Buy this book!!! ... I wanted
to refresh my basic DB2/COBOL skills, so I ordered a copy of this book.
"DB2 for the COBOL Programmer" is written in a clear and concise fashion
which even a novice programmer can start using immediately. SQL theory and
application are presented in a way that can only be described as inspired.
Curtis Garvin and Steve Eckols have done an outstanding job taking the
reader from zero to competent professional in this book. I only wish that
more 'techie' books were written like this one (and it's companion, Part 2).

This is an excellent resource for all those baffled programmers who need to learn DB2 fast. Thos book provides clear-cut examples, syntax, and the results of the various SQL commands that are most likely to be needed by any programmer. All the basics from simple SELECT statements are covered all the way up to ORDER BY clauses, joins and so on. A special chapter on using SPUFI was also a big help. The emphasis here is on the COBOL language and mainframe computers, but it is an excellent learning tool for anyone. The book teaches by example and can be finished easily within a week (The example programs are what make it look so big). A must-read for anyone interested in relationall databases.

This book is a very nice way to have a devotion time with young children. The illustrations are colorful and hold their attention. Also nice for bedtime. Very down-to-earth and real for a young child.

These Psalms are written in a way that a child can understand and apply them to his or her life. Easy to understand, simple and clear. Beautiful poetic style. Makes the Psalms personal to little ones. Highly recommended for reading together.

This was an excelent book for my theme of weather for my second grade bilingual students. Carlitos is a bunny who dresses a scarecrow according to how the weather is. My students loved the book especially because of the adorable drawings.I loved it because it was it flowed so beautifully between both languages.

Now in a newly updated and expanded fifth edition, Government Information On The Internet is a solid, thorough, accessibly organized reference book of World Wide Web sites corresponding to countless institutions of the American Government, as well as state and local government information, and a special section of government information for numerous nations around the world from Albania to Zimbabwe. Solid, detailed descriptions of what each governmental web site has to offer as well as an index for quick and easy reference make Government Information On The Internet a first-class reference for anyone who has to look up specific facts relatively quickly. Government Information On The Internet is specially recommended as a resource for college and community libraries that offer public Internet access.

I was surprised to find that no one had written a review for this book. I came across it while writing my thesis for MBA on the subject of quality. This book is an extension of his McKinsey award winner article in HBR. Garvin expounds that there are 8 dimensions of quality, such as reliability, aesthetics, durability, etc. He begins by explaining different definitions and perceptions of quality; for example, engineering has a different definition than marketing, which in turn has a different interpretation than manufacturing. Through case study comparison of Japanese and American companies he demonstrates how quality management impacts the end product and profitability. Although, it is less engineering/statistical than the works of Juran and other quality gurus, Managing Quality is probably the most comprehensive book on quality; ideal for a manager/executive. Garvin's research is exhaustive; his writing style lucid.

I have only recently come to appreciate the comic strip series of Modesty, although I have been a long time fan and collector of the full-length books! I love a liberated woman and Willie Garvin is the best. I think the drawings are spectacular and give vision to the novels I know by heart.

It is well understood that the OKU series is an excellent resource for those training in orthopaedic surgery at any level. OKU Hip and Knee Reconstruction 2 upholds this tradition splendindly. In the usual thourough fasion, this essential text gives an excellent review of the most current literature covering all of the topics of joint reconstructive surgery. Furthermore, OKU continues the tradition of supplying the reader with a classic bibliography which is priceless and saves hours of medline searching through less relevant papers before finding a well developed study. Surgical indications and techniques are well described, and the most current controvesial topics covered. Every orhtopaedic resident in the United States should have this text.

If you're an Aussie, and the only history you got was from the high school text books about our economic and political life of wool, wheat, explorers and Governors. Then this book is for you.

Mal shows the real story that made us who we are today. Why, if 80% of us live in suburbia, are The Flying Doctors & A Country Practice (both rurally set as part of the bush myth) two of our top rating TV series? Where does the Aussie Ocker come from? Why are we both at once rebels against authority and the finest fighting men, what is the spirit of the ANZACs?

From the 'currency' lads and lasses, those bronzed, bare-toed children of the early convicts, who were the real, first white-Australians. Through the special relationship these youngsters had with the Aboriginal people who taught them how to live with the bush, how to love this seemingly inhospitable land, to embrace the bush as home.

Through the Gold Rush, the Shearer's Strike and World War One. To the effect that migrants have had on the our, truly unique identity as 'Us Aussies'.

If Britian had Pax Britannica, and the United States have their Truth, Justice and the American way. Then, in Australia we have Football, Meatpies, Kangaroo's and Holden Cars.

Mal finishes by looking at the faces of Australia, our war of independance fought not on a battleground so much as a sportsground, after all Australia only has two seasons - footy season and cricket season. From Sport to the Movies, Storm Boy, Breaker Morant, The Man from Snowy River & Crocodile Dundee.

If this fascinating account of our history, doesn't inspire you to a little pride in being an aussie. Well she'll be right mate, put another shrimp on the barbie, and bite into that Granny smith, just leave the money on the fridge....

When Alexander Garvin's "The American City" was first published in 1996, it fast became a classic text in universities all over the country in the study of the city. Because it is an incredibly rich and profoundly insightful interdisciplinary exploration of all aspects of the planning of cities, it has been eagerly embraced by students of architecture, planning, urban studies, government, finance, and even sociology. Because it is so compelling written and marvelously accessible, however, it has also become a beloved book by lay people interested in any and every aspect of what determines the life and success of the created environment in which they live.

Since most of the original edition was actually completed by 1990, it did not include the last decade of development in the fast-changing world of urban thinking. In this second edition, Mr. Garvin brings his study of the city into the twenty-first century, including examples, issues, and trends that did not exist at the time the first edition was written. More strikingly, however, he has also succeeded in reorganizing and restating his original material-sometimes subtly, and sometimes more extensively-in even more powerful and effective ways. But whether it is the almost completely new chapter on Retail Shopping, or the only mostly preserved gem from the first edition on Parks and Playgrounds, all of the clarity and vitality so characteristic of Mr. Garvin's writing are enhanced in this new edition. The new edition also features numerous new photographs-a particular treat to the many readers who especially appreciate the masterful way he has illustrated his points with visual images, virtually all taken by Mr. Garvin himself. (Since he is firmly committed to the principle that one actually has to experience and explore in person the environments one is studying, the author makes sure to use images that reflect his own personal vision, which fortunately for us is as artistically pleasing as it is intellectually informative.)

Whether one wishes to understand the history of American cities, learn the principles of real estate development, research the trends in government involvement in housing and urban renewal, get insight into why particular undertakings in particular cities worked or failed, or, most excitingly, sense the incredible complexity and interaction of all those forces (historical, political, architectural, legislative, sociological, economic, etc.) that determine and describe the life of the city, this book is a must-read-and one that is as enjoyable as it is informative and enlightening.

There is a very good reason that Garvin's The American City has become required reading for most of the major urban affairs programs across the country: it stands alone as the definitive book on practical urban planning as we enter the 21st century. The first edition of this book, released in 1995, was a breath of fresh air in the field as it avoided emotional polemics in favor of thorough, pragmatic analyses of virtually every aspect of urban planning. This new, 560 page edition builds on the strengths of the original but has been substantially updated. It now includes coverage of the effects of stadiums and entertainment centers, BIDs, environmental factors, and much more. It has also been updated with the latest statistical information and additional stunning photos, as well as follow-ups on the projects originally covered in the first edition.

Garvin himself is uniquely qualified to write this book. For over thirty years he has taught Yale University's Introduction to the Study of the City course, while remaining busy as an architect, real estate developer and Director of Comprehensive Planning for the City of New York. After the publication of the original edition he became the Managing Director for Planning of New York's bid to host the 2012 Olympics (which was just selected as one of the finalists), and this year he was chosen to head up the complete rebuilding of the World Trade Center site after September 11 as the Vice President for Planning, Design and Construction of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.

If you have any interest whatsoever in the history, design, or improvement of America's urban landscape, this is the book to get. As Paul Goldberger, the former architecture critic of the New York Times has written: "I will read it again and again, sometimes from front to back, sometimes from back to front, sometimes to page through at a random, sometimes to consult and help me with a particular problem. I guarantee dog-eared pages within a year."

Alex Garvin has functioned singlehandedly as the entire Urban Planning department at Yale University for over twenty years, while serving at various times as the Director of Comprehensive Planning for the City of New York, a member of the New York City Planning Commission, an expert for the Urban Land Institute, a real estate developer and the facilities analyst for New York's bid for the Olympics. This book is his masterwork, providing an expanded version of his Yale course illustrated with hundreds of examples drawn (and photographed) from cities all over America.

Without question, if you are going to get only one book dealing with the problems and solutions of contemporary urban development, this MUST be it.

Buy this book!!! Some computer books are written by computer geeks who know
their technical stuff cold. They can't teach worth a darn, but they are
deep technical wizards who are highly versed in techno-babble. The worst
part of it usually is, they aren't even aware when they are babbling their
techno-nonsense!!! The people who wrote the Murach series are NOT (let me
repeat, the Murach folks are NOT) such people. It was the most amazing
experience to have read this book, and to have had the feeling that either
Curtis Garvin or Anne Prince were looking directly over my shoulder
anticipating the various questions that inevitably arose. This book is
incredibly well structured. It is written clearly, concisely, and with
relevant in-depth examples. The authors take pains to ensure that they
present their programming examples without (WITHOUT!!!) falling into the
trap of disjointed techno-babble so common to such books. Again, you get
more than your money's worth with this book. Buy it, and recommend it to
anyone else who wants to learn, refresh, or EXTEND their DB2/COBOL skills.

Buy this book!!! Some computer books are written by computer geeks who know their technical stuff cold. They can't teach worth a darn, but they are deep technical wizards highly versed in techno-babble. The people who wrote the Murach series are NOT (let me repeat, the Murach folks are NOT) such people. It was the most amazing experience to have read this book, and to have the feeling that either Curtis Garvin or Anne Prince were looking directly over one's shoulder anticipating the various questions that inevitably arose. This book is incredibly well structured. It is written clearly, concisely, and with relevant in-depth examples. The authors take pains to ensure that they present their programming examples without (WITHOUT!!!) falling into the trap of disjointed techno-babble so common to such books. Again, you get more than your money's worth with this book. Buy it, and recommend it to anyone else who wants to learn or refresh their DB2/COBOL skills.

I started a new job and needed to learn DB2 in a hurry. I bought part 1 and part 2. I was coding in no time. But the best part is they make excellent reference books because they are laid out so well. These books are well worth the investment.