Services Books

...purchase this book. I was looking for web sites to enjoy with my nieces and younger cousins and decided to purchase a book which could "direct me" in the right places. This book is a wonderful addition to have if you have younger children and younger visitors and need a way to "keep them occupied"! Buy this book. It is very well put together! It is also worth every cent. The only thing it doesnt have that I would give it 5 stars is a CD ROM directory for the electronic version...otherwise go for it if you dont mind typing in the sites yourself!

The Internet Yellow Pages is a "must have" book for students, adults, schools, teachers, and public libraries. Parents, teachers, and libraries should have access to this fabulous resource. After all, most homes and offices have at least one telephone directory. Let your fingers do the walking with this fabulous Internet directory which includes over 800 pages of carefully alphabetized, categorized, and graphically appealing subjects that can be used for research and information gathering. Does your child or someone you know need to write a report? Possibly a state, gold rush, science, animal, or other type of school report? Look no further. Just get out the Internet Yellow Pages, type in the URL and you will be instantly connected to quality web sites without wasting valuable time using various search engines.Each site is full of great information that has been carefully reviewed as "kid safe" by the author, Jean Armour Polly and her staff.

In addition to the excellent educational locations there are also many sites that are fun to visit, such as, jokes and riddles, toys, sports, games and fun, rainbows, boating and sailing, to name a few.

The final section of the book is dedicated to parenting and families. This section includes subjects such as entertainment, movie, video reviews, education, baby-sitting, health and safety. All the information is carefully referenced in the final index and the bonus CD-ROM includes tutorials, for safe and fun surfing on the net. This is a wonderful book and a very good investment. It is a reference guide each home, school, or library should have at their fingertips.

C. Mendenhall Teacher Deer Creek School

Customers may be confused by the way this book is listed. There is a NEWER edition of this book out, I should know, I am the author! It's available here at Amazon. Look for the one that says 4th edition. The ISBN number of the new edition is 0-0072121858. It is also called the Millennium Edition.

Our Girl Scout/Brownie International Day was a smashing success thanks to this book. Our troops were able to find information, recipes, songs and dances quickly and easily. We kept it at the Headquarters for a few months and everyone turned to it to find out about every country from Haida Nation to Iceland. The girls loved the website activities and the leaders loved the ease with which they could retrieve information. I also used her editorial blurbs to entertain the crowds between performances.

The 2002 Net-mom's Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages directory offers kids and their entire families a number of refreshing, entertaining, and informative Websites. After a brief introduction readers are treated to Net-mom's top hotlists, top Websites, and safety tips for surfing the Internet. Then the real fun begins!

This 587-page yellow page directory covers hundreds of topics of interest to kids and their families. Websites offer information about animals, art, buried treasures, coin collecting and money, computers, food, foreign countries, American history, insects, interesting facts, the Internet, music, scouting, ships and shipwrecks, space missions, sports history, toys, transportation, weather, world leaders, and much much more. I took the time to visit some of the Websites listed in the book. Here are several that caught my interest:

Students will be in for a real gooey education at Silly Putty University. Here they will learn about the history, composition, and many uses of this still-popular toy - the toy with only one moving part. Students will also learn about the many varieties of Silly Putty currently available - the original pink, the 50th year anniversary metallic gold, glow-in-the-dark colors, temperature sensitive color changing colors, and an assortment of bright colors. When ready, students can elect to take the final exam in order to receive their Silly Putty degree!

After viewing the Silly Putty Website I moved on to Coin World , to look up some information about my favorite coin - the 1943 steel pennies. During the second World War copper was needed for the war effort so zinc-covered steel pennies were struck. However, some rare 1943 copper pennies and even rarer 1944 steel pennies were made. At least one 1943 silver-bronze penny was made! I performed some additional online research and ended up placing bids at eBay for some steel pennies - and I won!

As with any child-age educational material, parents should become seriously and creatively involved with the upbringing of their children. They should take the lead to protect their children at all times while they surf online. To her credit, the author advises parents to review certain Websites that contain sensitive material. Topics such as religion, politics, child development, environmentalism, and the creation-evolution debate sometimes touch upon controversial issues and require responsible parental involvement.

The author provides brief and concise summary descriptions of each site mentioned in the book and creatively relates topics of interest to encourage readers to dig deeper in their online researching. As I've found out for myself, visiting Websites like the ones listed in this book can be a good educational experience, as well as a bunch of fun for the whole family. Parents can sit down with theirs kids and have many hours of fun and adventure. This book is ideal for babysitting, daycare, home-school, and public school use!

This is a compelling story of high stakes espionage in the Cold War. The amazing thing is that it is not fiction--it is history. The understanding that the author has about espionage and the intelligence community is right on. If you love history and are interested in the spy game--this is the book for you.

Barron's prose is articulate and well-phrased without wandering into pedantic posturing. We rarely know his opinion of all the goings-on, and what events he describes! We are quickly lost in this real world of espionage and deception, thoughtfully recreated by an author who knows his business and tells it well. An exciting read.

The only thing more incredible than the story of Morris and Jack Childs, brothers who, from the early 1950s through the late 1970s, were FBI assets within the American Communist Party, and who were personal friends of Soviet leaders, is that Hollywood has yet to commit this to celluloid. Here were four brave Americans--to include their intrepid wives, Eva and Roz--who for decades risked their lives to report to the FBI (and from the Bureau to the President) on the thoughts and intentions of Soviet leaders. So trusted by their friends in the Soviet leadership, they served as secret Soviet emissaries to China and Cuba, reporting back to the Soviets the attitudes and positions of Mao and Castro. Thus successive U.S. presidents enjoyed unique intelligence on the thinking of not only the Soviets, but of the Chinese and the Cubans as well. The story told in OPERATION SOLO is spellbinding, frought with tension, occasionally leavened by the earthy humor of its principal players. This is, in short, a terrific story about great Americans--hardworking FBI agents who shied away from the spotlight, and their courageous assets--that demands to be read or, someday, seen on screen.

A couple of points about John Barron's book. It is well written overall and reads quickly. It is not without faults, however. (1) The story is sometimes interrupted to introduce fairly extensive citations of reports written or passed along by the Childs. Without greater historical context, though, these passages are somewhat sterile and dry. Someday, one hopes, a more detailed study will add historical material external to SOLO that would, along with insightful analysis, demonstrate the true value of the SOLO reporting (as another reviewer here has suggested). (2) The section that deals with Martin Luther King is disappointing. For one thing, Barron is historically inaccurate or incomplete when the author states that "No one could have been more sympathetic to King than the Kennedy brothers." See Robert Dallek's excellent book on JFK for a better treatment of the Kennedys' complex relationship with King. Barron also downplays King's true significance as a great civil rights leader in order to discuss Communist ties to his inner circle of advisors. Furthermore, in an egregious departure from journalistic objectivity, Barron appears to excuse FBI's excessive campaign against King, including the infamous hotel wiretaps, on the pretext that King's private behavior was "inconsistent with [that] of a Christian minister and moral exemplar."

These misgivings aside, this is a truly amazing tale. Read the book and then amaze your friends in recounting the story. Are you listening, Hollywood?

This is an incredible story of a courageous couple of brothers and their wives who, while initially being drawn into Communism, were able to see the ugly truth behind it, and use their backgrounds to become the greatest spies in history. The book is written very well and as such it is hard to put down. Aside from a great story of intrigue, the book also offers a unique perspective on what really went on in the Kremlin as well as (parts of) the FBI.

I am the son of the FBI agent Richard Hansen. I can attest to the secrecy of this operation by explaining how I learned about it. In 1997 I was looking through the new arrivals at my local library. I started leafing through this book and did a double take when I saw my dad's name. I checked out the book, rushed home, called my dad. Sure enough, he admitted that he was the agent in the book. It is an amazing testament to his fidelity that he did not speak of this operation(even after he retired), until this book came out.

Sad, but not hopeless, biographical account of a young musician stricken with a horrifying illness. Heartfelt & honest without being overly sentimental. Written in a captivating & sometimes humorous tone, not witholding any details. I have been reading this as a physician, and will recommend the book to any young patients I have with grave illnesses.

I purchase this book many years ago simply because I was a big ebtg fan. I casually knew what he had been thorugh and felt terrible for him, but was going through the process of losing and then grieving for a loved one.
When I read the book, it offered me a perspective on what life may have been like for my loved one as he suffered illness. What a wonderful gift Ben Watt has given. He writes without self-pity, in his lyrical style without being flowery or glossing over the ugliness of illness. I am so glad that he survived for selfish reasons-the music he (&Tracey) has(have) produced (before and after the illness) has been a diverse gift to the world.
And I am so greatful that he wrote this book. Experiencing the death of a loved one through being a spectator to horrible illness, was, in a strange way one of life's best gifts to me. No I didn't learn to be greatful for my health and all that crap-I learned that true joy comes from giving to another and expecting nothing in return. Ben Watt's Patient, gave me an extra perspective on that experience, and sometimes helps me to remember the life-lesson from it all.
In summation, read Patient for more of Watt's lyrical writing, read it to find a surprisingly good story with plot twists and turns, read it to learn what severe illness truly is. Fascinating. A gift-thank you.

I'd been a fan of EBTG for quite awhile before this book came out. Their soothing music has always been a favorite so I was really interested to see what this book was all about.

It turned out to be a very disturbing account of Ben Watt's freak-show illness, blow by blow. His commentary is riveting and one gets the feeling that he does not feel sorry for himself in the least, but instead follows his own story as if he is an observer who also happens to be its main character.

I was heartened to read toward the end of the book Watt's own musings on what may have brought all his health problems about. Though he left it vague, his illness seems to be among those new "diseases of civilization" caused by many factors in our surroundings that lead to hard-to-define ailments where environmental toxicity and the overuse of pharmaceutical medicines are certainly not to be discounted.

In any case it seems that his passion for music transcended all, and was at least in part a contributor to his recovery. Most of all he deserves a thanks for telling his story, unadulterated. For sure it has made this reader not feel so isolated.

The fact that Watt's story lacks a significant plot (outside of the onset, diagnosis, and treatment of his rare condition) is largely forgivable. For those of us who know Watt primarily as a musician/songwriter, the somewhat static storyline here is acceptable. All that's missing from "Patient" is Everything But The Girl's enlightening bed of music to be heard under Ben's delicately articulated prose. Typical of many great songs, Watt occasionally blurs the line between the first- and third-person narration, and "Patient" is better off for it. Perhaps even better than the great writing, though, is the genuine and intimate portal into the lives of Ben and Tracey rarely afforded to EBTG fans. It's a relatively short read, but each page gives plenty to be absorbed as the result of Ben's crafty alliteration and his uncensored, yet careful, approach to the fog of medical lexicon. Not for the weak of heart--or stomach--Watt's book exacts distinct feelings of sobriety and contemplation...with an ending portrait that expertly convey's his trademark understated hope.

I'll admit I picked this up mostly out of curiosity as a longtime fan of Everything But the Girl. What kept me reading, however, was Ben Watt's skill as a writer. His story is gripping and harrowing, but told with a dry wit and wonderful observations. This book is not just about one man coming to terms with serious illness, but how that experience affected his relationships with his loved ones and his view of himself. This would be a great book for anyone in the health care field to read; it gives you a sense of the patient as a full human being, not just a "problem" to be fixed. Ben Watt's writing skills are as strong as his ample skills as a musician/songwriter. This book has my highest recommendation.

Well-written cautionary tale of eight amateurish Nazi saboteurs sent to the US by submarine in 1942. One of the two groups landed on Long Island, and were immediately spotted by a Coast Guard watchman. Not to worry, both the would-be spies and the Coast Guard botched events so royally that the spies got away, but then the spy leader called the FBI to turn the group in the next day!

The second group of four faired somewhat better, landing in Florida and making their way to Chicago and New York before being captured based on the rambling 250-page confession the Long Island leader gave to the FBI. Within two weeks all eight were in custody.

Dobbs writes a tight, concise, fast-moving narrative, that frames the bizarre and unusual aspects of the planning, capture, and trial, while dealing with the contemporary and current legal and political issues of how to deal with plain-clothes spies trying to cause pain and suffering in the United States.

Truth is certainly stranger and more entertaining than fiction in this case. This fast paced account of the 8 man team of Nazis sent to sabotage the US railyway system during WWII is so colorfully told, it's like a movie. The fact that it's a true story makes it all the more fascinating.

Famous figures like FDR and J Edgar Hoover and not so famous ones like Atty General Biddle and the German conspirators, all come to live and the stories (in this age of the Patriot Act, public paranoia and prisoner abuse scandals) are especially relevent in today's political climate.

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative read for buffds of both history and spy stories.

One of the first actually enjoyable nonfiction books I have ever read. A moving, suspenseful, accurate tale by Michael Dobbs - totally worth reading no matter what!
After reading it, I changed the subject of my paper to Operation Pastorius because of the wealth of knowledge I had about it from reading this enjoyable book!

I'm still not quite sure why I liked this book so much. Let me just say Dobbs does a terrific job (aided by some very detailed sources) of outlining a story that is bizarre, funny, and strangely compelling. It's one of those books where you keep coming across events so strange you have to tell someone about them. Also, it's quite timely, as some of the legislation that came out of the Operation Pastorius trials is currently being used to the hilt by the Bush administration, even though the key Supreme Court justice in those decisions later said he regretted them.

If you like it, I would also recommend "In Harm's Way" by Douglas Stanton, about the Indianapolis disaster. That's more of a horror story than a comedy, but it also is filled with historical ironies and well-delineated characters.

In June of 1942, two 4-man teams of Nazi saboteurs exited U-boats onto American beaches in Florida and Long Island, NY. All of the eight had previously spent time in America. Indeed, one had spent twenty years in the U.S., and another, a naturalized American citizen, had spent seventeen since the age of five. Returning to the Third Reich for various reasons, they volunteered to return to the U.S. and sabotage that country's war effort by striking at its aluminum production plants. Each team hit the beach with a supply of explosives and $90,000 cash for expenses. Two weeks later, they were all in FBI custody. All were tried by a military tribunal and found guilty. Six of the eight were quickly executed by electrocution; two were imprisoned for the war's duration and eventually returned to Germany.

A friend of one of the saboteurs, who'd also been offered the chance to join the mission but declined, said:

"In Germany ... everything was rationed. Nobody in his right mind was going to go from a country like that to a country with everything, like America, and start blowing things up. You'd have to be nuts."

That statement just about says it in a nutshell because even though Hoover and his FBI trumpeted their foiling of the plot as the greatest victory for America since Yorktown and the former just about wet his pants in an effort to grab all the credit for (chiefly) himself and his G-men, the eight conspirators resembled more an expanded clone of the Three Stooges, and their fourteen days on the loose were a farce. Glad to be free of Germany's wartime belt tightening, they started spending their cash on food, clothes, drink, women, and, in one case, a new car. A couple of them looked up family members, wives, and former girlfriends. There didn't seem to be any great urgency to get down to the business of "blowing things up". In the meantime, the leader of the Long Island four, George Dasch, was off spilling his guts to the Feds. Though SABOTEURS: THE NAZI RAID ON AMERICA is well written and documented, one wonders why author Michael Dobbs bothered. Perhaps a clue lies in Michael's assertion that:

"One of the lessons of the saboteur affair is that it is very difficult to fight a war and respect legal niceties at the same time."

In the seventy-six pages of the book dealing with the invaders' trial and punishment, Dobbs goes to commendable lengths to describe how the accused were denied the right of habeas corpus, an abridgement not seen since Abraham Lincoln suspended such during the Civil War. Oh, and by the way, the handling of the saboteurs' case by the U.S. government is apparently the legal basis for its trying of al-Qaeda terrorists before military tribunals post-9/11.

SABOTEURS seems less about the abortive "raid" on America than an essay on its legal system when severely stressed - or perceived to be stressed - by outside forces. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is reflected in the statement by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist in a 1999 speech, and which is quoted towards the end of this volume:

"While we would not want to subscribe to the full sweep of the Latin maxim INTER ARMA SILENT LEGIS (In a time of war, the laws are silent), perhaps we can accept the proposition that, though the laws are not silent in wartime, they speak with a muted voice."

Arthur Hughes is a database guru. This books teaches you how to start and develop a customer database and how to use is it as your most powerful marketing tool. The author is world-renowned and has created concepts such as "lifetime value" which is essential to any business owner. This book is the database marketing bible.

I love this book. Working as a data analyst in the CRM department, this book teaches me all the practical caculation/ideas for my work.

So far, this is the only book on the market that view database marketing from a quantitative point of view. On the other hand, it also instills the relationship marketing mind-set to the readers. For the rest of books avaliable in the markertplace on CRM/Database marketing, either it's too theoretical or IT. This is the best I read so far.

My approach to marketing was totally changed by reading this book; I was able to refine a jumble of thoughts into a clear, cohesive strategy. If you are at all exposed to marketing at work, Hughes will give you the ability to prioritize what is most important in your job.

Hughes has just released a new edition of this classic. It is thoroughly updated to include developments of the last half decade (the failure of CRM in many applications, advancements in Web and e-mail marketing, etc). Every marketer and entrepreneur should read this book to learn how and why lifetime value is so important and how to build your company's strategy around it.

The best thing about this book is that it covers the technical details adequately, but is still readable enough that you do not need an MBA to understand it.

For anyone who's looking for a well-written reflection on state-of-the-art direct marketing, this is not the right book. Yet, Arthur Hughes' 'Strategic Database Marketing' still has its merits.

It's a straight-forward introductory text that covers many aspects of direct marketing - mostly from an old-economy point of view. The good thing about this approach is that Hughes explains many procedures in detail that have proved to be useful over many years of practice (as he lets the reader know on many occasions, he has worked in direct marketing for a long time). And while the dull writing-style occasionally makes the content of the book seem dated, most of the ideas discussed in the book still apply. For example, Hughes does a good job explaining lifetime-value calculations, the Recency-Frequency-Monetary approach, regression analysis and other useful tools for anyone involved in direct marketing.

Unfortunately, it's not an enjoyable book. The biggest drawback is that Hughes doesn't come across as an agile intellect. He's good at explaining procedure, but rather clumsy in discussing ideas. Adding to that is his over-reliance on examples taken from his own private life (you'll learn many things about his wife that you never wanted to know) and his strange need to praise the superiority of the American economy whenever possible. If you can look past that, 'Strategic Database Marketing' may well be worth reading for any professional marketeer.

Hughes makes it exceedingly clear why customer loyalty and lifetime value are such critical marketing concepts. Hughes helps marketers understand why our hyper-focus on customer acquisition needs to be adjusted to consider retention and upsell as well.

In particular, Hughes explains:

* What Lifetime Value (LTV) is, why it matters, and how to calculate it
* The importance of testing programs and how best to go about it
* Segmenting your customer base by loyalty and LTV
* How tactics should differ for each segment
* Practical tips for creating a successful database marketing campaign.

Case studies and ROI numbers are used throughout the book. A must read for marketing proessionals.

Build a personal library of information using free web resources with the help of Tomaiuolo's The Web Library: Building A World Class Personal Library With Free Web Resources, edited by Barbara Quint. The Web Library is simply packed with web links and updates, as well as assessments of the pros and cons of given reference sites. Anyone can use no/low cost Web resources to build a comprehensive personal library of data, documents and images: The Web Library outlines keys to locating such gold mines and includes interviews with librarians and leading content providers alike.

I usually steer clear of web site directory books because they become obsolete very quickly. This book presents more than lists of sites. It contains some unusual and even provocative information concerning whether it is preferable to read in hardcopy or online; it also has interviews with people who create content at the freebie sites and this gave me a fresh perspective on the availability of free resources. The best thing is that isn't chock full of screenshots, it's full of information.

I spend a lot of hours searching the web for work. I bought a copy of this book and it kept disappearing off my desk--borrowed by co-workers. Now I keep it locked in my desk drawer--they'll have to buy their own copies! Well done, Nicholas and Barbara! Hope to see more of your books in print.

This book was a wonderful book which I was pleased to share with my co-workers, most of whom are all resourceful men and women who search the internet for work. As a businessman, I must say that this book was incredibly useful in my many projects and has brought my company's profit up by 3%.

I was lucky enough to be given this book as a gift, because my parents know that I often use the web to locate information for school projects. It has tons of useful websites and is well-organized. I definitely recommend it.

What a brave woman this author is. She bears her soul for all to read. Her heart wrenching journey leaves you feeling hopeful in the face of any adversity and truly empowered as if all things really are possible.
I count Connie May fowler as one of my living heros!

Haven't we all wished at one time or another that we had talked the significant others in our beloved's past?!?!


After knowing and teaching with Connie May for a number of years, I waited far too long to read Katie; Connie May had left the building. And I now long to share my thoughts with her.

Her compelling memoir strikes a chord with anyone who has walked away from the carnage of a love/hate relationships, and of the fear that forces one to stay too long.

I will say that Connie Mae's courageous relevations bring to the surface the consequences of failing to "out" the abusive for fear of sounding like a victim, even though, typically, an abuser--be their tactics verbal, psychological, physical--or any combination thereof, trumps the will of their partner with the ploy of taunting and by suggesting that "you enjoy playing the victim role."

These masters of their own game create a nearly unbreakable cycle by constant character atacks that serve to undermine ego structures,and emtional equillibrium. The resulting co-dependency morphs into a version of the Stockholm Syndrome, wherein ties to the captor are reinforced.

As anyone who has experienced this "crazy-making" life knows,it is a long, hard recovery, but failure to expose exploitaton is like an endorsement that permits him/her to move on to yet another target, whom he/or she will expertly convince that the former spouse,lover or colleague was "crazy" and presenting themselves, instead, as the abused.


Connie May's courage makes us all want to stand up and shout!

There's no question Connie May Fowler is a gifted story teller and extremely talented writer. Some passages are so searing and full of truth I've gasped when reading them. Unfortunately, the story she tells here is not fiction. I won't go into the plot because other reviewers have.
But I will say that this book will open up the eyes of readers who wonder why rape and domestic violence can damage people so deeply. In telling her story, Fowler goes further - also showing how 'teasing' and discrimination against someone because of the appearance of their face can cause deep and life-lasting scars. So far, the latter is a problem barely touched on by authors and psychologists.
Read this book with an open mind, and you'll find her story underscores how cruelty, shaming and bullying can almost blow out the flame of a promising human being before she even gets a chance to realize her own talent.
Conversely, this book demonstrates how kindness and compassion can help a suffering soul survive and even bloom.
Fowler is never pitiful and pathetic, and even when the most degrading acts are done to her, she remains a person with dignity.
Free from cruelty and shame at last and embraced by love, the real Connie Fowler emerges in the end.

Connie May Fowler's, "When Katie Wakes" is masterful glimpse into the soul of a battered women. I could not put this book down once I started and I finished it in an afternoon. A heartfelt account of one women's journey from both inner and outer torments to wakefulness and a sort of freedom, I would recommend this book to anyone. Fowler's easy writing style opens the door for us to descend easily into the hell that is home to the battered woman. Often wondering exactly what is was that kept a woman from mentally walking away from her abuser when she could physically do so, Fowler's insight has put the answer into perspective and I will never have to ask that question again.

When you get right down to it, authors like Connie May Fowler are not much different than the rest of us. Fowler bears the scars of a horrific childhood and early adulthood, one strewn with the wreckage of a shattered self-image fueled by the alcoholic abuse of her mother and the degradation of a hideous relationship with an older man. She, as have many of her readers, has suffered through despair thick enough to reduce her to attempted suicide and has faced the depths of self-abdication so profound that she began to absorb the very evil identity her tormented partner imposed on her.

What makes Fowler different from us, however, is language. In her hands, words make anguish palpable, sadness tangible, struggle imperative. As an author, Fowler is able to make sense of her life, and, in so doing, help us make sense of ours. "When Katie Wakes" may well be the most brutally coarse and ugly memoir you will ever read, but, at the same time, one of the most beautiful and impassioned pleas for individual integrity and indomitability ever composed. It is nothing less than a masterpiece.

Though Ms. Fowler credits her adoption of a loyal and loving dog, Katie, as the symbolic act of reclamation and reaffirmation of life, she sells herself far short. The grandchild and child of abused women, the child Fowler becomes the target of her drunken mother's rage. The Fowler children become adept actors, hiding the shame of family disgrace and brutality under the veneer of achievement. Keeping verbal assaults invisble, preventing others from recognizing the constant physical beatings absorbed by Mama, Connie's family life resembled "smoke and mirrors, deception and shame." A "wall of silence" shrouded suffering. As a child, Connie received sustenance from words and books, and her resultant triumph as an adult vindicates her choice. Her older sister, however, absorbs and internalizes the viciousness of her home, and, consequently, develops anorexia as an adult.

In a remarkable self-portrait, Fowler describes a wretched adult woman, unloved, unlovable, disgusting and repulsive. Her self-hatred is "untainted and unhinged." She believes herself "so ugly" that only an abusive, impotent, failed radio celebrity would be willing to love her. Yet, there is not a single note of self-pity in this wrenching memoir. Fowler reminds us that her mother's life, obliterated from a childhood rape, transcends her own in loss. Mama was "an angry woman who believed life had let her down. And it had." From disappointment to the target of her own husband's physical abuse, Fowler's mother recirculates and intensfies the pain, deliberately deflecting it on her children.

As a young woman, Fowler has not escaped her mother's imprint. Indeed, her chosen partner encapsulates her mother's jagged opinion. Tense is irrelevant when Fowler hears herself described as "stupid," or "an ungrateful whore," or a "lousy excuse" of a lover or daughter. When she hears her mother decry her existence, "I wish...I had died the day you were born," Fowler must come to grips with an essential life choice: descent into emotional self-immolation or ascent into a struggle for life and affirmation.

"When Katie Wakes" bravely portrays Fowler's battle for identity and wholeness. Her steadfast determination to "take responsibility for my own happiness, for my own sense of self-worth" is the best medicine for any person struggling to make sense of inner turmoil and despair. When she proclaims her need to discover "what my placer in the world should be," she speaks for any person on the cusp of a life-altering decision searching for the courage to embrace life's potential. This emotion-laden memoir is eloquent testimony to the ability of one person to wrestle life from death, hope from despair, the future from the past.

This is a terrific book with wonderful ideas on how to reach out to your community! The author encourages low-to-no-pressure ways to share your love of Christ with your neighborhood. It is an encouraging read that inspires you to get out and do good! I recommend this book to anyone interested in changing the world, one cup of coffee at a time.

As the author I want to share my thoughts on this book...

When it comes to being 'conductors' of the love of God there is no end to what can happen when God's Spirit shows up. He causes his people to fall in love with others. That love brings us each to a place of availability to God in reaching out to our surrounding community. This upward spiral widens until we are in touch with larger numbers of people. We end up loving great numbers of people in more profoundly touching ways - all because God grabbed us by the collar to begin with and wouldn't let us go until we were willing to express the love we received out to others. Therein lies the great joy of the life of Christ followers - greater fulfillment in losing than in winning - greater glory in coming in last than in coming in at a place perceived to be the top of the dog pile.
This book helps us to get this notion straight - we are the ones who find glory in coming in last. And it helps us set up a lifestyle of losing in a strategic way over and over by a multitude of serving projects that are proven to work. All the projects are easy and highly doable.

Try them and see. You may become a voice for serving in your neck of the woods as well!

Steve Sjogren

I'd like too much, so I showed to my friend and he got it from me.

I had another flash drive for 3 yrs and it literally broke down. Kingston is great! It has more memory and very easy to use. Just put it into the USB drive and open. I am storing all kinds of documents for each project I am working on.

I love it!

Share your love, and show everyone a little bit of Christ! You may be the only kind touch a person receives, and it could be something that opens doors to a different perspective on life. Jesus is an example we should all follow, and this book shows simple ways of performing tasks that will brighten the day of strangers, who will be curious as to why you're doing it. Break the ice with a bottle of water, a smile and a bit of happiness. Let Jesus' light shine!

I ordered the book at Amazon because the shipping cost was much less (to Europe) than if I would have ordered the book from Cisco.

This book covers most QoS materials used in Cisco 642-642 Exam helping candidates get to know about QoS theory and Cisco router and switch configuration for several networks components (LAN, WAN, Service Provider). With small errata you can get at Cisco Press makes this book an excellent resource for QoS students.

I was floundering in QOS in my lab preparation, so I picked this book up on the advice of an architect I work with. Since then I've seen it recommended by many very senior engineers, and I know why. If you have some hands-on with modern QOS (Modular QOS CLI...) you will get a *lot* out of this book. I poured through it in about a week and it filled in a ton of gaps. Great writing style, about as much a "page-turner" as you can find on a subject this dry.

I really appreciated the overview chapters, as I managed to get a patchwork knowledge of QOS, and the follow-ups were sufficiently detailed to give solid depth of understanding. Also, don't toss the CD out, it's not just some goofy test engine for the VOIP test. It has the first edition's chapters that were cut out. If you're working toward the CCIE R&S, this is really important as the CD contains the Frame Relay Traffic Shaping chapter.

If you're doing QOS or studying for the CCIE R&S, read this cover to cover, at least twice. Good stuff all around. I also have "End-to-End QOS Network Design" as well, but haven't gotten to it yet or I'd comment on the differences.

This is an excellent book for QoS. I recommend this for anyone interested in mastering QoS.

Well I originally bought this book to help study for the 642-642 QOS exam. I certainly used it for that and then some. It covered all of the exam topics pretty well and for me was an easy read. I might add that I ended up scoring a 905 on the exam, so it can be done!!
What I didnt realize was that I would use it even more after the fact for a reference on deploying QOS for customer networks. Definitelt worth the money for this book.

I bought the version of T W Parnells book that came with two audio CDs. I had two weeks to prepare for my postal exam and would not have scored in the top 5 percent of my testing group without this excellant book. The audio practice test CD replicated the exact time and instructions of the real test. I went into the exam knowing exactly what to expect and had practiced all of the helpful test taking tips numerous times. I finished each section of the test before the time limit, giving me time to review my answers and correct any mistakes. I am now near the top of the list of eligible candidates for employment with my local post office. I strongly recommend buying the pencils too. Thanks Mr. Parnell and good luck to everyone waiting to take the test. Buy this book and you will do great. Gary Fetters

WHEN I RECEIVED THE LETTER FOR THE EXAME I STARTED A LITTLE SEARCH FOR BOOKS TO PREPARE MY SELF FOR WHAT WAS COMING, AT ONE POINT I HAD 9 BOOKS AT MY HOUSE BUT NONE OF THEM WAS JUST FOR THE 473 EXAME. I'M SO GLAD I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR THIS ONE, THE BOOK IS SO EASE TO UNDERSTAND AND THE CD YOU CAN PLAY ANYWERE YOU WANT, HALF OF THE BOOK IS EXAMES PREP LAID OUT JUST LIKE THE REAL ONES, YOU CAN TIME YOURSELF AND BE READY. I DID IT, THE EXAME WAS VERY EASE FOR ME AND I FINISH ALL THE QUESTIONS WITH TIME TO SPARE. GREAT BOOK!

This is a fantastic book filled with great information, tips and wonderful practice tests....IF you ever even get a chance to take the post office exam. I ordered this book as well as another post office book a few weeks after applying for the exam hoping to prepare. Well, it's been over three months, the books came and I am prepared...but I still haven't even heard word back when I will, and if ever will be scheduled to take the exam. I didn't know this before (the book even states it) but it can take many months, even up to a year or so to be scheduled for the exam after applying for it. Even AFTER the exam (and passing), it can take YEARS to even get an interview. That's even if you get selected and you haven't been thrown out or forgotten about. You may even have to take the test again (and go through the whole waiting process and exam AGAIN). Regardless, The book is great and is a wonderful help and is essential if you want to do well (preparing) for the exam. I wish I could give feedback on how it really helped me, but I don't know yet. I recomend this book, but you don't need to rush out and buy it right after applying for the exam. You won't need it that soon. It won't hurt, but if you do, you will have PLENTY of time to prepare.

How can I put this? I got the job!!! If you only buy one book this year, other than the new Harry Potter one obviously, then THIS is the book to buy. Of course I am assuming that you WANT to have a job with double the pay of any other entry level job, immediate full benefits, and job security out the "wazoo".

I used Mr. Parnell's book as an aid in preparing for the 473-c postal exam. I read it cover to cover, went through each of the practice exams, and found that my confidence and speed improved dramatically with each testing. After grading my practice exams my scores went from the high 80's to the high 90's. This book is a godsend!

When I went to take the real exam, I wasn't nervous; I was prepared! I found that I was completely at ease and that I was able to focus on the questions, rather than the jitters. Mr. Parnell's book is precisely the same format and question types that you will see on the current exam.

After receiving my score back from the post office (6 weeks is about normal), I had my first interview within a month. The interviewer informed me that my score was the highest (unadjusted for military service) that he had seen! Oh, did I mention, I got the job!!!

I was SO satisfied with this study guide, I'm now looking at the other study guides in preparation for advancement exams to help with promotions to higher paying positions as well.

Buy the book. The very first hour you work at your new job will pay for it twice over. How can afford not to?

This book is produced in three versions to suit your study preferences. These are:

The Original Postal Exam 473 & 473-C Study Guide -- This version is text only. It has reference material and sample exams with many test taking tips.

Complete Postal Exam 473 & 473-C Training Program with 2 Test Prep Audio CD's -- This is the same book, but two audio CD's read it to you while you follow along in the book. Using two senses, eyes and ears increase the retention of information.

New Postal Exam 473 & 473-C Computer-Based Course -- This is again the same book, but there is a CD that contains both test prep classes and realiztic practice exams, you'll need an internet ready PC with Windows to use this version.

If you want a job with the Postal Service as a Clerk, City Carrier, Mail Handler, etc. you have to take the 473 Exam. You MUST score high if you want a career in the Postal Service, and in order to score high you need this book. This study guide was the best investment I have ever made. Straightforward and to the point, very precise. This is THE one and only Postal Exam 473 study guide to purchase. Using this study guide, I achieved a very high score, and could not have done so without diligently using this guide by Mr. Parnell. The audio CD is just like the actual test. The most valuable part of this book is the section on Coding and Memory, the strategies presented for this section have to be the best you will find in any study guide on the market. This study guide will help you to achieve a top score if you use it diligently. In addition to using Mr.Parnell's study guide, I purchased his Speed Marking & Test Scoring Pencils, and they make all the difference in the world! When I took the test, other test takers spent unnecessary time coloring in the ovals on the answer sheet. With the special pencils I purchased, I filled in the ovals in half the time! Customer Service is also top notch, Mr. Parnell is very friendly and knowledgeable of this test and the Postal Service. If you want a career with the Postal Service, start by purchasing this study guide, use it diligently, and you will achieve the score you want!