Internet Books

I got this book for Christmas and haven't put it down ever since. It really is an outstanding book, showcasing the talents of an international cross section of CG artists. The book is lavishly illustrated with screen grabs of some key steps in the creation of a piece, which greatly helps to understand the artists process/technique. This book, however, doesn't focus on specific techniques as much as on the thought process behind a piece. This book doesn't teach you how to create digital artwork, in fact most of the descriptions assume that you already have a good handle on 3D modeling/texturing/rendering concepts. This is not a tutorial. But the book includes enough information to provide insight into an artist's thinking process. If I may use a movie production analogy, this book is sort of the "behind the scenes" aspect of CG art creation.

The book is beautifully printed in color on good paper stock and the spine is stitched instead of just glued (which is the best way to bind a book).

CONS: There really are no serious downfalls with this book, however from an editorial stand point (I am not a expert at this but...) the book is full of typos and grammatical errors. It doesn't take an English teacher to see that the editors could have done a better job of proofreading and editing the book. I suspect the work was made more difficult given that for a lot of the artists, English was not their first language. However, I think this oversight keeps the book from being a perfect 10 and for a book written in English, this is almost inexcusable.

This is a great book, lots of artwork. Granted, about half of the artwork you could find with a quick google, but its nice to have something real that you can hold. Its also great for the upcoming digital arts apprentice like myself who wants to see how other people's art came to life.

I received this book as a Christmas present about 7 days ago, and havent put it down since. I find myself reading and re-reading the artists procedures and techniques, many of which I plan to try and incorporate into my own workflow. All of the images are masterpieces and have inspired me greatly. Anyone interesting in the realm of digital art, from seasoned artist to novice, should pick this book up for your personal library, you wont be sorry!

This book's 2d & 3d images are beautiful. If your looking for a book to use as inspiration or ref., then this is your book. If your looking for step by step processes on 3d & 2d digital art, then this isn't your book. Digital art masters is more on the theory side of explanations of why they created their art the way they did.

This book is a golden key. If u are an animator or a animation student, U have to read it. :) I bought it & LOVE it.

The book is well layed-out, and descriptions are clear and concise. The first 95 pages or so are relatively basic. I have used a crusty version of Homesite to create a few basic Websites in-the-past, so those first 95 pages didn't teach me anything that I didn't already know. Except perhaps for the design and paper and pencil preparation.

After page 95 (or so), you jump right into Dreamweaver and are instructed as to its' functions. The Webpage you're building is a basic HTML page, and does not use any server-side technology like ASP, or PHP, or CGI/Perl.

It too is well layed-out, and step-by-step. I only wished that a deeper discussion of CSS integration was employed.

So, for the beginner, or for someone who likes to paper & pencil prep, I'd have to say that this is a worthwhile buy.

For the more advanced user, I'd have to say that you may be better off with more of a reference-style tome.

All said, I do not regret the purchase.

This book takes you from web-site zero through building a basic client-side only web site using Dreamweaver 8.

My only critique is that it seemed like we didn't even get to actually using Dreamweaver 8 until about page 100. Before that was an intro to general web-site concepts and HTML.

Anyway, it's an attractive and informative book that is priced lower than most.

If you are looking for website building software, you might want to take a look at Dreamweaver 8: Design and Construction. This book educates the reader on the various aspects of Dreamweaver 8. It also shows the reader, step by step, how to build a website using this software. The author also includes all sort so tips, illustrations of what the reader will see as he or she builds their site, and helpful tech talk boxes that explain some of the more technical issues in an easy to understand way. Everything in this manual is suitable for those with little or no knowledge of website design or website design software.

I believe that the best way to choose website software is to understand what that particular program can do and how this may or may not suit your needs and your abilities. It doesn't help to buy software that can do seemingly magical things if you don't have a clue how to actually make it work. This book helps the reader understand the basics of the Dreamweaver 8 program with a taste of some of the more complex things that can be done.

This book is well written and laid out well (for the most part), but the lack of color really, really hurts this Dreamweaver 8 guide. Perhaps I am being a bit of a stickler, but a book in 2006 not only needs to have good content, but it need to also have a great layout as well. Deciding to go with 5 major colors (white, black, grey, blue, dark blue) not only makes the book seem dull and drab, it detracts from the reader the good content within.

For anyone that uses Dreamweaver 8 on a daily basis this is a great reference guide but the layout editor could have done a much better job. If you care about content more than pizzaz, I think you will be happy with this book

**** RECOMMENDED

Are you new to Dreamweaver 8? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Marc Campbell, has done an outstanding job of writing a book for people who are new to creating their own web sites from the ground up and all that it entails.

Campbell, begins by showing you how to devise your plan. Then, the author shows you how to develop a blueprint for your site. Next, he shows you how to add just about anything to the pages of your site. Finally, the author shows you how to take the working prototype that exists on your computer and publish it to the Web for all of the world to see.

This most excellent book serves an introduction to creating web sites using Macromedia Dreamweaver 8. More importantly, the focus throughout this book is that sound design and usability are inextricably linked.

This book was helpful in defining all the new technologies and illustrates many challenges businesses face integrating their initiatives online.

There are a lot of facets to running a business that not only must serve an online community but an offline customer base as well. Gutzman does a nice job highlighting the various sectors and the tools businesses must consider to address those needs. She provides examples and case studies. Good book, must read.

In the Preface, Gutzman explains that her book "is designed to tell you what the must-have technologies are for your Web site, with resources listing vendors for each technology. However, new vendors are entering the field daily. For example, for the technology I discuss in the Epiloque, alternative payment systems, I received three press releases in the week before the book went to the printer. In fact, this book has been difficult to write because I have never felt that any chapter was finished." Nor could one be. There are several reasons why I thus begin this brief commentary. First, to indicate that Gutzman focuses on "must-have technologies" rather than on, for example, specific strategies and tactics. Also, to indicate (as does she) how rapidly circumstances in the "digital arena" can change. Finally, to suggest that a Web site is never "finished." Gutzman organizes her material within five Parts: The E-Commerce Climate, Technologies for Driving Traffic, Technologies for Making Buying Easier, Technologies for Customer Service, and finally, Turnkey Growth. Of special interest to me are the various "Case Studies" of exemplar companies and technology applications. Also various "Profiles" such as those of "Net Perceptions", "Soliloquy" and "BroadVision", each of which briefly discusses specific functions, features, and benefits of specific technologies. As a non-technical person, I commend Gutzman on creating access for me to subjects which can sometimes be daunting, if not intimidating.

Gutzman's is a "three-pronged strategy" for meeting your demands: implement essential technologies, maintain a flexible business model, and outsource everything. Think of the material in her book as if it were on display in a store which you enter, tool box in hand. Roam the aisles. Examine various clusters of items. She is your expert advisor as well as the store's proprietress. (I strongly suspect that she had this metaphor in mind when writing the book.) Over time, all of your questions are answered. She helps you to make appropriate selections. In process, she has helped you to understand not only what you need and how to use it but also why you need it. Effective use of the 12 "must have" technologies will drive traffic to the Web site, create and sustain Web site functionality, and facilitate customer service which ensures that the Web site will be ETDBW (Easy to Do Business With). In the Epilogue, Gutzman adds another "must have" technology: alternative payment systems.

For whom will this book be most valuable? First, I highly recommend it to decision-makers in small-to-midsize organizations which already have or are now developing a Web site. The more they know and the more they understand, the better prepared they will be to select and then work with vendors. (NOTE: Reputable vendors will welcome such expertise because it enables them to accomplish more for their client and in less time. The same expertise will enable decision-makers to recognize disreputable vendors, either immediately or soon thereafter. That one benefit all by itself is worth at least ten times the cost of the book and probably a great deal more.) I also strongly recommend this book to decision-makers in larger organizations because, in the "digital arena", they will be expected (if not required) to gain a literacy in the technologies which Gutzman examines. Also, these same decision-makers will become progressively more involved in business initiatives (marketing, client relationships, strategic planning, market research, etc.) which the "must have" technologies support. Congratulations to Gutzman on a brilliant achievement.

Those businesses that make the best use of the best technologies available are the truly innovative and solid e-businesses. The most successful of these companies are the ones that recognize that a retail sale is still a very human activity and requires a mix of technology and personalization. Marketing and promotions are still required; however, the internet requires technology upgrades at a greater rate. There are still three keys of retail, and these objectives must be met properly utilizing the latest technologies in order to be successful:

· Attract customers
· Make shopping simple and easy
· Offer superior customer service

The author of this book lists twelve "must-have" technologies that will help to achieve the three listed objectives. The reader will learn about:

· Place websites high in the search engine
· Partner with aggregators
· Use targeted electronic direct mail
· Connect with customers on the go
· Install search tools to help buyers find what they want
· Make the site personal
· Adapt the site for global customers
· Give customers real-time inventory access
· Keep all information current by using a content management system (CMS)
· Use real-time presales chat and other online customer support
· Integrate on-line and offline customer support
· Realize and use the importance of alternate payment systems

The E-Commerce Arsenal surveys twelve technologies needed to prevail in the digital business world, from submitting a URL and web positioning to using targeted direct email. The case histories from other business experiences are particularly revealing, covering common problems and solutions.

This book gives practical, action oriented information for both developers and merchants, and explains it in an easily comprehendible way. The author does not dwell on theory or basics, but gives concrete insight into what's working and what's not from the first chapter - something I've found very valuable as one who has little time to read a book from cover to cover.

E-Wally and the Quest
by Judy Shasek, Wendy Anderson Schulz

E-Wally and the Quest is the first of three books a series titled ýThe Adventures of E-Wally.ý E-Wally, the 11 year old hero, lives and works in the ýLand of the Internet.ý His job is to speed along the wires and electronics to deliver e-mails around the world. While E-Wally is delivering the bits and bytes, and saving his beloved grandpa, the reader is learning about the enormity, complexity and impact of the Internet. The reader is also enjoying a story about good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, and standing up for oneýs own beliefs.

E-Wally and the Quest is a well-developed mystery with intriguing characters, an interesting plot and a setting that is modern and unique. Our hero, E-Wally is a combination of Harry Potter, Charlie Bucket and any child who loves his family. E-Wally is an adventurous boy who runs away from his home to find out why his beloved grandpa is in trouble. Along the way he has adventures with fuzzball routers, a real boy and the evil Olla-Brac, the ýKeeper of the Bugs.ý

The reader gets instantly involved in the story. The characters become real and their Quest becomes important. The underlying lessons in reading and technology add another piece of value to the book. Iým awaiting more adventures of E-Wally in the second book, E-Wally and the Renegades!

Eileen G. Cotton, Ph.D.
Author, Book2Web Series and The Online Classroom: Teaching with the Internet
Professor of Education

I read this book from beginning to end with no loss of interest. I could not believe how much I loved this book. I usually do not read books in less than a month, but this one was one I could not put down! If there is a sequal, I shall be the first in line to buy it!

E-Wally and the Quest is a thrilling adventure story set in the "Land of the Internet". The first in a planned series, it begins with E-Wally learning of a threat to his beloved grandfather. The e-people who deliver our e-mail messages live in misery under the rule of the evil King Henry and his bug infested crony, Olla Brac. It is up to our young hero to challenge the status quo and attempt to save the day. Along the way readers will learn a great deal about the history and workings of the Internet and its potential affect on our future.

E-Wally and the Quest is a children's book that should appeal to all ages. Not since an eleven-year old wizard joined our household, has a book enthralled all members of our home. As computer network engineers, my husband and I were excited to find a book that takes the complex and often confusing land of the Internet and makes it understandable to even the least technical reader. Our children, ages 7 and 9, have learned a great deal about what Mom and Dad do at work. This wonderful book opened a communication channel for our family and has been the catalyst for several lengthy conversations. Even a non-tech family should find a great deal for discussion as the book tackles such subjects as Internet ethics, fighting for a cause and helping your friends even when it is not easy to do so. As one friend suggested, "Maybe my kids can use it to explain the whole thing (Internet) to me".

While I would strongly encourage families to read E-Wally together, educators will also find this book an inspiring tool for the classroom.

E-Wally and the Quest is a delightful adventure blending the mysteries of the computer with childhood fantasies. The hero, E-Wally, lives in the computer delivering mail packages. But he is not the only one alive in the computer - both good and bad characters exist inside the network. When E-Wally needs help, he meets his real-life counterparts - schoolchildren using the computer for homework. We won't tell you if the good folks win this one. But the story is full of excitement and builds suspense appropriately for young children. E-Wally and the Quest leaves readers with the promise of more adventures to come. And we would welcome more additions to this new series.

This is a unique blend of technological information about the internet and a fun adventure, full of fantasy. Teachers might want to take a look at this book if they are doing a unit about computers and the Web. The book is full of the things kids enjoy in fiction--a touch of gross (slime) and more than a heaping handful of whimsy. There is a companion website for the book, too. Innovative fiction, and very, very fun!

This book is a must read for parents and for anyone working in local, state or federal law enforcement. It offers a clear understanding of how many sick people are out there and how our children are so vulnerable and easily exposed to these internet predators. The work of Good together with the FBI is extraordinary. Their efforts will not take all predators off the street, but with each one they send to jail, several of our children are saved from their lives and innocense being destroyed.

Hey Folks,
Mrs.Good takes you through her experiences with the sexual predators that she enounters in her great work as a civilian UC helping the FBI put these folks where they belong...in a cage away from our kids! This book discusses the many facets of this section of law enforcement and even brings you into a trial and shows you the sleazy attempt by a defense lawyer to get the predator from having to do the time for his, or her, crime. This is a great book to companinion "To catch a Predator" by Chris Hasen. These two books are must reads for anyone interested in this subject. God Bless you all, Doneaux.

This book was very informative and eye opening. I recommend it for anyone with a teenager that wants to know what to look for on the internet.

I have read this book, and found it very interesting! Repetitive it was NOT. There are ALOT of sick pediphiles out there, and this lets them know we have their number! This woman works at getting them off the internet, and it doesn't take over night, it's alot of making sure she has who she thinks she has. I think R. Stephanie Good is a "PLUS" to life, if only more people were more like her this world would be a better place.

The book exposes the real world we live in and the dangers it poses. The author does an excellent job of telling the stories and not getting into too much detail. We need more people willing to risk their own personal life to help others.

This book has helped me a lot for the TV commercial to be created in Flash..I thank the author of the book for this wonderfull help..

In order to use the examples in this book you will need a MacIntosh. You will also have buy quite a number of third-party plugins. If you own a Mac and have money for plugins than this is a very helpful book.

But look elsewhere if you only have a Windows computer and want to use only Flash for video work.

An excellent Flash book. It goes through every aspect of the production process, from writing the script to exporting to videotape. It tells you how to prepare your Flash animations the right way, and provides information on the correct project size, frame rate, title & action safe guides, etc. for broadcast. This information is invaluable if you ever intend to submit your Flash animation to a festival or studio, and you have to export your movie out to videotape. I also found the interviews with seasoned Flash animators to be very insightful. You will not regret buying this book.

If you're a traditional animator or a web-based flash animator (all levels), "Flash MX Design for TV and Video" IS the definitive guide to taking your flash animation to video, television and DVD. Not only is this book chock full of animation techniques, it also explores working with sound, flash video capabilities and limitations, visual storytelling and cross-purposing, the process of designing your project with a variety of delivery options in mind. This book is a must-have for every serious Flash Animator seeking to take their flash stories to the next level. We are proud to recommend it to our FlashTV members.

Nicholas Da Silva, ...

Its just a mater time before more quality content shifts from the workstations to the living rooms of the world. This is the definitive guide on bridging Flash content for the Web to Television. A truly indespensible reference for any Flash professional wanting to make the transition.
Janet Galore and Todd Kelsey lay it all out clearly and write in an easy to read style that doesn't skimp on details. The entire book is laden with terrific artwork and helpful screen grabs that support the text. Very undaunting for the visually inclined.
The sections on video exporting, and postproduction effects was particularly eye opening. this section alone cleared a lot uncertainty for me.
While this book won't make the reader a better Flash animator/designer, it most definately will make any level Animator or designer a more informed artist. It will open a lot of doors personaly and in the hands of a talented, creative person, change the ever evolving face of the Flash community indelibly.

this book was excellent on two levels. It carried an interesting and quick-paced story line with easily absorbed facts relating to the federal reserve system and our current economic atmosphere. I found it hard to put down!! Let's see a sequel!!

This would be a great way to help your young teenager to understand the implications the Federal Reserve will have on them when they get older. An educated public will formulate educated policies. You never know if your child might become the next President! This is a great way to help them "get informed".

Forget what party you may be supporting. Forget a lot of things you have been told about how our economy works. Read this book and you will begin to understand things that we have been kept in the dark and lied to for decades by both parties.

First of all this is a pretty good story. Secondly, in delivering the story, the author is trying to shake us awake as to what is happening to us and the result is far from pleasant.

In fact, the protagonists in the story have a sense of futility as to awakening enough of us to what has been done to our economy that seems difficult to oversome.

I was asked to review this novel by the author. I did and I am not sure I was not happier living in ignorance. However, it is better to understand one's life and situation and if you agree with that premise, then please, pick up this book and be prepared to be very, very worried about our econoomy and our future.

The "barbarous relic" referred to in the title is the gold standard which at one time in our history tied the value of our currency to that precious metal. If that sounds arcane or old fashioned, I challenge you to read this book and ever feel sanguine again about your economic status in this country, especially if you feel really, really comfortable.

George Ford Smith does an excellent job of distilling the essence of an Austrian School analysis of status quo economics into 277 pages of page-turning suspense. If you're like me, and you read a lot of fiction and history, but can't make it through even the most accessible book on economics (even though you know it's an important subject) without your eyes glazing over, then this book is for you.

Smith provides a trenchant survey of the history of money and banking in America, and then gets to the heart of what ails us at the outset of the Third Milennium. As the plot unfolds in his nifty little thriller, his characters manage to find opportunities to expound on how it all went wrong with the Business of America, when we got off track, who was responsible, and how we can get back to the garden, as it were. Do I need to mention that the prescription is as good as gold?

As if that weren't enough, Smith excoriates our two-party farce, and why they are wedded to this sad state of affairs called the Federal Reserve System. And the ends the powers-that-be will go to in order to retain their power. A chilling subplot envisions how the Internet could end up being emasculated and bowdlerized to the point where it would be as original and informative as the CBS Evening News.

And you would be well-advised to look into the books on the short reading list at the end of Barbarous Relic. If those tomes are a little too daunting, look up some of the more accessible essays by the same authors (Rothbard, Mises, etc). To read these giants is to immediately recognise that you are in the company of common sense. And these are the ideas George Ford Smith is trafficking in Flight of the Barbarous Relic.

But none of this is meant to dissuade anyone who is looking for a cracking good tale to occupy a few happy hours. Barbarous Relic is filled with a plethora of interesting characters, good and bad, and once I started it, I couldn't put it down.

If you find yourself unable to crack a text book or history book to learn about the underpinnings of your entire financial existence and place in the pecking order but are ready to be enlightened, this book is a great start. As a novel, the fact that there is a story line will help to keep you turning pages. Parents should give this to highschoolers to read as well to help them learn how to navigate our bogus economy and give them a head start in the real world.

Until search engines get a heck of a lot more intelligent than they are now, the best source for web site recommendations is from human beings. Particularly humans passionate about their subject matter. Judy and Gloria won't waste your time with a bazillion irrelevant links. They know their subject matter, and they know a good site when they see one. They're also a stitch. Or perhaps two stitches. Buy this book!

In addition to extremely helpful tips throughout, this little book is jammed-packed with great sites that are nicely arranged. No more wasting time with a search engine for me! I give it two thumbs way up!

Judy and Gloria have done it again! They've boiled down all the obfuscations of the net into discussions that quilters will enjoy. They offer their picks for the best Web sites to find free patterns, free quilting how-tos, and even free stuff for doll-makers. It would be hard to find this kind of stuff with a searcher. The net information in this book is completely different from what's in their Quilter's Computer Companion. That's a good book too, but this is more updated and complete. This is a very easy book to read, learn from and enjoy.

This book is a valuable resource for quilters at all levels of computer knowledge. It explains away a lot of the "mysteries" of why your computer acts the way it does and points you in various directions to research out your own particular interests. Written in an easy conversational tone, it imparts a lot of information without talking down or over your head.

Every quilter should own this book. Thanks Judy and Gloria for putting together such a wonderful book. Keep up the good work!!

This book is easy to read and very practical. It helped me a lot with one of my data charting projects. Highly recommended.

It delivers what it promises. You will be able to write printing code, make your own controls, etc., after reading this book.

GREAT BOOK! The book was by far the easiest to follow book for GDI+ and Custom Controls using C#. I am very pleased and highly recommend this to all who wish to learn GDI+.

If you are moving up from GDI, you will find that GDI+ is about 50 times slower, but 50 times easier to program.

This is the kind of book you want to read when you want to get started with GDI+ development, and custom controls in particular. Yes, there are a lot of things that are not explained, but they, GDI+ and custom control development is a huge topic and couldn't possibly be covered in one book! The information provided in this book is excellent. It covers the basics of GDI+, custom control development, printing, and even web related stuff you may not think of at first. What's missing is how to build input-oriented controls, such as as fancy grids or spreadsheets and other advanced topics. But then again, I wouldn't expect a book like this to cover these topics.

One of my first .NET ah-hah experiences back in 2001 was creating an .aspx file that I could reference as a graphic (!). The .aspx file received two query parameters which informed it of the file name of the jpg and the width that the returned image was supposed to be. So then in an IMG tag, I would simply put src="ShowPicture.aspx?file=product1343.jpg&width=100" and it would display a thumbnail of that picture 100 pixels wide and proportionally high. This is an excellent way to produce dynamic pictures as well as protect your online photographs (show thumbnails to visitors, full sized pictures to members), and the .NET GDI+ classes are straight-forward and easy to use. Ever since then I have been looking for a book which goes into deeper detail of creating graphics in .NET with the GDI+ classes. Wrox has finally produced this book! In chapters 1 through 10 you get the basics: pens, brushes, texts, fonts, image manipulation, paths, regions and printing. Then in the rest of the book you learn how to make custom controls which create custom graphics (I love books that teach two things at a time -- great for developers who do four things at a time). If you read this book, you will think about graphics differently, namely, as dynamic objects which your application, the user and the environment can manipulate at run time. Very exciting.

"Get Content. Get Customers." is well thought out, easy to read and highly relevant. While the title might lead one to believe that it's all about the web, the book effectively ties together all elements of modern-day marketing and links them to the spinal column of the internet.

I am amazed that in a field changing as quickly as modern marketing that the authors have been able to get much information into the book that is this timely. I found easy to follow-constructs, timely examples and dozens of items which will lead me to do additional research and continue learning.

We had the opportunity to watch firsthand how content marketing benefitted our organization, The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce. The book's co-author, Newt Barrett, worked with us to make significant improvements in our print and online publications. The book does a great job of telling our story and that of many organizations who are putting content marketing to work successfully.

We now have a monthly magazine, Business Currents that generates great readership and great revenue--3X as much as our old Chamber publication. Our website is getting 6X as many visitors as it did before its transformation into a content-rich online home for The Chamber.

Just as the book describes, everything came down to understanding what issues are most important to our target audience--the regional business community--and delivering relevant and valuable content consistently, month in and month out. Content marketing has benefitted our members, our community, and our organization. Content marketing really works. Our organization is living proof.

"Pulizzi and Barrett have taken Integrated Marketing Communications to the next level with Get Content. Get Customers. The book includes how to combine old and new marketing, online and offline, print and electronic in innovative and useful ways. Every marketer, large or small, can use this text to build better on-going customer relationships."

- Don Schultz, Professor Emeritus in Service, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University

So much has changed in the past 10 years! I've been in marketing/pr for small businesses to luxury hotel companies and during the past 10 years, it's been more difficult to reach our target audiences. Many of my clients have found that formerly successful advertising or direct marketing campaigns have lost their effectiveness. I have been looking for an approach that would re-energize their marketing efforts in the age of the Internet. This is the first book I've found that explains exactly what to do.

What surprised me the most was that you don't have to spend a lot of money to generate measurable results. The success story of the Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island is my favorite local example. With an investment of just $20,000 for a brand-new e-commerce website, bookings on the site have skyrocketed, bypassing travel agents and saving Tons of commission dollars. This small hotel now goes directly to its customers on the Internet.

There are lots of success stories that illustrate how to implement a successful content marketing strategy. In addition there is an incredibly detailed case study that walked me through all the steps necessary to get a content marketing program rolling.

This is a really good book. The only thing I wish they had discussed more was social media and how to effectively use content on these type of sites.

I'm familiar with Barrett and Pulizzi from their blogs. And I'm a true believer in content marketing. So when I heard they had a book coming out, I was first in line to buy it. I was eager to see what kind of content they were going to deliver, and they've lived up to my expectations.

'Get Content. Get Customers.' goes well beyond the information available in their blogs, on their websites and in their print articles. These guys are high caliber professional writers and it shows. The book is a great read, but it's much more than that.

I had pens, highlighters, and those sticky page markers at hand while I read. I highlighted passages, wrote notes in the margins, and transcribed business ideas into a notebook. It reminded me of college, only I don't remember ever being as jazzed about my studies as I was devouring this book.

Barrett and Pulizzi went well beyond an academic treatise of what "content marketing" is. They took the Harvard Business School approach and told the stories of 15 different companies and how they leveraged content marketing for business success. You get all the hows and whys. The stories are fun to read and, like every well told story, they're memorable.

This book should be required reading in every business school in the country. It explains a fundamental shift in the way products and services are sold, and every person in business needs to understand it.

It belongs on every professional marketer's bookshelf - well-thumbed through and dog-eared.