Online Books

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.

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."

i like this book a lot. it has bright pictures and diagrams, gives lots of good examples to make things easier to understand, and is not too wordy. this is a book i will actually read.

Medical Microbiology would be an excellent reference book for any microbiologist. It contains general information about any bacterium you can imagine as well as overviews of the diseases various bacteria cause. Symptoms, complications, diagnosis, and treatment options are covered in detail. The book also contains wonderfully vivid pictorial accounts of the bacteria and their various modes of pathogenicity. A fascinating, well-organized text of sophisticated microbiology!

I've written reviews for several textbooks, and it is not uncommon for me to rant extensively about high prices and the use of color solely for the purpose of making a book appear flashy. In the case of Mims Medical Microbiology though, I have nothing but good things to say. This is an example of a book that uses quite a bit of color, but does so with good purpose. Moreover the color is not overdone, and it is generally used effectively to draw the reader's attention to important concepts or to make illustrations more clear, or realistic. While the price of the book is not trivial, this is still an excellent bargain when one considers the quality of the content. The text is is clearly written and well organized for learning. I highly recommend it for those looking for excellent introductory materials on medical microbiology.

At least a very "biologically correct" textbook of microbial diseases, I'm going to translate it only for fun, for me and for my italian entourage; and so many beautiful pictures that I never seen before in a similar text in Italy. I'd like to translate it for publication if possible. Antonio Angioi (microbiologist), Sassari, Italy

This text book is outstanding in terms of clear pictures and detailed descriptions. It exhibits numerous color photos which help remember the clinical signs and appearances of common infectious diseases. On the other hand, the text excellently outlines and explains the underlying theory and treatments. This book takes a modern approach to teach Microbiology by introducing the contents in a system based mannar. This is very different from the traditional way of teaching the subject in which the materials are delivered species by species. I think this way is more clinically relevant and thus, suits the needs of health care students.

This book was required for an online college course I was taking. The book is layed out in a nice format and is easy to follow. The CD that comes with the book is quite helpful when preparing for exams and quizzes.

I am an instructor for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Professional Medical Coding Curriculum (PMCC) and often recommend this book as a way for a student to be fully prepared to take our course.

I love the CD ROM with the excercises (that's the instructor in me :) as well as the fact that there are pronunciations. This is truly a "self study" course and I highly recommend it.

Laureen Jandroep, OTR, CPC, CCS-P A+ Medical Management & Education...

I read this book cover-to-cover during a Medical Transcription certificate program and was really impressed with the format. The order in which the terms are presented and the fill-in-the-blank sections are excellent for testing and retesting yourself. The answers to the tests are in the back of the book so that you can be sure you answered the questions correctly. I have seen other medical terminology books on the market, but none compare to this one for ease of learning!

Wow! I wish I had found this before I blew two weeks salary on a medical transcription course. This book covered more ground than the manuals that I received, and for a fraction of the cost. Without this book I don't think I would ever have picked up the terminology - and I would have missed out on such a great career! (2 years and going strong!)

As a provider of Medical Transcriptionist training, I wouldn't suggest people try to replace a comprehensive course with this book. But anyone would profit by adding it to their course materials. It is particularly strong in supporting retention, which is a rare quality in textbooks.

Disclaimer: I'm the author, so I had to give it a lot of stars. But 5 stars do belong to the second edition (2006), which is now available from Amazon. Completely revised and much improved.

After reading this book, I now know how to perform effective searches using MEDLINE. It has cut my research time considerably. My thanks go out to the author for helping make sense of a considerably complex system.

This book was enjoyable to read and has proven extremely useful already. Searching Medline can be a frustrating and unproductive endeavor. This book helped me find exactly what I was looking for without tearing my hair out. This book is a must for anyone who has to locate articles in the medical literature.

This book is an invaluable guide to Medline. The instructions are extremely clear and easy to understand and the historical information is fascinating. I highly recommend it.

After reading this book I thought that it deserved a special review, this is, not the type of review that usually begins with "a must read for every clinician" but something special as this book deserves. Most of us have had already the necessity of accessing Medline database in our research but most of the times we get hit by the results that a simple search presents. We then start browsing and browsing the results and we get tired of so much information that some times does not correspond to our desires or doesn't focus on the subject we were looking for. Now what? - we ask. The answer is simple as the author says; the focus is not just on simple searching but on effective searching. Medline is a complex and very wide database and knowing some of its basic concepts will help us understanding how simple and effective can our search be made. This is what the author presents in this book, a "rutter" for easy and effective navigation in this complex and wide sea of scientific information. There are no secrets in Medline but there are basic concepts like knowing some of the 19,000 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) or just simple understanding how they are organized and how this understanding will help us to get the effective search results for our needs. This is given by the author with many examples of ways to start an effective search in Medline and thus not waste so much of our precious time browsing through the great amount of information that this resource can present. The book is very accessible in the way that the concepts are presented with many examples and a glossary for quick reference on MeSH. In a couple of hours the reader will with no doubt find this book from Brian S. Katcher an excellent guide and a valuable acquisition. I must say that after reading it, I finally understood how much precious time I've wasted in my "not guided" Medline searches. Now things are easier and clear thanks to the time, the knowledge and the effort that the author has put in this book.

Someone has murdered Claire Jensen's youngest daughter, and it may be someone she met in an Internet Chat Room. There are three separate men she had been talking to online and more than three people around her with compelling motives. Before long, Clair gets wrapped up in the case when she tries to find her daughter's chat partners, and it's up to Detective Marty Slade to sift the clues and figure out which of them killed True before he makes mother like daughter!
Beth Anderson has written an eerily realistic and enormously satisfying mystery about the dangers that lurk in the corners of the World Wide Web, and let me tell you they're a lot creepier than any old spider!
The mystery element is solid, with just the right amount of clues and suspects to keep the reader guessing at every turn and a dash of romance tossed in for good measure. Through it all, Anderson keeps it realistic and even makes her characters thoroughly irritating at times, which ultimately makes them more likeable.
Ultimately, the ending is one that you don't expect and makes you hungry for more of Anderson's work. Murder Online just serves as one more reason to turn away from the tired storylines of mainstream mystery and seek small pubbed authors post haste!

Claire Jenson had just lost her husband a year earlier, and was trying to cope with that loss, when she receives a phone call saying that her youngest daughter, True, has been murdered in Chicago. How is she going to cope with this? How is she going to tell her other daughter? How are they going to make it through this together?

Detective Marty Slade is assigned the case, and he takes it personally. True had not only been murdered, but unspeakable things had happened to her. He has to get this monster off the streets now. Unfortunately, through a totally chilling source, he later finds out this monster inhabits the chat rooms on the web, and it isn't going to be easy to find him.

Not only are there three different suspects, there is also absolutely no cooperation coming forth from the local police. Add to these problems, Claire has determined that the police aren't working fast enough, and so she decides that she can find this killer faster herself. She is going to find him, no matter what. And she isn't going to listen to Marty, or to anyone else.

Ms. Anderson has written a story that will scare you to death. This could very well be a true crime story, as it is happening each, and everyday in the world today. This book will carry you right through, from page one to the last page with chills running down your spine, and your stomach lurching for your throat. At the same time you can't put it down. You have to know what is happening.

Ms. Anderson has captured the real world of the chat rooms. Do you ever really know who you are talking to? Are they really who they portray themselves to be, or are they cruising the Internet looking for their next victim? And are you going to be that victim?

If you do become that person's victim, how are the authorities ever going to find out who harmed you?

This is a very real, and very chilling story of what can, and does go on in the world of the chat rooms. I can't recommend enough that everyone read this wonderfully, written book. But don't read it with the lights down low, because you will be scared to death. And in this case that isn't all bad.

Ms. Anderson has captured an ugly side of the Internet so realistically, but at the same time has woven a wonderful story around it, so well that it will be difficult (no impossible) to forget. And, in my opinion, no one ever should.

And that takes real talent, which Ms. Anderson definitely has. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of 'Murder Online' today, and get ready for the ride of your life. You will be very happy you did.

Claire Jenson is the victim of loss. Just a year has passed since she lost her dear husband to a sudden death. Now she has to deal with the murder of her darling daughter True. Only this time she will not sit by and idly except it. Claire is fighting mad at fate and the person who took her daughters life. Heading the investigation in Chicago, where her daughter was murdered, is Sergeant Detective Martin Slade. He doesn't have much to go on but he vows to find True's killer when he meets Claire. Something about her touches him deeply and he doesn't want to let her down. Claire decides to help the police whether they want her to or not. Through a series of leads she realizes that the murderer got to her daughter through the internet. She is bound and determined to flush him out into the open and bring her daughters murderer to justice. In the process she puts her own life on the line. Beth Anderson has written a chilling story of what could happen so very easily in real life. She will make you face the truth. How much do we really know about the people we talk to every day on the internet? Are they who they really tell us they are? Are they serial killers or perverts cruising the net for their next victim? MURDER ON LINE is so cleverly written that you won't know who to trust or when the next threat will pop up on Claire's computer. The lineup of characters that are on line are so deceptive you have no idea if they are the friends they claim to be. And when you meet them the first thing you will want to do is take a shower. They are that creepy! I can't recommend MURDER ON LINE enough. It's a fast paced and intelligent book. One thing you will definitely get from it is that not everything is what it seems to be when you are on line.

With MURDER ONLINE, Beth Anderson has written the perfect Internet noir thriller. Ms. Anderson has taken the police procedural into the Twenty-First Century with this unique mystery merging a traditional fair-play whodunit with a police procedural and updated with the technology of the World Wide Web.

Claire Jenson is a downstate Illinois widow who is faced with another loss when her daughter True is murdered in the big bad city of Chicago. Chicago detective Marty Slade is assigned to the case, and he soon begins to become absorbed in the homicide investigation.

In many ways, MURDER ONLINE is a perfectly structured mystery. Ms. Anderson presents the set-up in the opening chapter. She introduces the major characters early on and begins the development of her varied subplots, immediately hooking her reader into her novel. Her novel ends with a cleverly dangerous plot climax.

There is a suggestion of romance between the widow and the detective. There are sibling rivalries between the murder victim and her sister that may have contributed to the murder. The suspects all appear on stage in one guise or another. The clues are provided, yet they are only obvious in retrospect. The multible themes are well developed.

A central focus of MURDER ONLINE involves the dark side of the Internet and its chatrooms. Claire takes it upon herself to hunt down her daughter's murderer in cyberspace. Ms. Anderson presents a disturbing picture of Internet stalking as Claire and Marty eventually uncover the identity of True's murderer.

When her reader finishes this novel, Ms. Anderson has certainly made her point about the disturbed people who can lurk among the strands of the World Wide Web. There are definitely sick people out there, shielding their identities and committing disgustingly harmful acts via their Internet hook-ups.

I read this book in one sitting, and I certainly recommend it highly.

Fans who loved Beth Anderson's fluid lyricism in NIGHT SOUNDS will welcome her newest release MURDER ONLINE, where her poetic voice lures the reader through the treacherous territory of cybersex and murder. Her characters live and breathe, lending a pulse and breathlessness to the tale that will sweep the reader into a fascinating and dangerous world with a hard biting, surprising conclusion.

Claire Jenson is casting seeds in her flower garden when the call comes from Chicago that her youngest daughter has been murdered. Nineteen year old True had moved from her mother's home to Chicago, three and a half hours away, only six months ago. But the geographic brevity of the move belied the incredible distance and danger that life in Chicago had presented for young True. Burned from a romance gone wrong and a botched abortion, True preferred the excitement of chat rooms and cybersex to dating. Little had True realized that the dangers posed by stalkers over the Internet easily match the dangers of meeting strangers anywhere else.

Claire had lost her husband to a sudden heart attack only the year before True's death. Now only she and her oldest daughter Lannie are left. Computer illiterate, she objects to Lannie's suggestion that they bring True's computer home, but allows herself to be persuaded. As Lannie teaches her to maneuver in the mysterious world of cyberspace, Claire comes to understand the fascination her daughter held for a world that she had mistakenly assumed was both safe and anonymous.

Sergeant Detective Martin Slade has been a Chicago cop for almost thirty years, but the photos of True Jenson's body shake him as he recognizes her similarity to his own beloved granddaughter. Something about Claire's strength and depth of characters captures his imagination, and he finds himself promising to find True's killer even as the trail grows colder, leaving behind a crime not of passion, but a crime of deliberation and forethought. No one saw or heard the killer. When Claire discovers a letter written by True to her sister describing the three men who had been stalking her through the mysterious world of cyberspace, the Detective vainly tries to warn Claire of the dangers she seems to be courting in her pursuit of these mysterious men through chat rooms.

Anderson skillfully weaves a chilling tale of murder that leaves the reader forever questioning the safety of chat rooms and those who enter seemingly innocuous comments. Indeed, the world of cyberspace, in Anderson's hands, becomes as dangerous and deadly as the bars and hangouts always favored by the lonely. With a precision and deftness of pen, Anderson's murder mystery at once fascinates and repels computer users, however innocently we meet others online. Further, this fast paced, hard biting, yet entertainingly humorous and well developed mystery will simply whet the reader's appetite for yet more masterpieces from this author's pen.

Good read. Solid perspective.

Guinan, ahead of his time at publish date, provides a look into what the remainder of the internet boom culture forgot - the internet is not about hype and 'new economy business' - the internet is a more efficient medium and tool for educated people to make educated decisions.

It's a shame more people didn't read this author's work prior to making critical investment decisions based upon the promise of the unrealistic gain of 'the future' but rather based on fundamental investment strategy within the actual markets.

Many should take the time to read this book in the wake of what happened in order to survive in the present market and prepare themselves for the future.

Guinan's clarfies some of the mysteries behind your on-line brokerage firm by providing useful information for both the beginning and intermediate investor.

For internet and investment novices like myself, this book is golden! Helpful, simple, step-by-step instructions put me on a level playing field with the Big Boys. I can't wait to get started!

Well-written & entertaining, Guinan has captured the reader's interest. Informative, I would highly recommend to anyone contemplating the leap into on-line investing. Read it from cover to cover, then jump in!

It's obvious the author knows the ins and outs of online trading. With each chapter it's clear that he's been there and done that! He covers all aspects of trading online. If only I had read this book before I started trading. I could have easily avoided some costly errors...Thank goodness I have it now.

Onward by faith is a moving and funny snapshot of life as seen by the family of the Military. I found myself moved and entertained as I poured through the pages. I have been the deployed and now that I have kids of my own I have a little better understanding but never had to be the one waiting. God bless you Mom & Dad and God bless you Ms. Gippner for writing such an insightful and stirring book.

Semper Fi!
D. Voors
Sgt. USMC (Ret)

I would have to agree with the previous post. God bless all soldiers serving and their families. Thank you Gina Gippner for having the courage and faith to move onward and share your experiences.

I received my book and DVD on Thursday (07/26/07) and I was like a kid at Chirstmas ... excitedly opening the envelope it came in and took the DVD and went down stairs to the family room and turned on the TV and plopped myself down on the floor right there ... I clapped and I creid while I was watching the DVD. The last time that I think I was this excited about getting a piece of mail was when "Pass and Review" (my son's Boot Camp Graduation Video) came. I stated reading on Thursday night and finished it early AM on Monday. I laughed and I cried while I was reading ... it brought back so many memories ! When Gina talked about smacking the recruiter up side the the head over saying that Glenn had a tatoo ... it reminded me of my trip to the recruiter's officer after Dan had left and I hadn't gotten "the phone call" and I pulled out the line ... "when people go to jail at least they get a phone call". When Gina talked about President Regan passing away while Glenn was in Iraq ... it reminded me one of the last things we as a family (me, my husband and my Marine and his little brother) watched on TV before Dan left for boot camp was President Regan's funeral. There were so many things that Gina talked about that reminded me of things that had happened in my family ... except for the pigs getting out ... and that is becuase we don't have pigs!

I think that anyone who is a Marine Mom or is going to be a Marine Mom needs to read this book because it lets you know that you are not really crazy after all ... your're a Marine Mom!

Hugs !

Amy H. (Ossian, IN)
VPMM LCpl Daniel G. Bravo 1/5
to Ar Ramadi, Iraq, and back by the grace of God !

This book is a must read by any Mother that has a son or daughter in any branch of the military. Gina did a remarkable job. As Mothers of Marines, Soldiers, Airmen or Sailors, we can all understand the worries and hardships that this journey has brought into our lives. Gina helped us to laugh and forget our worries for a little while along the way. This book will have you laughing and also shedding some tears..... Thank you Gina for a wonderful book and I can't wait for the next ones to be written.

Beverly
Proud Mother of a United States Marine

This is an absolute must read for any family member or friend of one of our Military stationed in Iraq or somewhere else in the world. It is written by a woman who understands what you are going through with the separation of your loved one. She understands what it feels like to have someone you love in harms way, day in and day out. Waiting patiently for the next communication from them, be it a letter, email or those very special but rare phone calls, when you can finally hear their voice. Not everyone understands how you are feeling, BUT Gina Gippner does, because she has already walked that lonely road you are on. You will find encouragement, understanding, strength and humor on these pages that will get you through your "Journey to Iraq and Back".

We are opening a B and B in the spring and this was the best book ever. A must!!!!!!

I am considering operating a cabin for winter rentals in Big Bear, California. This book had useful tips and a great overview for how to get started. I especially appreciated the online marketing tips. Looking forward to a future edition to get into more detail about operating a B&B, or in my case, a cabin rental.
Thanks.

This book has all you need to know about the B&B business. All current and prospective owners should have this book.

The first third of Ms. Painter's book is a reality check for aspiring innkeepers. The middle third is for any innkeeper that needs ideas on how to increase business. The last third, which gets the five star rating, is a well organized overview for the web/internet neophyte like myself. I have already inplemented some of her suggestions and am eagerly awaiting results. Kathy@gracehillbandb

I am thirlled with this new book. Competing titles do cover the basic steps to opening a B&B, but this book takes you way beyond the basic business details and then gives the information you need to understand how to market an inn on the Internet. This is HUGE! This new book is a comprehensive guide for anyone wanting to get "heads-in-the-beds" at a new inn or an exisiting one. I love the secton on increasing Web site traffic and how optimize your Web site from a marketing perspective -- something lacking in the other titles on this hospitality subject.
PROS:
*All the business basics are there in the first few chapters.
*Experienced innkeepers have added tips and hints for success.
*The Internet is explained in great detail, as it relates to innkeeping.
*The marketing on the Internet guidelines are well explained.

CON:
*The author just begins to explain blogging, I'd like to see more on this topic.