Williamson Books

I know it's a tacky thing to do but I bought this as a gift for a slasher-flick loving friend and read it before I gave it to him. Yeah, a confession after all these years that the gift wasn't strictly 'un-used'. Anyway, I won't go into the plot of Scream, anyone reading this probably already knows it better than I do, having only seen it twice, but I will note that devoid of its visuals (beyond a few movie freeze-frames included in the book) Williamson's writing in this script comes off as better than I remember it being in Scream. Its campiness is elevated to funnier than on screen, its pop culture/film references seem more apt, and the twist the run-time builds up to is reinforced as decently unexpected. (The screenplay also spares the reader a lot of the visual violence that distracts in the case of reading for the sake of broadening insight into the spoken words of a film.) I've read scripts to a few other movies, the best being The Usual Suspects, and every time I've thought how it's a shame more people don't read the scripts to their favorite films, and how un-selfserving that more directors don't publish their screenplays.

Scream isn't a favorite of mine, and it's not high art but if you like the movie, pick this up sometime. The guy I bought it for still has it and seemed to like it.

Reading SCREAM seven years after the initial impact of the film--and in movie terms seven years is definitely a whole generation later--I wonder if it would be a success if Williamson wrote the same material today. Some of it is very clever, and the references to pop culture still work, but more might have been made of the human and emotional back stories of the main characters. Neve Campbell's character, for example, doesn't have the emotional resonance years later that (to take up a similar example in a different film genre) Molly Ringwald displayed in her movies for John Hughes.

I look forward to CURSED, the new collaboration between Kevin Williamson and Wes Crave, though the rumors of the re-shoots and re-takes, actors being fired, etc., and dissatisfied test audiences, make one wonder if it won't be more like KILLING MRS TINGLE than SCREAM. Still, there's always hope.

This book was wicked! I'm reading it for the 7th time I love it! But not as much as the film that was great "well done wes craven" Scream is the best ever i'm a extremly big fan. I know exactly every single word off by heart,I love it. I've got all three soundtracks and all three books and the films, of course! I've got the costume and everything. My favourite character is Billy Loomis he's gorgeous I would love to meet him or any one of the characters on day definatley! ...

I Like this book! Its like the movie! Its Scary!!!!!!!!! Cool! And If You are a big scream fan read it! It has pictures from scream 1 and 2 in it!

This book was wicked! I'm reading it for the 7th time I love it! But not as much as the film that was great "well done wes craven" Scream is the best ever i'm a extremly big fan. I know exactly every single word off by heart,I love it. I've got all three soundtracks and all three books and the films, of course! I've got the costume and everything. My favourite character is Billy Loomis he's gorgeous ...People say my personality is like stu's because I make a joke out of everything I say and I love to play practical jokes on everyone!

Every once in a great while, you as a reader are given the opportunity to read something that will "impact you forever". It is rare and usually unexpected, but the feeling of "I'm reading something magical!" stays with you long after you turn the last page. The Outsider is one of those rare gems.

I hesitate to even review this book. I want to "do it justice" and communicate effectively just why you need to purchase, not just read, this incredible story.

The plot is simple. An Amish woman belonging to a sect called the "Plain People" is widowed and raising her 10 year son. Her life changes when an "Outsider", hence the title, staggers onto her property shot and half dead. All people who are not Plain are considered outsiders and "lost" people. Of course, Rachel takes him in, prays for him, and nurses him back to health. Johnny Cain is the Outsider. For as good and innocent as Rachel is, Johnny is her counterpoint. He is an admitted killer and has seen and done evil. This is their story.

Rachel Yoder is a hero in my book. She displays courage, determination, empathy, and a faith that (although frustrating at times) was REAL and authentic. She lived her faith in her everyday actions and words. I quickly came to care very deeply for her and wanted happiness for her. Johnny Cain drops into her lap and BRINGS BACK HER LAUGHTER! I loved it. He taught her how to laugh and have fun, something that had been missing since her husband passed away and the burden of single-parenthood was overwhelming at times.

Johnny Cain just might be my favorite hero EVER. At first he seemed so "bad", but you quickly come to see a different side to this complex character. Unfortunately, you are not let into his head until towards the end of the book, but his actions speak volumes about how he feels about Rachel and her son Benjo. Rachel comes into Johnny's life and TEACHES HIM HOW TO LOVE AND ALL ABOUT FAITH. It is this aspect of the book that is absolutely magical. At one point he says "I don't believe in anything..but I believe in you".

The descriptions of the Plain life, sheep farming, and the small surrounding community are all wonderful and important, but it is the deep and abiding love that gets planted, takes seed, and grows between Rachel, Johnny, and Benjo that sets this one apart.

There are very few sex scenes, and those present are discreet, subtle, and vague.....it doesn't matter. I am a romance reader that likes the payoff of a great love scene. I never thought I'd say this, but this book might be too good for that. The "love scenes" really have nothing to do with the act of sex, but more center around their interaction outside of the bedroom. There is definitely passion (don't get me wrong), but the love these two share transcends passion. It is a soul connection.

I don't know what else to say? If you've been in a reading slump and are looking for something incredible, gut wrenching, and lasting...look no further. I've read all of Penelope Williamson's books and they all provide that "special something" that is so rare in fiction today, but The Outsider is her MASTERPIECE in my opinion and just should not be missed.

although the movie doesnt compare.. AT ALL!! Penelope Williamson is by far my favorite author.. and this book is a great read.. you fall in love with everyone in the book, and whens its over you wished you could continue with them!

Although I am not usually a big fan of the typical Romance genre, (which to me has one dimensional charactors and a very predictable story line) this book seemed like so much more. I am sure some will say the story is "predictable", but I felt as though it certainly was believable and there was more of an exploration of human nature with the "good and evil" being not so clear-cut but rather having lots of "gray areas". For instance, the "Plain People" or Amish of the book who feel they are so "holy" and "closer to God than the "Unbelievers" who don't belong to their religion, in some instances are shown to exhibit the very human foibles of jealousy, anger, and mean-spiritedness and the "Outsider" who is a "cold-blooded" killer is shown in instances where great restraint and a giving and kind nature is illustrated. Some of the Amish in the book are very rigid in their thinking and acting and yet you see where Rachel is less rigid and gives more thought to life and sees things in much less "black and white" issues.

I also liked the two main charactors of the book and if you "like" the charactors you can't help but like the book. I also liked the story but would have liked a little less time spent on exploring the lives of some of the peripheral charactors in the book, such as the town doctor and the prostitute and a little more on the two main charactors. I also wish the author had written this book with some perspective of the inner thoughts and feelings of the "Outsider" but perhaps she did not because he was supposed to be an enigma, a mystery man.

All in all, I highly recommend the book. I also recommend the DVD which closely follows the book.

I love Penelope Williamson is one of my favorite authors, and I've read my share of them ,till nowadays I must have read 400 historical and contemporaneal romance novels, I am a compulsive reader, and I consider this book wonderful ,it was the first I had read of this author and I liked it so much that I've read all of her books,save the suspence ones, I really got upset when I knew she had changed of genre.What a pity!
I advise you to read it, you won't be disappointed.

This book reminded me of the movie "Witness" with Harrison Ford.

Boy, do I love this author's style of writing.

I felt like this story ended abruptly. I'm still wondering what happened with Marliee and Lucas and if Rachel's family ever spoke to her again, but then again perhaps wanting more is the measure of a good novel.

I have such mixed emotions about this book. It is so well written that it really made me overlook some serious problems that I usually hate in a normal romance. Simply put, this was a bodice ripper. I don't usually like them but I couldn't put this book down. It's a big book and I read it in a day and a half.

Here are the problems I had with this book:

Repetitive. There were hundreds of times that the author mentioned the color of Raine's eyes. Yes we know. They're gray and they change color when he's sexually aroused, mad, happy, sad. Not realistic and it was mentioned a LOT. This was not the only example but was the most annoying. I'm sure that the book could have been edited down to only 400 pages.

The character Taliesin was extremely annoying. He was constantly interupting scenes between the main characters that could have been the most interesting. I don't know why authors do this but it drives me crazy. It's almost like the chicken out when things get really emotional.

Raine was utterly horrible for the first half of the book. Not even a glimpse of humanity in this guy. He kills the heroine's brother at the very beginning and we never see an ounce of remorse. That's all fine and dandy but the heroine got over it within 2 chapters and it was never dealt with again. There were many more unforgivable instances but they were also dealt with very unrealisticly. I am pretty good at suspending my beliefs in the name of fiction but the fact that the heroine fell in love with this man while he was displaying his most horrific self was just beyond my imagination.

*** Kind of a SPOILER****************************************************
I seriously wanted to kill Raine after his birthday celebration. What he did was completely unforgivable and he never showed any remorse at all. I had a lot of trouble getting over it.
*************************************************************************

The fact that I was a complete emotional wreck by the end of the book is really the reason for the 4 stars. The story really sucks you in and you feel the pain, sadness, happiness and aggravation of the characters throughout the book. It definitely could have been a 5 star with the quality of the writing but there was just a bit too much unforgivable behaviour on the hero's part.

A really, really, good book that deserves everyone of its many five star reviews. Rich characters and a great plot. Very well written, with depth , and not your usual lame stuff. I was sorry to see it end, and even MORE SORRY that Penelope Williamson has written only one book about Wales!

Penelope sure knows how to capture you into her books, this book is brilliantly written and it is one you cant put down! It is magical and one I will read and re-read for ever!

Penelope Williamson BLOWS ME AWAY! What a gifted and unique talent she has. This was my 2nd novel of hers that I've read, the first being Once In Blue Moon, and I can say with certainty that this author is the "real deal".

In Keeper of the Dream, we are transported into the medieval period. Lords and Ladies, Knights, bards, mystical "Merlins", and unforgettable battles. This is my favorite period, and this book is reminescent of Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught and all medieval books by Julie Garwood...my favorite.

This is a forced marriage book....another favorite subject of mine. Raine is the illegitimate son of an Earl and is a feared knight, the Black Dragon. Arianna is a Welsh princess. They are forced to wed by edict of the king and Arianna's father. It is not a union that either is excited about..at first.

The chemistry between these two is intense to say the least. Arianna spends the greater part of their first meeting, and for some time following, trying to kill him whenever she gets the chance. He spends the greater amount of his time trying to bend her will and get her to submit to him...not an easy undertaking.

Williamson's books are not short. They are not quick, easy reads...but they possess a smartness and depth that is quite simply missing from historical novels written today. She takes her time weaving this story together. We see the progression from hate to lust to love in very slow, clear, and detailed ways that make sense. These are two intense individuals who become multi-dimensional...another rarity in romance novels.

This is a beautiful and memorable love story. This is a book worthy of your time. This is a keeper.

For me, the perfect romance! I've been an avid romance reader for twenty years and I've re-read Keeper of the Dream five times, I love it that much. As I rely alot on Amazon reviews when I do my book shopping I thought it was about time I got at least one review in here. If you like tortured heroes, heart-wrenching plot twists and steamy sex scenes, this is the book to buy. The author seems to know just when to break our heart, and just when to put it back together again, and then some. In addition, the setting is vividly brought to life by lovely historical detail that is nicely woven into the story, without overwhelming it.

This is a great little book for any dog lover. There are over 50 pages of black and white photos of charismatic-looking old dogs along with short description of who they are.

Anyone who has owned an old dog could probably relate to many of these stories.

As an apartment-dwelling animal lover whose building forbids dog ownership, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review this. The title is self-explanatory--although I doubt it was their intention, photographer Michael S. Williams and columnist Gene Weingarten have collaborated on a work that's guaranteed to melt even the hardest of hearts.
The dogs profiled in Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs were, at the time they were photographed, at least 10 years old. A short profile accompanies each photo; that we learn so much about each subject in so few words is a testimony to both Weingarten's skill as a wordsmith and Williams' ability to capture the essence of these cherished pets that I grew to love by proxy. Not only was I touched to the core by these grand old pooches (I get very sloppy over non-human animals), but as an editor, I positively reveled in the excellence of Weingarten's command of English. Indeed, while this book could easily be perused in an hour or so, I found it almost too rich to process all at once and like very fine tea, I preferred to enjoy it in small sips that I could savor over time. It really is that wonderful.
I was planning to purchase a copy of this as a Christmas present for a beloved cousin, but she just lost the eldest of her five rescues and she and her husband are still crying for their old Barney, the Great Dane mix that literally thought he was a horse (her sister-in-law lives next door with her equine family). So while now is probably too soon, a copy of this will find its way to their bookshelf at a time I deem appropriate. For those lacking such constraints, consider this for the animal-lovers on your holiday list--I promise it won't disappoint. HIGHEST recommendation.

This is an absolutely wonderful book. It has beautiful black and white photos of the dogs, and marvelous vignettes for each dog that are heartfelt. Both the stories and the photos vary between being touching to humorous (From the story of Hank who had been shot with BBs to Mr. Stinky a six pound Yorkshire Terrier who fought crime.). I was tearing up one minute and laughing out loud the next. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone who knows and loves a dog (young or old)!
And I agree with another reviewer (MamaBear007), I too would buy a sequel to this book, with the remainder of the 1,294 stories that weren't included!

BOTH. We've all viewed the countless publications on puppies but never have we seen the bold, high contrast yet subtle/gentle connection to the aging dog represented so perfectly as we see through the eyes of Michael Williamson. BRILLIANT of course!
Articulate Genes? Naturally placed perfectly on the page, the stories that with the IMAX like realness of these images that draw you in to read the words/stories on the page. Not just one page but page after page of intrigue, laughter, the things that make you go hummmm, and straight identification that in the end gives us all connection that leads to completion.
Good day old dogs.
M. A. L. C.

This is one of those utterly charming books that one does not often come across. It's a collection of short essays, each about a specific old dog. Some are funny, some are sad, and most are enjoyable. But what is the real plus about this book is the photography - marvelous black and white photos of the dog in each essay.

I plan on buying a couple of copies of this book for friends for Christmas. They all have older dogs, and I know they will absolutely love it. Even a non dog lover (if there can be such a thing!) would enjoy this book.

My only complaint is the format. This would make for a perfect coffee-table size volume so it would show off the fabulous photography better.

You won't walk away with any deep meaning or life-changing ideas after reading this, but you will absolutely be reminded of all the old dogs you've had in your life. And that alone is well worth the price of admission.

My opinion of this novel echos that of the other readers. The book is wonderful! The character development is a lot more in depth than in your usual romance novel (erotic tensions aplenty, but no silly/brainless humping..thank you...) and the emotions between Jessalyn and McCady are truly heartfelt. The story grips you and doesn't let you go until the perfect ending. Ah....if love were always this sweet.
"Once in a Blue Moon" is and will be my all-time favorite love story.

I almost gave up on this book. I literally put it down and was going to stop reading when for some reason I decided to keep going. Am I ever glad I did! If I would have stopped reading, I would've missed one of the greatest romance novels that I have ever read.

The thing that separates this novel is the idea of unrequited love...a love that stands the TEST OF TIME and will not be denied. The beginning starts out slow. There are 2 parts to this story...the first being their younger beginning years, and the second being when they are 5 years older.

Jessalyn falls in love with McCady Trelawny when she is 16 years old. She loves him with an intensity that goes so far beyond just a "school girl crush". She knows that she will never love another, and in one of the most endearing speeches I've ever read, declares her love, loyalty, and devotion to McCady.

McCady is a tough one. Born of a family of "losers" (aka womanizers, gamblers, drinkers..ect) he thinks of himself no higher. He doesn't believe in love or his ability to be good for anyone. In order to "save" Jessalyn from being corrupted and tainted by him, he walks away from the gift of herself that she offers him.

Five years later nothing has changed...she loves him and he is absolutely obsessed with her. Many obstacles stand in their way of being together. Debts needing to be paid, jealous others, duty and obligation are just some of the hurdles that need to be overcome, but like with all romance novels....the ending is so sweet and satisfying that you'll be laughing through tears.

I couldn't recommend a book any higher. If you love this book..check out Tapestry by Karen Ranney...another excellent example of unrequited and timeless love.

This is an amazing book. Very beautifully written. I keep rereading and it gets better and better everytime. Highly recommend it.

Once in a Blue Moon has always been a favorite. This was my third time to purchase this book. Of course, the other two I have lend out in the past and never returned so I assumed it became a favorite to friends of mine. I fell in love with McCady and Jessalyn. Hey, I can't help it. They seem so real to me. Thanks to Ms. Penelope Williamson...cheers to you ma'am.

This book, to me, can not be rated high enough.
It is the romance of romances and I've been searching in vane for something equally magical ever since I've read it. As I feel with all of Mrs Williamsons books, she tells more than a love story. She is capable of envoking deep feelings in a way that I've never encountered in any other author. It doesn't take long to feel a deep bond with her characters and you will instinctively feel the powerfull emotions that go through them, even though this is never spoken aloud. I think it is this subtle writing style that lends such power to her books.

Once in a blue moon is the kind of book that comes once in a blue moon and I cannot recommend it highly enough. After you've read and reread it, you should also buy "Heart of the West" and "Keeper of the dream".

Very much enjoyed this book. Loaded with fascinating pictures and images. Stays out of political opinions or posturing. Highly recommended.

This book broadly covers the organization and History of Hitler's elite enforces providing the reader with great amounts of information on this subject. It hides nothing especially the attrocities.

A must read for those interested in this subject.

Many good things can be said about this book. I sought out this book after reading the `Complete Idiot's Guide to Nazi Germany' and found that it had very little information on the SS. I was surprised at the number of photos and pictures in this book. That was the aspect I liked the most. The overall layout of the book was nice with detailed information on the formation of the SS, day to day tasks, subdivisions of the organization, equipment, atrocities on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, and the foreign legions. However, I feel the book could have used more information on the Gestapo, the SD, and the Einsatzgruppen. The Waffen-SS was given plenty of coverage in regards to its individual divisions and campaigns on the two fronts. I would have to say too much information considering that this was supposed to be a book about the entire SS. The sections on the Waffen SS were excellent, without a doubt. The book should have been given a different title which stresses this fact. Overall, the book was easy to read and flowed well with plenty of fascinating information. The author seemed a bit quick to defend the Waffen SS and some of the atrocities it is accused of, constantly stressing the fact that on the whole they were soldiers like those in the Wehrmacht. Though this may or may not have been true, opinions like this should have been kept to a minimum. The book would have been better if the information was just presented and then proceeded to let the reader decide for him or herself.

This book is an awesome collection of written material along with rare, powerful photos and diagrams. A standout feature, and my personal favorites, were the illustrations of particular uniforms, medlas,ceremonial decorations, propaganda posters, and weaponry that you don't find in alot of WWII references. Overall, this a great book and a must for WWII enthusiasts.

Comprehensive, profusely illustrated, reader-friendly, concise, nice size edition and clear in its exposition. In about 250 pages Mr. Williamson covers the whole history of these special troops, in all their aspects. Reviewing all its divisions, commanders, foreign nationalities that were incorporated into them, the weapons, the battles, their most talented fighters, etc and without losing the thread of his story: a most remarkable thing. Of course this is no eulogy of the SS, it tells of the barbarities committed as well as the acts of true heroism in battle by some of their soldiers. This is a great history. One can follow their main divisions from their inception long before the war, and how they grew in size and experience parallel to the national circumstances of Germany herself.

The role played by Himmler's crackpot ethnic theories were debunked by sheer necessity of man force: many of its finest soldiers were indeed non-Germans. One feels compelled to read more about this ignominiuos personage, Himmler, as he really was a weird (and evil) guy. On the positive side are outstanding acts of sheer valor and heroism of some soldiers who really deserve to remain in any military history of this war. Some passages of course overlap with the Wehrmacht, since they fought side by side many times, but both the detailed analysis and the wider scope of the SS role are present in this book. Nothing relevant is missing here. A great history book and an engrossing read.

I was skeptical about buying a book this old, but I just finished it and am still slightly amazed at how little has changed in multicast technology in ~8 years. I have read Doyle's multicast coverage, listened to InternetworkExpert's excellent "class on demand" (CoD) on the topic many times, and worked through over half of their 20 CCIE lab scenarios, all of which have multicast sections. This doesn't make me an expert by any means, but I know enough now to recognize that the material in this book is still worth reading.

The differences between this book and Doyle's (2004) are:
- Williamson dedicates a lot more effort to explaining the mroute table. This was my single biggest stumbling block in multicast routing
- Doyle, IMO, gives IGMP a better treatment
- Doyle goes over mtrace and mstat
- Williamson spreads the information out over more pages via liberal usage of config snips and diagrams, often one per page. This allows him to go into *brutal, painful and excruciating* detail about every line in the mroute table, every flag, every state transition, etc.
- Williamson does a more thorough job of explaining exactly what happens in PIM-SM networks (100+ pages to Doyle's ~25)
- Doyle goes over Anycast RP and gives a better explanation of MSDN, which appears to have been rather cutting edge when Williamson put finger to keyboard

I finished the book in about a week of serious effort, but I skipped the following chapters (Cisco has not put much effort into the technologies described), leaving me with about 400 pages of groovyness:
DVMRP
CBT
MOSPF
Connecting to DVMRP Networks
and several sections of other chapters

To be sure, some things have changed. I didn't see any mention of the "ip pim autorp listener" command, which negates the need for sparse-dense mode when configuring Auto-RP (can't recall if Doyle mentioned that either). Also, in current versions of IOS one *does* need to specify the RP on the RP itself, whereas Williamson (and Doyle) explicitly say this is not the case (they were both right at the time of print, Cisco has changed this). Overall however, I would say that easily >95% of the material is solid here.

So which book to buy? Well if you're serious about the CCIE and/or running a multicast network you'll get both, and read them both several times. I do hope Williamson updates the book though, as he alludes to several draft proposals, and gives a "state of the multicast internet" address that I would like to know more about without digging through two dozen RFCs. Also, the few things that have changed would be a boon to the book.

I come from a routing shop - never having a customer need for Multicast. This book brought me up to speed very quickly on the both the beauty and ease of Multicast. As a tool for my CCIE studies, I felt the first 200 pages were of immense value at helping my studies. I felt Chapter 5 (on DVMRP) was not nearly as valuable as Chapters 6 and 7 (on PIM-DM and PIM-SM).

Some typos I was able to pick out:
page 144 - 2nd line from bottom should read "...it too sends a Graft message to Router C" - not Router D.

page 168 - 3rd line on the 1st paragraph should read "...SPT to pull the (S2, G) traffic down to the RP..." - not (S1, G).

There are some other typos, but they are few and far between (but I'm not an expert on multicast!). I have heard of this book being talked about as the 'bible' for multicast - I can see why.

I give this book 5 pings out of 5:
!!!!!

Multicast has for several years been used in LAN environments to easily exchange information among users, especially in educational and academic research environments. The advent of audio and video conferencing has increased its use in these environments, and it is now making its presence known in WAN and Internet environments. This book gives an overview of the how to implement IP multicast on Cisco devices, and does a good job in that regard. Readers with a general knowledge of networks, even those who have not administered Cisco devices explicitly, can gain much from the book. This reviewer was not interested in the actual implementation of Cisco multicast networks, which is covered in Part 3 of the book, and so this review will concentrate on the other three parts of the book. These parts are mostly descriptive, but they do discuss some of the performance issues involved with the deployment of IP multicast, although nowhere in the book are test cases discussed, even though their inclusion would have been extremely helpful. Multicasting by itself is not a complicated phenomena to understand and use, but when it is deployed over Layer 2 or when coupled with QoS some interesting issues can arise. This reviewer was mostly interested in traffic engineering in multicast environments, and the author spends an entire chapter on this topic.

The book begins with a history of multicast and the MBone, the latter of which is a collection of Internet routers and hosts that are interconnected and are able to forward IP multicast traffic. IP multicast is of course an unreliable transmission mechanism, based as it is on UDP. Along with stating the assigned scope of the multicast addresses over IP, the author also reviews the scheme for multicast MAC addressing. The MAC address mapping will cause a CPU performance hit though since the CPU will have to be interrupted in order to deal with all 32 of the IP multicast groups. This arises since the IP multicast address information cannot be mapped into the available space of the MAC address space. There is a 32:1 address ambiguity when an IP multicast address is mapped to a MAC address.

One can summarize the properties of the multicast routing protocols discussed in the book straightforwardly:

PIM (Protocol Independent Multicasting) can run in three different modes, namely Dense (DM), Sparse (SM) and Sparse-Dense. A router will always forward multicast traffic on a dense mode interface unless all the PIM neighbors of the interface prune themselves from the multicast tree. Multicast traffic will be forwarded on a sparse mode interface only if at least one of the PIM neighbors explicitly joins the multicast tree. In sparse-dense mode, the interface can be running in sparse mode for some groups and dense mode for others. There is a "hello interval" for PIM multicast which is the frequency at which the router will send PIM query messages, the latter of which are used for selecting a PIM designated router. The PIM designated router is responsible for sending IGMP (v1) queries. Bootstrap messages can be forwarded from an interface in PIMv2. This allows all PIM-SM routers in a domain to dynamically learn all Group-to-RP mappings.In PIM-DM, the multicast traffic is periodically forwarded even on pruned interfaces of a source-based distribution tree. This allows the learning of membership changes. This 'state-refresh interval' can be configured on the first-hop routers of the multicast source, allowing the interface to periodically send a state refresh control message down the source-based distribution tree. When doing multicast in an NBMA (NonBroadcast MultiAccess) network, a router will replicate multicast packets for all neighbors configured for broadcast (actually pseudobroadcast to use the author's characterization). To avoid this, one can configure the router in NBMA mode, which will then only allow the replication of packets for PIM neighbors. NBMA mode is only supported by Cisco for SM networks.

DVMRP (Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol) does neighbor discovery, where network routing information is exchanged between neighbors. This information consists of Route Report messages that advertise a source network and a hop-count. DVMRP generates two routing tables, one is a multicast routing table to the receivers and a unicast routing table to the sources. When forwarding, a DVMRP router will use the unicast table for RPF (Reverse Path Forwarding) checks and the multicast table for forwarding multicast packets. When doing unicast routing, the router will use the unicast table for the RPF check, but will use a different multicast routing protocol for forwarding multicast packets. There is a metric value associated with a DVMRP unicast route, which is the sum of the interface metrics of a route between the router originating the report and the router in the source network.

For multicast traffic, one can control bandwidth with: 1. Aggregate rate limiting, which sets an upper bound for all multicast traffic being sent on an interface. 2. Mroute table entries wherein each individual multicast stream is set to a maximum rate. 3. `Scoped zones' and multicast boundaries, which prevent multicast traffic with a high rate from traveling outside the provisioned regions. Doing actual multicast traffic engineering is complicated do to the need for calculating the proper RPF (Reverse Path Forwarding) interface (and not the destination IP address). The author discusses in detail some of the techniques that can be used, such as GRE tunnels and `pseudo load-sharing.' GRE tunnels are used to do load-splitting of multicast traffic, which cannot be done otherwise since multicast is allowed only one incoming interface. He also describes how to do traffic conversion between broadcast and multicast, this being allowed for Cisco IOS 11.1 or later. This is a useful capability for networks where the source or the receivers, or both, do not support IP multicast.

Multicasting is truly a technology solution in search of a problem. Excepting highly specialized conferencing applications (a few of which are mentioned here) it is difficult to see how multicasting can be a money-making service for carriers and providers, and the protocols have yet to really penetrate to wide deployment. That said, knowledge of this separate realm of IP networking is a must for any professional in the telecom space.

I'm glad to say that this book rewards determined scrutiny. As a technical writer supporting a very complex product line that has recently added PIM-SM to its bag of tricks, I've found this book painstaking and tremendously informative. You will need to understand IP networking before approaching this title; on the assumption that you do, you will fully understand shared trees, SPTs, and their combination in PIM to an absolute fare-thee-well. My focus when reading this book was on IGMP and PIM-SM, so I have not read absolutely every page of this title. However, Williamson breaks the processes down packet-by-packet for each protocol in the multicasting suite in almost excruciating detail. Advanced coverage of topics such as registration, pruning, and Rendezvous Point behavior means that you will have complete mastery of Cisco multicasting, and for any platform that conforms to the standards, by the time you are finished.

This is an excellent, excellent effort in what I think is a consistently solid networking series.

This is the best multicast book on the market. It is a must have whether you are preparing for the CCIE Lab or just want to understand multicast.

The explanation was simple and clear. There are tons of configuration examples covering pretty much all kinds of scenarios. The author actually explained every single line of the configurations.

I bought this book for my Lab exam, and after two days of reading, 99.99% of my questions were answered (the only one I still have is I actually made PIM-DM work in a hub-spoke frame relay network. The prune message from one spoke was actually seen by the other spoke, I don't know why the hub would forward it out).

I have to admit this is one of the best books I've read for a long time. Just like Jeff Doyle's TCP/IP Routing is the Bible of IGP, this book is the Bible of Multicast.

This is so much more than a book; each time I read even a few pages I immediately see my life from a more expanded perspective, and also FEEL more expanded within. H.H. Sai Maa offers profound spiritual truths and also, perhaps more importantly, practical advice for living those truths in your daily life (e.g., in your relationships).

Reading even a few pages a day and applying even a fraction of what you read to your life can completely transform your concept of yourself, your relationships and how you live your life from moment-to-moment.

No need to search any further for the "perfect" book on your spiritual path. This is it...Cover to cover is filled with every teaching one needs to remember,and the Grace to be the Love we all long to know.

These teachings are simple to understand and easy to read, yet the messages are so profound that I've had to take the book page by page- and sometimes paragraph by paragraph- to let the message sink in. This is not a book you'll want to rush through.

Sai Maa's website - HumanityInUnity.org - has lots of great wisdoms as well.

Written in the simplest yet most profound language, Petals of Grace provides universal teachings for everyone on their path to enlightenment. It is filled with such beauty, understanding, love and blessings that you never want to put the book down. It is one of the most precious books in my library.

Mary McKeon
Colorado Springs, CO

My experience with this book: it is humming, literally vibrating with energy and life. When I read it, I feel the experience of grace itself--not just words on a page, but the joy and the beauty of life comes through.

I hightly recommend this book for anyone who is living in the spiritual path and ready for the fast-track to transformation.

Larry King is humorous. I read this book in 1 day I couldn't put it down! If you want to understand prayer from a wide range of people from different faiths and beliefs then you should get this book. I read it free from the library years ago and for some reason I just thought to myself maybe I will buy it. lol....hope you enjoy this book as I did.

This book is going on eight years old as I write this review, but I suppose it will always seem timely. Larry has quite a knack for just telling it like it is. As an admitted agnostic he has no agenda in passing along this delightful collection of tales and interviews with those who [mostly] have belief in God. And mind you, this is not a book on religion. True to its title, the book relates prayers - moments - that have moved others to prayer. In some instances it is the circumstance which catches your attention, and other times it is the prayer itself that provides the power. And Larry's personal asides are even more delightful.

All in all I was always interested in reading on to the next page, person, or prayer. This is an "un-fussy" book and a wonderful read.

This book will open your mind if you are agnostic, and it may make you angry if you are set in your conventional religious beliefs. This is not a politically correct book, and King takes some risks, but it is worth a good read whether you are spiritally inclined or somewhere in the middle.

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Mr. King delved into the foundation of Spirituality and Religion and made simple an otherwise complex and controversial issue. The book focuses on the individual and his or her communication with God, while setting aside religious beliefs. I would like to recommend to friends who are too formal about prayers and to those who maybe agnostic such as Larry King in his book.

Mr. King delved into the foundation of Spirituality and Religion and made simple an otherwise complex and controversial issue. The book focuses on the individual and his or her communication with God, while setting aside religious beliefs. I would like to recommend to friends who are too formal about prayers and to those who maybe agnostic such as Larry King in his book.

I got this book as a gift for a friend, so of course I didn't read it first (haha!), but I did glance through and it does have some beautiful pictures to go along with the writings.

A book to slowly taste--word by word. Bask in glorious graphics; savor the thick paper; turn only a page a day to make it last!

ILLUMINATIONS is truly a MUST. This book is perfect for those of us who are looking for beauty, understanding, and spiritual richness in life. It is filled with magnificent art work, photographs, drawings and the myriad of various texts just left me astounded. I have given this book to a dozen friends and have received nothing but kudos for doing so! I have referred to ILLUMINATIONS several times during the past year and inevitably receive the inspiration therein.

I gave this book to all my good friends for Christmas. Every one of them, and they are an eclectic group, loves it. This is a book to be savoured like a fine wine. Each time you pick it up, you discover something new and wonderful. I find a favorite poem or photograph or essay or quotation every time I look at it. There are so many jewels here, so much accumulated talent. The editiors, Jennifer McMahon and Mark Tompkins, have truly given all of us who are lucky enough to encounter this book a gift to be treasured for many years. If you haven't been lucky enough to have been given this book, buy one for yourself today. You will love it!

I was delighted and fortunate to discover "Illuminations" through the publication
of one of my poems. It is a gem of a collection, encompassing all faiths and beliefs,
very spiritual and uplifting, filled with beautiful and inspiring pictures, a work of art
in itself. It is at the same time meditation, essay, poetry, and will even spur
your creativity. I was blessed to be part of it and recommend it as an opportunity
for communion with the self.
Helene Cardona, author of The Astonished Universe