Guides and Directories Books

Sometimes you buy a study guide and while it seems worth the money while you're standing there reading it before you check out, you get it home and upon closer inspection you determine that the book is a dud. Not so with this title. It goes into great detail without bogging down the reader in useless minutiae.
There was very little that I did not like about the book but I especially enjoyed Chapters 2,4,6,7,8,9. BTW I bought it for my own amusement, not because I was studying for the 70-214 exam.

I am an MCSE (4 & 2000)and a practicing Sys Admin with several years of experience. I had just passed the Security + and decided to add the 70-214 exam so I can upgrade to an MCSE + Security. I bought this book because of the extra features such as web-based exams and the DVD. Using this book and building on the security + info (I am also a CCNP and CCNA), I thought I would be prepared. I read the chapters, did the exercises, did the tests, and failed the exam. Several test items were never mentioned in this book. The author went into great detail about many non-exam related items which is great for real-world just not good for your $125 test investment.

I picked up Roberta Bragg's ExamCram 2 after failing and learned more reading her cheat sheet (2 pages) than I did reading this book. The difference in level of details was striking! I highly recommend her book if you want the certification. After using her prep material, I kicked butt on the exam. Poorer but wiser.

In the past year of purchased and read 15 study guides. I rate this one the highest for organization, clarity, relevance, and usefulness as a reference. The practice questions in the book were ecelent and gave good explnations. It would have been nice if the additional practice questions were included in the CDROM instead of having to register online. The tutorial on line was very general and rather boring, but good for those times when you don't want to read.

This was the only 214 study guide available at the time I started my studies. Though I normally use Sybex/Exam Cram guides, I opted to give Syngress a try.

I found this book to be highly readable and that it provided excellent coverage of the exam objectives. Though I experimented with various security settings on a 2000 server and spent some hours reading related TechNet articles, this book served as the foundation of my 214 studies.

I agree with all of previous reviewers about the excellence of this book.

This book is one of the easiest reads for a security certification book on the market. First, I hate to read. Second, I hate to read security books because they are boring and poorly explain important concepts. This is not that book. This gets right to the core of what is necessary to pass the test the fist time! It gives you more than that though, because although the DVD skims over all of the areas of the exam, it works as a way to review the information that you need to know, lets say the night before the exam.

There are enough pictures so that you do not have to refer to the real thing, but at the same time, it is most helpful if you are already familiar with these interfaces because it will allow you to review some topics, while providing you with the needed configuration details on others. The chapter summaries are accurate, powerful and make concepts come together, as the author weaves detail after detail, so that you are confident in the subject matter.

Most of the time I will dabble in a practice exam or two, I didn't waste time on the practice test because I felt that after reviewing the book and reviewing the DVD the night before the exam I was well prepared for it. Bottom line is that if you are going to do the 70-214 Implementing & Administering Security in a Windows 2000 Network, you need this book (Period)!

Layout Summary:

Head of the class gives you the needed edge on concepts that everyone talks about.

Notes from the underground is the behind the scenes of what happening in the security world on topic.

Damage and Defense was a way for the author to convey the finer points of network access and how to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Note and Test Day Tips you should take as the advice from an elder because these are the golden eggs that will help you achieve your goal.

We have been referring to this book a lot in trying to figure out possible colledges for my daughter. She has gone through and put numerous post-its on schools that sound appealing, and then is narrowing those down by going to the school's website.

This book and the Fiske guide are our favorites.

This book should not decide where you go to college. It has some interesting info on each school, along with a lot of really cool surveys. However, it is very uncomprehensive and, of course, can't do anything even close to capturing that schools feel and color completely on paper.
If you're interested on looking up some college after hearing its name or something similar for some initial info on a college, this is a good choice.

I'm currently a junior in high school and this guide has been a godsend.

This book breaks down the best ranked colleges for you- tells you which schools are the party schools, which ones are full of geniuses, etc.

They score the Selectivity, Campus Life, Academics, Financial Aid,etcetera on a scale of 60-99

There's also quotes from students who attend the school about what it's like. It's a lot of information they crammed in to each college profile and right together, much more convenient than having to keep a million web browsers up to compare colleges.

If you're looking at colleges, this guide is essential!

Very thouough and useful. I recommend it strongly for any household with high school juniors that are interested in learning a great deal about their potential college options.

This is one of the best college resources I've found. By the time you finish reading the 2-page layout for each college, you really have a pretty good idea what each college is like. Particularly valuable to me were the "Quality of Life" rankings, the comments by the students themselves, the Academic Ratings, the Student/Faculty Ratios, The Average Class Size, The Admissions Rating, the % of Applicants Accepted, the Recommended SAT Scores, and the Financial Aid Ratings. I also found the section "Schools Ranked by Category" very useful which covers pretty much everything from "Their Students Never Stop Studying" to "Party Schools" with everything in between.
Highly Recommended!

Had looked for two months for a book for my staff to learn how to administer AD objects. This book covered both the history, fundamentals and how-to without digging to the level that they do not have any experience with.
Would highly recommend to anyone that is starting out their AD experience by only administering objects.

Just as I was about to throw in the towel with regards to finding a decent book on AD I stumbled accross this book.

I'm very stingy with my comments however I must say this book is a cracker. No fluff just pure facts written in a way that makes it almost impossible to put the book down.

It's by far the best AD book on the market. Most other books [over 90%] target the point and click IT personnel. This book is for people who want to be stretched.

I bought this book about two years ago and It been one of my best buys.

No matter whether you begin now or have accuired higher expertese levels on Active Directory concepts and internals, this book will definitely have something to really teach you. I read it and frankly, it managed to throw light on so many topics,
that had kept me in confusion long time before, no matter how many seminars on the subject I attended and no matter how many books I've read. Very well and clearly written, pretty explanatory and concise. Buy this book, read it, get enlighted and you will never have it left on the shelf for long since it will become a constant source of reference and information for you...

While the authors note in the preface that this book is suitable for the complete novice, I would disagree. It is a much better match for someone with some knowledge of Active Directory who wants to take their knowledge to the next level and become a true Active Directory wizard. For those with some knowledge who wants to really get down to the inner workings of Active Directory in a depth of detail and breadth of coverage unmatched by any other book this is the place to turn.

Kouti and Seitsonen provide excellent coverage of topics a lot of people have difficulty understanding and setting up properly. This book supplies you with sound background theory so you can understand these concepts and at the same time gives just the right amount of detail to actually accomplish what you are trying to do.

Inside Active Directory, Second Edition is highly recommended to everyone already possessing a basic understanding of Active Directory and who wants to have the best single reference available at hand.

I have an extensive library already on Active Directory. When I first got my hands on this book I wanted to test it out, see if it was worth adding to my collection. So I played a little game, I thought of things that should be in here, then looked in the book to see if they were there. This treasure hunt went on for a while consistently finding that the topics that should be in here are in here... So I switched tack, I started to read the index and see what I wouldn't expect to be in, if it was I'd be impressed... I was and am very impresses. Very soon I was hooked, this book really does explain the answers to many questions that commonly come up. There's a lot of books out there that explain Active Directory, but few that answer those nitty-gritty questions. This is one that does! Even if you've got a bookshelf full of AD books, check this out, it's a must... Well done Sakari and Mita..

Some of the other reviews saved me from buying a book I didn't need. The 2006 version # 16 does NOT have an index and you need one. It said the 2007 version # 17 did have one but when I checked today on February 1, 2008 ... I found out that the 2008 version is available for sale and IT HAS AN INDEX.
Without one you end up asking a literary agent to represent you and they might not take writers in your field.
If the agency doesn't do children's books for example - then you are wasting your time trying to convince them to find a publisher for your book - CURIOUS GEORGE and the LEAKY PLUTONIUM CANISTER. ... Good luck to all and listen to no one, just keep writing.

There isn't anything in this book you can't find online. That said, there is a great deal of information in here and there is value in having it all compiled into one, easy to read and easy to handle resource.

Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents 2007 is one of the best resources I have found for anyone needing to find an agent, an editor, or a publisher for their work. I have queried one place which regretfully declined but still sent favorable comments about my work. I've only had the book a week. If you are in earnest about writing then this book is a "must have" resource.

What I like about this book is that each agent gives a summary of their literary likes and dislikes, the kind of query letter they appreciate, and how to submit to them. I have a chance to see their personalities, not just what genres they represent. The features on writing a book proposal, advice for writers, web sites and other resources for writers are excellent. This is my first time purchasing this book. It will not be my last.How To Pick The Best Tenant Landlord Policies That Manage Tenant Evictions How to Pay Your Rent During Hard Times

If you are distracted or dismayed when an ostensibly unrelated article is used as a platform for spouting atheism or criticizing religious beliefs, then you should steer clear of this book. Hopefully, the next edition will achieve a higher level of professionalism.

This book is essential for anyone who writes for children. While the general Writer's Market contains some information about publishers of this genre, this one lists many more and is less expensive. I couldn't do without a new one every year.

This book saves you countless hours of wasted search time. Everything you would ever want to know about the Children's Book Industry is right here at your fingertips. Anybody who is serious about their book needs to have this!

I purchased this on a recommendation from a publisher. I found alot of valuable information in it for submitting manuscripts, finding literary agents, etc. I was able to find out who was accepting manuscripts and wasn't. All writer's need this. I also found an outlet for my photography.

I would definitely recommend this for authors, whether first timers or seasoned. The addresses and contact information inside would take you weeks to compile on your own. Save time, order this book.

Not only does it give you the information about publishers so that you can find a match to your work, reading it gives you a better idea of what publishers want, so you can alter your work to make it more likely to be accepted.

After my purchase, I was excited to review the updated copy of this book, since I had the old 2007 version and I was disappointed to find out, that the new book contained the same old information. The updates are not even accurate, for example, I submitted my work to few publishers, who notified me later that they no longer accept manuscripts, where in the book, the very opposite is stated. I feel that I found much better information on the net that in this book. Maybe this book is OK for agents, but definately not for first time writers. I would not recommned this book and I feel that it is a huge waste of money. Most of the listed publishers no longer accept manuscripts, so what is the point to have this book?

I've been a hobbyist jewelry studeng for some little while now, and what sets this book apart is the section on using each gemstone... this is the part that tells you how to approach setting the stone into jewelry, how hard or brittle the stone is and what features of the stone might make setting it easier or harder. Other books may give you more scientific/ gemological detail, a greater range of stones, and a better idea of price ranges. If you want to know what your stone is, whether it's a good specimen of its kind and if you paid a good price for it, this book may or may not tell you that. BUT... if you know what stone you have, this book will tell you how to care for it, and, if you're crazy enough to want to set it yourself, this book might just tell you how best to do that, and give you some idea whether, just this once, you should hire it done by someone who's already gone around that learning curve...

This is a great book. Well written and great pictures to go with the breakdowns of each gem. Recommended.

As a gemologist, I have an extensive library of gem books. This book is one of the best guides written that is germain to professionals and novices alike. Easy to follow and very well edited. High marks!!

Good for what it is, this book offers an ABC look at some gemstones. There is no depth to the material, but it makes a nice starting point and gives a position to make further research decisions on. The section on setting options for different kinds of stones is valuable & interesting, but could have been a lot larger/in-depth, as from a 'Jeweler's' perspective (as the title implies)this is critical info.
All in all I am happy I bought this book & look forward to finding some serious/heavy duty books that delve right into this important subject.

"The Jeweller's Directory of Gemstones" provides a good introduction to the world of gemstones for both jewellers and those interested in purchasing gemstone jewellery. This full color book complements the existing gemstone directories. I also own copies of Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks) and Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised & Expanded Third Edition and I consider all three of these books to be of equal value (I recommend that you purchase all three of them, if you can afford it). However, unlike the other two books I mentioned, this book discusses gemstone jewellery, as well as providing geological information about the gems (most gemstone guides simply focus on the geological detail). This book also has a good glossary and index.

This book is a valuable addition to any gemstone library and it is well worth the price of purchase.

This book is very helpful in planning our move across the country. With three hungry children, you can't be driving around looking for a place that serves vegetarian meals.

This book is perfect for roadtrips-- driving along, trying to plan where to stop for lunch in an unfamiliar part of the country. I'd love to see more options in the places that don't have anything (big stretches of some states!) even if they aren't quite as healthy as the ones in places with more options. We found a few problems with directions, but so far have been able to find every restaurant we looked for, even if we had to do some little detours from the given directions. Their website invites you to submit ideas for restaurants or corrections, but so far the items we submitted haven't been acted upon (6 months later).

This book provides some much needed information for those of us who avoid fast food chains and other unhealthy eating choices while traveling. Brief notes about products and services each establishment provides are especially helpful.

The only minor disappointment I have is that the book does not include ALL options available in a city or area. I am familiar with some of the locations/cities and know that other establishments (even those that have existed for a number of years) have not been included in the book. I found that confusing, since those excluded compared favorably or were better than some of the inclusions.

Good book to have as well as take on a trip. It was a gift to my daughter and she loved it.

A few summers ago I drove from Los Angeles to Jacksonhole, WY & I was on a very strict diet to only eat organic fruits & vegetables. I discovered that that was nearly impossible to do in this country. I was shocked!! The junk food mentallity has taken over most of this country. Last summer while I was in Minneapolis at Ecopolitan Restaurant I was shown this book. Since that miraculous day, I now determine how I travel by which is the best route to go depending on what Healthy Highways recommends. I drive all over the country to various art shows & was going online to see where the best vegetarian places are. Because of this book I don't need to & I've made it my quest to try & go to as many places in this book as possible. It also makes traveling so much more fun & I feel better physically because I am eating better. I have driven throughtout the midwest, southwest, northwest, south & this year I hope to hit the east coast. Buy this book, it will literally save your life but be sure to telephone ahead to make sure the information is correct as some of the places have changed & it is better to be sure rather than driving all the way there only to discover it has closed or moved.

This book is pretty good and it has some good examples.

The problem is that the author is all over the place in this book and does not use any of the examples in any way that would be helpful!

The author's writing style leaves much to be desired. I don't know why so many people have given it such high ratings?

I know that this is a tough topic but come on I think if you know a subject you can do better than this.

If you ever tried to code against AD you probably noticed that the MSDN help files are basically non-existent. After reading this book I was coding against our AD in one day. This is the bible on this rather esoteric subject.

This is definitively a must have in the bookshelf of all .NET AD Developers. I have been working with ADAM since .NET 1.1 and have always struggle to find answers to simple questions like how to make an LDAP query to run efficiently or how to define complex queries; this book has that and a lot more.

This book is everything I was hoping it would be. I'm working on a project where I need to get computer accounts from AD (TENS of THOUSANDS of them) and move, delete, enable, disable and set account expiration dates. Everything I need to know is in this book. The AD paged search, useraccount properties, etc. Some of the routines I was able to use as-is (the VB versions from their web site download). These guys do a great job of explaining all the stuff I couldn't find anywhere else. Highly reccomended!

This book is great for anyone who does AD programming with .NET it covers everything from the basics to some pretty advanced stuff and even some undocumented stuff.. a must have for AD Programemrs!

I really don't like doing this because it is so discouraging to fledgling writers, but the truth is the truth. This book and its companion books from Writers Digest are all but useless. The vast majority of agents listed here warn you they are not looking for new clients. What's more, most of those who are looking for new clients are looking for people who have already been published, or they want very specific kinds of material. It should occur to anyone spending their hard earned money every year on these books and others like them that the authors and publishers make THEIR living (writing) off people like you who want to make YOUR living off of the public. These books do serve a purpose, but it is more or less informational, i.e. who is out there and who's not this year.

Besides, 90% of the information in these books is right at your fingertips now if you're reading this. And, lest you think I'm a disgruntled, wannabe writer, there's a review on one of these books by someone who really knows what she's talking about, I wish I could find it for you, but she tells an interesting story about J.K. Rowling, that most of what you read about her success as a result of patience and persistence is BS. Her success was due to incredible luck.

All I'm saying is don't give up, but find a better way than spending your money on books that line the pockets of people who know how hard you struggle to get your name and stories in print and take advantage of that fact.

As an author...I have found this publication necessary in my line of business. I do so appreciate all the information that it would have taken me forever to find! In stating that; consequently, I would have never been able to find all such given data in the next thousand years. I do recommend "The Guide to Literary Agents"...to all individuals that are searching for an agent. Peggy Inez, Author, [[ISBN 978-159858-400-4

I agree with the reviewer who said this is a good starting point. My husband is a writer who is trying to get published. He uses this as a way to sift through to find those agents who will represent his genre. You still should go online and check out the websites for more updated or specific infomation. However, I think it is priceless to have a book in hand to start your journey. If you have ever tried to go online and search that way, you know how overwhelming it all seems. This book also has a list of conferences which is helpful.

This is an annual publication and the 2009 edition is listed for preorder. At this point in time it may be best to wait for the new edition. A good agent is difficult to find and many people are out there looking so read the listings carefully. Don't waste your time or the agent's sending query letters to people who specifically state they do not handle your material. Blind inquires are trashed.
Once you made several selections, go to their website to check agency changes, address changes, or any other pertinent information. This is where all your writing skills come into play and you are exhibiting to a busy stranger your command of the language and professional protocol.
Writing as a Small BusinessSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarUnder the Liberty Oak

This is a good book that should be used as a starting point for finding an agent. I am currently using this book and there are a lot of leads in it, however many of them are out of date. You need to use this book in conjunction with the internet. You have to check out the literary agents' websites for up to the date information. Some are no longer accepting new clients, some are only taking email queries, some are only accepting snail mail queries. It is a good tool, but you will need the internet too.

First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.

Compehensive unbiased very helpful guide.MAJOR drawback is next to useless listing by state rather than by city or metropolitan area. Who cares about courses in San Francisco if you're vacationing in Palm Springs!

First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.

This is a truly excellent guide. I would recommend this to any golfer wanting to try new tracks. Having taken up golf again six months ago and having just moved to Oklahoma from Mass. I needed a solid review book to begin exploring my local environs. This book has come up trumps again and again - providing an accurate overview of courses in my area, throughout the rest of the state, and all over the country. I wouldn't agree with every course review but that is part of the fun, and course conditions and upkeep can change in a short period so it would be churlish to nit-pick. Thanks to this sterling guide (my only complaint - some of the distances form major cities are off) I've played some great courses I would never have come across. Indispensable and superior, by a long, long way, to anything else out there. Bravo Golf Digest!

A great book which allows you to book tee times all over the U.S. Information is correct and reviews are interesting. Reviews seem to be very accurate in the courses I have played. A book a true golfer cannot survive without.