C Books

This was actually the first Daniel Steele book I ever read. It was wonderful the story so well developed and the characters so full of life. In fact I have now read this book at least 3 times maybe even 4, truly a classic. Everyone should have this on their shelf to read when you get tired of just seeing words on a page that take you nowhere.

Audry is SUCH a great character! Her love of adventure and for her man, but her loyalty to her family is what really pulled the story together. Very enjoyable book!

I have read many of Danielle Steel's books. This has to be one of her best. It is about a young woman named Audrey who has been caretaker to her grandfather and younger sister. Then, she has this need to do some traveling, and see the world. She does so, first going to New York City (she lived in San Francisco). She meets two people named James and Violet, and she becomes a travel companion for the two. In England, she meets Charles, whom becomes her one true love, and they travel the world together, and no matter what threatens to break them up, they never give up on each other.

This is not as formulaic as many of Danielle Steel novels, but it is still wonderful and one of her best.

This book is so cool...it takes you so many places, you most likely have never been to. It's so fun to put yourself in this characters shoes & see what it's like. I love to read about countries I haven't been to...classic DS

I have been reading Danielle Steel for over 15 years and own all her books and this is one of my favourites - one I can read over and over again and still enjoy the story.
I was transported back to the 1930's and admired the bravery of Audrey travelling to China when it was probably a dangerous (and not "proper") for a young single woman to do so. This one made me laugh, cry and wish that all would go well for Audrey.
If you are a Danielle Steel fan you will love this one. Her earlier novels (like this one) are so much better than her later books. If you are new to Danielle Steel - this one is highly recommended. Enjoy!

Tim's story is amazing. He is an unbelievable man who has persevered through many trials. I liked the beginning of the book better than the latter parts. The part where he focuses on his story is much more interesting and captivating. A good, easy read.

I keep this book at all times to give to friends who have had surgery or any kind of physical "ailment." It is very inspiring; and I recommend it even to those who are well!

I read this book after being in a wheelchair for a year. Even though I had to spend another year in that chair, my outlook on life changed completely! I am now buying copies for others who are in the same circumstances. I would recommend this book to anyone who is suffering from depression or discouragement due to a debilitating injury or illness! Life is not over! A new chapter has just begun!

Tim draws on his vast understanding of pain and suffering to write this and other books. He is a kind man, who loves God and wants to serve Him with all he has. Even through the pain, he still desires to share his faith and tell his story. Joy is one of the most difficult ideas to grasp, but Tim does it and lives it. This book is great for all readers, young and old, healthy and sick. You will find a renewed perspective on life and living every minute of it with the joy that comes from above

The author's story was very interesting to read. The way he handled being seriously injured in a mountain climbing accident, and then having to live the rest of his life in severe pain, was highly inspiring. I hope I can apply the same principles to improve my attitude about life and overcome depression!

My father was a rifleman in G Co, 109th in the 28th during the Huertgen Forest and The Bulge. For years he had told me how thin the lines were, how they kept reporting the German movements, the confusion on the morning of the 16th and how our patrols had passed Germans patrols with neither side firing at each other in the weeks before. For years his story was not the one written in the history books. "To Save Bastogne" was the closest book I had read. Until now. While it doesn't discuss the 109th as much as I would like, it is far better than anything I've found. Before reading this book, you should be familiar with the broad outlines of the war in Europe, the situation in the fall of 1944 and the geography of the Ardennes region. You will not be disappointed.

Having just returned from Belgium to study the Battle of the Bulge, I wish I had read this before going as I passed through this area by way of the Skyline Drive without realizing the fighting which took place there by the 28th Division. A great volume to add to my W.W.II collection.

Wonderfully written. Up close and personal, written from the individual soldier's perspective and covers a part of the Bulge that tends to be glossed over.

This is a clear history of the shock and awe confronting the Germans on D-Day. The losses and triumphs of the GIs and their perserverence was heroic and well documented in this account. Keen research and clear writing.

I have been reading World War 2 books for well over 3 decades and I can sincerely say this book did the best job of describing the horrors faced by the American soldier at the beginning states of "The Bulge". Excellent account of the battle before the Bastogne siege. Well done!

Maya Angelou's poetry is so phenomenal. And the power of her voice reading her own words, is really moving.

Maya Angelou's reading of poetry is moving to the point ot tears and laughter. I highly recommend it.

This audiobook arrived in about a week and was in the condition advertised. Overall, I was satisfied with the transaction and would purchase from this seller again.

...Invictus is by William E. Henley......I do not like much poetry.....but 'Still I Rise', is one of the most moving and powerful pieces of literature of our day. You can feel the rumblings of motivation rising within you as you read it---it summons the power of our ancestors as you read it... YOU FEEL this poem with all your heart--or I fear you have no heart and you remember that feeling for years after you have read it!
It is a magnificent poem that the author not only wrote, but earned through her own life.
This book would make excellent Christmas gifts of inspiration.

This book is filled with wonderful, powerful poetry that really awakened me to the troubles of African Americans in that time of history. Diego Rivera's paintings in the book are staggering and breathtaking. This is a must-see for any ameteur or lover of poetry.

I thought this book was great. If your a fan of Forester, or just like naval stories, read it!

This is a fine novel by CS Forester, the author of the magnificent Hornblower series of novels. It tells the story of a fictional American naval sea captain during the War of 1812, one Captain Josiah Peabody--an American charged with the mission of breaking the British blocade of the fledgling United States and wreaking havoc with the British sea lanes. This, he understands, will give America leverage against Britain and perhaps help motivate it to make peace.

As Forester explains, America had failed to prepare adequately for the possibility of war, had not built up much of a Navy, and paid a thousandfold for this folly. Although Peabody is a fictional character, real life American captains like him did exist, and in fact the American Navy won glory against England in the War of 1812 in numerous ship actions that pitted a plucky but weak United States against the world's most powerful sea power.

The story is very well-told, and Forester's insightful portrayal of Captain Peabody is a fine examination of the American character as it is often perceived by Britons. As always, Forester spins a great sea yarn, with all of the technical details perfect (I'm taking other people's word for this, but I know it is true!) and you can practically smell the salt water and hear the waves.

An enjoyable yarn that ranks with the very best stories of naval adventure.

Cecil Scott Forester is, of course, best known as the creator of the Horatio Hornblower adventures in the era of fighting sail. The majority of the heroes of C.S. Forester's books, not just Hornblower, were British fighting men.

However, he also wrote several stories, of which this was the first, with Americans as the central figure. So "The Captain from Connecticut," Josiah Peabody of the U.S. Frigate Delaware, is by no means alone in being an American: however, he is the only hero of a Forester book who actually has to fight the Royal Navy.

The book is set during the war of 1812: the first challenge which faces Peabody and the Delaware is to escape the Royal Navy's blockade of Long Island in terrible weather. Then Peabody has to deal with pirates, a traitor very close to home, and a British squadron which outnumbers him three to one and is commanded by a very dangerous opponent.

Peabody also encounters, and nearly accidentally attacks, a Royalist French governor appointed by Louis XVIII after Napoleon's first downfall. The governor has a ticklish sense of French honour and neutrality, and is accompanied by his attractive sister and beautiful daughter.

Although this isn't quite up to the standard of the best of Forester's Hornblower books, it is an entertaining and exciting story of war at sea in the era of sail, which holds your attention right up to the surprise ending and the twist on the last page.

This is a good piece of writing. Too bad Forester only wrote this and the Hornblower series for he was great in this genre. A good book to read in the dreary days of winter. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I respectfully disagree with the other reviewers who say this is just as good or even better than Forester's Hornblower novels. It's pretty clear Forester was having an off year in his writing. First, the research is atypically flawed: The American captain Peabody knows Long Island Sound well because he served in the "Coastguard Service," something that did not exist at the time (there was a Revenue service, but a "Coast Guard"--two words, not one in British style--didn't exist until 1915). Second, the writing is just clunkier than in the Hornblower novels; at one point Forester uses "fathoms" as a unit of distance rather than depth. Third, Peabody is mildly interesting as a character but is a long way from being as fascinating as Hornblower was even in his first appearance. Whereas Hornblower is constantly in turmoil over his shortcomings, Peabody is a rather predictable fatalist (and the many and annoying references to Providence underscore Forester's own personal disdain for religion).

Still, I found the novel entertaining and worth a read. Just don't expect 'an American Hornblower.'

I have just joined the N.E.D. University of Engineering and Technology, Electronics Eng. dept. (2002-2003 batch). I almost finished the book before the classes started.I just wanted to have a knowhow of what I'd be studying in the next 4 years (B.E.), and picked up the book after having a look at this very page.

I must say that this is a wonderful book. It is very easy to understand b/c it has very basic maths involved (which i knew, even when i was in 10th class). It explains quite a hell lot, and i've increased my knowledge very much. I'm sure I'll be a step ahead of my class mates all year long.

I has the best explanation of A.C. circuits, capacitors, inductors, time contants, Diodes, BJTs, FETs ..... which is helping me very much...

It comes highly recommeded, from me, for the complete newbie (although i skipped the first 7-8 chapters.... b/c i had some knowledge from my 12th Physics). MUST BUY

Basic Electronics, 8th Edition, was a big dispointment. I used an earilier edition of Grob in high school. I hardly recognized the book that I received in the mail. Half of each page is given over to pictures that have little or nothing do with the text, and at more than $80 it is over priced. I would recommend "Practical Electronics of Inventors" by Scherz instead.

This is a classic for giving the basics of electronics to anyone interested in entering the field. I would classify it as a college level freshman or sophomore level introduction. It is simply one of the best! I personally purchased a new/old book, 4th edition. While some might think this means the material is dated, they would be wrong. The basics of electronics remain the same. A great supplement to Grob is the Tony R. Kuphaldt free e-book. The basics are what these books teach. If you want something shallow then get a book like "Horn's Basic Electronics Theory!" If you really want to learn something, get Grob.

This text leads into Malvino's "Electronic Principles." In this case, I would suggest you get the most recent edition of Malvino's book, which is what I did. If you go through both of these books, you will be more than ready for practical application knowledge.

Lou

You don't need to go further than this book for a thorough introduction into electronics. The table of contents says it all. It's a must read for anyone needing an understanding of electronics and it serves as a good refrence as well. The presentation is excellent, with the copious use of colour, diagrams and photos. I especially like the little side bars highlighting some of the people whose names are used for units of measurement like Ampere, Marconi, Joule etc. and those whose pioneering work made our current understanding of electronics possible - Millikan etc.

If your're a newbie in the electronics world, this is the book you need to begin with, trust me. One can only go so far without a solid foundation and this is just what this book will help you master! I am a college physics major and I will start my BE in september 2007. The thing is that I allready write electronic articles and I feel very confident about my abilities. Again, a solid foundation is paramount and if you buy this book, you will need to buy Dr. Malvino's Electronic Principles after. This book is more about bridging the gap between electricity and electronics wheras Malvino's book is more about electronics (i.e. talks mainly about semiconductors). But i'm amazed at how these two books complement each other as they weren't written by the same author. With these two books you will have all the confidence in the world about the subject!

I have read dozens of non-fiction Vietnam books, trying to gain every perspective. Donohue provides a view somewhat different from many others in that his unit successfully combines US commanders with Cambodian nationals. As other reviewers have related it is the gripping tale of a significant engagement, but with emphasis on the relationships and interactions between men from vastly different cultural backgrounds. I have to admit, in places I questioned whether conversations or details were representative of actual events, or if they were modified as a vehicle to convey patrol SOP (for example) for the benefit of an unenlightened reader. Those impressions were easily overpowered by Donahue's story of the courage and tenacity of the men in his unit, and their dedication to and affection for each other regardless of nationality. As in so many outfits, individual personalities became critical to the success of the mission as well as the care of the unit's dead and wounded both during the battle and in the aftermath. It is a tale well told and will remain on my bookshelf.

Most of the writing I have read from first person accounts of war in Vietnam were either poorly written (ie. We Were Soldiers) or just plain boring and just didn't give you the sense of being there (ie Lest We Forget). Not the case here as Jim is a great writer. He lights up all of the senses on yet another Blackjack suicide mission and really puts you in the jungle. This may sound silly but I wish there was a scratch and sniff part of the book so you can really get what the smell of cut foliage and spent gun powder smell like, or burning napalm, burning flesh and rotting humas.

SPOILER ALERT: Skip the next paragraph if you want to find out what happens on your own.

On this mission it was basic recon of looking for stuff to blow up such as base camps or finding pockets of NVA/VC in the thick triple canopy jungle. MGF manages to spot some communication wires in the jungle indicating at least a regimental size enemy. Recon platoon manages to get spotted when all hell breaks loose and the 4 platoon company sized Mobile Guerrilla Force must retreat back to a small hill that was crossed a short time ago, set up a defensive perimeter around the hill, slug it out with the multiple regimental sized VC and wait for the Mike Force to bail them out resulting in an all day firefight. I personally (which means you free to disagree) equate this book to being the Vietnam version of Black Hawk Down with the exception that MGF didn't screw up. Its a great conclusion to the MFG trilogy as Jim simply falls asleep at a hospital after finally being medivaced from receiving an near fatal head wound.

SPOILERS END HERE

This book is not the typical mud, blood and tears of most Vietnam writings. In fact, there are some parts that will have you laughing (such as when Jim and Bob go to investigate a hut that the VC had just left about as soon as 5 minutes ago...oh the look on Bob's face : D). I will have to take back part of that last statement though as one of Jim's dear friends dies in this one and Jim struggles vainly to save him...not much you can do when their brains are on the ground. Its a good mix of emotions from on the edge of your seat action thrill, to having a good laugh, to being sadden by loss.

The Mobile Guerrilla Force trilogy that Jim writes would make an excellent movie that would show American led forces handing the VC's butts to them, which is historically correct through attrition. We didn't loose...we left. Its like our team was up by 2 touchdowns with about 5 minutes in the 4th quarter and we left. Someone must write a script and hand it to Oliver Stone...PLEASE!!!

Blackjack 34 is a sequel to another book (Backjack-33) about an earlier USSF Mobile Guerrilla Force operation to find and engage VC in the eastern 3 corps area. I certainly support the five star reviews of the earlier reviewers. Unless you were there, you cannot begin to really understand or appreciate what these SF soldiers went thru, but the book helps. Read both of them to get the full value of their operations and experiences.

A fabulous book for anyone looking for firsthand accounts of the great work our fighting men & women did in Vietnam, and an excellent antidote for the overplayed drivel Hollywood & the "mainstream" media try to spoon-feed us.

The author provides a minimal amount of background info on himself and the Mobile Guerilla Force, and then jumps right into the action. He gets your heart pumping and your senses instantly alerted through first-person writing, and once you start this book it is very difficult to put down. Mr Donahue does not hold back anything from the reader either; he skillfully relates the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes of combat in Vietnam.

If you are looking for a well-written first-hand account about the experiences of combat in Vietnam, then I highly recommend this book. If you are a little squeamish, or prefer to research the unit histories and command structures of combat units in Vietnam, well, I STILL recommend this book (and all of Mr Donahue's books).

U.S. special forces experience varied widely in Vietnam. The A Teams, the Greek letter projects, the MIKE Forces, and MAC-V-SOG all fought different fights of a large and very complex war. Within those units, none was more unique than Donohue's, which morphed from an A Team on a mobile guerrilla mission, into the B-36 Special Task Force, much later into the B-36 MIKE Force. Donohue describes the early days, when the window of opportunity for mobile guerrilla operations against the NVA and VC Main Force regiments was wide open. If you want to know what it was like to be with a small band of American special forces (and one Australian), leading companies of Cambodian nationalist rebels from the Khmer Serai against one half of their ancient enemy, then this is one of two books you must read. This is a war of companies against battalions, out well beyond the range of artillery where American forces were not allowed to go, where junior sergeants functioned as platoon leaders during the heavy fighting, and then quickly morphed into medics and radio operators. Read this, and Donohue's Blackjack-33, and you'll have enjoyed some of the finest combat writing to come out of the 5th Special Forces Group.

It is more than a cliche to say that Saddam Hussein was a madman, and in fact, it is an understatement. Mahdi Obeidi spent a major portion of his career as a scientist under the thumb of Saddam and his minions, and the twists and turns this imposed on his life would surely have broken a lesser man. Somehow Mahdi found the strength to persevere the horrific threats, forced isolation from his wife and children, the unbearably stressful, not to mention insane schedules he often had to work under, and much much more.

Throughout the book he offers insights into the mind of Saddam Hussein that only someone who has experienced that brutal regime could truly comprehend. Try as we might, and as chilling as it often is, we can only imagine what it must have been like. As the top man in Saddam's nuclear program, he succeeded in enriching uranium and was well on the way to success in building a nuclear weapon. This fearsome weapon would have been in the hands of one of the world's true madmen, a tyrant whose only obstacle to surpassing Hitler in atrocities committed was his lack of power to do so. What if he had succeeded though in his nuclear ambitions? How does the world disarm someone like that? The prospect is chilling and it CAN happen again. Read this book, you will learn how and get a glimpse of what must be done to prevent it.

Below is a short quote from the CIA website at https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol48no4/bombs_in_garden.html;

"The Bomb In My Garden is not documented with sources, but the names, dates, and events discussed allow checking of key facts. Moreover, the former head of the UN Iraqi Survey Group, David Kay, and a number of American nuclear specialists find the story largely accurate and compelling as indicated by their comments in the book and on the dust jacket. Mahdi Obeidi concludes that Saddam came close to having an atom bomb in 1991 and probably intended to restart the program given an opportunity. As to the future, Obeidi warns the reader that "illicit nuclear programs share a common weak spot: they need international complicity" to succeed, and there are many unemployed nuclear scientists still in Iraq."

In other words, it is likely in Obeidi's opinion that Saddam had a passion for the bomb that only his deposing and subsequent execution could stop...........

This book reads like one of the best spy thrillers, without the ending comfort of knowing it's only fiction.

Obeidi's story puts into perspective the frail protection that exists against the development and use of nuclear weapons in the world today.
A complex issue often over simplified is illuminated by this factual account of how close Iraq came to the development of weapons grade uranium and the bomb.

This book should be required reading.

I just finish reading the book of Mahdi Obeidi.
I found informative, interesting and entertaining.
In his book the author manipulate us into being sympathetic and compassionated for his case.
(just as Albert Speer would have done)
I certainly do not deny that to work in an oppressive dictatorship is extremely difficult and that most of us one day or the other compromises our integrity for our job security or for the safety or the security of those we love.
Nevertheless at the end we stand responsible and accountable for our acts, especially if we are men and women of faith.
One day every one of us will have to give an account for his/her actions or in-actions.
It will cost us; sometimes a lot or even everything to stand for what we know is right or is true, even our freedom or the live of these we love.
DC Obeidi took the chance to have thousands or millions killed, thank to his efforts, to protect himself and his immediate family.
The Nazi engineers did just the same.
Would Dc Obeidi have had any pride at all if one of the atomic bomb, that he helped to built, had landed on Israel or another county and killed thousand or millions?
I believe that he would have.
Would he have turned down the honors and the rewards from the government he served?
I believe that he would have not.
Adolf Eichmann was very proud of killing millions of Jews very efficiently as good Nazi bureaucrat.
Dc Obeidi is not different, he just did not had the chance to go to the end of the experimentation.
To stand or not to stand is what distinguish a man from a slave.
If nothing else Dc Obeidi was and still is a slave of his fears.

Once you get started you won't be able to put this book down. This oral hisory shows how honorable, intelligent people with the best intentions can be forced to do the work of a corrupt regime. Thank you, Mr. Obeidi, for coming forward with your story revealing the individuals and countries (including our own) that made the acquisition of nuclear-producing components possible, in spite of the nuclear ban. It makes the current situation of nuclear fuel enrichment in Iran and North Korea all the scarier. Thank you, Kurt, for organizing this story so well and making the scientific jargon so easily understood.

The Bomb in My Garden was very easy to read and held my interest throughout. Although I did not know Dr. Mahdi as a student at Colo School of Mines, he was in school at the same time as I, graduating three years after me. That added to my interest in the book.

It gives an insight into the kind of goverment Dr. Mahdi had to work under and give in to.

Calling Kahlil Gibran a poet is an understatement and this short story proves it. It is a simple story but one that will break your heart. Still, you will be glad you read it...(experienced it rather)! It will take you to another world, another era, stimulate your mind and touch your heart.

This is the third book I read by Gibran. I started with "The Prophet" and "Voice of the Master". "Broken Wings" is the first novel I read by this author. It is a love story between two young people at the tender age of 18 that meet and establish spiritual connection between each other immediately. The girl, Selma is raised by her wealthy widower father, who in spite of his wealth seems to be ignorant of the way the world works. The young man, our narrator, is somewhat of a dreamer and idealist who believes that patience and perseverance will grant him the hand of the woman he loves (Selma). But world, being the cruel place that it is has different plans. Everyone pure and true ends up being hurt in the process, only the cruel and greedy get to go on with their lives as if nothing happened. Beautiful story beautifully told and wise as only Gibran can make it so.

"Every beauty and greatness in this world is created by a single thought or emotion inside a man. Every thing we see today, made by past generation, was, before its appearance, a thought in the mind of a man or an impulse in the heart of a woman. The revolutions that shed so much blood and turned men's minds toward liberty were the idea of one man who lived in the midst of thousands of men. The devastating wars which destroyed empires were a thought that existed in the mind of an individual. The supreme teachings that changed the course of humanity were the ideas of a man whose genius separated him from his environment. A single thought build the Pyramids, founded the glory of Islam, and caused the burning of the library at Alexandria.

One thought will come to you at night which will elevate you to glory or lead you to asylum. One look from a woman's eye makes you the happiest man in the world. One word from a man's lips will make you rich or poor."

--Khalil Gibran, Broken Wings

We have all the tools to keep us connected that our forefathers never could have dreamed of. Cars and airplanes allow regular visitations between friends thousands of miles apart. The telephone and the internet allow direct connection with those not in our presence, the cell phone extends this connection to all times and virtually all places. Yet, do we take the time see what we do to those who really are around us, when we leave the guest in our living room to check and see who is signed on to our buddy list on our computer? Do we see our friends' hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows, when we ignore them across the booth in the restaurant to answer our cell phones?

Every action I perform has an effect on someone else. Many people that we meet, we only see that one time. I wonder what their impression of me is. I wonder if I have uplifted them, or hurt them, or barely made an imprint at all. I wonder if they ever look beyond how I have changed them to see me, to see beyond the generally relaxed, goofy, at ease outlook I put on the situation to see how I really am feeling at the time.

Our feelings, our outlook on life, our hopes and expectations can change in an instant. When that person you are thinking about calls or emails, elation ensues. When you don't hear back for awhile, doubt and yearning go through you mind. Yet, it could just be random, the person deciding to send a message just to say hi, like I often do to my friends.

Okay, I am rambling again. That passage above by Khalil Gibran comes from his short book Broken Wings, written from a first person perspective about a man's first love, Selma, who was betrothed to another. This passage was from one of the middle chapters. It caught my eye, and I am still trying to make sense of it, what it is really saying. Any thoughts? Feel free to share. You can post comments on my blog anonymously.

Kahlil Gibran once again tells a beautiful love story. I fell in love with this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who loves to read a beautiful, and realistic love story. It made me cry!

Khalil Gibran's fiery book on first love and its undying potency. A must have read for fans of the Prophet. A fictional tale that captures the essence of love awakening energy in the context of culture, social rules, and family ambition. A juxtaposition on the distinction between a love marriage and a marriage as a merger and acquisiton.

If you quickly glance through it, it might not seem like a great book. But it's really good, it just uses simple drawings to show idea's. If you want to start a comic strip artist this is a must to add to your collection. If you want to pretty pictures by a comic book, this is to learn to create them.

Before I finished my third book I decided it needed cartoons to visually explain some ideas (a picture is worth 1000 words) and provide humor to a tough subject. I started checking with hiring a professional artist (or student artist) to do the work. It quickly became clear the task would be time consuming, expensive and I may not get what I wanted in the end.

First, it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to take what was in my mind and transfer it to a cartoon

Second, it became painfully clear it would be expensive (even with a student artist). I wanted around twenty five cartoons drawn.

Third, some individuals wanted to discuss contracts and usage.

My best option was to learn how to draw cartoons myself. I figured it would be less expensive (only the cost of books and art supplies), and frustrating and I would get exactly what was in my brain. It would take some time to become proficient, but it sounded like a fun project. I was fortunately right.

The Cartoonist's Workbook by and a couple other books helped me learn how to draw cartoons good enough to put in my latest book.

Robin Hall's common sense approach to teaching drawing made the challenge fun. There were also a tremendous number of different sketches in the book that helped jump start ideas for potential cartoons.

Robin Hall provides many excellent sections that helps teach drawing techniques. Some the sections that I found especially helpful were: The Expressions section, The Useful Outdoor References and The Gag Situations.

After finishing my sketches, I used Adobe Elements software to polish up the work. I was very pleased with the final cartoons that went into my book...and there have been many positive comments about the cartoons from people who have the book.

Overall, this is a great resource for learning to draw cartoons!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Drawing on the Funny Side of the Brain : How to Come Up With Jokes for Cartoons and Comic Strips

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Cartooning but Were Afraid to Draw (Christopher Hart Titles)

This book is very helpful. I've had some experience before with attempting cartooning and I've been drawing seriously for years. However, this book teaches a different method for cartooning and drawing that is different than what I've been using before and reading it inspires me again to do more cartooning.

The way he writes is just encouraging, friendly and it is quick to get to the point. He accompanies his writing with illustrations that look comfortable and accomplished. The author is obviously a capable cartoonist and it allows you to feel like you are being taught well. He assumes you know nothing and I'm certain that his methods would seem comfortable to even the most inexperienced artists.

The gag writing section of the book is interesting too but it isn't as good as the rest of his book. This is understandable given the nature of writing humor. Even though it doesn't do as well as the drawing sections, it still is the best guide to writing humor I've ever seen. Like the rest of the book, it inspires me to write humor of my own. It's shortcoming though is that unlike the cartooning section, the examples don't seem accomplished. Though the methods he teaches seem promising with practice, his own stuff is not very funny.

Regardless of the flaws in the humor-writing sections, the whole of the book is just so inviting that it makes the book a great purchase. It's a useful and fun book and I'd have gladly paid twice what I did for it.

the cartoonist's workbook is a great book that just about goes over every thing needed to make a cartoon. of course since the book is only around a 100 pages it doesnt go into great detail on every issue. its a great recourse as it has around 20 pages of just gag ideas, useful poses etc...

Anyways the book teaches you a very 90's looking type of cartoon which i happen to like. I would recommend this book for anyone trying to draw some cartoons. This book assumes you know almost nothing and cant draw so its for absolute begginers. i highly recommend this book.

I've worked with fine art for years, and I was looking for a way to loosen up a little, do some simple sketching. Among art books there isn't much to choose from if you want to draw loose! I came across this book at a bookstore and I just liked the drawing style. I brought it home and within hours the looser style I wanted to achieve had emerged. If it's helped me this much, I can imagine what it would do for someone who actually wants to draw cartoons! It's a great reference for the simple basics of drawing everything from people to common objects. A great book!!!!