Bonds Books

Razeghi brings great insight and power in The Riddle. A new way of thinking about problem solving has arrived. Informative and a great read! Find out for yourself.

The Riddle has a lot to offer. Interesting stories that take the reader on a wonderful journey through creativity and history. A must read for anyone who wants to achieve their goals in life. Razeghi takes us through time and makes us realize that the past can indeed inform us of each of our futures and the outcomes we each may want to achieve. I highly recommend The Riddle!

Covers a lot of ground but does so in such a boring, visually unstimulating way. I expected a book on ideas to more mentally stimulating, too text bookish for me.

Looking for encouragement in your attempt to increase creativity? How about practical exercises that you can employ in stimulating innovation? The Riddle: Where Ideas Come From and How to Have Better Ones by Andrew Razeghi proposes that there are five precursors that "appear to be the most effective at inspiring creative insight: curiosity, constraints, conventions, connections, and codes." Does he prove it? I think so. Every chapter is finished off with a helpful list of implementable practices designed to help flex underdeveloped muscles. What could be better? Could certainly use a better collection of stories and examples. Other than that, this is a book that is packed with practical steps for the supposed "left brained" among us.

The Riddle: Where Ideas Come From and How to Have Better Ones fills a void that serious managers should address to insure long-term success. For ages managers were satisfied to find new opportunities with nothing more sophisticated than serendipity. This mantra can be summarized as "Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in awhile." I have repeatedly asked, "Isn't there a better way to find useful ideas?" Razeghi provides an entertaining overview of the idea creation process. He examines foibles and successes from the past and explains what happened. Unlike other authors who never get past the entertaining phase, Razeghi concludes his book with a prescription for success. He identifies the general precursors needed for creating an environment conducive to fostering innovation. Curiosity, constraints, connections, conventions, and finally codes are used as a cleaver development of his principles. Finally, Razeghi enumerates a specific action plan that can be implemented. If you want your organization to stay in business and remain relevant for the long-term, read this book!

Realionship very fast and not really timed well. Some of her books are much better paced.

I didn't even read it all. I started with enthusiasm, but as I kept reading farther and farther, the book became more and more boring. I had to skip 1/3 of it and go right to the conclusion. Sorry, but I won't buy any of Ms Strong's books.

This book is fantastic!!! The plot line is hot and she somehow manages to introduce secondary characters that intertwine with the main characters without pulling the spotlight away from anyone. There is some light Dom/Sub going on in the book as well but it just made the story better.

I loved it, the male characters were macho to the max, and the half-elf, half-human Aislinn was wonderful. This was not only a sensual read but a very good mystery suspense novel.

Aislinn is half elf, she was raised in Elf-Land, until she reached an age when she could live in our world. Being half-elf is not a good thing in their land she was unable to do the things with magic that they could and is very insecure. However in our world she possesses the magic to find lost things and read the future in other words she is a real psychic. But she is not allowed to let others find out anything about her beginings. So she has a few friends and helps others with their gifts.

Trace is a cop's cop. He only does one night stands and never, never gets close to any woman, especially a psychic. He doesn't believe in them and thinks they are all [...] When a fellow cop sets him up with a date, he doesn't know Aslinn will be one of the three ladies to join them. From the first moment he sees her he is totally captured.

When psychics begin to be murdered, Trace takes Aislinn into protective custody, but all of the murders and kidnappings seem to lead back to Aislinn. Every member of Trace's unique unit takes to the streets when Aslinn is kidnapped and only the thing he doesn't believe in can save the woman he loves.

Great book, if you enjoy a sensual romance with your suspense, this one is for you.

Trace Dilessio is a homicide detective. There are many things he believes in but one thing he does not. He doesn't believe in Psychic's and when his latest case revolves around the murder of a man who claims to have helped the police find a missing child he is more then skeptical. When the woman he recently meets and feels an intense and instant attraction to ends up at the center of a murder investigation he will have to put his beliefs on hold in order to keep her for himself. But, will he be able to keep her safe from a killer?

Aislinn is half elven and psychic. On the night she meets Trace, she can't believe how hot the attraction burns between her and the rough detective. She can't ignore the heat and the passion but will Trace be able to accept her for who and what she is or will he let him prejudice get in the way?

This was a good read. Ms. Strong has deftly combined a sensual love story with interesting and entertaining paranormal touches. This is an author that can write it steamy but still gives her reader a storyline that will entertain.

I'm a huge Bond fan. After reading this book, I found nothing that I was looking for. All that is in the book is charts and rankings. There is not even a fact page...like...Best selling book film or what not.
I think they should take off the "Ultimate" in "Ultimate James Bond Fan Book" and just put "Just another James Bond Fan Book."

The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book is interesting, though not "ultimate" for people who have been reading books about Bond for years. I have a collection of books on both the James Bond films and the novels and this has perhaps prejudiced my view. If you love a repeat of plots, an analysis and critique of all the Bond characters in film and enjoy statistics this may be the book for you. There is certainly an ample supply of lists and enough ratings to fill a graduate textbook on statistics. Having experienced the latter I feel I can say that.

Where the book suffers, and author Deborah Lipp is very upfront on this, is the personal opinions. She is very honest about this and actually has two ratings for every aspect of each film. Ms. Lipp relies heavily upon fan websites and suveys that either she or others have made. Then she expresses her own feelings, sometimes in agreement and sometimes the opposite. She is very candid that Bond fans, like Trekkies and Sherlockians (I am in all three categories) will disagree on a number of points. My biggest problem is that once she gets into a film she goes off into lists and ratings of which there are many. I would have preferred the listings to have been at the latter part of the book. At times there is no apparent reason why a list will pop up at the end of a particular film being described.

I will also confess that I did not take the author's suggestion to refer to certain sections as I felt moved rather than reading it straight from cover to cover. By the end I felt very bogged down and wished that I had only read it in parts, with an interlude between. There are many excellent books of analysis out there on the Bond films, encyclopedias in some cases, many with great pictures from the films. I would suggest the reader of this review check out the listing on Amazon. If you enjoy this book you will likely find others that you will like even better. I have had to do this for years as I have used the Bond films in the classroom and written articles about some of them.

I don't regret that I bought this. I have had the good fortune as a teacher to have met a number of the main stars Ms. Lipp has named, three of which have become close personal friends of my wife and myself and who I will be asking to autograph this book as they have others in my collection.

I do appreciate the very strong feelings the author has about various Bond films, we all do. I did not rate this book on whether I agreed with the author on every film, but on its usefulness to a long time fan.

Unlike other books about the Bond films, this one does not just review what the movies are about, but compares, contrasts, and critiques them over the last 40+ years. Perhaps a better title would have been "The Ultimate James Bond MOVIE Fan Book." There is minimal discussion of the literary 007 here. I enjoyed the ranking system, although some of the time I don't agree with the author's opinions, which Lipp admits may occur straightaway. Nonetheless, it's entertaining reading taking the movies from a different perspective. My only significant complaint is the complete lack of photographs, but these can be found elsewhere. For example, if you can't remember Stromberg (Curt Jergens) from The Spy Who Loved Me, you aren't going to see a picture of him in this tome. With the recent release of the Ultimate Editions on DVD, this is a timely and handy companion.

While there will be several James Bond books available around the time of the new Bond movie (Casino Royale) release, I recommend you get this one.

This book is very easy to read (even for people who only like photo books), and is extremely well-researched. The author very cleverly mixes in "Top Ten" and "Best/Worst" lists within each chapter describing a particular Bond movie in detail.

The author makes clear her prejudices and preferences for various films, characters, moments, etc., but balances this to a large degree with citings, quotations, and comments from fan pollings. A sore spot with other Bond books (avoided here) was the feeling their authors were trying to get in good with EON Productions (Owners/Producers of the Bond movie franchise) or other Bond movie P.R. people.

Of course, I don't agree with every opinion in this book (come on, "on Her Majesty's Secret Service" ranked in the LOWER third of Bond movies?); when presented in an entertaining manner (like in this book), these opinions are great for movie buff/Bond fan dispute, discussion, and debate --- what a good read is supposed to accomplish.

Five stars.

The title is not just hype. This really is the ultimate book on James Bond movies; I can't imagine anything more authoritative or more entertaining. Whether you use it as a reference book, browse through it, or read it from cover to cover (as I did), it will reward you with a wealth of facts and informed opinion. This book is a great addition to anyone's movie bookshelf, and it's an absolute gotta-have for fans of James Bond - casual fans and super fans alike.

Deborah Lipp's strategy in organizing her material works extremely well. Each Bond movie gets its own chapter, which is divided into sections devoted to synopsis, analysis, and evaluation of the movie's strength and weaknesses, as well as a ranking of where the movie stands in the Bond canon. Interspersed with these discussions, you get irresistible nuggets of information: quotes, polls, rankings, milestones, facts & figures, high points & low points, cars & gadgets, goofs, awards, and more. I especially enjoyed the many Bond lists that Lipp compiled for the book, such as "Best Explosions in Bond Films," "Best Stunts," "Best Car Chases," and "Best Villains." Another highlight is an extensive survey of the actors who have portrayed Bond on screen, comparing the strengths and weaknesses of their performances.

Lipp's love of movies shines through every page. Her writing style is witty and literate, and her knowledge of 007 lore will blow you away. "The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book" is sure to become the standard work on 007 movies. Every Bond fan and every movie lover should put this book in their shopping carts.

I was born in the Carolinas and usually try to read authors that capture the flavor of the South. I discovered this book purely by accident, and accident is the best description I can muster for this amateurish drivel. The character development never quite came through though you could tell that the author seemed to love them somewhat. Maybe he was to connected to the characters instead of letting them develop along with the plot line. The story could have had it's moments, but always seemed to be overshadowed by the author's need to appear intelligent rather than simply telling the story. Based on the reviews I read, I was expecting more but my suggestion would be for Walzak to take a few classes before making a second attempt. I could see potential, but the overall effect to me was one of self-serving gratification rather than writing for an audience.

I'm not sure book "Chez" read but it wasn't this one. My sister gave me this book for my birthday because I lived in Charleston for a couple years. I kept putting it aside and finally decided to read it one rainy weekend. I'm sorry I waited so long. I thought the book was great. I really liked the characters. It sounds like "chez" has some personal issues or just doesn't appreciate a good story. Either way, he is way off.

I just finished reading this book. It was great. I like to read stories that take place in South Carolina as I am from there too. This one really captured the nature of the place. The ending was awesome.

"Bond of Brotherhood" is a solid debut by the author. Walzak is able to keep the pages turning with an story that is both believable and interesting. Just when the reader puts together all the pieces the ending leaves you stunned wonder what happened. Very refreshing to see an ending that is out of the ordinary. The only thing that keep this book from receiving five stars was too much detail in the early stages of the book and a lack of detail during the middle and ending of the novel. Still I highly recommend the book, especially if you enjoy novels based in the South.

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I was a little skeptical at first because, lets be honest, books by first time authors usually aren't very good. This one was good. I wouldn't call it great but it was good. The characters were well-written and the plot was interesting. Some of the back-story seemed a little unnecessary but I guess it gave a good idea of where the main character comes from. I loved the ending. I get so sick of formulaic endings that this one was a welcome suprise. Well worth the time to read it.

The Bonds of Matri-Money immediately caught my attention--I'd been waiting for someone to write a book with a reality-show premise, and Miss Ardito does it with style. This story is clever, heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny, and absolutely, beautifully written. In an industry that's glutted with forgettable reads, this novel emerges as a gem, and Ardito, as an up-and-coming star. In other words...I LOVED it!

I just finished THE BONDS OF MATRI-MONEY and I have to say, Ms Ardito has a wonderful and charming sense of humor that flows so easily into her writing. I loved the whole feel of this story. I felt like I was there with her hero and heroine, Connell and Reneta. BONDS OF MATRI-MONEY is an extremely engaging book with nice twists on the whole REALITY show craze. I am looking SO FORWARD to more wonderful KEEPERS like this one from Ms Ardito. Mark my words, this author is worth reading! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

I came upon this "book," (more of an expanded pamphlet, w/ only 200 some odd pages), at of all places "Half priced books." Generally you don't see a new release at H.P.B. so quickly but given the fact that an 8 year old can finish the book in an hour, coupled with it's shallow plot and ridiculous story line I can understand why it made an appearence at this shop so rapidly.

The desperation of the author to present herself as relevent in the literary world is apparent from the get go. The choosing of the characters names (Reneta and Connell) immediatly screams "I dug through a big book of names and came up with these two inorder to sound more sophisticated then I actually am." [...]

The storys' set-up is more of a 30 page "filler" instead. It reminded me of a paper I once did in 7th grade biology. When asked to write 500 words on "skin" I began the "paper" by saying "skin is the skin-like substance that covers the human body." I think you get my drift.

By the time I got to the "meat" of the story I had all but lost interest in the book. The premise of a couple being on the reality TV show might have been better suited in a book release 3 years ago. Now, with reality TV's dwindling audiences and networks discovering that they really can make great dramas, the timing of this book could not have been worse.
To call the middle part of this book "boring" would be an insult to boring books. I love a good romance/comedy novel but this book failed on multiple levels. You never really get a feel of what the author is trying to convey. But since we are told we write what we know about, one can only conclude that the author is not in the greatest of relationships herself. Perhaps her next book can focus on a married couple that goes on a reality show called "Marriage Counseling Island."

I will conclude by saying that the news is not all grim regarding "The Bonds of Matri-money." Being it was such a quick read I was able to knock it out while sipping a coffee in front of H.P.B, never having to whip out my debit card to purchase the book. Phew.

This is the story of Renata Moon and Connell MacAllister, two people who decide to solve their financial problems by getting married and competing in a reality game show for newlyweds. The catch? They'll spend thirty days (and nights) in the jungles of Bali handcuffed to one another!
After reading the blurb I couldn't wait to read the book and after reading the first pages I couldn't stop reading at all. Don't we all love reality game shows? Yes we do.
What a joy to have a strong new voice in Contemporary Romance Novels. A very funny voice and such a hilarious story! I loved Renata and Connell from the start but there are also some very nice and colourful secondary characters. This book is a rare treat for fans of cute romances. This is a perfect book for your beach bag this summer and will hold you captive from page one. Take a look at Gina's website and read the articles. There you can have a taste of her writing style and it will leave you wanting more, more, more.
I can't wait for her second book with again, a very unusual story.
And as a member of The Cover Café I also praise Avalon books for mentioning the cover designer in the book.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Gina Ardito has the ability to grab the reader from beginning to end. I fell in love with both the characters and the story. This is a modern day romantic comedy that is as believable as it is hilarious. I started this book in the afternoon and stayed up until sunrise to finish it. I would recommend this book to anyone who still believes in true love and has a sense of humor. I am looking forward to more exciting stories from this author.

As things stand, unfortunately the 2nd edition (October 2006) hasn't achieved the above goal yet. Despite the fact that the authors, conscious citizens from KiwiLand, argue their case rather convincingly by drawing on an array of printed sources and 'living libraries', that is intel insiders. The bulk of the text does a good job in explaining how abominable H. was groomed (being an alleged grandson of Lionel N. Rothschild's), deconstructed and then controlled via his Tavistock Psy-Ops conditioning (those 'missing years' of the government approved, politically correct biographies spent in Ireland(?) and Britain from February 1912 to April 1913)and by double agents in his coterie -- Dr. Morell with his drug cocktails among them.
Did you know, for instance, that "Adolf Hitler had a radio receiver in his mouth wired straight to his hearing receptors. The upper palate was the main receiver and spoke directly to his subconscious brain. The two lower bridges transferred the audible sound to his ears and brought those messages into conscious thought. Hitler was a puppet with wooden and metallic strings (sex and teeth)." (p. 92)On one occassion this contributed to saving his rotten hide from a grenade blast while in WWI trenches.
The usual suspect for puppetmaster, of course, is none other but the high-ranking, death- and blood-cultish Illuminazi Masonic brotherhood, closely intertwined -quite literally- with British royalty and the Rothschild & Co. criminal syndicate, with their power-junkie, wannabe minions in tow. Chapters discuss Hitler's sexuality (homosexual leanings, coprophilia); his psychological makeup; sickening elite deviances involving members of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha/Hannoverian dynasty, all of which were and are ideal vehicles for blackmail and manipulation in the hands of MI5-6 and related alphabet soup of spook agencies; the build-up to WWII and technology transfer between the allied and axis powers; self-sabotages; Hess's peace mission flight to and subsequent death in Britain at the hands of some military operative on 13th May, 1941; the Brits' whisking Bormann and Hitler out of Berlin under the cover of operation James Bond and Winnie the Pooh, respectively; and tons more.
In sum, this title (bibliography, index, and scores of relevant photos included)has a lot to offer to conspiracy buffs, revisionist history enthusiasts, WWII researchers; yet -as usual- it should be taken with a spoonful of that proverbial salt. When dealing with the official version of concensus reality, even a cartload would not suffice, though!
See also Henry Makow's review on savethemales.ca/001399.html. There are other books by the same authors in the series, such as 'Stalin's British Training', from greghallett.com.

The sad thing about any book professing to be about top secret activities is that it is impossible to prove the author wrong. That said, time and again Mr. Hallett mentioned details that I knew to be correct and such incidences were not limited to things of common knowledge rather they were events that I have gleaned by years of living and working closely with the intelligence community.

Although the author bats 1000 when it comes to those events that I can verify, I am not ready to jump on the band wagon and swallow the rest of the stories hook, line, and sinker - especially as some of his stories conflict with other source with equal reliability (or lack thereof). Even though one should not believe any of his stories without independent corroboration, it is a cornucopia of tantalizing tales that could be the foundation of some interesting research. Hallett adds to this potpourri a measure of New Zealand tongue-in cheek humor and an interesting perspective on the relationship of sexual perversion and positions of power.

Regardless of the veracity of the content or ones alignment with the political views of the author, this is a book that can be enriching for those with an open mind.

I was disappointed with the book in a couple of respects. Firstly, the material repeats itself many times over making for an overly long tome (of course, this has an advantage if one is reading only isolated chapters since they can stand independently) and some topics drift far from the central theme. Secondly, the thesis of sexual perversion being central to political advancement is somewhat tarnished by the derisive manner in which the topic is presented. Even a modern Western society that is accepting of what two consenting adults do in private will still condemn certain sexual acts, so maybe the author's attitude is proper, yet I found myself frequently questioning his motivations and prejudices.

After spending all that time and money on programming Hitler to 'rule the world' they (the secret, hidden forces) then allow him to enrol in the German army where, for 4 years he ducks bombs and bullets in the trenches, surviving against almost impossible odds.

It's not Hitler who is a product of some ridiculous conspiracy theory, but this silly book itself! No hard evidence just explanations which can have other, and mind you, more complete, rival explanations.

Hallett's book has a racy, irreverent style not usually associated with history books - but it's not the usual pompous, pious history served up by the victors to their victuals!

His hypothesis, if true, would explain many things and crack open many secrets of the "New World Order." Hallett attributes his original narrative to oral accounts by intelligence insiders. Hopefully other workers may be able to corroborate some of his data with written records of the period.

Henry Makow Ph.D. had this to say about it:

"Greg Hallett's book 'Hitler Was A British Agent' depicts war as a ghoulish illusion conjured by occult magicians in order to degrade and eventually enslave humanity in world government.

Hallett's claim that Hitler was a 'British' agent is based on the testimony of a shadowy network of retired intelligence agents. While he fails to provide documentary proof, Hallett does offer persuasive circumstantial evidence.

For example, Adolph Hitler was in England in 1912-1913, a fact supported by his sister-in-law's book: 'The Memoirs of Bridget Hitler'(1979). Many historians including Hitler biographer John Toland have ignored this startling information. (If Hallett is right, historians like Toland are guilty of sanitizing Hitler...)

Hallett's hypothesis explains 1)Why Hitler was able to expand into the Rhineland etc. without fear of retaliation. 2) Why the Nazi war machine was financed and built by the Bank of England and a Who's Who of Anglo American corporations controlled by the Illuminati. 3) Why Hitler never sealed the Mediterranean at Gibraltar; and why the Spanish dictator Franco remained neutral, despite the huge debt he owed the Nazis from the Civil War. 4) Why I.G. Farben headquarters in Frankfurt was never bombed. This became CIA headquarters."

Whether Hallett's tomb on history is 100 percent accurate should not be the stumbling block for more mainstream people to understand the hidden hand that is and has always been behind human affairs on this planet. The pain, outrage and embarrassment of being mere puppets in a very well orchestrated play will cause those same people to turn a blind eye to Hallett's version. Brilliant discussions on Dunkirk, body doubles, compromising leaders by recording their sexual deviance, and mind control / physiological changes by remote electro-magnetic means. The description and function of Hitler's dental work alone will astonish you. Overall, one of the most fascinating books I have ever layed eyes on, of any genre. Endlessly relevant to today's political and economic climate. His general philosophy is that the World is run on shame, and that pedophilia / homosexuality / Satanic murder / drug use are the principle generators of human shame, thus the people who are into these avenues are incredibly important to the "controllers" because they can be profoundly compromised, which is why they are always promoted and positioned into powerful roles within our modern socities. By proxy then, gay drug-using Satanic pedophiles are the creme of the crop and often become Presidents, Prime Ministers, Cardinals, Generals, CEOs, and media moguls. So bloody true and seemingly obvious once said. Thus, the so-called "elite" of our modern societies are almost never self-made; rather they are selected, groomed, and then positioned so that they can do the bidding of the controllers, who masterfully use shame for total compliance. Diabolical in its brilliance, but ancient in application. My only critique is its repetitiveness on some themes / statements; in other words, it could have used a better editor.

I have to agree with a previous reviewer's assessment of Penny (the heroine in this book) - she's just too stupid to live. The characters seem rather one dimensional (more charicatures than characters). The story flowed easily but some of the plot required too great a suspension of belief (as another reviewer pointed out - the fact that Penny used her divorce lawyer as a defense attorney was a bit much).

Then ending was unexpected and mildly interesting but I never got any real sense of what motivated the characters or why I should care.

I'm glad I got this book from the library rather than purchasing it.

I was under the spell of IN DEEP VOODOO by about page 5. The setting immediately drew me in, and the characters and storyline soon after. At first, I was afraid that there were too many characters to keep them all straight, but everything added up in the end in a satisfying, if darker-than-expected conclusion. The most confusing part of the book, for me, was the tone. Lots of light humor inter-mixed with some pretty dark stuff, like a murder and a grisley conclusion. Still, I enjoyed reading it very much and will probably read the next in the series too!

I bought this novel thinking of it as just another girly read, but as the plot started to thicken with Penny getting deeper and deeper into Voodoo,I was amazed. The novel is fast paced and you almost start to feel pity for Penny. I am looking forward to the sequel.

The book was well-written and fast-paced, so it got points for that, but the heroine, Penny Francisco, belongs to the TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) school of fiction characters. When the book opens, she seems to spend most of her time peering across the street (with binoculars, no less) at her former home where her ex-husband lives with the bimbo he left Penny for. During a conversation with said bimbo, Penny pushes her into oncoming traffic and almost kills her. She also wanders freely through her ex-husband's home, smashing a picture of his new girlfriend in his bedroom, and stealing a Christmas ornament from the attic because it has deep sentimental value to her - he gave it to her years ago. In addition, once it becomes clear that she is the primary suspect in his murder, does she hire a criminal attorney? No, she keeps calling on her divorce lawyer. All this from a character who is supposed to be a college-educated, successful business woman.

The implausible bits just kept adding up. Her husband was the son of the mayor (who seems to have despised Penny since she married her son), the police chief who was apparently chosen by the mayor basically has Penny tried and convicted on only circumstantial evidence, yet no one tries to get the chief to recuse herself from the case as a conflict of interest. Very little actual investigating seems to be done by either the police or the private investigator Penny "hires". And as for the PI, who becomes the love interest in the story, we are never told anything from his viewpoint, which makes his interest in Penny unfathomable to begin with.

It was just one of those stories where the most of the heroine's actions in retrospect just hurt her, where her friends' activities do nothing to help her, where certain situations are totally unbelievable (does anyone actually believe that laying a hand on a casket in goodbye will tip it over?) and where great suspension of disbelief is required. This book is an obvious setup for a continuing series set in the town of Mojo, Louisiana. I don't know that I care enough to continue reading about it. It's not really a bad book; it's just not my cup of tea.

Penny Francisco came home early only to find her husband attorney Deke making love in their bed to Sheena "litigator" Linder; making it worse is that she had dirty feet. The divorce settlement left Penny with her health store, The Charm Farm, and some adjoining land that she plans to use to grow herbs; Deke got their house across the street that he paints an ugly pink, but he also hid valuable assets in the name of his now fiancée.

Penny's assistant Marie Gaston hosts a divorce celebration for her boss. One of the guests secretly gives Penny a voodoo doll of Deke; Penny stabs the doll in the heart. The next day she goes over to see Deke who had frantically called her several times, but was not answering his phone. She finds him dead with a weapon stabbed through his heart. Everyone else thinks Penny either killed Deke with voodoo or as crime of passion. Penny plans to prove otherwise by uncovering the truth with the help of a donut lusting private investigator as her only ally.

Stephanie Bond provides a terrific amateur sleuth investigative tale with a heated romantic subplot to enhance the bewildered but delightful lead female protagonist. Penny is the fabulous center to the strong story line as her antics will amuse the audience. Her efforts to prove she is innocent though everyone in Mojo, Louisiana believes otherwise while making side comments about pink houses, replacement females, mayoral ex mother-in-laws, hunks, and voodoo make for a fine time. Still the bottom line means diving IN DEEP VOODOO as she has a slight doubt that just maybe her jab with the pin killed her former spouse.

Harriet Klausner

Great textbook with all the basics. More intuitive than John Hull's book, although less comprehensive.

Since there are many examples of investment failures do to ignoring interest rate risk it has become a cliché to say that interest rate modeling is of vast importance in the financial and insurance industry. A perusal of the historical data on interest rates shows that they can fluctuate dramatically, and so the prediction of these fluctuations, and the hedging of investment portfolios against them, is absolutely necessary. Bond and fixed income products are usually the ones that are studied in relation to interest rate risk since it is usually known in advance the terms of future cash flows or coupons. But such knowledge is only part of the story, since an investor needs to know the present value of the securities that are based on these products, and the determination of this value and any future cash flows from the portfolio can therefore be very sensitive to changes in interest rates.

The concept of `duration' is the most popular one for estimating the sensitivity of a cash flow to interest rate changes, and is used in asset-liability management to hedge interest rate risk. For example, for fixed income assets, the Macaulay duration holds that the pricing of a fixed income asset is related to the weighted average time to maturity. Somewhat more sophisticated ideas of duration relate it to the negative of the first derivative of the `price/yield curve'. Both of these concepts of duration assume that cash flows do not change with interest rates, that yield curves are flat, and only parallel shifts in interest rates.

These assumptions are discussed in detail in this book, along with many other concepts and models that analysts and financial engineers need a thorough understanding of in order to be successful in the investment houses, hedge funds, or banks of today. Readers are expected to have some fairly strong mathematical background, especially in the last chapter where the authors discuss the Vasicek model, but to a large degree the mathematics in the book is fairly straightforward. The major minus to the book is the reliance on spreadsheets in the attached CD-ROM. Spreadsheet analysis using EXCEL or some other software (such as SAS) is one item in financial analysis that needs to be put to rest, and fast.

After reading this book I must admit that the praise for this book is well-deserved.

"This first book in the fixed income valuation course provides a solid, up-to-date introduction to the field of interest rate risk, and covers all bases in leading up to the complex area of fixed-income option models. For the more experienced, this is an excellent guide to the state of the art, and provides models coupled with software to make the practical use of the ideas therein feasible."
SANJIV RANJAN DAS, Associate Professor of Finance, Santa Clara University, Coeditor, Journal of Derivatives.

"The trilogy on the fixed income course is the first one with hands on Excel/VBA software for fixed income professionals. These are terrific books for all fixed income practitioners."
FRANK J. FABOZZI, Frederick Frank Adjunct Professor of Finance, Yale University, Editor of the Journal of Portfolio Management.

"The authors are commended in expositing the many interest rate risk measures in a coherent way. This book describes the theories, implementations and applications of these measures with clarity and rigor. Further, the software assists students and practitioners alike to learn about them effectively."
THOMAS HO, President, Thomas Ho Company, Coauthor of The Oxford Guide to Financial Modeling.

"Not only does the book provide an excellent explanation of interest rate risk models, but the included software is very comprehensive and easy to use. Excel is used as the user interface throughout. It is very easy to change the inputs and recalculate a wide variety of interest rate risk models. With simple menu choices, the student or practitioner can explore many different hedging or speculation strategies. The consistent approach used in the whole trilogy of fixed income books/software is a huge advantage."
CRAIG HOLDEN, Associate Professor of Finance, Indiana University, Bloomington, Author of Excel Modeling in Investments.

"A pedagogical and comprehensive treatment of interest rate dynamics. Extremely helpful to understand the theory and build applications."
NASSIM NICHOLAS TALEB, Author of Dynamic Hedging: Managing Vanilla and Exotic Options, and Fooled by Randomness.

There are some formulas, but no explanation how they are arrived at and how they can be applied in practice. I tried to get some sense of it from the VBA programs but the programs are password protected. If you want to learn how to apply the theory in real practice, the following are better alternatives: Advanced modelling by Jackson and Staunton; Implementing derivatives models by Clewlow and Strickland; Analysing & interpreting the yield curve by Choudhry.

This book comes with professional quality software on virtually all major models for measuring and managing interest rate risk.  The multifactor duration vector models for FRAs and caps/swaptions using the LIBOR models (LFM and LSM) can be used to determine the notional amounts in various interest rate derivative products under arbitrary non-parallel shifts. A lot of this material is new and never been published in journal articles. The authors also give realistic IRR models for Eurodollar futures and Treasury futures that take into account realistic contractual features such as "cheapest to deliver bond" and "conversion factors" and the fact that Treasury futures are discount instruments while Eurodollar futures are add-on instruments. The software computes positions in all kinds of derivatives within seconds.  I also liked the last chapter that has the only fast "single summation" solution I have seen on first passage probability models of default-prone coupon bonds given by Longstaff and Schwartz [1995, JOF] and Collin-Dufresne and Goldstein [2002, JOF].  The original solutions had time-consuming double-summations, and this solution also corrects the error in the original paper by Longstaff and Schwartz. The typo in the famous Black and Cox [1976] model is also corrected.  

Overall the book is truly comprehensive and explains the materials using easy to understand examples. These examples can be further explored using the user-friendly software.  I think the only typo I have found is in Figure 8.2 - the authors have promised to put the new corrected Figure on the website www.fixedincomerisk.com.  This website is cool - it has a forum for all three books by these authors (two are forthcoming) and the authors have committed to answer questions themselves using a managed discussion forum.  So, you get some free help too!


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Truly beautiful. Made me cry then smile. I have a 12-year golden retriever myself, and they are definitely a gift of joy and love

As a college student aspiring to work with animals, this is the kind of book that consistently validates and reinforces my chosen career path. Dr. Allen M. Schoen, veterinarian and founder of the Veterinary Institute for Therapeutic Alternatives in Connecticut, has put together here a delightful and even potentially life-saving collection of stories and advice for pet owners. He eases the reader into the book by beginning with a few stories of the more miraculous cases he has seen over the years. Included is the story of Megan, a stray golden retriever that came to him with what appeared to be a hopeless case of heartworm. He promised her that if she made it, he'd keep her, and make it she did, going on to provide miraculous healing powers of her own to numerous other animals Dr. Schoen has treated. Schoen also relates some stories of incidents from his younger life that inspired his decision to enter a career where he could help animals.

Part II, entitled "Bonding," explores the major ways in which relationships between animals and humans, animals and others of their kind, and even between animals of different species, are developed, maintained, and strengthened. Schoen focuses on four major elements - listening, touching, feeling, and letting go. For each of these topics Schoen has related a series of truly heartwarming tales.

Part III, which comprises about half the bulk of the book, is entitled "Healing" and takes on a slightly more scholarly air. Dr. Schoen has incorporated various methods of alternative healing into his practice for years, and uses things like acupuncture, herbal treatments, and homeopathic remedies in conjunction with standard Western medicine. And he gets results, as evidenced by the numerous examples he gives of such treatments succeeding where conventional Western treatments have failed. He begins by introducing us to acupuncture, explaining how he came to be convinced of its effectiveness, and following this with a section on the different ways in which acupuncture and acupressure can help your own pet. There are also diagrams showing a few of the major acupressure points that he feels all pet owners should know, with explanations of what stimulation of these various points will do.

Schoen next explores the world of herbal remedies, again explaining how he was introduced to these as alternative treatments and how they can work to help your pet should Western medicine fail. He includes a "Top Nine" list of herbal remedies every pet owner should be aware of, explaining what each herb does and how it works, and sharing example cases from his own experience. However, Schoen warns all pet owners to consult a veterinarian or herbal specialist before attempting to treat your pet yourself, as herbs can be harmful or even lethal if used improperly or in the wrong amounts.

Next Schoen includes a brief section on nutrition and diet. He details the basic nutritional needs of the average dog and cat, and includes helpful charts that show how much of certain nutrients animals should receive based on their body weight. Also included are a few of Schoen's own recommended recipes for balanced, home-prepared meals for your pet.

The final alternative healing method Schoen discusses is the use of homeopathic remedies. Similar in a way to inoculations, except for the fact that they are used to treat rather than prevent illnesses, homeopathic treatments rely on the use of heavily diluted samples of agents which, if encountered in large quantities, would actually cause the symptoms the patient is experiencing. For example, an allergic reaction to bee stings would be treated by crushing the bee, diluting the resulting pulp until only a trace amount of bee residue remains, and giving a few drops to the patient. Though such treatments remain the topic of heated debate, Schoen has repeatedly experienced success with these methods and provides numerous example stories to prove it.

Part IV, the final section of the book, is entitled "Teachings" and eases us back out of the book in much the same way we were drawn in - with a series of uplifting tales about the things animals can teach their humans and each other. Among these things are compassion, forgiveness, transformation, gratitude, sacrifice, and joy. One of my favorite tales was of a small stray cat named Daisy, adopted by a friend of Dr. Schoen's, who could not fully adjust to a life shared with humans until another cat was introduced to the household. The newcomer showed Daisy how to interact with their human companion and helped her overcome her confusion and fear. The very last story in the book takes us back to Megan, Schoen's golden retriever, in her final days at the age of fourteen. Schoen relates how, even in the process of dying, this very special dog continued to teach him valuable lessons about life.

This is a book any pet owner should read, particularly those with cats and dogs. However, any animal lover will find plenty of useful material here, as there are also stories of Schoen's experiences with horses, cows, rabbits, birds, and other animals - even a camel. The stories are thoroughly enjoyable, often downright amazing, and the insights and advice offered by Dr. Schoen are invaluable. An owner of five cats myself, the book brought to my attention numerous alternative veterinary treatments that I had now known about before. The writing is fluid, colorful, lively, and very friendly, and the book can easily be finished in a day or two. At the very end Schoen has included an appendix with contact information for various veterinary resources, and also a short list of recommended further reading. I recommend this book most highly to any pet owner, animal lover, aspiring veterinarian, and also to practicing veterinarians looking for additional treatment alternatives.

Very good book. Would recommend it to anyone

Dr. Schoen and Pam Proctor have written a remarkable tale of veterinary practice and the animals and people encountered along the way. Dr. Schoen relates his own path from traditional veterianry medicine to a mixed practice including alternative therapies for animals. His stories of healing will intrigue you to continue turning each page as you follow the lives of his extraordianry patients. Thank you Dr. Schoen and Pam Proctor. As a veterinary student I found this book extremely inspiring.

After reading this book I can think of so many people I'd like to send it to! I highly recommend it to anyone who has or loves animals. Some of the information in this book can save the lives of animal companions by showing the additional options available to heal health problems.

Without doubt taut, memorable and thrilling....as usual.

This seems to be some mesh left in a drawer and published just to make some more money. The stories are to short and don't give any depth or real interest in Bond, compared to the normal novels.

This was my first James Bond book, and so I didn't know what to expect. This book is all in all good. "Octopussy" is a good story, but, since it is lacking James Bond for most of it, it doesn't have the pace of the others. "The Living Daylights" is by far the best, with a suspenseful climax and interesting descriptions of drab Berlin. "The Property of a Lady" is not very suspenseful, but it was still a very good read. I am definitely going to read another Fleming soon!

Octopussy is a very good short story collection, though "For Your Eyes Only" was better, if you ask me. As Fleming proved in "FYEO", he can make a good story with little help from 007. The title story also proves this. In it, Bond makes little more than a cameo appearance. The main character is the power-hungry Dexter Smythe. His is obsessed with his pet octopus, which ends up causing his deliciously ironic demise. "The Living Daylights" is also very good. I like the ending to the story, but you already know what's going to happen if you've seen the first fifteen minutes of the "Living Daylights" movie. The book loses a star for "The Property of a Lady", which is dull. I advise a reader to just skip it. Despite one disappointing story, I enjoyed this book very much.

As Conan Doyle did in the late 1890's (and as others like Ellery Queen and Agatha Christie followed), Ian Fleming seemed to has suscribed the theory that sometimes "less is more" in writing a story, thus chosing a short tale instead of a long one for more impact. This book comprises, in its final form, three novelettes a la "For Your Eyes Only". The book was first printed in 1966 (being the last release of a Fleming original), but the stories were written and fictionally occur after "The Spy Who Loved Me" and before "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". The title episode is another showcase for Fleming's ability to write a story in the true sense, picturing a tale of a man's life since the WWII up to his last days in the Caribbean. Bond is merely an excuse for a dramatic tale of greed, murder and treachery. This story is highlighted by another excellent underwater frame-sequence. "The Living Daylights" is pure Bond, from his practice with the rifle outside London to the tense climax at Berlin. This story is another twist of the plot of "For Your Eyes Only", showing 007 as an assassin questioning about his job but doing it the best he can. Excellent surprising villain(ess). "The Property of a Lady" is a brief example of the author's master touch for describing with great detail and gusto parts of recent history and all kind of things and subjects, in this case jewels and auctions. The development itself is direct and simple, too short indeed, with an ending that doesn't matter as much as the description of the events. By the way, this episode refers to another traitor in the Service. A collection of odd but varied 007 missions.