Matthew Sadler is a great author, with a tremendous sens of humour and fantastic ability for teaching. His books are full of useful comments, well strucured with only the top players games to illustrate the principles. You cannot regret this buy.

I emphasize that this is an extremely good book, with clear explanations, and provides everything you must know to play the QGD as Black. For those of you that play it as White (I play the QGD from both sides, but luckily, I play the Exchange as White, and lines with 4...Be7 as Black, which are both covered in this book), this book is not complete, and you will have to find other sources for lines in which Black delays or avoids the bishop development to e7 (i.e. The Cambridge Springs variation, just to name one). Other than the omissions of the 4...Nbd7 lines, it's an excellent book.

Sadler does a great job explaining the ideas and strategies behind the moves which is important if your rating is below 2000 USCF (mine's about 1920). Class players (2000 and below) too frequently make the mistake of trying to memorize reams of variations without much understanding. This can lead to quick losses when an opponent doesn't comply and plays something "out of book."

I can't wait to pick up my very own copy of this GREAT book by Virginia Kantra, so I can re-read whenever I want. THe characters are intriguing and sometimes it just AMAZES me the way an author can describe things!VK shows such a gift with words, and I don't want to give much away, but on pp. 14-15, part of her description had me LOL: "...his masculine charge lit her screens up like incoming missiles over the desert."

I just LOVED this book! What's next from this talented new author? I can hardly wait!

Virginia Kantra has created one terrific romance, and an equally terrific hero. Ms. Kantra creates characters that linger in your mind long after you finish the book. Don't miss this one!

It's hard to believe that THE REFORMING OF MATTHEW DUNN is Ms. Kantra's debut book. With great wit and a unique talent for turning a phrase, Ms. Kantra is sure to draw a big following. Both Matt and Clare are likeable characters, truly modern in their thinking and actions. You'll feel you've known them all your life, which means you're guaranteed to read this book in one sitting in order to find out what happens to them! I can't wait for the next book from this gifted new author.

Scorpio's Child brings out the truth as only the south lives it. A story that will appeal to all ages. The main character, Afton, is buffeted from one pillow to the next as heartbreak, mystery, amd murder find their way into her young life. You must read Scorpio's Daughter to savor the true flavor of a young girl growing up in the south.

I read Kezi's first book, "John Riley's Daughter." I loved it! Her style of writing is so unique and keeps the reader very interested. Now comes, "Scorpio Child," which is written in that same unique manner. You just have to keep reading until you finish the book. There's no putting it down. I recommend it highly for readers of all ages. "Thanks Kezi, can't wait til your next book comes out!"

Scorpio's Child is a book for all age groups, not just teens.It was difficult to put down from page one. Kezi Matthews has created and intriguing and moving story with unforgettable characters. If you want to read a good book filled with warmth, mystery and words that truly become pictures in your mind, don't miss Scorpio's Child.

Our 2 year old son received this book as a birthday present from his Nana. We all enjoy reading it and looking at the pop up pictures of the dinosaurs. The bold colors ad cute pictures keep him busy for hours. He even tries to repeat the dino's names! And with a pop up book to go with any occasion I 100% recommend this book to everyone with children.

This is a great book! Each page has a different dinosaur, rhyming text, the dinosaur's name and a pronunciation key for the names. The pop-ups are first class (as always with Snappy books)! A favorite in our house!

My two year old son and I love reading this book together - the pop-ups are very colorful, imaginative and informative. We have some of the other SNAPPY books as well (colors, numbers, opposites, bugs, farm animals). My husband and I enjoy the books as much as my son! My son loves to point out different colors and really loves the wonderful pictures. It's a great book for the car as well - it keeps my son busy - he always seems to find something different with each turn of the page and giggles in delight .

This exceptionall well written, hilarious travel book should be in every travelers Christmas stocking, male or female. It makes you want to take off on adventuresome journeys, rids you of mundane travel plans, and gives you the heart to try new adventures daily.

freaking' hilarious, mate. Made me itch for the 34d class local from calcutta to delhi, sipping chai from a clay cutp. this is the real deal, no hot tub, no mint on the pillow. I howled. Thiss should be a mandatory purchase for anyone who's picking up a Lonely Planet guide to anywhere!

Whether you're a backpack-totting purist, an armchair vagabond or something in between, you'll laugh, wince and let out an occasional yelp of disbelief when you take in The Unsavvy Traveler. It's a lively collection of travelers' travails that, taken together, will either make you itch to catch the next plane or, perhaps, be just as content to play it safe in that armchair.

"Out on the Cutting Edge" follows the two best novels in the Matthew Scudder series, "8 Million Ways to Die" and "When the Sacred Ginmill Closes." It is also the first novel in which Scudder conducts a case (in this instance two cases) while not in an alcoholic stupor. We catch up with Scudder a few years after he joined AA. He has a sponser and has managed to recover control of his life. His day to day existence, meanwhile, hasn't changed much. He still lives in a residential hotel and still conducts cases off the books as "favors" for friends.

The two cases are interesting. One is for pay; a family wants to know the whereabouts of their missing daughter. One is personal; an AA companion apparently commits suicide just before he is ready to confess his sins to Scudder. Both take Scuder in some unlikely directions and the payoff is typically messy. Meanwhile, author Lawrence Block introduces one his most interesting side characters to the series, the Irish gangster Mickey Ballou. Overall, this is a solid Scudder novel that is not quite on par with the best of the series. But any Scudder novel makes for excellent reading.

Once again Lawrence Block has managed to blow me away with another fantastic Matt Scudder book. This one is about a guy who is looking for his daughter, who went off to New York to try and find fame. He hires Scudder to find his missing daughter, but the only problem is, there arent many leads. He searches and goes through all the motions and has stumbling blocks in his way, but manages to get around them. I wont tell you the rest, because I dont want to ruin the book for you, but I will just say this. THE ENDING WILL SHOCK YOU!!!!!

Matt Scudder is dealing with the day-in, day-out struggle to stay sober in the Big Apple. He has a case he doesn't have much hope of solving and he's got an AA acquaintance who wants Matt to sponsor him. Eddie Dunphy is a small-time crook, sober for a little over half a year. He has something he really wants to tell Matt, but before he gets a chance, he's found dead in his apartment--an apparent suicide.

It's an open and shut case, but Matt is obsessed with finding out whether or not Eddie died sober. Dead is dead, but if he stayed sober he won the war. Of course, he finds out Eddie was murdered and he also gets a lead on his original case just when he was ready to give up on it.

This book introduces a recurring character in the series: Mickey Ballou, known as the Butcher Boy. Mickey has a reputation. Folks believe he killed a man and carried the guy's head around in a bowling bag for a week, showing it off so people would know not to cross him.

The characters all grow and change over the course of the book. This is a terrific novel and a nice addition to the Scudder series.

This is a great reference for people wanting to cook a little healthier. There are a host of suggestions on how to convert existing recipes to a lower fat menu and there are many illustrations to support the many tips and charts. You will learn how to substitute lower fat ingredients for butter and oil without compromising the taste of your food. The authors discuss the many types of rice, flour, grains, herbs, spices etc. and guide you in selecting the appropriate one for your particular needs. In short, this book is a cooking class in healthy living. Buy this one...you will use it often!

P.S. Weight Watchers' clients will particularly like this book. The nutritional information necessary for calculating Winning Points is included with every recipe and you will have a huge number of dishes that you may prepare within your program.

This book is fantastic. Everything tastes like gourmet cooking.
Some of the recipes are fairly simple while others are not. This book is great for people who love to cook and want low-fat alternatives that taste great. Fair warning though this isn't one of those quickie meal recipe books. It is the best cookbook I own, regardless of the low-fat. It gives tons of information on exotic as well as common ingredients. It is a great gourment recipe book as well as instructional cooking book.

This cookbook takes recipes ever one likes-- and makes it healthy-- I love this cookbook-- use it every day.. the baking , main meals and desserts are good-- the fat has been cut but still there is lots of favor in the food. You feel like you are doing something right for your family. Highly recommend for beginner cooks also--has lots of helpful hints..

"Stacey's Broken Heart" is a book that focuses on Stacey, the treasurer of the Baby-sitters Club. She will be gone for a week and is confused about her boyfriend, Robert. She thinks she might be afraid of loosing him.

Poor Stacey! Robert broke her heart. I liked how it showed that even though Stacey's heart is broken, she goes on with her life. I liked how supportive her mom was. It tells you that, no, not all romances are "happily ever after"...only a tiny percent of teen romances last a lifetime. I have the feeling Mary Anne and Logan are next in line for splitsville...just a gut feeling.

The book was good and thick and suspenseful. It was a well-written and enjoyable book. I can't really decide if my favorite book is Stacey's Broken Heart or Claudia and the Terrible Truth. They're both good stories but Claudia and the Terrible Truth is too short.

Cassidy McCabe is a psychotherapist who conducts her practice from an office in her home. Life should be great for Cassidy now. Her relationship with her boyfriend Zachary Moran is growing, they are now living together; her cat Starshine has three beautiful and healthy kittens, and her mother is getting married. But things don't always work out like they should. Suddenly, women Cassidy doesn't even know and has never met are confronting her. They all say the same thing; they accuse her of being in league with someone named Cliff and that Cassidy and Cliff are trying to destroy what is left of their lives. Cassidy finally manages to piece the story together. Cliff, it seems, is on some sort of 'mission'. He is picking certain women who are all similar to each other, romancing them and then injecting them with his blood. Blood that is HIV positive. Now, for some unknown reason, he has involved Cassidy. Cliff claims to be a client of Cassidy's, but she has no client named Cliff nor any that are HIV positive that she knows of. Questions are racing through Cassidy's mind. Why is Cliff doing those horrible things? Why did he pick her? As Cassidy and Zach begin to put pieces together, things take an unexpected turn. Cliff starts leaving Cassidy personal notes, in her own house. Another delightful story from author Alex Matthews. Vendetta's Victim provides you with quite a few suspects to choose from, while at the same time carefully concealing the true identity of Cliff. As the Cassidy McCabe series continue the books get better and better. Ms. Matthews skillfully balances mystery and suspense with humor and relief.

Tracy Eastgate Reviewer

Alex Matthews has out done herself with Vendetta's Victim, the third book of this series. For those who enjoyed the first two novels, this one will blow you away! The smooth prose and smart plot are guaranteed to satisfy any mystery lover. Indeed, the eccentric, cat loving, peanut butter cup munching Cassidy has truly hit her stride, right through the startling conclusion. Cassidy's having family troubles. After thirty-two years of the single life, her mother's engaged to marry a jerk. Her boyfriend Zach won't even go to the engagement party. Her gay cousin has been murdered while having lunch with her. And her cat Starshine's three kittens have got to find homes before she looses every pair of panty hose she owns. Meanwhile, a woman named Dale angrily turns up on Cassidy's doorstep demanding to know why Cliff has referred her to Cassidy for therapy. Dale thrusts the letter from Cliff on Cassidy and storms of f into the night. Cassidy has never treated a man named Cliff. But when a second woman calls on Zach's private cell phone with a similar letter and story, Cassidy becomes suspicious of foul play. Soon Cliff is leaving Cassidy notes in her own kitchen, and her safety is once again compromised. Cliff has found a way to use AIDS as a weapon, and Cassidy finds herself tracking him before he can infect any more women. Cassidy McCabe is a refreshing breather in the world of detective novels where most heroines are larger than life, gifted with money and looks, giving them an edge most women can't identify with. Cassidy is too thin, somewhat insecure, and brash to the end. Her enduring habit of talking to Starshine the cat and eating peanut butter cups brings her into the real world, making her character markedly vivid. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two novels, but I must admit that this one is the best mystery yet! Keep them coming, Ms. Matthews!

Cindy Penn Reviewer

Another suspensful thriller! In Vendetta's Victim, her lovable characters, therapist Cassidy, and reporter Zach, are back, along with their cat and a bunch of new kittens. A sicko is on the loose infecting women with HIV virus and killing gay men. This time, I smugly thought I'd figured out the killer, only to be proven wrong. Ms. Matthews always stays just one step ahead and leaves us guessing until, at the end, she wraps everything up neatly. Besides containing great suspense, the novel also has good human interest with Cassidy's relationships with her SO, Zach, and her mother, Helen.

If you love to read books about the history of empires and success stories, you will love this! I currently work for Bank of America Bank Card Services (Visa) and I loved it. I knew a lot of the history, but there were a lot of things I didn't know.

It is a must read for anyone who works in this industry or has a card.

If you're looking for the more positive side of the Visa story, or of the impact of American Banking systems, this is a great start. Not a lot about statistical results and analysis, this is more of a story about the people side of building one of the largest global enterprises on the planet, and how that came about during the past 3 decades. Paul Chutkow is not a finanical analyst or banker, so he brings a fresh perspective to the story, and it's a very compelling read. This is also a story about leadership and vision, with the leading characted being Dee Hok. Paul Chutkow has captured many insights into the strategies in building Visa, and how the obstacles were overcome. The pictures of course are wonderful, and the historical views of many different phases of consumerism make this an important read for the student of payment systems. With the new dot-com startups of the day scratching their way in the markets, such as PayPal, BillPoint, and so many others, this book helps us develop a keener appreciation for the visionary and dramtic efforts of the 'fore-fathers' of the payments industry. I really enjoyed learning about the battles Dee Hok worked through to create that little start-up, to eventually be called Visa. The business development and marketing decisions in working with the International Olympic Committee are important for any marketer, and I was introduced to some important people in the the history of credit card fraud. I do recommend this book whole-heartedly, and I will be referring my asociates working in the payments and banking industries read it.

This book is a fascinating read about the history and evolution of "plastic." The book recounts how the visions and innovations of a few revolutionized the world of banking and provides an interesting profile of Visa's rise to global success. Particularly interesting was the story of Visa pioneer and innovator, Dee Hock. Additionally, the historical look at San Francisco in the late 1800s and early 1900s, both in photos and text, was a real treat, especially for this East Coast transplant to the Bay Area. The photos and graphics of Visa's early advertisements are fun to see, especially the Visa "chicks" -- an ad concept that would not fly today. This is a compelling, educational, and even inspirational story -- it's a great read and should be a welcome addition to any coffee table or library.