I read the book "The Brave" by George Pickett. It's about the personal life of a New York City fireman and the firefighter duties he performed throughout his career. The book is full of action, joy, sorrow, and personal accomplishments. It was an excellent book to read and hard to put down once I started reading it.

During the years that George Pickett so vividly describes in The
Brave, I worked in a neighboring fire company in the "west village." On many shifts, I worked in the Great Jones Street Firehouse that was the quarters of Engine 33 and Ladder 9. I knew most of the men who are mentioned in this action packed story. George Pickett's accounts of what went on in the firehouse, the detailed description of the firehouse and the unrelenting fire activity of the "lower eastside" is so real, that I felt as if I was working another tour there as I read The Brave. Pickett's writing style is superb as he takes the reader
from a harrowing fire then back to the mundane moments in the firehouse. He skillfully weaves the lives of the residents of the east village into this fast paced story that speaks of a changing society, changing fire service and a changing America. This book is worthy of becoming a movie.

"The Brave" is a must read for anyone in the fire service or is contemplating or training to become a firefighter such as myself. Mr. Pickett does an exceptional job of telling the history of the FDNY as well as,the fun, the sorrow, and the action he experienced as a firefighter in New York. His book provides a great portrayl of what trainees can expect when they become a firefighter, using his own personal story to tell the storyl. Mr. Pickett's writing style makes you feel as if you are there with him in the fire house or in a burning buliding. Mr. Pickett's book has inspired me to continue in my endeavors to become a firefighter. Thank You Mr. Pickett for writing an incredible account on your experiences as a New York Firefighter.

Thoroughly researched and detailed, Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" will satisfy even the most knowledgeable Beatle fan. This monster reference book provides the who, what, when, where and why of nearly every day in the life of the Beatles. Every concert, recording session, film and TV appearance is painstakingly noted and described. In many cases, Lewisohn provides exact times and lengths of recording sessions. This is great for those of us who just have to know exactly when and where our favorite Beatle songs were recorded! Only upon examining the Beatles' grueling schedule can one truly appreciate how diligently John, Paul, George and Ringo worked to attain their status as the world's premier rock band. Simply put, the Beatles' earned everything they got and Lewisohn, arguably the world's foremost Beatle authority, drives that point home in this remarkable document. In addition to the daily entries, the author also includes rare photos, notes, concert bills and recording session track sheets. The overall scope and magnitude of "Chronicle" is nothing short of staggering. No other book provides such an accurate and detailed account of the Beatles' daily routines. Hard-core fans have long respected the dedication of Mark Lewisohn and, once again, have been rewarded with a Beatle document unlike any other. Highly recommended.

Why is this the "First Beatles Book One Should Read?" Simply put, Marc Lewisohn (an EMI records reseracher) volume is a true labor of love, but not a "tell-all" or a "I was John Lennon's mailman" rip off.

This is a true, scholarly effort. It is a day-by-day account of The Beatle's professional, not personal, affairs. More than just what they did where on an particular day, it shows how hectic their early days were, how incredibly frantic was the Beatlemania in Britian and the USA and their best work (from Revolver on) evolved in the studio.

The book is intelligently writtena nd produced. Each year is a separate chapter, starting first with an introduction which puts that year in perspective to the Beatle's career. What follows is a day by day retelling of every concert, recording sesson, Radio/TV appearance, etc. It's a great companion to Anthology (CDS and video) as you get an idea as to how certain events played how, how certain songs were recorded and again, how crazy the early 60's were for the Beatles.

If anyone wants to know the who, what, where and why (especially why the Beatles broke up as professional musicians) this book, which first appaeared in 1992 and is finally reprinted, is the one book to have. I've read it once and plan to go back again and again.

this is the 3rd book on the beatles by mark lewisohn that i have gotten, & it is sort of a combination of the 1st 2, "the beatles live", & "the beatles recording sessions"(the 2nd book paul mccartney wrote the intro to because he admired the 1st book so much).i swear, i have been reading books on the beatles since they have been being written from 1964 on, & these books by mark lewisohn are really all you need - maybe include hunter davies "the beatles",1968. "the beatles live" was my favorite, it describes so well the early days of the group in liverpool & hamburg.
if you know a lot about the beatles but you havnt read any of lewisohns books yet, you will find SO much info you didnt know. he researched these books for years, was given access to everything at abbey road, every show they ever did from 1957 on that is possible to know anything about is chronicled. Lennon would have LOVED the "live" book, it brings to life so well those early days in hamburg that he loved to remember.I dont know what else to say, i cant recommend them enough. these books are the next best thing to having a new beatle album, which we know can never happen.

A number of years ago, I read Roger von Oech's A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD. It was fairly early in my career, when the mold is still unformed but the message was poignant. Recently, when I ran across EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED and saw von Oech was the author, I decided to pick it up and renew myself to von Oech's teachings. What a breath of fresh air he offers with EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

von Oech draws heavily upon the ancient wisdom of Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher. Heraclitus, like Parmenides, postulated a model of nature and the universe which created the foundation for all other speculation on physics and metaphysics. The ideas that the universe is in constant change and there is an underlying order or reason to this change-the Logos-form the essential foundation of the primary Heraclitean view. Everytime one walks into a science, economics, or political science course, at most any level, significantly all the teachings originate with Heraclitus's speculations on change and the Logos.
Despite this and the fact the ancient Greeks considered Heraclitus one of their principal philosophers, precious little remains of his writings. The passages remaining are tremendously obtuse, not because they are quoted out of context, but because Heraclitus deliberately cultivated an obscure writing style (one that makes one THINK!). However, thanks to von Oech's passion for all that is Heraclitus and his teachings, we are presented with many the ancient 'riddles' and a modern day correlation and translation of each. von Oech recalls being struck with "the Heraclitean bug" while studying in Germany many years ago. Now, he has written a book in which he brilliantly and entertainingly examines concepts such as symbol, paradox, and ambiguity in relation to creative thought.

At the beginning of EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED, von Oech provides the reader with 30 creative insights to consider and explore our creative psyches. von Oech goes through each of the thirty selected epigrams, provides his interpretation along with examples, parables, and questions-the kind that make you go "Hmmm"- all the while stoking the creative being within. von Oech does not attempt to inform the reader that his interpretation is the correct one; to the contrary, he implores the reader to step outside the boundries of conventional thought to find the "correct" answer.

As he was in A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD, von Oech is immensely entertaining. He is an individual who has spent his career assisting others to think creatively. As a byproduct of this career, von Oech has proven himself to be a prodigous creative thinker in his own right. Those in the 'concrete' professions-attorneys, consultants, accountants-will find this book extremely insightful. Thinking in the abstract is incongruent with the 'concrete' professions (I know, I'm one of them). As such, having the fodder to stoke the creative juices, particularly when problem-solving, is a boon to any professional.

At it's small physical size and only 190-odd pages, this book is perfect to keep handy at your desk or any place one engages in thought. I plan to keep it nearby just to refer to when a problem presents itself in an ostensibly unsolvable manner.

Highly recommended.

Roger Von Oech has an uncommon gift: he can mix knowledge, wisdom and humour. Von Oech is a fan of Heraclitus. If you really like to think creatively you will be a fan too.

I have never believed in reading about the theory of creativity: is like believing that you are exercising by watching ESPN. If you want to achieve the reality of a way to stimulate your creative thinking this book is for you.

Any work from this author is satisfaction guaranteed.

"Expect the Unexpected or You Won't Find It" is a collection of thirty of Heraclitus' epigrams along with an examination of some of their different facets. Heraclitus was a Greek scholar who answered many of life's questions with comments that were purposely designed to be obscure. This forced the recipient to think creatively to find their answer. Many of them contain internal paradoxes and so part of the creative process is figuring out the paradox and how it applies to your situation.

As Roger von Oech goes through each of the thirty selected epigrams he includes some of the ways that they can be interpreted, ways that they have been interpreted in the past, anecdotes, jokes, and riddles that illustrate the epigram and other ways of illuminating just how deep these pieces of wisdom are. Does he give a complete explanation of how they can be interpreted? No, because that is part of the design of these epigrams, they can be applied to different circumstances and product different but still correct answers. His illustrations are there to open your mind to the creative possibilities that lie hidden within just a few wise words.

Some of these I have heard in the past such as "You can't step into the same river twice". Others are less common but just as full of wisdom such as "On a circle, an end point can also be a beginning point". If you want a book that expands your creative mind and also shows you how to break out of old patterns of thinking in any situation, then this is the book for you. Well written and sure to point the reader to new directions of thinking, it is a highly recommended read.

The book was a gift to my father, years ago, who was a chef with some domestic and international training and experience. A fan of Escoffier, my father couldn't believe some of Herter's comments about the reknown French master of cuisine. This is a wonderful, mixed up collection of recipes, which seem to be second to a world history according to THE authority, George Leonard Herter. He claims authentic historical recipes, but the ingredients list begins with "Take a #2 can of whole corn..." I'm sure the early Native Americans had the electric can openers ready. In any event, a must-read, as I have devoured this book many times and keep howling with laughter. Oh, and yes, the recipes are quite good...and easy.

In addition to being a useful cookbook, this is a facinating history book. This is my favorite cookbook, and has taught me how to cook more than any other. It is also very entertaining, and funny to read. Some of the recipes that I've used which are excellent are Shoshone meat patties, saurbraten, Stonewall Jackson barbecue ribs, Seminole Corn Relish, sour dough pancakes La Salle, and beans escoffier. And if you've ever wondered how to make Worstecshire sauce, beer, or about 50 different kinds of wine after reading this book you will wonder no more.

This is hilarious, and I am sure it is unintentional. The author (the book lists husband and wife as joint authors, but I am sure it was the Mr. who wrote the cookbook, and the Mrs. who typed it) claims to know the only correct version of numerous recipes, as if he had talked to the creators of the recipes in person. However, the funniest part of all is near the end, in a recipe for homemade soap. The author sneers that modern women are too good to make their own soap, but a hydrogen bomb would take care of that! The text is so dense, and full of information, that reading it is like mining - and you never know when you'll come across another priceless nugget like the soap recipe.

Several years ago I discovered this gem in a bookstore at the St.Louis airport when a connecting flight was cancelled. I sat in the food court, crying, and finished the entire book. Since then I have given 6 copies to dog loving friends for special occasions. This is a book to cherish, but it is not just about dogs. It's a wonderful account of the relationship of the two men who rescued the dogs, and to all who were involved in their extremely long and happy lives. The author is a philosopher, and the book is extremely well written and erudite, a commentary on the values that make life worth living - love, devotion, trust - the karma is the same for humans and canines. I have shared my life with eight dachshunds, and I recently buried my beloved Dieter with George Pitcher's eulogy-poem. Thank you, George and Ed.

I stumbled upon this book in the library recently, and have since told all my friends they must read it!! I think the fact that it was written by a man made it even more special. It always surprises me when men show their feelings so openly and with total abandonment, eg: Nicholas Sparks, James Michael Pratt, to name a few... The love and devotion that these two Princeton professors had for these dogs was so intense. Their dedication to the animals was astounding and therefore reciprocated in great abundance. Anyone who owns a dog, has ever owned a dog, or needs to be convinced of the immeasurable experience of owning a dog, needs to read this book. It touched me more than any story of animal/person unconditional love and devotion that I have ever read. A must read!

I found this book at the book store on campus at Princeton University and was delighted to find the author George Pitcher was on faculty at that time. The book was totally fascinating and I was amazed the author's conveyance of the true feelings between man and his dog. Dogs give such unconditional love to their owners/masters but this book develops the reverse also. The men just love their dogs so unconditionally that my emotions were overwhelming. I cried for a half hour after I completed reading this beatiful story. What love.....taking the dogs to Europe on the QEII, cooking for them, caring for them in their old age. These men are true animal lovers. I wish Mr. Pitcher would write more about this subject. Absolutely one of my all time favorites and I read at least 100 books a year.

George Morton tells it like it is. He gives detailed descriptions of what medical transcriptionists actually do, along with the rewards and challenges faced by these professionals. Most useful for me, however, was how the book helped me to answer the question, "Is medical transcription for me?" If your answer is yes, he gives useful tips for getting an education and landing your first job. Invest in this book before you invest in training, reference books, or equipment!

George Morton's HOW TO BECOME A MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST is a comprehensive, user friendly resource guide for all readers interested in pursuing a career in medical transcription. The book presents both the challenges and excitement of medical transcription and answers any questions the reader may have about this career choice. Morton, a nationally known expert in the field, gives an unbiased picture of the world of medical transcription, so the pros and cons of this career are discussed at length. He also provides a description of the necessary skills needed to become a successful transcriptionist and how to obtain those skills whether one chooses to work at home or in an office or hospital. This book is highly recommended for those people thinking about becoming a medical transcriptionist and for seasoned professionals interested in a well written book with extensive information and data about their field.

This book answered every one of my questions about Medical Transcription. It brings you past those glowing home-training advertisements and gives the real facts about what is involved in the training and actual work of this profession. It outlines everything from what skills/traits are needed to the various workplaces. I appreciated Mr. Morton's first hand thoughts about Medical Transcription since I've never met any MTs!

This is a definite must for anyone with some level of consideration for this well-respected career!

I have been reading Bob George's column for many years. and this book brings back many fond memories, along with more than a few chuckles. Great reading for all.

BOB GEORGE IS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON AND A RARE GIFTED FRIEND. HIS MANY ARTICLES OF THE "GILLOTTE- FERRARO" FAMILY HAVE TRULY SAVED THESE PRECIOUS MEMORIES FOR ALL TIME;AND GENERATIONS.THIS BOOK IS TRULY ANOTHER WONDERFUL EXPRESSION OF HIS RARE TALENTS.HE IS A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND AND I HOPE MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE CHANCE TO PURCHASE AND TREASURE AGAIN HIS WONDERFUL TALENT; THANK YOU BOB FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL SPECIAL MEMORIES; I WILL ALWAYS TREASURE YOUR GIFT OF WRITING.

This book is cover to cover laughter. The style and wording provide a comforting visualization of each story. I was able to relate to just about each chapter, which opened the flood gates of many happy and funny memories we all possess. Robert George allows his readers to laugh at situations in life we all deal with through his own experiences. This book reminded me of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, with real life happenings in a humorous light. Each chapter puts life back into perspective while giving the reader a chance to see how similiar we all are.

"The Best of By George" is a wonderful remedy for the stress of everday life!

This book has great insight into the e-business story. I have found it informative and have already recommended it to clients who are moving to e-business for more efficient marketing opportunities. Mr. Colombo's practical approach to technology and the Internet is real plus. This book is worth the time and will give you insight into the e-business movement. I also like Mr. Colombo's style and find it entertaining to read and a good book for an airplane commute.

You read the manifestos, the prophecies and the change-or-die ultimatums. Now read the postmortem. George Colombo begins his dissection of the dotcom corpse by stating the now obvious: Many Internet companies didn't offer viable business plans, the Internet stock boom was mostly hysteria, and the average Internet start-up had no clue how to acquire or serve customers. But picking through the carnage, he identifies elements of the dotcom business model that are worth salvaging. In clear, spare prose he explains how businesses can blend brick-and-mortar operations with electronic innovations like permission marketing and mass customization to capture long-term customers - the key to success in a market of hyper-informed and fickle consumers. We at getAbstract.com strongly recommend this book to any and all professionals, especially those left wondering what's to become of their vaunted Web strategies in the post-dotcom era.

This is not just another techie book. This is a wonderful amalgamation of marketing, technology and business wrapped in an easy-to-read "how-to" book.

Capturing Customers.com is filled with so many good ideas that I was kicking myself for the opportunities I had been missing. Now, armed with these lessons, I'm already making meaningful changes in my business. I'm so glad I picked up this book and only hope my competition doesn't.

First of all let me say, this is from the perspective of web site design as this book is supposed to cover Video, and Web Site production. This book is a great overview book for multiple industries and is a very easy read. However, it lacks the detail I was expecting in regards to how he actually runs his company.

First of all he talks about how to get your first job, basically all common sense that you should already know if you've worked in the business world more a few weeks. Then he talks about actually starting the business and dealing with clients, a few helpful hints here that could be summorized in 5 pages instead of the 70 pages or so these two sections fill mostly with just common sense information again. Next he talks about budgetung and bidding for contracts, which could be helpful for a video studio but not much here for web site companies as he fails to go into any detail on project management and actually tracking progress and time spent.

The following chapter is about legal issues, a good read that will get you up to speed in legal matters pretty quick. Chapter 8 leads you into how to actually setup your web site studio and what equipment to buy. Very, very vague, mainly just covers audio equipment, not much information on web design at all. The final chapter is about managing your crew, subcontracting, and getting paid. A pretty good, interesting chapter to read.

In summary, this book is a pretty good overview of how to prepare to get your first client, but it is mainly common sense. It would have been better labeled "Desktop Video Studio Overview: Helpful Suggestions of How To Get Started In the Video, and DVD Industry" and leave out the web sites part as web sites are just an afterthought in the book.

'Desktop Video Studio Bible' should be re-titled 'The Complete Idiots Guide to starting out in video production and taking it to the limit!'

George Avergakis has achieved what many have previously tried, but failed. George has created a technological how-to guide that reads as if you were sitting down and shooting the breeze with a good friend over a cup of joe. Well, a couple cups anyway (after all the book is 386 pages excluding the Epilogue and Index).

I have personally been in the video production business for 15 years. As a seasoned professional, I thought I had seen it all, done it all. Well, I must admit, my copy of 'Desktop Video Studio Bible' is already dog-eared, highlighted and given a prominent home right next to my computer monitor (for quick and easy access).

One of my many responsibilities at B&H Photo-Video includes managing our booths for the many different video trade shows that we participate in every year. Many of the trade show attendees that I meet rely on my experience to help them solve some of their every day studio problems. Well, George has opened a whole new door for me to access with exciting ideas and solutions. My hat is off to you George on a job well done and for helping to make my job that much easier.

James MacFadden
Trade Show Coordinator/Technical Writer
B&H Photo-Video, Inc.

One of the best career-related reference books I've read! This book really got my wheels turning. The information is laid out in a straightforward way which makes this book a pleasure to read and easy to comprehend. The author covers everything from creating demo reels to client relations, explains legal issues and advises on current technology. He gets the point quickly and gives you the bottom line. All that is well and good and the information is well thought out and insightful. But what really makes this book stand out from the rest is that the author infuses all this information with a mindset and a philosophy that is essential to being successful with clients no matter what your business is. I highly recommend this book!

THE DEVIL'S DUE rounds up Ms. Melanie George's Devil series revolving the romance of the Sinclair brothers - Damien, Nicholas and the latter featuring Gray respectively. For fans who fondly pursues the series for the energetic spunk and fun between the feisty pair of star-crossed lovers, THE DEVIL'S DUE comes out as a dramatic change from its ususl scintillating style. It is darker, more emotional and poignant.

Gray Sinclair, after being thrown off-course from his intended destination, the Azores Islands in quest of The Sacred Heart - a red diamond, in a surprising turn of events, becomes convicted of murder of Sarah - a local towngirl in the Socttish coast. Bonnie MacTavish, the fierce and proud clanswoman is determined to bring him to justice. Yet Bonnie discovers she may have wronged Gray when she sees his merits beneath his juvenile appearance. Just when her heart softens, Gray holds her hostage to get back to his ship (ironcally named Revenge) - and they embark on an adventure to find the coveted stone.

There is intrigue and drama. Clansman rivalry, betrayal and a spiteful mother who lies to her son on his bastard identity. Gray believes himself to be unworthy of his brother's affection with his shameful secret; he is scared of being a dreamer and giving love. It is up to Bonnie to convert him - yet the way is a path of thorns but the triumph of two united hearts is indeed rejoicing. The most haunting part is when Gray recognizes the extent of his love for Bonnie when she is nearly outraged by a savage warrior on the island.

Melanie George matures from the casual mood from Handsome Devil and Devil may care to pen a darker devil's due. While her hilarious tone falters, THE DEVIL's DUE is a solid piece of swashbuckling entertainment. Its romance tinged with a bittersweet tone with misgivings and forgiveness warrants an arresting read especially during Christmas. Some may fault her daredevil stunt at the third book for a change of style. Yet there is absolutely no misgivings. This absorbing read is a blast.

I've read all the books in Ms. George's "Devil" series and have liked them equally. I thought I would end up reading 3 books that were identical, but this series was far from that. Each book was unique. In THE DEVIL'S DUE, Ms.George takes us on an high seas adventure, with Gray Sinclair being the beleaugered, tortured treasure hunter searching for a rare red diamond known as the sacred heart. Bonnie is Ms. George's usual high spirited heroine who takes no guff and could give a darn about the way a woman is "supposed" to act. I must admit, the ending took me by surprise (no peeking now!). Original and different, which is exactly what I've come to expect from this author.

This author became an auto-buy for me with her first of those charming "Devils" with Devil May Care (If you have never read a splendidly done secondary characters like Reggie from DMC, you simply must read it. Stellar!)

Ms. George has the fabulous knack of writing characters that fairly leap off the page, and THE DEVIL'S DUE is no exception. And each devil book was entirely unique. In fact, TDD took me completely by surprise because it showed a depth to this writer I hadn't expected. I knew she could write humorous stuff with a flair heretofore unsurpassed. But I never realized she could also do the deeper, more poignant emotions so well. You truly feel as if you have gone along on an adventure when you read this story. And the hero, Gray, epitomizes what a hero should be while being completely HOT and SEXY at the same time. The book has a twist at the end that totally took me by surprise (now, don't peek!) This is another keeper!