Book Description

The last twenty years have witnessed tremendous advances in the mathematical, statistical, and computational tools available to applied macroeconomists. This rapidly evolving field has redefined how researchers test models and validate theories. Yet until now there has been no textbook that unites the latest methods and bridges the divide between theoretical and applied work.

Fabio Canova brings together dynamic equilibrium theory, data analysis, and advanced econometric and computational methods to provide the first comprehensive set of techniques for use by academic economists as well as professional macroeconomists in banking and finance, industry, and government. This graduate-level textbook is for readers knowledgeable in modern macroeconomic theory, econometrics, and computational programming using RATS, MATLAB, or Gauss. Inevitably a modern treatment of such a complex topic requires a quantitative perspective, a solid dynamic theory background, and the development of empirical and numerical methods--which is where Canova's book differs from typical graduate textbooks in macroeconomics and econometrics. Rather than list a series of estimators and their properties, Canova starts from a class of DSGE models, finds an approximate linear representation for the decision rules, and describes methods needed to estimate their parameters, examining their fit to the data. The book is complete with numerous examples and exercises.

Today's economic analysts need a strong foundation in both theory and application. Methods for Applied Macroeconomic Research offers the essential tools for the next generation of macroeconomists.

Book Description
When Scarlett, an overly ambitious cigarette girl - quick to break the rules and even quicker to pull the trigger - starts selling cigarettes outside of her district, tensions rise and the seeds of an all-out cigarette girl gang war are sown. When you're out on the street in the middle of the night wearing your little French Maid outfit, with the short skirt and the off-the-shoulder top, Jack Daniels isn't just your friend, it's your coat. And the 9mm in your tray isn't just your protection - it's the compass that points you the way home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Smokin' HOT!
Taking a page from Frank Miller's SIN CITY, Kirsten Baldock perfectly captures the pulp-noir genre she was aiming for.Everything from the frame compositions to the hard-boiled dialogue, if you love to drink-in the world of dirty, gitty, hard-times, where your gun mostly does all the talking and the dames are an eye-full, then you'll love this book.

Yeah, smoking is bad for you, but damn, do you look cool doing it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Hilarious fun for the Fabio fan
Okay, first off it's by Fabio. You can't even begin to think to take it seriously. Picture the "I can't believe it's not butter" model, smiling broadly in a puffy shirt, wind blowing in his face, describing the story to an actual romance author who's writing the book for him (yes, there's another name in the author slot with his).

Remember, it's Fabio. So use the appropriate accent. Say things like "I vant to be smarrrt. I vant to play chess on the beach." Its about pirates so remember, "Pirates go Arrr, Matey. but I am smart, so I just say Hello."

And yes, the pirates (he's obviously the pirate captain) get drunk on the beach and say "Harrrr" a lot. There is the actual super-sexy phrase of "Climb upon my mast and billow like a sail." in the book, which makes me laugh everytime I think about it. There are no surprise twists or turns. And there is a centerfold picture of the guy himself if you get the 1st ed paperback.

This book is a great laugh, fun, light and as complex and dizzyingly clever as the model himself.

Remember, It's Fabio!

She was 18 not 12 When They Became A Couple!
First off I want to point off that Christina was only 12 year of age when she was rescued by Marco after he passed by in his ship and saw that the island she lived on was being invaded by pirates.

Christina was an orphan and her guardian sent her to that island fully knowing that it was frequently invaded by pirates hoping that she would get killed and then he would inherit her fortune.

Ignore reviewers who admit they only read the first page or only read Amazon's brief and incomplete discription for they wrongly think that Marco was having relations with Christina when she was 12.

Yes Marco took Christina to live on his own Caribbean island but he had a lover and didn't really pay much attention to Christina and he didn't really even like her too much and thought of her as an annoying pesty little kid and really let Christina do her own thing for years and nothing happened between Marco and Christina though she did try throwing herself at him only to be rejected by him until she was 18 years old and kind of seduced him and I think he was drunk at the time.

Like so many other reviewers I didn't like Christina but I actually liked Marco and even though I didn't like the heroine I actually liked this book and I recommend it but I think Fabio should have sent Christina off with the son of Marco's business aquaintence and given Marco a more stable girlfriend but I will rate this 3 stars for what I liked but no more than 3 stars!

UGH!
I don't know if I should really write a review of this book, seeings how I didn't get past the 2nd chapter.I am a huge romance consumer, but I just could not past the fact that the writing was the worse I've every read to get to the story.And the fact that Marco was attracted to a 14 yr old girl turned me right off.Apart from that, it was still a horrible book.Good thing I bought if from my local library for $.50.It's almost worth that as a doorstopper.

I agree with the reviewer that suggested this as kindling
One good thing about this book is that it holds many a laughs for someone with even minimal intelligence.And onto the "plot"!

You have your stereotypical beefcake named Marco, who, whenever described, holds a striking resemblence to the supposed author of this book.Marco is your average Italian pirate/womanizer who is his own boss and even the boss of a quaint pirate island somewhere in the Caribbean where prostitutes are welcome to visit and have children with Marco's crew.

Marco, on one of his escapades, comes across a rather dilapidated, almost-run-by-criminals island where he saves twelve-year-old Christina, who, upon first being introduced, doesn't appear half bad.Marco gallantly swoops her and her stereotypically annoying crone of a guardian, away to his island.Blah, blah, blah, six years pass.

Marco still is an irritating, virtually one-dimensional character who has to walk through doorways sideways because of his overbearing muscles (I particularly loved his episode with the mercenary-like cook and her constant want of a raise, and how he said something along the lines of "Woman! You try my temper!"), while Christina has turned into a spoiled brat.Of course, she's a voluptuous, golden-haired eighteen-year-old who is lusted after by every memeber of the crew, so all her moral short-comings are overlooked.I swear, I have never come across a ...character.And not even in the good sense of the word.There were numerous occasions where I wished I could jump into the book, punch her in the face and then laugh at her while she cried for Marco because her hair got mussed and her immaculately tiny nose was now less than perfect.

All in all, you have just about every stereotype imaginable.The steamy ... who thinks she can run the hero's life.The annoying child-turned-woman who thinks she owns the hero's life because of a frivolous promise, the ugly, bearded Spanish pirate rival, the heiress of an American colony company, and her jealous guardian who wants her dead so he can get the money.

I think the only likable character was the darn cheetah, who, in a Sigfried and Roy-esque manner, was a pet.And she is oh-so nicely name...Pansy.

Anyone who honestly enjoyed this book needs their head examined.I got it as a gag gift, and I couldn't even get through it all, and ended skipping parts.

I agree with the reviewer that suggested this as kindling
One good thing about this book is that it holds many a laughs for someone with even minimal intelligence.And onto the "plot"!

You have your stereotypical beefcake named Marco, who, whenever described, holds a striking resemblence to the supposed author of this book.Marco is your average Italian pirate/womanizer who is his own boss and even the boss of a quaint pirate island somewhere in the Caribbean where prostitutes are welcome to visit and have children with Marco's crew.

Marco, on one of his escapades, comes across a rather dilapidated, almost-run-by-criminals island where he saves twelve-year-old Christina, who, upon first being introduced, doesn't appear half bad.Marco gallantly swoops her and her stereotypically annoying crone of a guardian, away to his island.Blah, blah, blah, six years pass.

Marco still is an irritating, virtually one-dimensional character who has to walk through doorways sideways because of his overbearing muscles (I particularly loved his episode with the mercenary-like cook and her constant want of a raise, and how he said something along the lines of "Woman! You try my temper!"), while Christina has turned into a spoiled brat.Of course, she's a voluptuous, golden-haired eighteen-year-old who is lusted after by every memeber of the crew, so all her moral short-comings are overlooked.I swear, I have never come across a .... character.And not even in the good sense of the word.There were numerous occasions where I wished I could jump into the book, punch her in the face and then laugh at her while she cried for Marco because her hair got mussed and her immaculately tiny nose was now less than perfect.

All in all, you have just about every stereotype imaginable.The steamy whore who thinks she can run the hero's life.The annoying child-turned-woman who thinks she owns the hero's life because of a frivolous promise, the ugly, bearded Spanish pirate rival, the heiress of an American colony company, and her jealous guardian who wants her dead so he can get the money.

I think the only likable character was the darn cheetah, who, in a Sigfried and Roy-esque manner, was a pet.And she is oh-so nicely name...Pansy.

Anyone who honestly enjoyed this book needs their head examined.I got it as a gag gift, and I couldn't even get through it all, and ended skipping parts. ... Read more

Book Description
It is in our nature to be fascinated by identical twins. We watch them whenever possible, captivated by mirror images interacting, moving independently of one another and yet sharing the same mannerisms and speech patterns.Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba are Brazilian twins who share an award-winning talent for comics and an abiding love of the medium. Following in the wake of brothers Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez and Tomer & Asaf Hanuka, Moon & Ba bring their considerable skills to Dark Horse in De:Tales, their first major American release!This collection of short stories features the pair working together, in tandem, or separately - trading off on the roles of writing and illustrating, sharing those roles or flying solo. Brimming with all the details of human life, their charming tales move from the urban reality of their home in Sao Paulo to the magical realism of their Latin American background, living up to the twins' critical acclaim and proving that they are a talented pair to watch for. ... Read more

Book Description
This comprehensive guide to “the gentle art” by one of its foremost practitioners and teachers helps readers master the fundamentals on which a confident self-defense or professional competition career are based. The book covers the history and theory of jiu-jitsu; contains extensive sections on practical techniques such as strikes, holds, locks, throws, and evasions; distinguishes Brazilian lineages such as ground fighting and sudden attack techniques from other traditions; and shows readers how they can overcome any attacker, with as little effort and physical strength as possible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Absolutely one of the best BJJ book I own.
I bought both the basic and advanced books and the techniques represented actually work!I train at a Relson Gracie Academy and Fabio's techniques are simply easy to follow and effective.He presents self defense and competitive BJJ techniques.My instructor is very harsh on most BJJ books but approves of Fabio's techniques.Again, you will not find flying arm bars or flying triangles in these books.What you will find are solid core BJJ techniques that were developed and taught by the Gracie Family.I believe Fabio has trained with both Rolls and Rickson.It's also cool to see Marcelo Garcia in the advanced book with Fabio.

Fabio Gurgel is an eight-time martial arts world champion
Fabio Gurgel is an eight-time martial arts world champion and co-founder of more than forty academies around the world. He is president of the Professional League of Jiu-Jitsu which is based in Brazil and continues to teach at his own academy in Sao Paulo. Fabio therefore writes with a very special expertise in "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Basic Techniques", a superbly organized and presented, step-by-step, illustrated introduction to a very special and effective form of the martial arts. Fabio begins with a brief history of jiu-jitsu, a martial art that originated in India more than 4,000 years ago as a self-defense technique employed by monks. Ideal for the absolute novice, "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Basic Techniques" is a confidently recommended instruction manual. Also very highly recommended is the companion book by Fabio Gurgel and also published by Blue Snake Books, "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Advanced Techniques (97815893941669, $19.95) which goes on to instruct the reader in additional self-defense techniques including passing the guard, sweeps, side attacks, mounted attacks, rear attacks, guard attacks, mounted escapes, and throws. Together, both volumes of "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" comprise a complete and comprehensive course of do-it-yourself instruction.

Great Fighter, bad author
This is by far the worst BJJ book I have ever read.Fabio should just stick to competing.I was so let down by this product that I returned it.The photos were awful and the text may as well have been in Portugese. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I love Fabio but does Fabio love me?
At first I couldn't decide if I really wanted to take a chance on this. I pondered it for a few days and discussed it with as many people as I could. Sometimes I would get this feeling of incredible anticipation. I would feel like this would be the jackpot for which I have been waiting so long. My finger would hover over the "Add to Cart" button while I considered the possible outcome of what (to some people) might seem like a brash and reckless move.

Other times I would try to put the whole concept of "Fabio" out of my mind so that I could get some sleep. But the idea would creep back into my head. I would be laying there at 3:00 AM considering (for example), the merits of the various long-distance plans that I had been made aware of by several polite callers over the course of the previous couple of weeks, when I could feel Fabio looming at the fuzzy borders of my consciousness. I would try to fight him off but all of a sudden there it would be - the image of Fabio fully formed in my mind's eye - in all his dubious glory.

I talked the problem over with my psychiatrist. He was perplexed so he called two of his associates into the room to see if they could help make some sort of sense out of what I was telling him. All three of them are from Vienna. They all had cigars and they all happened to have long full beards. I told them of my dilemma - well my conundrum really - while the three of them sat in stony silence.

I noticed that they all stroked their beards in what I am sure (in hindsight) was a subtle system of beard-code that they had worked out for non-verbal communication in just this type of situation. I had just gotten to the part about the long-distance rates when one of them fainted! I learned later that fainting is a common self-defense mechanism the human body employs in order to stave off terrible psychological pain and trauma.

The others revived him and they retreated to a corner of the room to discuss my problem. They kept there voices low but I distinctly heard the fainter say "Crazy - just plain nuts"! His face was red and he seemed like he was angry and scared at the same time. The others calmed him and in about 20 minutes they decided on a course of action. After asking me if I wouldn't mind if they submitted this case for publication in a medical journal, my doctor said "Mr. Sprinkel it is, after all, just a few dollars. What is the worst that could happen? Be brave, take a chance. Buy Fabio and see if perhaps this will set your mind at ease".

That was 12 days ago. What he said made a lot of sense at the time and I can understand the finer points of his argument but I still have this nagging doubt. My finger is over the "Add to Cart" button and I think I have just about come to the point where I can start to make a rational decision about the pros and cons of this gambit. Yes, yes I am just about there. I'm just going to take another moment to consider it all then I will certainly make a decision...

Fabio is FAB!
WOw!This book got me fit!Fabio is my role model for fittness!We should emulate ourselves after him! Those pecs!Those biceps!And they will soon be yours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Yes It's No Masterpiece, But It's Still Enjoyable and Entertaining!
Fabio is a very good looking man who is famous for posing for many romance book covers and I was surprised when I heard that he also wrote some romance books and when I saw this audiobook recording of his book Viking I bought it and though it's not a classic piece of literature it wasn't that bad and I kind of enjoyed it and I'm not sorry I listened to this audiobook and I would definitely recommend it!

Not bad!
I also thought I would get a good laugh out of this but I gave it a chance and though not something that will win any major literary awards it was really quite good for it's genre so if you will only read books that are literary works of art avoid this because it's not for you but if you have an open mind about books and can read and enjoy every thing from classic literature to more lightweight books like this, well you won't be disappointed and might even find yourself actually liking it.

It was an Enjoyable Listen!
I listened to an audio cassette tape version of Viking and though I thought I would probably hate it and think it was hokey I found myself really having fun listening to the story and totally liked it and the fact that Italian actor Marcello filming a movie about the ancient Vikings is transported back to Iceland during the time of the Vikings becoming Viktor the Valiant a Viking warrior, and I really liked Marcello/Viktor, and Monica/Reyna, in fact I liked this audio cassette version of Fabio's story so much I'm going to search the used book stores for the paperback book. My only minor complaint with the audio cassette version is that the American woman who read the story didn't use any accents, and though I would have liked the reader to have used the proper accents I think she had a very nice sounding voice and even with the minor complaint of the accents I still feel that the audio is a keeper!

Don't buy this!
Whoever decided to let Fabio write a book was seriously disturbed.I'll put it nicely and say that the book seems rushed and not very well thought out.Save yourself the money.

I to have read all of Fabio's books,and i too love his books
Romance Author heartthrob Fabio plays Marcello Hollwood action star,is transported in the middle of a viking era during a feuding between two tribes. With everything going on around Marcello, he falls in love with abeautiful french princess. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Ab-Fab
I absolutely loved this book.It was as fun to read as the title suggests and informative as well. It brought back to my memory days of my rambunctious youth, and painted a picture of the settings beautifull in myhead.I would give it all five stars, but it does seem to be lagging insome places.Overall it is a good read that is really worth every penny. ... Read more

Book Description
There is keen interest in the exquisite yet simple Italian cuisine and Italian culture. This volume provides an intimate look at how Italians cook, eat, and think about food today. It describes the cornucopia of foodstuffs and classic ingredients. An overview of the typical daily routine of meals and snacks gives a good feel for the everyday life. The changing roles of women are explored with a discussion of the inroads that convenience foods are making. In addition, the current concerns about the food supply, the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and the slow food movement are tied in to the debates on these issues in the United States. Food is one of the main reasons why many Americans travel to Italy. Yet, the fascination with Italian cuisine is not all about health or taste. There is much more to it. Italian food is perceived and portrayed in the media as representing a whole lifestyle: Italians live la dolce vita, leisurely eating and drinking with friends and families, families are still important, and communities are close knit. The reality of Italian society is more complex, and this volume offers a balanced view of Italian culture and identity through its foodways. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Laughable garbage
Let's not kid ourselves. This book was written by Eugenia Riley, not Fabio. If you want to learn anything about the Comanche or the tensions between whites and Native Americans, you'd do a lot better looking for it somewhere other than in the pages of a romance novel. Anyone who reads this sort of literature regularly knows the repetitive formula followed: man and woman meet, are attracted to each other but some obstacle keeps them apart. Lots of sexual tension develops, culminating in some erotic encounter. That's exactly what happens in this book. All this nonsesnse about feminism and racial identity are just window dressing. This is a book that most people are now throwing away. Really, what do you expect from a book that is selling for a PENNY? Do yourself a favor and read something better. It shouldn't be hard to find.

above and beyond
Commanche is a great book for anyone who loves books that contain romance that rises above and beyond the restrants of prejudice and the classical veiws of society.Bronson Kane and Maggie Donovan, both learn from the other and find a mutal meeting ground.This captivating book is filled with a senseof realism that fills your heart. If your looking to take a journey in the form of two wonderful and fulfilling caractersI realy recommend you read this book.

Past the Robust Image You'll find Stimulating Subjects
Comanche is set in Texas in the mid-nineteenth century. This novel is classified as a Historical Romance. It follows the formulaic pattern of Romance novels. Yet, issues such as feminism and racial identity areembedded within the story. This novel might be dismissed as"sensationalist" or "escapist" literature because ofits literary classification. However, if you take the time to examine thisnovel's larger ideas and issues, you will find porvoking subject matterbeneath Comanche's gaudy and gilt cover.Comanche brings attention to theracial tension which has existed between the Native Americans and thecolonial invaders since the invasion of America by Europeans. Bronson Kaneis the embodiment of this conflict and Maggie is the projection of theEuropean's racist fears. Economic inequality between the white and NativeAmerican population can be related directly to the stereotypes and fearswhich still exist. The character of Bronson represents the conflictinherent in Native American citizens who historically needed to surrendertheir culture for the Europeans or be condemned as social deviants by thecolonialists. This dilemma has been discussed recently in such literaryworks as M. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn and Sherman Alexie's IndianKiller. However, the model of the half-breed has been used frequentlythroughout the history of literature as in Henry James' novel The PrincessCasa massima in which the delicate character of Hyacinth struggles with hisheritage of upper-class Britain and lower-class France. This conflict ofheritage which leads to an unsolvable conflict in the character of Hyacinthis a sharp contrast to that of Bronson who ultimately accepts his identitythrough the expression of love for Maggie. This represents a consolationbetween his identification with his white ancestors and his tribalcommunity, the Comanches. Fabio eludes to the struggle of identity throughBronson's pleas toward Maggie: "Are we really different? Does itmatter whether we find our destiny here in the wilderness, or back instuffy old Boston?" Through this, Fabio suggests a reconciliationbetween Native American and Europeans be abondoning our culturalstereotypes for the respect of the individual. This resolution ischaracterized in the novel by Bronson and Maggie's love.Perhaps insteadof limiting our perception of literature to such classifications as"classic" or "romance", we can look at every novel froman objective point of view and value its cultural meaning. The fact thatFabio, a cultural icon, wrote it negates the way in which it is percievedby reading audiences. His name carries a set a expectations with it and itis these expectations that we must suspend in order to look at the novelobjectively. Comanche is a novel that is meant to be enjoyed. It isentertaining. It is also a reflection of our physical, emotional, andsocial ideals. A single book can be enjoyed and values on multiple levels.

Another fine contribution from the Master of Romance
Fabio has done it again with this solid new work of Romantic fiction.His characters are vigorous and robust, and he has honed his use of theEnglish language like a master craftsman.Thedialogue is crisp and original, and the lovescenes were graphic yet tasteful.Go Fabio! ... Read more

Book Description

Quantitative approaches to evolutionary biology traditionally consider evolutionary change in isolation from an important pressure in natural selection: the demography of coevolving populations. In Analysis of Evolutionary Processes, Fabio Dercole and Sergio Rinaldi have written the first comprehensive book on Adaptive Dynamics (AD), a quantitative modeling approach that explicitly links evolutionary changes to demographic ones. The book shows how the so-called AD canonical equation can answer questions of paramount interest in biology, engineering, and the social sciences, especially economics.

After introducing the basics of evolutionary processes and classifying available modeling approaches, Dercole and Rinaldi give a detailed presentation of the derivation of the AD canonical equation, an ordinary differential equation that focuses on evolutionary processes driven by rare and small innovations. The authors then look at important features of evolutionary dynamics as viewed through the lens of AD. They present their discovery of the first chaotic evolutionary attractor, which calls into question the common view that coevolution produces exquisitely harmonious adaptations between species. And, opening up potential new lines of research by providing the first application of AD to economics, they show how AD can explain the emergence of technological variety.

Analysis of Evolutionary Processes will interest anyone looking for a self-contained treatment of AD for self-study or teaching, including graduate students and researchers in mathematical and theoretical biology, applied mathematics, and theoretical economics.

Customer Reviews (5)

Cookbook with anecdotes
Since my husband is from Marche, I enjoyed reading this cookbook with the side descriptions of life in the province.Some of the recipes would be difficult to make here due to ingredients, but there are some Marche favorites that are delicious.

A Solid Book for the Serious Cook of Regional Italian Food
This book is based in large part upon the story of the Familia Trabocci,
That story gives the reader/cook some real insight into the spirit of the food which is made with the excellent recipes.This is not really a cookbook for the beginner because, although it has very fine illustrations of dishes on the table, there are few procedural illustrations and many of the regional ingredients may be difficlt to obtain. It is a fine book of the cooking and customs of a region of Italy. Buy it and read it, you will enjoy it! You should also try to reproduce the cooking through some of the recipes in the spirit of the region.

Very enlightening
I love Fabio's cooking. It's Inspired and exploding with amazing flavor. Fof over a year and a half worling in Maestro, I didn't always understood where the genious came from. This book has allowed me to understand a lot about him.

The recipes in the book are not your typical italian fare, it's a rustic, culinary treasure from a relatively undiscovered region of Italy. Very recomendable.

Italian charm, top-notch food
Part travelogue, part cookbook, Cucina of Le Marche intersperses its recipes with family memories and great storytelling. This is not just a cookbook to quickly consult over the stove; it's a book you'll want to curl up with and really read. Some of the recipes are fairly involved, but the writing is easy to follow and what I've made so far has been delicious. The rice and spinach soup with prosciutto and parmesan is heavenly, and the Le Marche risotto is easy to make but super yummy (the secret ingredient is cinnamon). Beginner cooks, advanced chefs and avid readers should all find something to love here.

Even with all the amazing restaurants in New York, I still crave the delicious food at Trabocchi's restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in VA. With this cookbook I can bring a little bit of his cuisine to my own kitchen. Bravo!

Finally... and worth the wait!!
As an avid cookbook collector, this is my favorite 2006 acquisition.I have been a devoted fan of Maestro, Chef Trabocchi's marvelous DC area restaurant and have been eagerly awaiting the publication of this book to learn more about his inspirations and bring some of the magic into my own kitchen.

Even if you haven't had the privilege of dining at Maestro, this book is a must-own for anyone who appreciates authenticity and a unique take on a traditional cuisine.

Buy this book and be prepared to fall in love with Le Marche! ... Read more

Book Description

Like many other incipient technologies, Web services are still surrounded by a tremendous level of noise. This noise results from the always dangerous combination of wishful thinking on the part of research and industry and of a lack of clear understanding of how Web services came to be. On the one hand, multiple contradictory interpretations are created by the many attempts to realign existing technology and strategies with Web services. On the other hand, the emphasis on what could be done with Web services in the future often makes us lose track of what can be really done with Web services today and in the short term. These factors make it extremely difficult to get a coherent picture of what Web services are, what they contribute, and where they will be applied.

Customer Reviews (5)

Comprehensive text on Web Services
First part of the book while describing Distributed Systems, Middleware and EAI lays strong foundation for Web Services. Second part of the book provides an extensive reporting about Web Services Architecture, related standards, service composition and BPEL. Though at the outset this book looks like serving academic purpose but it also provides the great insight of the subject to the programming community.

This book is must have which draws detailed conceptual and architectural views on Distributed Systems, EAI and Web Services.

Clear explanations, good fundamentals
I am using this book for a graduate level class about Web Services. I like the books approach on giving you enough background about middle-ware evolution that makes it easier to understand what Web Services are trying to accomplish. Given that the actual technology (implementation details) change so much in this area the books approach makes a lot of sense. I also found explanations to be concise and clear.

Advice: if you are looking for a hands-on how-to book about XML this is not the book to pick up. Otherwise, if you are looking for a good fundamentals book that will help you paint a big picture of Web Services this book is great!

Great Book on Distributed Systems
This book is a little more expensive than most of the flashy Web Services books these days but it is well worth the money. Set in small font and not wasting pages on chapters like "History of XML and SOAP" this book is dense in content on the architecture of distributed systems, including Web Services. We get to learn about the issues of distributed transactions and the differences between conversations, coordination and orchestration. The text is precise but nevertheless easy to follow. One of the best books I have seen on Web Services architecture.

You can find a sample chapter on the author's site:
http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/alonso/Web-book/Chapter-5.pdf

Comprehensive
If you want comprehensive high level overview of today's enterprise software landscape, this is a must-read.

One of the best books which answers the question , Why Web Services?? Unique perspective on middlewares in general.

Do not expect any code examples or details of any particular middleware.

Excellent book on web services
A very nice introductory book on Web services, much different from all the others on this topic.
Excellent overview of the problematics of service oriented architectures on the Web and of their relationships with their EAI counterparts (corba,rpc,..). ... Read more

Book Description
When it comes to humanitarian volunteering, how does one choose the right organization that matches their interest, experience, age and time availability? The World Volunteers guide is a useful tool for people without previous volunteering experience abroad who want to get involved in humanitarian aid projects throughout the world. The projects listed can be either short or long term for professionals who want to take a leave of absence or for retired professionals who want to make their skills and experience available to help others. For young people without volunteering experience abroad, the World Volunteers guide lists many organizations offering work-camps to help familiarize them with development and humanitarian work worldwide. The World Volunteers guide is a one time purchase. Anyone who purchases the guide can receive FREE UPDATES via the internet, plus an extended annotated list of useful websites that allow the reader to find hundreds of additional projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ideas for social purpose
What can we do to leave our mark in this world....it isn't anything we can buy, but rather what we have to give.Some good ideas and examples here. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

champion
I enjoyed this book a great deal.It did have a fairytale quality and was very romantic.I would also like to add Fabio did not actually write this himself.He had the assistance of a ghost writer and I think "She" did a very good job.

Fabs
You had me at "Fabio" and you bought my heart for a penny on the used bookshelf.He got me all kinds of romanticized.

This review sponsored by Yellowtail Shiraz.

Terrible!!
This is one of the worst books I have ever read, and I've read lots of badand cheesy stuff.I thought TekWar was bad but William Shatner has nothingon Fabio!The writing is *atrocious*, the characters flat and cliche, theplot all but tacked on as an excuse to show off Fabio's "exquisitephysique."My friend sent me this book as a joke, and I'm sending itback to her!There is only one good thing about this book: if you're awriter, no matter how awful you think you are, this will make you feel likeShakespeare.My four year old writes better than this, and that's nothyperbole... I am serious.

Spicy and Romantic at the same time
This book had a wonderful, fairy-tale quality. The beginning of the story read a little slow, but the story picked up and proved to be a very charming tale. I enjoyed it. I'm a delicate reader and it's what I would consider a "safe read", which I very much appreciate. Fabio has picked himself up another reader!

Swept Away
This book was one of the best books I have read in a long time.It had the things I like in a romance, a dashing knight, a beautiful princess, and of course the bad guy.This book is for all those who love it when the hero has to fight for his lady. ... Read more