California Books

Joan and Marc wrote on an interesting subject in a different sort of style -- stories mixed with poetry. I'm married and I enjoyed reading this book! I shook my head at stories that could have been my own, as well as remember the joy of realizing love.

Inspirational, guiding and at times comforting. A bedside companion...a new found friend...a cat without the fur.

Among the plethora of self-help books on fixing a broken romance, Celebrating Single stands out as a relevant, brilliant, humorous, down-to-earth approach to improving one's self-esteem by finding the right mate, rather than settling for a dysfunctional relationship to avoid loneliness. It is a definite must-read for any adult. And it is highly readable. Joan and Marc's friendly, conversational styles--interspersed with testimonies from "real people" and poignant poetry--make this book an entertaining and riveting read. I look forward to seeing Celebrating Single on Oprah's Booklist some day.

I read the book celebrating single and getting love right in one day. I was rivited to it. The writing style was easy to follow and made it difficult to put down. The writers really came across truthful, and it is apparent that they really researched their topic well. I look forward to reading the next book written by Ms allen, and Dr kusinitz. This is a must have item. It is really helpful for the singles who keep making the same mistakes over and over in relationships, and are not happy with themselves. If you find that life is not going the way you would like for yourself, then Celebrating Single is the answer. I am giving this book as a gift for some of my friends.Oprah needs to add this one to her book list.

Wow! What a great book! I read it in a flash. It flows beautifully and the stories and poems are interesting and helpful. It even had some good suggestions for an old guy like me. I liked the conversational style with just the right amount of humor and kidding back and forth between the two authors. Their unusual writeing style was very effective and added to the enjoyment of the book. After reading the book Joan & Marc seem like my close friends.

I travel to San Francisco once or twice a year to get away from LA. Saw the book on Amazon and figured it would probably be a humorous read but didn't really expect any practical advice. To my surprise it was actually both. It's a smart funny read but it also REALLY DOES have the low down on free food, fun, and frolicking. My boyfriend and I went up a few weeks ago and planned the whole weekend using the book. Found plenty of art, parks, and music to keep us busy and hit some cheap and/or free happy hours and food joints. Probably the most fun I've had in the City and definitely the least expensive weekend ever! Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated!!

This book is packed with great facts and activity suggestions for both locals and tourists, and for those, like me, who go to SF often as a day trip.

It covers pretty much every interest a visitor might have. Plus it's a slim volume, reasonable to stick in your backpack.

The book contains a number of
cheap/free ideas for those visiting
the city, including terrific suggestions
for shopping. Definitely recommended
for both parents and singles.

An essential read for cheapskates and big spenders alike. Written with a knowledgeable and detail oriented style. Even if you have never set foot in SF, it is an entertaining study of the city's culture.

Being the gourmand that I am, I especially liked the section on eating for cheap, and sometimes for free. Good cheap tips and witty banter make for an amusing read.

Now I need to find a book like this for London.

My dad was one of these depression era Okie kids and this book helps me understand him. On the way to California in 1937 they found work (50 cents a day and a quart of milk) in New Mexico and ended up staying there.

The book appeared to be new, no marks, and sent immediately.

My 10 year old daughter was required to read a non-fiction book and create a project for her 5th grade English class. She is an avid reader of fiction, but was not enthusiastic about reading non-fiction. This marvelous book by Jerry Stanley has changed my daughter and her reluctance in this area. She was moved by the story of these Dust Bowl migrants who came to California to find a better life and their struggle to move forward from adversity. Mr. Stanley's book is excellent. While written for young readers, he does not write down to them. Instead he brings the young reader to his level. The photographs by noted artists bring further dimension to this stellar work. My daughter could not put it down.

This book is a beautiful testiment to the human spirit, and the resilancy of the American spirit.
It is also the story of taking a chance on people that other's find useless.
A beautiful book and a beautiful story.

this book is an excellent companion to the historical ficiton book "Bud, Not Buddy." By reading aloud sections of Children of the Dustbowl, teachers could build some of the background knowledge that would help children understand how the daily lives of the average person changed as a result of the Great Depression and the 5-year drought in the Midwest.
Given the devastation of Hurriicane Katrina, this book also offers insight on what can happen when large numbers of people must migrate because of weather-related disasters.

This was without reserve the best Christmas music and movie review book I have ever read. The comments were both intelligent and funny. The whole book was both well researched and entertaining. The world is a better place because of this book.

Once you get this book, you may not want to have another Christmas without it.

In more than 280 pages, the authors discuss all things Christmas as they pick their "Top 10" in categories ranging from mistletoe to carols, from rangifer tarandus (reindeer) to animated cartoons. The choices are necessarily subjective, and much of the text is funny, filled with references to pop culture, music, TV and film. Pick your idea of the 10 worst Christmas songs on the radio, and see if your list compares with theirs.

The authors include scads of trivia and the inside scoop on holiday history and traditions you may never have heard of.

As you enjoy the nostalgia you'll also find useless but fascinating stuff like this: Somebody figured out that Santa has to visit 91.8 million homes in 31 hours, which means he has to make 822.6 visits per second and travel at 650 miles per second. Whew!

This would be the perfect book to have on hand for guests at Christmas, and it would make a great conversation-starter. It's fully indexed, and the bibliography includes quite a few Web sites for follow-up.

CHRISTMAS'S MOST WANTED is a reference book about Christmas customs, traditions, songs, films, evergreen trees, music, cards, foods, and a lot more.

Do you associate a certain film with Christmas? Well, this book gives detailed information in the chapter called Holiday Movie Classics. Some of the old movies mentioned are: Holiday Inn (1942), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), It's A Wonderful Life (1946), The Bishop's Wife (1947), Miracle on 34th Street (1947) and White Christmas (1954). With each film, a brief summary of the storyline is given and all of the actors are named. I have to say that was my favorite chapter.

You can also learn about the tradition of mistletoe, sending cards, singing carols, how Santa's reindeer were named and questions you never even thought to ask!

The book answers a lot of questions and I thought it was well researched, but this is primarily a secular book so don't expect many religious topics. Most of the religious references are in the chapter called Nollaig Shona which is Merry Christmas in Irish. The two references that I found to the Magi (Wise Men or Three Kings) was in a paragraph about the song, "Twelve Days of Christmas." In the song, the Twelfth Day is the Epiphany, the day that the Three Kings brought gifts for the Baby Jesus. (That's the reason that many of us leave our Christmas trees up until, January 6, which is the twelfth day of Christmas). The other reference was about a piece that was done by Dave Brubeck.

The word Christmas comes from two words put together. They are Christ's Mass.

This book will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit as you learn everything you wanted to know about Christmas but are afraid to ask! I highly recommend this as a read for yourself and a stocking stuffer for others.

This book is a real treat. It's a lot of fun to read about all the different kinds of trivia in here. I love holiday music, and it talks about all the great ones, and some new ones I haven't heard of before! And the movies and cartoons, brings back a lot of childhood memories.

Tons of short, fun, interesting snippets of holiday information. Just perfect to pick and read for a few minutes. This book is the perfect holiday "bathroom" book, and I don't mean that in a bad way. There's something in here for everyone, and tons of short, fun, and interesting trivia about Christmas. As the other review said, you can read a chapter or two then come back to it later.

Leave it out for guests to read, too. It makes Christmas more fun!

I first read this book while relaxing in a car repair shop while on a ski trip. It is not high science yet brings wonderful facts with wet writing (meaning that it is not a dry science text, haha). Very enjoyable in the different relationships described, and in the end you not only feel like you have a better understanding of some of our sea friends, but you may actually have a better understanding of the order of things. A fun read.
P.S. Yes I am a nerd, but I think that it will be enjoyed by many.

Inspired by a sea voyage from England to the Mediterranean, Cambridge professor and zoologist Wells describes the many strange and wonderful strategies for survival to be found in the sea. A recurrent theme is the biological "cost" of various evolutionary designs from warm blood to jet propulsion.

These 25 essays, aimed at the "curious nonscientist" focus closely on creatures like starfish and sea urchins which function quite adequately without a brain or the limpet which finds its way home despite the myriad attempts of scientists to defeat it. Wells explores the practical logic of hermaphroditism in limpets, barnacles, tapeworms, sea slugs and the like, costs and advantages of warm blood zones in tuna, the functions of buoyancy and luminescence, and much more.

He also suggests simple experiments, such as poking a sea urchin with a pencil or catching an octopus (or maybe just feeding it a crab) to observe behaviors and devotes a chapter to creatures (largely jellyfish) equipped with nasty defenses. He shows how the lack of anti-fouling likely prolonged the Punic Wars and observes that "the advent of wooden shipping and the tendency for ships to cluster together in ports must have heralded something of a golden age for marine termites."

While each essay stands alone, references to previous chapters connect the essays in a "developing sequence." Wells' writing is chatty, humorous and clear, with contagious enthusiasm. He imparts a lot of fascinating information about ingenious creatures most of us have never bothered to think about. You'll never look at a tidepool quite the same way again.

I am widely-read in the 'general science with zoological bent' book world. I know much more about all sorts of beasties than any non-zoologist or non-vet really should. And now I know even more than that, thanks to Martin Wells and his excellent book.
Wells writes with tangible passion and a great sense of humour and the bizarre. This is a lovely, engrossing read which I finished in just one day, despite trying to "leave some for later". And although the light and accessible writing style allows for even the complete beastie novice to become immersed (no aquatic animal pun intended), the amount of new and interesting information contained here is very impressive. I repeatedly interrupted my friend's activities to read him yet another descriptive/amusing/insightful/completely unexpected fact about this or that sea beastie.
A fabulous book which I would recommend to (I came close to writing "foist upon" there, because I've been telling all and sundry about this book) anybody who had even the slightest interest in biology.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a delightful tour of a variety of topics in marine biology. The author, Martin Wells, wrote with enthusiasm, humor, and authority on a wide range of subjects. Even better, not only do individual chapter essays focus on a particular animal or group of animals, as Wells often uses them to illustrate larger points in marine biology or biology in general (or often issues in conservation).

I can't list all the topics that Wells dives into in this short review, but I would like to mention a few of the ones I found the most interesting. In the chapter titled "Hot Fish," he shows that simply considering mammals and birds as warm-blooded and other animals as cold-blooded is a gross oversimplification. Not only do not all mammals and birds maintain a constant high body temperature, but there are essentially warm-blooded fish! Several speices of tuna and sharks, the two groups having developed there "warm-bloodedness" quite independently, are both able to maintain muscular temperatures well above that of the seas in which they swim. Wells discusses not only how this is possible, but what effec this has on the life of the fish and the ecology of the ocean.

In "Diverse Divers," he discusses the physiological adaptations needed to dive, as well as some of the afflictions suffered from go deep beneath the surface. Discussing not only the problems faced by humans when diving (including a somewhat uncomfortable but informative discussion of the bends), Wells analyses how other animals deal with the challenges of diving, particularly seals and whales.

"Buoyancy" is another fascinating chapter, where Wells discusses how animals are able to float. Seemingly a simple subject at first, it is a problem for marine life, tackled by a variety of solutions. Wells analyses everything from the pressurized swim bladders of fish to the huge oily livers of basking sharks to marine mammal blubber to alterations in the ionic content of body fluids (such as in some types of squid) to the cuttlebones in cuttlefish to how the _Nautlius_ does it...I never knew there we so many ways to achieve buoyancy!

"Dolphins" is devoted to many people's favorite marine mammals, and was quite informative. One issue the authors explores is the well known large brains of cetaceans, particularly dolphins. Does that mean that they are most intelligent creatures in the sea, or does it mean maybe something else? Wells offers a theory as to why dolphins have such large brains, and it has to do with their echolocation. Fascinating.

Other chapters focus on the _Nautilus_, octopi, those marine organisms that attach to boats (such as barnacles), bioluminescence, the lugworm, and hermaphroditism in marine life, among other topics. A wonderful book, I highly recommend as it has something for everybody who likes the sea and marine life, from the most specatacular dolphins and whales to the lowest marine worms to the hated barnacle to dangerous sharks.

Naturalists who pick up the pen have to work hard to make their objects of study-which obviously they find of great interest-compelling for the rest of us. This problem is made more difficult by the secret language that scientists speak, which is not as indecipherable as computer programmer geekspeak, but close. The naturalists that succeed at this provide a real service to the rest of us, their books refuges in which to indulge in a brief respite. In their hands we are immersed in a wonder-filled worlds that exists entirely (and amazingly) without special effects. Along the way, we even learn something. Martin Wells, a marine zoologist, succeeds at this task in Civilization and the Limpet, a book that not only marine zoologists would enjoy during a vacation at the seashore.
Wells begins this collection of quirky essays by objecting to the anthropomorphic bias of the media. All the articles about people! The animals seem neither available for, nor worthy of, comment. Wells hopes his little book will convince people that perhaps they (animals) do have something to say to us (people), though they more often than not seem aloof and wary of us (and rightly so.)
Wells studies some of the least respected creatures in the sea. The collection's first essay defends the "world's most unloved animal," the sea urchin. This spiky tide pool creature is known mostly for sticking in swimmers' feet. Only the Chileans and Japanese (and Wells) eat them with any relish. Wells informs us that sea urchins, and their relatives the starfish, exist without a brain, co-ordinating their activities, including the movement of hundreds of tiny tube feet to get around, with a neurological form of democracy. And while Wells doesn't convince me that sea urchins make scrumptious snacks (I've tasted them), he does make them more knowable, thus putting a little of the wonder back.
Wells book is a perfect resource for the recovering wonderer.. In one of the best essays in the collection, "Things that go flash in the night", Wells discusses bioluminescence, the certainly wonderful process whereby animals and plants make themselves glow. He writes: "Sailing at night in seas that luminesce is something splendid that is not given to all men. On a quiet night, with just enough wind to ghost along without the engine, it can be euphoric. Euphoria is worth seeking; we don't often achieve it in this rush-around world. You need a pause, or you miss it."
Don't miss Wells' book.

Great pictures and information in an easy to carry guide. The author is worth listening too, if you get an opportunity.

This is really a great little book on a specialized but interesting area of insect identification. Although considered primitive insects (since they undergo incomplete metamorphosis) dragonflies are just cool because they're so big and conspicuous and such strong fliers, and can maneuver at lightning speed, almost like hummingbirds. During the Carboniferous period or Coal Age 340 million years ago, there were dragonflies with 3 foot wingspans, according to the fossil evidence.

They also know how to "play the game." I've watched them many times patrolling the edge of ponds since they know that's "where the action is," during their hunts for prey.

This is an excellent book on indentifying these important insects. If I remember right, 30 or 40 species get covered, which is a good number, and the photos and descriptions are excellent. I found it an excellent guide to learn from and to improve my knowledge of this area, my main interest being in botany, and in identifying flowers, trees, and fungi. This is the best book I've seen on this specialized topic.

As a beginner in the study of these fascinating and beautiful creatures, I found this book clear, concise, and easy to understand and use. The text is simple and complete, and the illustrations are excellent. The small size of the volume makes it fit easily into your pocket for quick reference. Anyone interested in dragonflies will find the book an absolute MUST!

This is really nice field guide to have. The photographs are great. Each entry is succint and includes one or two photographs together with a bold line the length of the dragonfly and printed in one of the dominant colors of the dragonfly. There is a checklist in the back so that you can keep track of what you see, and the introductory information in the front of the book is well-written. Though I bought this book for myself, I think that it also would make a great field guide for a child since the book is small, easy to use, and the photos are clear and attractive. It is well worth the price.

Common Dragonflies of California is an uncommon book. Full of sound advice and chock full of excellent color photos, this book will be of great interest to any California nature lover. I am the kind of person who loves to know the name of every tree, shrub, flower, reptile, bird and fish that I see. Now that I have this little jewel, I'm going to learn how to identify the dragonflies too. The more we learn about nature, the more enjoyment we get from it. I highly recommend this fine book! I expect it would make a great present too, for the right person. Tom Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening

This book is simply a "must" for anybody who is interested in the Ford Mustang history. Author has got a lot of detail's about the legendary Lee Iacocca, the father of the Mustang. Don't mention the mother, in Iacocca's own therm !! The car has so many fathers,he would'nt have liked to meet the mother.
A great book.

Everything you wanted to know about mustang...even somethings you did not want to know. Great pictures and great articles. Year by year reviews of each mustang. These articles go over the slight differences between the model years/models etc. Over all, well worth the money. Found it cheap here too.

Not so fast, pony-breath; Remember Ed McMahon and his intros for Johnny Carson's comedy routines? Granted, this book may not have "everything" about Mustangs, but it sure comes pretty darn close, according to my husband. If was a gift for him after finally getting his dream car, a 2007 Mustang GT California Special convertible. There are numerous pictures of many different models as well as enough writing to explain any questions you may have. The delivery was fast and easy. If you love Mustangs, I'm sure you'll love this book!

Awesome book!!! Very good details and descriptions of changes from year to year. It lacks production numbers for some years but has them for most. The only thing that the book could use to make it any better is VIN codes and door panel codes for each year. Overall it's an awesome book.

The Complete Book of Mustang: Every Model Since 1964 1/2 Haven't opened yet - will be a Christmas gift - but from the outside it looks like it will be everything it was promised to be.

I love this book! Everything was beautiful from cover to cover on glossy paper. Each species of conifers (including pines, redwoods, cypresses, and firs) has a fantastic botanical illustration, photographs, and a map of range. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a love for trees and especially a must have if you live in California!

For me, the conifers are the trees that really make a difference. Each one is such a unique and majestic statement on the landscape.

Ronald Lanner's book is a fine natural history book full of artistic drawings, photographs, and a key to help you identify these beautiful trees. It belongs on any naturalists bookshelf.

Conifers grow old, big and tall in California. What better book for discovering the coniferous bounty that the state has to offer. Second only behind Mexico in native conifer species, the conifer elevates the landscape and become an indelible symbolic reflection of all that is natural in California, from the Sierra rich in yellow, sugar and Jefferey Pine to the isolated groves of heavy sequoia, magnificent in their collosal staure. High in the White Mountains of Eastern California, living at seemingly impossible heights the bristlecone pine lives long and prosperous in stauesque poses in an inhospitable environment. The redwood defines the Northern coast, living lavishly in mist shrouded groves. The mighty Tahoe National Forest displays a rich blanket of fine firs as far as the eye can see...

This is a great reference book for anyone wanting more information about confiers than what you basic field guild provides. This book helps sort out California's hard-to-id confers with it's beautiful watercolors and photographs. The range maps are very helpful and make it easy to plan a trip to see some of California's amazing trees.

Well written, beautiful pictures and artwork and informative; that sums it up. My brother, who is accustom to seeing much more academic books on my desk, commented that it did not look "too technical". For technical, I recommend Dr.Grossnickle's excellent "Ecophysiology of Northern Spruce Species: The Performance of Planted Seedlings," but for a good education on the distribution and range of California's conifers then I recommend this book heartily.

This book does a good job to summarize the past and current IT industry trends. The author high-level summarizes what he saw in the past and what he forsees in the future. This is a book for you to read and then think about what it means to your business.

However, there are some chapters not easy for everyone to read. Recommend to read ch1 and ch2 - if you are interested in the past IT trend; ch3 - the main concept of the book and the last chapter - conclusion. If you don't understand web services, then you can read other chapters.

As a 22 year IT veteran, I've never before seen anything like the paralysis that now grips the industry. Buyers are awash in technology and afraid to take another step forward for fear that it will simply add to their problems instead of help solve them. Suppliers are out of sorts because the old spaghetti rules don't work any more ... throw a bunch of tech at the wall and see what, if anything, sticks. And everyone is spinning around in circles looking for the answer.

The author might not have all of the answers, but he points the industry in a direction that it needs to go, which is a dang good starting point. His answer: recognize that customers are now an integral part of the IT value chain. His words: ýý with the arrival of the Internet, for the first time in this businessýs history, IT customers were intentionally and systematically creating value for other IT customers.ý

Amazon.com and others, he argues, were driving other organizations to reach for new technology goals. The customer was driving the industry, not the suppliers, as has been the case traditionally. Interesting insight. And the author goes on to say what this means to the long term growth and viability of the industry.

A good read, particularly as we as an industry try to sort out the lessons of the recent past and plan where we go from here.

I liked this book a lot.

As an IT manager, sometimes you need to sympathise with your users when things go wrong (as well as solving the problem, of course) and this book does it for me by opening with a chapter called "Computers Have Always Been Difficult"!

However, this is not a quick and dirty "IT Infrastructure Planning for Dummies". At times, it's really big picture stuff. Moschella's background in economic history allows him to make an astute comparison with a former explosive period of technological innovation, the late 1920s, when, rather tellingly, progress was hampered by the prospect of war - a worrying parallel.

We are walked through just about every public and industry sector - health care, government, education, banking, music, advertising, retail, airlines - with examples of where customers, not suppliers, have taken the lead in IT, adding value to a product or service for other customers. This 'seizing the power' approach may sound a little odd to you as an 'IT consumer', but the Internet and inter-networking (through our everyday hardware and software applications) has thrown up many challenges and opportunities - ones the IT supplier industry is no longer in a position to progress adequately, Moschella argues.

At every stage, incisive arguments are backed by industry evidence, as you would expect from an author with top-level experience at leading researchers International Data Corporation (IDC) and now also at Merrill Lynch.
Along the way, there is also some heartening praise for all those committed IT innovators and developers who make genuine progress on a daily basis; a change from so much analysis that relies on throwing rocks in all directions.

The outlook - which may come as a pleasant surprise, given the economic and political disasters of the last 18 months - is optimistic. Computers and content can only get better.

Does it tell you what to do next ?

The conclusion marks out 10 IT themes and shows which key industries are leading the field - just so that you know where to look. The work finishes with a kind of game plan on "How to take the IT lead as a customer", identifying four key areas you need to tackle with their respective goals mapped out. Easy as falling off a web log.

This book won't transform your operations overnight, but it will help you understand and secure a long-term future for your organisation.
And by the way, it's very well written. In plain English.
Even dummies can manage this.

This is an excellent book on the near term future of IT. It says that the next IT growth is based on customer innovation. No incremental improvements to existing or leadership in emerging markets are is likely to be sufficient to drive a major industry expansion (page xiv). The shift from supplier to customer dominated industry represents a huge cultural and business change and challenge.

The emerging customer-centric era requires customer leadership, including vision, motivation, skills, and decision making capabilities. Customers must show the same level of faith and commitment than IT suppliers have provided in the past. The customer motivation is the single most important risk of the future success of IT (page 230). This is closely tied to executive attitudes towards technology (234).

This also means that traditional venture capital backed start-ups will play a diminishing role in the industry.
The responsibility is on the leadership of existing industries, with a relative absence of start-ups and therefore a relatively reduced role of entrepreneurs (143).

"The sad thing is that so much of (this) energy flowed into a flawed industry vision ...unless the IT industry embraces some sort of shared long-term vision and direction, the use of technology could either drift aimlessly or continue to squeeze diminishing returns out of proven areas of investments" (40).

Many of the key customer-centric applications have already been identified. These include music, advertisement, payments, health care, e-learning, government services, and community interaction (26).

Web Services and Semantic Applications are marketed as the next big thing concepts. Web Services implement process nets with modular components. Many viable Web Services already exist, such as e-mail, credit card processing, and news feed. Web Services may lead to the emergence of new kind and more specialized service companies that provide better economies scale, or skills, or more flexibility, and may create shareholder value. This dis-integration differs from the dot-com vision - processes instead of businesses are horizontalized. On the other hand, the dot-com collapse has shown the risks of outsourcing.

Semantic Applications are capable of understanding other applications. They require industry standardization, which is seen everywhere; in the joint initiatives in electronics, automotive, manufacturing, medical, chemical, and travel industries (115).

The book considers e-learning as a major opportunity, and LMS (Learning Management Systems) as the last great enterprise horizontal software market, in the lucrative tradition of ERP, CRM and so on (156).

Communities are still at the heart of the Internet activities. They rival and exceed those of e-business and e-learning realms (166-167).

Government's role in information society is thoroughly described and evaluated (185-206). Public policy is increasingly important IT industry factor (43). Example are e-learning, online gaming, voting, identification, security, spectrum allocation, public information services, integrated government databases, antirust, regulation and tax policies, copyright and patent law (42).

The best part of the book is a critical approach to the so-called horizontal business model. On a company level this model is associated with a highly focused business strategy. The belief was that there will be dominant market leaders, "gorillas", and that these leaders are start-ups that are able to replace much of the established economic order (34). The belief on this mental model and the overreliance on the PC industry mind-set was one of the main causes of the Internet bubble (28-29). History does not repeat itself. Many Internet-related businesses have no clear market leaders and have remained very competitive.

A major weakness of the book is that it leaves C out of IT. It fails to recognize the importance of telecommunications or mobile industry and the convergence as the basis for the next technology-based ICT growth. On page 56, the book says "mobile systems are not going to be the dominant computing platform any time soon, and they are unlikely to fundamentally later the way businesses and other organizations are run". This becomes again evident on page 169 where the writer hints that the high international usage of mobile phones is due to the lack of voice mail or bad service and high prices by foreign telecom monopolies. This blind spot also means the lack of global perspective, because in large parts of Asia and Europe the integrated multi-media consumer electronics offerings (instead of "computers" and "software" still sold by the IT industry) of the mobile industry have already dwarfed "old" IT as the consumer supplier.

I still give this book five stars. Highly recommended, but read with caution.

Let's face it, there are way too many prognostications about technology, business and the consumer. The Internet Bubble generated a mountain of exuberant "vision" books, many that their authors now have good cause to be embarrassed about.

In contrast, this book strips away "irrational exuberance", and gives a sober and well-grounded perspective of how technology has really changed the world thus far, and what likely lies ahead - leaving the rose-colored glasses behind.

The driving premise is a simple, but profound one: the pervasive success of the PC and the Internet have created a population of customers that are finally educated enough about IT possibilities, that they are actively driving the future of the market. While this is given for most mature markets, remarkably it's a relatively new development in IT.

The implication for business executives: if you're passive in your vision and use of technology, your doomed to be regularly surprised by your competitors' IT-based business breakthroughs.

The implication for IT suppliers: the reality of other major markets like CPG, Auto and Retail is now upon you; get to know your customers' worlds VERY well, for that - not the technical agenda of your development labs - is defining your future.

Moschella is not a showman, but a serious and experienced analyst of the technology industry. As a result, the book dives deeper on occasion than the casual reader may like. But for the business executive whose biggest decisions must now anticipate IT's future, it's a very worthwhile read.

I picked up Cypress Point at a book store when I was on vacation and needed a book. I had never read Diane Chamberlain before.I was very happy to have chosen a book that kept my attention with every chapter.I look forward to reading more of her books.

I've loved Diane Chamberlain's work from the moment I discovered her and have bought and read all of her books. CYPRESS POINT is one of my favorites--a complex mix of mystery, romance, and family drama--the kind of book Ms. Chamberlain does so beautifully. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking how much I wished I'd thought of this plot first, which is the highest compliment a writer can give to another writer. Diane Chamberlain is one of the very best voices in women's fiction today. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This is a story of two women, Joelle and Carlynn, whose lives run parallel, yet are more intertwined than meets the eye. There are two separate stories. One traces Carlynn's life beginning in 1937 at the age of 7; the other begins with Joelle's birth in 1967. The two stories merge into one where deep rooted feelings and secrets are revealed between the two women and that of their loved ones. Diane Chamberlain is best known for underlying themes where things are not always what they seem. "Cypress Point" will not disappoint the reader in line with that theme.

When her best friend, Mara, had an anerysm (sp?) during the delivery of her son, Joelle D'Angelo was heartbroken. Not only for the little boy that would grow up without his mother, but for Mara's husband, Liam. Because she loved Mara like a sister, Joelle did all she could to ease Liam's heartbreak. She spent time with their son, Sam, and even helped find a home to put Mara in when it looked like she would not be recovering. There friendship took a drastic turn one night when they slept together. For Joelle, she was sleeping with the man she loved, while for Liam, all he saw was the betrayal of his wife.

Now Joelle is pregnant herself. Having had a hard time conceiving with her ex-husband, Joelle is estatic, even though she knows that Liam won't show her enthusiasm. Before she moves away, she wants to do one more thing for Liam and Mara. The woman tha saved her life when she was born was said to have worked miracles, and Joelle wants that miracle for the man she loves. Even if the woman he loves isn't her.

Chamberlain again delivers in this intensely emotional read. I was entralled by the story of Lisabeth and Carlynn as well as Joelle and Liam. It made my heartbreak to see what Liam was putting himself through by trying to remain faithful to a woman that simply didn't exisist anymore.

Don't miss it!

I first began reading Diane Chamberlain in 1992 with her book, Keeper of the Light. After that title I made it my business to find and read every book she wrote and then buy all of her new books almost as soon as they are published. For some reason I saved Cypress Point which I bought at a reading featuring the author in 2002. And while Keeper of the Light and the Keeper trilogy which include Kiss River and Her Mother's Shadow will remain my favorite book, I do think I saved one of the best for last since Cypress Point was a most wonderful read.

Cypress Point takes place in the beautiful area of Monterey, California surrounded by the cypress trees we all marvel at whether we live there or visit. And what better place than to tell the story of a medical healer and the young woman she saves at birth whose paths once again are about to cross.

Carlynne Shire knew she was a medical healer at an early age. And while she has always been treated special by her family her twin sister, Lisbeth, didn't possess the same gift and was virtually ignored by her mother. Growing up and treated differently, Carlynne becomes a gifted doctor while her sister only attends secretarial school. Both sisters find love although neither of them have quite as traditional marriages as one would think.

Then sometime later when Carlynn saves a young baby born on a commune, little does she know that in the future years later she would be asked to save this woman's best friend. Or how this birth at the commune would effect the life of her sister, herself or their husbands.

For Joelle reaching out to the woman who saved her years before may be both a blessing and a curse if she is able to help her. Joelle needs Carlyn to try and help heal her best friend who suffered a brain aneurysm while giving birth to a son. But if Mara regains her abilities and life, what will happen to the love Joelle feels for Mara's husband, Liam. How the medical healer and Joelle meet after more than 30 yearsprovides readers with a wonderful novel filled with romance and a bit of a mystery.

As the author Diane Chamberlain provides readers with in most of her books, this one really captivated me and I hated to see it end. I highly recommend this book as well as all of Diane's books. They are emotional stories with characters you will think about long after you finish her books. Now that I also read Diane's latest book, The Bay at Midnight, I will be anxiously waiting for her next book to arrive on the bookshelves.