Nice book for professionals and first-year students. Nice graphics (via Maple). Good introduction to advanced non-linear applications - students should be able to find lots of interesting areas to explore. (be first!)

I particularly enjoyed it because they each wrote their own impressions of each event and they clearly have a unique perspective on the world and in particular their world

This cleverly designed book provides a short description of each project (sometimes including a tidbit about the idea's pedigree), a full page (i.e., about 6.5" x 11") color photo, and a double page of thorough instructions with detailed drawings. Measurements are given in both English and metric systems. A few pages about tools and specific techniques are included at the end of the book.

I'm happy to have this book and expect to get good use from it, so why not five stars?

First, and this is important if like me you expect the cover of the book to provide a fair look at what is inside, the book does not include instructions for the obelisks that adorn the herb garden on the cover. There are, however, instructions for the low fence. But I _really_ wanted a plan for the obelisk and, although one project is for something with this name, it is not nearly as elegant as what is pictured on the cover.

Second, at least one of the projects (a wall cascade) probably requires professional-level masonry, unless you're keen to have this wall come tumbling down on top of you. I reasonably expected that someone of average handy experience would be able to tackle all this projects; this is one that I know I had better give a miss. It was a disappointment not to have other water feature ideas covered.

Finally, several of the projects for decorated containers are just about too easy for words; it surprised me that these are included as actual projects. In a similar vein, some of the projects are quite simple planting ideas (growing a rose through a tree, herb topiary, a knot garden). But the book's suggestions about plantings do not include information about hardiness. Watch out!

Still, there is much here to use and enjoy: a scented arbor, a chamomile seat, a raised window box, and much more. There is little advice about how to integrate any of these projects into a larger design, but if you have figured out the design you want, here are some plans to implement.

The basis of this book was a short story in the "Dangerous Visions" series, "Amongst the Bentfin Boomer Boys on Lil' Old New Alabama." (If I recall correctly). From what I remember from the author's introduction, this book was an experiment in "avant garde writing," which is to say, writing in different styles and voices in the vein of Mark Twain's ability to capture dialects.

The storyline involves the distant future, where the South has risen again across several star systems; a war ensues against the opposing star systems who are analogous to the North. Two of the voices are shown here: the "notherners" and those of the New South, where the narratives are ordinary and in a heavy Southern drawl, respectively.

The New South are short on manpower, so they combine intelligent lizzards (third voice) with bodies stitched together with remains from battles and employ a zombie ritual (don't remember why) to bring them to life.

The imagery was so vivid for me, reading this when I was thirteen, that 23 years later I still remember this much. I still have a musty paperback copy back home in Cleveland somewhere (I hope). I never found any other books like this. Grab one if you ever come across it.

I have had the pleasure of being taught by both John Stanton and Richard George, so I may seem biased. This book can teach you so much especially if you are looking to move up the corporate ladder and truly want to know more about the difference between business strategy and tactics. This book assists you in opening your mind to seeing the whole picture. This book is a must for any business student and for anyone in the workforce that does not want to become complacent with their current job responsibilities.

my review is about casting and heat treatment about D3tool stee

Multiple reviewers of other Washington biographies recommended this abridgement over the book they were reviewing. I am a reader, as claimed above, but I have NOT read ANY Washington biography. I still thought the above information might be helpful to other seekers.

A short telling of the life of George Washington. Brookhiser's writing is difficult to find an audience. He writes short biographies that gloss over and mention items that are not readily understood by those new to the subject. At the same time, those who are knowledgeable on the subject will find the books lacking detail and not enjoy the book as well. This book on George Washington is no exception. The book is well written, but difficult to read because of the information that is packed into this 200+ page volume. One must pay excruciating detail to the book to not miss anything. Not until reading Flexner's "George Washington-The Indispensable Man", did I feel I understood enough about our first President. This book is a good short primer for those not really interested in in-depth study.

I don't profess to be an expert on George Washington, but I have read some (Flexner, Angel in a Whirlwind) and, though I thoroughly enjoyed this rather thin book, would not recommend it to someone who didn't already have some familiarity with GW. The book includes a number of thought provoking commentaries, but I think assumes that the reader is fairly well-versed in the basic life and times of its subject. In reading this book (and other biographies), you can't help but admire the man and marvel at our good fortune in having men of his character when we needed them most. (You also can't help but cringe (or weep) when comparing him to the latest gentleman to hold the office.)

Brookhiser has done two things here. First, he has contributed to our understanding of our first president, who for so many has become just a face on a quarter, or a hairdo on a one dollar bill. George Washington was so big, that his legacy can handle many more books. This book serves as an incisive thematic essay, grounded in the perspective of fathering, and fathering a whole country. The fact that Washington never fathered any of his own children makes this more interesting.

Second, we have here a new, more serious Brookhiser, shown by his subsequent biography of Alexander Hamilton. Brookhiser cut his teeth writing for National Review, and wrote some incredibly perceptive essays on the Republican primary contestants in 1980. The good news is that he has deepened as a writer, and now shows that he can also research back in time.

This book reads fast, but sinks deep. Buy it, read it.

When I started with ATL COM I had but little choice apart from this book. Since there are too many heads on each and every WROX book they spoil the broth. IT IS NOT FOR THE BEGINERS NEITHER FOR THE INTERMIDIATE. And now that I have got around 2 and 1/2 years of experience I still find it intimidating.

Best way to Start will be
1) Read Inside COM (Microsoft) Inside Out.
2) Graduate to Andrew Troelsen's Developer's Workshop to COM and ATL 3.0. The best that any one can get.
3) And Do read the MSDN.
4) For those who want then to jump into COM+ bandwagan read through Pradeep Tapadiya's 'COM+ Programming: A Practical Guide Using Visual C++ and ATL'

That will make you day. And hey don't forget to read the postings at develop.com and anything written by Don Box/Jefrey Richter.

Bottom Line - STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK

This is not a beginner's guide to ATL COM in any way, shape, or form. The first two chapters are dedicated to getting into the guts of COM and don't deal with ATL at all. This book fails to provide useful examples that a new ATL user can extrapolate from to fit their own similar problems, and it appears to assume several years of experience in C++. If you've never seen COM or ATL before, skip chapters 1 and 2 to start and go to chapter 3. Then after you've read 3,4, and 5, go back and read 1 and 2. I realize the info contained in them is important, but it is usually better to start out simple and get more complex, not the other way around.
On the other hand, if you are an advanced user, this is a pretty good reference for exactly what is going on under the hood with ATL.

This is an excellent book! Unlike other COM books where all they teach you is how to use the Wizard, this one makes you write a COM server from scratch, without the help of any wizards or relying on visual c++ to register the component for you. Then the author starts talking about wizards and how it and ATL helps you write components faster.

The writing is clear and concise. No BS'ing with the history of COM and how it will change your future 10 years from now. I would recommend buying Wrox's COM IDL & Interface design to go along with this book, as it will clearly explain the syntax of IDL and why they look that way.

Beginners may also want to read Dale Rogerson's Inside COM (Microsoft Press) before starting on this book, or you might have questions that go unanswered.

People have been quick to dismiss this book as right wing apologia written by a sneaky Bush supporter under the guise of analysis. However, those same people see Dershowitz's "Supreme Injustice" as an objective, non-partisan account? Dershowitz is a defense lawyer. What do they use? Rhetoric. Posner is a judge. What do they use? REASON.

As one who did not voter for Bush, Gore or Nader, I can say that this is the most intellegent, thorough and fair accounts given of the 2000 fiasco. The one thing it's NOT is the most readable. If you don't want numbers, textual explanations of obscure state clauses and discourses on democratic theory, this one will be a doozy. If you DO want a beach read, I direct you to Bugliosi. Also, if it's conservative apologia you're after, do yourself a favor and just watch Fox News.

Posner is not a pundit, he is a judge. He does not defend Katherine Harris's decision not to accept late recounts as a 'conservative,' he does so because the law gave her discretion. He refrains from bashing the supreme court decision, not as a conservative (he correctly disagrees with their 'equal protection' reasoning), he does so as a judge realizing they did the best they could in the time they had.

The key thing to take from this book is that he doesn't slam anyone (except for some overzeolous pundits). Second guessing motive is a slippery slope and he admirably refrains from left or right bashing. What we are left with is facts. As mentioned earlier, Dershowitz, as a defense lawyer, has proven one of the most effective rhetoricists on the planet. My guess is that a major reason this book didn't sell so well is because the rhetoric is absent.

The major flaw is that if Posner wnated to write a book for the lay person, he failed. This book, if you've no coffee around will make you dizzy. My reccomendation, read Bugliosi for a warm-up, Dershowitz for a light jog, and these will have worked you up to Posner. This is serious business!!

This is another Posnerian tour de force in which he carefully analyzes both Florida and US election laws and demonstrates that, far from being a lawless body that stole an election, the US Supreme Court decision was right -- and that in any event Bush was better positioned to win any fight that would have ensued in Florida, Congress and elsewhere had the Supreme Court decision gone the other way.

But, readers may find his review of the performance of the so-called "experts" the most entertaining feature of this book. After you read how he takes apart Alan Dershowitz and others, you'll be sure to put less stock in their outlandish "expert" commentary in the future.

I highly recommend this book for those looking for a non-partisan, dispassionate analysis of the events in Florida.

Judges, as a class of humanity, have always seemed to me to embody the worst aspects of lawyer, priest, and politician, all rolled into one self-important package. One of the few judges who have ever seemed worth much is Richard A. Posner, author of this fine and devastating book. Millions of gallons of ink have been spilled over the 2000 election, but Judge Posner may be the only author who brings both a dispassionate eye and an almost unmatched legal mind to the vexed constitutional and legal issues involved.

The result, as a whole, doesn't do much for the reputation of Judge Posner's legal brethren, especially the members of the appropriately nicknamed SCOFLA, or Supreme Court of Florida. As Judge Posner deconstructs the logic -- for lack of a better term -- employed by the Court in Bush v. Gore, you'll be left wondering what in the world they were thinking.

If this book makes anything clear, it's that the Left is correct to call the U.S. Constitution a 'living document.' It lives in the same way the Frankenstein monster 'lived,' as a monster formed by two centuries -- or at the minimum 70 years -- of 'progressive' jurisprudence. The crowning glory of this, as Judge Posner makes clear, may well be the performance turned in by SCOFLA in 2000.

This book wrestles with important issues, but it is well written and extremely readable. The final two chapters -- 'Critiquing the Participants' and 'Consequences and Reforms' -- lift this book beyond the many 'instant histories' we've seen of the 2000 election and make it something well worth studying by people on every (or no) side of the question. The legend of the 'stolen election' has already entered the Left's mythology, up there with 'Reagan's massive budget cuts' and 'impeachment was all about sex.' It would be nice if this excellent book could help us get beyond the partisan grousing so we could address more important issues. But I don't think it's gonna happen.