Burns Books

It's important to note that this book is "written and designed for kids and grownups together." It isn't a book to simply thrust into the hands of a child and leave her to her own devices, no matter how much of a "smarty pants" she is. On the contrary, it is to be read and enjoyed together. Older children may successfully make their way through it alone, but with all of the opportunities for interaction and discussion that ... Smarty Pants presents (i.e., Math for two, What is a Paradox?), why would you want to miss the chance? Advance concepts are explained in concrete terms, and practical challenges abound; and the well-drawn pen-and-ink illustrations enhance and clarify the text.

The book is great but it should be rated for 12+ instead of 9-12. The book goes into abstract concepts very hard to understand for a 10 year old. I bought it for my daughter which is the best of her class in math and she was very frustrated with the book. To really appreciate the book you need a very good grasping and confidence with the basic operations, fractions, powers and geometry, that means well beyond the years where your kid is learning those topics.

My 10-year-old son is definately a math "smarty pants" and when this book arrived I just left it sitting around to see if he would "discover" it and and boy did he! It's full of fun math games and activities and he dove into it for hours; not bad for a lazy summer day activity. I highly recommend it for your "smarty pants" or even your not-so-smarty-pants if he or she is willing to play in the realm of numbers.

This book contains a number of engaging math and logic problems, something that we do a lot of. Unfortunately, the print is small, the pages are quite crowded and answers are often extremely hard to find, all of which really limits the book's usefulness both in our math program and as a "just for fun" book.

I don't care what anyone else says. This book is great. I'm 10 and I didn't think it was too hard or anything. I think younger kids might be confused, but I LOVE it!

As a handyman I like to bulid my own things. This book gives you a lot of insight. It shows an easier way of doing things by using things you would not have thought of. It is an excellent book with a lot of ideals.

I've built decks and docks in the past and I find this text to be of immense value as I prepare to build a new system of decks and docks at a new location. I'd suggest this this one to anyone who was about to build near or on the water.

Very thorough. Just the information I needed to determine what type of dock to build on my lakefront property.

Yes, this book provides a well-illustrated overview of approaches to dock building and choices of materials. But it doesn't go far enough if you have a significant tidal range or if the wind blows. What's missing is any introduction to engineering. How to make sure the ramp doesn't fall off your float when the tide goes out. How to figure the static forces on your dock caused by 4 knot currents. How to estimate the wave heights and dynamic forces in 80 knot winds. And how to design a dock that will survive this abuse. You might want to involve a professional engineer in these situations, but that can be true of pretty much anything to do with docks. A book with this title should at least introduce you to these subjects and provide references for the gory details. Like some others, the author believes books like this should be peppered with jokes. Personally I find this annoying, but I must admit his jokes are above average. So if you want a funny introduction to building docks in gentle places, this book is for you.

I gave up trying to find any useful information on dock building and then happened across this book not long ago. Max Burns has written a very comprehensive reference book that covers almost any imaginable dock/shore situation including the one I was looking for . If you're thinking of building your own, add this book to your library!

I rented this book in Library, its contents were excellent. Author gives a detail explanation about How to create business plan. I like this book, am ordering for my own copy in Amazon!!

I got duped into buying this one based on the rave reviews here and elsewhere. It is very superficial in its treatment of the subject and there are errors - For eg., one of the earlier chapters talks about Valuation Analysis and how it will be covered in a later chapter. There is no such coverage of Valuation later in the book.
To summarize: Dont waste your precious dollars on this one.

There should exist a higher rating for this introductory book on setting up an ebusiness. The author explains the basics of starting a business, and integrates setting up an ebusiness. I've read other books but most are not as well-written, concise, with a no-nonsense approach to giving the reader exactly what he needs to know to set up an ebusiness. For the novice, or the experienced business person, wanting to set up an ebusiness, this is the best book I've seen. Easy, quick reading, and excellent advice.

Internet based businesses and business with a significant Internet component to their commercial activities are with us to stay. As with any other major revolution in how goods and services are generated, marketed, distributed, and provided, there is a critical need for a comprehensive, authoritative, "user friendly" introduction and guide for the aspiring entrepreneur as to how best to prepare for, and take advantage, of what the new technologies have to offer and can best be utilized. Tim Burns' Entrepreneurship.com is precisely that kind of "how to" manual deftly showing how to identify, evaluate, and capitalize on the new opportunities the computer age of the Internet has to offer; how to create an effective "Dot.com" business plan; the acquisition of financing (including venture capital); and transforming an existing "bricks and mortar" company into an "E-business".

As I write this, the Nasdaq has fallen below 2200. This would be a horrible time to come out with one of those arrogant, jargon-filled, air-headed books celebrating Internet mania.

Fortunately, Tim Burns instead takes a back-to-basics approach to Internet entrepreneurship. He correctly identifies the genuine characteristics of the New Economy, e.g., "The new organizational wealth no longer centers around physical capital but around intellectual capital." (p. 22) But he advocates traditional business discipline rather than throwing the rulebook out the window.

In theory, a book about starting an Internet business might have to cover economic theory, business strategy, accounting, law, and finance, as well as describe the technical features and business implications of the Internet. In practice, an author has to pick and choose.

Burns puts emphasis on

--analysis of business opportunities (particularly in chapter 2, where he contrasts ten fallacies of Internet entrepreneurship with he calls the "reality-based Internet business model.")

--advice about creating a business plan

--principles of accounting (Burns' background is particularly strong here)

On the other hand, the discussions of Internet marketing tactics tend to be few and far between. Someone seeking advice on designing and promoting a web site or on email marketing would have to look elsewhere.

I think that this book best serves someone who never went to business school and who wants to fill in some knowledge gaps before launching a new enterprise. It's a lot less expensive than going back for your MBA.

Well, based on the hype that was swimming around the community, I would have thought this volume would have been more than just an unasuming literary accompaniment to the web. But, thankfully it isn't. I would hope that I would be able to find a copy of it in a real live bookstore, but alas, this would not happen either. I will continue to enjoy it, and will look forward to what the cool guide has to offer us next.

My first exposure to the guide was when I was informed by the publisher that my site would appear in the 2001 issue. Expecting some kind of a ploy to snatch my money, I acquired a copy. WOW, what a great guide! I'm not easy to impress and I AM REALLY IMPRESSED! Unlike all of the other hard copy and on-line guides that our site appears in, this time I am actually flattered. Its only real weakness, is that nobody has heard about it. I would will a copy every year, even if our site isn't in it.

My disclaimer: they reviewed my Good Karma Cafe website and I paid to have my logo placed next to it. That said, this really is a nice holiday gift. The reviews themselves were not paid for, and they are short and sweet. I have discovered a number of nifty sites in it and do plan to give it for Christmas.

This beats the pants off of those Yellow Pages-style Web directories that don't quality check their listings. Every one of these sites is really great.

I was so pleased with this great looking guide that I will be giving it to all my friends for the holidays. It is also very usuful to beginners with the introductory chapters in the front. The short, but significant remarks for each site come right to the point; wasting no time.

As background, before reading this book I had many years of web development experience, including a few years of Struts and ASP.NET development.

This book is not simply a reference, as it starts off as a programmers' guide. The book begins with a "hello, world" type of application. Where it shines is in giving very specific instructions for getting that simple application up and running - such as what jar files to download and where to put them. From there, trying out the examples on your own is very simple.

The book is very well organized, and thorough. After covering the basics of JSF, it gets into the gory details of writing your own JSF components. It then provides a reference of the standard JSF components and the MyFaces components.

One minor complaint is that some of the text covering the basics is verbose and somewhat redundant. But, if you are new to web development and the Model-View-Controller pattern, the wordiness might be helpful.

Very well done.

Very good book for novice and professionals, the book provide all details about JSF framework programming !!!

The book has very good coverage, my only complaint is that explanations are too long. I think the whole book can be condensed into 100-200 pages.

I bought this book because it's the best-seller for JavaServer Faces according to Amazon and I don't like it that much. I've been reading a lot of Computer books lately, and a lot of them are surprisingly well written and fun to read. This one is not. The writing is less than stellar and it doesn't have the dorky humor that other computer books have.

On the plus side, I am learning a lot from this book and I don't have much to compare it to as far as other JSF references. It's the most up-to-date one when I bought it, which is important since it's still an evolving framework.

The book goes over all the stuff in JSF and explains in a very clear language exactly whats happening under the hood of JSF. I have also some other JSF books and this is by far the best.

The strength and simplicity of Joel inspire me to live a better life. Different from other personal stories of fabulous people I have read, Joel is someone like us, in a small town and solid family. Great book.

Ever since my daughter met Joel at a youth conference this summer, we have been seeking a paperback copy in English. I'm sure the book is wonderful, but no one in our household is able to translate Spanish to English, so it may be a while before we get to experience it firsthand.
Still looking.....

In Joel, you will come as close as you can to seeing life through the eyes of one who has had more asked of him in any single day of his childhood than most of us endure in a lifetime. This is the story of a determined fighter and frankly a roaring success, told with an endearing humility and honesty. Joel can inspire you to look beyond the outward appearance of any disabled person you encounter, to know each is an individual like you in so many ways inside.

I was Joel's Orthotist/Prosthetist at Burke when he was about 4 to 5 years old. I have never forgotten what an energetic and normal boy he was, always ready to laugh. Sweet and rambunctious. At that time I read Race For Life, by Joel's lovely mother, a book I still cherish. I never stopped wondering how his story went on after they moved away. Today I couldn't put this book down until I got to the last page. I feel amazed and somehow proud of that little boy all grown up.

A must read for everyone! If you have ever asked the question "why?" whether it was you or someone else, get this book. God has used this gifted man in amazing ways throughout his life. I have had the honor and pleasure of meeting this incredibly humble and generous man. Think your life is hard? We all need to take a step back and see the reality of this story and learn from it. Thank you, God for sharing Joel with the world.

I didn't go look for this book, but it found me. What an inspirational story. It is painful to read because it fills with all the pain Joel had to endure after the accident. The part when he asked the nurse to please be gentle gave me goose bumps. The book captured Joel's pain, happiness, faith and his love for life. I adore his parents. Through all 10 fingers or no fingers, their love for Joel never change. Eventhough after the accident, Joel lost his eye browns, but he never lost his vision for life and for God.

This little book is charming! The authors - creators- have selected wonderful quotes about why reading and especially shared reading matters and these quotes are sprinkled throughout the journal. I am giving this book to all my friends who love to read and to the English teacher at my daughter's school.

I just wish the journal were bigger and the print could have been a bit darker so I can read it at night but otherwise- thanks for a great book.

I just found this book but already I have used it to record some of my notes from books my reading group read this year. It also has lot of suggested reading lists which my group might be interest in. I had no idea this book was even around even though it was published a few years ago. I wish I had had it two years ago when my reading group started out.

I very much recommend this journal. The journal is uniquely organized using tabs, so it is easy to find and flip to the various sections. It has sections for: your book group members, books you're reading, books you want to read, books you have lent out, really good resources, and more. It is exceptional quality, the cover is very hard, the paper thick, has a small pocket on the inside back cover, and it is spiral bound. FYI, the shape of this book is sort of square, if you like that. I am buying one for each member of my book club for their birthdays. It's a very cute journal you will treasure.

Don't waste your money on this item. You would do better to pick up a nice journal and keep you reading group notes in that. As a lover of books, this is an embarrasment to even have on my shelf. It is put together like a phone book with a spiral binding. Looks very cheap. There are so many beautiful journals that you can pick up in place of this. The contents that are supposed to help with the recording of info are very lame, and there is not enough room given to write down your thoughts. As an avid reader and member of a reading group, this item/book was a huge disappointment.

This journal was given to me as a gift. Being a college student I didn't have time to even open it. So I gave it to my mother and it has become her constant companion. She picks it up the minute she finishes a book and she isn't even in a reading group. She has promised to give it to me as a keepsake as soon as it is completed. It is a lovely sweet book.

I think this book should have been titled more along the lines of "Network Attack and Defense", but that doesn't detract from its contents. This is a great network-focused coverage of some of the things that the bad guys will do to get into your network and, to some extent, what you can do about it. I particularly enjoyed chapters five and eight on wireless recon and penetration, which have great coverage on how to set up various wireless tools on Linux (which can be a daunting task for the uninitiated), as well as chapter eighteen on network sniffing (Practical Packet Analysis makes a good followup to this chapter). The last chapter also tacks on a bit on binary reverse engineering, which seems like an afterthought in the context of the rest of the book, but is still a good read. Overall, another great security book from O'Reilly!

This is a book that serves its purpose wonderfully.

Its chapters and articles are based on a series of assumptions. First, that the reader won't read the book from head to tail but bit-by-bit. Second, that the reader, although not a complete geek, has a deep interest in computer sciences and computer security, from a practical standpoint.
Given those two conditions, it is a wonderfully easy to read book which will participate in the answering to the following question: "what tool should I use to answer this ____ (fill in the blank) IT Security problem?".
That's a good thing for a "power tool book" isn't it ?

Security Power Tools (SPT) is O'Reilly Publishing's sister manual to their popular Unix Power Tools […]. It is written as a primer to various security tools, organized within seven sections, covering Legal and Ethics, Reconnaissance, Penetration, Control, Defense, Monitoring, and Discovery. While the target audience of SPT is security professionals, the book weighs in at just over 800 pages and probably has something for everyone working in a technical facet of IT.

Having said that, I really enjoyed reading this book. I read it nearly cover-to-cover, and while I was at least familiar with most of the material in the book, I was still able to find gems of knowledge, even in tools that I work with on a daily basis. Expect to read about some tools that you may already know about, like Nmap, Nessus, and The Metasploit Framework, but keep reading for a heap of other useful applications that you may not be familiar with.

One of the strengths of the book is the varying backgrounds of its contributing authors; just as the book covers a diverse tool set, the expertise of the authors is also diverse. The book was written collaboratively by twelve individuals, made up primarily of Juniper Networks' J-Security team […]. Despite an opportunity for vendor-bias towards Juniper products, the book remained vendor-neutral. The majority of the book focuses on open-source and free-ware applications, although there is commercial software covered as well. In fact, Chapter 9 - Exploitation Framework Applications covers Canvas […] and Core Impact […] exclusively; both commercial applications.

One of the chapters that makes this book unique is the chapter on Law and Ethics, written by Jennifer Stisa Granick. You may recognize Ms Granick from her representation of Michael Lynn in during the Cisco Gate ordeal at Black Hat 2005 (coincidentally, Michael Lynn is also one of the contributing authors of this book). She provides an insightful discussion on not only the legal implications of security work, but also the role that ethics plays in some of those "gray" areas that security professionals may find themselves in.

Another chapter that sets this book apart is Chapter 6 - Custom Packet Generation, which primarily focuses on the use of Scapy. The chapter is written by Phillipe Biondi, the author of Scapy, and he provides an excellent argument to "Decode, Do Not Interpret". He discusses the advantages of writing tools that will provide you with raw decoded information, without an interpretation of that information. For instance, if you scanned a port on a remote host, Biondi would argue that it would be better for your tool to tell you that the remote host returned a RST packet rather than telling you that the port is closed. Beyond this valuable discussion, Biondi provides a very thorough discussion of the uses of Scapy, along with several good examples. This chapter alone makes this book worth buying.

While I liked this book, there were also some problems that prevented me from giving it a 5-star rating. For starters, the preface describes the overwhelming amount of content that was edited out of this book to keep it within size constraints, yet there was quite a bit of content that detracted from the value-density of the book. As I mentioned previously, the majority of SPT is a security primer and should not be considered a reference. Given this position, I believe that there was too much step-by-step installation and setup content. As an example, Chapter 16 - E-Mail Security and Anti-Spam covered the installation and management of the Norton Anti-Virus client. I can appreciate the security-related value of anti-virus software, but I felt that a step-by-step walk through of a Norton product was irrelevant.

Additionally, while I previously stated that the diverse expertise of the authors was a benefit, the varied writing style detracted from the readability of the book. Content aside, I found some chapters to be fun to read while others were boring, due to a particular author's writing style.

In summary, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of where to get started in researching security tools for a particular purpose. While none of the discussions in the book are exhaustive, they will definitely get you started and arm you with enough information to know what you want and where to get it.

A classic ad for Snap-on brand tools featured the tagline, "I own the best, please don't ask to borrow them." In the new, complex world of IT security, picking the best tool for the job is no easy task. An indispensable reference on the subject, Security Power Tools, brings together a slew of expert authors who detail the best security tools available.

The main portion of the book is divided into six sections comprising 23 chapters that cover the following aspects of network security: reconnaissance, penetration, control, defense, monitoring, and discovery. The chapters cover tools for major operating systems from Unix/Linux, to Windows and Macintosh. The book is organized and progresses in a logical sequence that parallels real-world security scenarios and application of the tools.

Each section and subsection covers the subjects at hand, and then lists the appropriate tool for the job. The book not only lists and evaluates top tools but also explains how to access all of them, many for free, by downloading them from the Internet.

Many of the hacking countermeasures listed in the book may, however, require specific legal permission before use. Perhaps for this reason, the book opens with a chapter on legal and ethical issues. Yet the chapter does not read like a legal disclaimer--quite the contrary--it's both engaging and fascinating.

This book is written for experienced security professionals who need an authoritative resource for finding the best IT security tool for the job. At nearly 800 pages, the text covers nearly every available security tool known, making it the de facto reference to such tool selection. Readers will find it an invaluable guide

I am probably the first reviewer to have read the vast majority of Security Power Tools (SPT). I do not think the other reviewers are familiar with similar books like Anti-Hacker Toolkit, first published in 2002 and most recently updated in a third edition (AHT3E) in Feb 2006. (I doubt the SPT authors read or even were aware of AHT3E.) SPT has enough original material that I expect at least some of it will appeal to many readers, justifying four stars. On the other hand, a good portion of the material (reviewed previously as "the most up-to-date tools") offers nothing new and in some cases is several years old.

I'll begin with my favorite sections. SPT started very strongly with Jennifer Grannick's chapter on law as it pertains to security issues. She is an excellent writer and I would like to see her create her own book on the same subject. I liked Philippe Biondi's work in Ch 6 (Custom Packet Generation) although his coverage of Scapy (while great) is not for the beginner. (Just try as many examples as you can -- Scapy is cool.) Ch 7 (Metasploit) provided a great discussion of Metasploit 3; I learned quite a bit. I was pleasantly surprised by Ch 15 (Securing Communications). It was very practical. I should mention that some of the chapters appeared to be good, but they were outside my expertise and beyond my skill level. These included Ch 10 (Custom Exploitation), Ch 22 (Application Fuzzing) and Ch 23 (Binary Reverse Engineering). I was initially inclined to skip the section on BO2k in Ch 11 (Backdoors), but I didn't know the tool had been updated in Mar 07 and could be considered "viable" in the age of botnets.

Readers may also like SPT because it mixes coverage of open source and commercial tools. For example, Ch 9 (Exploitation Framework Applications) covers CORE IMPACT and Immunity CANVAS. Ch 3 (Vulnerability Scanning) describes WebInspect. Ch 17 (Device Security Testing) describes Traffic IQ Pro. Other commercial tools are mentioned in SPT but these were covered with more than a cursory overview.

The major problems I had with SPT involved indications of old material and lack of originality. Ch 20 (Host Monitoring) doesn't include any URLs for the tools it mentions. Tool versions are incredibly out-of-date, with references to 2006 or even 2005, despite versions from early 2007 (pre-publication) being available. (Examples: Afick 2.10-1, 17 May 07; Samhain 2.3.4, 1 May 07; Tripware Open Source 2.4.1.2, 18 Apr 07). Ch 19 (Network Monitoring) mentions ACID as a Snort console; BASE replaced ACID in Sep 04! The script to download and update Snort rules uses snortrules.tar.gz, which also (besides not working now) dates it to late 2004. Ch 22 says @Stake's WebProxy is a great tool, but it's been unavailable for several years. Ch 23 mentions SoftIce, but it was discontinued in Apr 06. (Unfortunately the same chapter neglects covering PaiMei "since it will probably change" -- although the Web page lists 22 May 07 as the last update.) Ch 2 (Network Scanning) lists PortSentry, but that tool hasn't been supported since '03 and is now replaced by Mike Rash's Psad. Ch 13 spends a lot of time talking about IPFW as a BSD firewall, even though Pf has been the preferred tool for several years. Ch 5 (Wireless Reconnaissance) seems to ignore that AirPcap is a viable solution for wireless sniffing on Windows. Ch 21 (Forensics) offered absolutely nothing new or advanced.

Overall, you will probably find something to really like about SPT. I would take a much different approach in the future. Trying to coordinate so many authors probably resulted in some authors finishing their sections in late '05 or early '06. They waited until the remainder finished so the book could be published in Aug 07. I am not convinced another mammoth book is needed -- maybe smaller books on focused topics would be worthwhile. I would also not bother to cover tools addressed elsewhere --especially in other O'Reilly books.

I've been in the alternative health world for a long time so was very interested in perusing this book. I was pleasantly surprised how thorough and concise Alan Smith's book is. Concise, yet, full of very valuable and researched material, this book gives the reader glimpse into a variety of therapies available to enhance health.

I can see this book being of great importance to those entering the field of alternative health, or those wanting to know what alternative/complementary therapies are available and what they consist of. The options are plentiful and it doesn't look like Alan missed any.

Great resource, a must-have in the library, and informative, Alan gives the reader options to healing. Highly recommend.

This is the most comprehensive complete listing of alternative health approaches. I am very familiar with about a dozen listed and all were given a even balanced write up. Well done. A complete reference work. Achieving health without meds.

For some reason, I thought this was going to be more of a guide to help those of use with health problems instead of just a list of complementary and alternative therapies.

It wasn't that long ago that your family doctor was the only option when you were faced with health issues. You'd make an appointment and he'd prescribe a pill. If that magic pill didn't help you'd get another. Finally, given no other alternative, you'd just learn to live with your pain symptoms.

Today, it seems that more and more people are becoming open to complimentary and alternative health resources. Many are unhappy with their present care. Others are simply looking for ways to compliment their current treatments.

Although the actual methods vary substantially, most of these therapies look to the root cause of dis-ease and then seek to understand, release, or heal that issue. Still, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming for the average person. Where to even start?

In my opinion, reading UnBreak your Health is a very good way to begin. This book provides quite an extensive list of possible alternative and complementary therapies. Moreover, for each method, the author provides important contact information and comments from individuals who have actually tried the option.

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (1/08)

"UnBreak Your Health: The Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies" by Alan E. Smith presents a comprehensive guide useful for when you want to explore other options beyond traditional medicine. If you are considering complementary or alternative therapies you are not alone! According to a statistic presented in the introduction, in the year 2002 over half of all Americans turned to trying one of these therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies are positive on many levels. They focus on the fact that each person is a "unique individual composed of mind, body and spirit (or life-force energy)" and that each problem should be solved by tailoring the treatment to the specific person. Instead of focusing on the specific symptoms or issues as traditional medicine oftentimes does, complementary and alternative therapies often look at the body as a whole and work to heal the entire entity to make the body function in a more efficient manner. They go to the inner source of the problem rather than just treating the topical symptoms.

The author divides the different therapies up into three areas: the body, the mind and the energy/spirit. The "body" section presents an overview of such therapies from the familiar like chiropractic care and massage to the lesser known like Emei Qigong and the Nambudripdad Allergy Elimination Technique. The "mind" chapter focuses on therapies such as Art Therapy, Guided Imagery, Hypnosis, and Traumatic Incident Reduction. Finally, the "energy/spirit" section focuses on therapies which use human energy to heal such as Acupuncture, Crystal Bowl Therapy, Polarity Therapy and Qi Gong.

Each therapy examined in the book has a description explaining the origins, beliefs and techniques used in the method. After most descriptions is a favorite part of mine called "user comments" which aids in understanding how effective these therapies are. These are comments from actual users of these particular methods. It is very interesting to see the results that these people have had using the different techniques. This section makes the book more personable instead of strictly a reference guide. Websites are listed for most therapies if readers would like to seek out more information or specifics.

I recommend this thorough guide to complementary and alternative therapies to anyone who is frustrated with conventional medicine's approach to his health issues or to anyone who just wants to educate himself as to what is out there in terms of non-traditional care. "UnBreak Your Health: The Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies" presents so many different options and techniques, some of which I never knew existed, and the information is presented in a very reader friendly and easy to use way.

I'm on the fence here. One reviewer thought that it was way too basic. And no, I would not attempt to install a pumped water system in my cabin based on this info solely. On the other hand, I learned TONS of things, seriously. I mean TONS. I also learned (big time) what my options are and "how these things work." There is a WONDERFUL appendix in the back containing the contact info for all kinds of suppliers, which I found very valuable. In fact, I would be pretty comfortable building a small grey water drainage system or something simple. The one thing I was dissappointed about is this - We plan to use hauled water and roof drainage in a cistern, and there is absolutely nothing about that in the book anywhere. Still, I enjoyed it.

If you are going to buy one, and only one book about maintaining a cottage water and sewer system, this is it. The definitive bible on how to keep everything working. Supplemented with excellent illustrations and drawings, Cottage Water Systems is indispensable. About the only criticism we have is that there could be a few more options for pump hook-ups and that some of the addresses are out of date. But all-in-all, this is a truly outstanding book worth the money.

Gave me the knowledge to troubleshoot my existing system, and build a better one. One that is economical, and environmentally friendly.

An excellent book that covers in detail all the aspects of water required at a cottage or remote site. The manner of writing is excellent and manages to make what could have been a deadly boring topic, quite interesting. I can't imagine a book on this subject being more informative or presented in a better style

This book is a glossy generalists dream. If you don't know what a well is, buy this book. If you don't know what a septic tank is, buy this book. If you can't tell the difference between a submrsible pump or a jet pump, buy this book.

If you want to design or install your own hideaway water system, forget it. The author makes to frequent use of "consult your owners manual", "local authorities" or "hire someone" to have any real value.

This book would benefit the rural homeowner who has never owned a well, septic, etc. and needs to talk with a repair service. It would be unadvisable to attempt installation or repair of any system with knowledge gained from just this book.