I have purchased three direct investing books, and this one is by far the best... comprehensive and easy to follow... they arrange the info on investment plans in a clean format... don't worry about direct investment plans being too complicated... they're very easy and everyone should get involved with them... this is a good book for getting started.

The first third of this book is detailed information about how to analyze stock numbers, ratios, etc. That's quite valuable information and key to developed a system of analysis to figure out the stocks in which you want to invest.

What surprised me was the *rest* of the book! They compiled a comprehensive list of hundreds and hundreds of companies which have dividend reinvestment and related plans. This made calling those companies for more info so easy! So easy to get started with investing my savings for the long term. BUY THIS -- you won't regret it.

This book provides a walk-through for how to get started in direct investment plans. My investment club is just getting started, and with the help of this book we'll start investing in DRIP plans. They're a great way to sock away a little bit each month. This book is a good resource for any DRIP investors.

"Silver Wolf, Black Falcon" will be enjoyed by any fan of Dennis L. McKiernan's Mithgar stories. First timers would be advised to start elsewhere. This book starts slow, but picks up and improves throughout, although the ending is somewhat anti-climatic.

McKiernan himself describes this book as a sequel to all his prior Mithgar stories. The problem is that this is a lot of extra baggage for a less than 500 page novel. This is not the author's best work, although it is enjoyable.

The Mithgar novels are not for everyone. Mckiernan writes in a highly formal style that can best be described as "High Tolkein". McKiernan has been the great master's most slavish imitator, not that there's anything wrong with that. But if you get irritated by an overdose of "thees", "thine", "thou", etc., these books are not for you.

"Silver Wolf, Black Falcon" is chronologically the last of McKiernan's Mithgar novels. It tells the story of Bair, a young man born to a female elf, and a Baeron, a human shapechager of mixed heritage. He is called an Impossible Child, because elves cannot give birth on the plane of Mithgar. Millenia ago, the ways between the planes were sundered to defeat the forces of evil. Only those who have the blood of another plane can travel to that plane. Thus elves can return to their home plane of Adonar, but can't return to Mithgar; the foul beings of evil known collectively as Rucks, can return to their evil plane of Neddra, but can't return to Mithgar, etc. Bair is of mixed blood, so he can freely travel the planes. This novel spends the first 100 plus pages watching Bair grow to the age of 16, and then, finally, picks up speed as we accompany Bair and his Elven "uncle", Aravan, on a mission of great importance.

As I stated, this is not the author's best novel. He provides no explanations for certain mysterious events (perhaps for future books), but the result is he provides solutions out of nowhere. Mithgar fans should know that the author leaves room for future Mithgar stories.

This book starts slow and has too much baggage. The book is also too short to be a worthy climax of the Mithgar saga. Still, McKiernan fans will be entertained.

Dennis McKiernan's done it again! After picking this book up at a book store I found myself saddened that this may be the last of the Mithgar series, but excited that the story of the Impossible Child had come. After arriving at home, I could not stop reading until it was all done. It was non stop action as he developed both Bair and Kutsen Yong. I found myself going to my bookshelves and pulling out the older books as he alluded to so much throughout the novel. It was a very well written story and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Mr. McKiernan has once again enthralled me in the world of Mithgar. I remember the first books of his I read, The Iron Tower Trilogy, books I could not put down. Since then I have not found books in the genre that can compare. Mr. McKiernan has capped off his Mithgarian saga beautifully with this novel and I for one am saddened that this may be his last. Mr. McKiernan's tale in this book delighted me, especially with the mentionings of my personal favorite: Tuckerby Underbank. Out of all of his wonderful characters, Tuck stays with me most. Anyone who enjoys quality High Fantasy would be missing out to not read this last(?) novel. Mr. McKiernan, if you should read this humble review, I deeply thank you for these books and while I understand the need to put the pen down at some point, I hope you've at least another tale or two in you. Thank you again Mr. McKiernan and Godspeed.

Let's face it, for most of us who grew up playing D&D 20 odd years ago, the Keep on the Borderlands was the first adventure we all played. I was really looking forward to this re-write because i'd played the original so many times my PC's knew it back to front: eg, (DM)"you see a pair of shapely legs around the corner" - (PC)"look out, it's that Medusa again!!". So taking your players through this adventure is certainly a surprise for returning players. The background of the keep and recent developments in the area are great additions to the original module. Criticisms are that it is a bit too hard for 1st level players, and the silly Minotaur maze which somehow got excavated within the existing caves without anyone noticing. I just ommited that part entirely. In summary, a good game but not as good as the original.

"Return to the Keep on the Borderlands" is a good, challenging adventure. Being a reformation of the original adventure that came with the original boxed set of the D&D game, it helps new gamemasters at their craft.

However, Yeomary was one region I needed more detail on, but the detail about the keep wasn't lacking at all.

It's a challenging adventure for player characters played by dungeon hackers, but those players who wants a great plot will have to depend on the DM to provide it.

Other than that, the adventure is awesome. And this is coming from a guy who started roleplaying in D&D at age twelve (1986). I highly reccomend it to any one who wants a good night of casual play.

Extremely fun to play! I highly recommend this for experienced and novice player alike. "AD&D Silver Anniversary, Return to the Keep on the Borderlands Adventure", is a particularly well done rewrite of the classic original. The keep itself is described in plentiful detail, including numerous NPC descriptions. The area immediately surrounding the Keep is also well described with more than enough potential encounters to keep your players busy for quite some time. And the description of the Caves of Chaos, just a hop from the Keep, is very well written and an enjoyable read. This adventure module is certain to provide many sessions of fun and challenging play, and is definitely worth the money.

There are a few problems, however, which is why this only gets a 4 star review. First, the artwork dispersed amongst the text is pathetic. But that's a minor issue. More importantly, there are several inconsistencies that old Greyhawkers will surely notice. For instance, the location is not quite right, and the background for a few NPCs strongly conflicts with Greyhawk history. Additionally, a few of the potential encounters could easily wipe out a low level party, leaving all characters dead, or severely injured (missing limbs, etc.). Fortunately for you and me, some individuals were kind enough to publish "fixes" for the Return to the Keep on the Borderlands. The article is in an on-line journal called the Oerth Journal. It is a Greyhawk journal where DMs (and players, I suppose) write articles about Greyhawk. In the most recent issue, someone modified the new Keep on the Borderlands to make it a bit more survivable for low level characters, and to fit with actual Greyhawk canon material. No, it does not contain the complete module, that would be illegal, only suggested re-writes for a few paragraphs, and a great suggestion for more appropriate placement of the Keep in the World of Greyhawk.

The URL for the site is: http://members.xoom.com/cogh/ This is the Council of Greyhawk website. The Oerth Journal that has this article is OJ#11

With the corrections in this article this module would easily receive a 5 star rating, with out hesitation. As I stated, I strongly recommend you purchase this most excellent Adventure Module, sure to be enjoyable for months. And stop by the above mentioned web site to obtain the few fixes that will make this module truly outstanding!

Enjoy the Chaos!

This book is written in an easy to understand manner and gives you just the stuff you need to know for the test. It is done in the fashion of a crash course on Introductory chemistry, topic by topic. However, if you know your stuff it isn't much help to you, because there are few practice questions to do. Use it as a review, or something to jog your memory. If you're looking for practice questions simulating the real SAT II, then I suggest you look for another book. Also this book is verbose and tedious at times. Beware of some minor typos.

I am taking the SAT II this Saturday, and, in a mad dash to study, bought this book and have been working through it like crazy. It is an excellent review. If you didn't already know the topic, however, go straight to your teacher, because this book tells you how to associate rather than dive in depth.

Also, the book has a couple of practice tests at the end. One of the only cons this book has is it is almost too easy... I have a funny feeling the real test will be harder. If you have a short attention span get this book: it is rather sarcastic occasionally and simplifies things so that a sixth grader could understand it. "Everything in the universe is happier when it's in a low-energy state" (p. 51)

If you're looking for a little review before the test, this book will help. It is very general and does oversimply things, but it helps. The tests in it are accurate, exept for the third one which is exeptinally hard.

I had little knowledge of diamonds and spent several weeks researching on the web. I came across several glowing recommendations on this book. It's an enjoyable read and there are many colorful and striking photos. However, the author spends too much time covering topics like valuable "colored" diamonds and not enough time on specific tips on engagement jewelry. Personally, I would advise the thrifty spender looking for an engagement diamond to "browse" the web and just hit the jewelers. You could easily do without this book. Websites (...) were much more helpful than this book. (...) You can find out great information about the 4 C's anywhere on the web. You can find pictures, and most anything. If you would like to read one book and not spend so much time surfing, then this may be for you. But be warned, I picked up more information from surfing than reading this book.

This is a great, objective place to become familiar with the ins/outs of what to look for in a diamond. I have been to several jewelry stores recently and gotten a diamond education, but also pressure to buy a diamond. If you read this book you will not need a jewelry store education and you will know as much about diamonds as some of the employees behind the counter!

I bought this book and several others to prepare me for engagement ring shopping. I shouldn't have wasted my money on the others. The book is clean and concise. After reading the book I was thoroughly prepared and confident to go out and shop for a diamond ring. I know I would have ended up with a much lower quality diamond and/or payed thousands more for an engagement ring and center stone without the expert advice from this book.

I loved this book! Even though I found the plot very inlikely, I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters. Chantelle's resistence and Derek's passion make for a sexy, alluring story. The battle that they fought was a joy to read, and I couldn't put the book down!

The setting and the plot were great. Derek's character (in the beginning) is nice enough to make you endure what Chantelle must endure. My only problem with the book is how Derek only agrees to marry Chantelle AFTER his fiancee breaks off the engagement--instead of breaking it off himself. Otherwise, this book is a great read.

I've never been Lindsey fan, her stories are so unbelievable I have problems to finish them. I bought "Silver angel" because I thought: "OK, it's about love in harem, there will be no heroine's brothers, uncles and causins." One thing I don't like in her books is too many relatives. But with "Silver angel" I was lucky and liked the story from the beginning. I've never read book with plot like that - an Englishman is a twin-brother to king in Orient! And I liked Derek for his typical manly behaviour - to get a pretty girl to bed and then, after satisfying his desires, let her go and go back to the other woman! I write "liked", because it was so realistic!

For anyone who complains I can't rate any Carly album below 4 stars, here's one. Film Noir was such a disappointment for me, especially since I had enjoyed her 2nd album of standards, My Romance, so much. To me, this album is just plain, bland. With a handful of exceptions, I don't feel Carly brought anything to these songs. Perhaps because all the tempos are so similiar, or the subject matter (40s film music, for which I'm not really a fan), or something else, I'm not sure. Carly's voice, usually such a wonderful instrument, is flat here.

"Two Sleepy People", the duet with John Travolta, is embarassingly bad. I probably rank it as the worst song I've every heard on one of Carly's albums. Most of the others songs, while not as bad as "Sleepy People" are, sorry to say, dull.

"Laura" (with the blending in of Carly's own song "Haunting") is one of the exceptions. As is "Don't Smoke In Bed". Here at least, Carly's voice has some (pardon the expression) smoke and fire to it. Lastly, "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" with Jimmy Webb is a wonderful (and perhaps her best ever) duet. Those three songs aside, Film Noir is a vast disappointment.

When you play this CD,your World changes to Black/White.It takes you back to the post war days.When I get a new CD,I love to read the linner notes,and see who wrote the music and the words,also the musicians.I couldn't beleive Frank Sinatra co-wrote,"I'm a fool to want you." This song is fantastic.I have alot more respect for old blue eyes for writing such a wonderfull song. When you play"Lili Marlene, you will see Marlena Dietrich in your living room.The American's and the German's both cherished this song while the war was going on,and its my favorite cut from the CD."Don't smoke in bed," I wouldn't want to mess with this Women.The way Carly sings this,you'll never be able to fall asleep again. This song is so funny."Every time we say goodbye," was the single released from the record.I hear this song everytime I step into a Mall. What a great tune,and Carly's son Ben sings backup. He sounds alot like his Father JT. What a voice. John Travolta sounds nice on "Two Sleepy Peope," but the duet with Jimmy Webb,the co-producer of the record,"Spring will be alittle late this year," is a classic.You won't be dissapointed buying this CD.The third album of Standards from Carly.

This is an exceptional album. "Ev'ry time we say Goodbye" is the absolute best rendition of this Cole Porter song that I have ever heard..worth the price for that song alone. But the other songs are almost as memorable. Including the albums only original song "Film Noir" which Carly co-wrote with Jimmy Webb. This is a wonderfully produced and arranged album and surely any Carly fan or lover of 40's music can't help but enjoy this. Booklet contains black and white photos of Carly, and a 3 page essay by Martin Scorcese.

This was only my 3rd book by Maeve Binchy, and compared to Evening Class and Echoes, Silver Wedding wasn't near as entertaining. I feel that if Binchy made the novel a bit longer to allow for better character development, Silver Wedding would have been quite a page-turner. However, I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, and I will continue to read anything Maeve Binchy has in print.

This was only my 3rd book by Maeve Binchy, and compared to Evening Class and Echoes, Silver Wedding wasn't near as entertaining. I feel that if Binchy made the novel a bit longer to allow for better character development, Silver Wedding would have been quite a page-turner. However, I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, and I will continue to read anything Maeve Binchy has in print.

This is possibly Binchy's most realistic book on family life and human relationships. Several people -- including their three children -- are gathering for Desmond and Deirdre's 25th wedding anniversary. Each chapter is devoted to a different character and where they are in their lives, how they got there, and how it affects their comfort level at the celebration when they encounter the others, including the long-married couple.

Among them are Deirdre and Desmond themselves (in separate chapters), their daughter Anna who just got unmistakable proof her boyfriend is cheating on her, their clumsy silly daughter Helen who has joined a convent as a means of finding peace with her place in the world (and is messing up anyway), their son Brendan who has gone to work on their reclusive uncle's farm and is debating whether to attend the party at all.

Then there are those who served as best man and maid of honor years ago, as well as co-workers. And Deirdre and Desmond's relationship as well...

This book will leave you with a slightly unsettled sense, just like many complicated relationships in real life do. At first I didn't like the book for it but, upon the second reading, perhaps that is what makes it so good!!!

Silver Tongue wasn't about abuse as much as it was
unrealistic. Tuesday Washington is a lawyer, mother of
2 sets of twins, married to Gregory and finds herself
in a nightmare she can't seem to awaken from. Gregory
Washington is a successful Air Traffic Controller,
father and husband to Tuesday. He is riding on a
roller coaster of insanity, but why?

I found Silver Tongue to be a fast and interesting
read but the book lacks realistic situations. It seems
the author wanted the reader to know that Battered
Women's Syndrome knows no class of people. Whether
your white or blue collar, it can find it's way into
your home. I am still a tad bit confused regarding
Gregory's background.

I had a hard time with Tuesday's character she was too
naïve to the ways of the world. As a lawyer I am sure
she had to come in contact with all kinds of
characters. Once she was presented with situations
regarding her husband I thought she should've been
more alert.

Marlene Taylor has a knack for telling a story and I
would certainly read her next book. I love the way she
gets right to the point no fluff.

Missy
APOOO Bookclub.

I thought this book was definitely a page turner. It held my attention the whole four hours it took for me to read it. Initially I thought Gregory had a mental illness(hearing voices, etc.) and thought that Tuesday was way naive - especially her being a lawyer and all. I recommend this book.

I must say I really enjoyed this book. The book kept your attention the whole way through. I didn't understand the picture on the front of the book until I finished. The only thing I would have like to have seen happen was to have an epilogue at the end to know who it was that pushed (GB)Gregory down those stairs and to know that Tuesday finally got back on her feet with life. This book was a great eye opener in when you sense problems in a relationship don't let love blind you into thinking that it'll get better one day when that one day might not ever come. I found her friends,co-workers and neigbors were very supportive when they needed to be and stayed out of her business even tho' they sensed something wasn't right. I have recommended this book to every one I know a great night-night reader.

After I read this book I couldn't help but smile. This is the ultimate whitewash book. After having spent years of investigating Meyer Lansky and his criminal world, I can honsetly tell you, this is not a book about Meyer Lansky. This is a book about Robert Lacey misunderstanding Meyer Lansky. Laceys information comes mostly from Lanskys family, then especially from his disabled son, Buddy Lansky. What Lacey should've done is look more into the work Hank Messick did on Lansky. Messick got his information from the underworld itself and interviewed gangsters, prosecutors and FBI men. Lacey overlooks these sources. Let's be realistic here. Lacey claims Lansky poured all his money into The Riviera Hotel in Havana. This is a ridiclious claim!. Lansky was known to spread his money all over the place. His specialty was laundering mafia money through mob controlled banks (like Bank Of World Commerce) or through Swiss bank accounts. Lansky had used these methods since the '30s. He made a fortune from his bootlegging enterprises and it is well known Lansky skimmed more money from Vegas then probably any other mob figure. Top mafia informant, Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno, one-time underboss of the L.A. Cosa Nostra Family repeatedly emphasized Lanskys strong hold on the skimming in Vegas. "Meyer Lansky and his group skimmed more money then anybody in the world. From Las Vegas alone, they got 300 million easy!". That's a direct quote from Fratianno himself. Of course Lansky wasn't stupid and he would have many people believe that he indeed lost everything in Cuba. Hank Messick used to say, Meyer Lansky didn't own property, he owned people. And as far as the mystery surrounding Lansky, you have to look at the people around him. Appearantly men like Alvin Malnik missed Laceys eye. If you wanna know about Lansky, then read Hank Messick or "Mogul Of The Mob" by Uri Dan and Dennis Eisenberg.

According to the acknowledgements, Robert Lacey set out to write a biography about a monster and ended up writing about a more successful than average crook with a lot of family troubles. While there is still the "crime doesn't pay" moralizing, Lacey is too honest of a biographer to fall into the Kefauver conspiracy theory about the mob as a vast corporate entity and portrays Meyer Lansky and associates as business allies by convenience.

Most of the book seems to have been culled from interviews with Buddy Lansky, Meyer Lanksy's quadraplegic son who died shortly before publication. From that perspective most of Lansky's life involves his personal life including his fights with his first (insane) wife and his relationship with his second wife hated by all three children. There are anecdotes about his rebellious daughter Sandra, his emotionally crippled son Paul and his physically crippled son Buddy. In one of the anecdotes Paul's daughter, Myra Lansky, tries to contact him after 8 years of silence only to be told by Sandra to respect Paul's privacy. (like a father has a right to completely ignore and forget about his children). Another anecdote concerns the fact that Meyer blamed Buddy's wife for his financial troubles and Buddy told his wife "my dad thinks we should get a divorce" and on that alone, divorced her.

What comes out of this book is a miserable life of a guy who was a fighter all his life and didn't have enough business sense to go straight. All of his investments ultimately failed and his legal troubles ate up all of his money. He couldn't even emigrate to Israel when he rediscovered his Jewish roots.

While we are left with a sad portrait of Meyer Lansky's personal life there seems to be fairly light treatment of his professional life. Some of the gambling institutions are covered and there is a chapter on the Cuban connection but once we are in the last two decades it's all heart attacks and fights with the second wife. One feels slightly cheated even though the author makes a point to stress that Meyer Lansky was not as financial successful as the myths around him would have you believe ("bigger than U.S. Steel, $300 million, etc.) but he did somehow find the money to pay for that lawyer and those trips to Israel.

Toward the end this becomes a depressing grim book. The only point of gaiety is Meyer and all his friends sitting around tv watching a miniseries based on his exploits.

All in all this is an excellent gangster novel for anyone who wants a more truthful accounting of mob life in America. However, if these truths were discovered at the outset, the myth of Meyer Lansky would not have grown to the extent that books like this would need to be written. It's not as fun as the mythology, but then again that's the point.

If you want a mob book that buys into the conspiracy and mythology check out The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano.

A really important work that strips mercilessly away many of the hoary myths that have stuck barnacle-like to the subject of American organized crime. The tale that emerges is no less gripping for that; Indeed the struggles personal and financial that dogged this less than omnipotent Lansky become all the more compelling and human. This is not a reading that finds total acceptance, and time and the inherent shadow-dwelling of organized crime mean that the absolute truth will never be nailed down, but Lacey's conclusions (that the post-Kefauver view of the Mafia as a coherent, nationally structured organization with Lansky the criminal mastermind at the centre of events, his overseas bank accounts overflowing with untouchable millions is simply not sustainable), the product of good research and common sense, are hard to refute. A tendancy to chide Lansky for not taking the turns in life that Lacey (probably erroneously) believes were open to him is one slight irritant, but that apart the book is an essential step in restoring balance to accounts of the Mafia's wealth, power, indestructability and even existence as popularly held. No more talk of $300 million!