please tell them to keep the information to themselves. I can't tell you how many times I've had a niece, nephew, or family friends children come home crying because some kid at school told them there is no Santa. By reading this book you will understand that most of us use Santa to help us teach our kids about God. Its a very easy quick read. I bought several copies last year to give as gifts to all of our friends and family. My Husband was transferred to GA last year and my Christmas present was to go to Stone Mtn and see Santa!! I was so excited. I waited in line with all the kids and then it was finally my turn! I went and sat on Santa's lap and told him how my family really enjoyed his book. He said that he appreciated the compliments but had to share with me some sad news. On Christmas Day 2004 Santa's wife Annie Butchart passed away and this Christmas was very hard for him. His wife worked with him at Stone Mtn and was very active being Mrs. Claus. From reading his book it is very clear how much he cared for his wife even though I'm quite sure it doesn't even show the half of it. I wanted to share this news so you can appreciate the book a little more. Please buy this book and share it with everyone in your life. I have two copies so when we have guests during Christmas they can read the book and enjoy the season as much as I do.

Ed Butchart is an amazing man. The gift of love he brings to others through his ministry is amazing. The Red Suit Diaries is a wonderful heart-warming story that will surely make you laugh and cry!

This is an inspiring true account of one man's journey from Marine to real life Santa. Ed Butchart recounts moments in his life he choose to reach out to other people in need which is one of the true forms of giving. This book will move readers through laughter and tears as you meet many children (and some adults) who have shared their hopes and dreams with Santa. The similarity between Ed and Santa is uncanny from his photo in the back of the book to the fact he has been Santa for over 15 years at a park and has an organization that distributes wheelchairs to kids in need...this book is one you will give year after year to inspire and encourage those in your life.

The author, Helen Crabtree, is a noted horsewoman. She's won the AHSA Horsewoman of the Year Award and the United Professional Horseman Associations's Trainer of the Year award. She has trained over 75 World Champions with her methods. This book shares her expertise. The book deals with the mechanics of riding Saddle Seat, proper tack, and rider attire, but does not deal with judging Saddle Seat. The emphasis is on showing.

This is an absolutely superb treatise on Saddle Seat Equitation, particularly for those new to the sport. Even for experienced Saddle Seat riders, there is probably no clearer explanation of the basics of showing the saddle horse anywhere, and we all need a bit of review ocasionally! The book covers a wide scope of subjects connected with the training of horse and rider to enter the world of riding and showing in the Saddle Seat discipline. Crabtree adresses such critical but sometimes overlooked subjects as the role a rider's parents can and should play at shows, beauty in the pairing of rider and horse, and teaching the adult show rider. What it offers in scope, it lacks in depth - and this is deliberate, since it is aimed at the new rider/trainer. Although every rider would benefit vastly from reading this book, especially the sections on the Saddle Seat Equitation tests, more advanced riders will not find it satisfying in terms of in-depth discussions of training or show ring techniques, as that is not its focus. But it is an extremely worthwhile book for riders of all levels, and it is also an eminently readable, delightful and informative chronicle of the Saddle Seat Equitation world from the 50s to the 80s.

I sugest this book to EVERY HORSE LUVER especially Saddlebred LUVER it is filled with funny stories, history, and memories

This book was absolutely fabulous. It gives information about the most popular breeds that compete in saddelseat equitation, and Helen Crabtree is especcially helpful with all of her years of experience. Even though the book is more than 20 years old, the lessons inside remain true. This is a timeless book that should be read by all saddleseat riders to enhance their possible performance in and out of the show ring.

I just got back from my annual trip to Alaska where I found a copy of this guide. It is a great resource at a great price. Anyone planning a wildlife, or nature hiking vacation to the Kenai should look at getting a copy.

I have found most of these places in the last 10 years of travel, but there were some that are now on my "must see next time" list. It's not comprehensive, but it gives more than enough options to productively fill any trip from three days to 6 weeks. Locations range from the Sea Life Center to full day hikes to driving routes. All habitats on the Peninsula are covered (and all Alaskan habitats except Arctic Tundra can be found on the Kenai.) So it can lead you to all Alaskan wildlife except for Musk Ox and Polar Bears.

Nicely laid out, good descriptions, insightful tips, well illustrated, good removeable fold out map provided. Only slightly bad thing, there is no index of target species versus locations, so you need to read through descriptions to find locations for specific species. All in all, a great value and resource for the visiting naturalist.

A reasonably priced, well-written, informative, easy to read guide. Contains directions, what you will see, hints and many other pieces of info related to wildlife viewing on Kenai Peninsula. I'd recommend it for anyone who will be traveling on the Kenai Peninsula, even if you aren't bird watching or looking for specific wildlife. Great format, great pictures. A definite best value for the money. Lots of info about places to stop, sites to see. Good info for a family or for adults.

I had friends visit the Kenai Peninsula for two weeks in July. We used this guide to find 130 bird species and all the major mammals - marine and land. It is cheap, well done, and full of information. My friends took it home as a remainder of why they love Alaska.

At last a comprehensive view of what a total security program needs to be. So much of the literature on the subject is about technology only that this wholistic approach is a breath of fresh air. It is clearly and simply written and provides an easy to follow roadmap for any security manager to follow in developing an enterprise security program.

This is a well-written practical guide to building and delivering an information security improvement programme. Presenting sage advice in a consistent manner, the book is a helpful primer for the person tasked by management with `fixing information security'.

The book is written by and for those in the front line, not in ivory towers. The three authors each have CISSP and other information security qualifications plus 10 to 20 years' work experience in information security management, meaning that their advice holds weight. They all combine hands-on with management and/or consulting expertise, meaning that they view information security in a business context.

The primary focus of the book is to guide, advise, encourage and support Chief Information Security Officers (or equivalents) working on their information security improvement programmes. It's a bit like having a personal trainer at the gym: the trainer points out the aims of the training and suggests how to the trainee might improve his technique, but the trainee must interpret the advice, internalize it and of course put in the hard work to improve.

The book generally avoids making specific recommendations for particular information security controls. The reader is expected to be able to figure out for himself (perhaps using some of the techniques and checklists presented) what the security improvement projects will actually achieve. Instead, it emphasizes the programme management aspects. This approach is more broadly applicable since each organization's information security needs differ. There are numerous other books and standards describing best practice security controls, but few address the overall planning.

The overall flow of the book follows the suggested lifecycle of an information security implementation or improvement project:
Assess - identify the drivers or needs for security improvement (e.g. risks, legal obligations) and the constraints
Plan - obtain management support for the programme, prepare an improvement strategy and build your team
Design - prepare information security policies, conduct a gap analysis and prepare a portfolio of projects
Execute - numerous suggestions to help manage the improvement projects successfully
Report - management reporting.

Each chapter contains a consistent structure with an introduction, some theoretical framing, the `guts' and a conclusion which links to the next chapter. The `guts' reflect the authors' practical approach, offering pragmatic and helpful guidance to the newly appointed or would-be CISO.

The writing is clear and straightforward, with key messages consistently presented and reinforced throughout the book. There are useful checklists, tables and process flows embedded in the text although some of the block diagrams seem rather too high-level and pointless (that's just my personal opinion).

I am currently working with a client to initiate a large information security improvement programme and so enjoyed reading this book cover-to-cover in a few sittings. It was gratifying to find that we are already following the recommended approach with few if any exceptions, and there's nothing substantial we would quarrel about. Better still, I am glad to have picked up some good tips and look forward to thumbing through this book every month for the next year or so. If you are a CISO, I commend this book to you.

The CISO Handbook: A Practical Guide to Securing Your Company lives up to its title as being a practical guide to security. The book is antithetical approach to the products equal security approach, and takes a pragmatic approach to security.

The authors have extensive real-world experience and approach information security from a holistic perspective. They clearly understand what it takes to build an information security program. One of the biggest mistakes in security is that it is seen as plug and play. Buy a security product, install in, and like magic, you have this thing called data security. But that only works in the world of product brochures and marketing material, not in the real world. The book does not approach security from a plug and play perspective, but as an endeavor that requires a multi-year effort to come to fruition.

The five chapters deal with security from its true source, namely that of risk. The chapters are: Assess, Plan, Design, Execute and Report. These five areas encompass all of information security and those firms that have built an information security infrastructure all done it by focusing on these five areas.

The first area, Assess, is all about risk management. Many companies will purchase security products without even knowing what their specific risks are, and have often not performed a comprehensive risk analysis. Without a comprehensive risk analysis, any security product will simply operate in a vacuum. The benefits of a risk assessment and analysis are that they ensure that an organization is worrying about the right things and dealing with real, as opposed to perceived threats. The ultimate outcome of a risk analysis should be to see if the organization can benefit from the security product.

Chapter 1 ends with an assessment checklist of various areas that go into a risk assessment. One of the questions in the checklist that you likely will not see anywhere else is "describe the political climate at your company". Too many security people think only about the technology and neglect the political implications of a security system. Not taking into consideration the politics is a surefire way to potentially doom a project. Similar questions detailed in the checklist will give the reader a good feel for how secure their organization truly is; as opposed to the often perceived view of being much more secure.

Chapter 2 is aptly titled Plan. The planning phase is meant to combine the issues of assessment and to integrate options to mitigate those risks. The way in which a specific security technology or methodology is implemented is dependent on the organization. Rather than using a cookie-cutter approach, effective planning ensures that the security technologies chosen support your security program. Far too many organizations make the mistake of simply buying products without giving enough consideration into the myriad details of how they will be deployed, managed and used.

Chapter 2 emphasizes the need for planning, and the book as a whole emphasizes the need for the use of a methodology when dealing with information security. For many security technologies, the challenges of are not so much with the technology, but rather with ensuring that the technology meets business requirements, is scalable and reliable, etc.

Building a comprehensive information security program is likely to be more complex than previous experience of typical IT projects. As well as project management, technical and operational aspects, there are many policy, legal and security issues which must be taken into consideration. By following a structured methodology based on practical experience, many of the potential traps and pitfalls can be avoided. The risks to the business and the project are reduced and those that remain are quantified at an early stage.

The planning checklist at the end of chapter 2 will helps by ensuring that the solutions identified are deployed in the context of a well designed information security program. It can also be used as a wake-up call to management that often seriously underestimates the amount of time and manpower required to create an effective information security program.

One of the added benefits of planning is that it makes it much easier to integrate new regulatory requirements into the security program. A well-planned network can retrofit new requirements much more quickly and efficiently. This is a critical need given the increasing amount of new regulations that will come into play in the coming years, in addition to current regulations such as HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley and much more.

Chapters 3, 4 and 5 progress in a similar manner with the topics of Design, Execute, and Report. Each chapter details the essentials of the topic and shows how it is critical to the efficacy of an successful information security program.

What the reader may find missing from the book is particulars of the various security technologies. But that is the very function of the book, to show that information security is not primarily about the products, rather the underlying infrastructure on which those products reside on. Any product that is not deployed in a methodology similar to that of The CISO Handbook is likely to find itself lacking. The product might be there and hum along; but the security that it provides will likely be negligible.

The uniqueness of The CISO Handbook is that is shows how to design and implement an effective security program based on real world scenarios, as opposed to product reviews and vendor evaluations.

The CISO Handbook: A Practical Guide to Securing Your Company is indeed a most practical guide, as its title suggests. It is quite helpful to anyone in a security organization, whether they are the CISO, system administrator, or in a different capacity. The CISO Handbook: A Practical Guide to Securing Your Company lives up to its title as being a practical guide to security. The book is antithetical approach to the products equal security approach, and takes a pragmatic approach to security.

The authors have extensive real-world experience and approach information security from a holistic perspective. They clearly understand what it takes to build an information security program. One of the biggest mistakes in security is that it is seen as plug and play. Buy a security product, install in, and like magic, you have this thing called data security. But that only works in the world of product brochures and marketing material, not in the real world. The book does not approach security from a plug and play perspective, but as an endeavor that requires a multi-year effort to come to fruition.

The five chapters deal with security from its true source, namely that of risk. The chapters are: Assess, Plan, Design, Execute and Report. These five areas encompass all of information security and those firms that have built an information security infrastructure all done it by focusing on these five areas.

The first area, Access, is all about risk management. Many companies will purchase security products without even knowing what their specific risks are, and have often not performed a comprehensive risk analysis. Without a comprehensive risk analysis, any security product will simply operate in a vacuum. The benefits of a risk assessment and analysis are that they ensure that an organization is worrying about the right things and dealing with real, as opposed to perceived threats. The ultimate outcome of a risk analysis should be to see if the organization can benefit from the security product.

Chapter 1 ends with an assessment checklist of various areas that go into a risk assessment. One of the questions in the checklist that you likely will not see anywhere else is "describe the political climate at your company". Too many security people think only about the technology and neglect the political implications of a security system. Not taking into consideration the politics is a surefire way to potentially doom a project. Similar questions detailed in the checklist will give the reader a good feel for how secure their organization truly is; as opposed to the often perceived view of being much more secure.

Chapter 2 is aptly titled Plan. The planning phase is meant to combine the issues of assessment and to integrate options to mitigate those risks. The way in which a specific security technology or methodology is implemented is dependent on the organization. Rather than using a cookie-cutter approach, effective planning ensures that the security technologies chosen support your security program. Far too many organizations make the mistake of simply buying products without giving enough consideration into the myriad details of how they will be deployed, managed and used.

Chapter 2 emphasizes the need for planning, and the book as a whole emphasizes the need for the use of a methodology when dealing with information security. For many security technologies, the challenges of are not so much with the technology, but rather with ensuring that the technology meets business requirements, is scalable and reliable, etc.

Building a comprehensive information security program is likely to be more complex than previous experience of typical IT projects. As well as project management, technical and operational aspects, there are many policy, legal and security issues which must be taken into consideration. By following a structured methodology based on practical experience, many of the potential traps and pitfalls can be avoided. The risks to the business and the project are reduced and those that remain are quantified at an early stage.

The planning checklist at the end of chapter 2 will helps by ensuring that the solutions identified are deployed in the context of a well designed information security program. It can also be used as a wake-up call to management that often seriously underestimates the amount of time and manpower required to create an effective information security program.

One of the added benefits of planning is that it makes it much easier to integrate new regulatory requirements into the security program. A well-planned network can retrofit new requirements much more quickly and efficiently. This is a critical need given the increasing amount of new regulations that will come into play in the coming years, in addition to current regulations such as HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley and much more.

Chapters 3, 4 and 5 progress in a similar manner with the topics of Design, Execute, and Report. Each chapter details the essentials of the topic and shows how it is critical to the efficacy of an successful information security program.

What the reader may find missing from the book is particulars of the various security technologies. But that is the very function of the book, to show that information security is not primarily about the products, rather the underlying infrastructure on which those products reside on. Any product that is not deployed in a methodology similar to that of The CISO Handbook is likely to find itself lacking. The product might be there and hum along; but the security that it provides will likely be negligible.

The uniqueness of The CISO Handbook is that is shows how to design and implement an effective security program based on real world scenarios, as opposed to product reviews and vendor evaluations.

The CISO Handbook: A Practical Guide to Securing Your Company is indeed a most practical guide, as its title suggests. It is quite helpful to anyone in a security organization, whether they are the CISO, system administrator, or in a different capacity.

All this time, my friends and colleagues have told me that Bill Clinton was "the most pro-Israel President of all time." They could not have been more WRONG! Reading David Crystal's book has been eye-openning and has underscored how we have allowed people to so easily revise history to suite their personal and political agendas. I commend Mr. Crystal for having the courage and intellectual rigor to find the truth and report on it.

This book is very informative and is a must read for anyone interested in American or Israeli politics. Although the writer may have a bias, he attacked the subject matter very objectively and fairly. Everything in this book appears to be 100% factual. It is also well-written

I knew Clinton was a jerk when it came to domestic politics; but I didn't realize how much damage he had done in the international arena until I read this book. Clinton really put the screw to the Jews; it's amazing how few really know that. I commend the author for teaching me something.

book was as good as described, like new. Shipped on time. recommend seller. I will use in the future with doubt.

Benson writes about department stores' development as the new purveyors of mass culture and as the setting for a dynamic intersection of class and gender. She describes the encounters of saleswomen, managers, and customers in this retail environment between 1890 and 1940. Benson accomplishes this by combing through various journals and newspapers, and the results of this research are placed into perspective through comparison with other labor historians' work. Although the juxtaposition of Benson's work with others' reveals some flaws, _Counter Cultures_ nevertheless presents an important and vivid picture of a service industry, a neglected area of labor history

Benson writes about department stores' development as the new purveyors of mass culture and as the setting for a dynamic intersection of class and gender. She describes the encounters of saleswomen, managers, and customers in this retail environment between 1890 and 1940. Benson accomplishes this by combing through various journals and newspapers, and the results of this research are placed into perspective through comparison with other labor historians' work. Although the juxtaposition of Benson's work with others' reveals some flaws, _Counter Cultures_ nevertheless presents an important and vivid picture of a service industry, a neglected area of labor history

Nicely done!
After reading through this book one will know there's more to firefighting than putting the wet stuff on the hot stuff!
This book is divided into sensible segments and all the information is pertinent to the tasks at hand!
An excellent tool for training!

Doug Neath
Training Chief, City of Concord VFD

I am very pleased with IFSTA's new Essentials book. The updated material, pictures and sections have taken this fire training manual to another level. This is the book for you if you are serious about learning NFPA standards and common fire service strategies and tactics.

Well it's finally here! The long awaited 5th edition. It was worth the wait. They went back to the basics and didn't miss a beat. All the things they took out of the 4th edition are back plus more and it's well explained. They covered each subject in more depth than ever before. In this particular edition they added first aid for firefighters and Haz-mat/Decon. You won't be a Haz-mat tech or an EMT after reading it but it covers enough. It's pricier than earlier editions but it comes with its own study guide on CD. Well worth the price. The other edition only covers the firefighting aspect without the first aid and haz-mat. Go out and get yours today! You won't be disappointed.

When my daughter was young, she was fascinated by the vehicles with sirens. In particular she loved seeing the big red fire trucks go by us with lights flashing and sirens wailing. As a consequence of that excitement, I checked this book out and read it to her, over and over again. Although she did not understand many of the principles of measure, such as the height of 20 stacked giraffes, she did love the pictures and the sound effects I provided. I strongly recommend this as reading material for young children.

My 3 yr old son cannot get enough of this book. He wants it read over and over again. The other day he asked me," Does this firetruck not have outriggers?" And I did a double take. They really take it all in. Great book!

I bought this book for my son last year and it is among his favorites. What I liked about this book is that it's informative for children and adults. The language is clear and concise and items such as size are explained using comparisons children can understand. I highly recommend this book for all young fire engine fans.

A practical model of measurment on which HR teams can build up on. A thought provoking primer but should be customized to suit each organization

This book is a must-have for anyone concerned about cost-effective, value-added human resources results. It is the clearest, most concise work of its type. Anyone, regardless of their level of experience in human resources, can quickly use the contents of this book to become immediately more effective in their workplace.

This 3rd edition updates a classic HR book (originally written in 1984). New chapters on technology, outsourcing, etc. as well as revision of the basic chapters has kept this book on the forefront of HR "must haves".