Resources Books

Well please, I got just what they said. The book is well written, easy to apply-thanks.

The book, "Twelve Essential Skills for Great Preaching" is an excellent book for student ministers, lay persons and even seasoned ministers. We can all learn some valuable tips and "essential skills" on how to improve our preaching and by so doing remove boredom from our congregations and encourage and motivate all audiences in strengthening their faith in the Gospel of jesus Christ. This book will assist us to enliven our messages and communicate far better with our community of believers.

With a desire to provide a "skills development approach" for training in the art and science of preaching, Dr. Wayne McDill pens a volume that aims to "identify and strengthen the specific skills needed for more effective sermon preparation" (ix). McDill serves as professor of preaching at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He has over forty years of experience as a pastor, denominational leader,
and a teacher of homiletics and is the author of numerous books, including Evangelism in a Tangled World, Becoming Who You Are, Making Friends for Christ, and The Message.

McDill contends that there are twelve essential skills to help preachers provide more and better content in their sermons. While he observes that God calls and His preachers, we have the responsibility to develop these specific skills through "discipline, hard work, and a commitment to clear thinking and Bible-based sermons" (15). He notes that:

This book is designed with a self-improvement format, a do-it-yourself approach which will let you concentrate on your own skills, at your own pace, and in the areas you see need to be strengthened (7).

Summary

McDill presents the first skill for great preaching in that the preacher must "get the text in view" by way of observation (17). With this skill, he desires to "recogniz[e] and not[e] details in the wording of the text and their significance for its meaning" through the means of structural diagramming via inductive Bible study (43). The second skill is "seeing what is there [through] recognizing and noting details in the wording of the text and their significance in the meaning (42).

The next skill is in "asking the right questions ... for the best research to interpret the writer's meaning" -- also known as hermeneutics (59, 61). The challenge here lies in trying to know what someone's intentions are when they are so far removed by historical, literary, and theological distance (63-64). One these questions are answered, the preacher moves to the next step which is "naming the textual idea" (80). Here, the preacher discovers "the writer's idea in the text and designat[es] it with precise terminology" (83). Once accomplished, the next step is to touch human needs by "tracing from theological concepts in the text to corresponding needs in contemporary hearers" (102).

After this step is executed in the interpretation stages, the time comes to bridge from text to sermon (121) followed by the writing of the sermon divisions which "clearly state the teachings of the text on its subject" (139). Next is the step of planning the sermon design which determines "the arrangement of sermon materials for the most effective communication" (159) followed by the development of sermon ideas which will aid in the "understanding, acceptance, and response of the hearer" (182). The next step in this area of understanding and acceptance is in "exploring natural analogies ... for illustrating sermon ideas" for, as McDill notes, "a concept does not impact our thinking unless we can see it" (203). Along this line of thinking, the next skill deals with "drawing pictures, telling stories" in an imaginative and creative way to bring biblical and contemporary stories to life in the mind of the listener (223).

Finally, the culminates all the steps thus far into this final step which aims to "[conform] every aspect of sermon design to the aim of a faith response in the hearer" (244) for it is the "only appropriate response to God and His Word" (258).

Critical Evaluation

As stated earlier, McDill's purpose in writing this book consists of "identify[ing] and strengthen[ing] the specific skills needed for more effective sermon preparation" (ix). By focusing on the content of the sermon, he succeeds for the most part in making a user-friendly volume that deserves a place on every pastor's bookshelf.

What immediately strikes the reader's cursory glance of this work is the layout. McDill deserves praise for achieving his goal of presenting a "self-improvement format [and] a do-it-yourself approach" (7). Each chapter contains a sentence that clearly and succinctly tells the "skill [McDill hopes] to develop with this exercise" (83). Each chapter also contains easily identifiable headings and subheadings, a box or boxes containing key definitions, guidelines for each exercise, a chapter summary, study questions, and examples of how to implement each exercise. He helps the preacher in his studies who is pressed for time. McDill's layout allows the preacher a quick reference guide as needed.

Another appealing aspect of this work is its practical nature. This is not a theoretical book on homiletical philosophy but a basic `how-to' manual for preachers to work their own pace (11). He notes that "just because you think you understand something doesn't mean you can do it. Practice is the only way to master a skill, even in sermon preparation" (4). McDill takes the preacher step-by-step through each of the skills he presents. As mentioned just previously, each chapter contains a segment guiding the reader through an exercise for each skill (32, 52, 73, 90, 114, 131, 146, 171, 193, 215, 235, 257). In these segments, the author certainly practices what he preaches in that not only does he tell the reader what each skill entails, he also helps the reader apply it step-by-step from the ground up . This portion is so helpful for the young preacher finding himself overwhelmed with the thought of sermon preparation. McDill figuratively takes the young preacher by the hand and guides him carefully through each process.

A highly commended chapter ib this work is Chapter Ten, "Exploring Natural Analogies" (201). A `natural analogy' takes a "relationship, circumstance, event, or other factor" in the natural realm and parallels it with a theological concept (207). McDill notes that an "incarnational (in human form) principle must guide us today as se seek, through preaching, to be channels of God's ongoing revelation" (203-204). He rightly notes that we must "look for analogies that will help your hearer understand the idea" (211) and are grounded in our respective "arenas of life" (216). This skill is vital in connecting with our contemporary audiences and is the same style of preaching that Jesus often used with the common people with His use of parables, which took a common situation, event, or person's position and used it to instill a heavenly truth.

Two weaknesses are found in this work. The most noticeable is the title. This reviewer finds the title a bit presumptuous, as if acquiring and applying these twelve skills will automatically make one's preaching `great.' For McDill, great content equals great preaching and clearly his focus is on fleshing out the content of the Scriptures in "the skills necessary to sermon preparation" (10). The title implies this would be a more comprehensive approach to sermon preparation and delivery in the whole realm of preaching. Instead, he minimizes the effect of delivery in favor of content alone.

The delivery style is not the critical factor in what we recognize as great preaching. Great delivery without effective content is often only "sound and fury, signifying nothing." On the other hand, striking content is of real interest to the hearer, even if the delivery is weak. (10).

Yet again, the title of the book implies preaching and delivery is part of the preaching process. Plus, the Scriptural accounts of the preachers and prophets indicate that the content and the way they communicated that content was part of the message. The Apostle Paul notes that:

My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, ESV).

The point here that Paul makes is that content alone does not a message make, but it is how the message crafts the speaker's heart and thus persuades passionately through the Spirit. McDill seems to miss this point completely. A better title would be "The 12 Essential Skills for Great Sermon Preparation."

Conclusion

After reading this work in its entirety, I would highly recommend this work to someone looking for a manual on sermon preparation. Even though the title is misleading, once the preacher enters into the contents of the book and sees the helpful way McDill fleshes out these various skills, he will be thankful for having such a wonderful volume in his hands.

I would recommend using this volume as a tune-up to specific areas of your preaching preparation that need work rather than trying to work from the beginning to the end of this book, for that would take a large amount of time. Absorbing this book little-by-little, however, will certainly transform your sermon preparation and your congregation will thank you all the more for this transformation.

I must admit as a recent Bible college graduate I was intimidated by the task of expository preaching. However, as I finished each chapter I thought to myself, "I can do that." Soon I was through the entire book confident I could preach an effective expository sermon on any passage of Scripture.
McDill takes you through from text to sermon and everything in between showing exactly how to do everything. I readily admit that my preaching has changed since reading this book. It has added depth and meaning and my sermons are not just an exegetical speech but messages that connects with the hearts and spirits of the congregation.
This book is a must-read for the expository preacher!

McDill has captured the essence of expository Preaching. No other preaching method I have studied is as God honoring and powerful. It teaches you how to preach God's Word and not your own or anyone elses. At the same time it helps you to use your own life experiences to illustrate the points you pull directly out of God's Word. It takes the best of Inductive study methods and couples them with the art of expository preaching.

As a professional with over 35 years experience in the fields of corrections and substance abuse, I didn't realize how limited my knowledge of the various aspects of 12-step programs was until I read this book . I thank God for blessing me with the opportunity and the curiosity to read this book and highly recommend that it be read by anyone in the field! I feel that Ms. Anderson had three goals in mind--information, enlightenment, and resourcefulness.

I appreciate the book, 12-Step Programs: A Resource Guide for Helping Professionals. I have worked in the field of addictions for over 5 years and found that this book has a variety of self help programs that fit the needs of anyone seeking freedom from any addiction! It is a great reference guide for any professional who seeks to enhance and further their knowledge on the 12-step programs.

Ms. Anderson has done all of us a tremendous service by compiling and explaining all the existing 12-step programs. This is a guide that should be available to social service agencies, counselors, or anyone who works with people who are addicted and who needs to refer them for help and supportive recovery. And, finally, this is a work of love for Ms. Anderson, who has regained hope in her own recovery and in helping others to recover. She is an inspiration when she speaks, and she continues to inspire us with this comprehensive guide.

12-Step Programs was really helpful to me in evaluating myself as well as friends and families. I know some people that have problems that are in this book and think it would be very helpful. Some people feel embarrassed to talk with someone or have no idea how to get help for there addictions. This book changes all of that!

AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELD, I FOUND THE BOOK AN INVALUABLE GUIDE FOR THE CLIENTS THAT I SERVE. THE BOOK IS ALSO A RESOURCEFUL AND INFORMATIVE TOOL WHICH WILL ENHANCE MY SKILLS. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR PEOPLE IN OUT OF THE FIELD BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A HELPING HAND FOR PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING.

I have had this book for several months and I am just now getting excited about it. There are excellent colorful photos on every page, there are a lot of techniques and each step is illustrated well. When I first got this book I was disappointed because I was really hoping that those trade secrets as the title suggests would jump out at me. But, on closer inspection I have found that there are indeed valuable tips on making my crocheted work better. I think this book will help immensely when I feel creative and want to design my own stuff. However, most of the tips are a page or less, and I would have liked to have seen some of them expanded a bit. Overall I would recommend this to anyone who crochets and would like some ideas to spark their creativity.

This is a totally well put together book, chocked full of clear instructions with easy to understand pictures. So much information, a real compliment to crochet patterns, it definitely lives up to it's name.

I'm basically a knitter who crochets a little and not that well. This book answered all my questions and gave me projects that I've been inspired to make. I learned to make roses, ruffles, and more complicated crochet patterns. It renewed my interest in crochet. Unless you're already a master this book is very helpful.

I have been crocheting for many, many years but this book explained things simply with great photos. It answered a lot of questions I have had and showed me new ways to do things. I would highly recommend this for the beginner as well as for the experienced crocheter.

After looking at many crochet books that would give a clear set of instructions and a variety of patterns, I've found that this book and others by this author are excellent. The instructions are easy to follow. Tne pictures are beautiful...bright colors and beautiful patterns. This is a great book for beginners or more advanced and will be well-used as a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about crocheting.

This book was helpful, but not as much as I'd hoped. It would be best for someone new to writing reviews.

This product was a quick way to finalize a review. It has great phrases that are very useful. Ever have one of those days where you just can't think of the greatest way of putting a sentence together? These phrases help put everything together in a well written manner.

excelent book, easy to read and to understand.
excelent seller, quick shipping and great shape.

This is a great little book. It covers just about very situation. It gives, on the money, phrases. It also provide phrases to use for recommended improvements. I'm the newest member of management in my corporation. When my boss read first reviews, he was totally impressed. It is definitely worth the money. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent tool for assisting managers with written comments on the performance reviews they are required to do on their employees. It especially helps managers with new phrases for employees they have been reviewing for years.

This book is IDEAL for anyone who is going to train or teach anything. How to cut the fluff and deliver the required facts.

I am not a professional trainer by trade. However, I was recently appointed training coordinator for my department. The Accelerated Learning Handbook has definitely helped me approach my job with a fresh perspective. The information, ideas, and techniques presented have enabled me to more effectively train those in my department as well as those in other functions. Before reading the AL Handbook, I thought all that was needed to effectively teach someone was simply to make sure all of my PowerPoint slides were logically put together. I now have a broader view of how people learn and a sold framework to use when putting together training materials on any topic. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to engage the audience and create meaningful, effective training presentations.

I have worked with adult learners for more than fifteen years and have always tried to incorporate whole-brained, participative learning. This book provided some excellent theoretical background as well as a lot of new instantly usable ideas. I wasn't even all the way through before I applied a couple of the techniques and got an excellent response from my client.

Finally, teachers and administrators have a useful tool to recharge their classrooms/schools. We have become so test oriented that many times we forget that the process of learning comes from the doing. The statement comes to mind that we utter with new approaches," When do I have the time to get it all in?". That is where the problem lies! We are so pressured with these new demands that we loose sight of what is important, the process. This book will give us a clearer picture of how we can recharge our teaching and can provide the key so we can use the ideas to change the way we teach or approach the students' learning who are in our care.

I was getting ready to prepare a training program for 44 persons when I read this book. Immediately! after I used the guidelines to prepare my session. Preparation was fast and easy -and fun! I really couldn't believe that it was that easy to apply and it has been one of my best sessions to date. I refer to it when I need a refresher or a new perspective. I definately reccomend this book for trainers who need to keep their material fresh and interesting (esp. in-house trainers).

Thank you for an excellent guide for online shopping! If you are looking for great Internet guides for Kids & Family, High School, and College students, please check out the You Are Here Internet series!

Online stores come and go, especially the big ones, but this book lists hundreds of terrific small online stores that carry really unique stuff. I especially liked all of the stores that sell natural cosmetics and natural fiber clothing for me and my kids. I've had this book 2 weeks and already its saved me lots of time.

I was tired of seeing the same old online stores over and over again. This book pointed me to some real winners. It's a big time saver. Very easy to find what I wanted quickly.

I learned a lot about online shopping that I never knew before. But the best thing about this book is all the online stores, listed by categories. I found some neat stores. Loved the party section.

Before picking up this excellent book, I was wary of online shopping -- and I still am, but now I'm intelligently wary. The authors do a marvelous job of helping understand what you can trust and what you can't, how online shopping works in all its various manifestations, and what strategies to use when you do shop online. The book showed me that online shopping is not (as I had thought) just for shopping addicts who need a fix 24 hours a day, but a great space for intelligent and discerning consumers. I'm still not a big spender online (or anywhere), but I've used the book to help me find some things I couldn't find anywhere else and at surprising prices. I think this book is going to go down in the so-far brief history of online commerce as a milestone achievement. It has certainly changed my views about WWW commerce and made me a better consumer. I can't say enough about this expansive, easy-to-use, fun, and informative work. I hope they plan to update this work regularly.

This book makes more sense than anything I have read in a long time, and I have read just about every low-carb book there is. It adds a new perspective
by tying everything together. The first part describes the theory and science behind all low-carb diets and does a superb job of clarifying the differences between low-carb and reduced-carb diets. There is also an excellent discussion of good carbs and the glycemic index. The "choose how you want to lose" approach with the accompanying menus is both practical and useful. Chapters on stocking the pantry and dining out are outstanding. There are also lots of recipes that are easy, really good, and do not require a lot of exotic or expensive ingredients. All in all, this is a first rate guide to lower-carb living.

This cookbook is great! There are some traditional dishes that have been revamped so they are still flavorful, but lower in fat. The recipes are very easy to make with ingredients that can be found almost anywhere. I have substituted ingredients(like another reviewer), and the results have still been incredible. I have made several recipes including the Pasta with Scallops in Creamy Tomato Sauce, The Pasta with Shrimp Florentine, and a few of the muffin recipes. Everything has turned out very well so far. I am delighted, my husband is delighted, and most likely you will be as well.

Most of my dessert recipes are Julia Child-style rich, but I recently got this book from the library to see how well I could make low-fat, whole-wheat baking work (I've been baking since I was 8 and use mostly my own recipes). Yesterday I made my usual white flour, high-fat, high-sugar banana bread for my entire office, which everyone loved. Today I made the whole wheat Brown Sugar Banana Bread from the bread section of this cookbook, without the nuts, and the ENTIRE office is raving about it! Everyone ate both kinds and declared this one just as good, if not better. I also got a number of her other cookbooks and have been VERY impressed with the recipes. Definitely a must-have for any kitchen.

I use this book in my household extensively and have since it came out. I also use this book in my private practice to teach my patients how to cook healthy. There is a section on how to buy meats, cheeses etc and why using whole grains and lean meats is a better option than processed, high fat versions. I use Sandra's recipes for patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, high cholesterol and for weight loss. There are 600 recipes so it does not become boring. The best part is that once you realize just how simple healthful cooking can be, you can adapt your favorite recipes using Sandra's tips. I say, give this book to a son or daughter moving off to college, or to a newlywed couple, then get a copy for yourself. If you love pizza, lasagna, meatloaf, hamburgers and fries, stroganoff and fettucine alfredo, you need to buy this book.

I have owned this cookbook for years and, regardless of what new cookbook I buy, I always find myself coming back to these easy, healthy, and delicious recipes. The ingredients are readily available; instructions are clear and thorough. My family, even my husband, is particularly fond of the "new" versions of classic dishes (e.g. beef stroganoff, macaroni and cheese) as well as the innovative recipes. I've regularly given this book for wedding showers and house warmings. It is definitely a worthwhile purchase.

this book is good enough to get a good view of how SD is going and should go. Though much has changed since this book has been published. Globalization has taken SD in directions that were not previously predicted.

Don't miss reading this book! When I read conventional economics, I constantly find myself asking why most economists use such ridiculous assumptions. Herman Daly's book tells why, and gives a start of what to do about it. Mr. Daly's work convinced me that economics will soon be undergoing a revolution like that of physics in the time of Einstein. As a patent attorney with a biochemistry degree, I can tell you that Mr. Daly is right on the money when he discusses the importance to humanity's future of discarding GNP as an economic measure. If you didn't realize before that understanding entropy is essential to economics, Mr. Daly will tell you. There is plenty of other great stuff here, too.
I don't agree with all of Mr. Daly's points. One of his major themes is that being truly concerned about the environment and the future of humanity requires reverence for the Earth as God's creation. Since I am an atheist, and I am very concerned about the environment and the future of humanity, I find this viewpoint a little hard to swallow. Don't let that stop you from reading this great book, though.

I can't say enough about how moved I was by this book. Having worked in a corporate setting for a number of years, I have wondered how growth can always be the goal of business and how the world can keep expanding and still accommodate everyone's needs. Herman Daly breaks down the problems with economic growth and how fraudulent it is for measuring economic health. Daly advocates sustainable development from a number of economic and social angles. His explanations become abstract at times, but he effectively challenges established economic thinking and offers alternatives.

Without recognition of physical ecological parameters, economic growth as we know it, including GNP, does not measure economic reality. The concept met with opposition from economists at the World Bank where Mr. Daly once worked (as of the mid-1990s when this book was written). The book starts with a passionate rebuttal to the World Bank and their "preanalytic vision" that the economy operates separately from the environment. In the remainder of the book his frustration is aimed more broadly at neoclassical western economists for ignoring the environment and the laws of thermodynamics. A great example is not accounting for environmental costs during the "throughput" process where products go from raw material to final waste.

I learned how important size or "scale" of macroeconomics is, but not accounted for even though it is surpassing the "carrying capacity" of our planet. Daly refutes modern developments such as an "information economy," to replace depleted resources. Also, lack of natural materials can't be substituted with efficiency: "One cannot substitute efficient cause for material cause--one cannot build the same wooden house with half the timber no matter how many saws and carpenters one tries to substitute," (p. 76).

Globalization, Daly argues, opposes the goal of sustainable development as does free trade, overpopulation, and inequality, all of which are closely analyzed. Globalization and free trade came across to me as particularly harmful because they limit a nation's ability to protect its people, culture, and environment. Daly recommends "maximum wage" to limit inequality. Justification for this concept uses biblical references in a religious-based section, which might seem inappropriate for an economics book, but I found the points made important and well presented.

His solutions for change have the goal of creating a "steady state" economy. With such an economy, humans are able to live on the earth and use amounts of the resources that can be maintained indefinitely. This difficult goal includes principles that may seem radical like population control and limiting inequality. But accounting for our environmental costs in our economy is not radical; it's common sense.

I appreciate the perspective the book takes because it proves that the loss of natural resources isn't just anti-ecological, but also anti-economical. Probably one of the most important books I've ever read.

I've read a *lot* of economics books in recent years, some good, some not. But Daly's is really in a class by itself for seeing the big picture and explaining it clearly: traditional economics is broken. Neoclassical economics today is like high energy physics: all the trusty laws that held so true in normal energy physics, or 19th and 20th century economies, mysteriously start to fail us. I love the simple, yet compelling logic of Daly's insight: take the existing neoclassical model of economics--the circular flow of income between households and firms--and then draw a box around it, to acknowledge that the world is of finite size. Once you do that, analyze however you wish...the recognition of a finite world leads inexorably to the notion of an optimum size for the national and global economy. I like how Daly uses tools from mainstream economics to make the point: we all remember from Microeconomics that every firm has an optimal size, based on the size of the overall economy. Economics has the notion of limits to growth embedded already, we just need collectively to apply that logic without flinching.

Something that impressed me was how Daly in 1997 used his intellectual model to forecast the concentration of asset ownership in the U.S., with the consequence of increasing class disparity and declining real wages for the middle class. That would have seemed like outlandish poppycock in the mid-90s, but now in 2007, lo and behold, it's coming to pass (per the CIA and the Economic Policy Institute, and BLS.gov statistics) for all the reasons Daly outlined 10 years ago. The man is onto something, and policymakers would do well to listen to him.

Even better, I think, is that reading between the lines of Daly's book there is a real and believable message of hope. The world of the future that acknowledges limits, and embraces development over growth (think "quality" not "quantity" of the economy as the goal) is a better place than the world we live in today. Instead of the world becoming a planetary Los Angeles or Hong Kong, where life is crowded, expensive, polluted and mean, what I took away from Daly's book was a clear intellectual architecture for a world that is beautiful, full of possibilities for interesting life work, and full of hope and things to look forward to. I sincerely hope that Daly's vision helps shape the world my daughter grows up in.

This book is well worth reading for Daly's explanation of "ecological economics." Rather than looking at the economy as a system existing in a vacuum, where an infinite amount of exchanges are possible to create an infinite amount of economic growth--as neo-classical economists believe--Daly places the economy within the physical environment. This environment of course is a place of limits: limits on raw materials and limits on places to store pollution. Thus, Daly shows that the economy must observe limits too.

Common sense, right? Yet, our whole economy is premised on the opposite idea, that we can just keep growing forever. Think of compound interest and then move on from there and you get the idea of how pervasive growth is in our economic mindset today. Offering an alternative is what makes Daly's theory radical.

But the bonus in the book comes at the very end, where Daly offers economics (rightly understood with limits) as the intermediary between the physical world and religious belief. The latter, Daly believes, is necessary to offer humans the inspiration we need to radically change our current society and save our species. Some parts of the text are rough going, but if you're not an economist you can skim them to get to Daly's truly novel integration of heart and head.

At the moment the only real game worth playing is Google. No, I'm not a spokesperson for them but it is clear that if you're going to play you ought to play with the guys that own the ball. There is power in "Building Your Business with Google for Dummies". The best thing is that when you meet the Google criteria and succeed with them you can use the exact same business building blocks with any other resource. Brad Hill understands this and does a great job relaying his knowledge via the "Dummies" format. I'm beginning my second read-through. Thanks Brad.

Larry J. Frieders, RPh
[...]
340 Marshall, Unit 100 ~ Aurora, IL 60506
Tel 630-859-0333

This book took my business, AUDIN Web Design, to new heights. Now anyone can just type in AUDIN Web Design in Google (or Yahoo and MSN, for that matter) and find me. This book allowed me to master Google, the juggernaut of search engines. If you cannot tame that tiger, you will not survive in the market place. My company, AUDIN Web Design, has helped many small business get ranked on Google. This is my bible. I carry it around wherever I go. I advise everyone to read this book before consulting a professional about your online search needs. You could get ripped off if you are not wise about your choice of Company. This book has given me such confidence with the Google juggernaut, that my company now offers a 100% money back guarantee policy. A lot of companies can't offer that because they don't know what they are doing. Read this book and get informed. It could save you lots of money, yes money, the stuff you work so hard for. The stuff makes the world go round.

Since Google is currently master of the universe you need to understand what Google is looking for when it ranks web pages. This book not only does that but goes into detail of other Google services like froogle, adsense and adwords. I highly recommend this book to anybody trying to build a presence on the web.

"Building Your Business with Google For Dummies" by Brad Hill is one of many options for learning Google's tools. This one is focused on using it to promote business websites.

You might not need this book. To find out, go to Google's website, and create an account. Look at the FAQs, testimonials and the help areas. Much of what's in Hill's book is logical, but is organized in as sensibly as any I have seen. I need this book for that reason. It saved me time from having to learn this information in a too slow trial-and-error way.

You'll learn a few important things about Google, and how to help them help you attract traffic, sell products, or create interest in your website.

AdWords
I have an online e-commerce site, and need to know Google. As a smaller business, I can't compete with the major companies in being listed in categories I feel are important. That's where Google AdWords comes in. It allows me, for a fee per click, to compete.

Hill's explanation of strategies and process is solid. There are ways to lose money, and he helps show how to test keywords, use ad groups, edit ads, and how to bid intelligently. He also looks at the premium service that allows big businesses to use oogle with less worry about click-through rates.

AdSense
AdSense, the tool that places Google ads on websites based on the page's content. While I only make a few cents when a vistor clicks through an ad, it helps me provide a service to my customers who do not feel my site met their needs.

Hill explains how AdSense makes money, and warns against cheating.

Increasing Your Page Rank
No one knows Google's formula for ranking pages. The most important factor is having useful information, being linked on other like-minded sites, not abusing the process.

Hill tells you what page rank means, and how to avoid mistakes many webmasters make. This includes tips on design, domain choice, keyword use.

Using Froogle and Google Catalogs
These are two features I have never used. Hill gives a good overview of this Google tool, which provides exposure to those websites selling products in a catalog-style, or through AOL and Yahoo shops.

I fully recommend "Building Your Business with Google For Dummies" by Brad Hill.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

This book was very helpful in teaching novices how Google works with online businesses in order to make the businesses more profitable and also make Google move valuable. The techniques were easy to apply.

Ed
http://www.imonitsoftware.com

Canyon Winter


Canyon Winter is a book written by Walt Morey. The main part of the story takes place in the mountains.
Lucky To Survive

It's a story about a boy who was involved in a plane crash which the pilot saved him in. The pilot died, but a boy named Peter survived. He met an old man named Omar Picket who helped Peter stay alive with food and shelter. In Peters search to find his way home, Omar ends up saving him from dangers in the wilderness. Omar also taught Peter survival skills. Peter and Omar became best friends. One of them lives, and one of them dies. You better read the book to find out.
You Better Be Ready

I liked this book because new things kept popping up. Each page was full of excitement and adventure. Wild animals attacked Peter, and Omar saved his life. Their friendship grew stronger every day .I loved this book because every time they turned a corner there was another adventure for them to experience.
Will To Live

No mater how many obstacles he ran into, Peter always focused on his goal to return to his family.
Thumbs Up

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read exciting books and wilderness books with animals.

Peter was a teenager that crashed in a wilderness. He didn't know what to do or what to expect. He learns many lessons about life from a man named Omar. He saves something that is important. Read the book to find out what it is and how he does it.

I this this is a wonderful book. It teaches respect, bravery, honesty, perseverance, trust, and protecting what you love, like a virgin forest from loggers. I think that everyone should read this book. I would be more helpful, though, if you lowered the price. I had a little trouble buying it. I hope everyone else who read this review will buy the book from you. CANYON WINTER!!!

I remember reading this book in the early 80s, and loved it. I bought a copy at the time and saved it and now love to read it to my own son.

It is filled with a lot of good lessons for children, lessons about the sanctitiy of all life and about the reciprocal relationship between man, wildlife and the environment. It is a story that thoughfully illustrates how man is part of nature, as opposed to man being above nature.

This book is about a teenager named Pete is stranded in a mountain area after his small plane crashes and kills his pilot. Pete then must make it on his own. Or, that is what the reader is thinking. Yet Pete soon finds a cabin, and also finds the cabins cranky old owner, Omar. This is when the book really begins to excell. The relationship between Omar and Pete strenghens over time, and soon they are getting along well. Omar tells Pete of his desire to fight a logging company who wants to destroy the beautiful area in which Omar lives. This book is not like Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, in that the struggle for survival is not the heart of it. The book is about the coming of age of Pete and his turning from a boy to a young man.