I bought this book because the description sounded promising,
and I liked the idea of setting the story among the search
for antiques. The story and characters grabbed my interest
immediately, and I could hardly put the book down. I am
definitely going to look for more books in this searies.

Ms. Morgan makes use of a nineteenth century cabaret set to bring the twentieth century whodunit into the new millennium. This classic style mystery involves the reader in the search for the culprit. Mystery fans will love helping ex FBI agent Jeff Talbot sift through the clues as he seeks to identify the murderer. There are plenty of suspects, all with plausible motives and means, keeping the suspense level just right.

The world of high-end antique dealing and trading is a new setting for a murder mystery but it fits beautifully. A one of a kind cabaret set commissioned by Napoleon for Josephine is the object of attention for some very sophisticated collectors as they come together for an auction at the beautiful and historic Grand Hotel on Michigan's Mackinac Island.

Jeff Talbot has journeyed all the way from Seattle to bid for the precious treasure. He finds the usually peaceful island bristling with bidders, some above reproach and some downright unscrupulous, but all determined to possess this celebrated tea set. And then they begin turning up murdered.

Deborah Morgan's love for antiques comes through loud and clear, right down to Jeff Talbot's own pride and joy, his 1948 Chevy Woodie. Morgan tells this story splendidly, capturing the aura of Mackinac Island while intertwining the struggle of Jeff Talbot's wife Sheila as she battles the demons in her own mind.

This is the kind of book that will appeal to a very wide audience. It's suitable for all ages and has the unique charm of capturing the reader who has always dreamed of uncovering some long lost masterpiece at a local garage sale. I highly recommend it and sincerely hope that we haven't heard the last of Jeff Talbot.

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm automatically predisposed to like any book set on Mackinac Island. (After all, my own two were set there, although at least one hundred fifty years earlier than this one.) But when I started reading Death is a Cabaret, I didn't know a good portion of it would take place at that grand Grand Hotel.

The book--plot, characters, writing, everything--is entirely worthy of that dignified and unique setting. It's just simply marvelous. And, if I didn't know better, I'd swear the author had been in my car listening as my daughter explained about Michigan's picturesque license plates.

Of course, I also like stories set during the days of Napoleon and Josephine, too, and although this is a modern story, the love of Napoleon for his Josephine plays a major part in the plot. Finally, one more caveat--I love reading books which allow the reader to learn about new things, if the reader is so inclined. This book is brimming over with love-and lore--of the world of antiques, as well as antique collectors.

Jeff Talbot, now in his mid-thirties, had spent his early working years with the FBI, but a lack of action sent him on his way to a new career--becoming a very good antique 'picker'. He's inherited a wonderful old house in Seattle, providing him with a suitable place to keep all his own treasures, plus affording him the background he needs in his new world. He's married to Sheila, one of the more intriguing characters I've ever encountered in the world of fiction, who is certainly a more than able side-kick.

One of Jeff's best customers is the 70-something Blanche Appleby, who, more than almost anything in the world, wishes to reclaim an antique tea set that had been sold out from under her, some fifty years earlier. Of course, it isn't just any old tea set. No, this one had been commissioned by Napoleon for Josephine, and differed from most of the examples of that period in having two cups and saucers rather than just one. This made it a 'cabaret' rather than a 'solitaire' or 'déjeuner'. Replete with swans (for Josephine)and bees (for Napoleon) and gilt (for them both) it was a truly fitting example of the art of Sevres, even if only an imaginary creation, especially for this story.

The Cabaret is to be the highlight at an auction that will end a weekend antique festival held annually on Mackinac Island. Antique lovers and collectors come from around the world to participate, including two of Jeff's acquaintances from Seattle. When one of them is found murdered, Jeff finds himself helping the very capable Island police force to investigate. Another death follows, opening up more of the past history for many of the participants at the festival.

The ending, with the unmasking of the killer was unexpected, and perhaps a tad out of left field, but still satisfactory. Overall, this was a very enjoyable reading experience, and I, for one, eagerly await Jeff's next adventure! And, it is to be hoped, many more after that.

I got this book while working on my masters in electro-optics, and found that it completed the big picture of optical communications and how network components fit together which was lacking in my detailed graduate work. I especially recommend it to those with a background other than EE, as it fills in a lot of gaps that EE folks assume that others know.

It starts off pretty light and qualitative, then begins incorporating some equations and formulas to accompany the qualitative descriptions. It does not waist time deriving anything, nor will you find pages of just mathematical equations. It has references and problems at the end of each chapter for the more technical reader.

For non-technical readers, this book is not light reading, but if you are patient enough to breeze over certain sections of math, you will find plenty of useful qualitative descriptions that do not depend on a full understanding of the math. There are even large sections of the book with no math at all.

In short, this book offers an excellent bridge between quantitative and qualitative descriptions of optical communications and optical networks.

If you are interested in learning about optical networking, this book is very accessible and can serve as an excellent guide to this exciting field. Although it is not my first book about optical networks, I learnt much more from the reading since the book is amazingly comprehensive (it covers all important aspects of optical networks: physical components, signal modulation, transmission system engineering, control and management, topology designs, specific examples of testbeds, and related future technologies). A big thumb up!!!

This book has an ideal combination of in-depth analysis and conceptual understanding of optical components, optical transmission system and optical networking. The first half of the book is devoted in explaining optical fibre transmission properties, working of optical modules, and optical transmission system engineering. The second half of the book explains the evolution of optical networking starting from point to point optical transport to current trends in optical networking i.e, wavelength routed optical networks. The various networking strategies for realizing access optical networks and wavelength routing optical networks are covered extensively. A whole chapter is devoted to control and management functions needed in these networks. There is also an excellent compendium of the various optical networking testbeds realized in industries and research labs.

This book is a must possesion for anyone involved in technical aspects of the optical transport/ networking.

I had read about this book in USA Today online and heard from a number of people I respect about it. Everyone kept telling me I had to buy it. I finally finished reading it and felt compelled to post what a wonderful experience it was to add The Computer in the Visual Arts to my library.

The concepts are illustrated and written in a way that artists can understand and enjoy (how refreshing!). Subjects that I had difficulty in comprehending such as the difference between screen pixels and image pixels are now clear to me. While some may consider a minor point, it is amazing to me how much more I am able to enjoy creating images with this new found knowledge.

I was also delighted to see so many outstanding examples of art work. The color plates were particularly gratifying. If this book has a second printing I would urge the publisher to have more color images. The range and diversity of the chapters was a real plus for me and gave me a "big picture" that I have never grasped before.

This review is my first in hundreds of AMAZON purchases. Anne Morgan Spalter's The Computer in the Visual Arts is not only a tremendous achievement for the academic environment but also a brilliant introduction for the general population. This book is lavishly produced with both insightful writing and beautiful illustrations. I wish all of my textbooks were as rewarding and as fun to read. Kudos. Five-stars and two thumbs up. What is your nex topic?

Oustanding! Anne Morgan Spalter has done an outstanding job in explaining and helping to define the Computer in the Visual Arts. Spalter has helped to magnficently define this emerging field through her thoughtful, easy-to-read prose. As an art history buff, I believe that this tome will become a timeless classic. The Computer in the Visual Arts helps legitimize thousands of computer artists throughout the world.

The images and artists represented throughtout the book are fascinating and stunning to view. The painstaking diagrams and illustrations are outstanding references that easily explain a number of complex concepts.

I hope many will refer this book to the uninitiated art enthusiast who hopes to learn more about the dramatic role the computer plays in the visual arts.

This is one of the earlier historical novels by the author, the copyright date being 1978. This novel is based on the life of Edyth, a grand-daughter of Lady Godiva and the wife of King Harold II, and is written in a narrative text, i.e., a story as told by Edyth. The writing style may not appeal to all readers. It is written from a woman's viewpoint (example text - "Brothers are intended by God as a sort of plague, like floods and locusts"), and is consistent with the position of women in society at that time. It was a time when women were used as bargaining chips to arrange alliances. A woman could be sent into a marriage with a man she had never seen, and had to hope for the best. If she was lucky, she might get a husband who was young and handsome. But he might be old, ugly, and battle-scarred. This was also a time when people did not bathe on a regular basis, and many people had rotten teeth. Edyth enters into her first marriage with Welsh Prince Griffith (Gruffydd) ap Llywelyn, neither having seen the other, hoping for the best. After Griffith's betrayal and death at the hands of the Saxon English in 1063, she becomes part of the spoils and is forced into a marriage with King Harold II, a short-lived marriage as he was killed at Hastings in 1066. The book seems historically accurate. It includes details of Welsh Law and customs, and contrasts that with the Saxons. The author ends the book immediately after the battle of Hastings and does not provide an afterward to indicate what happened to the various people who survived (it is known that Edyth's daughter, Nest, later married Osbern fitz Richard; that a daughter of Harold II and his mistress, Edith Swan-Neck, later married Grand Prince Vladimir II of Kiev; and that Edyth's brother, Edwin, married a half-sister of Griffith and obtained a Welsh title in her right). For a novel concerning later generations of Welsh princes, see "Circle of Stones."

I have no idea if this woman ever truly existed and I have no knowledge of the history of England during this time period. Until now, I've focussed on Arthurian legends. This book seemed to be a nice, short diversion to another time period in English history. It was that and more. The characters interest you from the start. Aldith's qualms over being used as a political pawn by her father and sent to an uncertain future as the bride of Griffith was well done. Most other accounts of this marital arrangment seem to be simple compliance by the woman - never any questioning as to the reason for it. Griffith was a real person in this story - someone I came to like just as Aldith came to like then love him. Likewise, her relationship to Harold mirrored my impressions of him. I also hated him at first only to eventually share her mixed feelings toward him and to hope for his victory in the end. The story is extremely well written and has added Morgan Llywelyn to the list of authors I intend to read more avidly. If you want a sweeping saga of historical fiction in less than 300 pages - this is the book for you!

This is a great book. It is great fiction, and great fact. Harold II's character is very intriguing. He's both a dominant warlord and high-minded genius at the same time. I loved his relationship with Edyth. The book is worth buying.

Out of expedience, two women on the fringes of society in Restoration England become embroiled in a mystery far more complicated than what it first appears. Lady Anastasia Ashby de la Zouche and her trusted servant Alpiew exist from day to day in that part of London where the demimonde earn their living by taking advantage of opportunity. Just released from debtor's prison, the two women have contracted to uncover shocking stories for a scandal sheet, even if they have to fabricate the details. In the context of researching a story, they are hired by a respectable woman to follow her husband, who the wife suspects of infidelity. Not exactly inconspicuous, the two bumbling sleuths eventually witness the husband's brutal murder, although they cannot get a good look at the perpetrator. When the wife herself is accused of murder for hire, Lady Ashby and Alpiew delve into the dark passages of nighttime London, replete with murderers, thieves and cutpurses, on a mission for truth.

The result is a comedy of errors as the aging Countess Ashby exploits her memorable dalliance with the former King Charles II, now deceased. With the buxom and youthful Alpiew as a partner, the two unlikely detectives uncover more fodder for gossip and accusation than anticipated, from secret experiments to an alchemist's laboratory and suspects in high places. The two women are as engaging as they are foolish and impetuous and render the story with a broad wink at the vagaries of human nature. And, of course, in the nick of time, all is made right and fortunes restored. Snappy dialog and quirky characters make this back alley romp a pleasant experience.

A historical mystery that is a delightful rowdy romp through London in 1699. Not at all the usual 'researched and narrated to the nth degree' slow moving dull historical mystery one finds so often. Countess de la Zouche, bawdy ex-mistress of Charles II, keeps out of debtor's prison by selling naughty gossip tidbits with the aid of her former maid, Alpiew. Their adventures include murder, scandal/mystery involving alchemy, numerous backstreet characters and nobility. Witty and satirical, this book is definitely a fun read.

Countess Ashby and Alpiew are an unlikely team. Alpiew is a former employee of the Countess'. Ashby thinks she ran away with her husband, but in reality, Alpiew was just another of the items he stole when he took off for the New World. They meet again in debtor's prison, each vying for a job with a scandal sheet. They end up combining talents and sharing the salary. In the course of their business, they are asked by a Mrs. Wilson to follow her husband. She suspects that he is cheating on her. They lose track of him the first night and witness his murder on the second. The come to discover that he is also an alchemist who will do anything to get the money to continue his research. But how far did he go, and what has he done?

At times the language of another era is somewhat difficult to follow, but usually all is explained soon after. The characters of the aged former royal favourites and their servants are very entertaining, as are the characters themselves. The mystery can be difficult to solve, but all the clues are there if you only look. I am definitely going to read more of this series.

This book is great and very informative, however the only thing I would change (perhaps for a second edition) would be to make it spiral bound so it could lay flat while I am using it at work, which would also make it easier to photocopy the different checklists (very helpful!).

This is one of the best books ive ever read from any category. The author's flow from chapter to chapter is excellent. He describes in very good detail the pitfalls that many websites fall into by sacrificing appearance for usability. He makes his convincing case why the central focus of websites should be usability which is indeed rarely emphasized. The book elaborates as to the various stages you should involve users and various members of your design team into your development. Definately a keeper.

Unlike Jakob Nielsen who uses his personal opinion to judge web usability, Tom provides excellent explanation every aspect of usability based on the scientific research. This is the best book to learn and know about web usability. - LT

The early part of this book explores the way people think and discusses the types of thinking errors made by decision makers and others. This discussion is excellent background for understanding your own thinking errors and provides a firm rationale for the fourteen techniques that follow (and make up the bulk of this book). I am a university professor and regularily recommend this book to my students.

This book is a nice reference that captures the majority of problem solving techniques: a cookbook for decision making. The analytical techniques range from problem restatement to constructing an advanced utility matrix. It's useful in both daily life, business, and science.

Thinker's Toolkit also contains very useful examples and exercises. They immediately demonstrate to the reader where common decision making falls short.

On the down side, the book is a 'dry' read at times.

The human mind is a fascinating thing. It creates a sense of self; it makes fast decisions; it interprets the past; it imagines the future; and yet it is a deceiver of the smartest kind.

Let's face it: seeing is not believing. It is the other way around. People usually see only the things they believe in.

According to Morgan D. Jones, once we believe something, our favorite mode of operation is to jump to conclusions: "Failure to consider alternatives fully is the most common cause of flawed or incomplete analysis. In other words, we must learn how to keep an open mind - one of the most difficult things we human beings can do."

Morgan D. Jones's book has two parts: (1) a short introduction into the way we habitually think, and the strengths and weaknesses of this process, (2) fourteen "tools" how to address the weaknesses and improve the process of thinking. It is a practical primer on decision-making, a hands-on manual how to structure one's analysis and keep an open mind for alternatives. In short, it tries to teach how to get away from a purely instinctual analysis of a problem to a structured analysis that will, hopefully, yield better results.

Bottom-line: lots of value for your money, in particular if you are convinced that you are the most rational decision-maker in town (you'll buy an eye-opener).

I was dissappointed with the book. There's no in depth discussion on any event. It just reads on and states facts like those in High School text books. Didn't capture me at all.

A huge book that traces the history of America from pre-Columbus through present day. Although considered by many to be a "text book" for study, it is not written in that format. It reads easily and clearly. It is non-biased and informative. The pictures are helpful. It's the first book on American history that I have been able to finish. Although expensive, I think that every book collection should have a copy and it is an essential part of any history collection.

My AP US History class used this book as its textbook. Statistics speak for themselves: anyone who read and studied the book got a 5! It is one of the most comprehensive texts in American history ever published. George Tindall, the primary author, is a wonderful and knowledgable man who I have met in Chapel Hill,NC. An excellent buy!

Morgan just reminded me too much of my brother in law and I couldn't help but spend most of the book wondering if my bro in law was EVER going to meet the girl who could runs rings around HIM!

But, anyway, on with the review . . . Morgan is the town control freak - I mean sheriff. He protects his own, and just about everybody in town is part of his "own". This is definately one over protective mama bear protecting the cubs!

And just when Morgan started to think that he needed a wife to complete things - WHAM! In walks his new sister in law and its lust at first sight! Morgan wants her, but knows it probably won't last, so he doesn't want to hurt anyone and keeps his hormones to himself.

Eventually, Morgan realizes he can't live without Misty. And of course, no one would get hurt if they got MARRIED! So, there you go.

My favorite part of this book was Morgan's natural acceptance of Misty's pregnancy by another man. The other guy was a jerk who didn't deserve a family, but Morgan wants what this guy threw away. I liked the fact that Morgan understood the difference between being a the sperm doner and a dad.

I had a wonderful time reading this book. Morgan caught my attention in the 1st book of this series, SAWYER. He's a large, muscle-bound, bad-tempered giant with a marshmallow center. His sister-in-law's sister, Misty Malone, comes to Buckhorn for a visit. She has just lost her job and is currently homeless, among other problems. Morgan and Misty are immedietely attracted to each other. But when Misty introduces herself, Morgan decides he cannot get involved with her sexually because she is family. Misty has sworn off men after her experiences with her ex-fiance and father. Morgan wants her to leave town immediately and stop flirting with his brothers, but once he learns about her problems he has a change of heart. Morgan and Misty's story is fun, funny, sexy, and touching. The secondary characters are Morgan's fabulous, gorgeous, sexy brothers. I like the family feel to this book and can't wait for Gabe's story next month.

Morgan, the second in the quadruple-title series from Lori Foster, won't let down Hudson fans. As with Sawyer, the book's cover is a disappointment that doesn't come close to how I see Morgan Hudson, but the story is just as entertaining as what I've come to expect from Ms. Foster.

An insufferable man, whose middle name should be "Control", Morgan Hudson is about to learn what it means to be felled by a tiny slip of a woman, what it means to lose that control. The woman in question, Misty Malone, has a lot of things on her mind and getting involved with the local sheriff is not one of them. She's convinced he can't stand her and that suits her just fine. Trouble is, that's not how Morgan feels at all and he has a hard time coming to terms with what he wants and why he wants it.

Misty and Morgan are temperamentally matched - not exactly the ideal for either to win an argument, and there are plenty of battles between these two strong-willed characters. The ice-cream cone battle of wills in Morgan's office is priceless. I actually gasped with the characters at one point. But as Misty learns to accept Morgan for who he is, and comes to love him all the more for it, she also comes to realize that behind the gruff exterior is a gentle man with bouts of insecurity when it comes to her. He also seems to have a devil of a time uttering those three little words.

The showdown between these two, in front of the sheriff's office [and the whole town], is wrenching and humorous and my heart went out to Morgan. It's always fun to watch a tough guy struggle with the realization that he's fallen in love and this tough guy was no exception. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Although this installment didn't have the same level of humor as the first, the story again features the entire Hudson brood in kitchen scenes where the easy camaraderie of the men in the family -- who tease, torment, defend and protect their siblings (and spouses) - are a delight to read. We also are introduced to more of the town's residents and to Honey and Misty's father.

Each Hudson is taking on a personality of his own and I'm looking forward to learning more about Gabe.

If you have a huge Disney book library, this should be in it, but it will leave you wanting more. There are tons of great photos in heare, but it is not a coffee table book by any means. Nice stories from their meories of how it was back in the day... They worked on nearly everything that had ride vehicles. Disney designed and built alot of stuff right at the studiomachine shop, but these guys built a lot of ride vehicles and tracks as well. Pirates of the Caribbean boat vehicle, flying saucers, small world boats, mine train cars, Autopia cars. They built stuff for other parks you rarely hear about anymore, like Freedomland.

(Be forewarned that these guys do not give enough credit to the great Bob Gurr, a Disney Imagineer at WED who did tons of engineering, design, and drafting for most of the great ride vehicles that Arrow built for Disney. They do have some nice stuff about him on page 81, but just not enough. They tend to omit other people as well.)

No index to look things up as a reference. The writing style kind of ambles around with no clear direction. BUT having said all this, it is still an interesting book if you are consumed with the subject of amusment ride construction, especially Disney's. I would not give my copy away, I just wish it were a little better.

This book was a very good one. It focuses on a small company called Arrow. They designed rides for amusement parks. Walt hired them to build some wonderful rides for Disneyland though. This is all about the cars you ride in at the park, and how they move, on what type of track ETC. All the special effects were done by the Disney Company. It's very interesting that a park like Disneyland had this company push the limits with ride design. But unfortunately, as all you Disney Park enthusiasts know, that with Eisner's penny-pinching methods, and the new California Adventure next to Disneyland, most all the rides are 100% off the shelf carnival style rides. A good book! Especially if you want a look in the old days when the Disney Company actually spent money and cared!

The book chronicles the professional lives of the masterminds behind Arrow Development. They worked closely with Walt Disney while Disneyland was being built, and designed many of the ride-systems. The book tells many tales of those days. From semi-technical discussions of the operations of the Matterhorn, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more (all made easily understandable) to backstage tales of Disneyland and Walt Disney, this book is fantastic. Other topics in the theme/amusement park industry are covered as well, and are just as fascinating. This book truly does deliver a credible behind the scenes look at Disneyland and the industry. Well done!