In some places that the book is advertised it is misleading - touting the book as SAP for dummies when actually it is a book on SAP System Administration only. Although it may adequately cover the System Administration (Basis) aspects the book is not helpful for basic SAP functionality - I had more luck with "Teach Yourself SAP in 24 hours" for general SAP.

I just cracked open this book five minutes ago. I'm new to the world of SAP and the aggravation the book has spared me has been well worth the price.

This should give you a hint that the book is well-organized and easily accessible. A little familiarity with SAP is handy, but I don't think it's necessary.

I didn't think it was possible to have a Dummies book for SAP, but it seems that Joey and Jim did it. As an experienced basis admin I read with skepticism, but I truly believe this is a valuable asset for any technical resource looking to venture into the vast world of SAP. Joey provides comical yet expert commentary that would allow anyone new to this difficult landscape to get a leg up. Thanks for the enjoyable and educational read. When are you coming out with SAP for Advanced Dummies?

Marion Meade's "Stealing Heaven" is a wonderful and touching account of the love affair between Peter Abelard, one of the most significant thinkers of his age, and Heloise, who in a different time period, might well have been considered the same.

A book like this has to be written as a novel. The events are too far in the distant past, and too many details have been lost, for much else. As such, it is well written and beautifully presented. It engages the reader, and captures the "feel" of 12th century France.

This being said, the book is not without its flaws. The focus is almost entirely on Heloise and her personal sacrifices -- and there were two persons in this relationship. In one sense, Abelard suffered far greater loss, both personally and professionally than did Heloise. This is not adequately displayed in the novel. Meade makes numerous negative speculations about Abelard's motives and feelings which really can't fairly be made. Essentially, Meade tends to look at the characters from a post-modern feminist viewpoint -- which is fine, as long as the reader is aware of what she is doing, and that her (Meade's) philosophical presuppositons were not those inherent in 12th century France!

Somewhat disturbing was Meade's suggestion that Abelard was (or had been) engaged in homosexual relations with one or more of his students prior to his involvment with Heloise. This is a rather serious (and unsubstantiated) charge which, in the eyes of many, would detract from his character, but which is not borne out by the available historical evidence.

I recommend this book with caution. If you are looking for an entertaining historical novel about some extremely colorful characters, you will enjoy this book. But you need to realize that there is a good deal of fiction mixed in with fact -- and it is not always easy to discern the difference.

This is an absolutely wonderful book which has a slightly different take on the legendary Abelard & Heloise love story because it's written from her point of view. She is an intelligent, compelling and passionate woman who touched me deeply. The book is written in lovely language and provides wonderful descriptions of medieval France--you feel like you are running the streets of Paris with Heloise in her youth...and you stay with her through all the trials of her lost love, betrayals, lost and found faith and overall an incredible compassion for humanity. It is a great book because it shows Heloise in both her private and public selves and traces her life to eventual redemption. Fascinating and moving...I wept and smiled at the end.

I was thrilled to find the book. I had seen the movie and was fascinated by the story of Heloise and Abelard, but I was not prepared for the richness of this book. It covers the politics of the day (and the politics of the church), the history of impending war, and, with great passion, the forbidden love between two of history's greatest minds. The story of Heloise's life building her convent was fascinating. This book will remain close at hand for re-reads whenever I need a fix of great storytelling.

'Eleanor of Aquitaine' is the story of the 12th century French queen of both England and France. Hers was an interesting life, and Marion Meade tells it quite well. In a real Epic, Eleanor marries the kings of France and of England, goes on a crusade, gives birth to no less then 10 children, including Richard Lion Heart and King John. She divorces one husband and participates in a rebellion against the second. She helps to of her sons reign as kings, and finally dies before watching the collapse of the empire she so desired.

The problem with Meade's narrative is that much of what she describes seems debatable. As a previous reviewer noted, this seems as much fiction as fact. hardly a page goes by without the words 'must have' appearing somewhere. Much of the thoughts, plans, and ideas of Eleanor and other characters is pure speculation. Worse yet, often some of the actions and whereabouts of characters are given based on extreme circumstantial evidence.

Meade is also trying to hard to model Eleanor into a modern style feminist. Although she constantly attempts to depict Eleanor as an active, resourceful and wise woman, who rarely if ever makes mistakes, it is quite clear that Eleanor does not fit into that model. In fact, I got the impression you could easily have written the story of Eleanor as an essentially passive bystander in the political dramas involving her parents, husbands and children.

The footnotes, by the way, are complete waste of time for anyone trying to distinguish fact and fiction in Meade's work, unless one is a scholar of the period.

Ultimately 'Eleanor of Aquitaine' is a very good read, but one suspects it is a poor history.

Name 5 important women born between 100 a.d. and 1900 a.d. Eleanor of Aquitaine has to be on your list, perhaps in the first or second postion.

Born in the 12th century, she married Louis VII of France, divorced him and married Henry II King of England. She bore 10 children, 2 to Louis, and 8 to Henry. Among them Prince John and Richard the lion hearted of Robin Hood fame.

It was a time of great change. The Church was changing. It no longer saw women soley as the spawn of Satan. The cult of the Virgin Mary was taking hold. The politics of monarchy were changing. King Louis VII ruled only a small portion of what is modern day France. King Henry II wasn't even English, but a French nobleman who benefited from the untimely death of William the Conqueror's heir, and Civil War in England. He could "seize the day".(Horace) The second crusade led by Louis, failed miserably; perhaps some of modern day Muslin/Christian conflict has roots here. It appears that Louis did not heed Horace's advice.

And Eleanor, where was she? Well she joined Louis on the Crusade. In fact she was blamed for the outcome of the first disasterous battle. It seems that it is easier to blame the queen and her excessive luggage, than the head of the crusading army. Thousands began the Crusade, only hundreds returned. It is not hard to imagine how Eleanor and the others felt. But, she was stuck with Louis. Or was she? Louis needed a male heir, and Eleanor had not produced one. Divorce was not what Louis wanted, but he did need that male heir, and Eleanor was not getting any younger. And so, he freed Eleanor.

Imagine Louis' surprise at her marrying Henry just 8 weeks later. By the way she forgot to ask his permission. Louis was not happy.

But Henry was. He got Eleanor and Acquitaine, 5 sons of which 4 survived to manhood, 3 daughters who through marriage, could be used to achieve his political ambitions. Everything is going so well. Then what does he do? Well, Henry falls in love. Eleanor moves out, back to Aquitaine. And then? The male children of this estranged couple plot against their father, then seek asylum with Louis Capet, Eleanor's X. Of course, mother Eleanor is easy to blame.

In modern terms we might refer to this family as disfunctional. However, that disfunction had a price, and a payoff. France and England warred on and off over the next 300 years. Eleanor's decendants sat on the thrones of England, France, Jerusalem, and the Holy Roman Empire. We remember her today. And unlike many of the middle ages chroniclers, we think that she was important and we admire her.

It is difficult to write a biography from the distance of eight or nine centuries. There are few reliable, contemporay sources. It is most difficult to write one about the most powerful woman in Europe, since few thought that women were important enough to chronicle except in the blame game. Marion Meade has done such an admirable job. Her biography make Eleanor come alive. That this book, copywrited in 1977, remains in print is a testament to her impecable research and excellent writing.

I highly recommend this book.

Just as with most world-wide examples today, the historical lives of English monarchs and other persons of power and fame was dominated by men. But, as women mature I personally believe we grow weary of so much exposure to one-sided male perspective. This book helped alleviate my weariness. Meade does Eleanor, and the rest of us, a service by telling Eleanor's incredible story of power and politics and gender with a historians well researched, reasoned clarity, a scholar's forth-rightness, and a woman's sensitivity. And what a story did Eleanor's life make!

The illustrations were terrible, information was scarce, and my four year old is under the impression that she can stain her hat with berries.

This is a story of John Batterson Stetson and how he invented the hat "Boss Of The Plains" or more commonly known as the "ten-gallon hat". As a boy, John Stetson dreamed of going west. When at last he went, he became an important part of the Great American Frontier Adventure. Others struck gold or blazed trails through unknown territory, but John Stetson made his mark with a hat. The beautiful pictures in this book could have told the story themselves and it will get kids interested in an important part of history.

I think this was a very interesting way to tell people how the cowboy hat was invented. The artwork was what first attracted me to this book, and the illustrations were wonderful. I am 10 years old, and I think this book would be great for children of all ages.

I bought this book hoping to learn more about the breed and their special needs. However only the first half of the book was breed specific. The shopping lists and breed history was interesting, but I still have many unanswered questions about basic care. The second half had basic training tips that applies to all breeds. This may be a good book for someone who is looking for a general overview of the breed, but if you're looking for a detailed manual about how to care for and train a puppy, adult, and senior Boston Terrier, this book isn't it.

I bought this book after it being recommended by a breeder. It was exactly the kind of book that I was wanting. It provides specifics on the health problems, grooming tactics, and eating habits of the dog, which were the most important subjects I was looking for. The latter part of the book discusses how to enjoy your dog, though it isn't specifically directed toward the Boston. This is a great book and a must-have for any Boston Terrier owner.

I'm no expert on the Boston Terrier, which is why I like this book. We're planning on adopting one this summer, and I've been hunting for good, user-friendly BT books. This one covers everything, it's to the point, and the last four chapters are full of good advice for any dog owner, regardless of the breed. I wanted a manual I could refer to over and over again ~ this one fits the bill. :o)

I was on the hunt for fascinating tribal stories and I came across this book put together by Marie Meade. Not only did it contain beautiful photography, but the stories that went with the traditional masks were well traslated and I was able to make more sense of the Yup-ik tribes and their ancient traditions. To see the dances in person is one thing that the book may never be able to match, but to read the book and then see the dance lets you read into the stories and become part of them. Great source!

Great Book Entering the early teens and middle school is a confusing time for many kids. This book offers practical insight and humor to ease the way. Good for parent too. It helps to open the door to some great conversations.

Wills' History of Belle Meade does much to incorporate the history of Nashville as well as Southern history as he follows the fortunes and misfortunes of the Hardings and Jacksons. His vivid descriptions of the families who lived at Belle Meade help the reader understand how these families experienced the events of the nineteenth century. Some of the chapters on horses were not that interesting to me personally, but they did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Meade, Jeff. 1993. Home Sweet Office. Princteon, NJ: Peterson's.

This is a self-proclaimed "how to" book intended for a general audience interested in learning more about becoming telecommuters. Meade attempts to motivate readers to take the company initiative by convincing employers that telecommuting is a beneficial alternative for both employer and employee.

Meade's tone is light and humorous while covering a lot of territory. Benefits he discusses include time flexibility and freedom, coziness (there's no place like home!), informality, less interruptions, and no commute. However, he doesn't discount the pitfalls, such as choas caused at home, loneliness, the inability to separate work space from personal space, and professional jeopardy (out of sight, out of mind).

Using many personal testimonials of telecommuters, Meade takes the prospective commuter through the process of becoming a telecommuter. First, he asks the reader to take a test to see if he has the kind of personality or job type that is compatible with telecommuting. The next step is convincing the boss. This is where his argument falters. It is hard to imagine a low level data entry clerk approaching her boss about telecommuting if she may not even be allowed to take off five minutes early for lunch. However, his tips for convincing the boss (more productivity, less absenteeism, less overhead) as well as negotiating techniques are well written and comprehensive. One subsection is entitled "Six effective tactics for overcoming bosses' resistance". These include defining flexibility and productivity as employer benefits, developing a work contract ("managers feel more secure if everything is spelled out in a memo"), and using information about competitor's telecommuting programs.

It was amusing to read his review of hardware and peripherals.. Although this book was written only four years ago, most of the groundbreaking computer equipment he touts as "musts" are already completely outdated. He recommends the 486 to the 286, although the price is a little prohibitive...Meade also discusses other office equipment needed: fax machines, copiers, and telephones equipped with voice mail. The telecommuter, Meade warns, must negotiate upfront what office equipment will be supplied by the company and what must be supplied by the individual.

Other issues Meade addresses are the legal ramifications such as workman's compensation, zoning restrictions that prohibit working at home, and taxes. The IRS, according to Meade, is very narrow in its allowances for home office deductions if the individual is actually the employee of a company and not a self-employed consultant.

He also discusses the problems associated with perceptions of work and home and stresses the importance of keeping these two spheres as separate as possible. Frequent evaluation is necessary, expecially if the telecommuter is tempted to work long hours because the office is just in the next room.

Although Meade's style is redundant and his "if I can, you can, too" attitude beomes a little tedious, I believe this book is a useful tool for the person with the right personality, right job, and right boss to become a telecommuter. More important, it illuminates many of the reasons that telecommuting is taking a while to catch on.

Meade of Gettysburg is one of the few books written about the life of General George G. Meade. From reading other books about the Civil War, I became interested in General Meade. I was surprised to find that there are only a few books written about this soldier. When I purchased the book, I thought it would be about Meade's actions in the Battle of Gettysburg. While most of the book did revolve around his part in the Civil War, I was pleased to find that it was also a complete history of the man's life. The Battle of Gettysburg was just one part of the book. For example, I was surprised to learn that Meade was actively involved in the Topographical Corps and played a large role in the construction of the Brandywine light in the Delaware Bay. Meade of Gettysburg begins with the birth of George G. Meade and takes the reader through his entire life, ending with his funeral procession where his war horse, "Old Baldy" was brought out of retirement to march riderless behind the caisson bearing his master. For anyone interested in the life of General George G. Meade, this is your book.