Engines Books

I found this book to be very helpful and informative. A must read for anyone thinkng of developing a Yahoo store.

Rob, do you have a fan club? 'Cuz I'm you number one fan. I've had a Yahoo store for 5 years and I never knew how much important information and SEO I was missing until I picked up this book. I read through the entire book first, now I am going through chapter by chapter making the recommended updates.

Rob really knows first hand about making Store improvements because he isn't a background programmer - he's a store owner that has tried everything he teaches. He's tested it, then reports on the proven methods. My book arrived June 1st and that is when I started making improvements - I can't wait see the results.

Rob, Thanks for sharing such valuable information!

this book is very useful to people who just get into the online business especially you have a YAHOO store , its worth every penny you paid !!!

I purchased this book thinking I could enhance my existing Yahoo store with the information. This book is only useful if you use Yahoo's Store Editor program and the author states this in his introduction. I use another program Yahoo Sitebuilder, so I turned around and ordered that book too. The title is very misleading....this is really only a book about using Store Editor to build your Yahoo store! If that is what you need the book seems pretty useful.

This book is well written but tells me nothing about how to use Store Editor. I've spent hours reading the book with Store Editor open in front of me and I still can't get it to work like he says it will.

Store Editor is the worse program I've ever tried to use. It's very cryptic and navigation is illogical. I can use Dreamweaver but not Store Editor.

GB

I've read a lot of AdWords books and have provided a well-known AdWords keyword research software tool for almost four years now, so I know the good and the ugly when it comes to Google's advertising system. Take it from me, a lot of people struggle with AdWords, and many give up altogether, but with a fine book like this one, you can easily avoid becoming one of them.

This book takes a brand new user by the hand and walks them through setting up an account, doing keyword research, structuring an AdWords campaign according to Google's best practices, and much more. Along the way, great tidbits of information are provided like how to write effective AdWords ads, how to do local advertising, and where to find negative keyword ideas, to name just a few. Practical suggestions and helpful advice can be found on almost every page as you go through the book's process for building a well-crafted AdWords campaign and sales strategy.

What I especially like is how this book goes beyond doing just AdWords and focuses in on the entire sales funnel, e.g., how to craft well-written landing pages (important for slashing your AdWords bid costs), how to use Google's amazing analytics tool to increase your sales conversions, and how to follow up with prospects and get more sales using newsletters and email autoresponders effectively.

I dare say that if most AdWords advertisers studied and properly implemented the techniques provided in this book, Google would lose quite a bit of money each day since there is a large number of advertisers who are naively spending more than they should in Google's system. Don't be one of them! Get educated. AdWords for Dummies is a great place to start.

I've recently begun an Adwords project and found that this was very helpful in getting me started. It also provides many ideas and resources for future improvements of my usage.

Howie Jacobson offers a very insightful and helpful guide to sifting through the often confusing aspects of Google AdWords. What is great about this book is that it isn't necessary to read the book from cover to cover in order to get the information you need. The book is divided into sections (which are accurately named) so you can jump right into the topic you need most help on.

The author also provides a website in his book that he runs for further information and responds promptly to emails with a helpful answer to your question. Great book! Must Buy!

Prior to reading Adwords for Dummies, I knew next to nothing about Adwords and had more or less avoided learning it like the plague. I didn't have an AdWords account and wouldn't have even recognized the Adwords interface. Then I decided to conduct some market research, and I needed to learn the Adwords basics. A friend recommended this book, so I ordered a copy of Adwords for Dummies from Amazon. (The book really could be used by a dummy, although they'd likely gain a few IQ points just by reading it.) In terms of teaching Adwords, I can't imagine a better source. Everything is spelled out (including many "secret tricks" gurus would charge you thousands for) in clear, easy to follow language. Even though I'm NOT a techie and was brand new to Adwords, I had my own campaigns up and running THE SAME DAY that the book arrived. Adwords for Dummies is just that great of a guide. There's even a chapter just on Google Analytics that lets you get started right away. But that's not all. Dr. Jacobson is hysterical, and on more than one occasion, I laughed out loud while reading. It was like being in a class with a master teacher- maybe like your middle school history or math or English or science teacher- who entertained you and taught you so that you really learned, both at the same time. My two cents is order the book without delay- it's really free, anyway, as Google gives you $25 (ie, more than the cost of the book) in Adwords credit! Highly recommended.

AdWords For Dummies is slightly more for beginners (as is typical for The Dummies Series), while the "Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords" is more advanced. Heck, let's not dice garlic here and cry; if you cut loose of 40 bucks and get them both you'll recoup your money in a few hours. But be forewarned, you'll be tempted to crank out much more money as you learn about many various and optional keyword research, competitive analysis, split-test and other pay per click efficiency tools highly recommended within these books.

This book is one of the best books about the fire service I have ever read. I hung onto each and every word. It was though I was there sometimes.

During the tumultuous period of the 60s when author Dennis Smith wrote Report From Engine Company 82, the book was a cry for help from exhausted, frustrated men. Men who cleaned up in the aftermath of other exhausted and frustrated inhabitants of a society stretched to the breaking point.

As I type this, a younger firefighter in a comfortable, air-conditioned fire station among a population that by-and-large respects my profession, it's easy to forget the sacrifice of our past brothers who unceasingly fought fires, city hall and the population they served, until they had forged the modern fire service.

It's an important book for new firefighters to learn how the iron men of old did the job. And for the general reader it's a testament to both a volatile period in our nation's history, and to the timeless strength and courage by which good men have always worked to keep back the chaos of barbarism and destruction.

I spent 10 years in the fire service in both engine and truck companys. While I have many memories and stories to tell, the author, Dennis Smith, sums up the life of a fire fighter in an urban environment about as well as can be possibly told. Trying to balance the unpleasantries and sadness against the satisfaction of saving a life or helping a family overcome one of life's most agonizing moments is very well portrayed in this book. This is what a fire fighter's life is about folks. There is no other book that I can remember that tells it any better than this. If you're thinking of a career in a big city fire department or for that matter, if you're even thinking of becoming a volunteer fire fighter this book is a must!

I first read this book 20+ years ago, when I was under 20 years of age myself but streetwise from being the "wheels" (with a driver's license and a car) for various escapades all over Chicago in my raucous, hard-partying and utterly politically incorrect youth. Many aspects of "Report From Engine Co. 82" stuck with me through the years, and I've re-read it several times. Now I'm 40 and an ER RN in a Chicago hospital where we see more than our share of the extraordinarily dysfunctional lives of the people who live in poverty in the neighborhoods that surround our hospital -- the type of job and environment Smith portrays so well in "Report From Engine Co. 82."

"Report From Engine Co. 82." tells truths about the nearly inescapable poverty and illiteracy of people scraping by in lives that are marginalized in every possible way because they don't -- can't -- really care for themselves appropriately because they don't even know how. Poverty isn't what it used to be -- but it's still as screwed up as it was in Smith's first book. Most of our ER visits aren't really emergencies, just as most of the calls Company 82 responded to weren't emergencies, either. Nowadays, people call 911; when "Report" was written, that 911 system didn't exist yet. But not much has changed since then, in terms of what the firefighters/paramedics respond to and bring to the ER.

Most of the "emergencies" he sees are not emergencies. The non-emergencies, combined with the real emergencies, portray the dangerous and unthinking way poor people live through a combination of lack of resources, lack of experience with the "straight" world, lack of common sense, and minute-by-minute survival thinking. Most of these emergencies and non-emergencies are easily prevented -- if people had common sense, proper parenting, and a normal instinct for self-preservation.

These qualities, however, are surprisingly hard to come by in poverty, and this is what Smith dramatizes. The heroin overdoses. The stupid kids doing stupid things because they are constantly left unattended and to their own devices. Kids who shoot themselves in the thigh or foot -- or worse -- "playing" with guns. Fires that kill children because space heaters provide the heat slumlords refuse to provide in their code-violating buildings. The incipient hatred and distrust poor minority neighborhoods have of the white emergency personnel and firefighters who respond to their calls. The huge cultural gaps that make true communication and understanding so difficult -- even when you're both the same race and both speaking English.

What Smith accurately portrays is the way poverty-stricken people "live in the now" -- people whose entire lives are spent with no real financial or material stability or security. These are people for whom the concept of saving money for the future is impossible, either as a concept or a reality. People for whom making an appointment days or weeks in the future, and actually remembering to get to the appointment, is nearly impossible. Their main mode of thought is: what do I need to do now, what do I want to do now, what do I need or want to do in the next five minutes. This inability to think about and plan for the future is endemic, as is the inability to prioritize that which really matters -- one suspects because most of these people realize on some level they have no future that truly matters to the rest of society, and they're incapable of living as the rest of the "straight" world lives because they never have, didn't grow up with it, and don't know the language of living that life, let alone the mindset.

These are the people and children who have no insurance, no health care, no glasses when their vision is bad, no braces or dental care when their teeth are bad; who never use birth control (to prevent pregnancy OR to prevent disease transmission). People who don't understand why it's inappropriate to come to the ER with an upper respiratory infection and get pissed off when they wait hours for care while higher priority, higher-acuity patients (in respiratory distress, cardiac arrest, heart attacks, asthma attacks, and overdose, etc.) are taken before they are.

Conversely, these are also the people who shun health care until they are so sick they can no longer avoid it, and discover they have cancer... Cancer that could have been prevented or at least treated, often saving their lives, had they ever had regular health care -- but who are now consigned to an inevitable death they will blame on the healthcare providers who couldn't save them because they were at a stage beyond saving or treating in any way other than palliative.

Smith's New York is NOT the New York of Sex And The City. This is the New York of the infants whose welfare mothers don't immunize them, but have the latest, most expensive coats and boots because conspicuous consumption is how they live: you show how much money you have by wearing all that your money has bought you (rather than doing the far less glamorous but sensible things more responsible people, whose children were WANTED rather than accidental, do). The New York of the kids having kids who have kids, all of whom have never known proper parenting, nutrition, or health care. The overdoses. The children who come in with accidental poisonings or burns from household chemicals because no one was watching them. The attempted suicides with anything and everything -- cold medicine, knives, guns, illegal drugs. The kids raised by siblings because the parent is completely incapable, if they're even around, with or without the additional problems of substance use/abuse, addiction, or domestic abuse. The families which are largely single-parent families -- and where the parental figure may be an elder sibling, aunt or cousin who cares more for the children than their biological parent(s) does or is capable of doing.

This is also the world of the terrified illegal immigrants who wait so long to call for help because they're afraid of INS (now ICE) and deportation; by the time they do, they're often too sick to save. The penniless old people whose pensions don't cover their living expenses and who don't call for help because they're terrified of being discharged from the hospital to a nursing home and losing what little autonomy and material security they have left. The fractured families (with utterly dysfunctional dynamics) who interfere with the paramedics' jobs -- as well as the tight-knit families who are rich only in love for one another. The people who refuse help they desperately need because they fear and distrust the paramedics and firemen trying to help them, and because their healthcare illiteracy is such that they have no idea what is necessary to save their lives, and so refuse or avoid medical treatment that could stop problems in stages when they're still treatable. The mothers who speak no English, who superstitiously fear that emergency treatment will kill their children, yet who are so desperate to save their babies, they don't know what else to do, because all home remedies have now failed. The endless numbers of people who let their prescriptions run out or try to save money by taking less than the prescribed doses and then have severe health problems that wouldn't happen if they bought and took their meds as prescribed -- but who, for multiple reasons, can't and/or don't. The people who beg not to be brought to the hospital because "people DIE in the hospital" -- people who don't understand that their neighbors and family members who died in the hospital, died because they waited far too long to call for help, and were therefore were beyond saving when they finally got to a hospital.

Anyone who works in public service as a fireman, cop, nurse, social worker, or psych intake worker in a big city -- and in poverty-stricken, crime- and drug-infested suburbs and rural communities -- can relate to Smith's book. For everyone who majored in something else, this book opens a door and exposes the lives of people you don't even know exist, people you don't acknowledge when you're forced to share a bus or train with them during rush hour (or who you intentionally avoid by driving in your own car, despite the expense of gas, insurance, and time spent on the commute): the people who don't work, or the people who work wage-slave jobs like janitor, maid, fast-food worker, security guard, who can barely pay their bills or care for their children with what little they make -- or who blow it all on liquor and/or drugs and/or gambling (or all three) to escape the miserable hopelessness of their lives. The kids who have the latest "stuff" -- whether it's the shiny ten speed bicycles Smith writes about, or today's video games and cell phone/mp3 player/cameras -- but whose parents can't or won't give them what they really need: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a stable environment from which to emerge every day to deal with the life-endangering risks of walking to and attending public schools that do little more than babysit and warehouse kids whose futures include teen pregnancy (and the late-term, life-threatening miscarriages that go with total lack of prenatal care, with or without drug use), repeated incarceration, and shorter-than-average lifespans due to the daily likelihood of violence in their communities and their lives.

Smith's portrayal of this kind of poverty is not pretty but it is not unsympathetic -- there are glimpses of beauty and hope, mostly in the young women and children who haven't yet been ruined by their surroundings. Smith tempers it all with a matter-of-fact acceptance that although it is his job to care for these people, he may never really understand them because he's now too removed from that life, and he takes on faith that they possess human qualities they often fail to demonstrate. But some do show their humanity, and those are the people he does it for.

Smith does an excellent job of portraying the paradox that the job of these firefighters and paramedics is to help and save these people, which by its nature includes finding them WORTH helping and saving, at the same time as they move and live as far away from these neighborhoods and the associated poverty, crime and drug problems as they possibly can. This is not merely a racial difference. There are plenty of black and Latino paramedics, cops, firefighters, nurses and doctors who straddle the gulf (some might say 'minefield') between their class and the class of the people they help, in circumstances that are at best trying and at worst nearly impossible to help them transcend for any sustained length of time.

Smith portrays the sympathetic detachment required to know that this is what you do, all day, every day you work, with only the hope that one or two out of ten people will actually genuinely and sincerely thank you for what you do or have done for them -- which is that elusive reward you get, one that can make it all seem worth it when it happens -- and to hope that when you show up and give this of yourself on every shift, there might be one kid or teen who sees what you're doing, who still has enough time ahead of them to see this glimpse into another world... A world it is just *barely* possible for them to enter given enough determination, education, mentoring and drive, and sadly also given enough instinct to discard much of what they learn in their families about how they THINK the world works, versus how the world REALLY works for the more educated and better-off people who run it.

The fact that Smith can show all this without denigrating an entire class of people -- does, in fact, portray them with humanity and the grace one occasionally sees in these circumstances -- is because he also recognizes that he is not that far removed from the kind of poverty he sees on the job (he grew up poor, too). He recognizes and accepts that he is that kid who admired firemen as a boy and saw a different world -- he is that kid who made the leap to the next class up, to the working class and blue collar as opposed to poverty-stricken. He understands the dysfunction -- the drinking, the drugs, the abuse -- that occurs in the neighborhoods Co. 82 responds to because it occurred in his neighborhood, his family, his poverty, while he was growing up.

This understanding that few "get out" -- and that he was one of the lucky few -- underscores with sympathy his otherwise stark portrayal of the job of a NYC fireman in the 70s when NYC was not a desirable place to live and people did their best to escape "the city" as soon as their financial circumstances permitted it.

The uncensored version of this book (which is the one I've read multiple times) also shows the bizarre split someone who works as a fireman/paramedic, nurse, or doctor must negotiate within themselves -- the intimate knowledge you have of the bodies of the people you must save, which is merely part of your job but which you can't really talk about to any family member or lover who isn't in one of these fields. I don't mean merely intimacy with people's genitals -- though there is that, such as the way the Smith describes heroin overdoses getting icebags put under their testicles (negative stimulus, designed to bring unresponsive, unconscious people back to responsiveness and consciousness). I mean the intimacy of seeing people stripped of their modesty and dignity, voluntarily (prostitutes) or involuntarily (the terribly sick), whose personal space and body integrity you must necessarily invade, often in less-than-respectful or diplomatic ways because there is no time for those niceties when someone is dying and you're trying to save them. People who don't work in these fields can never really understand how you can be unaffected by the nudity, exposure and/or intimate knowledge you have of these total strangers, and the disinterest or casual attitude with which you greet what would shock most everyone else.

And, of course, you're not unaffected by this knowledge. Sometimes you're disturbed, or someone or something sticks in your mind -- the things you've seen or had to do -- and is recalled in inappropriate moments with your loved ones. You're not unaffected, you're just emotionally calloused or you compartmentalize it, in order to repeatedly perpetrate and endure this violation of the boundaries between strangers and its inherent power imbalance: you, as the emergency personnel, never have to reveal any of these intimacies to your patients... but they must necessarily, willingly or not, reveal them to you. This includes the mentally ill and the hopelessly drug-addled or dopesick (or both, combined) -- sometimes the most disturbing intimacy of all: the insides of their heads and their distorted, sometimes frighteningly unhinged, perceptions of the world around them.

Before anyone decides to dedicate their lives to becoming a firefighter, they would be wise to start their research here. Some 30+ years after it was first published, this book still shows remarkable insight into the lives, struggles, and emotions of a professional firefighter. When I started on the road to becoming a firefighter, being a volunteer and reading Dennis Smith books asserted in my mind that my life would be wasted doing anything else. For others, this may convince you that the job is not for you. It isn't for everyone. Either way, this is a very enjoyable read and worth the time and money for anyone, not just firemen and wannabe's.

Check it out, most of the 5 star reviews have reviewed the same 3 books (1 by the same author). It's pretty obvious what's going on here. What can we do to eliminate the fake reviews?

I usually rely on the rogue 1-star review of a book to tell me the truth, and I hope you do too. I was hesitant to purchase a book on SEO given how quickly techniques change, but this one was published recently & I saw glowing reviews. I didn't bother to familiarize myself with the author (writes books on "gambling strategies") or the reviewers (most of whom have only reviewed books by this author - what a surprise!)

The Good:
- Very basic primer. Acknowledges that certain tactics may lead to search engine blacklisting. References a couple good tools like Google Analytics.

The Bad:
- More than half the book has absolutely nothing to do with SEO. Yes, writing a book that references your website and painting a building with your URL might generate hits, but they do not influence search engines.
- Constant spelling & grammar errors
- Very outdated information
- Nonsensical advice

The content of this book does not represent the title or byline. I am, admittedly, angry that I got scammed. I also see the irony in buying a book on SEO that has almost nothing to do with the subject.

I was amazed at some of the information I have read in this book. I have experienced several problems in optimizing my website to promote my products properly and this guide has provided me valuable information going forward. I can't wait to apply some of Blankson's advice. If you need easy to read information to help promote your site, this is the perfect guide for you!

SEO: How to Optimize Your Web Site for Search Engine Optimization by Samuel Blankson is a fantastic book for individuals of all skill levels to help them get the very most from their personal and business websites. SEO is a term most people have heard, but few truly understand. It can be very complex to implement a solid plan for search engine optimization and Mr. Blankson does a marvelous job of breaking down the process and explaining it thoroughly so that everyone can benefit from the methods used by experts in the industry.

Having spent years myself studying the best methods of SEO I can honestly say I learned a few new tricks. What I also noticed is how well structured this book is for those who have no experience in optimizing their websites. Detailed information on exactly why search engine optimization is so important as well as how each method works, what the possible pitfalls and mistakes are for each, and what benefits there are for each individual method as well as how they work together to create the perfect balance and highest rankings that result in traffic that sells makes this book an invaluable asset to anyone's library.

I'm searching for books on Search Engine Marketing/Optimization and stumbled on Samuel Blankson's book here on Amazon. After reading a few of the 29 customer reviews I noticed the writing style of almost every one was very similar - almost as though one person wrote them all. I'm sure you've noticed how many different writing "levels" there are in any one group of online reviews - spelling and grammar errors, etc. These reviews had no such discrepancies. So I started looking at the reviewers' other critiques and lo and behold: Probably 80% of them had only reviewed 1-2 other books and guess who the common author was? Sammy (Spam Man) Blankson. And they were all 5 star reviews.

Am I naive? Does this kind of "review spam" happen a lot on Amazon? Maybe Amazon should review the reviewers? At any rate, Mr Blankson - shame on you. Whether you or your publisher (Gosh, the publisher is Blankson Enterprises Limited!) initiated this scam, it's shameful. This exploitative and base practice is bad form, unethical, and the equivalent of SEO spam. You of all people should know better, if you even wrote the book yourself.

Hey, Guys! Bankrupt in the romance department? 'Gentlemen, Start HER Engine' offers some terrific insight about cashing in on romance! Read it and reap!

This book was a lifesaver! It provided tools and examples and really embraced my partner without putting him on the defensive. I recommend this book whole-heartedly. Thank goodness for authors that care!

I just finished reading this book. I loved it! It is very well written, and the advice is priceless. I am glad that there is and author out there who really understands women and what we need from our husband/significant other. Mr. Guerrero wrote this in a fun and unique way, that any man will understand. I laughed and almost cried reading this. I think that this book is a must read for any man, young or old currently in a relationship, or just starting one. The woman in their life will benefit from this book in so many ways. I can't wait to share this with my husband. Thank you so much for writing this book. I plan on giving my two boys their own copy when they become young men.

My wife and I read Steve Guerrero's book Gentlemen Start Her Engine and my being a male in my late 40's found it refreshing. My wife considers me "perfect" but after being married three times and now having 3 step children I've learned alot on my own and found Steve's book right on target. There were somethings that refreshed my memory such as walking in the house when my wife is cooking and letting her know how good the cooking smells (and it always does). I'm not a man of many words but for those of you that are like me "perfect" go ahead and pick this book up. You'll get reminded of some things you may have forgotten or just needed a refresher. For those guys that are having even the smallest of problems with your relationship this is the book to study.

Well done Steve

Randy Bornstein

OK, guys, it doesn't get better than this! At last, here's a book that actually spells it out for you and makes it so much easier to get along with your mate. As a woman, I can tell you, you will save yourself a lot of grief by taking Steven Guerrero's advice. The best thing is, he's not about telling you that you're doing a bad job. He's passionate about helping you learn about what makes a relationship work. BTW, this is really TWO books in one! He includes an instructional section as well as a workbook. Beautiful!

Women, this is also a great read for you because it helps you understand where men are coming from. Wouldn't you like to know what's going on in their heads? You'll smile and nod as you zip through each chapter, thinking, "Why isn't this required reading for guys in high school?" It should be!

Everyone will walk away with a better understanding of the opposite sex and will thank the author for his unpretentious, humorous, and easy-to-read style. Thanks, Steven!

I bought this book for a boy who I work with and I fall in love. I found it in great time cause feel down right now. And this simple book helped me stand up and look at my life from different perspective. Now will buy it for every kid or special people in my life

Whether or not you or your honoree grew up listening to or reading The Little Engine that Could, you'll find this book to be the perfect way to say, "I'm proud of you, graduate. I always knew that you had the ability and would put forth the effort to be successful."

This is a great alternative to other frequently given books like The Places You Will Go.

This is the most inspirational book I have read in a long time!! Recommended for all ages

I am an elementary school teacher and also the mother of 4. My oldest is graduating from high school this year. After I read this book, I bought several. One for my son and several for his friends. I also sent it to my nephew that is leaving for a mission to Honduras for the next 2 years. It's a perfect book for those that are heading off in new directions in their lives and it gives them advice and encouragement! I love it!

This is a book that follows the I Think I Can Book, about the little train, It is a wonderful book for anyone that needs a little boost of self-esteem, or courage. It is perfect for those that are graduating or who have completed a difficult task in their life. I would recommend it to anyone.

I found this book in a public library in Japan and borrowed it to read to my 3 year old son. He has a strong interest in trains, so I thought this could be a good break from the daily grind of Thomas the Tank Engine stories.

The story is about a steam engine named Choo Choo who hauls passengers, mail, and baggage to and fro. She has a dream to be free from her monotonous life and to be admired for her speed and grace. She finally gets the chance to run without a load and ends up running out of control. Her patient engineer and conductor find her and bring her home safely. She learns a lesson and doesn't wish to run off alone anymore.

The story bears a striking resemblance to Stop, Train, Stop! a Thomas the Tank Engine Story (Beginner Books(R)). That is another story where a train decides to run away as fast as it can in order to impress onlookers. I can't help but think that the Thomas version is based almost wholly on the Burton story of Choo Choo.

The charcoal art is amazing. Each page is illustrated with a smoky charcoal sketching that makes the old-timey-ness of the story come to life. The greasy, dirty, smoky world of steam locomotives becomes a real-live place to readers of this book.

The quaint "Once upon a time" beginning was a little strange, but soon forgotten. However the layout of the text itself was something I could never get over. The shrinking of each line of text into a cone, or the lines shaped in waves made reading aloud difficult. It is easy to read ahead, but much of that skill also relies on visual cues from the text itself. I found myself tripping over certain phrases due to the unorthodox text. The clever textual layout may add artistic merit to the book, but it detracts from the book as a read-along.

That said, it's a fun book with lots of train sounds for kids to catch on to. The story teaches that one shouldn't go off without a good plan, but also that loved ones are always there to help you when you need help.

My 3rd son loves trains much more than my 1st who loved them a lot, but...although he doesn't have a ton of words yet and is only starting to put 3 or more words together can tell you the entire plot of this story...fills in the word missing if you stop for a second...points out people in the book as his cat, his grandma, etc...it has everything a train loving kid could ask for including another favorite with sounds and farm animals! Great classic...hope they come out with a board book for those nights when you really need to get them to bed!!! or to take in the car!!!

Choo Choo the runaway engine is a delightful story that mesmerizes three to four year old boys who like trains. Our son asks for this volume each night.
As with all of Virginia Lee Burton's books, the illustrations are delightful, here all rendered in charcoal, which is strangely appropriate for the "shiny black engine" at the center of the story.
The story is simple and easily understood by little readers, and they can pick out some words and map them to the illustrations. There is nothing objectionable in the tale, involving an engine who wants to break free of her responsibilities and run away to be the center of attention. Her engineer, conductor, and coal-man all work hard to chase her and bring her back, and she learns the lesson that running away from those who care for you typically ends in disaster.
We bought our edition in London, without the cassette, which strikes me as a bit datted in this CDROM and DVD era.
Highly recommended.

My train-loving son really enjoyed this book many times but we never bought it because it takes a little while to read it. Some nights when you're trying to hurry up the bedtime routines it feels like a very, very long time to read it.

Now at 32 months, he loves it even more. He can recite the entire book page by page. He knows the names of the characters and their jobs. He confirms that the "coal car fell off the bridge onto the barge and now the train derrick picks it up." all the sketches are black and white and quite unique. i recommend this book for all ages, boy or girl.

Mr. Smith's book is well illustrated and supported by the accompanying CD (images to work with that are in the book). His explanations are clear to the Photoshop user and he does explain some terms, as in methods of cropping and re-sizing an image and which method is suited for which type of image), file formats of images, and other areas like the applications under adjustments that I had not used until I began working with the book.
I have found some techniques that are similar to other authors (Scott Kelby, in particular, whose books I have enjoyed quite a lot), and that was part of my interest in purchasing the book-to broaden my reference library with people aside from Kelby, Deke McClelland, and some folks on-line like Earth-Bound Light and Photography, etc). I recommend purchase. Readable, well cross-referenced, and helps deliver results.

Excellent training material. I would also recomment The Photoshop CS2 Book For Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby. The combination is outstanding.

I was really surprised this was such an excellent book. Usually I just read the chapters I am interested in , but I read this whole book--it was just so instructional and one that I will keep close to the computer for reference book.

I am an amaetuer photographer. This book has helped me fine tune my photos and bring out its full potential. I will gladly recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain more knowledge on photography and perhaps learn a very powerful photo editing tool.

This book has a lot of good information in it, but is not well written. You may be halfway through a paragraph before you get to the topic sentence and figure out what the author is talking about. It often takes a second or third trip through a paragraph to figure out what it's about. The author also is not consistent with his word usage. I've found as many as three or four different words used for the same thing. For instance luminosity and brightness are used interchangeably, sometimes on the same page or even the same paragraph. So, using the book can be frustrating, though the author clearly knows Photoshop and I have learned a lot from the book.
The book does not mention or discuss some of the neatest features of Photoshop CS2 including some of the Automate features such as Merge to HDR (high dynamic range). This feature combines an underexposed and an overexposed picture into one high dynamic range image (bright areas are not washed out and dark areas are not black). This is an amazing capability that is not mentioned.
I would buy this book again, but only after searching diligently for one that covers the same scope or more and is better written. Actually, I'd probably get a book that covers CS3 as well, and hopefully indicates where features are unique to CS3. Or maybe just a CS3 book if you are going to upgrade. I understand the upgrade to CS3 is well worth the price even though it is now $200. Ease of use alone makes CS3 valuable to novices from what I've read.

Good book but mixed feelings. Here's my take on the pro's and con's of the Frugal Editor.

The Format of this book: It is noted that it is a 208 page book, but it's actually 192 pages. Subtract from that, 29 blank pages and 6 pages of paragraph length chapters and you have a 158 page book for the noted "list price". Now in her book, the author states that formatting standards of what side a chapter should start is the culprit of white pages (because chapters should begin on the right side). However, this standard gets overused, so the format stretches a small book into a roughly 200 page book. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. As it seems lately, many self-published books are using this tactic. I don't mind purchasing a 90 page book filled with excellent information as long as it is priced right. But a 150 page book for the noted "list price" plus shipping made me feel cheated.

On the plus side, she does include shaded boxes to highlight important tidbits or summaries of information, which I found extremely helpful, especially for the visual learner.

Now for the content. On her website/blog, she promotes how this book goes into the Flesch-Kincaid Readability tool. Something that I was really interested in knowing and it is what finally prompted me to purchase the book. But the only info. her book delves into is on how to access it. She does NOT offer any concrete interpretation on what the Flesch scores mean and how to specifically use it. She does, however, send you to a link of audio files she produced on using the Flesch for an additional cost, of course. Albeit, you can't even purchase that audio because it is not even available on the websites listed within the book. For me, that was slick advertising and left me really disappointed. Thankfully, I own another book by James V. Smith, "The Writer's Little Helper" which goes into the Flesch tool quite a bit. I was just looking to find more innovative ways to use it thru the Frugal Editor book, but I was left empty handed.

A main premise throughout this book is on the utilization of Microsoft's Find and Replace tools and how to search for redundancies in terms of adverbs, gerunds, and the such. I found these sections very helpful because it never occurred to me to use this tool in such a way. If you are not familiar with this, then the purchase of this book will make it worthwhile.

There are a few sections on grammar that the Frugal Editor delves into with enough explanation to help you implement the author's points within your editing. But then there are many other sections where she just wraps it up with a very brief summary of a few lines and sends you off to various website links. Although, some of these sources were excellent, for 18.95 and having about 35 blank pages within the book, the author could have summarized better and offer more examples on the topics she touched so that one could utilize her book as a usable reference. I didn't need to pay the "list price" for a list of website links for grammar usage tips when a Google search would cost me nothing.

On the plus side, the Frugal Editor does contain an extensive set of appendixes and some were very beneficial such as a website that offered free searching tools of adverbs, prepositions, passive words, word & phrase frequency. Then there is another similar tool for about a hundred dollars on a U.K website for a Concordance Tool that does the above, as well as indexing and other tools. I wasn't aware of these tools, so just finding out about it within this book did help to lessen my other gripes.

The author also included sample query letters and cover letters although meant to be helpful, had no connection with the editing purposes of this book. Just seemed like "helpful" filler - a nicety.

All in all, the author seems very likeable and enthusiastic especially about her books. She has an extensive professional background and seems to be a respectable member of the community. Her advice is not to be taken lightly. I really liked what she had to say about the editing process and had only hoped that she would have dispelled more of her experience and background into her book as she does in her audios (she has an extensive list of audios - each about 60 minutes long, but I found no way of purchasing many of them). Perhaps a future updated edition of this book is due soon (Hint).

If you can find this book elsewhere for a lot less, then I definitely recommend purchasing it.

Should you be your own editor?

The Frugal Editor will answer this question while giving you an insight to editing. In the end, it is up to the author, whether or not they want to self-edit their manuscript. Carolyn will give you information and links to information while also giving you some tools in Microsoft Word, albeit, pre Vista and Word 2007.

With a bit of internet searching, you can find the subtle differences, I did. Word 2007 will also save your work in a format that someone using an earlier version will not be able to read. You will learn this also as you become more familiar with Word 2007. Hint: save your docs as Word 97-2003; that way people using earlier versions of Word will be able to read your docs easily.

In The Frugal Editor, Carolyn gives you a wealth of information gleaned over the years by trial and error. It is easier to learn from someone that' been there and done that than fight it yourself. I know I have, and I welcome the information to help me save time and energy by reading this book and visiting some of the links. Unfortunately, as the internet is, links don't seem to last. I found a link here and there that didn't work; that being said, I found more than enough links that did work for me to bookmark many sites for further perusal.

No matter what level of writer you are, The Frugal Editor is a must read, whether novice or pro, you will gain something. I plan on telling my writer friends about this book. I found it fun and informational at the same time. As a freelance writer, The Frugal Editor, can be, and, should be, used if you are considering writing of any type.

Do yourself a favor, pick up a copy and read it. You will not be disappointed, and you might just learn something new about writing in the process.

As an author and being involved in the publishing world I highly recommend this book to all those wanting to break into the market, those already in the market, and those afraid to step into the market. Carolyn dispels all myths, gives encouragement, and certainly filled the book with tips and techniques to get past road blocks and fear. Concise, easy to read and follow, "The Frugal Editor" is a must-have book in the writer's library to create those killer manuscripts. I just know it will get dog-eared from use within a very short time, and as a writer you will easily have your foot into the door of successful publishing.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "The Frugal Editor" is an eye-opening journey into the often tedious realm of editing. Carolyn's book is both informative and entertaining in the way she presents the technical subject matter as she interjects bits of wit and humor throughout. Her explanations for solving common writing problems were informative and detailed.
Even readers with a professional knowledge of Microsoft's Word program will discover great editing tools designed to assist authors in their quest for a perfected end product.
As an author, I found "The Frugal Editor" an enlightening read and a valuable reference book, and one that should be used by everyone looking to perfect their writing skills.

I want to thank Carolyn for writing this book. I have several degrees but this does not make me the best editor for my own writing. This book has helped me to be a better writer, and hopefully make it easier for that final professional editor.

I have previously spent a year living aboard a Hans Christian 38 on the west coast and in the Sea of Crortez. The sailing bug has hit me again and plan to get out again in a few years. This book rekindled knowledge that I already believed in and offered insights that I wish that I had had before. A true joy to read.

So many ideas, most will save you time, some safety tips could save your life.

I recommend this book to all novices and many experienced offshore sailors to prepare for the unexpected problems that you need to address or avoid especially when you are so exposed to the extremes of nature, and completely disconnected from any immediate help. Lots of good lessons learned and references.
Chris C.

This book looks disappointing at first because it is a thin expensive hardcover, but it is worth the money. There is very little fluff and the content is well structured and to the point. It covers most things necessary to prepare your boat for offshore sailing including tool lists, weight distribution, polars and VMG, secants and many other useful tips. Lots of pictures, tables and diagrams.

This is a very comprehensive book explaining what you need to know about offshore sailing.