Product Description
The essential sourcebook for creating your own dream garden. From planning to planting, a comprehensive guide to creating attractive landscapes and flourishing gardens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Book on Garden Design
I was pleased to see so many areas covered with enough information to do it yourself without further research. Many design guides give you the ideas, but not the full "how to." This book helps you with determining what will work best for you, and then how to go about doing it. The only problem after reading through this book will be deciding which ideas you're going to use.

One of the most comprehensive garden design books!
As the chairman of the Society of Landscape Designers, and a member of the Institute of Horticulture in England, Robin Williams summarized his professional experience and extensive knowledge in "Garden design."

"Garden design" covers every aspect of garden design, including the basic of garden design, elements of design (principles, style, the formal garden, the informal garden, the combination garden), establishing priorities (take your time, decide what you want, anticipate change, source of inspiration, complete your checklist), the survey and related drawings, the analysis, the zoning plan, the finished design, the working plan and work schedule, getting started (shaping and contouring, water problems, drainage, irrigation, marking out, space and proportion, pattern and scale, character underfoot), horizontal planting (lawn, decorative ground cover, natural effect), flexible surfaces (softer surfaces, hard surfaces, wood), edging, rigid surfaces (natural stone, reconstructed stone and concrete, paving, bricks and tiles, concrete laid on site,), steps and ramps (planting steps, safety features, ramps), furnishing the garden, plants and containers, garden accessories, water and rock features, leisure and garden games, garden plants, family gardens, water gardens, rose gardens, rock gardens, grass gardens, seaside gardens, plant lover's gardens, country-style gardens, wildlife gardens, deck gardens, city gardens, and dry or Xeriscape gardens.

"Garden design" has 208 pages and over 500 interior color photos and illustrations. It is one of the most comprehensive garden design books, and a must-have for both design professionals and ordinary garden lovers!

Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified,""Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture

Great book - love it !!
Firs time I saw this book in library and it was great for me (I wanted to create a nice garden near the house and this book seemed very helpful) so I decided to try to buy the same through internet - found it at Amazon and was suprized about possibility to buy it not for $32 bur for $4.15 (Great Thanks to Smoky Mountain Books !!!) plus shipping ($3.99) - this prise was more than good especially for such a great book. The shipped it quick enought and in "like new" condition. So, now this book helps me a lot with my garden(it has nice pictures and good theoretical information) - it's really great and more thanks to Smoky Mountains for such an affordable price. !!!!

Great design and structural source!
This book not only contains wonderful landscape inspirations, but is a wonderful technical resource as well.The detail and diagrams provided help the novice attain professional results with structural elements in the garden.

An Excellent Idea Book On Garden Design
Robin Williams takes the reader on a tour of the elements that make a garden complete.From making a survey of your property to designing a pergola, all types of gardens and garden elements are discussed and fully illustrated.Detailed descriptions and illustrations tell you how to prepare and lay a brick patio, design a special fence to enclosue your yard or even adding a gazebo. For those doing it themselves or those desiring to know how it is done this book is for you with full color illustrations and photographs. ... Read more

Product Description
In The Wars Within, Robin M. Williams Jr. brings together decades of thought about ethnic conflicts in an effort to better understand their dynamics and to lessen their disastrous consequences. Williams presents a worldwide perspective, conscious that many studies of ethnicity focus primarily on the United States. The stakes of struggles can involve both material resources, such as oil, diamonds, and gold, and sociocultural goods, such as group status and cultural distinctiveness. Ethnic conflict, Williams finds, can be portrayed as a set of dynamic processes that may escalate from restrained confrontations over limited issues to devastating ethnic warfare and genocide.

Throughout, Williams attends to present-day realities and continually reminds readers that ethnic conflict has human significance and lasting effects. His analysis implies that the military and political behavior of the United States profoundly affects whether faraway places attempt ethnic cooperation or shatter into deadly conflict. The Wars Within ends on a note of mild hope as Williams provides an overview of ways to prevent, moderate, or resolve severe intrastate violence. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps: A Guide to iLife 05, .Mac, and More is a companion volume to Robin Williams Mac OS X Book, Tiger Edition. Together they continue the tradition of Robin's classic guide to the Mac OS, The  Little Mac Book. Because Apple now provides a long list of useful applications with Mac OS X, its state-of-the art operating system, it's impractical to cover all of the Mac OS in one volume. This book gives you detailed explanations and tutorials of the main applications that Mac OS X installs on your computer. In addition, you'll learn how subscribing to a .Mac account can enhance your digital lifestyle. John and Robin cover each application in detail in the clear and friendly style for which their award-winning books are known. Through tutorials, tips, and techniques you'll learn how to use each of the powerful apps--both individually and as part of an integrated, interactive suite.

Whether you're a new or veteran user, you'll welcome this book's easy approach to all that's new (and not so new) in Tiger's application collection. You'll find an entire chapter on GarageBand 2, Apple's newly  updated consumer-level music-making software. You'll also learn everything about getting on the Internet and using email, including the greatest Web browser, Safari; the way-cool iChat AV, which adds audio and video to instant messaging;  iTunes, which includes access to the revolutionary Apple iTunes Music Store; iCal, Apple's sleek and shareable calendar application; Dashboard, the handy strip of desktop "widget" applications (including stock tickers, RSS feeds, address book, and more );  iMovie, Apple's newly updated  movie-making software with HD capabilities and advanced editing tools,  and much more.

   ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

MAC MUST HAVE
A must have for Mac Addicts!!I learned so much and the format is quick and easy to read.Just Macaliscous!

Essential desk reference for Mac OSX Leopard
After half a dozen years as a Mac traitor who got dragged kicking and screaming into the Windows-only world at work, I'm retiring from the work world and switching back to Mac-only at home.I waited for about six months for Robin's update for Leopard to be published and it was well worth the wait.While I'm just getting into the book, I can already see that it's going to be a member of my on-desk library of essential Mac reference books.Way to go Robin and John!

A GREAT WAY TO START!
I switched to MAC about one month ago, bought the book the next day and found it very helpful. I went through it page by page and it was easy to read and understand and it was more than helpful. I recommend it highly for the first time MAC users.

The Coolest
Can these people write, or can they write? Thier books are always easy to follow, and presented in an entertaining fashion as well. If Robin Williams had written books about all the subjects I so disliked in school, I would undoubtedly have been very well read in all topics.
In a matter of minutes, I was able to unlock a few mysteries about my Mac...in days, I was using the applications without fear or hesitation. And while I am quite aware of how user friendly Macs are anyway, Ms Williams takes away the fears I still tend to harbor. I'm no computer wiz kid, I am FAR on the opposite end of the spectrum. But this book in particular, opened my eyes....from a place of feeling overwhelmed by all the things I KNEW this little box could do(that I didn't think I could) to a world of fun, and confidence. Cool Mac Apps is quickly becoming my favorite book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn anything about the iLife applications.

A Must Have Reference Source
As we have all come to expect from Robin Williams, this book is written in a clear, precise manor. The illustrations are all very helpful.I particularly like the way the windows of each application are illustrated with details about each item within the window.

I have been using OSX for over two years now and thought I knew my way around each of these applications, but I was able to learn a lot of easier ways to do things . I have also learned that there were a lot of the features that I was not even coming close to using to their full potential. I have been using iCal, iTunes, and iPhoto on an almost daily basis, so these new tips and techniques are a real timesaver for me.

I was really surprised at how much new knowledge I gained on using Safari. I am on the internet on a daily basis and just took the browser for granted. The quick Tips section was very helpful. The section on RSS feeds opened up a whole new world of information for me.

Cool Mac Apps is a must have reference book that every MAC user needs in their personal library. I would give this book an excellent rating! ... Read more

Product Description
Cochrane Cancer Network, Oxford, UK. Utilizes an evidence-based approach to view the strength of the underlying evidence used to support some of the key decisions in cancer care. Discusses the principles and practice of critical appraisal, finding the best evidence for cancer care, and understanding the concepts behind health economics. For oncologists. ... Read more

Product Description
The Little Mac Book has taught a generation of readers how to use the Mac and spawned a best-selling series of Little Books that remove the fear from learning by adopting a gentle, non-techie approach to technical topics. It's hard to call a book little, however, when it becomes so thick and chock-full of info that it takes two people to lift it—which is exactly what would have happened if author Robin Williams had tried to fit a detailed discussion of Apple's powerful OS X iApps into her latest edition of The Little Mac Book—called Robin Williams Mac OS X Book, Jaguar Edition. Thus was born this handy companion volume: The Little Mac iApps Book.

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent book
Very easy to follow, not overly techie. RW & JT have a good writing style and aptitude for clear explanations. The book's illustrations (screen dumps) are well chosen and relevant to the text instructions and explanations. A good teaching tool for IT's to provide for staff or clients.

Luckily I read most of the chapters before my co-worker's permanently "borrowed" it. Now I need to buy another copy. Hope RW & JT are busy writing the next edition for the recent upgrades to some of the iLife apps announced at '04 MacWorld. I'll buy that book also as soon as it's available. Howevery, most iApps have have had only minor changes to them with Panther (and the new iLife), so this current book is still very useful and well worth purchasing.

The Little Mac iApps Book to get you using iApps
When you buy a computer, you get an operating system with it. When you buy a Macintosh, you get an operating system and an impressive set of most useful applications with it. You should have a book about using the Mac OS X operating system. You also need a guide for using the applications that came with it.

The Little Mac iApps Book is about the separate applications that come with Mac OS X that were not covered in Robin Williams' The Robin Williams Mac OS X Book, Jaguar Edition. In this one book you will find a helpful guide to:
*iLife applications -iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie, and iDVD
*OS X apps - Mail, Address Book, iCal, iChat and Rendezvous, and Safari
* .Mac apps - iDisk, HomePage, WebMail, Backup, iSync, Slides Publisher, and Virex
*More Cool apps - AppleWorks Word Processing, Database, Spreadsheet, Painting, Drawing, and Presentation, plus OmiGraffle, FAXstf, and Inkwell.

More complete coverage of the iLife applications is available elsewhere, but this first section is enough to get you using these applications.If you want more information or to see a demonstration you might consider The Macintosh iLife with a DVD by Jim Heid.

The section on Mac OS X apps is, I believe, the only source that covers all of these applications and it does so with enough information to really use them. It is presented so that it is easy reading and the beginner can understand it.

Safari is still in Beta but is quite stable and has already become the favorite Internet browser for many of us. This is the only book I know of with Safari information like these two examples: To save or e-mail a link, drag the icon that is immediately to the left of the URL. To open a link in a new window behind the current window shift-Command click on it. "I can go to a search results page and open a dozen windows in five seconds."

The section on .Mac apps may be enough to get you to sign up to become a .Mac user.

The section on AppleWorks applications is presented as a tutorial. For example the chapter on the AppleWorks database compares records to recipe cards and tells you how to construct an address book which you can easily modify to fit other collections. There is a minor error where it advises you to use a character field for a telephone number and a number field for a ZIP code. The ZIP code should also be in a character field so that leading zeros display.

This is a well written and clearly presented book which should appeal to most Mac OS X users because you really should have a guide to all of the applications that come with Mac OS X.

This book ought to come in the box with every new Mac!
This book is `hot off the presses,' having been published on April 10, 2003. I guess I was thinking about iLife, because I expected it to cover only iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto and iDVD. But to my surprise, it covers them and much more.

It also covers Mail, Address Book, iCal, iChat and Rendezvous, Safari, Appleworks, Omnigraffle, FaxSTF, Inkwell and all of the .Mac features, including iDisk, iCards, HomePage, WebMail, Backup, iSync, Slides Publisher and Virex. Phew! I'm glad I don't have to say that - I'd run out of breath.

I get a lot of questions from people who are converting from other e-mail apps to Mail, so I looked through Chapter 5 (Mail and Address Book) to see if the most common questions were covered. They were. The AppleWorks Chapter (17) is divided into six sections: Word Processing, Database, Spreadsheet, Painting, Drawing, and Presentation. They cover all the basics you need to get started with these tools.

Tollett and Williams tell us how to rip CDs, import and edit movies, work with iPhoto, create a chat room in iChat, edit, publish and subscribe to calendars using iCal, make a web location from any link in Safari, publish a slide show on your .Mac account, customize the button bar in AppleWorks, and so much more. the information is presented in simple, logical, straight-forward steps.

This book ought to come in the box with every new iMac, eMac and iBook. It covers everything the beginning user of these apps needs to know. ... Read more

Product Description
Explains hundreds of the most useful computer terms in a way that readers can understand, covering wording used in both the Macintosh and PC worlds, as well as terms used in typesetting. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very dated
While this book appears to be one that may have been useful some time ago, it has suffered from what all computer books suffer from... it is no longer relevant. Somebody wanting to try to understand their son or daughter would be best off looking elsewhere to try to learn something, or they run the risk of using outdated terminology and getting a dated understanding of an industry that has changed radically since the book's publication. ... Read more

Product Description

This Handbook aims to provide an authoritative map of the landscape of forensic science within the criminal justice system of the UK. It sets out the essential features of the subject, covering the disciplinary, technological, organizational and legislative resources that are brought together to make up contemporary forensic science practice.

It is the first full-length publication which reviews forensic science in a wider political, economic, social, technological and legal context, identifying emerging themes on the current status and potential future of forensic science as part of the criminal justice system. With contributions from many of the leading authorities in the field it will be essential reading for both students and practitioners.

Customer Reviews (5)

A Gentle, Whimsical Look At Rural Life
Robin Traywick Williams has assembled a wonderful collection of anecdotes and vignettes portraying the Virginia countryside that she knows and loves. The memories, the families, the dogs and horses, the children [now disguised as adults] who move through these short essays are displayed with great tenderness and humor. The characters, human and non-human, come to life before the reader's eye, and Mrs. Williams's graceful portrayal of all the things that make up her pastoral lifestyle makes one want to pull up stakes and move South.

This is a gem of a book. Take it with you on your next business trip, and escape to a gentler world.

We All Need a Chuckle
This wonderful little book of short essays/articles provides giggles, guffaws, and chuckles.The topics are universal, and the writing issnappy, crisp, and at almost all times hilariously funny. A great book toread, read aloud, or give to friends--

chivalry, thy name is bubba
It's dessert at our house:after we finish a meal around the dinner table, we retire with this amusing book...one to be savored aloud.Ages 5-45 join in the memories and laughter."More! More!" the family pleads,just as they do for any good dessert.We're just hoping this new authorbakes up another soon.

Another biased reader checks in
Not only are Robin Traywick's stories engaging, poignant, funny and true, they are well written.(Robin has a master's degree in writing from Hollins College where she studied under Annie Dillard--and it shows.) Ihave heard many of these stories before, the writer coming from a familywho thrives on family tales, but those who have not are in for a treat. The locale might be Goochland, Virginia, but the themes areuniversal--wrestling with yards of stubborn hose during a drought, tryingto keep one's sanity during the addition of a large kitchen, mourning abeloved dog or pony.Some of the memories are sad, some are silly, but thevoice is always right on target.

I Love This Book!
I hope I'm not biased about this book, with the author being myaunt.I liked this book mainly because it is filled with funnystories that I have heard many times by my family about my aunt growing up on a farm, having her first (and only) baby, and steeplechasing on her mare, Mele (who I might add died several months ago).My Aunt Robin has always been a very enthusiastic person with everlasting energy which you will surely see after reading this book. It tells about daily activities around the farm gone wrong (when Robin loses a battle with a 100 pound, 200 foot hose and she tells about her talent that no one can beat her at: throwing up at inopportune occasions.I'm sure anyone who reads this book can relate to it, especially those who struggle to keep animals under control, and raise one of the strangest kids on the planet (you don't know my cousin Katie Bo!)I also think the chapter titles are pretty cool: "Great Expectations: The Truth About Pregnancy", "How I was Cured of Being a Health Nut", and "Grown-ups Don't Eat Cookie Dough", to name a few.I really encourage people to read this book not only because it is good, but I'm really proud of my aunt's hard work.You should see her desk and computer! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Gentle, Whimsical Look At Rural Life
Robin Traywick Williams has assembled a wonderful collection of anecdotes and vignettes portraying the Virginia countryside that she knows and loves. The memories, the families, the dogs and horses, the children [now disguised as adults] who move through these short essays are displayed with great tenderness and humor. The characters, human and non-human, come to life before the reader's eye, and Mrs. Williams's graceful portrayal of all the things that make up her pastoral lifestyle makes one want to pull up stakes and move South.

This is a gem of a book. Take it with you on your next business trip, and escape to a gentler world.

We All Need a Chuckle
This wonderful little book of short essays/articles provides giggles, guffaws, and chuckles.The topics are universal, and the writing issnappy, crisp, and at almost all times hilariously funny. A great book toread, read aloud, or give to friends--

chivalry, thy name is bubba
It's dessert at our house:after we finish a meal around the dinner table, we retire with this amusing book...one to be savored aloud.Ages 5-45 join in the memories and laughter."More! More!" the family pleads,just as they do for any good dessert.We're just hoping this new authorbakes up another soon.

Another biased reader checks in
Not only are Robin Traywick's stories engaging, poignant, funny and true, they are well written.(Robin has a master's degree in writing from Hollins College where she studied under Annie Dillard--and it shows.) Ihave heard many of these stories before, the writer coming from a familywho thrives on family tales, but those who have not are in for a treat. The locale might be Goochland, Virginia, but the themes areuniversal--wrestling with yards of stubborn hose during a drought, tryingto keep one's sanity during the addition of a large kitchen, mourning abeloved dog or pony.Some of the memories are sad, some are silly, but thevoice is always right on target.

I Love This Book!
I hope I'm not biased about this book, with the author being myaunt.I liked this book mainly because it is filled with funnystories that I have heard many times by my family about my aunt growing up on a farm, having her first (and only) baby, and steeplechasing on her mare, Mele (who I might add died several months ago).My Aunt Robin has always been a very enthusiastic person with everlasting energy which you will surely see after reading this book. It tells about daily activities around the farm gone wrong (when Robin loses a battle with a 100 pound, 200 foot hose and she tells about her talent that no one can beat her at: throwing up at inopportune occasions.I'm sure anyone who reads this book can relate to it, especially those who struggle to keep animals under control, and raise one of the strangest kids on the planet (you don't know my cousin Katie Bo!)I also think the chapter titles are pretty cool: "Great Expectations: The Truth About Pregnancy", "How I was Cured of Being a Health Nut", and "Grown-ups Don't Eat Cookie Dough", to name a few.I really encourage people to read this book not only because it is good, but I'm really proud of my aunt's hard work.You should see her desk and computer! ... Read more

Product Description
For over 40 years, satellites have been orbiting the Earth quietly monitoring the state of our planet. Unseen by most of us, they are providing information on the many changes taking place, from movements in the land and volcanic eruptions, to human-caused changes such as the growth of cities, deforestation and the spread of pollutants in the atmosphere and oceans. Led by four editors with support from a production team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, many of the world's top remote sensing scientists showcase some spectacular and beautiful satellite imagery along with informed essays on the science behind these images and the implications of what is shown. This is a stunningly attractive and informative book for anyone interested in environmental issues and the beauty of our home planet, providing inspiration for students, teachers, environmentalists and the general public alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The book is really in good condition and cheap
When I got the book, I was very satisfied with the condition of it. The book is very interesting and have many color pictures. The price for the book is cheap.

book review
Very good and interesting book. It will give you a new perspective of the earth. The pictures are fantastic.

Our Changing Planet
Well done book for the scientist or anyone who is interestd in preserving planet Earth. A dream come true for a geologist and for someone who teaches any geoscience education at the college or university level. Well written, lots of photos and results from research, easy to read and the most important things is: it was done by a series of scientists even from NASA - AWESOME book!!!I highly recommend it to anyone ... Read more

Product Description
Long ago in Russia, a proclamation went out through all the land that the man who could build a flying ship would win the hand of the Tsar's daughter. But when a goofy peasant and his oddball crew of superhuman "moujiks" show up at court to claim her, the dumbfounded Tsar sets them three impossible tasks--or so he thinks! Award-winning illustrator Henrik Drescher has created brilliant illustrations for this far-fetched Russian folktale. Music by the Klezmer Conservatory Band. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Instant Classic!!!!
I have read this book since I was 4 years old and it has been my favorite book ever since!!! I have enjoyed the wacky and colorful illustrations and the the unique style this book was written in. I also found this book to be extremely funny in the dialogues of each character. Everyone would enjoy the humor and the originality of this book, that is an instant treat to the young and old.

an instant favorite
I remember when i was about 7 my mom brought me home this book , i flipped throught the pages and loved the zany, colorful illustrations, i read it over and over and listened to the tape every night when i went to bed until the tape wore out.even though i am older now, i am looking foreward to reading this book again and keeping it for when i may have kids of my own.I think that this is a great book for any little kid to have and listen to, or even big kids (me), the story takes you through a strange and hillarious world, that is acompanied by ammusing illustrations. it is a great book for kids to read and listen to that will be sure to make them laugh. Definitly not your everyday childrens story, but one that is sure to be a instant favorite. ... Read more

Product Description
As a palliative medicine physician, you struggle every day to make your patients as comfortable as possible in the face of physically and psychologically devastating circumstances. This new reference equips you with all of today's best international approaches for meeting these complex and multifaceted challenges. In print and online, it brings you the world's most comprehensive, state-of-the-art coverage of your field. You'll find the answers to the most difficult questions you face every day...so you can provide every patient with the relief they need.

• Equips you to provide today's most effective palliation for terminal malignant diseases . end-stage renal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and liver disorders . progressive neurological conditions . and HIV/AIDS.
  
• Covers your complete range of clinical challenges with in-depth discussions of patient evaluation and outcome assessment . ethical issues . communication . cultural and psychosocial issues . research in palliative medicine . principles of drug use . symptom control . nutrition . disease-modifying palliation . rehabilitation . and special interventions.
  
• Helps you implement unparalleled expertise and global best practices with advice from a matchless international author team.
  
• Provides in-depth guidance on meeting the specific needs of pediatric and geriatric patients.
  
• Assists you in skillfully navigating professional issues in palliative medicine such as education and training . administration . and the role of allied health professionals.
  
• Includes just enough pathophysiology so you can understand the "whys" of effective decision making, as well as the "how tos."
  
• Offers a user-friendly, full-color layout for ease of reference, including color-coded topic areas, mini chapter outlines, decision trees, and treatment algorithms.
  
• Comes with access to the complete contents of the book online, for convenient, rapid consultation from any computer.
  
• Includes regular online updates to keep you current for years to come-plus links to Medline and CrossRef abstracts, a fully searchable drug database, outcome assessment tools, downloadable illustrations, and more.

Customer Reviews (2)

Outstanding and must have book!
As a Medical Oncologist for the last twenty years, this is the best
book on Palliative care I have found and I am loving it!

The chapters are written in a clear, elegant and informative way by great
experts in the field of palliative care (e.g. Eduardo Bruera).
I had no difficult whatsoever in finding exactly what I need as key information
to the benefit of my patients.

I just have to say that before having personally looked at the book itself in a medical bookstore
I had seen the comments of the above reviewer in the Amazon website. This previous review scared me
to buy the book online as it was in my view too negative and,would dare to say,
does not match at all with the wonderfull book I have now in my hands.

This previous review just made mewaste 3-4 months of good reading.
This is the time span until I saw the book
in a Medical Library and could go through its pages personally .
After that I just Jumped and bought it!
So, for the Medical professional who works with palliative treatment and wants the better
for his or her patients, THIS IS A MUST HAVE!
Maybe Amazon and the Editor could allow internauts to go through its pages as a sample.
This would certainly help them to see how precious this book is.

Palliative Medicine
As the specialty of palliative medicine matures, more and more books have been published, however, the classic Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine remains the standard by which others are compared. In Walsh's new book, palliative medicine is comprehensively covered, including several chapters not included in other textbooks. However, one problem with the book is it's fragmentation. For example, there is not a clear, comprehensive chapter on opioids--I found myself having to switch between 2 or 3 chapters to get the information I needed. Such fragmentation makes it difficult to readily use a textbook, and as a consumer, encourages me to spend my dollars elsewhere. I look forward to the 2nd edition, where I hope such fragmentation will be eliminated, making Walsh's book ostensibly one of the top in the specialty. ... Read more

Product Description
Think of this as the typography equivalent of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. This little book not only defines the principles governing type but explains the logic behind them so readers can understand and see what looks best and why. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The book for anyone who reads or writes
Especially if you're a writer, you need this book. It will give you the reasoning behind certain stylistic techniques that end all questioning from wanna-be editors and writers.

One Must Begin Somewhere
For all of us who learned typing but not typography before we first acquired a desk top computer with a "word processing program," Williams' clear guidance steers us away from the more obvious mistakes too many of us have already made in great profusion. Ordinary tools in the hands of ordinary people can turn out surprisingly good typography. Williams leads you by the hand down the beginning of the right path.

This handy little book is not just for Mac users, either. For some techniques in some applications, folks not blessed with a Mac will not benefit from the detailed "how to" instructions, but the principles apply to any platform. So, do your typograpgically ignorant friends (even those on the dark side) a favor; give them a copy of Ms. Williams' book.

Mmm. Milk, chunky style.
Many people have lauded this book as a wonderful place for sprouting designers to start. For some it well may be the milk they need before attempting to digest the meat brought to the table by Bringhurst or Gill.But, and I know I'm preaching to the choir, this glass of milk has beenpoured from an expired carton (just had to get in one more food metaphor).Try "Stop Stealing Sheep" by Spiekermann & Ginger--greatoverview, quite accurate, and above all a good read. Start there, leavethis one alone.

Decent but lacking
A decent followup to her earlier work, however Williams' newest volume does some disservice to her subject matter. Previous reviewers may be too hard and too laudatory as well: it doesn't take a historian to write agreat book on typography, but then neither does Williams necessarilysucceed. This book is not a tenth of what Bringhurst's Elements ofTypographic Style represents to modern users of type; then again, perhapsshe was not trying to be as comprehensive, accurate or excellent.

A top of the line introduction to typography.
I am extremely distressed by one of the previous reviews that calls this "just another book by an amateur". I can think of noone more qualified to discuss typography and modern design principles. This is agreat book to begin dispelling the errors we make by applying typing 101principles to our computers. As far as Robin Williams not being ahistorian, I was looking for the correct method of getting my messageacross. Not a history lesson. Robin Williams is the most qualified experton "today's" typography skills not yesterdays. Lets leave that tothe historians. ... Read more

Product Description
This "sequel" takes up where the best-selling TheLittle Mac Book leaves off and turns Mac-literate users into powerusers. Using the same friendly language and easy-to-followexplanations found in The Little Mac Book, the authors shareshortcuts, tips, and tricks for honing Mac skills. Chapters onmastering the System Folder, maximizing memory, troubleshooting,disaster recovery, important rituals, staying current, and much moreguide new and experienced users alike into taking their Macintoshskills a step "beyond." Beyond The Little Mac Book takes anengaging, practical approach to how people really use their Macs, andteaches everyone how to maximize their Macintosh potential.Amazon.com Review
Not unsurprisingly, Beyond the Little Mac Book is afollow-up to The Little Mac Book. This works out well for theintermediate Macintosh user looking to learn more advancedskills. Topics include managing the System Folder, disaster recovery,system optimization, handling emergencies, system accessories, andtips and tricks--just the kind of insider information that will makeyou a more well-rounded, independent user, perhaps even a poweruser. The book also includes a chapter on sharing files with PCs,using the Web, using a modem, getting an Internet provider, and usingonline services. The presentation is straightforward, readable, andeasily browsed if you prefer casual jumping around to sustained linearreading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A gem. A complete gem.
Everything I know about computing I learned from this book or from itspredecessor, "The Little Mac Book" (or from Williams's "Tabsand Indents on the Macintosh," evidently no longer available). Allbooks about Macs by Robin Williams are funny, imaginative, and easy tounderstand. If you have a Mac and you have this book, you don't needanything else (except, of course, whatever Mac book Williams comes up withnext).

Fun reading and loaded with "Aha" information-great!
This little book is a wonder!I would highly recommend it to anyone who has a Mac-I would actually say it is essential.Easy to read-it's a scream. Full of what-to-do-if's and how to keep everything runningship-shape.Explains mind-boggling concepts in easy to understand terms. Great step by step instruction. Everything from RAM and ROM to SystemFolder conflicts to fonts and software to how to keep a lean mean machineand handling "problems-Yikes!"I actually took a class entitled"Understanding Your Mac"at a local Jr. College that used it asthe textbook.I keep my copy right beside the computer.Get this book foryourself or a friend now!

Great!
I've been a Mac user for over a decade and I still loved this book! It's packed with good tips and helpful suggestions to find your way out of a Mac jam.I highly recommend it (and I love the cover!)

Worth the money and time
Broback and Williams manage to proivde you with plenty of solid information without boring you with details.Excellent for the Mac user who needs to get the most out of his/her machine and know what to do when something goes wrong. I followed a lot of their advice and my Mac runs more stable than it has in a long time. ... Read more

Product Description
It is long overdue that someone took a closer look at the brilliantMary Sidney. I have a suspicion that Mary Sidney’s life, and especiallyher dedication to the English language after her brother’s death, maythrow important light on the mysterious authorship of the Shakespeareplays and poems.
—Mark Rylance
Actor; Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 1996–2006; Chairman of the Shakespearean Authorship Trust



For more than two hundred years, a growing number of researchers havequestioned whether the man named William Shakespeare actually wrote theworks attributed to him. There is no paper trail for WilliamShakespeare—no record that he was ever paid for writing, nothing in hishandwriting but a few signatures on legal documents, no evidence of hispresence in the royal court except as an actor in his later years, noconfirmation of his involvement in the literary circles of the time.With so little information about this man—and even less evidenceconnecting him to the plays and sonnets—what can and what can’t weassume about the author of the greatest works of the English language?

For the first time, Robin P. Williamspresents an in-depth inquiry into the possibility that Mary SidneyHerbert, the Countess of Pembroke, wrote the works attributed to theman named William Shakespeare. As well educated as Queen Elizabeth I,this woman was at the forefront of the literary movement in England,yet not allowed to write for the public stage. But that’s just thebeginning . . .



The first question I am asked bycurious freshmen in my Shakespeare course is always, “Who wrote theseplays anyway?” Now, because of Robin Williams’ rigorous scholarship andartful sleuthing, Mary Sidney Herbert will forever have to be mentionedas a possible author of the Shakespeare canon. Sweet Swan of Avondoesn’t pretend to put the matter to rest, but simply shows howcompletely reasonable the authorship controversy is, and how the ideaof a female playwright surprisingly answers more Shakespeareanconundrums than it creates...
—Cynthia Lee Katona
Professor of Shakespeare and Women’s Studies, Ohlone College; Author of Book Savvy

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Customer Reviews (23)

Apparently not a full depiction of the Countess
Like most of the reviewers, I find the book's arguments riveting. The manner in which they often are put forth in the form of comparative tables and lists is very smart and compelling, and in that context give the Countess credibility far ahead that of the actor from Avon and of the Earl of Oxford. However, I was left with two large questions: (1) If her sons, particularly William, were so powerful, why did they not simply confiscate their mother's writings and destroy them? and (2) How can we reconcile the saintly Countess which Robin Williams presents with all those ribald double entendres and downright dirty jokes in Shakespear's plays?

I have found no real answer for the first question. As for the other matter,I came across an interesting paragraph in Michael Schmidt's Lives of the Poets. While his comments on Mary Sydney have nothing to do with the who-wrote-Shakespeare controversy, he does repeat contemporary gossip about her. Apparently, Mary was known to be sexually free (her future father-in-law feared she would "'horne his son'")and possibly was lover to her brother. Further, John Aubrey comments, "'She was very salacious.'"Possibly the community on the Avon that grew up around her and her brother gave her freedom to express herself in more venues than verse, and thus give voice to a true Elizabethean bawdiness in Shakespeare's work.

A brilliant and serious study
It has probably been thirty years since Atlantic magazine published a lengthy and fascinating study of the Authorship Question.Since that time, I have casually followed the arguments. The NYT had a nice debate going for a while at a book opinion page. The unabridged audio versions of Greenblatt's and Bryson's books were interesting but not convincing, and the Oxfordian arguments did not quite fit. By the same token, the Stratfordian accusations of elitism have become a tiresome mask for the obvious shortcomings in Shakespeare's education, training and behavior. The James book on Henry Neville was interesting but similarly thin on useful facts and connections.Parenthetically, looking back at the book on Henry Neville, one can find Mary Sidney appearing in his extended family tree, and perhaps the authors of the Neville theorem were on the right track, anyway. Back in the 1970s, Jacob Bronofski hosted a BBC series and wrote a companion volume entitled "Connections", in which he argued if I recall correctly that each advance in knowledge was not the result of a great flash of revelation, but rather was the next step forward by a new thinker working with the existing knowledge base. It is hard to see how Shakespeare the man could have written the plays unless he knew the wealth and mass of literature on which so many of the plays are based.This book about Mary Sidney is a remarkable marshaling of the facts, connections and evidence upon which each reader can reach a conclusion. The book to my mind solves the authorship question.It is well written and constructed, concise and readable.The substance of the book makes the conclusion obvious.I have made a superficial look for other books which might respond and contradict the authorship of Mary Sidney.I have not found one.To the prior reviewer who mentions unidentified contradictions, please tell us what they are.If this book is not being seriously studied by full time Shakespeare scholars, then academia should be explaining why.I very rarely take the time to review books, and the fact that I have done so in this instance is one indication of my high regard for the book.It is simply brilliant, and I highly recommend this book to every serious and casual student of the "Shakespeare" canon.

A different perspective
The book puts forward an interesting theory but beyond the controversial idea of a woman being the real author of the plays of william shakespeare, this book catalogues in a very thorough, well written and easily understandable way all the historical evidence that actually exists on William Shakespeare. It attempts, quite successfully I think, to separate what is opinion and what is provable and verifiable fact. I was very glad to have read it and would recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the plays of shakespeare.

A Real Eye Opener
Williams provides stimulating evidence and inference that Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, surviving sister of poet Philip Sidney and mother of two very powerful men in the Court of James I, MAY have written works attributed to Shakespeare. She makes an expecially strong case for Mary Sidney's authorship of the Sonnets, addressed--in her view--to her brother, to her lover in later life, and then to the "dark lady," a person she suspected had an affair with her own companion. Sound crazy that a woman was Shakespeare? Well, just look and see the portrait of Mary Sydney with a swan motif, of a woman who had been addressed as a "sweet swan" along the river "Avon" in her lifetime. The Shakespeare First Folio of 1623 was dedicated to her two sons, William and Philip, who may have bankrolled its publication.

An unsolved mystery's prime suspect
Many people scoff at the Authorship Question, considering it absurd. Afterall, we don't doubt the authorship of Ben Jonson or Christopher Marlowe, "ordinary" men from humble backgrounds (though in contrast to W.S., both men have educational backgrounds that are documented, with Marlowe receiving a master's degree from Cambridge, and Jonson attending the prestigious Westminster School where he was mentored by William Camden, an eminent scholar, and continued this mentor relationship until Camden's death). Of course Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare, opines the likes of Stephen Greenblatt and Bill Bryson.In fact to doubt as much makes you either eccentric or elitist, at least according to Bryson, the author of Shakespeare: The World as Stage.The problem with the Strafordian biographers' allegiance to the status quo is that we really don't know. Greenblatt and Bryson's biographies are so filled with speculation; Greenblatt's in particular is an exercise in conjecture and a refresher course in catechism.

Was William Shakepeare so modest as to publish his first eight plays anonymously, then, becoming emboldened, claim "well actually, I augmented and corrected" "Love's Labor's Lost"?Initially, he didn't claim authorship of "Love's Labor's Lost," just textual emendation. The title pages of the first eight plays, while bearing no authorship, state "they have been played by the Earl of Pembroke's Men," the acting troupe sponsored by Mary Sidney and her husband (Williams 185).Other plays which scholars do not attribute to William Shakepeare have claimed Shakepeare as author, including A Yorkshire Tragedy, The Puritan, and The Life of Sir John Oldcastle.

If Shakepeare is "our English Terence," then does that equate him with plagiarism?Terence was an ancient Roman writer who took credit for works he did not write.Mary Sidney's secretary, John Davies of Hereford, addresses Mr. Will. Shake-speare with this non-flattering allusion. Did the historical actor claim other plays were penned by him, though their authors less talented than the author of the plays we now attribute to him? Ben Jonson also mentions Terence in a eulogy to Shakepeare; however, his reference to Terence is in a different manner, saying we have tired of these ancient writers, "Neat Terence, witty Plautus..." and Shakepeare is a fit replacement.Yet this eulogy is cryptic and much has been speculated about it, including Jonson's sincerity in relation to his praise of the historical man, not the works attributed to him.

Robin P. Williams questions if Jonson's phrase, "Sweet Swan of Avon," was really a cladestine nod to Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke.Mary preferred her maiden name, Sidney to Herbert.Sidney sounds similar to the French word for Swan (cygne), and the English cognate, cygnet, baby swan. Her brother, Philip Sidney, was good-naturedly called Swan by his French friends.Mary took on the swan as her personal symbol.Ms. Williams says that the Stratford-upon-Avon interpretation may be erroneous.There are several rivers in England named Avon.Mary Sidney's estate has the Wiltshire Avon river passing through its 14,000 acres.The Wilton House, the site of Mary Sidney's self-made university of the arts, has a branch of the Avon flowing past it.And the final Avon connection: Mary Sidney is interred at "Salisbury Cathedral, located directly on the Avon River" (202). The historical William Shakepeare was never referred to as "Swan," if you exclude Jonson's unclear eulogy.

The Swan Mary did have access to the source materials for the plays.It is a point of contention how the historical actor gained access to restricted and even unpublished materials that the works attributed to him used as references.There were no public libraries at that time; university and private libraries housed expensive books.How then, did Will in the World circumvent this source materials obstacle?Not only is there abundant evidence that Mary Sidney had access to the sources of the plays (and some of these sources were untranslated), she is also a direct descendant to many of the characters in the history plays.Williams notes that some of the characters who are closely related to Mary are cast in a more flattering light in the plays than was merited by their historical actions, or they are cast a larger role than they really played historically.For example, in Richard II, Henry Percy, the 1st Earl of Northumberland is not only "more prominent in the play than the original source material," he is spared committing one of his worst mistakes, "his perjury at Conway" (137).Northumberland was Mary's great-great (seven times great) uncle, and her grandfather held the title of Duke of Northumberland. Likewise, Mary's great-great (six time great) grandfather, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, was written a prophetic dying speech that any actor worth his salt would relish performing.The source for Richard II and the other history plays was Raphael Holinshed's book written in 1587.Holinshed's book never recorded history with such an apotheosizing bent towards Mary's ancestors.It should also be noted that the history plays were written before Shakepeare "hit the big time," meaning before he was allowed at court or had any first-hand familiarity with court life.

Not only do the history plays (a genre which Mary herself helped to popularize with her translation of Garnier's Marc Antoine--translations were one of the few sanctioned forms of writing for women, that and religious writings) reek of Mary's personal and familial history, so do the trajedies. I'm thinking of King Lear in particular.If Regan and Goneril broke King Lear's heart with "Ingratitude!Thou marble-hearted fiend," then Mary Sidney's own sons similarly broke her heart.Mary and her oldest son were estranged for ten years; the causes for the estrangement were most probably a combination of William Herbert impregnating one of Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting and then refusing to marry the woman, and the widow Mary's romantic relationship with Dr. Matthew Lister, a man ten years her junior. William Herbert was an ambitious man and after Elizabeth's death, ingratiated himself with King James (his brother Philip did so as well, but in a different way).He not only became the 3rd Earl of Pembroke, but the Lord Chamberlain, a position that granted him final control over the publication of plays for the public theater, beginning in 1615.If he was aware that his mother had written plays for public performance, this self-serving, ambitious man would do all that he could to suppress that information, as public playwrighting was not an acceptable role for a lady.Under these circumstances, it would be easy for an "English Terence" to commandeer credit for plays which he did not write.

This book does not definitively solve the Authorship riddle, of course.However, it does make a very good case for Mary Sidney Herbert, the Countess of Pembroke, as the unsung author of the greatest works of English literature.After her brother Philip died, it became Mary's life mission to continue her brother's literary work and enhance English literature--making this tongue comparable to other European literature. Mary modeled herself after Marguerite de Navarre, the "amiable mother of the French Renaissance," who developed her own palace academy (a blueprint for Wilton House).Did she contain herself to the legally permitted writings for women, i.e., translations, religious writings, and closet dramas, or did she expand upon those limits and anonymously publish plays which someone else would receive credit for?

I was blown away when I read the samples of her Psalms translations and compared them to the then-existing Geneva Bible.Her translation captures a sense of urgency and drama that completely eludes the Geneva version.What she was allowed to publish under her own name is simply breathtaking.

As for the Stratford candidate, let's consider a few things. Even Bill Bryson in his ode to the common man rant concedes that plebeian Marlowe never wrote strong, well-developed female characters to the extent that Shakepeare did (lest I be misunderstood, of course ordinary people from non-patrician backgrounds can do extraordinary things--yet in this Elizabethan time and place, ordinary people wouldn't have had access to restricted source materials--just like most of us today aren't privy to top-secret government documents).Before that, women weren't written as the intellectual equals of men; instead women were relegated to mostly unflattering stereotypes.Was the historical actor so ahead of his time and immune to his own culture that he wrote these great, unprecedented parts for female characters?Considering that the historical man didn't even ensure that his surviving daughters were literate, I'm not so sure.It seems more likely that a brilliant woman who was tired of the lack of opportunity for women (that she experienced firsthand) and sympathetic towards her own sex would create these dynamic roles.

I think it's ignorant to scoff at the Authorship question and dismiss it as elitist or eccentric.We really don't know.There is a cloud of mystery, a host of inexplicable circumstances, surrounding this body of literature, and a lack of certainty as to who really wrote it.




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Product Description
Presents tall tales about one of America's favorite heroes, Pecos Bill. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

the product details listed here are WRONG!!!!!!!!
The photo and barcode for this video are actually for a
RARECBS PLAYHOUSE presentation from 1988 starring
STEVE GUTTENBERG and my very favorite actress, the beautiful
and very talented REBECCA DE MORNAY; Roy Rogers & Co. are
great, but they had NOTHING AT ALL to do with this video:

so,whoever it was at AMAZON.COM who put these details in
this listing are simply mistaken: this is a great,rare
OOP VIDEO, but as of this writing, the details are wrong:

this one features MARTIN MULL, STEVE GUTTENBERG, AND my favorite actress REBECCA DE MORNAY ( see her in CANNON TALES
BEAUTY & THE BEAST,RUNAWAY TRAIN, BY THE DAWNS EARLY LIGHT
and her most famous performance as the evil nanny in
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE -- thats what I just love
about Ms. De Mornay: you never know what you're going to
get: she has such a fantastic range & versatility: she can
be the most wonderful heroine you would just die for, or
the most vicious, cold-blooded villian you want to kill!!
Terrific Actress, at this time, in my opinion, there is no
better Actress in Hollywood!!

This is a great way to discover the story of Pecos Bill
Robin Williams does a great job of storytelling.This is truely whole family entertainment. Kids will definately sit still for this one, and adults will find it wonderfully funny.Robin Williams infuses the readingwith his tremendous energy, wit, and love of adventure.The illustrationsin the book are humorous and kids will laugh when they see them.Adultsshould be aware that there is one picture where Pecos Bill is nude, but itis not full nudity and it is only one picture.All in all I think this,like all Rabbit Ears Productions, is wonderful.I would especiallyrecommend it for anybody who is looking for a great way to keep the kidsentertained while they are in the car.

An absolute delight
Story catches your imagination with wonderful illustrations and even better narration by Robin Williams. Fun and enjoyable for the whole family, would recommend to anyone interested in reading/hearing a good story.

An absolute delight
Story catches your imagination with wonderful illustrations and even better narration by Robin Williams. Fun and enjoyable for the whole family, would recommend to anyone interested in reading/hearing a good story. ... Read more

Product Description
With today's emphasis on casual but elegant entertaining, an inviting patio has never been more essential than it is now. Whatever your personal style and demands, everything you need to know to create the patio of your dreams can be found in this practical, comprehensive gardening and design tool. Not only does it provide detailed and inspirational guidance on all aspects of construction and design--from making a layout to laying paving, building walls, and lighting and furnishing your patio--it also includes actual plans for a wide range of patio styles, shapes, and sizes. Add instruction on how to build and incorporate barbeques, pools, and other decorative features; superb color photographs and informative drawings and diagrams; and of course a wide variety of imaginative planting schemes and down-to-earth gardening advice, and this becomes the only book you'll ever need to make your patio dreams come true. A Selection of Garden Book Club.
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Product Description
This book explores the innovation processes involved in the application and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) at work and in everyday life. These are analyzed through an unparalleled set of 23 European case studies, which, uniquely, address both the design/development and the implementation of ICT applications across the cultural, civic information and education sectors.

The authors draw upon a range of analytical traditions - from sociology of technology and cultural and consumption studies, to computer systems design - to build an integrated, evolutionary understanding of the processes of innovation in ICT. Their social learning perspective addresses the collective learning and negotiation processes involved, highlighting the contribution of technology users, as well as designers and developers, in shaping innovation.

The book will have an immediate readership amongst scholars of technology studies, as well as researchers and practitioners interested in computer system development and human computer interaction. ... Read more