As a single woman, I devour books like these. This one disappointed me. At its heart is the notion that there are easily-codified, distinct 'types' of bad-news men, and that with the proper preparation, a woman can recognize them in order to steer clear! It all makes sense, but it's awfully simplistic, and therefore not terribly enlightening in the long run.

If a companion volume were written for men about "loser" women, I believe that we women (who, let's face it, are the primary readers of most of these books, whether they are directed at males or females) would be enraged - and rightfully so. The authors take discrete negative traits and enlarge and universalize them so that they become the defining aspects of personality. Much is ignored in this process.

I do not think that this book is more than a fun read. I think that often, people we love may have a number of annoying traits, but many others which can balance the negatives quite well. And it's in that balancing that couples often find their good relationship.

I gave this book only 3 atars, because it's just too simplistic.

Oh my! I got to the chapter on "The Show Off" and almost fell over. This is the man I have been dating down to a hundred little details such as being into scuba diving and driving a jaguar. I wonder if he has a little jaguar pin since he has all the other jewelry items mentions in the chapter. How weird. He'd be horrified that he is in a book as one of 25 loser types since he is a man lives who lives to be impressive. I recognize a lot of themen in this book and have wasted my time with many of them. The one I mentioned was pretty eerie though. I still can't believe it wasn't him personally that they were talking about. I saw all the red flags but I ignored them. I'll never do it again. Listen and observe your dates ladies. A man will tell you exactly who he is and how he will treat you in the first few dates if you just pay attention. It will save you a lot of pain and frustration. This book is a good primer for warning signs to watch for. It also helped me understand the relationship I just ended and eased the guilt and pain. I can understand why some of the men are offended by this book but the truth hurts sometimes. These types do exist and they also do damage.

This book was excellent. I value intuition a lot and this book helps me back it up with concrete information. Gavin De Becker says, "Intuition is ... knowing without knowing why." This works great for fight or flight situations because I don't have time to think. Unfortunately, I find I try to rationalize this feeling away in dating situations. Red Flags helps me identify 'loser' characteristics expressed through my dates dialogue, body language, past history, etc. It ties together my past "loser" experiences. And through a consistent formula of displaying their "25 Loser Types" I was able to learn from their examples about the types I haven't (now never will) get involved with. I found it well written with a "tell it like it is" style and brutal wit. These authors grab your attention and keep it. This book is my new best friend. It won't tell me what I want to hear, or egg me on to go out with a guy so it can live vicariously through me. It will deliver the facts.

What an excellent book to share with children of all ages! This is one of my favorite childrens book. It helps explain to children what it means when you say " I love you". Sammy's questions to his mother are questions many children have, but don't necessarily ask. Reading this book helps them to understand that no matter what they do-good or bad, their parents will love them always. They may be angry with them or upset, but that dosen't mean that their love for their children has stopped. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. This is a message everyone should hear and understand no matter what age.

Sometimes a mother loves her children so much she can't put her feelings in to words. I found this book an excellent way to express what she feels. I gave this to my 19 year old son. I wanted him to look back on this book and see the exact way I felt towards him. Sometimes this makes these feelings easier to understand.

This book deals in a meaningful and appropriate way with the emotions and fears that come up in children. As a pre-school teacher I spend a large amount of time in the bookstore in the constant search of fine books. I found this book by chance, reading my way through many, many books, while I was looking for the perfect birthday-gift for one of my students. I had never heard the authors name before. I was immedetialy in awe with the book. Every single word seemed so meaningful. True - this book is written on a subject that is quite obvious for us grown up's and we probably take it for granted. But what a powerful way to tell and remind children that your parents love is unconditional. I'd like to highly recommend it !!!!

The author, who penned the classic international bestseller, "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother", and was the recipient of the prestigious Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, now turns to a story inspired by an incident that took place during World War II in the war torn, Italian village of St. Anna di Stazzema in the region of Tuscany. This is a war yarn with a twist, as it features a certain segment of our nation's army at the time, the Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Division.

The Buffalo soldiers were men of color in the segregated army of yesteryear. On top of fighting enemy soldiers, they were also subjected not only to racist stereotyping but to poor battle decisions by their white commanding officers, which decisions reflected just how dispensable the army thought these Buffalo soldiers to be. This is a story primarily viewed through the eyes of these very soldiers.

In the town of St. Anna di Stazzema, something very bad happened, something that would affect all those who would encounter those connected to the town and its events. It would affect Germans, Americans, Italians, partisans, and collaborators in different ways. Its impact would carry through the years and last until the present day.

This is a story about those Buffalo soldiers, the village in Tuscany nestled in a war zone, the enemy soldiers, villagers, collaborators, and partisans whom they encounter. At the heart of all that transpires is a little Italian boy, traumatized by war, whose fate would touch all with whom he came in contact and who would be at the heart of the miracle that was to take place. It is through him that they all learn that miracles do, indeed, exist.

The book gets off to a great start. In present day New York, an older postal worker, for seemingly no reason, blows away a customer at point blank range with the single pull of a trigger. An investigative reporter runs with a lead and finds that the postal worker has, hidden in his home, a famous piece of statuary, an exquisitely sculpted head, which has been missing from a bridge in Italy since World War II. The mystery deepens.

The book then reverts to World War II and the cast of characters that are central to the story. It is here that the author runs into some difficulties. When a number of Buffalo soldiers get caught behind enemy lines, the story start to fall apart. Though it is an interesting story, it is simply dully told. Excruciatingly pedestrian in its telling, the book takes its toll on the reader, turning what could have been a vivid, riveting account into a soporific one.

It is not until towards the end of the book that the story again picks up and is able to deliver the same one two punch that it does in the beginning. By then, however, it is too late, and the book never reaches the promise so incipient in its beginning pages. Still, for those readers willing to put up with some disappointment, the book ultimately delivers at the end.

I became fascinated with the Italian campaign after driving a charter bus for a reunion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team who served in the Italian mountains and won more awards than any other American military group in history. The common concern among these aging vets was that in the US no one had ever heard of them, but in Italy (many had just returned from a visit) they were idolized. Since then, I have tuned into this time period whenever it has come up. Parts of the campaign are memorialized in the movie and book, "The English Patient". When the Ghurka fighters were training near my home in Seattle for the Gulf war in 1991, their part of the story was told.
Very little has been written about the Buffalo Soldiers, black soldiers of the segragated US Army, and their part of the campaign. Most of what is out there is very cut and dried military history, (sorry but I find it boring).
In "Miracle at St. Anna" a fine novelist has taken it upon himself to describe the moment. He weaves a wonderful tale. He is not writing a "Band of Brothers". He is not WEB Griffin. He relies on the intelligence of the reader to fill in background. He counts on the readers awareness of the epoch, the situation, the various cultures represented in the book. I could go on and on. I just finished the book last night. The final image in the church where a life is taken, and a life is given was wonderful.

Buy this book. Read it. Then read "Up Front" by Bill Mauldin to give you some background on the Italian campaign. Then read "A Walk in the Sun" for the white "grunt's" esperience. Then re-read "Miracle" for the sheer enjoyment.
Thanks, McBride!

Reading this story while our nation is at war, made me pay a different type of attention to the story than I might have normally (several US soldiers were killed a few days ago in Afganistan). The book moves over issues on race, class, religion, geography and love without being sappy, shallow, or irrelevant. It also takes great characters, improves them as the plot develops and completes them in the final pages so they are believable, likeable, and real. Richly written and deeply woven, this war story is a must read that shares history while delivering a very enjoyable story.

John Fowles is a talented writer, and I think that if you end up buying this book, you will not be disappointed. It has some interesting points in it. Many deep thoughts, some interesting chapters. But, the problem is that I don't think that the story of "Daniel Martin" is a good one. It is not fascinating, atleast it didn't raise my interest. At some point I started to dislike this Daniel Martin.. He seemed boring and dull, just like any stupid, chauvinistic, self-centered, egoistic middle-aged man you can see. Maybe there is a point in describing a person like that, but frankly: I am not very thrilled to read about a man like that, I think I've met too many "daniel martins" in real life!

Surely I'm not the only one - I had to use a dictionary to decipher the first paragraph, which I slogged through at least four times: "The last of the hanger ran under the eastern ridge of the combe, where it had always been too steep and stony for the plough. It was now little more than a long spinney, mainly of beech." Fowler's obviously a man in love with words, and that page read like a big raspberry for the half-illiterate reader (me). I could almost feel the spittle spray from the page. So dang it, I kept reading! The book takes persistence to get into, but I finally fell in, getting to know the characters, the place, feeling as if I truly knew them.

Although I count The Magus as an intriguing, favorite book from the past, I considered Daniel Martin to be equally well written. Though most different in style and content from The Magus, I would rate Daniel paired with Magus, as being the best of Fowles. The plot is compelling, the descriptions of place so fine you may later think you've been there. Not as complex nor finely written as in the Robertson Davies trilogy, but a great read for any time of year! If you like Davies, John Irving, P.Reverte', Palliser, you may well enjoy this novel, though it is less complex than much of the aforementioned authors' works.

This is the third book of the Macgregor's that I have read. What an interesting family! I generally prefer historical novels and found this latest installment enjoyable if a tad short on plot. The one thing that irks me is when I read a series out of order and some of the characters become confusing. This can easily happen with The Macgregor series as the "clan" is so large. I would have rated the book, and series, higher if the scenes moved forward with a bit more action and a little faster.Also, I tend to like longer novels and sometimes feel a bit stranded at the end of a short story. All in all, Ian's story is important to understand the patriarch's psyche as well as his motivation to involve himself in his children's and grandchildren's lives. The Macgregor series is definitely worth the time.... light,compassionate,and well written stories. I recommend reading them in order of the family generational chart printed in the front of each book. Start with "DANIEL-IAN" and move on. If you like contemporaries you won't be dissappointed as all the other books in the series remain in the 20th century.

I truly enjoyed both the stories in this book. I have noticed a lot of criticism regarding Daniel's chauvanistic ways, but I thought it was an important part of the story to show that Daniel had to change his views and grow as a person in order to find happiness with the feisty Anna Whitfield. "For Now, Forever" is a lovely romance and I found it to be both touching and amusing. "In From the Cold", the second story in this book, goes back a few hundred years to tell the story of one of Daniel's ancestors, Ian MacGregor. I thought this story was wonderful! Ian and Alanna made a great pair and I really enjoyed the historical aspect of it. I would have happily read a much longer story about these two, but as it was it was still great!

If I know the MacGregors in real life, I'd probably hate their guts. Beautiful, successful, charismatic, a 100% success track record, and money to put Bill Gates to shame. Oh well, but they are fun to read nonetheless.

I'm initiated to the MacGregors when I first read "The MacGregor Brides". Hence I've waited for Daniel's story to be reissued. My verdict? It's enjoyable, but it definitely shows its age. Daniel is the quissential chauvinistic arrogant hero so ubiquitous in the romances of the 80s. It's enjoyable, but not a keeper.

"In From The Cold" is slightly better, but it's too short to really make an impact.

It is telling that despite its age, I enjoy "For Now, Forever" much more than the 1999 MacGregor book "The Perfect Neighbour".

Fair enough. It reads like a pulp action story, at times. And our hero Jack is a little to good to be true. Mighty thews and all. Brooding countenance and flashing eyes. However that doesn't make this a bad book. It makes it a pretty entertaining and action-packed book, and while Jack may be a little unbelievable, the action and story aren't unbelievable. Essentially, Jack, the 18 year old son of a gun smith, is swept off on a whirlwind adventure that takes him from the fledgling USA to Cuba to the South Pacific. In it, he encounters self-righteous Yankees, evil Cuban noblemen, bloodthirsty Pacific Islanders (savages, don't you know), bloodthirstier Dutch slavers, and British press gangs. Okay, there are a lot of cliches (and I mean a lot), but there is a lot of fun in here too. And despite the notorious and nigh-legendary phrase "the pintles were sprung from the gudgeon," there's not an overwhelming amount of sea-stuff in here. Try reading Patrick O'Brian and you'll see what I mean. This book is comparable to Wilbur Smith's "Birds of Prey." Kinda like an old Errol Flynn movie. I enjoyed this book a good bit, and would be interested in reading more from these authors.

I fully admit to buying this book primarily because of the draw of Gene Hackman's name on this project. I have always enjoyed his acting, so I was very interested in seeing how his inaugural effort as author would come out. Without question, it was a magnificent read! Mr. Hackman, in collaboration with Mr. Lenihan, have created a modern sea classic with "Wake of the Perdido Star". They have managed to successfully mix a coming-of-age element into a more grand historical fiction epic combining the best of revenge and seafaring tales.

The plot, focused around the young Jack and his adventures aboard the Perdido Star, is extremely well-developed. In their prose, Hackman and Lenihan paint a vivid picture for the reader. They manage to tackle several subplots with gusto and pizazz without losing sight of the more central story: Jack seeking revenge for the death of his parents. Also, even though there are a few twists that force the reader to "stretch the imagination" a bit, they are written with tremendous plausibility, making them far more easy to digest.

As I alluded to, the prose allows for wonderful imagery. Some of the passages describing the Perdido Star's voyages immediately evoke comparisons to the best of - dare I say - a Herman Melville or, more recently, Patrick O'Brian. Of note is the passage describing the Star's rounding of the cape, as well as the "battle" scenes involving the Star's departure from Manila harbor and the climactic fight at Havana.

All in all, Hackman and Lenihan have hit the proverbial home run with their first effort, a feat reserved for very few authors. Fans of the aforementioned Patrick O'Brian should also love this book. For those who enjoy the "technothrillers", this is a wonderful diversion from that genre. I certainly believe it is one of the past several years, and I hope that Mr. Hackman and Mr. Lenihan will grace us with another work very soon.

I loved Wake of the Perdido Star. The well-rounded plot and colorful characters kept me turning the pages in eager anticipation of "Black Jack's" next pirate adventure. My favorite character was Paul Le Maire, a misguided youth whose wit and sharp mouth gave me numerous laughs. I'm amazed this is Hackman and Lenihan's first collaboration together, the authors' writing style flows beautifully throughout the book. So if you're in the mood for a fun adventure and some memorable characters, check out Wake of the Perdido Star. Anyone who loves diving, tales of the sea, or simply characters such as Paul Le Maire, who "dares to be a daisy," is sure to take something from this book.

I bought this book because of my desire to learn more about hedge funds. I thought there would be more detail about the functions and trading strategies and styles of the managers. I also thought there would be more detail as to what is required to start your own hedge fund. The book instead paints an overview of these areas and never delves beneath the surface.

The author is a journalist and it is evident in his writing style. Lots of quotes from hedge fund managers and anecdotes as though they came from short articles but not a lot of facts. Some parts look like cut and pastes of a series of articles he had written and were put together. I even found some pages where the same statement was made twice, thus enforcing my belief that different pieces were cut and paste together. (Editor's fault for not catching it)

Redeeming quality of the book is the fact that it does have direct information from hedge fund managers not usually availabel since the author was able to talk to many who never usually talk to the press. The stories do let the reader inside what hedge funds are and how they operate. Maybe too much focus on Long-Term Capital Management and Soros, who in my mind are the unique large hedge funds that do not reflect the average hedge fund that operates today. The gem of the book is the profile of 10 hedge fund operators. Very interesting to see the different personalities and backgrounds and paths each took to managing their own hedge funds.

If you want a nice overview or starter book in hedge funds, then for the price, this book does deliver and provides a great foundation. If you already are familiar with hedge funds and want more detail, I suggest you do your own research on the net where I found detailed papers put out by hedge fund associations on proper operation of hedge funds and detailed breakdowns of different types and managing styles. I printed them out for free and find more information then in the book I paid for.

You've probably heard a lot about hedge funds, probably and mostly negative. This is great book for those who do not know much about hedge funds but want to have a more accurate understanding.

This book starts off by dispelling the notions that most hedge funds are high-risk-taking speculators and are responsible for economic crises. They are not. To this end, the author describes how hedge funds operate and gives a brief rundown.

My favourite section is Chapter 3 where the author interviews a variety and number of hedge fund managers from the famous to the not-so-famous. I found the different backgrounds and thinking styles of these hedge fund managers inspirational.

The book ends of by describing the demographics of various hedge fund investors.

All in all, I found this book to be a good introduction to the world of hedge funds. It concentrates on what the beginner needs to know and gives the beginner a good base to move on to more complex books on hedge funds.

I have been looking for a book on hedge funds that is to the point, concise, easy to understand and grasp and I finally found it in Getting Started In Hedge Funds. The book provides a unique look at where hedge funds came from, how the industry evolved and gives insightful information about managers. The profiles are very interesting and provide a unique look at how money is managed. It is easy to read and worthwile for anyone who wants to learn more about these types of investment vehicles.

Contrary to several reviewers, this book is *not* well-suited to its purpose, especially compared to O'Reilly's usual high standards. You often can't find things quickly, and the information is often just not there. This is particularly true of the book's main claim to fame, the myriad of small differences between database products. Some examples: (1) The book explains that some databases use "!=" instead of the standard SQL not-equal operator, "<>". Which databases? Do they support both operators, or just "!="? The book doesn't say. (2a) The book doesn't tell you that MySQL doesn't support subqueries in SELECT statements -- even though there's a subsection on "MySQL Syntax and Variations" for SELECT statements. (And yes, I do need to know -- I'm working on a software product that supports every database in the book plus several others.) (2b) The index has no entries for subqueries under any conceivable heading: queries, nested queries, subqueries, or SELECT. So you can spend quite a long time *trying* to find out which databases support subqueries. (Most do.) (3) The table of contents has a glaring typo, that makes you wonder what else got past the proofreaders and fact-checkers. Chapter 3, "SQL Statements Command Reference" doesn't have sub-headings for individual commands or groups of commands ... except for one: "DROP Statements", which are supposedly discussed for 70 pages, a third of the book. If O'Reilly was in such a rush to get the book out that they didn't notice this, how can you have confidence in the book's accuracy?

When I first saw this book I was perhaps a little doubtful it would be any good. It certainly is slimline when put on the shelf against my other O'Reilly Nutshell titles. I found it hard to believe that SQL in a Nutshell covers the SQL syntax of no less than 4 databases (Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL), but when you actually see the way that it's been put together, it all makes perfect sense.

Rather than having seperate sections for each of the SQL dielects, all statements and functions are listed together with any vendor specific information noted where needed. The main advantage of this style of organisation is that it helps you to identify any problems with portability between the databases you may be having.

As can be expected with any Nutshell book, the history of SQL is discussed along with all the basic ideas and concepts that go with it. Even if you don't use one of the databases talked about in the the book, you are sure to be able to make good use of it as it makes frequent reference to the SQL standard.

There are a lot of books available about using SQL with Relational Database Management Systems.
You can find books that tell you how to do SQL with Oracle, how to do it with MS-SQL, with MySQL and so on, but hardly any of those books tell you when you are using a vendor specific feature, left alone what the SQL Standard would be.
So when switching to another database system one is often suprised how this system thinks SQL should be done.
If you are working with different systems at the same time, you are often left on your own.
Reading the documentation of the one system, comparing it with the documentation of the other system, can cost you a lot of time.
But a nice little book comes to your rescue, SQL in a Nutshell.

What SQL in a Nutshell offers is a reference of all SQL99 Statements and functions. For every statement it shows you what the syntax should be according to the SQL99 Standard and how Oracle, MS-SQL Server, MySQL and PostgreSQL implement them. How they differ from the standard, if the support a feature, if the support it with variations or if the do not support it at all. By the way, that the vendors stick to the standard is the exception.
True, you could get all these information from reading the standard documents and the vendor manuals, but it is so much easier and faster to have it all right there in a single book as a desktop reference.
So if you are using more than one of the covered database management systems this book will save you a lot of time and is well worth its money.

I just got back from a month in Mexico. The book was probably quite impressive back in the early 90's. However, many of the hotels and restaurants listed in the book have gotten so much business that they have lost what good attributes they originally had. Also, many of the prices quoted in the book were way off. The book prices were frequently one-half what the concierge or waiter quoted. The peso has not changed enough for a 5 dollar hotel room to become 12 or 15. Perhaps that is the risk one finds with any guidebook.

Museum hours were consistently incorrect, especially for Mondays, weekends and evenings.

This book might keep you out of trouble, but it is not the guide for a budget traveler.

Lonely planet guides are absolutely invaluable for the independant adventurous budget-minded traveler, and LP Mexico is no exception. Included are informative sections on pre-departure info, cultural tips, etc. I travelled extensively throughout Mexico with the 5th edition last year, and it really got me to explore some of the remote places I otherwise wouldn't have found- such as the silver towns of Guanajuato, Zacatecas and Taxco. Plus, out of the way beaches, hard-to-find ruins, centotes, you name it. They're covered. Don't borrow you'r friend's old dog-eared copy of the 3rd of 4th edition. Spend the money on the latest edition, because price info is almost always out of date within months after printing, and an older edition is usually hopelessly out of date. I found myself disregarding their accommodations recommendations, because once a place finds its way into the LP Guide, their visitor traffic usually increases exponentially, the staff gets surly, and prices go up. If you're just going to Cancun, Mazatlan, etc, skip this book, but if you're not afraid to venture out into the 'real mexico', grab it.

I have just returned to Norway after backpacking around in Latin America for a year (of course accompanied by the Lonely Planet book). I do not claim to be an expert, but I do know what I am looking for in a travel guide.

The Mexico guide is a good, complete guide. Filled with information, history and beautiful pictures about almost every corner of this gorgeous country. Reading the whole book gives you a good update on your history and geography knowledge! (Something to do if you are trekking around by bus like I did!)

I have always been satisfied with the LP guides. The information given is good, just what you need to get around. The only negative with this book (and the reason I give it 4 and not 5 stars) is that it was completely outdated on prices etc. Another thing (that goes for most of the travel guides) is that many of the hotels that are listed in the book has gotten so much (too much?) business so that the service is down to a minimum. This we found especially in Isla Mujeres where the price was the double of what the book said, and really lousy customer service, if any.

There's nothing that approaches what this book can do for a beginning Java programmer. The greatest hurdle newcomers face in encountering Java (and OO) for the first time is the idea of defining rich new types that interact in tightly-constrained ways. This book is like saying "we're going to get really good at working with types and hierarchy -- GET OVER IT." I can barely talk to a programmer who hasn't mastered these conecpts, and this book is the antidote.

Because of the unusual structure of the book, there is no way to skim the book or to miss the key concepts. You can't fool yourself into thinking you get it -- you have to actually work through it. It's not a book about a language, it's a book about programming in a much deeper way than almost any other book I can think of.

At first, I was put off by the peculiar style of the code in this book. It's not a lot like the OO code I see and write on a daily basis. But it is not an issue -- the book is not prescribing a way of programming, it is exposing the intricacies of an object-oriented type system. I've never seen anything that even comes close to that goal, and this book absolutely succeeds in it. Once you "get over it", you are empowered to write code in a more familiar Java style, but with much greater insights about the design choices you face at every turn.

This is probably not the _only_ Java book you should read, but it is the only one you _must_ read.

If you've ever wanted to learn object-oriented programming, or even if you've done some but have not been introduced to design patterns, this is the book I'd recommend. The emphasis is on the concepts behind the programming, rather than on the syntax of Java, so that it's appropriate even if you have no specific interest in Java. Only the most basic programming experience is needed to understand the book. I recommend working very slowly through the exercises, typing the programs in and testing them as you go. You won't have to shell out the bucks to buy a compiler, since Sun distributes theirs for free. By the end, you'll know about encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, even though you won't realize it, and you'll also have had a taste of functional programming.

This book does not take the route of other Java books. Instead of trying to cover not only the basics of Object-Oriented Development, UML, Java syntax, and it's extensive library of functions, all with their own argot, this book approaches programming from a completely different angle. The book is easy to read, and is in a open, playful tone. Because the book is written in the Socratic method of question and answer, with each question and answer building on the last question and answer, the concepts are covered in a natural manner, that is easy to follow. As an example, before you even know that you have covered Abstract classes, and the benefits of poly-morphism in Java programming, you have seen it in action, and why it's beneficial. Situations like this abound, and broaden your deeper understanding of Java. If you're looking for a quick book to learn the syntax of Java, or something to cover the basics of the class libraries, stay away. If you want to know Java on a much deeper level, and be extension, programming on a deeper level, but this book.