First of all, it is easy to see how this work won the 1980 Somerset Maugham Award for Non-Fiction. I was totally riveted throughout. After reading the book in nearly one sitting, I felt exhausted and numb. The book is an indictment against the entire theory of strategic bombing in WWII and the wholesale slaughter of civilians specifically. While Max Hastings devotes much time to "Bomber" Harris who conducted the night-air campaign without reflection or apologies, his sharpest barbs are for those politicians (Churchill included) and senior military planners that made policy. These hid behind an unspoken but widely understood policy that wide-area terror bombing was the only avenue available to Bomber Command for most of the war but refused to discuss the subject honestly in the public arena in the hopes that they could maintain some sense of moral superiority over their enemy. Hastings also correlates Bomber Command's policy and operations with that of the USAAF, who he writes also hid behind a pretense that collateral casualties were a regrettable but unavoidable tragedy of war. Of course the hypocrisy of this position was laid bare following the continued slaughter of unprotected German cities in 1945 long after everyone knew that the bombing would make no difference to the outcome or even pace of the war, it became bombing just for bombing's sake, or in the case of Dresden, showing the Soviets what Anglo-American air power could do; slaughtering refugees fleeing from the advancing Soviet horde. In fact, the Associated Press reported in February 1945 that the Allied Air Chiefs had embarked on a terror campaign against the German civilian population, but Hastings points out that this news scoop was 3 years late (it had of course been policy soon after the British realized they could not hit specific targets at night). The most mind numbing account is late in the book in which Hastings describes in detail the bombing of Darmstadt. The Allied armies were within 100 miles of Darmstadt and the civilians were under the mistaken impression that they would be spared. In September 1944 Bomber Command made Darmstadt its next target for destruction. As Hastings makes the point, the horror is not that the attack was particularly special or difficult, it was the routine of it all that made it so terrible. The entire process reminds me of the banal evil more often associated with the murder of the Jews; being led into the concentration camps were "the system" would process and prepare them for organized and efficient death. Such was the case of German cities by late 1944. The Luftwaffe had nearly run out of aviation fuel and could only put up a meaningful defense on occasion. The Anglo-American armies had overrun the Luftwaffe's radar belts, so even when fuel was available, the Luftwaffe night-fighters could receive no warnings or directions. The "system" identified a German city for destruction, the bombers went up, everyone did their job and went home. Numbers were difficult to come by, but perhaps 10,000 died in that raid. 1 out of every 5 was a child under 16. 1.81 women for every man (at this stage of the war most men away from the war fronts were elderly). The casualties inflicted upon the citizens of Darmstadt were less than that of many larger German cities, but demonstrates that no German city regardless of size or importance was immune to terror bombing. In fact, Hastings describes how several German cities were identified for destruction not because they contributed to the German war effort, but because they could be easily destroyed, as in the case of medieval cities with a preponderance of wooden housing. Hastings describes the eventual unspoken shame that the wholesale slaughter of the German civilian population left in the minds of the British royalty and government. After the war, Churchill tried his best to distance himself from it and declined to secure a peerage for "Bomber" Harris (a reward given to many with lesser responsibilities). The Bomber Command aircrew were not awarded a Campaign Medal, though the Luftwaffe night-fighters and flak crews inflicted between 72,000-73,000 casualties on British Bomber Command alone. "Bomber" Harris himself emigrated with his family to South Africa soon after the war, shunned by those that used him to conduct their own policies. Hastings makes clear that nobody wanted to take credit for the terror bombing policies of Bomber Command after the smoke of WWII cleared. Hastings does not fault the young aircrew themselves and has nothing but admiration for them. Even so, during his research for the book, he interviews a surviving pilot who became a teacher after the war. The former Bomber Command pilot asks Hastings if others he interviewed complained of nightmares. Perhaps something for the young to think about the next time their government orders then to bomb civilians. Does a state of war really justify the killing of defenseless civilians? Does it really matter that the other side did it first (though in fact many give credit to Churchill for having a German city bombed first in the hopes of redirecting Luftwaffe focus from the RAF airfields to British cities, giving the RAF a new lease on life at the height of the Battle of Britain. This strategy proved successful). Regardless who bombed who first, can killing nearly a million German (and thousands of French) civilians be morally justified? There seems no doubt that the western Allies gave up much of the moral superiority they seem so fond of taking for granted. The biggest irony of all is a point Hastings makes again and again, would not the war have been conducted more efficiently had the resources lavishly spent on Bomber Command been used to assist the British armies and Royal Navy instead? The morale of the German civilian population and their industrial production levels never faltered throughout the day (USAAF) and night (Bomber Command) bombings, only when the German war machine ran out of manpower and fuel did Hitler's armies finally fall back and eventually become overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers. It seems quite probable that the horrors unleashed on the civilian populations did little to actually win the war.

This was a fascinating, and at times, disturbing read. How people in command at the highest levels stubbornly adhere to theories of warfare in the face of mounting evidence disproving those theories, and despite having no clear criteria for success. Hastings offers a balanced examination of a difficult subject, and a critique which is careful to judge the decisions made and actions taken within the context of the times, rather than undertaking a ex post facto guilt trip. The use of the airmen's personal stories, and the harrowing description of the raid on Darmstadt help illuminate the history.

This book is a history of the British Bomber Command. The horror of world war one led the British to build a strategic air force as a means of avoiding the sorts of casualties faced in that war. It was hoped that by using air craft Germany could be made to surrender.

This book is an examination of the failure of that strategic concept. In the first days of the war the British tried a daylight raid on Bremen naval yards. It was generally thought that bombers could get through in daylight due to their speed and defensive armament. This turned out to be a false assumption and a large number of the British Bombers were shot down. Further raids confirmed the vulnerability of unescorted bombers and from that time on it was decided that British Bombers would fly only at night.

For some months bombers flew out at night and tried to bomb various military and industrial targets. The bombing was so inaccurate generally hitting farmland and forests that the Germans were not able to even work out what the intended targets were. The British carried out evaluations and found that only a small percentage of bombs were falling within miles of the targets.

As a result a change in strategy was adopted and that was to bomb the German civilian population. The reason for that was that cities by comparison were easy to find and the use of incendiaries could lead to destructive fires which could destroy housing stock.

The only problem with the strategy was that it resulted in the deaths mainly of the elderly women and children. The structure of German cities was such that the burning and bombing of cities only had a marginal effect on industrial production. (The situation was different in Japan where industry was dotted throughout cities and the fire bombing led to the collapse of industrial production in that country)

The German night fighter effort was reasonably successful against the British Bombers so that the casualty rates of British air crews was very high. The book argues that in general terms the campaign was a poor use of resources and had limited effects until near the end of the war. By late 1944 the German air force was practically destroyed and allied bombers by that time had such a preponderance that they were able to destroy the transport network and to destroy production.

The book is well written easy to read and a fascinating look at a topic that has been dominated by myth makers not truth seekers.

Safe Computer: How To Protect Your Computer, Your Body, Your Data, Your Money And Your Privacy In The Information Age is specifically designed for anyone wanting or needing to use the computer for the personal and professional needs but are reluctant or uncomfortable in doing so because of all the stories they've heard about computer viruses, hackers, computer fraud, computer crashes, eyestrain, data loss, aching wrists, even identity theft. Tom Bentley takes a clear, comprehensive, reassuring, "reader friendly" approach in teaching the novice computer user how to protect and back up data; avoid computer usage caused aches, pains and repetitive stress injuries; avoid and overcome viruses, worms and Trojan Horses; foil hackers and identity thieves; keep secure from theft and fraud; preserve privacy while Web surfing, and much, much more. Very highly recommended reading guaranteed to restore operator confidence and assurance, Safe Computer is also enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM.

Safe Computing is an invaluable reference to protecting one's data, computer, money, privacy and warding off those nasty viruses and worms. It comes with a bonus CD-ROM relative to the contents of the book, for those of you fear too much separation from your computer.

It is written and formatted in a layout that is quickly accessible as you consider tossing caution to the winds and exposing your wider identity/credit card numbers to that amorphous and uncertain Cyber-World. Furthermore, when your eyes are burning, your back hunched like so many Quasimodo computer geeks, and your wrists twinging after all-night forays on the Internet, it offers a pleasing alternative to the computer screen. Unlike those software manuals, it is actually the sort of book that you may wish to keep close by your computer, for a much-needed chuckle at Mr Bentley's writing style, as well as its topical hints. It may even find its way into parents and parents-in-law Christmas stockings this year, to ward off those pesky questions concerning computing (which you can never seem to answer adequately anyhow).

A comprehensive reference manual it is, so toss out those slighter volumes about trying to protect your kids from all the mayhem on the net or how to sit up straight when typing away, and buy it.

Tom Bentley's self help manual offers lots of wonderful information to help anyone who deals with computers but, as a high school info tech (or computer)teacher I especially have found it beneficial. His pointers, advise and general information have practical application for the computer class, career preparation and business computing. I would even recommend it as a manual for employers who are concerned about the well being of employees and their computers.

Bentley has found a common sense approach for passing on information which is neither preechy or condescending. In short, I found this book to be a great read and a lot of help to me personally and the students I am teaching.

Growing up in San Antonio, my family frequently traveled to Rockport for the weekend. We would fish at night and go sightseeing by day. As a child I was always fascinated by the area and I grew so did this curiosity.
Four years ago I read in the Rockport Pilot's Visitor Guide that this book existed. That very day I was dragging my wife around looking for it, finally found it at the Art Museum by the beach. The entire weekend was spent skimming and reading this wonderful book. Since I have got the book I have read and re-read it many many times.
Today I enjoy visiting Rockport as often as I can. While driving around I try to picture what it was like at the turn of the century when the Aransas Hotel was still stood and the Baily Pavillion was THE place to be. Who would have thought that the little towns of Rockport and Fulton would have such a deep history?

I have been visiting the Gulf Coast/Aransas Pass area for 9 years now. Every time I go I am intrigued by everything I see. The history that resides there is amazing. I stay at a house on Fulton Beach Road that is filled with history. It has been in my friends family for over one hundred years. The house is actually mentioned in the book. This book is an amazing look at an amazing time in an amazing place. If you are interested in the history of the Texas Coastal Bend then this the book for you.

Thanks, John Conner San Jose, CA

As a resident of Rockport, in Aransas Co., Texas, but not a native, I was interested in the history of this part of the state. When Sue Taylor and Bill Allen's book, ARANSAS, A Tale of a Texas Coastal County, was published, I was among many who lined up for Sue's signature on my copy.

It was a thick book, I put it aside until I had time to go through it. I've just had 10 days off, and that was among my reading activities.

I assumed it would be historical; so I did not anticipate reading it as I do some novels. But I started. To my surprise, it caught my attention and imagination right away.

Also, to my surprise, I lingered over the words because they painted pictures I wanted to enjoy. I took much longer to read this book, because I was captivated by the words themselves.

The story moved along like an adventure tale, which the history of Texas actually is. It was dangerous, scary, wild, and took courageous and foolhardy men and women to survive. Texas had citizens with those characteristics on both sides of the Rio Grande.

The saga of many real families unfolded. Reading ARANSAS was like looking at a photograph album of one's grandparents--or great-grandparents. You never met them, but through this book you do know them. They became real people, with real personalities.

I did not know of the participation of Aransas County in both the Texas Revolution and the Civil War. It was a port to be conquered by the "other" side in both wars--a strategic military outpost. Other history books refer to the importance of Copano Bay.

Throughout the book the authors give geographic locations of homes or stores or hotels or fishing or cattle wharfs. In the back the references are detailed. We can still visit these places. That's my next goal--to find where history happened, and is still going on.

Frances Mayo

A fascinating story of murder and mystery among strangers.

Parnell Hall has written another well-loved Stanley Hastings mystery. Private detective Stanley Hastings and his wife, Alice, have just taken a vacation to relax when strange things begin to happen. On a hiking trip Stanley meets lots of new people who all turn out to stay in the same inn where he's vacationing. This seems strange to Stanley, but he doesn't mind until someone begins killing the guests one by one, bringing his vacation plans to an end. The officer investigating the murders suspects everyone, even Stanley, until all clues lead to the arrest of one of the other guests. Believing the guest to be innocent, the Hastings try to find the real murderer.

If you are looking for a book that will keep you guessing and that has a twisting plot, this is the book for you. It has interesting characters and a surprise ending that will make you unable to put this book down. So settle in for an evening of mystery.

Each time someone in the book asks, "I beg your pardon?" I tumble into hysterics. This is the result of cleverly built up dialogue that becomes funnier with each fragment of repartee.
Who cares about the plot? This author is a genius who could solve all the problems of the world with his wonderfully optimistic and forgiving attitude, and a humor that is on the par with the very best comedy writers (even exceeding them). I had to stop reading at times to prevent myself from strangling on my own convulsive laughter. Have mercy, Parnell. If you had been any funnier, I'd have gladly died laughing.

The fun starts the moment that Stanley and Alice check into the Blue Frog Inn and doesn't stop until the improbable(or just goofy)conclusion. I've read all of the books in this series and while this is a little different from most it is just zany enough to keep you reading. It involves two murders, a small town sheriff who doesn't have a clue and a little bit of everything for everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun light mystery to read.

Collaboratively developed and written by Adobe experts Pattie Belle Hastings, Bjorn Akselsen, and Sandee Cohen, Adobe Acrobat 5 Master Class: Interactivity and Multimedia for PDF a thorough, professionally produced guide to every aspect of creating, enhancing, viewing, and using PDF work files to create high-quality, professional-looking documents on the computer using Adobe Acrobat 5. Adobe Acrobat 5 Master Class is a first-rate, comprehensive, indispensable book and CD-ROM combination and highly recommended for Adobe Acrobat users at all skill and experience levels.

This book is exceptional on many levels.

From the very first moment you pick it up and open it, you know you are dealing with the best of graphic design. The pages are laid out with great taste. All the elements work together on the page. You can read the body copy with no pictures jumping up in the way of your thoughts. Then you can look at the bottom of the pages to follow the step by step instruction. Mr. Akselsen and Ms. Hastings deserve an award for their ground-breaking design.

Reading the book copy is like inviting three friends over for dinner to discuss everything from interactive design to using Acrobat's tool. Each chapter starts with background material that is so much deeper than just Acrobat. It's the kind of discussion that makes you think hard about the purpose of your project. Anyone can tell you how to create a link. These authors talk about why and when you should or should not.

Finally, there are beautiful pages that feature the work of accomplished designers who are using Acrobat in ways I would have never expected. Acrobat files that look like Flash pages. Acrobat files that are like interactive Director documents. Acrobat files that are games, puzzles, interactive maps. It made my head spin.

Oh, and did I mention the incredible CD that comes with the book???? You don't just look at the examples and lessons in the book. You can open the actual documents and follow along, take them apart, and see how they were put together. This is better than any Classroom in a Book. And way beyond what anyone else has written about Acrobat.

This book isn't just the best of the bunch for learning Acrobat, it's the book that all other computer books should be aspiring to be like.

I've used Adobe Acrobat at work, but was not remotely aware of all the capabilities of the software till I opened this "Master Class." I found the book easy to use, inviting to read, and full of helpful examples. The design is beautiful. I like the fact that you can choose your own level, use the "quick guide" or go more in depth, if you choose. I highly recommend this book, both for beginners and more advanced users.

This book fills in a nice gap of WWII history in that it covers the initial battles that followed immediately after D-Day. Max Hastings does an excellent job of trying to figure out why certain parts of the Allied plan went so well, while others seemed to take forever. Additionally, he interviewed numerous Germans involved with the Normandy command in order to give perspective on what the German Army was experiencing and how this affected the outcome of certain battles.

I really enjoyed the new material and research that Hastings reveals as he tells the tale following D-Day. His treatment of the US Army is pretty balanced (some units fought well, while other "green units" had a tough time fighting the Germans), and I think he draws some interesting conclusions. His point that American Paratroopers and Ranger units were essential to the success of many battles highlights the success (and misuse at times) of these units.

Hastings goes into great detail about why the British/Canadian army struggled so much to take Caen. He has some critical words about Montgomery performance (he promised much, but deliverd little), but concludes overall that the British had a much more difficult fight against a stronger part of the German defense. I really enjoyed this section of the book because I have not read much about this part of the battle.

Hastings does talk at length about the mistake of letting the German Army escape at Falaise, although he concludes that the US Army would not have been able to close the gap with the units available. I do not totally agree with this conclusion, but it makes for interesting discussion.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in the ETO, especially Operation Overlord. If you are looking for a book specifically about D-Day, this is not the best one, in that it covers all of Operation Overlord, not just the invasion.

Max Hastings has with this book produced yet another masterpiece. Having read Carlo D'Este's brilliant "Decision in Normandy," I had doubts that anyone could do it better - but Hastings certainly has.
For several years, authors writing about the campaign have had a tendency to repeat comfortable half-truths and myths, and have conveniently forgotten all the problems that dogged the Allied advance. Much space has been devoted to the terrible bocage and to Montgomery's mistakes, but little to the fact that many of the Allied troops - American as well as British - fought poorly and were in the end regarded as unreliable by their own commanders.
Personally, I found it refreshing that the problems the Americans had were finally analized thoroughly. Irritatingly, the British have been blamed for just about everything that went wrong in the campaign, while the American failures(which were just as numerous as the British) have been "forgotten." That is what makes this book so refreshing! Hastings describes the lacklustre performance of numerous American units in great detail, and points out that the airborne divisions had to be kept longer in battle than what was originally intended because other American units fought poorly. At the same time, he describes the similar British problems with brutal honesty.

In the end, one gets a far better understanding of this battle. It becomes clear that the British attacks on Caen was the key to the battle, and that the reason that it took them so long to take it was that the Germans concentrated the bulk of their armour to stop them - leaving the unexperienced Americans a better chance to succeed. It also becomes clear that the Germans fought exceptionally well, and that their superiority over the Allied soldiers time after time frustrated the great plans of the Allied commanders. And above all, it becomes clear that Montgomery - that master of warfare - had to fight with his hands tied because of the lack of British replacements.

In all, a brilliant book from a brilliant author, and one which I will recommend to anyone interested in learning about this legendary campaign.

When I read history, I want to know both sides of the story. Reading one viewpoint is usually more about propaganda and less about history. Max Hastings satisfies this requirement. When digging into the facts of both the Western Allies (Americans, British, Canadians, Poles, and French) and the Germans and their less enthusiastic allies, Hastings describes bravery and honor on both sides. In addition, you get the warts that many historians gloss over (British reluctance to even embark on a mainland invasion, fairly equal amounts of shootings of POWs by both sides, and others). Most interesting is his indepth look at the contentious relationship between Montgomery and the Americans. Hastings points out that despite lackluster elan demonstrated by British and Canadian forces, it is true that Montgomery (and the USAAF) facilitated the final breakout of American forces (Cobra) by holding down the cream of German forces in Normandy, namely the Waffen-SS Panzer Corps, especially the very aggressive 12th SS Hitler Jugend (Youth) division. Hastings points out that with the exception of scattered German Parachute troops, American forces were tied down by mostly underequipped units made up of old survivors recovered from wounds on the eastern front, so-called volunteers from territories annexed by the Germans on the eastern front, and late-war scrapings of German manpower. Only later in the Normandy campaign did the Americans face some first-rate units, namely 2nd Waffen-SS "Das Reich", whose impact was weakened by constant losses from Allied fighter-bombers before reaching the scene of battle and whose battle-plans were intercepted by Ultra and thus lost the element of surprise (Mortain offensive). Hastings also makes a very interesting point, which does more to praise the U.S. airborne troops recently portrayed in HBO's excellent "Band of Brothers" series. These paratroopers were supposed to be sent back to England once the Allied foothold on the Continent was secured, but because of poor performance by regular infantry divisions, these paratroopers were forced to take the lead again and again in order to make headway against stubborn German resistance. The invaluable contributions made by American Airborne and Rangers and British Commandos should lay to rest the criticisms made by the regular Army leaders that special forces were a drain on top-notch manpower that should have gone to regular units. Though one could argue that these men could have raised the fighting proficiency of regular infantry units, the esprit de corps generated in elite combat units would still be absent. All in all, one gets the impression that Allied victory in Normandy was inevitable given the total Allied superiority in resources (especially air and naval power), but enough unknowns were still in play to make the outcome interesting. One thing is certain, Hitler's manic micromanagement of German strategy certainly was more of a benefit to the Allied cause than anything the Allied General's planned themselves (with the exception of the entire misdirection campaign aimed at confusing the Germans as to the actual location of the invasion), especially following the bomb plot which almost took Hitler's life. German Generals who knew what to do to save their armies were left powerless to watch Hitler destroy them in his own stupid strategies. I believe it humbling to admit that Allied victory in Normandy had more to do with the failings of the Nazi power structure than any magnificent feat of arms displayed on the battlefield, though the Americans certainly demonstrated more willingness to accept losses and risks than their British & Canadian counterparts.

More than eight years in the making, the editors deserve a note of thanks for compiling this thoughtful, thorough and scholarly collection of 260 theologians' thoughts on more than 600 of Christianity's big issues.

The book represents a panorama of viewpoints. Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, conservative, radical and evangelical viewpoints are all represented in the signed entries. A bibliography follows each essay and cross-references lead from one topic to another. Controversial topics are dealt with in a balanced fashion.

I have two problems with the book. First, I am easily distracted when I use it. This is more my problem than the editors'. When I consult this volume I have a specific topic or question I want answered. The interesting and provocative nature of the entries often leads me far astray from the question I want answered. It is the same problem I have with Study Bibles. I become so enmeshed in the commentary; I lose sight of the verse or topic I want to research.

Second, graphically each page is a vast sea of gray. There are no illustrations, pictures or white space to visually break up the entries. If the content were not so stimulating, you would never pick up the book.

Despite my reservations, this is a great addition to any Christian's library. If it were not for the graphics, it would deserve five stars.

There is no denying that the Oxford Companion to Christian Thought is a very expensive book, but as it is something like an entire library in one book, it sure is worth its price.

You can have a look at the table of contents to see what you can find in the Companion. The essays are written by brilliant and committed theologians, there isn't even a whiff of the dead prose of encycolpedias.

The stress is on contemporary theology, but the excerpts which are accessible here show you that the history of Christian thought is well represented too.

Christianity is more than just your local church and your local preacher's views. This book gives you an idea what has been going on all around the world in the past 2000 years. There is much to learn!

This book is quite an amazing look at Christianity. Not only does it cover a wide range of topics, its contributors come from a variety of backgrounds. It is niether centered on Western Christianity nor is it overly dogmatic. Particularly I was impressed with the tact with which hotly debated issues were presented (e.g., abortion, homosexuality, etc.). Moreover, it is extraordinarily accessible while remaining engaging. The articles are written excellently with further readings provided at the end. It's an impressive accomplishment that I would whole-heartedly recommend to any Christian from any background.

What a book you will need help cooling down. This book has it all and it is not smutty (girl/girl;group;threesome;boy/girl).I have re-read this several times and each time it gets better.The only down fall to me was the control freak Katherine meets in the library and several other times. Katherine is in charge and knows what she wants throughout the book except with this guy. Seemed kinda wishy-washy. I would recommend this book to anyone

Ah yes Cambridge and to be surrounded by what polite society would call 'sexually active' members of that venerable institution ....

Catherin the slightly older writer looking for a quiet spot to write a roman historical book learns that maybe she his a lot more sexual than she might wish to admit to herself, and Maggie, the young student that gives the term licentious slut a whole new meanu=ng, finds out that maybe theres more to life and love than sex ....

The two girls learn from each other, and, in the process, of course, enjoy each other.

I liked this book ... it is well written with some very very equisite and salacious sexual escapades that make it ablsolutely yummie ....

If you ever wondered what the term 'sexually active' means today then BUY this book ...

The book takes place in the university of Cambridge in the UK, and 30'ish Catherin is an aspiring classic novelist and is trying to write a book about some of the more carnal delights of the Roman Empire. She moves into a flat and her neighbour, Maggie, is one down and out young, blonde, nympho that treats sex and men like a delicious snack. It's like corn chips, once you eat one then you cant stop till you finish the whole bag.

The book then of course deals with the sexual escapades of the two women in their search for the perfect man. And what a seach it is .... absolutely wonderful and well written .....

Subtitled "High fashion techniqus for creating great-looking clothes" the illustrations and instructions are thorough. There are two drawbacks: a substantial amount of decorative stitching described is not available on the average serger. In fact, one of the more attractive decorative stitches in the book was for a Bernina serger that wasn't yet on the market at the time of publication. There are a lot of creative suggestions anyone can use, but you may feel "left-out" because much is geared to coverlockers that also do chainstitching and a lot of the decorative work is chainstitch-based. After reading it, I felt like I needed a new serger and the one I have is less than a year old! Second, the "Garment Gallery" is too long, my opinion. The seamstresses are rightly proud of their work, but it was more than I wanted to see. That said, if you are well acquainted with your serger's basic stitching, and want to explore its creative potential, this is a great book full of tips and ideas.

Truly excellent, I refer to it all the time for creative ideas. Just like other books on sewing, some ideas are a little cheesy for my taste. Having said that, I still think this is the best creative serging guide out there. I love the serged toggle buttons, flatlocked zipper, chain stiched details, serged French seam and the keyhole back placket serging guide. My clothes have never looked better! As for the machine, they have suggestions on how to adapt sergers with fewer stitches. I bought my machine used & factory serviced--it was a much better buy than paying the same money for a new machine with fewer options.

Serger Secrets has been one of the best books on this issue that I have ever read. I loved the full color illistrations on the different stitches the serger can do. It helps the mind to use it's imagination and create anything it wants. I found so many helpful ideas throughout the book . It was just one great book.