Resources Books

40 Days & 40 Bytes is an excellent resource for congregations who may be in the beginning stages of electronic fortification or who may be looking to streamline their electronic efficiency. While not focused heavily on websites and e-evangelism, the book offers a thorough review of all considerations when buying CMS (congregational management software), computers, and setting up a network. It offers several helpful appendices that serve as checklists, including: "Congregational Culture Questions" and a "Technology Assessment Form."

The book is set up in such a way that you can skip irrelevant sections (some chapters are devoted to the general basics, like defining a CPU, for example). Infused with good humor and an ecumenical spirit, 40 Days & 40 Bytes is one of the best resources I have seen for the non-techie layperson interested in helping move their congregation into the 21st century.

Upon first receiving this book, I was skeptical that it would be another over the top book written about networks, servers, and hardware that did not make a connection to the intended audience. BOY WAS I WRONG! Aaron and team have done a tremendous job of breaking a difficult language down to simplicity! I work with thousands of churches in my ministry and I highly recommend this book to each of them. It does not matter if you are a novice or savvy user of technology, everyone will benefit from 40 Days and 40 Bytes. I would wish you enjoyment in your reading, but that is a given!

What a delightful book! "40 days and 40 bytes" was a reading assignment in a course I was taking. I was not looking forward to reading about networks, software, hardware, and gigabytes. But this book is written so clearly and with such humor that I read it in one sitting - and completely enjoyed it.

40 days and 40 bytes very logically goes through the steps necessary to design and implement a plan to introduce, or update the technology needs of a congregation. It is the perfect book for the novice and expert alike. The book covers the very basics including techno vocabulary without `talking down.' At the same time, it addresses the concerns of those with expertise in the technology field. The resources from books, companies, software, and internet sources are extremely helpful.

The information from the Center of Congregations based on real experience, and trial and error is invaluable. The book goes from the beginning planning stages, through implementation, training, support, and starting again. It gives valuable information on where churches need to put their money to insure that the technology put in place continues to function smoothly. In addition, the recommendation for continuing support and updating of equipment shifts the mindset of congregations from looking at computers and technology as large one time expenses. The fact that this information comes from a group that works with congregations and actually knows how they function validates their recommendations. The emphasis on beginning first with a team to discern the unique needs of the congregation makes so much sense. I personally identified at least 4 pitfalls that my congregation has already fallen into, which might have been avoided if we had read this book. I'm hopeful it will give the congregation a whole new way to approach the technological needs of the church.

This is the best book available on technology and congregations. The authors write in a practical, whimsical manner and the result is all kinds of useful information about computers and ministry. This book would be great for a technology team in a congregation. Or better yet, a governing board might use the book to enhance strategic mission by becoming more savvy about technology. The book includes chapters about worship and education software, congregational management software, and helps related to creating a technology plan. More and more congregations use technology as an instrument for important work. Read this book and learn how technology can strengthen the congregation you serve.

I am a training consultant and have a whole bookshelf of books like this. I find i come back to this one and "quick Teambuilding Activities for busy managers" over and over again. This one has GREAT activities that are so effective and relatively easy to use. All have a specific learning objective. Descriptions are easy to follow. But most importantly, the activities are truly wonderful. Puzzel, especially...if I had to give the author royalties everytime i used that activity, he'd be rich!

I have placed this book on the desks of all my managers and instructed them to follow it to the letter.

It has been instrumental in motivating under compensated employees into thinking they have a chance of achieving the American Dream. The "team" concept is brilliant!
This book is great for the high technology company trying to compete with low wage Asian labor.
The "team" concept of Rose & Buckley with show you how to motivate "team members" while paying them subsistence wages.

OUTSTANDING!

This book is outstanding. I have now facilitated several offsites company-wide and gained my popularity in doing so from Ed Rose's book! Sincerely, honestly. The interactive exercises he shares with you as a reader are excellent. I have received nothing but commendable feedback after each of my offsites when using his ideas. I highly recommend this book to those of you who facilitate annual offsites for your work teams. There is something in this book for every group and all team dynamics. This book will show you how to have a great time (lots of laughs and smiles and bonding) while really engraving a strong, memorable message in each and every persons head! My copy is lent out to people company-wide all the time. Trust me, this book is a keeper! Thank you Ed for writing such a valueable resource for us team-leaders!!! I truly appreciate your quality book.

Another great training resource from Ed Rose working with Steve Buckley. Practical exercises, well described, well illustrated, and full of additional trainer insights.

Dr. Brickey has done it again! "52 baby steps to Grow Young" has marvelous, easy-to-remember exercises to change your outlook on life, one for each week. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing to raise their spirits, put spring into their steps, and plan for a long future.

Reviewed by Mary Greenwood for Reader Views (7/06)

"52 Baby Steps to Grow Young", by Dr. Michael Brickey, is a 52-week program that gives a baby step of improvement for each week of the year. "52 Baby Steps To Grow Young" is a modern day sequel to the Tortoise and the Hare story.

Dr. Michael Brickey is a Board Certified psychologist who has written another book called "Defy Aging". He has studied Reverse Aging and has attempted to distill his knowledge into 52 lessons. His format is to list the step and ask "Why?" Then he gives a quote or two and then lists something humorous related to the topic. The reader goes on to the next step so that by the end of the year, the reader's life has improved dramatically. He uses the analogy of losing weight. Those who keep the weight off are the ones who lose it slowly because they developed good eating habits. As a reviewer, I did not have the luxury of taking a full year to read the book. I read it all in one sitting and my head is swimming with lots of good ideas. Since I am of a certain age, I gravitated toward those lessons concerning retiring.

Step 11 is Never Retire: He applies Winston Churchill's statement about never surrendering to retiring. Dr. Brickey says that if you cannot agree with that statement, then you must not be doing something you love.

Number 29 is Fear of Gray: Notice friends, politicians, and celebrities who have gray hair and look attractive, distinguished, handsome and/or beautiful. I have a lot of gray hair and am in a constant debate as to whether to let it stay gray. Most recently I saw Meryl Streep with a white hair-do in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada. She definitely looked attractive and beautiful. Maybe I will keep it gray.

Number 30- Longevity Icons: Pick an icon that represents vital longevity and choose it for your personal longevity icon. He suggests the Phoenix or the Energizer Bunny. I picked the Energizer Bunny. It exemplified my Mom (90) and Dad (91) who keep on going and going despite life's obstacles.

What I liked about the book was that it was humorous and provocative. It is easy to understand each step and dig into the topic of the week. This book is targeted to Baby Boomers who are rethinking how we age and retire. "52 Baby Steps to Grow Young" is an easy way to think about making small positive changes. Dr. Brickey talks about vitamins, exercise, humor, resiliency, happiness, and death. There is definitely something for everyone. The Tortoise wins every time!

Dr. Michael Brickey gives excellent advice in his "52 baby steps to Grow Young". By taking a baby step each week, many will grow in self discipline, gain a new attitude and enjoy a
better life. Dr. Brickey's clear instructions will definitely help those who truly want to change old habits.

Lura Zerick, author of Getting Older and Enjoying It!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Not only is it easy to read and understand, but as we start living longer, it is very important to keep your mind and body in shape. This book gives usefull information on how to do this.

Our body system is nature's most perfect creation, balanced by intricate systems of feedback and communication. Our personal lives and organizational lives are often devoid of feedback; somehow we have lost these essential skills. This book teaches us how to become Aware of our Behavior and its Consequences through an eloquent description of how healthy feedback can change us personally and corporately. As a Family Physician and teacher of Family Physicians, I am certain that the ability to give and receive feedback promotes more healthy relationships. This is the essence of sustainable growth and change. We all have the power to change ourselves and this book is a good way to start that process!

The authors summarize their vast experience teaching executives how to give feedback to others...whether they be subordinates or equals. What needs to be fed back? How to "package" that feedback? What barriers keep us from trying? Why do we all think we are good at this basic function, when most of us are miserable and uncomfortable at it? This guidebook tells us how to do it and more importantly, tell us why we must. It stimulates and challenges and ends up inspiring us. It makes it fun. Our professional life is like our personal life. We have a duty to make others better and more productive. We need to invite others to help us to improve. Without feedback, there is no learning. Without constant learning, we stagnate. If we stagnate, our life was not worth living. So this book helps us to be better human beings. Read this book, then reread it. It's like a fine wine, getting richer with age.

As a consultant and trainer, I found "The ABC's of Effective Feedback" to be so very useful to all my work in Career Development. I have advised all 35 trainers who work with me to read it so they can use its gems of wisdom in their delivery as well.

This book could easily have been retitled: what I really should have learned in medical school about effective communication...but never did. The authors present an effective framework for not only learning basic communication skills, but for understanding the more fundamental behaviors which drive our language and communications. Always balancing their message with a caring, sensitive clinical perspective, (including several "right on target" examples) their message should hit home with every physician and caring professional who chose the healing arts as a labor of love, passion, caring and commitment. All too often, in today's healthcare environment financial pressures seem to take us further away than ever from the patient...changing us from patient advocate to adversary. The frustration is further heightened by the sense that "nobody really listens to us anymore." This book lays out a coherent, comprehensive, and compassionate approach to communication which, at its best, should enable and empower us to hear and be heard more effectively - not only with our patients, but with our colleagues, other healthcare industry leaders, and our families. I heartily recommend this book!!!

Great tool! The cards really work to help people talk about inclusivity and the issues that people don't want to say out loud in a group. I was surprised how fast people really got into it. The book has a very simple process to follow. Later, I used it myself and almost had fun figuring out what is wrong with our business environment.

You don't need more meetings or brainstorming sessions to identify what needs to be done and what the issues are. Leaders of the future need to enable themselves and their teams to work successfully among people with differences. Debbe Kennedy has heard it all, collected the best ideas and solutions, and has prepared this easy to use and understand tool kit. It allows you to get to work, start talking and build a deeper understanding of people. Most managers and human resource professionals do not know how to tackle the subject of diversity and inclusion and let their own sensitivities and lack of knowledge and experience get in the way. The Action Dialogues will more than get you started and keep you talking and thinking and doing.

Debbe Kennedy's newly released "Action Dialogues" is a BREAKTHROUGH in and of itself. I say this because I feel that Debbe has broken new ground and is helping to shape the future of how we will use books as tools, not just as repositories of ideas. It is so much more than a book. It is a Tool, Reference, a source of Inspiration and a Catalyst for change in organizations, not to mention that the process laid out is customizable, flexible, accessible, fun and action-oriented. The cards themselves are amazing - they convey the spirit of diversity and inclusion through their simple design and powerful use of graphics and quotes. The categories(leadership, culture, involvement, staffing & development, strategies & measures and business) listed on the bottom corner of each card let you perform a quick assessment of where the balance of your issues reside. My initial use of the tool confirmed my gut-feel --- and helped me craft the key message that I wanted to share with our leadership team. I was able to communicate what was working, what wasn't working and what we could do about it!

When I first opened the box and began working with the book and the companion card deck, I instantly felt empowered to take action. I have now used "Action Dialogues" to prepare for and execute a dialogue with a small group of leaders focused on a key culture change project. In addition to testing this powerful new tool in the corporate setting, I have also found it to be a great way to open conversations in both non-profit and public sector environments. In one instance, a particular card and the associated issu and quote really hit a nerve with a collegue who works for a city in Northern California. We used that one issue to build around it a focused dialogue session. There are no complex theories that need to be grasped or detailed preparation. If you have a issue that needs to be discussed and you have been putting it off because you don't feel comfortable facilitating the necessary dialogue - don't wait. Buy this book. It will take you by the hand and show you step by step how to be successful and get busy changing the world!

I found this tool -- not just a book -- to be useful far beyond bringing diversity and leadership to the workplace. The structure is straightforward. The knowledge and process to unlock talent in my company got my interest. The results made me a believer. Leadership is demonstrated from a diversity of perspectives. Thank God for authors and leaders like Debbe Kennedy, Joel Barker and Francis Husselbein for cutting through the rhetoric and giving us real help.

Every kid loves to be surprised by explosions, things bubbling over and the unexpected twist in whatever you're teaching...but add God, scripture and life-application and you have a WINNING FORMULA!!! I have used this book over and over with elementary kids and I always hear squeals of delight and see total engagement in their faces. God created science, and He truly shines through the activities in this book!

This book is a great book to have when doing devotions for children. I use it in our children's church on a regular bases and the kids always look forward to the devotions.

This is a great resource for any Children's Minister or Children's Volunteer. It gives you simple yet "Amazing" science demonstrations and experiments that will help kids remember the truth about God, Jesus, the Bible and the love that God has for us. Each Devotion gives you an "Exploration Element" that realates to the science part of the devotion (if you are just looking for cool science experiments without the Bibilical connection these are great for you). Each Devotion also comes with a Bible Benchmark -- which is a passage of Scripture. It is amazing how these experiments really relate to the Bible verses!! This is a must have if you are teaching kids at any church -- they will think you are so cool and most of all they will listen and remember because they've really experienced something.

This book is a great way for children to see the wonders of God's creation in the proper way. The sections allow us to explain science facts through Biblical truths. It can be a firm foundation for later discoveries.

The book is about one individual who wants power and missuses it to the point where he is hated by everyone including his equals.

Never let it be said my Church hasn;t played with fire for generations in this country. The pedofile fiasco was merely a tran wreck waiting to happen. Rome's reluctance to exert control has seemed to be an on again, off again affair. Well, better let each to his/her own and read the book! It is fascinating in the ways Cardinal O'Connor embarrassed the Church and exploited power and influence.

Ambition & Arrogance by Douglas Slawson is an excellent read for anyone interested in the politics of the church. Cardinal O'Connell's impact on the Boston church and beyond is exacting and thoroughly documented. Slawson has detailed the life of this rogue with utmost fairness. This book is a "must read" or history will repeat itself.

Before the scandalous Cardinal Bernard Law, Boston had the scandalous Cardinal William O'Connell. The O'Connell scandals were hushed up by the Vatican, but the records remain, and National University historian Douglas Slawson has dug them up.

O'Connell was not only a cardinal at a time when there were only three American cardinals, he was the senior U.S. prince of the church. He lived like one, too.

As presented by Slawson, he makes a contradictory personality: devoid of personal faith or spirituality (he seldom offered Mass, never confessed), he was yet a fanatical believer in the supremacy of Rome: in Catholic European terms, an ultramontane ranged against Gallicans, who in America were called Americanists.

Ultramontanism was obscurantist (not mentioned by Slawson), antidemocratic, supremacist and anti-education. No such doctrine was going to thrive in America, much less Catholicize a Protestant country although it was official policy of the Church to convert the country. But it had a good run -- a longer run than Slawson thinks. The Roman Catholic schools I attended in the `50s and `60s taught a thoroughly ultramontane ecclesiology, although ordinary Catholics paid it less and less attention. By that time, O'Connell, the last of the big bugs among the ultramontanists, had been dead for 10 or 20 years, and had been out of influence for 20 or 30 years.

In a word, O'Connell was enamored of Fuhrerprinzep, but he saw himself not as Hitler but as Goering. His Hitler was the pope, especially the antimodernist Pius X (whose name graced, if that is the word, my high school).

O'Connell was actually more scandalous to Catholics than to non-Catholics. Several of his sins were purely churchly. He was a simoniac. Probably an active homosexual (Slawson thinks he was but says the proof is lacking). He connived with the two priests in his household (one a nephew) to overlook their marriages. As sex scandals go, this is pretty funny. Only Catholics can make a man's relations with his wife a sexual sin.

O'Connell, who was fertile in wrongdoing, did transgress secular law. He embezzled and extorted and stole. He fiddled charitable funds, which probably was not indictable around 1918 but would be today.

And everybody who was anybody knew it. The district attorney was after him. U.S. senators wanted his scalp. His own suffragans plotted to have him called to Rome where, it was thought, he could do less harm. Some of the leaders of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy -- men whose names are still remembered like Austin Dowling -- wanted him out. Almost none of the hundred American bishops trusted him and most despised him. But they couldn't nail him. O'Connell had friends at court.

It is a story that could be slotted easily into the Italian Quattrocento and even people with no interest in Catholic intramural politics can be amused by Slawson's careful recitation of the schemes and counter schemes. "Ambition and Arrogance" is not light reading, however.

Slawson's reasons for resurrecting this forgotten episode are hortatory, not merely academic: "Had lessons been learned from O'Connell's 'Boston tragedy and comedy' and had measures like these [several steps of internal church discipline that Slawson recommends] been put in place as a result, the church might have been spared subsequent scandals."

Although I admire Slawson's book, I cannot agree. The only scandals he mentions are the child-rape scandals which the church failed to cover up as well as it did O'Connell's robberies.

First, the child-rape scandals were an entirely different category from O'Connell's sins, which were mere peccadilloes by comparison. The O'Connell sex scandals were among adults; few people would even count them scandalous these days. Even the thefts are hard to distinguish from normal church practice over the centuries. The extortions in particular would have been hard to prove in court.

Second, Slawson -- typically for an American Catholic (which I presume him to be) -- has a too-domestic perspective. In between O'Connell's ultimate failure in church politics and America's child-rape scandals, the Roman church committed far, far worse sins. Its complicity with Hitlerism and active participation in the Holocaust make O'Connell look like a choirboy.

Third, now that churchly power is more attenuated that it was early in the 20th century, scandals are harder to cover up. Even setting aside the mass murder of Jews -- which many Catholics still refuse to accept that Pius XII had a hand in, although he provably did -- there have been banking scandals and sex scandals outside the United States that have been exposed to all. Neither those nor the child-rape scandals have caused any appreciable numbers of adherents to ditch the religion. There is no sign whatever that the Roman Catholic Church has corrected its practices. It is incorrigible.

Fourth, Slawson's recommendations stop at church discipline. If the church is to shed its status as a continuing criminal enterprise, bishops and archbishops need to be sentenced to prison for their crimes, not just to penitential prayers.

I found this book to be very well researched and written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the natural history of our great nation.

I found this book to be very well researched and written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the natural history of our great nation.

Professor Bonnicksen has devoted his career to the care and protection of the forests. Where public relations folks talk the talk, Professor Bonnicksen walks the walk. Ancient Forests is a tour through history, a tour de forest that takes us from ancient lands and brings us to the present day, making us realize that from the forest we came and from the forests we shall go. A member of the Congressional Commission charged with oversight of American forest and land use and a devoted conservationist, Professor Bonnicksen in this brilliant volume brings many of his themes expounded in shorter articles and books together in a densely forested wood of pine and deciduous scented brilliance. After reading this book, no one will pass a tree and look at it the same, ever, again. Kudos to Professor Bonnicksen of Texas A & M University.

This book could have been titled America's Ancient Landscapes. One of the pleasant surprises about this book is that it deals with all types of landscapes: prairies, barrens, savannas, and all types of wetlands, as well as forests. For those of us in the Midwest, who deal with all of those types, this is a great bonus. Bonnicksen gives us the needed background, through the tremendous changes of the ice age and the plant migrations that followed, to the landscape affects of the Native Americans, to be able to knowledgeably manage natural areas, and restorations. The background on the Indians is so very thorough. You can't help but acquire a new impression of how important and ubiquitous their influence was. What I really like about this book is the complete documentation, done in the old fashioned way, with footnotes! The chapter on fire had 317 footnotes, all of which can be looked up in first the Notes and Citations, then in the extensive Bibliography, which alone covers 75 pages! This is a great reference work. If you can't afford it, get your local library to purchase a copy. I did!

This book is a spectacular visual text to some of the American National Parks. The size of the photos, and their photographic quality, are just excellent. The photos are right up there with National Geographic-type quality. In addition, the accompaning text gives ecological insights to where and why this part of the United States was designated and saved as a National Park. The book gives short but insightful accompanying text for each of the Parks that are presented to the reader. The only problem is, unfortunately, the organization of the chapters, and a very skimpy table of contents, and the reader can get easily annoyed with these two problems. It is hard to understand why the publisher made such errors, as the problems are very obvious, and the whole book suffers as a result. It is a beautiful book covering many of the National Parks, with super photos and very good college level text, and if you can put up with the problems of a missing table of contents, this book is a great collection of art, ecology, and the National Parks of the USA. A 5-star for the photos and accompanying text, and a 3 for a useless table of contents. Sorry, but the publisher made major mistakes in putting this otherwise spectacular book together. But I will still give the book a 5-star anyway. The photos and text are just too good to give this book anything less than a 5-star.

Paul Schullery presents a book filled with powerful and beautiful images of fifty-six national parks that have been dedicated to the preservation and protection of irreplaceable treasures. This book shows why these parks are so worthy of protection.

Not only are they places where indescribable beauty can be seen, they have also been formed by unique geological forces. From stunning mountain ranges to arid expanses of desert, these are the lands we view, wander in and learn from.

America's National Parks is a celebration of the diversity of national parks throughout the United States. They are grouped according to the geological forces that helped to create them.

Diagrammatic illustrations, important landmarks, travel routes, topographical maps and spectacular full-color photographs illustrate the sheer majestic beauty of nature.

You will also find captivating information to encourage an awareness of the landforms, flora and fauna. Families will also find information to help enhance their vacations at the parks.

Inside the front cover a map of America shows the location of each park I started to remember my trip to the Grand Canyon National Park and my husband's visit to Denali.

Our Treasured Lands
The Rolling Land - Volcanic and Geothermal Forces
The Broken Crust - The Power of Mountain Building
Water Designing Lands - Waves, Caves and Currents
Ice Sculpting Stone - The Carving Power of Glaciers
The Patient Power - Wind and Water Erosion
Weather Shaping Life - Effects of Extreme Climates

This book contains some of the most amazing photographs I've ever seen of America. From pictures of dripstone formations adorning New Mexico's Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico to Lush Ecosystems shrouded in Fog in the National Park in Washington, these pictures help to vividly describe each park. I remember once having an argument with someone over the fact that there were rainforests near where I lived in Washington and no one would believe me. Well, here is proof!

I was also especially interested in looking up the Painted Desert we visited once on a trip across America after college. At the time, I didn't actually realize I was in the Petrified Forest national Park in Arizona because technically, we were just driving right through and I wasn't paying attention.

This book has helped to bring a new awareness to my own life and also encourages a desire for more exploration. Now I definitely want to see Mount McKinley in person.

Voyageurs National Park looks like a fascinating place to paddle around lonely islands. However, they do say never to skimp on insect repellent. A third of the park is water.

A memento of past visits or an inspiration for future exploration!

~The Rebecca Review

You might expect a book on US National Parks to have an all-USA (including Alaska and Hawaii) orientation map along with local maps of each National Park--and it does. You would expect it to have beautiful pictures--and it does. You would expect it to discuss the flora and wildlife found in these parks--and it does. You might expect it to touch on the history of the locations going back to the days of the First Americans--and it does. You would probably expect to hear that Yellowstone National Park, founded in 1872, was the first US National Park, and that it contains most of the world's geysers--and the book certainly states this.

Being a geologist, what I find relatively unique about this book is its emphasis throughout on basic geological processes. The cross-sections it gives of various geological processes and structures are quite educational, and they are very suitable for the geology classroom. (I wish that I had seen them when I first began to formally study geology!) The reader learns about the internal structure and dynamics of volcanoes, the types of folds and faults that form during mountain building, weathering and erosional structures such as hoodoos, and even such things as fumaroles and mudspots. There are also detailed visual aids on bays and reefs.

Fabulous book! The text is very interesting and educational, and it explains the scientific aspects of the National Parks and their land very well. The photos are gorgeous and made me want to visit every single park! :-) They really show some of the awesome beauty of God's handiwork. I highly recommend this book to all outdoor enthusiasts, lovers of nature and science and fellow armchair travelers. The book also contains helpful contact information for planning a visit to the parks. A great read and a great book to enjoy!

I think it is a much needed and valuable item that every Internet connected animal lover should own. This book gives greaet Internet addresses. It has everything you need to spend many hours of fun and discovery on the Internet with other animal lovers!

The Animal Lover's Guide To The Internet includes nearly 600 Web site addresses and decriptions. In addition, Bonnie included several chapters in the book to help newcomers. The first time I attempted to get on the Net, I felt like I was lost in the twilight zone. Nothing made sense and the books I read on the subject just confused me more. This book is written in simple, easy to understand language and is focused on getting you up and running quickly and painlessly!

An excellent reference guide for animal lovers to the world of Internet in six easy steps to the site of general interest, health, chats, newsgroups and on-line publications about birds, cats, dogs, fish, rabbits, reptiles, horses and even dinosaurs.

First of all, the cover illustration by Bonnie Shields is adorable. Aptly depicted animals gathered around a computer monitor are a visual treat. Look for the cat that is curled around the monitor's base. He is shown rather true to form. The inside illustrations by Sharon Redfield are charming and show an eye for detail. This is a great gift for the animal lover in your family or circle of friends. More so if that animal lover is yourself. Happen to have one or more grandchildren or a niece or nephew with a computer? Animal lover or not, this book would constitute a wonderful study tool. As a comprehensive, yet easy to understand manual for everything from choosing the right computer, accessing the Internet, to fossil hunting, this book excels. The author's words are friendly, warm and serve as the wisdom of a knowledgeable friend. I feel this makes for a perfect package. Well organized, with more than 500 Internet addresses for you to explore, you will find the material broken down into easy to understand classifications. Have fun reading and exploring. I did!