Customer Reviews (7)

Good book (but heed the warnings)
First off you must know that this is a book for a hardcore athletic climber. If you are a novice or a weekend climber you may want to start with something lighter.
This book treats climbing from a super-athletic perspective - covering exercise, nutrition and climbing techniques. Some of the info was way too heavy on the anatomy and physiology.
Still, this book focuses on improving your physical and (often not mentioned in any other book) mental technique. It breaks down skills into physical strength, mental and technique areas. Even though much of the training was over my head, this helped me focus on mental hindrances that were inhibiting my performance and had tests which illuminated my weaknesses and then helped me to focus on strength building exercises to work on those weaknesses (like forearm burn and elbow pain after climbing hard).

the complete package
I just read Training For Climbing, and it's really nice to have a complete guide in one well-organized package. I had previously gathered training information from numerous sources and it was kind of hit or miss. Now there's a single manual that covers pretty much every aspect of rock climbing performance and training. I would compare this book to Joe Friel's classic "Training for Ironman" and "Cyclists Training Bible" as the most concise guide to training for a specific discipline. I give it 5-Stars.

Limited perspective
A very misleading title. It's an okay book if you're only interested in sport climbing and bouldering. Not very useful for alpinists, ice climbers, ski mountaineers, peak baggers or just being in shape for occasional weekend rockclimbs. Be very careful with some of his advice if you're over 30 since it's mostly written for younger climbers who recover quickly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering   2. Outdoor Skills   3. Rock climbing   4. Sports   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Training   7. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills   

Subjects:  1. Human physiology   2. Medical   

Customer Reviews (8)

Don't limit yourself
This is a great book if you are seasoned Sendmail admin with good C programming skills. I give 3 starts because it is so hard to understand.

I've been using sendmail for 3 years and I just tried Qmail and Postfix. I have chosen Postfix because it's so darn efficiant and configurable.

Viktor Duchovni, is a great help on the online community and the online docs are just as detaild as this sendmail book.

If you are stuck on sendmail then get this book.

But try Qmail and Postfix if you can...

BTW... RedHat lets you choose between Postfix or Sendmail. That means a lot to me.

the sendmail bible
If you are a mail admin and don't use this book, you are either doing it wrong or are a genius.

Anyone who is serious about sendmail administration and configuration must use this book.

sendmail is far to complex to be used w/o a great reference such as this.

A must have for all Sendmail Admin
Without a doubt, this is the best reference book there is on Sendmail. No other books come close. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Communications / Networking   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computers   4. Electronic Commerce   5. Internet - General   6. Networking - General   7. Operating Systems - UNIX   8. COM020020   9. COM043000   10. Computers / Operating Systems / UNIX   11. Electronic mail (email)   

Subjects:  1. Cardiology   2. Cardiovascular Diseases   3. Cardiovascular system   4. Diseases   5. Heart   6. Medical   7. Medical / Nursing   8. Reference   9. Medical / Cardiology   

Customer Reviews (38)

Great for all ages!
I am a mother of 3 aged 5,3 & 1 year. All three of my children love this book. They think the Grouchy Ladybug is a silly bug. They enjoy "reading" along with me because the book is so repetitive! Even my one year old sits & listens intently to the pattern. "Ya' wanna fight! " "If you insist..." "Oh- you're not big enough." Repetition is the best tool in teaching to read & Eric Carle books are PERFECT for that! The other concepts he introduces in his books such as TIME & DAYS are helpful in teaching too. GREAT WORK, MR. CARLE!

The Wonderful World of Insects
The Grouchy Ladybug is a wonderful Eric Carle book. I love his mosiac illustrations, and the moral he projects. The grouchy ladybug is mean to all the other insects that he meets. He does not want to share the aphids on his leaf with the friendly ladybug. He ends up making no friends at all, and the animals he is rude to are getting bigger and fiercer as the book goes on. In the end the grouchy ladybug ends up on the same leaf he started out on, and shares the aphids.

Note to teachers: This is a great book to introduce a unit on insects. Most students probably don't understand what aphids are, and the ladybugs feed on them. You could also incorporate all of the other animals in the text to do a unit on animals. There are so many wonderful teaching oportunities with all of Eric Carle's books, but this is one of my favorites.

Wonderful book--one of my child's favorites
This is a great book and the repetition is great for a emerging young reader. My 3 year old can "read" this book to himself and his baby sister because he can anticipate what will happen when he turns the page. He has language delays due to hearing problems when he repeated ear infections and these repetitious books that Eric Carle has done have been wonderful with slowly introducing him to language. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - General   2. Behavior   3. Children's 4-8   4. Children: Kindergarten   5. Concepts - Time   6. Fiction   7. Human behavior   8. Ladybugs   9. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette   10. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / General   

Customer Reviews (19)

Friends to the End.....
"My friend Rabbit means well. But whatever he does, wherever he goes, trouble follows..." So begins our little mouse narrator's tale of the stuck airplane. Generous Mouse let Rabbit take a turn and fly his plane, and now it's sitting out of reach, high in a tree. "Not to worry, Mouse. I've got an idea!" And what a huge idea it is as Rabbit struggles to pull and push an enormous elephant to the tree, and plop him down right under the now stuck airplane. Next he carries a rhino, then a hippo, a deer, an alligator, a bear, and a duck onto the scene, making a tall pyramid with Rabbit poised on top holding Squirrel. "The plane was just out of reach. Rabbit said, "Not to worry, Mouse, I've got an idea." So Rabbit held Squirrel and Squirrel held me... but then..." It can all be summed up in one word, disaster..... Eric Rohmann's spare, witty text is kept to the bare minimum. It's his bold and engaging, Caldecott Medal winning illustrations that really tell this hilarious chain of events story. Each two page spread dazzles with expression, drama, suspense, humor, and marvelous eye-catching details. Little ones will revel in all the captivating fun, and also understand the gentle message of sharing, tolerance, and the importance of friendship. Perfect for preschoolers, My Friend Rabbit is a treasure and soon to be classic that kids will beg to read again and again, and is sure to become an instant favorite at story time.

A great picture book!
My Friend Rabbit is a picture book in the truest sense-- it relies on its illustrations rather than its text to tell the story. Understanding a story told through illustrations requires cognitive thinking, more so than absorbing a story passively through the written word alone. Therefore, a picture book requires a more patient, imaginative and helpful reader when it is read to younger children.

It strikes me that those who have criticized this excellent book may need to stop relying on a book's text alone and brush up on their picture-story-telling skills.

The Caldecott Jury has justifiably recognized this book.

Not to Worry Mouse I Have a Review
This was in the nightly reading stack for weeks and returns frequently. The book is short on words and requires you to look at the details before the whole story unfolds. We have had fun as we notice different details the more we read this book. My little one is about to turn 3 and may be on the verge of outgrowing this book. I'll be a little sad when she does. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals   2. Animals - General   3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   4. Children: Preschool   5. Fiction   6. Friendship   7. General   8. Juvenile Fiction   9. Mice   10. Preschool Picture Story Books   11. Rabbits   12. Social Situations - Friendship   

Customer Reviews (40)

Hand Hand Fingers Thumb
I have had the book "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb" since I was about two. I must have read it 500 times. It was a regular bedtime story for me. It is a very easy book to read. The words aren't very big and they are repeated so that the young kids can learn the words easier. The book has very good flow and great pictures. All of the pictures have monkeys in them and you know every kid loves monkeys. The rhymes are very good such as; "Hello Jack. Hello Jake. Shake Hands Shake Hands Shake! Shake! Shake!" There isn't much of a plot to this story but I think it is a very good story anyways.

Memorize It!
We've been reading this book to my 18-month-old daughter since she was just a few months old and she loves it. In fact, reciting it to her when she's crying -- on an airplane for instance -- will make her stop crying immediately and start drumming on her belly with her hands. She was attracted to the rhythm and rhyme from a very early age. It is not necessary to understand what monkeys and drums are in order to enjoy this book ... it is perfect for babies of all ages!

Michelle Gordon
This book was okay for a young child. I would reccommend this book for a child within the age-range of Pre-K to first grade. I was a really tongue tying book. I will teach kids to have good diction and to say words fast without getting all tied up in their words. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   2. Children's Baby - Boardbooks   3. Children: Babies & Toddlers   4. Classics   5. Fiction   6. Hand   7. Humorous Stories   8. Monkeys   9. Stories in rhyme   10. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

An OUTSTANDING book about reaching your community
The Externally Focused Church is best book I have read that gives biblical, historical and inspirational examples for impacting the community with the good news coupled with the good deeds of Jesus Christ. As a retired public school teacher I have seen first hand the benefits of churches that makes the love of Christ visible and practical to the community. These two young men have done an outstanding job laying the scriptural foundation for measuring the impact of a church--not by the people they have seated in the pews but by the spiritual and societal transformation they are having in the community around them. I also really appreciate the study guide that accompanies each chapter. The stories of churches of all sizes in rural, urban and suburban setting are full of practical examples that any church can use to begin to make an impact outside their four walls. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity   2. Christianity - Church Administration - General   3. Church   4. General   5. Religion   6. Religion - Church Administration   7. United States   

Customer Reviews (28)

The "Reconnection" is for real
This is truly an inspired book and one that anyone can benefit from. Without a lot of jargon, Dr. Pearl has written what we all know in our souls - that we are all connected and that we all have the ability to use that connection to heal. Those who have stated that there is no science to his healing are missing the point. Medicine is not a science. It is an art. Just ask any honest physician and he/she will tell you.

I too have experienced increased vibration and energy in my hands. In fact, I used the energy to heal my cat who used to vomit at least twice a week (sometimes more). Since the reconnection energy, (two weeks ago) she has not spit up once!
There is something to this and it is really simple and useful.
Don't wait, just buy the book, read it and experience the energy for yourself.

Don't expect miracles
Most of the book (2/3 of it) explains Dr Perl's life experience with this phenomina as well as his experiences growing up as a kid (on through adulthood). The last 1/3 of the book is devoted to "tecniques" that can be used to aid the user in his/her ability to use the healing arts (although he saids, that you cannot teach it). I've read other books that deal with healing with hands techniques as well, and they offer similar insights to this book. After reading the book, I tried this on myself... So far nothing has happened (he explains that for some poeple it may take weeks for the reconnection to occur). One thing that cannot be verified in this process is whether or not there is a sort of placebo effect of the book (somebody says that it works, and for many people a placebo does have some results). Not saying that the book does or does not work, it's just that I wouldn't expect any sort of miracles to happen after you've read the book. He claims that by reading his book, that you will receive the specific type of energy necessary in order supposedly open up pathways that may facilitate a greater potential for healing in an individual. Spiritually, I can understand why this might happen (it's like chemistry, you are about 75% of your own environment, unless you are a young soul, with older souls or with karmicly ridden people the percentage is higher. Coming into contact with other people of different levels of awareness and energy patterns preclude that you react to the other person in a certain type of way. You can see some evidence of this in astrology and numerology.). This is not to say, however, that this is actually happening. Different people will have difference experiences and I suspect, like with medicine and foods, different people will be impacted differently depending upon their own personal circumanstances. It didn't do much for me, but apparently from the other reviews it seems to be doing something for other people. If you can get it from the library or get it used, then there is very little to lose from reading it (other than money). Although some poeple will feel that they are getting conned after reading this book (especially if they don't see any results).

more of the same
For a long tiume, I have heard about Eric Pearl, and decided to give the book a try, to find out what the fuss was all about. After reading the book, I am a bit baffled: After having been active in the healing and energy field for 30 years, I expected to find something new, but found all the elements that characterize a run-of-the-mill new age healing book from California:
1) Claims that this is a new level, a new energy or a new level of light. This is the main mrketing plot in new age circles to this very day: "Teacher A. brings a new level of energy": "others may bring some light, but master B. brings the highest light, a level the world has not seen befor, but you can be among the chosen to take part in this light - if you pay for the seminar".
Pearl's basic tenets fall right into this bracket, and are no different than any of the other claims.
2) Mythologizing of life events. A natural life development is twisted into something extraordinary. Truth is, so many thousands have (like me) had life-changing experiences with energy or light or another level breaking through. Each story is fascinating and special, like each life is. But some people have the need to link into Savior archetypes and make it into something more. What are their motives? They will get a power to make others follow them - but what happens in the long run - freedom or bondage?
3) "My approach is special". Instead of seeing that the field of energy work is like the parable of the blind men and the elephant - each different individual working their own different ways into exploring the potential of healing energy/consciousness, Pearl goes to great pains to explain that his approach is different from the others, but nowhere showing in what way it is, ending in an "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others"-stance. He has a special healing energy, it is not a technique, etc.; Matthew Manning and a thousand others are saying the same, and having their followers contorting on stage. The "miraculous healings" follow the same patterns as scores of such seances I have witnessed in fundamentalist religious meeting - in Norway we have a magazine reporting such ocurrences from a Christian viewpoint, healing of blindness, deafness, AIDS, contorted back pain, etc. - Pearl's tales would go straight into these pages. But there is a difference. The Christian healings are free of charge.
4) This is not a technique (but you can take level 2), it is unique and not teachable (but for an exorbitant price you can get it from me). Pearl debunks other healers' "technical" approach, but ends in the same basic stance.
5) And this is my basic problem with Pearl'sa approach. What are his motives for using so much time to ridicule the work of others in the field, who are doing their sincere work, presumably from the same motives as his (but not attaining the same level of fame and fortune. Others painstakingly try to translate the energy experience into writing - Pearl easily debunks it as "tango". He uses the "new age" label denigratingly on others an astounding number of times, ignoring that he himself falls right smack in the middle of this category.
6) With his generous claims of heling serious diseases, he has a huge responsibility. Why does he not, then, present serious research or stringent reports on his web site, but instead sticks to the snake oil marketing schemes?

Pearl has been a huge disappointment. But the good news: There is a lot of promising research in this field now coming up, much of it presented in James Oschman's excellent book "Energy medicine". And there is also a book that. maybe for the first time, satisfactorily translates the energy experience into writing: Donna Edens book, also titled "Energy medicine".
These two books actually present a new level in the field, without bragging about it, like Pearl does. My recommendation: Go for these two, and leave Pearl. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General   2. Healing   3. Medical / Nursing   4. New Age   

Subjects:  1. Games   2. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords   3. Games/Puzzles   4. Role Playing & Fantasy - Dungeons & Dragons   5. Role Playing & Fantasy - General   6. Games / Role Playing & Fantasy   

As much as 10% of the American economy, and perhaps more, is comprised of illegal "underground" enterprises, according to author and Atlantic Monthly correspondent Eric Schlosser. And while this segment is never discussed in the newspaper business pages, Schlosser tackles it with the same in-depth analysis and compulsive readability that made his Fast Food Nation a best seller. Reefer Madness spotlights marijuana, migrant labor, and pornography, three of the most thriving black market industries, and analyzes the often-tenuous place each holds in society as a whole. While each of the three could be the subject of its own book, Schlosser keeps his scope narrow by concentrating on the lives of the participants in the underground economy, especially Mark Young, an Indiana man given a life sentence for participating in a marijuana sale, and Ohio porn magnate Reuben Sturman. At just 21 pages, the treatment of migrant laborers in the California strawberry fields is dealt with more briefly but is just as compelling thanks to the first-person narrative of Schlosser’s investigation. In telling these stories, which are both personal and universal, Schlosser deftly explores the manner in which his subjects are treated (and punished) compared to others in more above-ground ventures. Along the way, he asks hard questions as to what that treatment says about America. Schlosser writing is passionately opinionated, but this is no mere opinion piece: his perspective is amply supported by extensive research and clearly reasoned interpretation of data. His direct and forceful writing style makes the impact greater still. After reading Reefer Madness, readers are likely to be shocked, appalled, and flat-out bewildered by what’s happening in the cracks and crevices of American business. --John Moe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (70)

A Mild Disapointment Compared To Author's Previous Book
Eric Schlosser's latest book Reefer Madness is a bit of a disappointment after his very good and very popular Fast Food Nation. Schlosser's investigative acumen is on display in this book, but what he ends up producing are three long essays that could stand alone as books in and of themselves. I think that the choice of Reefer Madness for a title was a bad decision. The notoriety Schlosser gained from Fast Food Nation could have sold the book without the rip off title. I think the long "An Empire Of The Obscene" essay about Reuben Sturman's porn empire, which totals 100 pages, would have made for a better title and focus for the book. The porn business is an interesting study in and of itself and Schlosser should have gotten his publisher to make it into a separate book. Those reservations aside, I think the book is a worth a look for somebody looking for good investigative journalism to read.

Reefer Madness is a business book that focuses on three separate sectors of the black market economy: Marijuana consumption, migrant labor in the strawberry fields of California and porn. "Reefer Madness" deals with the persecution of the users of by far and away the most popular drug in the U.S.: Marijuana. Originally smoked by poor blacks and Mexicans in the early 20th century, marijuana has become the most popular drug in the country. Schlosser traces the interesting case of Indiana biker Mark Young, who was originally sentenced to life in prison without possibility for parole for his involvement in a marijuana delivery. It was Young's first marijuana offense. He's wasn't even the grower or major dealer in the transaction he was involved in, but he refused to play the role of a snitch for the prosecution in his case and received the ultimate punishment for his "crime." Young's sentence was later reduced. Young remains an unrepentant pot smoker to this day.

"In The Strawberry Fields" Schlosser deals with the misfortune of the nation's poorest workforce: The migrant laborers in California's strawberry's fields. Schlosser focuses on the heart of the Strawberry business in Watsonville and the failed mid-90's campaign by the AFL-CIO to organize the fields in the area. The market in migrant labor is a very important study because of the profound effect it has on bringing wages down in the overall economy, thus helping fuel the black market, as people fed up with declining wages look to find ways to make money off the books. The '70s was a time when it appeared that the United Farm Workers were going to finally organize most of the migrant work force. However, like with the rest of organized labor, whatever hopes the UFW had of organizing the fields has been dashed by the aggressive union busting of growers.

Schlosser notes that while tax payer cash is lavished onto the largest corporations on a daily basis, the one sector of the economy where the "free market" has been most ruthlessly applied has been with labor. Observing the burgeoning shanty towns that have sprouted up throughout much of California to house this exploited labor force Schlosser writes, "The market will drive wages down like water, until they reach the lowest possible level. Today that level is being set not in Washington or New York or Sacramento but in the fields of Baja California and the mountain villages of Oaxaca. That level is about five dollars a day. No deity that men have ever worshipped is more ruthless and more hollow than the free market unchecked; there is no reason why shantytowns should not appear on the outskirts of every American city. All those who now consider themselves devotees of the market should take a good look at what is happening in California. Left to its own devices, the free market always seeks a work force that is hungry, desperate, and cheap - a work force that is anything but free."

"An Empire Of The Obscene" traces the rise and fall of the real "King of Porn." It wasn't porn start John Holmes, but an obscure, rarely photographed, Cleveland based businessman named Rueben Sturman. Sturman was able to fend off all federal charges of peddling in "obscenity," but in the end he was brought down, like Al Capone before him, by tax evasion charges. I hadn't even heard of Sturman before reading Schlosser's book. Porn, like with marijuana, is one of those products which Americans publicly abhor, privately adore and consume in astonishingly high amounts. Schlosser points out that the porn business has been at the cutting edge of exploiting technology to increase its size. From the VHS video tape to cable to the Internet, technology has brought porn from red light district store fronts and theaters into the homes of millions of eager porn consumers. Today, heavy handed prosecutions of the porn business are less likely, and less likely to have much of an effect on the business, than ever now the that ranks of the largest distributors of porn include major cable providers, not anti-government counter culture types like Sturman.

Schlosser reviews the economics of the economic underground. Nobody knows just how large it really is, but it could be ten percent or more of the overall U.S. economy. The reasons for the sharp rise of the black market starting in the '60s and '70s are manifold. Declining wages, regressive taxation and government regulation are all factors in this. The hippie counter culture of the '60s and the anti-tax movements of the '70s have all played a role in shaping the anti-government attitudes that have fueled the black market boom. What it all reveals is the huge chasm between what the government tells us is "bad" for us and should be banned and what we actually do consume in private. As Schlosser said in his May 19 Working Assets Radio interview, "Maybe some of these things aren't so bad afterall."

three essays that should be invidual books, but worth readin
After reading the fantastic book Fast Food Nation, I'm willing to read anything that Eric Schlosser publishes. When I heard what the subject matter was for his new book (pot, porn, and illegal labor) I wasn't that interested but I wanted to find out what Schlosser had to say. In the introduction, Schlosser writes that the book is made up of three essays that are mostly unrelated, but these essays were tied together with the idea of the American Underground Economy which pervades the book. Reefer Madness is Schlosser's attempt to show how large the underground economy (meaning, non-taxed and illegal money) is in America. Schlosser discusses the laws and the social conditions that have allowed these things to occur.

The first essay is on Marijuana. Apparently, marijuana is America's number one cash crop, but it is illegal to buy, sell, grow, or possess any amount of marijuana in America. Schlosser gives the history of marijuana legislation and reveals the severity of the punishments regarding marijuana violations (even compared to murder). This essay looks at the applications of marijuana laws throughout United States history. It highlights some of the absurdly harsh penalties given for first time convictions of even trace amounts of pot; this essay also shows the disparity in verdicts for the children of politicians compared to the poor. There are comparisons with the drug laws of other nations and a discussion on the health risks and health concerns regarding marijuana. Very interesting essay.

The second essay deals with illegal labor in California. Specifically, the essay is on the illegal labor in the strawberry industry. This is the shortest essay of the three, but it does a good job in explaining the rise of migrant labor since the 1970's and why farm companies would use this labor. Surprisingly, most of America's strawberries are grown in California and at least half of the labor provided is illegal. The conditions that these workers (from Mexico) live in is horrible and the labor itself is one of the most physically demanding work that one can do on a farm. Illegal labor is becoming a larger and larger sector of some industries as these men (mostly) will work for significantly lower wages just so that they can have work. This essay had more of a human story to it and was more emotionally involving than the Marijuana essay. However, this essay didn't seem to have the societal import that the discussion on marijuana law did.

The third essay focuses on pornography. Schlosser does not touch on the morality side of the pornography issue, but instead deals with the economics of porn. Like the other two essays, this one details the history of pornography in America and happens to be the longest of the three essays. Pornography is big business and the U.S. government has been cracking down on the industry on an off for years. For many years, the leading figure in the industry was one man, Reuben Sturman. The legality of porn is constantly in question and at the base are the very hazy obscenity laws. Much of this essay is about Sturman, his rise to lead the industry and the attempt to convict Sturman.

Any one of these essays could easily become a full length book and would be very interesting individually. Taken together, the tie that binds them is not very strong and the transition between the essays feels a little jumpy. This is an extremely interesting book and one that I am very glad that I read. Individually, these are excellent essays, but when taken together, they lose some of the narrative force that Schlosser excels at. This is worth reading, without question.

more, please
I now know more about drug and obscenity laws than I ever imagined I'd need the brain cell storage to accommodate ... and that's a peculiarly good thing. I came out of this book with a new set of unlikely personal heroes - men and women who first challenged the absurdly restrictive obscenity laws in order to make health and birth control information legal to ship through the US mail ... and even folks like the irrepressibly obnoxious Larry Flynt, who is in some respects our nation's last defense against enforced, legislated morality. Read about the bizarre, inconsistent and patently ridiculous drug laws that keep marijuana users under a heavier legal boot than convicted child rapists. Find out why I will never again, so long as I live, spend money at a Taco Bell. If this seems like a broad spread to cover in one book, that's because part of the beauty of Schlosser is his ability to ferret out the very real connections between legitimate business and the black markets that we (as the blindly consuming public) may never suspect.

In our present culture of conspicuous censorship and our lamely moral-high-ground-napping political climate, this is a highly instructive read. GO AND GET IT. Consider it your civic duty to educate yourself on what your government and its corporate cohorts are really up to while you're not watching. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Black market   2. Case studies   3. Contemporary Economic Situations And Conditions   4. Economics - General   5. Informal sector (Economics)   6. Marijuana abuse   7. Popular Culture - General   8. Social Deviance   9. Social Science   10. Sociology   11. United States   

Customer Reviews (16)

Through a dark mirrior, George Orwell's world of 1984
There are many different types of books out there: fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, history, and biography. But only a few of them have the same impact that George Orwell achieves in his book 1984. It seems part paranoid fantasy, part tribute to the malleability of the human psyche, and part historical allegory.
The issues, even presented in the outdated means that they are, still ring true for our modern society. The line between patriotism and nationalism is a thin one, and one that Americans look at each day. But in Orwell's world that line was crossed, and the result was a totalitarian government beyond anything most of us can imagine. With the government controlling all jobs, information, deeds, and actions, even to the smallest thought of their peoples, his world is stark and horrible to those of us used to a freedom. But the steps into that world are not that far away from our modern media control. In his world of 1984 the media serves the purpose of brainwashing the populace at large, and an ongoing war keeps the pressure on. And while some may claim that the media in our own country has the same control over us, in his world, the media is the government, and has no other agenda than that which the government sets forth.
The strange part is that all of this occurs to us, through the eyes of the main character, Winston Smith, as he falls in love with a young woman named Julia. In Oceania, the nation-state in which Smith lives, love is not allowed, and not tolerated. Winston Smith is, in essence, an insurgent in his own nation. He sleeps each night knowing that something is wrong, but not being able to say exactly what. As a reader we can see exactly the horrors to which he is made to endure, and though they might make us scream and shout, he is unmoved. But love draws him out of that sheltered reality, and into open insurgency against his own nation.
This is the beginning of the end for Wilson, as the romance, and the pleasures, are short lived. Like a terrible wave the police of the world he inhabits come crashing down upon him to break his spirit. The way they torture him is gruesome, and should offend anyone who values our human rights. But in the end, Wilson himself comes to love "Big Brother" the face of the state of Oceania. He forgets his insurgency, through a conscious adaptation of his logic processes. He has to know that whatever the nation does is right, even when it contradicts what he has experienced in the recent past. In Orwell's words, Doublethink.
These are just the surface issues that come across in Orwell's vision world the deeper issues are buried. As in, how could such a world come to exist? Well, he explains that after World War 2, there came a mighty nuclear war that wiped out most of the population centers of the world. And that out of the nuclear ash arose a political methodology that swept the nations, a kind of socialism that blended into totalitarianism. This totalitarian regime took hold and great purges, on the scope of the great purges in the early communist USSR, ran across the world as we know it. 3 stable nations were born: Oceania (The Americas, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and England), Eastasia (China, Mongolia, The Indonesian Peninsula, and Japan), and Eurasia (All of Europe save England, and all of the Former USSR). The rest of the world was in a constant state of conquest by one of these 3 super-nations, with the captured populations used as slaves. The constant state of war between the nations served to keep control over the people within the nations.
This is a world devoid of hope. Indeed, devoid of any emotions except hatred, fanatical delight in the war effort, and the obedience to the governments of the nations. This is the worst vision of what the Nazis in Germany hoped to accomplish in their conquests. A world without any laws, but what the government states to be true at that moment. A world where people disappear, but no one notices, or even cares, a world of total devotion to the state as a whole, without regard to creed, race, or social status.
It isn't often that the characters in a book become common usage in the world at large, but the phrase "Big Brother is watching you" has become synonymous with the government watching over its citizens. It shows up today in almost everyday speech. Especially when people are talking right to privacy issues. This seems apt, as privacy is one of the things that Wilson Smith never had, and will never have. Big Brother (the government) watched his every move of his life, recorded his every word, and rifled through his belongings at their leisure. This book is the origin of that phrase.
Orwell gives us a black and white view of the virtues of that world, and its drawbacks. The astounding thing is that it isn't still more talked about. We have, most of us, read this book. But how many too the time to understand the social and political ramifications it speaks of? I will from now on, that is for sure.

If you grasp its deeper meanings, 1984 will change your life
This novel has changed my overall views on power, politics, economics and human nature to such an extent that I now look at my life in two parts: before I'd read "1984" and after I'd read "1984." This novel was a sort of enlightenment, or "awakening"for me. While I personally preffer Huxley's "Brave New World," I found the stark portrayal of Orwell's "Oceania" and Winston's fractured individuality to be far more powerful. My review might seem like an overstatement-and perhaps it is. After all, I first read "1984" in October of 2001 while in grade 11 and perhaps that is why it has had such a profound effect on my outlook. "1984" is a must read for ALL people, EVERYWHERE, who value their freedom and understand that so long as strong authoritative infrastructures continue to control our lives (governments, corporations, organized religion)with a blind following, our liberty is truly fleeting.

A Classic
Orwell's 1984 is one of the true masterpieces of the 20th century. It presents a dark world where all individuality suffers under the reign of Big Brother. Orwell had a prophetic gift for seeing how the truth suffers from power, and how everything, including language, is cynically manipulated to suit an agenda. In an age of brutal tyrants, ceaseless propaganda, shameless spin control, revisionary legacy tours, and mass media news cycles, this novel deserves new review. A profound book, and a must read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Literary   4. Literature - Classics / Criticism   5. Literature: Classics   6. London (England)   7. Political fiction   8. Science Fiction - General   9. Science fiction   10. Totalitarianism   

Customer Reviews (59)

An important read for 2001
The True Believer is an oldie but goodie. First published in 1951, it should be read today. It is on the psychology of mass movements and how they can transform practical purposes in to holy causes. Half the book is on the mental state of the fanatical true believer. Part 1 is about mass movements and their appeal. Part 2 is about the psychology of the potential convert. This believer will possess a belief in an irresistible power, whether it be Marxism (for Bolsheviks), Blitzkrieg (Nazis), Man's Reason (French Revolution), or Islam. In Part 3, Hoffer focuses on the factors that promote self sacrifice and the unifying effect that common hatred of a tangible enemy, suspicion, imitation, or other agents can have. The book closes with a discussion of good and bad mass movements. Especially interesting to the reader in late 2001 will be the discussion on the fervently enthusiastic adherents who are ready to die for the movement. The author begins with the hypothesis that frustrated people are drawn to mass movements in its revivalistic phase, and it is the frustration of the adherent that can be directed and channeled by the movement. He writes that the adherent will be discontented but not destitute, and believe that through their possession of a potent doctrine or infallible leader, they will possess irresistible power. Many will find mass movements appealing so that they can self-renunciate themselves, or rid themselves of the unwanted self; a lost faith in oneself is substituted for faith in the movement. In Hoffer's discussion of the interchangeability of movements, he goes on to posit that the adherent is ripe for any movement, and can be receptive to another movement (Attention Pakistan... redirection of adherents is possible)

Brilliant and insightful
First published in 1951, this was one of very few books then that probed into the mind of a true believer whose blind faith and single-minded allegiance had nearly destroyed the world in the last century. 50 years on, some of Hoffer's analyses still ring true for fundamentalists, extremists and even terrorists which we now labeled these true believers.

What makes Hoffer's book so remarkable is his ability to filter out the common ingredients that gave rise to mass movements hitherto and traced them to their roots. And he ended up in the psyche of an insecure and frustrated individual.

His non-academic background largely contributed the book's originality since he was not strait-jacketed by the dominant thoughts in his times. Though some might feel uncomfortable with his sweeping generalisations without the rigors of scientific analysis, I do not see it as a major defect since the subject matter is difficult to be duplicated in a control environment.

All in all, this is a brilliant and deeply insightful book for anyone who wants to peek into what lurks inside the minds of true believers or anyone who wishes to lead them.

Pegs the previous reviewer
The reviewer, with his hip Michael Moore attitude, obviously didn't understand the book. He makes reference to the Nazis wanting to surrender to the Allies rather than the Soviets--um, did Hitler/Goebbels/Himmler surrender to *anyone*? The nonideological soldiers, the middle men, they weren't the "true believers", the members of the mass movement who articulated the vision of the Third Reich, who invested their egos into the identity of National Socialism, went down w/ the ship. The suicide rate amongst Germans at the end of WWII was higher than the suicide rate amongst Jews in the concentration camp. Not everyone living under a tyrannical minority is a member of a mass movement, not everyone is a "true believer". As Hoffer said so himself, "The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the middle." Yeah, the previous reviewer sure did read this book, didn't he!

As for the interchangability between Nazis and Commies--it often happened, however it requires some amount of cognitive dissonance to trigger the change. A traumatic event, or a revelation. We see it often on the scale of American culture--David Horowitz and David Brock, Dennis Miller and Ariana Huffington, for example. Fundamentalist Christians become militant atheists. Militant atheists become fundamentalist Christians.

Hoffer's conclusion does not differ much from a LEFT wing psychoanalyst, Erich Fromm, who articulated similair views about tribalism as the result of individual narcissism sublimated into group narcissism. They seem to be working on the same wavelength, at least when it comes to group think, group psychosis.

"A man is likely to mind his own business when it was worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off of his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business."

"Mass movements can rise and spread without the belief in God, but never without belief in a devil." Gee, what irrational side of the political spectrum does *that* describe? ABB?

"Those who find no difficulty in decieving themselves are easily decieved by others."

Hoffer is not perfect and he stretches on some points. He also approaches mass movements from an amoral point of view--ie, if there was some group out there that miraculously had the truth w/ a capital T, whether divine or scientific in a Grand Unified Theory way, it would still be just like other mass movements preying on the same psychological weaknesses. This book is about human nature and the tribal instinct, not specific moral values. A masterpiece nonetheless, that dissects much of the current worldwide political climate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fanaticism   2. General   3. Philosophy   4. Political   5. Social groups   6. Social participation   7. Social psychology   8. Sociology   9. Sociology - General   10. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

Essential reference for any 3D graphics work.
Finally, no more searching through all my college math textbooks for the reference I need for real-time 3D software development. The basics of vectors and matrices are of course included, but in much more depth than you got in school, more than likely - and with emphasis on how they are useful in 3D game programming. So many game developers lack an intuitive feel for such basics as transformation matrices, dot products, and cross products and are hobbled by this; just read up to chapter three and the lights will go on, so to speak. The chapter on lighting is particularly, well, enlightening - not only are the various lighting models explained in detail (including some I was unfamiliar with before), but the author provides means for accomplishing them in real-time using texture and vertex shaders.

The notation used in the book is modern and consistent, and the code samples clearly written. I believe this is the first volume to combine complete mathematical explanations of essential 3D computer graphics operations with practical advice on how to implement the sometimes complex math efficiently in real-time systems.

The chapters on picking and collision detection are also complete and include practical advice on implementation in addition to the theory behind it.

This is not a book for most high school math students - the author assumes you've at least been through some higher level math and can talk the basic language of mathematics. However, it does not presuppose that you are familiar with anything but basic calculus, and more importantly, it doesn't assume that you're familiar with some quirky notational system specific to the author. I haven't been in a math class for ten years, but I had no trouble understanding any concepts introduced in this book upon the first read.

I don't forsee this volume leaving my desk anytime soon!

Great book!
This book explain the mathematics behind a game engine, and it does it pretty well. If you are looking for code to cut and paste into your programs, then this book is not for you. But if you want to really anderstand the theory, it has, in my opinion, a very good balance between explanations, demonstrations and examples.
I got this book because my math was a little 'rusty' and it does a perfect job in bringing all this stuff back in memory, and mutch more as I discover a lot of new stuff and how it can be used in a game engine. I really enjoy this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   2. Computer Books: Operating Systems   3. Computer Graphics - Game Programming   4. Computer Graphics - General   5. Computer games   6. Computer graphics   7. Computers   8. Entertainment & Games - General   9. General   10. Mathematics   11. Programming   12. Programming - General   13. Three-dimensional display syst   14. Three-dimensional display systems   

Customer Reviews (32)

Grasps the essential 'Zeitgeist' of what we call technology.
Years ago, my friends and I realized that all the sciences were not really seperate fields, but linked by matter itself and the emerging laws of physics. Richard Feynman in the late '50s voiced the foundation of what Drexler further grew into a tour de force he coined 'nanotechnology'. When Drexler's 'Engines of Creation' appeared, I realized instantly that this book was the ignition point for a technological shift of such scope, that the majority of the population doesn't quite yet realize the incredible double-edged potential. The physics are there, the models are there, the amazing molecular complexity and abundance of life itself illustrates the possibilities; we only lack the tools; however, a simple search on the Net will show that they'll probably be here more quickly that we anticipate. Look at the estimates that it would take 20 years to decode DNA; recent breakthoughs will allow it to be complete by 2002. A must read for someone who wants to get their feet wet and ride the approaching wave.

Engineer of Innovation
If you were to ask the world's greatest authorities on modern technology to select the five most influential books written thus far on that subject, Engines of Creation would probably be on most (if not all) lists. In it, Drexler analyzes "the coming era of nanotechnology." Obviously, that era has (since 1986) arrived. Nonetheless, Drexler's observations remain both valid and instructive. The book is organized as Part One: The Foundations of Foresight, Part Two: Profiles of the Possible, and Part Three: Dangers and Hopes. In certain respects, Engines of Creation is even more valuable today than it was when first published. It should be required reading for undergraduate and graduate students (especially those at work on a degree in engineering, the natural sciences, mathematics, or business) as well as for executives in organizations which hope to survive the "age of nanotechnology." Think of your organization as a vehicle. Viewed as such, it obviously needs an engine, fuel, a transmission, a brake, an accelerator, etc. Speed is only one component of the formula for success. Durability is another. For your organization to reach its destination, it must also have a map. Engines of Creation is about technology, of course, and it is also about innovation in an age when speed is often the difference between success and failure. But Drexler also provides the equivalent of a map to guide his reader. Misdirected speed can demolish an entire organization as well as a single vehicle....and those within it. Years from now, Engines of Creation will still be read and admired. Why? Because it will still be relevant.

Best Nonfiction Nanotech Intro
THE best nonfiction intro to nanotechnology yet written--by the father of nanotechnology, K. Eric Drexler. The must-have book that started it all. If you'd like a dramatic presentation of what nanotechnology will be able to do once it's developed, read the new novel NANO by John Robert Marlow ("the most important piece of fiction written to date" says Nanotechnology Now's editor in his amazon review). ENGINES is the best nonfiction book on this topic; NANO the best fiction. Read 'em both. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied Sciences   2. Forecasts   3. High technology   4. Nanostructures   5. Science   6. Science/Mathematics   7. Twentieth century   8. Science / Nanostructures   

Customer Reviews (18)

Thoroughly impressed
The definitive reference on SSL and TLS. If you rely on SSL/TLS, need a way to secure communications channels of some system, or are just curious about the protocol, this is the book for you. The author has a very clear and down-to-earth writing style that makes the technical material easy to follow, and the diagrams and protocol traces help make the workings of the protocol more concrete. As a result, it is easier to follow, and gives more practical details, than the RFCs. This one is staying on my shelf.

Best SSL/TLS book ever ...

Have been waiting long for such a book about SSL/TLS topic. 2 big thumbs up !!

This books covers everything you want to know about SSL/TLS and specific about SSL/TLS. For anyone who ever looking for more resources on SSL and only found the RFC and spec this is the book you would love to see ... It provides enough cryptogrphic topics details enough to understand the protocol yet not making you bored to sleep. The layout of each chapter also seperated to be overview and detail oriented so you can pick whatever appropriate for you. Covers varieties topics such as SSL application(other than HTTP), SSL history (where the confusions come from), SSL performance measurement (with real data comparison), real SSL trace, code example (best part for programmers !), good reference, .... and so on. Only thing it doesn't cover is to show you how to break SSL (it does cover the known attack, the damage, and the countermeasures, though). Recommend to anyone who is planning, implementing or want to know more about SSL.

Great reference book
This is a great book. Well written, good diagrams, very good overview as well as detailed data dump of the protocol. I highly recommend. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Communications / Networking   2. Computer Books: Operating Systems   3. Computer Data Security   4. Computer network protocols   5. Computer networks   6. Computers   7. Networking - Network Protocols   8. Security   9. Security measures   10. World Wide Web   11. Computers / Internet / Security   

Subjects:  1. Asia - India   2. Himalaya Mountains Region   3. Photo Techniques   4. Photography   5. Pictorial works   6. Social life and customs   7. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General   8. Travel - Foreign   9. Photography / Travel   

Subjects:  1. Business/Economics   

Web services, the new way of stitching data and processing resources together to form elaborate, distributed applications, aren't like other software systems. They differ even from other architectures for distributed applications. In his fantastic Understanding Web Services, Eric Newcomer helps his readers figure out what Web services are all about. This book is better than any other book out there in helping readers come to grips with the terms, technologies, behaviors, and design requirements that define the Web services universe. It's remarkably light on code--Newcomer's logic appears to be that you should dig into the details of implementation only after you thoroughly understand the design concepts--and emphasizes definition and exposition of SOAP, UDDI, WSDL, and ebXML.

Newcomer's work looks and reads almost like a notebook, with succinct statements in the margin (for instance, "SOAP processors first have to check the mustUnderstand attribute, if any"), adjacent to paragraphs that go into greater depth. He's careful to call attention to differences among the relevant standards documents, and points out differences among implementations. Graphical learners may wish for more conceptual diagrams, as there aren't a lot of them here. Newcomer's prose is brilliant, though, and it's pretty easy to determine what he means. Perhaps best of all, Newcomer isn't cheap with his opinions and forecasts. It's helpful to read his informed feelings and predictions. --David Wall

Topics covered: The specifications, implementations, and popular trends that define the Web services movement. Conceptual coverage of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Web Services Description Language (WSDL), and the Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) protocol fills these pages. Emphasis is on how it all works rather than on how to program for it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Highly recommended
In my role as a solutions architect, I find myself having to read vast quantities of technical material, much of which is sadly lacking in substance, diluted to the point of uselessness, biased in a particular technology (or vendor) direction, or simply just poorly written. Eric Newcomer's book is a refreshing change from much of the material I have had the misfortune to read lately - it is a well-written work that provides the reader with an excellent overview of Web Services and the use of the associated technologies. The book provides a well-balanced discussion of the various key technology areas (XML, WSDL, SOAP, UDDI), and includes many useful insights into the issues associated with these technologies and where the technologies are heading, based on current industry usage and standards formulation. The history of each technology area is discussed, providing the reader with useful background information. Attention is paid to the salient points, rather than getting bogged down in unnecessary details that might be readily obtained elsewhere. To this end, it is worth noting that a most pleasing feature of this book is the inclusion of a comprehensive bibliography, allowing the reader to readily identify sources of more detailed information on particular subject areas, if required (many of the references are freely available via the Internet).

As clearly stated in the introduction, the book is intended for IT professionals who need to understand Web Services, how they work, and (most importantly) what they are good for - the book is not intended to describe how to implement Web Services using a particular product offering from IONA (Eric Newcomer is the IONS CTO) or any other vendor. It is clear that Web Services are going to have a huge impact on the way we look at distributed computing, however it is also clear that the whole area of Web Services is still evolving. The book does not present Web Services as a 'silver bullet', but instead gives the reader a balanced perspective of the topic, thus providing a sound basis for informed decision making. Much of the material is presented in such a way that it can be readily understood and appreciated by less-technical IT professionals (such as managers like mine that no longer perform a technical role within the organization but want to understand what the heck I'm talking about).

With regard to implementation architectures such as Microsoft.Net and J2EE, the book does not pitch one technology against another, but instead simply states the facts, allowing the reader to formulate their own (now informed) views on these and other such tools and technologies, where and how they might be used, and so on. In addition to covering the main technology areas (XML, WSDL, SOAP, UDDI) the book also discusses alternative approaches to Web Services (ebXML) and perhaps less well-known technologies such as XML-RPC and Reliable HTTP, and what role these technologies might play in future developments. It is interesting to note that the SOAP specification is still being heavily debated, while XML-RPC has been stable for close to five years with implementations existing in many different programming languages. It is possible that some of these alternative technologies will play an important role in the future of Web Services, and a discussion of these technologies is most useful.

In summary, I found this book to be easy to read and highly informative. The writing style is clear and concise, and the book delivers pretty much exactly what it claims to. Wide and informed coverage is given to the subject area, and a comprehensive bibliography serves to provide a means of tracking down further information. The role of Web Services is clearly defined and a balanced discussion as to where and how they might be used is provided. Future developments in the Web Services space are considered, and the inclusion of material on less well-known technologies combines to make this book one of the most complete works on the subject to date. I would highly recommend this book to any IT or software professional interested in or needing to understand Web Services.

Good for Introduction at Leisure!
Well, I bought this book thinking that it would get me started with developing web services, apart from just introducing them.

Though it does a pretty good job of introducing them, its the getting-you-started-with-development part that it fails to impress. Probably it just isn't designed to do that.

So if you want to read an introductory text on web-services at leisure, this book is a good choice. Its written in a very comprehensible style and I had no problems understanding the key concepts.

However, as is true with any other XML based technology, unless you get some hands on experience with the whole framework, you don't really feel that you are ready to begin professional work as yet. And since XML-based frameworks are usually very detailed and intimidating at first, real-time experience becomes all the more important. I guess now I need to buy another book that'll help me with actual development of web-services .

Good coverage, difficult read
I have been thrown into the web services technology without a parachute and this book has helped to put things into perspective. You are not going to sit down and write code from this book, but it does help to define all of the pieces of web services technology and get you started.

With that said, this was a difficult book to read because the writing style is very abrupt, does not flow, and reads like an old style academic textbook trying to impress and confuse the student. I've read more technical books that were easier to understand because they explain their subjects in more natural prose. I found myself frequently reading pages over one or more times. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Application software   2. Computer Bks - Internet   3. Computer Books: General   4. Computer Networks   5. Computer network protocols   6. Computers   7. Design   8. Hardware - Personal Computers - General   9. Internet - General   10. Internet - Web Site Design   11. Microcomputer Application Software   12. Networking - Network Protocols   13. Programming Languages - General   14. Web site development   15. Web sites   16. Computers / Internet / General   

Subjects:  1. Biology   2. Biology (General)   3. Life Sciences - Biology - General   4. Physiology   5. Plant physiology   6. Science   7. Science/Mathematics   8. Science / Biology