Right after I gave birth to my son, Anne LaMott's Operating Instructions was my bible. It told very real, accurate and funny stories about the weird world we all occupy during our children's first year. This book does it times 3 or 4. I enjoyed Stocklers real-life tale of taking a small army to the grocery store or trying to find a clean bathroom in a shopping mall. Funny, touching and emotionally literate. This is what it's really like - the tremendous pride and happiness, the self-doubt, the humor that only sleep deprivation can produce. It's refreshing to read about the emotional experiences of a man who is a stay-at-home dad. He is ruthless in his observation of the corporate world and how truly family -unfriendly it is. This is a great baby present for any expecting family. Read it.

This is a love story. The story moves so quickly, and so much happens to the author and his family, that it didn't hit me until the final pages how this book was really an elegant and deeply-felt love story of a man and his children. I was very moved by the author's brutal honesty about how difficult his marriage is and how his emotional relationship with his children becomes the central fact of his life. It's a wonderful book, I laughed and cried and was sad when it was over.

I am so happy I found this book. I love memoirs and biographies, but this book is one-of-a-kind. Stockler sees everything in his life--his marriage to his wacky wife, his 3-year-old, and the startling news that his small family is going to double in size--through a comic lens. But that lense is incredibly sharp and accurate--behind all the funny stories there is a very penetrating sensibility. He finds the drama in the most mundane--a trip to the bathroom with all four kids--and the humor in the dramatic--when he goes to the NICU to see "Baby A" after the C-section, and the NICU seems to have lost the baby. There are moments of chaos and craziness followed by dollops of wistful insight that are real epiphanies. I have little kids and reading this book is like seeing my life in a whole new light. Some of the thoughts Stockler comes up with I have had myself, and some are so clever and funny I'm jealous I didn't think of them. It's really an amazing book and you can't put it in a category--it's a new kind of memoir for our new world of working moms, stay-at-home Dads, fertility problems, careers that go wrong. I hope you read it and give one to a friend. I'm curious if there might be a sequel...

This book is an excellent, albeit somewhat brief, illustrated dictionary to some of the world's major symbolism; its division is into major categories such as religions, nature symbolism, artwork, flags, etc. The chapters detailing religion, especially, as well as artwork, were my favorites; Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism all get about 2 pages each rich with photos, illustrations, and pictures accompanied with concise, informative descriptions of what each of the symbols mean. Overall a great resource and informative introduction to world-wide symbolism.

Our world if filled with signs and symbols. Most recently, we have seen a surge of support for freedom with an increase in the display of the American Flag. This universally recognized symbol of freedom serves to unite Americans in a common goal. It speaks of those who died to give us freedom and gives us hope that as we see our flag flying, we are still free.

Cultures around the world have chosen signs and symbols to represent various beliefs. For some, a red rose is the symbol of love and for others a snake is a symbol of evil. In China, a snake is a symbol of wisdom. Each country has a different interpretation.

Miranda Bruce-Mitford has studied social anthropology and as a writer, she has contributed to dictionaries and encyclopedias. Now she is often a guest lecturer on art tours in Southeast Asia.

If you are looking for a book to explore the signs of symbols from East and West, The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols explores the origins in art, religion and folklore. The signs and symbols are grouped by category and a clear cross-referencing system helps the reader to find related signs and symbols.

This book contains information on:

Mythologies & Religions - Ancient Deities, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Ancestor & Nature Spirits and Mythical Beasts.

Nature: Sun & Moon, Earth & Sky, Precious Matter, Precious Stones, Gardens, Trees, Plants, Nature's Foods, Flowers, Sea Creatures, Insects, Reptiles & Amphibians, Mammals and Birds.

People: Sex & Fertility, Human Body, Dance & Theatre, Magic & Charms, Musical Instruments, Love & Marriage, Clothing, Jewelry, Royalty, Tools and Weapons, Death & Mourning, Architecture and Everyday Objects.

Symbol Systems: Picture Writing, Numbers, Shapes & Patterns, Color, Alchemy, Freemasonry, Divination, Astrology, Heraldic Emblems, International Signs and Symbolic Gestures.

An Index makes looking up your favorite symbols very convenient. You will find something you will just want to know! I was especially interested in the "Rose Window" and wondered what it represented.

"The rose window, so named because of its petal like shapes of glass, represents both human aspiration for wholeness and coherence and the realization of those same desires. Rose windows first appeared in 13th-century France...."

I also wanted to look up the meanings of numbers and colors. There is just so much you will want to know and after reading this book, you will never look at symbols in the same way. They will always have meaning. It is good to know that a black cat is not unlucky in all cultures. >^..^<

The Glossary gives an explanation to words you might wonder about. A rich source of information to give an understanding to signs and symbols all over the world. I was simply fascinated with this work!

A really straightforward approach to understanding symbols that man has devised since the beginning, to include a nice cross-reference between categories of symbols. Many excellent visual examples of both ancient and modern symbols. It is interesting to note how quickly symbols take root in this modern time versus ancient symbols that took centuries to take and evolve. Since I am an herbalist I especially love the sections on symbols of nature, trees, and plants, which lead one to delve much deeper into various cultural origins. The descriptions are short and make the reader wish for more; but happy to have found what is there.

I'm a writer and when I first started reading the book, I was impressed with Bruce's communicative skills. But about half way through, his message began to grip my heart. I began to get a revelation of the unfathomable love that Jesus has for us and why he subjected himself to such agony and torture. He did it because He LOVES me! As a result, my life is forever changed. The love of God is the most revolutionary thing one can experience. And through this book, that's exactly what happened!

Bruce in his wonderful gentle way gives us more insight into the character of Jesus - His undying love for ALL people, His obedience to His Father, His eagerness to forgive, His patience and His Joy! Music by Marty Goetz enhances the listening experience. Bruce's words will place you right into the center of the drama - you will feel the words in your soul and live them in your heart and mind as they are spoken. This is something you will want to listen to over and over and each time you will come away with something new and wonderful about Jesus. If you loved "In The Footsteps of Jesus" you will love Bruce's latest work "Jesus: Yesterday, Today & Forever". Listen to this to fall in love with Jesus for the first time or listen to this to fall in love with Him all over again. Just a bit of advice - keep the tissues handy!

The writing and the photographs are spectacular! It is a great coffee table conversation piece, folks can't help but pick it up and be blessed. Each photo captures the Joy and love and compassion that is so very much Jesus...makes a wonderful gift! OK Bruce, I eagerly await your next book! **hint!**

Catton has a fine narrative style which is a pleasure to read, and the book includes insights into Grant's personality and the growth in his generalship, as well as detailing political and military history of the Western Theatre 1861-1863. The war in the west has been overshadowed in history by the war along the Atlantic coast (even by Catton, with his Army of the Potomoc trilogy), but it is arguably more important than what was going on in Virginia in this period. The book shows Grant feeling his way to an understanding of what it would take to win the war, and it becomes clear why Lincoln, by the end of the book, chooses him for head of the Union armies. For example, at the battle of Shiloh (1862), the Union forces were surprised and almost beaten the first day, but Grant retained his optimism and rallied the troops to fight hard and hold off the Rebels until reinforcements arrived that night. The next day they took back all the ground they had lost, although they didn't take the opportunity to destroy the Army of the Tennessee. Any other Union general in that situation would have (and did, in similiar battles in Virginia) retreated the first evening and lost the battle. One comment: If you want a hardback copy of this book, it can be easily obtained in on-line used bookstores. I just bought a good copy for 7.95 + taxes and shipping.

Although Bruce Catton was an accomplished historian in his own right, one cannot help but notice the influence of the great Sherman biographer Lloyd Lewis. Anyone who has read Lewis' _Sherman: Fighting Profit_ will recognize similarities; the heavy reliance on primary sources and the uncanny ability to allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions without explicitly stating the writer's intentions. Catton imitates Lewis' sinuous narrative style that captivates and draws the reader deeper into the manuscript. Unfortunately, however, Lewis only lived to publish the first of a multi-volume biography Ulysses S. Grant titled Captain Sam Grant . Lewis' widow commissioned Catton to finish the project utilizing much of the notes Lewis had gathered in the course of his research. The results are the two subsequent biographies authored by Catton: Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command Catton begins his duel biography in June 1861 when Grant, appointed Colonel, takes command of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Catton portrays Grant as a man of few words, yet possessing an ability to quickly earn the respect of his men. Grant stresses discipline and training particularly of his company grade officers. About half of the book is devoted to Grants participation at the battles of Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the near disaster at Shiloh. The remainder of the text focuses on the Vicksburg Campaign. Catton prefers a loosely structured chronological approach and provides his readers with a commanding view from headquarters. Catton relies upon letters, cables, and other communiques between officers, which tends to keep the focus on Grant and other high level players. Besides handwritten orders and other official documentation, Catton allows Grant to speak for himself through the only vestige we have: his memoirs. In contrast, Catton listens to what other observers have to say about Grant in their memoirs, particularly William T. Sherman and the unpublished memoir of Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant. Juxtaposing this top-down approach is Catton's ability to portray the human frailties of Grant's personality. Grant's drinking is a recurring theme in which Catton bestows an admirable defense. Catton devotes considerable space to the Grant's uneasy relationship with General Henry Wager Halleck. To Halleck's charge that Grant disobeyed orders and failed to communicate his intentions at Fort Donelson, Catton counters by stating the Union communication system, as a whole was substandard. He suggests Confederate sympathizers manned telegraph offices squelching vital communiques.   Catton credits Halleck for saving Grant's command during the controversial political maneuvering of General John A. McClernand. Overall, Catton concludes that Grant certainly had his hands full during his early campaigns. On the one hand, Grant had the Vicksburg Campaign to plan and orchestrate; On the other hand, Grant was the target of dubious machinations from jealous staff officers and politicians in Washington bent of relinquishing his command. What is more, Grant was faced with economic issues and the problem of what to do with displaced contraband slaves that were pouring into his army camps on a daily basis. Referring to the former slaves as "Darkeys." Grant immediately put the Negro refugees to work maintaining roads, bridges and other military necessities that required manual labor.Catton again comes to the defense of Grant in his handling of these sensitive civil-military relations. In a controversial order, Grant categorized northern businessmen attempting to exploit profits from the sale of cotton as "Jews." Though these complex themes surrounding Ulysses S. Grant, are significant, they tend to diminish the genius for war Grant displayed during the Vicksburg Campaign. Taking into account that this is a biography of Grant and not a comprehensive treatment of the campaign that sealed his place in history, Catton could have evened out the balance rather than treating the campaign as a mere backdrop. Catton's eloquent literary style and his excellent syntheses of primary sources, make this a must have for any Grant afficionado.

In this book Catton describes Grant's movements in the West. From Belmont to Vicksburg. It is outstanding, because it also desribes the soldiers story, without being a novel.

Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones produce the best lighthouse travel guides available. This one is no exception.

First, this book is chocked full of Bruce Roberts' beautiful photographs of the lighthouses in this region. The photographs are nothing less than SPECTACULAR! Combined with the revised and updated information on each makes this regional lighthouse guide a requirement you won't want to be without whether you're visiting the region or a life-long resident. The text contains full, rich descriptions of each lighthouse, too.

I have many lighthouse books and all of Bruce Roberts' and Ray Jones' regional guides. I've read them all and used most of them while traveling. I've found them to be first rate, an excellent choice for people who want everything lighthouse between two covers. A joy to look at and informative to read.

There are directions and other info for finding and visiting lighthouses. They do not always show all lights for a given area. The photos are all color. I own 3 of these books. There are not many other guide books out there so if you are looking for guide books these are good to have. Since there are so many books in this series I thought I'd help people find them easier. This is the series.
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American Lighthouses
California Lighthouses
Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Western Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Southeastern Lighthouses - I own this one
Southern Lighthouses
New England Lighthouses
Mid Atlantic Lighthouses
Gulf Coast Lighthouses

This is a solid book but it is not a 5 star book. Probably closer to 3 1/2 to 4 stars. Lots of stuff about pennants, flags, support lines, etc. The author does walk you through using the indicators which is very helpful. A lot of TA books describe and indicators and fail to tell you what to do with it. The sections on RSI and stochastics are also good.

I have been using some of the ideas with powerinvestor.com's software and been very pleased. Their web site uses simple to use sector models that have returned 30% a year since 1996.

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Bruce Kamich has written one of the best books on technical analysis that I've seen in a long time. Unlike most introductory books, it neither over simplifies, nor does it make it seem as if you need a PhD to learn how to use technical analysis. The book explains how and why technical patterns and indicators work in an entertaining way. On top of that, the examples of patterns in the book are not "text book". You actually get to see what these things might look like in the real world instead of the perfect picture you see in most books. This is invaluable. On top of that, the book is a bargain!

Barron's named this book one of the best of the year - and for good reason. "How TA Works" is a friendly and easy-to-read (but not *too* simple) guide to charting and technical analysis. Instead of focusing on a single methodology, this book provides an arsenel of tools and explains how they're used for market timing, stock selection, and risk management.

Many of the studies and tools used in the book can be used for free or little $ at TA sites like Prophet ..., the source for charts in the book. It's definitely a good idea to learn from this book while trying it out with the online charts at the same time. That way, you can see how different studies, for example, work on different stocks.

Also, comparing the price to other books in this genre, "How TA Works" is a very good value. Highly recommended, the market not withstanding...

This is a great no nonsense overview which touches upon virtually all of the issues you need to be thinking about when going into busines for yourself. It's a good primer, an easy read, without getting overly technical.

One of the things I really appreciate about this book, is that Bruce Williams is realistic about being in business for yourself. He tells it like it is rather than espousing a lot of B.S. Mr. Williams has started several businesses of his own and his clear and to the point thoughts are conveyed well here.

I enjoy listening to Bruce Williams on the radio and enjoy his book even more. I read the chapters over and over. He is really a smart man.

Bruce Williams' book is simply a classic business primer. No pie in the sky here, just good, solid plain English advice about how to get it done. Bruce is not one of these professorial types who lectures about business with no practical experience. He's been there, done that. Far more useful than those Wall Street or academic jibberish books.

One of the best bio's I have read! Took only 3-4 days to read since it moved at a very fast pace with so many things happening in James Browns life. His upbringing, music, family, record companies, IRS, managers, riots, struggles are all here. Before reading this I was a big fan even though I was not sure of the place this man occupied in music, as an innovater and business person, now I do. The first man to popularize the "live" album, strict band leader, tireless composer/arranger, producer, drummer, singer, dancer and many more things that one person had in him (as well as surrounded himself with exceptional musicians and some exceptional business partners). Also learned of his ethnic background which is Asian/Black/Indian. Many roadblocks on the way and a glimpse of what the business end of the entertainment world is like round out an exceptional and candid look into the life of Soul brother number 1!

I'm usually not so crazy about Star Biographies... for a variety of reasons, they're usually attention getting "feel bad for me" vs. "worship me" ploys taken from the pages of magazines atleast I wouldn't be caught dead reading outside of a doctor's office, however - - THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT (!) It is enormously well written - - Though its pretty clear Bruce Tucker wrote most of it, he managed to dig down into JBs soul and convey his RAGS TO RICHES story quite convincingly, capturing his voice while telling about his rise and fall (<-- the IRS and disco got him) and his come back at the time This book is so well written that I've actually reread it SEVERAL times since it initially came out in the mid '80s. - - Though it is a bit ironical that JBs life would get a bit more "complicated" after it was written (the drugs, run-ins with the law, death of his wife etc.) it is clear that Brown & Tucker have presented to the world a book that's engrossing and definitely a keeper... It will bring a whole new meaning to the music !

very powerful&uplifting.it touches on many different subjects.racisim,poverty etc..who hasn't this man not influenced? to see a human being overcome so many hardships&provide a innovative sound&style is incredible.but Mr.brown is a man with few peers on his level.this book explores the legend&genius of james brown.

Great variety - especially in the art styles, tone and energy - will keep you looking forward to each story. The stories themselves are very interesting. Whether it's epic battle, insightful character work, humorous genre pieces, or even abstracted explorations, these artists did a wonderful job. I can't wait for the sequel!

A fun book. Lots of sillyness, a little romance, a little drama, all from a fan based perspective.
The high point was the film noir/50's sci-fi murder mystery, "Hazzard Von Braun, Astronaut Detective". Purposfully campy, definitely fun.
It's a thick book and a good read. Highly recommended!

I really liked this book. It was a chance for me to see more than one aspect of anime. It also gave me a taste of what each of the artists can do. I look forward to seeing more from each artist. I gave the book to friends and family to read and they too seem to have enjoyed it. Most of them didn't know what anime was, so this was a great introduction for them.

If you are developing software test automation, this is a very useful book. Especially helpful are the chapters on using data-driven testing frameworks, which reflect lots of hands-on practical experience. The framework examples are the best hands-on guides I have seen published on this valuable technique. This book fills what has been a big hole in the software test literature.

"Purchasing a software testing tool suite does not constitute implementing a software process". Wise words from Dan Mosley and Bruce Posey in "Just Enough Software Test Automation"; maybe some development managers need to take heed.

Too many times have automated test tools become shelfware, or the cost of maintaining the scripts prohibitvely expensive. The authors of this book offer a simple and easy to use data-driven framework that can minimise scripts and human effort. They place their framework within the Rational Unified Process (RUP).

The book offers actual and detailed advice that goes all the way down to code and script templates. Based mostly on Rational tools, the book gives lip service to Winrunner and anything said can be translated to any automated tool.

Their open-source framework is the Control Synchronized Data Driven Testing(CSDDT). Data to be input, keywords to navigate through the application and actions to be performed are held in the spreadsheet. There are four main scripts: A Main script that reads and processes the records; a window selection script, a tab selection script, an action script and error handling script. Data input is held in an array and there is a comment field that documents the test record. Your application code is held in a switch statement, and it is highly conceivable that your project can have single figure script numbers. There is also a script that converts the spreadsheet data in a .csv file that is read by the Main script. There is detailed
information given on how to implement the CSDDT. It is a framework I use and am pleased with.

There are two interesting chapters on Unit and Integration testing. Like eXtreme Programmers they believe in automating unit tests that pass at 100% before submitting for build. They correctly argue that unit tests should be constructed before development code is written and they also point to the xUnit group of tools.

They make insightful points about the necessity of integration testing: Could you not help but identify with the following statements: "... We have seen two chronic problems: First, the build fequently does not install on system test machines. Second, the fact that unit and integration testing has not been done previously forces the system test team to do tests that development should have already executed." Again they also argue for automated integration testing else "it will not get done."

I feel however that Mosley and Posey's ideas need to be infused with agile values and practices. For example do we really need improved software requirements documentation, verbose Test Plans and meticulous test design when requirements change so much? Do we really need all these Rational tools and the time it takes to use and update them? Can we not make automated functional tests an integral part of requirements? What about Pair Test Programming? How are we going to increase oral communication? Is devolopment and test a false dichotomy? These kind of issues also need to be addressed as we begin to construct software in a radically different way.

"Just Enough Software Test Automation" written by Daniel Mosley and Bruce Posey describes test automation from a practical perspective gained from much experience by the authors with commentary and contributions from several well respected leading practitioners in the field. Key fundamental points are emphasized and explained throughout the book with supporting descriptions and concrete examples for using a data driven framework to implement and maintain software test automation.

While the book is well written and easy to read for someone who's familiar with software testing and who may have some experience with test automation, it assumes that the reader does have experience in the field.

The authors begin by reviewing important fundamental practices of software testing that are critical to effectively sustaining both manual and automated testing efforts. They provide recommendations on how to approach test automation for each phase of the software development lifecycle beginning with requirements through the final stages of testing. The authors present very specific recommended techniques and tools and offer many examples using a data driven framework with emphasis on Control Synchronized Data Driven Testing (CSDDT). Most often the tools mentioned and examples provided are those offered by Rational, Inc. as well as the use of Microsoft Excel. Frequently, automated tools from other vendors are referenced when they are applicable to the technique being discussed. They provide references to books and to several web links that offer sources of information on similar frameworks using other tools. The authors include useful information in the appendices such as a captured discussion on the subject of the data driven approach by leading practitioners, automated testing definitions, an example test automation project plan, and a test automation project work plan template.

Some of the key points in the book include the importance of identifying and documenting application and testing requirements as well as documenting test cases and conditions. They emphasize the importance of planning for test automation and implementing it similar to any other software development effort. This includes the separation of roles between test designer and test implementer. They urge that test automation be performed at most phases of software development including unit testing, but that it primarily be used for regression testing. The key success factor for test automation is the maintainability of test scripts. The authors point out that this is extremely difficult using a capture/playback method of implementation and that a data driven approach using modular scripts has shown to be much more successful in the long run. The authors do a good job of describing these key points and then making specific recommendations with examples on how to implement them.

As a practitioner of test automation, and reviewer of this book, I very much agree with these key recommendations and support the authors' intent to educate people implementing test automation as these key points can be the difference between failure and success.