Guides Books

It is so rare to read a book that has not one boring page in it. This is an elegantly written family saga and suspenseful tale which is visually stunning and emotionally riveting. Polished, immersing, unputdownable. I wanted in. I wanted to leap into the novel--literally! and connect with the characters personally. There are times it brought me to my knees.

This is an author who braids craft with art without sacrificing one for the other. Cronin controls his story and characters with a fierce yet velvet subtlety. It shimmers, like a cold, clean, pure Maine river. The North Woods sparkles in all its four glorious seasons and becomes an important part of the story. I was ready to chuck it all and find that spot in Maine and move there.

The prologue begins just after WW II and continues for about 20 pages. We then are carried to the 1990's, where much of the action takes place, all at this Maine fishing camp for tourists run by a family in its second generation of ownership. It is a reflective story that draws heavily on past events. Cronin masters the back and forth sequences of time without distracting or annoying the reader--in fact, the story blooms with time changes rather than halts.

After reading the last page, I closed the book and just sat there, staring at the cover, drifting back into the story, a shudder through my body, a sigh that wouldn't quit. It was such an exalting experience that I have to gush. I want to share this compelling and unforgettable story with everyone. It is practically flawless. Literature, and a page-turner, a passionate drama. Cronin's powerful and well-chosen narrative style and classy use of the English language prevents it from ever being melodrama.

My heart spills over my words.

This is a wonderfully written book. The characters are endearing and the stories of their lives quite compelling. Both funny and sad, it is richly filled with details.

My favorite quote is the one about Iowa. I've told it to many people (giving proper credit of course!) and laughs all around.

This is a book that starts out as a good summer read and then becomes something more. The characters are likable from the first, like people you've met and enjoyed at social occasions. As their stories move forward, the characters become both more familiar and more exceptional, like when you suddenly realize an acquaintance has become a friend. Their imperfections are not necessarily endearing, but you find yourself sharing their pain, or maybe just remembering the echoes of pain you've already shared with real friends. And yet it's an encouraging and rewarding book in the end. The author weaves the plot together artfully. I especially enjoyed the pivotal point when one heretofore quiet character seizes the wheel and begins to turn things right-side up again.

Reading is one of my greatest pleasures and a friend who knows this gave me "The Summer Guest". I was not familiar with the author and didn't know anything about the book before I began. I have since recommended this book to all of my friends. It is truly one of the best books I've read and I am a voracious reader. The language is absolutely beautiful and the characterizations are wonderful. It is a book to savor and, although I rarely reread books, I will definitely read this one again.

John Citron's review from March 24, 2006 says it all. If you are in doubt about whether to purchase "The Summer Guest", do it anyway. You will not be disappointed.

Really ... absolutely wonderful. Captivating. I couldn't stop reading and I was very sorry when it was over. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Cronin.

Great book, great series. good to test what you know and some hit points that you might not find anywhere else.

This book is in short, Q&A style, and is excellent for quick review, especially when you have 10 minutes before a case starts. During surgeries, I got asked a lot of questions straight out of the book. A more thorough book is needed for in-depth info, but this book is great to carry around with you and read in those rare spare minutes.

Great for surgery because it goes over anatomy (perfect for OR days) and different diseases/pathophysiology (great for rounding). Must-have for surgery clerkship.

This book is great! You can carry it around with you to quickly review before cases, or even in the clinic. Almost every pimp question I have gotten was in this book!!

Surgery is a difficult rotation in terms of content and time commitment. Therefore, it's best to study to maximize your time. This book will prepare you for surviving rounds and those pimp sessions while you are retracting. The book is well organized by topic and great to quickly review before discussing/encountering a particular patient. The book saved me several times during a long surgery. However, of note, to survive the shelf exam and osce, you will need a textbook as well. Good choices to supplement this book would be Essentials of General Surgery or First Aid for the Surgery Clerkship.

If you have to work with people who speak a different language, then this book is a treasure. It is an easy book to read, and the way it teaches is inspiring. I could not have done all the difficult jobs I did working with an international team if I had not read this. Highly recommended.

When I was introduced to this book in March of 2007, I was just putting the finishing touches on a communication workshop of my own, Mastering the Art of Listening. As a business coach, I long ago realized that most breakdowns in companies as well as relationships, occur in a world of dysfunctional communication. What inspired me about this book was it was if I had read Thomas' mind when creating my own workshop. I am now leading Communicate or Die workshops for businesses and my own workshop for relationships. A must read if you own a business or work for one, especially in a bigger corporation.

"I started reading "Communicate or Die" and couldn't put it down. I was reading it on the subway and kept missing my stops and having to go back."

As a public speaker, I am always looking for new and practical books to help me convey a down-to-earth message. Communicate or Die definitely meets those standards. It is truly a winner!

I have read this book a few times over the years and always been empowered to communicate more effectively when I read it again. In the last months I have been studying the book's material, like my life depended on it as the title indicates. I read for 20 minutes each day, highlight sections and writing observations into my journal. It is one of the best books on communication I have read and studied and as I take on a new and bigger challenge, my daily study is an imperative.
The book puts me into an environment where I am conscious of my speaking and how I listen to people, of effectiveness and forward motion. To share Communicate or Die's wisdom and tools with my associates and clients, I have ordered a special edition of 750 copies with our own brand on the cover. It is to be my gift to herald in a new and prosperous 2007. I consider it a small and high-leveraged investment in the leadership of my volunteers and colleagues and essential for the task that we have taken on in the world - the end of rape on earth.
Peg Thatcher, International President, Project for the End of Rape; CEO, Thatcher & Associates.

This book is absolutely awesome. It's very organized, which is my number one need in a book. It's narrowed down, it's technical, but Ed writes things in a way that just sticks. The way this book starts out is very logical, it's a progression. It starts you off with:

-TCP/IP(Which is a must)
-Windows Overview(Which is a must)
-Unix/Linux Overview(Get the picture?)

Then it goes into
-Recon(gathering information)
-Scanning(Port Scanning, and Vulnerability scanning)
-Gaining access- This chapter explains Boffer Overflows very well, and
Metasploit)--I enjoyed this chapter.

-Network Attacks( Privelage Escalation, hoping from one computer to the next, collecting passwords by sniffing)
-Maintaining Access(Backdoors, viruses, Rootkits)
-Covering tracks

This book is just a good read. I think I'm going to read again, this time taking notes. I tried to read Hacking Exposed, but it jumps around to much, and it's boring. My two cents.

This is great book I would recomend it to someone interested in learning the basic fundamentals of computer security.

Nutshell review - Another great book by Ed Skoudis. Covers all the popular attack vectors and a variety of possible defence techniques. A solid book from which further study and investigation can be undertaken. Management people should read this too.

Counter Hack Reloaded (CHR) is an excellent book for someone looking for a broad overview of computer/network security written in a very clear, logical, and even enjoyable manner.

After CHR's Introductory chapter, the reader is given an overview on Networking, Linux/Unix, and Windows. These three chapters give the reader enough to be able to understand the subsequent chapters which deal with specific phases of an attack. These phases are, Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access (with different chapters for different methods of gaining access,) Maintaining Access, and Covering Tracks. Throughout these chapters, CHR introduces the reader to the tools used by attackers; how they work, where to get them, and how to defend yourself against them (often by using the tools themselves.) Finally, CHR "puts it all together" with different scenarios of attacks. The scenarios show how attackers use different phases of an attack, and different tools, to penetrate a network/system. Throughout this chapter CHR highlights the mistakes the victims make in their networks/systems to allow the attacks to succeed.

CHR is exceptionally well written, especially for a technical subject. Explanations of complex topics are clear, simple and even entertaining. I would even go so far to say that it is a joy to read.

Overall, CHR is about core concepts. It's about understanding how attacks occur, and understanding why they can succeed. Only then can you have any hope in understanding how to go about defending yourself.

I'm technically not finished reading this book yet and probably never will be until they update it again and still it will be a good reference manual for several years anyway. Skoudis and Liston do have a way of making complex issues seem to make sense. I thank them for writing it and thank Amazon for making it available to me.

My copy is dog-eared. You can get the book online; I still prefer dead trees in hand.

You can read the table of contents and get a feel for the book. But what is best is Greenspun's attitude.

I think his best comment is that the hard part is the design and the easy part is to "Write a couple of programs that parse the HTML forms and turn them into actual database transactions". (pg 172) And then he provides examples of doing just this.

But as I said, Greenspun has an attitude that is very refreshing.

Easily the most readible treatise on DB weblishing that I've seen, Greenspun's book covers all the bases without descending too far into geek speak.

Your VP will understand it, and your MIS manager will be able to use it for something.

Some of the specific technology described in this book is a little outdated now, but the core techniques live on.

Greenspun's writing is a delight to read, and the information he shares here will provide you with the foundational knowledge on which to build a wide variety of web applications.

Buy this book (or read the online version at philip.greenspun.com), follow the examples, and start building yourself (and others) great, content-filled, easy-to-use web sites.

Philip Greenspun is a rare find: a techie who knows how to communicate. He doesn't even limit himself to one media! While other books may take a schlolarly approach to building websites, Greenspun's story is told by someone who's rolled up his sleeves. As the reader, you get to view web-database design through Greenspun's eye for detail. All tech books should be this good.

This book focuses on the goals of Web site design rather than the nuts and bolts. Although the book contains specific code fragments, it is not a coding book. Rather it is a chronicle of Greenspun's experiences in setting up more than 50 Web sites over the years. This chronicle contains many hard-won lessons that will help prevent the reader from making similar mistakes.

Greenspun has an easy-to-read writing style and a wry sense of humor. (The book has no CD ROM attached to the inside back cover but a picture of a CD ROM with the international "No" symbol overprinted. All code an more is available from Greenspun's Web sites, as you would expect from a book about Web sites.) He also emphasizes esthetic choices and subscribes to a minimalist visual style, in the book and for Web sites, that enhance reading and make downloads as fast as possible.

I loved this one growing up. Really. Amelia Bedelia always choose the funniest possible interpretation of words, and her name rhymes! What's not to love?

The one thing I'd be concerned about is that a lot of the usages in this book are going to be unfamiliar to your young kid. I don't think many of us say "draw the curtains" anymore, and even if we do, we probably don't often talk about "trimming" steak (with or without lace!) or "dressing" chicken, at least, not around our kids. Maybe we should, but we don't.

So this book might be better saved for read-aloud time than read-alone time.

My first grader love that book. He was cracking up and he had so much fun reading this book! He reads it without any help. It is a cute and funny story and if you child doesn't like to read this is a great book to spike an interest in reading.

I remember reading these books years and years ago! I'm in 10th grade and it's been more 5 years since I was in elementary school and yet when I go work at my old school I go back and read them again!

A fun (and funny) book which will delight kids with Amelia's well-intentioned but mistake-laden chores. Kids feel empowered because they are 'smarter' than the character and are able to cheer her on. In the end, Amelia's good deeds overpower any mistakes she makes.

I recommend this book for any child who is beginning to read on their own!

This is surly a kids favorite since I was a little girl! We join Amelia Bedelia as she starts her first day of work for the Rodgers. They rush off shortly after she arrives, but they've left her a list of things to do. Should be a snap, as all the tasks are simple and clearly stated...but that's what you think...Amelia Bedelia begins completing each chore in quite a literal fashion...drawing the drapes and much, much more! Younger kids (1-4) will like the silliness of it and beginner readers and more savvy grade schoolers (5-8) will like that's it's simple and clever/silly too! I recommend it without reservation! I'm sure Amelia will be with us, teaching fine lessons about the words we use and the many means they can have for generations to come!

Beezus and Ramona is a good book! In this book, you meet Fred, Ramona's imaginary pet lizard. Ramona also happens to destroy a library book! How do you spell Ramona and Beezus? F-u-n, f-u-n, f-u-n! I'm not allowed to tell you anything else. So how do you find out about this? READ THE BOOK-NOW!

Is there *anyone* on the planet who doesn't like Beverly Cleary's books and the wonderful characters she created?

Beezus and Ramona (along with Henry Huggins and the rest of the gang on Klikitak Street) were part of my childhood. 40 years later, they were just as appealing to my own son. And don't tell anyone -- although we bought these audiobooks when he was about 8, at 12 he still likes to put these on ocassionally and listen. Why? In large part because of Stockard Channing's masterful performance here. Her rendition of Ramona is EXACTLY how we imagine this impish little creature would talk.

I highly recommend these books, both because of the delightful stories and characters that Mrs. Clearly created for us, and because Stockard Channing has brought them to life so perfectly here. The stories are reminiscent of simpler times and will take parents back to their own childhoods while providing toddlers to tweens with good, wholesome entertainment.

We listened on road trips, and unlike certain kids entertainment (a certain purple dinosaur comes to mind), you won't want the kids to wear headphones to preserve your sanity. You'll want it on the main speakers for everyone in the car to enjoy.

Five stars!

If you have a little sister and think she's annoying, think again. Does your sister think Bendix is the most beautiful name in the world? Does she ruin your birthday cake--twice?! Sometimes little sisters are annoying, but Ramona is impossible! Beezuz, Roamona's big sister finds out that no matter what happens in her childhood with Ramona, they will think it funny when they grow up. I hope you'll enjoy this book!

Beezus really got annoyed with Ramona, she wrecked the art class, she bite into all those apples,etc. I would have probably screamed if I had Ramona for a sister! I like Beverly Cleary's books. I own this particular book of hers, and I read it again and again! It's awsome! I totally recomend it, along with Cleary's other awsome books!

Ask any older sibling about younger siblings, and you'll get one common answer...they're A-N-N-O-Y-I-N-G. They steal your toys, throw tantrums, and constantly steal the spotlight. But, even the most perturbed older siblings know that, deep down, it's impossible not to love younger sisters and brothers - sometimes.

Nine-year-old Beatrice "Beezus" Quimby has always been a quiet soul, content with spending her time embroidering pot holders, helping her mother do the sheets on Saturday's, and reading the countless books she checks out of the Glenwood Branch Library on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, her four-year-old sister, Ramona, is the exact opposite of her. Ramona has one thing on her mind, and that's making as much noise as possible, and driving the whole family out of their mind. Beezus can't stand it, especially since the responsibility of taking care of Ramona, and ensuring that she behaves, is often delegated to her, so that her parents can get their work done. Ramona, however, refuses to obey Beezus. Unless, of course, she's reading one of her favorite books - The Littlest Steam Shovel, or Big Steve the Steam Shovel - to her. But even that doesn't keep Ramona occupied for long. When Beezus is in the midst of creating pictures for her art class, Ramona is there to cause a mess, and challenge Beezus' imagination. When Ramona is offered two marshmallows as a snack, she uses them as powder puffs, as opposed to putting them in her tummy, where they belong. During checkers games with Beezus' pal Henry Huggins, Ramona destroys the checkerboard, and wreaks all sorts of havoc - even some involving Henry's beloved dog Ribsy. In Beezus' eyes, she can't win - even when it's her birthday. But as she gets older, and learns more about her mother's relationships with her siblings, Beezus begins to realize that, as obnoxious as Ramona is, she's still her sister. And even though she may become angry at Ramona for her crazy antics; she still loves her - just not all the time.

I fell in love with Beverly Cleary's RAMONA books when I was five-years-old, and now that I have decided to re-read them, I'm finding that I can't help but fall in love with them all over again. I feel as if I have reverted back to my five-year-old self, and can actually relate to the mishaps that continually take place during both Ramona, and Beezus' lives. Beezus is such a fun character, who seems wise beyond her years, and is serious to a motherly extent. Ramona, on the other hand, is carefree and impossible to handle. Her wacky thoughts, and determination to always have her way is humorous; while some of the debacles she finds herself in are downright cringe-worthy. Cleary has penned a book here that is essential to read aloud to both older and younger children. The message of love is clear on every page, and truly helps to bring siblings together. Clever, funny, and irresistible.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Excellent! Great advice, great stories and easy to keep focused. Definately helping me stay focused in writing my business plan and staying focused on my dream in transitioning from corporate America to being a Women Owned Business!

To be able to be your own boss and follow your passion and make money is everyone's dream. Birthing the Elephant is a practical and inspirational guide not only for women but for men who would like to leave the corporate world to follow their dream. The book does not sugar coat the problems a new entrepreneur faces but gives realistic tips and guidelines of what to do and what to expect at different stages of a business venture. It encourages and cautions, providing different strategies, realizing that each endeavor is individual but there are many common threads. The real life stories make it a very interesting read.

This book is very inspirational! Being a college student interested in the world of marketing, I found that this book gave me even more inspiration to follow through with my dream of starting my own business. The examples given in this book are outstanding and the hints and ways to start your own business are extremely helpful!

This book is a perfect read for college students. Being one myself, this book gives perfect insight on how a woman should approach the business
world. After reading the book, I found a new intrest in perhaps wanting to start a business of my own when I graduate.

Birthing the Elephant is a great book, its serves as an informative guidebook for the business minded individual who want to become a successful entrepreneur. The book motivate peolple to ignore the "you can do it, its hard, people have fail excusses " and push individual to seriously consider the positive possibility of starting a small business. Great book to own, its a must read. The price is also not bad. you can't beat this two combinations.

Gary Vaynerchuk.

I admit, I never would have recognized this name two years ago. But in two very short years (perhaps less) this name and the wine-infused, palate-drenching, non-traditional approach to wine his name symbolizes has had an infectious effect on wine consumers world wide. I had the pleasure of meeting Gary just before the wild fire was set and ever since the first Wine 2.0 event my appreciation and respect for Gary has grown tremendously.

Gary would be the first to admit that he's not a Rhodes scholar and didn't study English at Oxford, and as you might guess, neither have I. He chose video as his medium because he is raw, unrefined, reactionary, and as in your face "Jersey" as it gets.

After seeing Gary on Conan the second time, I asked myself if Gary could ever enter the mainstream wine drinker channels, e.g. Gary giving his two cents on wine in the Wall Street Journal or NY Times? To do that, Gary would have to be able to string a conscious, coherent stream of impulses to text-something that rarely happens, as his type of enthusiasm is hard to lasso to text. However, Vaynerchuk's book, 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder To Your World comes across as genuinely Gary as possible and is a great read for any wine drinker who has ever wanted more from their wine review!

Gary's genuine lack of finesse, lack of snobbery, and most importantly, lack of boring moments, comes straight through in his book with wine review titles like "Oak Monster Be Damned," and `risque' topics like "Red Wine with Fish." Read it cover to cover, browse it from the toilet, or use it for inspiration when you find a wine that really brings the thunder - but whatever you do, get yourself a copy!

This book far exceeded my expectations, broght a thunder of enjoyment, and contributed yet more valuable knowledge and tidbits to my understanding of the wine world. Gary offers every description in a fun and easy to read, down-to-earth, interest catching manner and language. Besides the fact that in my opinion this book is so good, spreading also the writer's exquisite taste in choosing this wine list, I must enrich this concept by adding that Gary Vaynerchuk is the most influential person in my life, as far as my relationship with wines go. That is also to say that this young man clearly promises to be the next generation Robert Parker, or wine authority of that scope.

this is a book about joy...words like "Inspire" and "Delight" accurately describe the contents of the book..after starting to read wine reviews (and collecting wines) 25 years ago, I gave up; the previous wine commentaries all sounded like clinical reviews of new drugs; I found no joy in reading the "taste list" of samplings and felt stupid. Gary V has it right..wine (and wine tasting) should be a passion, a new experience, something fun, something to be shared..the comments in the book sound just like those on his PODcast(check it out). He will show you how to enjoy new tastes. Buy the book and read it. Mark the pages about the wines which you might be interested in. Start watching the show. Visit your local wine store regularly. You will forever be changed..

Gary Vaynerchuk is a charlatan within nothing insightful or informative to say. How he got to where is is a mystery to me. I guess it's because he's done a good job of positioning himself as a "shock" wine critic. He acts like a complete goofball his video reviews, and not in a good way. That really annoys me - not because he acts goofy, but because it's obviously FORCED and unnatural. He probably believes he needs to do something to make his subject matter more interesting. (After all, wine doesn't lend itself to a visual medium like video, right? Please.) Ironically, good wine needs no embellishment. All he needs to do is tell the stories behind the wines he's reviewing and the producers who make them, and do that in a straightforward way, and he would be fascinating. When it comes to wine, reality is more interesting than fantasy.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3SK7UFPK9STIH Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World is a great, fun book that talks about wines you should try. Fast read, and I learned a lot from Gary. Funny headlines and copy too. Not your typical wine review book. I don't even drink wine! My wife loved it. Found a wine she absolutely loves now.

This book was excellent in giving us advice for which rides to ride, which rides to skip, which places to eat at, and which places to skip (because of the cost, haha). It even has fold out maps so we didn't have to get them separately and tote them all around, and they were very helpful--we used them every day. It also tells you the costs of all the hotels, if you're looking for that, as well. We especially enjoyed Port Orleans French Quarter. This book even has a special place for character autographs for your children so you don't have to buy one for $10! Buy this book and enjoy your trip even more!

I received my copy today of the Passporter 2005. This will be our first trip to WDW and now we are even more excited after reading through this book!!! I love that it is so compact, yet FULL of helpful information. Also, I like that the book can be closed so nothing will fall out. It is perfect to take into the Parks. It is like the Walt Disney World "Bible". A must for first time travelers to WDW!!!!

This is a wonderful book. It is cleverly written and organized with lots of ample room for the reader to journal, take notes and store paper momentos. I can hardly wait to take this with me on our Walt Disney World Vacation in a few short weeks. The authors have provided AWESOME information to make sure that my family has a great vacation. If you are looking for the perfect tour guide to WDW this is it!

I LOVE this book!!! I live in FL but hadn't been to Disney in years, so I decided to buy a planning book before our big trip. Well, I sure got more than I bargained for with this book. It has useful information about every resort, restaurant and ride...and more! The passporter pockets make it convenient to store your hotel confirmations, priority seating confirmations and tickets prior to your trip. The fold-out maps are great too!

In addition to the wealth of information provided in the book, Jennifer and Dave have a wonderful website that I highly recommend for more information about Disney, including updates to the book. If you are planning a Disney trip OR if you just love WDW, GET THIS BOOK. I can't say enough about it.

If you have read any of the other reviews you already know this series inspires strong praise and I agree with all of it. I'd like to add one more reason to appreciate this book- there is NO approximation of the WDW LOGO! you may be wondering why that would be a good thing so I'll tell you. We have a 4year old who can not read yet but has the brand recognition skills of a savant- I have had this book for a few days and not a shread of curiosity about it yet. Which translates into PEACEFUL planning. We won't be tackling the mouse till Dec. and I don't think I can stand almost 3 months of "IS IT TIME YET?????"