This is a great book, but then I wouldn't expect anything less from Stephanie. Her books on previous versions of Photo Impact have been great as well, but this one is the best so far in my opinion.

The book takes you "by the hand" so to speak and walks you through how to use most of the frequently used functions in Photo Impact. But the best part of it is that YOU get to apply what you've read about in the exercises at the end of each section.

Photo Impact isn't a difficult program to learn to use in the first place, but this book brings a lot of things together far more quickly that you could probably pick them up on your own unless you've had prior experience with photo Impact programs or photo imaging software in general. I guess what I'm saying here is that even someone fairly new to didgital imaging and Photo Impact could get through this book without becoming totally lost.

My only complaint is that all the pictures, examples, etc. are in black and white. I'm a firm believer that books relating to didgital imaging have at least some to most if not all the pictures, examples, etc. in color.

Other than that, this is a good buy and a good read.

A couple of weeks ago, I received my copy of PhotoImpact 6.0 Wizardry and having purchased Stephanie Baker-Thomas's other books on PhotoImpact, I knew I was in for a treat. Little did I realize just how much of a treat.

This book is just awesome in terms of content and an absolute must for any owner of this wonderful graphics software. Not only does it contain all the technical information you're ever likely to need, Stephanie has generously provided "Active Learning Exercises", which elevate this book from "manual" status to a wonderful learning tool and a darned good read...something you don't normally find in books of this genre.

I have been using PhotoImpact for about five years now and pretty much know how to make it sing but with "Wizardry" now on my desk, the whole choir has come to town!!!

It is without doubt, her best book to date and the only PI reference book you'll ever need.

Whether you are a newbie or not this is a must have book. Stephanie explains how to use tools very effectively. Even if you think you know all there is to know about PI, you might change your mind once you get this book. This book is full of great tutorial that demonstrate just how each tool is used. You won't be disappointed!!

I first read this book about 16 years ago after my Dad gave it to me. I have read it about ten times since and still have it. I honestly do not think I will ever read a book again in my life that will have the same profound effect on me that this book accomplished. Everyone has someone who they look up to, Pat Pattle, to me is that person. If there is anyone who has any photos of Pat Pattle other than the general two published in books I would be most interested in getting a copy from them.

I do hope this book will be printed again. My Dad flew with "Pat" Pattle in 80 squadron in the Western Desert and was one of his best friends. The book cannot be faulted for accuracy as I gave my parents a copy some years ago and they read it avidly. My Dad, by the way, was "Old Man Evers ", so called because he was the oldest pilot on the Squadron. Enjoy the book and remember those brave lads.

this book the most intriging book because he was the youngest pilot ever to become the worlds ace of aces.

The canon of novels, short stories, plays and television appearances left to the world by the late, great Gwyn Thomas are unique in that they perfectly define a country and its people. If you thought that the only literary genius to come out of Wales was Dylan Thomas, then you have an absolute treat in store for you.

Gwyn Thomas is the ultimate literary craftsman. Words came easily to him and with just a few well chosen sentences he can evoke a mood, a time and a location. His books are like roller coasters. He takes you to the places he writes about. His characters become real people and, through him, you share their passions. I have absolutely no hesitation at all in recommending this book to people who love books. It is an absolute classic and when you read it you will understand why Sir Anthony Hopkins was willing to take a massive pay cut to appear as Gwyn Thomas in the BBC film of the book.

The man was a genius. Buy this book. Read it and tell your friends about it.

Follow the life of this little-known Welsh playwrite from his roots in the coalfields of the Rhonda Valley through a brilliant scholastic career in England.

Also, make a special effort to see the excellent television program from the BBC based on this book. Anthony Hopkins is at his best as Thomas.

This book, and the television production noted above, is a must for lovers of literature and humor. These works should have a much wider audience.

Gwyn Thomas' autobiography "A Few Selected Exits" is unlike any other autobiography you have read. A bold statement, but one which is easy proved. A reader need only delve into the first few pages, and they will be hooked on the genius of a man unappreciated in his own time. Thomas' autobiography is the only one I have read which is not self serving. He recounts escapades from his life yes, but in such a non-linear way, one gets the impression of sharing a drink with him in a pub. I have never read a book before which will make the reader laugh out loud in a room alone. Thomas skewers pretension at his alma mater Oxford, and takes a honest but affectionate view of the youth he spent in poverty in Wales with equal enthusiasm. .

This book is an excellent source on understanding American Political Philosophy. I wish this book can be sent to every congressmen and senator in Washington DC....they could use a healthy dose of this book.

Free Government in the Making is replete with all the writings of thinkers and politicians who helped shape modern democracy. Beginning with Locke, and carrying through to the 1980's, it is an excellent compilation of what has come to be known as American political thought. Mason has contained a wealth of political theory in one book. It has helped me through two years of college-I wish I had it for high school as well. A must have book for anyone pursuing American History or Government.

If you've been truly curious as to what the American forefathers thought or hoped for in the American political process, I would highly recommend this book. Although I am not a native of the United States, this book gave me an objective evaluation of how the great American democratic experiment came to being. This book should be required reading for all students of American history.

Smack dab in the middle of a great, true, WWII story of yearning, fulfillment, capture and escape is a great love story worthy of a poet's description. This book will put you on a roller coaster ride that you will not soon forget; one of the best books I have read this year !

One Man's War is the gripping and harrowing memoir of Tommy Lamore, who served in the Army Air Corps during WWII. The bright-eyed kid from Waco, Texas, who had always dreamed of being a flier, soon learned that war is not just guts and glory. As a B17 tailgunner flying bombing missions over Europe, Lamore experienced the nerve-shattering onslaught of noise and violent motion, the sustained panic of a man fighting for survival against skilful foes and just plain bad luck.

The accounts of these battle scenes expertly evoke the sights and sounds of air battle. Flak barrages, numbing cold, hurtling fighter planes trying to shoot Lamore out of the sky; it really feels that personal. We feel the relief of the arrival of American air cover, we are heartened by the sight of safe haven, and we are awed by the courage it took to fight off the sheer exhaustion and fear, just to get back up in the air and do it all again.

When Lamore's plane was downed by a freak accident over France, he was sheltered by local people, evaded Nazi search parties and was recruited by the French Resistance. His training in munitions made him valuable in sabotage operations, and for a while he lived an dangerous and exciting undercover life.

His sudden betrayal to the Gestapo led him to the hell-on-earth of the Nazi prison camps. The physical and psychological tortures and a dipththeria epidemic took their toll, but Lamore survived with his spirit intact, finally escaping from a death-camp on the German-Polish border. Luckily, he encountered the advancing Russian Army, and joined them as they pushed the Germans back towards Berlin. He found he was traveling with a Mongolian Terror-Troop unit. It is not often that Americans can read of the Russians' contribution to winning the war, let alone the Mongolians', and these passages are memorable. I found myself wondering what it was that made Mongolian fighting methods seem even more barbaric than the Europeans'. Was it just the context of European soil? Or some holdover from the 'chivalry' of classic European-style warfare? Were they more likely to kill you than any other soldier? Whatever it was, they scared the hell out of the Germans.

One Man's War contains another unique twist - a love story in the midst of horror. The Russian unit liberates a women's prison camp, where unspeakable crimes have been committed. Among the freed prisoners is a Polish woman, Rosa, who speaks English. She and Lamore fall in love, comforting and healing each other as they continue onwards with the Mongolian unit.

Eventually, the cease-fire is announced and Lamore makes contact with British troops. He and his beloved Rosa make their way to Paris, where Lamore's dream of bringing her to the States is dashed. Rosa knows she must return to Poland to find her family. Lamore has to let her go, with just a ring to remember her by.

The final episode in the book is also the final straw. Lamore is ordered to return to the death camp from which he escaped, to help the Red Cross document the slaughter that happened there shortly after Lamore's got away. The sight and smell of the place, the memories and nightmares it evokes, push Lamore over the edge into deep despair and fatigue, and he is shipped back to the States.

The sad, but essential, message of this superb story is the horrific toll that war takes, even on the victors. Here, in this book, we witness the worst depravities of which we are capable, the despair and the clawing fear, the paralyzing exhaustion. But also, the hope that even in the midst of the hell we create for ourselves, there is redemption in love, even if only for a while. Lamore was deeply affected, as any sane person would be, by his experiences, but around his neck until he died in 1997 hung the ring that Rosa gave him in Paris.

One Man's War is a finely-written book. Congratulations to Dan A. Baker for capturing Tommy Lamore's unique story so brilliantly, and bringing it so vividly to life.

When I first read the dust jacket and saw all the things that Tommy LaMore had to endure during his tour of duty in WWII my first thought was "this must be fiction". Well, it is all true and truly amazing. I have read many personal memiors about WWII and I compare all I read to the two best one: "The Forgotten Soldier" and "With The Old Breed". This book is witout a doubt in that class. I don't say that lightly. Mr. LaMore goes from being a tail gunner on a bomber, to being shot down, to the French underground, to the Soviet army approaching Berlin. Along the way, you will meet some really unique characters. My favorite is the Soviet commander who takes a liking to Tommy and tries to keep him safe until he can be turned over to the British. You will also meet the love of his life when he encounters a womens concentration camp and discovers a beautiful polish surviver. Their story alone is worth the price of the book. Outstanding! I won't tell you how it ends but please, please, get this book. You will remember it long after the last page is turned.

Michael Thomas is one of the best authors writing on financial fiction. I have read all his books and am a huge fan..His books have contained plots and sub plots and are certainly packed with descriptive tales of intrigue and deceipt. Bakers Dozen does not disapoint. H.A. Baker is a tricky character..a man with honor that would face you in a duel today if you asked. This book is a great read..thanks Mr. Thomas for several hours of fun!

The Collins Bible Handbook is a wonderful way to introduce each book of the Bible. With summary text, pictures, and scripture, one open page gives the student a quick and precise over view of that Book. I first used it in 1990 while teaching an Old Testament class of 10th graders, and I still find the book valuable now that I am teaching middle school students.

I purchased PI 4.2 program a while ago.I attempted to learn how everything functioned and tried to understand what it all meant while doing it.I figured in about ten years I'd get it all.Then lo and behold Stephanie Baker-Thomas wrote the book that makes it all so easy.She takes you step by step through things you thought you'd never master.The book is easy to read and you don't need a dictionary to understand the meaning she puts into words.This book is by far the greatest purchase anyone could make.I must say that this book is not for just anyone.It's for EVERYONE!

PhotoImpact has dozens of graphic-rendering tools and this book gives clear, concise directions for using each of them. I have had PhotoImpact for almost 2 years and am still finding tools covered in this book that I did not know was there. Stephanie has written very easy-to-understand sep-by-step directions with illustrations that even the very newest and very oldest user can learn and easily put into practice. PhotoImpact is a wonderful program and this book is a wonderful accompaniment. Thank you, Stephanie!

Fun with PhotoImpact 4.2 is a well written, concise guide through the dazzling array of graphics tools provided by Ulead's popular software program. The book is written for the complete novice to the intermediate level user, but even seasoned pros may find a new trick or two within the pages.

Knowing that the book was written with PhotoImpact 4.2 users in mind, and that Ulead, the program developer, released PhotoImpact 5.0 almost concurrently with publication, I was curious how useful the book would be for someone with the later version. I found that about 65 percent of the books' lessons were directly applicable to version 5.0. But there is hope for the other 35 percent. Reading the back cover, I found a URL listing the author's web page. Users who have questions about version 5.0 will find a full array of helps, including a way to contact the author, and a bulletin board, which I now use regularly.

Layout of the book is accomplished by describing each menu item and its' capabilities. Later chapters do the same process with the various tools provided in the program. But this isn't just a book to read, it is a book you do. After each chapter, the author includes some exercises to reinforce the concepts just taught, adding to my overall learning experience.

I found the book informed me of program features that I wasn't aware of, or had little knowledge of, just by going through the chapters. Most pages have helpful screenshots, which allows me to learn anywhere, even if I'm not sitting at my computer. In addition the type is large enough for anyone to read easily.

If you are in the market for a easy to read, informative tutorial book on Ulead's PhotoImpact (regardless of the version), look no further than Fun With PhotoImpact 4.2. I give it a 5 star rating, and a two thumbs up.

In addition to being a meticulously executed illustrated art book, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet by Ian A. Baker, et al. guides the reader through some lesser known biographical details of Tibet's greatest Dalai Lamas and of the history of Tibetan Buddhist culture as a whole. The amazing drawings, many of which painted in an almost feverish surrealistic style, are accompanied by insights into the lore of the Dalai Lamas, with thoughtful excerpts from their writings. I am also much obliged as a book shopper to show my appreciation to the book's publisher, Thames & Hudson, for the excellent printing quality and overall layout and binding of this book, details which for me always work to enhance the message of a book and to demonstrate the seriousness and loving care with which the authors themselves have treated their creation.

Herein one can see unmistakable evidence of the ancient Secret Doctrine so well-protected by the Sacred Order of Tibet. It is a shame that this doctrine is lost in a proliferation of intellectualism and out-right black magic, but the clarity and powerful beauty of these images reveal that the doctrine exists for those who seek it. The writer even acknowledges with quotes from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama the essential clue of White Tantrism; but this book isn't the place to learn that. A beautiful book, a tantalizing glimpse at a hidden science. For more information on the Secret Teachings of the Tibetans, read "The Perfect Matrimony" by Samael Aun Weor.

The Dala Lama's Secret Temple is a wonderful and insightful look into one of the most spectacular temples in Lhasa. Having just visited the Lukhang, I had the pleasure to personally view the murals. Many of which are unique to Tibetan paintings. And still very preserved. Better than I could have photographed myself, this book presents each of the walls paintings in the highest quality plates. Descriptions of the historical significance of the temple mirror the detail works of the painting. A nice addition to a library of Tibetan Art and Buddhism.