Weslandia is the best book I have read in a year. The main character is Wesley. He is a young boy that does not like pizza, pop, or the latest style of having half-shaved hair. He also finds professional football dumb.He is a nerd-type boy with no friends at first. All that changes when he makes his own civilization for his summer project. He even makes his own 80-letter alphabet.
I like the book and its pictures. The pictures are my favorite part. It is a cool book to read.

Have you ever dreamt of starting you own civilization? Well that's just what Wesley did in the book Weslandia. Weslandia is the story of a boy that planted flowers called "swists".
Wesley gets food, clothing, juice, and even friends from the Swists plants . He starts his own civilization. He makes a garden. Wesley's neighbor went through his garden and looked at his flowers and said that he should pull out the weeds, but Wesley's garden doesn't have weeds in it. Everything in Wesley's garden is used to for something.
I like the book because Wesley creates his own civilization, and I think that's cool. I think you should read this book because it is a good book.

If you like reading books, then read Weslandia. Weslandia is a civilization where a kid planted some seeds and they grew really, really tall. The kids name is Wesley, and he makes everything he needs with his plants. He makes food, juice, clothing, mosquito repellent, sunblock, a sundial, and even games. The game looks just like Quidditch on Harry Potter. He even sleeps outside where he made his clubhouse.
What I like about the story is when he makes a lot of money selling his bug repellent and sunblock. I also like the equipment he makes for his games.
You should read this book because it could be your favorite book too.

Hilary Hyland's The Wreck of the Ethie is a dramatic account of a dog's heroism during a sea disaster. As a schoolteacher, I can attest to the fact that children love this book. The principal characters in the book are two pre-teens and a Newfoundland dog named Skipper. The book is based on a true story about the shipwreck of the Ethie in 1919. Ms. Hyland has included the results of her meticulous research to provide an educational "read" for kids of all ages. The fast-paced story kept this adult reading page after page without respite. The illustrations help "visual" readers to connect as the story unfolds with descriptive imagery. A section at the end of the book (Author's Note) answers common questions posed by school children regarding the dog and the story. In addition, a glossary of nautical terms is included.
Ms. Hyland visits schools and provides a slide presentation showing pictures and information gathered during her research for the book. She tells children about the process of researching and writing historical fiction. She provides an interactive question and answer environment for students to discuss her book and visit with her own Newwfoundland dog, Cubby, who accompanies her on each and every visit! This book is a great choice for adults or children. Don't miss this one!

I read many of the books my children select so that we can discuss them. Many are disappointing but the Wreck of the Ethie was thoroughly enjoyable. Hilary Hyland has written a story that you can't put down. Her descriptions of the characters, events and Newfoundland dog are so well done that you feel you are on the shore watching the entire rescue take place. My 9 year old daughter read the book in one sitting and talked about it for days after. Ms. Hyland should be commended for her obviously painstaking research into the story. This kind of wholesome story depicting the good in humanity is what our children should be reading.

I enjoyed this book, an excellent choice for historical fiction. Mrs. Hyland writes about a true incident that occurred in 1919.A ship runs aground in a terrible storm , and it looks like the passengers will not make it to safety. The heart of the book is the story of the Newfoundland dog Skipper, whose valiant efforts to help the Ethie make this great reading. I can't wait to read Mrs. Hyland's next book. ...

I hope this story lives on forever-if it's survived this long, that's a good sign. It holds the Christmas box trilogy, making it a fat little book but one you can sit down and cry in front of.

"The Christmas Box" is the story of a young family who moves in with an elderly widow, MaryAnne Parkin, who holds sad secrets in her past, as the hero becomes far too wrapped up in his job. MaryAnne befriends the hero's young daughter and his wife, as he begins dreaming of angels. It's not entirely clear when this takes place, but I believe it was either the 1940s or 1950s.

"Timepiece" is the story of how MaryAnne and David Parkin met. We are also introduced to the excellent characters of Victoria, a creepy socialite; Lawrence, an elderly black friend of David's; and his business partner. We follow them through about five years, from when a new secretary comes to work for David, later marries him, and their child, Andrea is born. But a horrible tragedy due to racism causes an attack on Lawrence and a terrible fate for Andrea.

"The Letter" is the final part of the trilogy, taking place about twenty years after "Timepiece." MaryAnne has grown miserable after Andrea's death, because David has completely shut himself off. When she vanishes, David sets off on an obsessive quest to find his long-long mother, accompanied by a bright young woman who has definite designs on him.

Some may find the overall story too cloying, but it has a refreshing innocence, that after hundreds of icky books I find very relaxing. David is one of my favorite literature characters-he is human and flawed, and his flaws make him all the more vulnerable and lovable. A story for your whole family to read.

This is a fine book for anyone to read and enjoy although it has a special interest for some. Written to comfort those who have lost a loved one, to bring people closer to family members, and to offer comfort to all who have suffered tragedies and abuse, this book is a reasonably well written collection of stories that will change your life.

Evans's dynamic characters come to life as you experience their pains, triumphs, challenges and loves. As you finish each book of this trilogy, you can't wait to sink your teeth into the next one.

Though it is not a literary superstar I gave this book 5 stars for the power with which the message hits home and the importance of the message of this book. I think it is especially timely in the new millenium.

It is written as a story of hope in the face of great pain and loss. It offers comfort to so many who have experienced the death of a child, a miscarriage / still born child, or the death of any loved one. This book also applies well to one who has suffered abuse or tragedy in any form.

In addition, it speaks of sacrificing family interests for our career and focusing our attentions where they bring the least happiness, a lesson learned as a busy entrepeneur and the author refers to as trading stones for diamonds.

The greatest lesson, though is love and faith. Devestating as great challenges can be on individuals, they reek havoc on a relationship. This book delves into the rebuilding of individuals as well as the marriage in the years after the loss of a great tragedy.

This book is enjoyable reading (though at times bordering on melodramatic) and I am buying my fourth and fifth copy today as gifts for more friends. Having read all of his books which seem to deliver a similar message with equally engaging characters, I especially recommend his latest book from Spring of 2002 which tells his personal story of writing and self publishing 'The Christmas Box'.

But, again it is the characters in the stories that you quickly become attached to, so much that you will laugh with them, weep with them and not want to put the book down when you come to the satisfying end. Enjoy!

Although not written as a trilogy, these books all tell a wonderful story set at the turn of the century in Salt Lake City. Each book/story relates to the other two, but do not have to be read in any particular order. They intertwine in the lives of two families with stories that touch your heart and teach an appreciation of true love of that which is most important. Not necessarily set specific to Christmas reading, this holiday season makes it particularly inspiring as we naturally turn to goodwill to friends and strangers. Richard Paul Evans writes in a manner that puts you amidst the characters and lets you feel like an interactive character in the story. He makes you feel like you are truly there viewing things firsthand. A must reading, quick and easy.

In "The Doom Stone," fifteen-year-old Jackson goes to visit his aunt (Sarah Cawley) near Stonehenge in England. Dr. Cawley is an anthropologist who studies skeletons of humans who have been dead for centuries. Soon Jackson spots a strange looking creature that looks like a living skeleton with huge red eye sockets and with slime oozing out of its nose. The creature, called Skull Face, is on a killing spree and it's up to Dr. Cawley, Jackson, Alma (a girl who lives close to Stonehenge in a crematorium), and the police to try to find the monster's weakness and find a way to kill it.

I've read a few of Paul Zindel's books, and I have to say that he is best at writing books like "The Doom Stone," "Loch," and "Rats." Of those 3, "The Doom Stone" is my least favorite, but it's still great. "The Doom Stone" is more of an action packed horror book and it lacks in plot at the end of the book a little bit. However, I still liked it a lot because it was action packed and it was hard to put the book down. If you like action packed horror books, I recommend reading "The Doom Stone."

This is a great book, coming from a guy that hates to read. True I dislike reading, but I couldn't put this thing down. It goes into great detail about the gore and uses good, 'better', choice of words for us "young adults". This is a great book. Get It NOW!

Like Micheal Jackson this ones a thriller.Action packed, this book keeps you going.Mutated beings that live underground mutate into monstrous beast ready to feed.Stay away from Stonehenge or it will be your "Doom Stone."
I give the book five stars because of it's explisive detail and action packed chapters.This is one of Zindel's best.I recommend "Doom Stone" to anyone who loves a spicy story.

As a C++ and former BASIC programmer, I picked up this book to have a reference of all the keywords and constants in the VB language, but also to see simple examples of concepts and have the overall structure of the language explained to me. This book provides an excellent desktop reference of all the functions and keywords, etc., as most of the book is just that. The first/remaining 1/3 of the book covers the "structure" territory, but not terribly well. It does this as an explanation to VB5 programmers who are moving up to VB6; definitely NOT from the perspective of an object-oriented language like C++, making the switch. IMHO, the explanations are quite confusing (e.g. the author assumes certain VB concepts are already known, such as the difference between code modules and class modules, etc.); the author eschews full code examples (providing only snippets and fragments); and there are no exercises whatsoever anywhere in the book with which to test your knowledge. As a tutorial (admittedly, the reviewers here have said this is NOT), the book fails miserably. As a reference for an established VB programmer, I'd say it's quite good. I'm only disappointed I will have to seek out a different book to get the lessons I now (still) need.

I agree this is one of the best books on VB on the market... The O'Reilly books are perfect as reference and sharpening your skills.

For those who are "familiar" with VB this book provides concise coverage of the VB Language features and tips and "gottchas" on using them. He has information on what REALLY works in VB and little quirks that work in some cases, but not in others....

For those upgrading from VB5 to VB6 this is the perfect book. It covers VB5 and VB6 features in detail; and annotates which apply to each. You don't need to buy an expensive library... this book has it all (except VB components... which is in another O'Reilly book). I don't have to go through a thousand books to find the language feature I need. Mr. Lomax's discussion of error trapping is one of the best I've seen.

The appendix of Visual Basic Language Constants gathered together in one place is worth the price of the book alone.

This is the book to have.

Since you may not be familiar with the "Nutshell" series books by this publisher, I will start by telling you that this book is strictly a reference intended for the intermediate or advanced VB programmer. If you are new to the language, do not purchase this book expecting to learn how to program. You already know your If..Then..Else and Select Case statements. What this book does is give you a quick reference to find that date function that you have never used or remind you the exact syntax of a Property Set procedure.

The bulk of the book (80-85%) is the language reference alphabetized and some appendices dividing the language reference up by other methods, such as similar functions/methods, data types, operators, etc. Chapter 4 "Class Modules" contains a concise, 20-page refresher on how to object-orient your VB with classes. I had studied a few other books on OOP VB but still don't have it down pat, this chapter will be my guide until I can do classes in my sleep. Very little covered on API functions but also a great section on ActiveX (creating, registering, unregistering, Controls, EXE vs. DLLs).

Probably the biggest question I faced was: "Why get this book when I have an MSDN subscription at work?" This book is supposed to pick up where that takes off. I hate searching through the whole MSDN for one method. It can take forever. Plus, this book will travel with me.

On a side note, I'm studying for my MCSD and this book has been very valuable. From my past experience with Microsoft exams, you never know when you are going to get a specific question about a particular function, property and method and have to know the default value, or which property would not belong to an object. If you have never used it before, you'll have no idea. It's no fun to actually "study" such a reference book, but this book is very detailed and comprehensive about what everything does and how it could be used. I know the more I thumb through this thing, the better the chance I have of nailing a question on a test. Would make a great complimentary book to the MCSD VB exams 70-156 and 70-155.

Like a previous reader, I read an older version of Monette's 'Borrowed Time' and hoped I might one day meet this wonderful man; it wasn't until I saw nfalzone's review here before reading 'Becoming a Man' that I realised Monette has since died. I also cried; Paul Monette really touched something in me and I can only hope that many, many more people will read this book, though I fear he is somewhat preaching to the converted. For those of us with gay family members it is a real eye opener, though I don't know that many parents would be able to handle this book. His story will drag you through so many emotions, not least anger; may Paul Monette rest in peace and may he be an example to us all to speak out, with open hearts and minds.

I bought this book both because it was a coming out story and because of the National Book Award. I knew it would be a good read but had no idea of the power and sheer force of personality that would come through in Paul Monette's writing. As a gay man who also grew up in New England with parents of mixed religion, (although my father converted to Catholism) my experiences were so similar to Paul's that there were times I literally had to put the book down because my emotions were too much to bear. The pain, the loneliness, the self-loathing are all too familiar to any gay person, but this is by no means a book only for gays. Any straight person who knows and loves a gay person will find no better description of what it is to grow up knowing you are that THING that is to be hated and feared, and how hard it is to overcome those early lessons. But be warned, at no point does he "sanitize" the gay experience so as not to offend straights.

I was saddened to learn Paul lost his battle with AIDS, and at a time when new treatments were so close. However, any writer who has to die too young could leave no better legacy than this memoir. It will live on long after Paul; it is a truly brilliant book.

In Becoming a Man, activist/writer Paul Monette reflects on his growing-up years prior to the AIDS crisis in the 80s. One of the book's strong points which several critics have noted(and I would have to agree about) is how well it portrays Monette's personal experience yet is still reflective of the lives of the gay men of his generation. The writing in this book is at times both beautifully and disturbingly evocative and filled with powerful images. Some readers may be put-off by Monette's scathing attacks on the straight world in general and the Vatican in particular, but it is the overwhelming emotion he puts into his work that makes Becoming a Man so compelling. This is not to say the book is perfect. Monette's "tortured artist" portrayal gets tiresome at times, as does the self-indulgence(he could have spared us the line " 'Paul is perfect' was slumming.") Nevertheless, the passionate soul-baring and consistenly excellent prose makes this one of Monette's strongest works and an essential read in gay literature.

There must be something different about the air or water in New Jersey-or at least in certain areas of the state. That is the only conclusion I can come to to when one NJ reviewer(with history honours) describes this book as " absolutely boring," whilst another labels author, David Hackett Fischer, as "cynical." Well, as an Australian with an honours in American history let me say I found Fischer's book absolutely riveting-moving as quickly as Paul Revere, on Brown Beauty, through the New England countryside. As for criticising the current generation, Fischers,comparison with the revolutionary generation is very mild stuff-a passing comment on page 175- that favours the reflective processes of the past generation over society of today. Paul Revere's ride is not just about the night of the epic event to warn the colonists that the Regulars were coming but also about the tensions leading up to the 'shots heard around the world,' and the nightmare journey of the British redcoats on their return from the Battle of Concord, after the earlier skirmish at Lexington-an event that aroused the colonists like bees to a honey pot.Interestingly, Fischer describes many of the British officers, far from being confident after Lexington,as being deeply concerned about proceeding to Concord. History proved them wise judges. Fischer also includes an extensive historiography of Revere and his changing role over the years- from being a mythical hero to being debunked,denied and reviled. Readers can draw their own conclusion on this active silversmith, Whig and Federalist whose long life, (1734-1818), covered some of the truly great moments in American history. Fischer's great narrative brings back all the atmosphere of that seminal period and the reader is virtually transported back to that heady time when Revere rode not only into the dark New England night but also into the pages of history.

Anyone interested in American history must read this book. The title of this book is modest for it is about much more than Paul Revere's famous ride: it is a well-documented but lively history of the numerous events leading up to and including the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Fischer uses both Paul Revere and General Thomas Gage as examples to highlight the differences between the attitudes of the Colonists and the British. I had not fully appreciated the degree of the animosity between them until I read this book. I also gained a sense that the tensions between the British troops'the 'Regulars''and the Colonists were quite high before April 19th, and that something was bound to erupt. The British confiscating gunpowder from the Powder House on Quarry Hill (September 1, 1774), the Portsmouth Alarm (December 13-19), and the Salem Alarm (February 26-27) were all preludes to the Battle of that fateful day of April 19th. Fischer also makes an excellent case that the Revolutionary movement was very well organized. Revere succeeded in alarming the country not by randomly waking the countryside but by methodically rousing the militia leaders of the various villages and towns. For much of the book, Paul Revere serves as a principal character, which is an appropriate for this story: he had the knack, somehow, of always ending up smack in the middle of the important events of the day. Shortly before the 'first shot' at Lexington, for example, some of the Regulars in the front of the column may have very well seen Revere and John Lowell carrying across the Lexington Common through the ranks of Captain John Parker's militia a wooden trunk owned by John Hancock with important papers that could have been used to indict various leaders of the Revolutionary cause.

As I read the introduction to the book, I found myself wide-eyed that I may be wrong about my knowledge of Paul Revere. The folklore of his midnight ride (and the song) has strongly influenced what I thought. Fischer addresses that, then writes a great narrative to show you the true patriot.

First, I knew that Paul Revere rode to warn the colonists and Dawes rode as well. What I did not know was that they were part of a vast communication network set up by Paul Revere and his colleagues. The reader sees how successful this is (even with Revere being captured) through the explanation and maps of the troop movements.

The book is not a biography about Paul Revere though it does go into some detail about him. This book is primarily about the incidents leading up to the ride and the incidents immediately after. The reader will hear about all the things going on within that span of months. Paul Revere's perspective is not the only one covered.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in American history. You will finish the book feeling enlightened.

How can I possibly add to the 33 previous glowing reviews of this outstanding book? To start, this book is about much more than automated software testing - it is a guide to setting up and operating a solid testing organization. Yet, it is about much more than organizing and managing testing - it also explains how testing fits within the development life cycle and provides in-depth details on different testing techniques. It goes further still - it introduces a testing life cycle called the Automated Test Life-Cycle Methodology (ATLM), which is [in my opinion] a major contribution to the software testing profession.

The authors obviously know their stuff. They share invaluable knowledge on how to organize softwarte testing, covering every facet from building a business case to staffing considerations. This is augmented by a work breakdown structure (WBS) for implementing testing, which is a great foundation for a project plan. As someone who evangelizes using WBS as the basis for project planning and estimating I think this alone is worth the price of the book. The job descriptions for test staff, backed up with sound advice on the recruiting and interviewing process, add to the value.

Their approach to managing the testing process is the best I have ever seen, and if followed will transform any test function or organization into a cost-effective center of excellentce that will pay big dividends in downstream service delivery.

I think the clear, cogent definitions of testing techniques and associated documentation removes a lot of the ambiguity that plagues the profession. This information is a good refresher for experienced practitioners and great training material for new testers.

This book covers a lot of ground: organization, process, procedures and techniques, business case development and test management. Each of these subjects could merit an entire book, yet this book treats each in depth and detail, and sets the interrelationships among the subjects. This is no small task and earns my recommendation that if you only buy one book on software testing this should be it.

Many organizations own some kind of automated software test tool (or tools), however only a minority (about 15 - 20% by my surveys) actually use the tools they own. This indicates there is a large gap in applying automated testing tools and a resulting large pile of "shelfware" when it comes to this segment of the tool market. This book does an excellent job in helping to close the gap between having an automated test tool and actually using the tool in the testing process.

Automated Software Testing is definately the most complete guide to the process of test automation I have seen compiled in one source. The book is detailed and contains many tables, samples and case studies to provide practical application of the concepts presented in the book. I highly recommend this book for anyone considering test automation or for those who have been involved with test automation wishing to improve their processes.

Remarkable book that every test engineer should read! Being a software programmer, I need the test engineers to work closely with us to help produce a successful product while staying on schedule, satisfying defined requirements and eliminating errors. The book defines a logical approach and provides best practices for the test engineer to provide a comprehensive and efficient automated software test program.

This book brings needed structure to the way the test team approaches their work. I've experienced two projects now where the introduction of automated testing was a considerable problem. Automated Software Testing guides the test engineer every step of the way from considering whether or not automation is beneficial to tool selection and introduction. Furthermore it lays out test planning requirements and provides instruction on how to design the test program to include both automated and manual tests. Our development team will be applying the book's test design guidance to our development test efforts.

Finally a book that outlines the pitfalls and provides solid examples of best practices that can be applied to automated software testing projects. Software developers everywhere should give a copy of this book to their test team.

This book really read like a comedian wrote it. I agree that I can hear Reiser's inflections as I am reading the words that he is saying. I also can see his comedic style shining through in this book. But a little too much for my tastes.

The book was funny, and I could relate to it a lot, but I had some trouble following it from antecdote to antecdote. Then it hit me. It's a book, by a comedian, written in the style of a comedy show. No real plot or direction, just a series of funny little stories that Reiser shares with his audience.

I haven't read any other books by any other comedians, so I'm not sure if this is the style that most of them follow. If it is, I could see this book as being a really good book in that style. I could also see a lot of the show "Mad About You" in this book as well - even though I only watched Mad About You occasionally.

However, it kept me in bed at night, reading the book, even after I decided I didn't like the comedian style. It does relate to a lot of people in almost every antecdote, which kept me hooked to the book when I was reading it.

In this book, Paul Reiser is as funny as he is on "Mad About You", if not funnier. You'll laugh from cover to cover, and when you're finished, you'll read it again. That's what I did. It'll make you realize the power of love and why we crave it so much. Whether you're in a relationship, was in a relationship, or want to be in a relationship, this book is your bible. It's a perfect present for couples who are about to get married and I highly recommend it to everyone

I am a huge fan of Reiser, and I loved Mad About You. This book is a funny, gentle, warm look at the little joys and problems of marriage. I am not even married and I was laughing out loud every page. It was a quick read, and it was the kind of humor I like best - the kind with a serious message underneath. Best of all, the book is as funny on a second reading as it is the first time. A must read!

This book is a class act! From the very first page, readers are lovingly drawn into the life and times of Paul McCartney, through Jorie Gracen's incredible photographs that capture the essense of a man and his music. The concert photos simply vibrate with life and give the reader a visual front seat perspective of Paul ripping up the stage or quietly enthralling his audience with a solo years hit, or a classic Beatles song. In addition, the off-stage photos of Paul portray the human side of a man who is husband, father, friend, businessman and fellow musician, simply living his life and loving it. The sensitive candid photos cover Paul's many moods and multi-faceted personality, from the irrepressible to the contemplative. The intriguing and colorful personal stories from enthusiastic fans who have had a close encounter with Paul, add humor, warmth and historical reference points that nicely compliment the stunning array of photographs. Jorie Grayson, a dedicated highly respected professional, with extensive music celebrity photo credits, is seen on the Intro page getting an affectionate hug from one of her favorite subjects -- Paul himself! Over the years Paul invited and readily posed for Jorie on numerous occasions, including the unforgettable picture on the book's back cover, of Paul on the steps of Abbey Road Studios! This book is a fun romp back through time that allows Paul's fans to see both the musical legend and the man, through the author's unique perspective.

This book is probably one of the finest photographic accounts of Paul McCartney. The other ex-Beatles (that are still with us) should be so lucky! Ms. Gracen has done a wonderful service to all of us McCartney fans, by sharing her talents and fortitude to get the right photo, sometimes under very extreme circumstances. The selection of her photos were made to be a book. The accounts of the various fans and venues was very entertaining. Also, the layout and design of the book is very professional, no shortcuts here! Anyone who has seen the Beatles in concert, Paul and his various bands, I really recommend Jorie's book. It takes you back and makes you smile and remember all of the wonderful music this legend has given tp us over the years! Well done, Jorie!!

I hate to read reviews such as the one by Mark Wilden. He is obviously not a McCartney fan and shouldn't be reviewing books about McCartney. How insulting to call Jorie Gracen, a renowned rock photographer, nothing more than a starry-eyed fan. I am very familiar with her work in People, Rolling Stone, Newsweek and other magazines and she is an accomplished professional in every way. It is not surprising that McCartney contacted Ms. Gracen to use her photo on his "Tripping the Live Fantastic" album. Her photography is breathtaking. I found her book to be very revealing about Paul with interviews that are humorous and insightful, hardly boring and banal. Mr. Wilden is no doubt looking for more juicy and scandalous tidbits. You won't find it here and rightly so. This is a book that honors one of the most famous songwriters of our time. Not a trashy tell-all. I hate to think that I'm some sort of "wacko" because I go to a McCartney concert and see the man I've admired since childhood. So what if I waited patiently to see his limo drive by? I doubt if that makes Paul wish he was a nobody. In fact he is just as happy to see his smiling fans as they are to see him. Without us he would be a nobody. As for the photographs, if Mr. Wilden had bother to read the captions or the book for that matter, he would know that there are no less than 18 concerts photographed in the book and many personal appearances from different locations. And yes it is obvious when you look at some of the photos that Paul is looking right at Jorie. I've observed it myself at concerts. He knows when he is being photographed by one of the best and gives her great shots. That is why this book is so good. Jorie's skill as a photographer combined with the warmth of a fan documents McCartney's greatest moments onstage. This is a must have for any McCartney fan.