O Books

My only previous experience with Gasoline Alley was a Mad Magazine parody called Gasoline Valley that focused on the interesting fact that the characters actually grew older as the series progressed. The Mad Magazine parody showed Skeezix aging from a baby into an old man just as the comic does however this volume features only a couple of years so at the end Skeezix is just a toddler. Gasoline Alley isn't a hilarious comic; instead it's a sweet, light hearted view of small town life in the early 1920's. The comic revolves around Walt, a big hearted confirmed bachelor who finds a baby deposited on his doorstep. This being the "good ol' days" Walt just keeps the baby becoming Uncle Walt (later in the book he does actually go to the effort to make it a legal adoption).

A lot of the jokes are repeated, for instance Walt, the only bachelor among his circle of friends, constantly uses the line `I know when I have it good' after seeing his hen pecked buddies. We also get to experience Walt's continual struggle with his weight. There are a few extended storylines including a shady land developer who takes the Gasoline Alley gang for a bit of money. The longest story is about the arrival of an attractive young lady named Blossom and her developing relationship with Walt.

Three things stood out for me in this collection. First was the always meticulous job done by editor Chris Ware who goes above and beyond the call of duty. There is a ton of fascinating background information on cartoonist Frank King. My tip is that any publisher who wants to release a comic collection like this one should call on Chris Ware. He is a man with serious passion for comics. The second thing that caught my attention is how clean and pleasant Frank King's drawings are. But what I enjoyed most about Walt and Skeezik's was the glimpse at life in the United States prior to the Great Depression.

What you need to do when reading through these comic strips is to try and put yourself into the era. These comics were created over 85 years ago and it's like peering into a time capsule. There is not a single mention of television or pop culture. Most of the residents of Gasoline Alley are chiefly concerned with the mileage they get on their tires or the cost of a new hat. Volume one pretty much satisfied my curiosity and I probably won't buy further volumes but that takes nothing away from this excellent collection. You definitely get your money's worth and it literally took me months to get through the entire book.

Commentary and editorial aside, the heart of this book is the wonderful Gasoline Alley strips. For those who honestly can't imagine what daily life was like before automatic shift, television, modern medicine, sexual liberation--this book is like being pulled through a time warp into the 1920s and 30s.

It has a lot of the same flavor as For Better or Worse. It's infested with genuine American characters. (Fair warning: the portrayals of African Americans are deeply stereotyped--but also remarkably sympathetic in terms of human feeling.)

DO NOT read it all in one sitting. Try to limit yourself to ten strips a night. Like movie serials, comic strips that appeared in daily newspapers took months or years to fully develop a story arc. You can't rush through that--and why the heck would you want to?

This collection was a little before my time, but it is great to read about the earlier days of Gasoline Alley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The photographs really provide insite into the authours life and basis for the comic strips. I really enjoyed the dated chronology of the strips. It also provided me with a humorous way of conveying the social, political and economic happenings of that period in American History. Absolutely Fantastic, I can not wait to read the second book in the series.

I had never really understood the appeal of Gasoline Alley. I sensed that it was a pleasant enough "slice of life" comic strip, well drawn and harmless. I had given it a glance now and then over the years, not even beginning to sense the iceberg that was always there, just beneath the 3 or 4 daily comic panels. This was all before I was exposed to the collected early stuff and the absolute genius of creator Frank King. Now, after having just finished the first volume of "Walt and Skeezix" which covers years 1921 and 1922 of this wonderful strip, I am simply very grateful to the Montreal publishing house, Drawn and Quarterly, for undertaking the multi-year project of collecting all the dailies from the King years.

The effect of this strip is somewhat cumulative, and Jeet Heer puts it best in his introduction when he writes "Gasoline Alley needs to be read in bulk to be appreciated." As I read along, it became increasingly clear to me what an astonishingly bright gem I was looking at. After I had read about six months into the dailies from 1921, I knew I was onto something very, very unique. The story of Walt and Skeezix unfolded exactly at the pace of real life, with all the well drawn characters growing older in real time. This infuses the strip with an immediately gripping "realism" that in turn makes the reader identify in a powerful way with the characters. The moments of subtle insight into human nature are many and so brilliantly done I found myself re-reading a single daily strip two or three times to truly savor it, finding ever-deepening levels to appreciate (if this sounds like hyperbole for a review of a comic strip, all I can say is buy this volume and I bet you will agree).

I don't want to gush and ruin your enjoyment of this work. You should come to it yourself, on your own terms. I will just say that you can truly sense the earth turning as you read these pages, and that this strip contains some of the truest, purest moments of understanding that I have experienced in any book.

One can look at this collected work as an incredible record of American life, or simply appreciate Frank King's wonderful art, and be well rewarded for all effort. Just beneath the surface, though, lies a much larger and impressive piece of art. Chris Ware, editor of the series, writes in his preface "I am convinced that after all these books are published, Gasoline Alley will stand as one of the most individual, human, and genuinely great works in the history of comics." Amen to that, brother. I will go further even than Mr. Ware: I believe that Frank King's Gasoline Alley, taken as a whole, is one of the greatest works of literature by an American.

Drawn and Quarterly Books deserves a medal of recognition for this multi-volume publishing project, and I personally regret every mean thought I have ever had about our neighbors to the north.

This work is highly recommended. -Mykal Banta

An excellent book. Guy has managed to capture the essence of the buying process. This book is purely for those who can appreciate the fine principles to be applied during the sales process. It is not meant to be specific. However if applied properly, it will do justice for both the buyer and the seller. It's a guide for ethical and effective selling and how we as sellers can make selling so easy and effortless! Kudos to Guy!

If the redundancy were eliminated, this book would shrink to fifty pages. I kept waiting for the author to share something worthwhile with me, but finally gave up halfway through out of sheer boredom. Anyone looking for a better book need look no further than Brian Tracey.

I don't usually like how to books - because they don't really tell you anything. But this book is different. I learned more about selling from this book than any other sales training class I have ever taken. This book deliniates the essence of selling. The author's understanding of sales psychology is uncanny and intutitive. I would highly recommend this book for any person who is starting in sales or has been in sales for a long time. It is worth studying.

This book gave me a good over view of the sales process and specifics on how to relate to the buyer. I have read many sales books, but this one hits the mark. I would recommend anyone who is either a professional sales person or striving to be one read this book. It goes way beyond basic sales training and gets into the mind of the buyer and the seller. Great Job.

There are hundreds (thousands?) of books now in print which offer information and counsel concerning the sales process. In essence, that process involves cultivation and then solicitation but first an important decision must be made: Whom to cultivate? (In retail sales, obviously, anyone who walks in the door is a prospect.) When conducting workshops for salespersons, I strongly recommend that participants formulate criteria which describe what they consider to be their ideal customer. This profile should direct them to prospects which most closely match up with the criteria. Next I point out that the ideal customers they now have can -- and should -- comprise an extended sales force, serving as referral sources to generate leads. My point is that, except in retail sales, those who sell should select their prospects...not the other war around.

Baker's background is in financial services which presumably require extensive education to understand the specific products and services to be offered prior to the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospective buyers of those products and services. The title of his book suggests that understanding motivation (i.e. "hot buttons') is an essential part of the salesperson's preparation and indeed it is. He takes a direct and personal approach to his reader as if he has been retained to provide to the reader a combination of mentoring and coaching services. He carefully organizes his material within 12 chapters, skillfully "Tying It All Together" in the final chapter.

This book be most valuable to those who are new to sales or now considering a career in sales; also to sales managers, especially those who supervise others who are relatively inexperienced. To the former, Baker offers sound basics with a rationale for each; to the latter, Baker offers reminders of basics. (Working as I frequently do with sales managers, I am astonished by the fact that so many of them do not have a sufficient understanding of those basics.) I also recommend this book to another group which Baker may not have had in mind when writing it: Those in executive (non sales) positions who are frequently required to persuade others to support an idea or course of action. By now I am convinced that almost everyone involved in business is constantly selling, themselves if nothing else...and most do it ineffectively. Almost all of the strategies and tactics which Baker recommends can be as beneficial to those not in sales as to those who are.

Individual salespersons as well as organizations need a business plan which is cohesive and comprehensive; also one which prudently allocates resources, especially time and energy, where they will generate the greatest ROI. Given the complexity of the general subject of salesmanship, the art and science of ethical persuasion, it makes sense to consult several different sources (including Baker's book) and then cherry-pick whatever is most appropriate to your own specific circumstances (needs, interests, weaknesses, goals, etc.). Here are some other excellent sources: Dick Canada's The 24 Sales Traps and How to Avoid Them, Linda Richardson's Stop Telling, Start Selling, Paco Underhill's Why We buy, and Gerald Zaltman's How Customers Think.

I am thrilled. This deck is amazing, I feel an instant connection- it's the woodcuts. The effort that went into this just oozes all over the place, truly a labor of love.
Just look at the fool card! I love that it's a girl just happily ambling off the tiled roof of a farmhouse.
I have oodles of decks that I've gathered over the years. This one is my favorite, and I've only had it for about twenty minutes. This deck will be with me wherever I go.

this was the second deck i bought. this is an amazing deck, not only is it eye candy it is an amazing and acurate deck, i recomend this to anyone who collects, is a newbie, or a long time reader!

I am really blown away by the imagery used in this deck. The colors and symbolism is fantastic. This is a must have for any tarot reader, collector or anyone who just likes good art.

The World Spirit is a truly beautiful deck and one taht gives the clerest readings. Here's Why:

The Art - really stands out from other decks. The block print style makes for beautiful deep black lines and jewel-like colors. The colors are bright and vibrant but without being hard on the eyes. With some bright decks when you lay out more than three cards everything seems to swim and it's hard to make anything out. This deck has a nice balance and I haven't had trouble in this arena.

The Diversity - This is the mother of all diverse decks. Some diverse decks have an African suit and a Japanese suit etc, or feature the occasional ethnic person. Here you have every flavor of person sprinkled evenly throughout the deck. Also, where some decks make the same outline for every person and just use different crayons to color them in this one really this one makes everyone look like members of their race. Also there are a number of cards that feature folks of different races playing, very rare.

The Courts: Courts are Seer, Seeker, Sibyl, Sage, follows the system where the court levels are different ways of experiencing the suit's element. The whole deck is element heavy and will work well for people who relate to the cards in this way. Will be nigh impossible for those who have a wands/air, swords/fire outlook.

Of course, the choice of a deck is a very personal thing; every Tarot user needs to find a deck that speaks to and pleases or works for them. I cannot resist saying, take a look at this one. The World Spirit deck, and the excellent mini-book (not pamphlet) which comes with it, are extremely well thought-out. This deck is traditional Tarot but very innovative as well, and its innovations are well chosen; I particularly recommend the High Priestess, Magician, and Death cards, and this deck has given me new insight into cards I just never have liked. The deck has both male and female images, feels balanced without insisting on all traditional gender assignments for cards, and without suggesting gender stereotypes which might make one wince. The court cards (Seeker - Seer - Sage - Sybil) are the most useful system I have seen. The cultural references are VERY diverse, yet the deck has remarkable coherency probably due to remarkable research. I love the art; not too pretty, beautiful, with the symbols-rich but uncluttered feel which keeps these cards fresh even after intense study. There is a fair amount of nudity among the images of very diverse ethnic and body types, and if that disturbs or distracts you, this might not be the deck for you. However, this is NOT an erotic deck, or an art deck; if you just want to look at pictures, you are missing something powerful here. This is the deck I recommend to advanced users; beginners; christians; pagans; men and women.

Like some of the others here I read this book in my late teens thirty odd years ago and and it is a remarkable insite into the daily battle of a schizophrenic. Now working as a psychotherapist I appreciate the battle more but will never forget the inspiration this book gave me.

I read this book at least 30 years ago, when I was a teenager. I got it from the scholastic book club. It left a deep impression in my mind, not only from the entertaining story of her madness and the experiences she had during this adventure, but why she became mad and the lesson she learned about keeping sane. She attributed her madness to the stressful work atmosphere she was experiencing, and how she was hijacked by her mad self into leaving this oppressive atmosphere, which eventually led to her healing. I would recommend that anyone reading this book pay attention to that part of it. I think her message is very, very sane.

I read this book Operators and Things perhaps 10 years or more ago, so my memory is not so fresh. What impressed me was the author's claims that people in her office could be divided up into two types: those who manipulate others,and those manipulated. Certainly the ambitious types do tend to behave as if other people merely serve their ambitions. This is where the book can provide insight into human behavior.
Toward the end, the author in need of money finds that she is given aid by some unseen power, that enables her to win at gambling, just enough to help her financially and no more. That amazed me.
Facinating book.

I can't say enough good things about this book. Its one of the best most entertaining and thought provoking books I've ever read. It's simply amazing reading on how the shadowy figures in her head took the helm of her life, while she does little more than go along for the ride, and not only do they manage to keep her from harm but the experience leaves her clearly in a better place than where she was, and as a stronger person, albeit down some amount of thousands of dollars.

Just to read it as a pure novel it would be brilliant, perhaps even more brilliant if it were just a novel, but to imagine that this really happened to someone, it's really fascinating.

I know a lot of people would balk at paying 20+ dollars for a thin paperback, but do yourself a favor, and pick this one up. I can almost guarantee you will not regret it.

Its a book begging to be made into a film if I ever read one.

I found this book to be incredible. To see what a schizophrenic sees is very astounding. And to follow this woman on her long journey, being led around by these beings that only she could see, was a ride in itself. That she came out of it safe, and sound, is amazing.

The thing is that those that she saw, the operators and hook operators described people that we see every day. And the descriptions of them and what they do were also relevant to how the predatory types in our world operate. It's almost as if she could see 'behind the scenes' at what is really going on in our world.

This is a great book and the fact that it is true makes it even more spectacular.

This book offers very practical advice in making the transition to free heel skiing. It is very well written.

In spite of all the ridiculous pictures (or because of them?) I've found this small book provides a lot of helpful reminders on how to ski on teles. It's a complex turn to learn, but the book does a good job of showing the beginning tele-skier what might be going on. Take this with you to the slopes and stash it with your things, it could help you puzzle out why your turn isn't working. I'm definitely bringing it with me this season.

I have been telemark skiing for probably 15 years. If you can get the tips in this book into your head you will telemark ski well. Each of the tips are laid out well with great illustrations and humor worthy of Mad magazine. Whether you are an advanced skier seeking improvement or a beginner I doubt there will ever be a better book to help you out to master telemark skiing.

This is the classic comic book version of a telemark skiing text book: brief, clear narrative accompanying excellent cartoon drawings. The book shows both old style (knee down) and new style (no deep dips, feet never widely separated front to back) telemark techniques without really distinguishing between the two but, if you follow the exercises and advice, your skiing will improve. An enjoyable read, an attractive style and price.

You really need Parker's book to understand the tips of this juvenile book. But once you've read Parker's book you immediately realise that this book is just collection of tips from Parker drafted in comics. Without explanations of course. I don't do anything unless I believe the tip is sound and this book does not convince me. Yeah, it's funny for a while but it does not supply the enthusiast the facts really needed to improve in free heels stuff.

Thought this book was really good. Lots of little tidbits of knowledge that you may have heard or didn't ever think about. Presented for all ages and all skill levels.

I teach a beginning backpacking class for adults and have used several books over the past 15 years. This is the 2nd year that I have used the Allen & Mike's book and it is a much easier read. Students and instructors both like the illustrations as it makes it faster to get through the information. Much more enjoyable than standard textbooks, but with a lot of valuable information.

A friend suggested I read this book before my first backpacking trip. It is a very fast and fun read with tons of useful information. My friend, who is a very experienced backpacker and NOLS alumni, was amazed at the amount of knowledge I acquired just from the book and has since purchased his own copy for reference. I highly recommend this book to any beginner or expert who needs a refresher!

The author shares his substantial experience with the reader in a uniquely entertaining manner, and the illustrator complements the light-hearted style of the author with [occasionally] hilarious visuals. The character of this book will attract everyone in the household; even those without camping or backpacking experience will find it easy-to-read and interesting. For those already bitten by the 'outdoor bug', new insights presented by the author force us to reconsider our position on a variety of subjects.

Unlike so many of its kind, this book is comprehensive without being obscure; no lessons on building water bucket baskets or how to skin and dry moose meat for the winter. This handbook addresses the basics of backpacking with enthusiasm, and it proves contagious for the reader.

Reading this book reminds me that it's possible to learn from all types of backpackers. The book is well written and illustrated. The illustrations have ideas that are not always in the text.

Allen O'Bannon clearly is not in the lightweight backpacking camp, which I am. O'Bannon writes about heavy pack loads (how to properly put on a heavy pack) and leather hiking boots. The book is loaded with ideas that will be interesting to all backpackers. I wouldn't recommend the book to someone just starting out with backpacking. For those readers I would give it just two stars. However, I would recommend it for a current backpacker that wants some fresh ideas or a fairly new backpacker that has read a couple books on lightweight backpacking first. The book isn't loaded with a lot of fluff that can be found everywhere. It is also easy to read and not nearly as boring as many backpacking books.

My book arrived 2 days earlier than expected.
That night I pretty much scanned it from cover to cover, stopping at the parts that caught my eye.
I bought two books, the other being "How To Build a Car PC". This book far exceeded the other one in knowledge, projects, etc.
My goal is to build the car PC, but I know nothing about car electronics, that's where this book came in, with tips on how to wire it, how to load balance the battery, so the PC doesn't crash on start up, etc.
If you are looking for info on Car PC's and OTHER hacks, this book will stear you in the right direction, if not give you all the info you need.
I loaned it to my neighbor who is a mechanic, and I still haven't gotten it back!!! (Little does he know, he's going to help me now)

This is not a book about how to hack the controllers in your car's engine to make it go fast, burn different fuel mixtures, etc. Just like the title says, it is about car computers-and this means everything from actual onboard computers, to audio and video configurations. Like the other books in the "Hack" series, this is not a long narrative about Car PCs, it is simply a book full of 75 projects arranged by topic. Some of the tamer projects include installing headrest video screens, listening to email on the road once you've rigged up your computer to receive free wi-fi, installing a back-up camera and screen, receiving satellite TV, and rigging a free GPS-based navi-system. Of course, since all this stuff is power-heavy, there's also a bunch of hacks on how to strengthen your car's electrical system. To give you an idea, one of the hacks shows how to install a heavier-duty alternator. Throughout the book there are plenty of instructive diagrams, cross references to other relevant hacks in the book, and lots of links to web addresses where further instruction and freeware can be found.
There are seven chapters in Car PC Hacks, each covering a different way to turn your car into a functioning computer with cupholders. Amazon does not show the complete list of hacks, so I do that here:
Chapter 1. Car Power Basics
1. Understand Car Electrical Systems
2. Prevent Electrical Fires
3. Gauge Your Wires
4. Connect Your Wires
5. Calculate Your Car's Battery Life
6. Upgrade Your Car Battery
7. Add New Power Connectors Throughout Your Car
8. Use a Huge Capacitor to Sustain Power
9. Upgrade Your Car's Alternator
10. Add a Second Car Battery
11. Put Home Power Outlets in Your Car
Chapter 2. Automotive Audio Entertainment
12. Get a Headful About Your Car Audio
13. Install a New Head Unit
14. Get Computer Audio into Your Head Unit
15. Amp Up Your Computer Audio
16. Make a Very Cheap AUX-in
17. Reduce Your Audio System's Noise
18. Control Your iPod with Your Car Stereo Knobs
19. Tune Your PC for Radio Reception
20. Record Radio Shows
21. Listen to Email, Weblogs, and RSS Feeds on the Road
22. Find Out What Was Playing on the Radio
Chapter 3. Automotive Video Entertainment
23. Understand Video Connectors
24. Choose Your Screens
25. Install a Headrest Screen
26. Install a VGA Touchscreen in Your Dashboard
27. Install a Sun Visor Screen
28. Install a Motorized Fold-out Screen
29. Install a Fold-Down Ceiling-Mounted Screen
30. Supersize Your Fold-Down LCD Screen
31. Turn Your Laptop into a Fold-Down or Dashboard Screen
32. Connect a Car PC to Your Factory Screen
33. Install a Rearview Mirror Screen and Camera
34. Boost Your Video Signal for Multiple Screens
35. Customize Each Passenger's Video
36. Tune in TV in the Car
37. Receive Satellite TV While Driving
38. Play DVDs with Your in-Car Computer
39. Put Multi-Channel DVD Surround Sound in Your Car
40. Install a Video Game Console Computer in Your Car
Chapter 4. In-Car Computers
41. Choose an in-Car PC Hardware Platform
42. Power Your Car PC
43. Start Up and Shut Down Your Car PC
44. Reduce the Boot Time of Your in-Car Computer
45. Keep Your Computer on During Engine Cranking
46. Turn On Your Car Computer Before You Start Your Car
47. Boot Your Car Computer on a Schedule
48. Choose an in-Car PC Software Platform
49. Install Windows on a CompactFlash Card
50. Power Your Portable Devices in the Car
51. Install USB Ports in Your Car
52. Build an in-Car PC
53. Build an in-Car Macintosh
54. Install a Mac Mini in Your Car
Chapter 5. Car PC Interface Options
55. Control Your Car PC with a Keyboard and Mouse
56. Control Your Car PC with a Handheld Remote
57. Control Your Car PC with a Touchscreen
58. Car-Enable Clunky Applications
59. Listen to What Your Car Computer Is Saying
60. Control Your Car PC with Voice Recognition
61. Find More Ways to Control Your in-Car Computer
Chapter 6. Wireless Connectivity and in-Car Internet
62. Get Online in Your Car
63. Make Your Mobile Phone Hands-Free with Your Car PC
64. Transfer Data to and from Your Car PC
65. View Real-Time Traffic Data on the Road
66. Videoconference from Your Car
67. Use GPS on Your Car PC
68. Find WiFi Hotspots on the Road
Chapter 7. In-Car Applications
69. Plug into Your Car's Built-in Computer
70. Put a Video Jukebox in Your Car Theater
71. Choose Your in-Car Navigation Software
72. Play Thousands of Games by Emulating Video Game Consoles
73. Use CENTRAFUSE as Your Car PC Frontend
74. Use Neocar Media Center as Your Car PC Frontend
75. Use FrodoPlayer as Your Car PC Frontend

This book gave a good introduction for CarPC newbie.
I'm coming from computer background but have no idea about car electricity, AC/DC, etc. The guide was comprehensive and very clear.

This book has almost everything you need to get started with hacking a car pc. Its great to have.

Car PC Hacks tells you how to install a computer and all sorts of cool tech in your car.

It includes 75 projects. Well, the first few are not really projects, but very helpful explanations of automotive electrical systems. I was most interested in the chapters on how to install LCD screens, how to integrate a computer in your car, and how to power everything from the car battery.

This book is obviously written by people who have installed a lot of computers in their own cars and used them for their own and their families' entertainment. It has just the information I needed to be able to do these projects. Excuse me, I'm going to geek my ride now.

This book was given to me by my sister/godmother at a time when I truly needed it. The insights and quotations strengthen my resolve every day to be more the wife and mother that I believe God would have me be. It is a resource that you can use every day, as I do, to remind you what a gift you have been granted through your motherhood.

This book has been such a great blessing to my motherhood, it keeps my heart and soul focused in a very special way to God, Our Lady and the saints and to the needs of my children. This book has been the perfect prayer manual companion to keep my heart soft and continually directed to my children and my eternal destination. And I know that it is only through daily prayer that it is possible. The prayers are written in such a way to speak to my heart as well as directing my petitions for my children's heart and soul.

The book is artistically delightful, a little hardback book that can weather my handling of it and the occasional 'pouncing upon' by little chubby fingers and small enough to carry in the handbag.

The pages are filled with heart touching informal prayers, poems, quotes from the saints, lovely motherly thoughts, formal prayers we all know (The Memorare, St Michael prayer, prayer to St Therese etc.) Another important addition to this book is a 'Spiritual Communion' often mothers cannot get to daily Mass but they can unite themselves spiritually with the Lord. Finally, there is a reflection at the end of each chapter, good for meditation if you wish to add a 'mini retreat' to the end of your day's or week's prayers (whenever you have time to add it in.)

We all want as mothers, one book that offers us the most perfect prayers that really meet our spirtual and emotional needs - this is it.

Donna-Marie I understand, was particularly encouraged by Mother Teresa to write this book and this saint prayed for it as well. I've just finished reading "Come Be My Light" on the spiritual life of Mother Teresa and I can see Mother Theresa's simple love and 'signature' in Donna-Marie's writings, she obviously was greatly inspired by Mother.

I buy this book all the time to give as gifts to mothers when they have had a new baby or as a birthday gift for friends who have children. I know I am giving them the best little present ever! I can't recommend this book enough.

If you would like to read more of my thoughts on this book and see how I use it daily, go and visit my blog: http://starrymantle.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-perfect-mothers-prayerbook.html You will also see pictures of the inside of this beautiful book.

wonderful book of prayers for Mothers of all ages, each page touch my heart and my life in some spiritual way and helped guide my daily prayer and helped me to grow in faith as a mom.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a review for Donna Marie's book Heart of Motherhood. And then I picked up this gem & started to read it. What a WONDERFUL book for the busy Catholic mother! The chapters are short & divided by topic but they aren't your standard "chapters" either. Each has a few prayers, specific quotes from Pope John Paul II, Blessed Mother Teresa about the topic and then ends w/a "think about it" sort of reflection to keep the mind & heart focused on the truth about our vocation as mothers. Definitely one for every Catholic mother's collection and easy to dive in & read over & over & over again. This is going to be another of Donna Marie's books that I give as a gift, too! Do yourself a favor & get this one!

Donna Cooper O'Boyle captures everything a Catholic mother experiences in this book. From praying for our children to asking Saints for their help, Donna leads you in prayer with this most wonderful Prayer Book.

I don't write many reviews, but I had to say something for this title. Within 48 hours of receiving this book (along with "Hardening Cisco Routers" also from O'Reilly) I had put some of these recipes into production.

I even find that I can read each chapter like a study or reference guide due to its excellent structure. The first few recipes of each chapter are very basic and explain the concept of what you are trying to achieve. However the author clearly states that the basic solution is either full of pitfalls or security holes. The following recipes cover each pitfall or hole until the last recipe, usually titled 'Putting it All Together', is a full fledged, practical solution with no theory.

The theory and study guides should take some cues from this book, and begin really teaching real-world networking.

ONE WARNING - This book covers working with routers primarily. "Cisco Router Cookbook" would be a more apt title. However I have applied some of the VPN router concepts to Pix firewall configurations.

Mr. Dooley, where is the Cisco Switching Cookbook!!??

As a telecommunications engineer I've read a lot of Cisco books and this is by far one of my favorites. The format: (problem - solution - discussion) really helps tie in the theory with the reality. It is well indexed and I found the discussion sections to be particularly well written and illuminating. I go back to this book time and time again and I am looking forward to purchasing the latest edition. Although not really intended as a study guide for certification I nevertheless found it helpful in clarifying concepts that other books could not. When you're ready to get your hands dirty in a Cisco router this is the book to take with you.

This is a great reference for anyone who supports Cisco routers, BUT... some of the sections are out of date, for example, the section on QOS. Also, a section that needs to be added is MPLS. I would buy a new version just for these two enhancements! Hopefully it is being updated right now and we'll see a new printing this year!

If you are an administrator and you have forgotten details about a router configuration, that you need. this book will be the real lifesaver.
Basic and advanced router config have been included and all the topics are grouped and explained in a clear way.
I found Chapter 9:BGP very useful, showing a hard topic by using a easy to understand solutions.

Si eres un administrador y se te olvido detalles de una configuración, este libro realmente te ayudará.
Se han incluido configuraciones básicas y avanzadas y los temas están agrupados y se explican brevemente, pero muy claro.
Me intereso el capitulo 9 sobre BGP, en que muestra un tema difícil de entender, en una forma sencilla con ejemplos claros.

Cisco Cookbook is a a complete reference guide for field engineers and Network Administrators. The book has practically everything you need to know to competently configure cisco routers for a production environment. However, if you do not already have a working knowledge of Cisco networking technologies this book maybe over your head. For experienced Engineers and Administrators, the book is a must have for your desk reference.

Thomas Villarubia
CCNA CCNP

Wow! This text is overwhelming but in a good way. It is exhaustive. Glancing through it I see every book in the NT represented with its connections to the OT. A reference work that I plan on using in all of my NT studies. A must have for the Bible scholar, pastor, minister, or seriously deep student of the Bible.

I agree with the consensus here. COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT is magnificent work. In 1200 pages (double columns) the contributors discuss all the citations and probable allusions to the OT. When helpful, Qumran material, intertestamental literature, Rabbinic literature and other material is referenced as well.

My only quibble is that the introduction could have been a bit longer and discussed some of the broader issues of the NT's use of the OT. However, many of these issues are addressed throughout the various commentaries.

This book is an excellent one worthy of a collection specially to those who are involved in the ministry of preaching, bible study, or even in sharing the gospel. It might not be as elaborate as those individual commentaries, but needless to say, the book is complete and touches almost all of the critical, difficult, and controversial issues.

References to the historical findings such as the MT, LXX and a lot more gives sufficient credence to their studies that these are based on historical facts, and not just on personal opinions. A great number of authors with their credentials who participated in writing this commentary proves that this book is a collective effort of great minds in order for us to benefit the cream of the crop. It is because of this that I find this book worthy as a treasure.

Really, this is just a start. Any commentary is. But this is one of the best because it proceeds from a radical premise: the whole Bible is from God, giving His point of view and superceding that of the human author.

Not that this is promoted self-consciously or consistently from each contributor. But the structure of the enterprise is such that they are sucked back into presenting how it is that the old testament is so thoroughly imbued in NT writings, including in ways which both OT and NT writers could not have intended.

Treading down this path forces us to question all those teachings we've had where we were told: "Matthew (or Paul or John ...) here had in mind xyz." When Matthew wrote his gospel, we might now surmise that we can't be sure what he himself had in mind, because what we wrote was superintended to the degree that Matthew's sinful thoughts were NOT what ended up on parchment. God's thoughts are there, pure and untainted by Matthew's natural limitations and sin.

Attempts to work from Matthew's sinful thoughts and culture to God's meaning miss the point that whatever Matthew was in his head was NOT the end product that flowed out his quill. Remember when Caiaphas spoke what he thought naturally about how it is better for one man to die rather than the whole nation take a hit? He meant it for evil, but God superintended it to be ultimate truth, regardless of that speaker's intent. Same with all holy writings.

Yes, holy men of old spake as they were moved, but their holiness does not naturally come out in uncontaminated speech -- that takes a special work of God. This commentary allows for that premise. There's something way more than human going on that ties this whole Bible together in one theme from one Writer.

Don't get me wrong, not all these contributors seem to subscribe to my radical conclusions above, although I think the editors do. And their prescribed structure for this commentary nudge the contributors into a path that I think leads to a more theocentric authorship. So this is a good start, but nothing beats trying to read the Bible itself from God's point of view, rather than the hallowed and misguided grammatial-historical human focused approach.

At a recent gathering of pastors from across the USA and Canada I was surprised that one VERY well-known speaker from So. California spoke to the pastors about his preaching style, his study habits, and his commentaries. When asked about his lack of preaching from Old Testament books, this pastor noted that he is a New Testament pastor and in his 25+ years has never preached through an Old Testament book, that the era of the Old Testament has no place in New Testament kingdom work. There was a hush like I had never heard (and these are all pastors who love to talk!). This new volume is a fantastic addition to any pastor's library and helps to link the entire counsel of God. Beale and Carson have given us a tremendous gift in the unique style of this reference book and how they build all the New Testament upon the shoulders of those prophets, priests, and sages who had gone before.

As we have seen, the New Testament is replete with uses of the Old Testament. Jesus, himself, was often quoting the Old Testament and the authors show us how the knowledge, culture, and genre of Old Testament books and passages that were useful in the establishment of the church after the resurrection. The authors are quick to remind us that the authors of the New Testament Canon were using Old Testament text to establish the church and then included God's counsel from the ancient eras in their writings back to the churches at Rome, Ephesus, and more.

This book serves a very powerful niche in our sermon preparation, it gives us tools to excite our congregation about the Old Testament which seems so ancient and almost out of place to the 21st Century thinker. Beale and Carson give us the tools to energize a new generation of disciples. I cannot imagine our pastoral libraries without this new work. It serves us as pastors and it serves our congregation as it illuminates the whole counsel of God.