Don't let the branding fool you -- this is easily the best book on lawns currently available. I've read many books on the subject, and most of them are very simplistic and useless, or spend some time on the lawn and then go off into growing vegetables or flowers. This one is just on lawns, and contains sections on lawn weeds, lawn pests, types of grass -- basically everything you could think to ask or need to know about how to maintain a great lawn.

Makes a terrific housewarming gift, too. I wish someone had given me one!

Worth the price just for the extensive section on weed indentification and eradication with color pictures. Since they have drastically cut back extension agents and services in our area who used to be able to field lawn questions, this is an invaluable reference for the homeowner.

I found this book to be simple to understand, yet extremely helpful in helping me to do what is best for my lawn. I would highly recommend this book to all who are interested in improving their lawns.

This book is absolutely wonderful ! I have been able to complete many outfits using this book for reference. Well-written, detailed photographs, and concise descriptions are only some of the many features of this book. I enjoyed seeing all the rare products as well. Thank you for a fantastic book !!

Not just strictly a "doll" book, the authors have gone out of their way to include information and pictures on foreign skippers, color/design variations of the outfits, furniture and cases, and prototypes of what *could* have been! Besides just showing a picture of each outfit and the average price value, there is also an item-by-item list so that no yo-yo or hair curler will go unaccounted for! This is a great resource for fashion collectors; a few of the outfits are even shown on the dolls so we can see how great they look in them! While this is a great book, it stops at the year 1978, so it's not aimed at contemporary Skipper collectors. :)

I have found this book to be a very valuable tool in identifying the correct and I stress correct components of Skipper, Todd and Tutti outfits. It is very informative, easy to see even the smallest items, and very well structured. I highly recommend this book.

Sonar 2 Power! is an excellent book. It is, by far, the best book available on Sonar, and a must have for anyone who uses Sonar. I have found it was great for intitially getting up to speed on the software. And now that I know the software much better, it is still full of tons of helpful information. Sonar 2 Power! lets you quickly dive right into those features you are interested in. Best of all, the author, Scott Garrigus, is able to make learning quick and enjoyable. It is clear that Scott has a great deal of enthusiasm for making music using his computer and Sonar; he does a very good job of getting this enthusiasm across, which makes the book all the more enjoyable to read. The author has a Website...for his readers.

I review this book as one who does not own this particular piece of software, but as a prospective Sonar user. I wanted to do a little research to see if Sonar was the way I wanted to go, and I found this book extremely informative. It makes what might be a scary program for the novice very approachable and user-friendly. If I do wind up purchasing Sonar, it's unlikely I'll even need to read the manual with this excellent resource available to me. Outstanding!!

Scott is the reigning Sonar guru, and this book is a great value for the price. There's plenty of content, and it's all clear, concise and useful. Sonar's help system and manual are already good, but a little dry ... so Scott adds value by clarifying some issues, and by offering a different, user-friendly perspective. To Scott's credit, he does far more than simply regurgitate Sonar's help system.

There are at least two other Sonar books on the market. The first is by Craig Anderton, who is a very knowledgeable and respected writer on home recording technology. His Sonar book is intended as a quick start, whereas Scott's book has much more content. The other book is by two guys named Petelin, and I wouldn't wish that sloppy, amateurish book on my worst enemy.

"Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt" provides solid advice on getting your rate reduced, annual fees waived, removing a late payment fee, handling disputes, and many other common problems when dealing with credit card companies. More than just advice, it is a collection of detailed examples of phone calls including complete transcripts. Each transcript demonstrates how the author handled a particular issue and the results of the call. Not content to just give one example of getting an interest rate lowered or removing over limit fees, each type of problem has several transcripts so you can get a good feel for what to expect and how to handle it. Most people are not aware of how much power they have when dealing with a credit card company and how to get things changed. This book walks the reader through the process from beginning to end and is a recommended read for anyone looking to gain control of his or her credit card situation.

Talk Your Way Out Of Credit Card Debt by money management expert Scott Bilker is a straightforward, "user friendly" guide to negotiating with credit card banks for better interest rates and getting fees waived. Offering tested strategies for the waiver of annual fees, late payment fees, cash-advance fees and more, shopping for the best credit card deals, comparing loan options, getting refunds, and more, Talk Your Way Out Of Credit Card Debt is very highly recommended reading. Bilker's finance evaluation strategies are extremely useful, even to those who choose to carefully avoid getting into credit card debt in the first place!

I don't know why a book like this has been written sooner. It contains so much common sense advice, I can't believe I didn't think of these things myself sooner. Thanks to Bilker's book I was able to take detailed notes, including names on promised rates for my IRA. When the promised rates didn't appear on my next statement, I was able to talk my way through many layers of resistance and finally get the original deal I was promised. I highly recommend this book to anyone with debt or who deals with any financial institutions for any reason.

This book has more information then i could ever even fathem or want to know about computer hardware. I was so impressed with the layout of this book, i would buy ever edition that comes out after this just to support the cause. I mean it covers everything. You would think with that much info it would get boring right? Nope. There are plenty of pictures to graphically represent what he is trying to show. Im in love with this book. One of the best computer books i have ever bought. Well worth the price if not more. If your into computer hardware and are seriouse about the feild, then i suggest you get this useful tool. Great Job Scott(Author)

I've been into computers for twenty years now, and from the early days of my Commodore 64s and TI-99 4/As I've always tried to know what's happening on the inside as on the outside. I started building PCs after I bought my first in 1993- that one I didn't take apart until I had paid off the loan I had taken out to buy it. Since then, however, I've always tried to understand the hardware which has been in a constant state of innovation since day one. And Scott's books have been an indispensable part of that process. Between a friend and I, we have probably six copies of the various editions of 'Upgrading and Repairing PCs', ironically, they also come with this book and can be found on the DVD-ROM in PDF format.

What's nice about it is Scott writes like he's actually talking to you- his text is clear, easy to read and not at all wordy while still conveying the information he wants to bring. Anyone who is more than a casual PC user will find this book ideal for learning or understanding why PCs do what they do and what all the various components do when they talk to each other. On the other hand, not everyone needs to know the pin-out configuration for a Socket 423 Pentium 4 CPU- I don't, but it's nice to have. Mr. Mueller takes us through the history of computers and PCs, then the tome takes off- broken down into categories from motherboards and busses, then into the various components like sound cards, video cards, hard drives (IDE and SCSI), network cards, USB, Fire Wire and ports, modems- you name, he covers it in tremendous detail. One of the handiest sections is on RAM and all the different types from SIPS, DIMMS, SIMMS, and DDR types, Scott covers it all, explaining it in easy to understand terms while providing comprehensive coverage for more advanced users.

It the DVD alos has 2 hours of video in which he gives a great over view of what's covered in the book, with segments laid out like chapters. As a reference guide to answer question that users might have, enabling them to identify and understand what they've got in their machine, this is the book. The downside for us and the upside for Scott, is you almost need to buy one every year to keep current, but as I said, I do like the idea of putting old issues on DVD so they can be referenced as well. For the advanced user, it's essential and required reference.

I think this book is great, informative, addictive, and awesome. Scott writes a good book. Don't care much for his "fondness" for Intel, but otherwise a best buy for detailed information on PC's.

We were givin this book last Christmas to read to our baby and have now bought it for a housewarming gift. This is a beautiful, whimsical book that will delight all ages. I'm glad that Amazon.com carries it because we've found that NOBODY shelves it in stock, which is a shame because I think more people would love this book if they saw it on the shelves. The paintings are simply fantastic, and the words delight even our little 16 month old.

I have seen so many of Scott Gustafson's works in his books, as well as his art, that I am still amazed by each new concept he comes up with. ALPHABET SOUP is full of beautiful and awe-inspiring pictures, that, as you read it with your children or on your own, you are able to loose yourself in the fantasy of its realm. Whether you are 2 or 200, you can not help but smile. A fantastic, whimsical journey through the animal kingdom's cookbook.

"Alphabet Soup" is a beautifully-illustrated, whimsical book that beginning readers will enjoy. Unlike other alphabet books, this book encourages discussion about animals and foods, as well as some pretty funny situations. My favorite letter in the book is "W" for "Wing Walking Weenies", with hot dogs doing death-defying tricks on the wings of a biplane! It's the best! A highly-recommended book.

now that scientists are plotting to put microchips in human beings, this novel is more salient and relevant than ever. i think this should be required reading for anyone who thinks of cloning, genetic engineering, and cybernetics as mere larks. the villian in the piece is a little too realistic, if you know what i mean. this is a very enjoyable book.

I truly hope Scott Grusky's vision of the future does not come to pass. He gives us a little sugar with our medicine, though. The story is clever, entertaining, and often funny. It's a fascinating tale of where society might be headed (although I hope not).

While reading Silicon Sunset by Scott Grusky, I was shocked and horrified by many of its plotlines. If Grusky's vision and completely logical premonitions come true, the world will be a living computer application-- complete with a KILLER APP.....

Grusky, a newcomer to the Sci-Fi book world, could quite possibly be one of the greatest writers our time. Deftly intelligent and with quick-witted humor, Grusky explores the darker side of the high-technology trends.

This book will win awards this year. ***** 5 Stars

In 1903, the Alamo was almost destroyed. A large eastern business interest came with plans to raze the abandoned Hugo-Schmeltzer warehouse and erect modern buildings in its place. The old warehouse was an eyesore and stood as a daily reminder that perceived progress is only transitory.

The problem? The gaudy wooden building, that in some ways resembled an amusement park structure with it's crenelated exterior and fake cannon, sat atop the original stone construction of Mission San Antonio de Valero's convent--a.k.a. the Long Barracks. In short, they wanted to tear down the Alamo.

Under the leadership of two extraordinary women, Adina de Zavala and Clara Driscoll, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas engaged in what became known as the "Second battle for the Alamo."

Clara Driscoll, a wealthy socialite, put up the $75,000 necessary to buy the property with the understanding that the State of Texas would buy it back and assign custodianship to the DRT. Adina de Zavala, a Mexican-American woman whose roots ran deep in Texas, was a fierce advocate for preserving the historical structures of San Antonio. Two women from two different cultures, but with a common goal.

Because we hold the Alamo and all that it represents so dear, it's surprising, that the people of Texas were once politically divided on this issue. For five long years there were turbulent disputes. It finally took Adina de Zavala barricading herself inside the Alamo for three days to bring resolve to the situation and to protect the buildings from demolition.

In Scott Zesch's novel, the title "Alamo Heights" represents the social struggle between Anglos and Hispanics and within the strata of Hispanic culture itself. In 1903, Alamo Heights was the Knob Hill of San Antonio. If you lived in Alamo Heights, then you had arrived.

In the novel, Adina De Zavala is characterized by Rose De Leon Herrera, the wife of a young aspiring lawyer, Antonio Herrera. In one sense, she and her husband "have arrived" and are part of San Antonio's social elite. At the same time they must struggle to remain there. Antonio Herrera is constantly mortified by his wife's outspoken behavior for fear it may topple him from his hard-won social position. Rose Herrera wants to protect the Alamo as a symbol of her heritage. To do so, she comes to odds with nearly everyone.

Clara Driscoll is characterized by Alva Carson Keane a young girl of privilege who has become a popular modern romance authoress. Alva's reasons for saving the Alamo property, we find, are to erect a monument to her late cattle-baron father.

Both women are strong characters and conflict ensues as their egos and cultures clash. This conflict becomes clear when we discover that Alva is heir to Tres Piedras, a large cattle ranch near Laredo that once belonged to Rose's grandfather. Bad blood, culture and race separate these two women, but they are brought together by a common bond: to save the Alamo.

Zesch introduces us to an equally strong character in sculptress Mathilda Guenther, a composite of several real artists. Matilda is an older woman, but a free spirit who was born too early. A friend and ally to Rose, she would have fit in nicely into the bohemian communities of Soho, Paris or Berkeley.

Rafael Menchaca is the only strong male character in the novel. He is a coarse and uncultured mariachi/street vendor who calls himself the "voice of the people." He expresses his rebelliousness by idealistically voicing the struggles of his people through his songs. Socially, he is the antithesis of Rose Herrera and resentfully describes her kind as the "Tejano Bourgeoisie"

An intergral subplot develops when Rose's son, Enrique, a promising musician, aspires to become an apprentice to Rapheal Menchaca. In the process he falls in love with Menchaca's daughter Eva, a beautiful and talented sculptoress. Menchaca's opposition to this relationship soon draws Rose away from her lofty position in Alamo Heights.

Scott Zesch's novel, Alamo Heights, is a fictionalized account of the fight to preserve the Alamo. He has brought to life another time and place and thoughtfully interwoven this landscape with fully-developed characters, most of whom are based on real individuals.

The groundwork for his characterizations comes from his in-depth research of Zavala, Driscoll and others and of a time in San Antonio's history where women, especially strong outspoken women were a rarity.

The author's grasp of the cultura, or Tejano culture, at the beginning of the twentieth century is comprehensive. He examines Hispanic's attitudes toward women as their community struggles to inculturate with the growing Anglo population.

Each character is dynamic and self-determined, possessing an individual agenda. Zesch skillfully orchestrates his characters through his main story line and numerous subplots, creating a fascinating tale not of history, but an intriguing interpretation of real historical events.

Though heady stuff, Alamo Heights, is a light, easy read. It is well written and has inspired me to look further into its historical story behind the story. I look forward to future offerings from Scott Zesch.

Randell Tarin, Managing Editor(emeritus)
Alamo de Parras

This was a fascinating read. Mr. Zesch has taken a sweeping historical saga and distilled it to its human core. It was refreshing to read that the battle for the Alamo was about more than Davy Crockett and his coonskin cap. I celebrated Rose's triumph as if it were my own. I am convinced this author has much more to say. I can't wait to read his next work.

This book is very entertaining. One of the best ways to judge a book is to ask yourself, "Do I want to learn more about this topic?" With Mr. Zesch's book the answer is emphatically "Yes!".

In the boom economy of today, with a bust probably around the corner, Fitzgerald's stories of American dreams, aspirations to riches and ultimate human frailty have a renewed relevance and poignancy. This collection is worth getting if only for 'The Ice Palace' and 'Babylon Revisited'. Also great reading is 'The Rich Boy', 'The Freshest Boy', and 'Crazy Sunday'. Other stories in this collection are 'May Day', 'The Diamond Big as the Ritz', 'Winter Dreams', 'Absolution', and 'The Long Way Out'.

I bought this volume of stories simply to get a copy of Fitzgerald's "May Day" which I'd read in one of my college texts and then could not find for years. I have always felt that "May Day" would make a superb film--and the screenwriter could lift most of the dialogue right out of the story. It is that good and simple and dramatic. Actually every one of the stories in this collection is first rate. Here is Fitzgerald, only in his 20's, writing of American aspirations before, during and after World War I. And no one wrote about this subject better than he did. The characters are rich and complex, all of them dissatisfied with the bones that life has thrown them, all of them desiring what others have. The reader sees their foibles and loves them anyway. These are not perfect people. They are real people in a time of trouble--fighting, most of them, simply to stay afloat in a world changing faster than anyone would have thought possible. I cannot recommend these brilliant stories highly enough. There is also a brief life and appreciation of Fitzgerald in this lovely Scribner edition.

I've just started on this book and already the stories I've read so far I have to rate as among the best short stories I have ever read. "Winter Dreams" was just exquisitely gorgeous, "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" is a fantasy of astonishing invention, and "May Day" really opened my eyes to the unlimited terrain the short format offers. Fitzgerald is a genius--his ability to evoke imagery and illusion is absolutely breathtaking!

Originally published serially in "The Saturday Evening Post," Fitzgerald's "The Basil and Josephine Stories" was probably underappreciated in its time--the late 1920s. Fitzgerald's mastery of prose and storytelling shine, however, in this collection of short stories. The book is divided into two halves, the first dealing with Basil (a fictionalized version of Fitzgerald as a young man) and the second with Josephine (a fictional young woman in America in the early part of the 20th century). We follow Basil through the adventures and misadventures of his early life as he searches for acceptance and meaning. Josephine searches for love and friendship, among other things. Both meet with success that can only be described as questionable. Beautifully written and suprisingly deep, this collection offers profound insight into the psyche of the Lost Generation. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in modern American literature.

this charming collection of stories written by f. scott fitzgerald follows the physical, emotional, and social growth of two characters at the turn of the century. Basil, the typical rebellious child, struggles to find some understanding of life, school, friendship, and, most importantly, women. fitzgerald details a number of episodes in basil's life starting with his childhood and following him through his entrance into school. i don't know if basil ever entirely grew up or learned as much as he desired, but he came as close as any man can. the josephine stories follow roughly the same time span, but tend to focus more on her relationships and her place in society as a young woman at the turn of the century. all of the stories are masterfully told and it is obvious why fitzgerald became such a well known and respected writer. his storytelling is unparalleled and his descriptive language and imagery transports the reader to a different place and time. i highly recommend this book to any fitzgerald fan, whether an experienced one or a not-so-experienced one. i think it a shame that this book does not get more recognition than it does, recognition that it most definitely deserves.

I really liked this book. And this isn't coming from some super-articulate adult. This is coming from a 14-year-old High School Freshman. It really shows you what life was like back then in the early 1910's, and how teens back then deal with the same stuff as we do, such as popularity, dating, cars, etc.