Adams Books

This is truly a great book. It is the real starting point for Harry's adventures. The Chamber of Secrets and The Sorcerer's Stone weren't able to give me anywhere near the amount of excitement I received while reading this book. I give this book 5 stars for many different reasons

Harry Potter's skills as a sorcerer aren't very impressive until this book when he learns to use the Patonus...something...I read this a while back lol. Also, the Dementors were the first creatures throughout the whole series to really strike fear into my mind. Sure there were traps that were devastating in the first book, and sure there was the basilisk who could kill people with its glare. But the Dementors were able to make a person suffer horribly through only emotions. I mean, who wouldn't be scared of having all the happiness and good emotions sucked out of you and the environment around you. The chilled air and flickering lights (maybe they actually turned off) scared the bejesus out of me.

Here's a measurement for how good this book is and how it's a turning point for this whole series. I cannot begin to describe how fast I read this book compared to the first two. The Sorcer's Stone took me a whole year because it bored the crap out of me. The Chamber of Secrets...I got up to the 2nd paragraph and actually could not go on reading it. The Prisoner of Azkaban, by far my favorite of the whole series, took me the better part of a week or two to read. The same with The Deathly Hallows and The Half-Blood Prince. Overall, the maturity of this book compared to the first two is pumped up and it is truly a masterpiece for people of all ages.

Mr. Dale has a strange way of pronouncing accio folks, prepare yourself.

We all really enjoy listening to the Potter series on audio CD. They are well done.

We've now bought all the Harry Potter audio books. My husband's not a great reader at home (newspaper and sports mags) but he drives a lot for his job. He loves listening to all these stories. We also play them in the car for the kids when we are travelling. We are big Harry Potter fans and these books have been a wonderful purchase. Now he can join in all our conversations too! Jim Dale is amazing, you completely forget it's only one person reading the book.

This is a very good book, i thought the harry potter books would suck but they dont. they are getting better and better. This was a good book to read

My Favorite book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. This book is funny. My favorite characters are Harry Potter and Ron Weasly. Harry's funny and adventurous. He's fun and likes to try new things and has lots of courage. Ron is funny also, and likes to do almost what Harry does. Ron and Harry make the Harry Potter series joyful.

The author's writing style is joyful and the genre is adventure. J.K. Rowling is best at setting up the setting I think Hogwarts is a wonderful setting.


The best part of this book is that ever character is different in each chapter. They do lots of mini adventures in the big adventure; to find the prisoner Sirius Black. Best yet, Harry tries to go to Hogsmeade but gets caught by Professor Snape. I recommend this book for people in 3rd and above.

I am going to make this simple. I read an old paperback copy of the original "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". Having enjoyed reading the original, I found the "Ultimate" version in the discount section at Barnes and Noble. What a great buy for ten dollars.

Not all may like the series. For those that do, I highly recommend all additional books to the original. You will not be let down, as (the late) Mr. Adams continues to entertain again and again as things move on. Just about any science fiction fan with a sense of humor will love these books.

Great read, I didn't even know about the Zaphod short story (my own words) that was included in this book. Happy to have all of the stories all in one book and makes it easy for me to go back and reference parts from the earlier stories, especially since I enjoy noting the really good lines.

I've lost track of the number of times I've read the Guide novels over the years. This compilation of a 'trilogy in 5 parts' makes it nice and easy to read them all as one continuous story. I don't really need to elaborate on how good these stories are as those who have read them will already know. But to the uninitiated I strongly urge you to purchase a copy, prop yourself up against your towel, and eat plenty of peanuts. And most importantly, Don't Panic!

If finding out your house is about to be bulldozed to make way for a highway bypass is unnerving and life changing, imagine finding out the same is about to happen to your planet. Thus begin the adventures of human Arthur Dent in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams.

Of course Adams is not the first writer to use science fiction to satirize the foibles of the human race and its institutions and culture (including science fiction), but he does does so with a rare combination of sophistication, style, and humor. His description of why the bypass is being built and why Arthur doesn't know about it alone starts the series off on a scathing note. In the universe of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the book within a book), people sometimes survive government and corporate bureaucracy and personal greed and thoughtlessness, but more often destruction and waste seem to result.

Throughout his post-Earth adventures with Ford Prefect, the two-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox, fellow human Trillian (Tricia McMillan), and Marvin the perpetually downcast robot who takes lows to new highs, Arthur is the proverbial Everyman, whose struggles to make tea (and thus achieve some sense of ordinariness) in his new life result in near-destruction. At one point, he happily serves as "Sandwich Maker" on a pre-technological world that views this skill with awe.

Adams is perhaps strongest in his numerous asides in which he talks about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the publication for which Ford Prefect researches and writes, and the Encyclopedia Galactica; the nature of improbability; the humorously and seemingly invariable and inevitable tragic histories of various planets and races; and various theories surrounding such things as time, space, and infinity, almost always with a slyly serious wink about the absurdity of it all. These digressions allow his imagination and his intellect to soar and in many cases are more interesting than the story itself. This may go back to how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy begins--that people want to move between Points A and B very fast, and that people at Point C in between (Everyman Arthur Dent) "often wish that people would just once and for all work out where the hell they wanted to be." There seem to be no Points A and B in Arthur's new universe; there are infinite points and lines and continuums, most of them absurd in one way or another.

With the exception of Trillian, Arthur's fellow travelers are well drawn. The most amusing is, sadly, Marvin, whose programmed depression is annoying and whose perception is accurate.

There are ingenious ideas scattered throughout the six stories, including the irony of a lorry driver who hates the perpetual rain that follows him no matter where he goes because, unbeknownst to him, he is a Rain God.

The problem is that many of these ideas, like life events, crop up randomly, play themselves out, and then seem to fall flat in the end. Undoubtedly, this is part of the universe as Adams sees it; it is made up of absurdity upon absurdity, which may not have neat Point A to Point B progressions. Some of this lack of cohesion also may be the result of transforming material written for episodic radio into book form; a certain sense and continuity may have been lost as the author diverts his tale to Points E, M, and T.

The first two books, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, are the best in the series. Life, the Universe and Everything is, almost as the title promises, too contorted and meandering. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, which takes place on Earth, lacks an engaging focal point, which makes it seem long and tedious at times. "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe" appears to be a throwaway story reflecting the author's views. Mostly Harmless, written at what Adams admitted was a bad time in his life, lacks the élan of the earliest books; it is more downbeat in attitude than its predecessors and borders on determined and grim. Marvin is long gone as comic relief; the weakest character, Tricia/Trillian, now moves to the forefront but without further development; and even Ford Prefect has sobered up, quite out of character. It as though Adams wanted his characters, most notably Random, to reflect his anger and depression and his universe to end without possibility of resurrection--in the same way that Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes.

Underneath the satire, the humor, and the bitterness, The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide is imaginative and thought provoking, revealing a rare story-telling and writing gift that is brilliant both on the surface and in the depths.

As usual the movie can't live up to the book. This is a must-read -- one of those points of cultural brilliance that will still be read three hundred years from now. Be prepared for very dry humor, British-style...

this book is the comp of the douglas adams series hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. it is hilarious well written and something just to put your imagination to work.

All the books plus a separate story together in one volume! What else could I wish for? If you enjoyed the movie, (okay, okay, there are always some differences between movie and book) you are going to love the books. It's that kind of ironic humour that makes you laugh through intelligent remarks, not silly statements.

The Hitchhiker's guide is funny and completely odd, but smart. This combination makes it a very different reading experience, it really does not have that much in the way of story of plot development, but the writing is just so fantastic and smart. It may not be a long read, but it is a more complex read then it seems. Its not for everyone and it may help to know that it is a strange ride to begin with. Remember DON'T PANIC and don't forget your towel.

These books are still as funny as they were when I read them in school 25 years ago.

Bought the compendium for my wife as an Xmas gift, she had seen the movie but had not read the books. In the first week she read 2 of them, couldn't put it down.

If you are anything but a Fox news viewing NASCAR mark, you will love the dry and slightly sarcastic humor in Douglas Adam's work.

Possibly the best sci-fi comedy ever written. But toward the end of the series, it becomes so much more, as great plotting and rich characterization are thrown into the mix.

The first two books are just plain lunacy, short on plotting, but heavy on Adams' great comic dialogue and wacky sci-fi premises (three stars each). The third is just as crazy, but with the added bonus of a plot thrown in! And Arthur actually saves the universe for good measure (four stars). The fourth and fifth novels are much richer in characterization, and continue the great plotting of the third (four stars each). You can see my reviews of the individual books for more detail, but to make a long story short, this is definitely a series not to be missed!

This was a great book both for me and my team. I've been in the software industry for many years. I started building a team of developers and needed an easy way to bring novice and experienced programmers together on a similar set of standards. This book provided us with the perfect framework from which to start our team. We've developed several major projects using the principles in this book and have experienced a great deal of success.

One warning, the book gets a bit tedious after the first half. If you're looking to improve your C programming skills, it gets really detailed into pointers and other fun, or not, stuff. Also, the examples are in VB.NET...but you still get the point.

If you're an experienced software developer or a newbee in the world of commercial computer programming this book will give a good kick in the right direction. Steve McConnel will keep you hooked by mixing the right guiding concepts with real-life knowledge and examples.

I'm currently studying computer science and have been reading this in my spare time. Skip your lectures. Just read this book! If you want to construct software in a timely, efficient, and complete manner--this is the definitive book to read. Not dry at all, Steve McConnell covers topics for all experience levels. Even if you're an experienced programmer, you will learn something from this great piece of literature.

I've only gone through the first few chapters thus far. So pending finishing my reading, I'll update this review. Unfortunately this might never happen as I find myself re-reading portions of the book to pick up new ideas and details for software construction!

it's a book that all programmers must to read. it explain a lot of interesting things about how to made good software!

I started by reading the first edition of this book. I got the second edition when I was almost finished with the first edition of this book.

After getting the new version of the book I decided to continue reading the old one because I found that there are quite a few differences between the old and the new edition.

This is perhaps one of the best books that I have ever read on programming in my life. The author Steve McConnell has put together a book that is independent of what ever programming language that is used. In the authors words. He wanted to write a good book on software construction because he had looked around and had not found any good books out there on the subject. I would have to agree with him there are not a lot of books on good programming technic. There are hundreds of books on this programming language or that programming language.

Code complete is so good that I feel every programmer should read it. It would be best if in the first year of college every single student read the book. I just don't know how it could fit into a regular curriculum. Even if it does not fit that well into a regular curriculum what is taught in this book is probably more important then what most people learn at school.

I like the book and would advise it to anyone that programs.

I am looking forward to the new edition because the old book didn't have much advice about object oriented programming. Mostly because it was a new way of programming when the book was first written and he didn't want to commit much information to it when object oriented programming was so new. He does talk a little about things that are outdated but the book is still one of the best.

I will wait a while before I read the second edition but I expect to be as satisfied with it as I was this one.

Great book that should be in every programmers library.

I've never read a book so gripping or heart wrenching. My condolences to you and your family Mr. Walsh; my heart breaks for you.

John Walsh has decided he is the voice for victims everywhere. The problem is, fewer and fewer people want him to be. Why? Because of things like this book.

He seems to ignore reality in favor of what he wants us to think.

I agree that this book is very sad and heart breaking. I can only begin to feel the sadness and heart break that this man and his wife went through. This book reveal that. I could only somewhat feel his pain because I have never been through it. This book proves that something good can come out of tragic happenings.

This book is more political then I thought. This man has accomplished a lot Worth the buy.

AS A MAN YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY, BUT I DID, READING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS SON AND THINKING OF MY OWN SON I JUST COULDNT HELP IT! ITS A GREAT BOOK AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU!

Tears of Rage is such a brilliant book. It is very touching, tragic, and even insightful. Not only did I truly enjoy it, but also I found it hard to put down. Such hard times for this fellow after the sadistic murder of his lovely child Adam. Yet he does not give up and he battles and battles for justice for Adam. It was not easy and the police unit were not very helpful and competent with handling his son's case. And it broke John's heart. But he never ran out of fuel to find justice for his beloved son. I admire that. I fully admire his heroic deeds in becoming the host of AMW and has been contributing immensely to snatching sick predators that cannot linger around in the world any longer and especially caring about missing children. If John Walsh have not audaciously fought for our safety, how much worser will the country be in right now? Thank you John Walsh. And I am glad that Adam Walsh bill was successful and was made into law recently.

Very handy cookbook reference for my office bookshelf. I've used it a number of times, and it's more than paid for itself in expediting regularly-scheduled inquiries of our AD structure here at GEICO HQ.

Excellent reference if you work with AD on a regular basis either as an admin or a developer. Each "how to" offers methods for manually performing a specific task as well as (where possible) how to automate the task using code. Should be on every Windows admin/developer's desk.

Overall, this is a great book for reference.

There are a number of areas where I think the book falls short - all of the scripts are very hard coded scripts that don't tell you how to do some functions that would make their scripts actually useful (like "pull the list of users with attributes from a tab-delimited file and create them" or something similar, this would make mass creation of users actually useful, instead of "create user1, user2, user3, etc..."). I think that the writers expect you to be a VB expert (or at least close to it) if you're going to actually make the vb scripts useful.

Most of the scripts are "How to use a script to do the same functions that you can already do in AD with ADUC or another MMC", but I think that the most important thing for me about the book is what it inspires me to think of doing. Things that MS doesn't necessarily expect you to do. I'm still not seeing a way to add sidHistory to an object (MS does it with another applet - there is a way...), but there are so many things in the book that just have me thinking about how you can implement changes to an environment that MS says you can't do. What they really mean is "You can't do that with the GUI tools that we provide you".

I am so glad that this book was recommended to me by a guy I took a class on scripting from. I use this book everyday (almost). I even took it on vacation with me for light reading.

Hard to say in words to adequately describe how much I like this book. I highly recommend to anyone who works with AD.

This third installment in the beloved Anne series is one of my favorites. Having just completed two years of teaching in Avonlea, Anne, along with friends Gilbert and Charlie, is ready to leave the Island and make her way to Redmond College. Her four years there offer quaint-seeming insights into college life a hundred years ago. After spending her freshman year in a boarding house, Anne and chums Priscilla, Stella, and Philippa move into a little house called Patty's Place. Even though they are committed to their studies, life is never dull. Anne has no lack of suitors, turning down no fewer than five proposals during the course of the story. And her summers are full of adventure, whether it's back in dear Avonlea or teaching as a country schoolmarm.

I've read Anne of the Island each year I've been in college, and as I finished it this time, I couldn't help but relate to Anne's excitement for the future, mingled with regretful nostalgia about the college life she was leaving behind. College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having attended a small Christian university, I relate to Anne's old-fashioned values and the safe, wholesome environment of Redmond.

Montgomery has such a pungent writing voice, alive to the quirks of human nature and the beauties of outdoor nature. She brings spice, optimism, and a touch of cynicism to the story and the characters. Anne's most personal experiences are recounted with poignancy, and are rooted in reality, although they may seem whimsical to modern readers. The ending is sweet and satisfying. I just love Anne, and especially this tale of her college experiences. Don't miss it.

Anne of the Island is the third installment of the smash Anne of Green Gables series. The book begins with Anne leaving for college to further her education the second time. When she arrives, she encounters a slew of minor domestic problems, a new group of friends, and Love. All of which she deals with using that famous atypical personality of a "Kindred spirit"



Although the book deals with more serious subject matter than the preceding books, as a reflection upon Anne's growing older, the book starts with the lighthearted catchy fun that made Anne famous in her prequels. Most of this fun is centered on the Anne's encounters with her roommate cats Rusty, Joseph, and Sarah-Cat. Anne's exclamations of fear at being stalked by the docile house cats is classic Anne and delicious fun.



The Book also dives into more serious matter, with Lets be friends-Lets be more than friends-Lets be friends-I hate you-Marry me! Gilbert abandoning his indecisiveness and aggressively courting Anne. Although this relation is of little interest to male readers, it is made a key plot element, most likely because it is attractive to the books target demographic, pre-teen girls. Luckily, most of the content on Anne's romance does nothing to affect other parts of the story much and as a result are harmless to skip when they become drab.



Anne of the Island is a solid installment in the Anne series. Although not equaling or surpassing Anne of Green Gables, "Of the Island" leaves little to be desired besides not having a near constant usage of the word "eh". If you an Anne fan, pick up her third book. Eh.

"Anne of the Island" is my favorite Anne book, and the last chapters of my copy are worn and torn because I have read it so many times. I loved it as a young girl, and I loved it again when I read it from my college dorm room (in fact, I think it's time for another rereading!). Plus, of course, a college education makes many of the literary references more relevant than they were at age 11.

Anne fans already know how wonderful are these chapters of Anne's life. This book outlines an important epoch in the series and answers the all important question of whether they will or they won't--a turning point on which the next five books hinge. And since you must start at "Anne of Green Gables" to appreciate any of it, this review cannot convince to you read just book three. It is just one more love letter to "Anne of the Island" added to this review panel.

The story of Anne continues with this work and the author stays true to her style, story line and character developement. This, like the other books in this series, have a rather timeless nature about them and a comforting charm. The reader, of course, must remember the time they were written and the style and syntax used at that time. From my own point of view, this is great. I enjoy this type of writing and certainly enjoy Ms. Montgomery's story telling abilities. In this work, Anne goes off to Redman College and her adventure continues. Recommend these books for readers of all ages. Wish there were more works out there like it.

this book never gets old. i've had it for so long and now i'm off to college and i still enjoy reading it cover to cover. anne is a great character, one who is easy to love and who explains herself well. the other characters are also quirky. something about this book is very universal, which i think explains why even in this century i still find myself being able to relate to Anne. the plot, while essentially a love story, is not overly sappy. and while most people would probably expect the ending, the twists and turns throughout the novel keep you entertained and engaged.

It was just as fun reading this the second time. It's beeen 20 years since I read it and I'm enjoying again.

The book is really funny. The edition is awesome, taking into account the price paid for the book. Very recommendable.

I love this book, but the first story, _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ is the best. I save the others for the days when I find it extremely difficult to extricate myself from Douglas Adams' universe. Still, once you can adjust to the idea that his universe, like ours, is constantly changing, and evolving, you can accept the stories that follow. Funny, but not as funny as the first book in the series.

I bought this edition of the book because there are just some books you need to have nice copies of. I was disappointed. The covers are spongy, and not tightly wrapped like you would expect from any book with value to it. Not only that, but the paper is not of good quality- mass-market recycled paper at best. These are trivial things, I admit, but when you can get the same book that feels nicer for five dollars, it makes a lot of difference. Also, this is purely a comment on the physical aspect of the deluxe edition of the book- inside is the best comic sci fi you will ever read, bar none.

I purchased this complete edition because I simply love it when multiple books are bound in one volume. I also thought that this book would really be my cup of tea since I'm such a fantasy lover and the reviews seemed great. However, I was greatly disappointed. I won't go into details summarizing the book (I only got through 1 and half books) because I find that when I read reviews, I'm looking for more of an opinion than a summary. So if you're looking for a summary stop now....

First of all, I would not really consider this book fantasy. I find that when I read fantasy the author usually creates some sort of concrete world different from our own, with a set of rules, whether the rules be magic, mythical creatures, or alternate universes. This author creates an entire universe, which is fine, but there are no boundaries. Every planet, life form, or device seems completely made up on the spot without any organization. It's as if the author just decided to throw a bunch of letters together to come up with names for things, and then the creations don't really have anything to do with the storyline and you never see them again.

Second, I started reading this book thinking it would be hilarious...disappointed again. It's just blatantly obvious humor, which I don't find funny.

The characters are not that creative, and you don't get a chance to really get to know them. I find that when I really like a book, you seem to invest your emotions in it with the ups and downs of the characters and the anticipation of coming events. Nothing of that in here...

I always seem to want to know how old the reviewer is, so being a female in the mid-twenties who loves fanatasy and YA fantasy, I did not care for this book. It did not compel me to stay up late to find out what happens. Rather I continued reading it because I hate leaving a book unfinished. This is the third book in my life I've left unfinished. But halfway through the second book I found myself craving some real fantasy, so I put the book to rest.

This is a well written, well structured book.

Full color with good examples and covers a good range of details.

As WPF is such a change from Windows Forms programming, you really do need a reference book to get you started (and for reference too, when you want to do something more advanced). Googling just doesn't help too much yet... and in any case what you really want to do is to understand a little of the underlying technology, not just copy someone else's code snippet and ignore how it works.

I started with this book, then got impatient to get writing some code - so I bought Chris Sells' "Programing WPF", which got me to a flying start. But then I wanted to go back and understand more of what I was doing, and so I picked up WPF Unleashed again - and a lot of what I had been coding became clear.

So now I'm almost certain to shuttle between the two books... and I recommend you do the same!

What can I say.. I was looking for a book about WPF. I saw many, and many until I found that one. Then I stopped looking for more :)

This book stands out as one of the easiest to read technical books. The book is in color, is divided into many chapters and sub-chapters, and written in a casual style, which makes it very enjoyable to read. The coverage of the content is top-notch, save for the chapter on data binding which I think lacked better examples. I think this book falls into the category of a cover-to-cover read; meaning it is easy to get through the book in a couple weeks. There are other books that I would recommend as a reference book that contain more detailed technical information. If you are new to WPF and are the type to read complete chapters and books, then definitely start with this one.

I have over 25 technical books on my shelf (and those are just the ones I have hung on to). Without a doubt this is one of, if not THE, best technical book I have ever read!

This book really captures the excitement that surrounds WPF and carries that through into a book. They layout is exceptional (colour print is much less tiring to read). The chapters are thorough, especially on the key areas.

As I read through, questions would pop into my head. "Hmmm I wonder how that works?". Then I would turn the page and right there would be a detailed explaination. I was rarely left wondering how things worked, or how pieces fit together.

Don't think - just buy it!

Although I am still unwilling to give up my expensive haircuts, On My Own Two Feet really made me take a step back and look at my spending and saving situation. It inspired me to make some changes and think about my spending differently.
This book is perfect for all of those ladies out there with little interest and/or time to study the nuts and bolts of personal finance. It gives you straightforward advice and explains the bare essentials of what you need to know - no more and no less. Want to know exactly what portion of your salary you should be saving? What type of fund to put your retirement money into? This book tells you flat out. I highly recommend it!

I read one review that said this book didn't say anything new and I would have to say that I completely disagree with that. Perhaps it did not bring up anything new for that person because maybe they have a better handle on their finances, but for someone who doesn't and who has not received any financial advice this is a fantastic book! I have my finances pretty under control and grew up in a house where i was made pretty financially responsible from a young age, but being young and dumb in college I forgot a few things that this book reminded me of. The section on investing is great and will be new material for most people who read it. It is a very clean and easy read and everything is explained in plain english. Come on ladies, get your financial act together and stand on your OWN TWO FEET!

I recommend this book to any college students who recently started learning about personal finance. It is a great start to educate about what every person should know. It is so reader-frienly and full of informative and wise tips :)

I really didn't have any expectations when I read this book. I expected a boring book about finances, which I would probably only read half of-- and with stuff I could not understand.

Boy, was I wrong.

This book changed my life-- for the better! I owe this book everything... it explained to me what my PARENTS couldn't explain... and that's because no one ever told them!

I FINALLY understand money. And I'm giving it as a gift to everyone I know-- regardless of gender.

This is the most life-altering book I've ever read! There's not a better one on Amazon.

Every female college student should read this book to find the motivation to take financial control! There is so much information about personal finance on the web that it's overwhelming. This book is clear, concise, and effective in giving readers the basic tools they need to succeed financially. This is a must-read and a great gift for others. Being given the key to financial autonomy and freedom is the best thing you can get.