Lots of sly humor and an exciting adventure story makes this a good book.

Visit a time when women were "hoop-skirted" ladies and men treated them with charming, exaggerated kindness and respect. Take a ride in a horse carriage to a ball, and there be introduced to some of the most memorable people you'll ever meet. I'm refering to the exciting experience of Gone With The Wind. Nothing you ever read will captivate, motivate, affect, or teach you more. The characters are so real that they become part of your life, they change your life. Scarlett O'hara is the most beautiful, unforgettable heroine of any novel. Spoiled and self-centered, but there's still no denying that she's a very intelligent, strong person. You get to know Scarlett so well that she becomes part of you, and she even changes how you view yourself and your life. You fall in love with dashing, dark, handsome, mysterious, yet, charming Mr. Rhett Butler. Not to exclude the other wonderful personalities of Ashley Wilkes, sweet Melanie, Aunt Pitty Pat, and certainly not excluding Mammy. Witness the horror of the Civil War, and learn the truth about the Old South. While also learnig about love, life, and the exciting unpredictablities of both. I love, adore, and cherish GWTW! If you've read I'm certain you fell the same. If you haven't read GWTW I could cry for you! You are missing out on the chance of a lifetime, truly! You simply must read it!

While I admit to not being a fan of the romance genre, Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" towers above its imitators in style and substance. Set in the Atlanta area during the Civil War era, Mitchell's story exemplifies the proper writing of historical fiction, with painstaking accuracy of language, mannerisms, and morals. The war itself is also presented as it should be presented - in full color and with all its moral ambiguity, rather than the black-and-white presentation that so often is the norm in modern discourse.

Mitchell's painting of southern culture and the all-encompassing war, however, serve only as the background for one of the most poignant love stories ever written. Following the life and loves of the willful Scarlett O'Hara, the work delves straight into the meaning and nature of love. Torn between her now-married childhood love, Ashley, and the outcast Rhett Butler, and in dogged pursuit of financial success after the devastating war, Scarlett lives a life of emotion and passion that few fictional characters have rivalled.

Though this work is quite long, it is a very easy read. The style is light and brisk, the language uncomplicated except in the heavy dialect of the blacks, and the story compelling. "Gone with the Wind" is a great book, a great movie, and perhaps the greatest love story ever told. Highly recommended.

I first read this book at the age of ten and have re-read it at least 15 times over the last decade. With each reading, I admire Mitchell's characters more and more. Mitchell's pen has an unerring eye for the telling detail. Aside from Rhett and Scarlett's stormy love, I think one of the most complex and fascinating relationships in the book is that of Scarlett and Melanie. Although Scarlett thinks she hates Melanie, she really depends on her as a substitute mother, and whether she realizes it or not, her actions towards Melanie are truly generous and good. Melanie, for her part, seems to worship Scarlett almost to the point of idolatry, and from the Twelve Oaks Barbecue scene until her death at the end of the book, never ceases protecting Scarlett from her detractors - just like Ellen O'Hara. Melanie is the only person who can ease Scarlett's anxiety about her fog nightmares other than Rhett. One of the most tragic things about the story is that when Scarlett fina! lly realizes just how much she loves and needs Melanie and Rhett, they are both lost to her on the same day. I've always wished that Mitchell had written a second volume (the Ripley book is wretched!), although I myself don't really see how Scarlett could get Rhett back, and there are no other people in her life who could take Melanie's place. Mitchell's story is both inspirational - Scarlett offers many lessons on how to cope with adversity, sorrow, and loss - and a magnificent exploration of the complexities of the human heart and mind. Each time I read this book I almost forget where I am and what else I should be doing. Margaret Mitchell was a great storyteller. I wish this book was longer.

I picked up this book because I was told that learning ASP would be a good introdction to web programming. While the book is thorough, it tends to bog down in detail while not making clear what is central and what is secondary. So the authors spend one scanty chapter on control structures--absolutely crucial to any programming--and then devote the next chapter (of equal length) to a terminally detailed discussion of built-in functions--which should have gone in an appendix. This might be a good reference book for someone who is already a programmer, but by the end of the first "week," this newbie was completely lost. I had to put the book aside and learn more about programming from some better written JavaScript and beginning programming texts before I could come back and make sense of this text.

Advice: Don't purchase this book unless you already have sufficient programming background so that the introductory chapters are really "review" and that you can distinguish what is important from what is secondary.

After spending a lot of timing researching books on ASP, I fortunately ordered this one. I was able to go from zero knowledge to a decent grasp of the basics in a short period of time. While my goal was not to become fluent in the language, I had enough knowledge to be able to modify the very limited scripts provided in Dreamweaver Ultradev 4. I finally managed to achieve my goal: develop a full-blown content site (an online version of our company's print publication). Since launching the site a few months ago, we've signed up 4000 users, a good number for our very niche audience. I couldn't have done it without this book, and it saved our company tends of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars because we didn't have to outsource development to Web experts who charge an arm and a leg for this kind of thing.

Some gaps though such as total lack of discussion of CDONTS object to enable web-based email, something I'm picking up from other books.

But overall, a fantastic pick. I keep referring to it over and over.

The title says that you'll learn ASP 3.0 in 21 days, but you'll learn so much more! You'll learn how to write your code so that you or a co-worker can expand or change it years later; how to use business objects (and Microsoft's built in objects); how to design multi-page projects for maximum efficiency; how to read and write from a database; and, most importantly, when using a certain method (such as connecting to a database) is most helpful and when it's a resource-wasting idea.

This book has its own support forum linked off of the 4guysfromrolla.com webpage so that Scott Mitchell and millions of 4guysfromrolla.com fans can provide you with help if a code example isn't working. ASP and ASP.NET folks seem to be the happiest 'been-there, debugged that' programming community on the web, so don't be shy.

If you want to build interactive applications, but your servers aren't running Microsoft.NET or a similar runtime, this book is for you. If you want to learn how to make cool webpages, this is your book. Learn VBScript in a browser-independent format? Buy the book. It's just that good!

Sarah Jean's great Uncle Jed has a dream of opening up his own
barbershop. Sarah Jean explains to the reader that Great Uncle Jed is the only black barber in their county during segregation. He goes on horseback from house to home cutting Afro-American people's hair. One of Sarah Jean favourite thing is when Uncle Jed pretends to cut her hair. He would place the clippers next to her neck and then put on some great smelling lotion . One day Sarah Jean becomes very ill and the doctors will only operate if they had the three hundred dollars up front. Uncle Jed saves Sarah Jean's life when he gives her family the three hundred dollars he had been saving for his barbershop. Uncle Jed suffer another setback when the Great Depression hits and the bank holding his three thousand dollars fails. He has to start again from nothing in the middle of the Depression. Now Uncle Jed's customers can only paid him in food and clothing. Uncle Jed's dream is finally realized on his seventy ninth birthday. Uncle Jed attains his dream through unruffled courage and dignity. He does not allow racism or injustice get in the way.The realistic illustrations add to this wonderful book. A wonderful picture book for five to nine year old with the quiet message of following your dream no matter how long it takes.

This story is an historical fiction account of an African American family who struggles during the Depression. This is a great book to teach: economics--scarcity of money affects decisions; perseverence; work ethics.

I USED THIS TEXT WHEN I DID AN PROGRAM AT MY 5 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THE TEACHER WAS SO IMPRESSED THAT SHE ADDED THE BOOK TO THE LIBRARY INSIDE THE CLASSROOM. THE BOOK ILLISTRATES THAT NO MATTER HOW A SITUATION LOOKS AT ANY GIVEN TIME, YOU CAN REACH YOUR DREAM. AFTER READING THIS BOOK IN THE BOOKSTORE, I HAD TO BUY IT BECAUSE EVERY YEAR, I INTEND TO USE IT IN MY PROGRAM.

I use Halderman's book as the primary source in automotive electrical training in a classrom setting. ASE study guides are good for revue but presume knowledge of the subject. OEM training materials that I have used are either too basic (Mister Electron) or too specific (GM CS alternators).

This is the first book I've ever read that tells you "WHY" you are doing something and how each component is constructed in "plain english". Once you understand what each part is and more importantly, how each part connects to each other and how they work as a team. Better than any ASE test book, better than a Mitchell manual, this book starts from the basics and you learn how everything works from the inside out. Full of diagnostic tips you don't find in most books, telling you how to use the most simple of tools to test the electronic systems with ease and accuracy. THIS IS ONE SUPER BOOK FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO UNDERSTAND THE MODERN ELECTRONIC AUTOMOBILE WITHOUT A HARVARD DEGREE IN ELECTRONICS !

We just spent the last weekend in the Mojave Desert with this book. We found several wonderful sites using the guide. We also got lost on webs of dirt roads, no matter how closely we followed the book's instructions. I have to think that a lot of the roads have changed, or that some of the directions are not accurate. We also encounted two sites in a row that were closed, but not labeled as such in the book. So although the book is great, it obviously needs an update, even though it was only published in 1999. My boyfriend thought it would also have helped us to have GPS coordinates of the sites. Still, we would never have found the great spots we did without this book, so I would definitely recommend it...

This book gives you accurate maps and information about the many sites to find gems, geode beds, old gold, chalcedony, opal and agate mines in the area, and many other sites and places of interest.It is easy to read and follow and I would recommend it to anyone interested in investigating these types of places in Southern California.

"Give It Up" is basically a collection of arguments for why someone should quit smoking. It starts with why a person smokes, then follows with how it hurts the smoker, the benefits of quitting and then finishes with stories from people who have quit. While this may be beneficial to some people it ignores the fact that for most people the reason they have a hard time quitting smoking is because it is an addiction. Many, many smokers would quit today if they were able to and all the ones I know already know the dangers of smoking and the health benefits of quitting, but that has not helped them to quit. There may be some smokers that benefit from a detailed discourse on how bad smoking is for you and how much better you are if you quit. Still others may benefit by using it as an aid to keep them motivated. If they are on a nicotine patch program, hypnosis program, or some other program then reading this may help to keep their motivation level high and increase their success. However, the greatest benefit of this book may be as a preventative with teenagers to make sure that they realize just how bad smoking can be.

When Anne spoke about my higher power wanting me to be a nonsmoker, that is what got to me the most. I know this intuitively and it resonated within me to hear it verbalized in such a way.

Jennifer

As an owner of many domestic horned sheep, which are descended from the wild sheep described in the book, I found this book fascinating especially the attention paid to horn type, growth and comparisons between subspecies. It serves as a great foundation as I continually learn to understand and improve my flock.

Although published in 1964,this is perhaps the most complete work on wild sheep avaliable to the layman.Written in an easy read style, this work is full of stories of old hunts and the trials of old hunters.I find myself coming back to it time after time......

My three stars are in no way a disrespectful gesture towards Joshua Slocum and his magnificent voyage. His bravery will go unmatched by many. However, rating his story on a literary scale, I can't give it more than a three. If you're not a sailor, and I'm not, then you may find yourself bogged down by many sea/boat terms. On the other hand, if you have worked on a boat, or enjoy sailing, then you will love this story. I might also note that at times the story becomes repetitive, but it is not without its witty and suspenseful moments. This account of Slocum's courageous voyage around the world would probably only appeal to those that already have some knowledge of the sea. I guess its all relative.

Joshua Slocum was the first person to sail single-handed around the world. Unlike today's solo around the world sailors Slocum was not a yachtsman, but had been variously skipper and owner-skipper of large sailing trading ships that plied the oceans of the world. His voyages included many across the Atlantic Ocean and several to the Pacific, including trading ventures to China, Japan and the Pacific Islands. Slocum was also different to modern day around the world sailors in that he made his around the world voyage near the end of his sailing career, at the age of fifty five. Slocum was declared dead on 14 November 1909 at the age of 65. This was the date he set sail on his final voyage. His course was into an Atlantic gale, and neither he nor his boat Spray was seen or heard of later.

Slocum's father was a farmer in the maritime province of Nova Scotia which was one of the leading sailing and ship-building centres of the world in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Slocum was one of eleven children, was born on the Bay of Fundy, spent only two years in school and gained all his sailing and boat building skills on the job. When he was twenty-five Slocum was offered command of an American coasting schooner. His next command took him the to Australia where he met and married Virginia Walker of Strawberry Hill, Sydney. Later, Slocum would spend considerable time cruising the coast of Australia from Tasmania to the Torres Strait during his around the world voyage.

As the nineteenth century drew to a close steam ships began to eat into the fishing and coastal and international trading business previously the sole dominion of sailing ships. In 1887 Slocum's ship the Aquidneck was stranded on a sand bar off the coast of Brazil and was raked by heavy seas for three days which wrecked the ship. Slocum managed to save his ship-building tools and some material from the wreck. In eighteen months, using timber felled by him and sails sewn by his (second) wife Hettie, Slocum built a 35-foot sailing canoe which he named the Liberdade, as the boat was launched on the day Brazilian slaves were freed. He sailed the Liberdade 5,500 miles in fifty-three days back to Washington DC.

Slocum's boat the Spray, which he used for his around the world voyage had previously been an oysterman on Chesapeake Bay, and was completely rebuilt by Slocum. Although in keeping with tradition the name of the boat was preserved, the boat was deliberately rebuilt with different characteristics by Slocum. For example, he increased the freeboard particularly at the bow and stern in preparation for his ocean-going venture. The Spray was thirty-six feet nine inches long, had a beam of fourteen feet and a draft of four feet two inches, and weighed nine tons. She had a full-length wooden keel which was about one foot deep at the bow and about three feet deep at the stern. Slocum tells of the Spray's ability to sail a constant course with the wheel lashed when about two points off the wind for days on end.

During his around the world voyage he was introduced to many dignitaries in many countries. In South Africa Slocum made the mistake of telling the President of the Transvaal Paul Kruger that he was sailing "around" the world. Kruger corrected him saying that he meant sailing "on" the world, because Kruger believed the world was flat.

The book is fascinating to read and has appeal for anyone interested in the history of sailing and of life at the turn on the nineteenth century.

My feeling, upon finishing this book, was that I wish I'd had the opportunity to meet this remarkable man. What a great story of adventure as Slocum sets out in the Spray to sail solo around the world. He seems to have such a wonderful attitude about the whole thing, never really taking anything too seriously, but just enjoying the whole epic. It is incredible that this was done way back in 1895, long before the sophisticated navigational aides sailors and yachtsmen have available today. Yet, he seems to almost casually find his way around the world, meeting interesting people, avoiding mishaps and just generally having a great time. His writing is simple and a joy to read. It's a wonderful story for all ages and certainly not surprising that it has been so popular over the years.

No thank you, I won't be having seconds. I already own the original Ebony cookbook so I picked this one up with high expectations. What a let down! The New Ebony cookbook is full of bland recipes that I will never try. Considering that the orignal book is a treasury of Americas finest Black cooking there is no excuse for this new version to be so poor. Stick with the original.

This book was a huge disappointment. I have Frieda Knight's wonderful _Dinner with a Dish_ (from Ebony), so really looked forward to this one. But it was so coldly written, with no introductions, anecdotes, or descriptions of the recipes. In the aforementioned _Dinner with a Dish_, it tells how a minted pea recipe became very popular after someone mistakenly used mint tea instead of water to cook some peas. I like that sort of intro/description, and missed it here. For example, all recipe collections include some that are quick-and-easy, some that use up ingredients we keep on hand, some that are very cheap, some that are out-of-this-world delicious show-stoppers, some that have sentimental value, etc. -- and it is important to know which are which before wasting your time and effort. (For example, I'm a northerner, and have never seen or tasted collard greens. A recipe describing them as delectable would tempt me to locate and try them -- but, without such a description, I have no way of knowing if the recipe is listed because collard greens are readily available, or because they taste good.) is book doesn't provide any clues about time or effort involved or results expected. I was horribly disappointed, and will be returning it.

However, I gave it three stars rather than one, since the above criteria may not matter to all people.

this cookbook is perfect for cooks like me who really don't know how to cook!!! the language is plain, the ingrediants are simple, and the results.....for me... is usually tasty!!!

the timely tips in the back of the book are especially helpful. they teach me how to make substitutions, when i don't have certain ingrediants the recipes require.

i also found this to be the perfect cookbook for my 14 year old son to learn the basics of functioning in the kitchen.