A gorgeous photography book of Mexico with bilingual text. In THE WILD COUNTRY OF MEXICO/La tierra salvaje de Mexico, photojournalist John Annerino captures the beauty and spirit of both the native peoples and the wild land they inhabit through colorful breathtaking images and English/Spanish text. We travel through six distinct regions in Mexico: the remote jungles of Chiapas; Mayan ruins of Quintana Roo; the Sierra Volcanica Transversal, the third-highest inhabited plateau in the world; the Sierra Madre Occidental, home of the legendary Copper Canyon; the rich bioregion of Baja California; and the Sonoran Desert, one of the greatest deserts of the New World. Here is a brilliant evocation of people and place in areas of Mexico that are little known and seldom explored. -La Casa del Libro.

I've taken a delighful ramble through Annerino's handiwork, THE WILD COUNTRY OF MEXICO/La tierra salvaje de Mexico. As a consequence, I have a powerful urge to see what the author wrote about and photographed. The book uses wonderful color photographs and Spanish/English essays and captions to take us from mountainous Chiapas, where the indigenous people speak pre-Hispanic languages, to Yucatan, where Mayan ruins poke out of beach-bound jungles...It's the Sierra Madre that produced my favorite photograph, the eerie, wind-eroded ruins of the ancient city of Paquime.

En THE WILD COUNTRY OF MEXICO/La tierra salvaje de Mexico el fotoperiodista John Annerino captura a bellezo y el espiritu de la gente nativa y de la tierra salvaje que ellos habitan por medio de imagenes vivas e imponentes con texto en ingles y espanol. Viajamos a troves de seis regiones distintas de Mexico: las remotas selvas de Chiapas; las ruins maya de Quintana Roo; la Sierra Volcanica Transversal, una meseta hobitada que es la tercera mas alto del mundo; la Sierra Madre Occidental, el hogar legendario Canon de Cobre; la rica bioregion de Baja California, y el Desierto Sonorense, uno de los grandes desiertos del Nuevo Mundo. Aqui esta una evococion brillante de la gente y de los lugares en las areas de Mexico que son poco conocidos y rara vez visitodas. -La Casa del Libro

The technological future of the corporation depends on fast access to data anywhere, anytime on such devices as notebook computers, PDAs and mobile phones. Vacca's book, Wireless Data Demystified, is written to instruct mobile internet professionals on how to quickly install wireless data network technology. The text first covers the fundamentals and protocols of wireless data networks, then how to plan, design and install them not only in the business setting but at home. This text is a great reference guide for any technology professional wanting to get up to speed on wireless data networks.

JohnVacca has again written a book about a subject that has great application in the near future. As notebook computers are fast replacing desktop computers and as flat screen monitors are replacing CRT monitors, wireless data is replacing data transmission via cables of different types. Several companies have already replaced their local networks with wireless networks at work place where their employees can move about the work place and be connected to not only the company's Intranet but also the Internet. This book provides a good explanation in the understanding of wireless data transmission and the challenges for companies that provide wireless transmission to improve this technology as more companies and organizations will soon depend on this application to conduct business.

Network engineers and IT Hardware specialists had no idea just how much Wireless data would be streaming through the air today when they got their degrees three or four years ago. Staying on top of this technology without going back to school is cumbersome at best. John Vacca does an excellent job of condensing a virtual truckload of information about Wireless data into a concise and well written volume that includes the essentials.

If you have responsibility for, or want to make a career out of Wireless devices and the data they transmit, or if you just want to stay ahead of those who will "get around to it someday," this book is definately for you.

Sugar of Lead is a phenomenal read. It delves into the life of a gangster who seeks revenge for the death of his blood brother while trying to save the life of his widow. It asks questions about the value of life and death while confronting the ongoing battle between good and evil. It is intriguing and a fast read. Sugar of Lead is one of the few books that actually cover the life of Asian gangsters. It compares to The Godfather in its richness of detail and excitement. I highly recommend it people of all ages.

Rarely do thrillers attempt much more than thrilling; they are generally designed as "pleasure fiction," to distract the reader for a period of a few hours. Almer John Davis has apparently decided that he'd rather not walk down the narrow alley of another gangster thriller, but the backdrop of Korean gangsters in Los Angeles provides the appropriate setting to get much of his message across. The novel mixes the best of old and new--there are shades of Hamlet and Beowolf mixed with the best of Elmore Leonard--upon my first reading (there have been many since) I remarked that this book is a sort of higher-echelon Elmore Leonard novel. Davis presents his views on crime, death, and most importantly, life through the eyes of protagonist Micheal "Sugar" Pierce.
An outsider of sorts, being white in a Korean gang, yet with an insider's knowledge, being best friend of the boss and in love with the boss's wife, Sugar is caught in a web of deception, love, hate, and violence. His desperate attempt to break out, forced by the actions of others, leads to a fast-paced novel, with riveting aciton and constant tension. Yet, Davis seamlessly works in his literary perspectives, using effective and poignant symbolism, allegory and metaphor in order to fully acheive his purpose. Above all a novel that will make you think, examine yourself, and ponder the dilemmas of the characters (the true sign of good literature), Sugar Of Lead has my highest recommendation. I only hope that many more books of the same quality will be produced by its author.

Sugar of Lead is one of those novels that provides a deep, rich tale of one man's introspection after trying to survive in this world, as well as a deep, rich context for its setting and background. This reminds me of novels written by some guys named Hemingway and Bellow. In true fashion as a story in this postmodern era, Sugar of Lead tells of a white male trying to find his place in the Asian gang world, which no other novels offer. The reader is left in introspection of his own identity, as well as with the satisfaction of finishing a good book. People of any ethnicity or age will be able to enjoy this book, which is much more than a gangster novel. It is a classic just waiting to be deemed so, and a must-read.

These books are great! My daughter just turned 5 and is reading this set like a pro. The words are simple and the sounds are repetative. By the time the first set is completed the child knows all the sounds the letters make and can sound out words with ease. Reading becomes a snap. We have tried other beginning readers and none hold a candle to the Bob Books!

I LOVE these books. I looked everywhere for books to jump start my 5 year old into reading. These are perfect. Almost all the words can be sounded out using the "short" vowel sounds. Untill now every book I found was either too long, or too dificult, or epxected the child to know too many "sight" words and my daughter didn't even want to start. But with the BOB books, she can read a whole book by herself. After working with two of these sets I can truly say she is reading! No need to memorize dozens of sight words before getting started. No understanding complicated "rules". I would recommend these books to all begining readers. They are well worth the money, I wish I found them earlier!

Awesome... my 4 1/2 year old child was reading within minutes of picking up her first Bob book. The author(s) took easy-to-learn sounds and turned them into interesting, fun stories that build confidence and promote early reading. No home with young children should be without this series of books... I am now buying them as gifts for family and friends. Definitely recommend!

Like Patrick below, I was brought up on Guernsey and now live in the US. And I'd never gotten around to reading Edwards' book, until I came across it in a 2nd hand bookshop a couple of weeks ago on Liberation Day, of all days (the anniversary of the end of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands).

Isn't it great? I'd actually peeked into my mother's copy on several occasions and thought it looked kind of boring, and it took me a while to get into it, but slowly I found myself becoming hooked. Half way through, it's difficult to say why I can't wait to get back to it, because it really is little more than one man's telling of his own not extraordinary life. But stick with it and you will probably understand.

This is the first time in 9 years that I feel homesick!

I completely agree with the other reviewers who have described that feeling that you get with only a few books of *living* inside the book, and the sadness that hangs around for a few days when you finish. I strongly recommend this book!

It was like a book that, at first, I'd never heard of, and I was destined to read. I was on a sales trip, visiting the Channel Islands on a whistle stop tour, but still wanted to take my family with me to share the sights of Guernsey. We were waiting to catch the ferry home, having lunch in a pub in the centre of town and for some reason or other, I got talking to a gent who was visiting the Island, simply to put a place to the names described in a book he had just read. The Book of Ebenezer Le Page. He assured me that if I ever came upon this book and read it, I would love it. The following weeks, back on 'the mainland', during other sales trips, covering all other towns, I would just pop into second hand book stores to see (even though I had no idea what the book looked like.) I was in Lyme Regis, again I went into a book store and I felt compelled to ask them if they had a copy of the book. It only turned out that this particular book store specialised in books by John Fowles, The writer of the forword. The particular book was out of print, but YES they had copies. "Hard back or paper back", they offered. Well, needless to say, I have just finished the book and I am now left with a sadness at almost having left a friend behind. At least I had the fortune to share a piece of Ebenezer Le Page's life.

I loved this book, me! I grew up on that little island, barely 5 miles long and 4 miles wide, but a whole country unto itself! The place defies the physics of Geography! It's tiny, but it's vast too. Like the story of our friend Mr. Ebenezer Le Page, the simplicity of the lives of the inter connected characters, colourful and quirky, defies the closeness of the shores. GB Edwards' posthumous writings capture the essence of the folk and the place as well, possibly better, than any book about anybody, anywhere. I highly encourage anyone who reads this story to find out as much about Guernsey as possible, perhaps even go there (visit Victor Hugo's house), then read it again for the first time. Utterly enchanting!

Future generations will be most thankful that we had as Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill. Not only for his leadership, which undoubtedly saved the world from Nazism, but also because of his memoirs. Reading this book, it felt like I was actually there, feeling the tension as Hitler prepared on new conquests, the revulsion as France & Britain allowed Germany to destroy Czechoslavakia, the disbelief as neutral countries, USSR,Belgium, Netherlands, Norway etc, clung to their neutrality as it meant anything to Hitler, admiration for the British people as they resisted such overwhelming odds at great cost, and triumph as the Grand Alliance combines to crush Germany. Also there are so many parts of the book which describe so vividly so many great moments, such as when Churchill first meets Stalin. A top read!

Sheesh - difficult to read? Perhaps one should try "WWII FOR DUMMIES"!

This is an awsesome, detailed, and superbly documented historical work. By it's very nature it can't be light or entertaining. In a certain sense it's a reference book for future professional historians that want to improve their understanding of the 20th century. The author delves into a myriad of topics along the way; invariably with penetrating insights and a unique writing style. The average person doesn't really need to read it cover to cover. Most of the chapters can stand alone. The documentation isn't overly important to the narrative.

The work also has great uniqueness and originality. No other world leader wrote a detailed memoir of their war experiences, let alone an overarching history of it. No one else had the perspective on the war that Churchill did. And like all major wars, it was unique, never to be duplicated in the history of the world.

In regard to errors, I wonder how many of you bozos have saved the world from a power mad, genocidal, megalomaniacal dictator without making an error? Sheesh.

A masterpiece of world literature. Anyone remotely interested in twentieth century history should read Churchill's accounts of WWI and WWII.

Churchill begins the Second World War by noting that the "volumes [are] a continuation of the story of the First World War...set out in The World Crisis, The Eastern Front, and The Aftermath". As great as the Second World War is in scope and insight, it is even greater when considered together with his treatment of WWI. It is a pity his account of WWI and its aftermath are currently no longer in print, available only through university libraries and sellers of rare books (if any publishers are reading, I beg them to consider republishing his accounts of WWI).

Churchill's chronicles of WWI and WWII are a invaluable account of the incomprehensible turmoil that characterized the first half of the 20th century. The scope of this literary achievement is made even more precious and amazing when one considers the firsthand perspective given by Churchill. During both wars, he occupied important government roles, putting him in a unique position to chronicle events during that era. The World Crisis, The Eastern Front, The Aftermath, and the volumes of the Second World War are personal memoirs as much as monumental histories. They are compelling on many levels, the stories of many through one.

Paprika is not an ingredient which is traditionally used in Russian cooking. It is the spice of Central Europe (Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, etc.), not the eastern end of the continent. Most other Russian cookbook authors (Anne Volokh, Elena Molokhovets, Leslie Chamberlain) barely mention it, but it appears in quantity in almost every savory recipe in this book. This may represent a personal taste of the author (some American cooks use soy sauce in Cajun-Creole recipes), or a very recent trend in Russia, but if you are a stickler for authenticity, this may not be the book for you.

_Please to the Table_ is without a doubt the most-used cookbook I own (and I have dozens!) I love cooking and baking, but was a total novice at anything beyond Central Europe -- much to the initial dismay of my Ukrainian-born husband. We've since read and re-read this cookbook together, including the delightful narrative sections and literary excerpts. (He's especially fond of the Gogol bits!) It's got history, literature, cultural tidbits, and culinary savvy that make a fun read for anyone.

Not having ever eaten any of this food myself, and being one to generally prefer cookbooks with pictures, I was initially nervous about trying any of the recipes. But the directions are so precise and easy to follow that I can proudly say that every single recipe I've tried has been a smashing success. I have since tried other Russian and Ukrainian cookbooks, but none yields the same superlative results with my picky hubby -- and my critical in-laws!! ;) We've eaten our way across the entire former USSR, and loved every minute of it!

I would especially like to thank the author for the following recipes (whose pages are stained and whose ingredients are responsible for not a few of the extra pounds on my man's middle...): "My Mother's Vegetarian Borscht" -- you can add beef if you like, but even his father (who is a professional Soviet-trained cook) didn't notice it was missing. His sister pronounced this borscht her favorite - over their mother's - and she has never made any secret about not liking me, so that's a ringing endorsement! "Apple Baba" -- this one is a unanimous hit and my husband always begs me to make it for guests. I usually add 2 extra apples and double the cinnamon, though, by popular request. The "Rum Baba" makes a great New Year's treat. And the classic "Cherry-filled varyeniki" -- WOW. I'm a dumpling neophyte, and these came out perfect the very first time.

My only criticism of this book is that its directions often assume that one has a food processor, beaters, blender, and other electronic kitchen gagets. If you're like me and do everything by hand, you have to mentally adjust the directions. But it's never altered the fabulous outcomes. The other thing that I would have liked is more bread recipies. But overall, it is a classic and will make a welcome addition to any cook's shelf.

Open this book to find that combination of good recipes, travel writing and memoir that is the hallmark of the very best regional cookbooks.

Von Bremzen and Welchman not only give their readers easy-to-follow directions for the preparation of a wide range of authentic dishes, but also an understanding of the occassions on which the food would be eaten and an often humorous insight into the cultures the dishes come from.

Read, eat, laugh and travel. Is there anything better in life?

While I believe that I have read most of the Sackett novels, this first one was always my favorite. It is definately the most unusual of the series, indeed, of anything that I've read by Louis L'Amour.

Set in 1599, it is the story of Barnabas Sackett, founder of the Sackett clan in the New World. The Sacketts were fenmen (swamp men) eeking out an existance farming the little good land available to them, fishing for eels, smuggling, or going off to fight in the wars. It was the combination of the chance finding of a cache of Roman gold, along with a fight with an arrogant aristocrat, that put young Barnabas on the road to "adventure."

Fleeing to London, he meets the contacts that he will need to set sail for a new world and a new life. The sword fights, pirates, and sea battles that follow are not what you expect in a "western", but they are quite good never-the-less. Upon surviving to reach America (after Roanoke, but before Jamestown) Barnabas rapidly sizes up the territory and the inhabitants and resolves to start his family there- far from kings and aristocrats. When he hears of the "far blue mountains" from the Indians that he is trading with, he makes up his mind to one day travel to them- and beyond.

This a story of adventures that you can dream about. L'Amour does an outstanding job of describing the details of England and the new America. Barnabas Sackett finds gold coins and wants more out of life. It is exciting and uplifting. To see how he battles pirates and Indians and lives off the land. Not a western but an adventure story that is so well written you can't wait to read the next one to see how Barnabas turns out. I also listened to the audio tapes and they are great. The reader has an excellent voice.

Hello my name is Michael Toomey and I have just got done reading a book called Sackett's Land. It is another wonderful book written by the great western author of all times LOUIS L'AMOUR. Unlike most of his books the book starts out in England In the Fins. Barnabas Sackett is the Sackett in this book. He is the first Sackett to go to the Americas. It all started out with Barnabas getting in a fight with some on and then all hell breaks loose. The man who he got in a fight with is a powerful man with a lot of influence in England. Barnabas and Jublain are chased all through England. On is trip through England he meats a lot of different people. The question is will Barnabas make it to America and if he does will he make it back or be killed by savages? Well you just got to read it don't you.

I would like to thank my English Teacher for giving me the chance do do this book review Thanks Mr. Powell

Some enterprising publisher of lapsed titles--perhaps Dalkey Archives or someplace similar--should publish a new edition posthaste. "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" is a walloping good read, full of excitement, humor, and vivid characters. In places it reads as if Mark Twain and Henry Fielding had put their heads together for a collaboration. Robert Lewis Taylor wrote several books about teenage boys coming of age on the frontier, but "Jaimie McPheeters" was the first and by far the best.

I can't believe this book has gone out of print. I read it 25 years ago and I can still vividly recall many scenes. I wanted to get it for my teenage sons. There are characters that show the best in human nature, and the very worst. But most important are the characters, like Jaimie's father and the wagon train guide, that are a combination of faults and virtues. They show what character is when they face-or avoid-the difficulties that their shortcomings have caused.

I read this book back in the 1970's - it belonged to my Father. I found that it was absolutely rivetting, even though I could only have been about 13 at the time. I reread Jaimie McPheeters at least twice again but unfortunately, when my Father died, the book was sold along with a lot of his other personal effects. I have often wondered where I could get a copy and when I have visited the States, have endeavoured to find one - to no avail! It really is a brilliant read - I still remember some of the passages quite vividly. That 'The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters' is no longer in print is a crying shame. Would some kindly publisher please read these many and unified reviews and resurrect this great novel.

Back in high school, I made a vow to myself that I would eventually read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels. A Bell for Adano was one of the first that I read. Now, a few years later, I have read around 30 of those novels, and while many have been wonderful, few have matched the experience of reading A Bell for Adano, and I continue to return to it.

The splendid novel is set during World War II, though it isn't really a war novel. The novel is about how very different people can, and should treat one another, especially when in a difficult situation. A Bell for Adano primarily concerns Major Joppolo. He is an American officer placed in charge of the city of Adano after the invasion. Joppolo is a wonderful, though flawed man. He's always practical but remains sentimental. He sets out to make the lives of the people of Adano the best he possibly can. He does so by not treating them as the enemy but as People. The "bell" of Adano refers his attempt to restore an historic bell to the city that it had lost during the war.

I can never do justice to my favorite novels when I review them, and this is one of them. I can't say enough good about it. The characterizations are strong and the interactions between the characters are touching and thought-provoking. Joppolo's relationship to the city's people is truly remarkable. It makes one think about America's relationship with foreign countries. The story is heart-tugging and humorous. There are few novels written this century that can touch a reader as much as this one does, and this one can make you think a little, too. A Bell for Adano certainly deserved its prize, and it definitely deserves to not be forgotten.

John Hersey would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize and become a prominent star in the pantheon of twentieth century writers. This book was written during World War II and was a best-seller when released in 1944. And it still resonates today. In short, it is the story of an American officer given civil responsibility for overseeing the coastal Italian town of Adano following its liberation by American forces.

How Major Victor Joppolo goes about this task is interesting as are the variety of Italians-former fascists and anti-fascists alike--he meets and, eventually, wins over. More gripping, though, is the character of Jappolo himself who, in many ways, Hersey repressents as Everyman--or at least EveryAmercicanman. He is practical, yet sentimental. He wants to do good, but also wants to be loved. He has a strong sense of loyalty, yet hungers after an Italian woman despite loving his wife back home. He admires the Italians, but shapes them in our American mold. He is--in modern psychobabble--conflicted; imperfect, yet very admirable.

The title refers to the city's most prominent--it has dozens of them--bell which for seven hundred years called the people to work, to eat, to love, to church, to life. It was shipped away by the retreating Germans to be made into bullets at some northern foundry. Its lack leaves a gaping wound in the civic fabric. Joppolo, of course, gets the town a replacement bell. How he does it fills you with pride. His first hearing of its strong voice can break your heart. This is a worthwhile book both as a story and as a still provocative look at the American character.

This book is wonderful in its clear language and soft touch. You will instantly feel a part of the town and its inhabitants. The book tells the story of a small town in Italy occupied by the Americans at the end of WW2. It relates how the occupied village interacts with its human, caring "occupier", an American army officer. Much like Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres, this book puts a massive event in world history into focus. I highly recommend the book.