Byrne Books

If you're writing add-ins for Outlook, then this book is essential. The small cost of the book will save you days of trying to work out the best most appropriate ways to do things with the new object model.
Programming Outlook 2007? Writing an add-in? Want to speed up the development time? This is the book for you...

I found this book quite helpful since I am familiar with C# yet new to Programming with Outlook. My current assignment is to use VS 2008/C# to integrate with Outlook 2003 and 2007, I could apply some of the examples to my needs. Since I need to use VS 2008, then some of the steps are different and stick with events that would work for both Outlook versions, however, I have managed to figure them out.

Anyone who develops on Outlook should buy this book -- even if you don't have Outlook 2007. The beginning chapters review best practices and underlying architecture that every Outlook developer should understand, regardless of which version of Outlook you're using. Plus, you'll see all the great new stuff in 2007 which you'll want, so you can convince your stakeholders to upgrade. Later chapters drill into the technical details with surprising depth so you can find out what you need with only minimal trips to MSDN. Code samples are generous, albeit limited to only managed code... but that's understandable given the obvious advantages to using it for rapid application development.

The difference between this book and previous attempts to document the Outlook development experience is like night and day. Kudos to Randy and Ryan for understanding what we face and doing an admirable job at enlightening us.

This book provides a good basic understanding of the process for programming Office Outlook 2007 plug-ins. It has a good spread of information about all the underlying office/outlook types and objects, although only briefly touches on their use. Demo's of using these objects are provided, covering typical basic tasks, but more advanced functionality is not really shown, though alluded to. The book makes extensive use (for C# programming) of a Shim Wizard which provides the interlinking functionality between the managed code and the COM interfaces. Unfortunately this wizard has been extensively modified since the book was published, and some of the instructions provided are out of date, resulting in the plug-in not functioning correctly. As very little information is provided with the book (and with the Wizard) working through these issues takes some time. The book's website does not include any errata to indicate the correct use of the modified wizard, though the site does contain links to the latest version of the wizard. Other than that the book is well worth it.

In the 80's DC's stodgy line of square-jawed heroes was shaken up by the brash and (for the time) hip Booster Gold. Unlike other heroes he used his heroic deeds to land endorsement deals, make money and date starlets.

This low-price collection shows off his story.

Of course readers will have to endure 80s relics. Not just the Miami Vice fashions but also that type of comic story-telling with simplistic villains, bad costumes and heavy-handed melodrama. And the book ends with a bit of a whimper as it is forced to play a minor role in a forgotten crossover event.

But for your $15 it's a fine deal.

BG is not a grade A hero, but that's part of the fun of the book. Even he knows that. Unlike other superheroes, BG wants to be rich and famous. He has tremendous self-doubt and tons of people hate him.

This is mildly diverting superhero fare that's worth a read, esp at this price. Skip the last 5 or so issues before the last one though, they're pretty terrible (aliens from another dimension, that kind of thing). Before that though, BG manages to be pretty interesting take on the hero from the future archetype. Unlike every other hero from the future he actually does what a human would do and plays the stock market and tries to become famous. Also culture shock often leads to predictably amusing results.

As a whole, the book is always amusing, but never outright funny and generally good but never great.

Score would be more like a 3.5 if that was an option.

Nowadays, if superheroes are your cup of tea, you can find ones with nearly any personality quirk you could think of. But a couple decades back, this wasn't as much the case, so a hero like Booster Gold had a nice original feel. In particular, Booster was one of the shallowest heroes around: vain and interested primarily in money and glory. He was perfectly willing to save the world, but he wanted everyone to know he did it, and that he did it well.

Written and drawn by Dan Jurgens in the post-Crisis DC Universe, Booster Gold was introduced in issue 1 of the magazine of the same name. Though this is his first story, Booster is already an established hero in Metropolis, trying to take over Superman's territory. He is assisted by a small flying robot named Skeet and initially is fighting a mysterious group called the 1000. Within a few issues, we go back to the beginning of Booster's story: he is really Michael Carter, a disgraced football player from the 25th century, who has traveled back in time with some high tech devices to give him his powers. His first real adventure averted an attempted presidential assassination, giving him a good reputation right off the bat.

Other issues deal with additional fights with the 1000, a trip back to the future and tussles with Superman and Lex Luthor. All the while, Booster has other things to cope with: movie deals, commercial endorsements and the like. In these efforts, he is assisted by his agent Dirk Davis and loyal assistant Trixie Collins. Booster's saga in his own comic would end in issue 25, so the entire run is in this Showcase volume, though he would still hang out with the Justice League.

Perhaps the great strength in these comics is that Jurgens doesn't play Booster for laughs, though his personality could lend itself to humor. Instead, this is regular superhero fare, and this only emphasizes how shallow Booster really is. This is good, but not great material, and its not surprising that Booster Gold never really took off: despite his spotlight seeking, Booster will never get out of the shadows of the DC greats like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. But if you want to read the stories of a slightly change-of-page 1980s superhero, Booster Gold is a decent read.

In his introduction, Booster Gold was considered not-your-normal hero. He was in it for the fame, fortune, and girls. While other heroes might disappear after a good deed, Booster Gold would stick around as long as it took for the reporters and television to arrive. Not your normal good guy, his flippant yet fun attitude made his comics different. This collection holds Booster Gold issues 1-25, along with a single issue of Action Comics where he met up with Superman again.

The stories here are fun, and there is this mysterious quality about him for a while as his origin is slowly revealed. Who is he? How did he get a Legion flight ring? Was he some other hero in disguise? The answers come quickly, but the fun keeps on going. I keep stressing fun because it's important you understand this isn't some dark brooding Batman comic. This is a hero who doesn't take himself seriously very often, and wants the glory for every good deed.

The artwork throughout is nice, but naturally the best issue is the one penciled by John Byrne. Still, there's not a shabby page in the bunch. Oh yeah, and Skeets is in there too!

I hope they release the next Showcase volume soon. With Booster's recent more serious turn in his new series, it's interesting to see his lighter side when he first started out.

An engaging tale of a girl who accepts life as it is, helping those around her to stop fretting and worrying. Suitable for 5-7.

Murkles are tiny creatures who are quite cute to look at, but smelly at the same time. Each year they return to the small town of Summerville, and try to cross the townspeople, but they are blocked. However, this year, thanks to a little girl named Juliana, the baby Murkles are permitted to enter the town. This one change, causes the town to go through a new chain of events that changes the town forever.

TOO MANY MURKLES is an enjoyable new story for young readers. The illustrations are cute, while the storyline will cause each child to realize that they can change things in the world if they truly put their minds to it. This is an uplifting book that is sure to raise the spirits of young readers and their parents the world over.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

It's no wonder this book was chosen as a finalist for the 2005 Benjamin Franklin Award: Children's Picture Book Category!

What wonderful transformations can happen in our lives when we stop fussing about what life has dealt us and start seeking the unexpected gift in every problem!

That's the premise of "Murkles," a story about a village plagued by these odd, smelly creatures. Small wonder the townsfolk want to keep them out. But an observant, tender-hearted girl named Juliana lets a Murkle slip through and do what it seems born to do. As a result, the Murkle is transformed, the air is filled with the scent of orange blossoms, and the villagers are delighted. Similar scenarios happen with a flowering plant that threatens to take over the town's pristine lawns, and a dull gray bird that can't be got rid of. When Juliana again persuades the mayor to let these creatures have their way, the town is vastly enriched as a result. The message is simple yet profound: individuals blossom when they're allowed to sing their own unique song. And all who think that many of Earth's creatures are expendable or unnecessary may have a change of heart. Exquisite illustrations bring the village and its unusual occupants to life.

[...]

This is a story about smelly little creatures, known as Murkles, and the people of Summerville. It explains how a young girl taught the people (grownups included) to cope with the unknown.

Every year at the same time, the Murkles tried to enter the tiny village of Summerville. This day had come to be known as the dreaded Day of the Murkles, and all the people of the village gathered at the river to prevent the Murkles from entering. Every year the Murkles tried to enter, and every year they were forcefully turned away by the well-meaning people. What was the problem with allowing the Murkles to enter the village? Well, not only were they different, but they also smelled bad! No one knew why the diminutive creatures kept coming back every year - and no one wanted to find out.

Then one day a little girl named Juliana knelt down and looked into the eyes of a baby Murkle and made a huge decision that changed her village forever. She stepped aside and allowed the baby to wriggle past when no one was looking. Juliana knew that being different was not a good reason to ostracize the Murkles.

As this story unfolds, Juliana persuades the mayor to allow all the Murkles to make their journey through the village by promising him that something wonderful would happen if he did. The mayor finally agreed to heed Juliana's words, because there were too many Murkles to hold back anyway. So, the stinky Murkles soon waddled through the streets, frolicked in a small pond, and sunned themselves on the rocks. After they did these things, the heavenly odor of orange blossoms filled the air, and the townspeople were amazed - but this was only the beginning of many changes for the small village. Of course, as could be anticipated, every change brought moans and groans of woe from the people because they always expected calamity. Then, when each change turned into something wonderful, they became excited again. It was in this manner that Juliana's promise to the mayor was finally fulfilled and all the townspeople learned to withhold judgments, stop being afraid, and embrace differences and change.

From the scarlet Firestars, that strangely appear on the villagers' perfect lawns, to the odd looking birds (known as Tanzas) that swoop down to snatch those Firestars - bright colors leap from this book's pages. Each scene is perfectly pictured and could almost tell the entire story to a small child, but that eye-appeal is not the only thing that makes this book special. The many lessons that are so subtly taught by a child named Juliana also make it special - as well as extraordinary.

***** What a charming story, and what a wonderful way to allow a child's mind to see things in a different way - without fear. This is highly recommended reading. *****

Reviewed by Ruth Wilson of Huntress Reviews.

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK IF YOU ENJOY MURDER MYSTERIES. ITS A STEVEN KING LIKE THRILLER THAT KEEPS YOU IN SUSPENSE AT ALL TIMES. FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER IT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION. IT TAKES YOU INTO THE MIND OF A PHYCHOPATH AND THROUGH THE LIFE OF ONE.

I ENJOYED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. IT KEPT ME IN SUSPENSE PAGE BY PAGE. ITS A STEVEN KING LIKE THRILLER, THAT TAKES YOU INTO THE MIND OF A PHYCHOPATH AND TAKES YOU THROUGH THE LIFE OF ONE. IF YOU ENJOY MURDER MYSTERIES THIS IS THE BOOK TO READ.

I just finished reading "Turn Around Gemini" and it was by far one of the best books that I have EVER read. This is a great murder mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is one of the few books that I just could not put down. I recomend this book to any one who enjoys, mysteries and thrillers

I just finished reading "Turn Around Gemini" and it was by far one of the best books that I have EVER read. This is a great murder mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is one of the few books that I just could not put down. I recomend this book to any one who enjoys, mysteries and thrillers

This book goes well beyond an academic treatise on Roman Catholic women's ordination. It discusses women's ordination as a fullfillment of God's presence both in human history and in individuals. Lavinia Byrne includes her personal experiences as she examines how the concpept of God the Father AND MOTHER have impacted her life and those of other Catholics. She is fairly explicit about the processes the Catholic church has used which not only deny women ordination, but even the awareness of a vocation for the priesthood. The language of this book is calm and thoughtful, but the thoughts and concepts are far-reaching. It is deeply troubling that the Vatican feels it necessary to mandate the destruction of this book , as wll as the severe harrassment of the author.

This book does not cover theological issues behind the ordination/non-ordination of women in the Catholic Church in depth. However, since the Vatican has demanded its withdrawal by the publisher, it must either have content that is seen as threatening by the Vatican or else the Vatican is just using a minor incident to show others how it can flex its muscles.

The CTSA report on women's ordination and infallible statements is much more useful if you're looking for canon law and theology instead of personal narrative.

An historical sidelight on this book (which is a must read on the short list of the women's ordination topic):
the book was originally published by a "Catholic" publishing house owned by an order of Catholic monks. When the topic became a no-no for discussion according to the Vatican, the monks destroyed their 1300 remaining copies. The method of destruction however may (deniably, of course) have been a subtle answer to the Vatican clamp down on discussion. The monks burned the books in their furnace system, generating thereby for themselves "light and warmth". Painful as the experience was for author Sister Lavinia Byrne, she also could appreciate the humor.

This is a very good beginning point for those interested in women's ordination in the Catholic Church. Lavinia Byrne's writing is delightfully clear and quite readable. She speaks honestly from her own experience and includes enough theology that the reader can then go and learn more on their own. I myself cannot see what the Vatican found so threatening in it. . .

This book provides lots of good information, but it is truly written for dummies. By that I mean that the book is really dummed down with very specific instructions on doing things like opening the program, saving a file, etc.

There are lots of great tips scattered throughout the book. However, they will be difficult to find again without highlighting the book the first time you read it.

The author seems to assume that the reader has experience in AutoCad. This assumption lends the book towards not providing exercises on how to use the program. Such exercises would have made the book much more useful.

The bottom line: The AutoCad software is a big let down in the context sensitive help. A good instruction book is needed - but this is not it. If you can't find a better book, get this one. But, do the best you can to find a book that walks the reader through using the program with exercises.

This is the book I use for quick reference when the latest version of AutoCAD comes out. They always seem to change things around and the help in the program is poor at best. This book makes it easy to find the commands for the common stuff and I use the AutoCAD Bible for the more complicated commands.

When you are first starting to use AutoCAD, you get to the point where you are looking at a basically bare screen with a whole bunch of control icons around the edges. What do you do then? Just simply getting the first line drawn is a confusing task.

In this book the authors have applied the full range of the 'For Dummies' books style guidelines to produce a book that gets you working in AutoCAD just as fast as possible. It still takes them over fifty pages to get started drawing a picture, but that first fifty pages gives you a lot, an awful lot, of basic information. So often I find that computer books leave out this first fifty pages that explain just what it is that we are trying to do. Plow through it. It's material that you will need to know sooner or later, probably sooner, and it's really not that bad.

As a simple summary about this book. I like the 'For Dummies' style, and if I were trying to get started in AutoCAD, it's where I would start.

It's a big book, almost 800 pages, but a lot of details about Autocad are included. You'll be productive before you get down to the customizing and programming chapters.

Originally after I read Byrne's "Skyscraper" novel I thought he had absolutely no talent in placing words together, placing him in the moronic catagory, as well as a complete bore! But he swings and connects with this work! Bravo!

Highly entertaining, and informative to boot, with plenty of tips you can use in your game. Anyone who already has Byrnes Standard Book of Pool and Byrne's Advanced should also get this, and his Treasury of Trick Shots book, as all four volumes regularly refer to (useful) information in eachother. While this is MOSTLY a fun book about colorful characters, billiards history, tricks shots, and amusing stories, your casual, league and even tournament play can learn a few good pointers from the materials herein.

It's fun, informative and useful. I have several Byrne books and videos and I review them once in a while. I hesitated buying this in fear it was merely a revamping of old material. I found it used...and bought it anyway; I was so wrong, it's totally new and fresh and a great addition to my library. Byrne comes thru once again and shows why he's been inducted into the BCA hall of Fame.

This second, and final, collection of The Champions finds the bizarre superhero team consisting of Ghost Rider, Black Widow, Hercules, Iceman, and Angel taking on some big time villains in the vein of Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and even Doctor Doom. Like the issues in the first volume, The Champions works surprisingly well thanks to some surprisingly compelling set-ups and stories that usually feature a decent enough pay off to keep coming back. Not to mention the fact that there are contributions from then rising star artist John Byrne, whose considerable talents, even at such an early stage in his career, are of are a definite highlight. In these final issues, The Champions also take on Stilt-Man, MODOK, and Swarm; and there's appearances from Spider-Man and the mutant hunting Sentinels as well. All in all, if you enjoyed the first volume of The Champions, you'll definitely enjoy what you get here.

My son-in-law and grandson loved it, so if they are happy I'm happy!

At last, we have CHAMPIONS CLASSIC VOLUME 2, the highly anticipated second round of reprints featuring perhaps the oddest team of Marvel heroes ever. Angel, Iceman, Hercules, Black Widow, and Ghost Rider aren't a grouping I'd normally consider worthwhile, but darn if The Champions didn't have some exciting stories during their run. In volume 2, Darkstar and Black Goliath assist the team against bizarre villains such as Stilt-Man and MODOK, cosmic entities such as the Stranger and Kamo Tharn, and Swarm - a guy made of killer bees. You'll also see more popular villains such as Magneto & the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Doctor Doom, and the Sentinels. Writer Bill Mantlo packs the pages full of action and wonder in the first several issues of this collection, but the later stories unfortunately slide downhill. I guess once the series was slated for cancellation, Mantlo didn't see the need to worry about any more of the series' signature creativity. As a result, he relies mainly on mind-control stories or other tired gimmicks that pit hero against hero. But overall, the stories are fun. The art from George Tuska and Bob Hall is okay, but you just can't beat the contribution of a young rising star by the name of John Byrne. There's no doubting Byrne's style, even in some of his earliest work. Even though it's only 4 issues worth, plus a additional issue with him finishing breakdowns, I'll take what I can get.

The book collects Champions #12-17, Iron Man Annual #4, Avengers #163, Super-Villain Team Up #14. and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #17-18... a broad representation of `70s Marvel goodness.

I did not like the way the ad was posted online and the way I was charged for shipping and handling for this item.

This is a superb text which goes into great detail of explaining a multitude of effects drugs have on nonhuman and human systems. I know the author, Dr. Alan Poling, as he was my professor for Behavioral Pharmacology at Western Michigan University in the fall of 2007. A must for the field of behavioral pharmacology, and I believe to be a good reference text for pharmacology and medicine as well. Gives some great insight into behavior analysis, operant condition, and respondent conditioning, and brings you up to speed before going into the behavioral aspects of drugs. It speaks to many levels, from the novice undergraduate, to the graduate student and beyond, and is supplemented with charts and data from his lab experiments. There's also some discussion of behavioral neuroscience as well, which can be helpful in descriving how the drugs affect the Central Nervous System.

This insightful book is the best I've read in the field! I definitely recommend it.

If you are from Iran or not, its a must read. Gives insight to the
complexity of Politics in the Middle East and how being patriotic
is perceived by the governments outside of Iran. Needless to say
change of government when orchestrated from abroad does have
bad results in the long run, in Iran, Iraq, or any other country.

The book contains a series of essays fleshing out the circumstances of the 1953 overthrow of Mossadeq. The American sponsored coup ended a decade long struggle to democratize Iran, and the monarchy didn't face a serious political challenge again until it's demise in the revolution of 1979.

The essays in this book address important questions: why was the National Front so weak? Why did it ultimately take so little to overthrow Mossadeq, and what was the role of the communist Tudeh party? Why did Eisenhower support the coup? It also raises some interesting questions: How did Mossadeq shift the economy completely away from oil dependency without causing mass unemployment or recession, what parties lost in that shift and what effect did they have on National Front support?

Missing from the edition is a critical analysis of Mossadeq himself. He relied on mass demonstrations rather then political coalitions for power, and fundamentally did not seem to want power unless people begged him to accept it. Is it any wonder his partners turned on him?

I'd recommend this as the second book people read for understanding 1953.

Based on archival research, the book provides many new details. However, I would have liked to have a seen a discussion of Ayatollah Kashani's position with respect to Iranian oil exports to Israel.