Blake Books

Just a great book for a child to read before his/her reconciliation. Great for any Catholic child to read.

After reading the first three glowing reviews, I ordered "Child's Guide to Reconciliation" for my seven-year-old son. I found the book to be consistent with other materials currently available and that's why I'm disappointed. I love the Sacraments of my church and I want my children to have a full understanding of them. This book, and so many others of its type, are written on a pre-school level and fail to provide the instruction necessary for preparation to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is one of the few times in a child's life when they will actually study and learn the Ten Commandments. Instead of rewriting them on a pre-school level, why not present them in their proper form and provide age appropriate explanations? Why teach a juvenile form of the Act of Contrition? When will these children ever learn the adult version? The book teaches us how to make the Sign of the Cross, but fails explain the difference between perfect and imperfect contrition. The book doesn't even explain the elements necessary for a valid confession. Without this framework of understanding, our children will never receive the full benefit of this important sacrament. We don't give our children enough credit for intellectual capacity. Children aren't stupid, they just need guidance. To paraphrase; What they learn first, they learn best. "Child's Guide to Reconciliation" is not without merit, it just falls far short of my expectations.

I just recently purchased the First Communion book By Elizabeth Ficocelli and I would Highly recommend it for anyone who is making their First Communion. I found it very informative and comforting for the reader. My son was quite nervous before he made his and after reading book he was able to understand what was going to happen. The book showed the child how special and important they were to God. As a parent I enjoyed the questions the book asked. It gave my son and I an opportunity to talk about how he was feeling and also brought back memories of the day I made mine. If you know of anyone who is making their First Communion, consider buying this book. It will be a great addition to your library.

As a catholic, and a father of six children; it is important to me to provide my children with books that will reinforce their faith. My daughter, who is currently attending second grade in catholic school, was studying to make her confession. The Child's Guide to Reconciliation reinforced what she had learned in school and helped her to have a greater understanding of the importance of the day. My daughter loves to read this book as it is well written and beautifully illustrated. The author provided examples to clarify the topics of both sin and repentance. The questions encouraged discussion between my daughter and I. This helped her prepare for the ceremony. The book is presented in such a way that it relieved and reduced the nervousness and anxiety my daughter was feeling.

Next I will be looking for the child's guide to Confirmation!

Thanks

The book arrived in record time. Thanks for a great transaction.
Jim

THIS IS A GOOD BOOK FOR BEGINNERS. THE CD MAKES IT VERY EASY TO GET A RYTHM, IM NOT REALLY INTO THE ROCK MUSIC. BUT IT HAS SOME NICE BLUES TRACKS ON THERE AS WELL. THE LAST LESSONS ALLOW YOU TO PLAY WITH OTHER INSTRUMENTS SO YOU ARE THE ONLY BASS THAT YOU HEAR. AND IF YOU ARE STARTING A BAND THERE ARE ALSO 3 OTHER BOOKS THAT GO ALONG WITH YOURS, AT THE END OF THE LESSONS THERE ARE 3 SONGS. EACH INSTRUMENT WILL LOOK AT THERE OWN BOOK, AT THE SAME SONG AND PLAY TOGETHER, YOUR OWN BAND. (BASS,KEYBOARD,DRUMS,GUITAR)
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

This book helped me to learn the basics of bass very quickly. It has tabs as well as regular notation for each song. There is a CD which is very helpful. I made it through this book very quickly and look forward to moving on to the next book.

EXCELLENT choice for a beginner.

This book lives up to its title. The combo of the CD and written material (tab + instruction) is excellent. The book has both tab and sheet music to learn from and you get to play along with the CD. This really enforces the concepts of time (rythum) and harmonics (chords, scales, etc.). Many different styles and tempos really help accelerate your learning process. For me timing was a very tough concept to grasp and playing along and viewing the various tempos and riffs in the book has brought me a long way toward being a respectable bassist. I still jam with friends who can play lead, rythum and drums and that just reinforces the concepts.

One thing I have to mention to be fair in the review is that I have bought a lot of the available "Learning" Books, DVD's, etc. that are on the market. This one is by far the best at teaching the conceptual and physical (real world) playing concepts. If you really want to play bass and want to learn quickly I highly recommend this book.

Another note - read some theory. At least enough to know the notes on the neck of the bass and how to find them. A little scale and chord construction will help you out a lot. Oh- and read up on timing and rythum as it applies to the bass. With this background and a concerted effort to play the material in this book you will progress quickly.

Guitarnoise.com has some great Bass Sections on timing and theory as well as cyberfretbass.com. They're both free and will help accompany the concepts and playing material in the book.

In short - for the money this is the best da#! beginning bass book on the market.

Once again this author astounds with his depth of research - finding in depth descriptions and information about films we may never have a chance of seeing is an amazing feat. Shipping was quick and the book was in excellent condition as well.

There's only one thing to say about Lon Chaney; he was probably one of the top ten greatest actors of the twentieth century (considering the difference in acting today). Even with make up aside, he still managed to turn in a great performance. I believe I saw Michael F. Blake on the Turner Classic Movies documentary, "Man of a thousand faces." He obviously knows what he's talking about when it comes to Lon Chaney and wrote one helluva book. It's interesting to read the critics reviews for his films, and one wonders all the reasearch and time it took to find them. Being a fan of Lon Chaney myself, this is a must read for not even Chaney, but silent films fans all around.

Many actors and actresses have had "The Films of..." books written about them, but Lon Chaney was always overlooked. Now, Michael F. Blake has written a book to fill that void. The book has detailed information relating to cast and crew, ploy synopsis, critical comments of the day and behind-the-scenes information. There are 120 photos from Chaney's films, many never published before. Chaney's film biography, "Man of a Thousand Faces", and a detailed list of unrealized film projects are also included. This book is a necessary reference guide for ALL Chaney fans.

This reference book is packed full of cast listings, story-lines, production info, and contemporary reviews of all of Lon Chaney's known films. There are over 100 photos from his films. Author Blake has also included notes about the films including which ones are extant. Finally, there is a list of other films that he appeared in and unrealized film projects.

it was not as well liked as others that I've read by her. I read this book a few months ago and decided that unlike other books by her, I would not keep it to re-read. Looking back, I think that I would have liked to have been a little more emotionally involved. I thought that the hero could have been a little more determined. Don't get me wrong, I did like the book; it just didn't have that extra "zing" for me. You may like it better than I did.

There is nothing wrong with historical detail in writing, as long as it's used to enhance the story and not as filler fluff between love scenes, and certainly not as emotional ice water to keep the protagonists from finding their happily ever after too soon.

The love scenes in Midnight Waltz are some of the most well-written I have ever read, and I have read many. However, where Ms. Blake drops the ball is in maintaining a credible emotional connection between Robert and Amalie anytime they weren't in bed. I wouldn't quibble about how long it took Amalie to guess Robert and Julien's "secret" and her anger afterward; I don't have a problem with later as opposed to sooner for the sake of the plot, and she was certainly entitled to feel as betrayed she did. I just wasn't prepared for how complicated, what should have been a fairly straightforward plotline, became after the secret was out, and too many things like the island trip and storm felt like plot devices that really didn't serve any purpose other than to lengthen the story and keep this couple together, yet apart. It was just tedious.

Plus, I was somewhat appalled at Robert's apparent lack of concern and involvement in Amalie's pregnancy. That, combined with their seeming inability to communicate in any other way besides sexually, made me feel he wasn't as committed to her as he let on. Don't get me wrong, misunderstandings are the cornerstone of romance. However, I'd rather see a couple fall in love than have to be constantly reassured that they are.

"Midnight Waltz" is not your usual romance novel; there are some surprising twists and turns. First off, let me say that I love romance novels and if they are set in Louisiana, that's a big plus.

Amalie, the heroine, is in an arranged marriage to Julien Declouet. They live on a plantation named Belle Grove, with Julien's mother and sleep in separate bedrooms, as was the custom in those times. Julien's cousin, the handsome Robert Farnum, lives hereby and is a frequent visitor to Belle Grove. He respects his aunt, Julien's mother, and will do anything for her.

Julien and Amalie have been married for three months, but still the marriage has not been consumated, although he has tried once or twice. One night, Amalie is visited by a man who she thinks is her husband. Their interlude is wonderfully sexual and romantic, but it's so dark that she can't see his face and assumes it is her husband. At breakfast the next morning, Julien acts as if nothing transpired between himself and Amalie the night before which puzzles Amalie. But that night again, and the night after that, she is visited by her lover and they spend rapturous hours together-- and that is the setup for the rest of the story!

Jennifer Blake transports the reader to the bayous of Louisiana and the streets of New Orleans. "Midnight Waltz" has an intriguing, very dark side in addition to the romance. The story takes some surprising twists and turns which the reader really doesn't expect. The secondary characters are as vital to the story as the Amalie, Robert and Julien.

This is the first book by Jennifer Blake that I have read and it won't be my last. If you're in the mood for some romantic suspense and intrigue set in the steamy, sexy bayous, read this book.

I have read this book over and over again throughout the years, and it never ceases to touch me. I recently re-read it, just for the fun of it. You will come to think of Amalie and Robert as your friends--they will stay in your mind--you'll find yourself thinking: let me go back to New Orleans and spend some time with them...

One of the things that I liked the most about this book is the strength of its heroine, Amalie, ...she is not prone to faints spells or weeping and so on, but is a "take action" kind of heroine. Robert is so passionate and sweet that you cannot help but to root for him and Amalie to be together once and for all. (The secondary characters are interesting too!)

I absolutely love this book, this is one of Ms. Blake's best.

Please read this book and then write what you think of it here!

Thelmon is in prison for a drug charge and hoping to get his conviction overturned, thanks to a lawyer his wife hired for him. Nichelle, on the other hand, lonely without her husband, and makes a grave error with a cop she meets in a club. Things get very interesting as well as dangerous when the murders of a young mother and her two children, along with a drug dealer, start pointing to someone in the immediate family.

The second book featuring Detroit cop Denard Blake, "Overturned" is very realistically written by former Detroit cop, Michael C. Lee. You will be surprised as the story takes on twists and turns that you don't see coming. Hard to put down till the last page.

Overturned is a well written page turner that will envelope you into the story.

Denard Blake, a successful but flawed detective is wonderful in the lead role chasing after the bad guys. Thelmon Kirkwood, the unlucky jail bird who gets into one sticky situation after another captures your sympathy for a person caught up at the wrong place wrong time. Nichelle Kirkwood is a strong leading woman character who experiences turmoil, love and loss.

This is where Michael C. Lee excels at making you care for characters who become deeply embedded in your unconscious.

This book has twists and turns with lots of action that will keep you coming back for more. If you are looking for serious Crime fiction based on some true accounts than you won't go wrong with Michael C. Lee. Check out Chandler Park Drive and don't forget to pick up Overturned!

In OVERTURNED, Michael C. Lee revisits Denard Blake, a Detroit policeman who is now searching for the killer who murdered a woman and her two children. The murderer set the house on fire with their bodies in it, but an autopsy showed that each of them had been shot before they were burned. Nichelle Kirkwood, the wife of prison inmate, Thelmon Kirkwood, is desperately trying to get her husband released from prison, but circumstantial evidence is pointing toward him as the killer. As others begin to die and ballistics shows the same gun was used, not only in killing the three family members, but also in a cold case from four years ago, the action heats up. How could Thelmon kill anybody while locked up? Does he have a hookup that will allow him to get someone else to do it for him? These questions and many more keep Blake hot on the trail of the killer.

Michael C. Lee has written a fast-paced mystery with more than a few bodies falling. There are many characters but they are developed well enough that it is easy to keep them straight and remember each one. It is action-packed and kept my interest to the thunderous ending. Even when you think you've figured it all out, you find out you don't know the half of it. It was a good book.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Thelmon Kirkwood is a victim of circumstance: busted for drug possession, he is sentenced to a fifteen-year bid in a federal penitentiary. The fact that the drugs weren't even his matters not; he is soon removed from friends, family, his community, and - most importantly, his stunningly beautiful wife, Nichelle.

Nichelle is a devoted wife and mother determined to stay faithful to Thelmon - but she is a woman nonetheless, subject to the whims of her carnal desires. As the weeks of Thelmon's incarceration drag out into months, her desires grow stronger and stronger until the opportunity to act on them comes along in the form of the handsome Terrence Kennedy.

Terrence is a dedicated police Lieutenant with the Detroit Police Department. Despite his hot and heavy affair with Nichelle, he respects her devotion to Thelmon, even going so far as to help her hire a hard-nosed attorney to get him out of prison. Little does he know, though, his magnanimous labors will ultimately bear tragic fruit.

Shortly after Thelmon is released, Nichelle becomes the latest in a string of violent murders, all of which share one common suspect: Thelmon himself. Soon, Terrence and the rest of the DPD find themselves in a race against time to piece together the mysterious clues surrounding the tragic deaths before any chance at true justice slips away.

Overturned contains enough compelling action to keep the reader on his/her toes without respite. With the addition of each new character and plot turn, Lee injects a fresh dose of suspense, mystery, and intrigue into a taut tale of whodunit with a hip hop twist. An entertaining cast of characters and an imaginative storyline are all this crime thriller needs to help it avoid retreading the same tired ground of other trite tales in its genre. Highly recommended for old and new fans alike.

Denard Black is back! Overturned, by Michael C. Lee, had the Detroit
Sergeant of Special Assignment Squad piecing together a crime that
involved the murder of a mother and her children. When more bodies
started dropping, the common denominator was Thelmon Kirkwood; a
convicted drug dealer. Nichelle Kirkwood, Thelmon's wife, dutifully
attempted to get her husband out of jail. She knew, for sure, her
husband was innocent. Her job was to find someone who could prove it
to the judge. Meeting Violent Crimes Lieutenant Terrence Kennedy
while at a club with her friend provided her with more than a
referral to a great lawyer. The meeting awakened a need she had
suppressed; one that could only be fulfilled by a man. Would Nichelle
remain faithful during her husband's incarceration? Would the meeting
be the key to unlock the bars holding her husband? Or would she fall victim to lust and the underworld that threatened her peace?

Overturned is a well-crafted, crime fiction novel. The author was
careful to integrate all of the characters while capturing their
individual situations; weaving a complex, yet easy to follow,
storyline. The unexpected twists made this novel come alive, but
grammatical errors stole some of its shine. Had the editing been more
polished, I would have given it a higher rating. I recommend
Overturned to readers who enjoy crime fiction and Michael C. Lee fans.

Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

Actually Haven't Read the Book, But Thoroughlly enjoyed The Movie. I'm Gonna Make this Review not a review.I"m Trying to Get contact's of Anybody,with his Authentic or of How to get in Touch with Jeffrey Hunter or His family.I am Mr.Tweed's Grandson.any information would be greatly Appreciated.When any information becomes avaiable. EMail.Thanks. Brian Tweed

I am still looking for this book. I have related information for Brian Tweed who wrote a review in December 2002. Please put me in contact with him.

I first saw the movie starring Jeffrey Hunter when I was little. It was one of those movies that always came on late at night, but I always stayed up to watch it. I have read the book, and actually own a hardback copy signed by Mr. Tweed himself. I spent 3 years on Guam and visited the sight of his dwelling. I won't call it a cave, because it was just a small living space between two vertical rocks. Amazing he could live there and evade capture for 22 months. It was heartwarming the way the locals protected him from capture, even though some of them paid the ultimate price for doing so. Great story about one mans struggle to survive against heavy odds and how he remained close to those he befriended up until the time of his death.

This book is a fascinating view into the mind of a man escaping and evading. His techniques are timeless and still taught today in contemporary military escape and evasion schools, and as such makes for powerful lessons for military members subject to capture. Very interesting look into a different world view, the lack of polish and sophistication of the narrative is a breath of fresh air and intensely personal. The text and accompanying endnotes hint broadly that there may be more to the story than what we are given and other viewpoints that may not agree with RM1 Tweed's, but that does not detract from the book. A must for anyone with even a passing interest in the island and people of Guam or the saga of a trapped military man evading escape for years on a small island during WWII.

Ed Maybury CDR/MC/USN

Summer Avery refuses to loose control of the carefully orchestrated life she has arranged, even if it means always living alone. Although she had dearly loved her parents, and didn't begrudge the decision she made to give up her dreams so she could care for them in their last years, the cost was high. Now that she has established her career, arranged her life as she wants it, and finds great satisfaction in quiet evenings reading, she's not willing to compromise her peace of mind. Not even for a man with the most devastating blue eyes she's ever seen.

Brett Ford couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful woman sipping wine. Although he'd caught her eye, she didn't offer a come hither invitation, so he maintained his distance until her friend, a mutual friend actually, arrived. The introduction to Summer led to a wonderful conversation, nachos and buffalo wings. Although they really seemed to hit it off, Summer declined another evening spent together. Nevertheless, Brett insisted upon walking her to her car, and then providence intervened. A dead battery and a long delay on behalf on AAA allowed passion to give them a memorable night. But when morning came, Brett found himself, disappointingly, alone.

Their mutual friend however, talks sense into Summer when she learns she's pregnant. Much against her own desire to raise her child completely independently, she contacts Brett to give him the news. Brett doesn't have any doubts, immediately beginning his campaign to win Summer's heart and a life together with their child. Marvelous picnics and circumstances work to his advantage. But Summer still finds compromising, yielding and sharing a challenge. And when she learns the price Brett has paid in lost opportunities, Summer fears taking his dreams just as her own had been snatched away.

Finding one's way to love in the midst of control issues makes SEDUCING SUMMER a delightful read. Toni Blake weaves a magically romantic tale of independence yielding to change with grace and delicacy, never depriving either character of their strength, but finding ways to blend their independence for an even stronger bond when together. And the way Brett persues Summer is wonderful! We should all be blessed with such romancing! Highly recommended.

SEDUCING SUMMER gives us Summer Avery and Brett Ford, who, after their first night of loving shockingly find themselves with a baby on the way. In a reversal of roles, it's Summer who wants nothing to do with men & marriage and tells Brett she fully intends to raise the baby alone and requires no assistance from him.

At first floored, Brett recovers to find himself eagerly anticipating the baby's arrival and wants to be much more than a weekend dad. Furthermore, he's adamant about getting Summer to accept his proposal and she's just as adamant about saying no.

But Brett won't take no for an answer and so he sets out to do everything he can to change her answer to yes. This guy is a prince. A knight in shining armor. The kind of guy you dream about and fantasize about. I loved him and I wasn't too happy with Summer's callous and cold treatment of him. Yes, perhaps she had reason, but I thought she went overboard.

Brett's family gets into the act with parents and two of the three sisters fully behind Brett and supportive in all the changes he makes in his life. All except his sister Brenda. I'll let the reader form their own opinion of Brenda, but in the end I don't feel she redeemed herself enough. Nor do I think Summer groveled enough for Brett's forgiveness.

But these are minor things. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much and think Ms. Blake's star is on the rise. She's certainly an author to watch.

Toni-->> More like Brett, please.

SEDUCING SUMMER is the second book by Toni Blake for Harlequin. She has once again proven that she deserves recognition for her wonderful talent in weaving a story that is hard to put down.

SEDUCING SUMMER is about a couple, Summer Avery and Brett Ford. She is a career woman with no time for marriage and babies. She doesn't want to be dependent on anyone. He is an up and coming architecture that has the chance for a great career opportunity. They meet and have one night together. But that one night creates a baby.

This is where the conflict begins. He wants to get married and is willing to give up his dream. She is unwilling at first. She wants to remain independent and raise the child without a husband. He woos her and finally convinces her that getting married is the right thing to do. Then she learns what he gave up...
Summer Avery, the heroine, was sometimes hard to take. She is not your typical romance book heroine. Some readers might be put off by her attitude. Brett Ford, however, is a Prince Charming in disguise. He is thoughtful, caring, and will do just about anything for Summer and his baby.

This is an emotional story of two people, who in the end, realize all their dreams can come true.
If you are looking for a different type of "she's pregnant" story, then I highly recommend that you read SEDUCING SUMMER.

At thirty, Cincinnati resident Summer Avery is content with her life though she has no man in it. After work, Summer meets one of her employees, Tina Conway, at a happy hour. However, at the bar, Summer surprises herself when she cannot keep her eyes off of "Mr. Mysterious Eyes," a confident individual playing pool with his buddies.

As Summer prepares to leave, Mr. Mysterious Eyes comes over to say hello to Tina. Tina introduces Summer to Brett Ford, a person she has not seen in over a decade. Though interested, Summer rejects Brett's efforts to see her again. When her car fails, Summer goes with Brett into his apartment. One thing leads to another and they soon make love. Not long afterwards, Summer learns she is pregnant on what she considers a one-night mistake, but he feels is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

SEDUCING SUMMER is an enjoyable contemporary romance starring two obviously in love individuals. The skirmishes with Brett trying to persuade Summer that they can have fun, enjoy non-work time, and be in love are well designed and entertain the reader. Everyone will relish the positive attitude of "Mr. Mysterious Eyes," but be irritated with Summer's wintry reluctance even though her rejections propel the story line along while providing some of the emotions that terrific Toni Blake wants her readers to feel. By successfully doing this within a marvelously written plot, Ms. Blake seduces her audience with this wonderful romance that shows why she is one of the top genre authors.

Harriet Klausner

This book was very hastily and poorly written, but it certainly has interesting information about Sophie. I specifically did not enjoy how the authors compared Sophie to Diana, implying that Diana was inferior to Sophie. Shame on them.

I've always followed the doings of the Royal family with great interest, so I grabbed up this book as soon as it was published. I wasn't disappointed! It gives a really interesting account of the life of the latest Royal bride. It has pride of place on my bookshelf.

A thoroughly researched and entertaining look at this modern royal love affair. A must for royal enthusiasts!

This excellent book--a must for all royal enthusiasts--looks at the life of the next royal bride, from her childhood in the sleepy Kent village of Brenchley, through her experiences as a chalet girl in Switzerland and PR executive in London to her fairytale romance with the Queen's youngest son.

THERE ARE SOME RARE PHOTOS WHICH ARE COOL.SOME GOOD TEXT ALSO.JUST NOT ENOUGH FOR MY $.

Gary Lynch and Tom Adler have put together a book to expose Tom Blake to the general public. After a brief foreward that introduces us to Tom, we are supplied with images of a man that will immortalize him. Tom Blake was not an ordinary man or surfer. He was an innovative inventor that changed the pastime of surfing. A pictorial history of Blake is followed with thumbnails of the pictures and brief/succinct notes. I enjoyed the variety of the images and the emphasis on the "beach life." Blake obviously lived cleanly and simply. His life was directed by a force of nature that was compelling for him. The pictures are inspiring. It is a recollection of a time when surfing was simple. Yet, Blake, the man, was anything but the common thinker or surfer. He was a work of art and so is the book.

These are marvelous pictures of a time that is barely imaginable --Tom Blake looks like god......his photos of he and Duke Kahanamoku and Tom's girlfriend are classics and priceless. Great slices-of-time surfing at Waikiki.....presented in a beautiful hardcover. Soon to be out of print....save in the limited edition - joe t. of surfbooks.com

Tom Blake Surfing: 1922-1932 presents a selection of Blake's photographs that define a period in surfing, a period of innovation and rediscovery of surfing's ancient Hawaiian roots. Blake's invention, the paddleboard, stands beside the heavier redwood boards of the period and provides a striking contrast in shape and weight. These lighter boards created a controversy when Blake paddled them to easy victories in races. They were clearly a quantum leap for surfboard design. Interestingly enough, the Blake innovation--hollowing surfboards--is still used today with balsa boards. In addition, if you have been to a beach in the summer and noticed the large wood boards atop rescue vehicles, you have seen the Tom Blake design at work to this day. The photographs, laid out in a eye-pleasing format on very fine paper, allow the reader to, as it were, review a unique period of history seen by few until this time and lived by few during that period, since history covering this time period usually focuses on the Roaring Twenties. Here the Roaring Waves provide another view of the Roaring Twenties, a view of life in California and Hawaii at once wholesome and relaxed. If readers look closely at the themes presented here in the photographs, they will discover the breadth of experience Tom Blake had at this time and later. To illustrate, Tom Blake was a stunt man for Hollywood, an inventor, a champion swimmer, a champion paddler, a historian and replicator of ancient Hawaiian surfboards, a phototgrapher...and more. What an impressive list for any man. Gary Lynch and Tom Adler have forever preserved an important bit of surfing history. Their hard work and attention to detail show in the informative Foreward and the explanatory notes at the end of the book. Only Blake's own notations appear on the photographs, allowing viewers to make observations on their own. This book is one of my treasured possessions.

For long I have been looking for a book on XML security. Always ended up with the web-literature only. But since I bought this book, its been very helpful in understanding what seems like a complicated concept.

One issue was that the URL link to download the Cert-J SDK does not work. in the sense,the survey on the link goes in circles. I could not reach the operator either to get my hands on SDK to try it out. So, am trying out the Apache XML security suite for now.
It will be great if I can get the Cert-J as well.

thanx guys for a focussed and great book

The above book is full of information with regards to XML Security and it's implementations. However, I found it to be VERY application oriented towards RSA's own Bsafe product Cert-J.

If you are interested in utilizing a C or C++ parser you should look for a different book. But, if you will be developing and/or utilizing XML via a Java-based program; this is definitly the book for you.

Given the fact that XML is a key component of web services, and extensively used in e-commerce and enterprise applications integration, this book addresses a genuinely important topic. For one reason, XML is text-based and can expose proprietary information, which is a vulnerability for competitive intelligence specialists and corporate spying.

Before going into what the book contains it's important to know that much of the material is based on RSA's view of the security. This isn't a criticism, but an up-front statement of fact because if you're looking for a book that is 100% vendor neutral you are going to have to wait until one is written - this is the only book I know of that is solely about XML security.

The book starts with primers on security and XML to set the context. It then covers, in succession, digital signatures (chapters 4, 5 and 6), and XML encryption. These chapters are consistent with work and specifications produced by XML Signature WG (joint the Working Group IETF and W3C for digital signatures) and the W3C working group for XML Encryption.

Chapter 8 is specific to RSA products. It shows how to implement XML encryption using RSA BSAFE© Cert-J, which can be downloaded in a trial version from RSA's website. Chapter 9 covers XML key management specification, which are consistent with the W3C working group's specifications, and how XML security relates to web services.

Despite the slight bias towards RSA this book is an invaluable reference. It provides an in-depth discussion of major security issues, as well as how they are being addressed by the W3C. It goes without saying that anyone who is responsible for system architecture, design and/or security should carefully read this book.

When you read the XML specification, you will notice that it contains no notion of security. Critical security functionalities such as encryption, digital signatures, and authentication are simply not part of the XML standard. XML is similar to many other protocols, languages, and operating systems in that it was originally developed without any thought to security and privacy. It is only after serious security vulnerabilities are discovered and publicized that they are patched. But this find, patch, fix mentality of information security is dangerous in that security problems can exist for months or years before they are found.

Similarly within XML, much of the security functionality has been added post- facto, namely in Canonical XML, XML Signature, and XML Encryption Syntax and Processing. By adding security to the core feature set of XML, the W3C has ensured that,
to a degree, the find, patch, fix method won't be the manner in which XML security is developed. A good reference book can help you navigate this XML security landscape.

XML Security is a reader friendly title and focuses more on the implementation of XML. For readers looking for ways to use XML and less coding examples, XML Security is more useful book. The author, Blake Dournaee, is an employee of RSA Security, and the book is an RSA Press imprint. Furthermore, Chapter 8, the book's longest chapter, is about XML Signatures implementing the RSA BSAFE(c) Cert-J toolkit. Even with the RSA vendor bias, XML Security provides a good reference to the XML security functionality.

This book spends more time introducing the reader to security concepts, and Chapters 2 and 3 (Security Primer and XML Primer) provide the reader with a good overview about all of the significant concepts involved. Chapter 6 provides a plethora of XML signature examples. As XML signatures are rich in their features and syntax, combined with the vast number of elements and permutations of those elements, it can be quite difficult for someone to understand how to properly use XML signatures. Chapter 6 provides 14 different scenarios and their proposed solutions. These scenarios range from adding a single signature to a basic XML document, to adding multiple types of signatures to various documents. For readers who need good hands-on examples, Chapter 6 is worth the price of the book alone.