Online Books

Greg Smith has done a very good job of providing a comprehensive and comprehensible resource. While Greg's approach to parenting might sound autocratic to some parents, but the fact is that it is ultimately a parent's responsibility to protect his kid (not that school and society at large are not responsible to protect our kids). While it educates technically non-savvy parents with the innards of the technology, it also provides a clear strategy to adopt the technical tools, corresponding to each age group. It is not a high level book, rather a hands-on approach book. He mentions many tools for monitoring, filtering and blocking purposes and one such tool is familyarmor.com.

Excellent Job!

The Internet and Web have so much to offer for both adults and children. I use it everyday and my children are also online daily. I check the news, email, and do research. I even met my spouse online. Also, my kids play games, chat with friends and explore. It's a great learning tool and allows them some freedoms to explore their interests. However, as the Web and Internet continue to impact our lives, there are very real dangers that I want to know about so that I can be sure my kids are safe when they are online.

What Greg Smith has been able to provide in his book are the specifics of how you can take the necessary steps to make sure that the Internet and Web is a safe place for your kids. Many books and guides speak in terms of general rules and ideas, but what Mr. Smith provides is real details and tools that you can put into action. He identifies the risks and issues being exploited and provides the leading tools, his experiences, and recommendations to protect you and your children. Even experienced technology professionals will find the comprehensive list of tools and technologies in his book a huge help. I have been using the Internet and Web for a long time and there are several things in his book that I did not know about, and that I want to keep my kids from knowing about.

Excellent book.

Greg Smith has written an important book for parents. Using his experience as a senior IT leader and a parent, he lets parents know the risks of children being connected and how to protect them.

The author makes the reader aware of the many dangers of connected electronic devices, not only computers but also cell phones. At a very young age, children are using computers and the age when children have their own cell phones seems to creep down every year. Many parents are not as technically sophisticated as their children, especially parents of teenagers. He urges parents to take control by learning about technology, using the tools available to safeguard and monitor children's activities on-line, and talking with your kids. His easy to understand recommendations let parents know what they need to do, going as far as recommending specific products and providing "How-to" instructions, customized for the age of your child.

As Mr. Smith states in his book, "You're just two clicks away from just about anything." Make sure your children are safe.

This book provides useful and easily understandable information for parents regarding protecting their children on the Internet. Even if you think your kids aren't using the Internet, they are. Statistics show that 96% of 13 yr olds use the Internet on a regular basis. So as parents, and as a teacher, it's important to know and understand how to keep your child safe.

I highly recommend this book for all parents. Even if you think your child is safe or that you know all there is to know, you can never be to safe when it comes to your children.

This book goes into great detail of what you, as a parent, need to do to keep your kids safe on the Internet.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that has children on the Internet.

This book is everything it says on the cover pages.
Very well writen, with superb illustractions to give the reader a profound understanding of the concepts involved. If you fight in the virtual sky then you should read this.

This book is just excellent. Whether you are a beginner in the world of sim-flying, or an old pro, this is a tremendously useful resource and is a must for every pilot's bookshelf. It cover basic and advanced fighter manuevers, gunnery, psychology, situational awareness, formation tactics, etc etc. Basically everything you need to know to succeed in the competitive world of sim a2a combat.

There are easy to understand diagrams and the text is well-written. I recommend this for anyone with a remote interest in learning the fine-points of air combat. Rookie or ace alike will certainly get a lot out of it.

If you are new to online fighter pilot sims then this is a must have. If you have been playing for a while but still suffer the frustration of poor kill:death ratio then it is strongly recommened. It will give you insight and knowledge in the fighter sim world and insite in your own tactics that would take years to learn on your own.

If your ready to get on the fast track to online flying then this is for you . It will save you hundreds of hours of learning the ropes by yourself .

EXCELLENT resource, I rccomend it for anyone who flies. Points out a lot of the minor mistakes we all make, plus its written from the POV of someone with the same approach to flying and fighting that I try to follow, so its been a big eye opener for me.

Also I noticed a lot of stuff that I used to do and have moved away from, and have taken a big hit in my survivability and Kill : Death ratio as a result of. A lot of the rules I followed religiously in the AvA I've moved away from, and have lost a lot of proficiency as a result. As I've been reading through, I frequently remember using the tactic he describes properly- and just often I can recall a recent situation where I should have used them and instead got suckered into a furball or a turnfight simply because I forgot all the things I should know.

Kinda irritating to have your errors pointed out at you, but also helps to be reminded of what works and what doesn't.

this book starts off with regular characters facing real problems. In this book the author uses real scripture from The Bible. This book uses these characters to show there are other answers than the only ones you might be able to think of, like GOD. In the Chat Room with God is a book that i would recommened to anyone. It can help you with many problems. After you read this book i also recommened looking up the verses they used in this book. They will be located in the bible.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK THIS IS THE ONE TO GET! AT FIRST I WHEN I SAW THE COVER I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD LIKE IT. BUT MAN IT WAS THE BEST!! I LOVED IT. IT INSPIRED ME TO GHET CLOSE TO GOD MORE THAN I EVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD. IF YOU WANT A GOOD BOOK THIS IS THE ONE!!

I read this book on a plane and must say that it's extremely well-written and will definitely resonate with Christian teens. The characters are very well-developed, and the Hafers use the chatroom-style format quite cleverly, using it to tell a nice story arc and not just as a gimmick. I highly recommend it.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only is the content socially and culturally relevant, but it is presented in a way that reaches teens where they are, as they are and with the respect they deserve. I even found myself marking off pages I found especially insightful! I highly recommend this book for all teens facing the difficult challenges of life today. This book is definitely worth checking out!!!

Wow -- this is a great book. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could! The characters are believable, and you find yourself truly caring about them as the story progresses.

This is a unique book, and it looks cool too. I like the cover and the way the pages look like actual computer screens. This book lets you enjoy a great story and learn a lot about God in the process. I highly recommend In the Chat Room with God

Learn how to save time and money through a guide which shows how to use the Internet to locate the best travel bargains and save money. Internet Travel Planner goes beyond pinpointing the latest sites: it tells how to join online discussion forums, how to gain access to newspapers and reviews, and how to use online resources to create your very own custom made traveler's guidebook.

For all of you web travel fans, the Second Edition of Internet
Travel Planner has been updated with the best and newest web travel sites. As a former travel industry employee, I find this is the most complete and easy-to-read internet book now that all the large travel suppliers and surviving internet travel businesses have improved their online booking sites.

Using Michael Shapiro's book as a guide, a newcomer to researching travel can click through a website with ease. An interesting new appendix was added on digital photography. Do any of us world travelers leave home without a camera! Of course we love finding a good discount and each chapter lists sites known for the best deals. Travel sales are still down and businesses are reducing prices or adding incentives to get customers. I would highly recommend buying the book for yourself or giving it as a gift for the holidays.

Michael Shapiro's Internet Travel Planner isn't just another listing of Internet sites to be obsolete in a few months time: it provides some important tips linking travel to the Internet, from creating a custom guidebook to using the internet to see pictures of hotel rooms and connect with other travelers through travel chats and forums. And for those worrying about the book's longevity: free updates are offered online!

I found this book to be both informative and useful even though I had already used the internet for travel purposes. My husband found out about free email accounts and signed up for one within a few minutes (Chapter 14). After reading Shapiro's Internet Travel Planner, I realized that by booking airline tickets on line, I had only begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities for travel planning on line. What I found most useful for both `arm chair travel' and trip planning was Shapiro's chapter on discussion forums and bulletin boards. Search engines are great but I find the results to be catch as catch can. In Chapter 13 I got a clear sense of which sites were worth my time. Shapiro covers everything from frequent flyer miles to vacation package sites, from weather to medicine abroad. The book is easy to use-it offers an index and appendices that allow you to find websites quickly. Read this book even if you wouldn't book a flight or make a reservation on line. The web is too great and too vast a resource to skip and you'll be glad you have this guide as you surf.

My favorite thing about this book is this. You've got a specific question on your mind about doing something travel-related on the Net. And then you just look in the table of contents, and I swear, Shapiro has covered it to some extent. Like, a dependable site for car rentals, or where to find opinions and reviews from other travelers, or getting train passes, dealing with frequent flier miles...and lots of other stuff.

This book isn't a list, or directory, of travel Web sites. Shapiro picked Web sites he considers to be the strongest ones for each topic. And he goes into the details of what to expect for each one. This helps you decide which site is best for your particular needs, for instance, whether you're seeking a last minute hotel bargain, a night in a B&B or a homestay.

This also means that he's willing to be critical. For example, right now Priceline is quite the rage. In the budget travel section he describes how to get the most out of it while also going over the unsexy fine print... that you can't pick an exact flight time, tickets are non-refundable and you don't earn frequent flier mileage. I don't know about you, but that's the info that nobody ever tells me.

A bonus is the First Person section of various chapters. Basically, Shapiro includes interviews, emails and other stories from folks who've used specific sites. You get to see what worked, what didn't and why -- all with opinions.

Hey all you AOL users: Shapiro's got you covered. In many sections he includes a blip, customized to you, that goes over how you use certain sites specifically on AOL.

I'd say that Internet Travel Planner is especially friendly for someone new to the Net. However, it's also helpful for folks who already know Web travel. I know a decent amount about various travel Web sites, yet I find that Shapiro highlights certain features I didn't realize existed in sites I thought I knew well. And on top of it all, you get some non-Net travel advice, like seven tips for finding cheap airline flights. The stuff you'd otherwise have to find out the hard way.

On top of it all, if you have questions or comments, he leaves his email in the introduction for you to contact him. Now that's service.

I enjoyed this book immensely, but probably for the wrong reasons. The book is a bit chewy in places, but stick with it, as it's surprisingly enjoyable on it's own merits. On a more selfish, sadistic note, I had been mecilessly bludgeoned on a regulary basis by a work colleague, a second generation descendant of the Emerald Isle, with tales of Celtic martyrdom and Anglo tyranny, and none of which I felt I had the right to dispute. Then I read the book. After ten minutes of lively debate, challenging all he knew as 'fact', he has not spoken to me since. No-one had ever shut him up before. Heaven. But back to the point, I found this to be a rather good read.

Baby Cromwell, Nottingham, England

R. F. "Roy" Foster author of 'W. B. Yeats: The Apprentice Mage,' 'Charles Stewart Parnell: The Man and His Family' and 'Modern Ireland,' has written this experience and interpetation into Irish history and literature. He does a fine job of it. His bravery in massacring every sacred Irish cow as one would have fun reading it. It leaves you with a warm, passionate, giggly feeling. It's entertainingly brilliant look at the past and present Ireland. I particularly love the chapters and passages on Theme-parks & Histories (with some warning from Foster on expliotation); the chapters on Yeats; When the Newspapers Have Forgotten Me: Yeats, Obituarists and Irishness; Selling Irish Childhoods: Frank McCourt & Gerry Adams; and, Remembering 1798. They're totally smothered in clichés and lots of traditional tidbits of fond or fatal memories, known to some as the Irish experience.

Foster cleverly works moments of Ireland's past into narratives of Irish culture on myth, folklore, ghost stories and romance. The result is from a varied interpetation of opinionated and right down funny interlinking essays. In Theme-parks and Histories-Foster writes of the Irish are to remember or commemorate anything. It is worth remembering the upward curve of Irish cultural achievement-referring to W. B. Yeats, Hugh Leonard, Ezra Pound, Cashel Heritage Society and the 2,000-acre Famine Theme Park in Knockfierna Hill west of Limerick. Irish history, the most distinctive achievement for it. His suggestion to form a monument to Amnesia and forget where they put it. As a historian he would be shocked, but as an Irishman he would be attracted to the idea. Foster shows no mercy on his view of manipulating Irish history on political places and Irish poverty and oppression as a commerically packaged heritage park. His exploration of Yeats' authority of the Irish story's fitting moments as the voice of his Ireland countrymen.

Foster leaves teeth-marked criticism of Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes) and Gerry Adams and their devil may care attittude of taking hostages for fortune. Transcending into the bestsellerdom of Irish childhoods. Simply a technique of marketing where Irish version brag and whimper about the woes of their early years' experience. I find this to be an entertaining reading. In some places a bit wordy, but good telling of Irish culture. You may hate or love it. But, if your interest is in Irish history and literature it's quite essential.

Irish people of all persuasions and in all walks of life have developed a talent for building up a national history to their liking and drawing conclusions from it. Roy Foster's essays are about some of the ways in which Ireland's history has been interpreted, embroidered, exploited and packaged. I think everyone will agree there are cogent reasons for preserving the distinction between history and "national fiction". Ultimately, poor history makes poor propaganda, and propaganda in any case is a shabby use to put something as precious as a nation's history. This book is essential reading for people with an interest in Ireland. (I also recommend strongly the same author's earlier "Modern Ireland 1600-1972".)

This book ought to be on the shelf of anyone with an interest in Irish history. Foster has done an excellent job at making his points about the various 'uses' that history in Ireland has been employed for. From downright propaganda to 'memoirs' masquerading as vague truths he unleashes the power of clear thinking and valid sources. For so long Irish history has been treated as 'story' and this book attempts and succeeds in telling the difference. It is so refreshing to see something sensible in print! It is a great source book or reference and could also be read by delving into the different subjects in the index. I would recommend this for all who are involved in getting to know the real history of Ireland and the Irish and how some Irish 'history' came to be written in the first place.

Porter's tongue-in-cheek treatment of the marketing of Ireland is refreshing after an avalanche of Irish hype came from unscrupulous little publishers.The Disneynification of Ireland ,apparently propelled by American ad agencies for the Irish Tourist Board,is treated by Porter correctly as hype to snare innocent Irish-Americans.Porter gets almost every hilarious Irish twist of recent decades in this collection of exposes, including the hilarious, almost unbelievable marketing of the potato famine in Disney-like theme parks.Unfortunately, he closed his collection of revionist chapters without pointing to the biggest Irish hype of all -the invention and collapse of " The Celtic Tiger", based on runaway inflation and a Dublin stock market bubble that aped the rise and fall of America's Nasdaq.Foster's book is a must if you wish a clearer view of the Irish .

I admit I agreed to review this book with at least a tad of trepidation, not only because I'm now barely entering the second half of the 20th Century as far as technology, but also because I've always secretly nurtured a philosophical resistance to any form of human interaction that smacked of science fiction. For me this category included cloning, telepathic sex, and computer dating.

So for two weeks I pretended not to notice this manuscript to which I'd committed myself, lying there among my gardening books on the bedside table. But finally I bit the bullet and opened to the Table of Contents. I became immediately, astoundingly engaged. Those clever chapter titles! "Oedipus Seeks Older Woman," for starters. Wow. This was not your typical book about love on the Internet. I tell you it was a page turner -- a finely researched, entertaining and convincing argument in favor of computer dating.

The authors are themselves persuasive examples of the validity of the much maligned phenomenon of cyberlove, having met through the Internet personals when Kenneth was living in San Francisco and Beverly in Tennessee. As if the glow of their personal relationship is not testimony enough (they could be the happiest couple I've met), their book includes perceptive recollections from other intelligent folks who found their own soulmates in cyberspace.

It includes interviews with owners of reputable online dating services, offers advice on how to choose an appropriate matchmaking service, and provides tips on writing effective personal profiles. The book outlines precautions taken by dating services to protect the privacy of their clients, and guidelines to attracting sincere people.

But it's not as simplistic or one-sided as that. The pitfalls are investigated and unsuccessful attempts examined. Participants describe their first-hand experiences with online dating. The characters are familiar and human, with all the usual flaws and fears we recognize (embracingly or otherwise) as our own. It's a page turner, I tell you. It's drama.

The Appels have written a fascinating book about love and human contact on the Internet personals. This is not about the flirtations of the chat rooms. This is about a serious presentation of self in which a person says this is who I am, this is what I stand for, this is the way I lead my life, this is my passion and spirituality, and this is what I want from another human being. Unlike the usual ways of meeting a person-at church, on the job, through friends--these presentations of self on the Internet reach across time and space like a beacon. The Appels are both serious psychotherapists and their guidance is gentle and accumulative, and, from the first page on, deeply optimistic. They have made contact with over 1000 people who have used the Internet personals, and they recount their stories on virtually every page. This is, in a very real sense, a book of love stories. I was astonished by the wisdom of this book. I love the human speech contained in it. The Appels believe that in time millions of people will use the Internet personals and meet their beloved in this fashion. This notion astonished me.

It Takes Two.Com should certainly be a prerequisite for anyone placing or responding to an ad on an Internet personals site. The many stories shared by people who have used the personals demonstrate how we must know and love ourselves--our games, our illusions, our fears, our desires, our dreams--so that we may more fully experience genuine love with another. These stories validate that there are unseen forces ever present guiding us, and that LOVE is really all there is, even when brought and given to us via the Internet. Sharing the strength and hope from first-hand accounts is a very powerful learning tool for those willing to have an open mind and heart. The authors' descriptions and explanations of what composes the essence of a person, how our persona/archetypes are lived out in our lives, and how these then come to dictate who we meet when it becomes our written ad or email is right on! Even the stories of fantasy, constant courtship, married and flirting, and disappointment can teach us. For the reader who is willing, the catalyst is there to help see how our superficial actions are not conducive to an intimate, trusting, accepting, committed relationship--if that is what we truly desire. Of course, to have faith and be open to accept and recognize our destiny when it meets us face to face is also required.

The authors are both psychotherapists who came together via the Internet. Their online love story is transcendent, inspirational, and, yes, even magical. The Appels' book is most noteworthy for its emphasis on the powerful aura of spirituality which is evident when soulmates connect. There's no way to predict it. If there were a way to manufacture it, I'm sure it would sell better than Viagra. In 1979, psychologist Dorothy Tennov coined a term by calling this attraction limerence. In her book, Love and Limerance: The Experience of Being in Love, she speaks of this soul-to-soul connection and how it can enter one's life. Suddenly a stranger is known. Not only does the Appels' work reflect this wonderful state, but it permeates their romance and that of the couples who were also blessed in discovering their spiritual partners online. It Takes Two.Com is a book about spirituality, persistence, hope, faith, and the uniquely human need to be loved. Thanks to reading their book I am better able to recognize when a person I am corresponding with online is sincere about wanting an enduring relationship; able to identify those who are simply looking for someone to play a role in their fantasies; and how to spot those who prey on the unwary. I was one of a 1000 research volunteers who participated in the Appels' study prior to the release of their book. Although I have yet to meet my soulmate, I believe it will happen. And thanks to Beverly and Kenneth, I'll know and see him before I meet him.

When I was searching for a book of information about online dating, I bought four books from Amazon. Three of these were silly and superficial in their approach. IT TAKES TWO.COM was strikingly different. Not only do the authors have the first-hand experience of meeting online themselves, but also in helping people resolve relationship problems. What I really enjoyed about this book were the many specific examples and directions for how to be successful online, and how to learn more about yourself in the process. Through accounts from people who have lost as well as won online, the authors explain ways to protect yourself as well as avoid hurting others on the way to finding a partner. IT TAKES TWO.COM was a very meaningful book to me personally, and I'm sure it will help many people in their online search.

This book by Wilson Smith is a little gem. He has written bravely and honestly about events in his life that will make the reader laugh and cry and just wonder how on earth he ever lived to tell the tales in Just Dirt.

It is amazingly touching and and not without humour. I think every teen who is thinking of running away should read this book. In fact every teenager should read this book and if I had a say I would put it on all reading lists in High Schools.

Just Dirt is not just for kids. Mr. Smith has recalled events that touched his life, his family and those around him. Every person reading this book will be moved in some way.

Mr. Smith has written the book in a really casual style, if I may say that. While reading Just Dirt, the reader feels as if he/she is sitting with a good friend while he is recalling episodes from his eventful past.

Wilson Smith, Just Dirt (Lulu, 2007)

I'll start off by saying there's no way I can write an unbiased review of this book. I've been reading Wilson Smith's writing for nigh on a decade now-- as hard as it is for me to believe that stockboy recruited me old pal Mike Burns and me for xnet membership almost ten years ago, such is the case-- and, like most of the list folk, I am well aware that Smith can spin a mighty fine tale when he takes the mike. And I have heard a number of these tales before, either just as they are here or in somewhat rougher form. Besides, I'm actually thanked in the credits. Me? Unbiased? Are you [censored] kidding?

I should also start off by saying that memoirs generally drive me up the wall. And that, interestingly, perhaps what I value most about this book is that Smith nailed why, on the head, in a brief digression in one of these stories. And then went on to write the first truly readable memoir (as opposed to those memoirs-passed-off-as-novels that are far easier to bear, witness Bukowski or Exley or even Jay McInerney's Ransom, his best and most underrated novel) I've come across in... longer than I care to remember. I consider this just payment for having forced myself though 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed.

Part of what makes it so readable is that this isn't a memoir in the way you might think of memoirs. It reads more like a collection of short stories. (As a side note, the book's main weakness also comes into play here; there are some times when pieces of a story are repeated. Remember in the Encyclopedia Brown books, where Donald Sobel's first few paragraphs were startlingly similar in every story? You get that here, but only once or twice.) The end result has a sort of concept-album kind of impressionism, a feeling that you're not getting the whole story, just the pieces that matter. Would that a number of other memoirists had thought to do such a thing.

But what really nails it for me is something I found completely surprising. In this scene, Smith finds a number of old stories (from a long-abandoned first draft of the title piece) in his attic, and is re-reading them:

"The stories, though, were non-stop "Show, don't tell" (the first rule of writing, eh?), to a degree of which I'm now mostly incapable. It makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel to try to write that way now."

Now, I'm a big fan of "show, don't tell." A huge fan. It's by far the best way to approach fiction. It's the only way to approach poetry if you want a poem that your public won't laugh at. But when I read that bit, I looked back on all those memoirs I've hated over the past few years, since they got so huge, and I realized that they were all trying way too hard to show (and to show every excruciating minor detail), whereas Smith is just sitting there like the guy next to you at the (juice) bar talking about all the stupid [censored] we did as kids. Well, some of us did as kids. (If you can't find anything in here to identify with, I envy you.) And, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, it works. I'm not sure it would work in a longer manuscript-- Smith's book weighs in at a light, easy-to-digest-in-one-sitting 132 pages-- but it works here like a charm. (Which begs the question: how well do charms work? And what do they do? My mom's just dangled from her bracelet.)

This may sound like, well, it's just some guy sitting there telling you a story. Anyone who made the mistake of signing up for a first-year psychology class in college knows just how boring that can be (especially if you had my professor). Smith's self-deprecating wit coupled with the basic insanity of the times keep it from ever being boring. (Note: Smith does assume something of a knowledge of those times. If you're not familiar with, for example, the sixties hippie counterculture, you might find yourself confused. Be warned.)

Also, something else of note. As I mentioned; this is a one hundred thirty-two page manuscript. I grant you, I wasn't reading with a proofreaders' eye, but I noticed a total of two typos in the entire book. I can't think of the last book I came across from a major press with two typos. It's unheard of in the realm of print-on-demand books. That alone is reason enough to pick up a copy of this, even if the book itself had sucked. And this one doesn't, not by a stone's throw followed by a world-record chaw spit.

End result: even if you loathe the entire memoir genre, check this one out. It may just change your mind (though, I rush to add, just about itself. The rest of those memoirs? Yeah. Still garbage). *** ½

"Harrowing" is an over-used word in pop culture criticism, but I can think of few places where it is better and more aptly deployed than in a review of Wilson Smith's "Just Dirt." This loosely chronological memoir is crafted as an integrated series of short, near-still life vignettes (painting brutally honest and specific pictures of moments and places in time) and longer tales of transition (where thing/place/person A becomes thing/place/person B, and where the process, the crucible, is key).

In less deft hands, such a tale could have been ponderous, self-indulgent and dire, but Smith's story-telling skills are sharp, and his language and characterization are rich and evocative, drawing a reader into the emotional peaks and valleys that frame his psychological landscapes. He paints his self-portrait with brutal candor, and does a tremendous job at building tension in some of his longer works. You just know that something awful is going to come of all this, but you can't stop reading until Smith shines the spotlight on the shortcoming or mistake that wishes to expose or expunge, at which point you generally find a hidden element of beauty and grace, where you least expected it.

And ultimately that's what makes this book so lively and lovely: these are dark and troubling tales, but grace and transcendence and growth (and the desire to find them all) permeates the narrative, palpably. There's no treacly ending, no easy answers, no pat wrap-up, just an uplifting sense in the end that, hey, even though we're often our own worst enemies, and even though we may not always like ourselves, we're still something finer and grander than the sum of our molecular matter, and we're not just dirt, not by a longshot.

"Just Dirt" regales the reader with wonderfully disturbing stories, stories painfully familiar to many of us -- except we didn't have the balls to make them public. Smith has a refreshingly honest style of writing, sort of "in your face," witty, intellectual, anti-intellectual and hip all at once. Part journal, part personal journey, part freak show, it's a lurid, sensational look into the very deepest, darkest corners of not just Smith's world, but certainly mine and probably yours.

"Just Dirt" is a gloriously readable collection of events that may make you draw comparisons to your own experiences or may make you aware of your own relatively uneventful life. The style Smith employs is highly personal, and while he doesn't glorify the dysfunction, he embraces it in a way that helps explain how he has become the man he is today.

His ability to step away from himself and look back with remarkable clarity is impressive.

As a reader, I felt some guilt because I wanted MORE, even though reading his memoirs resulted in a level of discomfort. To say I "enjoyed" the book seems inappropriate, but I couldn't stop reading it, and it's been a long time since I can recall being so captivated.

this book is a excellent read. one of my favorites Brenda Jackson is one of my favorite aurthors you will enjoy readingabout the madaris family

This is a great book for readers new to Brenda Jackson's books. I first read Surrender and wondered who are all these people she's talking about? Now I know. Justin, Dex, and Clayton are highlighted in their own books in this collection. My favorite by far is "Eternally Yours" -- Clayton and Syneda's story. They don't have as much emotional baggage as the others in their books (which is a good thing), but they did have plenty of sparks flying between each other. The funniest scene is when they are in Florida on the porch after returning from dinner. That was hilarious!

If you are new to Ms. Jackson, please get this book. You won't be disappointed to get to know these brothers from the beginning. Now as I make my way through the rest of her books, everything and everybody fits.

The 10th Anniversary Collectors Series was a great way for me to get caught up with the Madaris novels I have missed. I thoroughly enjoyed all three tales about the Madaris brothers. This novel was filled with romance, love, sensuality, as well as suspense and drama! Justin, Dexter and Clayton definitely showed us that romance IS NOT DEAD! The storyline flowed smoothly and the secondary charaters introduced throughout the novel only aided in adding just the right amount of spice and intrigue to these tales. I have to say "Eternally Yours" is my favorite of the three. Clayton and Syneda were HILAROUS. And I enjoyed the fact that they were friends before they became lovers. It made the romance and intimacy between them more realistic and extremely HEATED! Each story built on the next and only improved in richness and texture as Mrs. Jackson weaves all the family members, business associates and friends lives together. I will definitely have to search for subsequent titles to complete this series because I just have to know what happens, not only to the Madaris family, but also to their circle of friends! A Definite MUST READ!

This book is great, especially for the new fans of the Madrais family, because the first book in the series(Tonight&Forever) is out of print. This book contains the first three complete stories that started the saga of the Madrais's. This is a continuing series, so for those who have read other books in the series and need to know how it started, pick up this book. For those of you who have not been intrested in the Madrais's, I would advise that you get intrested. I have read every story in the Madrais collection and I have yet to be disappointed, Mrs. Jackson has a way of leaving you wanting more.

As of this writing,I just finished reading the "Madaris Saga" and it was excellent. Justin, Dex and Clayton are truly some fine men even if Dex was irritating at times. I`ve been late to work on many occasions due to being up at all hours of the night reading this book. Everytime I say "just one more chapter", I always read more. It`s that addictive. I truly have to say that Justin,Dex and Clayton are men who love and love hard. Now that I`ve read their saga, and Christy`s story(Unfinished Business),I hope that Ms. Jackson`s future novels focus on the other Madaris sisters(Traci and Kattie). Come on Ms. Jackson, you`ve got to write about them too. Brenda Jackson is truly in a class all by herself. Excellent Storytelling!!!!!!!

The information I obtained from the book has been very helpful in seeing a more clear way of what the affiliate business is all about. The author of the book is very knowledgeable in the affiliate business, specially in the start up face of the business.

I follow up to everything I can find written by Rosalind Gardner including her website and I can say that her material is quite solid and no pitch. This book kept my interest from first page to the last one. These days you can meet lots of gurus in affiliate marketing but from my own experience I learned that from some of them you should stay far away if you don't want to let them use your bank account as their own.

Example: you pay for initial product, never receive this product, your requests for getting money back never reach anybody and on top of that in a month you suddenly find out that this "guru" is now charging you for phantom membership. Your emails stay never responded, your calls never get any effect, so you have to ask your bank to close access to your account for this thief. Your brains get dried off with this fight against the wind and you are not even close to success in online business.

With Rosalind you are safe, she is open in many ways, and all you need is just to work hard for her instructions to bring you that fortune. I enjoyed her book and will definitely recommend it to everyone who wants to learn about marketing online.

A good little book about how to promote YOUR BUSINESS using your Web site, Internet search engines, and other marketing techniques. I'm a SCORE volunteer who counsels small business owners on how to improve their Web presence and make the Internet work for them in bringing in clients. Much of the material covered in this wonderful little book is exactly what I explain to my clients.

As a SCORE counselor I discuss market research, competition research, Web site research, keyword research, profit research, how to design a winning Web site, how to build a winning Web site, and how to market the winning Web site. This book covers all of these things. If you are looking for advice on how to do these things, then look no further. You have found it when you get a copy of this book.

About three years ago I did a bit of research on affiliate programs on the Net and how to build my own affiliate program and upload it onto the Net. There really wasn't a lot out there to read about the subject at the time. Still isn't. But I was able to figure out back then that affiliate programs were not worth the effort to get involved in or to put together. I learned that if you can do a great job selling through an affiliate program, then you can do just as good selling your own product and make all the profit on the sale instead of a silly commission. This book helps explain how to do a great job selling. So get it for that angle and not the affiliate program angle.

I'm giving this book 4 stars because in my opinion the title is a little misleading. I don't know anyone who is or has made a fortune in affiliate programs. But if the title were changed to something like make a fortune selling your own stuff online and the content was reworked a little, then the star rating would go up. 4 stars!

I don't know anyone making a fortune with affiliate marketing, but I do believe it is possible, which is why I bought this book. If you are an affiliate marketer, you might find much of this book repetitive. But, if you are not making a fortune and want to, then this book is for you.

Most of us know it takes a llloooooonnnnnngggg time to make any money from most affiliate programs, and Gardner doesn't tell you you can get rich overnight. I found her information to be true to what everyone else is saying--build a good website (or websites) with great content, find good paying companies to promote and run your affiliate business like---a business. What a concept! (I find many people throw up a few pages of content and a couple of links and then start waiting for the money. As if. . .)

I like this book because there are actual "how-to's" in here--how to set up tracking tools and spreadsheets, how and when to create content, how to promote your business, how to get your website up, when to expand your business, what to do when an affiliate doesn't pay, how to find affiliates, and much more.

If you are looking for get rich quick scams, look somewhere else. If you are looking for a guide to having your own successful affiliate business, get this book.

The author takes you through a quick and easy guide to internet marketing. Step by step you can learn how to do it without wasting time on reading unnecessary things. Very good.

As Ajit's student I got a very through conceptual understanding of e-markets by reading his book 'MAKING MARKETS'. He has presented one of his best works through this book that can add new dimensions to innovate businesses. I recommend this book to all the intellectual food seekers in technology and business innovation space.

Kambil and Heck have written an insightful and thought-provoking book on electronic markets. It is a must read for anyone who wants to understand online markets. They develop a framework to understand as well as to gauge the success of such markets based on in-depth study of several electronic markets. I particularly liked their characterization of B2B markets and its relationship to supply chain management. Their chapter on using markets creatively has ideas for both researchers as well as practitioners. The book has many examples, is written in a narrative style, and easy to read to three or four sittings.

As an entrepreneur and venture investor, I've found Making Markets invaluable because it's an excellent analytical framework for thinking about and creating markets. What is especially valuable is their Process/Stakeholder Benefit Framework which is elegantly simple yet so useful. I personally use that framework in examining various business models.

I highly recommend this book!

Ajit Kambil and Eric van Heck have written an authoritative and highly readable book illuminating the much-misunderstood world of online auctions. In clear, simple prose, the authors explain that the initial excitement over online markets was not all dot.com reverie and new economy hubris. Given that offline markets such as the Dutch flower auctions have thrived for centuries, it stands to reason that online markets will succeed to the extent that they improve on existing markets. “As you will read in subsequent pages, human beings have always made markets, and they will continue to do so in the future- even if business is conducted through cyberspace.” Kambil and van Heck cut through the technical jargon all to common in “eBusiness” books, and elucidate very effectively why people participate in markets. They write: “…electronic markets are not technological interactions supported by humans. They are human interactions supported by technology.” This quote exemplifies why this book is not just another poorly cobbled together ebiz how-to; it is a book about understanding how we will buy and sell in the future and how managers can avoid the outrageously expensive mistakes of the past few years.

Success stories such as eBay and lesser-known eMarkets such as PartMiner are dissected to reveal what they did right, while spectacular flameouts such as Chemdex are shown to have lacked important ingredients for a good e-market recipe. There is a very good section dealing with how e-markets should be categorized which helps make sense of the galaxy of initiatives underway. There is a very insightful section on Knowledge Markets and how auctions for intangibles could become an important wave of future online commerce. All and all a great read and highly recommended.

David Brett, CEO and Founder, Knexa.com

Yes, Virginia, there are still frontiers to be explored and conquered. The internet is a very active place, but still full of exciting opportunities. Feeling entrepreneurial or adventurous? You can create your own market on the net. The authors suggest that the future of exchange of products, services, and payment will accelerate in cyberspace. While the opportunities abound, there is a lot to learn . . . and there are risks. But, that's why you read a book like "Making Markets."

First, some perspective. The authors emphasize that "electronic markets are not technological interactions. They are human interactions supported by technology." Ignore this principle and failure awaits you in the way it doomed the electronic markets in the 1990s. "Cyberspace markets cannot be thin replicas of the traditional market. Rather they must be as rich, complex, and compete as the traditional markets themselves." The basic trade processes of search, pricing, logistics, payment and settlement, and authentication must still be in place. Value must be created for all participants, and the electronic marketing venture must fit with the firm's other marketing vehicles. Creativity will have a significant influence on success.

The authors begin with an explanation of the opportunities, the value of marketing in cyberspace. The first chapter includes an explanation of the design of their presentation in the remaining seven chapters. Chapter titles give us an insight into the content: From Place to Space, Making Markets Work, and Auctions: The Devil is in the Details. Readers will learn about Using B2B markets in the Supply Chain, Using Markets Creatively, and Market Tactics. Dynamic Market Strategies are address in the final chapter, followed by a call to action encouraging you to stick your toes in the water and try this approach.

Each chapter is filled with education, insight, and mini-case studies to show us what has worked and what hasn't worked. You'll learn the jargon and the steps in the process. A good notes section, including website addresses, is complemented by a helpful index. And, expectedly, the authors offer a website for the book where more information and support is available. If you're ready to open your mind to some fascinating possibilities, curl up with "Making Markets."