Services Books

Everyone refers to it. You need it. Buy it. Keep it. Refer to it.

it about one month to get it,but i saved a little money, and it's a wonderful book!

I really enjoy this book; it is helping me understand how to find different possibilities of problems in the body.

If you need to study for your PTA or PT exam this is a must have. Great book.

This book is an excellent source of information especially for special tests for a variety of dysfunctions

Excellent book. A great answer to those they think that the customer is part of their graphs.

I bought this book because I was buying another one of Lior's books, and I am glad I did. This book is a great book if you want to change the way your company does business and how it treats it's customers. Like other reviews about this book have said this book gives you basic principals on how to build better customer "relationships" (not relations, notice the "ship" at the end) with your customers. I am an IT Director for a company, and have a side network consulting business and I have put the ideas in this book to use in both places. If you buy this book and don't get anything out of it, at least take this little nugget:

"Remeber your customer is the reason why you are in business." -- Lior Arussy, Passionate & Profitable: Why Customer Strategies Fail and 10 Steps to Do Them Right!.

Passionate & Profitable: Why Customer Strategies Fail and 10 Steps to Do Them Right has a rather simple premise - spending time and money on customer retention is of no value if it is not done in the context of having a well-defined execution strategy.

The goal of the book is to show the reader how to form strong, sustainable, and profitable relationships with customers. The challenge is that there are many critical decisions and trade-offs that have to be made, but many companies often make the wrong decision. Another issue is that many companies live by the credo of `Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door'. The problem is that even with the best mousetrap, the world won't come if you don't have a well-developed customer strategy. Passionate & Profitable is all about creating that well-developed customer strategy.

The book is worth it alone for the 25-question corporation-customer experience aptitude survey on pages 19-20. The survey examines the health of your relationship with your customers and is likely a good indicator of your profitability.

Another great section is pages 109-115 which goes into the organization-focused vs. customer-focused organizational structure. This section shows how many organizations are created with functional expertise via groups, i.e., engineering, R&D, sales, operations, etc. Arussy shows that a customer-centric organization must have the customer focused in the center, with the various groups supporting those customers. The beauty of a customer-centric organization is that all of the employees and functions are fully aligned around the customer cause.

Chapter 8 reiterates the importance of organizations training their employees and trusting them to make the correct decision. A focal point is that if you do not trust your people, do not hire them. And if you hired them, give them the tools to excel. After all, their success is your organizations success.

For those organizations that are serious about their customer strategy and looking for ways to improve it, Passionate & Profitable is a valuable book that can help achieve that goal.

I've had the pleasure of attending Lior's seminar and I was extremely impressed with his passion towards the subject of customer experience and focus. After the seminar I read his book and I was not disappointed - it's a goldmine - full with insights and concepts that are right on money. Share this book with your peers...I did - it helped me drive some great new ideas in my organization.

I've read all of Lior's books and been through his workshop. He always nails the topic and this book is no exception.

This book reminds us that innovation does not happen by accident but is the result of a well developed customer strategy.

I found the use of real life examples combined with surveys and activity sheets really helped me develop a servicing strategy that was right for my organization.

I have been reading Past Life Regression: A Guide for Practitioners, and find the book to be in wonderful alignment with what I have learned from Milton Erickson's methods. From a clinical psychology research perspective, it is so helpful for clients to work in the metaphors, such as are demonstrated in this book, allowing them to best process their emotions in a client-centered, non-leading fashion. This book gives clear and detailed guidance and suggestions on how to do this utilizing past lives. After reading the book I contacted Dr. LaBay, and she was most helpful in supporting my pursuit of incorporating past lives into my professional practice. I am look forward to taking her trainings in the future. Maria CS Gabelberger, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist

I recently purchased this book. This regressionist is local to me in Washington State, and she used to be on the AM radio quite frequently at KKNW AM1150 in Bellevue, WA.

In fact, I "won" a group regression session by calling the station at the appropiate time. I attended the session and was able to quite clearly visualize a former incarnation in Russia that seems to always surface in group sessions such as this one, probably because it might be quite relevant to my current situation this lifetime.

She has quite a local following and it seems she has been featured at national and international symposiums on reincarnation related topics. Actually, I have only casually read parts of the book, but I can attest to her abilty as a practitioner.

Mary Lee LaBay provides past life regression techniques helpful for both the novice and expert to understand and eliminate the stresses and hardships experienced in everyday life. The book is loaded with riveting examples. It also contains past life regression scripts anyone can use.

Mary Lee tackles the tough issues like false memories, belief systems and reality vs metaphor. She also discusses fascinating concepts like life between lives, and souls that can step in to lives already in progress.

Simply "head and shoulders" above other books in this field. An easy read too.

I have read a lot on past life regression. This book has good case examples for the beginner!

I'm not a past life regression practitioner but I'm trying to access past life memories by working with a hypnotist and doing my own meditation.

Even so this book was fascinating for me.

It goes far beyond just the mechanics of hypnotizing someone although that is covered for the professionals who regress others for a living.

It looks at past life memories and the time between lives from a broad perspective as far as how they relate to each other and to this current life.

The author seems to have certain psychic abilities and be able to travel in other dimensions such as the 'astral' plane of existance.

There are many strange topics in this book which will be almost revolutionary to people who have strict beliefs. These are too numerous to list in this review but suffice it to say these might fall under the category of 'new age' ideas for some people.

This is a great book. It keeps coming out with amazing ideas right on through to the epilogue which offers a wonderful message of hope.

Jeff Marzano

Meditation Music of Ancient Egypt

Lives of the Master: The Rest of the Jesus Story

Same Soul, Many Bodies: Discover the Healing Power of Future Lives through Progression Therapy

The Lives of Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce's Egypt: Psychic Revelations on the Most Fascinating Civilization Ever Known

Initiation

Initiation in the Great Pyramid (Astara's Library of Mystical Classics)

Is a great drug resource. Has everything you need to know and it easy to use. My only complaint is that there is no index by brand name and the drugs are listed by generic, so if you do not know the generic name you are kind of stuck. Contains adult doses as well, and includes other pediatric medicine resources.

Very extensive and detailed information about all drugs . It's all you need to prescribe a drug with safety.
The appendix section contains very useful information of clinical and basic laboratory values
It's the most complete and specific book I have ever seen about pediatric drug prescription
I love it

This is a great source to have access to (especially if you're looking up pediatric drugs at home and don't have access to UptoDate or Micromedex). It is a thorough reference. The major down-side is that it lacks an index for generic/trade names. Maybe it's there and I still haven't found it, but this is a problem when one is trying to quick reference a drug. Nevertheless, I haven't found a superior drug reference in a readily available book in pediatrics (online, I'd say Micromedex is even more complete, but in a book, this is the best). Also, for neonatal dosing, I would prefer Neofax.

This book is comprehensive for pediatric clinicians. Format is easy to use and very through information.

I'm loving the detail and information given for each medication. It is a great resource for me. I have gone through and marked my commonly used medications for easy reference.

This book is even better than the other reviewers say! Besides covering the bases on how to make medical decisions, Dr Giller addresses MANY realistic aspects most people wouldn't consider. For instance, he talks about how to deal with both good and bad outcomes post-decision (and tells you why you might be depressed even when things turn out WELL) - or discusses how to deal with the situation of making medical decisions for someone ELSE - a relative, child, or teenager. He discusses why location, location, location (as in real estate) may be a critical factor in deciding on your medical care. He offers respectful, compassionate realism - life is hard and you can't escape risk or guarantee good results whatever you do - along with tips on how to psychologically manage the situation and provide comfort for yourself while not doing so at the expense of worsening your medical situation.

There are other great books also on this topic, but even if you already have some of those, get this one too! I can't praise it too highly.

I believe this book will be helpful to people who are considering options for medical treatment. Giller's advice seems sound, and the book can help people sort through their thoughts as they face the challenges of health issues. Don't let this be the only book you read about your medical issues, but please let it be one of them.

Important decisions are rarely straight forward. This is particularly true of medical decisions. Choices are intricate, outcomes uncertain and ultimately the decision is yours.

Cole Giller, a board-certified neurosurgeon and associate professor, draws on his experience of guiding his patients through this difficult maze to offer guidance to anyone facing an important medical decision. In doing so, he has penned a book of wisdom that transcends its stated purpose.

Giller's six steps for making medical decisions are applicable to anyone faced with a bewildering array of choices. Simply put, they are:

1. Identify your options.
2. Identify the trade-offs.
3. Find the supporting data.
4. Be skeptical of the data.
5. Pay attention to your beliefs.
6. Contemplate the decision's meaning.

This book is a treasure. Giller weaves his experience into a well-written, easily-understood and widely-applicable approach to dealing with complicated decisions. While the book is a compassionate guide for individuals facing a medical challenge, it also offers sound guidance for decision-makers in any field.

Knowledge may be power, as the old saw says. But all too often in this age of information explosion, it is not enough to overcome the decision crisis. Giller's model provides a practical for living with the decision's results.

In the last twenty years, my immediate family has been struck by five --5--major medical catastrophes. We plowed through medical libraries and whatever sources we could find in order to become informed, know what questions to ask, and try to decide where to go for treatment and how to find the best physicians. It was always a frightening, tiring and difficult process. If Dr. Cole Giller's book had been available for us to use, it would have made an unbelievable difference in our ability to make very difficult decisions. Give this book to family members and friends. You will be doing them a tremendous favor.

Here's why I bought this book and why you might need it yourself:
1. Medical decisions are NOT what they used to be and patients need to be informed in order to make the right decision.
2. The book outlines the six major steps necessary to make the right decision - from identifying your options to interpreting numbers, etc
3. This book includes a guide to the right reference books and tips on reading and interpreting relevant medical articles, newsletters, television and even advertisements.
4. It includes a guide to the internet as well as suggested Web sites. There are also helpful tips for navigating PubMed and other medical websites.
5. Included are valuable strategies for finding the right medical information and interpreting the often confusing numbers and percentages included in medical tests and other medical procedures.
6. Finally, this book looks at ALL the various aspects of medical treatment, from medical insurance to managing doctors.
I've never seen another book like it and think it'd be invaluable for any patient - or family of one.

When young Michael Zwerdling left the University of Vermont in 1965 with a degree in psychology, he was still 14 years away from starting his collection of nursing postcards, and almost 30 years distant from the work he does today as a nurse in a busy emergency room in Washington, D.C.

Somewhere between the milestones of getting his bachelor's degree and RN license, Zwerdling instructed university students in psychology in New Hampshire; worked as a psychiatric aide in a Waltham, Mass., hospital; and taught karate, meditation, and yoga at his own school in Boston.

His considerable life experience seasons the pages of his first book, Postcards of Nursing. The stunning history not only depicts choice samples from his 25-year collection of nursing postcards, it delivers details, many little-known, about people, world history, art, and culture. The 384-page book is broader than even the "worldwide" its subtitle implies. Zwerdling's research spans time as well as place, offering a look at wars, critical nursing shortages, the Depression, art and humor. All the while it provides the history about who/what gave birth to the profession and why.

The basics: Postcards of Nursing exhibits 600 postcards from the years 1893 to 2002. The book's layout offers easy perusal by building a chapter the same way you'd lay out a museum exhibit. The reader walks through the pages just as he would go from room to room in a museum. For readers wanting more information about the pictures, each of the chapters starts out with a brief introduction and ends with detailed notes about many of the postcards. A bibliography and index prove useful for finding more information.

The rare images you see here indeed come from all over the world. Some are romanticized, some humorous, and some tragic. Some tell a story via sequential images and rhymed words. Nurses are not always people in the depictions, and neither are their patients.

Readers will also recognize some of the drawings from other milieu. Remember those round-faced kids on the sides of soup cans? Zwerdling's book includes the whimsical art of Grace G. Wiederseim, the woman who created the familiar Campbell's Soup Kids, except here her familiar kids are nurses and doctors. And here, as in many other areas, the author thoughtfully provides notes about the artist's life and death.

Zwerdling's extensive research also shows how nurses were used to tout everything from War Savings Stamps to stout, from telephones to fountain pens, and even to the danger of spreading tuberculosis by spitting. Using a nurse to sell a product or idea extends even to modern times, with a 1997 postcard from Denmark featuring an attractive blond nurse and the caption "AIDS is Still Here" as a reminder of World AIDS Day.

As is often the case, there's a story behind the story. The book is a product of the Zwerdling Nursing Archives, the author's personal collection of rare art and photographic postcards. Zwerdling selected each piece for its historic significance, artistic composition, and condition. Although nursing cards make up the primary collection, he also collects postcards with themes related to health. His HIV and AIDS postcards number about 300. He's amassed cards on controlled substances and pharmaceutical advertising, and as a sideline he collects greeting cards and other items related to nursing, storing each piece in archival Mylar.

"Were it to be lost, it would be impossible to replicate," Zwerdling says of his archives. "Many of the items are one of a kind, the prices have skyrocketed since I began collecting, and the cards were assembled via hundreds of sources cultivated over a 25-year period, through trips to France, Belgium, Germany and England."

Still, the collection is immortalized thanks to the book and to Zwerdling's belief in sharing. He makes the images available to nurses and people associated with nursing. He also licenses images for commercial use and offers them free to people researching the history of nursing. "Give of yourself," he advises in one interview when asked why he created the book.

Postcards of Nursing would not be out of place in anyone's library, but nurses with a reverence for the profession will treasure this book.

I am a nurse myself and chose this book to give to a recent nursing grad. It is a gift that helps to underscore the diversity within the career of nursing and the "postcards" provide both inspiration and humor.

I am most grateful to Michael Zwerdling, RN for the creation of this heart-felt tribute to the nursing profession. He has compiled a through and profoundly moving volume that details the history of nursing in a unique and beautiful manner. I could not help but be reminded of my own mother who was a dedicated nurse all her life.

The images in this book speak volumes of the loving kindness manifest by nurses in their care for people in sickness, while injured and their tireless efforts at providing comfort. His tribute is an outstanding expression of appreciation for the active compassion of all nurses.

Everyone who has a nurse in their family, or is the friend of a nurse, or who has benefited from the compassionate care of nurses while in hospital, might consider making a gift of this book to their favorite angel of mercy.

This book is an incredibly beautiful tribute to all nurses, our avatars of compassion and mercy.

Michael Zwerdling's book offers a fresh look at a century of nursing history worldwide, focusing on what he refers to as the Golden Age of Postcards (1907-World War I). This 9" x 12" hardbound coffee table book contains 580 full-color images from 65 countries. Opening it is like entering a series of galleries in which you can browse idly or focus with scholarly intent. There are photographs, cartoons, poster art and advertisements. In them, you'll find drama, history, whimsy, romance and, yes, hanky-panky, all of it eye-catching, The seven chapters are arranged more for visual compatibility than chronology or geography. Each is preceded by an introduction and followed by notes on the individual postcards. "Postcards of Nursing" explores new territory and, in my opinion, holds as much interest for the general public as it does for the international nursing community.

I view this book as both an artist and a practicing clinical psychologist. From the artistic side, The richness of the imagery is nothing short of breath taking. Post cards were the media vehicle of the time. The cell phone and internet of all the people. The images that Michael has collected reflect the slice of life and slice of art that crossed all cultural boundaries. This might have been chaotic if the author had not displayed exquisite good taste in his selections. The wealth of images stimulates my creativity and gives me material inspiration for my own work.

As a psychologist, the interest is just as keen. What a fascinating mind the author has! He comes to the work from the vantage point of myth and symbol, pointing to the universality of issues of sickness, injury, and mortality juxtaposed against the equally universal themes of nurturance, service and healing. This comes from a person in the field, working as a trauma nurse in a major hospital.

Just as intriguing is the sociological point of view that places all these images in their political/ cultural contexts. We are told of fashion, war, royalty, advertising, and prejudice. I especially love the little human-interest stories that are sprinkled here and there.

What a first rate piece of work for those interested in the human condition. Nursing, per se, is not something I would have gone out and bought a book about, but glancing though a copy of this book hooked me. I am so happy to spend many hours visiting Michael's world. I would love the opportunity to pour through the cards that didn't make it into the book and get a curated tour by Mr. Zwerdling.

Sumner Silverman, Ph.D.

I found this book to be very informative. A big part of my job is interview and interrogation. This book was able to put into context what I have already been doing for a number of years. I found that I was referencing the book in my head as I watched the people I was speaking with and knew by their actions how truthful or untruthful they were being. If this is the type of work you do the book is a very good read.

I went to the Wicklander seminar recently. The book was just as great as the class, I'm very fortunate to have been able to go and receive the book. Thanks!

This is an excellent referecne book for anyone involved in both private and public sector interviews.

I have twenty years of investigation experience in both law enforcement and the private sector. Never have I seen such a well written and insightful book on the art of investigative interviewing. Drawing on sound psychological theory and good old fashion practical nous; this book fully explains and provides an investigator with a solid foundation to work with, but the flexibility to move in any type of interview or interrogation setting. Sadly, Australian courts and those in the UK would render any confessions (criminal prosecutions) using this technique inadmissible, due to what some critics say is psychological thuggery. However, the technique has seen an increasing use in the private sector with excellent results, especially in the investigation of insurance fraud. Much like the Reid Technique, but more open and flowing - learn this excellent interviewing system and benefit from reading this investigative masterpiece.

As a practitioner in the field of investigations, it has been my experience that there are two excellent choices for investigators when deciding on what type of style they will employ. W-Z (Wicklander Zulawski) and Reid. I "grew up" in the W-Z system and employed it with great success. I found it to be flexible and able to approach a wide variety of scenarios thanks to the variety of interview styles it employs. Unfortunately, I also noticed that the variety of interview styles it employs generates a steep learning curve, and an expert at one style may wander into an interview that needs to turn an unfamiliar direction and find themselves drowning as they try to keep up with the change in style. I recently attended the Reid seminar and joined their association immediately. Reid and W-Z differ in a distinct area. Reid interviews and interrogations are always the same, only the *theme* changes, whereas the entire interview or interrogation changes under W-Z. Under both systems, a mistake can be fatal, but the consistency of the Reid technique introduces fewer areas to make mistakes in, and allows quick mastery of the styles needed to successfully interview. Both systems provide good (but not perfect) methods of detecting dishonesty and between the two systems, W-Z is slightly more flexible. That said, if you want to become very good, very fast, Reid is a better choice. Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation is a good book, and serves as a great reference for those who have already attended a W-Z seminar. If you are looking to get into investigations, are newly hired into an investigations position or just want to know more about what to expect if you're ever investigated, this book is not a good choice for you. You should be familiar with phases of an investigation, interview and know the difference between an interview and an interrogation before you pick up this book or you could be easily confused. That said, if you are familiar with investigations, this is a good resource to have on hand for both review and pre-interview or interrogation preparation. 4/5 stars because Reid's Investigator Anthology provides easier to read and more concrete, repeatable insight and experience.

As a special education teacher, I have found this manual to be an invaluable tool for both classroom use, and at IEP meetings.

The goals are measurable and observable, covering every possible contingent a teacher, or counselor would face when dealing with a student in or out of the classroom environment. This work can be used as a "cook-
book" type of resource; you will not need another book besides this one.

This book is an excellent resource for teachers, counselors, and the entire school community. PRIM helps teachers identify both behavioral and academic difficulties by breaking each subject and behavior into categories. In addition, there are a wide variety of interventions that are practical for the classroom. This book is also a great to help with documentation of behaviors.

I bought this book two years ago when I was just six months into my four-year teacher training. I am now in my third year and the poor book needs a new cover. This book has not only helped me with my prac experiences but also given me an insight to the classroom and its operations. The book is an absolute God sent. I have referred at least 3 people that have bought it from Amazon and I am sure they have referred it even further. This book has also been a blessing to my parents who have used it to develop strategies for my youngest brother who has learning difficulties. Every teacher, atudent teacher and parent needs this one. The way I have been taught to find the value in a book is to give it one dollar for every good idea... well this book is worth a couple of hundred dollars! My only complaint is that they haven't released it in hard back. It gets used so much that there needs to be a hard cover version!

This is my first year as a Guidance Counselor, and this book has been a tremendous help. Using this book, I have been able to help teachers by giving them suggestions in working with students who were experiencing behavior and academic problems. I have also seen the suggestions in this book help students!

I have found it very helpful as a substitute teacher. It has a common sense approach to dealing with behavior idiosynchrosies common in children from varied backgrounds, and has enough suggestions to fit several cultures and teacher confort levels. As a substitute I find a different bunch daily. This is the perfect reference to eliminate almost every situation I've seen.
I've even used it at home to help my son to better control his temper. I've shared it with several teachers so they are able to help my son at school and church as well. The principal at his school has a copy now as a reference for the teachers. He feels it will drastically cut the number of special ed referals next school year.
I feel this is useful for anyone who works with children. It is worth so much more than the [$$'s]. My master's advisor was correct in stating that this is the equivalent to the Bible's prophets for a good teacher.

More than just a casual pass through Bangladesh to investigate Grameen Bank, the micro-credit phenomenon started a quarter century ago by Muhammad Yunus, The Price of a Dream fills in gaps left by other writings. It puts a human face on the poor of this impoverished Asian country, formerly known as East Pakistan. It brings poverty-stricken Bangladeshis into your livingroom as factual, not fictional, folks.

"Aren't all Bangladeshis poor?" you ask. No. There is wealth. But there are also tens of millions of families so impoverished that one cannot begin to understand the depth and breadth of their deprivation without actually visiting this tropical nation or coming to know some of these people through a book such as this.

Bornstein writes in a painterly way. His stories, both sad and glad, weave a mesmerizing pattern of the richness of Bangladeshi life amid trying circumstances. How people cope, how they react to successes and disasters, how they work to pull themselves up economically and socially: every thread is pulled through the loom in due course to render a true and clear representation of lives on the ragged edge. Thanks to loans from Grameen, millions of families have been able to hem that edge, one stitch at a time, to finish off their piece of cloth.

For his part, Yunus, speaking as the economics professor he once was, declares, "Credit is a powerful weapon, and anyone possessing this weapon is certainly better equipped to maneuver the forces around him to his advantage." (p. 228)

Micro-credit empowers the unempowered. No one describes that process better than David Bornstein. The Price of a Dream will open your eyes to the possibility of minimizing the indignity of poverty in our lifetime, if not eliminate it altogether. Every beautiful tapestry starts with a single thread. Even if that first thread is mere hope, it's a worthy place to begin.

This is a great book & I recommend it to anyone interested in development in third world countries. Ought to find its way onto a few economics course booklists I hope. It does not offer a step by step guide on how to set up a system in your own country, just a generalised working. Not a big criticism, as that would be a subject for a less accessible, more technical book. For starters, this is it!

This is the best book Ive ever read. I'm an international banker of Banladeshi origin working for one of the worlds biggest bank. After reading this book I feel I want to quit my day job and work for Grameen and actually make a difference to the world by helping to eradicate world poverty.

David Bornstein has written the book beautifully.

Dr Yunus is a legend.... Respect to you sir

omar_rahim@hotmail.com

Intended for an audience unfamiliar with micro-finance, this book offers an easily readable history of the Grameen Bank and the potential for loaning to poor women. Even though I have some background in the field, I still found it an interesting story. However, the author relied heavily on Grameen staff and translators and I felt that the level of analysis and criticism that would have been useful was lacking. It is more a journalistic story than an academic analysis of this institution.

I've been reading a lot of books on microcredit/microfinance and this is very thorough; I would reccommend it for anyone interested in the industry and to those trying to duplicate Grameen's efforts in other areas. It gives you an indepth look at the Grameen Bank(it's successes, failures). It also gives you an opportunity to look at the bank from the perspective of the borrowers and the staff. All the stories aren't rosy and glamorous which makes this book a lot more balanced than what I've read in the past. The author gives you the room to create your own views on Grameen and microcredit(as a sustainable means to fight poverty). This was a great read!!

This particular book provides the reader with a comprehensive view of PHP development. I was pleased with the vast amount of topics covered. This book is a very useful tool for developers.

This is a great book in that the author provides comprehensive coverage of a complicated subject, and does it in clear, concise and understandable language. The book should be a promary resource for programmers. I look forward to more contributions from this author.

'Pro PHP XML and Web Services' by Robert Richards is a great book to help you learn your way around these technologies. Packing in over 900+ pages, this book gives a broad overview of the subject matter which is outlined here:

01. Introduction to XML and Web Services
02. XML Structure
03. Validation
04. XPath, XPointer, XInclude
05. PHP and XML
06. Document Object Model
07. SimpleXML
08. Simple API for XML
09. XMLReader
10. Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations
11. Effective and Efficient Processing
12. XML Security
13. PEAR and XML
14. Content Syndication: RSS and Atom
15. Web Distributed Data Exchange
16. XML-RPC
17. Representational State Transfer
18. SOAP
19. Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)
20. PEAR and Web Services
21. Other XML Technologies and Extensions

If you need a book that dives into the XML technology and doesn't look back, this is a nice pickup that gets the job done. Lots of other Apress books I feel are a bit too long, but this book at over 900 pages I have less complaints about. It's solidly written and a nice companion book to have on your bookshelf for anyone that programs with XML.

**** RECOMMENDED

This book is amazingly well written. The content is organized in an intuitive and logical fashion. The author explains base concepts and progresses into advanced topics, providing consistent depth of coverage along the way. The author's writing and concise examples get the message across on the first reading - unlike some texts that require multiple passes. It's also noteworthy that the Technical Reviewers, Christian Stocker and Adam Trachtenberg, are renowned PHP experts and authors. If you plan to study or work with PHP and XML, this book is a MUST HAVE.

This is first and foremost an XML reference. The author takes the reader through over 100 pages XML background in the first three chapters, then an overview of a few utilities like XPath and XPointer before he touches on PHP. Having provided some grounding in the basics, he then proceeds to develop the use of XML in PHP from the basic topics of DOM (Document Object Model) and XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) to the more advanced topics of SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and web services.

Along the way Richards introduces the reader to utility classes like SimpleXML, SAX (Simple API for XML), XMLReader. He also touches on PEAR (PHP Extension and Application Repository) utility classes and topics like security, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration). The author's examples are reasonably concise and readable; making the necessary points without getting carried away.

The bottom line is that this is a highly effective reference (that means fairly comprehensive, but dry reading; I read cover to cover, but it was relatively tedious) on XML and its varied uses in association with PHP. This is not a book for the newcomer to programming, nor is it a cookbook for examples for the casual programmer/web developer, although the author does provide PEAR examples for connecting with major web services like Amazon, Google and Yahoo (among others). My suggestion for readers is to review what you need of the first 11-12 chapters to ensure a firm grounding in XML, and then hop to the chapters specific to the problem being faced.
P-)