Brown Books

I haven't read past the fourth chapter and I have talked about this book to my clients, friends, and family. I initially intended to give this book to my 22 year old sister after reading it, but now, I plan on buying a copy for her and about 15 other people. While some people might think that the only thing making the book successful is the target market - obviously it's a smart route to take. If that one negative reviewer had done any research they would know that women are not only the most uneducated in making financial decisions, but they are also the sex that has been proven to live longer and need that education. Basically this is an awesome book and I plan on celebrating it as essential part of making women feel comfortable when dealing with financial situations.

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

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

I absolutely LOVED this book. I saw this book in my community library a few months ago, and liked the cover, so I decided to check it out. Little did I know it would change my life! It changed the way I looked at budgeting, and taught me many different things--HOW to save your money, WHERE to save your money, and WHEN to save your money, among other things...and made it all easy to understand. I am 16 years old, and am going to college next year, so this book will be a great help to me, especially in the budgeting area. This book will be a lifetime finance companion for me! =)

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

Boy, was I wrong.

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

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

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

I would recommend this for anyone interested in wine from the novice to Robert Parker (I'm betting he has a copy). Four friends have purchased this book after looking at mine.

The Oxford Companion to Wine is a great encyclopedia for wine lovers. It covers a great breadth of topics, deeply enough to be informative, but in a short enough fashion to keep this under 1000 pages. Coverage includes wine growing regions, wines, vine varietals, wine making, barrel making, bacteria, and on and on.

One thing this is not - it's not a review/criticism of specific wines (which tend to become out of date too quickly to be useful in book form).

Highly recommended.

Along with most of the reviewers here, my wine-knowledgeable friends, to whom I gave this book as a wedding anniversary present, were extraordinarily pleased. They tell me that they learn something new from it every day, and that it has "everything about wine" within its covers.

I have been working in the wine industry for many years and I have never come across a more complete reference book. It is worth every cent.The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition

The Oxford Companion to Wine is one of the best books about wine that I have seen.

If you love to make ice-cream and enjoy all kinds of unique flavors then this book is for you!!! I've made so many different flavors and each turns out like magic!!! Never store bought ice-cream again!!! Love this book!

Granted, ice cream recipes are all variations on a certain theme... but Dave Lebovitz has taken the trial-and-error out of figuring which variation makes the perfect chocolate ice cream, and which is good for fruit sorbet. I've tried 7 recipes from this book so far, and all of them have come out brilliantly. Buy it!

This is an awesome book of recipes for ice creams, sorbets, sherberts, granitas and misc. other things that have to do with ice cream. It is a well put together collection and the author's writing style is not only interesting but downright fun...almost as fun as tasting the finished melting masterpeices that he describes. This book gives you all the essentials, the basic must-have ice cream recipes and then it goes on to include recipes that are imaginative and sound absolutely sinful. I really like that most of the recipes don't require ingredients that are hard to find or never heard of. I also like that the author tells you when to use specific high quality ingredients that make a difference in the end product and that are actually worth your time and money to use. These recipes are simple yet elegantly luscious. This book has expanded not only my waistline but also how I think about the possibilities of frozen confections.

This is the best ice cream book i have ever read. I have enjoyed making the different kinds of "ice cream". Lots of information to help understand the ingredients.

I bought this book and the Ben and Jerry's book to go along with my new ice cream maker. Ben and Jerry's is great if I want something quick, but nothing beats the taste of some of the custard style ice cream and the sorbet recipes in this book. This is the "fancier" side of ice cream. We'va also enjoyed making some of the mix-ins and containers (like meringue nests) in this book.

Writing a programming book is not an easy thing to do -- I know, because I've done it myself. And I have to say that I'm really impressed with the job that Chris Sells and Ian Griffiths have done with "Programming WPF". This is one of the best programming books I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them).

For a programming book to be good, it's not enough for it to simply contain all of the information that you need to know. If that information doesn't stick to your brain, then the book hasn't done it's job. If you want the information to stick, then the book has to be interesting to read. It has to have a lot of clear examples that show you real-world applications without extraneous fluff. And to be really effective, all of that should be done with a little bit of style and wit.

And I'm really pleased to say that "Programming WPF" does all of those things. I recently needed a refresher on WPF, so I just spent a lot of time over the last few weeks going through the book very carefully. And I have to say that I'm really impressed. It's engaging, interesting and they chose really good examples. And it's witty! (You'd be amazed at how the occasional chuckle keeps a reader from getting that "eyes glazed over" feeling that far too many books induce.)

I know from experience -- believe me, I know! -- just how hard it is to pull that off. And they did it with style. So first of all, congratulations to Chris and Ian for doing a great job. And second, if you're a C# developer looking for a good, hands-on way to learn WPF, I highly recommend "Programming WPF".

I bought the first edition of this book called Programming Windows Presentation Foundation (AKA Avalon) at the PDC in 2005 and read it completely on the plane home.

When I heard the second edition was released I didn't think much would have changed, but this is even better than the first edition. It's twice as big and covers all major (and not so major) topics in WPF (inc. an introduction to 3D and Silverlight).

I think this book will proof to be for WPF what Programming Windows, Fifth Edition is for WIN32 programming.

This book is the most in depth resource into WPF i have seen. And not just that, it gets to the good stuff that you'll actually use in your code and not just filler or lists of properties that you can get from intelisense. The examples are extremely useful.

The other benefit of this book is that it doesn't just tell you how to do things, but why. This is incredibly helpful in finding the best solution to your specific problem.

Thanks guys! great book!
Ralph

I say to ignore those reviews because they do not refer to this book. This is the second edition published August 28, 2007 with 863 pages. Those reviews are based off of the first edition published nearly two years before (September 12, 2005) and with only 447 pages.

Using Amazon's 'Search inside this book' takes you to the 2005 edition also. That shows only 10 chapters while this edition has 17. Most of the negative comments from the 2 and 3 star reviewers seem to have been resolved.

The biggest strength of this book is that it focus on using WPF programatically, not just laying out XAML. This is extremely useful if you are writing an application for 3D data visualization or a database driven application. You get to learn to create event handlers, generate meshes... all programmatically. I also believe that this book is great, not just as a learning tool, but as a reference guide. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject and a must for the aspiring WPF developer.

If you just want to focus on XAML, however, I will have to recommend "Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed" by Adam Nathan.

This book presents a great overall picture of what you need to do in sales. Told in anecdotal format, with references to popular movies, it clearly points out the attitude and steps you need to take to succeed in sales.

Mastering sales is tremendously hard work-equal or greater than in any profession. The prestige may or may not be there (unless you are counting money), but it is a trade off type of thing- lots of rejection but limited politics on the job, variations in income but no income ceiling. The author refreshes a sale person's memories of all that's good in the profession, while giving specific tips on organization and taking steps to reach your goals.

- A must for every beginner in sales~

I read books, participate in webinars and am constantly looking for "gems" that will provide new insights and/or remind me of the right things to do in the sales process.

This book cut through all the BS (pardon my French), and provided concrete steps in the sales process to enhance and expedite the sale of profitable business.

I would highly recommend this to anyone in sales ... no matter what your level of expertise or tenure.

This book gave me some insights into a few ways to think differently about sales. As a recent "Accidental Salesperson," I found this book to be truly insightful and very relevant for people willing to think a bit about how these ideas may or may not apply to their line of work.

It's an easy read, filled with pop culture references for easy application, and several interesting gimmicks and tactics about how to improve your sales process, but more importantly it's about truth in sales making it easier to sell a worthwhile product. It's about being a consultant, rather than a salesperson. The charts and scripts are certianly helpful and articulate, but you have to go beyond that in order to really make it work. It has started a continuing conversation with my colleagues and friends who found themselves in sales "accidentally," and that's all I can ask for in a book.

Anyone who claims there is a one-stop shop (or book) to the secret of success in sales, is also likely to think that there's a magic diet pill to solve our problems of obesity in America. For the rest of us, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you, Bernie.

I read this book and can attest that this book is NOT what it seems to be. The reviews claim this to be the best sales book of all time, but these reviews lack capacity in what is acutally contianed in this book.

The book shows you gimmicks and silly methods used for prospecting. The real world deals with professionals. I am a stock broker and would not want to be associated with these type of methods or have them by any means reflect my line of business.

I would recommend two books: 1. "How to Master the Art of Selling" by Tom Hopkins 2. "Advanced Selling Strategies: The Proven System of Sales Ideas, Methods, and Techniques Used by Top Salespeople Everywhere" by Brian Tracy. These are real books with so much information to be absorbed under one read.

I won't lie to you and tell you that one single book outhere is the best. But these two books combined is the best sales modus you will develop.

This work is intented for those who, as the author (or as me), have been launched towards a profession that could earn your own money but could stress your nervous system. This guide helps you to focus on the right directive without being distracted by jaws-men or uneducated-chieves.
Really dealed just to understand how to move in this sea of difficulties

This is another awesome book to show Mount Everest. If you like nice pictures of mountains(especially Mount Everest), this is the best.

As a former climber, I've always been fascinated by Everest. This is a wonderfully written and beautifully photographed account of the ill-fated assault on Everest that took a number of lives.
Especially sad, since as I was reading it yesterday, we got word of the death of Sir Edmund Hillary.

A stunning photo-journal of Everest, focusing on the tragic/heroic month of May 1996. Excellent narrative accompanied by fantastic photographs.

This book is for anyone who has an interest in Mt. Everest. The photographs are magnificent. They show just how small mankind is. Our hopes, dreams and accomplishments are put in perspective. I loved it!

I bought this book for the photography alone: this is as close as I am ever likely to get to the Himalayas.

The photographs are spectacular, and I can see why so many people are challenged to want to make the journey to Base Camp if not further. Appearances can be deceptive: beautiful colour photographs portray a seemingly benevolent picture of Everest which is quite at odds with reality.

Recommended for those with an interest in the Himalayas as well as to those who admire beautiful photography.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

James Rowe's story is one that makes you appreciate how good we have things in our day to day lives. I love POW tales because I am always hoping the person(s) can find a way to escape to freedom. This story was fine but I would say a little darker & more depressing than most POW tales I have read.

Interesting but written more as a novel and not as an actual recount of his 5 year imprisonment in the hands of the North Vietnamese. The minute detail of his every recollection during his 5 years of captivity makes it difficult to believe that he himself wrote his memoirs. Nevertheless I salute him for his bravery, his will to survive and service to his country.

Incredible story of this man and other POW's in Vietnam. This is one of, if not the best, books I've ever read. One of the many points I took away was how the will to live sustained Nick Rowe and so many others. Maybe more so, it gave me an appreciation for the freedoms we take so much for granted. I finihed the book days ago, and can't get it out of my mind. Great book, Great leasons, Great man.

This book should be on everyone's "must read" list. It should also be on the must read list for evey high school student. This book is very well written and easy to follow. It is also very hard to put down once you start reading it. Being a Vietnam War Veteran myself, I would highly recomend this book to anyone.

I served with 1st SFG during Vietnam. I knew Nick and the young soldiers knew about his experience as a POW. He was a fine and well respected leader within the SF community. The book is exciting and takes its' place within the accurate historical realm. To set the record straight there were plans in the making and at least one effort to rescue Nick. Also suggest reading "Raider" about CSM Gallen C. Kittleson who had been selected as part of the rescue attempt for Nick. Also suggest reading "Code Name Columbus."

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the making of the movie Pride and Prejudice. It was interesting to go behind the scenes and read about the actors and actresses who were in the movie and looking at the stage sets. When you watch the movie, it is almost like being there. You get really into the characters and the situations that are being displayed in both the book and on screen. I felt like I was back in time and had lived in that era. It is a very good read.

One of my all-time favorite productions, I wanted to know more about the people and places involved in the making of Pride and Prejudice. This book definitely met my expectations and I am happily sharing it with others in my family who also love and appreciate it.

2003's "The Making of Pride and Prejudice" is a peek behind the scenes at the transformation of Jane Austen's classic romance novel into the 1995 BBC television production, a classic in its own right.

Sue Birwhistle and Susie Conklin walk the reader through the entire process, from selling the idea to a reluctant studio, to Andrew Davies' superb adaptation of the novel into six TV episodes, through casting, preproduction, shooting, and finally postproduction. The book is filled with comments from the workers on both sides of the camera, and illustrated with fascinating set photography.

Recreating the 19th Century required extensive research into such mundane matters as period costumes, hairstyles, drapery patterns, furniture, and music and dance. Months of pre-production paid off in an authentic look, at the cost of daily two-hour costume and make-up sessions for the actors and nightly refreshing of sets. Minor challenges included the delicate task of keeping food presentable for the three day shoot of the Netherfield supper party.

Location shooting, even in a country rich with old homes, required patient negotiation with owners over the restoration of house and grounds to a 19th century appearance. The expenses of production required shooting by location vice chronological order; Colin Firth notes his very first scene was Darcy's marriage proposal to Elizabeth.

Casting presented its own challenges for such a popular story. The book shares the concerns of the actors, along with some interesting before and after make-up portraits. A highlight is an extended interview with Colin Firth on the challenges of the role of Mr. Darcy. Jennifer Ehle adds her own comments on the grueling five month shooting schedule, which required her presence on set for all but five days.

"The Making of Pride and Prejudice" will be equally fascinating to dedicated fans of the BBC television version and those interested in the actual details of production. This book is very highly recommended to both audiences.

Loved the actors interviews, the photos and all the back story. To learn that Jennifer Ehle (Lizzy) is blonde and to see her as such without the Lizzy dark-hair wig, was worth the buy in itself!

This book is a must for those who love A&E's version of Pride and Prejudice. It's very informational and gives the reader even a greater appreciation for the work and detail put into this magnificent movie!!

When our 9-year-old son was referred to a specialist to assess for Asperger's Syndrome, I wanted to get my hands on as much information as possible! The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome is just that: complete! It has been an amazing resource to open our understanding of this neurological disorder. I went to our son's assessment feeling confident and able to communicate with the specialist. The book helped me understand my son in many areas that I had no idea would fall under Asperger's Syndrome. When the initial referral was made, I felt like my feet had been knocked out from under me. When the diagnosis was made, however, I felt much more sure footed because of the knowlege and tools I learned in Tony Attwood's book.

I read this book by pure chance (first I read Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism) because I know a child who has difficulties to learn at school. And I buy this book to have a good scientific reference on AS and high functioning autism. And I was satisfied beyond the limits but for someone else so much closer to me. Believe me this book will make you understand a lot of people around you. Even you are not in relation with autism, you will learn a lot. But if you are in touch with a person with the asperger syndrom, believe me too, you will learn more and, above all, feel better in your life. Unfortunately I am very close to an adult with high functioning autism (or AS). Sometime you could think this adult is a total idiot in social relationships. This book bring complete informations about the subject. And the life is much easier when you understand you are not a kind of social monster.

This is full of helpful information about AS, compassionate and wise interpretation of their a-typical-ness and good training ideas for their teachers and parents. Reading it will answer many questions for family members who may have long pondered why their loved one acts the way s/he does and bring new understanding, compassion -- and a large measure of relief due to mysteries solved.

Tony Atwood has again managed to provide us with keen insight as to the individuality of the individuals with AS. He has wonderful vignettes and on children and adults with AS as they struggle with language, emotions, social interactions, and day to day functioning. He has quotes from individuals with AS as they describe both adult issues and memories from their childhoods. This gives unique insights into why we see certain behaviors and what causes the need for the behaviors.

He doesn't stop there, however. He provides many good ideas for interventions and strategies to help children become more aware of and in control of their environment and their emotions. I particularly liked the scales of justice activity to help children learn the differences in levels of guilt or culpability in an adverse situation.

I feel that any professional who works with children and adults with AS should read this book and keep it available for referral whenever one of their students/patients/clients are struggling.

"The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Tony Atwood, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London 2007. ISBN 13: 978-1-84110-495-7, HC 397/347. Glossary 3 pgs., Resources. 8 pgs., Ref., 23 pgs., Sub. Index 11 pgs., Auth. Index 5 pgs. 10" x 7".

The author, a prolific writer and practicing clinician having studied some 2,000 cases of Asperger's syndrome, presents a culmination of his experiences and observations in a complete treatise on a no longer rare genetic syndrome in which the neuronal wiring is imperfect. In 15 chapters the author has laid bare the essentials of AS, its diagnosis & prognosis, the vulnerabilities, their special skills, disabilities, sensory disturbances and the treatment options and opportunities for intervention with emphasis on integrating the child to become a productive contributing member of society by acknowledging and nurturing their oft found special abilities both within the family structure, a marriage, learning institution and workplace.

Of the many books I have on Asperger's syndrome, this one excels in so many ways that it is a `must have' for those concerned in the clinical setting of Asperger's syndrome.

This book is fun reading that will entertain you as well as the kid. It's quick, easy reading, but has lots of pages so that the story doesn't end right away. I baby-sat an 18-month old toddler who loves books, and I didn't mind at all reading and re-reading this one. The words flow well, and I didn't feel awkward reading aloud the way I do with some other books. I will definitely buy this one for my niece!

This is one of my family's favorite childrens books ever. It not only completely speaks to our crazy and chaotic, yet incredibly loving extended family, but the last line -- "One hippo alone once more, misses the the other forty-four" -- sums up that poignancy of having to say good-bye. All that, plus it helps teach kids to count. (Both my five- and eight-year-olds still want to make sure that there are 44 actual hippos at the height of it all.) I never tire of reading it and have given it as a gift at nearly every baby shower I've ever been to. If you haven't read Sandra Boynton's childrens books, do so now.

And so do our kids. All of her books are our favorite first books for our kids.

I purchased this charming Sandra Boyton hardbook for an adult psychologist with a penchant for all things hip...po, rather than for a child. She found it laugh-out-loud delightful and insightful and will undoubtedly share the joy of reading it aloud to a growing roster of great-nieces and great-nephews. However, I doubt if she'll part with Hippos Go Berserk!

This book, like so many of Boynton's books, is cute and clever. A lonely hippo invites over other hippos (arriving in groups of 2 through 9), and eventually has enough for a party. Then, leaving in groups of 9 through 2, they depart. The book lodges itself in your mind well enough such that, when we go see the hippos at the zoo, I find myself saying, "One hippo, all alone, calls two hippos on the phone." And, I'm not surprised when another parent nearby answers, "Three hippos at the door, bring along another four!" A great find for kids 18 months and up.