If you've never been introduced to the 3 Investigators, you have no idea what you're missing. They make Nancy, Frank, and Joe look as exciting as an unbuttered piece of stale white bread. And parents, don't overlook these books for your daughters! I loved them as a child and I'm delighted to find my children are as enthralled today as I was then. I recommend starting here, with #1, to introduce readers to the 3 Investigators' start. As an added bonus, main character Jupiter Jones uses a vocabulary most English professors would be delighted with. It's nice to have a series of books that doesn't downplay its wording. Your kids can have a grand time reading, and actually learn at the same time! Most especially, I recommend Terror Castle and all the 3 Investigators books for any parent trying to find something to motivate their children to read more. These are genuine page turners. Exciting, thrilling, puzzling- everything a good mystery should be!

At one time I used to own the first 23 titles of AH & The Three Investigators. As I've grown older, I've lost titles until I recently realized I only had two left. I've lamented to my wife, after searching used book stores high and low for the other titles and not finding them, that this was a great blow against childhood reading. I was so glad that they are still being printed and read! The format may be different and Alfred Hitchcock is lamentably missing, but they are still as readable and enjoyable as they were when I was a child!

I highly recommend this series for young readers who dream of adventure and suspense. They invigorated my youth and helped interest me in reading and writing. I hope to God that there are more coming out!

And for those of us who remember Alfred Hitchcock, maybe Random House could put out a collectors series of the books as they were originally released - covers, illustrations and all. I would certainly snap them up!

Wow. I'm 33 years old and thought I am probably the only adult who would pick up a Three Investigator's book and read it. I am here looking for some of The Three Investigator's books for my girlfriend's son. I saved a few of the books I had as a child, a couple of them in hardback, with the intent of saving them for my children. Most of the books I read in the series I checked out at the library. Reading these books provided some of my fondest childhood memories. The young man I am buying these books for has just discovered a love for reading and I believe that these stories will hook them just like they did me. Amazon, please act upon the suggestions of others and release the entire series if possible.

Back in the late 80's, Robert Mason's "Chickenhawk" appeared on bookshelves. Mason's personal story of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam was the first of it's kind and has since spawned a number of personal helicopter stories, and they all owe the market being opened by Robert Mason. I was still in high-school when the book out and I wanted very much to fly helicopters for the US Army at the time. After reading this book I was not sure what to do, I was scared at the thought of being shot down in battle, but also saw the pride in what the helicopters pilots had done in Vietnam. This was also the first book I recommended to my father to read, a two tour veteran of Vietnam himself. I have gone back and reread "Chickenhawk" at least 4 times over the years and it still holds up so well, and I still feel like someone hit me in the stomach everytime I get to the end and read those last few lines.

With no disparagement to more current personal accounts of Huey/Cobra helicopter pilot books on the market today, you need go no further than the original Chickenhawk if combat helicopter flying in Vietnam is of serious interest.

Robert Mason, although later after Vietnam service succumbed for a number of years to personal demons by choice, nevertheless portrays a shattering exciting picture of the smell, feel, madness and futility of of his Huey unit in the central highlands of Vietnam unsupported by a corrupt, incompetent US Democratic Party government back in Washington.

Having recently(May97) been in SE Asia on business and visited the "Golf Course"(Mason's old army helipad) near An khe VN, it's clear his accurate and riveting portrayal of the Air Cav are geniune and even more impressive.

I've read this book at least 5 times over the years and it is never dull without a doubt giving much satisfaction and entertainment. The author's true gift to us is to describe his hellish piloting experience and bravery in combat in a very readable way. He is a true inspiration to people of all walks of life.

As a former combat arms US Army officer(1970's Korea DMZ), my premonition is that the likes of Warrant Officer Bob Mason and his Huey compadres would be few and far between in today's politically correct, powder puff, his or her Clinton army.

Sit back and invest in yourself. Read Chickenhawk (more than once).

Being a helicopter pilot myself for the past 6 years, this book has always moved me deeply, thinking about those men, trying to maintain some sort of sanity in a crazy situation.

I have had the unfortunate luck, of evacuating wounded soldiers, from a war which is still controversial in my country, but I never faced the kind of situations that Mason discribes in the book, and I have always wandered how they did it, knowing that every morning and evry mission could spell sudden death, from the enemy, or worse, by your commander's stupidity.

I think it's a book about bravery, about how these helicopter pilots in Vietnam were willing to risk their lives every day for their fellow soldiers. I believe that flying into combat, surviving it, seeing what might happen if it wasn't your lucky day, then doing it again and again and again, takes a special kind of character. Character shown by Mason.

I have read many war books, some about Vietnam, some not. My country is (unfortunately) filled with veterans, including my entire family (my father was also a pilot and my brother was in the special forces, we've all been through combat). I think this book is special in the way it touches you intimately, making you feel, just as if you were hearing the story from the author in person.

This is not about victory or defeat, this is about something else, and to know what this thing is you must read the book and look inside to see the impact it has on you.

This is my favorite book in the Anne series. Rilla is a fourteen year old, vain, carefree girl without any ambitions but to have fun and have many beaux when she is thrown into the relentless Hell known as War. It's a story of loss and love and growth. It's incredibly romantic. It's sad but the sad thing that happens is for the best (I see that now even though I tried to fight it for so long). In my opinion, out of all the L.M. Montgomery books that I've read, Rilla is the only main character with any sense when it comes to who she loves and knowing, at least having an inkling, that they love her back. It's a wonderful story that everyone should read. Even my friend who hates Montgomery books loved it.

hey, i have read every "Anne book" and the "Emily books", and I have recently re-read "Rilla of Ingleside". "Rilla of Ingleside" and "Anne of Green Gables" are my favorite LMM books I've read so far. Rilla goes through the difficulf times during WW1 that were the worst the world has seen until WW2. I cried the first time i read it and i cried the second time, too! One of the most touching things in this book is how Little Dog Monday stays at the train station the ENTIRE time that Jem is away at war and I think the chapter-LITTLE DOG MONDAY KNOWS- was very good(I won't say what he knows....read to find out!:) But it is SOOO sad!! ) This is VERY good, one of my ALL-time favorites(I have read alot) and I strongly urge you to read it, but if you haven't read the other ANNE books, read them first....each book refers back to previous ones ocassionally. Happy Reading!!! : )

Since Anne what not as much of a main character in this book, I was surprised by how much I liked it. I didn't think I would because she was not in it. However, I now think, that it is one of the best books in the series.( Since I can't choose just one book, thats the highest compliment I can give.) In the beginning Rilla a frivolous, nonambitious girl who only wants the most fun life can give her. She knows nothing of the sorrows or horrors of life, beyond her worries of who she'll dance with...This book tells the story of Rilla's life during the horrrible, "war to end all wars". During this time, faced with pain, sorrow, and duty she proves herself as a true woman and worthy of her handsome Kenneth Ford.

"The Ultimate Competitive Advantage" provides business leaders with real-life examples and the rudder necessary to shift the course in a stormy, ever changing environment and find the most direct way to new opportunities. This is a useful toolset necessary to develop a winning business model in a globally competitive environment. The authors of this foremost book understand business models and how to make them a source of adequate competitive advantage. The primary idea of Don Mitchell and Carol Coles is simple and rather practical at the same time: improve the effectiveness of everything you do. The authors show how strategic innovation can emphasize your business from the stack and deliver stronger.

The book is well organized and the writing is clear and concise, all making for an informative and enjoyable read. It is an excellent book for a strategic planning point of view. It is an absolute necessity for the 21st century business owners and CEOs. The book is teaching you about Business Model Innovation and the ideas might become useful as your business direction changes. The book offers help to anyone looking to improve theirs chances for success. And it is quite readable. I highly recommend it for senior and mid-level managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, and business students.

Alexander Petrochenkov

Of all the books I've read on change management this is the most precise in its statement about how corporations need to manage the continuous innovation of their business model in order to survive and thrive in our global, competitive marketplace. Replete with real world examples of successful business model innovation, traps, and pitfalls, this clearly written book provides definitions, case studies, and "rules to live by."

Continually provide more benefits for your customers; ". . . business model obsolescence is the major unperceived opportunity for and threat to all businesses now" is the self-proclaimed "Big Idea" of this book. Indeed it is. From that theme, Mitchell and Coles go on to build an air-tight case for continuous business model improvement. And the business model is simply defined as the: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and How Much for your product or service. But the simplicity of this concept of a business model should not mislead the reader. There is a significant amount of introspection and work that a leadership team must go through to really understand the answers to these questions in order to map where they are today and what they might do to positively change the model.

Mitchell and Coles keep our interest through real live case studies as well as tracking the growth of a child's Lemonade Stand business. The book is divided into four major parts: 1 The Most Productive Areas for Business Model Innovation; 2. Provide Sustained Benefits for All Stakeholders; 3. Expand Business Model Innovation; and 4. Pursue Higher-Potential Business Model Improvement. Each of these sections use real life case studies and hypothetical Lemonade Stands to illustrate the business change management principles. Those examples also provide hope and encouragement to leadership teams in all kinds of businesses that they are not alone in keeping change management from becoming an oxymoron!

After reading this book, you will want to keep it handy for reference, ideas for new paths to explore, and to loan to others who seem simply not to "get it!" What I appreciated most was the honest focus on providing what customers and end users really want in a product or service. Starting there, we can drive our companies to greater achievements by continuous business model innovation. Rarely do I rate a book a five on a scale of five, but Mitchell and Coles get that rating for The Ultimate Competitive Advantage!

Dave Kinnear, CEO, dbkAssociates, Inc.

The ultimate competitive advantage is defined as being the best at business model innovation. The winners will be masters of an ongoing business model change as only change is a constant in today's business environment. In fact we already meet some of the winners as the authors came to this conclusion via a ten year research program that looked for a common thread behind successes of 100 top performing companies.

The book offers one of the best sets of real life examples and cases in the recent business literature, all with insightful observations by the authors. The examples range from the smallest of businesses to GM's and Enron's of this world (and from one concise passage I learned about the business model fundamentals of the US steel industry turn-around). Also, there is a new look at the changing virtues of leveraging equity with debt and CAPM.

For me the most valuable in this book is the attention given to rules of dealing with a company's stakeholders. It's high time that stakeholders received this kind of coverage in a work on competitive advantage ! The 100 leading companies' innovations stemmed from deep interest in stakeholders needs. As the authors state - a bad business model will usually favor a few stakeholders at the expense of others thus causing cooperation to decline. If one were to structure the book in another way, alocating one chapter to what can be done for and with each stakeholders' group to enhance business model might be an option for this reader (customers, shareholders, employees, suppliers, lenders).

The book is a call for thinking innovation as an every day job. Clearly, if new business model elements are thought about and tested on a continuous basis there is a better chance that something of a breakthrough calibre will be decided even at annual strategic meetings.

I love physics, but I used to think that it was difficult. Most authors of physics books are too smart to explain it to other people. Feynman is one of the few who realized that not every student is brilliant and that some of us never paid attention during calculus classes - my observation is that people who really like physics don't like mathematics. He takes his time explaining calculus and he pays attention to the smaller steps that in other books are neglected since the author seems to think that readers can do these steps by themselves. We don't, we are stupid!

Feynman's famous three-volume set is an edited set based on his lectures to the introductory physics classes at Caltech, which are widely considered to be among the best lecture series ever published. Feynman takes a different approach from the typical introductory physics textbook. His point of departure perhaps assumes a higher level of mathematical sophistication than most introductory or survey texts. Also, his choice of topics is not as broad and comprehensive as many modern surveys of introductory physics. What makes Feynman's work remarkable is the his manner of explaining physical principles underlying a topic, instead of simply presenting the traditional expression of a rule and its formal mathematical expression. When one completes reading a section of Feynman's lecture, if one has the mathematical sophistication one will obtain a "feel" for how the topic fits in the broad context of physics as a whole. As a note of caution: most introductory physics surveys do not present material with use of matrix mathematics. Feynman assumes familiarity with the basics of matrix algebra, and this fact makes his presentation challenging to many students. In various sources I have read that his lectures were well attended by students in the upper division portion of their education and many graduate students and faculty, while the freshman audience intended may have been poor. That reflects the series as being a high-level conceptual overview reflecting the unified structure of physics. Perhaps not suitable for introductory physics instruction to any but the most advanced students.

Unlike my fellow reviewer above (below?) I *have* a PhD in physics, yet these books taught me more basic physics than I ever learnt in 4 years of undergrad. The quantum mechanics book is especially clear...I honestly wish my first 1st year phyics lecturer had of simply said 'read Feymnam'..I would have learnt so much more than I ever did in lectures/other texts. Give these books to a child starting science/maths and let them grow up using it and learning from it...there could be no better gift.

It's hard to write this review. I hate to throw cold water on anything written by RRM, and I'm actually not. I'm just not giving it the 5 stars as everyone else has. Let me say, I have already read Boy's Life and Swan Song-Swan Song probably being one of the best books I have ever read. I picked up a tattered copy of They Thirst-the reviews were terrific. But I've got to say that this book does not compare to Boy's Life or Swan Song. Had I read it first, or when it was originally written, I probably could have written a better review. But Boy's Life and particularly Swan Song, are such excellent reads that I cannot review They Thirst without comparing them to these other two. Maybe I missed something. I could be wrong, but "They Thirst" seemed a little predictable to me and it bogged down in parts. And it didn't have the..I don't even know how to explain it. The other two were 3 dimensional, in full color, and as brilliant as laser light. This one was more 2 dimensional with faded colors. Perhaps someone who has read all 3 can explain it better than I. Anyway, I gave it 4 stars, but really it's probably closer to 3 and a half. Sorry..

Robert McCammon really outdid himself this time ! I rate this one up there with "Salem's Lot" by Stephen King. In fact, I think it may be a tie. This is one book I would love to see made into a movie. Could be really scary !

"They Thirst" is my favorite fiction book. I first read it back in 1981 or so. I think I fell in love with it because it was the first vampire story I encountered where the setting was a modern-day version. And, of course, the LA scene was very appealing. There is much more to why I like this book so much, but suffice to say that McCammon is a very good writer and handles the vampire topic well. I read Boys Life. That was pretty good. So now I'm reading Swan Song. I like this guy.

Peter the Great:His Life and World is an magnificient biography, I wish they all were like this. Impeccably researched and written, Massie reveals life in the Russian Royal Court in the time of Peter the Great. Massie's writing style is generally easy reading, but it will still take many evenings to complete this book.

Personalities abound throughout the telling of one of the greatest of all Tsars. What really stands out about this particular book, is that while the book is really about Peter, Massie allows the flow of the book to follow personalties of the time as they enter and exit Peter's world. So as well as learning about Peter, I learnt of Charles' rivalry with the Russian leader, and the battles they fought; Tolstoy, the ambassador to the Ottoman empire, and his constant diplomatic battles with the leaders of Turkey. The Sun King of France. These are just a few examples that litter the book.

Furthermore, social and political issues of the time are discussed, some in great depth. I never realised the stuggles involved with the construction of St. Petersburg, the workers dealing with both the [danger] of the Swedish Army and Navy, as well as the marshes on which the city was built. That the establishment of the Russian Navy was initiated by Peter, was another surprise. I would have thought that a major empire such as the Russian would have already had a navy. The political intrigues between the Royal houses of Europe was another eyeopener for me.

There are always faults with any book; Peter the Great is no exception. Some details would be repeated, some to the point of numbness. How many times do we have to hear about Peter's fondness for the sea? Or the sciences? Still, many people like myself will overlook these and instead, look at the book for what it is; a stunning and comprehensive look into not only the life of Peter the Great, but the world of Eastern and Middle Europe. I began reading the book to learn the story of Peter the Great. That I got a history lesson about Europe in the 18th century is a real bonus.

I was ridiculed by my friends when I exited a bookstore with a copy of Peter the Great in my hands. Ridicule all they want but after reading this gargantuan book I was certain this was the best book I had ever read. Massie's description of Peter's life and of Russian society in the early 1700 bring to life ghosts long since gone. Massie brings history to life, the friendships, the deceits, love affairs, diplomacy etc. Massie's Peter the Great is much more than the biography of one man, it tells the story of a country's transformation from one of the most backward states of Europe to one of it's forerunners. It also explains in great length the going ons all over Europe in the time of Peter. Peter the Great, always interesting, always fun to read, reads more like a novel than a biography. That's one reason why I always recommend it to people regardless of wether the person likes or loathes history.

Wow! Massie's Peter The Great is a fascinating study; an enjoyable read and a spectacular trip back through Russian history in the early 1700's. Even if you are not a history buff, you will enjoy Peter's thirst for knowledge, personal hands-on development of the Russian Navy, his massive economic, architectural and social reforms, ingenious manner of self-education by traveling incognito throughout Western Europe, his unique personality displayed through a mock Tsar who promotes Peter to Vice-Admiral, all-night drinking binges with his mock court and Peter's personal heroics.

Peter certainly earned his title and likewise I feel Massie can add "The Great" to his name. The best compliment I can give to Massie is I now have a tremendous thirst to study Peter's archenemy, Charles Xll, and learn Charles's perspective of Peter The Great.

Buy the book

The story of the last of the Romanovs is one that still keeps audiences interested, whether the focus is the revolution or the Mad Monk. This is the last gasp of old style royalty that the 20th Century was to experience and despite Massie's tendency to somewhat romanticize his subjects, the domestic tribulations of Nicholas and Alexandra make an interesting and illustrative foil for the civil strife that was going on outside the palace. It is fascinating to read some of the anecdotes recounted in this book that show the Tsar and his family to be, in many ways, an ordinary family, yet at the same time probably the wealththiest family in the world at the time. The dispair and extreme poverty of Russian peasantry is very lightly treated here, but then, this is the Romanov's story and like royalty everywhere and at all times, they were isolated from direct confrontation with unpleasant sights and sounds.

Whatever else, this is a great story - of love, family tragedy, political blundering, inepept military decisions, court intrigue, conspicuous consumption, religious meddling, hypocracy, self deception, and hope - all part of the opening act of the new century. The old world of Tsarist glitter passes and the new world of Bolshevik drabness begins - and Nicholas and Alexandra are, with their family, caught in the middle.

"Bloody Nicholas". "Alexandra the German". These and other epithets were used to descibe Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of Imperial Russia. However, Massie brings to light and to life, the personal, human side of both Nicholas and Alexandra and their families.

With unusual and fascinating insight, the lives of Nicholas and Alexandra are explored in the context of their backgrounds, upbringings, experiences, and the very public role which birth had conferred upon them. The impact these influences had upon them personally and the resulting impact upon Russian and world history is laid out in a poignant, tragic tale which will leave only the most jaded reader unmoved.

Massie's writing style makes you feel as if you were actually there listening to and observing the Imperial family. His sources include the letters between Nicholas and Alexandra, letters from them to members of their families, and the memoirs of people who knew them personally and/or worked with them closely, such as tutors, close friends, ambassadors, and government officials.

The insights gleened from these sources portray not vicious, callous rulers concerned only with their selfish ends, but rather two well-meaning and personally kind people whose personalities, education and limited perspectives ill-suited them for the roles into which they were born. Add to this the impact of the then untreatable disease of hemophilia which afflicted their youngest child, their only son and heir to the Russian throne. This does not excuse them from the disastrous role they played in the fall of the Romanov dynasty, but rather helps us to understand why they acted as they did.

One cannot read this work and come away without a profound feeling of sadness. The "what if's" string on endlessly, most tragically in the contemplation of their five innocent, young children who were brutally murdered along with their parents by the Bolsheviks because of hatred for their parents, and a merciless political desire to ensure the monarchy never returned.

This work will appeal to many: to students of Russia, history, royalty, political science, public relations, and of course, those interested in a story of romance in a privileged, elite world.

The Author, Robert Massie, happened upon the writing of this book through his research to find out how others dealt with hemophilia. His son suffers from the disease as did the son of the last tsar of Russia. Wow...I happened upon this book by first seeing the english production of the film nicholas and alexandra. The movie was excellent but the book exceeds that of course. Read this book and obtain an understanding that people even in power are to be pitied. These poor souls were first the victims of their sons disease, Rasputin, the mystic but resourceful priest and the changes that Russia inevitably was to go through. This history of a country and a ruler, his wife and his family has often times made me wonder about their horrowful fate. These people did not deserve what they received in the end and I hope you draw this same conclusion after you read this novel. As the trailer notes state..."A larger than life drama, so bizarre, so heartrending, and above all, so apocalyptic that no novelist would have dared invent it"... Read it, you'll agree.

A truely do-it-all book. Robert Vieira has written the Transact-SQL programmer's dream. Not only is it a good reference for the more advanced DBA, but makes a decent beginner's guide (the book is not a "teach yourself", but rather for a beginner who has completed some SQL Server basics). This is the book for the beginner who wants to move through intermediate to advanced topics. The book covers:

I. Particulars and History - Building DB Connected Systems, Data Access Models.

II. RDBMS - The components of a SQL Server DB

III. Tools of the Trade - Client/Server Network Utilities, Enterprise Manager, DTS, MS DTC, Performance Monitor, Profiler, Query Analyzer, OSQL, Service Manager

Then The Good Stuff:

First the basics:

IV. The Foundation Statements of T-SQL - Select, Where, ETC.

V. Joining Tables - Inner/Outer, Cross, Full, Union

VI. Creating and Altering Tables

Then the Intermediate Stuff:

VII. Constraints - Primary Keys, Foreign Keys, Unique, Check, Default, Disabling, Rules, Triggers

VIII.Normalization and Basic Design Issues - Relationships, Diagramming, De-Normalizing, Examples

Then the Advanced Stuff:

IX. Speeding Performance: Storage and Index Structures

X. Views - Simple, Complex, Editing, etc.

XI. Writing Scripts and Batches - OSQL

XII. Code Storage: Stored Procedures - Intermediate to Advanced - This is pretty much exhaustivly covered. Includes error handling, control of flow.

XIII.Transactions and Locks - More advanced SProc handling, Checkpoints, Locks and Concurrancy, Handling Deadlocks

XIV. Triggers - A truely great chapter, untangling what is usually a badly explained subject.

And a lot more... Chapters 15 through 25 cover the really advanced subjects like: Advanced Queries, Distributed Queries/Transactions, SQL Cursors, BCP, DTS, Replication (in detail), Advanced DB Design, OLAP (in detail), English Query and Full Text Search, Security (very well done), Performance Tuning (in detail), Advanced Administration.

The appendices cover: Global Variables, Functions, Tools, Error Listing, Access Upsizing. An excellent index rounds out the package. If you are worried about coverage on any of the above topics...don't the book is a real luggable (1.5" thick, a couple of pounds in weight).

The only other book I would recommend to round out the SQL Server DBA's library would be MS Press' Administrator's Pocket Guide. You really won't need anything else! This book is a must have.

This book is THE book when you want to learn SQL Serever 7 Databases. I passed the SQL Server 7.0 Database Design and Implementation exam 70-029 by studying this book! Its VERY clearly written. Anyone who has a concept of what SQL Server does and is, can master it by using this book. And guess what?, it has enough gun powder regarding SQL Server 7.0 to help you actually pass the 70-028 Admin exam as well! Last but not least, it is THE perfect companion for the DBA. I think many managers around the globe will be able to sleep at night if DBA's start using this wonderful book. I had a few problems with some topics...guess what..i e-mailed Mr. Robert Viera asking him to explain those topics. He replied within half a day!....its amazing! A man of such wisdom actually HAS time for his readers....and not only that he sent me a detailed e-mail of several paragraphs! Which i personally think is very impressive.

Anyway....what i had to say, said it....now its up to you the reader of this review to either remain in the dark or excel in the glittery world of SQL Server 7.0.

I REALLY Recommend this BOOK!

Most technical books on advanced subjects leave much to be desired. They are often too academic and are for the most part a repeat of the manufacturers standard literature, (for example Microsoft's literature). Robert Viera has written a book that is easy enough for the beginner to follow and yet aimed at the serious professional dealing with real world technical problems.

Professional SQL Server 7.0 Programming tacles the challenges that programmers face in the real world and it does it with in-depth discussion and examples. You hardly need to refere to other sources for more information.

What's more, I was pleasantly amazed when the author returned my email cry for help within a half hour. I was faced with a Microsoft bug in SQL 7 and Microsoft tech support was no where to be found. Mr. Vieira's prompt response saved the day. I don't expect the author to substitute for Microsoft technical support, but the incident convinced me that he was a working programmer's writing from the view point of a programmer.

I look forwards to buying any other books that he will author. How about one on MS Visual Interdev or ASP?