Bailey Books

This book is good to practice CSS. To be used before the Meyer's second one ("More Eric Meyer On CSS"). On the other hand, because it was written in 2002, it is a little obsolete for some techniques. The using of the 'table' tag for layout is still here. This is not the case in the second book which use the positionning... and sorry for my english !!!

I have found better books out there, but this one is okay. Good to get you started.

Awesome learn by example book IF you already have a little background in CSS, and even then if your knowledge is elementary you might be lost on some of the finer points. If it had a little more theory and explanations it would be a killer book, but I guess Eric Meyer didn't have patience enough for that. He is anyway a Master in CSS styling, no doubts about that, and the right author too look at for learning and inspiration. The book is structured around several projects that you see in the various developing stages from beginning to end in reasonably small steps. The explanations of what's going on are like what you would expect from a guru/designer/artist that is, far from complete and basic. Again is like you had the chance to peek over Eric's shoulder while he works, but he won't be bothered to lose too much of his time after you. But don't get me wrong, this book is a must have for anyone interested in CSS, even if I would not buy it now (it starts being a bit dated) but would wait for his next book that should come out this autumn.

The first seen this book seems one more technical guide about CSS, but to the first contact realizes that it is a great reference based on needs to everyday of the web designer.
The book starts boarding how to initiate layout HTML transition for layout hybrid (still with the tables use but of optimized way), and with that goes gradually preparing the reader to think and to create the such wished Layout CSS (Tableless).
Besides talking about CSS he shows how to conceive a semantically correct code HTML and thus obtain a more organized and accessible structure.
This book boards the structure and presentation separation concept, positioning CSS, columns in CSS, leaves creation of alternative style, forms and effects presentation in links, lists and images.
The book Eric Mayer on CSS is one of the best references about CSS who already I saw, and can tell that he is indispensable in the web designer library.

I wanted a quick crash course in CSS; instead this book gave me a comprehensive start that led me on a path to a solid foundation in designing with Cascading Style Sheets.

Attention to details, comprehensive and professional writing style, and superior clarity are just some of the strengths of this book. I only wish that more IT books were as easy to read as this one.

It's funny how many people say Oprah's never written a memoir. This book is definitely her story. I admire her all the more after reading about her struggle with food and her weight. She is an amazing and inspiring woman, and even though I won't be getting up at 5am to exercise as she does, I took away a lot from reading this book. Bob Greene was just icing on the cake.

"Muscle burns fat, so you certainly don't want to lose muscle. This is one reason diets don't work in the long run." ~ Bob Greene

Over ten years ago, Oprah and Bob Greene wrote a book to tell the world how to lose weight in a healthy way. While Oprah still has issues with her weight (most recently because of thyroid problems - how I can relate) she continues to be a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. While many of us can relate to the roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain, this book shows that with a proper diet and serious exercise you can stand on firmer ground.

Oprah's entries from her diary reveal the source of her eating problems before she had to deal with a thyroid problem. She lost weight by following Bob Greene's ten-step formula which is based on increasing metabolism and shedding excess weight through exercise.

I liked all the extra information along with the diet which is based on the food pyramid. You are instructed to eat more fruit and veggies and to eliminate most fats from your diet. I was surprised to read that you should avoid frozen vegetables. They are so convenient. Bob Greene answers some of the following questions:

Why do you initially gain weight when you start a new program?
Why do you reach a plateau?
Why can eating more boost your metabolism?
Why should you avoid alcohol if you are serious about exercising?

If you are ready to make exercise a part of your day then you are ready for this book. Walking alone can help you lose weight. I lost 25 lbs just by walking and eating less. I can highly recommend the Subway veggie sandwich if you are trying to increase veggies, especially fresh and delicious ones.

You may also want to read:The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets

~The Rebecca Review

I have been dieting for 14 months now. Having read and using some of the ideas in the book "The Best Life" by Bob Green, I thought I would check out more of his books. The "Make the Connection" book is very good. It has continued to help me in my endeavor to lose weight. I am currently down 108 pounds with only 66 pounds to goal. If you are needing to lose some weight then I suggest you check out Bob's book. It will help you along the way.

What I like so much about this book is it goes straight to the substance of Bob Greene's philosophy. Try to pick up any health/diet/fitness book and you'll have to wade through an excessive introduction and pages of effusive testimonials just to get to the point.

While you do learn how Bob and Oprah met and how implementing his 10 changed her life, each chapter is devoted to one principle, from Oprah's and Bob's perspective.
This is not a fad. He is very honest about what it takes.

Most impressive was the conclusion: the fundamental reason of why we want fitness; what really is health and happiness. However, it will sound simplistic if you skip to the end. Read the book, I liked it so much I completed it two days.

The book was in great condition for very low price paid. Thanks

The book was in great condition and was offered at a very good price. The seller shipped it right away, and I got it in a very short period of time. Thank for making this a great experience!

Sandra Brown's book exclusive is a decently written book, it wasn't very long, because it was the type of novel for long airplane flights and short drives, it was the type of book that is an alternative to watching reality T.V and saturday morning cartoons. I held no great expectations and it delivered none. The main female character is an impulsive woman who still seeks solcae from her early traumatic life, she embarrasses herself through out the book with her wrong hunches and mediocre ideas. She badgered the main male character into speaking with her, he didn't surrender much, yet, through circumstances spawned by her they open up 'a can of govermental worms you might say'.The rising to falling action is decent, the dialogue is pretty witty, all in all it's not a bad book.

**Spoliers* This was my first book by this author. Though I wasn't over impressed, the author finally won me over in the epilogue of this novel. There was a lot in this book that made no sense. There was a lot of cringe worthy dialogue as well. And yet for the most part I was mildly entertained, at no point did I truely come to care for Barrie and Gray. The woman was a lousy reporter, barnone. And the whole time I was wondering who was taking care of Gray's horses while he was running around Washington. I can't believe that a man (The Senator)who had the type of relationship he reportedly had in this book with his daughter would encourage said daughter to marry a man who murdered a child-and then he didn't immediately wonder whether the man might have killed his own grandchild. There's so many things really, that makes the plot of this novel unbelievable-plus it relies too much on people NOT talking and well...luck. But again, Ms. Brown is a talented storyteller and you find yourself going along even though you know what she's saying is crazy. So in all, I do think this book is worth a peek, but you'll probably forget all about it within a week.

Barrie Travis is a small potatoes reporter looking for a story that'll catapult her into the big leagues. When she hooks up with the First Lady after the SIDS death of her son, she slowly uncovers a theory about his death which may even lead to murder, and soon finds she's a target of those sinister machinations. With the help of former White House aide Gray Boudrant, who left under a cloud of suspicion that he was having an affair with the First Lady (and might have fathered her child), Barrie slowly unravels more layers, which lead to some high ranking officials, while the First Lady remains in seclusion.

The romance between Barrie and Gray doesn't ring true, but Brown manages to make the pages sizzle. Sure, the story is pretty implausible, but Brown manages to just add one tense moment after another and throw so many villains your way, leading up to a riveting cathartic conclusion and complete surprise ending.

First, let me say that some of the other reviewers are correct in that this is not a terribly deep story. But if you're looking for such a story, Sandra Brown is probably not the author for you. Nonetheless, I would STRONGLY recommend this book if you're looking for a fun, fast-paced mystery with an unconventional, but sweet relationship developing alongside the mystery.

Exclusive is definetly a page turner...I couldn't put it down! Far-fetched, yes, but also great fun, particulary if you're looking for a good vacation book. The mystery is kind of quirky, but very gripping.

The hero is the perfect tough guy throughout, but with key moments of kindness. And as another reader says, Barrie is a fabulous heroine. Very feisty, but the author also lets her make many mistakes which makes her all the more human. In short, the two of them have really great chemistry which sometimes doesn't happen in the more "hearts and flowers" type romances. Yes, the relationship is heavily centered on the physical aspect, but there are enough tender moments to keep it satisfying.

In addition to the the romance, there are also perfectly dispicable villains, and plenty of plot twits and action.

I'm a great Sandra Brown fan, and this is definetly one of my favorites. If you're looking for another of hers to try, I'd recommend "Where There's Smoke." She used to write romances which are also worth a read, but her more contemporary romantic suspenses are a hit nearly every time.

If you want complex characters, and unsensational plot, or hearts and flowers romance, this isn't for you, but if you want a fast, fun and sexy read, try Exclusive!

Donald T. Phillips did a terrific job with this book and provided valuable insight into the excellent executive leadership of President Lincoln. Virtually every American learns about Abraham Lincoln throughout his/her childhood, but specific situations and conversations are rarely provided as examples. Fortunately, Phillips provides these examples and proves that Lincoln was definitely one of the best presidents in United States history.
As a student in college who is majoring in communications, I believe that the book is also very applicable to situations in people's lives today. Although most people do not become president, they do encounter various situations in which they are asked to lead other people or follow the direction of another person. After reading this book, a person can easily understand the traits and qualities necessary for quality leadership and can therefore implement them into everyday situations in the real world. In addition to this possibility, people may also be able to evaluate the prospective leadership qualities of a superior authority and determine the legitimacy of their direction.
I especially enjoyed the chapter regarding President Lincoln's integrity that never allowed him to act out of spite or vengeance. Many people in charge of companies, organizations, or any other types of groups are often vindictive or downright nasty. Consequently, the followers in these groups do not respond positively and commonly perform at a lower level. Lincoln understood this reality completely and made sure to treat virtually all people sincerely and respectfully. Moreover, Lincoln also comprehended that partaking in spiteful encounters with people only hindered achievement of positive goals. As Phillips stated at the outset of the chapter, "Lincoln understood that to actively engage in slander and malicious dealings would simply eat up far too much of his time, which he used in securing positive end results than negative ones." Similar insights are present throughout this chapter, and readers should definitely take this useful information and apply it to their lives.
An additional chapter that proved to be very helpful in improving my leadership abilities was the ninth chapter, entitled "Lead by Being Led." Too many authority figures in the world today believe that they are all-knowing and more intelligent than everyone else, no matter what the particular issue proves to be. President Lincoln, however, recognized that many of his cabinet members and employees were very intelligent people who often knew more about particular issues than he did. In fact, Phillips described several situations in which Lincoln trusted in some of his employees so much so that he signed various documents without ever reading them because he trusted their judgment so much. By shedding light on this common leadership flaw, Phillips made me realize that President Bush should read this book and learn to trust the judgment of others, rather than to dismiss advice that he does not agree with.
Ultimately, Lincoln on Leadership was a very educational and entertaining read. Phillips' specific details and examples proved Abraham Lincoln's exceptional leadership qualities. My expectations heading into the book were not very high because I do not even enjoy historical books, but this work turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. I will definitely take several pages out of Lincoln's proverbial leadership book in future situations and my life, and I'm positive that it will be to my benefit.

This book has everything a leader needs to know and use. It is that foundation every leader should have and constantly strive for.

I selected "Lincoln on Leadership" as a biography to use in a graduate educational administration course and I couldn't have chosen a better book. The organization of the book highlighted leadership qualities that Lincoln exemplified and each chapter had a succinct summary of those leadership skills. Lincoln's leadership is applicable to all types of leadership including education.

This book is one of the best management/leadership books I have ever read. It was giving to me by one of my business school professors who I respect and admire greatly. The book will not disappoint you if you decide to buy it. Worth the time and money!

Donald T. Phillips used our sixteenth president's wisdom under fire to provide an excellent primer for leadership focused on tough times, but it is as important during good times. When sales are at record levels, employees are happily working long hours, and new prospects are pounding on the doors because of customers' recommendations, is when one needs to be preparing for potential tough times.

Few will go through the meat-grinder which faced President Lincoln, but able leadership during good times will give an organization a firm footing for the mishaps and misfortunes which will affect us all at some point. Focusing on the 'Endeavor' section of the book, Phillips illustrates examples of Lincoln's will, ability, and lack of hesitation in making tough, necessary decisions. Losing a war, being sniped at by those who should be supporters, and struggling with difficult family matters can be paralyzing, but ignoring a personnel issue so as to not rock the boat during a smooth voyage can also be destructive. Phillips points out how "Lincoln often accepted the aggravation and exasperation caused by subordinates if they did their jobs competently", but he also shows how Lincoln could be decisive and tough when his hand was forced. This includes disciplining and firing upper level staff such as cabinet secretaries and commanding generals.

Any review of Lincoln's life would be incomplete without mentioning his use of humor and a unique storytelling ability to make his point. Phillips recounts Lincoln's reason for doing so, which includes these lines: "I often avoid a long and useless discussion by others or a laborious explanation on my own part by a short story that illustrates my point of view." "No, I am not simply a story-teller, but story-telling as an emollient saves me much friction and distress." Oh, if only more of our business and government leaders would use short stories, saving us all some "friction and distress".

The chapter titled "Persuade Rather Than Coerce" explains that Lincoln was smart enough to know that he couldn't do it all by himself, but needed capable leaders who were authorized to make decisions and act on them. His largest problem with military leadership was a gauntlet of generals who were not willing to assume that responsibility. Understanding that influence is a more effective tool of leadership than coercion or orders, he "...preferred to let his generals make their own decisions and hoped that, through his suggestions, they would do the right thing."

That chapter begins with a quote from the first Lincoln Douglas debate: With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed. Consequently he who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. Looking back at the presidents of my lifetime, it is easy to see which have taken this advice to heart, and have shown success because of it. Likewise, those who have ignored it, and a recent president comes to mind, have had their leadership suffer.

Paraphrasing John C. Maxwell, there is no such thing as `leadership during tough times'; there is only `leadership'. Those fond of history and anyone interested in leadership should read this book.

Wow, I picked this book up and did not put it down until it was finished. This story gets you going in one direction and then takes a very unexpected turn. It reminds me of old fairy tales, but with a modern twist. I loved this book.

I have a semi-intense love-hate relationship with Philip Pullman (and perhaps also with hyphens, but that's another matter). I used to like Pullman unconditionally, reading anything he had written. Then I read "The Shadow in the North" (the second installment in the Sally Lockheart trilogy) and was burned by the ending. It literally hurt. Philip Pullman made me cry. But I was willing to let it slide because I was also in the midst of His Dark Materials and felt compelled to finish--my mistake. "The Amber Spyglass" also left me severely burned, and crying again.

Before all of that happened, Pullman wrote some shorter, happier works. I can't recapture my early excitement about Pullman, especially after reading about his "Frederick must die" rule, but I can almost appreciate his works without remembering the grief he caused me.

"Clockwork" is a novella length story Pullman published in 1996. At 107 pages, the narrative is too short to include any deaths of beloved characters or annoyingly impossible loves. Pettiness aside, I have to say that's a relief.

The story is set in a German town once upon a time when time still ran according to clockwork timepieces--none of that electronic nonsense. Karl, the clockmaker's apprentice, is sulking in the local pub while his friend Fritz prepares to tell the town his newest story.

Things begin to go wrong when a mysterious visitor arrives at the pub after Fritz has wound up his story but before he has a chance to wind it down again. That's well and good for readers but not so good for the characters, especially Karl and Gretl, the daughter of the pub's owner.

"Clockwork" is grim only in the way a children's book can be. There is death and gore and talk of devils taking souls, but none of that is conceptualized in a way that actually touches readers. It's sort of like they way I was able to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as a girl without being creeped out even though I don't understand how that is possible when I watch it now.

The narrative reads very much like a story. Not like a book, but like an actual story told in the oral tradition. This technique is not often used outside of the realm of fairy tales, but Pullman works the style aptly. It works especially well with the edition I read which includes black and white illustrations by Leonid Gore. The illustrations kind of suggest what Edward Gorey would have drawn if he didn't work in such outline oriented ways for anyone who was wondering.

This novella (I can't bring myself to call it a novel) also received tons of accolades in the 1990s when it came out. It was winner of the 1997 Silver Medal Smarties Prize, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year for 1998, and a NYPL Best Book of the Year also for 1998. I mostly agree with this praise. The story is a little thin on character development, but given its length that's to be expected. Considering it in terms of being a tiny book, the story is really tight and well-put-together.

This is my first Philip Pullman book. I went to the library looking for "the Gold Compass but it was checked out so I grabbed this little book by the same author and decided I'd give it a try. It is an admidtedly short, fairy tale revolving around a small group of people living in a German villiage a long time ago. The people's lives revolve around a monster grandfather clock that is filled with lifelike figures. Every time an apprentice is about to graduate to become a master he must carve a figure for this clock. Karl, the apprentice who is one of the main characters, has so failed to produce a figure and now has only a single night to come up with something or be disgraced. How far is this desperate willing to go to achieve his goals? An enigmatic old clockmaker comes to the inn and willing to help him but with magic help of this kind there is always a price.
There is also a writer whose short stories have a bad habbit of turning out to be nonfiction, a little prince who is not what he seems, and a plucky little inkeepers daughter who is the hero and moral center of this story.
Pullman packs a lot of emotion and suspense in this little book. A must read for anyone who enjoys suspense, fantasy, or just enjoys a good fairy tale with a twist. After this I cannot wait to read Pullman's other books.

This book is very skillfuly writen by Philip Pullman, all the way up until the end. I am eleven and I have just finished reading this book. It is wonderful story but becomes very weak near the end, it gets very mushy and loses he dark theme Philip had built up throuout the story. Clockwork could easily be twice the length it is now. It is as if Philip ran up agianst at deadline near the end and just finished it. The ending exhibits none of the skill prevelent in the rest of the book.

I finished this book in an evening. For such a short story, it has many twists and turns. True to its name, the story is tightly wound up from the start, set in motion, and doesn't slow down until the end. Pullman deftly pulls the reader through fear and laughter without missing a beat. Superbly done.

The story seems so simple after the first read, but there's much more to it. It's like a Pinocchio-Faustian-Frankenstein fairy tale. A bizarre combination, yet it works so well. It'll be worth many re-reads, especially for kids as they grow older and can grasp Pullman's deeper meanings.

Very professional and prompt. The book arrived earlier than the estimated date and in perfect condition.

If you are a COM C++ developer, this book is great and it answer a lot of your questions. However, it is not for COM beginners. If you are a beginner, definitly buy Essential COM (by Don Box).
After reading Essential COM, you should own this book. It is excellent to learn ATL and as a reference too.

I first bought this book because it was the only one I could find that had a discussion of ICollectionOnSTLImpl that I could understand. I was already fairly familiar with ATL - at least how to use the wizards - but found that a lot of the documentation that was available was less than useful, especially the collections stuff.

After successfully using Chapter 7 (Collections & Enumerations) for what I needed, I went back and read the whole book from front to back, and started really to understand what was happening under the covers - the whys and wherefores for all of the seemingly quirky little code chunks that I had seen peppered throughout my code, but not understood fully.

This book has become an indispensible resource, that I keep close at hand. I can't really recommend it as a first book on COM or as an introduction to ATL, but this is not a criticism, because that's not its intended purpose. For in-depth coverage of the workings of ATL, though, I haven't come across a better book.

ATL internals is the final word on ATL. No other book is needed to master ATL.

I have a good number of books on COM and ATL but getting the low down on ATL starts and ends in this book. The coverage in unbeleiveable. It will make you think you were part of the ATL implementation team.
This book is not a short cut for learning COM programming.You should have a good understanding of how COM works and you also need to know your c++ well(emphasis on well. This book does not teach c++)
However, considering the .NET revolution, ATL may not be of much use for much longer.But if for some reason you need to learn ATL, this book is the ATL University.

This is simply one book that you do not want to be without when designing and implementing a COM project. I purchased the book after I found myself in my first COM project and without any coworkers with any experience in this area. As a comment, I've also rummaged around the Internet and purchase ...books in the effort to come up to speed as quickly as I can. ATL Internals is the best source of data on ATL that I've found so far.

ATL Internals not only discusses ATL but also does and excellent job discussing COM's theory of operation and how a Win32 OS supports COM.

As a warning, however, ATL Internals isn't the only book that you need on a COM project because it is specialized on ATL (and on COM in general). While ATL is useful it is not the only thing that you will have to deal with on a COM project. You will probably need to work with IDL files and for that I can unequivocally recommend "Essential IDL" by Martin Gudgin.

ATL Internals accomplishes several things well; I will try to describe the most valuable aspects of this book. One of the best properties of this book is that it is thorough. It covers ATL in depth.

The following is a partial list of the material in ATL Internals:

1) ATL Internals covers using the wizards and explains how to proceed beyond the point where the wizards quit.
2) A though discussion of ATL facilities. For example: CComPtr (a COM smart pointer), CComBSTR (a class wrapped around the error-prone BSTR datatype) classes are covered in detail. The text conversion macros are completely covered here. In other books and on the internet I saw code examples that used them but will little explantion.
3) Bug warnings, both your (potential) bugs and bugs within ATL. The authors point out the buggy parts of ATL and they invest the necessary effort to warn out about aspects of ATL that, if naively used, create bugs. Numerous pages are dedicated to showing both how to correctly use certain hazardous parts of ATL as well as examples of buggy code. Depreciated techniques are also described for completeness.
4) Discussion and examples of various COM issues, including threading issues, connection points, the Service Control manager (SCM)and so on.
5) Detailed discussion of the numerous macros that Microsoft uses to conceal substantial code, (e.g. BEGIN_OBJECT_MAP, COM_INTERFACE_ENTRY_IMPL, etc.)
6) One of the appendixes shows a cross reference between ATL classes and header file names. This was a welcome convenience (yes I could have greped, but this is quicker)

ATL Internals not only has great content but it is written in a very readable style. The typeset is easy to read and the diagrams are well done.

A profound account of one of the great romances as well as
the experience and meaning of maturity.

It is a great book, truly fascinating. It blends touching insights of the human soul with chapters that would fit well as a textbook in a MBA program.

For several years now, I had seen repeated references to this novel as being superbly written, with a masterful translation from the French, reaching such a level of excellence as to merit the much overworked designation of "masterpiece." Needless to say, I was a bit skeptical of all this hoopla. When I finally got around to reading the book, on long flights to and from Denver, I needed only to read the first two pages to discover how remarkable this book is. The writing is so absolutely gorgeous and rich, that the reader is immediately captivated. Even those with little background or interest in Roman imperial history (and here we are dealing with the first and second centuries A.D.) will become engrossed in some of the finest prose I have ever read in a novel. After a while, you almost begin to believe that Hadrian actually wrote these "memoirs," so skillfully does the author hypothesize the inner thoughts and feelings of the emperor. I immediately became curious about the author (1903-1987) and how she came to write such a remarkable story. Fortunately, this paperback edition contains a section designated as "Reflections on the Composition" in which the author recounts her travails in writing the novel, her research, and the actual drafting. Also included is an extensive historical bibliography and some wonderful photographic illustrations drawn from Roman coins, sculpture, tombs, and other sources which add immeasurably to the text. A joyful and thrilling read, emoting a wonderous experience in which all readers can join.

This is an unlikely candidate to be on my list of the 5 best books I've ever read. But it is near the top of that list. An "autobiographical" account of a long-dead Roman emperor (not even one of the glamorous, or truly depraved ones), written by a 20th century Frenchwoman - who'd have thunk it?

Other reviews here pay tribute to the depth of scholarship underpinning this book, as well as to Yourcenar's brilliant writing. But it would be wrong to pigeonhole the book as catering only to those interested in the history of the Roman Empire. That's what's so stunning about the book - it has a universal wisdom that should appeal to any reader. The journey with Hadrian as he revisits his life in memory is remarkably moving.

I beg, I implore you - buy, steal, or borrow a copy of this book. It will draw you in. It may not change your life, but it will definitely make you think. All I know is that I find myself re-reading it every three to four years. Why? Because each time I learn something more about what it is to be human.* And come away reinvigorated to face the questions in my own life. I find this book far more spiritually inspiring than any of the more overtly spiritual books I've read.

An extraordinary book. 5 stars, only because it's not possible to give it more than 5.

* A *sodden* cliché, but I don't know how else to put it.

Margarite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian" is written as a letter from the dying Roman Emperor Hadrian to his successor Marcus Aurelius. Hadrian chronicles his life, from his boyhood in the Spanish provinces and his studies in Greece, to military service, his eventual rise to power, his accomplishments while in power, and his deep love affair with the beautiful youth Antinous.

There are, in my opinion, 2 great strengths to this book. (1) is that Yourcenar has immersed herself in classical study and thus expertly pulls material from original sources. She does this so well, and to such an extent, that Hadrian's world is chalk full of place and regional names long lost to us; Hadrian intricately describes cities, their architecture and their art works, as well as details the practices of various religious cults and arcane forms of worship. The effect is mesmerizing. The reader soon begins to understand, or behold, the complexities and pluralities that were the Roman experiment. Much time is given to the frontier - Asia, Egypt, ancient cities in the Middle East, Tukey, and further afield, where Hadrian spent much of his life holding the empire together. As historical text this book feels flawless. Another (2) great accomplishment is Hadrian as a character. Through his thoughts, regrets, remembrances, we get a window into the universal human truths - how all humankind must deal with love, ambition, religion, decay, death: the domain of all good literature.

At times the book feels too much of a "display" of names, places, and happenings, and not enough of the "meat," or the essence of life. It would be doubtful that Hadrian would feel the need to be this detailed in writing to a then alive successor. This tendancy toward copius detail, almost superflous detail, fatigued this reader in places. Overall it didn't dominish the book much -- a superb novel by the first woman inducted into the French Academy.

This was the first time I had read Nora Roberts and I really liked her writing style. It was a fast read and every time I put it down, I couldn't wait to pick it up again. The heroine had a great personality and there were touches of humor that made the characters endearing. I can't believe I've never read any of her books before, especially since there are so many of them. I can't wait to get my hands on as many as I can. I guess there's a reason why she is so popular and has been able to publish so many books...duh. Give her a try, I'm glad I did.

I throughly enjoyed the book. Nora Roberts writes in such fascinating ways...romance, suspense, family, trust and faith. I so enjoyed Hidden riches.

Loved this Nora Roberts book!
I read as much Nora as I can get, and this one did not disappoint.

I have gone through the JD Robb series and am waiting for the next release. So I turned to older stories that Nora wrote. I liked this one. It's good.

Dora Conroy has a small eclectic antique shop. When she receives a shipment of items she won at auction, she realizes some of the wrong items were shipped. It is then that she becomes a target by a ruthless businessman. Her new tenant, Jed Skimmerhorn, is attracted to Dora and feels the need to protect her. As they work together to solve the mystery of the black-market artwork, they must battle his past, her family, and an international criminal to have a future.

This is an older work by NR. Well written, and I liked the characters Dora and Jed. The secondary characters were very well done, and an important part of the story.

Whoosh! You see a hat pin sail across the room, much like a javelin, and pin onto the lace curtain. Then, a small man no more than six inches tall scurries across the room.

Welcome to the world of the Borrowers; Pod, Homily, and Arrietty Clock. They live under the floorboards and borrow anything from potatoes to blotting paper. The tiny people live in an old country house, inhabited by `human beans'.
All goes well for the small family until Arrietty is `seen' by a boy. The Borrowers think that `human beans' are always vicious and bad, but this boy turns out to be friendly.
The boy befriends the Clocks and even helps them borrow.
Then, Pod makes the mistake of borrowing precious knick-knacks from the mistress.
Mrs. Driver, the housekeeper, is getting suspicious. Who could be stealing these things?
She sprouts a plan to trap the thieves.
Will the Clocks be caught? Will they have to emigrate?

I thought this book was funny. The Borrowers have limited knowledge on the outside world making the way they act and think seem silly. The book is entertaining, and it is not action packed all the way. It gives you time to think about what you just read, and doesn't zoom through everything. This book is good for all ages. Mary Norton did a great job writing this book.

A classic from my childhood, I enjoy giving this to pre-teen girls and all of them have said they enjoy it, too.

I love this book - I got it for my granddaughter, who will love it as well.

Have you ever pondered where your hairclips, bobby pins and thimbles have gotten to? Do you wonder why small quantities of your father's tobacco and Madeira seem to smoke themselves or evaporate? Did your wooden knight ever ride off the chessboard never to be seen again?

You don't even know what I'm talking about, do you? OK, so have you ever lost your iPod Nano? Maybe the Borrowers needed a stereo for their home entertainment system. The same thing happened to your Nintendo Gameboy.

Mary Norton's "The Borrowers" published in 1952 is about a race of little people living beside a rain pipe, over the mantel, behind the harpsichord and in all the nooks and crannies of the house. These little people "borrow" from us, the big people. They use blotting paper for their carpets, a single onion ring for their cooking and postage stamps for wall portraits.

In the book, Pod, Homily and Arriety are the last Borrowers left in Aunt Sophy's house. They lived in the floorboards under the kitchen ad entered and exited their home from a hole behind the grandfather clock. They weren't rich but they had everything they needed - potatoes for their supper, a gas pipe leak for their cooking, a foie gras dish for their bath. Pod, the father, ventures into the house every now and then for supplies.

This is the story of how Arriety, after being allowed to go borrowing with her father, befriended a nine-year old boy who was a visitor in the house. Then their lives change forever: They discover news about their Borrower relatives, gain new riches and then lose everything they own.

This is a good story to read in a big house on a rainy afternoon. Perhaps you can explore the house for little corners where a Borrower may be living. Or you can guess which of the little things lying around the house are useful for them.

Even if you live in an apartment in the big city with the most modern furniture and high tech gadgets, it would still be fun to imagine what a Borrower family would be using these days. What would a Borrower your age be playing with? What would they use for furniture? Where would they be living?

I bought a package of IKEA tealight candles once and some of them have disappeared. Perhaps a family of Borrowers illuminate their cozy little home with them. Well, they can buy their own iPhone if they need to surf the internet; I'm not letting mine out of my sight.

The Borrowers are tiny little guys, but otherwise people. They get along by using junk that is lying around and adapting it for their own use. This book is about what happens when a human boy actually discovers them, after moving into their area.

Not a particularly uncommon theme, and this one is pretty dull.

This paperback is a handy edition of Shakespeare's great play, useful for students on all levels. The critical essays in the back are helpful, though one or two more recent ones could have been included.

It is not easy to understand the old style Eglish to non-native foreigner like me. But I read it cover to cover.

I bought this edition as a teaching supplement, not realizing that it is the folio version of the play. The words "quarto" and "folio" refer to the size of the pages in the two editions. Many secondary schools and universities use the quarto edition and a lot is left out of the folio--this version cuts out three hundred lines and adds one hundred new ones. The effect is that it alters the way the characters are shown. If you are reading the play with a class and they have a quarto version, while you are using your trusty teacher's Cambridge, chances are there will be a lot of blank expressions and confusion on their faces. The lines they see will not jibe with yours. The extra articles and class activities are great though--just make sure that if you use the Cambridge, you have your students buy only folio editions.

I have my degree in English... I like reading and teaching with this version as "help" not as a substitution. It gives a clearer understanding to Shakespeare for people who have difficulty with it.

Although this edition is not quite as exhaustive as the Arden Shakespeare paperbacks, it does have good commentary and even includes a fair bit of criticism. It's not expensive and the print is clear and readable, not small or cramped like some Shakespeare editions. The comments, which largely explain difficult words in the text, are printed on the same page as the text, which is helpful. I use a copy of this for studying Shakespeare - at such a good prize, you don't feel bad for scribbling notes in the margins.