Guides and Directories Books

If you get an edition of "Halliwell's Film and Video Guide," be sure to get one of those published while the late Mr. Halliwell still walked the earth. While John Walker may be able to give the impression that he's channeling the master, it's preferable to simply have the original at his acerbic best.

The Halliwell worldview is summed up perfectly in "The Decline and Fall of the Movie," the essay that always ended each of his editions. It's the lament of a buff who came of age in the 1930s and '40s, one who never even came to grips with the wide screen, let alone the profanity, extreme violence and other elements that had crept into film by the early 1970s.

Halliwell took the position that, by and large, filmmakers in the latter part of the 20th century either made pretentious rubbish that catered to small, elite audiences, or addle-minded schlock that was intended to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

This isn't to say that he didn't give high ratings to certain films of the '70s and '80s, such "The Towering Inferno," "Taxi Driver," "E.T." or "Gandhi" (three asterisks to each of these), but that overall, his opinions of the output of this era are negative.

The format of each entry is easy to read, beginning with title, a rating from zero to four asterisks, production year, country of origin, running time, studio, color and/or widescreen process, and producer. After the plot summary and review, credits for writing, direction, photography, music and production design are listed, and then the actors. Contributions Halliwell deems particularly noteworthy are denoted by italics.

After perhaps a series of quotes from other critics, Academy Awards and nominations are listed.

As another reviewer noted, you'd do well to adjust the Halliwell scale one asterisk upward by most other critical standards, so that one asterisk is at least two on another critic's scale, two asterisks are equal to three, and so on.

For me, after all the smoke of Halliwell's biases have cleared, a remarkable number of his thousands of reviews are right on the money, especially when the asterisk ratings are adjusted. The reviews are very short, and the critic is sometimes straitjacketed by the need to be so brief.

But also worth noting are the quotes he chooses from other reviews. Sometimes these are in line with his own view; sometimes they are completely opposite. Much of the time, they add to his own conclusions by pointing out issues that he has not otherwise commented on.

His review of one of my personal favorites, "Spartacus," which he gives two asterisks, goes thus: "Long, well-made, downbeat epic with deeper than usual characterization and several bravura sequences."

He then italicizes the contributions of director Stanley Kubrick and cinematographer Russell Metty (the latter won an Oscar). So far, it's hard to see why he wouldn't give the film three asterisks. But then we see that none of the actors' names are italicized. He then lists other quotes. Critic Anne Grayson comments on the film's "lack of imagination." Stanley Kauffman is quoted as calling it "a first-rate circus." Alan Dent says the viewer "comes away feeeling revolted and not at all ennobled."

So somehow, Halliwell is saying the film is very well-assembled as a spectacle, but lacks a dimension that would make it inspiring. I think he's asking too much of the movie, but I don't deny most of what he's saying. Adjust the asterisk rating, and you have a pretty cohesive review.

All in all, "Halliwell's Film and Video Guide" is too terse to be used all by itself, as good as it is. It's best taken as a complement to other guides, such as Leonard Maltin's, and compilations of longer reviews by Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert, Stanley Kauffman and others. For British film criticism every bit as tough as Halliwell's, but more detailed, try the "Time Out Film Guide."

I would say that this is certainly the flimgoer's encyclepidea to all things related to movies and the people involved in creating them. As far as knowlage about films goes. I would say this is impressive and is recommended to any serious film buffs out there.

Halliwell's engaging encyclopedia of film is a treasure trove of information about everything relating to the movies, with exhaustive filmographies, delicious trivia, wonderful quotes, devilish quizzes, and the late critic's inimitable -- and sometimes charmingly eccentric enthusiasm. Warning -- you may dip into it to check one actor's credits, but will find yourself cross-referencing and just leafing through for hours.

If you need a new edition of this work, try Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies.

Over the last 20 years (or so) I've sent corrective notes to Leslie Halliwell and the subsequent editor, John Walker. For the premiere film encyclopedia, the Filmgoers Companion still has lots of errors, missing information for supposedly complete filmographies, and many many unlisted film stars, especially from the "transition period" to talkies (Anita Page, etc.). Personally, I think Walker was a very bad choice; he doesn't seem to be "into" the encyclopedic format of this valuable resource.

This is a good book for those who want to buy things at 2 dollars off the retail, chock full of middlemen that you have to call. If your looking for wholesale distributors for selling for a profit, this is not the book for you. They all have minimum orders of like 1000 dollars too!

I found some good places to shop for wholesale kid's and college student stuff. I have to watch my budget as a college student so buying wholesale is smart. A little small, but then again it is not for trade people, but ordinary people like me. I had to research wholesale stuff at the library. They were mostly industrial huge books for people who have to buy thousands to get a wholesale price. I don't have the time for that and the budget. So good book for someone just looking for a way to afford some things.

Just the portion on buying wholesale games and electronics is worth the price of this book. You would not be able to find some of these sources on the internet. I've tried before and that's why I got the book. An excellent source.

I found this book very helpful in helping me locate wholesale providers in software and games. Buying games at a discount or wholesale is an excellent way for me to test out games. If you expect to get a wholesale book that divulge valuable information on buying things that are of limited quality to the public for wholesale, then expect to pay thousands of dollars for a list provided by a consulting company or better yet, just cross your fingers, and hope for luck. This book is not about miracles, but it is a book offering a directory on companies who provide more common things that can be purchased wholesale or at a large discount. In that sense, if you are looking for that, get this book. I personally was happy enough with what I found in this book to give it a 5.

Some good advice about buying things at wholesale that every budget-conscious consumer and small business can use.

The author did a good job laying things out for us. Here's a hot tip. Linger over the opportunities at West Point. Almost everyone there is a scholar-athlete on full scholarship. And YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP IF YOU GET HURT! For a heads up on what it's really all about there, read "West Point" by, Norman Thomas Remick.

As a high school coach who believes it is part of my responsibility to assist acdemically and athletically qualified student/athletes to find athletic scholarsips and have found the recruiting process confusing, frustrating, and unfair, this unique book has turned me into a recruiting magician.

The other books I've used for recruiting information are mostly designed for Blue Chip athletes. They don't need much help in getting athletic scholarships. This book is written to help the athletes who aren't necessarily Division I prospects. The different ways it helps from Profile creation to the visit, to important questions, to negotiation strategies and scripts to understanding how unfair the recruiting process actually is and how to use that unfairness as a counterforce t level the playing field for parents and athletes is amazing.

The Chapter revealing the real story about Division III recruiting and financial aid for athletic ability is incredibly insightful and powerful.

This is an outstanding book for parents and students alike.

The book opens so many doors with information about financial help to both collages and universities that the average person is not aware of. It offers places to seek financial help and rewards for the great amount of time and efforts these athletes put into their accomplishments.

This book which has, listed by states, the names of collages and universities where schoarships are offered, along with the guidelines on how to seek financial help which is so very much needed these days. I only wish a book like this had been available when my children were entering that stage of their lives.

I highly recommend this to anyone who has children or knows of anyone who are athletes and are looking to continue their education.

I wish this book had been available when my student athlete daughter was considering her college choice. It is an easy to use resource filled with practical guides for navigating what is available to students.Information on putting together a videotape, documents needed, the school visit and negotiating guidelines will assist anyone going through this process. There is a huge list of colleges and universities covering the type of athletic scholarship each offers. This is a gift book I will be giving friends and family.

I can't help but agree with the other reviewers: this book is entertaining and certainly the only serious guide in English to the cemeteries of Paris.

The fact that I was disappointed in their failure to include either of the two major cemeteries in Florence in their Italian book, in particular delle Porte Sante, the resting place of Collodi as well as stunning funerary sculpture, did not preclude me from using their volume Permanent Italians while living in Italy this past year. And after moving to Paris in August of 2006 I was lucky enough to find a used copy of their Permanent Parisians (1986 edition); I then set about documenting the statuary in the cemeteries of Paris.

At first I started out my research in Parisian cemeteries using only the "tours" outlined in the Culbertson/Randall book, and with one exception found their maps are right on the money. (The one exception is a small but important point: on the map of tour no. 4 of Pere Lachaise in division 89, the Delage family, listed as "J", should actually be located in the center of the division not at the corner).

Some weeks later, while poking around a local bookstore I came across Bertrand Beyern's Guide des tombes des homes celebres (2005, in French only). Beyern, a local tour guide of Parisian cemeteries, has documented many of the major personalities in cemeteries throughout France, not just in Paris, and is one of the leading authorities on Pere Lachaise, the primary focus of my work. I also discovered the excellent map of Pere Lachaise produced by "Editions Metropolitain", and available for purchase just outside the entrance to the cemetery. Those resources along with the half-dozen or so superb French websites covering Parisian cemeteries proved very helpful in locating specific individuals. It was after the first several weeks of my work in Pere Lachaise, as well as a number of other cemeteries in the city that I realized there were a number of problems with the Culbertson/Randall book.

(Unfortunately, their publisher, Robson Books, an imprint of Anova Books, never responded to my request to contact the authors. I suspected that some of the problems I discovered might have arisen since their book was written some 20 years and thought a correspondence might have been of some help here.)

Naturally time changes things: earth shifts, things move, and sometimes graves disappear in cemeteries. For example, one of the most striking monuments in Passy cemetery as described in both Culbertson/Randall and Beyern is that of Antoine Cierplikowski. Unfortunately the stone is, well, gone. Not just the statue but also the entire grave.

And even the headstones themselves occasionally change over time. In division 22 of Montmartre cemetery Culbertson/Randall describe the dancer Nijinksy's grave as under a "plain arched stone", when in fact today there is a fantastic life-size sculpture of the deceased in what appears to be a harlequin outfit.

There were a few typos. Douvin in div. 32 of Montmartre should in fact be Dauvin; and the correct spelling of the name is in even in their photo on p. 129. In St. Vincent's cemetery they list the statue over the tomb of Rene and Jean Dumesnil, when in fact it should read Rene and Jeanne. (Jean is a man's name, Jeanne is a woman; a rather important distinction here). This is the same statue found on the cover of their 1986 edition. I also found it curious that the photo of Theodore Gericault in division 12 of Pere Lachaise was reversed.

I also thought it odd they didn't mention the famous American silent film star Pearl White (Perils of Pauline) who is buried in Passy.

On a more serious level I found the tendency of Culbertson/Randall to mention individuals in the text and then not place them on their maps quite frustrating. Frankly I thought that was sloppy and made me wonder if was less a guidebook than a series of amusing anecdotes about famous and the near famous buried in Paris.

Like one reviewer Passy is also my favorite cemetery in Paris: the unique statuary and fantastic stories, all packaged together into such a small place that is hardly ever visited by the tourists, is a real treat. But Passy symbolizes one of the oddest problems with the Culbertson/Randall book: their map of the cemetery is wrong. Or rather it is their divisional layout that bears little resemblance to the actual official cemetery layout today. The authors have, however, placed their "persons' correctly on the map it's just the numbers for each division that is incorrect. Strange.

In St. Vincent's cemetery, on the other hand, the authors failed to use the official division layout. There are online resources here that will serve the visitor much better here.

But it is in Pere Lachaise cemetery that the largest number of errors appeared (all page references from the 1986 edition).

Division 1: (p. 10) They list Gustave Froment and Louis Lemaire; yet they don't seem to be there. In fact they mention that Lemaire has a pyramid resembling the one on the $1 bill and there is no pyramid in division 1 (with the exception of the "Machado de Gama").

Division 3: (p. 10) The authors refer to Marie Lenormand when it should in fact be Mademoiselle Lenormand.

Division 6: (p. 15) They describe the tomb of Ferdinand de Lesseps (builder of the Suez canal) as "pyramid-shaped". See if you think it looks like a pyramid. Send me a note and I'll send you a photo of the tomb.

Page 24: They have a cool little photo here, which I assume they took, but I no idea where they took it: in Pere Lachaise, in Paris where?

Division 12: (p. 28) Serious problem here. The tomb they describe as belonging to Charles Lafont, a man reclining holding a woman's face is in his hands, which is across from Talma actually belongs to Frederick Arbelot and is in division 11, not 12. Lafont is indeed in div. 12 but the other direction from Talma, and closer to Gericault.

Division 12: (p. 30) As already noted the photo of Gericault is reversed.

Division 18: (p. 36) The authors have placed Kellermann in 18 when in fact he belongs in div. 30. In fairness the delineation between the two divisions is confusing.

Division 18: They also report that the woman reaching up to the barred window of Raspail's tomb is his wife. They are right to note that it is mysterious and sorrowful but how do they know the figure is Francois's wife? A shrouded female figure is a frequently used device to demonstrate mourning and is often seen throughout the cemetery.

Division 19: (p. 37) They have placed Dr. Joseph Guillotin (yes that Guillotin) here, near Dr. Hahnemann although there is no other source reporting his burial in this division. Only the "Friends of Pere Lachaise" website lists him as in fact in a long-abandoned tomb in division 7. Take your pick. Here again is an example of the problem that can result from authors not locating everyone on the map.

Division 31: (p. 48) Charles de Talleyrand-Perigord. The authors claim he has his own area all by himself - but I'm at a loss to know what they mean by "area". There is a very large mausoleum located in division 31 which fits the spot on their tour map. The problem is that there are no markings on the mausoleum to denote Talleyrand or Perigord or anyone else for that matter. Furthermore, while the "Editions Metropolitain" map does list one Alexandre de Talleyrand-Perigord no other source mentions this burial. Not even the official cemetery map lists a Talleyrand buried in the cemetery, let alone in div. 31. Moreover, Beyern claims that Charles is buried at his chateau at Valencay in the Loire valley.

Division 54: (p. 61) It is Charles not Auguste de Morny.

Division 67: (p. 66) In regards to the story about Marie Walewska's "hand" on display, inside the locked mausoleum, it is in fact her heart not her hand which is buried in the tomb with her second husband, the Comte D'Orano. Her remains were sent back to Poland. In any case the authors failed to mention that her son, Alexandre Walewski (different spelling from his mother Marie) and the son of Napoleon I is buried in division 66.

Division 71: (p. 68) Regarding the spectacular story about balloonists Croce-Spinelli and Sivel, the authors fail to mention that the survivor of that ill-fated trip aboard the Zenith, and who would go on to become quite famous in the world of high-altitude ballooning, Gaston Tissandier, is buried in division 27.

Division 87: (p. 75) The Columbarium is in fact not a crematorium (a separate structure altogether) but the place where the urns of ashes are located in niches specifically designed for that purpose. Since there are tens of thousands of niches in the Columbarium in Pere Lachaise the visitor must have the niche number or you will simply never find a specific individual. Sadly the authors only locate Isadora Duncan by number - although they do mention the paid of holding hands which is quite nice.

In any case the "Edition Metropolitain"map of Pere Lachaise can provide the visitor with the numbers for diva Maria Callas (16258), American author Richard Wright (848), jazz musician Stephane Grappelli (417) and a number of other well-known internationally known figures.

Certainly much of the Culbertson and Randall book is true, accurate, enlightening and entertaining. But the existence of so many errors and inattention to detail is nevertheless disturbing.

Paris has what must be the most beautifully peaceful cemeteries in all the world. Each tombstone becomes a extraordinary tribute to a life well lived. This guide book provides maps, some photographs and interesting biographical clips about a few of the permanent residents of Paris. The book gives directions to graves of such well known Parisians as Marcel Proust, Emile Zola, Isadora Duncan, Oscar Wilde, Alexander Dumas, Gertrude Stein just to name a few. Walking tours are provided for Pere Lachaise, The Pantheon, St. Etienne-du-Mont, Montmartre, St. Vincent, Les Invalides, Passy, St. Germain-des-Pres, The Catacombs, Montparnasse, La Chapelle Expiatoire, St. Denis and a few others.

After taking this guide with me on a trip to Paris I was able to find every grave I searched for with ease and an understanding of exactly what made these permanent Parisians so interesting. Pere Lachaise is overwhelming in scale but probably the most popular cemeterie in Paris. The Pantheon holds scientists and philosophers. Les Invalides proudly holds the remains of a little man named Napoleon with a great big history. The Catacombs are spookily interesting. Montparnasse has many tombstones that could be sculptures standing in the best art houses of Paris. My favorite cemeterie in all of Paris is Passy, a peaceful, quaint refuge underneath the Eiffel Tower, where birds are chirping and old graves lay covered in simple coats of moss and chipped iron, you can almost feel the restful sleep of those who reside within its walls.

This book is a delight. While it introduces us to the famousresidents of Paris' cemeteries, we live the ups and downs of the humancondition.The soap-opera foibles and the real tragedies of politics, religion, art and science are all enjoyably told. Walking through the cemeteries of this wonderful city is a true experience that will make the traveler appreciate all the notables who selected Paris as their home.

This is a fairly specialist guide book. If you already know you want to follow the cemetery trail, then take it with you, for it is full of fascinating insights into the lives of some of the most famous people buried in this most wonderful of cities.

If you are a repeat visitor to Paris, or an armchair dreamer, then this is definitely for you. A morning, afternoon or day spent in Pere Lachaise cemetery is an absolute delight. This book can take you there, and beyond.

Recommended.

Another fine volume in the series by Culbertson and Randall, this book has four separate tours of the legendary Pere Lachaise, as well as coverage of the Pantheon, St. Etienne-du-Mont, Montmartre, St. Vincent, Les Invalides, Passy, St. Germain-des-Pres, the Catacombs, Montparnasse, La Chappelle Expiatoire, St. Denis, and some suburban sites.

Interesting narrative fleshes out very complete information: directions to each site, maps of each site, biographical sketches of more illustrious permanent residents, and quite a few photographs.

An invaluable resource for anyone interested in cemeteries, travelers to Paris, or (especially) both!

I read the first edition of Bert Esselink's excellent book when I was still a novice to the localization market in 2004. Later, while working for a localization company I bought a copy of this new edition for the company. Now I have my own to read at my leisure. The author has expanded into internationalization and globalization, and covers not just software but web sites and documentation in general. This is an excellent tool for anyone involved in international marketing, easy to read and to find information. The definitive reference work.

I bought this book as on overall introduction on localization, for I'm about to do an internship for a localization agency.
It really covers anything you should know if you are new to localization, both for Windows OS and Mac OS, and goes deep into detail for people who are already inside the business.

A must have.

This is an excellent and practical guide. I found all the chapters very useful. The guide is an excellent resource for translation project managers, localization specialists or anyone else that wants to learn more about the localization process. Easy to read and with information that is current and USEFUL (unlike other authors which go into long and theoretical dissertations about Localization). A much better and updated guide than "Software Internationalization and Localization" by Emmanuel Uren.

If you are a translator localizing software under Windows, this book is for you! Buy it first before other books you might get later. However, Esselink views the computing world as if only Windows is worth discussing. A few pages are devoted to the Mac crowd and the only other OS mentioned at all was SunOS, and only in passing. Given Windows' large market share in the desktop market, it deserves substantial coverage. However, it is only one competitor among many in the server and embedded systems markets. With the growth in the markets for wireless access (web enabled cellphones) and PDAs, ignoring other OSs is a serious oversight.

Esselink discusses the tools that will be used in the Windows environment and how to use them effectively. He deserves a great deal of praise for his thoroughness in that respect. I want to reiterate, if you are a translator localizing software under Windows, buy this book!

Programmers will find that the main value Esselink provides is a discussion of deliverables. He stresses some points that are independent of the tools used, such as glossaries and hints to guide the translators. For a programmer, this isn't the first book you should buy on internationalization and localization, but if you are the expert on it in your organization or you are a project manager responsible for scheduling it, buy this book! It won't show you how to write internationalized code. It will tell you what needs internationalization, what to deliver to your translators and when to deliver it.

This is a good book. For the audiences it addresses, it deserves 5 stars. Other audiences simply need to be aware that it may not be the book for them.

This book is invaluable to any newcomer in the localization industry, whether you aspire to become a wiz engineer preparing RC-files for translation left and right, or a project manager with the need to understand every step of a project's planning process and actual execution. Industry standard methods, techniques and tools are discussed. Tips and warnings are conveyed. Hard to beat this book as a general yet comprehensive introduction. Any drawbacks? All I can think of is the fact that there is no separate chapter devoted to web site globalization - well, Bert, maybe you could add another 100 pages to the next edition to address this issue? I'll be the first in line...

Martha Racine Taylor, a teacher of college-level Spanish for twenty-five years, presents Spanish Live It And Learn It!: The Complete Guide To Language Immersion Schools In Mexico, is a "must-have" guide for anyone considering Spanish-language immersion study in Mexico. An introduction describes at length the cultural differences and hazards that American students need to adapt to, such as sensible precautions against pickpocketing and exercising care when construction sites and other dangerous areas do not have the barriers to keep people away that are more common in the United States. The bulk of Spanish Live It And Learn It! is devoted to reviews of different language-immersion schools within Mexico, including their academic background, programs and schedules, and distinguishing features. An invaluable guide for anyone seriously contemplating taking their Spanish-language studies to a higher level.

As one trying to choose a language immersion school in Mexico, I found this book to be extremely useful, thorough and concise. It helped me narrow down my search quickly by providing me with specifics on what each school had to offer. The book included information on the school location in Mexico, details about the region, language programs, cost, living arrangements (down to how many shared a bathroom) and even dialects of Spanish used by each program.

I also appreciated inclusion of details about online access and computers labs. These were a `must have' for me, and the book clearly laid out which schools have them, which don't, and how much they would cost. Additionally, the focus on culture was refreshing and extremely informative. One of the reasons I'm enrolling in one of these programs is to immerse myself in the culture as well as the language...so the insights offered by the book were really helpful.

Occasionally, I was surprised by the depth of information that the book provided. I didn't even know you could receive University credit back in the States for having completed a program at these schools. Not only does the book explain the process of how this is done, it gives you the names of each University or Community College that accepts classes at a particular immersion school for credit.

The book is helpful in both deciding which school to go to, and planning virtually every aspect of your trip, including exactly how to get there. From your local airport, to the school's front door, everything is outlined in detail. Not vague `take a taxi' directions, but the names of specific busses or shuttles running to specific locations, with prices clearly listed.

Overall, a very well written guide. I highly recommend it for anyone considering a language immersion program in Mexico.

I have experience as a student with a number of schools in Mexico. In my own research of the schools I visited many of the school websites and read their literature. Much of the content of this book is a compliation of that information. The ranking system used is wrapped in mystery. Although incomplete it usefull as starting point.

A tired European Union joke has as its punch line: "What do you call someone who only speaks one language? An American." Okay, so we have problems with only speaking our mother tongue. Martha Racine Taylor comes to the rescue with her SPANISH: LIVE IT AND LEARN IT. This guide is a godsend for anyone wanting to learn Spanish the most practical way, through immersion courses in Mexico. Each listing has all the necessary information about credit, costs, and lodging, and the various programs and extras. Taylor's book is extremely useful for business people, and her star rating system helps the potential Spanish-speaker make their decision on where to go. The author also gives lots of information about transportation and what to expect in different parts of Mexico. If I had three thumbs, all would be pointing upwards for this fine reference guide.

I need to learn some Spanish in a hurry for my job. My employer has offered to send me to language school in Mexico, but I had no idea how to start. This book answered all of my questions. It is fun and easy to read and a terrific source of information. The author really knows her stuff and her hints of how to get along in the culture are especially welcome. I'm now signed up for a school and leave soon. Thanks for making my trip possible!

I have copies of this book in both of our cars. I use it often as we travel and learn a tremendous amount by using it. I have found few errors or even omissions. It is simply a great book.

Although I was born after World War II, I lived on military bases throughout the U.S. My Osborne's book covers these long forgotten establishments - many of which had wartime populations exceeding 10,000 to 25,000 men and women. To the World War II historian, this book fills an extremely important niche.

A great reference for years ago. Unfortunately so much has been established over the past ten years regarding WWII history. This volume provides some interesting sites, however is very outdated. The some of the most major sites are not included, some should be even if they're not completed construction yet. Examples abound (these are only some): D-Day Museum New Orleans, WWII Memorial Washington DC, D-Day Memorial Bedford, VA, Bunkers Delaware Beaches, Bunkers at San Deigo, Goleta CA Japaneese Shelling site, Oregon Japaneese Bombing Site, North Carolina U-Boat Sites.

Would be a great volume if updated.

Every time I pick up this book, I just marvel at the amount of information Richard Osborne has compiled. There are thousands and thousands of entries, not just on well-known bases but on everything from German P.O.W. camps to ammunition plants. Many of the entries have pictures (both historic and modern) and the writing is concise and clear. The book is organized state-by-state, which makes it a great travelling companion.

Needless to say, this is a special-purpose book for extreme WW II buffs and historians, but if someone who fits one of those descriptions is on your gift list, they will be very appreciative.

This softbound book is a quasi-tour guide containing information and short histories on major World War Two bases and camps in the United States. Previously this book was advertised in the backs of military history and VFW magazines, which did not quite do justice to sales of the book. Though bound in a flimsy softcover and printed on less than high quality paper stock, this edition is by no means a cheap basement-published affair. WORLD WAR II SITES IN THE UNITED STATES does a fairly good job telling the story of existing facilities and long abandoned sites during the Second World War. From active naval bases to deserted desert Enemy Prisoner of War camps, this reference covers well known places and lesser known oddities in each state. Other reviews have correctly pointed out that the reference does indeed skip dozens of sites. Additionally, some of the current status descriptions are inaccurate. Several of the listings would have you believe that a good many of the military bases and posts are no longer in use, when in reality they house thriving active duty military communities. On the whole though, this book is worth having as it does cover a lot of ground, locate museums, and otherwise plug the gap in our Nation's North American military heritage.

This is the only possible reference for XML. You will not find here XSL, XLink, etc., but you will find an help to understand the XML specification itself (with the annotation of one of the authors), and an 'hard' tutorial to go in depth in the bare XMl language. If you had still doubts after reading other XML titles (is it possible to represent this, to represent that, how to model this, can the DTD do that, etc.) you have absolutely no choice. Not for newbies.

This book is not for a novice. You must have experience regarding technical books with lots of jargon. If so, you will like this book immensely.

Any organization that is working towards developing an e-commerce presence must buy this book.

I like this book very much. I have gone through this book cover to cover, and have found no technical errors or typos of any kind. The definitions and explanations are very precise. The discussions on Entities, Notations, Processing instructions, and many other complex topics are very precise and clear. The author has done a very careful job at writing this book. Most of the red computer Wiley books are embarrassingly full of technical errors and errata. This book is an exception. Anyone doing serious work with XML needs a clear, precise and accurate book like this. There is no shortcut to learning and clearly understanding the finer points of XML specifications. Actually, reading the first 100 pages of this book (Part I) is the closest shortcut to understand even those subtle details of XML specifications, which are needed to write serious XML applications.

Clear, precise, pure, systematic. Imagine an ice mountain in a cold, blue ocean. That same clarity for XML arises in your mind, when you read this book. (Still, don't forget "The XML Handbook", if you want to know, how to apply XML in business applications :-)

This book was published in 1997. It was the first and it is the best.

Actually, the first guide looking at the college search from a female perspective was published last year: The Smart Girl's Guide to College. Considering that there is so much misleading information about colleges out there already, it's unfortunate the authors of this book would begin with a misrepresentation.

This book is fantastic! I will be attending MIT this fall, and I am overjoyed to have the college search process behind me. It was confusing and arduous, but this book helped so much. My mother had plenty of books full of statistics, but this book helped me know what the colleges really felt like, from safety to openess towards alternative lifestyles. I would reccomend this book to any young woman trying to go to college.

My parents let me buy two college guides. I went and bought Barron's and The Young Woman's Guide to the Top Colleges. Both are excellent. Barron's gives me the stats and Mitchell's gives me the inside story told my college students.

As a high school teacher I have used this guide to help the young woman who are searching for the right college.I have found that this guide gives important information about the courses offered and the campus life. I would recommend that counselors have this guide on hand for their students.

I found the review to be good. But, I seek information on name, address and e-mails of the LITERARY AGENTS OF ART MOVIES(FEATURE FILMS) IN USA for my forthcoming film.

Sincerely yours

Apurba Chakraborty

This is the 1999 version of the standard guide to literary agents. It has the same strengths and same weaknesses as the 1998 and earlier editions of this same work. Aside from the usual additions and subtractions in the listing pages, the only major difference from last year's book is the new introductory articles. Most of these articles are reprints from previous issues of Writers Digest magazine, but they're generally well worth reading. (Of course, this book is kinda like Playboy Magazine in that no one buys it for the articles, excellent though they may be in some cases.)

The listings are useful, but incomplete. Many important agencies have been left out for one reason or another.

Happily, fee-charging agencies are strictly segregated from the non-fee-charging agencies (which are the only ones you want to do business with.) Even if you are foolish enough to go with a fee-charging agency, you can at least assume that the agencies in this book do occasionally actually sell books to publishers.

(I might add that the editor of the 1999 edition, Donya Dickerson, is my second cousin's ex-wife. I've never even met the woman, and the generally positive nature of my review is not due to this rather attenuated family tie.)

An indispensable book for anyone unfortunate enough to be looking for an agent. No other guide to agents is as well laid-out, as comprehensive, or as up to date. There's also entertainment value in comparing the arrogant posturing of so many agents, who act like they'll only accept the Great American Novel (and even then only if the manuscript is double-spaced!), with the kind of discount-table fodder they've succeeded in foisting onto publishers. But as long as publishers are too lazy to do their own reading, aspiring writers will need agents - and this superb guide to them.

I got the 1999 copy of this incredible guide from a friend who is currently writing her own non-fiction book. It is an incredible resource for both the aspiring and the accomplished writer. Of course, the listings of agents will change from year to year, but what is most useful about this guide is its articles on agents and the publishing industry. The authors have also done a very good job of including a list of helpful resources and organizations for writers of all stripes.

However, this book is most useful to those have a finished manuscript in hand, and want to get it in print. Aspiring writers like myself do learn from this volume how not to get taken by unscrupulous literary agents. We also learn what role(s) the agent plays, and we also learn what gets the agent's attention.

"Forewarned is fore-armed", said a wise man a long time ago. This guide and its later volumes can teach intrepid writers a lot. For the aspiring author, two other books along these lines that are worthwhile reads are Michael Larsen's How to Write a Book Proposal and Guide to Literary Agents.