This book I highly recommend. Trivial facts about smoothies in the history section are great. For example, I did not know that the word smoothie originated in commerce for the first time as a trade name for brassieres and later for bathing suits!
I found the book to be more than a recipe book. It is the only book that attempts to educate you about smoothies from start to finish. Couple this together with the real approved "secrete" recipes from companies like Jamba Juice, and you have a REAL winner.
I found out that the book is certified by The Juice & Smoothie Association. The book is designed to educate consumers about smoothies. For example, smoothies are ranked from platinum to bronze based on how they are made: Platinum being with fresh ingrediants; bronze being process packaged ingrediants.
Anyway, cheers!

We were trying to think of something different for our Halloween frat party this year. One of my roomates metioned smoothies as a beverage concept. He had purchased, Smoothies, The Original Smoothie Book, last summer and had remembered that it contained all kinds of holiday recipes, including a pumpkin smoothie for Halloween. Done deal! This book saved the day for our party concept, and I'm sure we will be revisiting the recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patricks Day and all year long! We all recommend this book. 5 Stars!!

Hi my name is Trevor. I am a smoothie fanatic! I bet I have every smoothie book ever written in my collection. But, NONE compare to, Smoothies! The Original Smoothie Book - Recipes From the Pro's, by Dan Titus.

If you are looking for REAL smoothie recipes that are the kind made in REAL juice bars, I highly recommend this book. Mr. Titus not only includes industry recipes, he also includes a history of the juice and smoothie business.

Dan Titus, thank you for writing such a work of art!

Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle was a complex and honorable man. Toward the end of his life he embraced spiritualisim as he did everything else, wholeheartedly, and this led to many people dismissing him as a crackpot. However, as author Daniel Stashower pointst out, such was not the case. Conan-Doyle really believed in life after death. This belief filled the void in his life that was left when he renounced his belief in the Catholic Church. Daniel Stashower has written an even-handed fair biography of Conan-Doyle. The book is well researched and Conan-Doyle comes to life on these pages. Conan-Doyle, of course, is best known for creating Sherlock Holmes but as Stashower shows Conan-Doyle wrote many more works of fiction and non-fiction in his long career. If you want to have an idea of what made the man behind Sherlock Holmes tick then I recommend this book highly.

Years ago I read the biographies of Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr and Charles Higham, and even tried to get beyond Sherlock Holmes by reading as much as I could of Conan Doyle's other fiction. Therefore I thought I knew something about Conan Doyle as a writer and as a person, but Stashower's fine book was still a revelation to me; it's not an exaggeration to say that I found new insights into Sir Arthur on nearly every page.

Stashower has done his research, but he is also unafraid to use Conan Doyle's semiautobiographical fiction, not to mention his poetry, to provide windows into the inner Sir Arthur that Sir Arthur's own autobiography carefully conceals.

Sir Arthur, of course, created a character that (along with Tarzan) is one of the immortal icons of adventure fiction, a character as popular today as he was when his short stories first hit the STRAND Magazine like a thunderbolt. One thing everyone knows about Conan Doyle is how deeply he resented the fame of Sherlock Holmes, but even here Stashower has some startling information to relate.

He is particularly good on the last couple of decades of Sir Arthur's life, when his seemingly mindless advocacy of even the most infantile and transparently fradulent aspects of Spiritualism, and his output of nearly a dozen unreadable religious tracts, left almost all of his readers convinced he had lost his mind. His endorsement of the authenticity of some photographs of fairies supposedly taken by two little girls (who had actually cut the tiny figures out of very familiar magazine ads for Fairy Soap!), and his calling in a psychic detective to "solve" the not-very-mysterious disappearance of novelist Agatha Christie, were the final straws for even his most tolerant fans.

On top of it all Sir Arthur was a terrible judge of the relative merits of his own fiction, and anyone who attempts to read his entire fictional output, as I did some years ago and as Stashower obviously has, will see how sadly he frittered away and squandered his unique gifts as a "teller of tales."

How could a man who created one of the immortal icons of rationality be in person so gullible, irrational, foolish and unworldly? Well, Stashower does as good a job of explaining the apparent paradox as anyone will probably be able to do. Highly recommended.

Poor Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! Acclaimed for his creation of the supremely rational, preternaturally observant detective Sherlock Holmes, he spent many years in later life mocked for his belief in spiritualism, which he considered the "successor to traditional religious thought." Brave, headstrong, and reckless, Doyle was one of England's most vociferous believers in spirits, mediums, ectoplasm, messages from beyond the grave--and even fairies. He was a tireless lecturer on several continents, writing a raft of books on the subject and donating the royalties to various spiritualist organizations. His zeal may have been admired in some quarters, but it was almost universally derided, and in the last ten years of his life, it lost him most of his friends. What happened?

Daniel Stashower's well-written and highly entertaining light portrait of Doyle's career gives some simple but compelling answers. Though Scottish, Doyle was raised a Catholic, but abandoned his faith for agnosticism very early on. Yet he apparently was a born believer, just waiting for a cause. His inventive and appealing Sherlock Holmes stories never struck him as particularly worthy or important and he longed to give the world something of value (he also tried his hand at plays and historical novels). And like many other British citizens during World War I, Doyle suffered heavy family losses and ached for connection with his personal dead.

As Stashower relates with a brisk pace and gentle humor, warm-hearted Doyle's life reads as a succession of fiery causes. A formidable propagandist, Doyle would use his gifts as a writer and lecturer as well as his ever-growing celebrity to raise money and the public's consciousness time and time again. He fought human rights abuses in the Belgian Congo, supported the Boer War, argued for heightened British military preparedness before World War I, supported reforms in British divorce law, and injected himself into famous criminal trials he thought had been unjust. But spiritualism was his ultimate "holy crusade." Stashower minces no words in describing how Doyle was willing to accept or explain away even the most obvious frauds. He was noble and pathetic at the same time and Stashower makes us understand and sympathize with him, though we never see very far into Doyle's personality or his relationships. This is very much a biography of the public man, but given the subject's profound investment in publicizing what he held dear, that focus is appropriate and deeply satisfying.

Murder, Magic and Mystery. Three common elements in fantasy but Daniel Hood's first book in the Liam Rhenford series is an uncommon pleasure. To look at the cover or read the blurb on the back would lead you to think that this is just another tired fantasy. It's not. Hood brings forth characters that are engaging and real. Our hero has a past that is only alluded to and that aspect helps in creating a solid tale and character. The supporting characters are also well defined and they lend a wonderful feel to the story. Take an afternoon and read Fanuilh. I think you'll find yourself reaching for the next two books and still wanting more

When one of Liam's few friends/acquaintances (a wizard) is murdered in his bed, the wizard's familiar bites him on the leg and steals part of his soul. So begins the partnership between Liam Rhenford, a traveler/soldier/poet/historian, and Faniulh, a dog-sized dragon. Faniulh promises to teach Liam some simple spells and such in return for finding Tarquin's (the wizard) murderer.

The story isn't long and is quite simple, yet very engaging. The characters are well-fleshed out and cared for and it was fun to read a mystery story in a fantasy setting. This book is the first in the series and comes as part of a trilogy in A Dragon Familiar. If you enjoy fantasy and mystery this is the perfect book for you!

Dan Hood is a difficult author to catagorize, and is therefore far more interesting to read. With plots and characters far more suited to the Hard Boiled detective genre, but a setting and environment that is clearly fantasy, this book (and indeed the entire series) has created a new genre, "Detective Fantasy." Liam Renford is a classic hard boil detective. A loner, Liam solves a crime through logic and legwork. True to the detective genre, Liam has a close confidante, but one that is still distant, not quite a friend. Though unlike most detective works, this confidante is not human, but rather a Dragon. It is a captivating book that you can't put down, and when you finish, you eagerly look for the next in the series.

Only Daniel Evan Weiss could create sympathetic characters out of coachroaches, even ones who plot to mame and harm and overtake their human hosts. The mastery of this book is that, much of the time the protagonist is so flawed and endearing and real, the reader forgets that he's talking about the pesky pests at all.

They say a good book transports you to another world. Imagine, then, being intimate with your baseboards, your vacuum cleaner bag, your book binding. See not only your house but our culture from another perspective: Read this book.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long while. A phenomenal satire. Mr. Weiss was able to hold the proper character tone/perspective throughout the entire book, which is written, unbelievably, from a cockroach's point of view. Not for the squeemish, but for any one with an open mind, it is an EXCELLENT read!.

I bought this book years ago, and have ended up reading it year after year. In England it was published under a different title:- Unnatural Selection, I recommend it utterly if you want to smile throughout a book. Thank God we have few roaches in this country!

The detailed descriptions the author uses to go inside his head and catch a glimpse of what it must have felt like in Vietnam are well chronicled. Each night I could not force myself to read self-help books for wanting to get back to the action with Dan Kelly. This book goes further than recounting war stories;rather, it takes an opportunity to teach of our duty, our responsibility, to take responsibility for our choices. The author is a very positive person and being that after learning of some of his adventures is truly remarkable. Like he once told me when I asked how is he so upbeat on life after serving our country through the harrowing adventures he did, he replied, "When you get that close to death,then and only then, will you know what it is like to live."

I read Seawolves and I loved it, but I really what to find Daniel E. Kelly. If you know him or flew with him I would like to know. The book cracked me up while I read it, the part that really cracked me up was when he said they were drunk and had to scamble and everyone was in thier underwear, then he said that when he was shooting a hot brass casing fell down his pants then there was the part about the speakers and Jimmy Hendrix and so on.

If your son, father, brother or friend flew gunships in 'Nam, read this book and look at them in a whole new way. Dan Kelly's book tells about a group of men that most have never heard of, unless they were Seals, PBR sailors or Special Forces in the Mekong Delta. I was priviliged to be a member of the Seawolves' support unit at Binh Thuy. I saw them go out and I saw them come back. Once in a while I got to see them "work out" from the deck of a boat. Watching them roll in on their "loop de loop" and seeing the results was a sight I'll never forget. Dan takes you along on a scramble to experience what few men ever do. Reading this book I began to smell the sour mud, jet fuel and cordite that infused this green-brown world I left behind many years ago. Forget Rambo, These are the guys that really did the job. They were my heroes then and they still are today. This would make one helluva' movie.

After reading my comments about another book (The Sharpshooter Blues by Lewis Nordan--highly recommended!), the author, Daniel H. Jones, kindly offered me a review copy of St. Jude's Secret if I would consider reviewing it here, and I am pleased to do so. It is a fine first effort, with believeable characters and a plot right out of today's headlines. The protagonist, lawyer Bobby Grace, is a refreshingly average everyman--neither the musclebound bulletproof superheroes of David Morrell's Rambo clones, nor a Sherlock Holmesian super-genius. In fact, Grace barely solves the mystery at all--clues are given to him (too much so, occasionally) without which he wouldn't figure things out, and he certainly can't fight his way out of a paper bag! Grace is somewhat reminiscent of James Garner's Jim Rockford, from the TV series The Rockford Files. Villain Carmine "The Vat" Cashio and his dysfunctional family are evilly quirky enough to step from a James Hall novel. The characters and the plot, a tale of coffee genetically modified to chemically resemble cocaine which is smuggled into New Orleans, make the book well worth a read. In fact, if Jones could put this book in the hands of the right producer I wouldn't be surprised to see a movie result.

There are, however, a few flaws--to be expected in a first novel, to be sure. Smaller presses can't offer the editorial services that the big companies give to the likes of Steven King and David Morrell, and there are quite a few slips in this regard. The most unfortunate of these is proof that Jones uses a word-processor. The sentence "Bobby stared at Jewel, noting her slight widow's peak, her thin nose and her green eyes that seemed to suck in what little light there was in the dark limo," on page 136 returns word-for-word less than 10 pages later, except that now it is a dark restaurant rather than a limo. Alas, those dark-sucking eyes weren't such a fascinating detail that they should be forced to work overtime. But these are minor slips, and if ignored they don't detract from the story--and I admit my copy is stamped "DRAFT" in rather large red capitals. My biggest puzzlement, though, and a real plot concern, was why the Mafia kept selling the GM coffee in its original state, when the whole point was to refine it as cocaine, and for which the profit would be thousands of times greater. This failure to maximize profits is a necessary plot device to jeopardize Bobby Grace's lover, but it seems most un-Mafia-like behaviour to me.

Regardless, though, St. Jude's Secret is an enjoyable book, and I look forward to future works by Jones as he matures as a writer. I wouldn't be surprised, in fact, to see Bobby Grace return as a series hero--it would be a pleasure to have such a realistic character.

If you're looking for a fast-paced mystery in a great location, this book is for you. The novel opens with a mysterious death on the seas, and the action doesn't stop until the very end. Bobby, a somewhat weary attorney, takes the case knowing that the defendants, a New Orleans mob family, are powerful and dangerous. To add to the chaos, Bobby's live-in girlfriend, Magda, is pregnant, but Bobby won't accept the possibility of fatherhood. In the course of the novel, Bobby finds himself in the middle of a crime ring led by the family that likely killed his father and now is looking for him. St. Jude's Secret is a wonderful first book, and I look forward to reading more of Daniel's work. I also recommend the Dave Robicheaux novels by James Lee Burke.

I am very impressed with this first novel by author Daniel H. Jones. Quite a swashbuckling story; had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Opens with a mysterious death on the high seas that pulls readers in quickly.

St. Jude's Secret stars attorney Bobby Grace, who is placed on the case of the death of Cilton Roy, an able-bodied and healthy seaman employed by Leviathan Lines. Once the investigation starts, Bobby finds ties to a New Orleans mob family and genetically altered coffee. And to top it all off, the Cashio mob are no strangers -- Bobby's got something personal against them and the perfect opportunity for justice.

Surrounding this action-packed story is Bobby's girlfriend, Magda (for the romantic in you), and a lively New Orleans backdrop that will have you scrambling for your travel agent. Daniel Jones has set these pages on fire with it's vivid detail and fast-paced dialogue. Prepare to become totally enraptured.

As an avid user of Amazon and a senior in high school, I bought several college survival books. This one was one of the best. It is clealy written and to the point, yet fun to read. The student quotes add humor and force you to realize that everybody makes mistakes in college. The book covers every topic imaginable for the college-bound student. It explains what to bring, how to pack, how to get airline tickets, choose classes, use a computer, surf the net, and much more. Furthermore, it covers much more than what is common sense. Due to this fabulous book, I am psyched to be going to college in the fall.

looking back on my first two years of college, this book is right on target.

I didn't think I would need this book at first. I was flipping through a copy that a friend of mine got as a graduation present, and I thought that it would just be filled with all the same stuff my parents and teachers had lectured to me about college, what to bring, what not to bring, blah blah. Boy was I wrong! It has absolutely every detail covered and I feel much more confident about leaving for college this fall!

I was spoiled by the author's other book, Godel Escher Bach.
It was very wide ranging and thought provoking. This book
deal a smaller subject area and is interesting for that one
area. It deals with the nature of thoughts, memories and consciousness in the physical world. If everything is structured of atoms and molecules where are thoughts located.
Could physical representations of thoughts and memories be created ? If you had a wiring schematic for a certain person's brain could you read their thoughts. Although the subject material is unique, I thought the book was a little long winded.
Once the idea or point is grasped there is only so much the can be conjectured about it.

This book is incredible. It has made me think much more deeply about every aspect of life. the writers talk about consciousness, artificial intelligence, and oher topics, and do it fantasticaly. I highly recommend this book. What ever you do, get it!

If you've ever asked questions about mind, intelligence, identity, and the unity of the organism, you need to read this book. It's a collection of nice little stories and articles that are individually quite digestible. But each one is a great inspiration for questions and ideas and thoughts. And cumulatively, they present a synergistic panoply of alternative views and issues that synthesize into a truly enriching mind-altering experience.

Perhaps the best testament to this book's appeal is that I keep having to buy new copies because each time I let someone borrow it I never get it back. Or perhaps it's that I keep buying new copies anyway!

I heard about Pale Truth by Daniel Alef through the grapevine while at a conference in San Francisco a couple weekends ago. I didn't think I had the time to fit recreational reading into my busy schedule but, as the cliche goes, from the moment I picked it, I couldn't put the novel back down. Alef describes the struggle of three incredible individuals striving against all odds to succeed in the cut-throat world of early California. Mary Ellen is a cunning woman who joins her lover to establish financial, political,and social power in San Francisco. As she endures everything from the fires that demolished lives to financial wars to relationship drama, the novel's main male characters engage in battles of their own. Both will stop at nothing to gain political power. However, no matter how hard each try to escape it, they are continually reminded of their painful, controversial, and dangerous pasts. Alef's vivid description and clever plot twists combine with history to tell a story true to both human desire and California's youth. Another unique detail is that his novel contains beautiful illustrations that gave me just the taste of visual enhancement needed. They are actual pieces from libraries and other collections throughout the nation. Not to mention, you should see the cover. My only complaint is that the ending left me a bit unsettled and I hate having to wait around for sequels. Enjoy!

I bought Pale Truth because of Dr. Fracchia's review in the Nob Hill Gazette. I'm glad I did. Pale Truth is a memorable and joyful story of early California and San Francisco. The characters are wonderful and, I understand, based on real people. Now, as I drive through San Francisco the streets names come alive. I may be prejudiced -- I love San Francisco -- but I've got to say that I challenge anyone to come up with a more fascinating history for a city. This novel is great, an easy read, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the kind of book that occupies all your attention.

A great book from cover to cover. I read a review about it in the American Library Association's Booklist and decided to get the novel. Pale Truth is one of the best books I have read in some time. Alef really develops his characters. They are not two-dimensional. He has a good grasp of hooking the reader from chapter to chapter. And the setting of the story in San Francisco in the gold rush era is nothing short of amazing. It's hard to imagine all the remarkable things that took place, the vigilantes, the Hounds, the political corruption, and the flow of inconceivable wealth. Alef really blurs the line between fiction and history, but the Afterword gives some clarification. I love a novel with illustrations, and Pale Truth has great ones. My only complaint: lack of sleep because I couldn't put the book down. Can't wait for the sequels.

GENERAL IDEA: Broad coverage but it lacks depth and details - particularly practical details. That is, the presentation is often too sketchy, mainly because it approaches too many subjects for its available space. I would not say that this book is strong on theory either. It is quite obvious that it avoids getting too formal and rigurous, probably to remain attractive for non-specialists too.

CASE STUDY: One specific problem I had with the Hidden Markov Models, that are supperficially presented (or spread I could say) in several separate sections of the book, so it's not been a pleasure trying to actually understand them properly and completely as a fundamental concept, to make them work in my particular application.

TITLE: The book's title IS misleading because it starts with "Speeech" and this book's main subject is not speech but (written) language. Actually there are only a few chapters on speech.

CONCLUSION: Get this book if you are looking for a good overview of the field. As soon as you need in-depth coverage of some particular topic you will look for additional resources.

The book showcases a comprehensive and user-friendly approach to cover the leading research in the field of Natural Language Processing and Speech Recognition. It mingles theories and applications to demonstrate the full developmental cycle of computational aspect of NLP. It is a MUST-have for those who can afford only one book but desire to learn virtually aspects of computational linguistics.

This book is a feat for anybody interested in Natural Language Processing and probably the most comprehensive book on this subject. It provides an in-depth overview of the most important aspects of NLP from regular expressions to sense disambiguation, discourse, and machine translation. I particularly like the bibliographical and historical notes in each chapter, which provide additional historical context and lots of references.

The book is well written and carefully structured. However, it contains several silly typos (real-word errors) that are a bit embarrassing, considering the topic of the book.

This book does not cover the hardware components of speech recognition. It only provides an introduction to the computational aspects. Nevertheless, I don't think the title is misleading (as other reviewers claim), but the back-cover should mention that it doesn't cover the electronic and signal processing components of speech recognition.