Lightning Song has one of the world's funniest seduction scenes. Nordan's prose is funny, brisk and authentic, but I felt a little "had" by what seemed the staged eccentricities of the characters and the situations, which bordered on the formulaic Southern Gothic. Still, I got caught up in the story toward the end and did finally buy into it. I just wish I felt like Nordan was writing from deep within his heart. But he is so good, it's worth the read.

This was the first Lewis Nordan novel I read, and it was the perfect way to start. This book is funny--very, very funny.

If you are a fan of magic realism--Salman Rushdie, Gabriel Garcia Marquez--you have to give this novel a try; it is magic realism with a southern twist. Lightning continues to strike the house, becoming a living, breathing character in the novel. Magazines glow. A girl with fins twirls a baton with amazing talent.

About half way through this book, you will be back online looking for other Lewis Nordan novels, so you won't have to wait a second between books.

A very readable, moving account of an emotional period of a 12-year old boy's existence. While the lone fault of this novel may be that many questions seem left unanswered, that could be intentional...as if Nordan is saying there aren't any easy answers in life, especially when you're twelve and have just made the discovery that you're parents are no longer in love. Alternating between funny, painful and heartwarming, at certain moments Lightning Song manages to touch on all the emotions at once. Enjoyable and rewarding, this book will have me reading the author's other works in short order.

This was a great book outlining many of the things a company did to succeed while under pressure. I enjoyed the "Back at Work" sidebars, annecdotes about how they applied the techniques in this book.

This book details common sense approaches to different aspects of software development - from defining requirements to development to software testing - that are too often overlooked or undervalued in many software shops. I am a developer, but the book contains a wealth of practical tips and techniques for project managers, developers, QA team members, and functional managers. I highly recommend this book to anyone involved in software development that is looking for ways to improve the quality of the software they deliver. I never write reviews, but for me this book ranks up there with Steve McConnell's Code Complete as one of those books that I am constantly referring to in an ongoing effort to improve my ability to develop quality software.

I received Under Pressure and On Time as a gift
and read through it in a weekend. I found it
funny and full of practical solutions for my own
development team.
The chapter on "scheduling" addressed most all of
my particular challenges with terrific ideas.
I plan to keep a copy and pass along a copy.

In this book, Dr. Sullivan provides valuable insight to not only identify intangible assets, but to levegage them for cash or strategic position. I have found that many theorists whose books pertaining to IP and IC offer little more than vague principles written with an exclusionary tone. This book begins with the basics, then quickly moves through detailed strategies for valuation, portfolio management and commercialization. Of particular interest to me was the chapter on human capital, focusing on employees whose ideas directly generate income for a company. This book is a must-read, and I will recommend it to my professional associates, as well as users of the Ventius on-line community for IP professionals.

An important story to tell. Pat's new book is both an eye catcher and recipe for success. "Value Driven" takes the subject matter out the hypothetical and moves it into the real world where the bottom line counts. This is definitely suggested reading for any business manager charged with the responsibility extracting maximum value from the firms intellectual assets or more broadly, intellectual capital.

Written in a down-to-earth fashion, this is the first book of its kind to outline a roll-up-the-sleeves systematic approach to choosing the best options to leverage the firm's intangibles. Dr. Sullivan draws from his own experience as a leading consultant on the subject as well as that of companies who are recognized leaders in intellectual asset management.

As a practitioner, I will use this book within my own firm to help guide our business leaders as they wrestle with how to better manage their IA portfolios in order to achieve maximum shareholder value. A daunting task viewed by many, managing intangibles is made workable, providing a disciplined and systematic approach is adopted as Sullivan describes in his book.

I found this book to be extremely valuable in thinking about intangible assets in a new light. The use of charts and diagrams was especially helpful for me to grasp the value extraction concepts. This book will be valuable for anyone trying to realize value from the intellectual capital within their organization.

This book gives a very detailed(???),but very biased outlook on the Robinhood Hills murders. I bought the book after viewing the documentery "Paradise Lost", which also details the case. My main hopes during the reading of the book were to find out about any evidence that may not have been on the documentery and to see the case from a different point of view..Point taken. I urge anyone who has read the book to watch the documentery..the book seems to leave out how completely irresponsible the West Memphis Police Force and investigators truly are, and anyone reading the book without prior knowledge of the case are very likely to jump to the same conclusion that everyone in West Memphis did, and that, to me, is a very rendering and scary thought. I did learn one very important thing, though..some things have to be taken with a very large grain of salt......To all of my fellow West Memphis Three supportors out there, I am confident that our voices will be heard and that Damien, Jesse, and Jason will one day be free from this horrible injustice...Peace Out my friends.....

I bought this book to find out more information than I felt, the Paradise Lost HBO specials provided. I wasn't disappointed.The writers of this book went to great lengths to provide backrounds of the main characters, their family, and how they became the focus of the investagation.In Paradise Lost a lot of focus is put on Mark John Byers as a likely and overlooked suspect. I'm less convinced that he had the opportunity to have carried out the murders after reading the book.I come to this conclusion not because the authors promoted the guilt of the WM3, but because they are very objective and show many possiblities not only on MAY 5th but in the community around West Memphis prior to the crime. After reading this book I am still convinced also, that Damien Echols at the VERY LEAST should be removed from death row. If you are interested in the movement to FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS 3 then you should own this book!

If you want to know how three obviously innocent teenagers could get convicted of a triple homicide, then read this book. (And see the video "Paradise Lost: the Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills.")

There is no evidence and no motive to implicate the teenagers, just an inept, corrupt police investigation that wanted to clear the books on one of the most gruesome murders in Arkansas history.

Okay, I'll say it. The police set them up. It's not the first time that's happened. (More than sixty people have been released from death row because they were innocent. Now, how did they get there, I ask you?)

The most amazing thing about this well-written book is that the authors imply their belief in the guilt of Damien, Jesse, and Jason, but are unable to produce an compelling evidence to support their conclusions.

If you get a chance, write Damien a letter. He is on death row in Tucker, Arkansas, and he is innocent.

Read through some of the reviews in this book before you buy it!!! There are a number of things about this guide that are disappointing, so it's all the more pity that it seems to be the only published collection on independent films. (Let me preface my complaints by saying that, as with all film guides, the degree to which your taste lines up with the writer's makes a huge difference. Perhaps if I found this guide to be more consistent with my own taste, the other issues would not have bothered me so much.) Aside from the author's taste, here are some things about the guide that might bother you.

First, although the guide uses a rating system (from 4 "bones" [good] to a "woof" [bad]); you might be surprised, however, at how often the author will devote half a page describing a "woof" of a movie, and a mere few sentences describing a "four bone" film.

Second, although there are a number of useful appendices (films listed by director, cast member, category), there is no listing by rating; you'd think if they bother to rank films according to their bones system, at least they'd give us the chance to flip to the back and see a listing of what the author considers the best independent films.

Third, the author certainly knows film history, but it's annoying to have her rambling non-sequiters take the place of description or evaluation of a film (example: the entire "review" of "La Femme Nikita" is devoted to a tirade about how the American version of the film is a rip-off -- and how the tv series continues this corruption. Even if you agree with her, as I do, you may wish she at least described the orignal movie for those who have never seen it -- and gave some sense of what is interesting about it.)

Fourth, the physical format of the book is annoying; it is larger and "floppier" than other guides (such as the Time Out guide) and quite unwieldy (you won't find it is easy to sit and read, let alone carry into your video store).

Fifth, since Video Hound also publishes a companion guide to World Cinema, and since it's not clear what criteria are being used to include "foreign" (ie, non-English language) films in the current guide (the fact they are foreign? or famous? or the reviewer has seen them?), it's somewhat frustrating that there are a number of foreign films listed in this Independent Film Guide -- rather than more unknown or little-known indies.

I liked the book because of its personal nature. Its a good step in the right direction. I think Sullivan is funny and knows her stuff. A true film buff is rare. Its also outrageously comprehensive. What a way to spend your life--watching fabulous movies or not even so fabulous, and then writing your piece. The reviews are short--and I liked that--also, makes me want to dig deeper. A lot of worthwhile info!

It is clear that Sullivan has seen everything she reviewed and for that reason it makes the book very special. Even if she dislikes a film, its worth it to me to have this reference when I see it. I certainly agreed with what she wrote about 'A Boy and a Dog. After all, Don Johnson begs for ridicule, and its funny to hear that the press attaché begged her to go back in! And that's an example of a film that people seemed to like.

The same went for'Cold Feet' when the press kit included instructions on what to laugh at or not. I enjoy these insides to a reviewers life, just as all aspects of the movie business. I particularly loved Sullivan's review of 'Jackie Brown'!That was what I was thinking exactly. Pam Grier rocked in 'Coffie' but in Tarantino's film, she remains only an icon. I was also disappointed with the film 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by Almodovar after his brilliant 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown', and the insights of the review point to some reasons why it didn't work.

Check out the review on 'Good Will Hunting' and you can imagine the effects of media bombardment that tells the public to like something, through sheer advertising. How about 'The Player', which Sullivan cryptically warns us if its a case book study: 'Heaven help Hollywood in the 21st Century'. ( And we 'were' warned! I am not looking forward to the Oscars 2002!). And I want to see Altman's 'The Delinquents' now, which she suggests.

I will confess to being a movie reviewer". Further, she says 'I don't want a film to reinforce an opinion I already have. I want to see and hear the world from a perspective other than my own. I love it when a filmmaker shares a world that is wildly different from the one I've experienced up till now. Indies fill that need".

Monica's website 'Movie Magazine International' lives on in between reprints where I can keep up on independent film. I enjoy being a Monica Sullivan fan, she deserves her own cult and I sign up!

...then make this one of them. I think I've read that many, and my attitude is that if I can get ONE good idea from a book, then it's money well spent. The one good idea I got: that the most important thing to care for on a boat is the relationship between those who sail her. I read this entire book in about three hours, and it was three enjoyable hours. On the other hand, it only scratches the surface when it comes to describing the basics of cruising, let alone doing it comprehensively as one might expect from the title. For those of you who see the blurb on the back from the editor of Latitudes & Attitudes, don't let that scare you off. These authors seem to be people who respect other cruisers and the traditions of the sea. There is no sense of the "biker" mentality. Those people contemplating cruising should read everything they can. Once you've finished Pardey, Roth, Marchaj, Cornell, Rousmaniere and Toss, pick this up as well.

Offers a very different, very fresh view of cruising, and covers subjects that most "how-to-cruise" books do not.

Amy & Kevin had the dream that many of us share: To escape the daily grind and go cruising. They did it in a way that the small boat sailor can really relate to. They didn't buy a 40ft floating palace, and circumnavigate. On a very limited budget, they refurbished a late 60s Cal 30, and headed for the Sea of Cortez, were they spent 16 months, on a budget of about $250 a month.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part is pretty brief, and describes their preparation and their first 101 days of cruising. It is significant because it details because it is about their difficult transformation from land dwellers to real cruisers. It offers a very honest portrayal of the emotional, physical and monetary realities of making such a drastic change in one's life. The second, much longer sections covers a number of subjects including setting reasonable expectations and attainable goals, finding and equipping your budget cruiser, dealing with on-board relationships, provisioning and cruising etiquette. The chapters on expectations, goals, relationships and etiquette are really refreshing, because they are generally not covered by other "how-to-cruise" books. There coverage of boat selection and preparation is a bit unusual, because they do not take the "equip the boat with every modern convenience" approach, but rather deal with things in terms of planning and implementing realistically for your individual needs.

This is the book I wish I had had before I started cruising. That Amy and Kevin choose the Sea of Cortez as their cruising grounds was certainly a plus for me, but most of their advice applies everywhere.

The book is only 191 pages, and was a very easy, quick read. I enjoyed the authors's style and attitude. I have added this book to my list of essential reading. Highly recommended.

This fast read is not solely about sailing, it is about life and how to live it to the fullest---without spending a lot of money.

Beginning their adventure aboard a small sailboat, the authors write with insight and sensitivity of what it takes to leave their safe life at home for the unknown. There are many humorous anecdotes, exposing the couple's own mistakes. Continuing their trip despite their setbacks, this book parallels life's own lessons. Initiative and persistance seem to be the underlying theme.

For the sailor there are bonuses by reading the book. Like practical ways to outfit your own vessel. And how to be better prepared for your own sailing adventure.

Couch potatoes beware! After reading CRUISING 101, you might just be motivated enough to seek your own life's ambitions.

New York attorney & former football player Tim Green has written another top-notch thriller. The Fourth Perimeter has a different style & theme from the author's previous football themed works like Outlaws & Redzone that featured the spunky attorney Madison McCall. After delivering his best legal thriller to date, in the marvelous The Letter of the Law, Green does a volte-face & delivers a thriller that does not have an ounce of legalese in it - affirming the age-old maxim, "you never ever can predict a lawyer."

Kurt Ford, a former Secret Service agent & CEO of a successful computer software company, is planning on remarrying. On the day he proposes to his fiancée, Ford receives news that his one & only son Collin, has committed suicide.

Collin, also a Secret Service agent, was assigned the task of protecting the President of the United States. Ford is devastated, until a close friend & former colleague, David Claiborne, a top official in the Presidential Protection Division, informs him that Ford's son had witness a something secret involving the President, & Collin's death was really a brutal & well planned murder.

Revenge boils in Ford, & he takes on the almost impossible task of assassinating the President. He has one thing to his advantage, as a former agent he is privy to how the system works & he knows the loopholes to break the fourth perimeter - the innermost circle in the four rings of protection surrounding a President. What follows is an exciting, page-turning journey of Ford's quest for revenge, culminating in a nail-biting, yet expected finish.

The Fourth Perimeter is a light read. As a whodunit, it falls short, however as a whydunit it is excellent. The work combines the better elements of Jeffrey Archer's The Eleventh Commandment & David Baldacci's Absolute Power.

As in the author's previous works, the narration is taut & action packed & there is never a dull moment, however, when compared to his superb The Letter of the Law, this Green novel is a trifle disappointing, as readers have come to expect much more from this author.

In the end I must say that The Fourth Perimeter is a light & easy read & for an enjoyable evening, it is recommended.

I was a little disappointed in this latest from Tim Green. It was a little dry and not highly believable.

Kurt Ford is an ex Secret Service agent that used to protect Carter and Reagan. He is now a billionaire and founder of Safe-Tech, a very successful high-tech company. When his son, also a Secret Service agent, is found with a bullet in his head, Kurt is absolutely devastated. The police believe it was suicide and don't intend to put any time in on the investigation. Kurt knows for a fact it was murder. He goes to an acquaintance of his who is working for the Secret Service and tries to get his help in getting information (This friend is also the man whom Kurt did not want working for him in his new company). With information this man gives him, Kurt is convinced that the president is responsible for his son's death. So Kurt decides to kill the president.

While a lot of the book deals with the emotional issues between Kurt and his fiancé, brought on by his son's death, some of the story deals in suspense. I felt the story was too predictable. From the beginning I knew who was behind the murders and that made the whole story frustrating. Kurt's gullibility didn't help. I've read all Tim Green's books and this is my least favorite...

Being a diehard West Virginia football fan, I'm tailored to not be too fond of the Syracuse Orangemen, but Tim Green is OK in my book! (Green was a former Orangemen football player) Some seem to see Kurt Ford as predictable and one-dimensional in this book, but I see those traits as DETERMINED and FOCUSED and I'm sure you will too while reading. I read this book in less than two days and I was enthralled by it. It is a true page turner and has movie written all over it (Jerry Bruckheimer stay away...we don't need explosions). All along you think you have it all figured out until Green throws a monkey wrench into it and it just makes you want to keep reading. First class job by Mr. Green!

This is one of the worst law books I have ever read. It was assigned for an upper-level constitutional class. Trying to decipher what the authors are attempting to impart through the near total use of squibs as opposed to full opinions, and their own cryptic notes interspersed among snipets of the cases, is next to impossible to accomplish. In addition, their particular method of editing is intrusive and annoying. Some of the brightest minds in the country have written classic opinions on the very important subjects in this book. Why in the world Sullivan and Gunther think they can do better is beyond me given their result. Avoid this book like the plaque if at all possible.

Profs Gunther and Sullivan's casebook is an excellent casebook for Constitutional Law which is a difficult area of law professors to teach and for law students to understand.

Pros: Good case edits; excellent, almost flawless treatment of materials up until the First Amendment materials; instructive, informative, and, at times, prophetic notes to the cases.

Cons: The First Amendment Section of the book (roughly the last 500 pages) suffers at times from a thematic layout that sometimes confuses the chronological timeframes; because of the formatting of the text, the notes that follow the case are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the cases themselves and/or note cases.

This is a classic Law school Constitutional Law case book. It's very complete, with A LOT of cases, but some useful explanations and the latest development in constitutional history.

This is the second book by McCammon that I read, and again I'm please, ok this is fiction and it can be unbelieveable "SO WHAT" it is a story and a fast paced one at that.
A Nazi Sub rises to the surface after 40 years with the crew mummified and still living due to a VOODOO curse. The towns people, (thinking they have a historical find), tow it into the local harbor. I'm sure you can piece the rest together. Yes, there are vivid scenes of cannabalism that are down right nasty and disgusting, but it is a horror book and if you don't like it you shouldn't read it.
Simply put, I liked "THE NIGHT BOAT" I recommend it to any horror lover. It is an easy read worth the time. Trouble is, it is out of print & hard to find a copy, the flea markets are the best place to try and look for one.

Pretty good little horror story. McCammaon is one of the best writers out there and although this little yarn about undead Nazis in the Carribean is a tad muttled due to the fact that is was his second book, it's still a cool story. Read this then rent the movie BELOW and have a scary night of submarine terror.

This book is for readers who like to curl up in their favorite chair, turn the lights down low, and be scared out of their wits. Try reading this during a storm for maximum effect. This story will send chills like cold fingers down your spine. The details are so vivid the reader will imagine he/she is fleeing and fighting Nazi spirits alongside the main character. C'mon Robert, write us another one!

For four years now I have made reference to Make Your Scanner a Great Design & Production Tool, and it's previous version, in my Scanning Basics non-credit classes at a local community college. I refer to the page for finding the sweet spot on your scanner because it explains how "noise" can be introduced into a scan. That, and some other technical information, has been useful to me in preparing for my class. The target audience of the book is graphic artists/designers; I believe it meets the needs of that group. However, my classes are attended by family members doing geneologies, librarians, or small business owners who want to scan for the internet. The book does not contain enough examples geared to their needs.

I have several books on scanners and scanning, and I don't think any of them come close to matching this one in the clarity of the text and the illustrations used to make the point. The only drawback I could find was that I do wish the authors would all get together and use the same terms when talking about dpi, spi, lpi, and ppi. It makes it pretty difficult for us right-brain folks to be able to sort it all out. However, I still consider 'Make Your Scanner a Great Design Tool' to be very useful and a worthwhile investment, particularly if you are getting into doing any sort of image-tweaking for optimum results. I have recommended it to several artists who want to scan their work.

I reference this book every time I scan a difficult photo. I think it is an excellent guide for designers, especially those working with small clients who can't afford professional photography. The book has advice on how to work with common "problem photos", which is a great help when you need to get a usable image out of a snapshot with poor lighting.

I see the other reviewer's point about too much space being taken up by discussion of various types of scanners. It would have been nice to see less about scanner types no one uses and more space devoted to techniques for improving scans. Still, the information that is there is very useful.

The information is directed at print designers, but many of the tips are useful for the Internet in a general sense. It would be nice to see specific advice for online images, but maybe that's for another book. All in all I found it a very valuable resource and have recommended it to several other designers.