While there's been a lot written about e-commerce, the fact that this book is in its third edition (Is e-commerce already that old?) speaks to its high quality. Not only does it provide excellent overall coverage of the topic, but it offers new material in keeping with the growth of e-commerce, including B2B, investing on-line, and supply chain management. Given the many concerns about e-commerce security, I was particularly impressed by the treatment of security technologies, electronic payment, digital currencies,and protocols for private information transport--especially since author John Vacca is a security expert; having serviced as a computer security official with NASA.

A detailed and complete reference on e-commerce. This book covers the whole gamit of electronic commerce. Going from concepts through complete set-up and on to implementation and beyond. Excellent coverage on payment systems and everyone's #1 priority - security. A complete and detailed table of contents and appendix make quick searches a breeze. Complimenting the book itself is an enclosed CD which, along with many resources and helpful links, is chock full of technical setup procedures and protocol. A very complete book on e-commerce. Read it or be left behind!

The author has begun this book with elementary descriptions of what has become an intriguing subject matter in today's society, electronic means of information exchange. Further into the book, the descriptions become more technical and are directed towards those who are seeking more detailed information. The subjects discussed in this book show the impact of the Internet to lives of individuals as well as larger entities such as businesses. The author shows how normal activities such as correspondence, shopping, research for information and a variety of other activities are rapidly being moved from the old methods to the new electronic means. In addition to the advantages of the Internet, the author also describes other subjects that are considered as disadvantages of the Internet such as security and how security issues are being resolved via encryption of data. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for discovering how rapidly electronic commerce is changing the traditional methods of conducting commerce. It also describes how quickly and drastically the present methods will be changed with the development of future technologies that are right around the corner.

Fussell's book is one of those rare works of brilliance that examines what other genuises have done in an entirely new way. Relying on the evocative poetry and literature that arose after World War I, he demonstrates how it was not just influenced, but created, by the irony brought home by the war experience. To me, Fussell's book is the literary equivalent of Coppolla's movie Apocalypse Now, which used Conrad's Heart of Darkness to explore the Vietnam experience. Those who enjoy seeing things in a new light will cherish this book. Those who don't like to have their minds expanded will hate it. Few will feel indifferent.

I am the kind of history and war buff that loves to read straightforward war books: books about battles, generals, soldiers, tactics, blunders, strategies, weapons and so on. Having read a review of Fussell's book a few years ago and thinking it was another "straightforward" book about World War One, I added it to my Christmas list. I received it as a gift this year (along with about 6 other books, all novels) and I decided to browse it for fifteen minutes before diving into one of the novels. What struck me at first was that it was NOT a straightforward telling of WWI, and that if I had looked at the book in a bookstore I probably would have thought it "boring" and set it back on the shelf. You see, in this book there are no detailed accounts of the Somme or in-depth analysis of Ypres.

However, having book in hand, I was immediately drawn into Fussell's examination and analysis of literature, essays, poetry, letters home, theater and culture on the front and in England during WWI in order to paint a picture of the British soldiers' experience during WWI. It is a fascinating book on many levels and examines war, in this instance The Great War, from a completely different aspect than I have ever seen before. Fussell illuminates much more clearly what happened to the boys/men in the trenches than anything I have ever read before. For instance, has any other book captured so vividly the oppressiveness of being in a trench for days when all you see is a sliver of sky and the horrific irony of morning and evening stand-to's? I don't think I have read a book that made me sympathize and empathize with the WWI soldier more than this book. It is a deeply moving and touching book and really drives home the futility of war.

I know that this book will not appeal to everyone (as I said earlier, it probably wouldn't have appealed to me had I picked it up in a bookstore), but I believe that most people will find it fascinating if they just put their minds to it. Fussell's book will reward those seeking a deeper understanding of the WWI soldiers' experience.

Centuries don't begin on time; the Twentieth didn't begin on January 1, 1900 (or 1901). Literary critic Paul Fussell located our century's birth in the appalling trenches of World War I in his insightful and thoroughly documented book, The Great War and Modern Memory.

It is hard to overpraise this book. I read the paperback in the late 1980s and reread it again last week. It is first and foremost a World War I British intellectual (literary) history but much, much more. Fussell is at home with the British literary heritage, which he shares with the poets and writers of the early 20th century. He covers in detail the memoirs of Siegfried Sassoon, Edmund Blunden, Robert Graves (of I, Claudius fame) and the poetry of Wilfred Owen, along with many others.

We return to 1914, when there was no radio, no TV, no movies to speak of, and when the populace had implicit faith in their press, their King and "progress." The central irony of this book was that the population rushed to support the war in order to support these 19th century ideals, ideals which would be shattered in the war that gave birth to the twentieth century. Fussell documents how World War I gave us the standardized form, the wristwatch, daylight savings time, civilian censorship and bureaucratic euphemism--and for the first time, despair that technology was driving civilization into perpetual war.

So The Great War and Modern Memory is not just a literary anthology; it has elements of political and social history and even (in the chapter titled "Soldier Boys" and for lack of a better term) what would come to be called Gay Studies. It is no accident that Fussell was a soldier himself (in World War II) and his sympathies lie with the common "grunt"; he does not mince words.

This is a wonderful book and it's hard to come away without learning something. The book introduced me to writers I wasn't familiar with; it also broadened my knowledge of the Great War and fleshed out my rather la-di-da, "Upstairs Downstairs" view of Edwardian England. Most important, it got under my skin--I've thought about the book on and off for the past 14 years. Few books do that to me--I would rank this up there with Ann Douglas' The Feminization of American Culture as a milestone of intellectual history and, like her work, you don't have to accept the central thesis to have a great time reading it.

The Ecology of Commerce is not easy reading, not because Hawken's prose or style is difficult, but because it is difficult to remain optomistic or hopeful in the face of the overwhelming case made by him about the certainty with which our current system of business is doomed to destroy us. The changes he proposes are both incredibly simple, yet incredibly unlikely to be implemented or even paid attention to in the next twenty to thirty years. It will take virtual eco-collapse in the Industrialized nations before the wise words of Hawken and his colleagues will be heeded. And of course it will be much, much too late. Should you have the stomach for it however, you will find the Ecology of Commerce an extremely well crafted argument for some simple logical principles that could save the life that we love and actually improve business and our standard of living in the process

When I first tried to read this book, I didn't even get past the first chapter. But when I picked it up again almost a year later, I absorbed it like a sponge. Even when I interviewed the president of a sustainable business for my website, SustainableWays.com, I found that the same thing happened to him. The fact of the matter is, this is an excellent book, but it's also somewhat of a pragmatic call to arms. It wasn't till I'd explored and developed my ideas about the environment and resolved to do something about it that I could fully appreciate this book. For someone who's still exploring their position on these issues, Paul Hawken's prescriptions for action will probably seem irrelevant and premature. But if your ideas are ripe and you're ready to put them to work, The Ecology of Commerce is an invaluable resource.

Before I read this book, I used to think that business and the environment were inherently at odds. But then I realized that this doesn't have to be the case. According to Hawken, the problem lies in our economic system's design, and no amount of management or programs is going to change that. In order to make things better, we're going to have to rethink our economic structure, and in that possibility is where Mr. Hawken finds hope. As he so eloquently put it:

"To create an enduring society, we will need a system of commerce and production where each and every act is inherently sustainable and restorative...Just as every action in an industrial society leads to environmental degradation, regardless of intention, we must design a system where the opposite is true, where doing good is like falling off a log, where the natural, everyday acts of work and life accumulate into a better world as a matter of course, not as a matter of conscious altruism." (Hawken, p. xiv)

The Ecology of Commerce is dedicated to envisioning such a system, and discussing how we can get from here to there. The restorative economy contemplated by Hawken may seem like a long shot, but he demonstrates that it IS possible because his approach is to work WITH natural processes, not against them. That not only includes those processes existing in ecosystems, but also the ones present in ourselves, like our unique ability to innovate. You see, what makes these ideas inspiringly hopeful, and what I love most about this book, is the author's willingness not just to acknowledge the way things really are, but also to use them to our advantage. For example, he's smart enough to know that any system, program, or law that asks people to sacrifice happiness, comfort, or convenience ISN'T sustainable because ultimately, it just won't work. "Humans want to flourish and prosper," he explains, "and they will eventually reject any system of conservation that interferes with these desires...[A sustainable society] will only come about through the accumulated effects of daily acts of billions of eager participants" (Hawken, p. xv).

This is the kind of book I'd encourage you to buy if you are even remotely concerned about the state of our environment, which is intimately tangled with our own. On a personal level, it's one of the most motivating books I've ever read--in fact, its concepts form the foundation for my website, SustainableWays.com. My copy is now riddled with highlighter marks, astericks, and dog ears. It's just one of those books you come back to again and again and again, every time learning something new.

After reading Daniel Quinn's Ishmael and The Story of B, and now The Ecology Of Commerce, I am forever changed. Paul Hawken's book provides excellent examples of how we can move our current economy towards sustainability. I truly believe that his ideas will come to light in the up-coming years. This is a great book.

henry iv is misnamed since the play isn't really about king henry but about his son, prince hal, and his enemies, especially henry percy (aka 'hotspur') who is a rival to hal. hotspur is one of the leaders of the rebellion against the king and, at a tender age, is already an accomplished soldier. his story provides the drama of the play. hal, on the other hand, has fallen out of favor with the king, and is whiling away his days in the company of dissolute company, led by sir john falstaff, one of shakespeare's great characters. his adventures with sir john provide the comic relief. fortunately for the king, hal sheds his prodigal ways in time to save his father and his crown in the battle at shrewsbury, where, coincidentally, hal meets and slays his rival, hotspur.

this is one of shakespeare's best plays. the story of the rebellion is intriguing, and the adventures of hal and falstaff are laugh-out-loud hilarious. the culmination of the two stories in the final battle scene is wonderful. this is a fitting sequel to richard ii.

note that there are some historical inaccuracies and even outright inventions in this play. foremost is the character of falstaff who is pure invention (and genius). the story of hal's adventures stems from his reputation, enhanced by legend, as a playboy. falstaff was the perfect foil for a carousing prince. the biggest inaccuracy is hotspur's age. he was actually of the generation of henry iv, and not as young as he's depicted in the play. shakespeare made him younger to enhance, maybe even create, the rivalry with hal. there are other inaccuracies here, but better for the reader to consult 'shakespeare's kings', an excellent book by saccio that explains the history of the period and the discrepancies in the play.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

Having just completed Henry IV Part I, I must say that I came away delighted and impressed with Shakespeare's genius once again. Shakespeare's ability to intertwine the arduous dichotomy of the impcomparable comedy of Falstaff and the meaningful history of Henry IV, Prince Hal, & Hotspur is impressive to say the least. It comes as no surprise that this was one of Shakespeare's most popularly staged plays during his day and enjoyed an unusually long stage run.

Falstaff is undoubtedly the most infamously famous literary comic character in the history of English literature. The scenes of him being robbed by Prince Hal, feigning his death, stabbing the already deceased Hotspur in the leg while claiming victory, and his employment of beggars as his foot soldiers galvanize the comic aspect of the play and make for a hilarious & farcical sublot. Interestingly, in the bar in Eastcheap, Prince Hal alludes to his future persecution of Falstaff when he is crowned king.

I strongly recommend Henry IV Part I to all Shakespeare aficionados seeing as I deem it in the top five of all Shakespeare's works along with Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, & Henry V. Now on to Part II. Adieu.

"The better part of valor is discretion." - Falstaff

Blackbird Singing is a wonderful book. I always like Paul's music. After I read this book, I like his words, too. People
always say John wrote good lyrics and Paul wrote good music.
But I found out Paul could write very good lyrics and poems.
They are just simple and beautiful, such as "Ivan", "Dinner Tickets", "Eleanor Rigby", "Yesterday", and etc. They are just
fantastic words no matter you read or sing them. One thing I only can say is Paul should include more his poems and song lyrics in this book, such as "All My Loving", "Get Back", ......
I recommend everyone likes music or literature should read this book - "Blackbird Singing". What a wonderful book! Thanks Paul!

This book is a real gem. I love it.

Paul McCartney, a gifted artist whose talents span several different media (composing, musical prowess, painting/drawing, ability to play several musical instruments, singing and writing) as this book plainly demonstrates.

His voice is a strong and lyrical one; it is interesting to note that he has included several of his songs in this collection as well. Stripping the songs of the melody and notes, one can imagine the rhythm and flow of the words. A master communicator, Paul McCartney writes poetry in the manner of the true virtuoso. He plays upon the full range of senses and his work elicits the full range of emotions. One poem in particular about a good friend who was born the same day as he was and who died young stands in poignant contrast to many of the other works included in this collection.

This is truly a rare and valuable gem. This book commands respect. It is definitely a must have.

Paul McCartney- true he is an Ex-Beatle, but he is also a wonderful poet and songwriter. By reading this book of poems and lyrics he has composed over the years, you will learn what it is really like to think like one of the biggest geniuses in the music business- next to John Lennon of course(who also has sensational books on the market). I would recommend this book to anyone who loves The Beatles, poetry, or both. It is certainly a book no one should live without.

The Dosadi Experiment is a brilliant, and complicated book. The concepts Herbert indulges in here will keep you pondering for weeks, months and years after you read it. Essentially an experiment is conducted on a planet enclosed behind a created protective barrier called the 'God Wall' to keep the inhabitants from leaving. A series of hostile conditions are created complete with toxic waste, hunger and war. The inhabitants are all unknowing 'test subjects' in a grand experiment, and develop into the most dangerous people in the universe, frightening their creators with their abilities. As events unfold, the inhabitants of Dosadi actually learn how to pass through the 'God Wall' unleashing themselves on the universe and the culmination of the tale winds up in the most unusual trial you will ever read. All in all quite a facinating exploration into a broad new territory for Herbert, marking him as one of the great pioneers of the genre of Science Fiction. This book is currently out of print and the copy I have is very old, but it is well worth searching used books stores to read this one. It is actually Herbert's sequel to 'Whipping Star'.

Frank Herbert's brilliant novel, THE DOSADI EXPERIMENT, explores the gulf between that which is legal and that which is moral -- and how the former can be manipulated to undermine the latter. As such, it is perhaps the greatest literary rumination on the moral deficiencies of the law ever written. Briefly, the Gowachin race, utilizing legal constructs, has fostered an immoral structure on the planet of Dosadi -- specifically, a savage city whose residents have been exposed to brutally toxic conditions in order to turn them into the strongest, most resilient life forms in the universe. The purpose? So the Gowachin can transplant their souls into Dosadi bodies and live forever. Jorj X. McKie, "Saboteur Extraordinary" -- who previously appeared in Herbert's wonderful WHIPPING STAR -- ferrets out this grotesque scheme. It's a deftly written novel, fully developing the theme of strength through environmental conditioning that Herbert explored in DUNE. Virtually every page is filled with epiphanous concepts that make the reader gasp. This is science fiction and literature at its finest. As far as I'm concerned, it is Herbert's greatest achievement and one of the finest novels ever written.

Yes, Frank Herbert wrote other novels than the "Dune" series. Of these, "The Dosadi Experiment" is by far one of the best.

Dosadi is an artificially populated planet with a dark, dark secret. Jorg X. McKie, who was introduced in a companion novel "Whipping Star" is sent to investigate the goings-on on Dosadi, an assignment that could very well lead to his destruction.

Dosadi is a toxic planet, where survivors live either in an overpopulated fortress of a city and survive on their wits, or struggle to live on the poisonous Rim, where the very soil and plants are enemies. The people of Dosadi are tough indeed, but they are a lot more than just tough survivors. They hold a desperate secret that could upset the balance of the rest of the galaxy.

McKie's struggle to survive and to discover Dosadi's secrets make for a really exciting tale. The characters are vivid, creative (all kinds of sentient species) and very interesting. If you love good science fiction, this is a must-read.

This is an in-depth account of Microsoft's "early" (i.e., pre-1995) days. First, let me say that I wish the authors had updated the book, since the computer business has gotten VERY fascinating since the launch of Windows 95, as the Internet seized the day and also as an intrusive DOJ started an effort to dismantle a 20-year-old company that had suddenly become America's Public Enemy No. 1.

That said, this book provides excellent accounts of Bill Gates as a person and Bill Gates as Microsoft. The emphasis is on how Bill Gates ran Microsoft as a business, how he interfacted with his employees, business allies and competitors. If you are looking for information on how Windows 3.0 or Flight Simulator was designed, this is not the place. But if you want to know how Microsoft really got started, how Gates allegedly "screwed" Apple, or how Gates started dating Melinda French, you'll find it right here.

Stephen Manes has been a long-time critic of Microsoft's producty quality (and rightly so, IMHO), and the book comes across as quite critical of Gates' business tactics ("bullying", "anti-competitive", etc.) and personal idiosyncracies (both selfish and selfless, intolerant, etc.). At the same time the authors show admiration for the Gator as a technical and business genius. But because the authors evidently believe that Microsoft has done lots of evil, every conflict Microsoft had with a competitor would be Microsoft's fault.

In summary, this book is easy to read, generally objective (Gates was interviewed extensive for this "unauthorized" biography), and informative. I highly recommend it to anyone fascinated by Bill Gates and Microsoft.

This is one of my favorite books of all time - I have read it through twice, and I'm reading it again. It's so worn out that soon I will have to order a new one from amazon.com! Seriously, this really is a great book. It's mind-boggling to think of what it took to get all the information contained in it. The book not only gives a complete history of the life of Bill Gates but also contains most of the history of the entire computer industry. I reccomend this book to anyone who has any interest in computers at all

I bought this book expecting to skim through it to find out a little more about what Bill Gates was like. But it's a wonderfully readable history of the growth of PC's, from the early days when the best a school kid (Bill himself) could do was to try to get access to a teletype time-share system, on through the first home "computers" that amounted to little more than a bunch of switches and LEDs (no keyboard or monitor), to IBM coming out with the PC and Microsoft's amazing good fortune at supplying the OS (great story! Bill just cared about programming languages, mostly BASIC, and saw the DOS manuever mostly just as a way to ensure that BASIC would run on the new IBM machine!), on thru the OS/2 vs. Windows battles.

It even has a lot of inside detail on the development of the Apple Macintosh. I recently read "Accidental Empires" (the basis for the TV documentary "Triumph of the Nerds"), and found Gates to be a far better and more readable history of the PC's startup.

The book is packed with interviews and amusing or interesting anecdotes. It's well written and well edited. One drawback for some people will be that it hasn't been updated since 1995, but for the two main things that have happened since then - the anti-trust suit against Microsoft and the rise of the Internet - there are plenty of other sources.

I found this book quite helpful while traveling throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand. I quickly picked out the places and sites I wanted to see and just went. The maps included in the book are essential. The information was up to date and accurate. I only found one thing this book was missing (as with all Lonely Planet guides)-- area codes for phone numbers.

We just returned from a one month excursion through Nea Zealand with this guide book constantly at our side. We found it invaluable in our daily selection of things to do and places to stay and eat. During our travels we also noted this guide being used by many other travellers and particularly in the hands of the hikers and backpackers. It was the most prominent of guide books available in the book shops and information centers throughout the country. Should be required reading by anyone preparing an unescorted visit to New Zealand and even for anyone on an organized tour it would be most helpful.

I used the Lonely Planet travel guides in my other adventures again and again, and love the pithy, been-there-done-that tone. This guide did not disappoint me. When I booked my flight to New Zealand, I did as I always did - a round trip ticket, a reservation for one night at a hotel (to get over the jet lag), and a desire to see the country. For the first two weeks I relied on the LP guide exclusively, and referred to it periodically whether I was on the North Island or the South Island.

I had the added benefit of a local friend to make suggestions, as well as the guidebook. Some destinations (which are well worth a visit) are not included in the book, but it didn't stop me from shark diving, whale watching, hiking (tramping as the locals call it), and otherwise running around the country.

This guide gives a fundamental, non-commercial impression on what, where, and how to get there. It also offers some historical/cultural information, and a lot of information about towns, attractions, restaurants, hotels (of various price ranges), and a few rough maps.

As an added bonus, when I got back, the book became a memento of the trip. My bookcase contains LP travel guides from the countries I have visited, and when nostalgia strikes, I have been known to pull it down.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is about to travel to New Zealand for the first time, or anyone planning a trip.

The GoLive 6 Magic book from New Riders looks like a miniature coffee table art book. It contains 244 pages and a CD. I was struck by the beautiful black & white photos of nature at the beginning of each chapter and the multitude of screen shots. The introduction states that Adobe® GoLive 6 is an extremely powerful and easy to use visual web authoring tool popular with high level designers and graphic artists while also empowering web novices and advanced users alike. The author assumes that the reader of this book probably already knows the basics of GoLive but wants to go on to the next level. You want to know about multimedia, creating actions and extensions, building dynamic web sites and coding for hand held devices and more. There are also many time saving tips, tricks, and real-world solutions in the book. More and more people are using hand held devices to access the web and so you have to take into consideration that particular i-Mode. You can test your site on different i-Mode devices (via emulation software) to render the graphical and text content.

GoLive 6 Magic was especially timely for me because our User Group web site is being remodeled. Two of the new features we want to incorporate are included in the book: collapsible DHTML menus using ID actions and creating an action to display random images. Collapsible menus afford you to display many items in a limited space. When you roll over a main menu item, it displays a sub-menu of more items with links.

The CD contains all the necessary files to perform the various customizable exercises as well as demo versions of related software. The CD opens by double-clicking. I tried the exercise to create collapsible DHTML menus with sub-menus using ID actions. Wow! It was so easy. The book walks you step by step through each project and also displays an accompanying screen shot. I set up the CSS files (Cascading Style Sheets) once and customized my font display. This is better than doing each link one at a time. I used a font family such as: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva and SunSans Regular. Although you can assign any font on your computer to a CSS style, your page's viewers can only see the fonts installed on their computers. You tailor your web page so that all the fonts look good on the page. If the viewer does not have Arial on his computer, it will default to Helvetica if installed and so on. A web designer stays with the fonts that most everyone has installed on both platforms. Well, the project turned out just as it was supposed to and it was easy besides. Besides tips there also were explanations for why you do a certain thing. I'm sold, this book is a definite winner!

Great book for Golive users who want to go to the next level.

Golive is a very powerful web authoring program and Golive 6 Magic is very good in showing some of the features that I might have never duscovered on my own.

Text macros, Quicktime and Flash sniffer techniques, creating Quicktime sprites and skins, cool DHTML projects (I like the online calender), authoring your own javascript actions, getting into the SDK, setting up your own Dynamic database content management system with PHP and MySQL are some of the 14 projects included.

There is a companion CD that has all the data for Golive 6 to use when you follow along with the book.

Some of the projects seemed a bit intimidating to an intermediate user like myself, but the book is layed out so clearly that it was fun to delve into the projects.

I have set up my own MySQL,PHP database for the first time thanks to Golive 6 magic ( a sample database is included).

This is a needed addition to the Golive library.

I confess that I'm a fellow author of an Adobe GoLive book, and I love this title. Why? Because it offers long, detailed, masterful tutorials on some of the most complex and underdocumented features in GoLive that can also be incredibly powerful, especially for increasing efficiency and flexibility. GoLive 6 Magic lets your creativity get further unleashed by removing the restriction of relying on your own smarts to learn the most advanced features in the program.

I was relieved to read GoLive 6 Magic because it's the graduation present for our readers: many topics on which we can touch briefly or offer a simple overview are presented across several pages with illustrations and accompanying examples on CD-ROM.

You learn not only how to use advanced graphics tools, but how to modify GoLive Actions (plug-in JavaScripts) and build rich dynamic content.

Far be it from me to suggest you buy both this book and my book, but they're a nice complement to each other. If you've sucked the marrow dry of beginner and intermediate sources, buy this book: it'll help you master the rest of the program.

Deep Six is another winner for Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt. Pitt once again gets tangled up in a web of international intrigue that this time involves the President of the United States and his successors. Starting out with the investigation of a nerve agent leaking into the North Pacific, Pitt discovers a sinister Korean shipping company responsible for the nerve agent and the kidnapped President. In a conclusion that sends Pitt and his trusted side kick Giordino to the Mississippi Delta to fight along side weekend warriors clad in Civil War uniforms, Pitt once again saves the day. This book is a thrill a minute whose conclusion grips you through the end.

Deep Six in itself is not a great book - the story takes a couple hundred pages to get into the main plot, which itself is clouded with implausibility. Nevertheless, Deep Six has a brilliantly crafted tale of political intrigue, which can be at times quite suspenseful, making the book hard to put down. The plot was rather predictable, but not lacking in the action department that we come to expect from Dirk Pitt. Deep Six was the first novel, in my opinion, that started Cussler's best period of writing. The novels that were to follow, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, et al. shows that Cussler gets better with each novel he writes.

I hadn't read a Clive Cussler book for a few years and picked up "Deep Six". I ended up tearing through it in a few days. It reminded me why I like his writing so much. Sometimes Cussler's stories are a bit implausable, but they are a lot of fun. Dirk & Giordiano are a great pair of super agents and their exploits are always thrilling. Dirk always comes through with a way of saving the world at the last minute and gets the girl at the end, a la James Bond. I look forward to reading some more of Cussler's stuff. One last note, it's always neat (although sometimes hard to believe) the way Cussler has Pitt use some object of historical significance to help him out at the end; in this book he uses a Civil War steamboat in a battle in the Gulf of Mexico. These imaginative ideas are what puts Cussler above the rest.