"Inside Network Perimeter Security" is one of the most well-written volumes I have in my (large!) collection of
security books. The topic encompasses a wide array of different subjects, all of which are covered very thoroughly.
The book doesn't sacrifice clarity for depth, though, like some others do. The chapters are well written,
concise and clearly thought out. This isn't just a book about how to set up a firewall: this is a book about how to
design a secure network perimeter. It's also the companion book to SANS' GIAC Certified Firewall Analyst (GCFW) certification, which makes it doubly valuable.

This book has great breadth and covers many different aspects of network security. Additionally, the authors provide a good level of detail on technical security matters, where appropriate. This is extremely rare in computer security books.

The most valuable aspect of this book is that the authors explore the thought process behind network security engineering. There are numerous books that cover the details of firewalls, VPNs, routers, intrusion detection, etc. However, there are few books that explore the thought process behind the deployment of these technologies on real networks.

A good percentage of the book is devoted to practical application of network security technologies. Common sections in each chapter are: "When to use ", "Deployment Locations", "Architecture Recommendation", "Performance and Reliability", and "Fault Tolerance". These sections are invaluable to every network security engineer.

Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone whose job involves network security. Managers will benefit from the practical discussion of the technologies. Engineers and administrators will benefit from the thorough technical detail. Both will benefit greatly from the case studies presented.

This book is an invaluable reference for Sysadmins, Network Design Engineers, and Security Engineers with most any networking focus. The authors offer real examples of configurations for multiple products to illustrate the points made in the discussions so the recommendations can be implemented wit h a minimum of trouble. The topics covered cross the range of issues associated with perimeter networks, Firewall, VPN, IDS. Each section offers it's own insights and solutions.

You want to have this book in your reference library !

This is a wonderful book, it cover philosophy as well as gives some examples. I borrowed a copy from a friend and decided it was such a valuable resource I need one for my home reference library.

I found Karen Andreola's book to be most inspiring. She captured magnificently the philosophy of Charlotte Mason's view of education for children. In her book, she also tells of her own experience with home-schooling and gives specific ideas for others to perhaps follow.

I, too, now have adopted this philosophy as my own and and look forward with eager anticipation to new adventures in the "gentle art of learning" with our family of four children.

As a homeschooling family living on a single income, I'm very careful about what I buy---I can honestly say that this book of Karen Andreola's is by far the best money I've spent on homeschooling in years! When the book first arrived in the mail, I was thrilled with just the look and feel of it. But once I started reading, I thought I'd never stop! It was liking finding a cool, soothing drink of water in the middle of a parched and arid land.... I had to force myself to slow down so I could savor it and truly enjoy the book. Each chapter details another aspect of home life and educational ideas. Whether you're looking for practical ideas for teaching your children fine arts, or wondering about seasonal craft and nature activities for younger children, you'll find those treasures in this book. I was inspired to start studying Shakespeare with my eleven-year-old daughter after reading this book. My daughter loved our field trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and I don't think I ever would've thought of introducing my children to The Bard at such a young age. We're also listening to classical music more frequently, and I was so excited when my daughter told me one day, "Listen, Mom! It's Vivaldi's Four Seasons---it's the Autumn section... my favorite!" Wow... I don't think I had even heard of Vivaldi when I was eleven. A Charlotte Mason Companion is truly an inspiring book for the seasoned and experienced homeschooler or the new home educator trying to grasp an overview of what education should be.

Karen has done a great job of presenting the human side of spending and saving. This book has helped me to put money to work for me - for my particular needs and temperament. No longer do I need to look at saving and spending from just an investment standpoint. I can feel good as I weigh how my spending and saving feels to me. As a behavior consultant with children, I consider her advice to be sound for parents trying to teach their children how to save, spend and contribute to the world at large. What a fun and easy read!

I have never been very confident with money or money management. It's important stuff, but the whole subject has always been emotionally difficult for me. I've felt that everyone else knew how to manage their money, and somehow I'd just been absent from class the day that was taught.

This book is a refreshing blast of fresh air. It begins by acknowledging that lots of people felt as I did, and then acknowledges that in fact most people never have been taught to manage their money; we somehow expect ourselves to just "know". Of course, that's silly, and this easy-to-read, practical book dispels one myth after another.

The most refreshing and useful aspect of this book is that it is infused with an attitude that respects your emotions and spirit as much as your finances. Your money exists to serve you and your goals, not the other way around. All the smart advice from friends and family - you "should" buy a house, you "must" pay for kid's education, you "need" to save a certain percent - are bogus. What you really need to do is figure out what you want, and then use your money as a tool to help get you there. If that means save, then save. If that means spend, then spend. But do it with your eyes open and as the result of a consicous tradeoff of the costs and benefits.

This book reveals those costs and benefits clearly. When you're done, you'll be able to sit down and draw up a master game plan for your money, and dispense those "shoulds" and "oughts" to the dustbin, replacing them with the moves that are right for you.

I recommend this book highly. It's warm, personal, no-nonsense, direct, and highly readable.

As I read "Everything You Know About Money Is Wrong" I felt as though I was reading something I'd known deep inside, but that knowledge hadn't yet made it to my brain. There's lessons I'll need to keep repeating to myself as I struggle to undo in my life the very myths that Karen points out in her book.

I specifically like Karen's approach about not worrying about what you didn't do, but rather, what can you do. It sort of brings things down to the bottom line for me. Believe in yourself and you will prosper!

Thanks Karen!

Well structured, as it must be, Hale's guide presents both the nuts and bolts of grammar and the considerations of style that cannot exist without a sound grasp of grammar. The book begins each section simply, with the "bones" of the part of speech being explained, puts on the "flesh," and elucidates the "cardinal sins" and the "carnal pleasures" of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and so on. Even when the going gets heavy, as in her discussions of attributive nouns or appositive phrases, her clear, conversational tone smooths the way. She concludes with reflections about voice, lyricism, melody, and rhythm. One of the best features of her book is a glut of choice passages from the likes of Nabokov, Joan Didion, George Orwell, Jamaica Kincaid, and many others. Her well-read reach extends to rap lyrics and the wine labels written by the flip, clever copywriters at Bonny Doon Vineyards. The collection of quotations alone makes this book worth owning. At times the tone is slightly uneven, as when she follows a serious discussion of rules with the casual use of words like "gonna" and "wimps" (apparently she has a reputation for being hip to uphold), and she includes sentence diagrams without really explaining how they operate. Her advice to "go ahead and be ungrammatical if it feels right" may make some sticklers swoon. But these are minor flaws in a manual that is useful for beginners and seasoned writers alike. You close the book understanding how the rich inventiveness of English is rooted in its complex grammar and vocabulary, which are the reasons it can be so flexible, so magical -- the reason, in fact, that language creates reality. Includes a helpful appendix describing other grammar guides.

This book is a basic grammar guide for those of us who may have been out of school for a while, but it's as much about writing style as it is about grammar. The reason I like this book so much is because it is filled with a range of writing examples, from remarkable to awful. The examples of bad grammar, many taken from students papers, had me laughing out loud. The only thing this book is lacking is a reference section where you can easily look up grammatical terms, although the index is thorough. I personally didn't miss a reference section though. This is the sort of light, readable book I wanted.

SIN AND SYNTAX should be a text in high school English classes. A generation of enthusiastic grammarians might rise up and wipe out the scourge of dangling modifiers. The mystery of lay and lie would be be solved at last. I teach adults how to turn their great ideas into the novels they've always wanted to write; and while the refinements of plot and character and theme are fairly simple to explain, grammar and syntax bedevil student and (this) teacher alike. But no more. With humor, clarity and excellent contemporary examples, this book helps me explain to my students why, after half a dozen rewrites, their sentences still sing off key, why I nag them about details, why some adjectives work and others just take up space on the page. A great resource book.

Neil Gaiman is my hero. I always have, and always will be intrigued by Punch & Judy. Therefore, Gaiman's Mr. Punch is one of the greatest works I've ever read. Though it is unfair to say "Gaiman's Mr. Punch", as it is equally Dave McKean's, for without him, I'm sure Mr. Punch would lose part of its eerie, strange, subtle power. Mr. Punch is an odd book. I read it in a single sitting, and afterwards, I was actually at a loss for words trying to describe what it is. This was a first; I can praise Neil Gaiman for hours on end, but I was stuck with Mr. Punch. I've seen it classified as Horror, Science Fiction, normal Fiction, and just as a Comic. But it is much more. It sent something through me - something that I am also at a loss of words about. This is a really great story, much like a dream (or nightmare, depending) it is surreal, yet uncommonly realistic; it is disturbing, but also soothing. It's more of an experience than a reading. McKean's artwork and Gaiman's words send you into something of a trance, where you enjoy yourself, get disturbed (actually, more troubled, as the young protangonist would say), and subtly reminded of your own childhood. A must read for any Gaiman or McKean fan, and also a must read for any Punch & Judy enthusiast, or anyone looking for a great read.

Mr. Punch is one of those rare graphic novels that transcends the "fat comic book" and truly explores the possibilities of the medium. The text and illustrations are bound together and support each other, yang and yin, dreams and nightmares, innocence and experience. Dave McKean's illustrations are not only great comic art, they're great fine art, complex, rich, powerful individually but devastating in sequence, and perfectly complement Neil Gaiman's spare, almost naive text

Neil Gaiman has several recurring themes to which he revisits again and again like the swallows returning to Capostrano. Foremost among these is the persistence of memory, which is the theme of "The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch."

The tale revolves around a Punch n' Judy show at a seaside carnival and how it acts as a trigger for a young boys memories of his family. As with much of Gaiman's work, there are tales within tales here, and the real story he tells is more implied than elucidated upon.

Dave McKean's art underscores this theme beautifully, with the "real" characters in the story as cartoon caricatures while the puppets look like photographs, exactly the focus with which young children would concentrate their memories. Can we not all remember a favorite toy more easily than our parents faces when we were little?

A marvelous and poignant tale well worth your time and money.

If you like steamy scenes this is the book for you! I fell in love with Connor and Caitlyn, along with the other d'Arcy men! They are so perfectly matched and their love scenes made my heart pump! Karen Robards does a really good job of making her male characters all male, and giving sensual femininity to her female characters so that the reader does'nt feel like everything is too fluffy. However, I did feel that she took it slightly too far by making the villian of the story do such horrific things to Caitlyn. Still, it's a great book and I highly recommend it to romance fans who are looking for good romance.

I first read this book about 10 years ago. I fell in love with the characters, especially Connor and Caitlyn. I thought this is the best book I have ever read. I still think that. I read it so many times, I cannot possibly count. As a matter of fact, I read it again last night. I lost the book several years ago and was frantic to find another copy. The story stayed in my mind so long that I never forgot it. I was finally able to order another copy of it. There are very few books in my collection that I keep. And this is definitely one of them. I am not able or willing to part with this story or the characters. I embraced them so much, I wanted to be Irish. And I wanted to marry a man just like Connor D'Arcy. Karen Robards did an excellent job of developing the characters. I hope she writes many more books on the D'Arcy men. I definitely wouldn't mind reading about the other D'Arcy brothers. Or how life was like after Connor and Caitlyn had children. This is one of my favorite books of all time. Thanks Karen Robards for bringing this story to all of us.

They sure don't write em like this anymore, and that's a shame because it's a great book. It's kind of a mixture between The Ugly Duckling, Robin Hood, and The Princess Bride. It's hard to say what I love so much about this book, but I'll just say that by the synopsis I was sure I was getting another plotless sex book, boy was I wrong!

If I had to say what makes this book stand out from all the other romances I read I would say that it is a great, engaging story that never bores. I also loved the characters, of course. They were fully developed and far from perfect. For example the heroine, Catlin, is beautiful but unlike most heroines you read about, she is very aware of her beauty and uses it to manipulate the men in her life, which leads to some very hilarious moments in the story. She is also spoiled and stubborn. But she is still one of the most lovable heroines Iv'e ever read. It takes a great author to accomplish that. And the hero manages to be honorable and good despite the fact that he's also a criminal. This book is more than a love story, it's an epic about family, loyalty, and the plight of the Irish.

THE LION'S SHADOW by Marthe Arends

The opening scene aptly sets the tone for the rest of the book. It is irreverently laugh-aloud funny. Our heroine, Cassandra Jane Whitney, is joining other Suffragettes in London chaining themselves to a fence to promote their beliefs. But Cassandra (I have to wonder if that name is not prescient) can't seem to get the chain threaded through the fence properly. The rain is pelting down and she is being harangued by a friend of her mother who definitely does not approve. She gives the chain one final jerk and pulls it completely free propelling her into a nicely dressed man waiting to pass by. They both end up in the mud. When the police come she can't even get herself arrested. She is one snake bit heroine.

Of course this is not the last of the handsome (if muddy) man. . At tea at Aunt Caroline's the next day she is horrified to see Griffin, the man she fell on, his sister Helena, and his brother and wife Lord and Lady Sherringham. Helena soon decides she wants to be a Suffragette too while Lord Sherringham is one of the loudest opponents in the House of Lords. Griffin does not approve of the Suffragettes either. Helena confides to Cassandra that she is worried because Griffin has experienced a suspicious number of accidents. Soon it begins to look like someone is after Cassandra and Helena as well. Cassandra is determined to get to the bottom of this.

Cassandra, while constantly assuring us of her rectitude, her aplomb, her dignity, thrashes her way about knocking things and people over and generally upsetting every thing and every body. She is not at all incompetent however. This is no shy and retiring woman waiting for her hero to ride to her rescue. She is perfectly capable of rescuing herself even if, sometimes, she might break a few things in the process. And at least once she manages to rescue her man.

This is breezy, light-hearted and just lots and lots of fun. I chuckled aloud as I read it. Cassandra reminds me just a bit of the young Amelia Peabody. She certainly reflects the determination many women had in the early twentieth century to begin taking control of their own destinies. She does, I feel, show remarkable stupidity sometimes when she rushes into what the reader knows is going to be danger, but she is always able to extricate herself. And I cannot imagine how she does all these things wearing the constricting clothing of that time.

The writing is very nice, providing, among other things, a series of eye-catching images beginning with the opening scene and including the night at the opera and the spectacle of two women rolling on the ground fighting in front of an exclusive men's club. The story is fast-moving and well-told and draws the reader in very quickly. It is not all fun and frolic, however, as serious issues are addressed. Sometimes by comparison situations seem more crucial seen side-by-side with comedy.

I have to say I enjoyed Cassandra's adventures very much. She is a well-drawn character, as is Griffin, while the others, if not as completely drawn, still come to life on the pages. While this book is more of a romance than I often care about, this one works very well and the story was so much fun I gulped it down in one day.

A friend of mine recommended "The Lion's Shadow" to me, and i must admit, i was hesitant at first- the book is billed as a "historical romance", and romance novels are not my ususal venue. However, the description of the book sounded promising- elements of mystery and adventure-, and I also took a peek at the reviews on this site. The comments made by Mrs. Titus W. Trout (an amusing name, no?) convinced me to give it a go. I must say the promise of mystery and adventure was, indeed, kept.

This book really is quite a page-turner, as they say. Difficult to put down, with lots of intrigue and adventure thrown in with the romance; and so well written! The style is witty, the characters an interesting and amusing mix- from the rather brooding hero Griffin St. John, the charmingly feisty heroine Cassandra Whitney (fervently devoted to the cause of women's suffrage, despite her family's objections), to the oily, obnoxious cousin Freddy- each one a colorfully-drawn work of art.

I will definitely recommend this book to friends! (some of whom will find it under the tree this Christmas)

Darlings! I read the most delicious book the other day : The Lion's Shadow, by Marthe Arends. Oh, I'm sorry, that's not quite true : it took me two days, but only because I positively forced myself to linger over it and savor its many delights. Otherwise I would have gobbled the whole thing as quickly as Diva Plaistow can devour a plate of chocolate nougats.

My dears, you simply must get this book. The Lion's Shadow is all about the thrilling adventures of the intrepid Cassandra Whitney as she battles for the right of women to vote, for the love of her man, and even for her very life! Cassandra is a scream. Think of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody. Think of Mary Roberts Rinehart's Tish. And then prepare yourself for Cassandra Whitney. She is smart and forthright and funny. She is devoted and daring and charmingly clumsy. She also has exceptionally good taste in both clothing and men.

Speaking of men: a pleasing variety of the male gender can be found in the Lion's Shadow. The handsome and gruff Griffin, the supercilious Freddy, the dashing Robert, the pathetic Catsmeat Potter, and the mysterious man with the gold tooth.

The suspenseful adventure story of Cassandra, Griffin, and her dear friends, takes place at the turn of the century in England. Ms. Arends has recreated the era with deft touches of historical detail -- the clothing (oh, that Worth gown!), the carriages, London at the height of the Season, the social customs and niceties, and the political environment. Against this backdrop, Cassandra with the beautiful and idealistic Helena St. John and her famous explorer brother, Griffin St. John attempt to untangle a web of intrigue that draws tighter and tighter around them and the Suffragette Movement itself.

As for romance, the extremely pleasant and delicately-rendered erotic tension between Cassandra and Griffin is masterfully handled by Ms. Arends. I had given up reading romances, but the Lion's Shadow is the sort of well-researched and well-written historical romance that will be bringing me back for more. I can hardly wait for the next Cassandra and Griffin adventure!

The cover alone grabbed my attention: I've seen this posture from my son hundreds of times. As the parent of an autistic six-year-old, I found this book a superb, simple story for young companions of a child with autism. The story is straightforward, honest, and evokes compassion without pity. I would even speculate that this story would explain autism to adults with more clarity than any clinical definition.

My son has an older brother in the same elementary school and I've arranged for him to read this story to my autistic son's classmates. Although his classmates see this behavior and much more every day, I hope that the story, related personally, will give them one more thread of understanding. If any book can, this one will.

I am the proud Aunt of a wonderful nephew Curtis who has autism. This book touched me very deeply. It is well written and an excellent picture book explaining what autism is all about. I also work with children and highly recommend it to teachers. This book is a great resource should you have a child in your classroom with autism. The story is gear to help young children understand some of the characteristics that an autistic classmate may have. Not only did I find this book outstanding for children but also for any adult to read. It really explains autism in very simple touching way. I will always treasure this book, because in my heart this book can also be called Curtis' walk.

Sincerely Wendy

This book is very heartwarming in its presentation of autism and the child behind the label who does "odd" things. I was moved by the very real frustrations and annoyances experienced by Ian's sister and then the ability of this young child to see beyond the normal social boundaries and relate to this special brother of hers. This is a must-read for parents who need to explain an autistic child to others (siblings, school classmates, friends of siblings, cousins, neighbors) so that they too can see that there is a real child there who just interacts with life from a different perspective.

Randy Schmidt's "Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music" is not only GROOVY - but more than that, it's a masterful collection of the most beloved moments in the lives and careers of Karen & Richard, The Carpenters.

Schmidt's book transports the reader as far back as 1970, when the Carpenters first hit the music scene, and caused millions of listeners around the globe to take notice. Over 40 rare interviews, articles (Melody Maker, Rolling Stone, TV Guide) and reviews, are brought together for the first time, making this the ultimate read for a Carpenters fan.

Randy Schmidt has captured a side of The Carpenters story that has been relatively overlooked, until now. By compiling many great reviews, articles and periodical stories, Randy shares a facinating side of the lives, careers and concerts and music of Karen & Richard Carpenter. There are some really terrific Q&A with The Carpenters as well. I feel like I have suddenly discovered a treasure chest of Carpenters history--there are many album and concert reviews, as well as interviews and magazine articles that I have never seen before. Its like someone just handed me hundreds of magazines with features and articles, press releases and reviews of The Carpenters music. The book is filled with beautiful photos of Karen & Richard Carpenter that really capture their entire career. "Yesterday Once More" is much, much more than just the title of a song or a book: To a friend or a fan of Karen & Richard this is one phrase that captures the way we feel about them and thier music. "When we were young and listened to the radio"---WE WERE LISTENING TO The Carpenters!

Mr. Schmidt has done an AMAZING job compiling this collection of articles, essays, interviews etc. This book contains unique perspectives of Richard and Karen Carpenter and their music from many sources. It provides a rich insight into their music and somewhat turbulent lives as they were producing their timeless sound. This is a MUST read for not only Carpenters fans but for anyone who appreciates the rare genre of contemporary music that the Carpenters were a part of. To have all these, rare hard-to-find, extremely insightful articles in one collection is a very special treat.