Roberts Books

It is debatable whether or not this collection of poems is confessional or not. However, I feel that is not the important thing. What is important is that Hass has taken events in his life and emotions and forces the reader to feel and see them as well. It causes one to look at things in a different way, a new way.

These are great poems, be it to read deeply and study, or to just read them casually and sink into the emotions and thoughts Hass' words provoke.

A must for any collection of poetic works.

I must begin by saying that Robert Hass' body of work is without many rivals in the world of contemporary American poetry, thus to call this book his "most accomplished" -which I wholeheartedly believe- is not to say that the rest of his poetry volumes are not wonderful and, in some cases, stunning.
Still, "Human Wishes," in my opinion, stands out as a work of delicate craft and compassionate thoughtfulness. Hass achieves something extremely uncommon -among modern poets, of course, and so much rarer among our politicians!- he conveys strong conviction without smearing you with righteous rhetoric.
Each of his poems invites you to enter his vision gently but not without requiring you to engage your heart, and risk whatever borrowed ideas one may call one's view, for the sake of attaining a new depth of thinking and seeing.
Poems like "Paschal Lamb," an extraordinary example of his prose poems, show this conclusively. I can honestly say that reading -and often re-reading- this poem, has changed me. What may appear at its beginning to be a scholarly meditation on the idea of the "sacrificial lamb," moves beautifully to a reminiscence of passionate young friends dealing with the Vietnam War, and becomes a moving reflection on how regular human beings could change the world. So, ultimately, this poem achieves all three: it is a meditation on sacrifice, a reminiscence of people with strong ideals, and powerful proof of the transformational capacity of language to have us see and engage with life, more deeply.
Now, of course, that is just one of this many, gorgeous gifts in this collection. This volume is full of great poems, for instance "Human Wishes," "The Privilege Of Being," "A Story About A Body," or "Tall Windows" which, each in its own way, are remarkable in their gentle wisdom and unassuming, flawless craft.
It is important to note that, in Robert Hass' case, words I chose to describe his work such as "delicate" or "gentle" are, by no means, chosen to convey fragility nor mild manners. Mr. Hass' words manage a different kind of strength, of fierceness even, without raising their voice nor sounding alarms to convey their urgency.
Robert Hass has been an inspiration to me as a fellow poet, and as a human being earnestly attempting to live an authentic life.
Lives not unlike the people he speak of in "Privilege Of Being", who, at times, may live their lives ...

[...] clutching each other with old, invented
forms of grace and clumsy gratitude, ready
to be alone again, or dissatisfied, or merely
companionable like the couples on the summer beach
reading magazine articles about intimacy between the sexes
to themselves, and to each other,
and to the immense, illiterate, consoling angels."

Hass shows us why it's more important to release a great book every decade or so than to publish a mediocre one annually. This is absolutely one of the best collections of poetry ever. It blurs the line between prose and poetry in its pages, so I recommend it to fans of fiction as well as fans of poetry.

You can do much worse than to emulate Robert Hass.

I feel in debt to Robert Hass for this illustrious collection of poetry. I happened to be browsing a local bookstore one day a few years ago, and some strange impulse (the like of which I usually disregard) provoked me to purchase it. I was just out of high-school then, and wasn't too familiar with how emotionally engaging "free verse" could be. In fact, it took me a little while to absorb his words so that I could feel the true significance of them. Hass paints his poetry with tiny, delicate brush-strokes, and is very uncompromising in what he is trying to say. This is what I've come to adore about free verse: you can use the word that most accurately portrays what you're trying to say, without worrying about rhyme.

Hass often sheds light on the subtle (and often overlooked) undercurrents of daily life. For instance, take this dialogue between an adult and a very young child from "Santa Barbara Road," one of my absolute favorites:

"Household verses: "Who are you?"
the rubber duck in my hand asked Kristin
once, while she was bathing, three years old.
"Kristin," she said, laughing, her delicious
name, delicious self. "That's just your name,"
the duck said. "Who are you?" "Kristin,"
she said. "Kristin's a name. Who are you?"
the duck asked. She said, shrugging,
"Mommy, Daddy, Leif."

Very simple, yet it perfectly illustrates how, from a very young age, were taught to search for our identities semantically; in the narrow labels that are given to us.

But enough of my rambling, just buy the book.

Robert Hass (UC Berkeley, English Dept.) is a wonderful poet and teacher. Human Wishes demonstrates that he is one of the most interesting poets on the scene today. His verse is vibrant and energetic. I highly recommend this collection of poems. Also, Hass has done much to introduce poetry to the general public.

Hass is a Northern California poet who has an eye for subtle movements in the natural world. Whether his setting is Tacoma, WA or Mt. Tamalpais, he always manages to capture images of life at its most fundamental source. For example, in "Spring Rain": "...the light will enlarge your days, your dreams at night will / be as strange as the jars of octopus you saw once in a fisherman's boat / under the summer moon...."

The strongest work here is the prose poems, such as "Museum" (describing a couple at a Kathe Kollwitz exhibit), "Human Wishes" ("This morning the sun rose over the garden wall and a rare blue sky leaped from east to west"), "Tall Windows," and "The Harbor at Seattle."

Also, the third section of this little book contains some gems, such as "Misery and Spendour," "Santa Barbara Road," and "Berkeley Eclogue."

Hass loves word craft and the spirit that inhabits diverse poetic voices. His enthusiasm and zeal for the 'poetic' is much felt in this rich, little volume. In reading Hass, one feels as if the printed page could crawl or even perhaps fly away with the beautiful life that is found there.

I also recommend: C. Milosz, R. Jeffers, and A. Zagajewski.

This Dame Frevisse mystery reads differently from previous ones...less Frevisse, more of the other characters...and the plotline is somewhat obvious. All of that being said, it's still a wonderful read...and I'm looking forward to Dame Frevisse's next adventure!

Margaret Frazer's books follow historical events; are extremely well written and have fascinating characters. The plots are well thought out. Fans of Brother Cadfael will very much enjoy her books.

I love the Dame Frevisse series, and this new book in this long-running series is just as meticulously written as any of the others. The story is a little different because Dame Frevisse is not sought out to solve a murder, even though a murder has been done. She and her fellow nun from St. Frideswide's (Dame Johane) are visiting at a manor house and are serving as comfort and moral support to the lady of the keep. But even though this lady has lost her husband, and she and her sons and daughters are trying to put their life back together, there is no mourning here. Dame Frevisse though can't let it lie. Murder has been done, and she must find out what happened. On her quest for the truth she finds a family with many, many secrets and deceptions. Something is terribly wrong here, and she doesn't know at first how to handle it. She does manage to figure out the secrets and deceptions, and she solves the case, but it's not a solution that can be shared with the officials. Margaret Frazer has done her usual exhaustive research, and that is what makes this series so wonderful! I recommend it hightly.

"The Hunter's Tale" is another superbly written entry in Margaret Frazer's series of medieval mysteries featuring the crime-solving nun Dame Frevisse. The year is 1434, and the reader is immersed into life on the small manor of Woodrim, where the master of the manor Sir Ralph Woderove has been brutally beaten to death while hunting on his own land. At first, even Sir Ralph's family is not too distressed by his death, as the reader quickly learns that Sir Ralph was a dispicable person who cared more for his hunting dogs than for his family. One of the key plots of the story is how Sir Ralph tries to control his family from beyond the grave by the terribly restrictive terms of his will. When a second death occurs, Sister Frevisse and another nun, Sister Johane, accompany Lady Anneys, Sir Ralph's widow and her daughter Ursula back to their manor, in order to provide some comfort to the family. Even though several weeks have passed since Sir Ralph's murder, Dame Frevisse can't help but get involved in trying to identify the murderer. The plot is well-written, and I was quite surprised by the ending of the story.

In addition to the intriguing mystery, I enjoyed the meticulous details provided on everyday life in 15th century England. The theme of this story, as indicated by the title, focuses on the English hunt and there is a lot of information given on the breeding and training of the hunting dogs. This story is an extremely enjoyable read.

Start at the beginning, with this series, but definitely start. It is a worthwhile trip! The characterization is believable, the plot, too, and every time, hands down, the villain of the piece ends up being the one I did not want it to be! How does she do it? They are thought-provoking and entertaining at the same time. A terrific series.

A friend shared this book with me on a recent trip to Maine, where I typically "escape" to re-capture the core of my being. As I read, I "listened" to the writer's charmingly sophisticated, yet simple straight talk that recalls
reminiscent ideals for the ears of today's world.

Rick Roberts skillfully contrasts our current realities with the romance of his nostalgic "Grandpa's" values that are echoed in his chosen idyllic lifestyle in Maine. Likewise, each of us has a voice to cast as a glistening pebble skimming the pond. Our collective energy will then radiate peacefully with infinite resonance. The world will see. The world will hear. The world will be touched.

Our future generations are only as great as the exemplary ideals and legacies we, as role models, hand our children. Not just for "Boomers," this book is a must for parents, teachers, and all responsible adults.

Thank you, Rick!

What every boomer needs to remember. It is in this book. Can't put it down, can't stop thinking of what it says, or what we, the Boomer Generation needs to remember.

Richard Roberts timely book is a must read for everyone, not just the Boomer generation. Roberts heralds a wake-up call to look at what impact we can (and do) have on our world, now and for the future. Most importantly, he outlines what steps to take to make positive changes now. Whatever your politics or spiritual beliefs are you will find this book a fresh take on our world today. Run, don't walk to buy this book.

Someone has finally written the great American novel! Well, it's not exactly a novel...more like a cross between a Michael Moore script and an Andy Rooney commentary. Rick Roberts' book is a warm hearted, straight talkin' wake up call to baby boomers - this nation's biggest generation ever. We boomers gave birth to a Dream in the sixties; and now, he says, it's time to finish the job: it's time to start living that dream. All I can say is buy this book by the armloads and pass it out to all your friends. It's a rollicking, great read...and when you're done turning pages you can continue to use it as an alarm clock.

I couldn't put Rich Roberts' book down! No matter what your politics, religion, gender, or race, it'll hit a nerve in anyone who questions today's personal, professional, or political priorities. Each chapter is extremely relevant. Rich's 'baby boomer rantings' are insightful, well researched, and full of wonderful, though sardonic, humor. Starting with Chapter 1 I penciled "X's" next to my favorite passages only to find by the end of the book nearly every paragraph was "X'ed!"

What more can I say than this: I enjoyed the book so much that I bought 20 copies and gave them to my friends, who also say "it is a must read!"

Aveline

I work in graphic design and have to say that Illusive is in my top 5 favourite art books. If you like good quality art books then this it. Illusive is filled with inspiring art from artists around the world with a broad scope of different styles. My favourite artists in the book include Henry Obasi, Stephane Manel,and Sophie Toulouse. This book makes a great coffee table book and would make an excellent gift for those interested in graphic design, illustration and art.

Anything you need to stay up-to-date with the most recent works on the field of illustration.

This book is better than I expected, way better. Illusive has become a bottomless well of inspiration to me. Some of the art is a little out there and impractical, but thats what's great about this book. The art is both cutting edge and simple at times. My favorite chapter is the one that covers handmade elements combined with digital elements. If you're into cutting edge art and want to expand your skill set buy this book ASAP!!!!

For all illustrators and designers!
This book is a must have.
It contains the most amazing collection of art works.
I am graphic designer and illustrator.
This book gives me tons of inspirations.
I highly recommend to add this book to your collection.

I bought this book along with the "Bologna Annual Illustrators of Children's Books" catalogue and leave both of them on my coffee table. The illustrations as well as graphic artwork for anything from books to band posters and advertisements are beautiful and very inspiring. I find myself sitting on the couch flipping through it regularly. Well worth the money!

Many other reviewers have made comments about the demise of home chemistry sets and their youthful experiences. I echo many of the same thoughts. Without going in to the details suffice to say that I loved my chemistry set and still relish those youthful memories. I have long lamented the fact that you can no longer buy a decent home chemistry set. Thompson's book addresses this problem and fills a much needed niche. This by far the best book around if you want to setup your own chemistry lab and conduct experiments at home.

This is a real how to book that addresses the practical issues of setting up a chemistry lab and conducting experiments. In addition to the chapters that deal with the actual experiments, there are chapters on safety, equipment, and where to find chemicals. There is also good discussion about the disposal of chemicals and a realistic and practical discussion about the dangers of chemicals.

I've had a copy of the book for a couple of months. I've had the opportunity to read much of it and actually try some of the experiments. I don't have a lot of room for a lab but that hasn't stopped me from experimenting. I originally obtained the book for my son but I have to admit I find it more interesting and useful than he does. While he is interested in chemistry and has enjoyed out experiments he is too busy with other things to really get into it at the moment. I hope that will change after the summer ends and we settle in for the winter. I plan to incorporate chemistry into our home schooling program and this book is the perfect tool to help guide my efforts.

The bottom line is that this book is educational, practical and fun. I recommend it for anyone interested in learning about basic practical chemistry. If you are a parent and your child is interested in chemistry you need this book. It will be invaluable for home school parents who plan to teach chemistry and as a supplement for high school chemistry students. I would not be surprised to find that chemistry teachers adopted this book in their own curriculum.

As one of the other reviewers wrote, this book has much more than what you would get with a typical chemistry "toy" kit. Everything is well explained in detail, from the level of quality and what equipment to buy, where to obtain chemicals, and the steps for each experiment. The experiments have a full explanation of process being investigated, questions and calculations to make real quantitative assessments.

My son had been asking me about science experiments we could do at home. I had fond memories of my chemistry kit as a child, but found the current ones pathetic. I found this book to be the perfect remedy. The supporting web site is also a wonderful resource. We are just starting to slowly work through the projects. I expect this to be a great bonding experience as well as an educational experience.

This book provides an excellent guide on how to learn about chemistry since chemistry sets like the one I had as a kid are no longer available. The author provides a great deal of chemical knowledge that I would loved to have had as a teenager. The experiments in this book are far more interesting than the ones that were in my chemistry set as a kid.

The one point I would make is that I would make is that many of these experiments are potentially dangerous. You should follow the author's safety advice to the letter. High school age students might do these experiments without adult supervision. Children any younger than that should have adult supervision.

I still remember getting my first chemistry set from a school teacher aunt when I was 10 or 11. About 30 small bottles of chemicals, and instructions for mixing them in various ways. You could make concoctions that would smoke in different colors, compounds that would fizz and bubble, turn liquids to solids, solids to liquids, the list goes on. It was my first introduction to science, and the lessons took, as I became a scientist. Unfortunately, liability concerns and nanny-statism have pulled most chemistry sets off the market, and young would-be scientists don't have the chance to learn about chemistry on their own

Robert Bruce Thompson is attempting to remedy the situation with this book. It is based less on a theoretical consideration of chemistry than a practical exploration or things one can do in a home lab. The theory is there, but couched in the discussion of the experiments. He takes appropriate care to emphasize safety, and for those looking for the capabilities to make explosives, there are no home-brew directions for that. Reasonably priced choices for purchasing home equipment and chemicals are discussed, the reasons for the various utensils required are given. The book also includes review questions for those who wish to prove their mastery of a subject.

The target age ranges for the book range from early teen years for some unusually serious adolescents to later teens for most others. And of course it's ideal for the interested adult. If you have a teen with science aspirations or interest, this book might provide a great experience for them, and the chance for you to provide mentoring as well. Highly recommended.

It has been said of Texas politics that it is a blood sport. That is certainly true in this engrossing second novel from author Robert E. Armstrong. Once again, he relies on his vast experience to bring back Houston Veterinarian Dr. Duncan MacDonell. It's very nice for this reader to have him back as he is quickly becoming a good friend.

As head of the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care in Houston, Texas, Dr. MacDonell is still in charge after the events depicted in the first book, "Canis." While there has been a shakeup and his new boss who wants nothing to do with the department feels safer staying as far away as possible, Dr. Armstrong and his office are still burdened with the modern day problems of a shortage of qualified and competent staff, financial woes, and unwanted pets. Add to that, a simple lack of appreciation for his necessary job and Dr. Macdonald is just a bit fed up and then his problems suddenly get massively worse.

Dr. MacDonell is in the parking lot of the posh Kingswood Country Club one summer evening waiting for his wife as attendees of a $500 a plate political fundraiser dinner begin to leave. Various dignitaries and others leave with their groups and police escorts quietly into the early summer night until someone starts screaming that the Governor needs a doctor. The Governor, Pat Sawyer, is the former Governor of New Jersey who is just days away from in all likelihood accepting his party's nomination for President in Dallas during the convention. In the meantime, he has been viscously mauled by something and is loosing blood rapidly.

MacDonell treats him as best as he can while Sawyer explains that he needed some time alone and had just sat down in his car when he was attacked. He thinks it was a Bobcat or something but is so traumatized by the viscous attack he isn't sure. Dr. MacDonell soon manages to control his bleeding and then is moved out of the way when the Paramedics arrive. MacDonell checks the car and sees a viscous animal acting berserk. But it isn't a Bobcat but instead a housecat which might have rabies.

While initial tests on the cat come up negative and Governor Sawyer seems to recover, his health soon begins to take a nosedive. As soon as Governor Sawyer becomes deathly and terminally ill with no hope of recovery, Dr. MacDonell becomes the murder suspect in the eyes of various law enforcement types. Either he was grossly incompetent and didn't handle things correctly or he was totally involved and orchestrating events in the eyes of law enforcement and CDC staff investigating the case. While seeking to clear his good name and keep his office intact under a mounting political firestorm, Dr. MacDonell begins to work the case. He begins to suspect that a deep and abiding personal hatred by someone closest to Sawyer just might have been the motivation to kill. That person is still motivated and as so many others have found out over the years, the cover-up is always messier than the original crime itself.

This is another excellent book in this new series and another pleasurable read. In this author's novels, when people die, they die in unusual and interesting ways and this novel repeats that pattern. The author neatly brings the reader into his world and while informing the reader on various issues, manages to deftly mix in a story with a complex mystery. In so doing, the author demonstrates his ability to follow the old rule about writing what he knows while at the same time, making a very good book. Like his first book "Canis," this is another non-stop murder mystery full of action, complicated characters and nifty plotting, which results in another fine page turning read.

I met and quickly warmed up to Dr. Duncan MacDonell in CANIS. Now he returns in a story about rabid cats. A politician is attacked by a cat and although tests on the animal are negative, the governor still dies of rabies. Was it an unfortunate accident or was the governor murdered? City politics and budget problems continue to plague MacDonell. To complicate matters further, the FBI suspects foul play by MacDonell or someone on his staff. INDEX OF SUSPICION is a well-written, intriguing mystery. The characters are believable and dialogue sizzles. But you get more than just an entertaining read. As in CANIS, Bob Armstrong's expertise shines through. He continues to educate his readers, this time on rabies and how it can be contracted (you don't have to be bitten by a rabid animal), as well as life in the trenches at an Animal Control Center. This was an excellent follow-up in a great series.

Dr. Duncan MacDonell, a Veterinarian, finds himself smack dab in the middle of another mystery. When a man is literally shredded in his car by a psycho cat, Dr. MacDonell is there to save his life and get the animal

out of the car. What at first just seems a bizarre incident, quickly escalates into political intrigue. Because it wasn't just any man that was being slashed by a raving cat. It was the Governor.

Who could be behind such an atrocious attack? What kind of monster could

set something like this up? The plot gets thicker and the suspects are out in droves. I couldn't figure this one out till the end and every exciting page kept me up late at night in anticipation.

Robert Armstrong has written his second gripping thriller. I was excited

to see that he continued with the same main characters from Canis and stepped up the intrigue in INDEX OF SUSPICION. I really enjoy his way with dialogue and the life experiences he must draw upon to give the reader a

sense of the atrocities that some animals have to endure during their short lives. I truly enjoyed INDEX OF SUSPICION for it's great writing, excellent information and exciting storyline!

Index Of Suspicion
By Robert Armstrong

This is the second in the series about veterinarian Duncan MacDonell and his wife Jeannie set in Texas. This story opens with the governor being attacked by a cat in his limo. From there it is all excitement and a wonderful look into the world of veterinary science. I particularly enjoyed the way the author
showed Texas and the world of the forensic science as used by Dr. MacDonell. I also found it refreshing to have a protag with a wife where there was no ... hanky panky going on behind her back. These two people were very in tune with each other and as I said that was a refreshing change from the usual hi jinks of main characters. I am not very good at writing reviews because I am afraid of giving away too much of the story. I will say this, there are certainly enough bad guys and an interesting plot to keep you interested but if you like a good story and good people as the star of the story you will like this book. I highly recommend it.

Dr. Robert Armstrong is a retired veterinarian, and held the post of animal control officer for the health department in Houston, Texas for ten years. He also served in the Air Force veterinary corps and for three years served as director of medical readiness for the Air Force's European Command. He was based in Southeast Asia and Germany, working with military dogs.

In his follow up to CANIS, his first mystery featuring Dr. Duncan MacDonell, politics, smuggling, and veterinary medicine all meet in a political conspiracy that involves death of a political candidate by what appears to be a rabid cat. Duncan MacDonell happens to be attending a Republican $500 per plate fundraiser for their candidate, Patrick Sawyer. When Sawyer gets into his limo to leave the party, he is viciously attacked by a cat. MacDonell is on the scene, and immediately orders rabies testing done on the offending feline:

"MacDonell scratched his chin. After mulling it over all night he expected the worst, and now he couldn't believe what he had just heard. 'Tell you what,' he said after some reflection, 'run it again and ship a chunk of the hippocampus up to Austin on Monday for mouse inoculation, just to be on the safe side.' 'Run it again?' Aaron whined. 'Run it again,' MacDonell repeated. 'Negative is negative, Doc,' Aaron said. He sounded sober. 'I'm not questioning your result, Johnny.' 'Sounds like it to me. And we usually only do mice if we suspect a false positive.' 'This isn't a usual situation, John. I saw the cat. It was flaming.'"

Armstrong's MacDonell is up against the usual bureaucracy when the candidate dies of rabies, who are only interested in covering their arses instead of getting to the bottom of the conspiracy. Mac is an instantly likeable character, with flaws and brilliance, happily working alongside a wife who is as much of a whiz with a pistol as she is in the kitchen. Set in Houston, Texas, MacDonell shows the reader what life is like in Texas, from the politics to the cooking. In Texas time, politics is gaining political correctness as MacDonell fights for justice against some rich and vindictive opponents. This is an intense and suspense-laden read.

I received the first edition as a present at Christmas 1977 from my mother, a pioneering 1940's skier who hung up her skis long ago. I had just come from living 2 years in Grenoble and I was a pretty good "technique" skier. I looked at the title and cover, thought to myself "Oh great, more Zen mumbo jumbo from the 'hot tub - peacock feathers - I'm so into myself' set", thanked her politely, and shoved the book into my ski dufflebag and promptly forgot about it. A few weeks later, I was eating breakfast in my little Tahoe cabin, and I cracked the book open and read the first twenty pages. Those pages resonated with me all day on the slopes -- when I got home, I spent the entire evening and half the night with the book. As other reviewers have said, it forever changed my skiing life and even spilled over into my "real" world life as well. Since this book really is "Zen and the Art of Skiing", I'll stop here because the first rule of Zen is it cannot be explained in words, only in the doing. In the past 30 years, I have given this book as a gift several times, with always the same rather earth-shaking positive reaction. I'm here at Amazon to pick up a copy for my teenage son (can't find my old dog-eared copy, but it's around somewhere). I recommend this book for any age and any level of skiing, from beginner to "everyone watches when s/he comes down the hill". If you're a beginner, you'll avoid a lot of "noise" in getting to the pleasure of skiing. If you're an expert, you'll marvel at how much additional pleasure you can get from skiing just by eliminating some baggage. And, like me, you'll become an Inner Skiing evangelist, spreading this book around like Johnny Skiing-seed. Buy the book -- you're in for a real treat!

A selection of phrases that come to mind after reading this book - well written, insightful, down to earth, will definitely help my skiing. I will read this again and again. The light bulb above the head went on !

Have his original edition. Thought the new edition would contain new info. Does - but small print. All his books are excellent.

I can only recommend this book. I have been fighting fear on the slopes for three years. This book seems to have freed me of fear. Thanks a lot!

Unlike most of the ski books I read, this book helped me zero in on my attitudes-- all the little mental numbers I did on myself while trying to improve or just enjoy skiing. It helped me focus on areas I had problems with, without heaping criticism on myself. It changed the way I learned by teaching me constructive things to replace that inner critic with. "You look so loose and relaxed," an instructor who had worked with me before commented. This book shows you how to allow yourself to learn unencumbered by fears. Things I read here helped me when I learned to inline skate, and pavement is a lot rougher than snow.

This book makes for some very compelling reading. It is not often that I read a book that delivers the goods... but these authors have nailed it. It uses both traditional and dot com companies to illustrate ways any company can leverage the Internet to gain customers at substantially reduced costs. This book has everything you need to implement a successful e-mail campaign. From how to identify good email lists to how to create the right message. Including dos and don'ts, front-end tips and back end response analysis. Has just the right balance of technical and practical information. I am a marketing manager working for a 'Fortune 500' company. The information in this book cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars to find out. Some things are so important, I wish I thought of them myself or discovered them sooner. I can't wait to try some of these techniques out and see the effect on my next campaign. I am recommending this book to everyone I know. Buy it!

These authors know their stuff. They've been very instrumental in helping Ancestry.com grow to over 320,000 paid subscribers over the past 18 months. Email Marketing is now one of our largest sources of subscriptions. I recommend this book for both beginner and expert alike.

I bought this book because I know the authors by reputation. My company was a traditional mail order company. We used to sell all of our products through our printed catalog. The Internet has changed all of that. Half our budget is now dedicated to e-mail marketing.

I applied the Author's recommendations and saw my e-mail response rates take off. On the most recent campaign, I saw a 247% lift in response resulting from the use of just one of their techniques.

The book is written in very clear and concise language. It's methodical and step-by-step method worked wonders for my company's program. I've read all the other books currently on the market, they just don't compare. If you're new to e-mail marketing or a serious pro, this book has information that you can put to use right away.

The tips and tricks in creating an e-mail program were dead on. I especially liked the chapters on the type of products that can be sold via the Internet and the characteristics of a successful Internet Buyer. The "Multi-Mailing" idea alone was worth the price of the book.

***** FIVE STARS***** Excellent..... If you are an executive looking for information on how email marketing will impact your business, you'll want to read this book.

If you want to know how the pros are using email marketing buy this book.

It details the differences between opt in permission based lists, and SPAM, and how to avoid the pitfalls that can literally kill your business. It comes complete with information on where you can find the best email lists and email marketing services in the business.

It identifies the different types of copy, formatting, text Vs HTML, rich media, etc, and provides insight into which may be best for your business. I've been asking everyone about timing of our messages. No one was able to give me a clear answer that made any sense. This book gave me great insight into the time and day that is best for me to do my email transmissions... and the auothor's information produced immediate positive results for us.

Aside from the practical knowledge, I also liked this book because the author's share the latest thinking about where this medium is going, and what steps to take today to make sure that your business reaps the rewards of the future.

This book is not just for dot comers. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone involved in the sales and marketing of their company's products and services.

This book is now the definitive resource on email marketing.

Any book that Bob Bly is associated with is bound to be good--no, great! And this one is no exception.

The author explores this new, exciting medium we call email and uncovers its powerful potential for direct response selling. It leads you through the basic techniques of marketing through email. What works and what doesn't. Most importantly, it steers you clear of potential pitfalls inherent in this new medium--like how to avoid spamming, etc..

A great book on email marketing that is thorough, timely, and bound to become a classic in its field.

I came a bit late to this work of E Robert Orn, having already read his 'Not Quite Hell' and 'The Midnight Lunch Truck', both of which were published after this one. I guess I expected something like a work in progress...something not quite up to the standard of his later work but showing signs of his talent.

How wrong was I? Pretty much as wrong as I could be. This is just as good as the slightly more devilish 'Hell' and 'Truck'. Eloquent and with some excellent turns of phrase, 'Eye' takes you through an event.... skydiving..... that terrifies most of us, with skill, humor and an obvious knowledge of the sport. The descriptions of the exercise are wonderful.

Then ERO does what he does best. He turns the ordinary into something else and deflects your gaze, just enough to set your mind off on the wrong track, before he lands the knockout punch.

Just as that punch lands, you will fondly remember the journey through those azure skies and slightly darker clouds. Great stuff.

This story was incredible as it weaves a nice little family-style outing to go sky diving. We feel as though the characters, Alan, Janice, and TJ are well known to us, as they are brilliantly brought to vivid life by Orn's mastery work. The story moves along nicely, and appears nearly a literary type of story, but hiding just beneath the surface, and between the lines, is something sinister. Something that creeps along, edging to your reality, then plunges you into the very terror of it. I found the story strangely informative at first, and interesting. Then I found it exciting, wonderfully thrilling, and vividly imaginative, while being creepily realistic and frightening. You will believe in monsters that hide behind the clouds! I had already read Not Quite Hell, by Mr. Orn, and have now considered myself a complete Fan! Will be reading The Midnight Lunch Truck soon, and anything else I can find with E. Robert Orn's name on it.

The myths we read about are sometimes fun pieces of literature that some distant person makes up...Or,not. Allen, Janice and T.J. are friends that love the adrenalin rush of jumping out of planes for the fun of it under the canopy of a parachute. They are part of a unique group of people who find fun and camaraderie with others who enjoy the same thing. The day is just like any other, as these three friends prepare to get ready to get into the plane. They joke with each other and watch the clouds seeing shapes and can't wait to be among the clouds themselves. They have no idea what awaits them...

I don't want to give it away, so I'll just say that Robert Orn is a great storyteller and his characters and plot were well written. I really enjoyed this story.

Reviewed by Vickie (Tory Lynn, author of My Charming Protector)

As if I weren't already afraid of heights... E Robert Orn skillfully cajoles you into the sky with Janice, Alan and TJ for an adventurous leap. Once you're there enjoying the immersion into nature and organic freedom with them, the scenery changes to something even more riveting. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride "Into God's Cold Gray Eye".

E Robert Orn paints a vivid picture of life on the Drop Zone. He captures the easy camaraderie of sport parachutists and the banter that flows back and forth prior to a jump. It is after the exiting the plane that things begin to change. What really hides inside those dark storm clouds? Those who have never ventured there will never know.

I have never seen befor a book with more information packed into such a small package. NO Private Investigator's office should be without one! I know this... I'm a PI.

Doing both investigations in the military and civillian world this book is truely a 'must have'.

The great thing about it is that you can look through the book and easily brainstorm new leads to follow that you might have not otherwise tried!

It has a permanent spot next to this computer!

Mainly a telephone directory of over 2500 organizations (with brief descriptions) in USA. Non-USA buyers, like me, should have known this before buying.

This book is aptly named. It's an invaluable listing of addresses, phone numbers, web sites and more, offering fascinating and helpful information on an amazingly wide variety of subjects. It's like a "Farmer's Almanac" for Investigation. I have been working in this field for years, and still found countless interesting and valuable references. Mr. Scott is truly sharing his little black book with us. A great value!

The Investigator's Little Black Book 2 is an awesome collection of important contacts and resources for the real investigator. I'm sure this book to a lot of valuable time to create and I'm amazed that Robert Scott was willing to reveal these sources while he is still alive . . .This is the type of information you could only hope to inherit from someone, not simply buy it.

Law firms, collection agencies, process servers, investigators, no one should be without it.