There are two ways one can approach the Book of Daniel. One can ignore the stories and focus on the prophecies in chapters 2 and 7-12, looking for explanations in history. This jigsaw puzzle approach to the Book of Daniel does not help one to live a better life. But, I must confess, that that was the approach I was looking for when I bought the book. I got so much more out of it as I studied Daniel's uncompromising life of prayer. Dr. Ferguson does not ignore history nor fail to indicate what events the prophecies refer to when this is clear, but much more important than that is the lesson that God is sovereign over history. He is in control. We can either, like Daniel, seek after God's in obedience or, like the kings of Babylon, go against His plan in a rebellion that is doomed to fail.

While I enjoy Friar's <>, it would take several life times to check the references for the number of items about which there is disagreement. To wit: using Kay W. Holmes as his source, Friar says that the Order of the Holy Ghost was a Castilian order of the 1300's. But Aviles [1780] dates the order in 1578 and says that it is French.

R Goss [richard.n.goss@gte.net]

A very good illustrated book, plenty of informations about all the signs you could find in a wood, a beach, a street.. Just open the book and you'll be able to find out which species of bird flown on your garden, which one eat your loved flowers... Very nice and veru useful!

The back cover promises "Step-by-step instructions on how to use it in your systems." This is why I bought the book. However, there are only a handful of pages on "Using Twofish", and none of them have anything like a step-by-step howto.

Bruce Schneier is the Yoda of crpytography and information security, if you've heard him there's no need to ask anyone else. This book would probably only appeal to the genuinely avid crypto fan, its Greek to anyone else. It is a thorough exposition of the making of the Twofish cypher, the latest attempt to secure information as absolutely as possible. You must be well versed in cryptography to get anything out of the work.

This book is not a how-to-do thing. You will learn why this cypher was created, how it was created it all the details. Not an introductory book. But very worth to who ever want to enter modern applied cryptographic field.

I had mistakenly thought that Wrox books were held to a higher standard. First getting a taste for them going through both of Rob Vieira's two SQL Server Programming books and regarding them as the finest technical books I've ever seen. However this Professional SQL Server 2000 XML is a disappointment. Part of the problem lies with having 12 different authors because it seems a bit jumpy. I think I'll really try to limit my future purchases to single source efforts. Also, no care was taken with the code examples that you can download from the Wrox website. The book shows the source but there is really no way of really matching the example to the source other than guessing the name. Often I've needed to open up all 15 or so files in the directory to realize that the particular example is not included. I'm picking my way through but it is not pleasant.

It is a good book as far as explaning what SQL Server has to offer regarding XML capabilities but it should have covered the case studies fully with the .Net Framework. Also, it covers very good the IIS configuration, and how to manage XML Templates, XPath and Schemas. The book has a migration example from ASP to ASP.Net which does not cover ADO.Net. If you want a rich source on how to integrate SQLXML and the .Net Framework THIS IS NOT THE BOOK.

I looked at two other SQL Server 2000 XML books, but found this one to be the best - covering almost everything on SQL Server 2000 XML. Very well written, nice examples help understand the technology better. The chapter on Updategrams is very useful. I wanted to learn updategrams and this chapter covers it nicely to get started using them in production.

I got this book from a friend after he ended his own life. I knew it was written by a Christian and after skimming the table of contents I also knew it was nothing more than Christian [hoopla] embedded in a plethora of historical references in the attempt to make it appear as if the author had "done his homework" and yet the author spends an inordinate amount of time surveying history without showing how that disproves atheism or proves any deities exist. I suppose he knows that his constituents won't mind that at all. So, I jumped to the end and tried to get to his main point - his knockout punch and here are a couple of things he had to say.

He brings up the argument from evil but oddly he spends page after page digging through ancecdote after anecdote and pointing out this and that but never gets around to showing how the argument from evil is flawed. Strangely, he inverts the argument from evil and uses it to prove God exists. Here is his first premise in his new argument from evil.

1 If God does not exist, transcendent, objective values of good and evil do not exist.

Talk about a non sequitor...

He also commits the "no true Scotsman" fallacy by claiming no true Christian ever committed any atrocities throughout history. Extremists and those of other religions committed them. He even has the nerve to claim that atheism has claimed more lives in the last 100 years than religion has in the last 2000! He equates the Nazi movement of Hitler with atheism even though it is known that Hitler was a Christian and he believed he was doing what God wanted since the Jews rejected Jesus the Jews became the enemy.

With so many logic errors and so much disinformation within the span of only a couple of pages, why would any conscientious reader take the time to plow through the almost 600 pages? The last page ends with the grand conclusion that Jesus is God and God is Jesus and there is no other option. My, oh my! What's an atheist to do?

Save your money. There are real scholars to be read and Blanchard is not one of them.

Tim

It had a vew good points, but nothing new and nothing that hasn't been debunked by the atheists/freethinkers out there. To read this book and think that it closes the door on atheism shows a lack of proper research.

I found this to be an excellent overview of the subject. Remember (other reviewers) that it is more in depth than most overviews of the subject, but it is by no means exhaustive. I have found in my study of the topic (really any topic) that no single book can cover everything at complete length. This book however, covers most of the main issues related to the topic in enough detail to raise questions and peak further interest in the mind of truly open-minded, rational thinkers. I found most of the argumentation sound and without problems with regard to the rules of logic and reasoning. Use it as a starting point for further study.

Like other reviewers, I think this is a must for all Christians. When I was finished reading it my faith was definitely strengthened. I have also used the arguments and information in this book springboards into discussing the subject with other intelligent, logical, rationally thinking atheists, with good results.

Dear Oh Dear... Another paganistic and beastly concoction disguised as spiritual awakening. Obviously influenced by the likes of A A Bailey, H P Blavatsky, Aleister Crowley and other Beastly doers of deception. Notice the 666 slightly camouflaged but still blatantly obvious on the front cover? I urge you to read this but to be analytical and on your guard as many of the buzzwords and phrases have alternative meanings. Good people DO NOT be fooled by this ungodly attempt at corrupting the hearts and minds of vulnerable people. May the true God (not some spirit of the earth or a LSD-trip) bless you all.

Have you noticed the symbol on the cover of the book? It is disguised cleverly. It is the mark of the beast 666. The same symbol as the Trilateral commission, and other organizations. Open your eyes people and see what you are reading. This is a perfect example of the War between God and Satan. Please study what this woman stands for before you read this book, so you will be more prepared to understad what is going on.

In my early 20s, this book set my mind on fire because it cleared away the doom-encrusted blindness of a prosaic protestant Christian (aka "dead spirituality") upbringing. Having read in the fields of perceptual door-cleansing for many years, I now see it as a good generalist overview with a lot of heart. I recommend it highly to anyone just starting their search.

This is the executive summary of a 38-page white paper written jointly by the CERIAS center at Purdue University and Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting). Not much content here, just a statement of direction that is laudable but lacking in any new thinking. There's more to the white paper, if you are willing to go surfing to find it.

This book advertises itself as an against the grain, theoretically sophisticated, radical re-reading of Milton. It talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. Some of the contributors (Kendrick)cannot write a grammatical sentence.