Scott Books

Scott Weidensaul writes precisely and eloquently about bird migration in "Living on the Wind", which was a nominated finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. In what is "perhaps the most compelling drama in all of natural history", an estimated 5 billion birds migrate annually, across continents and oceans, some without stopping to rest or eat for thousands of miles. Weidensaul tells us why birds migrate and how. He paints a picture of these extraordinary journeys and the birds that make them in North, Central, and South America. As some migrating birds are in crisis due to loss of habitat and disturbances in their breeding, stopover, and wintering grounds, the author examines the current threats to migrants and the controversies over their nature and significance.

In three parts -Southbound, Hiatus, and Northbound- "Living on the Wind" examines the journeys of migratory birds, regales us with incredible stories of a variety of species, and tells us where they go and how they live in their wintering grounds. Weidensaul has endured the cold of Monterey Bay, tromped through Jamaica's acacia forests, counted the massive migration through Veracruz with blistered thumb, banded hawks in Argentina, stood in the midst of a "fallout" near the Gulf coast, and generally traversed North and South America to see and understand migrants. He recounts his experiences with a wonder and drama that made me long to visit some of these places myself.

We also learn of birds that stay in their frigid climates, irruptive species that migrate only occasionally, birds who migrate south to wintry Vermont, and some species for whom habitat transformation has meant overpopulation, such as snow geese and Canada geese. I found especially fascinating the discussions of how migratory birds navigate, differences in the needs and fates of neotropical migrants and resident birds that co-exist in the same habitats, and the very preventable threats to migrants, such as feral cats. I was struck by how much has been learned about migrants in the past couple of decades through new technologies and broader study, but also by how difficult it is to pin down definitive data about these itinerant creatures. "Living on the Wind" is a treasure trove of information for birdlovers and thoroughly enjoyable for a general audience as well.

_Living on the Wind_ by Scott Weidensaul is a very ambitious book, one in which the author tried to convey both the science and the drama of bird migration in the Western Hemisphere, traveling for six years from Alaska to Argentina and speaking to experts as well as viewing close up an amazing variety of birds from the Arctic tundra to Central American rain forests.

The book is divided into three sections. "Southbound" focused on the fall migration as well as topics on migration in general.

Weidensaul stressed that one shouldn't view migration as moving away from something unpleasant, such as the cold, but rather as moving towards something beneficial, mainly an area where food is plentiful. Viewing migration as a simply north-south issue clearly shows a North American bias; birds in southern South America fly north to their wintering grounds, tropical birds fly relatively short distances but on migrations nonetheless in response to among other things the ripening of fruits or the blossoming of flowers, and many ocean birds undergo complex and intricate perambulations of entire oceans on an annual basis (the greater shearwater breeds in the South Atlantic but covers a 13,000 mile route every nine months, a route that includes going up past South America to Canada, then over to Europe in autumn, and then returning down the coast of Africa). Not all North American birds winter in the Americas; the bristle-thighed curlew nests in western Alaska but winters as much as 5,000 miles away in such Pacific islands as Tahiti, while the bar-tailed godwit winters 6,800 miles away from its Alaskan home in New Zealand (flying nonstop for up to five days).

The reader learns some birds are "complete migrants" (they entirely vacate their breeding grounds at the end of nesting season) and some are "partial migrants" (a portion of the population remains year-round). Most birds other than hawks migrate at night, partially to avoid predators (like hawks), to free up daytime hours for finding food, because the atmosphere is less turbulent at night, and because the chillier and damper night air can help cool overheated migrating birds and work to stem moisture loss. Thanks to human activity, many birds winter farther north than they once did, whether due to backyard birdfeeders in the case of finches or specially maintained refuges for waterfowl; this phenomenon is known as "shortstopping."

The author spent a good deal of time discussing how birds find their way on migrations. A fascinating discussion, migration involves a genetic program, a time of migratory restlessness when the daylight diminishes to a certain point and the urge to fly in a certain direction sets in, coupled in some species with a innate time-distance or time-and-direction (or vector navigation) program, a set of genetic instructions that instruct the bird to fly a certain direction for a specific length of time, change heading, and then precede on another for a preset period of time. Those directions are determined mainly by celestial and magnetic orientation but research has shown that infrasound (extremely low-frequency waves of the sort generated by ocean surf, which can travel for thousands of miles) may play a role as well.

Modifying this program though are a "hierarchy of orientation clues," which serve to refine a bird's navigation on subsequent flights, often enabling a bird to find specific breeding and wintering grounds with stunning accuracy. Clues such as learning geographic landmarks, olfactory, infrasound, and local magnetic clues help the migrating bird.

The second section, "Hiatus," focused on birds and their wintering grounds, from stay-at-home year-round resident birds alongside frozen Hudson Bay to birds of steamy rainforests and the Argentine pampas. Many birds like warblers and tanagers really are tropical birds to begin with; an oriole might spend four months in its temperate breeding range but seven months in the tropics, while some Canadian warblers spend less than three months there. Some birds migrate only as far south as southern Canada or the northern U.S. to winter. Others, such as the northern finches, follow an erratic and very unpredictable pattern of migration known as an irruption, a pattern tied to seed production in their normal range that in bad years may send birds as far south as the Gulf Coast.

The author discussed research on how faithful birds are to their wintering sites, debates over whether or not they are benefited by disturbed habitat, how flexible they are on their wintering grounds with regards to food and habitat, and how some species have completely different diets and habits on their wintering grounds (in some species the males and females will winter in different areas).

Threats to wintering birds were well discussed, covering such topics as the use of pesticides in Latin American countries (tens of thousands of Swainson's hawks have died from pesticides in Argentina), habitat destruction, changes in coffee-growing practices (shade-grown coffee plantations still have a great deal of habitat for birds but sun-coffee or technified farms are "biological deserts"), and disease (wetland destruction has forced waterfowl and shorebirds into overloaded federal and state refuges, what one researcher called "bird ghettos").

The third section, "Northbound," tracked the surge of migrants through the American Southwest, Great Plains, and the Gulf Coast. Topics of discussion often center on threats to migrating birds, including loss of hardwood forests along the Gulf Coast, a vital source of nutrients for migrating birds (increasingly usurped by industrialized pine plantations and beach homes), the loss of native grassland (a trend that is "nearly apocalyptic;" Iowa only has one-tenth of one percent left, while Minnesota has one percent left) which has caused grassland birds to decline faster, longer, and over a wider area than any other type, and the tremendous threats to breeding woodland birds due to forest fragmentation, opening up formerly deep woods to predators such as cats and also cowbirds, which are rapidly expanding their ranges and numbers and are a huge threat to eastern birds with no experience with brood parasites.

The detail and fluidity of this book amazes me. The author's passion for his love of birds shines through on every page. It's a work of love.

I didn't begin to "bird" until my days in New Jersey (2000-2004) when I'd drive to the beautiful Jersey Shore and watch water fowl and migratory eagles, falcons and osprey nest along the banks of the braggish waters. I've been fascinated by raptors ever since, and the chapter "River of Hawks" had me longing for more.

The author traveled all over North and South America, mixing in some travelogue with his more scientific paragraphs. His descriptions of Patagonia, AZ (p. 59) and Monterey, CA (p. 93) were right on target even for the non-birder.

The time he spent researching, traveling, meeting with locals is astounding. He traveled to Mexico, Argentinia, Alaska, Canada, Jamaica and various places within the United States to watch the birds himself.

The book ends on a melancholy note, citing the need to preserve and conserve what natural habitat we have left in the world, not just for our feathered friends, but for fish and humans. No work on nature would be complete without a passage of hope that natural nesting areas and a habitat free of toxins will prevail.

This book is a must-read. Like a few other reviewers have stated, my only recommendation would be perhaps a picture, even a black-white picture, of the many birds mentioned in this book.

If you enjoy nature reading you will love this book. I am not a birder, but nevertheless found this book to be an eloquent and fascinating read. Weidensaul introduces and explores a world that occurs around us every day but that few of us know anything about. He writes extremely well. Overall, a wonderful book.

The information on bird migration is absolutely engrossing. However, the language Weidensaul uses is even more enjoyable. I kept the computer dictionary next to me while reading the book to check the beautiful language used to describe bird behavior and their habitats. This book is inspiring and thought provoking even for non-birders like me (I am likely classified as a computer geek).

These are the first Christian fiction books I've ever read, and I must say I'm now completely hooked on Christian speculative fiction. After finishing the first, I bought the next two and read them both in a weekend. I picked up the third book the minute I finished the second. They were unbelievably riveting. The characters were so real that I even dreamt about them! Thanks, Mr. Scott. Now, go write more books, please.

After speaking with Jefferson Scott via email, I must say that these books bring an all new meaning to me. The fact that there is a real group out there doing this sort of thing is great. Overall this book is another pageturner made by a great author. Two thmbs up, and two big toes at that.

It's so sad when good fiction gets burried.

This is an awesome book! Jeff has done a wonderful job of fleshing out his characters and drawing us into their world. It's almost hypnotic. The Korean culture is painted with stunning realism. I actually got chills while reading it. Christians need more daring authors like this.

Thanks Jeff! Keep 'em comming!

Anyone who is familiar with Christian fiction knows that trying to find a well written book within the genre is sadly hard to find. Most novels are so sterilized that nothing can growth within them or grow from them. The characters are unrealistic, flat and let's face it boring. I have found myself constantly disappointed after finishing a "good" Christian novel. I kept coming to the sad conclusion that even the bad secular fiction I had read was better than 95% of Christian fiction. As I have grown and matured I had hoped that the genre would do so as well, but unfortunately it has not progressed at all for at least the last ten years.

At the point that I was going to give up on Christian fiction altogether I came across Jefferson Scott's "Firebrand" series. I set myself up for another disappointment, but was pleasantly surprised. His books are filled with realistic, imperfect Christian people trying to live right. The plots are exciting, well-researched and refreshingly real. No whitewashed, over-processed, bland stories here. The books also shine a light on the tragedy in other parts of the world that Americans (particularly Christian Americans) are often not aware of or refuse to acknowledge. With each novel the characters develop and grow and the plot lines get better and more intriguing.

For anyone who is tired of the same old boring Christian books and is ready for something groundbreaking in the Christian genre or if you just want to read an exciting and interesting book, I highly recommend any of the books in the "Firebrand" series, or anything by Jefferson Scott.

***I just found out that Barbour Publishing is putting the series out-of-print, so make sure to buy the books while you can. Also if you enjoy this series write to the publisher and let your voice be heard (email: info@barbourbooks.com. Snail mail: PO Box 719 / 1810 Barbour Dr. Uhrichsville, OH 44683). If we don't speak up the genre will never change and we will be doomed to marshmallow fiction forever.***

This book has an original premise and strong, tight writing. As a Christian, I could really relate to the inner struggles of the main character. I would love to see Operation Firebrand made into a movie. It's that kind of story.

Christian men who read fiction don't have a lot of choices that appeal to them but Jefferson Scott is someone I can recommend highly.

If only there was a real Firebrand team. And who knows, maybe there is...

This is worth a read!

This book is a must read for all entrepreneurs and their marketing department. If you're lucky enough to read this book before developing your business plan, you're going to benefit greatly. This book really helped our team dig at how we were developing and marketing our application and our business.

The examples of the book are unique and interesting, supporting the entire premise. Perhaps the best feature of the book is that it can easily be used as a checklist for your company, your product or your service. This book must be purchased by you and must be read by your staff.

I read this book at just the right time - I was in the crucial "needing to test my product on real people" (but not really wanting to) phase, and this book made me buckle down and focus on how important it was to talk with, poll, and listen to your potential customers. i.e. being "tuned in."

The process outlined in the book is somewhat simple, and is likely stuff we've all heard before, but it's presented in a way that makes you realize exactly how important it is to really tune into your customer base - whether you have a company, are a musician, pastor, leader, or just want to market yourself better!

Remove the examples from the book, and you have for the most part a collection of already known high level concepts without much depth. Granted, marketing does not have to be complicated and it should not be, but creating innovative products requires more than concepts. For example, the first step in the authors' Tuned-in "process" is "Find unresolved problems". OK, good point, but I knew that and you probably did know that too! How do I do it? The authors's advice: "ask the customers"! But I knew that too. Tell me more. "Ask your non-customers". Wow,I would never have thought of that. Tell me more. "Go to trade shows" say the authors. I knew that too. Tell me more. "Ask open questions", "Keep an open mind", etc. say the authors. At the end of this chapter and of most chapters, I fell frustrated of not learning approaches or tips I have not heard about before and of not learning more how to do it.

At the end of Chapter 4, I was going to drop the book, but the examples kept me going. There are at least 50 examples of Tuned-in companies from Disneyland to the Maganavox remote control that locates itself to the ubiquitous iPod. These examples are interesting by themselves. They are spread through the book to illustrate each step and to validate the entire tuned-in "process".

I keep putting process in between quotes because what the authors present is not really a process. It is more a framework. In addition, it seems that not one of the examples was actually the result of applying the authors' framework under their guidance. So the whole edifice is an after-the-fact analysis of successful innovations that serves to justify the author's framework. I would have liked to see at least one example of a product that the authors actually helped develop.

The book itself is an example of the framework the authors propose, and in particular of "Step 5: Articulate Powerful Ideas". This chapter develops the idea of establishing "memorable concepts that speak to the problems the customers have". The authors here eat their own dog food, and it is clear that they spent time thinking about how they should name that book and what memorable concepts they should articulate it in. "Tuned-in" is a sgood and simple concept that is repeated over and over throughout the book so that it sticks in your mind. There is an other one that is used over and over; it is "resonators" to designate successful products that resonate with customers.

In summary, the value of this book is probably in this Chapter 5. At least it is for me. We typically underestimate that the least number of words a concept can be described in, the more powerful it is. "Tuned in" is a useful concept to keep in mind to designate that idea that we need to be "tuned in" to the market and the customer. But you will need many other books and workshops to know how to do it. But, that's what the authors' core business is: delivering seminars! No doubt that they will have demand.

This straight-talking book is a great addition to any entrepreneur's bookshelf. When positioning a company or a product - or a candidate for public office, there are several rules to follow, among them: Who is your customer? What is important to your customer? And how does your service or product meet the "perceived" needs of your customer? The key words are "perceived needs." You must know what your customer is buying and why, and what they want to buy. You also need to know what they are not buying - and why. It's all about establishing authentic connections, or as Myers, Stull and Scott say, how we tell our buyer that we've solved their problems - so that they listen to what we have to say, buy our products or services, or vote for us. (The reviewer is author of two books:Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU and Top Cops: Profiles of Women in Command.)

I've been through the seminars on Practical Product Management delivered through the authors' firm (Pragmatic Marketing). As a CTO it was an eye-opener to see an approach to Product Management that meshed with the concepts of Agile Development in the software field. The two disciplines work well together to create software products that resonate with customers.

This book is not so much breaking new ground, but distilling years of learning into a simple introductory form for folks who might be interested in moving from an inside-out/command-and-control view of the market. It makes a strong empirical business case for doing things differently.

Highly recommended if you're starting a business, launching a new business unit or product line, or simple want to spark growth in existing efforts. You might even learn which existing efforts are not tuned-in and pull back on their funding so you can invest in products and services that the market wants.

This book is must reading for all women who cycle. I am buying copies for my daughters and all my friends. This is wonderful information that will turn on the light especially for all who suffer from PMS.
Gabrielle takes daily fluctuating hormonal symptoms to the extreme but it is with love and humor. She backs her information with lots of scientific research.

I saw Gabrielle Lichterman on a morning TV show talking about her book 28 Days. When she said I could predict my day based on my hormone cycle, I logged onto Amazon and bought a copy right then. It was just so intriguing. And I'm so glad I got this book. I love it so much, I'm now writing my first Amazon review!

If you don't already know, 28 Days bills itself as a daily horoscope that uses your body's own hormones to tell you what your day will be like. This is amazing! I used to be surprised when I'd wake up one day and be in a good mood or I'd wake up and be down or mad. Now there are no surprises. I know exactly what days I'll be up, down and somewhere in between. It's so cool!

But that's not all. Acording to 28 Days my hormones influence how I spend money, what guys I like and what my work day will be like (as if it's ever good anyway, but that's another story), what my relationship will be like and so on.

The most amazing part is how right on this book is. I've read it and re-read it (it's really funny, so it's an easy re-read), and I'm really surprised at how accurate this stuff is. (Why didn't I learn this stuff back in health class? I wish I'd known this stuff when I got my first period!)

I highly recommend this book to all women who have a menstrual cycle. It's accurate, it's a riot to read, and you'll be suprised by how much your hormones affect you every day!

I'm a little frustrated that I can't get Amazon.com to put the description of 28 Days on this page. (They're more bureaucratic than the DMV!) So I'm going to take the opportunity to tell you about it in the reviews section:

My book, 28 Days: What Your Cycle Reveals about Your Love Life, Moods, and Potential, is a brand-new kind of daily horoscope. Unlike astrology, 28 Days shows women how to predict what practically every aspect of their day will be like based solely on the ups and downs of their monthly hormones.

How does it work? Based on lots of scientific research (I'm a health journalist after all), 28 Days shows women with menstrual cycles how their hormones affects virtually everything they do--their mood, brain skills, how they spend money, how they feel about their relationship, who they're attracted to, what they shop for, what they're best at on the job, and so much more.

Once you know how your hormones affect you, you know what your day is going to be like. And that helps you plan your life more easily than ever!

Even better? 28 Days is a fun, easy read. That's because I hate dry, boring books about hormones. Plus, I wanted to make the book fun to re-read with every monthly cycle. So you don't have to worry that this is going to feel like some biology 101 class. It's more like your girlfriend dishing on the really fun part of being a girl--your hormone cycle!

Want to know more? Head to my website at Hormonology[dot]info!

"Hormonology is based on hundreds of scientific studies conducted by endocrinologists, neurologists, psychologists and other researchers that show how hormones affect men and women every single day." ~ Gabrielle Lichterman

Are hormones driving your destiny? Hormones can affect our memory, verbal abilities, libido, energy levels, diet, relationships, cognitive skills and most definitely our moods. As women living in an age where scientific studies can empower our lives, 28 Days is a book based on this type of research.

Within its sassy style, pink edged pages and playful polka dot layout, you will find empowering information designed to give you insight into how your body changes from day to day throughout a 28-day cycle.

Do you find it confusing that on some days you have the ability to remain within your budget, but on other days you spend like there is no tomorrow?

Why do you feel flirty and outgoing on Day 10 and then have the desire to climb into bed with a box of chocolates on Day 27?

What day of the month do you look the most attractive?

How do hormones affect the intensity of an orgasm? What is the difference between
Day 13 and Day 17?

Would the day of the month influence your decision to go rock climbing or go on a meditation retreat? Here is an interesting list of things you might feel like doing according to the day of your cycle:

Day 1: Bed and Breakfast
Day 4: Amusement Park
Day 11: Safari
Day 14-22: Beach Vacation
Day 23: Spa

Now what happens if you don't have a 28-day cycle? Gabrielle Lichterman gives detailed instructions for how to use this book if you have a longer cycle. So, this book is really for every woman who wants to understand her moods, love life and ever-changing emotions throughout her life.

28-Days can be read each day during the month to find out what will be happening next. When will you be moody, excitable, irrational, creative, money conscious, reckless, productive, intellectual, lacking concentration, irritable, happy, content, adventurous or especially sexy. Each day is divided into sections for Mood, Mind (thinking/memory/verbal/side of the brain highlight), Romance (relationship/single), Money, Career, Energy, Diet and Health.

Day 2: Mood

"The sun burns a little brighter. Birds sing a little sweeter. And tofu burgers taste more like the real thing. Don't worry, no one's slipped a Prozac into your bubble tea. It's just rising estrogen and testosterone slipping a pair of rose-colored Ray-Bans on you that make you see the world as a beautiful place to be." ~ pg. 15

You will learn very helpful things like when to take Advil to prevent inflammation, how to prevent your hormones from taking over your life and how you can use the scent of vanilla to boost serotonin.

It gets even more intriguing when you start to plan out dates with your partner on nights when you know you will be especially interested in pleasurable activities. If you are especially spontaneous, this works just by keeping a day ahead. Inspirational ideas are included so you can make your fantasy your partner's reality.

"Giving yourself permission to indulge in your guiltiest of pleasures raises serotonin and endorphin levels, which help lift your mood and alleviate pain!"

If you want to read a book that not only explains hormones, but has you laughing and in a good mood each day, then 29-Days will empower you, make you feel good and increase your chances of experiencing more pleasure throughout your life.

Gabrielle Lichterman is a health journalist with a long list of articles that have appeared in over 30 publications including: Cosmopolitan, Girls' Life, JUMP, Marie Claire, The New York Daily News, Teen People, Woman's World and Vibe. She is also the former editor of WebMD's electronic health newsletters.

~The Rebecca Review

I was skeptical at first about the book 28 Days because I have a menstrual cycle that varies from month to month. I might be 25 days one month and 32 the next. But the book shows you how to adapt the daily "hormone horoscope" to any length cycle. (It's so easy, I couldn't believe it.)

Anyway, after I applied the book to my cycle, I was so surprised at how right on it was. On Day 4, I was more outgoing. On Day 13, I was so attracted to masculine-looking guys. On Day 22, I was sluggish and had trouble talking. On Day 27 I felt more creative and intuitive. It was so neat to be able to chart my moods and what I'd feel like and be like from day to day.

Besides being completely cool for learning about your own body (hence why I think this is the new Our Bodies Ourselves or at least a good addition to it), 28 Days is just darned practical. I now know when to schedule my vacations, client phone calls, wedding, going out with the girls, and everything else according to how I know I'll feel.

If you don't already know, the author gives a kinda sneak peek of the book in her weekly "hormone horoscopes" that are free on her website at hormonology.info. YOu can get a lot of information about your cycle there, too.

Word cannot begin to say how insightful this author is. And still speaking to us many years after his death.

Once again Andrew Murray gives excellent counsel for spiritual growth. Every believer needs help along the way and Absolute Surrender is a great tool to use as a springboard. The message is meaty and to be taken in with the intent of life transformation! As Jesus lived His life in absolute surrender to Father God, so must we, and this book points the way!

THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOK I HAVE EVER FOUND OTHER THAN Andrew Murray,THE POWER OF Intercession. I suggest the whole world would Understand the Bible A whole lot clearer if they just read Andrew Murray Books. What A wonderful Evnagelist he was.

This book was truly insightful and should be used as a tool to assist all who strives to improve their Christian walk.

Right up there near Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presence of God" (free online at the Practice Gods Presence web site) are the wonderful works of Andrew Murray. "Absolute Surrender" is a classic in every sense.

These gifted children of God have a way of restating, enlivening, and magnifying the very words of Our Lord and do greatly glorify Our Father.

I searched everywhere for a book of Fairy Tales. They just didn't seem to exist anymore! I finally found this one. It is beautiful. Big bright pictures, and the stories are just like I remember them from when I was a little girl.

I bought this book specifically for the illustrations. I wanted my kids to have something wonderful to look at while I read the stories to them. The book is large and the pictures wonderful. The perfect toddler's book!

I loved the book. It features classical fairy tales that have not been "modernised" beyond the point of loosing their original morals. That makes the stories a bit longer than the standard adaptations in other collections.

What sets it apart though are the super detailed and somewhat old-fashioned classical illustrations. They bring out the magic and mystery of these stories and will delight children with imagination and interest in art.

the classics with all the unPC violence and gruesome intact just like when we were kids. Refreshingly undisneyfied. THe illustrations are huge and fabulous. this is the fairy tale book to buy. I give it out at all the baby showers.

I wanted a fairy tale book that included "Little Red Riding Hood", as I'd gotten my little granddaughter a red cape with a hood. When I saw the illustrations in this fairy tale book, I almost wanted one for myself. The illustrations are STUNNING - it makes each story come to life. The art is so beautifully done that I told my daughter to consider this book a new "family heirloom." The selection of stories is a good one as well. I think it'll be my new favorite gift for young ones.

There is no one better at spoofing the foolishness of how business is done than Scott Adams in his Dilbert strip. All quality spoofs are based on fundamental truths and Dilbert is no exception. That is of course why the Dilbert web site is one of the sites most frequently blocked by business managers.
While the truth often hurts, in the right hands it can be hilarious and Adams' hands are the right ones when it comes to business. Reading this book may not make your job better, but it certainly will make it more tolerable.

For some reason, I didn't find this book quite as funny as some of Adams' later stuff, but it still gave me some good laughs!

The funniest humor always has a root in reality. . . that's why Dilbert is so hilarious! Though sometimes outlandish, I can sometimes see similarities between the Dilbert characters and people I work with!

Scott Adams has talent. That is a fact. His comics, Dilbert, are basically about this engineer who works in a cubicle and has no social life. They're so funny, and have such original characters. Bob the Dinosaur, who basically goes around giving wedgies to people, is probably one of my favourites. I find it very amusing how a lot of characters are animals, like Dogbert, Catbert, Ratbert, etc. It seems so funny, somehow, to incorporate animals into work at an office building.
So, overall, any Dilbert books are incredibly hilarious. Go buy one.

Fugitive From The Cubicle Police is a 224-page collection of Scott Adams' hilarious Dilbert cartoons. Dated from 1993 and 1994, these cartoons are from quite early in the Dilbert story. Most of the normal crew is here: Dilbert, Alice (her hair isn't pyramid-shaped yet), Wally, Dogbert, and so forth, but no Catbert. The cartoons themselves appear as they did in your favorite newspaper, with the big Sunday ones printed in bright color!

This book is great, a must-have addition to the library of any Scott Adams fan. And, the finger-puppets make it that much better. This is perhaps the best Dilbert book of them all - buy it!

Monkey: Evolution favors monkeys. Eventually humans will be kept in cages as pets...
Dilbert: Impossible! We humans will never allow ourselves to be treated like that! Now, get out of my cubicle!

Dilbert, the mainstay of office-life critical witticisms, is the concept of Scott Adams, who quit his job to write the column, using it primarily to exorcise the demons that haunted him (and, indeed, seem to haunt all in small-to-large corporate America) during his tenure as a mid-level office worker.

In his introduction, he says: 'I was doing some thinking today. But I didn't enjoy it very much, so I decided to write this introduction instead....'

Who can argue with this? This, perhaps in a brief statement, summarises much of the underlying philosophy of the corporate culture Adams presents in his Dilbert column. It certainly epitomises the prevailing attitude of the boss and management structure. And of course, being in charge of his own column, Adams has graduated (or, perhaps sunk) to the level of management.

This book consists of a generous sampling of Sunday columns (complete with colour -- OOOH! AAAH!) -- colour of course being a Dilbert-ian device to disguise the lack of information. Yet, the information here is timely and timeless (insofar as anything about corporate culture can be timeless).

Dogbert's entry into and rising through the hierarchy is a good case in point, where LOUD equals results. After securing a corner office with a window by being LOUD, a task force ripe for empire-building within the company, the budgetary control of his boss, he is invited, at the end of his first week on the job, to meet with the president of the company.

President: You've made quite a name for yourself in the week you've worked here.
Dogbert: It was easy to grab power, once I realised that other executives were just imbeciles with good hair.
President: I hope you don't think that of me.
Dogbert: No, that looks like a toupee from here...

Onward and upward...

Finally Dogbert becomes president, exercises stock options after a disastrous but stock-market-friendly series of initiative plans (of course, they only have to be plans for the stock market to react), and retires to devote himself to philanthropy, which is 'mostly about watching people beg, and having buildings named after me.'

We are introduced to Dilbert's co-workers, who are variously competent and stuck in their jobs, rejoicing the occasional tiny victories, or, more frequently, plotting grand schemes to gain the minor advantage (a few more inches of cubicle space, for instance). We are introduced to incompetent co-workers who get promotions and jobs in other firms with real offices and perks. We discover what kinds of women will date (and dump) Dilbert. Of course, that might have become a bit of a different problem had Dilbert's boss not been corrected in time...

Boss: My boss says we need some eunuchs programmers.
Dilbert: I think he means Unix, not eunuchs. And I already know Unix.
Boss: If the company nurse drops by, tell her I said "Never mind."

Dilbert does sometimes win after all.

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

This is a great book for seasoned IT professionals that want to learn how to secure small and medium sized networks.

As others have said, if you want to read only one book, this is the one. The authors did a great job of describing concepts and relevant low level details and tools.

I enjoyed reading most of it, but I skimmed parts that described processes that seasoned engineers have applied countless times.

Highly recommended!

Very, very good.
All the most important subjects of perimeter security, remote access, resources separation are addressed.
TCP protocol details are clearly part of the explanation, therefore the more you know of it the better it is.
Useful links and vendor specific technology references are also included, like Microsoft, Cisco and so on.
Excellent.

Stephen Northcutt has done a great job! this is the most comphrensive book on the subject. I particularly found the part on access lists very helpful. Niloufer Tamboly, CISSP

Stephen Northcutt, and the various contributing authors, have created a masterful and well rounded guide of the various considerations that go into securing the network perimeter. As a student of Information Technology this book has been instrumental in my education and has earned a permanent place on my bookshelf (when it is not in my hands directly).

Fairly decent overview of perimeter security. If your a security professional you may learn a thing or two, if your a network administrator and your idea of security is a firewall then this book is meant for you. Its a fairly easy read, but some of the examples of the commands to enter in configuring routers and hosts could be eliminated. I felt the author was just taking up space with these examples. (not a big deal but I'm taking a star away on principal) I also felt the author could have gone into a little be more detail in the VPN chapter, especially when dealing with encryption, PKI, and authenication which I felt was glossed over. (again not a big deal, but when you call yourself the definitive guide, be more definitive and save the 'commands' for the user guides")

huge,bottomless,overwhelming as the worlds oceans this awesome tome provides hours of mind blowing eye candy with great educational text.this book uses state of the art photography & excellent graphics.dk are the best when it comes to visual guides.

This book contains stunning pictures, interesting fact and information, information on the most spectacular beaches and ocean crated phenomena, tidal and wave phenomena, weather related phenomena, and information on many, many species of sharks, whales, jellyfish, fish, crabs, coral, etc. A must buy for any ocean/nature lovers, nonfiction coffee table book fans/collectors, or anyone who just love interesting facts and appreciates stunning photography.

This is a huge book packed with information and gorgeous photography. There is plenty of science contained in these glossy pages from how the planets in our solar system formed, to the breakup and movement of our land masses to their current day positions, ocean currents, weather, ecology, glacial periods, and so much more. Most of the first half of the book is devoted to these subjects. The second half of the book gets into ocean life, from the smallest to the largest, how they live, feed, defend themselves. The pictures are breathtaking. This is a great educational book for all family members. Trust me, this one won't just sit around on your coffee table.

This book is not a typical "coffee table" book. Although full of beautiful photographs, there is equal emphasis on educational text. Instead of being a book containing only full-page photos of ocean life, each page is a collage of wonderful photos and short articles that you will want to read. The publisher of this book (DK), offers a variety of books in this format (travel, etc), and the layout of this book is similar. That is not to knock the photos at all - they are great and some are full-page, but this book isn't page after page of full-page photos as some others are.

That said, this is an excellent educational text with so much interesting information to offer. (It made me want to read the book cover-to-cover, which would probably keep me busy for at least a few days!)

The four main sections of the book include:

Introduction
Ocean Environments
Ocean Life
Atlas of the Oceans

The Introduction section takes a scientific look at the earth. A sampling of the topics of this section include "The Evolution of the Oceans", "Tectonics and the Ocean Floor", "Hurricanes", and "El Nino and La Nina". Mixed in with the photos are a number of color drawings and graphs to help the reader understand the concepts.

The section on Ocean Environments includes articles on specific places like San Francisco Bay and Hardanger Fjord as well as general information on habitats such as Salt Marshes, Mangrove Swamps and Rocky Sea Beds. The pages are full of photos of the areas as well as typical species found there.

The largest section is on Ocean Life and focuses on the variety of creatures found in the sea. Exhibited within these pages are a number of amazing photos of plants and animals that I had not seen before (though I'm not an expert on this subject) including creatures such as the Glass Squid, the Blue-Ringed Octopus and the Goblin Shark. I thoroughly enjoyed the short paragraph articles describing unique aspects of the species shown as well as the longer texts on topics like "Echinoderms" that includes anatomy, reproduction, feeding and defense sub-articles.

The last section is Atlas of the Oceans and includes maps of the different oceans and text describing them.

Again, the focus of this book is learning, not just amazing photography, and it does an excellent job of offering a smorgasbord of articles on different topics. If you really want to learn about the ocean and its inhabitants while paging through fantastic photographs, you will thoroughly enjoy this book!

NOT 500 pages and if I had paused to read the item description properly I wouldn't have bought this book! Way too good a price to be true, it is not another edition of the wonderful Cousteau-forwarded book, but a perfectly respectable DK full-color children's book with many very nice color photos. Probably very worth $7.99 and I was just far too greedy to read the fine print.