I bought this dictionary because I love the French one, but I was disappointed with this one. It has most of the words I look up but in the english to spanish section it doesn't tell you the gender of the word, so you have to look it up in the spanish section. I assume that the author expected the user to know, or be able to figure out the gender, but speaking more french than spanish, I am never sure. Otherwise, a nice little dictionary that nearly replaces a bigger one.

I am a Spanish native speaker. I have used this dictionary for about 10 years when I travel. It has a lot of expressions besides the definitions.

Of course this doesn't substitute a big one for your desk (like Oxford's), but it is a very good pocket-size one.

If you're looking for an overall review of the tax laws and certain exemptions, this book is good. Since filling out my taxes, I've discovered it's not perfectly clear about which forms you need, but helpful. (I only missed one form of six.) BUT, if you're looking for a book that gets down to the nitty-gritty on tax deductions that you can take, covering one's you didn't know existed -- keep looking. This book is pretty basic. I will admit, it did help me with my first time of doing LOTS of paperwork.

It was a little hard to follow the categories, but this book answered every question I had about tax deductions.(And, I had a LOT of them.) It's impossible to rely completely on an accountant when it comes to deductions because there can be hundreds of potential write-offs. This book educated me and helped me find things that I would have overlooked.(and, saved me money!)

If you are completely new to the idea of networking, this is a good buy. For a lot of people though, this is a collection of common sense wisdom.

I am a techie, out-of-work, not knowing how to begin. This book gave me the simple ABC's to know what to do. Conversational. easy to read. Thanks!

If you took one of your more current internet business books, stripped it of its marketing spin, media hype, and pie-in-the-sky projections, then this book would be the result. Collin's book is noteworthy in that it is bereft of the usual 'anyone can make a million dollars on the internet' verbiage. However, once he presents the bare basics, there is really not much else useful in the book. He makes up for this by restating the same information in different ways, making this a text best suited for the computer and technology timid.

The book's writing style is clear, straightforward, and level-headed. The book is organized into twelve chapters, and contains a glossary (though not very complete) of key terms, as well as an appendix of useful real-world and cyberspace resources for the web initiate. On my first reading, I thought the book had an excessive number of typos, but then I suddenly realized that this book was written in British English, so it seemed a bit quirky at times. Though the book seemed a bit dry at times (the British English effect), it reads a lot like having a one on one tutorial with a knowledgeable expert. In his effort to show the reader how simple HTML is to learn and use, he presents a simple web page and its HTML source code, bit by bit, in order to encourage the reader. Collin's main point throughout the book is that the internet is easy to get on and can be quite useful, especially for business purposes. Simon Collin skillfully demystifies what on the surface seems to be a complex undertaking. He presents the steps to creating a net business in a simple to follow fashion, and gives the reader several basic strategies to choose from when considering their own online presence.

Many may find this book to be a bit too basic, and the web savvy may find it a bit too repetitive and plodding (in addition to knowing everything in the book cold already), but those new to the net who are level-headed and cautious will find that the book has a good, hype-free perspective. Most may find that they need to look no further than their own fully equipped PCs to start a net-business after reading Collin's book.

In short, this is a good book for absolute beginners which dedicated webheads and casual websurfers can pass on. It can serve as a good overview of the net for the novice, and can even give the finance savvy technophobe some ideas on good stock plays. Bear in mind that some information, such as modem and telephony standards (at the time he wrote the book, Collin cited 14.4 and 28.8 Kbps as fast), are now totally obsolete, as most computers sold now are shipped with 56Kbps modems.

Overall, this book serves as a small, effective, and workable tutorial for those new to the internet. If I were looking to explain what the internet is, how it works, and what you would need to get on it, I would do it just like Simon Collin, but using standard American English!

Internet technology as it relates to business practices is covered in Doing Business on the Internet, an oustanding guide which appears in its second edition providing updated details on everything from doing Internet research and launching a new venture to developing a web site and using email for communications. New developments covered here: payment security, delivering images to the Net, and faster Net links.

While the covers to MARTYR and FIRE ON HIGH provided some idea as to what the non-TV-appearance characters looked like, this expanded on their looks even further--this is now being considered the definitive source on character looks--and also provided a look at Excalibur's interiors (equal parts Enterprise-D, Enterprise-E, and Voyager), the Danteri, the Redeemers, Katerina Mueller, Mick Gold, and "Hash" Takahashi; even Shelby and Lefler look like their original actresses Elizabeth Dennehy and Ashley Judd. Kebron's ultra-dry wit remains in full force with instances like "Bartender? Another one if you're not too busy," when the ship is performing radical manuevers and everyone else is being flung across the compartment. Shelby and Calhoun's pre-Excalibur relationship is explored a little as well. There's even a visit from a VOYAGER character, and a subtle reference to the BABYLON 5 spinoff CRUSADE.

Peter David's crew of the USS Excalibur, commanded by the alien Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, has been extremely popular in the original Pocket Books series. Now this latest addition to the Star Trek phenomenon moves into comic books.

"Double Time" is an often hilarious, often tragic, romp through time. It dovetails into the ongoing soap opera style of the novels and gives most of Calhoun's eccentric Starfleet crew a chance to shine. Peter David collaborated with the illustrators on the "look" of his characters in this comic, and for the most part, the art is exception. Watch out for the cameo of Ensign Janos, the resident Mugato security officer.

Although I found the book very useful and reliable for research of early medieval Iberia, I must emphasize the following: The use of "Spain" to indicate the Iberian Peninsula (and vice-versa) is not correct since in our times it refers only to one of the countries located there. Living in the Iberian Peninsula throughout the whole timespan covered by this book there were NOT ONLY the ancestors of the Spanish but also of the Portuguese people. Everybody knows (and obviously also the authors of the book) that until the XV century there was NOT a single country named "Spain" (just a series of kingdoms which would unite under such name)! Even Portugal, one of the oldest countries in Europe still mantaining its original borders, was not a independent country until the XII century, just three centuries before Spain...

In "Early Medieval Spain," Collins describes the background to the 711 Arab conquest, the establishment of an Umayyad Arab state, and the reemergence of the Christian kingdoms in the north of the peninsula. Overall, Collins' style is sometimes dry yet objective; his source criticism and analysis are notably excellent. Collins does a particularly thorough job of demonstrating how Roman influences in Hispania (Iberia, al-Andalus, or Spain whichever you prefer) permeated the Visigothic period.

Following the Visigothic era, Collins discusses tha Arab/Berber conquest. He then discusses the establishment of the Umayyad caliphate as well as the difficulties the Umayyads, not unlike the Visigoths, had in maintaining control over the peninsula. In doing so, Collins analyzes numerous sources in discussing the complex nature of Iberia, while steadily progressing through six centuries of history. By the end of the tenth-century, the Christian kingdoms in Northwestern Spain began to reemerge as a power in the peninsula. Collins details this reemergece beginning with Pelagius' revolt and the establishment of the kingdom of the Asturias. As the Christian kingdoms emerged, they also began to increase their interaction with the rest of Europe. One interesting connection was between the Cluny monastary and the kingdoms of Leon and Castile. Eventually, the combined kingdoms of Leon and Castile would become the biggest donors to the monastery of Cluny. This becomes significant since Castile played a leading role in the Reconquest and Cluny became the monastery where the idea of crusade was discussed.

Overall, "Early Medieval Spain" is a comprehensive work carried out in a very scholarly fashion. It includes excellent appendixes that document the different rulers--Islamic, Christian, and Roman--which increases the value of the work. This makes "Early Medieval Spain" an excellent choice for a standard text of this particular era.

This is actually a compendium of two thematically related series about Kahvi and Two-Spear. It would probably have made more sense had Two-Spear's part of the story come first. In any case, the art in the Kahvi series was done by the less competent of Pini's successors, with the result that she looks rather like a chipmunk-cheeked 12-year-old. They do manage to instill some visual humor, as Tyldak attempts to hunt for himself. The story line was exciting, even upsetting at times -- Kahvi seems to have somehow become a less wise person than she was in the earlier books. There's an intense fight scene between... wait and see. The readers discover the origin of the Go-Backs, which is what I always suspected it was, though Kahvi's personal origin (and apparent amnesia heretofore) seem a little far-fetched. The Two-Spear segment is more artistically, but more confusingly, drawn and involves a story line with which most Elfquest readers are already familiar. It's well done here but doesn't really add anything new. I'll add a general complaint: Why can't any Elfquest artists, including Pini herself, look at some pictures of wolves and figure out how to draw them?

Since Kahvi first appeared in the original Elfquest series in late 1983, the elf-chieftess has become one of the best-known and most distinctive characters in the story. However, of her background virtually nothing was known, until the publication of the "Kahvi" miniseries in 1995- 6. The present story explains how the Go-Back chief, seeking a great elfin relic as a trophy for her tribe, instead discovers a far greater trophy: the secret of her, and their, origins, and their place in the world.

The plot, extremely action-filled within its six episodes, depicts Kahvi's journey as she pursues the Egg of Six Spheres, the repository of all elfin history. But, though she seeks only a totem for her warlike but declining tribe, the Egg revives her memory that she is the daughter of the long-ago chief Two-Spear, and that all her people are thus descendants of the Wolfriders. At first, though, Kahvi refuses to deal with this knowledge, not wishing to see herself or her tribe as lowly "Wolfrider cast-off" (as she puts it). Her struggle to accept this revelation leads her on another quest, during which the elf-chieftess is forced to draw on her long-dormant Wolfrider nature (senses, skills, even bonding with a wolf) to survive the trek back home. In the process, she realizes that her tribe needed no physical trophy after all; their survival as a people, their ability to defend themselves and other elves against all enemies, are all the trophy they need - a lesson she finally brings home to the Go-Backs.

This storyline was conceived, and partially written, by the late Kim Yale, whose stories have a pronounced mystical/supernatural bent. This sometimes affects the dialogue, which in the first three chapters is often too bombastic to be credible (especially the lines spoken by Tyldak and Aurek). The later chapters, however, were completed by Joellyn Auklandus (because of the illness of Yale, who died of cancer in 1997), and these feature much more natural and convincing dialogue; she is equally adept at portraying humor (part 5) and gravity (much of part 6). The story concept as a whole is excellent, but its execution evidently took time to perfect. Credit is also due for the crisp artwork by Steve Blevins; not only is the drawing style surprisingly close to that of Wendy Pini, he also shows mastery of those things which are deceptively hard to draw (complex facial expressions, characters dismounting their animals, and suchlike).

Turning to Two-Spear, he too is featured in this book, in the series of the same name (which for some reason follows, rather than precedes, "Kahvi" in this edition, contrary to chronology). This series is of a radically different stamp, both as literature and as art. The story (written by Terry Collins) is grim and unsentimental, the artwork (pencilled by Delfin Barral, of "The Rebels" fame) hard-edged, almost expressionistic at times. So the tale is conventionally "ugly" to mind and ear; yet the plot forces one to proceed further. The bare outline of the story - the schism of the early Wolfrider tribe - had already been known to longtime readers (from stories in the EQ prose-books of the 1980s); but this tale adds important dimensions to the basic conflict. It explains the elf- chief's profound hatred of humans, and his willingness to kill as many as possible to safeguard his tribe - which shelves into a blind willingness to destroy the tribe in order to save it. More surprisingly, the death-match between the chief and his half-sister Huntress Skyfire is portrayed not only as a tribal crisis, but as a family tragedy - the culmination of years of jealousy and suspicion that poisoned the siblings' once-friendly relationship.

As is the case with "Kahvi", some of the dialogue in "Two-Spear" becomes stiff and crabbed at times, but the story's premise is convincing and demands the reader's attention, and thoughtfulness. Care has clearly been taken with the tone of each episode, not only in terms of storytelling but also through subtle changes in artwork from part to part; for instance, part 2 - which includes a "vision sequence" - is pencilled very lightly and is left uninked, while part 3 - in which Two-Spear murders an entire human hunting-party singlehanded - uses heavy ink-work to convey the chaos and brutality of this scene.

Though these two EQ stories are not directly related - and though "Kahvi" should have placed second rather than first in this book - each tale is a fine complement to the other. Most importantly, the writers ultimately portray Kahvi as a true heroine - a flawed heroine, but a heroine nonetheless. Overall, a compelling read, if an often unsettling one.

The book is a well-written introduction to the works of Angela Thirkell but somewhat disappointing. I am not a scholar of English Literature, only a lover of Thirkell's deft portrayal of a segment of English society and her gentle satire of the same. I was, therefore, irritated by minor factual errors that left me feeling I knew the books better than the author did.

The first full-length scholarly study of Angela Thirkell's work, Collins' book is an important beginning for critics of Thirkell's novels. It is a fine introduction for the lay reader as well, since it delineates major themes as well as major characters and families. Collins goes beyond just expiation with her very detailed analysis of the presentation of, for example, mothers and son, babies, and religion. A necessary book for anyone with more than a passing interest in Thirkell's work.

Short, sharp, savvy and saucy - with a nod in the direction of the classic "noir" or "hardboiled" style this short story collection delivers your crime in very edible bites.

The decorated group of authors assembled here each contribute their modern interpretation to where it all began in crime; uncomplicated motive, meaningful encounters and your murders delivered by gun and blade. The editors give their thanks to the original masters of crime fiction: James M Cain, Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane etc in what is a highly enjoyable dish of "erotic tales of crime and passion". But with a liberal splash of humour and irony.

The people we encounter every day and think nothing of it: what does that bank teller, airline attendant, security guard have cooking on their mental back burners behind the facade of polite efficiency? Murder.

Reality checks in with the fedora hat and overcoat here; enjoy these 23 windows into the everyday world that includes bad men and nasty women with a grudge. Most of these stories would aptly be described as fantastical - how many gorgeous women can the average Joe bed in a day? - but they are fun rides into the seamier side of life.

~*
Andrea Thompson

The pairing is so obvious that it's remarkable someone hadn't thought to create a compilation of stories combining graphic sex with noir detective settings long ago. Isn't that what detective fiction is ultimately all about, anyway? Detective stories all seem to involve the seven deadly sins sooner or later. There's greed, envy, lust, lust, lust, lust and lust. I think I covered 'em all. However, not much else remains covered in FLESH & BLOOD: GUILTY AS SIN, the latest in the FLESH & BLOOD anthologies of original stories edited by Max Allan Collins and Jeff Gelb.

Collins needs no introduction to readers of detective fiction or to anyone else, really, since his graphic novel, THE ROAD TO PERDITION, was adapted to film. And Gelb? Horror aficionados have prized his HOT BLOOD series, edited with writer and writing instructor extraordinaire Michael Garrett, for some time now. FLESH & BLOOD is a logical outgrowth of the HOT BLOOD series and succeeds as thoroughly. The reasons for the success of both series are the uncanny ability of the editors to mix each anthology with well-known writers and those who are soon to be well known and to get their best out of all of them.

This is far more than a collection of "dirty stories." The sexual content is graphic but always fits appropriately within the context of the tale. Collins's own "Lie Beside Me," co-written with Matthew V. Clemens, is an excellent example of this. The story begins with John Sand, a retired secret agent who is finding that domestic bliss is boring. Mrs. Sand decides to re-awaken their marriage by reminding Sand of certain aspects of his exciting past, just as the past suddenly --- and dangerously --- threatens to intrude. This is the story that Ian Fleming, alas, never got to write.

Then there is O'Neil De Noux's contribution, "The Iberville Mistress." De Noux is a frequent contributor to Gelb's anthologies. No one can write an erotic tale set in New Orleans, that most erotic of cities, like De Noux. This tale of a private eye who becomes an unwitting, though not necessarily unwilling, instrument of the termination of a marriage is worth the price of admission all by itself.

Loren Estelman contributes a fine and humorous offering entitled "A Hatful of Ralph" about a department store detective who finds out more than he should about the extracurricular activities of a couple of coupling employees, while Gelb's "Perfection" is perhaps the ultimate cautionary tale about getting what you wish for. Garrett is represented as well in "Sex Crimes," which is the perfect title for a little band of thrill killers who, uh, really get into their work.

There are a couple of surprises as well. Clemens and Gelb score a coup with "Walking to Paris," a story by the much missed and remembered Rex Miller, who comes out of an illness-imposed retirement to present this story about a stewardess with a penchant for the ultimate payback. And then there's "Bank Job" by Thomas Roche. I was heretofore unfamiliar with Roche's work, a deficiency in my literary education that I plan to remedy soon. "Bank Job," gloriously set in San Francisco, chronicles what befalls a policeman who finds himself kidnapped during a bank robbery and who is almost too distracted by what befalls him to figure out an escape. This story is perhaps the most bizarre in the entire collection and is certainly one of the best.

FLESH & BLOOD: GUILTY AS SIN continues the tradition established by its predecessors of combining sex, violence and mystery into a steamy literary mix that both titillates and challenges the reader. Hopefully, we can look forward to seeing new volumes of this collection for many years to come.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

As a commercial GPS user, I was looking for a book that would offer a fairly basic overview of GPS, but that would still go into significant detail. This book does exactly that, but it also covers a lot of the mathematical theory behind GPS. This book certainly isn't introductory and I think would be more suited to a surveyor with a good knowledge of surveying techniques who was interested in GPS. The mathematics gets a bit heavy for a non-mathematician but Chapter 7 (Surveying with GPS) is an excellent introduction/review of the practical uses of GPS in the field. A good intermediate-advanced level book, probably very suited to students.

This is an excellent book for anyone that works with spacecraft geometry and/or timekeeping. It contains concise descriptions of coordinate systems, orbital elements and timekeeping. I've been using it as an algorithm 'cookbook'. This is not a book for a casual GPS user, or someone who is sqeamish about math. It's much easier to use than the Astronomical Almanac for basic algorithms. Like a fool, I lent it out. Now I need to buy another one.