E Books

From the very title of Dr. Mark Hillman's book, "My Therapist Is Making Me Nuts," we get the sense that maybe, just maybe, this book is going to be different from the thousands of others that clutter the self-help shelves of the local book store. After all, if Hillman could be irreverent enough to take a well-deserved poke at his own profession with the notion that therapists might actually be CAUSING problems, perhaps the pandering, know-it-all tone that generally typifies the field might be avoided.

Such faith is more than justified, as becomes clear from the opening lines of the introduction in which the train of thought that led to the book's writing is revealed. Eschewing the force-fed paradigms that characterize most of the books written by his fellow therapist-authors, Hillman takes an Everyman approach to the emotional and mental stumbling blocks and landmines over which most of us trip every day, year in and year out.

Taking the reader through a voyage of self-discovery, Hillman pulls back the curtain on such notions as operating fantasies, operating assumptions, and the deadly operating presumptions. Citing as examples such characters as Bixby and the Unfortunate Jones, Hillman uses humor to make his point and allows us to see ourselves in those examples. Page by page the reader learns about the motivating power of currencies of approval and gratification, of the difference between the person and the self, the role of culture in what we feel and believe, and the way we all sometimes go half-cocked chasing after things that are really not good for us.

As Hillman himself says in the book's opening pages, this volume isn't going solve every problem, make us rich, successful or beautiful. For that he suggests Martha Stewart. But for the rest of us who just want some tips on how to get through life, there could not be a more accessible, user-friendly tool.

Humor, self-awareness, insightful, understanding relationships -with yourself and your world.....Dr. Hillman has managed to provide an excellant written book that captures your attention from begining to end. There are two ways to approach this book -buy it and read it now or buy it and keep it by your bedside. Either way it will help you when "Life Happens". This is a great book for any age - if you are open to better understanding your-self this is a must read. But remember - buy 2 - you will want to keep one for yourself and one to give to someone special in your life!

My Therapist is Making Me Nuts by Mark Hillman is, in my judgment a "must read" book that will encourage introspection at the turn of every page. The book painlessly dissects and exposes the factors, suppositions, assumptions and ideations that individualize each of us, and the readers are encouraged to participate in the game of "who, what and how" we are.

Psychological anatomy is complex and the drama it produces is the theater of mankind, yet somehow, with wit, humor, and text that engages the reader directly, Hillman clarifies the intimate parts of personality, yours, mine and of course, his. His allusions demonstrate a robust familiarity with the vernacular of our times, from which he culls relevant examples to illustrate the pitfalls and sand traps that may obstruct and delay our progress. They may also help us peel away the veneers that disguise us from ourselves.

Hillman writes in a glib, conversational story-telling manner, replete with anecdotes that clarify obscure concepts of this difficult subject. Any words or phrases that interrupt your train of thought are further defined in the reader-friendly glossary.

Hillman describes "hope". "expectations". "presumptions" ,
"assumptions" as well as numerous other processes that either implement or retard our progress as human beings, and bundles them into the context of contemporary social and societal life. Even the short paragraph about rites of passage of different civilization invites comparison with college hazing, a seemingly foolish activity which may have roots buried deep in the recesses of our genetic past.

The proposition put forward that thought always precedes action may be true, but it is probably also true that many thoughts are generated by instincts over which we have little control. But if indeed Hillman is correct, that thoughts inevitably precede action, book is a mirror to show how the thoughts generated by instinct can be modified and often dealt with.

Read this book to learn more about yourself. Rarely does education come in such a palatable form.

Written like a true mensch, Dr. Mark Hillman breaks down the puzzles that keep us stuck in unproductive relationship patterns in safe and often funny slices-of-life that resonate, reassure and teach. I read the first hundred pages in a half hour -- it's that good! A must-read for those considering therapy or for those who have lived and learned through therapy -- Dr. Mark validates and nutures us all!

Being someone who is more comfortable reading a short magazine article while at the barbershop, this book looked like a daunting task to read. I was suprised at not being able to set Dr.Hillmans book down. I began to think this author had somehow written about me or some of my own life stumbles.
This book is about us all and the stumbles we all may make in life. I only could wish that this book had come to print years ago. Dr.Hillmans down to earth approach is simple to understand and his wit and humor helps to keep us focused on the basic principles he gives us in the book. It's written in a manner that is easy to read and understand. This book is a healthy source of guidlines of self-awareness to operate day to day in the real world. Thank You Dr. Hillman for putting together such a great resource for personal growth and understanding for everyday life.

Excellent information on the history of gemstones, understanding color and cuts. Exquisite examples, beautifully photographed. A must for anyone interested in gemstones or the history of jewelry.

This is a beautiful book with lots of interesting information on the gem collection.

This review is for the paperback version of the book, which I loved. It has a lovely balance of terrific photos & explanations of the various sources of the featured gems. It serves as a nice beginning reference when you have heard the terms sapphire & red sapphire (huh? I thought red gems were rubys or spinels) and would like to know more about which gems are related to others.

And did I say the photos are just wonderful? Enjoy!

If you have visited the National Collection and want a souvenir to remind you of the stunning array of unique World Class Gems then this is the book for you. Both the format of the book and the superlative quality of the photography make this book the next best thing to being in the exhibition hall. There is a fairly light weight coverage of the gemmology in the text, but it mostly focusses on the history and ownership of these fabulous gems. The National Collection is unique, no where else in the world is there such a concentration of fabulous jewels with such an interesting history, with the possible exception of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This book is a fitting celebration of such a marvellous collection.

"The National Gem Collection," by Jeffrey E. Post, features photographs by Chip Clark. The book is a beautiful celebration of the title collection, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The informative text discusses the history of the collection, facts about types of different gemstones, and specific pieces in the collection.

The full-color photography is really stunning, and brings a rich assortment of gems to glorious life. Some of the historic pieces pictured are the blue Hope Diamond, the diamond Napoleon Necklace, the Hooker Emerald, and more. Also shown are a colorful collection of "fancy" diamonds, a rare red diamond, the 858-carat uncut Gachala Emerald, the delightful "pink tutu" (a band of dainty rose quartz crystals on a large smoky quartz crystal), a dazzling group of fire opals, a lapis lazuli carving from Afghanistan, and more.

I appreciate how the book celebrates gemstones at various stages: uncut, cut, and set in artfully crafted pieces of jewelry. Many different types of gemstones--aquamarine, garnet, spinel, chrysoberyl, turquoise, etc.--are covered. Features such as a scanning electron microscope photo of the inner structure of an opal give the reader a deeper understanding of the science behind gems. From start to finish, this book is a marvelous feast for both the eyes and the brain.

The information in this book is practical,concise and easy to understand. The book is a can't miss guide, including structured exercises,for anybody that believes personal improvement is the key to mastering change and leading a meaningful life. A welcome addition to any self help library.

I greatly enjoyed the easy-read factor. The writing is clear, straight forward and enjoyable, especially the "gemful" stories along the way. The Near-Life Experience concept is fresh, focused and gives emphasis to the sacred -- the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I appreciated the challenges of gaining insight from self assessment and from feedback from others. The simple, basic and loving approach of acceptance, affirmation and care for every person and circumstance is refreshing and energizing. Near-Life Experiences is insightful and inspirational. Thanks Tom!

"Near-Life Experiences" is a profound statement that caused me to re-think my priorities on a daily basis. Goals and achievements are important, but if you lack balance, there is no victory. Tom McQueen puts this message in an easy read filled with wisdom gained in his own "near-life" experiences. Anyone seeking balance and fulfillment in their spiritual, family or career life will benefit from reading this book and applying the simple recommendations for truly valuing the "near-life" experiences we have each day.

This is a small book in size but a giant in scope. Tom McQueen offers the simplest suggestions on how to get the most out of your personal, professional and spiritual life. He provides examples of how to find new meaning in everyday experiences. He makes you think about everybody you care about and then suggests how to get the most out of these relationships.

There are books that claim to be real helpful and then there are books that really help! Tom McQueen's book is one of those books that really help!

I can't remember in sixty years when I have read something that has had such a meaningful impact on my life.

"Near-Life Experiences: Discovering New Powers for Personal Growth" should be a featured book on Oprah and every other book list in America.

With what our country has been through lately in Washington, capitalizing on our "near-life experiences" would be a blessing for us all.

Martha AIN'T got nothing on these girls!

This book is a complete guide to homemaking with instructions on everything FROM how to set the table, set the holiday buffet and fold napkins TO how to make play homemade playdough for the kids, make homemade finger paint and many other projects.

Are you out of buttermilk? Have no fear! This books has an extensive list of suitable substitutes for buttermilk and many other ingredients and the many many recipes are easy, complete and packed with flavor.

This book is a must have for graduates going out on their own, new brides or anyone that needs a complete guide to cooking and entertaining.Necessities and Temptations

This is my go-to book in the kitchen. It has all the basics like conversions and substitutions which is especially great for someone like me who loves to cook, but needs recipes to follow! It has some great recipes like the chicken enchiladas, but it also includes great information on setting up a bar for a party...how to make play dough...and everything in between. If you can only have one cookbook in your kitchen...this is the one! Also, a fabulous gift for newlyweds and graduates. If you like this book, you should check out their other great cookbook, Austin Entertains.

This cookbook is great to have on hand when you need a quick reference for everything from measurements to the proper way to set a table. The recipes are simple, easy to make, and always well-received when I host dinner parties!

I use Necessities and Temptations as my primary cookbook. The recipes are fabulous. My favorites are Spicy Hot Crab Dip, Cheese Nut Wafers, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Freezer Muffin Pizza, Eggplant Monreale, Cadillac Chili, Spicy Cheese Olive Bread, Brunch Egg Casserole, 3D Brownies, Iced Lemon Squares, and Longhorn Caramel Corn, It is one of the most thought out cookbooks I have seen . My favorite part of this cookbook is the Entertaining Section featuring Napkin folding, Checklist g your party like how much wine or ice you need for each person, which wine glass is for what, how to set your placesettings, how to set your buffet table, garnishes, and what to keep in your home bar. It also has a miscellaneous section that includes recipes for Kids play dough, silly putty, and papier-mache. The play dough takes five minutes to make and I keep it in a baggie in the kitchen for whenever my son wants to "help" me in the kitchen...he can cut and roll the play dough. You'll get so much out of this cookbook. It's a must for your cookbook collection!

Compiled by the collaborative efforts of The Junior League of Austin (100% volunteers), Necessities And Temptations offers 600 triple-tested recipes designed to be "kitchen friendly" regardless of the family cook's level of culinary experience or expertise.

This book is PERFECT for the beginning cook and a great gift for brides and graduates. Enhanced with a 45 page section of "Basics", Necessities And Temptations offers solid "how to" information on such basic issues as measuring, serving, substitutions, storing, freezing, herbs and spices, as well as a glossary of cooking terms.

From Crunchy German Sandwiches; Flemish Beef Ragout; Crab with Gruyere Sauce; and Rich Sweet Potato Pudding; to Molasses Rye Bread; Butterscotch Custard Pie; Holiday Cranberry Jam; and Instant Russian Tea, Necessities And Temptations is a superbly presented compendium and meal planning reference for any and all occasions.

This book is primarily written for negotiators/mediators but has excellent advice that can be used in day to day negotions in ones personal life.

The author did a great job accompanying each lesson with a story to illustrate the point.

At one point the author gives a sentence where he states that if this sentence is used in negotiation (like sales), it will pay back the price of the book. First time I used the sentence it saved me $250.

The book is well written, entertaining and provides information on how to handle disputes and leaving the ego out of the picture amongst other useful information.

Well done!

Anyone who has ever been engaged in mediation or arbitration will savor this book. Cleary writes in a most engaging and entertaining style -- making his points and then illustrating them with stories about real life mediations he managed. The characters he describes are all too real and instantly recognizable to anyone in the business. A really great book!

I am not sure what the perfect book for negotiating is, but this one does come very close. Cleary does a great job in providing many examples, which are given in enough detail to understand what happen, but too long to detract from the point. Many similar books give a canned hypothetical that feel fake and contrived. These examples are a good glimpse of what happens in negotiation.

The author also differentiates between being a negotiator and being a mediator, as well as points out how skills from one can help the skills of another. If you are wanting to be a mediator, this is still a book you should be familiar with.

I would recommend reading this book. The book is much more than merely stating general maxims that sound correct on their face. This book shows you why those maxims are true. This helps the different points stay with you.

Although it appears pricey at first blush (it's classified as a trade book) Patrick J. Cleary's "Negotiation Handbook" is worth every penny, and then some.

Don't let the price or the trade book classification fool you. This is an indispensable guide for ANYONE on how to successfully negotiate ANYTHING, be it a major trade agreement with American Airlines, the selling off of your so-hot-(or not!)-dot-com company, the purchasing of a car, the securing of the top salary as a new hire or getting a deal on a pair of New Balance jungle mocs.

I deal with people every day. I hate negotiating. I want people to like me. I don't want to be taken advantage of. I either don't want to make waves, or I get so angry at feeling pushed around I can go nuclear -- perhaps inappropriately and/or with zero worthwhile results. Sound familiar?

I always thought successful negotiation was for cigar-chomping guys in shirt sleeves, or for people with a truckload of gall. Cleary's book opened my eyes to a very practical way of getting what you want and need without the cigar, the shirt sleeves or the gall.

Other books on negotiation are so dense with dry theory e.g.: "the psychology of nurturing and succoring" (huh?) or they're so flip with on-the-nose hogwash, such as "Get the most that you can" (duh!) or so ripe with New Age touchy-feely bologna (Zzzz) that you'd be better off taking your chances on your own.

As Cleary points out, EVERYTHING we do in life is some form of negotiation. All human interaction involves a "social contract." Cleary's book is not theory; it's not a pitch on the M.O. of the snakeoil salesman. Cleary's Negotiation Handbook is an exceedingly practical, down to earth, workaday manual on how to successfully negotiate this sea of life, be it while at work, getting to or fro, at home or traveling on vacation. It even operates on an elemental level in dealing with those nearest and dearest to us in our lives.

While the publishers no doubt recognize they have a winner on their hands, I wonder if they realize that what the "One Minute Manager" did for management, this book goes beyond in helping the average (or not so average) person in dealing with the day-to-day rigors of working and playing in our complex contemporary society.

I work in the film business where negotiation rules the day. Cleary's book should be required reading. But, it also should be on the reading lists of every business school, law school, government class, industrial relations course, psychology class ... where should we stop? When are we NOT negotiating?

Buy the book; you'll get back more than you ever bargained for.

Cleary explains: "This book was written for negotiators, but the observations come from the mediator's standpoint." In his Introduction, he goes on to suggest that "As a mediator, one has the ability to peek at both sides' cards, as it were. As a result, it is easier to see from the end result whether each side maximized (or minimized) its gain in the negotiation. In almost every case, one party -- or both parties -- failed to gain everything they could have gained from negotiation because they lost sight of the prize somewhere along the way." The basic assumption of this book is that the terms and conditions of almost any transaction are negotiable. For example, obtaining a lower or higher purchase price of an item (e.g. consumer electronics, clothing, and real estate) or a service (e.g. a fee charged by an attorney, accountant, or -- yes -- management consultant). The same is true of negotiations involving a promotion, salary increase, labor contract, or a proposed budget. Also, renting a car or obtaining a hotel room.

Cleary's objective is to prepare his reader to gain everything possible from each and every negotiation through the effective use of one or more strategies, each of which Cleary explains. He reminds his reader that the parties involved in any negotiation are in it together. "They are your adversary only to the extent that they disagree with you on some details, on the shape of the deal. In the larger sense, the bigger picture, they're your counterpart, your partner. It will take both sides to get the deal. Don't lose sight of that along the way." Nor of the aforementioned "prize": your ultimate objective(s).

Cleary organizes his material within six chapters: "The Dynamics of Negotiation" (i.e. power, leverage, ego, saving face, being right, and "drain the swamp"); "Preparing for the Negotiation" (i.e. facts, principles, and priorities); [NOTE: In The Art of War, Sun Tzu asserts that every battle is won or lost before it is fought.] "The Basics of Conflict Resolution" (i.e. set the tone, find the common ground, repeat back/empathize, and "Don't let your counterpart monopolize the spotlight or the microphone"); "The Negotiation" (Cleary stresses sixteen points such as "Be aware of the signals you project" with body language and tone of voice but also "Be aware of what's going on away from the table"); "Rules" (Cleary suggests 12 such as "Negotiations are 50% psychology and 50% sales"); and "Mediators: Lessons and Observations" (Cleary provides eight guidelines for mediators such as "Project neutrality in all you [say and] do" and "Create the atmosphere for an agreement"). Among all the excellent books on negotiation now available, this is one of the best. I highly recommend it to anyone in need of skills to maximize whatever can be gained from a negotiation (whatever its nature and circumstance may be) without losing sight of the "prize" somewhere along the way.

One of the best all around references I have found. It gives you the important info you need and cuts out the fluff.

This book is a must for chiropractors who's practice includes pediatric patients. It is a one stop source for everything I have needed in practice.

The 17th edition of the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics is available now. I have seen it on the publisher's website. This textbook is one of the main physician-level educational sources for pediatrics, and I highly recommend it for the personal libraries of all medical professionals as well as those in training. No matter what your field, there will always be the potential that you will become responsible for caring for a child. However, it is usually best to find the latest edition for any textbook.

THis is THE textbook of pediatrics. I own Rudolphs and Oski's as well. This is the book to buy (or read if you have MDconsult). It has the best diagrams, graphs, authors, and is the easiest to read. Don't waste your time with the minibooks such as currents or the mini Nelson's. Just read this one. You'll be glad.

When I was on my PA Peds rotation, I often consulted this great reference in the medical library. Now, that I have my own book, I know its value. There is no other Pediatrics book out there that is better than this one. Don't waste your money on less expensive books like Current Pediatrics which doesn't cover half as many topics as Nelson. Also, for a great little pocket books, try Harriet Lane and Current Clinical Strategies Pediatrics 5 Minute Review.

J.E. Gordon's book should be required reading for all engineering students as well as working engineers. It' s surprising how many have either not learned nor not appreciated the wisdom in this little book. This work has led to the development of composite materials and provided many insights that I rediscover each time that I read it. Philip Ball's new introduction is also very welcome.

I am a scientist, but not an engineer. Equations are not my forté. This book gives a great intuitive understanding of materials science, but goes beyond that to tell us how simple structures work. It's filled with great anecdotes and carries it all off with a sense of humor. I discovered it many years ago, and I'm reading it for the 3rd time just for the pleasure.

Good text for fracture mechanics enthusiasts- material failure, strength of materials.
Good reading, if you are an engineer, scientist, or not. Great examples. Dry british writing, but if you can get through it and the silly jokes, you can learn a lot.

Reading this before embarking on university studies was an inspiration and I still come back to it now, it has a lot to offer all ages and disciplines.

This book is part of the Princeton Science Library, the best collection of books on mathematics and science for the intelligent layman. Like other books in that series, it is succinct and clearly written. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. All of the positive reader reviews are right on.

Because I liked it so much, I purchased "Structures," also by Professor Gordon. As it turned out, that book covers the same material, but in greater breadth and depth, and with more illustrations. There's much to be said for reading both books, but if you're only going to read one, "Structures" is the one.

Mark Rogers writes a heady mix of sword/sorcery, .... and political machinations unlike anything I've found in decades of reading. In Hollywood high-concept parlance, you could say Karl Edward Wagner's Kane meets Machiavelli in the Kama Sutra, mixed with odd religious overtones. I have several of Mark's paintings hanging in my house and they ooze the same tension of .... freedom and impending violence that his writing puts into more specific terms. Other reviews on this page will give more of a plot line; I just want to recommend for the stout of heart, that this is a series worth reading. I only give it four stars because you do need to read the first two books to fully enjoy the ride. Nicely demented!!

To have gotten to this book you hopefully will have read "Blood & Pearls", and "Jagutai & Lilitu" before hand. This book continues where they left off and is the exciting end of the Zancharthus series.

Mark E. Rogers has a style of his own. It blends Dark Fantasy, Horror, and Erotica all into a single hot firebrand of a style. His writing is not for the faint of heart or those easily offended. When he describes love. He does it well. However, when he describes EVIL, INSANITY, LUST, and many other potentially dark emotions he does them exceedingly well. Why? Simply, because he holds nothing back in writing and it is obvious when you read his books that he has a vivid imagination when it comes to describing these things. Some scenes are so vivid it will leave you wondering if he was sitting over in the corner of a room watching the lustful scenes unfold and jotting down notes on a sheet of paper. Seriously, he is VERY good at describing these things.

This book culminates with the scene that starts Zorachus. Zorachus is Zancharthus son and Mark actually wrote Zorachus first. Zorachus is one of my all time favorite books. So, of course I simply had to read the rest.

If you liked the first two books in this series then this book will captivate you just as much and will leave you wondering where you just were when you get done with the book.

So, treat yourself to a good book.

One note these books are intended for a mature audience. I would consider them an NC-17 rating if I were in charge of rating. So, with that in mind. Get ready for a great book!!

Veteran story-teller Mark E. Rogers hits the bullseye again in this Khymerian novel. The book includes black magic, political intrigue, spiders the size of the Titanic (hungry too!), and finally redemption! How could you not like this book? If you've read his other Khymerian novels then you owe it to yourself to find this one with all dispatch and curl up for a good read. One caveat, as a dad, don't leave the book lying in a place the youngsters can pick it up!

It made me cry. And there's a giant spider big enough to capture entire ships. (Sorry, I just finished reading it and am too emotionally wrung-out to go into much detail.^_^)

This is the way a fantasy novel should be. This book pulls no punches and delivers a healthy dose of magic, violence, sex, and even a little humor as well. This is the third book of the Zancharthus series. It is also in my opinion the best of the series. Events from the previous books all play a role in developing the story. They also help to develop the characters and it is very enjoyable to follow their progression over the three books.

I own an online cookie gift business, a part of a trading education business and work with other web properties that I have built. I was looking for a collection of insider tips and tricks for SEO, site optimization, list building etc. Ravi's book is packed with nuggets that will help anyone currently managing a web business, or looking to start one, to make it better. While much of this information can be found scattered across the web, I find it helpful to get a compilation in one place from someone that has worked with the technology, explains the pros and cons, and makes recommendations. While it is not a complete in-depth study on all the topics, there is more than enough meat to make it worth the time to read. I'd recommend you keep a notebook handy to capture tips along the way.

If you are a total newbie looking for a step by step, hold-your-hand guide that will make you an instant Internet millionaire, this is not your book (I'm not sure what will fill that need).

A couple of the chapters are a little light on content and seemed to lack closure on the topic, hence my reduction of a star. Otherwise, his writing style is casual, very conversational and easy to follow - I like that. I rate a business book based on whether or not it provided more value than the price and my time invested - this one delivered that many times over for me.

A number of the books in this area are little more than clever infomercials for the writer. No doubt Ravi has products to sell, but this book is not simply an intro to up sell you more of his services. He shares real insight and information in a straightforward and simple manner that, if implemented, will benefit your e-business and the bottom line. That's worth a read.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. I have a personal blog on IT topics [...] that I was interested in optimising through SEO techniques and potentially generating a small revenue stream so that it paid for itself. This book has been a great help.

NBLEB doesn't tell you how to generate good product/service ideas, you'd need to buy a different book for that, but from the point of having a product/service it will tell you how to do everything you can to make it as successful as possible.

It's not a slick book but the content is great. It's worth buying for the content on SEO alone.

This book was a great read - I've been thinking about starting a small website and this book was the one to have in coaching me and making me get confidence in starting one. The author gives great advice and I think the best part was that he was sharing his experience and knowledge on a subject matter he is comfortable with but has been through himself. It is definitely one of the best books out there on the market to learn tips and tricks of e-business. I am not an internet guru and this book certainly taught me that it's not that hard to become one - putting in the time and effort is worth it in getting the most out of your website. If you're thinking about getting some information on starting your own e-business, this is the book to get. BUY IT NOW!!!! :)

If you are even thinking about starting an online business, then Ravi Jayagopal's book "No Business Like Business," is not only a must-read, but the first title you should read (unless you don't know the basics of how to build a website at all, then you probably want a beginner's HTML book).

Don't waste your time with the websites and spam promising easy internet riches; they won't give you all the information Ravi does, but they'll sure take a lot more of your money. Those sites can't even string together a sentence in a readable fashion, but even though Ravi is a professional techie, his command of effective writing is superb.

While the book is geared to newbies, it contains enough nuts-and-bolts information and links to resources to get you started. Ravi recommends sources for content, explains affiliate marketing, Google AdSense, list marketing, and so much more. He even recommends what software you will need to run your business.

Ravi Jayagopal will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration if you just take the time to sit down and read "No Business Like E-Business" BEFORE you dive headlong into your first e-commerce site.

I consider myself fairly Internet savvy! Like many others, I *google* and find information about things like website creation/hosting/e-business/blogging etc. When I *chanced* upon this book while browsing, what interested me was the *one stop shop* nature of this book with all the information I was looking for in one place! I just had a chance to read it today on a long flight! In one word I just loved this book! It's hard to keep a balance to address needs of a novice and a seasoned user. The author has made a sincere attempt to address both these needs (in my opinion). Here some of the information I found useful:
- What it takes design/host/run e-business website AND make money from it.
- email clients/improve browsing productivity this is for you!
- Want to know what blogging is check this book out?
- Wanted a list of all cool websites for internet e-business/blogging etc. this book lists some of these great websites!

The best part I liked was you don't have to start from the first page and go through the entire book. You can just pick a section which interests you and read that

This book is intended for graduate students of English who might need to acquire a reading knowledge of Old English for their studies, but who are not necessarily knowledgeable in Indo-European linguistics or familiar with archaic, highly inflected languages.

The author begins with a simplified but fairly comprehensive grammar of Old English which runs about 40 pages, and covers pronunciation; an explanation of gender, number, and case(s); the forms of the definite and relative articles; strong and weak verbs; adjectives; nouns; additional sections dealing with more advanced declensions/conjugations of nouns and verbs; and i-umlaut.

I read the grammar several times initially, and returned to re-read several times as I progressed through the readings, to review some of the concepts. As an earlier reviewer noted, you don't want to rush through the introductory grammar in your haste to get to the Old English texts; only confusion and frustration will ensue.

I should note in respect to pronunciation that Prof. Diamond uses distinctive symbols to denote palatalized C and G, which allows the beginner to avoid having to check the rules constantly to determine if a given C or G needs to be palatized in its environment within a word. This allows the student to pronounce Old English with confidence from the beginning, and I found that I quickly internalized the use of palatalized C and G using this method.

The readings are interesting and challenging. They are printed with Old English on the left- and Modern English on the right-hand page, allowing the student to plunge right into reading Old English without memorizing long vocabulary lists, with minimal flipping back to the glossary. The readings are graded, increasing in complexity of grammar and vocabulary as one progresses, and also incorporate fewer word-for-word translations as the student is guided into Old English poetry; this makes the student work harder on translations as he/she advances through the readings, and prevents excessive reliance on the Modern English.

There is a full glossary in the back, which includes all divergent verb and noun forms for the student's convenience. For example, it lists "seoles", the genitive singular of "seolh"; and "slog", the preterite singular of "slean". For a beginner, these situations might otherwise be nightmarish, trying to feverishly determine the infinitive of the verb or nominative singular of the noun, sufficient to look it up and find its meaning.

This book fulfilled my fondest hopes, allowing me to gain a reading knowledge and proper pronunciation of Old English in a relatively short period of time, and I highly recommend it.

This is the first Old English grammar I studied, nearly 25 years ago, and it remains perhaps the best one-volume introduction to Old English around. Concise, simple, and accessible, this text has both a reader and a grammar in one cover, containing selections from the major Old English poems and prose works.

The prose works include 'The Voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan', selections from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the preface by Alfred the Great to the medieval work on Pastoral Care by Pope Gregory. There are relatively few Old English prose works that have survived into the present day; there are even fewer authentically Old English pieces, as many Old English prose works are in fact translations of Latin pieces, and for some reason adapted their grammar to the Latin original rather than the Old English natural pattern.

The poetry exhibits the paired-verse pattern (although the translations accompanying them do not strive to keep the metrical pattern). The poetry include majors works such as Caedmon's Hymn, The Battle of Brunanburg, The Battle of Maldon, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, maxims, riddles, and other poems. There is no Beowulf contained here, nor any other heroic poems (such as Deor), as Diamond states that these are the most likely follow-up readings after one gains a grounding in Old English, and the poems contained here are often overlooked by students save for the most dedicated of scholars.

The texts here are normalised to Early West Saxon dialect, with a grammar very simplified; concepts are introduced that are directly useful for the texts contained herein. The glossary is similarly normalised, and cross-referenced for various verb forms and other vocabulary links such as prefixes and alternatives. In a remarkable insight on how students use texts, Diamond states that, for the purposes of this introductory text, notes have been eliminated, as students rarely refer to them anyway. The section on metrics introduces the five principle types of verses, as well as some minor variations.

Diamond includes a brief bibliography with dictionaries, grammars, commentaries and more; this is now somewhat out of date, but also shows the slow pace at which some aspects of Old English scholarship proceed, with references going back to volumes published in the late 1800s.

A very useful and fun text from which to learn!

I bought both Prof. Diamond's Old English Grammar and Prof. Baker's Introduction to Old English after checking them out from my local library. They are both excellent works, but I prefer Prof. Diamond's book for a couple of reasons.

First, although trivial, I have learned other inflected languages such as Greek and Latin and they always present noun declensions for the various cases in the following order: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, ablative, etc. Prof. Diamond presents noun declensions in the same way while Prof. Baker's book presents them in the order nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, etc. It throws me off just enough to be irritating when I am trying to memorize the case endings.

Second, as mentioned in other reviews, Prof. Diamond presents translations with each text. This makes it possible to learn a few words and them jump straight into the texts without having to guess whether or not you understood the various pieces.

Prof. Baker's book has its merits such as its companion website and its more detailed discussion of grammar, but I would recommend starting to learn Old English with Prof. Diamond's book.

One more point - if you are considering buying both keep in mind that many of the literary samples in both overlap so if you buy Prof. Baker's book you should buy it because you want a better understanding of grammar not because you want more samples of Old English.

I was lucky enough to take Old English, Old Norse and Beowulf in old English from Dr. Diamond at the University of Nevada, Reno. What a wonderful teacher... His book was a wonderful introduction to Old English.

A must for all Asatru Folk who need to learn Old English. The smart idea the writer has is to skip the Latin transations and to only use poems written in Old English, this way you learn the words as well as the grammer. Wyatt Kaldenberg