a very informative book for all collectors of uniforms, caps, helmets, and so on. with the history and insignia of all waffen-ss divisions. lots of pictures, tables and information

First, if you're going to rely on this guide, spend some cash on a couple of decent maps, especially for Kuala Lumpur. This guide has by far some of the most off-the-mark maps I've ever experienced with Lonely Planet. DO NOT rely on the book! As well, some amazing hotels are missing, and they're literally next door to some pretty grotty places the authors here rave about.
Also, I found the author's attitude to Singapore to be rather tiresome. Much is made of the fact that the city-state is cleaner than other congested and polluted cities in South East Asia, and that 'color' has been wiped out of Singapore.
But it seemed to me that authors had an underlying motive when writing about Singapore, to slyly convince travellers from visiting the place, or at least, from staying too long.
Of course, Singapore's not a place where anyone stays on for more than a week. But the author's mightier-than-thou point of view (that only cities with disgusting toilets, $5 hotel rooms and edgey red light districts are worth visiting) was annoying. Also, it was continually noted that Singapore is a "repressive" country. I think one only has to travel to countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and even Morocco before they can whine about Singapore being repressive.
But I digress.
Finally, precious space is wasted in the guide with the inclusion of Brunei. I think LP should give Brunei it's own slim little guide (look at Maldives or Bhutan if you want to see tiny countries with their own books). First, Brunei is culturally and politically different from Malaysia to warrant its own book.
And it would give the Malaysia authors precious space in which to include some decent maps.
Yes, I'm griping here, but when you bring a guide for a longish trip, you tend to notice these things!
Anyway, you could do worse... but Lonely Planet could have done better.

Lile most Lonely Planet guidebooks, this travel guide won't come as a disappointment to any of its readers. The unmistakable excellent standards we can expect from LP, combined with the fact that this particular guidebook is in its 8th edition already, makes of this book a masterpiece no traveller to the region should leave behind. The information about hotels and restaurants, things to see and do, etc, is dense, well-written, excellently ordered, and up-to-date. Likewise, the maps, the various tips on do's and dont's, are invaluable. As always, the sections on history, politics, culture etc, are excellently written and well condensed, ensuring pleasant reading for the traveller and the prospective traveller alike. Without exaggerating nor diminishing the fascination of this wonderful part of the world, this guidebook does great service to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is the ultimate travel tool for those intending to visit these countries, enabling them to make the most out of their stay, as well as ensuring moments of fascinating reading.

We ended up calling it "the Bible". Why? Because all the answers are in it.!! Several times we said to our selves that this information should have been in LP. And looking one more time - it was usually there. LP helps you plan and avoid vasting time. Of course you shold try to do things which is not mentioned in LP but this can be a major challanges. The guide goes every where and the information is incredibly reliable. So if you go - bring LP or bring no guide book at all - alternatives are poor sustitutions. We also brought a Footprint - but the reality is that nobody is above or besides LP. 22-08-2001

Hugh Taylor has done a fantastic job with this book. I couldn't have asked for a more informative, easy to read and straight forward guide to what I can expect as an assistant. I can't put it down. This book isn't full of funny anecdotes or silly one liners like some books about being an assistant, rather, it's more of a reference guide. Taylor's is a well written book that reads like a conversation and is peppered with quotes from industry executives who give advice from their own experiences, but more importantly, share what they seek in an assistant. The title is a bit deceiving since the book focuses more on what you'll do when you get the job (although there is a pivotal second chapter on resumes, cover letters and interviewing that shouldn't be skipped). The other chapters are a laundry list of every assistants duties: telephones, scheduling appointments, script coverage, crisis management, development, production, travel and how to keep it all organized. I also found the appendices particularly helpful as a starting point to finding restaurants, hotels and how to read the box office and tv ratings.

The only reason this book didn't get a fifth star is because it's a bit out of date. In this age of PDAs, Blackberry and web enhanced cell phones an assistant HAS to go in with a strong working knowledge of modern technology. (If you don't, go out and buy a "Complete Idiots Guide" or a "Dummies Guide".) When the book was published in 1993 the internet was a relatively new invention (thank you, Mr. Gore) and hadn't reached its resourcefulness that it has today. Thus, Taylor can't provide the web-based resources available for assistants (such as ifilmpro.com). But by all means, DO NOT skip this book simply because it doesn't have the current technology mumbo-jumbo, buy this book because it gives you an invaluable look into how to run an efficient industry office. I plan to keep my copy in my desk, when I get one.

NB: I highly recommend buying a book such as "Reading for a Living" which outlines how to "cover" scripts in further detail (Taylor's book does any excellent job providing a starting point). This is a key aspect of this job, no matter who you work for, and one of the biggest responsibilities but unfortunately not many have experience doing it or feel comfortable with their coverage writing.

Hugh Taylor's book is excellent preparation for an aspiring producer. The author takes you through an average day's dirty laundry by providing real-life PAs and what they did during their tenure. My one problem is that the book is 7 years old and Taylor's film and TV examples are very dated.

Anyone who saw the film "Swimming with Sharks" can get a pretty accurate idea of how difficult and demanding a Hollywood office job is. Between brewing the perfect cup of coffee, answering continuous phone calls, and taking flak from the boss, it can be rather difficult to keep one's sanity, let alone personal dignity. "The Hollywood Job-Hunter's Survival Guide" is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in walking into a trial by fire. In it, you will learn all the tricks of the trade, including the often underestimated skill of "working the phones". How, for example, can you put off a call from Steven Spielberg when your boss is in the office, but for whatever reason, doesn't want to talk to anyone? According to the book, never say "He's not in"-- a foolproof response is "He's on international conference call". If you call the office of producer Scott Rudin for your boss, but the man isn't in, you will of course "leave word" with the office. These are just brief examples of the many seemingly simple, but more complicated aspects of office terminology and politics. Beyond giving a thorough description of office etiquette, author Hugh Taylor discusses other important topics, including movie and television finance. If you have your heart set on taking a gamble at a Hollywood job, read this book first. It will save you a lot of grief

Andrew Mollo is a British military historian and televisionproducer. He has produced a number of valuable reference works on military uniforms, but although he goes into great detail here to show the development of details of the uniforms and regalia of Hitler's notorious bodyguard organization he is hampered by a strictly black and white format. A largely unnecessary color plate shows red and black regalia; other colors referred to in the text are un-illustrated. Most useful for showing details of tiny changes in uniforms and patches.

The multi-volume work of Andrew Mollo on the uniforms of the SS remains the single best treatment of the subject in the English language, not the least because of the extensive use of footnotes to acquaint the reader with his sources. While the books are as much as thirty years old, no more recent work can match the breadth and depth of this series. Subsequent works may boast more photographs in color and more detailed illustrations of certain pieces of militaria, but they have not reached or surpassed the level of historical scrutiny achieved by Mollo and his artist collaborators. These later works are more attractive to the eye, but they fail to inform the reader about the nature of the material in the manner necessary for the task. The sole exception to this generalization is the work of the mid-1980s of John Angolia on cloth SS insignia and the recent work on camouflaged uniforms of the W-SS. However, neither of these includes all facets of the subject, as do these seven volumes.

Andrew Mollo gives the student of uniforms a most valuable reference tool in examing the Allgemeine (General) SS. Included in the book are several plates depicting cuff titles, collar tabs, shoulder boards, equipment, etc. that decorated and were used by SS men. The information presented in this single volume is the best I have seen. It is invaluable for those collecting Third Reich Memrobila or those fascinated by the fanfare and pagentry that was characteristic of Third Reich uniforms.

I have not read the latest version of the book; however, I read the original authored by Miller. I found the recorded examples used to illustrate the ideas in the book especially useful. The original book contained a list of twenty-five basic compositions which illustrated the ideas.

This is the collected edition of 6 of Andrew Mollo's proposed 8 volume set of the uniforms and regalia of the Nazi bodyguard organization which grew to become a state-within-the-state. Illustrated with B&W period photographs, diagrams, and line illustrations of clothing (including socks and underwear!) and equipment (but NOT firearms or vehicles!). Though still an important resource this book has a number of disappointing shortcomings. The 6 volumes included are:

Volume 1: AllGemeine (general) SS

Volume 2: Germanische (non-German) SS

Volume 3: SS VerfugungsTruppe (mini army)

Volume 4: SS TotenkopfeVerbande (concentration camp)

Volume 5: SicherheitsDienst and SicherheitsPolizei (secret police apparatus)

Volume 6: Waffen (army) SS

There are a total of 3 color plates, two of which basically show the colors red and black! The other is of camouflage patterns. This is a problem as cloth and piping colors described in the text, notably 'toxic green' and 'earth grey', are not inherently visualizable. Also one might hope that a multi-volume combination would have a comprehensive index and table of contents but only the latter is provided, almost as an afterthought, in a corner of the title page verso. Because the pagination of the original volumes (restarting with each volume) is unchanged a second set of page numbers has been added in the upper outside corner of each page! Errors identified in the original edtions are not corrected, instead lists of 'errata' are provided at the end of each volume.

For minutiae of detail on the development of SS uniforms and organization this book is wonderful, but without color illustrations it is seriously handicapped.