It would be user-friendly if the content was concise. The book simply violates the basic principle of design: make it simple!

The book is long-winded and filled with copious padding stuff. The authors seem forgot the basic design principle. It is extremely annoying to read the same material again and again on the same page and in different chapters, especially when the material covered is already common sense in nature.

I like this book as much as any on my list of recommended readings (I liked it enough to write the foreword). While not as comprehensive as some books, it makes what I think is a good depth/breadth tradeoff. It goes into enough detail on core topics that practitioners can use it as a guidebook. It has the pedagogical features that I like to see in a textbook (outlines, summaries, bibliography). I think will be motivating to students and understandable to a wide audience, which is important to be useful and usable by multidisciplinary teams.

The book has a website, as should any book in the new millennium, [local website], which contains materials for students, teachers, and practitioners.

Several chapters are excellent standalone surveys on topics such as design and evaluation, making the book valuable as a reference....

Sharp offers several themes and interpretations in his analysis of politics in the decade following the adoption of the constitution. Sharp rightly argues that the antagonisms and political schisms of the years 1789-1801 were a crucial test of the ability of our new nation to survive sharply different conceptions of where political sovereignty would ultimately lie in the new nation. Sharp details the creation of "proto-parties" -- the Federalist led by Hamilton who favored a strong central government and executive power versus the Jefferson led Republicans who favored more state and local control of politics and a stricter construction of the federal government's powers under the constitution. The schism was also clearly and primarily sectional -- North versus South. While both of these comments are an oversimplification they were two of the obvious divisive issues splitting the two camps. Sharp maintains that the election of Jefferson in 1801 and the peaceful transfer of power from one faction to another -- the first such transfer of power in our nation's history (Adam's being generally seen as a proponent of the Federalists'position) -- was one of the two most crucial tests for the viability of the constitution (the other being the Civil War).

Sharp details the political machinations of both camps through Jefferson's election and clearly shows that civil war and disunion were indeed viable outcomes and the continuation of the union in limbo.

Overall this is a solid effort to dispel the myth that political parties, as we know them today, were not created or even perpetuated by the "proto-parties" that formed during this period, although they can be seen as precursors of modern political parties. He also dispels the myth that the perpetuation of the nation was inevitable. Instead that the United States survived this period intact was incredible.

My main quibble is that sometimes Sharp sometimes leaves out some key points. Nor do I think enough attention is paid to Adam's ability to straddle the two factions and steer a more neutral course -- for example advocating a strong national defense (building a navy), pursing peace with France, and thwarting Hamilton's attempt to maintain a standing army in peacetime. Had he been unsuccessful in doing so the story of our Republic may have been quite different.

In American Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis, James Roger Sharp focuses on a time period often ignored by American historian. Caught up in the excitement of battlefields, historians delved into the American Revolution or the intrigues of the Constitutional Convention. Yet Sharp's bold study highlights the battles which raged within Washington's administration. The war which raged between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson provides the excitement of the battlefield. Sharp obviously has studied the genesis of the American political sytem and the development of party politics in America's first years under the U.S. Constitution. His thesis centers around the development of political party through the supporters of Jefferson and Hamilton. His insistence upon describing these units as "proto-parties" seems to be overkill. While the reader will understand that these groups did not have the organization of a political party as modern Americans recognize it, Sharp seems to believe a reader will not bother to consider political parties in any other form. This book, however, is a fascinating study of a period about which few have read. While the casual reader might find the book cumbersome, I recommend it for any studetn of early American history.

This book's title is misleading, as it appears to feed off the familiarity with the Applied Programming series of books from Microsoft Press. It is truly a mixed-bag, as the above editorial review admits. After expounding on the 'revolutionary' idea that software should be people oriented, it dives into pages of code that lays out an Asp.Net application. It then sandwiches in a C# fundamentals tour, and then dives right into more code. If there is a purpose to this book, I couldn't distill it. It truly appears as if each author wrote their portion of their book without talking to the other, and then the editor mashed them together the night before the deadline hit.

If you have kept up with the .NET revolution, you have no doubt seen and read a lot of books on .NET and the .NET languages. Most of the books on C# deal with the basics of syntax with a couple of small samples applications. Very few, however, deal with any sort of real world situations.
While this book does cover a few of the basics, it is more focused on the people aspect. I feel this is an important, often overlooked, aspect of software development and the fact that it is overlooked is why so much software is hard to use.
If you are looking for a best practices book, this tome is not quite there. The same goes for a book strong on code. While you can use the CD to look at a good amount of sample code, the book is rather thin. This is not, however, the focus of the book; and, since so many other books cover this, the niche filled here is rather nice.
If I had to pick the proper audience for this book, there would be two categories: 1) Anyone who has ever had a piece of software fail as the end-users never bought in, and 2) anyone who wants to ensure this never happens. While it is not an excellent book, I have to laud the publisher for taking a chance on this subject matter selling. I hope it does.

I may have a master's degree and I may be a member of Mensa but that doesn't mean I can do well on the tests in this book. The tests in this book are highly specialized: from auto mechanic to ballroom dancer to wine taster to interior decorator. Unless you have experience and expertise in these areas, the questions will probably go over your head. I attempted these sorts of tests but found that after the third or fourth question I had lost interest because it was so foreign to me that I would not have even the slightest clue. However, in a way I think that is the purpose of the book. To give you an appreciation of the knowledge and expertise required by various occupations. An auto mechanic needs to know a whole lot more than just using a wrench. A CPA does more than just crunching numbers. Wine tasters have to really know their wine and be able to critique it on many factors. It isn't sampling something in the grocery store.

Still there were a few tests that were more accessible to the general public and involved more everyday common sense knowledge. An example is the elementary school teacher test and the U.S. History test.

The book is a terrific compendium of various and sundry exams. There appears to be no reason why these were included, other than being eclectic. I enjoyed trying my hand at some of the more obscure titles. One thing I do know, I won't be hired as a wine steward any time soon. For less than a $20 bill, it succeeded in straining my memory and my wit. It was a kick!

Netta and Stanley are two losers who bask in their loser-ness. They live buried in despair, boredom, short-sightedness, stupidity - call it what you will - and seem to relish in it. These are two people I wouldn't want to know. The book is a celebration of two people who live in a psychological, mental, social hole and think it a great feat to peer over the edge rather than attempting to climb out. Instead of looking up and beyond the confines of the town they hate, they look down at their shoes and wonder why they keep running into obstacles. The book ends not far from where it began, with a feeling of isolation and endless nothingness. One begins to wonder who "The Imposter" really is....

A fun series of short stories where someone, somehow is an imposter, Paula Sharp can put a fresh twist on everything. You'll laugh, frown, smile, and most of all care about the characters. Write more about Netta and Stanley!

A standout is where a deadbeat dad is literally fought off by a bunch of kids, the town gossip, and a rake.

This book was really helpful to me because it helped me make poster sfor my school about resisting drugs. It gave me slogans and ideas for my posters. My peers really enjoyed reading my posters.

A Book Review of "The Agrarian Revolt in Western Canada: A Survey Showing American Parrallels" by: Erin L. Smith

Does Uncle Sam and Jack Canuck share a common history in regards to their agrarian movments? This was the question ask by Paul Sharp in his thoughtful book "The Agrarian Revolt in Western Canada: A Survey Showing American Parrallels". Orgainally published in 1948 this monograph does a fine job of illustrating with remarkable adroitness the narrative of the agrarian sedition in Western Canada. In his opening chapter Sharp shows well that "It was the existence of cheap land to the south that was largely responsible for the delay"1 in devolpment and settelment of the canadian prairies. Sharp goes on to show that by 1909 "the same type of land could be purchased"2 in canada at two dollars instead of 50 per acre. In his next three chapters Sharp developes for the reader a picture of the growth in farmers' associations between 1889 and 1915. The following three chapters are dedicated to the affects of World War One on the farmers' movement, also discussed in these chapters was the establishment of farmer leagues which were exclusively for politcal action. The last chapters delt with the epidemic of organized agrarians between 1918 and 1922 including the eventual collapse of the movement.

Dr. Sharp does a skilled job of showing simlarities or parrallels between the American and Canadian farmers movements. However intersting and obvious historical parallels may appear to be, understanding them well does not necessarily mean a complete comprehension of the past. In fact utilizing such methods to apprecate the elapsed may obfuscate ones survey of the prior. The dissimilarities are just as important to understanding the past as similarities may be.

Francis Bacon felt that through thought, we were capable of understanding the human potential and some universal truths. However, he named four false idols that could prevent us from that higher understanding about the human experience. He felt that if we were not ever aware of these idols we could be led away from the truth. An idol is something with a false or misleading meaning not necessarily pertaining to religion. One of these idols of which he warns us of is the "The Idol of the Cave...For every one has a cave or den of his own, which refracts and discolors the light of nature..." This idol seems to be what we call bias. Consequently the way we see and perceive our world is obscured by our own cave. Hence, our experiences and ideals form our cave. The cave then discolors our study of past in its own unique way. Studying the parallels can become its own cave unless all efforts to remain honest and detached are used. The enterprise to authentically know the past is already handicapted by a scholars cave. Sharp added an extra layer to that stuggle by focusing on the parallels.

Sharp utilized a plethora of varied sources such as newspapers, goverment documents, even political prapaganda. However much importance and reliance was placed on primary evidence like the Grain Growers Guide, and the Nonpartisan Leader or other nonpartisan newspapers. These sources can provide much useful evidance about the state of the movement, major uncertainty faced by farmers, even strife within the movement, along with other helpful information. These sources also give a one-sided and partial narrative focusing the authors attention away from a comprehensive awareness. This reviewer can not help but wonder if more impartial evidence had been used for the study, if the picture painted, by Sharp would have been in piercing contrast.

However Sharp must be commended for his efforts to show the reader the whole picture as a North American. Because of environmental factors, clearly the Canadian and the American farmers shared many of the same hardships and frustrations. In his effort to show the parallels, considerable worthy evidence was provided to show that there was much ingrained dissatisfaction within the farming community towards the market system, and it's apprent inability to give everyone an opportunity. "Railroads were attacked for charging exorbitant rates and for failure to provide sufficient cars to handle the farmers' crops."6 as early as 1890. Sharp used this evidence and much like it to prove that unfairness was a fundamental part of farming, long before the revolt had poltical consequences in the late 1910's and that there were years of education and awareness on behalf of the farmers prior to the revolt. Furthermore there was "...growing sentiment that political action alone could save the western farmer."7 well before the turn of the century.

Sharps most meaningful contribution to the discussion of cooperatives and grain growing was that the farmers perceived the market driven grain industry as unfair to farmers. Beginning in 1901 with the formation of the Territorial Grain Growers' Association or TGGA8 farmers began a critique of the mercantilistic system that was grain selling, and transporting in western Canada during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Out of the early farmers movement came a fundamental principle of cooperation which was predominantly antagonistic to market economics. Moreover Canadian farmers concept of cooperation was interventionist in its approach. Chiefly affected by the governments policy setting authority during the First World War the agrarian revolt perceived such market control as essential for survival.

Sharp did leave an important qusetion unaswered. Was the agrarain revolt a politcal or economic awakening. Sharp provides some evidence that indicates the revolt was primarily a political manifestation. However he also uses information that identfies the revolt in a dualistic form, both political and economic. These dualing ideas create confusion for the reader and can ultimately obscure some of the leading concepts. Nevertheless many interesting ideas, and concepts about the underlying factors surounding the agrarain movement have been brocked by Sharp and though the abstractions are sometimes twofold they do create awareness and may ultimately provided the necessary historical foundations for future scholars to find answers.

This book is in the end a noteworthy jumping off place for one who wishes to study the agrarian movement in western canada between 1885 and 1928. Sharp has provided much historical context for the scholar, which makes this book a good first read on the subject. It is the opinion of this reviewer that too much attention was paid to the parallels between America and Canada: and that the real value of the work was its effort to prove the intrinsic frustration of farmers and their class consciences. Moreover Sharp's book leads us on an entriguing path of study about how the mercantilism of farming led farmers to politcal, economic action. Finally, Sharp and the the publisher should be complimented for a job well done.

Kevin Sharp has detailed the ins and outs of automatic identification. He covers the prevalent technologies including: bar codes, vision systems, voice recognition, magnetic stripes, and touch screens. In addition, he explains application of the technology to a variety of areas: manufacturing, asset management, health care, and document tracking. This book will provide the interested reader with an introduction to automatic identification technology. However, it is somewhat dated. It does not include the newer biometric identification technologies.

This is another book in the Rookie Reader series. This book is ok. It is about two boys who are outside on the ice. There is not really much of a story. There are only 58 words in 28 pages. The pictures are excellent though. It is targeted for early readers. It might be hard for a child to tell you what happened in this story since it is so short. I really like some other Carol Greene books better.("Hi, Clouds" and "Rain! Rain!")

If you're interested in Megaliths, this is a good choice, if not one of the best. The writing is well-done and thorough. The photographs are of excellent quality and show lots of thought. The only drawbacks are sometimes the photos are just too small to do justice to the subject, which seemed a little strange in a large-format book that allows large photos. Also, all the photos are in black and white, which works frequently, but also lacks the soul and dynamism of color. There's nothing wrong with black and white, and the photos are superb, but an entire book, at this selling price, was a bit of disappointment. I think a mix of color and black and white would have earned this book 5 stars. If this is your only book on megaliths, I'd look further for a color volume. But if you're a collector, this is a very good choice. The quality of the layout, paper, photos, printing and binding is excellent, which justifies the expense for a collector or one who especially enjoys black and white photography.