This book makes an excellent addition to anyone in the field of information security. It is very thorough in content, discussing computer security from many angles based on four principles: Integrity, Availability, Control and Auditability. Not for the light reader, but makes a great reference, and an excellent basis for creating a solid security design. I've often heard this book referred to as "big blue". Must have.

Overall, the Computer Security Handbook is about the best single-source book on computer security available.

The topics cover just about every area of infosec.

On one side, the fact that the book has chapters from over 30 authors makes the book lack a consistent style. On the other side, the diversity of authors shows various points of view for an assortment of different security topics.

The overall orderliness of the chapter's developers in a coherent manner. It starts with the basics of information security and then develops into higher-level issues.

Taken as a whole, the Computer Security Handbook is an excellent reference.

This book is the Bible of information security. I stumbled into the 3rd edition (published in 1995) years ago and found it quite helpful, but dated by the time I acquired it. I was simply stunned and enthralled when I discovered a 4th edition had been published. I ordered it immediately, and waited impatiently to arrive... (2 day air)... I received it today, and I can't put it down. It has completely exceeded my expectations, which were considerable given I was very much impressed with the 3rd. This book belongs in any security professionals library. If you haven't got it, you are missing the definitive compendium of security information. Once you have mastered this text, other books do an excellent job of drilling further into the details, but few can exceed the sheer scope and thoroughness of this tome. For those worried about acquiring obsolete texts, this edition is completely current and up to date! Very impressive. Highly recommmended.

Hurrah for another Douglas Evans book about the Classroom at the End of the Hall! These stories are even better than the first. this was the best book I've read this year. My favorite story was The Homework Gnome because I hate homework like Hari. I also thought the Chatterbox was very funny.

Our classroom is at the end of the hall and Miss Howard just read us Math Rashes which is a sequel to Classroom At the End of the Hall by Douglas Evans. We thought this book was even better than the first. Our class has a chatterbox and a pencil loser and a boy who complains a lot, and it was very funny reading about the "cures". These books are like the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books but more up-to-date. So if you want to read a funny book that's about your classroom order math Rashes, and Other Classroom Tales right now!

Our teacher read us Classroom at the End of the Hall by Douglas Evans which is the prequel to this book. I thought it was very funny, but Math Rashes is even funnier. The students in this book sound like students in my fifth-grade class. I like the Chatterbox, The Pencil Grinder and the Homework Gnome. All teachers should definately read this book their class!

I picked up this book because a friend recommended it. The Beats had never much interested me except as a movement. I didn't much like the the literature or the adulation that surrounded them. But this is primarily a book about Joyce Johnson and her experience with the Beats. She has a real talent for evoking a specific time and place and giving readers a sense of what it was like to be part of this mileu. She makes going for a cup of coffee in Greenwich Village seem incredibly exciting. This is not the story of a Beat groupie yearning to hang out or sleep with famous men but rather Ms. Johnson's coming of age. The Beats are an important part of that story but not the whole story.

Wow. This book did more for me than I expected it to. I picked it up for the same reason many others probalby did - because of my interest in Kerouac. But Johnson is not telling his story, she is telling hers. And, despite obvious difficulties and social aspects that let us know it is the fifties, it is really a timeless story, something that can be identified with today. She has put into words what every female person who feels like they don't quite belong in the society in which they grew up has difficulties articulating. I found myself talking to the book - "Yes, that's IT! Exactly." I read this book twice this month.

Her unique and fresh writing style should not be overlooked either. She wrote this book at a good time in her life as well, it is reflective and filled with the insight and intelligence of years and experience.

As a long-time reader of Beat literature, and as a man, I must say that Joyce Johnson's take on those heady, wine soaked days of poetry and madness is absolutely as good and as necessary as anything Kerouac or Ginsberg or any of the more famous (male) crew ever wrote. For my money it's right up there with On the Road.

I guess I've read this book three or four times now and it never gets old.

I also recommend Ms. Johnson's novel, In the Night Cafe, another skillful invocation of the Beat period.

For years I have wanted to tour World War One battlefields, and finally I came upon Before Endeavours Fade: A Guide to Battlefields of the First World War, by Rose E. B. Coombs. I read it cover to cover and felt doing so was the next best thing to touring those sites. When I finished reading this book, cover to cover, I thought this is better than going to each birthplace! It is certainly a lot easier, and I found it extremely satisfying to see each gravesite, all in the course of a couple hours, and to learn so many interesting things, like: What state has the most Presidential graves? Why is there a picture of David Rice Atchison's gravestone in this book? What President lived the shortest time after leaving office? If these sort of questions intrigue you, as they do me, get this book and revel in all the fascinating things you can learn from it.

The one thing that ties all humans together, rich or poor, famous or unknown, powerful or helpless is death. To many Americans our Presidents are either marble figures (Washington, Jefferson...) or are little known familar names (Tyler, Harding...). This book does a great job of making ALL of our Presidents into human beings. The pictures, the writing, even the index pages are outstanding.

What better way to really understand a person than to know their final words. Or better yet to see their final resting places many of which were picked out by the individuals themselves. One can learn a lot about the true character of a person if you see monuments they designed for themselves.

I have visited many Presidential homes and several gravesites but after reading this book I have decided to make visiting all of the gravesites one of my goals in life.

It is strange that a book about death should bring history so alive. BUY THIS BOOK!

Who's buried in Grant's tomb is an interesting guide filled with small histories on each American president. The book contains accurate directions to help you find presidential gravesites, museums and libraries. Furthermore, the book contains addresses where you can write for additional information on each site and even includes website addresses when applicable. I have toured a few of these historical locations myself and have found the information in this book to be especially helpful in providing hours of operation as well as admission prices to some of these places. The book might appear a little morbid when you consider that it focuses on presidential burial sites but once you read it, you quickly find out that it provides a doorway for you to study the human side of these men. By visiting their homes graves and museums, you realize that they are not merely cold icons that you read about in history. They were very real with interesting lives and this book invites you to study their legacies.

Hicks has a lot to offer in this book on activity-based costing, however it is not an easy to read. It very quickly dives into the weeds of detail. I think this is a very good second book to read on Activity Based Costing, because it goes into the details of how to actually implement a system. I would recommend that you first read Kaplan's "Cost and Effect," to get a good grounding in the fundamentals before reading this book.

This is a fantastic book on the subject of ABC. The costing model constructed in the book goes into just enough detail to give you a practical foundation for actual implementation, without getting lost in minutiae. At just the right times, the author also reminds you about the big picture and doesn't let you go away thinking correct decisions can all be boiled down to exercises in number-crunching. This is a must-buy, if you're serious about implementing ABC in your organization.

Activity-Based Costing: Making it Work for Small and Mid-Sized Companies, is a very well written and usefull handbook to design and implementation of Activity-Based Costing. It provides: a general description of key concepts of ABC, a practical guide to design of ABC system in the company, as well as description of any potential problems concerning implementation of ABC. I am working as a financial consultant (in Warsaw), and this book has helped me to help many companies that were loosing their cost-effectiveness. I think, that the author should have added some 100 pages to the book, and defined - described some aspects of Activity-Based Management - although that could have been too technical for most of the readers. Overall, I think that the book contains most of the knowledge needed for successful design & implementation of ABC. It really worked for me...

Guy De Maupassant (1850-1893), if "Bel-Ami" is any indication, must rank as one of the best writers in the history of the western world. Born in Normandy in 1850, Maupassant became a disciple of the French author Flaubert early in life. Guy quit his job with the civil service after publishing his first short story, "Boule de Suif" in 1880. What followed was a phenomenal flurry of 250 short stories and six novels before his premature death from syphilis in 1893. During his short life, Maupassant helped to form the "groupe de Medan," a loosely knit group of naturalist writers headed by Emile Zola. He also worked as a journalist, covering such important events as the French campaigns in Algeria and Tunisia. A hard worker when it came to writing, Maupassant also possessed a zest for life, including a love for the ladies that eventually killed him.

"Bel-Ami" is hardly an original premise. How many books written through the years discuss the idea of a rural man heading to the city to make it big? That is exactly what happens with this book in the form of main character Georges Duroy. After a five-year stint in the French army, Duroy moves to Paris to make his fortune. Regrettably, Duroy is languishing in a lowly job as a railroad clerk until he meets his old army buddy Forestier. From this point forward, Georges is on the fast track to success. Forestier gets him a job at a scandal rag named "La Vie Francaise" where Georges rapidly ascends the ranks from lowly reporter to chief editor. Along the way, Duroy engages in all sorts of amorous adventures with women both high and low on the Paris social register. By the time the story ends, Georges is within sight of the highest positions in French society, all accomplished through sheer cunning and social maneuvering.

There are so many themes running through this sordid tale of the decadent Third Republic that it is impossible to adequately describe them all here. The introduction to this Penguin edition, written by translator Douglas Parmee, does a good job of showing how incidents in Maupassant's life appear in the character of Georges Duroy. The protagonist's rural background, his experience in France's North African expeditions, his work as a reporter and the subsequent expose of the seediness of journalism, the numerous affairs, the social positioning, and the philosophical musings on death are all expressions of Maupassant's personality and activities. I do hope, however, that Maupassant was not as big of a cad as Georges Duroy because this character may be one of the biggest jerks in the history of literature.

You cannot help but hate Duroy. He has little self-control except when he realizes that holding off on a conquest might mean self-advancement. Georges takes his mistress to the same theater where he picks up prostitutes, takes money from people without paying them back, corrupts women of high moral standards, sleeps with his boss's wife, seduces his boss's daughter, and physically assaults his mistress. There is just no way to sympathize with this guy, and the fact that he gains riches and fame is particularly galling to anyone with any sense of decency. But that is the message De Maupassant is trying to convey; that the complete decadence of French society during this time allows the likes of Duroy to succeed, and to succeed with a smile. Witness the scene towards the end of the book when Walter, Duroy's boss, grudgingly accedes his daughter to Georges's slimy scheme. "He will go far," says Walter, with more respect for Duroy's distasteful achievement than disdain for his lack of morals.

Another theme in the book, and one that runs through the pages like a 400-pound gorilla, is hypocrisy. The propensities for backstabbing, lying, and blatant disregard for self-realization in "Bel-Ami" is laugh out loud astonishing. These are shallow, manipulative people without a shred of decency, and Maupassant never passes up an opportunity to expose these despicable people. The hypocritical stance of the characters and situations often vie with powerfully descriptive passages of Paris and the French countryside, which are truly beautiful to read and have probably accounted for thousands of tourist trips to that country. The characters in "Bel-Ami" may be of no account morally, but they move and live in an environment of unsurpassed beauty.

Maupassant's knowledge of his own impending death weighs heavily in the story. Two sections highlight his musings on mortality: the monologue of the poet Norbert de Varenne and the death of Forestier. For the author, his slow deterioration from a disease made death a daily reality. What seemed to worry De Maupassant the most about death was not punishment from God but the idea of nothingness and being forgotten by the living. Of course, death makes no impression on Georges Duroy, who experiences only a moderate twinge over the passing of Forestier before making a play for that man's wife in order to improve his social position.

I am elated that I discovered this author. Guy De Maupassant is a brilliant writer whose early death robbed the world of a great talent. Although his short stories are considered some of the best ever written, do not pass by this novel. I have rarely seen an author who can write about mundane, daily situations with as much aplomb (see the scene about the fencing party as a prime example). De Maupassant's masterful abilities make this ordinary plot strikingly original and I will revisit this author again in the future. You should too.

Maupassant's characters are more real and colourful than those created by any of the other French naturalists. Bel Ami, his first fill length novel, is simply a joy to read. It tells the story a young ex-soldier, fighting for social position and materialism in the rat race of 1870s Paris. This novel could easily be transported to present day and loose nothing of its impact. Scandal, political intrigue and sexual manipulation are described with Maupassant's cutting pessimism, yet beautifully balanced by his black wit and appreciation for the simple joys of life.

I would never have known that Guy de Maupassant wrote novels along with his great short stories if another amazon reader hadn't turned me on to their existence. This novel, reminiscent of Madame Bovary (a male version, you might say) is terrific. You'll get a great deal of description of Paris in the late 19th century with period details worthy of any great novelist. The plot is typical: poor, rural young man from the outskirts (Rouen) has no money and no position in life, but longs to find fame and fortune. Thanks to his manly wiles (he's a natural ladies' man), he manages to sleep his way to the top. Like Madame Bovary, happiness is never really there no matter how much money and power he attains - the more you get, the more you realize that others will always have more. Still, Monsieur Duroy, even at his most calculating retains somewhat of a sympathetic quality that allows us to relate to him and root for his success. Despite its length, this novel is a fast read. One of my favorites of the year.

It is well-named, addressing the needs of the runner desiring to racing faster--the runner who will commit to the proper training and preparation. It gives training plans and points for all distance levels, including cross-country, which is not seen in most other books.

I did not feel, however, that I learned much new information. Glover's book handle similar material, and I gave it five stars. To the credit of "Road Racing" is that you do not need to hunt for what you want to know, and you know you can count on these authors' authority. Not only have they excelled as athletes, but they are respected by their peers and the various running periodicals.

This book is well written and well organized, succinctly getting its points across. Its strongest aspect is that it explains in readable language what needs to be done in a limited number of pages (189 pp).

Now go run.

Most books about running, racing, and training try to cater to a broad spectrum of runners. From the person who runs two times a week at a 10 min. per mile pace, to the person who runs twice a day at a sub six minute pace. These books provide some good general information, but nothing specific to one group or another . As the title suggests, this book is specific to the serious runner. If you are serious about improving your running and racing times, this book can help.

This is an excellent book. Pfitzinger not only tells you how to train, but explains why in clear, understandable language. His schedules are perfect for runners who need flexibility since he sets out what needs to be done each week & prioritizes them so you can fit them into YOUR work schedule, not the other way around.

After using 2 cycles of the training program, I can attest that they bring results.

The best training resource I've read in 25 years of running! Bravo!

The Memory Workbook is a must for anyone over the age of 40. It explains in a way that anyone can understand how memory works and what to expect as you age. It helped me to feel better about myself and my memory and helped me to realize that occasional forgetfulness is ok. It also help me to realize that a particular medication that I was on was actually affecting my memory. So I conslulted my doctor and my memory has greatly improved. I really recommend this book!

The Memory Workbook is very current, logical and easy to understand. The authors capture your attention with interesting memory exercises. They also dispel memory loss myths and fears of aging. A serious subject is addressed with light humor and realistic and useful techniques to improve your memory. It has helped me improve my memory especially in the workplace. I highly recommend this book.

This book is a great self help tool not only in the area of memory - but in using the power of positive thinking.

Right from the start the exercises give you power to enhance your memory by teaching techniques to pay attention, to associate and to accept your own abilities.

For anyone who has a tendancy to forget, you can learn your strengths, boost your weaknesses and even smile at them. If you fear Aging, Alzheimers, Dimentia or Senility - there is an explanation that is understandable. Medication, Depression and other factors that can alter one's memory are also described.

I would recommend this book to anyone who suffers from or knows someone else who has concerns regarding his or her memory.

I first read Tom Douglas' cookbook while dining at his Etta's Restaurant near Pike Place Market. I was savoring his Roasted Salmon with Etta's Rub while reading the recipe in the book and became more inspired with every bite. It was also good to see recipes for other dishes on the menu. Now I'm ready to recreate Etta's at home. Fabulous pictures of Seattle and a wonderful read overall.

Point number one: As a Seattlite, Tom Douglas' three fabulous restaurants have always been among my favorites. I'm thrilled to have the recipes for all my favorite dishes - Lobster Potstickers, Tuscan Bread Salad and Cornbread Pudding, just to name a few. And then there is the world's most amazing dessert: Triple Coconut Cream Pie. I don't particularly care for coconut, but I'd walk miles for a bite of this marvel. Whenever visitors come to town, we inevitably take them to the Dahlia Lounge and insist, no matter how loud their protests, that they at least try a bite. Without fail, they, too, become converts. Trust me on this. Douglas' recipes are well-written and adapted for the home cook. He does a great job of explaining off-beat ingredients and preparations. Where appropriate, he even includes photos of how to tackle some of the more unusual preparations that make his recipes even easier to follow.

Point number two: Not only does Douglas give you his best recipes in this book, but he has also written what should be considered a mandatory guidebook to visitors and newcomers to Seattle. Douglas generously mentions most of the other great restaurants in town and tells you when to go and what to order. His description of the local markets is so comprehensive, it should be mandatory reading for every new cook who comes to town. Clearly, this man loves Seattle, and he wants to share all the best of it with his readers.

Being a Seattle ex-patriot, I feel like I know Mr. D well. I've had the privledge, over the years, not only to dine at all three restaurants but to meet the man as well, (I once begged him to let me live in the basement of the Dahlia and let me eat the crumbs from the table). In the chapter titled "Starters", my wife and I were among the 12,000 devouring Flash-fried Squid at "The Bite" (Side note: Tom, we're sorry it became a pain, but we just couldn't stop from stuffing our faces).

Tom is not only a genius in his restaurants, but this book as well. Even if you have never had the chance to eat at one of his restaurants, this book will introduce you to you to one of the true greats of American cooking. Having eaten at all of the restaurants AND tried the recipes, he is right-on in telling you how to make these favorites.

I never thought I would actually hold in my hands the "secrets" to Tuscan Bread Salad, but yet, here it is. (But Tom, how about the Tamales from Etta's?)

Oh, and by the way, this book is not just about Tom's restaurants. Listen to his advice about visiting Seattle. Any world-class chef that will recommend Dick's for a late-night burger has his finger on the true pulse of the city!

I may now live a thousand miles away, but Tom is here now, in my kitchen, guiding me as I make most of my favorites from his world. It will never be the same as a wonderful, romantic evening spent at the Dahlia or a rainy afternoon at Etta's, but at least it fills the void.

Some of us remember the Blues 'n' BBQ events that Tom did for Food Lifeline. These events, not held at the restaurants but at a local park, spoke not only of the true giving spirit of Mr. D, but also give credibility to the chapter, "Mo'Poke Dadu". Is there anything the man cannot do?

I do wish the recipe for Gingerbread that we enjoyed one dark miserable fall afternoon at Etta's was here, but hey, if enough of us buy this book, perhaps Tom will take requests for the next one....

Tom, we miss you. Thank you for making the journey, via your first cookbook, to the culinary wasteland of Southern California.

(P.S. I'm available for "R & D" anytime you're in the neighborhood!)

I reviewed Trying Again for my local infant loss support group after already having a subsequent pregnancy. This book is intended for women who have become pregnant after a loss without really understanding why their babies died the first time or what they can do about it. As such, it's much more medical than I expected, very clinical on a basic level, and without as many personal stories or tips about your emotional state than I would have expected given its length. The medical talk runs the risk of scaring women who may suddenly self-diagnose their pregnancies with everything that could possibly happen.

I was irritated by the title, since "Trying Again" means you failed, and I didn't fail when my baby died--I succeeded in giving birth to a beautiful baby girl who had a fatal birth defect. Loving my daughter was a success of a different sort, and I hate to see the death of a baby treated as a failure, even if it's only in the language the author uses in the title. The author also assumes that most parents' automatic response to the diagnosis of a birth defect is to terminate the pregnancy, so pro-life readers may be a little distressed whenever the subject arises.

It is said that no loss in life affects us as deeply and profoundly as that which we experience when a child of ours dies. Whether the child is a 6-week-old embryo, a 39-week-old fetus, or a grown adult, the mother or father in us feels a sadness that is hard to understand, describe, or come to terms with. Making the decision to try again can be courageous, impetuous, desperate--and a supreme physical and emotional sacrifice. This book can help make the decision informed.

Many books are available for people who are pregnant, who want to get pregnant, or who are grieving the loss of a baby. This book is different because it focuses on that fragile period between having lost a child and the decision to, and the act of, trying to become pregnant with another one. Instead of glossing over or whispering about death, this book faces this common experience head on, offering both compassion and practical information and advice about why this happens and how to go on from here. The personal accounts of the several women and men who went through miscarriage, stillbirth, and early infant death are especially helpful, because readers can understand that this experience is not uncommon--even though their emotional response to it may be unique.

I wish this book had been available when I lost my first baby at 12 weeks into the pregnancy. It would have helped me get through the five months of grief, anger, resentment, guilt, and shattered trust and self-confidence that followed. I plan to give copies of this book to friends, and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try again.

First, I must admit to a slight bias, as I was one of the bereaved parents, trying again, whom Ann Douglas interviewed for this book. Having eagerly awaited its publication, I can say that it is everything I was hoping to read and more.

Losing a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth is a tragedy that few people can imagine until they have had the unfortunate experience of living through it. Many people urge the bereaved couple to "try again" (as if that will make everything all better). They often do not realize how the loss of the previous pregnancy colours every facet of trying or being pregnant again.

As someone who has lived through the loss of a child and the birth of a subsequent baby -- as well as being a gifted writer on pregnancy and parenting issues -- Ann is uniquely qualified to explore every aspect of this largely unexplored subject. The book is thorough and presents lots of factual information, as well as the voices of bereaved parents who have made the courageous decision to try again to bring a living child home. For me, it was the stories and examples of these other bereaved parents that really "made" the book.

I would highly recommend this book for any bereaved parent struggling with the decision to try again or going through a subsequent pregnancy, as well as those in a position to provide support to these brave couples.