I'm in 12th grade and we had to read this book for our Law and Government class. This book was really good. It helped me really understand what our court system is like. Like when Steven Philips discribes everything that he did in his case how the jusry was selected. What the Public Defender was basing the whole case on. What he thinks happend in the shooting of Skeagen. If you want to know more about our court systems. This is the book to read. Very interesting

A Secret Location on the Lower East side is an excellent overview of independent publishing from 1960 - 1980. It focuses primarily on the mimeograph revolution and is particularly inspiring for those who wish to become independent publishers. However, this book should also be of interest to readers who are interested in the Beat Generation and the poets and writers who were inspired by the Beats.

The book contains an introduction by Jerome Rothenberg, and the majority of the book consists of burbs describing the individual small presses. As a result, the book combines the best aspects of a coffee table book (accessibilty and short pieces) and solid journalism.

Though the price may be a little high, it is a worthwhile investment for writers, publishers, and anyone interested in the literary movements the second half of the 20th century.

I'm a user of 3D Studio R4, and so I thought that I could easily transfer the lofting skills into 3ds max without too much of a problem. This book, however, doesn't use many of the techniques used in the Inside 3DStudioR4 book by New Riders. It's definitely not for beginning users looking to learn the fundamentals of using 3DSmax. I was disappointed at its learning curve, but I assume if you're comfortable with 3DSmax1, then this book might be for you. If somebody knows a book for 3DSmax2 that is in the same vein as Inside 3DStudio R4, then please email me ;)

Many books on the market will give you step by step instructions how how to create a scene, or create certain effects. Although this is sometimes handy, it doesn't easially allow the user to incorperate the skills they learned into their own work.

Inside 3D Studio Max shows you the concepts behind how the program works, and allows you to apply these concepts, and skills to your own work, rather than a preformatted tutorial. It is this fact, however, that makes the book not extremely useful for modelers who are new to the program. This book often speaks of the manual which ships with 3DS Max, and the writer made it clear that this was not yet ANOTHER MANUAL. Inside 3D Studio Max explores how to expand your ability.

If you have no prior modeling practice, read the manual which ships with Max, then buy this book. If you do that, you will appreciate what is taught in this massive book.

This is an overall GREAT book, and it has really helped me to become a much better 3D artist.

There's a thing common to all classic books: even if you've read one from cover to cover you discover something new every time you open it. Things that you glossed over earlier suddenly start to make sense. This book is no exception. Since 'Inside 3D Studio Rel. 3' the authors have provided an unique insight into the world's most popular 3D programs. This book raises the standard even further, providing enough grip for the novice and a treasure trove of knowledge of the professional. The best thing about this book is the explanation of the PRINCIPLES behind 3D Studio MAX. Instead of the 'do this-screen shot-do that' methodology, the authors have concentrated in the core ideas behind every tool and procedure. If you want MAX to be an extension to your right brain, get this book. Read it all the time. Do the tutorials. Keep referring to it for ideas. You'll discover what you were missing with other books -- the real goods on making MAX dance to your tune.

Let's start off with the good:

Some really cool new monsters (mostly undead and shapechangers).
Some really cool artwork.

Now the bad:
Some not very usable (although interesting) monsters.
Some old monsters just redone (zombies, giants, dryads etc...)
Some really bad artwork.
Too many dragons (yes I realize that "Jade Dragons" is part of the title, but my characters just don't fight that many dragons)

I would suggest this for anyone running an oriental campaign setting. But if you're just looking for new monsters, it may not be worth it.

First the bad,
If you are looking for more then monsters, tough break, there is nothing but monsters here.

The good,
Though black-and-white, the artwork is very nice and the presented monsters do all have a decent picture. To make life easy on the DM, all monsters have a well enough documented past. Monsters come in all kind of varietys, from CR 1/2 to well over 20. Combining this with the Oriental Adventures book, gives you some great possibilitys.

Green Ronin hasn't disappointed me yet. This is a collection of creatures that haven't been done to death, and that are fun to play. I like the dragons (there's only two, and one is very different from the traditional, European dragon). I like the mechanics (new twists on the undead, on spirits, and on "friendly" monsters), and the good/bad ratio of the art is about 75% good to 25% bad. Better than a lot of d20 game stuff.

It's a decent mix of aggressive, friendly, city and wilderness creatures. It includes two gods (the Monkey King, and the Ryushin, the Dragon God), both of them usable as patrons or sponsors for expeditions. Finally, it presents one new PC race (the tanuki, sort of a Drunken Monkey type, but it's more like Drunken Badger).

After reading (and loving) Pat McGreal's previous Vertigo/DC work- Chiaroscuro: The lives of Leonardo Da Vinci & Veils, I picked up I, Paparazzi with great expectations. Ummm.....can I have my money back, DC...?

I, Paparazzi centers on Jake "Monster" McGowran, a celebrity photographer, who runs afoul of a mean-tempered Sean Penn-type celeb, and stumbles into a bizarre conspiracy; actually, this one is THE conspiracy, the one from which all of the other ones were born,

The problems with the book were few, but large:

1)- The "Scooby-Doo" ending renders the whole story pointless. Why travel down such a bizarre road if it's only gonna end in Normalville? If you're going to deliver that kind of ending, it would have been better if the whole story had stayed believable.
and.....

2)- To this long-time Comic reader, the "Fumetti" style (using photographs instead of drawings) will always seem cheap-looking. I have no doubt that the book was expensive to produce, and very time-consuming, and the photography and digital imaging WERE impressive, but no matter how much of this type of work I see, it still doesn't click for me.

I would advise people with $30.00 burning a hole in their pocket to try McGreal's Veils instead.

I, Paparazzi is a graphic novel that is relatively unique in format. All of the artwork consists of photography that has been digitally altered (with added special effects, etc.). While this is an interesting gimmick that is used here quite appropriately given the subject matter, it is not always perfectly executed. For example, the colours can get garrish and the layouts are not always the most visually pleasing, but the effort that has been put into this title is worthy of admiration.

I, Paparazzi doesn't have the emotional depth of McGreal and Phillips' Veils (another highly recommended graphic novel in photographic format), nor does it have the beautiful lyrical paintings of Rebecca Guay which provided a nice break from the photographic art, but overall I did find this graphic novel to be more entertaining. The story is about a paparazzi who winds up on an X-Files/Robert Anton Wilson inspired adventure that is a lot of fun to read. To add more depth to the story, the author explains why the main character (and others) became paparazzi and defends the lifestyle pointing out, e.g., that it was a drunk driver who killed Princess Di and the fact that stars on their way up warmly welcome paparazzi until they reach the point where they, unlike most of society, no longer have to struggle to support themselves. Being photographed by paparazzi after deliberately placing yourself in the public eye is a small price to pay for such comforts.

The characters are all quite interesting, the dialogue is enjoyable, etc., making this a great read. Those who aren't familiar with McGreal et al's work might want to put off getting this graphic novel until it is available in a cheaper softcover, but I personally found the hardcover format worthwhile. And given the rarity of photographic comics (at least in North America), it also makes an interesting conversation piece.

The basic premise (cf. Len Sperry) stated in the first few pages of this book is not the premise or ethic held by myself or my peer executive coaches: "coaching does not require a deep level of self-disclosure on the part of the executive nor is there a need for a close personal bond coupled with confidentiality."

Confidentiality is the primary ethic to which we subscribe and is what allows the necessary self-disclosure.

Another flaw of this book is that it wavers between coaching as a peer relationship and a professional (external professional) one. No doubt one peer could provide support and expert advice to another, but that is not the essence of executive coaching.

This book also uses and renames models developed by others without credit to those others. eg. the Johari window and Situational Leadership.

On the positive side, Appreciative Inquiry is a valid way to approach coaching, and not utilized often enough. We coaches have traditionally tended toward assessments which seek to identify flaws and deficits.

I would be concerned if this book were seen as a guide to executive coaching, especially for executive coach wannabes (and they are numerous these days). It is, at best, a very abridged primer or collection of readings for OD (Organization Development). OD skills are prerequisite to executive coaching, but only part of the skill equation. Psychological training and business experience are the others.

There is much controversy among coaching professionals today about executive coaching, and numerous "certification" programs that have none of the above prerequisites.

For another view of executive coaching ethics and practices, email me for our (Executive Coaching Forum of Boston) handbook available electronically at no cost. Given the concerns about qualifications, ethics, and practices of executive coaches, our group wrote and distributes this handbook as a service for executive coaches and clients alike. judyotto@mindspring.com

Whether you are an executive with a Fortune 500 company, a Human Resource manager, or an entrepreneur, you have become aware of executive coaching. It is nearly impossible to go to a conference or any business meeting and not come across some discussion of coaching. Many consider coaching as the helping relationship for management in the postmodern corporate and business world.

Executive Coaching: An Appreciative Approach, is more than a book about the methodology of coaching with executives. Although it is that, too, it is about being a coach almost as a way of being. It is not quite the Zen of coaching that John Whitmore speaks of in his book, Coaching for Performance, but, note the less, it is a philosophy about how to approach the coaching experience with executives. Even though it is basically written for the "want-to-be" executive coach, its depth will add important new material for experienced coaches as well. Most importantly it provides for coaches, leaders, managers, or supervisors, a way of relating to their colleagues and clients who want a coaching relationship.

The authors look at how adults learn and emphasize that coaching focuses on developing awareness through questioning. Questions compel attention for an answer and focus attention for reflection and feedback. Instruction does none of these. The coaches' use of questions are to raise awareness and responsibility for transformational change. Coaching becomes one of the more formal ways that learning can take place along with counseling and consulting. The authors differentiate between coaching, consulting, and counseling in providing learning experiences for the executive. Although there is a great deal in common between the three disciplines, the key differences are made explicit, one of which is that in coaching you can easily switch places the your colleague or client whereas in counseling and consulting that role shift cannot take place.

In difference from other books on coaching (Whitmore, 1997; Stowell and Starcevich, 1998) they emphasize that an "appreciative perspective" must undergird any executive coaching program. They state that in essence an "appreciative perspective" concerns a willingness to engage in dialogue with another person from an assumption of mutual respect and the mutual search for the discovery of distinctive competencies and strengths. This becomes the theme of the entire book and is imbedded in their three models for coaching. A manager who has not become familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, or has not developed an appreciative approach my find their models too non-directive. Traditional models of management, where confrontation and feedback directed at deficits are the basis of learning, would be antithetical to this approach. The quote David Cooperider's suggestion, "People and organizations do not need to be fixed. They need constant reaffirmation." In this approach, compassion and real caring for a colleague are expressed within the appreciation of their values, goals and intentions. This does not imply a loss of discipline nor a loss of boundaries between one's own problems and perspectives and those of another. Every counselor is familiar with the dangers of over identification and enabling the avoidance of responsibility, and every coach needs to be aware of this as well.

In this book readers will not only learn about three models of coaching but also about a model for viewing executives and organizations. The writers present four executive styles and organizational cultures that provide the coach with a frame of reference from which to examine executive functioning. These four styles of executive functioning (assertive, inspiring, thoughtful and participating) are said to "...represent quite different notions about the purposes, functions and values associated with executive functioning in today's organizations." These are based on assumptions about ways in which executives can be effective in leading an organization. They suggest that each can be effective in certain situations and ineffective in others. Their illustrations suggest that for a style to be effective the executive must have the ability to relinquish his "home base" or preferred style and assume a less comfortable style in order to succeed. A preferred style might be considered a strength but if exaggerated it becomes a weakness. It is clear that no one style fits all situations and it behooves the coach to be aware and assist the executive in developing the options and choices necessary for effectiveness. The appreciative approach again comes to the rescue as the coach uses inquiry to assist the executive toward increased awareness through self-reflection and responsibility. The book provides some "preliminary guidelines" for helping the executive discover his/her "preferred style." Strengths in each of the non-preferred styles are needed for the multiple contexts that the executive might find himself or herself dealing with. The reader will find explanations of appropriate and inappropriate uses of the strengths of each style. It is important that the coach be as nimble and flexible as the "coachee" in order to move from one style to another, and be willing and able to engage another colleague who has the appropriate style needed for change.

The formulation of the executive styles and the offering of models for coaching is unique to this work and offers the "budding coach" as well as the experienced one a new and exciting perspectives on executive coaching. Within the context of their three models, Reflective Coaching, Instrumental Coaching, and Observational Coaching, the work guides the reader through basic skills and the obstacles that block the process. There is a great deal more to this book than the outlining of skills and methods because it offers a way of being a coach and a philosophy of leadership. Even though their discussion of the models contained familiar material, some of which can be found in other books on coaching, much of the material is new and will enlighten the most experienced coach. This work is a must read for anyone entering the field and equally so for the experienced coach.