For readers at any level of computer expertise, Web-Based Network Management explores using Internet technologies in order to manage your networks and companies. Real world examples are informative and interesting. A must have for business owners and I.S. managers.

I was the technical editor for Curt on this book and have had the opportunity to work with him on other books. His writing style is excellent and he never spends more time than necessary on any one topic.

For those wishing to learn more about the hardware requirements for Win2000, this is the book. You won't find vague chapters covering numerous other Win2000 topics lightly-- that's for other books. This one focuses on what it takes to manage the physical server that is running Win2000.

If you like this one, I can tell you that Curt has other books on other Win2000 subjects that I've read. His stuff is easy to read and won't bog you down.

I was about to buy an Internet phone and get setup with an account, but I bought this book instead - thank goodness! This book helped me avoid major mistakes and I now have the right phone and the right plan for me (I'm saving more money every month than this book even cost!). Aside from that, it's full of practical tips and advice for anyone wanting to know more about the wireless Internet and how to use it.

this book is the fabolous book I have ever read in all my life I dont like to read but these book call my attention... it was great it talks how this jewish girl live and all about her if you will put more of 5 stars I will voted for the top one I reccomend this book for all tipes of people black,white, yello,jewish,indians whatever it do'snt matter who you are but you got to read it ! its SUPER-EXCELLENT!!!!

This is the definitive account of the longest trial in American legal history wherein four persons: Charles Manson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were sentenced to death for the murders of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Voytek Frykowski, Stephen Parent, Leno La Bianca and Rosemary La Bianca. The crimes, collectively known as the Tate/La Bianca murders took place in Los Angeles in August 1969. Vincent Bugliosi's work is both focussed and orderly and he scores highly in bringing a convoluted and at times incompetent enquiry to the reader in a totally believable account. Stretching to 664 pages, some might consider the work too long winded but the story certainly licks along at a good pace. The lion's share of the time is given over to a day by day, blow by blow account detailing the court proceedings. These accounts are so good that in places you can believe yourself to be in the public gallery and can feel the tension and horror as this macabre tale unfolds.
The crimes, which rocked America in the late 60's and early 70's, are truly horrific. Bugliosi does not shy away from revealing the cold, callous and detached nature of each defendant; none of whom show the slightest remorse for their barbaric actions. Neither too are we sheltered from the abundant stabbings, shootings, hangings, and mutilations. There are ample official statements, legal examinations, cross-examinations and personal conversations to satisfy even the most curious. The reader's inclusion 'in the court' so to speak, might for some readers prove too much, but by a combination of thoroughness, attention to detail and style the author takes us into the bizarre world of Charles Manson.
He is a 'wannabe' but unsuccessful musician, drug user and, for more than half of his life, a frequenter of numerous penitentiaries. He is the self-styled guru of 'The Family' where most of the members are young, impressionable runaways. Lost, lonely and anti-establishment they, by numerous avenues end up at Manson's door. Most are female, most claim to be in love with Manson, most claim he possesses special power or is the embodiment of Christ or Satan (terms Manson uses of himself). The late 60's mix of sex, free love and drugs are used to full effect and, more often than not, the girls are used to attract new recruits. In turn, through a dangerous cocktail of charisma, fear and violence, added to delusionary interpretations brought on by 'hidden' meaning in a number of the Beatles songs, Manson creates a dependency upon himself and his words. In short - he controls their thoughts, actions and lives. He, Manson, plays the pipe, they dance in time until they kill to order, but as Bugliosi shows they too are willing participants in this 'game'.
Crucial to the prosecution's case is the motive for the murders - Helter Skelter. Bugliosi shows that through his interpretation of the Beatles lyrics, his predisposition to violence, his anti-establishment and racism, Manson attempts to kick-start a race war in America. BR>If the book has a down side it would be that the real comparisons between Charles Manson and Adolf Hitler are pretty tenuous; Bugliosi's frequent portrayal of himself in the, 'I'm always right' camp when comparing himself to his opponents in defence counsel, gets a bit irritating and the use of aliases with some of the main players in the 'Family' can get confusing at times. That said, for any true crime buffs out there who like their reading material to be a real mix of the gruesome and the legal, this book is a must.
This review covers the 1974 paperback edition.

I recently saw members of the Manson "family" interviewed on television, and I have no doubt that the remorse displayed by Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel is real, and that they now see the reality of what Manson was and still is, but I also have no doubt that they owe society a great debt, and must stay in prison for the rest of their lives.

But Manson? Manson is a different story. I don't get scared easily, but because he remains so paranoid and because of his virulent psychopathology, he is a truly frightening individual, and "Helter Skelter" is the best assessment of his life, psyche, and crimes ever written.

"Helter Skelter" is a blow by blow account of the gruesome Tate/LaBianca murders written by the man who, as the prosecuting district attorney, had the disturbing job of being forced to immerse himself in this grisly case for over two years in order to convict the killers. As a result, no one knew, and indeed still knows, the intimate details of this story better than Vincent Bugliosi, and that is why there was no one better qualified to write this book. It is a compelling story which is almost too horrific to be true, but the blood, gore, and savagely mutilated corpses testify to the harrowing sadness of the reality that these crimes really did occur. Indeed, no horror movie could be as frightening, as gory,or as disturbing as the Manson murders, and this book paints a compelling and graphic portrait as to why the perpetrators of these crimes should never be paroled from prison.

-From the day I read of the bloody murders at Sharon Tate's residence, I wanted to understand what happened and WHY?.
--Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor of Charles Manson and 3 of the girls that were his followers, in one of the most controversial trials in the U.S. shows why he must be such a good prosecutor. He guides us through the crime scenes, describes the police investigation, and finally his own investigation when Charles Manson, Tex Watson, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkle, Susan Atkins, and Leslie Van Houten were arrested, and preparing for trial.
Not only do we learn WHAT happened, but Bugliosi makes his famous search to uncover the complex motives that allowed this to happen: Charles Manson's mission to cause "Helter Skelter"
Bugliosi clearly lived and breathed this case day after day, and he recounts it so vividly, the reader is part of the invesigation.
-He also gives us valuable information on the trial process. How he struggles to get crucial evidence and testimony admitted, and show the jury beyond any doubt what happened.
He certainly convinced me beyond a reasonable doubt.
-The story is certainly still relevant. The murderers are still in jail, repeatedly requesting parole, we need to reread this book to know they should never be freed.

This book is above the best I've ever read. Not only does Sampson cut through the clutter and hype of the hogan mystique, but brings to light the man himself. Ben Hogan was a hero to many, including myself. However, it becomes easier to understand his faults and pains. As awestruck as we all become as we reminisce about what the infamous one iron shot was like, the same feeling comes to mind when you can discover the personal hardships and psychological strains that Hogan had held throughout his life. Looking from the outside, he was comprised of somewhat an introvert, stubborn, and jealous man. Yet how he broke out of his shell and overcame adds one more dimension to a timeless hero. Not only his ability to overcome the game of golf and his physical handicaps, but overcoming the mental obstacles that it takes to become not only an excellent golfer, but an excellent man. Hats off to Curt Sampson

shawnwellnitz@yahoo.com

The best book iv'e every read. I think every golf lover should have a chance to read this masterpiece! It explains, with help from Curt Sampson how Ben Hogan really lived his life, rather than every shoe brand he bought!. It (the book) desribes Ben's meaning, hope and explanation of his true identity in the world of golf.

I found this book to be one of the best biographies I've ever read. Sampson leads the reader through the pivotal and formative events of Hogan's life, slowly revealing the character and personality of one of the most complex figures in the history of sports. Most people view sports legends as individuals blessed with an abundance of natural ability and instinct. I was inspired to discover this does not describe Ben Hogan. He was not, by any stretch of imagination, the most talented golfer on tour. To read accounts of his early struggles puts the stunning success he later enjoyed - and the work that enabled him to accomplish that success - in clear perspective. To often, sports biographies are superficial tributes that ignore the complexities of a sport and the men who play it. This is a book that digs deeply into the life of its subject, revealing both the noble and the base. Curt Sampson allows the reader to form his own opinion of the man based on a detailed and objectively rendered portrait. Anyone who truly loves the game of golf needs to read this book. Rick Mathes Thousand Oaks, C

I just finished this book and have to agree with many of the other reviewers that it is a must read for fantasy fans. The setting has heavy Asian overtones, though there are some European items as well. The characters are good, though I think as a main character Llesho is a little shallow so far, but first books are often the worst of the series. The plot leaves a bit to be desired, with "luck" and "strange benefactor" prototypes abounding, but last part of the book does a good job of providing (some) answers and laying the basis for the next book. I would definitely recommend you pick it up, as I'm guessing the next book will be even better.

I was thoroughly delighted by Curt Benjamin's debut. This is an author I will watch for in the future, especially for the continuation of the story begun so well in The Prince of Shadows. Having read science fiction and fantasy for almost 50 years, I approach new authors with a mix of anticipation and scepticism. I was continuously pleased and never disappointed by Mr. Benjamin.

His plot, well laid out with interesting and very unexpected twists and turns, appears to have very loosely used Chinese mythology and history as a springboard to a world which includes magic, dragons, warlords, an emperor, a nomad enemy group, and many other interesting characters and groups. His characters are well developed and his hero and companions likeable well rounded, believable and likeable, with even his hero and deities having weaknesses as well as strengths, and a sense of humor. His descriptions of surroundings set the scene for the action very clearly and efficiently, giving a good picture of "where" you are without being tedious, and with nice touches to make each setting a part of a "real" world.

I raced through this story, turning each page to eagerly learn what would happen next, and finished it feeling well satisfied. Llesho, in his mission to find and rescue his brothers and free his homeland, encounters interesting and exciting adventures, setbacks and triumphs, with companions bringing their own distinct personalities, strengths and weaknesses to enliven the plot.

This is a keeper, and a book to re-read. Now that I know how it ends, I want to go back and see what nuances and hints of what is to come that I missed in my excitement to see what happens on the next page.

I almost didn't read this. It takes part in what seems to be an Asian setting. . After reading fantasy for years, the plots get that old feeling. What a joy to read this story. The plot is described in the editorial reviews, so I won't go over it again, but this book was refreshing. A hero you feel for, bunch of sidekicks who are for the most part normal and magic underneath everything. Stayed up all night to finish it and I haven't done that in a long while. The story never drags, the characters are well developed--in that you care what happens to them--all in all a good read.

'The death of Superman' probably brings to a Superman reader's mind the more famous one, in which Superman sacrifices himself to defeat Doomsday. But this is something else entirely. It concerns the end of the *original* Superman--the one who first appeared in 1938 and endured for nearly fifty years, survived the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and finally was declared imaginary in 1986 when DC Comics redesigned the Superman character and mythos. In many ways, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is superior to The Death of Superman (but, granted, The Death of Superman is great on its own). It's just as sad--probably more so, because with the latter, DC had every intention of bringing Superman back, but Whatever Happened is really the end--but the tone is also bittersweet, something The Death of Superman lacks. Whatever Happened is also deeper. The plot is a bit more complicated and mysterious; almost from the beginning, the Superman of this book has a terrible feeling he's going to die; and he makes a horrible mistake that would seem unlikely to come from the even more 'boy-scout' Superman that followed. The shortcoming is that, unlike its satisfyingly long counterpart, it only covers two issues. But that may not even bother you. Read it.

This is another book review by Wolfie and Kansas, the boonie dogs from Toto, Guam. When DC Comics decided to erase about 50 years of continuity with the Crisis on Infinite Earths, it was decided to at least have some closure to the original Superman legend. "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" reveals the final fate of the original, pre-Crisis Superman. . . . Of course, the highlight of this graphic novel is the return of Krypto the Superdog. Just as we like to leave our yard every now and then to roam around Toto and chase cars, Krypto had left Earth to roam around the galaxy and chase flying saucers. Krypto returns to aid Superman in the latter's greatest crisis. In one particulary poignant moment in mid-story, when Superman needs to be alone with his best and most trusted friend to mourn the deaths of Pete Ross and others and contemplate the coming showdown with the remaining supervillians, the Man of Steel is shown in a full-page panel alone with Krypto, not Lois Lane or Jimmy Olsen. During the final assault on Superman's Fortress of Solitude, the Kryptonite Man breaches the Fortress defenses and is searching for Superman to finish him off. The day is saved by Krypto, who basically turns the Kryptonite Man into a large lump of green, glowing Alpo. Alas, as a result, Krypto dies of kryptonite food poisoning. We think this would have been a happier book if the roles had been reversed, and the noncanine superbeing of primate derivation had been the one to make the ultimate sacrifice, in order to save the dog. Nonetheless, the Krypto-Kryptonite Man showdown is inspiring. . . . This book does not reach the literary heights of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". This is because the writer, Alan Moore, who did reach such heights in "Watchmen", is in this case working within Silver Age conventions, rather than trying to stretch or shatter them. This is a superb graphic novel given its purpose and self-imposed limits. "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a must-have item for any serious comic collector, and for anyone who grew up reading Superman comics in the 1940's, '50's, '60's or '70's

One of the troubles I find in reading highly regarded works such as this one is that all the praise sets up incredibly high expectations that are often impossible to live up to and often leave the reader (or viewer) disappointed. However in the case of Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow had no such preconceived notions. For while I had heard of Alan Moore's sterling reputation, influential work (and his impressively long beard,) I had never read any of it or heard about this little gem until I started reading it in local comic shop. I was riveted from the first few pages. Though I thought (and still think) 6 bucks is a rather hefty sum for a reprint of just two comic books, this comic is one of the most brilliantly done superman stories ever.

Upon my first reading I knew very little about pre-crisis Superman history, but more manages to make even an unfamiliar read learn it quite quickly and even come to appreciate it. Moreover the book manages to evoke all the huge "It's all coming to an end" feelings one gets during high school or college graduation.

In this tale we learn the final fates of Bizzaro, Luthor, Jimmy Olson, and all the other key players of the Superman mythos and the identity of the Man of Steel's greatest foe. I won't give, but I will tell one thing: it ain't Luthor! This story is considered an "Imaginary Tale", yet because all Pre-Crisis Superman was wiped out anyway one could easily "count" it and thus accept the final story in the huge cannon of superman stories. Although many of the Pre-Crisis superman stories that I have read were rather childish and the whole Superboy bit seems rather silly to me, this story makes appreciate many aspects of the old mythos and makes one wonder if there wasn't some better alternative to just erasing decades worth of stories.

A note on where in continuity this story fits even though it's not considered as such: After the Crisis the old continuities still remained intact. The John Byrne revamp did not occur until several months after "Crisis". This is why Superman is able to refer to Supergirl's death in the story, because it takes place after "Crisis" but before Byrne's revamp.

This is a truly magnificent work and I recommend every one to go out and buy it as soon as possible!

Learning organizations, and companies shifting in that direction, would do well to have decision makers read this book. Most CEOs and managers will have plenty to think about or to review with others after reading this book. Buckingham and Coffman offer us a useful reference tool based on 25 years of Gallop Organization data. Interviews with over 80,000 managers were analyzed, and the authors present their findings to the public quite clearly and succinctly. They offer us 12 Key Questions for use in hiring processes, CIP, and for overall measurement of the healthiness of the work place. These 12 Key Questions are precisely worded, rationale for the precise question phrasing is provided, and many examples for use and implementation are provided.

Buckingham and Coffman also present a strong case for creating sustained profits through developing an engaged workforce. They clarify the role of manager and the significance of that role. ** If you are about to create a 'lean & mean' organization by eliminating manager positions, I encourage you to read this book before finalizing decisions. **If you have already run that course and find that conventional wisdom was not THE answer, you may find this book offers fresh insight. Several of our corporate coaching clients indicate that this book's quantitative and qualitative data adds significant validity to their reports and enhances the book's usefulness in corporate circles.

FIRST BREAK ALL THE RULES "is the product of two mammoth research studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization over the last twenty-five years." Rather than just reporting isolated success stories the authors and their staff dug through their data looking for patterns and distinctions.

"Conventional wisdom is comfortingly, deductively easy. The revolutionary wisdom of great managers is much more exacting. It demands discipline, focus, trust, and perhaps most important, a willingness to individualize. In this book, great managers present no sweeping new theories...All they can offer you are insights into the nature of talent...The real challenge lies in how you incorporate these insights into YOUR style, ONE EMPLOYEE AT A TIME, EVERY DAY." (emphasis mine).

There's a lot of "meat" in this book that should be studied by every manager and aspiring manager. To summarize key points: seek and keep talented people, give them the tools and other assistance to make them stars. After exhaustive research, a core set of 12 questions answered by employees seemed to be the best indicators of outstanding management. Some of the questions seem a bit off-beat: "4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?" "10. Do I have a best friend at work?" Predictably items such as pay, benefits and senior management were not factors that had a bearing on superior management. People in outstanding organizations gave high scores on many of the 12 questions.

Key discussions are on the distinctions between skills, knowledge, and talent. Skills and knowledge can be taught, talent is something innate. Someone can be given the information on how to type (knowledge) and then given exercises to practice (skill development), but not everyone will be able to type over 100 wpm due to differences in talent. There is a wide variety of talent in art, music, problem solving, etc.; additional training and practice will only go so far with those who lack talent in an area. A frequent management mistake is to try to get people to improve in areas where they lack talent such as the approach in many popular employee review processes.

Breaking the Rules means building on strengths and capitalizing on them. The question comes up, what do you do about your star salesperson who doesn't submit their expense reports properly? Reprimand? Hardly. First confirm that they understand what's required and have the proper tools. Then if it's still not working, create an easy way for them to do it or have a clerical person do it for them.

Attitude is another interesting component in that it can't be taught and only rarely can it be improved significantly. Companies should seek to hire honest people with good work ethics plus the appropriate talent- the skills and knowledge can be taught.

Another interesting insight from the studies was that in numerous job functions the best and the worst performers shared some, but not all, traits. Both the best and the worst salespeople have call reluctance; the mediocre performers did not. Both the best and the worst nurses had a personal connection with their patients; mediocre nurses stayed aloof. What was important is what the top performers did about this strong emotional link; they used it to empower and motivate them. The poor performers used it to shrink from effective action. Those with no emotional attachment lacked the motivation to excel.

From their research the authors present 4 management keys:
Select for talent (not experience or intelligence)
Define the right outcomes (not the steps)
Focus on strengths (don't try to work on weaknesses)
Find the right fit (don't keep promoting people out of positions they're strongest in)

A typical question asked of great managers was:
"You have two managers. One has the best talent for management you have ever seen. The other is mediocre. There are two openings available: the first is a high-performing territory, the second is a territory that is struggling. Neither territory has yet reached its potential. Where would you recommend the excellent manager be placed? Why?"
The great managers generally answered this the same way, read the book to find out the answer - it's worth it!

Management is one of those areas where academic theory and best practices on site often clash. The problem is that there are usually 99 theories (often provided by professors with limited experience) for every good study of outstanding practices by great business people. This book exhibits one of my favorite principles: Build around the strengths of people to get the right results. The results described in this book fit what I have observed works well in over 30 years as a management consultant. That is the reason why I often encourage new managers to get more experience by coaching children's sports teams. In that environment, you soon learn that building around the talent is a critical first step in making progress. Building an imaginary perfect team doesn't work, because you cannot find these perfect people to play the roles. On the other hand, a weakness of this book is that there are many other best practices that this book does not explore. For example, even the best talent will perform better if presented with timely and relevant information, knowledge, and focus. A book like The Balanced Scorecard gives you lots of insight into how to do that. Add lots of low-cost capital and an exciting purpose (see The New New Thing), and you will do even better. A potential misunderstanding of this book is that people cannot change or improve: That is simply not true, nor is it what this book means to argue. Rather the outstanding manager or leader must learn to combine many types of best practices to get the right result. For example, if you combine the lessons of this book with the lessons of Topgrading (the best practices for recruiting the right people for what your organization needs), you will get better results than if you used just one or the other book's lessons. Combine several best practices that are often not combined and you can exceed anyone's performance, anywhere. That's the real lesson I hope you draw from this excellent book and other outstanding ones like it that build on careful measurement of how to get the best results. Management needs to become more like medicine where clinical tests run by practicing doctors provide most of the insight for improvement, rather a philosophical debating society run by hypothetical thinkers. Other good companion books include The Fifth Discipline, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, The Dance of Change, The Living Company, and Moments of Truth.