Obviously, this book is not fireside reading and should be seen more as a reference.

Nevertheless, as the authors argue, whatever theory of international relations you subscribe to--clash of civilizations, multipolarity, etc.--the Middle East remains square in the middle of it all and needs to be better understood by the average citizen. If Sept. 11 didn't drive that little lesson home, I don't know what will.

It was fascinating to see how the lay of the land shapes a region's history and even the attitudes of its residents. The book gives ample attention to not just topography, but climate, resources, migration, and how all these factors shape policy and the movement of armies.

Overall, this is a much needed book. There's a lot of data to plough through, but it's worth it.

Stratefic Geography and the Changing Middle East came out in 1997 so some information about the region has changed since then but the book provides a sueful introduction into the issues of the middle east such as the importance of oil and gas in the region and these issues have influenced attempts to control the region. The book also focuses on military planning and operations such as the Gulf War and Weapons of mass destruction.

This book (and its second volume: Military Operations since 1871) are both required texts for my Military History class. Most students claim to only rapidly skim required reading for classes, but I've managed to read everything so far (if that tells you anything). As far as material is concerned, this text is both wide-ranging and thourough, describing the invention and development of military techniques as well as discussing the society and government of the time, and how all these factors influence eachother. Highlighted areas include the Thirty Years War and the development of limited war, and the progression though the Napoleonic Wars to almost complete total war during the War Between the States. This book does an excellent job in tying all these early battles together and showing the overall development of warfare. However, if you are interested in nitty-gritty facts on Waterloo or Gettysburg, find a book specific to that battle instead of the sweeping panoramic view this book provides.

This book is the result of the collaboration of a number of the best military historians in the US today, including Mark Grimsley, George Herring, John Lynn, and many others, skilfully tied together by the editors (who are also major contributors), Professor Ira Gruber of Rice University and Colonel Robert A. Doughty of West Point. The result is an outstanding survey of modern Western military history designed for undergraduate history courses, but easily accessible to the general reader as well. The prose is exceptionally clear and the ideas lucidly presented. These two volumes are definitely focussed on the operational level of the "military art" (i.e. on the planning and conduct of campaigns), with some treatment also of strategy, tactics, and technology, but very litte material on "war and society" subjects (i.e. how wars and military developments have affected society and vice-versa). This makes it especially useful for ROTC military history classes, but it is also a very good introduction to the "sharp end" of military history for scholars or students whose main interests lie in the effects of war, rather than its conduct.

I would agree with the review that states the authors were working side-by-side with the office development team as this book was written. However, I would disagree that such close input was entirely helpful. While the information contained in this book is a nice introduction to how things are "supposed" to work, as with so much of Microsoft's software, things never quite work the way they were designed, unless of course, you're doing exactly what the folks at Microsoft assumed you would do. Not only do some examples in this book fail to work, most examples are simple and obvious, the kind of thing a person might generate from looking at Microsoft's help information. Often they illustrate how the designers assumed their software would work. They often fail to demonstrate what the software can do--or much more important--how to get around the artificial limitations set by Microsoft. Some simple examples involve such basic building blocks as dialog boxes and menus (commandbars in Micro-speak). Some built-in dialog boxes have over a dozen arguments, but try finding out what those arguments do from either this book or from Microsoft's help information. As for the commandbars, even the examples from the book fail to work.

My advice? If you want to know what Microsoft intended, get this book. If you want to use Microsoft Office in a real world situation, keep looking.

It's very hard to find a book on VBA that isn't based in one application, and doesn't begin at the 'Hello World' level. This book does neither. Instead it provides a good introduction to the object models of the Office applications, and includes well-written code examples. The breadth of content is impressive--from shared Office components to class modules. What a pity it's out of print!

The intro materials in this book reveal that the authors were working side-by-side with the office development team as this book was written. Such direct access to the people who know the most about the product is unusual and it shows in this book. A collection of truly "useful" information and sample code. This is not a rehash of online help or a collection of the "basic" programming info found in a lot of reference books. The discussion generally gives you useful information and, the part I like the most, gives you sample code that works just the way it is in my own programs. This is not sample code of the type "MyControl.Backcolor = Red" that I see so much of. It appears that a real effort was made to write code that not only illustrates a concept, but that is usable in other contexts without much, or any, modification.

Thanks for the resource....check it out - you will not be disappointed.

The advetures of tom sawyer was on of the greatest books I've ever read. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a mischevios adventurerous kids. This book is good for adults because it could most likely to take you back to your own childhood. For kids it could give some ideas to enjoy your childhood.

Tom sawyer is a mischevios boy who always gets into trouble. tom tricks his friends into doing his chores. He falls in love. He wittnesses a murder scene. he runs away to be a pirate. He attends his own funeral. he finds buried treasure. feeds his cat pain killer. gets lost in a cave with the person he loves. Also gets 6,000 dollars.

I've learned from this book the importance of being young. It also taught me don't rush to grow up because you're only young once. IT also taught me what it was like to be a kid 150 years ago.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the best books I have ever read. The language,the thinking,the adventures-all of it was just incredible and enjoyable. The only thing this book needs is more pages! Mark Twain's skill in writing has created a book that all ages should read (or have it read to).Mark Twain reactivates the life and actions of a boy in the mid-1800's,and showed me that kids should be who they are- not what they will be. This is a classic for every generation to read and enjoy.

Mark Twain's,The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, tells about a boy loving and living his life to the fullest. Tom Sawyer is the kid that the world has seemed to forgotten. He is the kid who always get in trouble but continues to have fun with life. In this book, Tom does everything from being engaged, to watching his own funeral, to witnessing a [death] and finding treasure. Twain's creative character finds fun everywhere in his little town in Missouri, as do his friends. The storyline is basic, but it is a piece of the past that everyone should hold on to.

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, I learned mainly two things. The first thing I learned was that you can make life fun with just about anything if you use your imagination. Life is too short and precious to be wasted. I also learned that where you least expect it [help or protection], you might just get it. This book was just amazing-filled with unique characters, exciting events, and how a town can pull together to help those in need.

Tom Sawyer is one of the most endearing characters in American fiction. This wonderful book deals with all the challenges that any young person faces, and resolves them in exciting and unusual ways.

Like many young people, Tom would rather be having fun than going to school and church. This is always getting him into trouble, from which he finds unusual solutions. One of the great scenes in this book has Tom persuading his friends to help him whitewash a fence by making them think that nothing could be finer than doing his punishment for playing hooky from school. When I first read this story, it opened up my mind to the potential power of persuasion.

Tom also is given up for dead and has the unusual experience of watching his own funeral and hearing what people really thought of him. That's something we all should be able to do. By imagining what people will say at our funeral, we can help establish the purpose of our own lives. Mark Twain has given us a powerful tool for self-examination in this wonderful sequence.

Tom and Huck Finn also witness a murder, and have to decide how to handle the fact that they were not supposed to be there and their fear of retribution from the murderer, Injun Joe.

Girls are a part of Tom's life, and Becky Thatcher and he have a remarkable adventure in a cave with Injun Joe. Any young person will remember the excitement of being near someone they cared about alone in this vignette.

Tom stands for the freedom that the American frontier offered to everyone. His aunt Polly represents the civilizing influence of adults and towns. Twain sets up a rewarding novel that makes us rethink the advantages of both freedom and civilization. In this day of the Internet frontier, this story can still provide valuable lessons about listening to our inner selves and acting on what they have to say. Enjoy!

Want a book with an adventurous twist? Then Huckleberry Finn is the book for you. Not only is Huckleberry Finn an adventurous book, it is also can be comical and light, though the book has a grave meaning, showing the wrongs in society at the time in the late 19th century.
The book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer precedes Huckleberry Finn, where in the beginning of Huckleberry Finn, Huck lives with the widow Douglas, though doesn't like the high class living, and frequently leaves to see his father, who's always drunk, or just hangs out in the woods. While in the woods, Huck meets Jim, a slave who escaped and needs to cross the Mississippi River to the freedom on the other side, in Illinois. Although this book portrays a serious meaning, it can also be funny and witty.
I liked this book because it was witty and comical, though it had an important message at the same time. I really liked this book because of this, though the southern accent complicates the understanding of the book. Overall, I thought this book is definitely a classic and a must read for all age levels.

I wasn't too looking forward to the reading Huck Finn at first, particularly after glancing at the dialect of the first couple pages, but once I got started and more used to how the characters spoke, I loved the tale! Huck Finn is an extremely well-written novel that uses silly situations to explain how living was back then, and how slaves were treated. Jim is in the beginning of the book coming across as the stereotype of a slave, but as the novel continues, you really begin to see the real person, not just how Jim was "supposed" to be... Also, throughout the book, you see Huck mature and begin to get his own mind; among other things, Huck develops his own set of morals different from those of society... The Adventures of Huck Finn is a funny, exciting, and at times sweet book that everyone should have the chance to read... :):)

After reading many of the reviews below, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps this novel should not be taught at the high school level. Personally, when I read "Huckelberry Finn" my junior year, I thought that it was an enjoyable break from reading other early American classics, but judging from some of the reviews, others didn't agree. I don't understand exactly what was considered so "boring" about this novel. This book provides the reader with action, humor, and morals; what any 'classic' should do. For those who think of themselves as highly intellectual and felt that the novel didn't have a point, you may want to check your IQ, because I think your ego is in for a massive let-down. Although Twain clearly states at the beginning of the novel that he doesn't want his readers to try to find a point in his 'coming of age' story, the theme of the novel almost smacks the reader in the face. The 'point' is that friendship is more important than social standards and sometimes you have to put yourself at risk in order to save those that you care about. This classic will remain so as long as those who are forced to read it lighten up a little and actually open their minds to a great piece of literature.

I'm impressed. Really impressed. First, this book is incredible! Offering both non fictional and fictional material, right and left sided to stimulate your right and left brains. I have long been a fan of Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen as well as Jack Canfield. Allen and Hansen have outdone themselves with this one.The other reason that I am impressed is only one negative review! WOW! Perhaps even the bashers are reading PMA and inspritional material and growing. Now that is impressive!Simply stated; if you want to be a success, read this book. It will create the right mental mindset. If on the other hand you are happy with mediocrity, look elsewhere.For more on the how to, I recommend Multiple Streams of Income.Great book Mr. Allen and Mr. Hansen. Perhaps your best work to date.

I have read several of Robert Allens books in the past including Nothing Down, Creating Wealth and Multiple Streams of Income. And I have several of the Chicken Soup books coauthored by Hansen. Both are outstanding authors who actually deliver with style and substance.

The One Minute Millionaire is actually two books in one The first is motivation mixed with how to on real estate, network marketing, internet and business which runs on the left facing pages.

On the right facing pages runs the 2nd book--this one is a fictional story. To me this part reminded me of a current times version of Og Mandino's books which I have always enjoyed. The fictional part showcases a mother whose husband has died. She loses her house and her children.

This builds the dramatic story of this widowed mother who takes a job as a waitress. As the story unfolds to get her children back, she needs to make a million dollars. The balance of the tale shows her attempt to earn a million dollars with the help of a mentor.

I found the combining of a fictional with a how to book in one book, refreshing and stimulating.

Although the title is a little catchy, there is is much substance. You will learn:

* The 24 principles of the Enlightened Millionaire

* The power of 1 great idea

* The 7 money skills of highly prosperous people

* How to develop multiple streams of income

* The 6 forms of leverage

* The 10 most powerful techniques for buying real estate
with little or no money down

* The essentials of marketing success

And a delightful story about a woman that made it!

The One Minute Millionare will leave you fresh and renewed to pursue your goals and achieve them.

While The 1 Minute Millionaire does come off a little flowery, it is never-the-less a good book for anyone who wants something more than say a $40,000/yr job or less.

I read from this book everyday and play the audio in my car on my way to appointments.

If you are not where you want to be financially (who is???) buy the book and/or the audio and learn the strategies to become a millionaire.

This book is based on the murderous actions of Mark Hoffman, and in this regard is fairly accurate. However, when it comes to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), the Church's founding prophet Joseph Smith, and current Church leaders and doctrine, this book is slanted, twisted and just plain wrong. Its inaccuracies cause the book to end up being more fiction than fact. If you are really interested in learning the truth about the Mormon religion you should read The Book of Mormon, visit with some missionaries, and pray to know the truth. Reading this book is not the answer unless you wish to be misinformed.

I am a lover of suspense books but I don't read them because when I do, I feel guilty, like it's a waste of time. I also love to study religion. When you mix the 2 together, you have an excellent book.
Have you ever read a book that you speed read because it's so exciting yet at the same time, you try to read it as slow as possible because you don't want the book to end. This is that kind of book.
Have you ever read a book that immediatly after you read it, you know for a fact that you will read it a few more times...this is that kind of book.
Anyone interested in mormonism, or religion in general will love this book. (well maybe not mormons). Anyone who just loves a good page turner, will love this book.
If the author of this book is reading this review, please turn this book intoa movie. I have read probably close to a thousand books, I'm sure. A book has to be real good to get on my top ten list.
religion enthusiasts, this is the most exciting religious lesson you will get. take advantage of it. Oh by the way, another good book about mormonism is housewife to heretic by sonia johnson.

A real page-turner. Not just for the story of murder and forgery in the modern day...but for the history of the Mormon church. Joseph Smith originally intended THE BOOK OF MORMON to be a novel, that he hoped would make him some money. When people mistook it for real scripture, he was shocked, then thought he could make even more money this way, starting a religion. After the religion got going, he had dissenters assassinated. I had no idea the Mormon Church was based on such a flimsy, corrupt, foundation. As flimsy and corrupt as Scientology. Give the Church of Scientolgy 150 more years, and it will be as respectable as Mormonism. It's as like if the readers of THE CELESTINE PROPHECY believed that was truth, and its author as a result started a religion. The truth of Joseph Smith is almost as riveting as the truth of Mike Hofmann, the forger and murderer in the modern day, who is the main focus of this book. Hofmann said he and Josepth Smith were very much alike. He may be more right than we'd like to think. Not just a page-turner, but an eye-opener.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with the reviews so far. I my opinion this is the worst book from QUE-Books I have ever read (most of the QUE-books are really good). The author never explains the essential details about HTML, he always strays into simple, unneccessary details or into complicated, unneccessary details, but never gets to the point what is really useful. And if there's the rare occasion something is really explained, it will be repeated at least five times... I don't want to say the author doesn't know what he is writting about, he simply just don't know how to write...

I just have to say this is the greatest book ever written. Why? Because it's MY web site that is featured in Chapter 3, Fig 3.12! It's under the heading of "The Wrong Stuff: What Not to Put on the Web"

I never got any royalty money out of the deal either, whats up with that? Can I sue for defamation of web site? Hmmm... probably not, but since it's the first site I ever made back when I was a freshman in Highschool, and now it's immortalized in print - I forgive him.

Greatest book ever written!

This book was great

I wrote a review criticizing this book several months ago, but after reading so many reviews in its favor I started to feel guilty. So I read the darned thing again. My conclusion: I was being NICE the first time! A flaw in the Pattern? Hah! How about a gash, a rip, a total mutilation! Even the stuff that seemed so amazing the first time, like Mat`s relationship with the 'girls' and the stunning opening scenes of the book, are totally drowned out by the awful stuff. And there`s plenty. No, I am not WHINING about the length of the series--even if I am so petty as to want to know the outcome of the Last Battle before I die--but length has to be justified by the quality of the content. While the earlier books weren`t perfect, they were beautiful, and I devoured them at the speed of light. I don`t even want to think about the money I threw away for this piece of junk. I needn`t get into the fact that the bulk of the descriptions were unnecessary and boring as heck--it`s been mentioned even by those who feel this book is God`s gift to planet Earth. But I can`t believe I used to think RJ wasn`t the type to stoop to soap opera scenes to impress the morons and sex-starved teenagers in the peanut gallery. The scene with Rand and Min was so forced, contrived, and downright dumb, it sounded like it was coming from a first-time author with marriage problems ('Oh Rand, I need WARM flesh'--spare us, please--I`ll watch The Bold and the Beautiful if I want to see corny romances enacted). They were so artificial, if you hit them with a piece of styrofoam they`d both fall over. Min, dazzled by Rand`s fabulous eyebrows, can`t stop thinking about him or making slutty remarks to him for two seconds--an instance where it becomes painfully obvious a man wrote this, a man with a case of wishful thinking. If only, oh if only women would do what they`re supposed to do--moon over men and make themselves available at every possible opportunity.....or so, I suppose, runs the male mentality, at least judging from this book. Robert Jordan can`t possibly expect anyone with intelligence to take the relationships seriously, not when the deepes expression of love is kisses stolen in corners. Notice there is seldom that good old-fashioned technique for developing relationships--anyone remember dialogue? As for the scenes with Tylin.....anyone who thinks that rape, just because it`s in the reverse, is funny, is a pervert. Period. I`m predicting (and I hope I`m wrong) that the same thing is going to happen again, only with Elayne and Rand with Aviendha holding the knife, and in that case I`ll probably end up quitting this series. The women in general have become shallow stereotypes, and while people seem to think they`re expressive of feminist views, actually it`s just the opposite. Women don`t sit around thinking about how unearthly beautiful their boyfriends are ( Guess what, guys? Most women don`t even care much about looks at all. If they did, the world wouldn`t be populated) and Rand with three women dangling on his shoulder is one of the most sexist plot devices ever encountered by this reviewer. Lastly, I was amused at the comments praising the GREAT PLOT, when I hadn`t even noticed, even after twice reading it, that there *was* a plot. In comparison to the other books, which had plots intricate as any tapestry, this thing is little more than a loose thread. And frayed at the edges for good measure.

After a lot of soul searching, I've decided to submit my comments on the Wheel of Time series to date. I want to start off by saying that I am a big fan of Robert Jordan. In the WOT series, he has opened up all kinds of new ground with his incredible imagination. Eye of the World was absolutley fantastic. Interesting, exciting, you name it. The Great Hunt was also wonderful, as was The Dragon Reborn and my personal favorite, The Shadow Rising.

Then, all of a sudden, kaboom....the last three volumes have ground this once-great series to a halt. Some won't admit it, but it's true. I'm actually questioning whether these volumes came from the same author. Lots of pages, lots of details, but little of consequence or interest. The problem many of us have (based on several other reviews I have read) is that we've all been sucked into the series by the earlier volumes and feel obligated to see this thing through to its conclusion (which, incidentally, may not happen in our li! fetimes).

I recently read George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones and Guy Gavriel Kay's A Song for Arbonne. One is destined to become a great epic series, the other is a great single-volume epic. What impressed me about both of these books is how there is no waste or tedium in the telling. They are interesting and absorbing throughout. I don't like the idea of criticizing Robert Jordan, because I honestly consider him a genius. All I'm saying is that about halfway through the WOT series, the flavor that initially made it great just sort of disappeared.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. I enjoy Robert Jordan's WOT series and think it is the best series written to date, but A Crown of Swords was a bit of a let down. Starting with The Lord of Chaos, the books have just had the feel of setting up for something bigger, but nothing ever happens. This book was consideribly smaller than the others and I personally think that Jordan put it out just as a quick fix for his impatient fans. The series has become so immense and is constantly expanding it is hard to see it ending anytime soon. Not that I want it to end. I just want some closure on at least some of the issues. I have read nearly all of the comments from the first book to this one and I must say to all of the losers who rate this series with 1 star "What?? Are you on Crack". This is wonderful reading for anyone! Unfortunately, since we have to wait so long in between books, our anticipation and expectations grow so big, nothing Mr. Jordan could! possibly write will live up to those expectations. None the less, I shall remain a loyal and die-hard fan. Last comment - To all of you who have recommended 'A Game of Thrones'; I totally agree. Anyone who like WOT will love it!

I buy a lot of books. In general I average about $600/year in books. I hold an MSEE and an MBA. So I buy a lot of business and technical books.
This is the first time that I feel that a book I baught was so worthless that I felt it my duty to write about it.
Sometimes it is hard to keep voluminous books about a particular area. So I thought I could buy a condensé that just reminds me what I need to remember if need be.
Well, I got the wrong book. This is the lowest level book I have come across and I am surprised it's writen by so called "eminent" professors and endorsed by so called "Harvard business school" professors.
A blunt breach of credibility for those who wrote this leaflet and those who endorsed it.

This is a good BASIC LEVEL reference book for MBA studies. It shows the basic theories e.g. in strategy, finance, accounting etc. If you need deeper & focused knowledge of any of those areas, maybe you should buy another book (e.g. Portable MBA in Stretegy).

During the tech boom in 2000 I snared a job with a Fortune 500 technology company. I was bright but as a history major my business knowledge was limited to what I had in econ 101 and CNN MoneyWatch. Needless to say I needed some help. Boom this book was recommended and I went from lost to in command in a matter of months. Written by the professors at UVA's highly regarded Darden School of Business this book covers all aspects of an MBA from Marketing to finance and then some. For all you who want to be a VP someday I hardily endorse this book.