THE BLAIR HANDBOOK IS MUST HAVE FOR WRITING PERFECT ENGLISH. NO HOUSE, LIBRARY, OR EVEN STUDENT SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS TEXT. EVER WONDER WHY IT IS THAT 'THE ROAD WINDS AROUND THE MOUNTAIN.' INSTEAD OF 'THE ROADS WINDS AROUND THE MOUNTAIN'? WELL NOW YOU CAN FIND OUT, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT, BUT THE REASON IT ISN'T CORRECT. THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT YOU WILL WRIET AND THEN SECOND GUESS THEM, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE CORRECT. WITH THIS BOOK YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS CORRECT AND BRING YOUR WRITING UP TO A HIGHER LEVEL. USE THE TIPS AND LESSONS TO WRITE IMPRESSIVE RESUMES, PAPERS, THESES ETC. A MUST FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN WRITING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

This book is perfect for any student of writing, wether enrolled in a university or not. It guides the reader through every stage of the writing process: planning, drafting, researching, revising, editing. Each stage is examined very carefully; the book covers any and all aspects that are needed to get on board and start writing.

The unique features of this book are (1) helpful ESL boxes that offer important tips for international students, or for those that help international students, (2) Questions for analysis and useful assignments, both for individuals and groups, (3) a clear, exciting format that makes for easy, captivating reading, and (4) practical charts and helps for easy reference. The book can be read like a novel or used as a reference tool. The only problem is that, because of the size of the book, the softcover does not wear well. I would recommend buying hardcover.

I have always avoided writing; it never quite turns out the way I want. But this handbook, with its clear explanations and user-friendly tone, has inspired me to simply write, not letting burdens of worry slow me down. I have been encouraged to have fun exploring new ways of putting my fingers to the keyboard. This book is for anyone who is not a writer, or is, but wants to be one.

I've used Director for 5 years and i found this book full of good examples. I found the Object Oriented Programming chapter so exciting...Probably one of the best book on Director i've read (i'm waiting for Gary's new Book - Using Macromedia Director 8.5).
Buy it, non ve ne pentirete !
ciao

This is awesome! I've used Director for 2 years and was really excited about the new 3D features in 8.5 but thought I'd have to spend months learning how to use the engine. In 1 week of reading this I made my first user activated 3D projector that plays sound relational to my world.

I know why this book is so good: I looked at these guys sites in the front of the book for these authors - these guys really know how to create. Examples are inspirations!

This is the juice. I want more. Give me more.

PG Juice.

This book has become the favourite of my 5 year old daughter. Why should great fairytales only have one life, this is what happens after Cinderella marries the Prince and has a child of her own and her stepsisters have children of thier own. A very clever extension of the original. Great reading for 4-8 age group.

Out of Alan and Suzanne's 3 books, this one is my kid's favorite! They were in stitches the first time we read it because of what happens at the end! And even though we have read it many times now, they still giggle when the last couple of pages approach. Great story with good solid morals and a wonderful update on the Cinderella story. :-)

I think this book has a great story line. Goldlocks is all grownup and now is a police officer and is searching for a missing bear. This book is so different than alot of books on the market today. The author takes an old story and made a new one out of it. Today authors try to come up with new ideas but Alan Osmond chose to take one that was alreay there, expand on it and make it have a new twist to it. The book also has great illustration and color. I think any child would like to hear new bedtime stories for a change and this one is definietly new.

There are so many children's books to choose from in today's literary market. Alan Osmond has recaptured some of the lost moments of youth, when all was well as mother or father held you close and read glorious tales. 'Just Right' is the wonderful, new story of what happened to those classic characters in 'Goldilocks and the 3 Bears' and the story is charming. Snuggle your little ones close to you and enjoy some more magical childhood moments.

As a great admirer of "Jude the Obscure" and "Tess of the D'Ubervilles," I was intrigued when I saw this collection of some of Hardy's shorter works, and was not disapointed. The common theme running through these sketches is Hardy's dissatisfaction with the institution of marriage. Written in Hardy's impeccable style, these stories are short and biting looks at the circumstances that surround and influence marriage. You'll find few happy endings among these tales, but they are an enjoyable read. It's always a pleasure to immerse oneself in Hardy's world and language, and the twisted little plots Hardy creates show a side of his genius I had not previously realized.

These stories are not as profound as some of Hardy's other works, and, by necessity, the characters are not as well developed. However, I would still recommend this book. For a fan of Tess or Jude, it's a fascinating look into the mind of Hardy at the time he was writing these novels. And for someone who's never read any Hardy, they are an easy and enjoyable introduction to a wonderful author.

What wonderful language! What wonderful characters! If you're looking for happy endings, don't look here. Tragedy, suicide, and deceivement abound in these short stories. (My 1965 hard-cover copy also includes A FEW CRUSTED CHARACTERS.) But if you appreciate remarkable writing that will take your breath away, this is it! Comparable to Hardy's THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE.

I ask my students to use this book in an anthropological course on globalism. It is a gold mine of information--historical, economic, social. It is a must-have reference book for the historically and geographically challenged. However, the information is aging. I fervently hope that there is an update in the wings.

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I had forgotten Hardy's unique way of making my jaw drop in the last few pages of his novels. If it's been a while since you've treated yourself to his unrelenting destruction of any hope you may be harboring for his characters, indulge. The man never disappoints a cynic.

This is one of Hardy's least known works, and is generally not regarded as highly as other titles such as "The Mayor of Casterbridge" or "Far from the Madding Crowd". Personally however it's my favourite Hardy book. I may be biased since it's the first Hardy I read and I was also "involved" with a pair of blue eyes at the time, but somehow it's a little more "reader friendly" than the others I've read (Under the Greenwood Tree & Far from the Madding Crowd) and seems to get you a little more concerned with the characters fates rather than looking for moral pointers or intellectual arguments. Try it - hopefully you'll love it too.

I've loved every Hardy book, poem, and short story that I've ever read. He reminds me of our own William Faulkner who surely must have read Hardy because he patterned his style in the same manner (Yoknapatawpha County versus Hardy's Wessex, etc.). The blue-eyed girl, Elfride, reminds me of the main character in a book I'm reading now: Clyde Griffiths in Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, also a book describing the conflicts of class and love and, since it's set in the US, lust for money. A long suit of Hardy's is his wonderful quotes from the peasants ("I have no use for a flower that neglect won't kill," and "dead, but wouldn't drop down." The other thing I like is his many references which enrich the story and educate the reader. Therefore I look for editions that have explanatory notes. Then too I like to have a pile of reference books on hand to get his fuller meaning: the Bible, Shakespeare, books on English literature, etc. And last, like all Hardy novels, A Pair of Blue Eyes has plenty of sex (if you can read between the lines). Hardy recognized that strongest of all drives beside the basic ones of survival, and despite what he called the Grundyism of the period, he conveyed that truth in his books. Read this book and any other by Hardy. A lifetime of pleasure awaits you. But of course that's just my opinion.

When I began reading the book, I could not see the point of long descriptions of everyone and everything but as I kept on reading, I understood its' significance. The vivid description unconsciously painted the picture of the heath and the people living there. It took me some time to understand the character of Eustacia but her thoughts, passions and feelings seemed real and felt as if such a person actually existed. The edition of the book I read, after the tragic ending, had another chapter which Thomas Hardy added later, on the readers' demand (because when this book was originally published, some people considered it too tragic). But I think that howsoever tragic, the ending was a suitable one and left an impression for the reader to always remember the story. The later addition of another chapter was unnecessary and side tracked from the original essence of the story. Still, its a great work and worth reading.

"The Return of the native" is the first novel that I have read of Thomas Hardy's. The novel begins with a detailed yet beautiful description of the Egdon Heath, which to a Hardy beginner would appear too descriptive to go on reading. However, once the characters are introduced and the plot of the story begins, it is an unstoppable read. I have read a Hardy's poem titled "The convergence of the Twain" that reveals Hardy's faith in "Immanent Will" that drives the events of this universe. This novel reinforces that faith of his. Though a reader can clearly see a solution to the problem that the characters are in, the characters themselves are helpless pawns in the hands of the Immanent will that drives the show. A not so unusual story, more or less predictable in the plot, gains its advantage from the beauty of Hardy's language. I have not come across a better author who can so exactly transform what he visualizes/sees into words. The book is definitely a treasure to be kept and re-read.

Hardy's talent soars in this novel, as he creates an atmosphere of love, death and life on Egdon Heath. Hardy's characters come to life on the pages, and they carry incredible amounts of emotion, passion and romance in their words. My favorite character, Eustacia Vye is an romantic, evil, and twisted woman who is out to get only what she thinks she deserves. She'll ruin everything in her path to get the man and the wealth that she wants. My least favorite character, Thomasin Yeobright, is a meek and "perfect" character who is so naive that she finds herself in irreversible situations. Other characters that intermingle in the story include Diggory Venn, Clym Yeobright, and my favorite male character, Damon Wileve. All five aforementioned people change and mold eachother into adults as they love, help, hurt and harm eachother. A trail of destined events leads to the explosive ending, and allows the novel to come to an incredible close, where no character is left untouched. Return of the Native is now one of my favorite books! If you like romance, drama, and fantasy, then this book could be perfect for you. It starts off a little slow, but before too long, Hardy will have you enveloped in the lives of his characters, and you won't be able to put it down!

At first, I was a little confused as to how Hardy could stretch what seemed to be a simple plot into such a long novel--especially because the story in blurb on the back cover happened within the first 50 pages. But the story is more than the blurb on the back cover. It is about betrayal, last wishes, the "evils" of drink, and how one mistake can affect you 21 years down the road. Hardy's fatalistic view, seen through Henchard, is, at times, enough to drive the reader crazy.

Like many of the other reviewers here, I cried throughout the book. There are constant turns in the story line that at times uplift your soul, and then crash it into the depths of depression. This book is not an easy read though. There are sections that you will struggle to get through because it is dry, but then there are others that will keep you up at night rushing to finish.

I liked this book slightly less than I liked _Tess_, but it was _Tess_ that made me buy this book. Enjoy!

I remember having read this book in high school. I immediately fell in love with Hardy. (I was also fond of Hardy Boys at that time, so in my opinion the name Hardy acquired a special significance.) Unfortunately, though, I never liked another book by him quite so much. I've read Tess of the d'Urbvilles, Under the Greenwood Tree, Far from the Madding Crowd(which was perhaps his second best novel, as others here have affirmed), and perhaps a few others. It is strange, or perhaps significant that I remember the exact circumstance when I was reading this book. It must have been about ten in the night. I had cleared my study desk, and unlike my common practice of lying on my stomach on my bed to enjoy a book into the night, I sat down on the straight-backed chair at the desk to read it. Very soon, I was overwhelmed by the narrative of Mr. Hardy. My father came in to see what I was up to, saw the tears streaming down my face as I turned the pages of my book, and quietly went away. I have never before owned any story books- my parents told me to read out of libraries. But now I am 22, and have started earning some money of my own, and I'm going to start a little collection of my most beloved books, to pass on to my children, perhaps? And this is among my very best.

Since I have decided to dedicate part of my time spent reading in 2003 to the classics, I started first with The Mayor of Casterbridge, not the most famous of Hardy's works but seemingly a good place to start. I will definitely read the other works by this author since I was so captivated by this book.

The novel begins with the sale of Michael Henchard's wife and child to the highest bidder at a local summer fair. Henchard is drunk and his wife, tired of his habits, decides to leave with the sailor who bids on her and her daughter. Henchard wakes up the next morning, somewhat remorseful for what he has done and vows not to drink for twenty-one years.

The very next chapter picks up the story nineteen years later, with the return of the wife and child into Henchard's life. Henchard is now quite wealthy and is such an important man in his community, he is now Mayor of Casterbridge. From here, a series of wrong decisions and misunderstandings lead to the devastating conclusion.

Hardy is well known for his tendency towards gloomy endings and this book certainly fits the mold. But he is also well known for his lyrical descriptions of the English countryside and describing a way of life which had disappeared even in his own time. There were beautiful passages about the hay carts being driven through town, loaded so high that people on the second floor of homes could reach out and touch the top of the hay. Small details abound, describing the sound of rain on trees and the smell of the local foods. But perhaps the most significant aspect of the novel for me was the feeling that Henchard had wished for everything that had happened to him, and all of his wishes came true, and thus ultimately his downfall. These wishes were almost all made in a rash moment, when perhaps a minute or more of reflection could have produced a clearer head. Yet Henchard lives by his instincts, since for almost twenty years they seemed to serve him well.

I would recommend this book to any serious literature lover and I believe it serves as a good introduction to his other works. His books serve as a bridge from Victorian literature to modern literature, with no happy endings guaranteed.

As a former police reserve officer, I spent years requesting CSI with little understanding of just what they do. This book goes well beyond lifting fingerprints and other routine tasks that police officers are typically limited to. I now have a better awareness of the capabilities of CSI and conciderations about how to protect a scene and how CSI can be used to investigate certain crimes. I also have a greater appreciation for CSI personnel and the difficult job they have. I liked the book and believe it would be helpful to anyone in law enforcement.

This is a very good introductory Criminal Justice text. It is easy to see that the authors targeted the general introductory cj students and those interested in exploring the field of crime scene investigation. Basic terms and proceedures are presented in clear everyday science based applications. This text uses understandable charts, graphs and photos to enhance crime scene applications. This text is clearly not for those who are working at the graduate level, but it clearly meets the needs of the student who is surveing forensic opportunties. Good job

I found this book to be a solid introduction into the varied and complex field of CSI. It presented a balance between basic and advanced techniques. The authors state this book was written for students considering CSI and those currently in the field and I agree. It provided a refresher in some areas and exposed me to new concepts in others. I also liked the community-policing feel of this text as it relates to addressing the needs of victims. The book is easy to follow and contains many photographs. I recommend it to anyone considering a job in CSI or to enhance their skills. I also read the first edition. This one seems to be much improved.