I have waited all my life for a nature handbook such as this! So many questions I've had were answered in this book. (ie. what DOES poison sumac really look like? Or, is that REALLY just a milk snake -- or could it be poisonous?)Beautiful pictures, and clearly written, informative sections provide excellent information for nature lovers of every age. This book would be a welcome addition to every New Englander's home library and is small enough to be easily portable for hiking etc. I found myself wanting to give one to everyone I know, from grandchildren to grandparents!

My wife and I both really enjoy the descriptions of New England habitats, geology and other natural phenomena, and the information about parks at the end.

We take many drives to different parts of New England, and go exploring. Often we see something and wonder what it is. Now we keep this book in the car. It has greatly increased our knowledge and appreciation of our new England home.

Since reading this one, we have bought others of the series on the strength of the habitat and other "natural history" information. The authors' writing is clear and engaging and makes the material accessible to the tenderest of tenderfeet.

This guide is by no means comprehensive, but it does contain good photos and descriptions of the flora and fauna you are most likely to encounter in New England, along with geography and astronomy tidbits, too. What it adds up to is a highly useful and convenient guide; to paraphrase the beer commercial, it's the field guide to bring when you just want to bring one!

Still, if you're specifically into birds or mammals or trees only, you'd be better off getting the field guide for that specific genre, as this guide won't have enough detailed info for you.

I first read this book back in the seventies. Since I have also used as a Bible study tool and great source of allegorical illustration of the Christina life. It is a wonderful story for Christians of all ages to study and enjoy. Surly God blessed John Bunyan with a special insight into Discipleship. I recommend strongly sticking with the Modern English version of the book because of the vast differences in past speech patterns. The book is well worth your time and effort. Any serious student of Scripture will certainly find it's contents valuable and very insightful.

I have owned the Pilgrim's Progress for years but have never read it. I started and then thought the book was boring and hard to read so I promptly quit. The original language is somewhat hard to understand so purchasing a book with notes and added definitions is helpful.
However, since beginning to really read it, I have found I was completely wrong. This is one of the most influential and captivating books I have ever read. The powerful allusions to the Bible are abundant and threaded in carefully. It paints a vivid picture of the Christian life and the struggles, temptations, and tests that come with that path.
Although it was mostly written for Christians, I am sure that this book can be enjoyable to almost anyone. To Christians, however, it is an encouragement. It helps you remember that there is a reason to press on and that you're not in it alone.
This book is an amazing illustration of a classic allegory. It is uplifting and inspiring. I am truly happy I read it.

I have not only recently read, but also studied, Part I of L. Edward Hazelbaker's unabridged revision of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Last summer I taught Pilgrim's Progress in my elementary Sunday School class and I wish I would have known of this book then. I have also done a college level research paper on Pilgrim's Progress. Not only does Hazelbaker make Pilgrim's Progress reader-friendly, he includes Bunyan's annotations in the text, as well as many annotations of his own. The annotations help the reader to experience more than a pilgrimage with Christian to Celestial City, but an in-depth Bible study as well. Other features the book includes are a brief description of Bunyan's life, a comparison outline of events in Parts I and II, and an index.

Access to Bunyan's scripture references gives the serious reader the opportunity to better his or her understanding of Bunyan's work while Hazelbaker's references and annotations also compliment the text. Hazelbaker, for example, elaborates on the importance of the seal that a Shining One (an angel) places upon Christian's forehead and on the Document given to him. Hazelbaker also offers his audience a clear and detailed understanding of the "Family" that resides in the palace called Beautiful. The reader will appreciate Hazelbaker's explanation of Bunyan's reference to "the goods of Rome" at Vanity Fair and why it would have been significant to the first readers of The Pilgrim's Progress. Hazelbaker also takes the time to explain to the reader why he uses the word "coat" for "bosom." These are only a few of the many helpful annotations Hazelbaker includes in his work.

In studying Hazelbaker's translation I referred to an early edition of Bunyan's several times. Each time I found Hazelbaker's translation true to Bunyan. Hazelbaker has made special effort to maintain the characteristic qualities and message of Bunyan's original work. In the translation process, he manages to preserve Bunyan's work by keeping himself removed from the text. This is his duty and obligation as a translator. His translation is, in all honesty, unabridged and non-paraphrased.

Of the 215 pages I have studied to date, I have found only one minor word choice in Hazelbaker's translation that I wish he would not have made. He translates Bunyan's "cartloads" with "truckloads" in the Swamp of Despondence episode. Although, by definition, "truckloads" is acceptable, it too easily causes confusion for the modern reader who thinks of pickups and tractor-trailers when he reads "truckloads." This is certainly a minor concern, but I mention it in an effort to objective.

Hazelbaker has done an exceptional job of making Bunyan's beautiful classic more appealing to the modern audience. This unabridged version is suitable for readers from middle and upper elementary ages to adults. I am glad to see that Hazelbaker has taken the time and made the effort to offer his audience a version of Pilgrim's Progress that is not watered-down and compromised. It definitely deserves a place in any library.

There are so many fabulous insights in this book, and such honesty that it should be required reading for high school religion classes. Cardinal Ratzinger has really hit the nail on the head, giving all of us an inside view of the issues that are important to the Church. "In today's whirl of instant bliss, religion, too, is socially respectable only as a dream of happiness without tears, as a mystical enchantment of the soul. Perhaps the Church comes under heavier fire because she talks about sin and suffering and rectitude of life....Just one curious example - when it comes to the state, as soon as crimes begin to multiply and society feels its safety threatened, there is an immediate demand for tougher laws. In relation to the Church, whose laws are moral in nature, the exact opposite happens - there is a demand for further relaxation."

A very readable, interresting book! Cardinal Ratzinger gives his views on a wide range of topics in the course of an extended interview with Peter Seewald, including his life and the state of the *world-wide* Church. This book offers valuable insights from a man who is uniquely positioned to "see" the workings of the Church as a whole.

In the more "liberal" circles, there's apparently a tendency to villify Cardinal Ratzinger as some kind of "right-wing", closed-minded fringe type. Having read this book, I find that claim hard to believe: whether one agrees with his views or not, it is hard to see the Cardinal as anything other than a thoughtful, intellegent and learned man.

[The following three paragraphs were striken from the end of my earlier review of this book due to length restrictions. The beginning of the review, of which these three paragraphs form the concluding portion, appears immediately below this review.]

Cardinal Ratzinger is forthright in his pessimistic assessment of the time ahead. "The danger of a dictatorship of opinion is growing, and anyone who doesn't share the prevailing opinion is excluded, so that even good people no longer dare to stand by such nonconformists [i.e. Christians]. Any future anti-Christian dictatorship would probably be much more subtle than anything we have known until now. It will appear to be friendly to religion, but on the condition that its own models of behavior and thinking not be called into question." (153) The Church must attorn to the zeitgeist in this scheme. These themes are explored in Michael D. O'Brien's "Children of the Last Day" novels.

It is time for the faithful, Cardinal Ratzinger says, to form "vital circles." [T]here are great, vibrant new beginnings and joyful forms of Christian life that don't figure much statistically but are humanly great and have the power to shape the future." (143). "Particularly when one has to resist evil it's important to not to fall into gloomy moralism that doesn't allow itself any joy but really to see how much beauty there is, too, and to draw from it the strength needed to resist what destroys joy." (69)

In his autobiography, the novelist and historian Russell Kirk wrote, "Not by force of arms are civilizations held together, but by the threads of moral and intellectual belief. In the hands of the Fates are no thunderbolts: only threads and scissors." Throughout this book, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger shows that in most parts of the world that the Roman Catholic Church is the last defense against the decay of human civilization. By defending revelation and sacred tradition against the moral anarchy of the age, the Church withholds disorder of the soul and the commonwealth, the idolatry of man as god, and preserves man, as a creature of God, against transitory and often violent popular passion. The ambitions of those men who would bring about and celebrate her demise are dangerous. Implicit in Cardinal Ratzinger's words and lifetime service is the message that it is time for serious men of serious purpose to come to her defense.

Last month, after our company installed a new videoconferencing system, my boss asked me to assume responsibility for our first trial meeting with a midwestern customer organization. I was very excited about the promise that this new technology could afford our business. But, I must confess, that the actual videoconference event was a big disappointment. Even though the equipment worked as promised, the meeting felt like Ted Mack's "Original Amateur Hour." That's when I began browsing around for a book that might address the weaknesses I perceived in our interaction. And, I discovered that only one book - of the dozens available on videoconferencing - actually dealt with the human communication issues involved.

After my first experience, I can attest that these are, indeed, the most important.

Our next videoconference event is scheduled in a few days - and I think our company is now much better prepared, thanks to the helpful, practical tips in this book, Smart Videoconferencing This book emphasizes the significant differences that exist between a face to face meeting and a videoconference. There is a paradox involved, because the videoconference demands both greater care and professionalism, while, at the same time, there is the necessity for a sense of relaxation and authenticity. I can tell you that our first event lacked both of these qualities - and our company lost some business as a result. Now, I think I we can avoid the mistakes we made last time.

I highly recommend this book for anyone engaged in videoconferencing when the stakes are high.

I enjoyed reading the book. Even easy to read for me who is no‚Ž-native speaker of English or intermidiate learner of the language. I did not have to look up dictionary so often.
Anyway,I think that this book will be good especially for those novice end users who have just started using the video technology and who want to use it in more effective and productive ways.
I think that this is a kind of a book that end users desire.@Basically they are not intersted in how technology works behind but more and more they are interested in benefits and effects that they anticipate to get from using the technology. Not intersted in features and capabilities etc.. Some may, though.
However, I would like to point out one thing.
There is a paragraph in page 10 regarding Japanese video market graph. What is written is not correctly translated into English.
The numbers in the year 1998 and 2000 are based on a prediction by unidentified source according to the web page.But numbers in the year 1988,1993 and 1995 are actual numbers.
The graph was a part of a presentation made for doctors in Saitama to understand the status quo of videocommunications in relation to medical activities. But it does not show the source.
The numbers includes all kinds of video equipment from room or board type to set-top to PC based to surveilance. It does not mean one product category.
But it is true that the first video service was launch in 1984 by NTT, but it was actually not as popular as expected. Just a handful of big companies in Japan used the service to slash costs associated with travels, and the service cost per month as running cost was unjustifiably quite high to smaller businesses, so it did not go hit. And after that, audio service introduced also by NTT that offers relatively inexpensive service which could be accepted by smaller businesses.

I have read a lot of books on the subject of VC. It is great that someone has finally begun to look at the very important presentation aspects of this field, which the authors have done extremely well. This book is a fantastic primer for how to look your best during a VC and create the right impression with your audience. I highly recommend it.

GPS guide, great descriptions, totally dependable. Dont waste time with others, buy this one!

I bought this guidebook a few years ago and it is definitely one of the best. It fits easily in our seatback. He covers many trails. What has been helpful about his book, is that the mileage is given in both directions, so you can easily figure out where you are given your starting point. All the cross roads you come across are described as well, so you don't wonder, should I have gone that way. His mileage was right on with our odometer. I have a few other guide books, but his is definitely the best because of the detailed description of your road trip. Highly recommend. With his book and a Trails Illustrated map, no reason for you to get lost.

I do not own this book, but had read my friends quite a bit, when we actually took our first 4WD trip, we used a competitors book. It paled in comparison, this book is so much more informative. The directions are flawless and the photos and histories it details make it much easier to find the trail that suits your interests.

As a music fan, there are two things you want to add to your experience, a songlist compilation and a biography. Anything more is really too much, but in the case of groundbreaking album cover art, and knowing Pink Floyd's history of employing visual effects in their shows, a book like this is necessary, especially since albums are gone now, and the tiny graphics you get on a CD jewel case don't compare with the stuff promoters used to jam into album jackets. This book is a trip into Storm Thurgeson's head, not necessarily Floyd's. The difference is not much since Storm was a boyhood chum, and listened so well to his employer's ideas, instead of pushing his own. That's one reason the band was so successful musically as well, was Hypnosis' reliance on the members' themes. This book is not a graphic artist's design book, though I wish it were, but it would be tons bigger. It covers 30 years (and not even all the Floyd's covers (for instance, The Wall)). But you will appreciate the fact that Storm operated more under impluse as a designer than by today's modern design houses which try to render graphics in a production line style...can't be done. The author's bylines give us insight if not in technical process, then in the intellect process, and it's good fun knowing this guy was a friend to the Floyd for a LONG time, even having to uncomfortably stand in the middle of relationships for the 'Is There Anybody Out There?' live Wall issue. All in all, I'd give 5 stars for the artwork and presentation, but lose half of one for lack of technical explanation. Enjoy!

Few people have been more closely associated with Pink Floyd over the band's 30-year career than graphic designer Storm Thorgerson. And virtually no one (outside the band members themselves) has been more responsible for the mystique that shrouds the band and its music.

In "Mind Over Matter", Thorgerson explains in some detail the concepts and techniques behind the creation of some of the most evocative and memorable images in the history of Rock and Roll. With stories and recollections dating back to the band's foundations in the mid-sixties, Thorgerson goes piece-by-piece through most of the band's catalogue, recounting not only how he and his team created the images, but also detailing what they are meant to represent and how they relate to the music.

The book features beautiful color reproductions of the band's album covers, lyrics layouts, and CD booklets. (All but two Floyd albums-- "The Wall" and "The Final Cut"-- are included ; these are omitted because Thorgerson was, in his own words, "temporarily relieved of [his] duties" for these albums.) But the biggest treat to the serious fan are the reproductions and discussionsof lesser-known images, such as a tour promo and program from 1975, and artwork specially conceived for the 'deluxe' boxed set "Shine On". Also included are the designs for the remastered and repackaged CD releases of the Floyd's albums, as well as some art which was apparently created just for this book.

As a full-sized coffee table book, "Mind Over Matter" is gorgeous to look at. Thorgerson's text, which is witty and insightful, makes for a good read. All in all, no Pink Floyd fan should be disappointed.

What do you get when you cross art and the greatest rock band in history? A materpiece! If I had the chance, I would give this book a million stars!

Storm Thorgerson, mastermind behind most of Pink Floyd's album artwork, has compiled almost all of the rare, unusual, interesting, and familiar pieces. It also includes stories on how they (the art) came to be (which, by the way, sheds a light on the innovative genius of the band). It goes from the early years of Syd Barrett to the post-Waters era. This book is a must for any Floyd fan, especially one who is interested in the history and progress of the band.

If you are looking for startling new insights on strategic planning, or gimmicky, buzzword-laden books aiming to be best-sellers, this one is not for you. This is ideal as a first book on strategic planning since it provides a realistic, carefully set out action plan for developing a competitive strategy and implementing it to produce results. Even if you have read dozens of books on strategy, the no-nonsense, concise guidance of this book makes it valuable. The book is the result of extensive work by the authors with small and medium-sized businesses. It not only presents the strategy process in admirably clear terms, it provides templates and guidance throughout the process. Simplified Strategic Planning will not make you gasp at new insights, stun you with incredible depth, or woo you with seductive writing. It will make it much easier for you to form and implement a definite strategic plan for your business.

This book takes strategic planning off the shelf and into the realm of implementation. It makes strategic planning an inclusive, usable, adjustable tool to manage the growth of an organization. Too often, we hear the complaint that organizations have spent considerable time and money on creating a sophisticated strategic plan only to have it sit on the shelf for years without any action taken. Simplified Strategic Planning is just that, a process that retains the complexity inherent in creating a comprehensive plan for an organization while breaking it down into small, clear, actionable steps. Perhaps the best part of this book is that in addition to creating a strategic plan, underlying the process is a deep understanding of how to involve people in the work of gathering data, analyzing the data and then creating a customized strategic plan.

Finally, a book on strategic planning that makes sense! Bradford's process for helping organizations think about, plan for and implement strategic planning is straightforward and completely accessible. Whatever size your oganization, and whatever your background in strategy, this one is a must-read. Bradford offers an action-oriented approach that allows you to customize the process to meet your needs. In these days of leaner budgets, take advantage of this gem--it's almost like having Bradford in your company as you work through the process. His focus is on results, and his success with all kinds of organizations is very impressive.

While this book was written for a primarily American audience, it still made alot of good sense for me as a New Zealand mother-to-be. What she proposes is really very simple - moving away from the overparenting trap, including our children as part of our lives as women rather than our whole reason for being, allowing the parenting to extend beyond just the nuclear family and most importantly of all, elevating the role of the father as parent. Made sense to me.

No mother returns to work without some feeling of ambivalence. This book does a solid job of dispelling the myths of the benefits of the always available mother which society seems to call for and gives so many reasons why Mother's work outside the home is good for the whole family. I have read it over and over and find new jewels of wisdom each time. Ms. Peters speaks of the value of work with confidence and conviction while never losing her tenderness when voicing so beautifully the absolute joy which children bring to our lives.

As a woman contemplating beginning a family, I've been concerned with the issue of how I will balance my desire to be a good parent while also still having a life. I wasn't looking for validation of a career choice so much as guidance for thinking about the issue on my own. To that end, I found this book to be extremely useful and stimulating for thought--Joan Peters shed light on attitudes and assumptions I have had without every questioning or examining their sources. I came to realize that many of them are not consistent with my values, and reading the book was the first step in changing them. I appreciate the book's sensitivity to the many concerns women have regarding motherhood and career, and the fact that it isn't just saying "buck up and put your kid in childcare, you have a right." That would not have served me. Instead, it focuses much more on gender issues and how we can adapt parenting to better include both the mother and father for the everyone's benefit. It also brings to light the way that some women use having children as a way to avoid identity conflicts of their own. She asks some tough questions with regard to this, which I think will help some women get to the heart of their real motives for motherhood. If you simultaneously feel that you weren't put on the earth solely to reproduce but also care deeply about doing right by your children, this book will assist you in striking a balance that will work.

This is a very complete and good book on NT 4.0 device drivers. The book takes you through lots of architectual issues in the first 400 pages or so, then walks you through details of drivers. The authors have a readable style and know what they are talking about. The biggest short coming in the book is a lack of real information on NT 5.0 drivers. Paul Lever, BlueWater Systems, Inc.

Windows NT Device Driver Development (W3D) does an incredible job at explaining what is going on. Chapter by chapter (there are 24 chapters) a story unfolds explaining what events lead device drivers in Windows NT to run part of their code. Much detail covers what environment device drivers will find their code running in and how they should deliver things when handing over the next player.

I found the core chapters of this book to be the most interesting. For the first time I was reading about NT, and getting a good feel for the flow of control. While much detail is being presented, care was taken to keep the discussion moving. Cleverly topics that could distract the readers the train of thought are postponed a page or two and then given full attention. Source code is mostly discussed after the principles have been covered, and the code is all well commented, but also clear enough to be read without comments.

This book is an absolute must for anyone doing NT kernel programming or having a detailed interest in it. It is focussed on NT only and perhaps it is a pity that this wonderful discussion does not draw analogies with other operating systems, which often share similar principles. The clarity of the discussion is marvelous and enticing. Through the eyes of the masters, Windows NT appears to be a very interesting system.

I began developing NT drivers during the NT 3.1 beta days and saw an immediate need for a book like this. I have been begging people to write this book for over 3 years. In those days the only place to get help was on Compuserve and guess who always responded to questions and provided valuable information for people delving into this new operating system. (The two authors) I am thrilled that the two best NT kernel developers I know found time and dedicated themselves to the task of writing this great book.

This book is probably more important than any other technical programming book written to date. The reason is drivers can crash the computer and poorly written drivers do it on a regular basis. With Windows NT becoming the worldwide server operating system of choice it is very important that drivers work and work well. This book not only discusses all phases of driver development, but teaches the audience correct methods of developing robust drivers. In a matter of weeks you will learn techniques and kernel programming practices that normally take years to develop.

The granularity of the book is well thought out and will serve the kernel programmer well. If you have been given the task of developing a bus master DMA driver simply turn to chapter 17 and you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about DMA with examples! If you just want to learn about how NT manages memory turn to Chapter 3.

This book will become the de-facto standard for NT device driver development and must have on any serious developer's bookshelf.

Technical Reviewer
Mike Barry
Sr. Vice President-Development/Engineering
T/R Systems