R Books

I have briefly read through this book. It has a lot of helpful information. I do collections and have been doing skip tracing for several years. I am always looking for books or anything else that will help me find my debtors. This book, unlike some other ones I have come accross, has good legitimate information.

I thought this book was very educational and explained a lot about the field of private investigating.

My husband and I own a private investigation agency in Florida. I ordered this book based on other positive reviews and it exceeded my expectations. The numerous web site resources listed in this book by Mr. Brown make it worth purchasing. Reading the book was like taking a mini-course on private investigation, and whether you are a newbie or an experienced investigator you can learn a lot from it. It is well-written, fun and interesting to read. I would have liked to have seen a little more detailed information on how to market your PI business, especially online, but that is just my personal opinion and that topic is probably another book in itself. In summary, I recommend this book highly for anyone in the PI field. FIVE STARS!!
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I am a licensed PI in Washington State, primarily working for attorneys providing litigation support. By the time I'd gotten to page 50, I'd learned something which would save me more than the price of the book on my next case.
Each chapter is summarized with "The least you need to know" and all are written in a matter-of-fact yet entertaining way. I enjoyed Mr. Brown's wry sense of humor and have gleaned much more from the book than I'd expected.
Lots of techniques, sources, and practical knowledge in here, an excellent value. Never mind the title, this is not for, nor written by, idiots, I wish I'd gotten a copy sooner.

Having researched many titles on private investigation before ordering any
books I placed this one at the top of a short list of "To Order" based on the excellent reviews. After receiving the book and reading it cover to cover I say WOW! The rave reviews were all true.I have since ordered and read the second book on my list(Private Investigation 101 by N.M Tillman). It was also very good and did offer some additional refrence sources.
For anyone who wishes to learn the basics of P.I. work this should be the
FIRST choice!

I found this book well organized and written as a first reader. The concepts were introduced in a carefully thought out fashion with progression from easy to difficult.

I studied French for two years back in High School. It has been over 40 years since I have had any contact with French. This book is excellent for someone with a small amount of knowledge of the French language and is trying to rebuild their reading skills. There is a small dictionary in the back which helps with some of the words.

This book is laid out in such a way that you progress with each chapter. It is divided into three sections. The first section is simple french dialogue; the second section covers French figures in history and the third section has four short stories from well known french authors (Alphonse Daudet, Emile Zola, Andre Theuriet and Guy de Maupassant)

If you are looking for pronunciation assistance, this is not the book you want. If you are simply wanting to ease your way back into reading French. I highly recommend it.

With very little French (what I got from a phrasebook on holiday for a couple of weeks), I bought this book and started reading it on the train to work. It was great. It has a good lexicon in the back, and as you progress most new words appear in the margin with a translation. It still takes effort, but is a great way to get your vocab and reading up and running. I am now reading it again, as my French improves, and it is still improving my vocab and comprehension.

It has been the best book I have had as a beginner learning French.

I am middle aged, poor at languages, and attempting to learn French. I have completed 50 hours of lessons that have mainly focussed on learning language fragments. With this book, everything started to click into place for me.

The book is in three sections, each progressively more difficult. I tried to read the whole book in one go and found the first section very accessible, the second section less so, and the third section impenetrable. It is a well graded book. The stories are engaging and designed to teach bits of French culture and history in addition to the French language. I have started reading the book a second time, and this time I am picking up more of nuances of the language. I will continue to use this book to supplement my formal learning, and when I am finished with it I know that my skills will have developed significantly.

Like others, I have found it annoying that not all the difficult words are included in the glossary/dictionary at the back. However, this book has helped me so much that I am willing to forgive this small point (that can be overcome with an accompanying dictionary) and give five stars.

Being a native speaker , I always have trouble finding a reader for my students that is without mistakes...This is it! Not only is it fun because of the topics but it is 100% accurate...what a thrill!

When I bought this book in November 2007, my right eye was 20/100, and my left eye was 20/50. Both had additional corrections for astigmatism. I also had double vision, requiring a 2D prism (1D in each lens). In January 2008, I passed the drivers' exam with 20/40 on the right and 20/50 on the left. Three months later, I reached 20/20 on the right and 20/30 on the left, with no double vision. If you are stuck on the path to increasingly bad eyesight, get off. This book will show you how.

This book has a ton of information in it. The most thorough I've ever seen. It may be a little too technical for some, but it is a great book!

People with vision problems MUST purchase this book because IT WORKS. I was skeptical, at first, after reading all the tribute and praises for this book. I thought it just sounded too good to be true. Can a book really improve my myopic vision? But after trying out for a month what the book was preaching, I was surprised to find out my vision slowly improving. There seems to be less tension in my eye muscles too.

There are no exercises in this book, only HABITS to follow 24 hours/day and that, to me is the reason why your eyes will improve. You are practicing good vision habits, not just for 20 minutes a day which other vision books will tell you to perform as eye exercises, but 24 hours/day good vision habits for the rest of your life.

People who are considering having laser surgery done on their eyes should buy this book first because, not only are they saving money, they are also ensuring that their eyes will never have to deal with the various dangerous side effects of laser surgery.

I bought this book on Amazon.com a month ago, after my doctor prescribed stronger lenses from -.50D to -1.50D. I performed these natural seeing habits during this one month period, and went back to the doctor because I couldn't believe myself that the glasses became too strong for me (luckly I didn't get rid of my old glasses with -.50 strength) so I could wear them in the mean time. After being tested, doctor went down from -1.50D to -1.00D. I started to see more clearly and objects are becoming more dark. I now am convinced that I'm on my way to 20/20 vision and the most important thing is that it is possible to achieve!

This is the best book that I have read on vision! Thomas Quackenbush did his homework in putting this book together. There is a lot of information on Bates research and how Bates came to his conlusions on restoring vision naturally. This book answers all of my questions about my own vision. Now I know why my vision improved at times and was worse at others. I had 20/20 vision until college and my vision got as bad as 20/400 at its worst. I certainly fall into all of the behavior patterns mentioned by bates. My vision has been improving as I have changed my behavior as indicated by the Bates recommendations. If you have vision challenges, you have to read and re-read this book until you really have the principles down and practice them. You will get results!

This book is a must read for Boomers that lived in and through the '60s, and should be required reading for their children! Everything you'd want to know about a Boomer, from how he dresses, to how he talks and makes decisions is in this little known book.

Anyone aspiring to rule the world should be forced to read this book at the end of a "pointed stick".

It's also one the funniest books I have ever read. The first part of the book exploring world history through the lens that each great culture has had the absurd notion that they were (are) "the most chosen nation" is priceless.

I first read this book in the mid '90s. It's still funny and important. It's required reading for my teenage children.

SG

The amount of work that went into this brilliant piece boggles my mind. Long, drawn out, stunningly comedic, the passages are cleverly cross-referenced to other verses, something akin to a thousand page inside joke. I have read exactly one book that I consider funnier than this one, that being Christopher Moore's "Lamb: The Gospel of Biff, Christ's childhood friend".

The Boomer Bible begins with bad history: the kind of history that Boomers learned, but didn't pay attention to. It goes further into the invention of the Boomer culture: do what you want to, blame everyone else for what goes wrong. Finally, it ends with an invitation to surpass this most pathetic generation, knowing that while most of what they do is a mistake and misguided, they'll only blame someone else for it.

Read for enlightenment.

Laird has something to say about the human condition - and he says it with a striking amount of style and humor. Copying the format of an actual bible (books divided into chapters and verses, complete with cross-references) the Boomer Bible gives an irreverent and scorching account of every nation's history. The prose favors brevity and hilarity. Very quickly the reader gains the impression that we humans have botched it. From the very beginning we've been nothing but bad news, killing each other with pointed sticks and spending all our time inventing new ways of murdering one another. It's been the same all through the centuries; we're bad, bad, and worse. There's no reason to expect the future will be different, there's no point in changing, so why try? Or so says Harry, the Christ-like effigy that pops up in the "New Testament" portion. The Boomer Bible was poignant, touching, and so funny there were times I had to stop reading just to appreciate it. Praise is cheap, but this truly was an amazing book.

Why only 4 stars? The books meant to parallel the prophets of the Old Testament were just plain dry, and I suspect the author might have intended them to be skipped. I slogged my way through much of them hoping for something, but surrounded by the humor and significance of the rest of the book, they were a barren desert. I ended up skipping very many pages, though I hated doing so for fear of missing something.

I unconditionally recommend this book.

I would highly recommend this book to any Christian parent and those that would pick and choose various books from the BFIAR series. My kids loved it and so did I. Its one of those timeless classics.

My wife and I love this book. Our two daughters ages 4 and 2 enjoy having it read to them at night. We now use this book as a gift for christenings quite often. It is a wonderful way to start introducing children to religion

If Jesus Came to My House.. Children & Adults all love this story; it is kinda like "MT:25".

I am sure this book will be read many times with much enjoyment and peace.

A sweet book (sentimental from my childhood) about how we all should treat others. "Love thy neighbor as thyself". Excellent book for children.

This book teaches a very impotant pinciple from the Bible. It is adorable and told in a way that a child can understand and delight in and any adult can be encouraged, too. It is a MUSY BUY for your child!!
Matthew 25
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

O'Reilly's an up and coming publisher of computer related books. Maybe a kingpin already. This selection is a true quick reference guide. Written by the Thompsons, this selection gives you a thorough look into buying, assembling and operating computers. You do need a basic understanding to get anything out of this book, but if this is the case, you won't be disappointed. I have a first edition copy, and it's still current. That says a lot, a first edition published four years ago is still not too outdated! Think about it. How many computer related books can you think of that's relatively current after four years? Huh?

This book is amazingly concise and thorough, yet also very easy to read. It contains many helpful photographs, and the authors maintain a great website that is tremendously useful and is a great addition to the book. I am not a big fan of the "In a Nutshell" computer books published by O'Reilly, but this book is definitely an exception. It's great for both beginners and experts.

Robert Thompson is a man who doesn't hold back from giving his opinion on why something is good or bad, either on his website or in his books. In _PC Hardware in a Nutshell_, he tells you just what he thinks of what's good and bad about PC components in just about any category you can think of, and backs it up with all the facts, figures and personal experiences you could ever ask for. Every chapter includes historical information on the components under discussion, detailed reviews of what they do and how they do it, and recommendations on what to use (and what not to use). The final chapter walks you through building your own machine step-by-step, though, this being an omnibus book, the chapter is necessarily slightly skimpy in comparison to _Building The Perfect PC_. The writing style is clear and lively, in fact the book is well worth reading as a book even if you don't need any specific information at the time. The only real complaint I have is something the author has no control over - the fact that new PC hardware comes out so fast that it's just impossible to review every single new thing in a paper edition. (Well, that and the fact that Thompson doesn't like Western Digital because he's had bad experiences with their hard drives, whereas I've been using WD exclusively for years and never yet have had one go out on me. I think that can be chalked up, though, more to the fact that there's just so much PC hardware out there that different people are just going to end up having completely different experiences with components from a particular manufacturer. That, or I just got lucky with WD hard drives.) All in all, this book is truly indispensable.

This is a great book that covers every aspect of building a PC. However, as of August 2004, the 3rd edition of this book is a bit dated. For example PC3200 memory is considered the newest memory and both Pentium 4 Prescott processors and Athlon 64 processors were not out when this book was published. If you are buying this book, you may want to wait for a 4th edition, unless you are looking to assemble an old computer.

I would not accept the author's hardware recommendations as the final word. For one thing, the components they review are in many cases no longer manufactured. Magazine reviews and PC hardware Web sites are going to have different opinions on what the best components are.

Let me start out with a huge thanks to O'Reilly. I'm not a big fan of large corporations or publishers - but I have come to trust O'Reilly implicitly wherever technical issues are concerned. Although I'm certain that they are not the "perfect" publisher, nor in the business for wholly (ha!) altruistic reasons, I AM amazed by the remarkable originality, diversity, range, quality, accuracy, and honorable business practices of this publisher. Oftentimes I wonder how they manage to maintain such a level, when their current library is so chock-full of tough-to-follow acts.

That said, PC Hardware in a Nutshell does not fail to meet up to these high expectations. Let me get the review portion of my review out of the way - simply put, this is the book I have been hunting for a couple years. That I did not immediately search the O'Reilly library only shows that I am a bit silly. I should have known better. End of review.

But I would like to carry this a bit further, and go out on a limb to discuss the only complaint prior reviewers have voiced: that the book is too "Microsoft-centric."

Rather than a weakness, I believe that this is actually a strength. Let me offer big kudos to the authors and publisher for realizing that a serious, yet accessible, compendium of computer hardware knowledge was necessary. The folks who register such complaints are those least in need of an in-depth introduction to PC hardware. These are the high priests of hi-tech, who rule the roost by virtue of their knowledge-monopoly on all issues technical. They would have you believe that if it was not hand-crafted from spare parts, duct tape, and copious amounts of solder and configured with the most obscure version of Linux, then it's only fit for a 4-year-old. They are, quite simply, dead wrong. Let them compile their own "PC Hardware for Only the Most Serious Tech Gurus", I say!

Thompson's very first point is that he intended the book to be of the most practical usability possible. The practical reality is that the people who desperately need such a compendium are poor fools, like Yours Truly, who are too technical to be satisfied with tutorials on how to use Microsoft Office, yet are not quite knowledgeable enough to get right under the hood of their PCs (never mind build a Linux box from spare hatpins and Reynolds Wrap). We, the "psuedo-techies", often do not come equipped with enough experience, knowledge, or confidence to take ourselves to the next level. We are the crowd who are using Microsoft products, yet would love to learn enough to understand exactly WHY Microsoft means "mush-mind" and Linux is God - but will never get there without a guide. This book is the guide, and to me it says, "Psuedo-techies unite! Power to the people!"

Very good book if you don't have the DVD. Fills in many details not in the film. A must have for Bass Players.

I'm one of those Bass Players who discovered James Jamerson late in my bass playing life. Any young (or old) aspiring bassist should have this book. The 2 cd's that come with it are worth the price alone. Some of the greatest bass players on earth (McCartney, Entwhistele, Pallidino,Bob Babbit,Chuck Rainey..) paying homage to Jamerson and playing some of his famous bass lines. The great thing about it is that when played through headphones you get the bass in one ear and the rest of the mix in the other. I have actually listened to just the bass mix multiple times and marvelled at the Bass Lines. A must for any young Bass Player.

The book has some great stories and pictures and compliments the CD greatly.

I've always been a fan of Motown but of the singers, now I'm starting to realize I shouldn't give the singers all the credit, it was the producers, songwriters, and musicians who made the artists become hits. If it wasn't for the unique, special Funk Brothers who knows if the Motown artists would have become as successful as they did. It doesn't matter how good of a singer a singer is, if the music ain't right, the singer ain't gonna sound good. Its that something special about the Motown Sound that sparks something in our minds, hearts, and souls, the music complimented the singers excellently. James Jamerson was just a handsome, wonderful, real, interesting, talented person. Its sad he had to get recognition after he passed on. It seems the only way to become a legend is to die first then people appreciate you more, well this book taught me to love and praise people while their alive that's what keeps them going. All James wanted in his last days was recognition and to know he did make a difference in the world of music. This book taught me to appreciate the musicians, songwriters, and producers, the people behind the scenes, who made it possible for the music to become timeless, sometimes we give the singers too much credit.

It was interesting for me to read most of the Funk Brothers didn't even like Rock N Roll or Soul music, they were really jazz fans and wanted to play jazz, so it shows how gifted they were to still play soul music effectively even though it wasn't their cup of tea. Another reason why Motown sound is so appealing and fresh is because the Funk Brothers laced different genres of music into the soul music and tried new things with the music creating the Motown Sound, a sound in its own class.

My husband is love with this bass gautairist, and love this book and DVD combo.

First off, this book does an excellent job describing his life and sounds, from "he began playing a double bass" to "he would have the bass all the way up, and the treble half way." This book knows you want to sound like Jamerson, and it tells you just how to do that. What makes the book invaluable are the transcriptions. 49 of Jamerson's songs transcribed for you to play, right there and be able to get the idea of what he was thinking and trying to give when he wrote the basslines.

A book for any bassist.

I first read this book when I was 17, and have reread it more than once; I loved it the first time, and it gets better each time. Perec can be a bit frustrating, and the book is not necessarily the easiest to get into, but if you give it time, by the end you'll be absolutely hypnotised. What I love especially is his attention to small things, everyday things, insignificant things: these are, after all, what make up life, and by portraying them with such loving care, Perec creates something very beautiful indeed, something like a love-song for ordinary life (though this is not to say there is no drama in the book - there is).

If you read Bellos's wonderful biography, a lot of things in the book become clearer, but you don't actually need to follow the various tricks and games (I hadn't a clue when I first read it, but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment). Another reviewer compared Perec to Glenn Gould; it would be equally apt to compare this work, I think, to Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier (so wonderfully performed by Gould): both take the basic elements and carefully show how they are things of profound beauty.

This book is really a rare one. If you are not ready to spend a long time with a complex book, find another one. This book takes time and patience. But as stated in the title, I think this not only my worst but also my best read.

If you are to read the book, it is nice to know that Perec was a member of the Oulipo philosophical group in France, who believed in constrained writing. Constrained writing means that by adding a constraint, the story will be "easier" to write, because you have ruled out many options. In this book the story revolves around jigsaw puzzles and this is the main theme & constraint in the book. Each chapter is like a little piece: in itself almost completely incomprehensible, but the more pieces you see, it suddenly seems to make sense. Until you understand the even greater motif and (metaphorically) see that the sea you thought you were matching together was actually a painting on the wall.

The book is very intelligently written, and very enjoyable. But at the same time is it not written in a way to make it nice to read, but written to follow the set of rules constructed.

To summarize: if you are into COMPLEX but REWARDING literature - READ THIS BOOK!

Book arrived in on time in excellent condition. I am very satisfied with this bookseller and highly recommend them.

[This book still ranks as one of the greatest novels I've read, so I'm re-publishing the review I put on this site nearly ten years ago. The bracketed text has been added to the original review.] This is the second most fascinating novel I've ever read [my favorite was The Possessed by Dostoyevsky], the best one I've read in twenty [now thirty] years. If you revel in complexity, this book is for you. [Check out the edition of Perec's sketches for this book, published by the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.] Perec prompts introspection on many levels. The plot(s) are some of the most intriguing anywhere. The human condition is probed to the greatest possible depth. Despite certain minor [really minor] infelicities, Bellos has done an excellent job translating, consistently capturing the atmosphere (and there is a lot of atmosphere) of the original. (The title is one of the few translating gaffes. The original French does not convey the image of a computer manual and the term "user's manual" was not in general use in English until after the novel was written.) Once you've read it you will be on the constant look-out for others who know Perec. [Read all of Perec and try Harry Mathews.]

It is possible to fall in love with this book. As an intellectual exercise it is a triumph as it is never stuffy and self important but infinitely compassionate, humourous and inclusive. Little touchs like the index of all the different stories contained in the book are delightful and enable you to dip back into a particular moment.
Life a User's Manual is a description of one moment in time. Perec takes you through all the rooms of an apartment block, leads you to scenarios and objects and then into their histories back through other stories and objects as if you were a ghost moving through time and space.
If you enjoy quirky eccentric characters that have been created with a rich original imagination this is the book for you. I would also recommend The Manuscript Found in Saragossa by Jan Potoki for further enjoyment.

I give the Merck Manual 5 stars in general but I wouldn't buy this edition because is was written in 1999. Everything in this book is obsolete. It's very important to buy up-to-date medical books for the proper information. If you're looking for a newer Merck, I would buy The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Second Edition: The World's Most Widely Used Medical Reference - Now In Everyday Language which was written in 2004 but is the most up-to-date Home Edition of Merck. However The Merck Manual 18th Edition was written in 2006 but is intended for doctors. I wouldn't recommend The Merck 18th Edition unless you have a good knowledge of medicine.

This is the most comprehensive guide to health related issues available on the market. There is a more authorative edition of the Merck Manual, but at 1700 pages this edition will keep you occupied. It covers the broad range of illnesses with handy diagnoses. But, what I like most is the children's section, which not only fills you on all the ailments that plague little ones, but the vast array of problems that can occur during pregnancy. While much of this information may provide more anxiety than assurance, it is worth knowing, especially if going through the experience of child birth for the first time. The children's section also has good information on health and nutrition. It quite literally covers the gamut of health related issues and no home should be without it. But, don't get carried away with self-diagnoses It can be frightening!

This is a wonderful summary of general medical information written in simple terms so this is a great addition to the family. It is very current in describing medical understanding of a variety of illnesses, and it provides a solid foundation upon which you can start doing more research on the Internet for the condition that you may be interested in finding about. It even suggests temporary remedies and puts you in charge of how you are treated by the medical profession. This is a must have book to keep around!

This book is cheaper [on] AMAZON than the one I bought at my warehouse club. I'd buy it for twice list price if I did not already have a copy.

The text is marvelously complete, yet devoid of fluff and fillers despite its 1500+ pages. The illustrations are very helpful, as is its exhaustive index.

If I have a medical problem in the house, this is what I grab first, even before logging onto the net. It's that good.

All that being said, it is not a complete medical library, you can get more detailed info by visiting a medical library, buying more specific books on the condition that interests you, and be spending hours researching a subject on the net.

If you want to understand something medical in a hurry, reach for this first.

This Merk Edition is perfect for patients with limited medical background. The explanations are more in laymen's terms but it would be good to have a medical dictionary to help when needed. Most term are explained in the book and it is full of diagrams to help with understanding. Merk recognizes the need for patients to become educated and have confidence that this is not a difficult thing to do. Some doctors have led patients to believe for too long that the knowledge was beyond their comprehension, so nothing that they do is ever questioned. I have met other doctors that explain in great detail and even draw on a bed sheet what they are going to do and why, giving the patient the respect that they deserve. I have a Degree in Early Childhood Education, and one crucial thing that was drilled into us that everybody can be taught anything if you start on the level of knowledge of the subject that you wish to teach. I believe this about children, and I certainly feel the same about every age level. Doctors are just people who went to school to learn. You never know what quality of the knowledge is that they learned or if they have kept up with an ever changing field with updates from research all of the time. If you are particular about who watches your pet, you should be even more concerned about your health care. Whatever depends on you to stay alive and for you to take care of, need for you to be healthy, and the health care of your loved ones should be a serious concern. It is easy to understand. Mrs. Symmington

This physio book is great. It easily and effortlessly breaks down the physiology that occurs in the human body without getting too technical or clinical. It delivers the basics and little fluff. Great book to read.

While drinking from the firehouse of knowledge this book is your best friend. It's really a must buy for any med student. Her other book is less helpful. Boron & Boulpaep (etc) take WAY too much time.

fantastic. This book is an awesome read. very well written, concise, great figures. I use this and the brs physio from costanzo and they are both great.

This the most clearly written physiology book out there. Very concise with helpful figures. Costanzo knows her stuff!

This is a great physiology text! This book helped me get through physiology, and although it is not the perfect medical text (it doesn't go into the detail that some of the other books do), it's very concise and clear in its explanations. I found it very easy to read and a great study resource.