As a developer and designer of AS/400 commercial software, I have always respected Paul Conte's contributions to my sphere of technical knowledge. This book furthers that respect. It expands on the chapter on SQL in Paul Conte's Database Design and Programming for DB2/400, a MUST-HAVE book for every AS/400 development team in its own right. Paul and Mike do an excellent job of introducing the unique features of the OS/400 operating system as they relate to SQL, and proceed in a logical fashion to explain both the data description and data manipulation aspects of SQL/400. I especially appreciated the various design tips- for example, how to create an SQL table with a member name that differs from the file name (a problem unique to AS/400 programming considerations). The section on dynamic SQL processing is particularly helpful. The examples can be put to good use immediately for writing useful SQL applications. The use of different languages to present these examples means the book will be helpful to RPG or Cobol programmers. Ignore the earlier reviewer who claimed this is a regurgitation of IBM's manuals. This is simply not true.

For those who are just embarking on database programming, chapters 17-19, on general concepts regarding data modelling and relational database design, are worth the price of the book alone. They provide guidance for using a formal approach to database design, instead of the 'intuitive' approach many of us old-timers have grown up with.

The only area I would like to have seen more detailed discussion is on the subject of remote connections (DRDA).

The writing is clear, concise, technically accurate and complete, which is typical of all Paul's work, including his prolific magazine article output. I imagine Mike Cravitz's contribution is also significant, having read several of his articles also. These two guys are the 'real thing' - not like many of the technical imposters writing in the AS/400 realm.

Get this book and read it. For further database programming insights, read their News/400 articles, too.

This book is a good reference for AS/400 programmers who want to use SQL. I've found the answers to almost all my questions and lots of examples of good code. It doesn't cover JDBC programming much (just an overview), which I'd like to see. But the SQL/400 technical information goes from basics to advanced. Most of the embedded SQL examples are in RPG IV and use the latest release, which provides some neat coding techniques. The section on "soft coding" triggers is great!

Overall, this is a very well done book that I highly recommend.

I'm an AS/400 programmer with over ten years experience with RPG, DDS, and DB2/400. I've been working with SQL/400 for a little over a year. I wish I'd had this book when I started learning SQL! It has very thorough introductions to all the essential DDL and DML statements. Although I'm somewhat beyond the "basics" level now, I've also found lots of help with more advanced issues.

The explanation of transaction isolation levels and record locking is better than I've found anywhere. Also, the complex rules for "system" vs. "SQL" naming are finally comprehensible. The authors seem to know SQL/400 very well, judging from the numerous "nitty-gritty" technical fine points that are provided in footnotes.

This is really the kind of book that an AS/400 developer needs to become a good SQL programmer, too.

Yet, I have about 5 c++ beginners type books ,the only one that really helped me a lot is this one ,the author have a straight to the point approach..very practical, giving you just the right amount of info on each topic ,making it easy to remember without messing you up with tons of options and sub topics... I recommend it for anybody new to c++ as the first thing to read.

I am on a nightcourse, learning C++, taught by Paul Snaith's son, Stuart; although, I did not realise this at the time, I might add. Stu' is an excellent teacher and based the course on the book. Naturally, I bought the book. I started reading. Then I cought up with the course. Then I read ahead a bit, then a bit more. I stormed through this book. It is, quite simply, a 'brilliantly written book'. I am two chapters away from the end now and have just bought a book to take me to the next stage. I could not have done it without this book. Everyone should buy and read it - compulsive reading. In simple language, repeating things in boxes around the page, never presumptious and in a light hearted style, I cannot praise this book enough. If this was not enough, the enclosed CD contains all the course code and more. Ignore this review and waste your time looking elsewhere. This is the best.

Great introduction to the C++ language! The author has a way of presenting the material so it is easy to grasp. It's nice to finally read a book that doesn't take off on a tangent, but builds upon previously presented concepts. I have many books on VB and a few on C++, and they always seem to lose you about 4, 5, or 6 chapters into them. This book doesn't do that. I can't say enough good things about the author or the material. If you are new to the language, this book is a great place to start!

Rumpelstiltskin is a classic fairy tale and this is a beautiful retelling. The illustrations are lush and full of detail that adds to the story. The retelling is easy to read but does not talk down to children.

My daughters who are five love this book and we have read it dozens of times. I highly recommend this for fairy tale lovers. I was attracted by the illustrations which are beautiful but stayed for the story.

This is a retelling of the famous children's "fairy" tale, first presented by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early 19th century. A young mother has to guess a gnome's name (he had been spinning straw into gold for her) in order to prevent him from taking her new-born babe. This book was a 1987 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. Paul Zelinsky did considerable research to follow the original version of the tale and his art reflects the time period of the story. It is a beautiful book.

The Grimm Brothers wrote one of their most famous tales,"Rumpelstiltskin", over a century ago and others havetranslated and retold it many times since. Paul O. Zelinsky retold"Rumpelstiltskin" based on one of the Grimms' earliest versions of the story. He was also the illustrator. The illustrations in Zelinsky's version are oil paintings. This allows him to create an exceptional antique setting for the story, as well as striking characters. There is such detail in each illustration that there is almost an individual story with in each picture. The intense use of shadowing combined with a kaleidoscopic amount of colors also makes this story's pictures peculiarly realistic. Zelinsky clearly portrays a distinct and more exciting way of seeing the classic tale, "Rumpelstiltskin". The first thing that makes these illustrations so life-like was the individual characters combined with the ornate and detailed backgrounds. The expressions on the characters' faces are drawn in such detail that the reader can easily see what they are feeling at a glance. The reader can also predict whether a character is good or bad from the detail of his/her face. The queen's (miller's daughter) large, gentle eyes and delicate, ivory skin demand the reader's compassion, even though she broke her promise to Rumpelstiltskin that saved her life. Rumpelstiltskin's tiny body accented by his pointy nose and chin gives off a sinister aura. The little details with in each picture make them all unique. An example is when the king is walking into the room where the miller's daughter is with all the spools of gold. There are rays of sunlight coming throughout the window reflecting off the spools that it hits. The colors used makes the room look warmer and more comfortable than when she had entered into it the night before. You can see some of the gold thread unraveling off various spools. The wrinkles in the miller's daughter's clothes shows that she is not in a very comfortable position as she sleeps one of the piles of gold. These are all such minor details that you might not even notice in a photograph. The title page and end papers even include detailed artistry. They show a petite village that is surrounded by a range of mountains and an ocean. The narrow, dirt road winding down to the tiny community gives out the idea that the village is relatively secluded from the rest of the world. I think that the title page and the end papers are a great way to covey the setting and atmosphere to the reader right away. The component of Zelinsky's illustrations in, "Rumpelstiltskin", that made them seem so life-like was his use of shadowing. A good example of this is when the queen sent her servant into the woods to look for Rumpelstiltskin. In this picture the only light the reader can see is from the servant's lantern and the few feet it shines on around her. The reader can also see the moon's reflection in the ocean. This use of shadowing makes these illustrations look not only life-like, but like photographs too. In Zelinsky's version of "Rumpelstiltskin", the illustrations were very realistic, because of his use of shadowing, complex use of colors, and phenomenal detail. Zelinsky's pictures are so effective that the words are practically unnecessary to tell the classic tale of "Rumpelstiltskin".

Unlike a lot of books with this theme, this one seems to do a good job of ferreting out the different ways that people deal with chronic illness. It is appropriate for most people with chronic illness, although it does focus on "invisible chronic illness". I was impressed that there were few places that made me want to roll my eyes and toss the book across the room. Usually books like this are filled with cheesy advice, such as "take time out for yourself" and "a good bubble bath can do wonders for your psyche". This one is written on a more intelligent level and talks about the real issues and challenges that face people with chronic illness and their caregivers.

Excellent Guide to Emotional Health & Wellness I loved this book! Written by two psychologists who suffer from chronic illness, it offers hope and ways to cope. People with Crohn's, colitis, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, IBS, etc. will like this book because it's about invisible chronic illnesses in which the symptoms are not always externally apparent (like when your friend says, "You look just fine" but you're not). This can lead to lack of compassion, understanding, and strains relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. I especially like how the book helps focus awareness on illness and gives you ways to exercise greater control over it and over life in general. An extremely practical book, with techniques you will use in everyday life.

This widely popular book, written by two psychologists who suffer from chronic illness, offers hope and ways to cope. People with Crohn's, UC, or even IBS, will like this book because it's about invisible chronic illnesses in which the symptoms are not always externally apparent (like when your friend says, "You look just fine" but you're not). This can lead to lack of compassion, understanding, and strains relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. I especially like how the book helps focus awareness on illness and gives you ways to exercise greater control over it and over life in general. An extremely practical book, with techniques you will use in everyday life.

"Deliberate Deceptions" is the second Paul Findley book I have read. The first, of course, was "They Dare to Speak Out." Findley, a former congressman from Illinois, is a crusader for truth in the relationship between Israel and the United States. In "They Dare to Speak Out," Findley discusses the sinister influence of the pro-Israel lobby on American government. In this book, Findley broadens his criticism well beyond the borders of lobbying. The importance of Findley's books take on additional dimensions of meaning since the terrorist attacks of last summer.

"Deliberate Deceptions" exposes serious concerns about Israeli-U.S. relations. Findley argues, convincingly, that Israel is an aggressive, hostile state that will stop at nothing to further its own ends at the expense of others. Israel suctions billions of dollars out of U.S. coffers, with special deals on loans and military hardware that no other country in the world gets. Israel also has the bomb and refuses to allow international inspections of its facilities in the Negev desert. Findley reveals Israel's spy networks in the United States, its cozy relationship with the South African government (during the Apartheid era), and its tendency to resell American military technologies for self-enrichment. The amount of statements and evidence Findley marshals is both amazing and disgusting. Where is the United States government when all of this is happening? It's in large part our government that reinforces this bad behavior. Politicians, according to Findley, are scared of Israel's lobby and influence. The result is that the U.S. turns a blind eye to these shenanigans.

The Palestinians are the primary victims of Israel's aggression. Since the founding of Israel, the Palestinians have endured non-stop forced deportations, land seizures, violence, torture, and murder. Occasionally, the Palestinian people tire of Israel and events like the Intifada occur. Findley shows how Israel responds to these incidents by instituting policies that encourage soldiers to break bones and attack children and senior citizens. Palestinians that are considered citizens of Israel are treated as second-class citizens, as Israel considers itself a purely Jewish nation. The United Nations runs itself ragged denouncing Israel for its actions towards the Palestine people, and Findley provides a list of UN edicts towards Israel that is staggering to behold. Findley argues that great strides could be made in the Palestinian-Israeli problem if Israel would quit building settlements in occupied territory and withdraw to its UN mandated borders. Israel refuses to do this, and the whole world has to deal with the fallout, with endless peace plans and negotiations that go nowhere.

One of my criticisms with the book concerns Findley's account of the Intifada. Findley lists how many Palestinians were detained, murdered, and injured. I think he should have included figures on how many Jews were killed in the uprising. This would bolster his arguments better, in my opinion, as those numbers are probably lower than the Palestinian numbers. Still, this book is shocking in its implications and should be read by all Americans. I recommend reading this book before reading "They Dare to Speak Out."

An outstanding book in explaning who is controlling US policy in the Middle East.

Paul tells you the facts and nothing but the facts.....this is a book that is worth reading if you are wondering what is happening in US politics and who is controlling what is going on inside and outside America.

You should also consider reading "The Holocaust Industry" by Norman Finkelstein. This book will shed more light on why this country in heading in the direction that is not in the best interest of America.

This book addresses with hard facts the questions that should be on the tip of everyone's tongue regarding US policy in the Middle East. It lays bare the extent of our perversion of justice by our complicit attitude toward Israeli war and occupation crimes.
The only way we will be able to initiate change and bring about justice is if more people realize the error of our policy, to which end the dissemination of this book and the facts contained herein is vital.

I used this book to study, NOT to review, for the AP Chemistry test in 2000. I used it on my own, for the most part, and found its preparation sufficient to do well on the test in almost all areas. I would suggest supplementation from a standard college textbook in the areas of buffer and acid/base chemistry, as well as organic chemistry. It is, however, not necessary to go far beyond the book in the matter of organic. I would recommend this book to any student self-motivated enough to use it properly. Note that while it gives good information for the test, students planning to continue in the subject absolutely must supplement their use of this book with other resources.

I read all the other reviews for this book and many of them stated that this book shouldn't be used alone. However, I DID use this book ALONE because my school doesn't offer the AP Chemistry course. Instead, I was enrolled in Honors Chemistry, but my teacher let me and another student try fo the test. Considering I hadn't had any preparation for the AP, I bought this book and read through it over my spring break last year. The weekend before the test, I took the first practice test and the one or two nights before the test, I took the second practice test. Of course, I'm not saying you can get a 5 without taking the course and just relying on this book, but if u have a sufficient background of chem at the honors level and you take all the advice in this book, a 5 is definitely likely! Some other helpful advice from my experience was....I went to collegboard.com and found the previous AP chemistry tests for free response and practiced those until I knew them cold (this was also last minute studying)...so if u need to cram...or you want to do well...BUY THIS BOOK! :) (Oh yeah...I did get a 5...I could have never pulled it off w/o this book because I had no other direct preparation for the test.)

This book is absolutely incredible for preparing you for the AP. I had to cram for the AP the weekend before and this book was a tremendous help. I read the other review and it said that the multiple choice in the Princeton Review was harder than on the AP, but I beg to differ. I thought that the Princeton Review practice tests were easier than the real thing, but the information in the book was very good to study. All Princeton Review books are great and they are the best to choose from. They are especially good with the SAT's and are not as boring as most others. They are written in a more casual language rather than the tedious and boring style of something like Barron's. Overall, I highly recommend this book and I suggest that past tests are purchased from the college board to prepare for the AP if you want to get a guaranteed 5.

Wilson has written two books, and combined them into one called The Select. He combines a love story between two medical students with a thriller about a medical conspiracy. We spend the first half of the book reading about Tim and Quinn, the two medical students, and how each likes the other. Tim is hitting on her in a playful way hoping to gain her love. She is always thinking how she'd like to be with him, but she has her studies so won't act upon her feelings. Throughout this we get a little dose of the conspiracy, but nothing really happens. Finally, Tim and Quinn realize their love, and the book changes focus to the conspiracy. The only real aspect of Tim and Quinn's "happy time" love is sex in a nearby hotel mentioned for about half a page. Then comes the conspiracy where the two lovers are seperated from each others and we really get to meet the "bad" guys. None of the "bad" are really evil, they think what they are doing benefits mankind. These characters, from the Senator, to security guards are great. They are complex people doing what they think is right, even though they know they would be arrested for doing it. I would have like to have seen these characters, especially Dr. Alston, developed more. Instead we get a 'this is why I'm doing what I'm doing' speech so the reader has a basic understanding of Dr. Alston. I would have liked to have seen what made him believe that what he is doing is the right thing. Overall, this is not a bad book, it just could have been much better. If Wilson had developed Dr. Alston to the length he developed Tim and Quinn, Wilson would have a much better book

I came across a gem when I purchased this book at a thrift store. Wow!! What a medical thriller. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. You never know where F. Paul Wilson will take you. This is a great book--a guaranteed suspense read.

The mere possibility of the events depicted in F. Paul Wilson's book 'The Select' makes one of the best, and scariest, books I have ever read. The book is written with knowledge that could only come from a man with first-hand experience in the medical profession. This novel is a page-turner from the beginning. It picks you up and sweeps you away, leaving you soaked long after you've finished. Wilson does not clog the pages with medical mumbo-jumbo that would leave the seasoned reader confused, but delights your senses with clever innuendoes and metaphors. This is a must-read for fans of medical thrillers.

Raymond Chandler made the definitive statement about L.A.'s Santa Ana Winds at the beginning of his short story "Red Wind." In Easy Rawlins' L.A., the hot, dry winds that fill the lungs with cactus dust and make the skin peel around the fingernails never seem to stop.

Easy is in search of an erotic dream woman from his childhood who is being sought by one of those rich white families who have more skeletons than clothes in their closets. Around the same time, the very dangerous Raymond "Mouse" Alexander is released from the pen; and Easy's attempt to make a killing in the real estate market run up against a brick wall.

There are plot threads aplenty, and enough characters to fill a passenger liner. Mosley is too good a writer to leave any threads untied, but I do get lost at times with some of the characters. One bad dude is not heard from for a hundred pages when he commits a particularly heinous murder at the very end. "Oh, yeah, wasn't he the guy that ...?" Sometimes, I would have welcomed the list of characters, complete with nicknames, that occasionally accompanies an 800-page Russian novel.

What makes this a minor complaint is that Mosley has such a great sense of place and so much feeling for his characters. We don't meet the character he calls "Black Betty" until the end of the novel, but we keep seeing vignettes from Easy's past that keep building up the suspense, and any expectations are more than fulfilled by an ending that is bloodier than the last act of Hamlet.

Easy Rawlins is a complex character. I enjoy getting to know him better in each of Mosley's books. But because Walter Mosley has such a wonderful talent for character development, I probably will never have Easy figured out completely. What amazes me about these books is that they read like a serial but any one of them can stand on it's own without any long, detailed introductions or explanations. Black Betty does not disappoint. Easy juggles several situations at once and manages to bring order and justice to his world by the end of the book. I think the most endearing quality of Easy's is the love and care he gives to his kids, Jesus and Feather. The time spent with his family gives a good balance to the darker side of his life on the streets. There are some big surprises in this story...some good and some sad and good at the same time. I bought this book a long time ago and saved it until the next Easy Rawlings book came out so I could read them both at the same time because when I finish a Walter Mosley book I always want more. I wish he could write 'em as fast as I can read 'em

Easy Rawlins is a complex character. I enjoy getting to know him better in each of Mosley's books. But because Walter Mosley has such a wonderful talent for character development, I probably will never have Easy figured out completely. What amazes me about these books is that they read like a serial but any one of them can stand on it's own without any long, detailed introductions or explanations. Black Betty does not disappoint. Easy juggles several situations at once and manages to bring order and justice to his world by the end of the book. I think the most endearing quality of Easy's is the love and care he gives to his kids, Jesus and Feather. The time spent with his family gives a good balance to the darker side of his life on the streets. There are some big surprises in this story...some good and some sad and good at the same time. I bought this book a long time ago and saved it until the next Easy Rawlings book came out so I could read them both at the same time because when I finish a Walter Mosley book I always want more. I wish he could write 'em as fast as I can read 'em.

though i haven't read this book, all i heard was that it's the best!i have read all of Coelho other ENGLISH books and strongly recomend them to everyone!The man is simply a genious!

i just have one question though... Is the book on sale here in English?? i don't know Brazilian... but i want to buy the book and i'm afraid it will be not-english! all his books should be translated to all languages... the ones that have been are all better than best sellars! but:MANUAL OF THE WARRIOR OF THE LIGHT; BRIDA; AGENDA and others i can't translate... they can help so many people all around the world!

if anyone can answer concerning the laguage of the book... it would be great! on saster_8teen@hotmail.com! thanks!

Si bien coincido con los comentarios acerca de la magia que encierran sus paginas, y la belleza de muchos de sus momentos, recien acabado de leerlo, debo compartir mi sentimiento: no le llega a los pies a "Veronika Decide Morir" o a "El Demonio y la Srta. Prym" los dos mas recientes libros del autor brasileño. Más aún, considero que está por detrás de "El Peregrino" y "El Alquimista".

Sin embargo, no es una mala lectura ni mucho menos. Simplemente, no lo disfruta uno tanto una vez que ha degustado los mejores libros de él, en mi opinión.

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Although I happen to agree with some of the comments made about the book, having just finished reading it, I feel compelled to share my view about it: it's nowhere near "Veronika Decides to Die" or "The Demon and Miss Prym", the brazilian writer's two most recent creations. Furthermore: I consider Brida is nowhere as good as "The Pilgrim" or "The Alchemist" as well.

Having said this, I have to say it's not bad literature, or anything like it. Simply, once you have rejoiced in his best books, it's hard to find this one too compelling.

Como nao poderia deixar de ser, Paulo Coelho mostra ao mundo uma obra genial. Eu sou fan incondicional do trabalho dele e recomendo suas publicacoes a todos os amantes da boa leitura.
Paulo Coelho is a genius. The best brazilian writer nowadays. This book is wonderful, just like all the others by the autor. I recomend this and all other titles by him, to every one who enjoys a good book.

I've somewhat changed my view of this book over the last few months. Although what I said below is correct, my overall judgement was too harsh, so I've increased my rating from 3 to 4 stars. It's not that this is a great book, it's just that medical courses these days have slimmed down the Histology component so much that books like these are more than adequate. In fact, you can do extremely well in theory exams by just studying prac books like this.

Now of all *prac* books, this is certainly the best! And having completed my first year Histology course, I am certain Wheater's would have had more than enough detail - and would have saved me a lot of time. Get this book if you're a medical student, but if you're a histology major or need something more advanced, you will be disappointed by this book.

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Many of the reviews here are full of praise for Wheaters, and they aren't all wrong in my opinion. Wheaters is one of the best "prac"/lab books for histology. However, the people who give it 5 out-of 5 are either biased or filled with elation from passing their courses that they neglect the weaknesses of this book.

Like any book, this has weaknesses. Glaring ones at that: the diagrams are sometimes too dark (contrast too high) or too pale (contrast to low), most of the pictures are much too small to discern and analyse the detail, the text is certainly what you need to know for 1st year med ... lab, it is not going to get you through the theory exam with flying colours.

As I said, though, this book is one of the best "prac"/lab books, because it doubles as a decent text and a decent atlas. But, it is neither the best text or the best atlas. Di Fiore's long running atlas has excellent drawings with many photomicrographs and deserves a browse. I haven't seen Gartner and Hiatt's Atlas, but I hear it is competitive. Then there is Kerr's Atlas, which lacks quantity but has some good quality.

As for texts, Ross, Romrell and Kaye is a popular choice (it has a good, but not overwhelming level of detail for Medicine). Junquiera's Basic Histology is also popular. For a simpler book, or simpler course, Cormack's Essential Histology is an excellent choice.

So, if you're looking for a book to bring to practical classes/labs: you can't really go wrong with Wheater's. But, don't rely on this book to carry you through the theory exams. You'll often be frustrated that some of the things you need can't be found in this atlas, or that the pictures are too darn small. Overall, a fair buy ... but, the best advice is to, shop around a bit before deciding.

Wheater's Functional Histology is a life vest in a sea of confusion. I am a first year veterinary student who was told that the best text for histology was the vet school's own published text. Ha! What a joke! The vet school's text has black & white micrographs and has a text that puts you to sleep within nanoseconds. Wheater's is a marvelous color atlas that is extremely user-friendly. Without Wheater's I would be totally lost. If you are entering vet school, make sure you purchase this book. Even though Wheater's Functional Histology is a human based book it is still superior to the black & white veterinary texts. The information is basically the same. Histology is histology afterall.

I found this book very helpful for my veterinary histology course. It has wonderful illustrations and pictures; all of the references to the photographs are on the same page so there is no flipping between pages.