I'd be kinder with the stars if the title were "Learn Database Administration using SQL-DMO". But I am already clear about that. The only reason I went with 3 was that some of the scripts are indeed useful. But what I was looking for was a good succint overview of SQL-DMO. Rather than focus on the SQL-DMO object model and how best to employ it, the book is a series of tasks DBA's might typically want to accomplish with example code. What I needed was answers to how do you know to use such and such method over some other alternative. Or even a discussion on the pros and cons of techniques employed woud have been more helpful.

I had to do some SQL DMO scripting and could not figure out how to do it using MDSN, so I purchased Wrox's book and found it to be merely a re-write of online docs.

Then I discovered this book and was so overjoyed to find some authors who had actually taken the time to write useful code samples and to go well beyond where MSDN leaves off.

Their code is very well laid out and designed. They have taken the time and care to turn out a quality product.

Alan Mitchell's thin book describes the relations between France and Germany under Bismarck. France was a diplomatic pariah in Europe. But when Napoleon 3 overthrew Louis Philip, Bismarck realized that Napoleon iii was unpredictable, but he could be dealt with. Bismarck decided that Prussia should keep its options open toward France, no matter what Austria decided. France's success and Russia's defeat in the Crimean War supported Bismarck's belief that the Holy Alliance was over and that Napoleon 3 was a man to be reckoned with, and that Napoleon 3 did not want to oppose Prussia. Bismarck also realized that France might deal with Russia because they did not conflict with each other over anything.

After 1866 Bismarck placated Napoleon 3 desire for territorial compensation with empty promises. Napoleon 3 moves were useful to Bismarck to persuade the southern states to join the northern German confederation.

Mitchell quickly describes the Roman and Luxemburg problems and the causes of
the Franco-Prussian War. He writes about the peace negotiations for the Franco-Prussian War in detail. The resulting territorial annexations by Germany created a permanent desire for revenge in the French, and Bismarck wanted to make the French unable to carry out that revenge. France stayed weak and divided, not necessarily because of Bismarck, until Bismarck left office.

Mitchell's book was too short for the subject covered, but he included an excellent bibliography

This book is a compilation of articles that are extremely disappointing and unhistorical. There are many psychoanalytical articles on Adolf Hitler, which is a method of study that most traditional historians reject as quackery. There are articles that use discredited facts in order to "prove" that Hitler was some kind of inhumane monster. The editor even writes in the introduction that he is taking a look at Nazism with an "elementary morality." It is quite disturbing to see how many historians actually feel morally obligated to condemn Hitler instead of using fact to illustrate his thoughts and actions. This book would be better suited for a class on ethics, but it is certainly not history.

"The Nazi Revolution: Hitler's Dictatorship and the German Nation," (Problems in European Civilization)
by Allan Mitchell (Editor) is a wonderful up-to-date collection of essays from top-notch historians on the current historical debates surrounding the causes and actions of the Nazi Revolution.

Books from the PROBLEMS IN EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION SERIES are designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate level European history courses. That being said, this book is not an introductory text. The authors of the articles go directly into their subjects, without providing any significant background information. Therefore, you need to have an historical base level of knowledge to work from. Nonetheless, it is an excellent tool for students, scholars and general readers of modern European history.

The text is best used in class discussions and debate.

An excellent representation of Nazi historical scholarship.