This is a very good book, provides very detailed instructions how to do some tricks. It has plenty of superb illustrations, so everything is great. There is just one but. A picture taking techniques part is still very valuable, but most of special effects and image manipulations now can be done much easier through digital processing. If you want to add grain to your picture it's so much easier just to scan it and use software then mess with reprints, special contrast materials and processing etc.

Unlike most other techniques books, the techniques shown here are very practical and easily tried out, with the f-stops, FL and shutter on every photo (unlike many other books). Most of the techniques you will ever need are included, and more. Well served as a field guide too, it's fairly small to tuck into the camera bag.

Excellent writeups and light-hearted reading, so good it's one of my most often read books. Not much of a coffee table since the images are fairly small. Another excellent book from Lee is Night and Low Light Photography, a seldom touched area of photography.

If you don't know what an f stop is then this probably isn't the book for your looking for, however for beginner of intermediate photographers, who are looking for new ideas for creating new imagery this book is very inspirational. Essentially there are 70 techniques layed out alphabetically, with a few color and b/w examples for each one. Although the book has many technical ideas, much of the emphasis is placed on learning how to see photographically, and if you have a 35mm, a flash, and tripod, you can attempt nearly everything in the book. Each "technique" is arranged into sections: How it's done, what you need, and tips.The text is clear, insightfull, assumes a basic camera knowledge, and is even humorous at times. The ideas suggested are practical and inexpensive. Things you could do in your neighborhood or town. Very easy and fun to read, very nice images, and packed with creative suggestions. I have purchased a few similiar books but this one is the best so far.

I was very disappointed with this book. I expected to read about being a young boy whose imagination was captured by the beginnings of the American manned-space program; how the courageous efforts of those involved in the Mercury program brought about a wave of pride in America; and that it was the dream of many boys and girls to travel into space and maybe go to the Moon!

What I got was a book that talked alot about the Space Shuttle program and child birth?!

Having grown up with the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs (and being old enough to remember them!) I was eager to share in the memories of a kindred spirit, but found the author's recollections lacking. It seemed the author struggled to have enough subject matter to give the book sufficient length.

Lost in Space was great. I enjoyed reliving the power and awe from the early years of NASA, and instead of rote facts, this book really gives you a feel of being part of the space program. It is a well written account of numerous personal experiences of the astronauts, to average Americans and their involvement surrounding this phenomenal thing we call space exploration. I strongly recommend this one for anyone who hold a special place in their heart for the US space program.

What a great way to learn about how incredible space travel is!! Being born just 3 years before the lunar landing, my knowledge of space travel bordered on something between "Star Wars" and, sadly, "Battlestar Galactica". Through Bryan's book, I can see the incredible wonder of how the space program in the US developed and indeed, enveloped the nation in a hopeful, positive atmosphere. I haven't yet seen my first shuttle launch, but I hope to instill in my 5 year old daughter the same wonder and awe in the marvel that is space that the author instills in us.

The audio tape for this book is magical. I grew up listening to it at my grandparents house and it was wonderful to listen to while going to bed. I listened to it almost every night and not once did I grow sick of it. The background music is so soothing and the book really comes alive with voice of the narrator. In short I LOVE it and I would strongly recommend it to everyone, no matter what their age!

Kipling's language is almost poetic. It's meant to be read aloud. When read aloud to a child, say, a beloved girl of six, at bedtime, she stops fidgeting, she listens carefully, she asks questions about what this word means or why the family members are all so mean and have to spank the little elephant with the "'satiable curtiosity." Most of all, she's not bored and she wants to hear it again. And again. And she gets very excited when she finds out that her daddy got the whole series of "Just-So Stories."
I don't know how other children experience this. We're starting to teach our daughter about evolution of species; she asks a lot of questions about what elephants used to look like, and did they really once not have the really long noses they have today? I think she's starting to understand that this is a tall tale, but it's a great springboard for talking about the real-life origin of species (I think this statement is true even if you're trying to raise a creationist child).
Yes, there is a lot of spanking. It didn't seem to upset my daughter, and she's pretty high-strung.
All in all, a nicely rollicking story, and a good introduction to another classic in English-language children's literature.

Right after "The Cat who Walked Alone" This has always been my favorite "Just So Story." It is good to see it in an individual book, as it is a little unwieldy as part of a group. This is the story of a curious elephant and how the elephant go its trunk. I can not say much more as the reader needs to experience the story as it unfolds. The pictures add a dimension and do not distract from the words. Rudyard Kipling is a master at this telling. "In the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk."

I'm a huge baseball fanatic and I *love* reading detailed anlaysis of baseball strategy and tactics. But even this book was too tedious for me. And I've almost never read a baseball book that I found too tedious. Hernandez, although very knowledgeable, dwells too much on each pitch. The reader might think the title is a metaphor for detailed analysis (pitch by pitch). No, it means *exactly* what it says. Hernandez discusses EACH pitch. At first the analysis is interesting. Then you realize you're a third of the way through the book and he's *still* talking about whether the next pitch will be a curve or a slider, or whether this particular left-handed hitter should be thrown a change-up, or whether the pitcher should challenge the batter with his superior fastball, or whether the pitch should be low, or high, or out of the strikezone. Enough already! As far as baseball strategy goes, this book is 90% about pitch selection and batter analysis. There is not too much discussion of the other elements of baseball. So if you're looking for a wider variety of baseball discussion, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.

For those of us who like keeping score during a baseball game and trying to get inside the real game, Pure Baseball is highly recommended. Keith Hernandez explores two ballgames, one NL and the other AL, and goes pitch by pitch and analyzes the pitcher/batter confrontation in depth. Perhaps it's in too much depth, one of Hernandez's axioms is that this is the essence of baseball, and devotes little time to fielding and baserunning. No matter, the NL game in particular is fascinating to study, as Atlanta's Pete Smith faces the Phillies under lefthander Danny Jackson. I learned so much reading this section alone. Hernandez does his best work in the first half of the book. The AL section seems rushed and not as in-depth, perhaps because the designated hitter takes out so much of the strategy when it comes to pitching changes. If you see this book and enjoy the inner game of baseball, by all means pick it up. It's a book I've re-read a couple of times, there's so much of value here.

Pure Baseball is a treat for the serious, and I stress 'serious' baseball fan who wants to delve deep into the minds of pitchers and batters. This is pretty dense reading material, but Hernandez shares his wisdom in an entertaining fashion. I found myself having to re-read portions of the book, sometimes even using it as a reference.

This reference guide is a good review of English mechanics in general. It has a certain snobbish overtone, sometimes. I recommend it, however.

Where would I be without this book? Prior to law school I purchased this book. During my first year I had very little time to read it, but I tried to pick up bits and pieces where I could, where relevant. Prior to the traditional second year, law students compete for spots on the law review and other journals that may be published out of their schools. Prior to sitting down to consume my law review packet, I did my best to digest all I could from Brian Garner's outstanding brief legal writing "Bible," as I now refer to it. To make an already long story shorter, I made Iowa Law Review and now carry this book with me whenever I know I'm going to be required to do legal writing or editing. This semester I am a federal law clerk intern, and I've already used the book countless times to check my own writing style against seasoned practitioners and law clerks alike. Next to my bluebook, Garner's Elements of Legal Style is like my watch - I can't imagine surviving life without it.

This review is of the Second Edition, published in 2002.

This book takes an intelligent, thoughtful, and somewhat scholarly approach to legal-writing style, yet it is still readable and practical. Garner presents good writing advice, with examples of how to do it taken from the great legal writers: Holmes, Cardozo, Llewellyn, and others.

And the coverage is broad: from punctuation to citation; from commonly-misused words to rhetorical devices for persuasion. The book covers enough basics to reward the novice, but it can take the experienced writer farther than other legal-writing books.

This book will save you time but offers nothing more.

Was hoping that more effort was spent on the personallity of each casino rather than basic information that can be found in minutes on the web.

In fairness, the writer never claims the book would offer an opinion of each establishment... My mistake!

Save your money and do the web work yourself.

Now in a newly updated 2002 edition, the American Casino Guide is a superbly presented and highly recommended reference for both casual casino visitors and people with a yearning to learn more about the games and their odds. From a comparison of the house edge in different casino games to a brief study and focus upon individual games such as slot clubs, slot machines, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and much more, to a state-by-state listing of the best casinos, American Casino Guide has it all. The 2002 edition pays for itself not only in terms of strategies to improve one's gaming skills, but also in more than $1000 worth of valuable casino coupons that can be clipped out of the book itself! If you are planning a visit to the gaming tables of Atlantic City or Las Vegas, begin with the 2002 edition of the American Casino Guide!

This book was much more than what I had expected! There are almost 200 pages of useful information on gambling, tips, strategies, best bets, etc. They don't just rehash the rules on how to play the casino games...but actually cover the proper winning techniques in detail (the things you need to know). They cover almost all the games...Slot clubs, Video Poker, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Baccarat. They also cover comps and lots of other tips to save you money on your overall expenses (all-right...more money for gambling!). The price is cheap considering all the information that is packed in to this book.

From the school that really started weight traininging in college football, Coach Arthur has done a great job of setting forward the principles that we should use in designing the programs that we use to build our athletes. You need this book.

This book is absolutely great if you are intersted in improving your all around ability in football. It lays out the foundation and goes with you step by step to get you where you need to be

This book outlines the strength program of one of the most poweful football programs in the Nation. This program is specifically designed to make you a better FOOTBALL PLAYER, not to make you a bodybuilder or any sort of other athlete. The methods and ideas that are outlined are for athletes trying to increace their core power.... not to train for a powerlifting compitition. If you buy the book expecting to learn how to be a well-conditioned, powerful football player.... you will be rewarded with a huge amount of viable knowlege!

As a public school librarian, I would say that "Lifetimes" is an effective picture book for an adult to share with a child (or children) in dealing with the subject of death. However, as a person of faith, I would add that the scope of this book is limited to earthly life and therefore does not touch on the belief in life after death.

The text states: "Nothing that is alive goes on living for ever." This statement either reflects the authors' intent on only dealing with the concept of physical death, or it could be interpreted as their belief statement. This is why I'd suggest that "Lifetimes" be read by, or shared with, a caring adult who would be able to answer a child's questions based on a family's belief system.

I have a fairly extensive collection of books about death and grieving for "my" children, which we have used for the loss of
family, friends and pets. But this is the only book I regularly give copies of to families. The "de-personalized" way it talks about death, the universality of its text combined with soft drawings and repetition are very soothing. This is NOT a book about emotions or stages of death. (If you are looking for one of those Everett Anderson's Goodbye is a positive place to start.)

This is a book about the rhythm of life and death for all creatures, for everything that is born. One of the best parts of the book is its emphasis on what a lifetime is, and how it is framed by birth and death, and that inbetween those "markers" is what is important. It explains that different creatures have different life spans, and that this aspect of nature is neither fair nor unfair. It simply is.

I do not restrict this book to times when a child is grieving,
I include it in our regular reading rotation, so that the children see death as a normal part of life experiences. Death is so emotionally charged, especially for the grown ups, that having a calm book is especially worthwhile. When a child is actually grieving balancing the more "intense" books with this soothing one, does wonders.

This book was of a great help explaining the death of our children's papa. All creatures/things have a life cycle. The illustrations were beautiful. Easily explainable to children.

Wrox Press seem to have become masters at putting together volumes from a large number of authors. This 600-page volume is another example. This way of working does have some drawbacks, there is a little repetition of some basic stuff throughout the book, but not enough to truly detract from it.

The book, after some expository material, details 11 projects of increasing complexity. They use PHP, MySQL, PEAR::DB, Smarty and PHPLib. The target audience, according to the book jacket, are programmers who already have a good knowledge of PHP, SQL Databases and XML. Frankly, I think they overdo the amount of experience you need to use and benefit from this book. If you are on top of all those topics well enough to consider yourself "professional" then this book may be too simple. If, on the other hand, you are, like me, conversant with PHP and SQL but would like to take yourself up to "professional" use of technologies like XML, templating and WAP enabling then this book will be good.

The book is stuffed full of code examples -- and while you can download them in a ZIP file of over 3Mb you shouldn't think of this book as a "cookbook" as such. It shows various methods for performing most of the tasks you need to build solid backend web site systems to deal with a large variety of data. The projects cover importing and exporting of XML, messaging systems, forums, content management, using templates for both HTML and WML, search facilities and both simple and complex content management among other topics.

One thing I did appreciate about this book is how much they left out. No coverage of PHP fundamentals, SQL fundamentals and simple stuff like web forms might be covered once, at most. I certainly didn't need another book on my shelves explaining the basics.

My largest criticism of this book is one shared by too many modern titles for computer programmers; there is too much explanation and too much repetition. The section on SQL is the perfect example. Most projects contain some tables describing each database table, a diagram of the relationships and then the full SQL required to build them, their indices and some example data. For their proposed target audience this is way too much information, and as it is safe to assume that everyone who buys this book has a decent 'net connection, why put a printout of SQL available online in a PHP book? I could have easily written the SQL myself and having it in the book doesn't make it much easier and since it was available online it was a total waste of space.

I also have to take exception to, an (admittedly short) chapter devoted to installing and configuring PostNuke. It gives you no more information on this simple task than the online documentation. As someone who has installed PostNuke a couple of times and never needed any assistance beyond the readme files (and the first was long before I considered myself a good PHP programmer) I felt this was a complete waste of space and not "web development" at all.

My final criticism is once again shared by too many modern titles, there isn't really enough discussion of the design decisions and complications. There are enough code examples and walk throughs to satisfy anyone, but not enough key design decisions are discussed at all, with only a few short examinations of any real design problems. I would have appreciated some walk throughs of such things as code that was too slow, problems with race conditions, methods for mixing static and generated parts of a site and all the real world stuff that intrudes when your site gets slashdotted and that code that was so neat with a hundred visitors a day becomes a thousand. Then show how the code they provide is better, avoids the problems and how to get my code to the same state. Since this book is "professional" a little more real world, please.

Before buying this, you should have a SOLID grounding in the theory and practice of php. This book does offer solutions, even ones that seem elegant.

BUT, it never really stops to explain the actual coding. It takes time to explain only the approach they take to the problem and the rationale for their approach. It assumes you understand the code and moves right along. You will not find ANY hand-holding here.

Moreover, of the solutions presented, at least two use XML. So, you might also want to have some xml skills on hand, if you are to make use of a significant part of this book.

Once again, the book seems good and you can learn from it. But, understand that you need a solid php foundation to effectively use this book.

I simply enjoyed this book and all the solutions presented in it.
I had earlier mastered PHP from reading "Beginning PHP4" and "Professional PHP4" from the same publisher, and this book was a natural choice to make.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone that has a sparse to decent knowledge of PHP - you will love the engaging concepts,designs, code methodolgy and spanking case study solutions.Promise.

Rule No. 1 when reading a "true crime" story where you don't already know the ending and want to be surprised is to avoid the photos and captions inset in the middle of the book, until you've already finished it.

The photos and captions will give the ending away every time if you don't wait to look at 'em. I learned that the hard way when I first read the Joe McGinness book on Jeffrey MacDonald ("Fatal Vision").

As far as this book goes, it's not quite clear what author Harry Farrell hoped to accomplish in writing it. The story is about the arrest of Burton Abbott for the brutal abduction and murder of 14-year old Stephanie Bryant in mid-1955 from an enclosed thicket of shrubbery near her home in Berkeley, California and also about Abbott's subsequent trial. Did Farrell simply mean to tell this story in a way that would intrigue his readers?

Then I'd say that he succeeded. This was a very interesting read.

But I also suspect that what Farrell really meant to do was to write a "did-he-or-didn't-he" story; that is, to create suspense as to the accused's guilt or innocence and as to the outcome of the trial. And I'd say that he got no better than mixed results there.

I faithfully AVOIDED the photo section in the middle of the book, but any sense of suspense that I might have experienced was a sham. I kept waiting in vain for the revelation that would cause me to consider the case in a new light. But the evidence as it is shown here remained quite one-sided throughout, and the outcome was inevitable.

In fact, I'm not quite sure that I trust Farrell entirely. Even if this was a capital case, his presentation of it makes one wonder what exactly the jury deliberated about for seven days. Unless, of course, Farrell left out one or more things that might have given pause to a responsible jury.

What I found particularly interesting was not how much the criminal justice system has changed over the intervening half century but how much it hasn't changed.

The same cast of characters showed up for this high-profile case that have shown up in so many others.

There is, of course, first and foremost, The State with seemingly infinite resources at its command to grind into powder any criminal defendant that comes within its maw - whether or not justice is really served thereby.

"Resources" don't just mean the money to foot expenses that only the wealthiest of defendants could assume, such as a dossier of personal information on many of the prospective jurors.

"Resources" also include The State's lengthy tentacles in the form of spies and stool-pigeons, judiciously placed in the trusting presence of the accused and his associates in order to inform. And the County of Alameda, it seems, had no shortage of talkative infantry working for it in order to ensnare Burton Abbott.

Yes, The State has a remarkable propensity for bringing out the best in human nature, and any legal beagle can tell you that if the accused is TRICKED, instead of coerced into disclosing damning information - why, his right to avoid self-incrimination isn't being compromised at all.

The cast also includes The Defense Team, which makes up in gall for what it lacks in resources and authority by utilizing what capital it has to gather dirt on all adverse witnesses and by using back-alley tactics in the courtroom that a seasoned gang-banger wouldn't be ashamed to own, in order to ensure that it is the witnesses themselves, and not the accused, who are put on trial.

But most prominent are Saint Unfortunates; that is, the members of the family of the murder victim, always haughtily assuming the Mantle of Victimhood Itself, always stoically and courageously bearing up in the presence of the press under the horrible tragedy, and ALWAYS appearing, of course, at the right hand of The State when called upon.

In the annals of true crime, has any Saint Unfortunate ever refused to ally himself or herself as a partner of The State? Has any Saint Unfortunate ever expressed disapproval of The State's tactics? Let alone express uncertainty about the case made by The State against the accused?

As far as I know, this has never happened; otherwise, the public from whom the prospective jurors are drawn might actually feel that it's sometimes necessary to draw a distinction between "Justice for the Victim's Family" and rubber-stamping The State's case against the accused.

In this story, the arrogantly-aggrieved parents of Stephanie Bryant do indeed play to the hilt their roles as martyrs and State suck-ups.

And, of course, gazing down from her perch in Heaven on this scene enacted by the Unholy Trinity, her wings still flapping and her halo perfectly adjusted - is The Victim Herself and, as tearfully invoked by The State, the legacy of what she would now never have the opportunity to become.

Indeed, Alameda County D.A. Frank Coakley piously reads an unfinished letter composed by The Victim Herself and, with presumably perfect timing, sobs into his handkerchief at its conclusion.

All cast members are present and accounted for in this saga, but setting aside my suspicions, Farrell does as good a job as any of weaving the same old story in a uniquely entertaining way.

It must be acknowledged, of course, though Farrell fails to, that the post-1955 advent of Miranda, the public defender industry, and the exclusionary rule have given criminal defense attorneys similar license to abuse authority and pervert justice.

But what of the accused in this case, Burton Abbott? If he was innocent, then he was a victim of the machinations of the Unholy Trinity. And if he was guilty, his motives, for all of their baseness, actually seem more pure than the motives of those who fought over his life. Let that be a salvageable remnant of HIS legacy.

Not only did I buy this book by Mr. Farrell, but I also bought another book on this case by Keith Walker, A Trail of Corn (Selling at Bill & Kathy's Restaurant, none the less), because the Burton Abbott case is very much like one I'm writing myself, the Theodore Durrant case of 1895.

I greatly appreciate authors who provide addresses, maps, and photos, and Mr. Farrell was generous on all counts. As I live in the Bay Area, and have written two unrelated self-guided walking tours, I like to visit all the sites associated with any story that touches me emotionally. Mr. Farrell certainly succeeded with his central task.

In fact, his narrative is so riveting that I soon drove over to Berkeley and retraced the route Stephanie Bryan walked before her kidnapping. One of the strengths of this book is that the reader gets a sense of knowing the victim, her parents, the accused kidnapper, and even a comprehension of how most of the people central to this story had their lives ruined.

Those who are familiar with this famous case may also appreciate knowing, even though this murder happened in 1955, that Willard Junior High, the library, Dream Fluff Donut shop, the suspected ambush path, tunnel road, the Bryan's former residence, the Abbott family's former residence in Alameda, the court house in Oakland, and San Quentin Prison are all still there to be seen!

Imagine seeing those sites for a moment. And if you want any help finding them just e-mail me.

"Shallow Grave" is true-crime reporting at it's best. This is a compelling and emotional story, packed with details. I was particularly impressed with the author's gift for explaining the minute details of the unfolding criminal case in a clear and interesting way. The book neither sensationalizes nor sugar-coats the horrific details of the crime. Highly recommended.