Tracks Books

If you want a really great book that covers the information needed to pass the NT Server 4.0 Exam, then this is the one (along with a good study guide and practice question book, I used Sam's MCSE NT Server 4 book along with MS Readiness Review). I scored an 833 on the test.

I have never seen so much information packed into so small a package. This book was everything it claimed to be - and it contains every salient point that can be found in book sets costing 10 times as much. What it lacks is the miscellaneous information you skip past anyway when studying for an exam - think of it as the Reader's Digest Condensed version of any large study guide.

I thought I knew enough to pass the new adaptive exam, but bought the Exam Cram book just in case. After failing the exam, I realized I needed some decent study materials. I bought this book and brushed up on topics I was short in in less than a night and took the exam again the next day. I would not have passed had I not spent the night with this book...

This book is JUST okay as an exam prep/review book. Some subjects are glossed over quickly and some are covered in detail. The fact that this book covers the browsing service whereas the Exam Cram one doesn't gives this book an excuse for existing. Again, not too bad...

The book cost 1/5th of an exam, and I was able to pass the exam first time out just by studying this book, so I reason that makes the book worth 5 times the money.

At the same time, there are a few typos to be aware of. I contacted the author, and found an errata sheet. Without the errata sheet, its a bit frustrating. If the typos would have been corrected, there would be nothing stopping me from giving this five stars.

I had high expectations for this book, the author is the owner of Hampton Roads Publishing, a company well known for innovative spiritual and conscousness exploration titles heavily tied in with the Monroe Institute. If you want to know about the limits of human explorations of other states of conscousness and out of body states, Hampton Roads is the place to buy your books. But, embrassingly, this book is quite boring. Colin Wilson's introduction just seems flat out butt kissing to me. He touts this book as being as exciting as Robert Monroe's famous books on his out of body explorations. I don't think this book comes anywhere close to being that. I did find some nice moments in it, having myself been a graduate of the Gateway program, and found very similar personality traits with Frank and his feelings while attending, but his long winded explanations of trying to verify some past life memories are just hard to trudge through and frankly I didn't really care about his trying to justify his visions, I just found it extremely boring reading his attempts to pin down his mental impressions. If you have little knowledge of basic spiritual matters and past life stuff etc. maybe this book will inspire you. I have to admit I am only 3/4's the way through this book and its doubtful I will finish it. I just wonder if the employees at Hampton Roads gave the boss the ol'd "oh yes, nice book boss, oh yes lets publish it." Reading it is like reading a teenage girl's wordy diary on her daily thoughts. Sorry, maybe I am jaded but this book is a big let down. If you want cutting edge spiritual voyage excitement, read any of Bruce Moen's books published by Hampton Roads or Robert Monroe's original works or any of the works of many of its famous writer/graudates and their further adventures after gaining their skills at the Monroe Institute. sorry Frank, can I have my money back?

For me, the hallmark of the Monroe Institute is the emphasis on bringing the unordinary into daily life. This book is an excellent depiction of this process. This personal narrative vividly shows the effects of a program at the Institute on everyday living. Reading it made me feel like I was back at the Institute, and it gave me insight into how to incorporate my experiences there into my own life.

I think this book is outstanding in it's field. I have been to The Monroe Institute and taken two of their programs and have read every book written by people who have been there. The author writes with overwhelming honesty and integrity. The conversations he has with his Higher Self amazed me and set me on a path of trying to contact my own in the same way that he does. I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in self-realization.

  Frank is a journalist, an editor, an author, but more to the point here a out-of-body traveler and a loving human being. He shares his growth and journeys with us that we may see how many more things are possible in this life. He has explored and journaled his dream life, has directly connected with his spirit guidance (which he calls The Gentlemen Upstairs) and has ventured into several "past" lives. Samples of the guidance received in the beginning as automatic writing are injected as appropriate. After his training at the Monroe Institute his life blossomed even more to encompass healing, rescue work and travel to the focus levels described by Robert Monroe in his writings. As co-founder of Hampton Roads Publishing Company he has been instrumental in bringing many New Age authors to public attention.
  The book is literate without being pedantic and is full of many insights gleaned from the author's journeys. Here is a quick summary from a final chapter called Interim Report: "We are immortal spirits temporarily inhabiting bodies... This life is not our only life... We "individuals" are all connected one to another... We as individuals are fragments of a larger being that cares about us and can be trusted... Nonetheless, this larger being sees things differently... The larger being is a source of foresight and wisdom... The larger contacts us... We can contact the larger being... Thus our lives need not be disconnected and solitary... Nevertheless, we may often lose communication (but the connection cannot be severed.)"
  Frank is very easy going in his presentation. This is not a hard sell. He knows you will have to experience these things yourself to appreciate their value and reality. Students of metaphysics will not find anything earth-shattering here. The pace does not have the excitement found in some other books. It is an easy read, a gentle style. Anyone curious about the Monroe Institute offerings will find value here. This book is not "proof of anything," but is instead a suggestion that life is more magical than you may have thought--a finger pointing to the moon.

Frank DeMarco has spent years searching for the meaning of life and sorting reality from illusion. Muddy Tracks is the chronicle of his quest for answers and self-discovery. One day he asked the universe, "Who am I?" and received "Muddy footprints in the grass" as an answer.

He interpreted this to mean that his experiences could show others the path he'd taken, that he was "here to show you that others have passed through what may appear to be a trackless wilderness [and] to encourage others to do some exploring." His own explorations led him to the knowledge that we are all part of a larger being, and that only our bodies die-our souls live on.

Through the larger being, we are all connected. This connection makes phenomena like psychic abilities, out-of-body experiences, ghosts, and distant healing available to all who want those experiences and abilities. DeMarco is guided on a continual basis by spiritual advisors he calls "The Gentlemen Upstairs." That kind of guidance is also available to others.

DeMarco emphasizes that the answers he received and experiences he had were strictly his own. Everyone must search for their own unique answers. His purpose is to simply show what he tried and what happened as a result. He says his intention is to present "a firsthand narrative of what I've learned and how I use it."

One of his primary resources was The Monroe Institute in Virginia, where students learn how to achieve altered states of consciousness and engage in out-of-body experiences. He provides extensive details of his experiences at the Institute in the hopes of providing others with "the tools and incentive to discover first hand that we, individually and collectively, are more than we have ever believed possible."

In Muddy Tracks, DeMarco has written "an honest and engaging account" for all those questioning the meaning of life and reality.

I want to recommend a great book to you. The name of the book is One Track, by Beatrice O'Brien. It's a wonderful, true story about the once grand Railroads of the Northeastern part of the United States, and it's also about the life that this family, whose fate was tied to the railroads, led up to and during WWII and then after. The true heroes in this life are people like the O'Briens. A factually correct book and emotionally engaging. What a life they've led! It's very good reading.

One of, if not the best book I have ever read. Unlike recent "Best Sellers" I enjoyed this book both content and style . I did not feel I had to read it just to say I had. I enjoyed every second in fact I could not put it down. It is written with real passion and love for each and every character portrayed. This wont be the last from B O'Brien

As a contemporary of the protagonist, I found this marvelously well written novel totally absorbing. The story of George's beginnings in abject poverty, of his wartime experiences, of his return to the railroad and of his career as a member of the Erie family is not uncommonl; and it is for very reason that it should be required reading for young people of the present affluent age. Those of us who were children of the Great Depression, who shared his war, who tried as best we could to keep to the One Track will enjoy this well-paced novel for the universality of the story. This is the story of a man's whole life. The Erie Railroad was an important part of it, but there is more to George than the railroader. I appreciate the fact that Beatrice makes that clear. oki

Exceptional Book. Highly Recommended for anyone who loves the American past and the railroads. As a someone in their 60s, I found the book to be a treasure. I enjoyed reading the book very much. Thank you to the author for writing a brilliant book.

Beautifully written book that brings back memories from the past. The author is an exceptional writer with a strong suit for nostalhic prose. I read this book few months ago. Every time I think about the book, it brings back memories about the glorious American past and the railroads. I highly recommended it. A GREAT READ!!!

Amby carries on where George Sheehan left off. Great motivational essays at a great price. Amby and Joe Henderson are two of the best living running essayists.

Amby is a great runner, editor and human being. Give his book a go or give it to some runner you know...

I ran all through grade school and high school and am picking up the sport again after some years off. I found this book to be a great re-introduction after some time off. I think Amby describes it best as that book that has lots of answers to the questions you've been asking yourself for months (or years), and instead of buying many books to find the answeres, they are all in one small, relatively inexpensive book.

If you run, buy it, you'll like it, if you are thinking about running, buy it, it'll help you along the path towards your running goals.

This book is great for runners of all age and experience. I have never been much of a fitness nut, but Mr. Burfoot's book inspired and helped me to begin a personal running program. I have already recommended this book to many people and will continue to do so.

execellent book for the beginners. the principles are short, comprehensive, precise and right to the point. but for the intermediate and advance runners, this book has nothing new to offer other than repeat and remind of what you have already learnt.

If you're an advanced or intermediate runner, you probably
understand most of what is covered already. In my opinion,
this book is more for the beginner runner, or the runner who
is returning to the sport after a long layoff. However, even
respected runners such as Frank Shorter (1972 Olympic Gold
Medalist Men's Marathon), Joan Benoit Samuelson (1984 Olympic
Gold Medalist Women's Marathon), and Jeff Galloway have
endorsed the book. The author himself is the winner of the
1968 Boston Marathon. However, that is not the point. The
point is that this book is compact and easy to read. Someone
in elementary school who is starting out as a runner could
benefit from this book, even though it is probably intended
more for high school runners and older runners.
In the introduction, the author says the book is only to
cover the basics. If you want a tome on running that is
comprehensive, I suggest Timothy Noakes' book The Lore
of Running, which is nearly 1000 pages. The Principles
section is essentially a summary of what the topic he is
discussing. It is written in a nice sequential order,
even though you can use it as a reference guide. I am
deducting a star because it is brief, and doesn't contain
everything you need to know about running, but then again
that wasn't the point of this book, since it would be
redundant. I would recommend getting additional books on
running if you're a serious runner and are looking for
something more comprehensive. It lacks training schedules
for anything besides the marathon in this book, and getting
started towards running if you're not running already.
The breakdown of the book is as follows:
Introduction

Part I: The Joy of Running
For The Health Of It
The Real Runner's High

Part II: First Steps
Getting Started
It's Okay To Go Slow
Motivation
Aches and Pains
Blisters
The 10-Percent Rule
Running and Walking

Part III: Women
Safety
Menstruation
Pregnancy
Menopause
Special Concerns

Part IV: Equipment
Shoes
Apparel
Heart-Rate Monitors
Treadmills
Indoor Exercise

Part V: Nutrition
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins and Minerals
Before and after a Run
On The Run
Drinks, Bars and Gels
Vegetarian Diet

Part VI: Warming Up and Cooling Down
Hard and Easy Workouts
Progressive Training
Hills
Cross-Training
Groups
Long Runs
Tempo Training
Max VO2
Speed-Form Training
Burnout

Part VII: Weight Loss
Running Works Best
The Running Diet
A 24-Hour Program
Maximum Weight Loss

Part VIII: Weather
Heat
Cold
Dark, Snow, Ice and Rain

Part IX: Injury Prevention and Treatment
Overuse Injuries
Stretching
Ice
Pain Relievers
Shinsplits
Knee Injuries
Achilles Tendinitis

Part X: Racing
The Decision To Race
Goals
Mental Preparation
Tapering
The Start
Pace

Part XI: The Marathon
Commitment
Building-Up
Essential Element
Yasso 800s
Taper
Carbohydrate-Loading
Final 24 Hours
Early and Middle Miles
The Wall
Recovery

Part XII: A Lifetime of Running
Slowing Down, Feeling Great
Use It or Lose It

This book certainly gave me a basis to build on and was very influential in my initial weeks of training. Highly recommended for the beginning runner who desires to know more. Easily understood and enjoyable reading. Highly recommended.

I've gone to a person who would hyperperventilate on a one lap run, to a comfortable 10 k runner in less then 6 months. I it ALL to this book. Not only did his workout plan keep me interested, and more imporatantly EASY while I progressed, but it taught me how to do it right, without a single injury. If I got meet the author, I would kiss him. Great book for bigger runners, I've recommended it to all my friends, who are currenlty doing their first 5 k race this weekend.

I love this book, and recommend it to anyone interested in taking up running - it has tips for beginners on up to expert runners.

Almost everything that you could want in a running reference!

Beautiful layout, and great pictures... very impressive for this type of book.

I've completed two marathons and used this book for my second marathon training program. This is a spectacular book. So good that I've recommended it to serveral friends.

What differentiates this book from most running books is the variety of programs for different race types (10k, 1/2, full) that are offered. Also, it provides programs in either miles or km.

I'm now training for my third and am pushing for a more challenging time. The book is my bible!

This really outstanding book has it all! If you want to train for a short race, a marathon or anything in between, this book is the way to do it! Colorful pages! Easy to read charts. Advice on just about everything any runner or would-be runner needs! Great book!

I just could not get into this book. I am not exactly sure why, but I think I just could not identify with the author.

Read this incredible book. -Karimor International Mountain Marathon

I'm rereading RUNNING WILD - enjoying it even more. Hard to sit still - want to lace up and go.

I first read "Running Wild" several years ago while recovering from a running injury and it not only gave me the confidence to come back from the injury but also became my running companion. I have since re-read it many times especially before an important race or when the reasons for training get blurry. For a runner it is a spiritual connection to the joy and mystery that running can be as well as historic proof of the origins of American running. John Annerino is an incredible man whose courage and love of the wilderness together with his deep spiritual committment to the land, it's history and it's people make "Running Wild" a masterpiece.

As a runner of 15+ marathons, a couple ultras and being an avid trail runner, I really wanted to love this book. Annerino is a compelling character, with great courage and anyone who has regularly run long distance on trail can see, a man who must have incredible commitment. The book however comes up short of where it could have. After the first couple of run descriptions, the rest merely become a repeat of lack of water, tough conditions, danger, exhaustion and route finding problems. Annerino frequently references that his motivation in running these routes is to gain information on how preceding Indian generations would have used them for trade, however with the exception of a small amount of info, that aspect is largely not covered in the book. It is a shame, as dedicating more print space to that objective would greatly enlivened the book. Overall, a good read and still recommended, but I can't go 5 stars.

I liked the book as a tool for beginners. A good basics book. I do disagree with the entire concept of "recruiting" at this point in my professional network marketing career. I utilize a system that doesn't utilize recruiting at all and I have people asking me to join my mlm. So, to wrap this up, I liked the book, but there are much more effective approaches.

I know I have a great product. I don't doubt that for a second. But after reading Mary Christensen's book and hearing her speak at our company convention, I know that I have to reach out to others in order to get them to join my team. This book will help you reach success in network marketing with clear steps to take to build the team you dream of having.

Everyone we meet has a unique personality and Christensen uses bird analogies to help us understand where everyone is coming from and how we can approach them. I already find myself trying to figure what kind of person I am dealing with and how can I get them to join my team.

Being in the party plan business, it can be easy to just sit back, do your parties and not worry about a downline. But after reading this book I now have the skills I need to find the right recruits and the knowledge to get more people to join my team. This book is a must have for network marketers who want to build a team!

Christensen's latest work has strengthened my belief that she is truly an expert and pioneer in this field. As a network marketer you may have the greatest product, however, action must be taken to be as successful as Christensen. Many network marketers fail or quit after they exhaust their warm wall of friends and family. Christensen encourages the reader to extend beyond this comfort zone and to not prejudge anyone. She provides a clear cut path which if followed will meet with a success many simply dream about. All potential prospects have very different mindsets and personalities and must be treated as such. Christensen's bird analogy makes learning these differences fun and puts the reader on the path to financial freedom. Successful network marketers are not unique, they have simply believed in the product they are promoting, created a gameplan and taken action. Christensen's books have outlined this gameplan, all that is needed from the reader is belief in their product and the willingness to take action.
Christensen's books are an important asset to your upline and downline to achieve success.

I am a new consulant of a ground-floor direct sales party plan company (gameladyverlina dot simplyfun dot com)and want to take advantage of this opprotunity. I have purchaesd quite a few books recently on network marketing, party plan ideas, direct sales, mlm... and this one Be a Recruiting Super Star is one that I am SO glad that I did purchase.

It gives many ideas, plans, words, and help to encourage you to build a downline- which is so important if you are wanting to work smarter and not harder! I have recruited two people in two months and have two other prospects that I am working with. It might be a slow start, but at least it's a start!

This book gives many ideas with step by step help - including some wording senerios to learn from.

It gives great ideas on where to find recruits from outside of family, friends, parties adn customers... AND ideas on how to reach them. Other books give you a list of people to contact, like your hairdresser or doctor or banker, but not how to attract them- this book is great with the help on what to do.

I recommend this book and it is one I plan on having available for my recruits to read so that they can catch the vision too and build themselves a great downline!

Party On!
-GameLady Verlina
SimplyFun Senior Consultant

As an aspiring Unit Leader for PartyLite Australia, I sought out this book after hearing about it from my upline. I give it a four out of five because I do find the bird analogy too complicated. After five birds I thought we had enough.

That said, I found the book inspired me to think differently about the opportunity I have to offer people. I am inspired to make some changes in the way I approach my business and that is ulitmately what I look for when I read a business book.

I recommend this book for leaders in MLM companies or new recruits looking for leadership.

Now... I think I'll go re-read it and highlight some passages before I loan it out to the team. :) WLC.

Cassie is such a funny book. It teaches kids to be greatful of what they have, and not what others have. Cassie is selfish, and thinks her parents want to torture her by not buying the latest clothes. When Cassie meets Dana, a very rich neighbor, she feels even worse. But, Dana wants to be friends. Cassie couldn't wish for anything better. But when Dana betrays Cassie, she needs help from the people she let down. Does Cassie's life go back to normal? Or does she need to fix the problems she started? Read Cassie, and find out!

Vic B.

This series is about 4 sisters,all quite different.This one,in case you didn't guess,is about Cassie.Cassie is pretty and popular and wants to be rich like the new friend she has made,then she finds out her friend is not happy.

Cassie is a great book for all girls because it gives examples about a 13 year old girl's life. The stuff that happens to Cassie could happen to anyone. She has good and bad times. I loved reading this book and was glad the author wasn't wasting my time. I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I did.

Cassie is a great book!Girls at any age could read it. stuff happens to Cassie that can happen to anyone. She has good and bad times. I thought this was a good book. And I'm glad the author didn't waste my time to read this book. I hope you like it.

6th grader

This book was great! It's about a girl named Cassie who is sort of the "popular" one in school. She knows pretty much everyone. She has two younger sisters and one older sister. One day her best friend, Barbie, calls her and tells her someone new is moving in. In one of the mansions, which costs about 2 million dollars! When she goes to school she sees the girl, Dana, who moved in. And she's rich. She wears elegant clothes and looks mature for her age. Soon Dana and Cassie meet and begin being friends. And since she's rich, Cassie seems to always want to hang out with her and sort of forget her friends. But Cassie doesn't know Dana's true personality and what things she does! And now her best friend is against her for being with Dana most of the time. I won't say anymore. Just a brief summary! It's a great book! you should read it!

In the book Confessions of a Teenage Baboon, a kid named Chris waits `til the day he can wear his father Chesterfield coat. His father died a couple of years before the book began. He has to live in a house with a dying woman and her bad son. A lot of weird things go on in the book that often make you wonder, what is going on in the book. Chris also gets involved with a lot of different things.
A few suggestions to the author would be to use some better wording and description. Most of the book describes a lot but I think that you could make it better. Other than that, everything in the book is excellent. I hope to see more of those good books.

This book was good- just regular, straight-up Zindel. Chris is an interesting character and Lloyd is fairly interesting too. I haven't read this in a while, but I do recommend it for any longtime Zindel fan. Do not begin with this one, however; start with I Never Loved Your Mind or The Pigman.

In Confessions Of A Teenage Baboon I alone with other teenagers knows how it feels to be moved around from place to place. Leaving friends, best friends, loved ones and neighbors just because of your parent(s) jobs! My mom was also a live-in nurse so I know how it feels. This book is full of depression! Feelings are expressed emotionally and violently. Alot of times it is hard to admit you are getting close to somebody and you lie to yourself until it torments you. Chris was in alot of tough situations between stress, deceit, and love! I feel the same way towards some things and I would suggest this book to anyone who feels alone or needs advice or maybe someone who is tired of their own problems and wants to read about someone else's for a change! This book deserves a four. The only reason I did not give it a five was because it took too long to actually get to the point!

I thought that this book was really good. When I picked it up I did not know what it was going to be like but when I started to read it I really liked it. I also thought it was a very exiting book because I did not know what was going to happen next. I just started reading Paul Zindel books, and now he one of my favorite authors.

If you read my other two book reviews, you'll notice that I am a fan of Paul Zindel's writing. And after reading The Pigman and The Pigman's Legacy, I wanted to get my hands on anything the man's written. I picked up Confessions Of A Teenage Baboon one day, and I haven't put it down since.

Basically the book revolves around fifteen-year-old Chris Boyd and his struggles with his dysfunctional mother and the memories of his late father. His mother is a nurse, and whenever she gets a new patient, she and Chris move into the patient's home to take care of him/her. This time around the patient is an elderly woman named Carmelita Dipardi. And the members of the Dipardi household make the families in the movie "American Beauty" look normal. There's Carmelita's drunk son Lloyd and her disturbed husband, as well as Harold, a kid from the neighborhood that always seems to be around.

Here Chris battles love, hate, pain, violence, and especially depression, while temporarily living in the madhouse that is the Dipardi residence. The book can be shocking at times, but all the way through it's very enjoyable. It's filed under YOUNG ADULT, but adults can enjoy it just as much as teens...even more so, I think. I'm 21 and I enjoy it. In fact, I literally read it almost every day and I still never get tired of it. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.

I've followed this series since its beginning and as always, I was happy to read another installment. I enjoyed the storyline in this one and it seemed to resonate with the character well since it was about children. Juliet's antics are always fun and her kids very real. I can't wait for the next one.

however "The Big Nap" is still my favorite Juliette book. I am looking forward to the next book with eager intrest.

I have found each of the books in the "Mommy track" series engaging. While I do not have children, I can empathise with each burp and well, whatever, her children do. This book is a welcome addition to the series. While I am saddened by what I learn about the system as it deals with children born in prison, I am heartened by the compassion shown here. Ms. Waldman has written a first-rate mystery with wonderful light notes here and there. She also gives us a look at the sadder side of the care of the children born into the penal system.

Oh, and for those readers who participate in a book discussion group....chapter three is a "must read"!!!!!

Waldman can write -- no doubt about that. But her plotting with this book in particular left me confused and unsatisfied. And the motivations behind her protagonist's actions are also a bit sketchy.

There were too many loose ends here and not enough beef... Characters are introduced and then conveniently manipulated, killed off, or abandoned. The sub-plot about Juliet's husband and his lawsuit also seems a bit too convenient -- merely a chance for Juliet to redeem herself in his eyes.

I'd like to see something with more "oomph" and a little less carefully-scripted-plot-designed-to-show-how-bad-the-establishment-is.

Not the best one from Ayelet Waldman. Starts with a "Liberal" whining that goes and goes for awhile then the real story starts. First "Juliet Applebaum" story that I was not sad to finish. Disappointed reader.