Amateur Books

As a former dean of students (back in the dark ages) and an author of two novels, I can identify with Dean Doug, the main character, and the author, Heath P. Boice. Through the author's excellent writing, I felt like I was walking the campus of Westmire College and experiencing the trials and tribulations of Dean Doug as he was thrown a multitude of curve balls, dealing with a passel of "unique" characters, and living the life many student services' professionals wake-up from nightmares about. Overall, a good and entertaining mystery. I look forward to the second book in the Mystery 101 series.

I finished this book in less than two days! It was such a fun, quick, and exciting read. Lots of great characters and great story make for a fantastic book. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series!

A thoroughly enjoyable book- interesting characters, intriguing plot, cool setting. I look forward to the next one!

I didn't know a mystery could be so humorous! Looking forward to Dean Doug's next adventure.

Sharon Codd
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ

This book has all the standard ingredients for a good modern cozy. The detective is not a professional, he's one of us. The characters are quirky. There are some nice chuckles. The detective gets into some personal danger--well done, that danger, but I won't say more. The detective, a Dean of Students at a private college, has uncommon traits. He is not angst-ridden because of a questionable past. He is not burdened with a difficult relationship. He loves his wife and kid who are warm and supportive. Kind of unique in the mystery genre, and it works. Yeah, there's a plot too but I never care about the plot in mysteries--I mean, someone had to have done it, right? Guardian Devils

EXCELLENT book. I have been making wine for 6 years and this has been the most informative, precise book I have ever come across. It includes everything you need to know to make perfect wines. It also has great tips on growing grapes. This is definitely the bible of winemaking!

An excellent technical manual, or guide for someone desiring to set up a small commercial winery, but not for the beginner or aspiring home wine maker. There are several other books available on the topic of home wine making which cover the basics and have excellent recipes to get started. This book does cover the complete gamut of wine making from grape varieties, their attributes, and how they are grown, to the fermenting, all of the equipment and chemicals used in commercial wine making, aging, bottling, and storage.

Modern Winemaking has quite a bit of useful information, and it's well-written and informative. However, this is not a book for beginning home winemakers. Jackisch spends a lot of time on the chemistry of wine (an important topic) but comes up short in practical suggestions, sensory evaluation, equipment choices, and other important areas. That said, if you're looking for more advanced info on wine chemistry than can be found in the introductory books, by all means give this book a try.

PS: UC Davis Enology dept. has an EXCELLENT .pdf book available for free download. Don't miss it.

I was first reluctant to purchase this book until I read the contents of the index off the website. It had information I was looking for concerning certain types of grapes that was particularly hard for me to find elsewhere. When I got the book I was surprised to find out that it is a complete front to back wonder. It has so much information packed inside that you wouldnt believe. From what type of grapes to use for a particular kind of wine to formulas for what type of additives you need. This book is AWESOME to say the least. I have been making wine my whole childhood and learned alot from this book already.....A+ !

This is very well written book packed w/a lot of information. It is a good reference book and would be helpful in every winemakers library. It is more technical for some...but it just depends on what you are interested in. This book would be best for those who are interested in eventually making high quality wines... and for those who want to know the details of how wine is actually produced (chemical processes, etc.) from a research chemist (and lover of fine wines) point of view.

This book is a helpful inspiration to moms who want to improve the pics they're taking of their kids. It's not bogged down with technical jargon but practical and fun.

I was looking forward to getting some helpful insight on photographing children from this scarpbooking guru but I was disappointed in the quality of the book. The copyright of the book is 1999, however, the photographs that were used as examples looked very outdated- maybe even from 25 years ago if I had to guess. This book is VERY VERY BASIC. It talks about using flash, coordinating outfits, taking candid shots, using backgrounds, etc. If you are looking for ways to use the great pictures of your children or making the most of your camera this is NOT the book for you! Spend a few extra bucks and get "DESIGNING WITH PHOTOS" instead.

This book is good not only for the lighting suggestions (the most exotic lighting equipment suggested was a white tablecloth or posterboard) but for the ideas on WHAT to take pictures of. This book gives ideas of how to photograph your kids doing everyday things and having fun(as well as the fun prop shots) instead of having the glum, formal Mom-making-me sit-still-for-a-picture look or the fake cheesy smiles. The most helpful part of the book for me was on posing group shots - different ways to get the kids in order and not looking like a police line-up. The photos alone without reading the accompanying text can give you a lot of ideas to try, while reading the text gives you info on how the shot was set up (or advice on how to corral the kids for the picture). This book shows what you can do in photography with basic equipment.

I received this book shortly after my daughter was born and it has proved to be a great reference. It's not overly technical and is written in language anyone can understand. The advice and tips work just as well with a point and shoot camera than with a more complex one. You'll find yourself reading this book several times and picking up a new tip each time. A great investment!

If the pictures you take of your children usually end up looking unnaturally posed or all seem to look alike, then this book is for you! It's packed full of tips for taking childrens' pictures that tell stories. Beyond the "say cheese" photos, you will find ideas such as using props, framing your subjects, fun and/or unusual poses, action shots, and how to use lighting in a general way. There is no technical jargon and all ideas can be used with a basic point and shoot camera. With a little practice and this handy little guide, you will be creating eye candy for your albums in no time!

I've recently become interested in green building. My local library system provided a lot of interesting books, most of which weren't really worth buying.

Daniel Chiras' book is different: comprehensive, well-organized, and sincere. I purchased a copy as this is a definite keeper.

Dan Chiras has done a number of things I really like in this book.

The first part of his book provides a chapter on each of several natural building technologies with enough information to help novice readers understand what is involved. Moreover, he adds a pro and con table at the end of each to help readers compare and contrast them - and to make a decision about which is best for their particular situation.

Chiras also provides an ample helping of "food for thought" material to help potential natural builders understand the "why" of their prospective natural building projects, an essential process for anyone who is contemplating an out of the ordinary building project.

Chiras serves his readers well by acting as a "fair broker" of natural building as a concept as well as each of the technologies he presents. This allowing his readers to make their own informed judgements about which natural building method, if any, they will use. Chiras additionally provides numerous references so that readers can find more detailed material for further research and project planning.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is in the process of considering or planning construction of a natural home, especially to those who are not already familiar with conventional construction materials and methods and at least reasonably familiar with natural construction alternatives.

It's easily worth the price.

My husband and I are building a new house and we were looking for a good resource for information about eco-friendly options for our home. This turned out to be an excellent resource, but a little outdated. There have been so many advances in various eco-friendly technology since this book was written and it would be great it Daniel Chiras would update this book to show that. However, this book did provide us with the basic information we needed to make most of the decisions for our house. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to build green or do a green remodel to their house. In addition to this, I would recommend getting a subscription to Smart Homeowner Magazine and/or Mother Earth, both of which will provide you with the latest in green products and technology, along with a lot of other valuable information. They make a great update to The Natural House.

Being an architect already, I found that the book was an excellent introduction, even for me, to the various alternative building techniques emerging. It gave the author's honest opinion about many of the techniques, which was very appreciated. Don't expect it to be a precise how-to guide for any of the methods. It is an excellent overview, though, that can help you evaluate which building techniques you would like to explore further. The references at the end are vast and helpful.

However, I found that for a book about the "Natural House", it often suggested many un-green building materials (OSB, polypropylene bags). Sometimes their "ungreeness" was mentioned, sometimes not.

If you're interested in building a natural home (cob, rammed earth, straw-bale, earthship, whatever), this is your primer. The author has done his homework and presents the description, pros/cons and pitfalls of each type of construction. He is very honest about just how "do-it-yourself" each type can be, and how much it will cost you. He also covers passive and active solar design, natural water capture and other alternative technologies to go with your natural home. This is an excellent overview on all these subjects.

The best thing about this book is that he refers you to other sources for more detail - books, videos, newsletters and organizations that will support you, give you a workshop or just give you more detailed information than belonged in this primer book.

I highly recommend this as the first book you read on the subject. Once you know which type of house you are interested in, you can pick up some of the other books he suggests on that building type.

I bought this book for its section on electrical wiring. I had a problem with a couple of outlets at my house, and looked at several books that dealt specifically on home electrical wiring (ie Ortho, Black & Decker, Time-life and Better Homes) Pop Mech's "Home-How-To" book in my opinion far exceeded all other books on electrical wiring. This book went into more wiring configurations than the other books and explained them in simple step by step instructions with color diagrams to help. This book also explained alot about the different circuits (120v,240v,small appliance, lighting and individual) that are in your house and required by the NEC. There is even a small section on the process of getting a permit for adding extra circuits to your house. If your completely new to electricity the first few pages in the elecrtical section explains what amps, volts, and watts mean and even how to read your electric meter. So if you are new to home wiring and just want to know how to replace a switch or outlet then this book is for you, but if you are more knowleged and want to add a indoor or outdoor circuit line with a seperate circuit breaker in your main elec box, then this book is also for you. On a last note, I must again state that I am only rating and giving a 5 star rating on its electrical section, I have not had the chance or need to read into the other chapters.

Of all the how-to books out there I think this is one of the best. Plenty of illustrations throughout to explain the house systems.

I bought this book for its section on electrical wiring. I had a problem with a couple of outlets at my house, and looked at several books that dealt specifically on home electrical wiring (ie Ortho, Black & Decker, Time-life and Better Homes) Pop Mech's "Home-How-To" book in my opinion far exceeded all other books on electrical wiring. This book went into more wiring configurations than the other books and explained them in simple step by step instructions with color diagrams to help. This book also explained alot about the different circuits (120v,240v,small appliance, lighting and individual) that are in your house and required by the NEC. There is even a small section on the process of getting a permit for adding extra circuits to your house. If your completely new to electricity the first few pages in the elecrtical section explains what amps, volts, and watts mean and even how to read your electric meter. So if you are new to home wiring and just want to know how to replace a switch or outlet then this book is for you, but if you are more knowleged and want to add a indoor or outdoor circuit line with a seperate circuit breaker in your main elec box, then this book is also for you. On a last note, I must again state that I am only rating and giving a 5 star rating on its electrical section, I have not had the chance or need to read into the other chapters.

This book is something of my bible. It's clearly written, has excellent illustrations and, above all, treats the reader with respect and intelligence. I've used this book successfully with doing large electrical projects, plumbing, sanding floors, laying out a brick garden path, and many many others. The detail provided in this book to guide you is both extensive and clear. An excellent choice that will serve you well for years to come.

This is the only home repair book I've seen that doesn't treat the reader like an idiot. By assuming that the reader already knows how to use a hammer, the editors are able to devote far more attention to actual home repair projects. For example, this volume devotes about 8 pages to plaster repair - a critical task for anyone maintaining an older home, yet one ignored by every other comparable book on the market. This book fills a needed gap between beginner do-it-yourself volumes and advanced instruction for the professional tradesperson.

The late Bill Orr, W6SAI, was a legend to many of us old timer hams. His books were always practical and helpful. Radio Handbook is no exception. This is a reprint of an older edition of Radio Handbook so its technology looks like 80's vintage. (Get the ARRL Handbook for recent stuff.) This book's strength is tube-type linear amplifiers. That's why I bought it and I'm happy with it. Very practical help and ideas. His general radio theory sections are quite clear as well. For other circuits and devices, I found the material rather dated. But for amps, it's my book!

...PrimeParts.net says they still have a few in stock; I just ordered one earlier today. Web link: http://www.primeparts.net/Books/books.shtml

Update: The book arrived and I've been perusing the contents. It's an absolutely beautiful book -- the pictures are crisp and clear. The technical content is quite good, although I would caution that the technical details are closer to what you find in something like the ARRL Handbook or perhaps Experimental Methods in RF Design than, say, Bowick's or Hayward's RF Design (text) books.

It is true that some of the content is dated: most of the amplifiers are tube-based and while some designs are perfectly workable as presented, today there are much more straightforward approaches using, e.g., microcontrollers and a bit of analog 'glue.' (Particularly amusing: He catalogs the 'typical home computer' as having 64KB. :-) ) Still, there's a lot that can be learned from a classic book such as this, and even if the implementations have changed over time, the fundamentals are timeless; people who downgrade books such as this for being 'obsolete' are typically those who are only seeking a cursory understanding of the subject matter.

But they are not mutually exclusive. Every ham needs this book. Especially if you ever want to build (or dream) a "real" RF amplifier. Buy this book before they go out of print

This book is a must have for any library. If you are interested in homebrewing then you need this book. Its filled with lots of schematics and details.

This is an fundamental book for the amateur and the beginers

Those of us who live and work in beautiful Colorado Springs know that
violence and crime abound in a few unsavory, local neighborhoods. But
in A Real Basket Case, even the affluent Broadmoor and foothills residents
aren't immune to danger, kidnapping, drugs and murder.

When a sexy, Latin aerobics instructor/massage therapist/gigolo is killed in Claire Hanover's bedroom, the once bored, unfulfilled, gift basket maker must become an amateur sleuth to clear her husband of the murder charges.

Love, loyalty and latent inner strength propel Claire through a clever investigation. She holds her own in confrontations with a hostile detective, jealous women, drug addicts, drug dealers and friends who may be enemies in disguise. Aided by her inherent honesty and tenacity, she solves the crime.

Clues snake through this satisfying story like a well-woven basket. All in all, Beth Groundwater has provided a terrific read for both new and veteran mystery aficionados to savor.

P.S.
The ending is really, really good.

A housewife not feeling appreciated, a part time gift basket maker, an amauter sleuth trying to prove her husband's innocence, an acquaintance of a drug dealer. Believable? Well, maybe. But the writing is crisp, the story flows smoothly, scene descriptions are clear, a bit of humor, and I was never sure 'who did it' until the final chapter.
Thanks for introducing a new character with lots of potential for future escapades.

Beth Groundwater's A Real Basket Case combines a good mystery with a stong relationship story. Claire Hanover must solve the murder when her husband is accused of the crime, while trying to patch up her marriage. The novel contains strong characters with a mystery that keeps you guessing.

I opened the book just before I went to bed thinking I'd read just a few pages. I didn't close it until mid-morning and I hated reaching the end. I longed for another book to keep up with Claire's adventures.

Claire Hanover could be the woman next door. Middle aged, recently empty nested and in the process of having her marriage grow distant so it can hopefully grow closer. Then her husband is caught with the gun in his hand. She knows he didn't do it, but who did? Claire's world is upside down. She is so believable you want to invite her in for coffee and comfort. The story is all hers, her vulnerability is so touching, it's almost heartrending. Through the story she grows, toughens up, changes in ways she never thought possible and manages to keep her core values. The ending is a shocker, one I never saw coming despite the well placed clues. Can't wait for more from this writer.

Claire Hanover is feeling lonely. Her Colorado Springs gift basket business is enough to fulfill her. Her husband is working night and day and ignoring her. Her friend Ellen, who has been bitter since her divorce, gets her to join her exercise class. When their handsome aerobics instructor, Enrique, shows interest in Claire, Ellen urges her to have a fling. Claire agrees to a massage. What she didn't realize was that it would in her bedroom! Just when the massage was about to start, Enrique is shot and Roger, Claire's husband, is in the doorway with the gun.

At first Claire isn't positive Roger is innocent, but soon realizes he's being framed. The police are happy they've got their man, so she sets out to prove his innocence. She finds herself with many unsavory people in the course of her investigation, especially the drug dealers. Then there are the many gym ladies he supplied with cocaine or seduced for money. Can Claire sort out the suspects and find the killer before the killer finds her?

I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read the next! Claire is such a fun character. The story kept my interest at every turn. It did have some situations where I found myself saying, no way would I do that. I felt a normal person would have called the police, but Claire persevered and won me over! I hope the author writes fast!

I highly recommend this book.

On the advice of his attorney, former software company owner Frank Cole is once again working at near subsistence level in order to prevent the bankruptcy court from taking any additional assets. This time Frank is employed as a taxi dispatcher, a job which allows him to quietly contemplate his future even as his coworkers continually haze him. The quiet is shattered when he is approached first by a private detective and then by two thugs, all searching for the taxi customer who fled the scene of a drug bust. Spurred on by his own curiosity and encouraged by the P.I. Curtis Winslow, Frank begins hunting for the young man whose multiple identities lead back to his incarcerated grifter parents. Throw in a femme fatale, a drug lord, and the discovery that everyone lies, Frank soon finds himself up to his armpits in con artists and danger.

The sequel to the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery, Murder in Exile, Reduced Circumstances continues the adventures of a reluctant hero who uncovers a surprising talent for investigation while under the tutelage of experienced detectives. While the case may again be less than riveting, Frank and Winslow prove to be an engaging new team. A character-driven novel, it stumbles only in the neglect of Frank's girlfriend Beth Ann, previously a strong woman who in this outing appears only to (reasonably) nag Frank and his attorney for their slacker and unmotivated plan that keeps Frank barely working and living on rice and pasta.

This 211 page novel moves swiftly and the likable characters beg for better cases that will force Frank to step up his investigation skills. This engaging second novel by O'Neil reveals his growing talent and hopefully we can look forward to additional appearances by the witty, laid-back hero.

Vincent H. O'Neil's REDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES takes you into the swampy, sweaty world of Florida crime, via Frank Cole and his new job as a Midnight Taxi dispatcher. When a con artist goes missing after last being seen in a Midnight Taxi, Cole ends up having to answer to private investigators, bounty hunters and the con man's mysterious girlfriend. Of course, the con artist shows up dead, clutching a Midnight Taxi map, but that doesn't stop the interested parties from coming after Cole. The story moves deliberately, like an alligator through the muck, but never bores. For fans of Don Bruns' Florida novels (STUFF TO DIE FOR, SOUTH BEACH SHAKEDOWN.)

Vincent O'Neil has written another fine novel in this second of a (I hope) long series. If you missed the first book, go read it, but if not you can easily get up to speed in this one. What I like about this series is that the hero is not a super cop on steroids or a private eye who solves the world's problems in 100 pages. Frank Cole is a believable character who uses logic, judgment, and some smarts to solve at least most of the mystery. I don't want to give the plot away but it is a very good read and a worthy second novel. Similar in style to Sue Grafton and Robert Parker, O'Neil is a great writer on the way up. Waiting for the third in the series, hopefully not waiting another year.

I really enjoyed the second book in this series. Frank Cole's description of being the night dispatcher for cab company is realistic and funny. Frank's self-imposed poverty and interactions with Florida cops is great. The whole fact-grid thing is very interesting and a neat tie-in to a book one favorite character. The new characters and plot twists make this a fun book to read.

A wonderful book for fans of modern southern murder mysteries!

Butch M. Sarma
Richmond, Virginia

Frank Cole is a bankrupt businessman trying to keep a low profile. He has relocated to Exile, Florida. Frank is currently working as a dispatcher at Midnight Taxi Service. This is a piece of cake for Frank. He has been advised to keep his income low so his creditors can't come after him, and the dispatcher job takes care of that quite adequately. Living on a tight budget has also caused Frank to lose a lot of weight.

Beth Ann Thiebedault is Frank's girlfriend since moving to Exile. Beth Ann is encouraging Frank to take up something besides dispatching. Frank has done some fact checking for local firms and seems to have a special talent for it. Beth Ann is trying to encourage Frank in that direction.

Frank enjoys the Midnight Taxi Service. Most of the guys are hard working and fun loving. When Billy Lee, one of the drivers, picks up a kid leaving the Seaview Motel just as the police are making a drug bust, things start livening up around the Midnight Taxi headquarters. Soon Frank has some strange characters showing up and asking questions about the boy who may be older than he appears and may have more than one name.

When Frank learns that the kid Billy Lee picked up at The Seaview has been murdered, he becomes more deeply involved in the case than would be expected for a taxi dispatcher. Curtis Winslow, a private investigator, shows up and states he is working for the victim's family. Curtis and Frank hit it off and Curtis begins to pay Frank for his assistance in the case.

After several wrong turns Frank finally gets to the bottom of what really happened the night the kid jumped in the Midnight Taxi Service cab as he left The Seaview Motel.

Armchair Interviews says: Reduced Circumstances is an interesting story, not lacking in humor, with a surprise ending in store for the reader.

This book is a real good addition to every carpenter's library. You could even use the woodworking section of this book (Chapter 3) to help you build library shelving that you could then use to place this book (or similar woodworking books) upon. Hot dog!

The illustrations were fun, but they fell short. Any good profesional worth his spackle knows, not every project goes to plan. Aluminum foil covered pennies installed incorrectly in the fuse box, or sump pump flooding, or what to do when you drop a running bandsaws in the crib, the illustrations never tell you about what to do then. But they're part of any job, yet the book really leaves you out to dry. There isn't even a single section on Stop! Drop! and Roll! What if you forgot? What if you mixed them up? What then?

It's still really helpful and comprehensive though.

And while helpful and comprehensive, I do have a few points of "disagreement" about this book too. Mr. Huffington is the profesional, I know, but consider: when it comes to hanging the wallpaper, your standard staple gun work just as well as Mr. Hufnagel's more traditional glue methods. And shingles aren't nearly as complicated as he makes it out to be. Am I the only one who has ever used a tarp to stop leaking? I doubt it. And particleboard cabinets do, too, work. You just need to paint them yellow or black. Mr. TV-money never tells you that. And you might as well rip out the chapter on replacing clogged drainage pipes. It's a waste. Just use the chemicals you have left over from sealing your grout (Chapter 13) and pour them down the drain. Drop in a lit match, leave the room, and you just saved time and money.

And while I didn't care for the salty langauge he chooses to describe his various chores, I forgive him. He should just clean up his "blue" act some. Kids might be reading this.

Although maybe more kids should read this. With their dainty hands they could replace you when it comes to cleaning the gunk from stormdrains (Chapter 23) and dislodging chunks of wood that might jam up an otherwise perfectly good Skill Saw (Chapter 3).

I highly, highly recommend this book!!

This book is a must-have reference for the novice to the expert do-it-yourselfer. It contains well presented, step by step directions to everything from simple, routine fixes to more advanced around the house projects. The clear photography really helped to clarify the sequence of the work. Would make a great gift.

I highly recommend Stanley's new Guide Book to Home Repair. After recently renting an unrenovated loft space in Brooklyn, I found myself facing a litany of home repair "projects". My budget was too small to hire a contractor and though I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to anything involving tools, I decided to give it a go on my own. Although there were a few mishaps, I have created a liveable space and the Stanley Guide was a huge help. They cover most common household building and repair projects in a fashion that's very easy for a layman to follow. Even one that doesn't know a sprocket from a ratchet.

I recently moved into a new home that needs a lot of repairs, and this book is the absolute best resource I've found! I am especially grateful for Stanley's clear, step-by-step instructions (no scratching my head or throwing down my tools in despair!) and detailed illustrations. The book describes the whole gamut of household projects, from painting to patios to roofing, in terms a novice can understand, but won't offend a pro. I'd stake my foundations on this one!

This book is a must-have for anyone who owns a home. It offers clear, step-by-step instructions and expert advice for a wide range of projects.

The Zodiac On The Ceiling Of The Denderah Temple In Abydos, EgIpt(Egypt).
You can borrow, but you must give proper respect to the rightful heirs.

My son loved this book of constellations. They were easy to read and had good information.

I'll echo the comments of the reviewers below. I've looked at many books of star maps and I've written articles on the night sky for local newspapers. This book is by far the best - it's easy to use and the constellations are depicted just as they appear in the sky - without a lot of confusing, unnecessary additions. The accompanying essays are informative, entertaining and easy to understand.

It's a huge shame that this book evidently has not been updated in 10 years. So, yes, the planet information is out-of-date. (But before you learn to find planets you first need to learn to identify constellations and bright stars - that's where Star Maps for Beginners outshines all the others.)

I, too, have given away countless copies of this book. It's great for almost all ages. (Well, let's say for a bright 10-year-old and up.) I'm buying it again as a gift for someone who sells telescopes for a living. He never heard of it and he doesn't know what he's missing.

It's true, it doesn't show where the planets are but for identifying constellations and stars, any time from about 6 pm to about 5 am, you can't beat this book. I write a What's Up In the Sky weekly column and I'd be lost without this book. It gives basic information, delineates the differences in the seasons, skywise, and throws in some mythology also. The chart, telling which sky map corresponds to the time of night is invalueable. I can't imagine looking at the sky without this book.

My tattered copy sitting on the shelf as I write this attests to it's value. I'm no major astronomer in any sense of the word, but a major part of what I DO know about the night sky was gleaned from its pages. It is what the title suggests: "For Beginners". It refrains from being too technical, the charts for the months of the year are easy to understand and use, and it's ar less expensive than other books of its kind. If your wish is to begin a hobby in astronomy, or better yet, if you simply are curious as to how to find your way around the night sky, this is a wonderful place to start. You will amaze yourself with what you'll know after only a few nights with this book. However, please note how up-to-date your copy is when buying it here or elsewhere. Hopefully, it will be as much a joy to you as it has been for me these past six years.