The first time I read these books was when I was in grade school, and for years I could remember the story but not the book titles. Finding them on Amazon and reading them again after all these years was a joy.

The author weaves a tale of adventure that will captivate young people and adults alike. The perspective is that of a young boy who lives in a future Earth in which an alien race has
conquered earth and controls humans through mind control devices that force allegiance to the alien race and the Tripod machines they travel in. Despite the technology of the alien race, humans live as they did in the middle ages. The story is about this young man's journey and how teams of free young people, not under the influence of the mind control, try and destroy the alien cities and free humanity.

The books were written in the late 1960's so some of the symbolism of the decade reveals itself, although subtly. The most powerful aspects of the book series are the depictions of the landscape and the alien city conditions and the coming of age of this young man. The author captures the thoughts and emotions of this central character quite well.

The "newest" book, written as a prequel to the "White Mountains" series, was written well after the other three books and as a result has a different feel and tone. It is a "throw in" for the set, but doesn't add much value.

Overall, a fun and enjoying read for all ages.

I have nothing but prais to give this book and the entire series, John Christophers books are some of the few intresting books for my age group (13-14), first reading this book just for school I quickly took it home that night and was unable to put it down, I also proceeded to read the other books of the series-- The City of Gold and Lead, later on the Pool of Fire, and just days ago ,When the tripods came. These books are all incredable and I would recomend them to anyone. Just as an example I recomended them to all my friends and they too were unable to put it down Everyone should get these books

I read this book at age twelve as a punishment for finishing the science assignment before the rest of the class. The books on the shelf were for students who didn't do they're work on time. I was disgusted with having to choose from such a poor collection when I picked up my first book The White Mountains. I thought it was going to be a sappy teenage story. By the end of the first chapter I was hooked. Here was this normal teenage boy, Will, fascinated with the forbidden technology of an old watch? What could have happened to make their whole society hate any and all technology. He questions the norm and demonstrates the confidence in himself to do what is right if only in his heart. Such courage inspired me. The entire trilogy was sincere and very plausible in a sci-fi sense. I laughed and cried and was a better person in the end. I think I look for this trilogy's spirit in every series I read. Everything technological that we take for granted could be gone in an instant. I am very grateful for my teacher's insistance on my doing something with my free time, I am and forever will think fondly of these books. I have read many books in many genre's and would honestly wonder if it should be a childrens classic that should be given a little more attention. (Or if anything, imagine what they could do in movie format!)

I do not feel Marlowe's "Faustus" is quite as good as his "Massacre at Paris" or "Edward II," but I still consider it an outstanding play. "Faustus" is very true to life in that many people can not stay behind the 'this far and no further point.' The opening is quite chilling as Faustus decides that the legitimate knowledge of this world is not good enough and he immediately decides to cross into forbidden territory even at the expense of his soul. To this day, I never have forgotten the chills I felt in 2.1 when Faustus signs the unholy contract. It is interesting that even after Faustus signs the contract, that he is presented with several oppurtunities to escape his fate: "Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee" (2.2.12). But he can not give up the fruits of the contract. (His powers, having Mephostophilis at his command, etc.) After the chilling tension of the first 2 acts, Marlowe releases the tension for the next two acts by having Faustus perform several practical jokes (of an evil nature to be sure), but nevertheless it offers a release of tension while at the same time we can see how malignant Faustus has become. I once read that many people feel the 3rd and 4th act are way too silly and that they drag the play down. But I don't think this is the case at all. I can not help but think Marlowe was trying to point out that in all honesty, there was a worthless aspect of the fruits Faustus sold his soul for. Furthermore, Acts 3 and 4 help us to see the mentally disturbed side of Christopher Marlowe himself. In 5.1, Faustus has 1 final chance to avoid his fate, but he resolves himself to damnation after enjoying Helen of Troy. If I were a betting man I would be willing to wage that Marlowe is pointing out that sex is an ultimate driving force. To this day, I have never been able to forget the final soliloquy of despair in 5.2 followed by the demons carrying Faustus off to hell. Marlowe himself dedicated much of his life to blasphemy, and I can not help but feel he was coming to terms with the church and starting to realize he better cut it out or else. Not only is this an excellent play, but it also helps us to take a look at Marlowe himself.

"Dr. Faustus," the play by 16th century writer Christopher Marlowe, has been published as part of the Dover Thrift Edition series. The brief introduction to this version notes that the play was first published in 1604, and also discusses its relationship to a German text from 1587 known as the "Faustbuch." In his play Marlowe tells the story of the title character, a scholar who is "swollen with cunning." Faust dabbles in the dark arts of "magicians / And necromantic books," and literally makes a deal with the devil. These actions drive the tragedy forward.

This play is a curious mixture of Christian theology, tragedy, slapstick comedy, and colorful pageantry. It moves along fast, and contains some really beautiful and stately language.

"Dr. Faustus" is ultimately a cautionary tale about human pride and ambition. I must admit that in the end I find it less satisfying than some of the other great tragedies of the Elizabethan era, perhaps because this play relies less on universal human issues than on a culturally-bound theological contrivance. Still, it's a noteworthy play that, I believe, still holds relevance for contemporary audiences. ...

I, like many English majors, was assigned this play for my English Lit I class thinking it would be more of an exercise than anything else. I was pleasantly taken off guard. I was surprised about how well I could relate to or at least empathize with the character of Faustus, in a play written hundreds of years ago.
Marlowe has a great sense of style in his writing which was ahead of his time, rivialing Shakespeare historically though slightly predating him. He shows a great sense conflict and tension throughout the plot and characters who are very much architypical of the human condition; the quest for forbidden fruit, dealing with own's own need to conquer, lust for greed, exhibiting vanity (the other of the seven deadly sins make appearances) and so on. There is a religious undertone to the play which is easy enough to follow without having much knowledge of Christianity, this play is easy to enjoy without considering much of the religious dogma which was inserted as a guide for the audience of the time.
Perhaps what is most interesting about the play is Marlowe's use of black humor as the reader will find that there is much comic relief spread throughout the play (mostly through other characters mocking Faustus in ways unbeknowst to him, and you yourself may be laughing alongside of them.) Marlowe's style could arguably be seen as a significant influence on Monty Python and other British comedies going back as far as Shakespeare. The play is very much in the vein of what we might consider modern day 'British humor'; dark, often bleak, obsurd, hysterical.
Dr. Faustus doesn't take long to read, is highly entertaining, and you may even get something extra from it by examing your own moral tendencies. Without a doubt the best piece of literature I've read last semester.

Three young men seek entry to one of the strongholds of the extraterrestrial Masters who have conquered the earth. Two are successful, and they strive to learn as much as possible about the enemy so that they may report back to the last existing colony of free humans. I preferred this novel to the previous one, "The White Mountains." Both novels share the same deficiency, a tendency to relate certain events too sketchily and a failure to develop key characters, in this case the German boy, Fritz. However, the Masters themselves and Wil's adventures in their city are fascinating, and John Christopher's style does make for a fast-paced story. My interest is piqued and I look forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.

John Christopher did a really great job with the sequel to 'The White Mountains'.

In 'The City of Gold and Lead' the White Mountain's leader, Julius comes up with a plan to stop the Tripods. They will go to the 'Games" and compete, hopefully winning, and go to the City of the Tripods to study them. Will, Beanpole and a new character named Fritz are chosen to go and compete in the Games. Fritz and Will are winners and are carried in a Tripod to the City. The two boys are separated and become servants for different Masters. The Masters are what control the Tripods. During his time in the City, Will learns a lot- why the Tripods invaded Earth, why they capped people, what happened to Eloise, and where the Masters and the Tripods came from.

This was a really good book to answer questions about 'The White Mountains'.

I am an avid fantasy ansd sci-fi reader. If you like either Genre this is the book for you. It is well thought out and has a very involved plotline. If you enjoy reading i suggest this and the other books in the series...The white mountains...The city of gold and lead... and The day the tripods came

The novel The White Mountains is a science fiction story written by John Christopher. The setting in The White Mountains is England, the English channel, France, and the Alps. The main character is an English boy named Will Parker, and the minor characters are his cousin Henry Parker and a French boy named "Zhan-pole," whom Will and Henry call Beanpole. The world described in the novel has many differences from our world today. In many ways, it is like our past around hundred years ago. There are no cars, planes, glasses and only very primitive trains. Humans have less technology and are mostly farmers. In this time humans are ruled by colossal mechanical machines called "Tripods," which have very advanced technology. Humans don't question the Tripods because they are "capped." Being capped is a process where the Tripod picks up the human and puts a metal half sphere on his or her head, causing the human to lose a little of his or her individuality. These differences are what makes the book unique. The novel starts with the main character Will seeing his best friend and cousin Jack being capped. Then Will meets a free man named Ozymandias from the White Mountains pretending to be a "Vagrant." Vagrants are humans who had a mishap in the capping making them crazy. Ozymandias gives Will a map and a compass and then Will is off. Unbeknownst to Will, Henry follows him. Will and Henry go with Captain Curtis across the English channel, and are kidnapped by the French. This is where they meet Beanpole. Then they wander into an ancient mall where they find grenades and mistakenly find out how to use them. Will is hurt and then a French man hunting finds them and brings them to the castle. As soon as Will is better they are going to run away, but that night a Tripod comes. Will tries to outrun it on horseback but it picks him up and puts a tracking device on him without him knowing. Later when they realizes that they are being tracked, they cut the tracking device aw! ay from Will's arm. As soon as they do this a Tripod comes, and they destroy it with the grenades. Then they have to hide behind a rock for two days because the other Tripods are searching for the destroyers of the Tripod. In the end they get to the White Mountains and await their next adventure. Three adjectives a reader could use for this book are fascinating, thrilling, and mystifying. It is fascinating because they think people in our time are ancient but they are like a hundred years ago in our time. It is thrilling because they have to evade many Tripods and have to destroy one. It is mystifying because it makes you wonder what are the Tripod's motives? Who are they? Where do they come from? This book is recommended to anyone who likes science fiction.

In Every boys life, there comes the Capping ceremoney. Will Parker never made a very big deal about it, it was just something that happened to everyone. Then Ozymandis told him the truth: That truth sent Will on an incredible journey full of pitfalls and victories.

Will starts off on his own, but is soon joined by Henry, a cousin. But instead of being an old friend, Henry is an old enemy. But Will is forced to take him, or risk Henry telling his family where he has gone and why.

On another leg of their journey, Will meets a French boy named Jean-Paul, but he is so tall and thin, they nickname him Beanpole. Beanpole is a huge help, and even discovers some of the mysteries of the ancients. (oohh, mysterious, huh?)

I would highly recommend this book to just about anyone. If you are shaking your head because you "Don't like science fiction", I tell you, this book will make you LOVE sci-fi! Then read the rest of the series. Just one taste of John Christopher's writing won't be enough to settle your appitite. It wasn't enough for mine! :)

I first read the white mountains over twelve years ago as a child. I have read it countless times since and it reamains a favorite.

The story of Will, a teenage boy, as he travels to the far reaches of earth in pusuit of a freedom unknown to fellow mankind. Through his travels Will faces many challenges and adventures that keep the reader at the edge of their seat. The combination of amazing character creation and developement with adventure, humor, and suspence makes this book a must read.

Nick Naylor is your classic American weasel. Like Bill Clinton at the cutting edge of convincing his country that he didn't have sex with Monica, Nick almost persuades America that smoking is good for you. As a tobacco lobbyist and two-timing master of manipulation, Nick bolsters the smoking world. He slivers his way through Clean Lungs conventions and talk shows with Oprah and Larry King, squashing his health-crazed rivals and attaining the crown to his profession. But Nick obtains more than just a pay increase. He must brave a mass of enemies involving his jealous boss, BR, his alluring assistant, Janette, the non-smokers of society, and fanatical abductors who try to kill Nick with nicotine patches. Nick's only outlet from the havoc is when he's lunching with his two best friends, the spokespeople for the alcohol and firearms industries, or-when he's getting laid. Although Christopher Buckley creates a humorous mockery of corporate America, this novel contains some loopholes. The language can be too elaborate at times, tripping up the reader before he can ingest the action. Nevertheless, I recommend this read. The plot portrays the wicked reality behind what moves the money of America, while the suspense keeps the pages turning.

Even with a short attention span, a dislike for contemporary fiction and a natural resistance to forced reading assignments, I managed to thoroughly enjoy the wit and humor found in Christopher Buckley's Thank You for Smoking. The protagonist is the antagonist; the attitude is dark yet truthful and the characters artfully dynamic. Nick Naylor is the chief spokesperson for the Academy of Tobacco Studies. He pays his mortgage by stretching, twisting and hiding the truth about tobacco from the public, and as a result lives his life as a target for despise. Buckley's talent as a writer concisely and sarcastically reveals the culmination of events that grow from Naylor's continual and conscious lying. The readers' separation from Nick's dangerous life provides perspective for humor - continuing to prove the "it's funny when someone else falls down" theory. As Nick's awareness and follies increase so does the readers' fondness for this tragic hero. When boss-man, BR, turns up the heat, Nick's urgency to regain the integrity of tobacco for a newly health-conscious society shifts into a high gear. He begins to make blatantly false public statements that in turn introduce him to death-threatening enemies and the praise of the Captain, the tobacco-god. With manic intensity he continues to finagle his way into the media until he is so deeply loved and hated that bodyguards, FBI interrogations and secrete plots with his fellow "Merchants of Death" become necessary. Oddly, Nick's increasingly good job results in an increasingly malignant response from his boss, and the notion of internal tobacco scandal calls for extreme measures. The curious scandal and how Nick manipulates and escapes brilliantly fuels the plot. Buckley writes with a mesmerizing tempo, gluing your eyes to the pages. Between his cynicism, humor and talent for creating anticipation, Buckley weaves Thank you for Smoking into a book that is impossible to leave unfinished. My only criticism is the last chapter, which is weak and jumps almost too radically to a pleasant conclusion, however the fury of events leading up to that single final chapter makes the book well-worth the read.

Thank You For Smoking is a wildly original, hilarious book. In challenging the mainstream political correctness of America it opens the reader's eyes to a different perspective. Nick Naylor is a supremely intriguing character who is such a pure representation of greed that it is impossible not to like him. The spins he puts on attacks from anti-smoking groups or witty and shrewd and very well-done. Christopher Buckley does a great job of keeping the reader constantly engaged in the action with a developing plot filled with several unexpected twists and turns. Though a work of fiction, the book feels so realn that the reader assumes they are learning about ATS, a real tobacco lobby. You would swear buckley is the head of P.R. himself. The book succeeds most in its many subplot which support the main theme of Naylor fighting the anti-smoking advocates. First there is the desire of BR to get rid of Naylor and Naylor's subsequent alliance with the Captain. There is Nick's hiding from the FBI and his revenge on Peter Lorre, the man who attempted to kill him. And then there his personal life - his sexual escapades, his relationship with Joey, his twelve year-old son, and his meetings with the Mod Squad. It all fits together very well in the story. Buckley's use of the third person is at times so intimate that it feels person. Naylor's voice is clear and speaks directly to the reader. The book begins by introducing you tot he world of Nick Naylor, and does a wonderful job of doing so. It shows you what goes on in the ATS, and gives great characterization of the people he works with. The plot quickly moves ahead when Nick gets abducted by the anti-smoking terrorists paid off by BR. This sets the tone for the fast pace of the novel which is maintained by the wit of Nick and his friends in the Mod Squad and the skill of the author to tell the reader only what's necessary. In fact, Nick's relationship with the Mod Squad was my favorite part of the book. Each of their characters is so perfect, and Bobby Jay especially was hilarious. The end of the book is also very well-done as what happens is so unexpected yet so understandable. This book is a must-read for anybody who likes to root for the bad guy or who wonders what goes on in the mind of the enemy. Great cultural commentary.

I am very impressed with Chris Matthews's narrative on the political careers of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. His book is well-researched, well-written, and his conclusions are well-proven. At first, I was suspicious of Mr. Matthews's claim that their jousting was "the rivalry that shaped postwar America." But in completing the book, I can appreciate that Kennedy and Nixon were the American version of Disraeli and Gladstone. They both served in the South Pacific during World War II and were elected to Congress in the same year, 1946. Nixon ran as a "pragmatic liberal." Kennedy ran as a "fighting conservative." Excuse me? But beneath the contradictory rhetoric lay an ideological similarity: a passionate hate of communism and a deep suspicion of the New Deal, Eastern Establishment. American leaders during the Cold War, they rallied their nation against Communist threats at home and abroad. They further overthrew the old Washington rules of political cordiality and fairness. To substitute, the first leaders of the G.I. Generation created a winner-take-all political culture that forever changed the Beltway. Kennedy started as the more ruthless pol. His early political career was filled with charges of bribery, vote-stealing, and other low-ball maneuvers. Nixon, of course, would not be outdone. His relentless pursuit of Alger Hiss gave him his first political break and cemented his fear that the Elite was out to break him. Similar in political style and ideology, Kennedy and Nixon became genuine friends in the 1950s. This surprised me but Mr. Matthews documents this point prodigiously. Nixon was invited to the Kennedy wedding in 1953. When Kennedy was near death in 1954, Nixon was in tears. "Oh God, don't let him die." Jackie Kennedy told friends that Jack admired Nixon more than any other man he knew. What forever changed the relationship was the 1960 presidential election. Kennedy beat Nixon by an incredibly narrow margin and the loser was forever convinced that the election was stolen. Mr. Matthews emphasizes the role of "imagery" in the 1960 campaign. All things being equal, Nixon should have topped Kennedy that year. But Kennedy's good looks and aristocratic style contrasted favorably with Nixon's common looks and straight talk. When Kennedy was assassinated, the manufactured mythology of "Camelot" masked an average presidency. When Nixon was finally elected president in 1968, it was the ideal of Camelot that haunted him throughout his term. No matter what Nixon did, he could never measure up to Kennedy in the eyes of the American people. The Eastern Establishment viewed Nixon especially distastefully; they saw him as an illegitimate president. Nixon knew that he was in a constant struggle against the liberals who carried the torch for Camelot. Nixon was determined to use every weapon in his arsenal to save himself and his presidency - constitution de damned. Mr. Matthews is especially fluent in describing the step-by-step political destruction of Richard Nixon. The Kennedy-Nixon rivalry ends in 1974 with Nixon's resignation in disgrace. Kennedy had bested Nixon one last time. But in a true sense, both men were equal winners. It was their Cold War zealotry and political ruthlessness that defined Washington after 1960. Our communist-free world is largely their child. Our cynical political culture is largely their creature too. For better and for worse.

This book shed tremendous light on the relationship between two of the dominant politicians of the Cold War. Kennedy and Nixon were intertwined long before their famous debates and the election of 1960, having entered Congress on the heels of WWII heroism. And they remain intertwined forever, with the Kennedy Center resting next to the Watergate complex along the Potomac River. Matthews paints a balanced, fair portrait of both men. Both were politicians who did what they felt needed to be done. And it may have brought both of them down. Matthews' book shows how Nixon's own insecurities, many of which developed as a result of his proximity to Kennedy in the Senate office building, led to the events of Watergate. And it was Nixon's strong anti-Communist push that drove Kennedy to allow military action and political assassination attempts in Cuba and Vietnam. Action-packed, fast reading.

This book is a fascinating look at the long term connections between two politicians whose presence stood like a giant shadow on the post-war period. As Matthews chronicles, Jack Kennedy and Richard Nixon entered Congress together in 1946 and from the day they met had a love-hate relationship. Nixon, pathologically jealous of Kennedy's family conncetions, style and grace, nonetheless deeply admired him. Kennedy was more contemtuous of Nixon but, nonetheless, his family gave money to Nixon's Senate campaign. When both Nixon and Kennedy served in the Senate, their offices were right next to each other. Nixon was invited to Kennedy's wedding in 1953 but was required to play golf with President Eisenhower instead! The anectodes from this period show Nixon's warm affection for Kennedy. When Kennedy was near death from back surgery, Nixon broke down in tears. The relationship changed when the two opposed each other for president and as Matthews demonstrates, when Nixon narrowly lost, he was devastated. Kennedy's death in 1963 tormented Nixon but according to Matthews, it led to the transfer of the rivalry from JFK to his brothers. First, in 1968, Nixon was deeply afraid that Bobby Kennedy would get the nomination and beat him. More importantly, in 1972, Nixon was desparately afraid that youngest brother Ted would suddenly appear on the scene to take what he had won. According to Matthews, this may well have been the real reason for the Watergate break in. While it is difficult to understand why a super popular Nixon in 1972 would so fear defeat that he would go down the path of Watergate, I think it is far fetched to state that his pathological fear of defeat by the Kennedy's was the prime motive. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the book at all. Both Nixon and the Kennedy's are fascinating larger than life people and their unique friendship/rivalry is virtually unheralded in American history. The story makes for a great read.

Ever wonder why technology and history on the Disc is so crazy? Why there's "The Disc" and The Opera House practically on the same street? Why some places seem Medaevil, and others seem pre-Industrial? Well, here's the answer to all of your questions! No more headachey arguments with your fellow Fans of Pterry! No more discussions of quantum effects on the Discworld! (You can pick up The Science of Discworld for THAT.)

This book is really only for long-time, well-established Discworld fans. Newcomers will NOT understand some of the nuances of this book, and will be confused/disappointed. Those of us who are longtime fans will recognize the in-jokes and references to earlier Pratchett works.

The best way to read Discworld is in order, people. The earliest three (The Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic, and Equal Rites) are a little mind-numbing, but overall will help you understand the Disc better.

My only real complaint about this book is that Death and Susan weren't in it enough...it wasn't nearly as good as the other Death books. Still, Pratchett knows his stuff.

This is why Terry Pratchett is the best. In The Thief of Time he gets deeper into the story and its characters with every turn of a phrase, riding rough-shod through the English language.

While revisiting Death and his granddaughter, Miss Susan, Pratchett takes us on a tour-de-farce tour of the Discworld past and present while introducing an entire new cast of characters that numbers in the billions (let's see MGM beat that!). These include the other four (yes, that's five total) Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the history monks who manage time, and the bean counters of the universe - and where would we be without them? Hmmm?

The story starts out as a sort of suspense-thriller in a literal race against Time. Miss Susan and the monks, working separately, must stop Time from coming to a stop. Meanwhile, seeing how it's the Apocalypse and all, Death must round up his old pals and ride out. Except that Time has taken its toll on his buddies.

Will Time come to a full stop? Or will our intrepid heroes arrive in the nick of Time to save the day? If they don't, history will shatter into so many pieces that even the Igor can't put them together again. So don't miss the exciting conclusion and don't forget to tune in next Time, if there is a next Time.

For the Perennial Pratchett Fans: This book is firmly in the Death series. Death and Susan have to save the world. Again. Is anyone keeping track of how many times the world has almost been destroyed?

For the New readers: This book stands on it own well enough. Regular fans will already know Death, War, Famine, Pestilence, Susan, Nanny Ogg, Igor, Lu Tze, and the Way of Mrs.Cosmopilite they are old friends and we are happy to see them again. But Pterry gives enough information so new readers are not lost. Just know that if you like them you can read more about them without waiting for another book.

So what is it about?

The Auditors have hired Jeremy, a man with a perfect sense of time, to build a glass clock that will stop time.

Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd of the History Monks are on a mission to stop the clock.

Susan is working as a school teacher until Death puts her to work saving the world. (Nanny Ogg has a cameo as the world's best Midwife)

Death is having a hard time getting the other three Horsemen to Ride Out for the Apocalypse.

And then there is the Fifth Horsemen, Ronnie, who left before they got famous.

All the stuff about the History Monks is one continuous joke about Kung Fu movies.

The Five Horsemen lend themselves to Beatles references but also to any rock band where some members are more famous than others.

Susan seems to have developed a Chocolate dependency. It is nice to know that Pterry understands these things.

The American edition cover is hideous, they could not have made it more ugly if they tried. Are they actually trying to lose business?

The British cover is the usual Josh Kirby (in case your are wondering it depicts the History Monks' time storage vault,. The little yellow figures are monks. They are getting buckets of water and yak butter out of storage wells to cool and grease the time spindles)

For those that want to learn how to do all aspects of web development using PHP, this book for you. As co-author and technical reviewer or 3/4 of the book, I can say from experience that this book does indead cover everything you'll need to know when making dynamic websites.

This book is great for beginners as well as professionals since the introduction material can offer a good beginning to learning PHP and some of the later chapters on Internationalization, databases, xml, optimization, etc. will be suitable for experts.

I wish the book contained more object oriented examples and that some chapters contained more depth, but for a book of 960 pages, it certainly covers a lot of material.

If you are starting to learn PHP and want to expand your skills or are an expert and want some more indepth material, add this book to your collection!

Professional PHP4 Programming is the newer version after "Professional PHP" by Wrox. A lot of information regarding sessions and some on security. I would have liked more case examples, such as this book's previous version used. Granted, most examples are not adequate as full-blown applications, but they give you a good idea on how to structure your programs. NOT for the beginning PHP programmer; if you're unfamiliar with PHP, look for "PHP Fast & Easy Web Development" by J. Meloni, as it has a lot of simple applications to get you started.

In all, this is an excellent book; it's also very useful as a reference on the subject. I'm giving it four stars instead of five because, as stated, some example apps. would have been helpful.

I have been an ASP programmer for nearly 3.5 years now.It's almost 6 months now that i have dropped working on legacy operating syatems and had been on the lookout for an Open source scripting solution.I tried my hand at Perl, but i lost myself in the jargon.I picked up this PHP book on reviews from a friend at the bay area PUG and by golly!!! i seem to have stepped through the first half of this book with ease... it has definitely spurred my interset in learning PHP as an option for my work and i hope to learn a lot more from the entire book

This wonderful atlas is a joy to read, re-read and keep as a family reference resource. The pages are very well laid out, the maps are easy to read, the colors are vivid. The amazingly vast amount of information about planet earth and space contained within its pages is extremely easy to locate. The glossary section is comprehensive and detailed. The 10th edition has upto date information as compared to most other atlases. Since so many borders have changed in the past ten years, I believe this book is an absolute MUST for anyone who has some interest in other parts of the world. I cannot think of a better use for the amount I paid to buy this book and I will recommend it whole-heartedly to students, teachers, writers etc. In comparison with other atlases like National Geographic, Hammond or DK, in my opinion, this book will give you the biggest bang for the buck!

In choosing a world atlas for my family, I looked at all that were available: from Oxford, National Geographic, Rand McNally, Hammond, DK, and other publishers. This new edition of the Oxford Atlas of the World is clearly the gold standard. Just published, it is of course the most up-to-date atlas available. More importantly, it is accurate and detailed, exquisitely produced (a joy to look at) and very readable. Unlike other atlases, for example, the maps do not run into the gutters. The introductory section containing informational maps and data (country population, income, products, languages, etc.) and stunning satellite photos is virtually a book in itself and worth the price of admission. And for all that one gets, the price is more than reasonable. This is more than a reference book--it's a good read. I highly recommend it.

In choosing a world atlas for my family, I looked at all that were available: from Oxford, National Geographic, Rand McNally, Hammond, DK, and other publishers. This new edition of the Oxford
Atlas of the World is clearly the gold standard. Just published, it is of course the most up-to-date atlas available. More importantly, it is accurate and detailed, exquisitely produced (a joy to look at)and very readable. Unlike other atlases, for example, the maps do not run into the gutters. The introductory section containing informational maps and data (country population, income, products,languages, etc.) and stunning satellite photos is virtually a book in itself and worth the price of admission. And for all that one gets, the price is more than reasonable. This is more than a reference book--it's a good read. I highly recommend it.

In the exciting conclusion of the Tripods series, the resistance movement has finally reached the point where they are prepared to take decisive action to foil the alien Masters' final plan to claim the Earth. Will, Beanpole, Henry and Fritz, the boys who have figured prominently in the previous two novels, are destined to have pivotal roles in this final struggle as well. The strengths and weaknesses of the other books are evident here, too. John Christopher has devised a great story with a satisfying ending, as our central characters rededicate themselves to the challenges confronting a post-Masters Earth. However, Christopher's story is really too big for the minimalist style he has adopted. Years pass in the course of a few pages and I was left with the feeling that I was being allowed only a glimpse of what could have been a richly detailed, fascinating world. Of course, this book was written with young readers in mind, so brevity was a natural concern. Christopher's Tripod books follow the primary adage of show business: always leave them wanting more.

The exciting conclusion to the White Mountains series does not disappoint the reader.

Will and Fritz have escaped the City of Gold and Lead and return to the White Mountains. They begin a journey to recruit young boys into their resistance, taking a long journey across Europe and the Middle East and back.

After they capture a Tripod and a Master named Ruki, they inadvertantly discover the Masters' weakness to alcohol. And Fritz and Will lead a team back to the city.

The book ends full circle from the beginning, and still leaves questions in the end.

This is an excellent read and an excellent conclusion to an excellent series!

I want to begin this review with a disclaimer. I only read one book in this trilogy. That book was The Pool of Fire. It recaps the events of the last two books. Will Parker, his cousin, Henry, a German named Fritz, and a French boy, real name Jean-Paul, nicknamed Beanpole, because he's tall and thin, fight the mysterious invaders known only as the Masters. The Masters want to take over Earth and turn it into their new home. Will and Henry were sent to the City of Gold and Lead to spy on them. TPOF is set months after the events of TCOGL. The Masters still want to take over Earth. It's only a matter of time. To stop them, Will and his friends must be willing to pay the ultimate price. One of them does. Hint, hint, if you want to know who it is, read this book. If you loved these books, watch the series. Back in the '80s, there was a series called The Tripods on Channel 11 in Durham, New Hampshire. It was an Australian series distributed by Lionheart Television, the U.S. distributor for the BBC's programs.