I'm a woman, and this is the first book I have ever read on investing, so I guess you could say I'm the book's target audience. It covers a very broad range of topics, which surprised me at first as I was really looking for a guide on how to invest in the stock market. I did find the other chapters useful, but I found that overall, this book offers a cursory glance at many topics, rather than an in-depth guide to how to invest.

The first two chapters are a wake-up call to women. A real kick-in-the-pants is that "Of the category of Americans referred to as the elderly poor, 75% are women." In following chapters they touch on a very broad range of subjects, such as how to sort your mail (no kidding!), why to cut up your credit cards, how to buy a car, how to buy a home, why you need to write a will, etc.

The chapters that are actually on investing and retirement did give me a good introduction to understanding the basics of 401K and the different IRAs. I particularly liked the chapters on Investment Clubs and Stocks. But I found that they tried to cover so much (with not enough real-life examples), that I got rather lost in the terminology sometimes, and found myself reading the same paragraph over and over...for example, on the section about mutual bond funds, if someone can explain this sentence to me I'd be much obliged: "The fund calculates the total resale value of all the bonds then divides that large number by the number of shares in the fund to determine the price you pay for the fund and the price you can get when you sell your shares of the fund someday." Argh!

Anyway, I found this book to be a good "jumping off point" and am now on to reading more, so I would say that Sander and Boutin have accomplished their goal as far as I'm concerned. Thanks, ladies!

The title is investing for women. The reality is general investment information that all can use. Like anything else something you don't know or think you do not know is scary. Of course after you have mastered it you say "No big deal"

If you have used other "Complete Idiot's" guides then you know the information is broken-down into small bites and approached with helpful hints. The book comes complete with a reference card. In the computer industry they are known as quick cards. This card gives you:

"Sixteen Basic Topics that must be evaluated"
"Five Reasons Women need to Invest Now"
"Five Important Ingredients for Stock Selection"
"Five Important Things to do Before You Begin"
"Five Common Errors to Avoid"
"Three Questions to Ask an Advisor or Broker"

I am not going through the detail as that is why you are buying the book. However the subjects covered include budgeting and lifestyle. The book can not cover everything however it discuses 401k information with not hit that there are a multitude of other investments like 403B.

Why 401K's exist and other devices to empower the individual are best explained with out all the jargon so after getting the practical from this book go for the theory. "The Capitalist Manifesto" by Louis O. Kelso

I got this book from my friend Bernie who recently purchased it.

What a GREAT book! I never imagined that, in these days of political correctness, that anyone would have the nerve to address this issue publicly but here it is and all I can say is thank you it's about time.

Previous to this book I was just shoving money into my mattress hoping to have enough one day to get a woman. Not much of a plan really. Now with this book I have a structured plan and I hope to meet my objective with in the year.

Thanks Bernie!

This is not "The Works" (10 stars**********) but a cute kids book. Hope to see more books published on Jim Henson and his works, past, present and future.

A great little book for kids about one of my heroes, Jim Henson. I, an adult, read it because it is one of the few Jim Henson biographies available...where is a full scale adult biography of one of the most important entertainers of our time? This is a sweet little book that the kids will enjoy. And maybe a few adults too...

A great way for kids to experience the magic that is Henson. Jim Henson has had many books written about him, but this one is the best way to introduce kids to the man behind the Muppets.

The idea behind this book is very good. A comparative history of vaqueros, cowboys and buckaroos is needed. These three groups share much in common but they are nevertheless historically distinct. I was hoping to understand the uniquess of each experience by learning about the common threads that tie the three groups together.

Unfortunately, the authors were not up to task. The authors are amateurs who share a great love for the subject. Unfortunately, there is large chasm between an enthusiast and a professional author. Sadly,the writing and analysis was weak. While reading the book, I wanted them to succeed but in the end, this was a book written by enthusiasts. This book only proves that gifted amateurs are a rare bird.

This book is all you could hope for in the truth about vaqueros, cowboys, and buckaroos. These authors have done a wonderful job compiling all the true facts about these three similar, but not exactly a-like groups. This a must for anyone ineretsed in expanding your knoweleg. It is perfect for research or just fun. I would never part with my copy, and I wish I could have owned it sooner. Don't waste your time with other more falshy books, this is the only one you'll need.

This the most comprehensive collection of Vaquero, cowboy and buckaroo history. Comparing in equal page length the diffrences and similarities of each group of horsemen. This is a wonderful book. I can't recomend it highly enough. It is perfect for research work or just to expand you knowlege. It is amust have for any person who enjoys the thruth behind the mythic cowboy. Wonderfuly complete, not a thing left out in this book. I don't know how I survived without it. Comgradualtions to the authors on such a complete job.

This book is full of quotes from magazines, and the pictures are ones that EVERYONE has seen. Nothing out of the ordinary. It is your basic writer trying to make a buck by selling something that everyone else has already read about and known.

The chapers are cute.. For Faith Chapters it is all titles from her songs, and same for Tim Chapers. It was just very saddening. That they got my money.

** What I suggest **
TIM McGRAW is writing a book about him and Faith. I suggest THAT one it will be coming out in the fall. It will have LOTS of great pictures, I am hoping.

...

I think this is an extremely well written book. It gives descriptions of each stars background and how their lives were joined together. The book is focused on how Tim and Faith "Found" each other. They both seem very down to earth and very sensitive and compassionate towards each other, which is rare in this day and age. Everybody is usually looking out just for themselves. Tim has mentioned time and again that they are never apart for more than 3 days at a time. The whole management, producers, band and family try and work together like a big family in order to do this. It must be very hard to balance family and career, but they seem to be able to do it. As they both say, family comes first. This is an excellent book of two Superstars and how they make it in this day and age.

It's probably easier to read this book now that we have a new Browns team in place. It makes me a little more understanding of what Modell went through before his grievous decision.

It is fun to get an insider's look at some of the issues over the years: Kosar's release, Belicheck, etc.

Author Poplar gives an insider's view of the financial crisis that caused American's Team, the Cleveland Browns, to move to Baltimore. It shows how Modell's formation of the Cleveland Stadium Corp. caused him to take out millions of dollars in loans to pay for stadium upkeep and upgrades. Then the city/county gave the Indians and Cavs multi-million-dollar playpens, while leaving Modell to find ways to compensate for the loss of Stadium Corp.'s major tenant, the Indians. This resulted in even more loans. Then came free agency, and Modell had to go to the banks again to get cash to pay big bonuses to stay competitive. From his perspective, maybe Modell eventually "had no choice" to move. However, he is not absolved from his most tragic mistake: not being forthright with the fans and the public about his financial straights and asking for help. A good read for Browns fans who want to know more about what happened to their heritage.

This wonderful look at the wildlife and habitats of the Tar Heel State by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is a helpful guide for both children and adults. The book is very well organized into chapters that deal with general information about wildlife and habitats, and then chapters about each of the unique regions of the state and the critters that reside there. The authors also describe critical problems for the different habitats and ways to help. Illustrator Anne Marshall Runyon artistically depicts the habitats in color and black and white drawings. The drawings are accompanied by a numbered list identifying plants and animals in it. I would definitely recommend this book for parents and teachers as they invoke an appreciation of nature with children. However, this book is a challenging read with very tough vocabulary for children. (In the introduction it suggests children age 13 and older reading it, not ages 9-12 as the Amazon book description states.) In all, it is a super overview of the wildlife in the state and great resource for all.

The Quick Course on Internet Explorer 5 provides an in-depth introduction, which is nice for people who do not understand the Internet yet. It's a pity it does not even mention the differences from other browsers, if you want to switch.

Quick Course in Microsoft Windows 98 is a very good book if one is a beginner and wants to learn the basics in "10 easy lessons". This book is a concise no-nonsense way to learn Windows 98. If one has even an elementary knowledge of Windows 98 the book is best used just as an easy to use feference for doing the evaryday tasks of Windows. The lessons are easy to follow and very non-threatening. There are good visuals and the text is large and easy to read. The language used in the book is directed to the novice. Any new terms are quickly defined. The reader is expected to know very little about the Windows environment. This ia a very good book for rthe adult who is just getting into computers. It will tell you everything you need to know in order to run Windows without any problems. The with a little more advanced knowlegde would be better served getting a higher level book.

I've never been a fan of reality TV. As an avid reader, though, Jim Brown's premise appealed to me. Perhaps Brown, a former TV anchorman, could give this overworked idea a good kick in the pants.

Brown comes through with flying colors.

The premise: Twelve contestants, on an island, are involved in a "Survivor"-like TV series that turns ugly when an unknown entity informs them they have all been infected with a deadly designer virus. Based on the TV audience's votes, one contestant will be refused the daily antidote and will die a horrible death. It's a modern and macabre twist on the old lifeboat analogy.

Okay, so as a reader I found myself appalled and entranced by the horrors of Brown's tale. He quickly thrust me into the action and the next thing you know...I was hooked. I primarily read during my lunch-breaks in our employee cafeteria. With fork in hand, shovelling food into my mouth (successfully, in most cases), I raced through the pages to discover the story's ending. 24/7 jumps all over the place and follows a parade of characters, yet maintains an amazing congruity. Brown juggles a dozen subplots without dropping a single one. By the end, I was exhausted by the energy and intricate structure that brought the story to its conclusion.

Despite these plaudits, I must say that the story stretches credibility on more than one occasion. As with reality TV, I got the feeling more than once that this whole thing was rigged, that it wasn't as believable as it wanted me to think it was. The characters are brief, but memorable sketches, and the plot threads tie off nicely, if not too conveniently. Overall, 24/7 became a guilty pleasure. I couldn't put it down, though it seemed so shallow at its core.

Or maybe that was the very point. The irony of it all.

By ensnaring me in his thriller's web, Jim Brown showed me that I, like so many, am willing to "tune in" to see what'll happen, even if it means sacrificing my time, ethics, and integrity. Like his fictional TV audience, I was mentally voting death for the characters I disliked...and in so doing, I underlined the story's basic moral: In a society fueled by entertainment and false reality, we quickly sink to our lowest common denominator. Brown uses the very methods that'll attract his targets to slap them in the face with this harsh truth.

Okay, Jim, I learned my lesson...Are you ready to teach me another?

To my knowledge, broadcast-journalist Jim Brown is the first person to adapt the current rage for Reality TV into fictional form. His debut novel is not only a thematic trail-blazer, but an imaginatively-conceived, utterly chilling expose of the darker, more appalling side of America's obsession with vicarious thrills and violence. Its plotting and pacing are truly extraordinary; its characters, unforgettable; and its writing...absolutely first-rate!

Loosely based around the overall concept of the "Survivor" TV phenomenon, he has envisioned a scenario wherein the game situation suddenly becomes a life-or-death reality for its twelve players after a madman seizes 'Control' of their isolated island location while the TV cameras continue to operate 24/7. As the world watches in horror, the sponsoring network's entire technical staff is wiped out by an Ebola-type virus, and the contestants themselves are infected with a delayed version of the same deadly disease. The only way that they can stay alive is to receive a daily injection of a life-prolonging antidote. Control's dictum: that one-by-one decision shall rest entirely in the hands and votes of the viewing public. What immediately evolves into a frantic race against time and popular opinion for his protagonists is further complicated by an unusually effective twist in the plot (which also paves the way for its shocking denouement): if they can successfully accomplish a diabolically-individualized task wherein they are forced to face their worst fears under lethal circumstances, they will be rewarded with 'safety stones' which can cancel out a percentage of the negative votes that might be cast against them. Meanwhile their numbers diminish and their odds narrow as the government (at a loss for any other way to contain the unknown disease) hovers on the brink of a decision to obliterate the island. Cliff-hanger! In a nutshell, reality TV becomes the ultimate in reality reading, and Jim Brown has my vote to garner enough critical safety stones to take him straight to the top of the best-seller list!

Would you vote for someone to die? What if that was the only way to save another person's life? Those are just two of the questions driving this pulse-pounding novel.

First time writer, Jim Brown proves that he has the chops to be around for a long time. The plotting is incredible. And the twist are unpredictable and amazing.

If your life was in the hands of the public, what would you do to endear yourself?
How far would you go to win a game if winning was the only way to stay alive?

For contestants on the fiction reality show, 24/7 these question become real when terrorist take over the broadcast.

But despite the action, and there is plenty of it, 24/7 is in reality a psychological thriller. Because, even though the back drop is reality TV the true target is society.

This is what Stephen King's (Richard Bachman book) Running Man should have been.

As soon as I saw the recommendation from Clive Cussler I should have known....
Dale Brown has written some good stuff but this is awful. Overly technical and the first half reads like a soap opera! No action until way into the second half of the book and while the action is well handled, the characters are on the dull side.
I am sure many of you will now enjoy voting that this is an unhelpful review, but this was a painful read at times.
Zzzzzzzzzz.

Was excited about this new series from Brown based on the goings-on at Dreamland. The opening novel takes place in 1995, not long after the events in his novel Day of the Cheetah. Basically, General Elliot is out of the picture at Dreamland, and Congress and all the other higher ups are close to closing this place down.

Enter Colonel Dog Bastian. He takes over Dreamland, figuring it will be ditched by the powers that be. This is the slow, and I mean slow part of the book, pretty much the first one half to two thirds of the book. Generally, we introduce new characters, besides Bastian, including his daughter and pilot Breanna Stockard, and her husband, who is wheel-chaired after a training accident in the prologue, Jeff. A few cameos from Dale Brown's other novels appear, such as McClanahan and Briggs. The only one that takes part in most of this novel from the past novels is Nancy Cheshire.

While they are working on projects at HAWC, tensions are mounting in Somalia, where Iranians are shipping in Silkworm missles. Also, involved is Libya. The Iranians are trying to get a "Greater Islamic League" set up against the west.

Eventually, our friends at Dreamland are sent over, in their modified EB-52 Megafortresses...along with U/MF's Flighthawks, which are unmanned planes flown by Jeff from inside the EB-52.

The novel picks up speed in the last one quarter as we have aerial and land battle scenes. Can the guys and gals of Dreamland succeed in their mission, and if so, this could save the Dreamland facility.

Also enjoyed Brown and Defelice adding some action from the Navy, and Marines in this one. If not for most of the book being slow, this would have ranked higher.

Betting the series will get better, now that the characters have been developed. Worth getting if you're a techno-thriller fan.

Dale Brown has collaborated with Jim DeFelice(check out his WAR BREAKER, by the way) to produce an excellent new novel set roughly around the end of Dale's DAY OF THE CHEETAH but tying in nicely with SHADOWS OF STEEL. In the story, Colonel Tecumseh DOG Bastian is assigned by the White House to get Dreamland, the secret base at Nevada's Groom Lake, back into shape or else defence budget cuts will force the place to close. The first half of the book deals with experimenting on new weapons systems, in particular the FLIGHTHAWK unmanned aerial vehicles and also development of the EB-52 Megafortress, another old favourite! Dale Brown has also done well in creating some new characters, such as hotshot F-16 pilot Mack Smith, paraplegic ex-pilot Jeff Stockard who is a leading player with the FLIGHTHAWK system and is also burned out, concerned about his marriage to Megafortress pilot Breanna Bastian Stockard, daughter of 'Dog'. All these personal dramas intertwine well when things heat up in the book's secomd half. As well as the new faces, we also get cameo appearances from Patrick MacLanahan, loose cannon General Brad Elliot(who I sadly miss, this character really rocks!), Madcap Magician SPECFOR operative Hal Briggs and also National Security Advisor Deborah O'Day, who is undecided about closing Dreamland. Overall, memorable characters, fast pacing, easy-to-read narrative and some interesting military technology which might be in use today(you just never know what they've got hidden away) and some pulsating action scenes in the air and on the ground with a deployment of a Marine Expeditionary Unit on a search and rescue mission make this new Dale Brown story well worth the read. I eagerly look forward to reading more in the DREAMLAND series!