Stevens Books

All the over the top praise the other reviewers have given this work is justified. One can't help but to gush over it. Liked all the stories - each one got increasingly better. Extraordinary use of the famous Millhauser love triangles (sometimes quadrangles) - every story utilizes this technique. The best thing about Millhauser is that he understands this about the nature of love (and lust and hate): it is rarely a neat and tidy relationship between two people. Rather, it is almost always a complex web of interactions, contextualized between the lover and the object of the lover's desire, who usually only obtains that status when compared against another love or lover! Deep stuff, huh? Deep stuff that Millhauser portrays perfectly in this collection. Not to mention the beautiful, fluid langauge. Not to mention the lush imagry. Not to mention the interesting pacing ..... It could go on and on. Anyway, get this book, because after you read it you'll feel glad to be alive simply for the experience of discovering a fine work such as this one.

I LOVE Steven Millhauser. I own almost all his books--read them one after the other, within the span of weeks. His only flaw in my mind is slow-pacing, but my eye didn't skip over anything in King in the Tree!! I read the Tristan and Ysolt story word by word--something I never do.

The three novellas contained in this book are perhaps the most exquisite I've ever read and it pains me to see this beautiful book with but three reviews previous to mine. Anyone who hasn't read "The King in the Tree" is really missing something extraordinarily special.

The first novella, "Revenge" was simply not to my taste but it is perfectly crafted and oozing in irony and sarcasm. Your taste might be very different from mine and this could well end up being your favorite among the three. It is the least "flowery" and the one told in the most spare, but perfect, prose.

"An Adventure of Don Juan" was my favorite because of its overriding sense of melancholia, something I like in a book. In this novella, Don Juan's adventure at an English manor house is quite different from his adventures in Spain or other parts of continental Europe. I loved every word of this novella, from the first to the last.

The title novella, "The King in the Tree" is a heartbreaking retelling of the story of Tristan and Isolde told from the viewpoint of Oliver Cromwell. As the Amazon editorial review says, this novella is a small masterpiece. While I preferred the second novella just a little more, I do have to say that I finished reading this one with a sense of awe. If Millhauser can write something this crystalline in its perfection, this moving, this absolutely beautiful, then I feel the man can surely write anything at all. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever been fortunate enough to read. This is what every "would be" writer should aspire to.

If you love good fiction and you haven't read "The King in the Tree" you are really cheating yourself. Buy or borrow a copy today. This is probably the most beautiful book and the most perfectly crafted book I've ever read. I feel so lucky to own a copy.

This dazzling collection should be of interest to all lovers of Interstitial Fiction, for Millhauser is a master at blending different genres -- myth, fantasy, surrealism, historical fiction and Romance, contemporary realism, horror -- into elegant, innovative, and utterly gripping stories. He is, quite simply, one of the best writers of our day -- and this collection of three stunning novellas is not to be missed.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of taking a journey between the two covers of a Millhauser book will approach this selection of three novellas with particular glee. Steven Millahuser has revived the glory of Romance Novels and yet has done so with his unique skill and vision. He has an obvious love for the Grand Epics of the past and here he delves deeply into the tale of Don Juan, transporting the Spanish lothario into the prim and measured world of England, finding a startlingly altered view of love among the proper Brits. His retelling of the legend of Tristan and Ysolt (Isolde) is even more beautiful than the versions we know so well. His explorations of all the agonies of love's commitments overlay the exquisite longings in this tale of chivalry, fidelity, and passion. It is impossible to read this novella without hearing Wagner's lush 'Liebestod' ringing through the air.

Millhauser is at his finest in the first of the three marvelously written and conceived novellas in this colection. In what appears to be a simple tour of a house that is on the market he manages to tell us of a marriage troubled, doomed and revenged in a simply eloquent monologue by the surviving wife. How much of this tale is purely cerebral, the workings of a mind gone mad, and how much is the actual distillation of revenge on the perpetrator of a failed marriage and death of a husband is left to us to determine.

Millhauser writes with elegant and eloquent prose, asking us to linger over his pages the way we might linger over a painting in a museum walk. And indeed his stories are written as though derived or inspired from just such experiences. Stunning writing this!

This book is an excellent introduction into home schooling today. As a home school graduate I think he captured much of the spirit of the movement today. However, he misses one point. He looks to Holt as the beginning of the movement. His bias towards the secular home schoolers blinds him to the private school movement that led to Christian home schools. The exodus of the Christians started during the time that Holt was writing. Thus, both movements were happening around the same time. He misses the fact that Christians such as R. J. Rushdoony were writing before Holt on the need to leave the public schools. Thus, the Christians were seeing the danger in the schools at the same time if not before the secular crowd. The Christians did not hijack a secular movement.

The Mitchell Stevens does a great job of accurately representing the two broadest classifications of homeschoolers. As someone who lives in the county with the highest homeschool population (13,000+) I can tell you every homeschooler I ever met was accurately represented in this book.

I am a conservative Christian (what the author labels "Godly Women") but I practice Attachment Parenting (what the author labeled "Natural Mother"). I spend a lot of time and know lots of people in both camps, and I can tell you the author did an outstanding job of respectfully explaining them. He also explains how the different philosophies/world views have led to legislative and media domination by the conservative Christian homeschool organizations. With that knowledge new homeschools are given insight to as to the cultural divisions in open vs. closed support groups. Being familiar with both cultures can help avoid unnecessary conflict.

This book covers the first wave of homeschoolers. There are essentially 3. I Saw the Angel in the Marble by Chris and Ellyn Davis covers all 3 in one of the essays. It is an excellent companion book to Kingdom of Children. It covers the roughly 6 different ways people homeschool, the 4 different subcultures homeschoolers fall into, and the chronology of the 3 waves of homeschooling.

The Davises call the first wave "Pioneers"- people who were not happy with institutional settings for religious or philosophical reasons. They emerged throughout the 1980s. That's who Kingdom of Children is about.

The second wave are called "Settlers"- people who are not categorically opposed to institutions, but are enjoying the academic excellence and flexible lifestyle that homeschooling affords. They showed up in the early 1990s after the test scores of pioneer kids were widely publicized.

In the late 1990s and after the turn of the new century the flood gates opened and group 3 known as "Refugees" poured in. They are fleeing a failed system and are unable to access a private school of their liking. They are probably the fastest growing group where I live. They are not steeped in homeschool philosophy, and usually mimic school at home. (They are also called "school at homers" instead of homeschoolers by current Pioneers and some of today's Settlers.)

SPOILER ALERT!
I was surprised Kingdom of Children let the cat out of the bag. The author's observations led him to the conclusion that women homeschool. No matter what camp they are in, no matter what they say about biblical hierarchy, in the end women develop the educational philosophy and research materials and do the work of teaching. Women set up support groups, networks, and enrichment activities. They also handle the lion share of the child rearing and household management at the same time. There are books and convention workshops that tout the idea of father significantly participating in and overseeing the process. How can they? They are working so hard to provide for us so we can enjoy the amazing and challenging experience of being a homeschool mom, it leaves little time for hands on instruction by dads. We're so appreciative that they do. Anyone considering this lifestyle needs to be ware of that reality.

Dads-read Help! I'm Married to a Homeschooling Mom by Todd Wilson. Your wife will be soooo glad you did!

Mitchell Stevens provides the first in depth study of the American home schooling movement. Instead of assuming that home schoolers are right wing fanatics or left wing bohemians, he takes the time to attend their meetings, visit their homes and read their literature. From his in depth study, he concludes that home schooling is an activity that grows out of long traditions in American politics and is an honest, and possibly successful, attempt at reconstructing education so that it meets the needs of children.

The focus of Mitchell's book is the division between home schoolers who view home schooling as a form of Christian education and those who view home schooling as a secular activity. Mitchell's thesis is that this division defines much of the discourse, organization and politics of home schooling. It also reflects concepts of womanhood, childhood and family.

From a sociological perspective, I think that this book's biggest contributions is an implicit critique of some themes in the sociology of education, where schools are seen as propagators of the status quo. Here, we have an example of how an institution, public education, is relaxing its grip and new forms of education are being created. This is not to say that public education is on the path to extinction, but this book shows how viables alternatives to dominant institutions emerge.

To summarize: first in depth sociological work on home schooling, takes home schoolers seriously as people, clear

writing and very little jargon and furthers our understanding of educational institutions and social change. A sure winner!

We have been homeschooling since the early 70's. earlier if you consider my homeschooling in the 50's. This is why I was eager to read this book and why I recommend it. Because the author gives the reader one of the most complete and balanced view from the outside, of who homeschools and why.

I also like the fact that the author was interested in parents and families and not simply whether or not the homeschooled child tests better, gets enough socialization, have their own friends and get into college. What the author set out to find is what drives the parent to homeschool. And what "practical household decisions" make homeschooling possible. Because as he notes "conventional parenting is a lot of work" and he "suspected that homeschooling is even more labor intensive." And he set out to find out "how people decided that they could afford the time, lost wages, and mental energy that homeschooling costs." And "how homeschoolers assemble the help they need to get the job done."

He also include the study in 1995 that sociologist "Maralee Mayberry and her colleagues released the best comprehensive statistical study of home educators to date." The authors fifty-six item questionnaire included measures of parental occupation, educational attainment, religious affiliation, household size and income and the divisions of domestic labour. Working with a sample of home educating families in Nevada, Utah and Washington the researchers painted a picture of a predominantly white, middle class and religious movement. Ninety-eight percent of the survey respondents were white 1 percent were Asian Americans, the rest a mix of African American, Native American and Hispanics. Most parents were under age forty and the vast majority or 97% were married. 43% claimed at least some post secondary education, and additional 33 percent were college graduate. Professional and technical and managerial and administrative occupations were heavily represented among the fathers some were craft or service workers and a few were ranchers or farmers. 57% reported incomes of between 25 and 50k, 26% reported less. Compared to the general public the respondents were better educated slightly more affluent and more likely to be white. They also found that homeschooling is heavily gendered. 78% of mothers do the homeschooling. Also of interest to is the religious aspect. 91% reported that religious commitment was very important. 78% claim they attend church weekly. Yet 20% say they are not religious per se. 12% didn't answer the religious question. What surprised me was the fact we know more Asian and Jewish homeschoolers that any group, so this study should have studied homeschoolers in NYC, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco as well in order to get a better read on a more diverse section. The states studied are higher income and better educated so the results make sense.

I also like the book because the author notes the SAT study by Jon Wartes of Washington State homeschooled students. Although these were done in the 80's. The author does note the HSLDA funded study by Lawrence Rudner and I was happy the author noted "The study's findings must be tempered by the fact the research was built with a nonrandom convince sample, financed by a highly interested advocacy organization, and has received criticism from both within and beyond the homeschool community."

The author also explains the while homeschooling is legal in all states that some states have strict rules as far as parents reporting to state educational authorities. This is often one of the first questions I get from a parent asking about homeschooling. Is it legal? How do I find out? And I like the fact the author noted the Sikkink study that shows that homeschool parents are more involved in cicvic life than public school parents.

And the history of homeschooling since the 80s is covered well. And I am glad ton see that John Holt and Holt Associates are given good coverage since this is the one organization we joined in the early 80s and was the most secular or accepting of all homeschool families. So often all I hear is that the majority of homeschoolers are conservative Christians, even though my experience since the early 1970s shows (yes I live in a more liberal area of California) that there are more secular homeschoolers, or at least ones who are free spirits.

This is a book that any fair minded person interested in homeschooling should read. This is one of my top 3 homeschool books.

Rather than tell you what the book says (see other reviews) let me just say that having read this just as we are beginning homeschooling with our children, I have a much deeper understanding of the people we are going to be relating to in the future. Many of his insights have already been borne out in my observations. I appreciated the fact that this book is fairly up-to-date (written in the late 90's). I think I will be able to relate to other homeschooling families in an understanding way after reading this book.

Great book. A total insight to the tribute band world. The author uncovers all the good and the bad, and doesn't sugar coat anything. He also delves into the psychology of this scene which is great. The highlight of this book is when he mentions my band, "1988," in chapter three! (along with about 150 other bands!)

Yes, rock and roll, much like the priesthood, tends to weed out all but the most hardy and dedicated. If you have ever taken a serious whack at the game, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. You'll laugh, you'll cry... Well, okay, you won't cry, but you'll certainly identify with the ups and downs, triumphs, failures, dysfunctions, stresses, joys, and fiascoes that are a part of that life. And if you threw in the towel a long time ago, you might just pat yourself on the back.

There are a lot of books about famous rock bands, but not too many that describe what it's like to be an average working musician, whether in a tribute band or not. The "tribute band" aspect lends an extra degree of absurdity to the whole business, especially today, when rock seems to be going through another one of its periodic death throes. (Believe it or not, a lot of us thought rock died around 1975. Shortly thereafter, disco was declared dead. Then punk also kicked the bucket. Remarkably, they all keep going.)

Among musicians there has always been a divide between the "cover band" types and the "original" types. This is even more pronounced when it comes to "tribute bands." There are those who find the concept repulsive, while others take a pragmatic view: "Hey, if you can play music and make money, why not? Beats digging ditches."

Well, maybe not. Rock and roll is sometimes incredibly hard work. A passage from the book summarizes things: "The members of Sticky Fingers and the Blushing Brides faced near poverty, small crowds, exhausting cross-country drives, and indifference from their peers and the world at large, in exchange for a few dollars and the chance to be onstage for a few hours."

Still, a good gig in front of an enthusiastic (albeit drunk) crowd is one of life's greatest highs, so that keeps these guys going.

Nevertheless, there is something unsettling about middle-aged men putting on wigs and doing impersonations of aging rock stars. A couple buddies and I could have formed a killer Elvis Costello tribute band back in the 1980s, but I'm not sure I'd want to be doing that now. You have to wonder how long the phenomenon will go on. Will it end with the last of the baby-boomers? Or will the nostalgia of the future involve aging hip-hop wannabes doing impersonations of Snoop Dogg? Stay tuned.

In the meantime, all you old school rock 'n' rollers and other aspirants to fame and fortune should get yourself a copy of this book. You're guaranteed to get a kick out of it and maybe even pick up some tips. It's a fast and fun read.

Steven Kurutz is a first class writer who can weave a fascinating tale about a long misunderstood facet of American society: the tribute band. Anyone who has any desire to learn the machinations of this particular pop culture phenomenom would be well served by reading this book!

I picked up this book over the weekend and could not put it down until I was finished. Author Steven Kurutz captures "the sights, the sounds, the smells, of a hard-working rock band on the road" to quote "This Is Spinal Tap", with both hilarious and sometimes pathetic outcomes.

In the book, Kurutz travels cross country with two leading Stones trib bands, Sticky Fingers and Blushing Brides, and in documenting the highs and (very) lows, he manages to capture the humanity in what is becoming a dying industry - Live Music.

While reading this book one realizes that both Maurice Raymond and Glen Carroll (the Brides' and Fingers' Micks, respectively) are doing their thing not only because they crave the attention of being a faux Mick Jagger, but because they genuinely love the music of the Rolling Stones, even if it is being played to a handful of people in a dive bar.

And that being said, which is more rock and roll to you: A drunk singer shouting over too loud guitars to 50 sweaty drunks, or 100,000 people at the EnormoDome who paid $300 to watch the Stones on the JumboTron?

I choose the former.

If you're gonna buy one book on rock and roll this year, this is it!

Kurutz loves his rock and roll, and LIKE A ROLLING STONE revels in the good ol' days when rock was king and musicians drank and did drugs like there was no tomorrow. His affection for rock shows through in every line, and before you know it you're right there in the van with Sticky Fingers, the east coast's most popular Stones tribute band. In one way or another it's been around since the 1970s, and its present leader, Glen Carroll, is an irresistible subject, sort of like the Falstaff of the tribute world. Yes, he drinks too much and yes, he's a liar, and no, he's not really a good singer, but Kurutz' writing is so persuasive I wanted the book to come with a DVD so I could see Sticky Fingers in action at one of the rundown nightclubs or frat houses they're booked to entertain in.

Sometimes it's life at the top, but more often Sticky Fingers' erratic financing make for tensions within the band. All of this is really intriguing, but the problem is of course, that it's really not enough material to make a book out of, and one gets the feeling Kurutz did all this research and then halfway through realized he had enough for a great magazine article, but that he was going to have to add more storylines if he wanted to get a book out of it. Thus we go back in time and meet with the original tribute band, the Broadway cast of "Beatlemania." Thus we go on the road with a second Stones tribute band, the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't Blushing Brides from Canada. Thus we are introduced to other sorts of tribute bands including some with real success stories, Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) which does the Grateful Dead, and ZoSo, the "ultimate Led Zeppelin experience." And in doing so, the focus of the book inevitably shifts away from Glen Collins and it becomes more about hardcore dollars and cents.

The cash nexus is never far from concern, yet what makes these tribute bands so endearing is that these guys aren't in it for the money--no, not really--they're doing something because they love it. And don't let me forget, also because evil life has got them in its sway.

This collection of vintage postcards, with a well written history of the Hamptons, was a lovely surprise. I bought this initially as a gift but kept it for myself and ordered a second copy to give away.

I lost my two pet hamsters, hampton and hampton. I thought this book would help me find them. It didn't, but the pictures were so pretty, I don't care about my hamsters any more.

Steven Petrow's beautiful book on the Hamptons brings that part of the world -- some of which has been lost to time -- to brilliant life. His well-researched and concise history makes the colorful postcards seem even more vivid in their depiction of the lifestyle of the Hamptons. As a history buff, the book satisfied my appetite for learning the Hampton's story; as a casual reader looking for something to flip through on a lazy summer afternoon, I have found myself coming back to this book again and again. As Cole Porter might say, it's a de-lovely depiction that I am going bring as a treat to my East Coast friends when I visit them.

The Lost Hamptons's combination of text and postcards perfectly captures the mood, light, homes and society of a gracious bygone era. Spend a few hours with this beautiful book and experience the Hamptons in all their historic glory.

My family and are planning a vacation to visit the Hamptons area later this summer. I picked this book up with the hope that it would give us a good basic historical overview about the area. It turns out this book is so much more than a standard history. The vintage photos that were collected for this book are so vivid they literally reach out and "touch" you and send your mind reeling backwards in time - a time that is seemingly "lost" as the author refers to in the title of the book.

This book will now be a companion guide for me and my family during our trip. We plan to seek out as many of the places pictured in the book and find out what they look like now so we can build a "before and after" album of our trip.

I Think this book is a very good book for any one how want to study marketing...

The book provides very good insights into how to design effective communication campaigns and is based on solid academic research. An excellent book for anyone who wishes to design a communcation campaign!

John Rossiter and Steven Bellman provide brilliant insights into marketing communications.The book is an exceptional guide to the important field of communication. In an impressive manner the authors manage to translate the complex science of marketing communications into a practical manual of how to design effective communication campaigns. A great book!

This update of the classic Rossiter & Percy advertising book is heading towards being another classic. What differentiates this book from many other advertising texts is that its advice is based on sound consumer behavior research findings. The reader is assured that the advice given in the book is based on fact rather than folklore.

So many texts are useless and dry as dust because they merely `catalogue' every possible theory and every possible stream of research that bears on the subject leaving the reader thoroughly bewildered. Not this one!

The authors of this updated `sequel' to Rossiter and Percy take the same refreshing but comprehensive approach to blending theory and practical that made the original book unique and so successful internationally. Again, they don't shy away (like so many other authors do)from advancing their expert views on what theories are most useful and relevant.

This book is well worth the price. Much information regarding network configuration and network logs examination, which is highly needed in performing investigations in todays complicated syndicate

Very good resource for network forensics. Easy to read and full of good nuggets of information. Worth the price of admission!

The book is about the daunting task to get evidence from computers suited with the Windows Operating System. This book is split in three parts. The first part is to get a basic understanding of how things work and what kind of vulnerabilities there are on a typical windows machine. Rootkits are touched lightly although there is some information to get a basic understanding of this complex and threatening technology there could be expected more.

The second part is about analysing a Windows Computer. Tools and techniques are discussed here and some explanation about the various filesystems. There could be less focus on the "EnCase" suite in my opinion.

The last, and in my opinion best part, is about about analysing logs, logparser and how to make your job much easier in gathering information and evidence from a windows machine. A great part with a wealth of useful tips and tricks. Even if you're not directly involved with forensics.

So the authors of this book discussed the basics of foresic investigation and security techniques and also the reasoning behind them. Overall they did a good job. They are not afraid to point out some other interesting booktitles to get even more knowledge about a specific topic. However there could be less focus on "EnCase" and more detailed information about certain topics such as rootkits.

Rob Faber CISSP, CEH, MCSE
Infrastructure architect / Sr. Security consultant
The Netherlands

This book skillfully combines real world network security with law enforcement investigative techniques to deliver a text which will enable you to make the right decisions based on the unique circumstances and facts of each event you are called on to investigate.

I consider this book a must have for anyone in network administration, network security or on a computer emergency response team. The techniques and information contained within are, without a doubt, missing from almost all other books and training you have received.

As a law enforcement officer, I've often found myself frustrated by books that cover incident response, but never discuss law enforcement involvement, except as an afterthought. While I understand that it's important for corporate and internal investigators to have this type of information, it's refreshing to find a book that talks about the law enforcement response to an computer crime incident.

I've had the privilege of attending classes instructed by both of these authors. One of the things that impressed me about their classes is that they were able to break down complicated technical concepts into terms that cops can understand. They continue to do that in this book.

Computer crime investigators need to add this book to their libraries. I'd say it's a must have.

I came across this book by chanch in a local public library and was tranfixed. I had to have it, so now I have!

Steven & Cathi House have captured in black & white photography and pen & ink drawings an exraordinary thirty years of travel throughout the Mediterranean.

As architects they are classically trained in drawing and photography; as artists they bring the reader their unique understanding of place and people in a poetic way. "Mediterranean Villages: an architectural journey" is filled with beautiful photos and drawings produced in a top quality hard cover edition.

This is an ideal gift for art lovers, travellers, book lovers and of course, architects. In addition to its extraordinary visuals, it is filled with quotes that keep the reader fascinated.

An extreme close-up photograph of the Paraportiani Church in Mykonos is the first image we see of "Mediterranean Villages:An Architectural Journey" by Steven & Cathi House. It is an arresting photo that accents the sun-lit sides of the stone, plaster, and whitewash structure. The tone is set. Steven and Cathi, architects, lead us, gracefully, through the book, seeing the villages of the Mediterranean through their empathetic hearts and eyes. I am impressed how strongly the quality of the power of indigenous stone used in the village structures, walkways and stairways come through the pages of the book. The pen and ink drawings have a lively and rhythmical perspective. They invite me to walk the stairways-up and down and around the village and become aware of the relationships of the structures to the natural contours of the villages, and to the lives of the people living there

"Mediterranean Villages:An Architectural Journey" is a testimonial to the sensitivity and appreciation Steven and Cathi feel for architecture that is an integral part of the total environment. The book, -- an architectural journey-- is a journey of the heart and soul. There is always something new to see and understand. The excitement of their discoveries which began 30 years ago when they made their first year-long trip to the hill towns of the Mediterranean area continues to feed Steven's and Cathi's imagination and artistry as architects today.

Here is that rare book in which the authors' personal passion for their subject joins perfectly with their talents for revealing it to us. As young architects, Steven and Cathi House moved to Greece to learn more about indigenous Mediterranean architecture--and themselves. Over a series of years, their investigations of towns and cities throughout the Mediterranean--recorded in fascinating drawings, indelible black and white photographs, and text--become a record both of the unforgettable landscapes they visit and their own coming of age as architects, artists, and people. This is the sort of book you can open some evening and just wander through a Spanish village, or an Italian hill town, letting it open up to you--then pick another site another evening. Mediterranean Villages is a book that readers will keep close at hand for many years.

This beautiful book is truly a love letter to a region of the world that these architect / life partners know intimately, and adore. And like the best of classic love letters, the mark of the writers' hands and the depth of their insights are all over this volume, page after luminous page, from cover to cover.

The authors' ardent tribute focuses on the Mediterranean's "architecture without architects." This refers to villages built by the very people who live in the houses and worship in the churches using local stone they have quarried or the earth at their feet that they have baked into bricks and then protected with homemade plaster, whitewash, or paint. Fortunately, Steven and Cathi House do not idealize the object of their passion. Instead, they lovingly reveal these rural Italian, Greek, Spanish, and Dalmatian villages--imperfections, eccentricities, hardships, abandonment, and all.

It is ironic that two formally trained architects are at the helm of a project illuminating villages that were formed so organically and without benefit of architects. Ironic, that is, until you realize that the House's "built" the book very, very slowly in their hearts and minds, over decades of time. In addition, they assembled it very much like hill towns and villages evolve.

Reaching into their respective thick travel journals and rich portfolios of images, the authors selected hundreds of gorgeous black and white photographs and pen and ink drawings to reproduce alongside personal memories. They fortified this text with scholarly research and punctuated the book throughout with quotations they collected from a wide array of famous Mediterranean observers all across the arts. With these "vernacular" materials, they inventively constructed an easy, rambling design and an elegant "coincidence" of images and text that live and breathe like the late afternoon activities of an Italian hill town community on their small piazza in early spring.

Mediterranean Villages: An Architectural Journey offers a unique perspective on an area of the world that is most often praised for its beaches, cuisine, museum treasures, or temperate weather. Simple stone and stucco façades are hereby proven to be evocative, eye opening, and inspiring, too.

I live and breath SMS so I've read and seen it all. The Administrator's Companion is a top-notch book and is highly recommended for both the beginner and the experienced SMS Administrator.

Two thumbs up! Not only does this book contains a clear explanation of a very complex subject but also it's written in a very good style. I have been working with SMS 2.0 for more than 2 years and I was forever missing a book like this - I read it overnight like a novel and several times thought - "Hey, this is how it should work ...". This book is a rare case when every word worth reading. It might be used as an introduction to the subject, as a study guide and as a reference. The latter of course doesn't substitute Resource Guide and on-line help.

I just took a SMS training class with the author. He knows his stuff. Buy this book.

This book is a must have for anyone planning, supporting or implementing SMS. Easy to follow and understand.

Of all the resources I have used in learning to implement SMS 2.0, including classes and other books, this book is by far the best. The book is very well organized and I particularly liked the "Real World" sidebars that appear throughout the book, very valuable info! My only regret is not buying it sooner. I would give it my highest possible recommendation. Don't leave home without it!

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to get an understanding of their personal finances. These are real life questions with easy-to-understand answers.

The question and answer format allows one to pick and choose those financial subjects one is interested in. There is no wasting of time to go through pages of uninteresting information. The book deals with every conceivable financial problem and information one would want to ask about, and the answers are written in a very concise and easy to understand manner. This is a book for everyone, whether it is a home-maker, a student or a business person. Its a good investment !

A great book for the beginning investor and a terrific reference work for the more sophisticated investor. Concise and to the point in a clever Q&A format.

A great book for the beginning investor and a terrific reference work for the more sophisticated investor. Concise and to the point in a clever Q&A format.

Money Matters Made Easy is a book every starting, and regular investor should have on his, or her bookshelf. It covers 178 subjects from evaluating investments to home ownership, and more, like wills, understanding bonds,retirement etc, in short concise and very easy to understand paragraphs. Because it is written in a simple, common-sense way, it is a bargain, for what it contains, and is one investment, which can only lead to dividends in any ones' investments and also life style, since it covers paying for college, insurance and taxes. GO BUY IT !

I met the authors. They are nice people...and they know what they are talking about. They went out of their way to answer my questions. This book answers every question you could possible have about planning for your future. It rocks.

This is a book I found helpful in planning with my parents and in-laws. Financial, assisted living, long term care insurance and a host of other topics I have wanted to explore.

Old Talk: New Conversations is a truly "user friendly" planning guide for seniors and their families coming to grips with regard to making decisions stemming from the facts of aging upon the issues of medical care, finances, legal issues, and lifestyle matters. Five professionals present insightful and practical information and commentary that include chapters on Planning for a Financially Comfortable Retirement; Estate and Tax Planning; Long-Term Care Insurance: The New Financial Necessity; Getting the Care You Need When You Live at Home; and Choosing Your New Home: Retirement/Senior Housing. Old Talk: New Conversations is an invaluable, very highly recommended guide which ought to be a part of every community library, senior citizen center, and geriatric social services agency reference collection.

I found this book extremely helpful, especially the chapter on in-home services and the chapter on fianancial planning. I recommend it for the sandwich generation which is now helping their parents and still have responsbility for children.

This is one of the best books I've seen in a long time. It's a very practical book that's written so anyone can understand it. It's a great way to introduce the subject of planning for the future with a parent (or an adult child).