RC Books

Good book for the novice with some experience programming but new to VB 6. Walks through the differences between other versions, and has some nice documentation.
I would recommend.

I am totally new to V.B. and am attempting to write a fairly complex application straight off. EVERY time I have been stuck I have refered to this book and it has so far always helped me out. As a beginner I do not always immediatly grasp the code samples, but after searching through some more basic texts then returning to this book, I have so far always got the results I am aiming for. It is almost as though the author has looked at what i am trying to do, then sat down and written an example or two of how I can accomplish it!

If I could only recommend one VB 6 book, this would be it. Great stuff.

Because Visual Basic 6 remains a very useful programming environment for me. Mr. Balena's style goes way beyond a tutorial through menu creation. He tells us about pratfalls of the Microsoft environment ( while writing for Microsoft! ) and useful ways to work around limitations of the environment. If you are still using VB6, like I am, this is a useful reference. We might want to start looking at .NET, eh?

code snippets are fragmented and some variables are used without
naming their types, causing confusion in many cases.

the chapters on classes and objects and databases are worthless:
i'm glad i didn't learn objects and databases from this guy.

many explanations are needlessly lengthy and confusing.

i've documented with profane remarks so many problems in this book that are simply not sharable.

This book is a must have for any VB 6.0 programmer period. So buy it.

Not only is this book extremely informative, but Balena writes excellently. The way he communicates the information help's make the info stick in your head.

As for the informative part Balena covers all the major bases in depth and some of the more obscude/advanced topics to get your feet wet. He also shows you different and more efficent ways to write code.

If I had one complaint is that his code is not the most readable, Balena seems to center more on condensing his code and making it as efficent as possible rather than making it readable. He attempts to offset this with comments.

But that is also a postive about the book Balena covers different ways to write a statment to make it most efficent.

Midnight Magic
By: Hao Trieu
Do you like magic and mysteries? If you do, then I strongly recommend the ubook "Midnight Magic" by Avi...
It's about a boy named Fabrizio who gets himself into all sorts of tricky situations. He and his master, Mangus, meets the King, Queen, Princess, (and later on) the prince. They also meet a cruel and greedy Count Scarazoni who tries to be king by marrying the princess. Scarazoni is very violent and does anything to get his way. Fabrizio becomes the center of attention and everyone is counting on him to stop Count Scarazoni. But the problem is: he doesn't know what to do and is no more than a servant. Will he be able to stop Scarazoni and become the hero?
This book has many exciting events and sets you up for more. When I was reading it, I couldn't even put it down! I wanted to know more and keep reading.
If you want to find out more, you should read the book.
It will leave you wanting more ... so enjoy!

Fabrizio, a servant boy living in medieval times, is very loyal to his master, the magician Mangus. The man has been like a father to him, and he stuck by the magician even when Mangus was put on trial and confined to house arrest, ordered never to perform magic again. Fabrizio knows the consequences for his master breaking this order, so he is naturally very worried when in the middle of one night, there is a knock on the door and a summons for Mangus to go to the castle to meet with the king.



Bad things are happening in the castle. There are whispers about the king's advisor, Count Scarazoni, gaining too much power and trying to overthrow the king. The prince and heir to the throne is suspected murdered while on his way to deliver a message to the Pope. The reason Mangus has been summoned, though, is that the young princess insists she is being haunted by a ghost. She has seen it several nights in a row and is terrified. The king sees this haunting as a bad sign and wants Mangus to look into it and to get rid of the ghost. Count Scarazoni is furious about the situation--he thinks the princess has made up the story to avoid her wedding to him. If the wedding takes place, he will be in perfect position to ascend to the throne.



Mangus is an honest man who will tell the truth about what he discovers when he investigates the ghost. This fact worries Fabrizio, who can see what the consequences will be if Mangus says there is no ghost. Will this small servant boy be able to fix the problems of the castle and prevent Count Scarazoni from gaining any more power?



I liked the character of Mangus, especially the fact that he was just an illusionist and not a real magician at all. I liked that he was more interested in reasoning through a problem than playing with magic. I also liked the princess and the fact that she was so self-sufficient.



This story was a bit formulaic, though. I could see much of what was going on early into the book. I also thought Rinaldo's secret was ridiculous--I couldn't see any way for him to have been able to keep this secret for any amount of time.

Midnight Magic is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. Like it has been said before, people can read this while waiting for Harry Potter 7, or to substitute the hunger for literature about magic and mystery after the Harry Potter series are over.

Mundugus the Magician has been accused of witchcraft, and is under home arrest. The only persons inside his house are his wife, and his faithful servant, Fabrizio. The house has become very quiet, and Mundugus seems to be depressed.

One stormy night, carriages from the Castle arrive, requesting for Mundugus to go with them. He has no choice but to go, accompanied by Fabrizio, and when Mundugus and Fabrizio arrive in front of the King, they find out that Princess Teresina is being haunted by a ghost, and she needs Mundugus to get rid of it, otherwise, he'll face death. But the problem is... How can you get rid of something you don't believe in?

Mundugus and Fabrizio start their investigation, to see the thing that's been haunting the Princess themselves, witness murder inside the castle, and be part of a huge conspiration....

I think this is a great book for kids 7-11 like me because it is interesting. In the book I like it when it talks about a princess being chased by a terrifying ghost every night and when the princess faints. When you first read the book your probably going to wonder whats going to happen. Also the main idea is a magican is trying to stop a ghost from chaaseing a princess. Make sure you read this book and you'll find out why I think it is great!

A Magician and his servant try to crack a ghost case that could haunt the life of a royal family forever.
In midnight Magic, Mungus, the magician, has been called upon to use his magic to solve a case that has been troubling the royal family for a while. As a detectective the ghost problem isn't coming too well for Mungus. He and his servent, Fabrizo think that they have detected the issue,but the real big problem is still at large.

I believe that Avi wrote this book to make a fun exciting story that would make you not want to put the book down. I also think that any reader of Harry Potter book would appreciate this story.
I have enjoyed this book as a mystery/fantasy. I hope you will have just as fun as I did, reading Midnight Magic.

R.R

I absolutely loved this book...could NOT put it down, that's how interesting and involved I was in the plot of this book. This novel takes you through the life is Stacie. Stacie has been having nightmares about her best friend, Drea that she is going to die...she has these explicit nightmares, and tries to piece them together to find out who it is that is responsible for freaking the girls out. Then there's this mystery guy that is after Drea, but then the novel takes a twist and he starts calling Stacie.. I thoroughly enjoyed this book...read it in ONE night, that's how engrossed in this novel I became. Would definently recommend this novel to anyone who wants a great mystery read!!!!!! Excellent!

At first I was a little put off by the Wicca content in this book, but I quickly got past it and saw what lay beneath: a young woman who relies on friends, faith, and intelligence to solve a mystery.
The characters, while sometimes a bit over-the-top, are fun, colorful, interesting people, and they behave like high school teenagers do, for the most part.
The mystery at the heart of the plot is a bit easy to predict, but the author puts in enough red herrings and twists to keep you second-guessing your predictions until the end.
Overall an entertaining read that is worth your while.

BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES (DELUXE SPELLBOOK EDITION)
LAURIE FARIA STOLARZ

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Stacey Brown's determined to do everything in her power to protect her best friend Drea from what she sees happens to her in her nightmares; nightmares that have always seemed to have come true in the past. And if saving Drea from a crazed stalker means that the secrets about the spells she casts have to come out, then that's the sacrifice Stacey's willing to make to keep her best friend safe.


I was drawn into this story from almost the very first page. A combination paranormal, murder-mystery and even thriller, this book defined page turner. Stacey's a strong character who doesn't want to see her recent nightmares come true, so she begins to light candles and cast spells to protect her roommate and best friend Drea. But when a fellow student is found murdered, Stacey grows increasingly worried the stalker is getting closer to his intended target of Drea.

My only fault with the book is that it took me awhile to get used to is the fact it's told in first person, present tense but after a chapter or so, it really wasn't a factor.

Fans of a good paranormal mystery would enjoy this first book in Ms. Stolarz's series.

Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
January 2008

Stacey has been having nightmares. But these aren't your everyday monster-under-the-bed dreams; these are premonitions. She's had these before, and the result was the death of a girl named Maura. Now, she's trying everything she can because the next victim could be her best friend Drea.

What is very helpful is that Stacey is a witch. She performs a wide variety of spells in order to make her nightmares clearer and to find out who is after Drea. She, Drea, and their friend Amber form a pact to make sure they're safe. But nothing seems to be safe anymore.

It's very hard to guess who's after Drea. Stacey has many suspicions, but they keep on shifting as she learns new information. What's most frustrating to Stacey, though, is that she's dreamt all of it. She just can't remember.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The magic involved was unique in that it wasn't just "Harry Potter" magic. Stacey isn't a witch like Hermione; she performs spells using candles, herbs, and oils, not magic wands. I found this refreshing and unique. I also enjoyed the suspense throughout the entire novel. The twists and turns always kept me guessing. I recommend this to all magic book lovers, because I loved it myself.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

My 14-year old loves this novel and told me that I had to read it. She and I have somewhat similar tastes in fiction, although I tend to prefer funnier novels with nerdy protagonists. I'm not into Wicca and I tend to roll my eyes when it's mentioned in a book. However, this novel exceeded my expectations. I kept changing my mind about who the guilty character is. The one distubing detail of the book is explained in the story (I don't want to include a spoiler, so I'll just say that this particular detail is really gross). I'll be buying the other books in this series.

Well, yet another book in the series down, and this one is by far the best one yet. Good action, the outstanding dialogue continues, there's a lot that is, as far as I'm concerned, fairly original and unique that he presents us with here. Although he's not my favorite character I absolutely love the abilities and the characterization of Relg. And what a cliff-hanger of an ending. Great book, great series.

This transaction went very smoothly and was completed in a timely fashion. I would certainly do business with this company again!

Necromancer less than Nine.


Garion's magical powers are getting stronger, it seems, as he now has the ability to raise the dead. Even if not particularly a useful example when you can only do it to a horse.

They still have orb retrieval issues, as more than one bad guy would be happy to have this handy little trinket.

War, ghosts, shadowcat like stunts, and a good old epic magic duel to end.

For people who enjoy reading for the purpose of getting into the story. The books written by David Eddings' are for people who get attached to characters and love to immerse themselves in reading. To me his books are like coming home for a visit.

If you want to read simply to get to the finish line---Eddings is not for you.

As a fantasy reader, you can never actually give anything but Lord of the Rings a 5 star. However, the Belgariad comes pretty close! Filled with adventures and wonderful insights into the minds of his character, David Eddings, has really created a world that I can get lost in. This series is one worth owning, one that needs to be read again and again!

I love reading mysteries (essentially junk food for my mind) that increase my awareness of more esoteric subjects. I still know next to nothing about fractals, but at least I know they exist. And I had a great time reading the Fractal Murders while that happened.

Pepper Keane is a great character, a sort of Travis McGee of our time. Actually, a great deal about the Fractal Murders has very much a John D. MacDonald flavor to it. Keane is a protgonist who has rebelled against "the man" and lives by his own rules as an investigator. A woman brings him a case that is complex and full of intrigue. Happily, Mark Cohen is a little more light-handed with the sexism and the sex than MacDonald!.

The Fractal Murders has great background that I never found boring, Pepper Keane is a charming main character and his family and friends are also full of personality and fully envisioned. No one-dimensional characterizations. The mystery leads you most of the way and then has a twist I didn't see coming. I liked this book very much and would read more by this author. I hope there are more!

Three fractal mathematician die and another one who was a close friend
of one of them thinks it isn't a coincidence. The FBI says that there
is no connection. So Pepper Keane gets the case...
No resemblance to any living fractal a mathematicians seems to exist,
and the premise of the conclusion of time transform doesn't seem likely,
but the novel is well researched. In some cases I think the explanations are better than some popularizations that I have read.
It turns out that there is an FBI connection to the gun that killed
one of the mathematicians in Washington state.
From there on the plot has some surprising twists!
I liked it and for a mystery it was well written.
The point seems to be that once Pepper was close,
the pile of files at his house would have been a target
more than himself. From Waco we know that the FBI can
have an agenda outside their legal one.
To think that mathematicians might be targets
because of an economic model is kind of 'romantic'
but not very realistic... a Levy Flight?

"The Fractal Murders" offers a terrific premise and the delivery lives up to it, too. The sleuthing is dogged, hard work. It's smart and well organized--the kind of diligent, relentless focus that is probably the norm out there for actual detectives. The Colorado settings are well rendered. I thought a few key things happened a bit too conveniently: the jet ride to Boston, the handy night vision goggles, access via a friend to key commercial airline passenger manifests. I also could have done without all the restaurant and eating descriptions; they just don't add up to much. For a guy who spends a lot of time running and working out, there is very little physical action. Most of the work is mental. Readers looking for a good brain exercise will enjoy how Pepper Keane approaches his work and the end packs a nifty double twist.

University of Colorado math professor Jayne Smyers hires Pepper Keane, former Marine JAG turned PI, to investigate the deaths of three other math professors. The Feds have investigated and found no link between the deaths. Jayne is convinced there's a link. Pepper is skeptical at first but agrees to look into it.

There's plenty of bad blood between Pepper and FBI agent Polk who did some of the investigating. This history adds to Pepper's determination to investigate these deaths.

As Pepper digs deeper into the deaths, he begins to see some similar threads that continue to propel him forward. With romance in the air, Pepper worries that Jayne may be the next victim.

Can he decipher the pattern and unmask the killer before anyone else is killed? Can he protect Jayne as well?

I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing mystery. Pepper is a fabulous character, even with his baggage. It is explained throughout the book, so we aren't left floundering. His interactions with Polk, Jayne, detectives where each mathematician was killed, his brother, his neighbors, and his best friend really help us to get to know him.

I found the math to be explained in plain English so that it was easy to understand. It also didn't detract from the investigation; it actually enhanced it. I am not a mathematician, but I really enjoyed this book. I hope he writes more in this series. I can't wait to read them. I highly recommend this book.

The Fractal Murders is nothing if not unique! Here's a first novel based on a completely fascinating premise that presents interesting, realistic and superbly developed characters; that develops a heart-warming romantic relationship complete with all the bumps, bruises and detours of reality; that avoids prurient sex and violence as completely unnecessary to the advancement of a well-written novel; and does it all with well crafted narrative and descriptive writing as well as positively hilarious dialogue! The fixings are so good that a main dish plot becomes almost secondary but I can tell you that Cohen has done a fine job with that as well! What a treat for a debut novel!

Pepper Keane, a former JAG prosecutor, is hired by University of Colorado mathematics Jane Smyers to investigate the almost simultaneous deaths of three of her professional colleagues - two by murder and one by apparent suicide - people who seem to have had nothing more in common than front-running world class expertise in the rather arcane field of fractal geometry. Smyers's mathematical background convinces her that the probability of the three deaths being unrelated is vanishingly small and some long-standing bad blood between Keane and FBI Special Agent Polk, who conducted the now closed investigation, raises Keane's eyebrows and prompts him into letting himself become involved in re-opening the case.

Pepper Keane is a lovable, laughable character that Cohen has endowed with an anally obsessive nature and a serious overdose of existential angst that he indulges by attempting to plow through some of Heidegger's heaviest writings. Cohen obviously loves a good pun and I nearly fell off my chair laughing when he set up this positively outrageous example. Keane's brother, nicknamed "Two Toe" as a result of a war wound, muses aloud about where they are as he and Pepper drive out of Kansas. Suggesting that he had been waiting a long, long time to say it, Pepper responded "Two Toe, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore"! Ouch! Between you and me, I think it's much more likely that Cohen waited a long time to shoehorn that pre-conceived pun into a novel and I've got no doubt at all that he nicknamed his character Two Toe for the sole purpose of sticking that single line into the novel. It sure gets my unqualified approval! Cohen's sparkling wit shines throughout the novel with a veritable cornucopia of knee-slapping one liners.

As for the mathematics - Mandelbrot and Benoit sets, chaos, fractional dimensions, random walks, discussions of business applications such as fundamental versus technical analysis, weather prediction and crop markets - the basic concepts are presented in a lucid, simple and non-threatening fashion. And, frankly, since the mathematics aren't critical to the plot, the novel can be read and enjoyed even for those who haven't the remotest interest in such ideas!

Readers looking for a refreshingly different approach to a mystery hooked up to a healthy dose of humour should be well pleased with Cohen's first efforts. I'm certainly looking forward to more of his work.

Paul Weiss

If you are a right wing nut, stay away from this book, you might actually appreciate and respect Bill Clinton. Maraniss really sheds light on the former President's childhood, initial interest in politics, Arkansas' governorship and his announcement for the presidency. Unbiased and definitely a page-turner. I have read a bunch of Bill Clinton books and this is definitely one of my favorites. You do not need to be a policy wonk or even a political hack to enjoy learning about our 42nd president. Even some of my Republican friends find his ascent interesting and even revealing as to some of his decision making during his time in the White House. A great book, a greater president, two thumbs up!!

First, the title of this story can be misleading. In highschool, college, at Oxford and Yale, Clinton was never "first in class," based solely on grades. But, who cares? Clinton is one of the best presidents in United States history and Maraniss gives an inside look into the life of this great man despite not interviewing anyone in the Clinton family. He uses research based solely on interviews from those people closest to the man himself. When you reach for this book don't think it will give you an inside look at the presidency. It rolls along in chronological order from birth to announcement of candidacy for the 1992 presidential election so never gets to the presidency. It does however provide some interesting insights into the Clinton marriage, and the Clinton psyche. His temper, although rare is described well in this biography. Overall, it is a great read for anyone who wants to know more about a former president. Everything from his Oxford years and apparent affairs with other women not named Monica Lewinsky or Paula Jones. Perhaps the greatest thing about this book is how Maraniss remains neutral. Regardless of his like or dislike of Clinton, he never shows it.

he nails a lot of truth about clinton's early years and presidency...

and/but

david maraniss is also fair... approaching it all as a Fellow Human just trying to get along in the world...

this book was fascinating to read and, like all good biography, taught life lessons ~

it was so interesting because ~ say what you will about bill clinton ~ he's the most interesting capable man of a generation...

anne coulter, christopher hitchens and ALL the folks of that Ilk who are not nearly as impressive as the people they love to skewer... lack everything someone like david maraniss demonstrates: for starters, insights that MATTER...

I decided I hated Clinton a few days after 18 of my brother soldiers were slaughtered in Mogadishu. It was the day the first load of wounded Rangers came back to the states. I dont expect Presidents to be standing tall every moment wounded troops come back. But I do expect they would have enough decency not to tout their health care initiatives by visiting wounded gang bangers on such a day (as Clinton did). I read this book a few years after that incident. Still hate Clinton and her husband......just not as much!

Mr. Maraniss paints an interesting picture of Bill Clinton. Here is a truly brilliant man who learned the ins and outs of the American political system. A man who can spend a law school semester on the campaing trail yet manage to pass with some intense studying at the least moment (Im a law school grad an freely admit I couldnt do this!). But he also shows us the spoiled child side too. A person who was doted an indulged in his early years and who essentially got everything he wanted. Its no wonder he thought he was too good to serve in the military! Speaking of that Mr. Maraniss puts to bed for all eternity the draft issue. He makes it quite clear Clinton received an induction notice and then did everthing in his power to avoid service. Why should he serve his nation or follow his marriage vows? He was the best of the best and should be above the law!

So there you go. The good and the bad of a very polarizing character in a very intriguing format. Clinton lovers, nows the time to hit the not helpful button and get the hate email flowing!

I'll just start this by saying that I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Maraniss does a fantastic job of creating an incredibly readable work and his research here shines through. Interviews with former friends, old letters, yearbook signatures...! If you want to gain a better understanding of Bill Clinton, both his strengths and weaknesses, I strongly urge you to read this book.

Sadly David Gemmell died a short while ago and I find it difficult to review a book that I first read 20 years ago when David was very much alive and only just beginning his craft as a writer of fantasy novels. Admittedly his first offering were acceptable but not great, but he honed his skills and grew to be one of the greatest fantasy writers ever. If you have not read any of his books then now is the time to start, I am sure you will not be disappointed. The only sad thing is that David will not be around to write new books that would bring even more pleasure to his multitude of fans.

The Drenai King is dead, murdered by an assassin. Enemy troops are converging on the lands of the Drenai. Their orders are simple, kill anyone who stands in their way, be it man, woman or child. There is one source of hope for the Drenai, Waylander must travel to the lands of the Nadir, to find the legendary Armour of Bronze. If he is successful there is hope for the Drenai. But can he be trusted? After all he is the man who killed the King. The journey is fraught with danger and Waylander is stalked by shape shifters. Men who act like beats and beast that walk like a man . . .

Waylander was an assassin, an occupation with a few hazards. Hired to kill the king, he did so. His employer decided not to pay the large amount of cash, so he killed someone close to him.

Now people are hunting Waylander, as are a shaman and sorcerous beasts.

Waylander does something unusual for him, he rescues a man, who is a Source priest, and because of Waylander, ends up founding the Thirty.

This book is set a long time before legend. There are two military leaders of the Drenai with power, Egel and Karnak, and to get rid of their opposition they must learn to work together and survive a siege.

Waylander is drawn into this battle, and his travelling and other skills are put to the test when he must travel to find the Armour of Bronze, to rally the armies. A lot depends on the legendary skills of Waylander the Slayer.

.





On the surface David Gemmell's stories are simple and straight forward. His heroes through skill, courage, and a personal code of honor, save the day. But, just barely scratch that surface, and you see where Gemmell's magic lies. In the struggle of good vs. evil, Gemmell shines in the in-between shades-of-grey. He reads like a Western. Dark heroes with pasts who are skilled at violence, but its that skill that is necessary for survival of the good-guys.





In Waylander, The fate of a Drenai rests on the shoulders of an assassin. It's Gemmell at his best.

Waylander is typical Gemmell. A great warrior - Waylander - with a mysterious and angry past is pitted against the hoard. This time the Nadir, magical and dark priests, and nether-beasts stalk Waylander in his quest to recover mystical armor that has been hidden until the chosen one comes for it. Even his friends are tempted by the bounty on his head. Waylander must hurry, however, as the clock is ticking for his brethren being sieged in their mountain stronghold. Murder, mystery and mayhem follow Waylander, for it is well known that he is the man who killed the king, and was once deadliest man in the land... But now he is getting older...

A great story and a crucial lead up to the Legend of Deathwalker - the finest of all Gemmell books.

Relic113

Once I read "Hero in the Shadows" I had to go back and read the other "Waylander" tales. A strong plot and even stronger characters in a genre I love. No body crosses "Waylander" twice. A true anti-hero in the "man with no name" family

"Silver is for Secrets" is the best book I have ever read. I read this book in only a few days, which normally, a book would take me weeks to read. But this book just kept me so involved, like I was actually part of the story myself. It was so suspenseful, and once you actually think you know what's going to happen next, the opposite thing ends up happening.I loved everything about this story.

Unfortunately I didn't read the two books before this one, because I didn't even realize that this book was in a series at first. You really don't need read the other two to understand what's going on in this one though, because it mentions the most important parts in this book.

The ending to this story just left me in shock. I definately was not expecting it to happen, but I REALLY reccomend it to readers who like mysteries and suspense

I gave my daughter these books for Christmas '06. By January 10, 07 the title has worn off of this book. I asked her if she wanted me to return it for a replacement and she doesn't want to be without the text for that long. I am very disappointed that the artwork isn't remaining on the cover.

this is one of my favorites outta the whole series. A real page turner!! THe saddest part was when the story ended.

This book was the best. I read it in 2 days, I couldnt put it down. You have to read it, but I made the mistake by reading this book befor I read White is for Magic or Blue is for Nightmares. So if I could go back Id read those first. And Im not going to spoil the ending for you, but its very surprising and made me cry for a LONG time. You HAVE to read it!!

Over the summer I read all of the books in the series by Laurie faria Stolarz. That included Blue is for Nightmares, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance. My favorite one was Silver is for Secrets and that is the one I am writing about today. Laurie faria Stolarz put so much great detail into the whole series. I loved all of the books!
In Silver is for Secrets, Stacey Brown is the main character yet again. She has a gift. Stacey has dreams about people she knows and people she doesn't know that are going to be murdered. Stacey and her best of friends and her boyfriend Jacob go on a summer vacation trip to a cottage on the beach. Stacey's dreams had stopped until she arrived at the beach. She had a dream that a girl she did not know was going to get murdered. She found out it was a girl in a neighboring cabin. However, in the past whenever Stacey had a nightmare she usually had some source of bodily movements that end up helping her to find out how people will die (she wet the bed when the person ended up being found in a port-a-potty). So the constant nosebleeds she receives must be a clue into what will happen to Clara, the girl that her dreams are about now. Stacey is still trying to have a good time with her boyfriend Jacob who came into the picture when he had dreams about Stacey's death and transphered schools in order to find and save her. Once they met they knew they were soul mates. Stacey tries so hard to tell Clara about her visions but she does not really care. She doesn't take it seriously until she finds the words "I'll make you pay" written in red paint on a mirror at the cottage. Clara is by herself at her cottage because here parents went out to see relatives so she spends the night in Stacey and her friends cabin which sparks up problems between Drea (Stacey's best friend) and Chad (Stacey's ex and Drea's new boyfriend) when Clara is caught kissing Chad. This book is filled with twists and turns and an ending that you'll never forget. My advice is read the end of the book with a box of tissues at your side.
Absolutely read all of the books in the series. I read one a day because I could just not put them down! A page turning mystery that I would recommend to anyone! I give Silver is for Secrets by Laurie faria Stolarz two thumbs way up!

Absolutely Druckers best! This is one of three Books that are fundamentally important for existing in business. This is the understanding necessary for helping leaders,management and future leaders make decisions. This should be a text book for anyone starting a business,all business schools,all business decision makers,or anyone that wants(or has)to make decisions in any enterprise. You will BE better for reading this book. Take your time, because it is all here.

Drucker always seemed to be years, if not decades, ahead of anyone in his field, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship was the first book to treat the subject in a systematic, non-sensational way. Drucker is clear that his book is not about the psychology or character of entrepreneurs. It is not the mysterious "invention", or `flash of genius' so often ascribed to the wealth creator that interests him, but actions and behaviour - how innovation and entrepreneurship can be boiled down to a system that can be applied by anyone. By 1914, the time World War I broke out, "invention" had become "research," a systematic, purposeful activity, which is planned and organized with high predictability both of the results aimed at and likely to be achieved. Something similar now has to be done with respect to innovation. Entrepreneurs will have to learn to practice systematic innovation.

Successful entrepreneurs do not wait until having a "bright idea"; they go to work. Altogether, they do not look for the "biggie," the innovation that will "revolutionize the industry," create a "billion-dollar business," or "make one rich overnight." Those entrepreneurs who start out with the idea that they'll make it big--and in a hurry--can be guaranteed failure. They are almost bound to do the wrong things. Drucker states that a management team should be already built before the business will grow mid-side; otherwise it would be too late. He gives the examples when the founders of Ford Motor and Honda Motor to not start the venture until they have found a reliable partner who will run administration, finance, distribution, marketing, sales, and personnel.

Drucker somewhat envisioned the I.T. bubble of 2001. Many new ventures, especially high-tech, fail because they ignore the basic principles that were known for centuries. He states that high-tech is not intrinsically risky. It is not riskier than any other business, if properly applied. Entrepreneurship is only risky, he observes, when so-called entrepreneurs `violate elementary and well-known rules.' It is not risky when it is systematic, managed, and purposeful.

Accroding to Drucker, Innovation does not have to be technical, does not indeed have to be a "thing" altogether. Wherever introduced, it changes the economy from supply-driven to demand-driven, regardless almost of the productive level of the economy. "Innovation," then, is an economic or social rather than a technical term. It can be defined as changing the yield of resources.

The book consists of three sections.

In the first section, Drucker describes seven sources of innovative opportunity: The Unexpected, Incongruities, Process Need, Industry and Market Structures, Demographics, Changes in Perception, and New Knowledge. He debunks the believe that innovation is "a bright idea" and maintains that dependable innovative ideas come from systematic exploration of the seven sources of innovative opportunity.

The second section covers entrepreneurship and especially the development of an entrepreneurial culture within an organization. Along with suggestions for things to do, there are a couple of suggestions of things that will probably fail such as buying an entrepreneurial company in order to help a non-entrepreneurial company change.

The third section covers four major entrepreneurial strategies ("fustest with the mostest", "hit them where they ain't", ecological niches, and changing values and characteristics) with a discussion of some derivatives of each strategy and a look at the advantages and pitfalls of each.

I highly recommend the book "The Effective Executive" by Peter Drucker, in addition to this book.

The title of this book says it all and I am very happy the book is here to read. Being a business owner with constant innovation within the company, I found this book really helpful. Don't think entrepreneurs are innovative by nature, this is something you choose to do yourself.

Drucker has put together a story that catches your imagination and encourages you to go and seek opportunities. As famous Hollywood director David Lynch ones put: "Creativity is out there and like an aquarium full of fish... you just have to catch one". And that's what this book is about.

Apart from being a great read, the book encourages action and makes you pursue opportunities. It has helped me in building and growing my company. I think that stands for a good testimonial.

Well, it is a very challenging task to write a critique of a book by Peter Drucker, but I will do my best.

I read a lot about innovation and I've read a lot by Drucker. My opinion is that Drucker's treatment of innovation and entrepreneurship is quite superficial.

Let me start by a general note: I think there are, essentially three kinds of tasks in organizations. One is manual (requiring some sort of skill, but not much else-such as factory workers and fast-food employees), one is professional (requires extensive knowledge and especially decision-making skills, such as doctors and lawyers) and the other is creative (which require professional knowledge combined with CREATIVITY, such as product designing, creating strategies, artistic works, etc). Of course, the distinction is not so sharp- a certain job may be a combination of these to different levels.

What Mr. Drucker did, in his early career is, he stated professional works are different from manual works, and should be managed as such. That I agree 100%. However, what Mr. Drucker fails to see is, creative works are different from professional works, too. Doctors and engineers, to a great extent, APPLY knowledge, not create it. And those should be managed as such, also. Professional tasks require "effectiveness", but innovation is not a matter of effectiveness since it is NOT a "problem" to be solved. Through analysis and hard work may contribute to creativity, but it is NOT a function of them. So, what Mr. Drucker teaches is, in my opinion, scientific management of knowledge workers (please compare this with Taylor's writings). But "scientific management of knowledge workers tasked with creating new things" is another matter, overlooked, in my opinion, by the great Mr. Drucker. For this matter, in this book, "sources of innovation" are listed, but the management of this kind of work and the actual TASKS and PROCESSES are totally missing. This is because analysis can so much help creativity.

Now, on to the part on "entrepreneurship". His treatment of entrepreneurship reminds me so much of Porter's "competitive strategies" (I think Porter may have read this book before he wrote his). What I could say about Porter, I can say about Mr. Drucker in this respect: that they both limit their discussion to what can be deduced from the results through analysis as outsiders. Strategy is not a choice among three or four positions (just as a compass does not have four directions only, but many degrees also). Similary, entrepreneurship is not a choice of four strategies, it is a matter of infinite strategies (where is right choice is rather "created", not selected). It is not a matter of "managing by results", but of managing by "processes" and "decisions", which are much uncertain than Mr. Drucker makes it seem so.

For these matters, I think that "Innovation and Entrepreneurship" is the weakest in Mr. Drucker's arsenal (I was literally surprised how little I learned on both). There are much better books on innovation and entrepreneurship around.

I am very gratified to note that this wonderful book is still around & is being re-released as a new print. I read it when it was first published in the mid-80s. I remember that I had reread it during the early 90's when I had just started my own consultancy business.

I fully concur that this book is the first book to present innovation & entrepreneurship as a purposeful & systematic discipline. The book concists of three major parts:

- Part I: The Practice of Innovation;
- Part II: The Practice of Entrepreneurship;
- Part III: Entrepreneurial Strategies;

According to the author, entrepreneurial strategies are as important as purposeful innovation & entrepreneurial management. Together, they make up innovation & entrepreneurship.

What I like most about the book is the author's clear definition & concise elaboration of innovation as a disciplined business practice. He makes a very clear distinction: "Business, because of its purpose, has just two functions, & only two: MARKETING & INNOVATION. Marketing & Innovation make money. Everything else is a cost."

Best of all, he also provides some general guidelines for identifying innovative opportunities.

As a matter of fact, in Part I of the book, he describes the seven sources for innovative opportunities. Each of these seven sources are systematically covered in a specific chapter. For all entrepreneur-wannabes out there, understanding these 'innovative secrets of success' alone is worth the price of the entire book.

This book is very informative, but there is too much repetition. What would be equally useful would be some charts listing low and high glycemic foods, some foods that lower blood sugar, etc. I skimmed the book and made my own lists.

Every American eats an average of 5 and a half POUNDS of sugar a month.

No, you say. Not me. Oh yeah? Start counting.

This book is a must for those who would understand the role sugar plays in our lives and how our society has been turned into the fattest in the world through the food industry's inclusion of high-fructose corn syrup in almost everything it sells.

Commercially prepared foods are full of high-fructose corn syrup - which is not the "natural" sugar manufacturers would like us to believe it is. It's simple refined sugar - and it's deadly.

This is a must read book for those who wish to turn their lives and their diets around.

I got a lot of closure as well as information from this book. the day that I read it helped me to understand what my grandmother had just gone through. I read it at work. By the time I got home she had just died. So then I ordered this the book. Yes she was a diabetic.

While the focus of this book is how sugar does damage to your body by raising your insulin level and leads to weight gain, it also covers every other topic related to health. It shows you which foods to throw out and what to buy on your next grocery trip to lead you to a healthy lifestyle. You will receive specific advice on exercise and meal plans. The end of the book provides you with 60 healthy recipes using the items you were told to buy.The book also provides you with 30 sugar solutions that are great tips I have found in other books that will really help, like always eating breakfast, making sure you have enough fiber, drinking lots of water and much more. If you are new to reading diet books this may very well be the only one you ever need. I lost 60 pounds on a similiar program "The Zone", and my guiding principle was controlling my insulin level through balancing my carbohydrate (Sugar) intake with my protein intake. The key is that insulin is a fat storing hormone, sugar intake causes your body to release to much insulin which brings your blood sugar down to much and stores the calories you eat as body fat. Your body can only burn fat when your insulin level in your blood is very low, allowing your body to release stored fat as energy. While the book is rather boring, it does contain all the information you need. It is not a 5 star because the writer could have made reading it at least a little fun.

After a long, up and down battle with weight and food, I ballooned to a dangerous size that threatened my health. At 32, I was confused. I knew that it was harder to drop weight as one ages, but I wasn't that old. Worse still, I was hungry constantly. How could I lose weight if I literally couldn't stop thinking about food? I had forgotten what true hunger felt like.

Then I purchased The Sugar Solution. The first thing the book did was scare the crap out of me. I didn't realize how my eating habits literally endangered me. About 50 pages in, I began to realize that sugar was possibly keeping me from losing weight. It was affecting me on a cellular level, urging my cells to retain unneeded fat. It was also putting my arteries in severe risk of damage due to high blood pressure and unchecked sugar levels.

I began checking sugar content before I ate anything and was surprised to find how much sugar seemingly "safe" foods contained. Soon, I began to drop some weight. Amazingly, I found myself putting food away 3/4 into a meal. I began eating when I was actually hungry. A month and a half after reading the book, I am 25 pounds lighter and generally calmer. I don't suffer mood swings anymore--another symptom of blood sugar spikes.

My beef with this book is in the tone. The book was put together from pieces of magazine content, and it feels like it. Titles are consistently alliterate and tacky. Exclamation points should be used sparingly (or so I thought). After a few hundred pages of this, I began to get irritated, as the book felt less scientific and more corny.

Overall, I would absolutely suggest this book to people on the road to diabetes or people simply concerned about their health. For me, the culprit is sugar. If I can control my sugar, I can control my eating. Get healthy before it's too late.

UPDATE
Forty-five pounds shed and counting. I can't say things would have gone this smoothly if not for this book.