I got this book to read about the Internet and how things worked behind the scenes. It covers everything from basic to advance topics that include protocols, modems, internet connections etc. Concepts are really explained well using illustrations. I would recommend it for both the beginner and the advanced surfer.

Excellent resource... though sometimes a bit on the simple side. Most of us know how to use email we just may not know how it works. But the illustrations are great. Redundant at times, but I guess hearing something twice reinforces it. Good job. I used this book as an introduction to my independent study class on Internet programming languages.

This latest edition of "How the Internet Works" is much improved over the previous edition, especially the illustrations by artist Michael Troller, which are both eye-catching and informative. The book provides a very strong basic introduction to how the internet works and the artwork makes it a joy to read. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone (with or without a technical background) looking to improve their understanding of the internet.

Someone once said that 5 minutes with a good friend, is worth 2 hours with a therapist. If that's true, then Max Adams's book, is worth a year of Therapy. First it reads like a "chat with a friend"...a friend who has been there, done that, and written about it. And it inspires, and clears the air, and teaches. I also think this book is a must read for Novelists who hope to have their movie made, or anyone who can't understand how a screenwriter can get a reported half million deal, and end up broke. Max explains the money deal in clear detail. And unlike the other reviewer who "derides" Max for advertising...I applaud her for it!!! She's a go getter, and a Giver. (As in the wonderful advice she gives on her website to those who are in no position to give her anything in return)

I say, buy this book! It's much cheaper than therapy anyway.

To be sure, there are scores of books that claim they will teach you how to write screenplays, how to write better screenplays, how to make good scripts great, and how to sell those scripts that have been made better by applying the lessons learned. Mad Adams cuts through all that in "The Screenwriter's Survival Guide," in an engaging and witty style, with loads of useful information.

What makes this book unique and useful is that Max Adams has not just researched her subject, she's lived it. Max Adams, a Nicholl Fellowship winner (the Academy's big-time screenwriting competition) and a produced Hollywood screenwriter (Excess Baggage), is the protagonist of this piece, and takes the reader along for the roller-coaster ride of getting a spec script read, repped by an agent, sold, and after surviving the development and rewriting gauntlets, produced. In many ways this book is as much about the script's survival as it is the scriptwriter's.

All the stock characters play a part in "The Screenwriter's Survival Guide." If you've been around the block a couple of times, you've met some of them yourself, and if you're new to the scene ... hang on, you will. The bozos, the bad agents, the users -- they're all here -- and Max Adams tells you how they're all lurking in Hollywood, trying to keep you out, or trying to take advantage of you once you're in.

Adams covers everything from the spec pitch (getting them to read the script you've already written), to the concept pitch (getting someone to pay you to write the script that's still in you're head), writer's speak vs. mogul's speak, taxes, getting around in Los Angeles, agents vs. managers vs. entertainment lawyers, the agent horror stories (all writers have 'em. Can't wait for the opportunity to share mine. Watch out, Maddie and Sam!) and so much more. Max Adams pulls no punches and even takes aim (boldly) at the Writer's Guild! But the mantra throughout is "get read." That's the most important hurdle you have to overcome trying to break into and remain in this business. First and foremost you must get read. If you don't get read, you're not going to sell, and if you don't sell ... you aint in.

Above all, this book is as hilarious as it is useful. The "dating metaphor" had me laughing out loud. The section on "parentheticals and other lies" had me nodding with delight. And I breathed a sigh of relief reading Adams's chapter on "the screenwriters' uniform." I was properly dressed for the occasion, in a well-worn pair of Levis 505s (writers should have many, in varying stages of wear), a "Fight Club" t-shirt (shamelessly plugging Chuck Palahniuk's book), a newish pair of sneakers, and a sports jacket draped over the back of my chair. Screenwriters don't wear Armani. If I had to pick the single most important piece of actual "writing" advice in this book, it would be "[Screenwriters] write verb driven action sentences, free of clutter, that move story." That's it. Boy, if you can get a handle on that, you're halfway home. So while Max Adams doesn't get bogged down in telling you how to write a movie script, she provides a great example, as the book is written in the same staccato style as one of her screenplays.

Being someone who's written about screenwriting in Hollywood (Writing with Hitchcock), I recommend Max Adams' book highly. You'll love it.

This book is a must for intermediate and advanced writers.

If you know the basics before you read, this book will be a ray of light that can save you months and years of struggle. It reads fast. Has depth. Feels like you're getting a pep talk from your big sister. Enjoy. I did.

This is not a manual on how to write. It's not a book on structure. It won't be what a brand new "newbie" will need. This book will be most useful to a screenwriter that's already read a book or two on story structure (Field, McKee, Campbell, or, my favorite, Seger), knows the basics of format (Trottier, Cole/Haag), and has written a MINIMUM of one screenplay.

What will it do? It'll give you experience. It doesn't say don't do this and don't do that. It says think before you do this and here's why.

It touches on parantheticals, overwriting, and other writing minefields. It focuses on methods of querying, who to avoid and the danger signs when sending out your work (BIG "NEW" POINT: learn this, understand it, live it), reading fees and the various services, the competition route into Hollywood, how to submit work, and provides opinions on the usefulness of various resources. Unlike other books of the "how to sell" sort, it comes from a writer that's sold in the '90s and not the 1890's. Hollywood changes fast.

Most importantly, it tells you what to do after you get sold. Other books cover "how to write" or "how to sell", but this book tells you what to do after you sell. That's rare. Mentioning the career of a screenwriter and not making a quick buck? Wow. For you that want a writing career, this is a gem. So many other books figure you'll figure it out as you go along. Well, if you don't like pain and wasted time, this books for you.

Also, in answer to the SINGLE negative review, most writers are aware that you shouldn't judge a writer by the resulting movie. In this case, "Excess Baggage". Read the script. It's amazing. It's the reason it got sold. Forget the film. Enjoy the script. Any comparisons to Syd Field or other gurus reveals the level of the writer -- brand new. It will help the brand new writer. However, that's not the intended audience. This for those who are serious about their dreams.

I hope this helps in your decision to pick up a delightful read.

Scott Adams has always done a fabulous job of depicting the trials and tribulations of working in America. This book is a followup to the Dilbert Priciple, if you enjoyed the Dilbert Principle you are guaranteed to like The Way of the Weasel. You probably see people in the Weasel Zone regularly. After reading The Way of the Weasel, you'll find yourself smiling (at least inwardly) at their bad behaviour.

In this hilarious addition to the Dilbert library, author Scott Adams supports his contention that all people are weasels. In chapter after sidesplitting chapter, Adams looks at what people do, showing how they are indeed weasels. Scattered along the way are letters he received from people out in the workaday world (supporting evidence), and wonderful Dilbert cartoons (illustrations).

Yep, if there is one truly effective satirizer of the capitalist system, it is Scott Adams. This book is literally laugh-out-loud funny. (I had to hold my breath at times, to keep from waking my wife up repeatedly!) If you like Scott Adams and Dilbert, then I highly recommend that you get this book, it's great!

SCOTT ADAMS ROCKS!! Once more Mr. Adams has captured the modern workplace in his newest book. Plenty of themed cartoons highlight each point. Anyone who has ever held a job will recognize the weasel in their employers, managers, co-workers and - dare I say it - themselves. A favorite spot for me was when compensation (i.e. raises) was discussed - how your employer will show you how lucky you are to get what you are, will be or could be. This was made much funnier because my workplace had just done annual salary reviews and it felt as if Scott Adams had been in the office with me when I was reminded of the economy, assured that I was being paid equitably and even offered a clipping to prove it. I have not shown my employer the book as I like my job. And I loved this book!

A number of reviewers on these pages seem upset because they cannot find one connecting theme that ties these stories and vignettes together. I can only suggest that you develop the habit of reading the entire book, cover to cover. If you did, you'd notice that Hemingway thanks SEVERAL magazines for permission to REPRINT some of the stories. Of course there's no overall theme. He wrote the stories at different times, for different audiences, and gave them the appropriate slant for the periodical he hoped would publish them. This is an anthology of his early works, each of which was meant to stand on its own. Even the Nick Adams stories can be read on a stand alone basis.

Some of the stories do, in fact, reflect his love of outdoor sports such as fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, etc. In these, along with his bull-fighting vignettes, you can certainly see the beginnings of the Hemingway style of terse, to the point writing which accounts for much of his later fame. Reading his A MOVEABLE FEAST, in which he discusses the early years of his career, might further clarify things for you.

Buy a bigger collection of Hemingway stories and save some money.

These short pages contain simply (but less simply than some readers realize) some of the best short stories by an American writer in the entire twentieth century. Hemingway is certainly lauded enough by high-minded literary types, but it would be a mistake to assume that those are the only people that can enjoy him. It is tough to get a handle on what he is doing in this book, particularly because of the interchapers (which are NOT lead-ins to the stories following them, but a separate bit of impressionist writing of their own), but as in all great writing, the point is to make you ask yourself questions, not answer them for you. My personal favorite from this book (and maybe of any book by anybody) is "Soldier's Home" Hemingway's style, which is often criticized for being "too simple", thus ignorant, is to leave the most important details unsaid, letting the reader create most of the image in his or her mind. When in "Soldier's Home" Krebs' mother says "There can be no idle hands in God's Kingdom" Hemingway writes Krebs' reply as simply "I'm not in His kingdom." No description of his voice, no laying of scene, nothing but that pure powerful statement, which would have been ruined by a long dramatic monologue on the horrors of war. If you enter this book with an open mind, Hemingway won't disappoint. And you'll have plenty to argue about with your high-minded literary friends.

Utopia is a classic masterpiece that conveys More's vivid imagination of the Island of Utopia. Although most of the characters are fictional, it is intriguing to learn about the true values of European societies during the 16th century, when More actually wrote the book (although many scholars believe that the exact year was 1515). Truthfully, the book is quite easy to understand. All More tries to do is convey his own views of how society should be through Raphael. Moreover, the use of imagery in Book I is quite fascinating, including the constant references to Roman and Greek myths and beliefs. It is also quite remarkable to see that the story begins to be more and more interesting after More and Giles come back from dinner. To make a long story short, I think it is a great book because of the actual time it was written in since most pieces of literature written at that time were either lost or destroyed.

As a social critique this book is very effective with answers to many arguments. Thomas More is a wise, brave and educated man who was executed by orders of Henry VIII, and wrote Utopia more as an explanation of why society needed to be far from perfect in order to be enjoyable. Utopia, meaning in Latin "in no place", was written entirely in satire, and many have said that it was a great source of entertainment for the more educated as they watched those less educated argue on the side of a Utopian state while quoting Moore, and having never seen the satire present while reading. Mr. Moore's Utopia touches on every aspect of the human existance as it would be experienced if we prescribed to this way of life. I found many of his discriptions colorful, and commonly found myself of the verge of anger before realizing that Mr. Morre was more often than not simply playing the devil's advocate.

This was very enjoyable for me. I would recommend that everyone take a risk and read this one.

It's unfortunate that it seems as if most of these reviews were written by people whose only knowledge of More has come from the (mostly incorrect) opinions they have formed after reading this book. I don't think one can truly understand its import until he or she understands where Moore is at this point in his life and what he previously wrote ("Life of Pico", for example) and what he wrote later (while in prison, perhaps). No, he wasn't expressing his views through Raphael. In fact, it's clear that Raphael is an opinionated fibber (i.e., he discovered Utopia after Vespucci's fourth voyage? There were only three and Morus knows it...) and his account is purposefully filled with contradictions. There's more to it! More is raising issues, trying to make the careful reader think (and shame on some of the other reviewers for not being careful readers). And once you've read this book, read enough More (ha!) to understand what was going on in the bigger scheme of things, such as More's relationship with the other Renaissance humanists of his time and Henry VIII.

Rob Adams has written the book I've been waiting for--a detailed step-by-step guide to building a world-class business. Most of the advice has the ring of hard-won wisdom--i.e. somewhat counterintuitive nuggets that make perfect sense once Rob explains the rationale.

For example, Mr. Adams tells us that good business ideas--and the need to keep them ultra-secret--are almost worthless. If an idea is worthwhile (i.e. commercially viable), at least 20 or 30 groups around the country have already had the same idea. What truly matters is your team's ability to execute.

Mr. Adams's book is full of such myth-busting advice. Other examples include:

- The relative unimportance of the business plan

- Why too much investment $$ too early can ruin your business

- Why basing your marketing hopes on selling your new product through existing 3rd-party channels rarely makes sense

What I like most is that his advice doesn't come down to some 30,000 feet up platitudes. He shows in great detail precisely how to validate your market, get in the door with a VC, structure you venture financing to maximize value for both parties a the table, sell your product, etc.

All of this is written in a fast moving, in-your-face kind of tone. At the end, you feel like you've been taken to the "entrepreneur's woodshed" but feel grateful for the tough love.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. The author does a fantastic job of describing best practices in starting a company, and while the book is really geared toward companies in their early stages, it has good insight for companies of all sizes.

The book debunks such myths as thinking that a revolutionary idea is required to have a great business, that the first thing you should do is rush to build and launch for first product, and that your first product needs to be the killer app that solves every pain your customer is experiencing. Instead, the author explores how to build a great team, how to validate the market before you build your first product, and how get to market quickly with a product that is "good enough". The author also spends several chapters clarifying how marketing and sales functions should be organized in a new business and the important tasks they should focus on.

In short, this book is full of practical advice for the entrepreneur, and is well worth the read.

Full disclosure first: I'm friends with Nancy Gore (see acknowledgements), know AV Labs, and know people at some of the companies discussed in the book. I'm also a market researcher and marketing consultant, so I make my living doing some of what Rob Adams suggests in "Kick #2." Having said all that, my review: this is one of the few entertaining business books that had me turning pages voraciously, and that I've HONESTLY read every word of (I'm proud to say...too many are boring or predictable). The section on market validation and knowing the customer is right on target. I've seen companies go down the "clueless" path, arrogantly thinking branding or just "one little more powerful feature" would keep them from failure. This book has all the fundamentals for doing it right. (It's a pragmatic book; in that way, it differs from, but is as quality, as Geoffrey Moore's, Michael Porter's, and Charles Handy's more conceptual/theoretical works). I ordered it for a client whose business plan I'm helping to develop--that's how good it is. Every now and then it assumes that people know very little, when in fact many people know some of what he discusses. But that's a small quibble....and that's part of the fun, the humorously cocky attitude.

People, this book is one you must read. The author points out things that are important for us all to know now. He wrote this book in 1999? and if I would have read it then I would have been skeptical, but everything he said is true and its coming true right before our very eyes and in our time. Watch Europe. Watch the decline of United States economic power and the rise of the Eurodollar. Watch Europe extend into the Middle East. Watch the Catholic Church ride the beast.

For the money, this book is priceless.

I can barely describe how powerful and life changing this book is. If your view of end times prophecy runs along the lines of the "Left Behind" series, you've got another thing coming. You will never pick up another one of the books from that series again. It is hard to describe how powerful this books is. It is not even 200 pages; yet I found myself taking longer to read it then I anticipated as I literally had to stop reading the book after every paragraph or so and just think about what I just read. IT IS THAT POWERFUL!!! This book has changed my entire outlook on the end times prophecy and believe if you really and truly want to know more about this subject, you owe it to yourself to read this book. I feel Canyon Adams is right on the money. I think that Mr. Adams knows more about this subject than anyone out there at this time. It is up to you. You can either believe what the "churches" and man interpret about prophecy OR you can read this book and see how the bible backs up itself and explains everything so clearly now. I feel as if a veil has been removed from my eyes and I really can see the truth now. No other book out there backs up it's claim with so much BIBLICAL evidence. The only thing we need to know to interpret end times prophesy is the Bible. Period. I am currently reading the authors other book, The Signs and will be reviewing that one very soon as well, but so far it is just as unbelievable as this one. If you are going to a "christian" or catholic church right now, please read this book. It is a simple choice really. Go to the church of your choice, or go to God's church. It's up to you. All the other books out there on prophesy right now are full of manmade interpretations, not biblical. Read these books and see for yourself.

I read this book in one day, I just couldn't put it down! Canyon Adams, by far, has the freshest and most unique approach to the tribulation and "end days" events. This book was truly an eye opener, and unlike many other books on prophesy. The author was also very biblical in supporting his statements, approaches, and theories. Definitely a "must read" book. People of the Catholic faith may not be too pleased with it's contents, but, it sure leaves you with many things to think about.

Cohen does a wonderful job of trying to find as much information he could on the history of the auctionweb, the formation of eBay Cafe, and the now-familar story of "ebay". Little-known stories on the users in the various "forum" in auctionweb and the later incarnations of eBay makes interesting reading. The book does bring to light some excellent "anecdote"-type of accounts of almost all the main players in the eBay formation. However, the author's objective credibility comes to a grinding hault very soon into the book...He for some reason, seemed to have been over-powered by the "community" aspects of the story and becomes more or less a cheerleader for eBay. Not much discussion was focused on the business model of eBay - which was somewhat disappointing. The book could have used a little more attention in organizing the anecdotes and make it look less like a diary written in a hurry. However, nothing should take away the fantastic effort by the author in researching for the book and trying to present it in as "novel"-like as possible. Easily readable book, with no major claim for any literary standards. Overall, a nice "fictional" book on eBay, with no analysis on business model of eBay and sometimes degenrating into a huge advertisement for the "cult" image of eBay users and community (of which I am a proud member!)

If you are an avid Ebayer, you will probably find yourself in this book and have a good chuckle; even if you have never experienced the Ebay thrill of winning (or the agony of defeat), you will probably find this entertaining and informative reading. In "The Perfect Store," Adam Cohen traces Ebay's development from a one-man shop to the multi-million dollar operation it is today. Along the way, he introduces a cast of interesting characters, many of whom do not fit the typical dot-com profile as the media has hitherto fore presented it. And, he debunks some myths, such as the "Pez container" inspiration for the original Ebay.

Granted, quite a bit of this information has appeared in print before, but Cohen brings it together for the reader who has 1) not been following the story, 2) does not have time or resources to research Ebay in the media or 3) found Ebay after it was already a national phenomenon. I'm number 3. Although I have been an avid Ebayer, myself, for almost five years, I have mainly bought and sold, staying on the fringes and not participating in the chat-rooms or discussion boards. I was very surprised to learn that these venues were part of the original Ebay plan and have been the impetus for some of the changes that I have seen take place over the last few years.

From the onset, Ebay has been a consumer-driven buyer-seller platform. Like all organizations, it has had its share of growing pains. Without taking sides, Cohen examines these, illuminating the multiple and various personalities that make up this global market place.

Cohen's writing style is very readable and he paces the book nicely, interspersing just enough anecdote among the business facts to keep the book from becoming a dry tome. (Bonus: The clever Ebayer may also pick up a tip or two for buying and selling.)

In the aftermath of the burst of the internet bubble, if you have been asking yourself what was it all about, Adam Cohen's book is a must read. The Perfect Store elucidates, in a delightful story, that before it was about revenue multiples and investment bankers getting rich, it was about iconoclasts who wanted to bring communication, trading, commerce and ideas to anyone across the globe who had a computer. The Perfect Store is a lively book which brings all the charisma of its characters to its pages. Cohen explains how EBAY, which stuck to its vision, did not forget its customer base and was not sidetracked by financial schemes and engineering, came out the winner.

When I saw Vincent Lardos name on the cover of this one, my first reaction was "Oh No! What happened to Lawrence Sanders?" I immediatly feared the worst, but I bought the book and decided to read it with an open mind. My biggest surprise was finding out that Mr. Lardo also penned the last McNally book and I hadn't even realized it. With that said, I found the latest book to be quite good, following Archy's exploits as he unravels a mystery involving the cast and crew of a Palm Beach production of "Arsenic and Old Lace". A very appropriate play considering the fact that cast members keep passing away via arsenic in their drinks. While Mr. Nardo's Archy lacks a bit of the swish that characterized Lawrence Sander's character, I found the book a good read. With Sander's passing we can all be thankful that Archy continues to grace our bookshelves, and I, for one, look forward to the continuing exploits of our hero. "One never knows, do one?

As expressed by other reviewers, I was devastated too by the death of Lawrence Sanders. I figured that would be the end of the detective books I have come to love. If you are a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, do not read these books. Gratuitous imbibing was part and parcel of Sander's genre and thankfully Vincent Lardo has tempered down all the boozing a little! Even Archy is trying to cut down on his English Ovals! I am very glad that Mr. Lardo has taken up this effort for those of us who enjoyed this light, tongue very well placed in cheek, series. This is light reading and the intention is too entertain completely which it does. Again, many thanks, Mr. Lardo.

To take on a deceased author's much-admired creation cannot be an easy task. Yet Vincent Lardo perfectly has caught the flavor of the beloved character of Archy McNally, which originally was created by the late Lawrence Sanders. He's caught the rhythm of the narrative, the sense of place, the voice of the protagonist. So if you loved Sanders' Archy, you won't notice much difference in Lardo's version. And if you like to read a good mystery about the high life, Palm Beach, tropical nights, gourmet foods, and, oh yes, romance, then any of the McNally books should hit the spot. Doesn't matter whether the author was Lawrence or Vince. These are fun reads, the published equivalents of sneaking potato chips. You won't want to stop with just one.

I was interested in reading the book becasue I recently returned to playing the piano after 30 years and I thought it would be fun to read someone else's experience on the trials and tribulations learning or relearning the music and buying a piano. Unfortunately, Mr. Adam's short reminisecne was short on information about actual playing and such and more about his very busy life with NPR. His book also suffers from "name dropitis" and a sometimes an elitist tone. Passages about "overfed" mall shoppers in "stonewashed" jeans -- followed by the author's refuge to an organic juice bar was plebian writing. I was most appalled by the fact that Mr. Adams purchases an incredibly expensive piano before even being able to read music! I found his struggle and his inability to "get going" and play very inaccessible to me as reader.

Noah Adams is best known as a commentator on the National Public Radio network's All Things Considered. His gentle humor and thoughtful insights translate well into print form.

In "Piano Lessons," Adams conveys the attraction of music, even for those of us who have little experience or talent in producing it. He details the course of a year in his life, a year when he decided to invest in a piano and learn to play it. Adams mainly used self-teaching methods, but also participated in a session with a private teacher and attended a week long music camp.

Besides chronicling the routines of practicing and acquiring a greater familiarity with the instrument, Adams' book branches off to cover other aspects of his life during the time, and a sizable amount of history of the piano and of notable pianists, past and present. Those tangents are mostly interesting and enjoyable, thanks to Adams' polished prose style.

I am confused and disappointed by other reviews of this book that claim Noah Adams went about learning the piano all wrong. Readers who were hoping for hints about practice and technique have missed out on a thoroughly good read, all because of their misguided approach to this wonderful story of one man's musical quest. This is not a "how to" book, and nor should it be.

What makes this book such a treasure is the exact same thing as what one reviewer callously calls "banal fluff": talking about his wife, his love for a piece of music that he longs to play but fears he can't, his experiences of meeting and talking with other musicians, his knowledge of pianos and of music in general, and his passion and appreciation for music of many styles. The process of learning a musical instrument is a journey, and Noah tells us of his. From the first chapter, when he talks of the secret desire he has held for years to buy a piano, to the last chord of Schumann's 'Träumerei' which he plays as a Christmas present for his wife, this book entranced me with the joys and the struggles of learning to play an instrument. Yes, he may have got there faster if he'd spent more time practicing and less time procrastinating, but chances are the results would have been far less rewarding, and the book would certainly have been far less interesting.

Ultimately, if you genuinely have a passion for music, there is no right or wrong way to go about learning. Noah did it this way, and he got there in the end. Who are we to criticise?