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Adams Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Adams
Of Long Memory: Mississippi and the Murder of Medgar Evers
Published in Paperback by Da Capo Press (2002-06)
Author: Adam Nossiter
List price: $17.50
New price: $4.78
Used price: $1.85

Average review score:

Really a well-done book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-13
This account was writt6en in 1994 and covers the story of the murder of Medgar Evers up to the time when Byron de la Beckwith was convicted. The author makes the trial seem like a slam dunk so far as the law was concerned, but a perusal of the Mississippi Supreme Coutt opinions show that there were real legal problems in bringing him to trial so long after the murder. The citation for the case is 707 So. 2nd 547. The conviction was affirmed by a four to 2 vote with 3 justices not participating. Nossiter tells the story from a number of angles and it is simply absorbing reading. And since the book ends with justice triumphant it is a most satisfying book, showing that some things do eventually turn out right.

A Great Read about Mississippi
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-30

First, my reviewer credentials for this book. I was born in MS and lived there through the 60's. If one wants to get a real understanding of the expereience of Mississppi in the that time,
read Nossiter's book. It covers far more than just the Beckwith trial, though that part of the book in and of itself makes for a fascinating read. This is an outstanding book on so many levels.
This was truly one of those books that I sort of hoped would just never end.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2000-12-28
I concur with the previous reviewer. Mr. Nossiter has produced a well-researched and fascinating chronicle of the case of Medgar Evers, including a detailed and chilling portrait of his assassin. Nossiter also effectively re-creates the eerie atmosphere of early 1960's Mississippi, where the Klan, the White Citizens' Council, and the Sovereignty Commission flourished, and where a man like Beckwith would become a sort of folk hero to his fellow racists. However, it is also a story of dogged determination and the quest for justice, as exemplified by Myrlie Evers and Bobby DeLaughter, whose efforts culminated in the long-overdue conviction of Beckwith. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, skillfully crafted by a talented and deeply insightful writer. Well done, Mr. Nossiter!

Well written, emotional and insightful.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-25
Forget the Movie. This is the book to read about the assisination of Medgar Evers and the subsequent retrial some 30 years later of the killer.

The author provides a moving and engrossing story as well as sharp analysis of the social conditions and personalities involved.

Adams
Oh No, Not Ghosts!
Published in Hardcover by Harcourt Children's Books (2006-09-01)
Author: Richard Michelson
List price: $16.00
New price: $1.40
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Average review score:

Your kids will love it!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-16
My kids ask me to read this book over and over again. A boy is supposed to keep his little sister quiet so his dad can sleep but he scares her with stories of ghosts, witches, werewolfs, demons, and skeletons. The rythmic text and spooky illustrations are sure to be one of your children's favorite Halloween books.

AMUSING AND SPOOKY!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-14
"Oh No, Not Ghosts!" finds a brother and younger sister still up at night while dad is sleeping as they try and remain quiet and not wake dad. But the brother soon gets the sister's active imagination up and running with his descriptions of ghosts, werewolves, witches, and skeletons. The story is told in a spirited rhyme as each monster described by the brother gets more and more terrifying and the sister gets more and more scared.

The brother parades about, pretending to be each of the frights as his sister stares wide-eyed and clings to her dolly. It's quite a humorous little tale and certainly most girls who had older brothers will be able to relate to being teased by their older sibling. It's a bit scary, but not too scary. Younger readers might need to hide a bit when the skeleton makes his appearance from the closet but it's all in good fun. My four and a half year-old enjoyed it quite a bit!

The story is written by Richard Michelson and it's a snappy tale with a quick cadence. Helping great are the illustrations by Adam McCauley. The illustration are bold and colorful and the brother, while telling his sister that there are no such things as ghosts and witches, still has a mischievous glint in his eye. He's clearly enjoying himself! A great book to read at Halloween but good enough to be enjoyed year round!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Vicarious Vexing: Oh No, Not Ghosts!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-11
Whatever evolutionary requirement is served by the fiendish delight we derive from teasing -- or terrifying -- our siblings is served, without the damage, by this fabulous book. Its spooky, stylized illustrations and rhyming text are a great substitute for the terrorizing we don't let our girls do.

Say Oh YES to This Book!
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-29
Simple, repetitive and fun. With dad asleep and the kids SUPPOSED to be sleeping, this sister and brother embark on a self-induced fright fest which leads them from one kiddie scare to the next...each one a bit more outrageous than the last. This is great for young children and those just starting out on their own with reading, it's one of those books that is very repetitive (the Oh No, Not... line is repeated though out the book and kids can predict what the next line is going to be and "get in" on the fun by reading along even if they can't read all the words...this makes it a good, fun, silly and light-hearted read (for a "scary" story) that kids from ages 2-8 (ish) will love. The illustrations are dark and suitably campy kind of scary that are great for kids of this age! I'd add this to my permanent collection for reading during the fall and most especially leading up to Halloween! I give it a sold A and both the kids loved this so much they had me read it twice, then Girl read it to Boy several more times with him chanting along...Oh, No, not... Simply a fun story!

Adams
Once Upon An Island
Published in Paperback by Key West Author's Coop (1997-01)
Authors: Theresa Foley, Kevin Crean, Allen Meece, William Williamson, Rosalind Brackenbury, Judy Adams, Robin Orlandi, J.T. Eggers, Barbara Bowers, Deanna O'Shaughnessy, and Kirby Congdon
List price: $9.95
New price: $7.95
Used price: $0.35

Average review score:

short stories
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-16
Nice variety of genres. Thought-provoking stories. A few stories not for children/young adults.

short story pearls of the Florida Keys!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-09
I am one the the group of 12 who cooperatively wrote and published this book of south Florida short stories. Living in what some call "paradise" produces a unique life experience which we want to share with those living more traditional lifestyles. You'll enjoy a tropical getaway with each story. Read them slowly, they'll last a long time in your memory.

A marvelous effort
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-03
Hopefully we will continue to hear from The Key West Co-op. These insightful writers capture the essence of what is wacky and wonderful about Key West.

short story pearls of the Florida Keys!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-09
I am one the the group of 12 who cooperatively wrote and published this book of south Florida short stories. Living in what some call "paradise" produces a unique life experience which we want to share with those living more traditional lifestyles. You'll enjoy a tropical getaway with each story. Read them slowly, they'll last a long time in your memory.

Adams
One Can Make a Difference: Original stories by the Dali Lama, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Dennis Kucinch, Russel Simmons, Bridgitte Bardot, Martina ... Dozens of Other Extraordinary Individuals
Published in Hardcover by Adams Media (2008-09-17)
Authors: Ingrid Newkirk and Jane Ratcliffe
List price: $16.95
New price: $6.22
Used price: $6.23

Average review score:

An inspiring book that will make this a better world!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-12
Ingrid Newkirk has shown how much one can make a difference with her leadership of PETA, the worlds largest animal rights organization and now she shares stores of other inspiring individuals who have helped make this a better world for all.

These stories show a vast range of how others have taken action to help and shows us that everyone has abilities to make a difference. This book is a valuable gift for creating a kinder and more compassionate future!

One is not the loneliest number!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-10
I was a big fan of Ingrid Newkirk's earlier book, Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living, and I especially appreciated the focus on things each person can do to make a difference. So, as you can imagine, I was eager to read her new book, One Can Make a Difference, and I was not disappointed.

This book is filled with great stories from outstanding people -- including several personal heroes of mine, like the Dalai Lama and Martina Navratilova -- all about the ways that they have shown how any individual can make a contribution...or start an entire social movement. This is exactly the kind of inspiring read I needed to stay fired up to play my own part, and I imagine I'll be taking it down off the shelf again and again, whenever I need a boost. What a great book!

One Can Make A Difference
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-09
ONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Ingrid E. Newkirk
Adams Media
ISBN: 978-1-59869-629-7
$16.95 Hardcover
272 Pages
Reviewer: Annie Slessman

How many times have you seen a person in need and walked away? Many times, you walked away because you felt one person could not make a difference in a problem so large. Whether the problem was one of hunger, injustice, homelessness, abandonment, ignorance or other social issues facing us today, it was just easier to walk away.

Ingrid E. Newkirk's One Can Make A Difference, How Simple Actions Can Change the World reminds each of us that one person can make a difference. She has compiled the stories of fifty people who have not looked the other way and have made a real impact on the social issues facing us worldwide.

Each story is told simply and with a strong voice. Whether you are reading the story of Bridget Bardot or Dr. Neal Barnard- hope, inspiration and proof that one person can impact the lives of many is evident.

Ms. Newkirk writes an introduction to each contributor of this work. Her introductions are interesting, full of praise and admiration for the people who are making a difference in the lives of people and animals in need.

I was familiar with most of the contributors in this work but admit to not knowing the full story of how they "got where they are" today. I found the stories of each contributor had an "I want to know more" quality about them. If you can read this work and walk away unaffected, I would be surprised. There is nothing like reading how others have contributed to making our world better to get you jump-started yourself.

During my divorce, a friend of mine told me that I needed to quit thinking about what I had lost and start helping people who had worst problems than mine. I followed her advice and volunteered at my local Make-A-Wish organization. You know what, she was right. My problems seemed to fade into thin air.

This is a book worth reading and one you will pass on to your friends. You will do so with a, "You're going to love this book, I did."



Inspiring Stories!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-20
The first person accounts in this book are truly inspiring! People from many different walks of life! Something that can relate to everyone! I feel so good when I read this book, it warms your heart! It would make even the most cynical person feel that one person can influence for the better in so many ways! Definately a good read!

Adams
Organized to Be Your Best! Simplify and Improve How You Work
Published in Paperback by Adams-Hall Publishing (2000-06-15)
Author: Susan Silver
List price: $17.95
New price: $5.95
Used price: $1.49

Average review score:

Organized to be the Best-No office should be without it
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-12-07
I have had this book for years and have used it in many work/office situations. It has served me well as a reference book whenever I have had a need to keep myself and my work organized. It's also great to read through the entire book to get practical tips and information. Most of the ideas presented are very simple but it's those simple ideas which can make your life easier and save you loads of time and stress. I have found this book to be well worth the money spent and I believe that you will agree. If you want to be more organized in your work and your life - this book will help you achieve that goal!

surfergal

Very useful
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-30
I highly recommend this book. If you have had a reputation for being disorganized in the past, by following the instructions here you can really clean up your act. This book includes chapters on how to arrange tickler systems, how to keep your hard drive orderly and high-functioning, and hundreds of tips on how to trim minutes off tasks. The arrangement of the book is effective and clear, and the presentation of concepts is well-written too. This book isn't just for office managers--as a professional I find it extremely useful.

Contains all the tips for organizing your life at work
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-03
Wow! Dubbed "The Bible of Organization" by the media, the latest edition (4th, to be exact) is not a disappointment. The author (Susan Silver) has included all the tips you need for organizing your life at work, from time management to streamlining your workspace and all the points in between.

Whether you are looking for tips on managing projects or trying to create an organized workspace, Organized To Be Your Best! is the one guide you need for balancing it all.

As practical and applicable as it is "reader friendly"
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-09
Now in an updated and expanded fourth edition, Susan Silver's Organized To Be Your Best!: Simplify And Improve How You Work continues to be an indispensable instruction manual enabling the reader to control multiple, ever-changing projects and priorities, intense workloads and information overload. Readers will learn to manage email, voice, fax, and other instant communications, devise a time and information management system tailored to their needs, work more effectively with others, master a messy desk and "piles of files", maximize the work space (including alternative, virtual, and home offices), and get the most from the computer and the Internet. Very highly recommended, Organized To Be Your Best! is as practical and applicable as it is "reader friendly" and workplace productivity improving.

Adams
Pablo Neruda: A Passion for Life
Published in Paperback by Bloomsbury USA (2005-08-08)
Author: Adam Feinstein
List price: $18.95
New price: $11.70
Used price: $11.42
Collectible price: $18.95

Average review score:

Poetic Justice
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-27
The biography is excellent. All the gore and the glory of a magnificent poet, a magnificent poet. So impressed was I, that while having innumerable books by Neruda, and his posthumously published memoirs, I still went out and obtained Obras Completas through a bookstore in Madrid. I have summered on Isla Negra and had the good fortune of meeting Matilde. The author does an outstanding job of giving us the most objective portrait of Neruda, not hiding the blemishes. Neruda was always a boy with a huge heart and lots of love for most (mostly women). Quite sad that a poetic voice like this is gone. Sad also that in his politics Neruda was myopic. The radical left, the radical right, what's the difference? He could never see that point. The author brings this issue out as well with verisimilitude.

Candid, well researched.... and a riveting read.
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-30

Reviewer: A reader from London, UK United Kingdom

Not many writers lead such a colourful life as Neruda. The Chilean Nobel prize winner was not only a diplomat, a world class poet, and a lover of many women--- he had three wives and many mistresses---he was also a supporter of the Republican cause in Spain, responsible for rescuing many of Franco's enemies, and a staunch left-winger who wanted to write for the many rather than the few . . He was forced to flee for his life over the Andes on a donkey when the Chilean government became a tyranny, and was close to Allende at the time of his death. Feinstein tells the story judiciously; he honestly addresses the poet's continuing support for Communism, even after Stalin's crimes were widely known , and does not attempt to palliate his many infidelities. What comes through is Neruda's passion for life, and Feinstein's passion for his subject. A riveting read.

fine biography of a great poet
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-02
More than thirty years ago, I gave a copy of Neruda's "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair to the woman who would later become my wife. All these years later, I still read Neruda's poems aloud to her, and I am still nourished in the autumn of my own life by the rich array of poetry that this great writer produced from his adolescence to old age. Adam Feinstein produces a loving, yet unflinching, portrait of Neruda. Here is a man whose generosity and determination saved the lives of hundreds of refugees from war-torn Spain. Yet here, too, is the man who abandoned his first wife and their developmentally delayed daughter, betrayed all of his wives, and shamefully continued to embrace Stalin's legacy long after many of his peers were humbled by the recognition of Stalin's evil. What I most enjoyed about Feinstein's biography, however, is the way in which Neruda's poetry is charted in the context of his adult developmental. Learning about the broad changes in Neruda's path through his life, the failed marriages, the political career, the aging poet, helps place all his works in a context that enriches the reader's experience of the poetry. In the end, however, we are left with a mystery: the biographical details of Neruda's life cannot explain the greatness of his poetry. This childlike, vain, and self-absorbed man was also a stunning genius, whose passion for life will illuminate the lives of others for centuries.

A wonder filled life of a very human poet
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-29
Pablo Neruda, of whom Garcia` marquez has called"the greatest poet of the 20th century-in any language",has never had a full length biography in english.Until now.the man Neruda that Mr.Feinstein portrays is an often selfish,self absorbed genuis,who invented his own myth and ferociously hung on to it until his death,a couple of weeks after the murderous coup that took the life and lifeblood of his beloved Chile,and installed the US puppet regime of the neo-fascist Augusto pinochet. In his memoirs, Neruda never mentions his abandonment of his wife and handicapped child, not her subsequent death during WWII.His long held Stalinist beliefs,which in his memoirs he speaks of ruefully, are fully exposed here by Mr feinstein, though he seems to lack any historical prespective on this issue.His philandering is also brought to light[ad nauseum,actually} before meeting Matilde,his third wife[and by most accounts, the second love of his life,after his country} People who only have been introcduced to Neruda through the wonderful film Il Postino might be shocked at the great poets behaviour.[BTW,the novel Il Postino,a novella,actually is well worth reading,and is far darker then the film]All of the greats of the 20th century are here: Garcia Lorca,Sartre,Picasso,Nazim Hikmet,Mistral,Borges`.Nerudas life was often like a movie,surreal and silly. What Mr feinstein doesnt grasp,despite his copius research, is how such a bob vivant,political radical,philandereer inveterate collector,could have written like a slumming angel,for if anything,Gracia Marquez is quite correct.Canto general is a classic on the same level as Leaves of Grass[whose author was also deeply flawed,no?}Residence on earth,20 ,love poems and a song of despair[written as a very young man, which is covered very well in this book]The touching,brilliant 100 love songs for his wife[then mistress] matilde is not fully explored as i would have liked. I am biased,i admit.I read neruda every day,we have a woodcut of him over our kitchen table, my husband wears a wrist watch bearing Nerudas image,so we obviously love him. I found watching his satue crumble painful, and another lesson in hero worship. This book, successfully portrays Pablo Neruda in a;;his glory [and not so glorious ways] and gives, at last a full blooded portrait of this great treasure of the americas. Highly Recommedded

Adams
Parisians: Photographs by Peter Turnley ; Forewords by Edouard Boubat and Robert Doisneau ; Text by Adam Gopnik and Peter Turnley
Published in Hardcover by Abbeville Press (2000-09)
Author: Adam Gopnik
List price: $50.00
New price: $26.00
Used price: $11.24
Collectible price: $50.00

Average review score:

Parisians: Photographs by Peter Turnley
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-03
It is a beautiful collection of images of the life in Paris. Seeing the pictures make you yearn to go there to take your own pictures.

Cheaper than a Plane ticket
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-11
After being in Paris for an entire summer, I've returned to the US with great heartache. Paris had a profound effect on me, so when I arrived in the states, I feverishly tried to gather all I could to remind me of Paris. On a whim I bought "Parisians." From the moment I opened it up, I was suddenly back in my beloved city. The photographs capture Paris in the way that takes me back everytime. Turnley's skill at capturing the essence of Parisians is striking, uncanny and charming. If you've been, you miss it, or want to know what Paris is "really" like, just open the cover of "Parisians." On the days I want nothing more than to transport back to Paris, all I have to do is open this book and I'm there.

A touching collection of black and white images
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-09
Peter Turnley has captured the spirit of Paris and the souls of Parisians and presented it in one beautifully produced volume for the world to see at an affordable price. The images are stunning and the order of the images contributes to the quality of the book. I expect to return to these images often for years to come.

The Beauty of Paris
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-23
For those of you who have been to Paris, Peter Turnley's work will strike a deep sense of longing to return. His ability to capture some many facets of life throughout his book is delightful. I really enjoyed the mix of people, places, and situations he photographed such as a French woman in a barista or fans at a soccer game. His use of black and white photography added a sense of timelessness to the work. In summary, I think the book is an amazing piece of work that highlights the diversity and beauty of Paris.

Adams
The Party of the First Part: The Curious World of Legalese
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt and Co. (2007-09-04)
Author: Adam Freedman
List price: $23.00
New price: $6.80
Used price: $1.68

Average review score:

In a perfect world this book would be required reading
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-17
"The Party of the First Part" is an erudite, hilarious tour through 21st Century American legalese. Alan Freedman leads us through the ankle-grabbing underbrush of redundancy, dead phrases, faux Latin, and mindless obfuscation into which every reader - and writer - of legal documents eventually must stagger.

Freedman is a sure-footed guide who knows the territory. Time and again, he yanks up a hoary word or phrase and shows us its tangled roots.

Sometimes we find, clutching a root with a deathgrip, an advocate of the so-called "Precision School" of legal drafting. These lawyers and profs fear that awful chaos would result if lawyers quit using ancient Anglo/French/Latin phrases, in favor of words used by 21st Century Americans in everyday life. Chaos? Well gosh, people might have to *sue* if they can't agree what a word or phrase written in 21st Century English means. Uh-huh, thinks I: as if they aren't already suing by the thousands over the meaning of Roman-numeraled legal documents bristling with boilerplate clunkers such as "witnesseth," "hereinabove," "aforementioned," "covenant and agree," and "hereunto."

This book should be required reading for every law student, law professor, judge and lawyer in the United States. It encourages those among us who want to write clearly when drafting legal documents. I hope it will at least give pause for thought to our colleagues who never met a hundred-word clause in the passive voice, that they didn't like.

Legaleazy
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-30
Mr. Freedman's "The Party of the First Part" is a much more humorous review of Law School. Freedman covers Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates and a multitude of other subjects that can even confuse some of the most academically gifted among us. I for one spent Law School in a haze because I felt like I was not getting the big picture. However, when I realized that the `law' does not have a big picture, I felt much more relaxed. Our Anglo-Saxon, Franco-Norman, Old English influenced law, as Mr. Freedman demonstrates, is a series of compromises and half-measures and it has always been that way. `Legalese' can be used as both a sword and a shield. For instance, Wills can be written in a way that makes sense to people, without any mention of the words "rest" "residue" or "remainder." But since these sounds good and lawyerly, it keeps showing up in Wills and Testaments. (Testament also being a redundancy too as Mr. Freedman demonstrates.) Thus, the odds of challenging a plain English Will and winning is much greater then one that packs more and more legalese in. Since legalese protects not only the lawyer and the client, legalese can also be used as a sword. For instance, why hire a lawyer if you could understand the documents that you are reading and signing? I encourage anyone to read this book to get a humorous side to a very dry topic.

Hilarious and Eye-Opening
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-02
A book about legalese? I was skeptical, but this book grabbed me from the start. As a lawyer and an English major, I've always wanted to know where legal language took a wrong turn. As Freedman explains, legalese got to where it is today by taking lots and lots of wrong turns. Like the legal tendency toward redundancy: "will and testament" "fit and proper" "breaking and entering." These phrases developed after the Norman Conquest when lawyers and clients switched back and forth between Anglo-Saxon and French (in each case, one word is Anglo-Saxon and the other is French). Not only is the book informative, but it's also laugh-out-loud funny, especially when Freedman describes the bizarre resistance of lawyers to using "plain English" in place of their cherished legalese.

Libel or Slander ?
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-09
Poking more than a bit of fun at the "worrying gap" - the distance between the language of the public and that of the legal profession, 'Legal Lingo' columnist Adam Freedman takes a humorous swing at the "Precision School", which holds that the complexity of legal language flows from the need of lawyers to be super precise. A position that challenges the "Plain English" camp, which advocates that ordinary citizens ought to be able to understand the laws they live under and the contracts they sign.

Demonstrating a wit and humor that may be lost on some legal scholars, Freedman traces the origin for the distinction between "libel" and "slander" while providing an ample supply of one-liners for use during your next meeting with legal counsel. If that is not enough, you may be interested in knowing that the Texas Cattlemen's suit of Oprah Winfrey was done under a "Food Disparagement Law" - statutes meant to protect agricultural products; veggies are a group with especially tender feelings, you know. His discussion of "boilerplate" language notwithstanding, I found the book to be riveting reading. From now on, I will "know all men by these presents," boilerplate is contractual and may require one to accept that there is a 'Sanity Clause'.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

Adams
Passport to Tax-Free International Living
Published in Paperback by International Law and Taxation Publishers (2000-04)
Author: Adam Starchild
List price: $49.95
New price: $49.95
Used price: $37.99

Average review score:

An offshore book with an exciting difference
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-06
I really liked this book. Unlike books that talk only about financial privacy and tax havens, the author goes into issues of lifestyle privacy, health record privacy, insurance information, and mentions specific top quality banks and insurance firms that provide services offshore (with their contact information).

Perhaps most meaningful of all is that the author actually lives offshore, but is retired. So he writes about what he knows and practices, while so many so-called offshore books are written by American service providers who have something to sell you but don't actually live the lifestyle. This author has nothing to sell you, but lives the offshore life. He has been writing about these subjects for some 25 years -- I've read his 1970s books -- and most other books can't come close.

Live in Paradise and Cut Your Taxes
Helpful Votes: 23 out of 24 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-01
Consider, for example, a tiny nation, nestled in the mountains between France and Spain, with no army, no poverty, and no income taxes. Here, in what has been called "the shopping amll of Europe," you can enjoy a high-quality of life for much less than you'd pay in America. (Property taxes, for instance, are a maximum of $240 a year.) There's virtually no unemployment. And the crime rate is the lowest in Europe.

Or, there's America's largest trading partner, which UN economists have judged the best nation in the world in which to live and work. A land of wide-open spaces, low crime, a clean environment, comprehensive shopping, affordable housing, and excellent government services. (You can travel there without a visa, or even a passport.) And best of all, Americans who follow Starchild's recommended procedures can escape taxes altogether.

Or perhaps you'd prefer a small European enclave on the shore of a beautiful lake, with uncontrolled access to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (two great asset havens). As a resident, you pay no income tax or local tax. Municipal services are paid for by profits from the local casino. The region boasts lakes and winter sports, and is only an hour away from the cultural activities of Milan, Italy.

If you're a retired investor, author, musician, or inventor, you may qualify to reside in a unique Mediterranean island nation that's also a popular tourist destination. Your income from foreign investments or royalties is taxed at a low rate of only 5%.

There are also many beautiful sun-drenched Caribbean isalnds you could make your home.

Or, if you have a yearning to live at sea, Starchild tells you about using a yacht as your personal residential haven.

All these places are available to you. And many more besides. And you can find them all featured in Passport to International Living.

A good strategy for 2001 and after
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-09
Owning property or a business outside the U.S. could become a private alternative to storing wealth in a foreign bank or securities account that has to be reported to the IRS. New regulations effective on January 1, 2001 require foreign banks to report U.S. securities owned by American clients.

The Expatriation Trend
Helpful Votes: 51 out of 58 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-14
Many US citizens now are seeking the American dream outside the USA. These people want what other Americans want: safe streets, good schools, friendly neighbors, rewarding work. The difference is that they are finding them in Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, Taiwan, and a growing list of other countries that are attracting record numbers of immigrants from the United States.

The United States has long been a promised land of opportunity, attracting more than 900,000 immigrants last year from all corners of the globe.

The flow of people is now no longer exclusively inward. An increasing number of Americans are looking abroad for the chance to live the kind of life they do not believe is possible in the US. Experts estimate that roughly 250,000 to 300,000 Americans move overseas each year. Of these, most are former immigrants returning to their native countries, but as many as 100,000 are native-born. Why are they leaving? The globalization of the world's economy and the breakdown of national barriers have facilitated a freer flow of goods, ideas, and people. Analysts view it as a major emerging trend of the 21st century.

Worldwide travel is faster, easier, and cheaper than at any time in human history. Telecommunications are rapidly improving, with advances in satellite technology and the growth of the Internet. Financial networks crisscross the globe. International opportunities for businesses and other endeavors are limited only by the scope of one's imagination. One sociologist who has studied Americans who leave the US has noted that the land of opportunity has now lost its borders.

Who is leaving? Students, employees, recent college graduates, businessmen, retirees, teachers, and entrepreneurs. Their ranks include most social categories, but the majority tend to be college-educated professionals. Why are they leaving? Some are looking for a slower, more peaceful pace of life. Others are seeking economic opportunities, fame, or adventure and believe it will be easier to obtain overseas. Some just want to get away. A small number of wealthy Americans leave to obtain a tax advantage. Others decide to move on because of what they view as the declining quality of life in the US. People applying to foreign embassies cite fear of crime, racial tensions, and the lack of morality in the US as reasons for their desire to leave the country. But the most important thing that all Americans would like to have is control and many people in the US feel they have lost control of their lives according to one expert who has studied the phenomenon of US citizens going abroad.

Currently, 3.2 million Americans are living abroad, up by more than 1 million in the 1990s alone, US State Department estimates show. The most popular destinations are also the closest. There are an estimated 627,000 Americans living in Canada and 550,000 Americans in Mexico. American emigration is not just confined to the Western Hemisphere. Countries ranging from Britain to Israel to Japan all boast large and growing numbers of Americans as year-round residents. The few exceptions to the trend include countries such as Iran and Libya, which are places where Americans feel less than welcome.

Aside from annual estimates by State Department personnel stationed around the world, there is no systematic US government effort to identify which and how many Americans are leaving the US. The State Department estimates are designed more to identify Americans who may need to be quickly evacuated from a country during an emergency, rather than to track the movements of US citizens. Americans are free to come and go from the US as they please and are not obligated to notify the government of their intentions.

Some observers are worried about the recent trend and warn that America may be in danger of losing its most productive and promising citizens in a US-version of the brain drain Britain experienced in the 1960s. Thirty years ago, many British scientists quit their homeland in favor of higher paying and better-equipped research jobs in the US. The same kind of economic migration of highly skilled Americans may now be under way, according to some analysts. According to one prominent university economist, it is the best and brightest, the innovators, who leave.

In the 21st century, countries will increasingly compete for the world's top talent. But many analysts argue the US has cornered the market and will continue to attract enough talented immigrants to more than compensate for any loss of American citizens. Other analysts point out that global migration will have another benefit as it will become a catalyst for international unity and peace. The kind of world we are moving toward is going to be shaped by a number of economic and political forces that will lead to a diminution of national borders and it is likely to offer more for the good than the bad.

One observer of the phenomenon of international immigration believes it will reduce hostilities and lessen the possibility of conflicts to have people of other societies enriching the society in which they move. This is the vanguard for the trend of the 21st century in the developed world.

Adams
Patterns for e-business
Published in Paperback by Mc Press (2001-10)
Authors: Srinivas Koushik, Guru Vasudeva, George Galambos, and Jonathan Adams
List price: $55.00
Used price: $42.98

Average review score:

Patterns from Systems to Applications
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-19
The patience and persistence of the authors has resulted in a text that should soon be recognized as a work of a higher order than the classic "Design Patterns - Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" by Gamma, et al. Higher order here indicates a higher position in the design process.

The two works address different areas of the pattern domain, but, by addressing business leaders and solution designers, Adam's "Patterns for e-business" will have the effect of helping drive the use of patterns at all levels of the software construction ptocess.

The pattern classifications, and the clear indication of business and IT drivers are excellent. No matter what your role, reading this work will make you a better participant in the systems design and construction process.

The authors take the time to recommend, based on your role, which chapters to read, and it which order. My suggestion -- read them all, front to back.

As someone who loves learning, I was especially drawn to the Composite patterns and discussions regarding the use of packages to provide the implementation of many parts of some patterns.

Prior to the publication of this work, I attended Mr. Adams presentation on patterns and later used the Patterns Development Kit (PDK) that supports the patterns. The session was great, I felt more of an architect/designer and builder than on any project or engagement.

The authors have made a great contribution to systems development by cataloging years of knowledge in a way that helps practitioners make sound design decisions.

Adams, Gamma, and Booch/Rumbaugh are names to remember.

A great way to establish your software architecture practice
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-06
I work for a company that builds and extends enterprise applications for other companies. This book has really helped get our architecture practice in order.

The best thing about this book is that it gives a methodology for designing an architecture based upon business requirements. This transition from the problem space (needs, features, requirements, etc.) to the solution space (architecture, design, tools, etc.) is glossed over or non-existant in most patterns books as they are oriented on starting at the architecture level (or lower) instead of the business requirements.

We have found this methodology very useful for reducing project risk because we are building upon proven patterns and it has proven very useful for developing quick and concise proposals that demonstrate to our clients that we listened, understood, and have a roadmap for building their solution.

Although the IBM e-business patterns website offers much more information than this book (and it's free), the book is a great asset because it steps you through the high levels of the methodology in a more approachable way.

Enterprise Architecture
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-25
This is a highly readable book with a much needed holistic view of e-business.

Anyone who has, or is, establishing enterprise architectural standards ought to consider this approach to layering assets i.e patterns.

The book introduces a real insight into reuse! I have read "Objects, Components and Frameworks with UML" (The Catalysis Approach) by Desmond D'Souza/Alan Wills and "Software Reuse" by Ivar Jacobson/Martin Griss/Patrik Jonsson. I struggled with both these books to abstract the basic concepts of software reuse. "Patterns for e-business" helped enormously.

If, like me, time is at a premium but you really need to understand a strategy for reuse...then read this book!

Patterns from Systems to Applications
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-19
The patience and persistence of the authors has resulted in a text that should soon be recognized as a work of a higher order than the classic "Design Patterns - Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" by Gamma, et al. Higher order here indicates a higher position in the design process.

The two works address different areas of the pattern domain, but, by addressing business leaders and solution designers, Adam's "Patterns for e-business" will have the effect of helping drive the use of patterns to all levels of the software construction process.

The pattern classifications, and the clear indication of business and IT drivers are excellent. No matter what your role, reading this work will make you a better participant in the systems design and construction process.

The authors take the time to recommend, based on your role, which chapters to read, and it which order. My suggestion -- read them all, front to back.

As someone who loves learning, I was especially drawn to the Composite patterns and discussions regarding the use of packages to provide the implementation of many parts of some patterns.

Prior to the publication of this work, I attended Mr. Adams presentation on patterns and later used the Patterns Development Kit (PDK) that supports the patterns. The session was great; I felt more of an architect/designer and builder than on any project or engagement.

The authors have made a great contribution to systems development by cataloging years of knowledge in a way that helps practitioners make sound design decisions.

Adams, Gamma, and Booch/Rumbaugh are names to remember.


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