Customer Reviews (2)

James Bond
I have every Bond book ever written from day one and I enjoy them all. You can't go wrong with ANY James Bond book.exciting and so worth buying.

GARDNERs Pay Off
John Gardner's screenplay approach to writing novels pays off. This is his first novel based on the screenplay of a Bond film and he seems to have found his niche even though some of these events are a retelling from Ian Fleming's novel "Live and Let Die" with the same character being mangled again! However, this novel is based on Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson's story for Timothy Dalton's James Bond in LICENCE TO KILL. It remarkably makes for an interesting read from an otherwise unsatisfactory film adding detail to scenes and venturing inside the head of the main character exploring his feelings and motivations. For John Gardner this is pretty inspiring stuff. ... Read more

Product Description
A computer forensics "how-to" for fighting malicious code and analyzing incidents

With our ever-increasing reliance on computers comes an ever-growing risk of malware. Security professionals will find plenty of solutions in this book to the problems posed by viruses, Trojan horses, worms, spyware, rootkits, adware, and other invasive software. Written by well-known malware experts, this guide reveals solutions to numerous problems and includes a DVD of custom programs and tools that illustrate the concepts, enhancing your skills.

• Security professionals face a constant battle against malicious software; this practical manual will improve your analytical capabilities and provide dozens of valuable and innovative solutions
• Covers classifying malware, packing and unpacking, dynamic malware analysis, decoding and decrypting, rootkit detection, memory forensics, open source malware research, and much more
• Includes generous amounts of source code in C, Python, and Perl to extend your favorite tools or build new ones, and custom programs on the DVD to demonstrate the solutions

Malware Analyst's Cookbook is indispensible to IT security administrators, incident responders, forensic analysts, and malware researchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Current Best of Breed for Technical Malware Books
I have just received this book and have not yet worked my way through all the chapters, but I have reviewed the contents and tool DVD. I teach college classes on Network and Computer forensics from a survey level through a hard-core programming level. I have likely purchased or been sent most of the books in this area, and this book does stand out for the following reasons.

1. The material is up-to-date. Tools and malware resources change on an almost daily basis and you need to get books that reflect current resources and best practices. This book does a very good job covering the current tools and resources. It provides the web addresses for the various tools and resources discussed in each chapter. It also refers to current research, articles, and conference material in the areas covered in the chapters.

2. The topics covered are comprehensive. The book includes topics on anonymizing (the first chapter), classifying malware, shellcode, DLL code injection, debugging, how to safely run malware in a virtual environment, dumping memory and memory forensics, debugging kernel code, etc. The topics are collected into 18 chapters and are very complete.

3. The focus of this book is performing analysis of malware (which includes a wide variety of exploit types) and creating/using the tools to perform this analysis. Numerous examples are given showing how the analysis can be done, and some background information is presented as needed.

4. The book assumes the reader has brains. Too many "Computer Forensics" books are a waste of time for someone that already has a background in programming, networking, etc. They (the other Forensics books) often start their discussion of Network Forensics with a definition of what a network is ("A network sends packets between computers..."). Give me a break. This book assumes the reader already has a level of knowledge that is appropriate to anyone really working in this field. However, the authors do a good job explaining what needs to be explained in the course of presenting the topics. They don't talk down to the reader.

5. The book has a wealth of examples. Each chapter presents the topics by showing examples as well as showing how to get and install the necessary tools.

6. The book balances using pre-written tools with create-your-own tools. The latter include scripts in Python and programs in C/C++. The authors indicate where to get various relevant libraries which can be used to create or customize tools. This book is not just a collection of tools, but shows how to use the tools, analysis techniques, etc.

7. The book is very reasonably priced for the quality of content and the extra DVD. The price from Amazon is under $40 and the retail price is about $60. However, even at $60 this book is a bargain. Even if you just used the web addresses for the lists of tools presented in each chapter, the amount of time would take to locate and document the huge number of forensics/hacking tools presented in this book, is worth more than the book's price.

8. The book presents a huge amount of material. Almost every page is crammed with information and examples. Frankly, this book presents more information in one chapter than most other books do in their entirety, and this book has 18 chapters. The chapters are written so they are independent of each other and you can select the chapter you want to work through without reading previous chapters.

9. The tool focus is open-source and platform independent. The authors stay with open-source tools and try to reference tools that can run on both Linux and Windows. However, they also use the best tools available for a specific task, even if the tool only runs under Linux or only under Windows.

Reader Background:
There are enough varied topics in this book that readers with different levels of knowledge can benefit. The authors assume the reader has a background in basic networking, understands operating systems (both Windows and Unix), understands programming (Python, C/C++, Assembly), and understand processor basics (registers, the stack, etc). However, these assumptions are not barriers to getting something out of this book. Beginners will find the book too difficult, but would profit by just downloading the various tools referenced in the chapters.

Bottom line:
* If you are doing forensic analysis on Malware you should purchase this book (for the chapters on debugging, memory forensics, and malware forensics)
* If you are working in the network/computer security area you should purchase this book (for the chapters on setting up a malware lab, classifying malware, and setting up a malware sandbox)
* If you are interested in the programming aspects of malware you should purchase this book (for the chapters on DLLs and debugging malware code and on code injection)
* If (and I hesitate to include this) you want to be a hacker you should purchase this book and read the entire thing.
... Read more

Product Description
Every day, thousands of people receive a diagnosis of serious, life-threatening illness, and their families and friends suddenly become caregivers. Despite the best of intentions it is not always easy to communicate well under these circumstances, or find deep empathy for something one has never before experienced. When is it best to speak, and when to be silent? How can someone provide real comfort, and how can relationships with loved ones facing serious illness be enhanced in this most difficult time?

This book is about how to be an encouraging caregiver and friend under the most difficult circumstances, when the possibility of death is all too real The authors believe that open dialogue must not be avoided until the last minute when opportunities will be limited, but that caregivers and loved ones can embrace this time, mortal time, honestly as a way to sensitively and compassionately engage with those for whom a central fact of life is realized--that all of our lives are time-limited.

In The Art of Conversation Through Serious Illness, the authors consider how to best listen to and speak with one facing life-threatening illness, with lessons on being a primary conversation partner, becoming properly empathic and receiving empathy, maintaining everyday conversation, using platitudes appropriately, understanding healthy denial, and talking about dying. Offering bedside guidance usually only available to professionals and peppered with insightful anecdotes from the authors' own experiences, this gentle, succinct book is appropriate for anyone going through this uniquely difficult yet universal life experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Must Have Read
For someone who is in her twenties who has not had much experience with death, Richard McQuellon's book, " The Art of Conversation Through Serious Illness"has deeply moved me and the words of wisdom that he has shared has opened my eyes. When I lost my grandfather back when I was a teen, I knew nothing of this sense of time that we are given on this Earth. I only felt the sense of urgency that death brings that Dr.McQuellon speaks of. Even after all this time, this book really resonated with that particular event in my past. It allowed me to see and understand human behavior, how my reaction to death was similar or different from other members in my family.Even though "death" may be a heavy subject to talk about and it may be that we as a society only bring up death when it's right there in front of us-- Dr.McQuellon allows us to see that in this world we should be honest and compassionate human beings and that even in our most trying times that we shouldalways be here for one another with open arms.I have learned a lot from this book,it was an easy read with great and very real personal experiences that Dr.McQuellon and his co-author Dr. Cowan shares with their audience. It is a book that not only taught me how to cope with a very difficult but "universal experience" but also how to just be a better friend.

Lessons learned from "The Art of Conversation through Serious Illness"
I enjoyed reading Richard McQuellon's wonderful book, "The Art of Conversation through Serious Illness." I've gone through it several times to try to absorb all the wisdom he and his co-author Michael Cowan offer.

One thing that particularly resonated with me is how applicable much of what is discussed in the book relates to everyday "non-mortal time" life:listening carefully, responding thoughtfully, being empathic, timely use of platitudes and encouragement, and the compassionate power of silence.

I will keep this lovely, easily-read book handy for future refresher readings, along with other works that have helped guide me in recent years.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Rejuvenated My Interest in Philosophy
While certain aspects of this book will be unintelligible to those lacking a technical education (like me) in American analytic philosophy--or to those who've never read Sartre, Hegel or Heidegger--the style of the book renders its main points interesting and comprehensible to an intelligent, thoughtful reader. Rorty's main points come through clearly and powerfully. The metaphor of philosophy as a mirror of nature--and the imperative need to move beyond this metaphor--is compelling and independent of the more analytically dense portions of the book. The full second half is fairly easy to follow for those who have more than a passing interest in philosophy.

But, this isn't it's main value. If you're daunted by the prospect of reading Derrida or Foucault--or even Sartre--parts of this book are the most honest and readable abridgments I've run across. As a lit grad student, I barely understood Derrida. Reading Rorty was like being given a magic key to unlock the inscrutable mysteries of continental postmodernism. Some find Rorty's style strained, but I think he's one of the most talented English-language stylists philosophy has known--perhaps second only to Jane Addams or William James.

This isn't light beach-reading material, but it is a great read for those at all interested in contemporary philosophy.

Rorty
I was a bit disappointed.Some interesting issues raised about science and linguistics, but the philosophy is somewhat tenuous. Clearly following the trend that only academic philosophers need understand each other leaves the intelligent layman out in left field.Carl Sagan once lamented this same trend in the sciences, that is, that astronomers need only write for other astronomers.Obviously, String Theory is headed in the same direction, making it unintelligible for all but physicists who have been trained in the new math.Great thinkers are readily grasped by readers outside their own field.I met a philosopher who didn't want me to read his book because it was too "technical". As far as I am concerned, if you can't put your theories into plain and lucid language, your work will become useless and discarded by the majority of people who read books and use libraries. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Both realism and justice demand that efforts to conserve biological diversity address human needs as well. The most promising hope of accomplishing such a goal lies in locally based conservation efforts - an approach that seeks ways to make local communities the beneficiaries and custodians of conservation efforts.

Natural Connections focuses on rural societies and the conservation of biodiversity in rural areas. It represents the first systematic analysis of locally based efforts, and includes a comprehensive examination of cases from around the world where the community-based approach is used. The book provides:

• an overview of community-based conservation in the context of the debate over sustainable development, poverty, and environmental decline
• case studies from the developed and developing worlds - Indonesia, Peru, Australia, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom - that present detailed examples of the locally-based approach to conservation
• a review of the principal issues arising from community-based programs
• an agenda for future action

Customer Reviews (1)

Must read!!
This book is the most complete and intelligent essay I have seen for the past 10 years of work with wildlife conservation and management. Should I have read before, it would have given me more insight in my career. This book is the result of an enormous work load done by scientists, politicians and anthropologists very well compiled in 400 pages. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

The book insiders read
I have read every edition of the Almanac since 1990.Technology changes, yet the prose and percise analysis from Barone is succinct, accurate and I dare say addictive.This is not a book you pick up and read from start to finish.Rather, a resource to help you understand the recent history of our republic, and the people who represent us in Congress.

The true treasure I find is reading edition after edition and watching the changes in congressional districts and how and why people get elected.It is educational and insightful in a era of 30 second television ads.Read this, look at Larry Sabato's crystal ball (online) and watch the polls from Real Clear politics.In a short time, you will have a informed opinion and educated guess on how the 2010 election will break down, seat by seat.Quite amazing!

The Almanac of American Politics 2010
Bought this for my brother.

He says that it's a wonderful source of reference, and is enjoying the read.

Good comprehensive resource
This edition lives up to the quality of prior editions, which is saying a lot. I bought my first edition back in the 70s, and I get an updated version every few years. This book is a must for political bloggers.

Great Political Book
Purchased this almanac to learn more about the political leanings and motivations of present politicians in office.Very interesting information on who is running our country.Also general political analysis of districts and other political facts you won't find elsewhere very easily. Our country is undergoing major political upheaval and it is time for the average citizen to be informed rather than blindly picking candidates because they belong to a certain party.Highly recommended book for those who care ragardless of party affiliation.

Indispensable Political Data
Since 1972, when Michael Barone, Grant Ujifusa, and Douglas Matthews first published the Almanac, these biennial books have constituted a dynamic resource for anyone interested in the American political scene.The current volume, like its predecessors, is enjoyable simply to page through. It is of enormous value, however, to anyone who wants to evaluate or expand on political information gained from other sources, whether journalistic, scholarly, or personal.

Does the book have any faults? Yes. Data on backgrounds of legislators sometimes contained errors. In at least a couple of cases the authors supplied conflicting information in different segments of biographical data. Moreover, the definition of military service can be perplexing, omitting interpretation of reserve service (active or inactive?) and in one case including even ROTC service in college. (I mention military service here only because it does constitute one of the variables used in the authors' analysis of voting and demographic characteristics.)But problems are minor. The charge of Republican political bias has no validity. Michael Barone is a conservative but he and his co-author, Richard E. Cohen, longtime correspondent for the highly respected, nonpartisan National Journal, have scrupulously avoided unfair selection of information or unfair judgments. They provided a vast array of verifiable empirical data, and in their narrative an individual's political party affiliation played no part in the selection of examples of praiseworthy or embarrassing behavior.

It has become a cliché to describe a book as indispensable--no human would have time to read all books so designated--but for anyone interested in understanding American politics as observer, student, or participant, this book comes closest to deserving the label.


... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Information,please;not spin!!
An hour with TAAP is more informative than a year of watching CNN. If you want the truth about the people who make decisions in your behalf, read The Almanac of American Politics. The book is a fair, comprehensive account of politicians without the manipulation of the networks and their biased reporters. Barone and Cohen take the responsibility of informing their readers of what goes on in Washington; they have no interest in selling cars and beer; but more importantly, they have no interest in who gets elected. If you want to find out the truth, read TAAP, if you want others to do your thinking for you, watch network TV.

For Political Junkies Like You and Me
The most complete collection of information available on American politics. The level of detail is unmatched. The Sunday morning pundits would be lost without it.

A Must Have for 2008
In this huge politcal year the Almanac of American Politics belongs on the bookshelves of anyone that has at least a passing interest in politics.
Mr. Barone can be a little too conservative for my tastes, but this years edition seems to be a little more balanced. Perhaps he's been humbled by recent events and decisions by the Current Occupant of the White House.

There are no adequate adjectives
Mr. Barone and his collaborators continue to produce the benchmark political work of our time, and we get it updated every two years. What a treat to be able to go to this piece of work and get the unadorned skinny about an individual and the region that he represents.

As balanced as I've ever seen it
Here it is again - the political junkie's biennial facts fix.Since the 1970s, all the demographic information, statistics, maps and historical background you could expect in a single volume have been available in this one.That hasn't changed with the latest model, and there's still no rival when it comes to having all the facts in one place.

What has changed?As longtime readers know, Michael Barone's conservative bias has been palpable in a number of past volumes (probably peaking along with Republican dominance of Congress in the mid-90s).It has decreased in recent issues, but it's hard for us liberal readers to avoid seeking - and usually finding - examples of Republican rhetoric thinly disguised as fact.I'm pleased to report that this edition is better than most other recent ones in that regard.One can't help but suspect that the 2006 elections made Barone want to chortle about the bleak 2008 prospects for all the new Democratic members - but for the most part, the analysis of past and future elections is straightforward and facts-based, for Democratic and Republican members alike.

Certainly, there are still points where you can at least see the bias wanting to come out.For example, the entry for Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) manages to tell the truth about why Casey's father was not allowed to address the 1992 Democratic National Convention - sort of.You can tell Barone wants to repeat the standard Republican lie about it being entirely due to the abortion issue, but instead he argues only that the decision was "certainly related to his stance on abortion but also brought on by his skepticism about Bill Clinton."Close enough, but then, the incident is mentioned again in discussing Sen. Chuck Schumer's DSCC chairmanship in terms that probably do cross the line into rhetoric-land.The more blatantly snide comments (chiding liberal voters for not supporting right-wing black or female candidates, for example) are, however, pleasantly absent this time around.

The analysis is sometimes a bit dry as a result of the relative evenhandedness, but I don't suppose that's really something we should complain about.Political junkies on the left and right alike will probably enjoy flipping through this copy. ... Read more

Product Description
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin is universally recognized as one of the most important science books ever written. Published in 1859, it was here that Darwin argued for both the fact of evolution and the mechanism of natural section. The Origin of Species is also a work of great cultural and religious significance, in that Darwin maintained that all organisms, including humans, are part of a natural process of growth from simple forms. This Companion commemorates the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species and examines its main arguments. Drawing on the expertise of leading authorities in the field, it also provides the contexts - religious, social, political, literary, and philosophical - in which the Origin was composed. Written in a clear and friendly yet authoritative manner, this volume will be essential reading for both scholars and studentsMore broadly, it will appeal to general readers who want to learn more about one of the most important and controversial books of modern times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not the best
This is not the best companion to the Origin. It does not bring much new to the table. ... Read more

Product Description
Also includes diseases of boysenberries, loganberries, tayberries, etc.

Table of Contents

Introduction; The Genus Rubus; The Raspberry and Blackberry Plants

Part 1: Diseases Caused by Biotic Factors; Cane and Foliar Diseases Caused by Fungi; Anthracnose, Cane Blight, Midge Blight, Spur Blight, Cane Botrytis, Purple Blotch, Ascospora Dieback, Botryosphaeria Cane Canker of Blackberry, Rosette (Double Blossom), Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Raspberry Leaf Spot, Septoria Leaf Spot of Blackberry, Sydowiella and Gnomonia Cane Cankers, Nectria Canker of Raspberry, Silver Leaf

Fruit and Flower Diseases Caused by Fungi; Botrytis Fruit Rot (Gray Mold) and Blossom Blight, Postharvest Soft Rot (Leak Disease), Minor Fruit Rots, Stamen Blight; Rust Diseases; Orange Rust, Cane and Leaf Rust, Yellow Rust, Late Leaf Rust, Blackberry Rust, Minor Rust Diseases

Root and Crown Diseases Caused by Fungi; Phytophthora Root Rot, Verticillium Wilt, Armillaria Root Rot, White Root Rot

Diseases Caused by Bacteria; Crown and Cane Gall, Fire Blight, Pseudomonas Blight, Leafy Gall, Hairy Root

Diseases Caused by Viruses and Viruslike Agents; Aphid-Transmitted Diseases; Raspberry Mosaic Disease Complex, Raspberry leaf Curl, Cucumber Mosaic, Raspberry Vein Chlorosis

Leafhopper-Transmitted Diseases; Rubus Stunt; Nematode-Transmitted Diseases; European Nepovirus Diseases, Tomato Ringspot

Pollen-Transmitted Diseases; Raspberry Bushy Dwarf

Viral Diseases with Unknown Methods of Natural Spread; Apple Mosaic, Blackberry Calico, Cherry Leaf Roll, Tobacco Streak, Wineberry Latent Virus, Other Viruses and Viruslike Agents

Nematode Parasites; Root-Lesion Nematodes, Dagger and Needle Nematodes, Other Nematodes

Part 2: Arthropod Pests

Insects That Damage Roots and Crowns; Raspberry Crown Borer, Root Weevils, Strawberry Crown Moth

Insects That Damage Fruit; Scarab Beetles, Japanese Beetle, Green June Beetle, Rose Chafer, Lygus Bugs, Raspberry Bud Moth, Picnic Beetles, Raspberry Fruitworms, Yellowjackets, Strawberry Bud Weevil (Clipper)

Insects and Mites That Damage Foliage; Spider Mites, Dryberry Mite (Raspberry Leaf and Bud Mite), Redberry Mite, Raspberry Aphids, Leaf Rollers, Climbing Cutworms, Blackberry Psyllid, Western Winter Moth, Raspberry Sawflies and Leaf Miners

Insects That Damage Canes; Rednecked Cane Borer, Raspberry Cane Maggot, Raspberry Cane Midge, Raspberry Cane Borer, Tree Crickets, Rose Scale, Stalk Borer

Insect Contaminants of Mechanically Harvested Fruit;

Part 3: Disorders Caused by Abiotic Factors

Nutritional Disorders; Herbicide Injury; Preemergent Herbicides; Postemergent Herbicides; Translocatable Herbicides, Contact Herbicides, Volatile Herbicides; Correcting Herbicide Excesses; Environmental Stress; Temperature, Wind, Soil Moisture, Light, Solar Injury

Part 4: Effects of Cultural Practice on Disease

Using Disease- and Insect-Resistant Cultivars Excluding and Reducing Pathogen Populations; Modifying Microclimate Within the Planting; Altering Production Practices to Prevent Plant Injury and Infections

Part 5: Development of Healthy Planting Material

Raspberry Certification Programs in North America; The Raspberry Certification Program in the United Kingdom; Nursery Production of Virus-Free Planting Material; International Exchange Regulations for Rubus Plant Material

Glossary; Index; Color Plates ... Read more

Product Description
Internationally renowned photographer Michael Coyne shares over 25 years of experience photographing people around the world in a guide that will help you find and capture the portraits you've always wanted.This is the perfect guide for everyone with a special interest in people photography who wants to take their pictures to the next level.

• Packed with tips and techniques for taking great portraits in a wide range of situations

• Comprehensively illustrated with examples of what to do and how to do it

• A guide to photo etiquette

• Technical and creative know-how imparted in succinct, easy-to-understand language

• Strong travel focus expressed in images from around the world

• Images shot with film and digital cameras ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY
THIS BOOK IS VERY NICE AND AN ADDITION TO MY PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK COOLECTION.
THE BOOK IS FULLY ILLUSTRATED AND DETAILED ON DIFFERENET ASPECT OF PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY.

Wow what a book
There I was thinking I knew about taking photograhs, but I learnt such a lot, and the sample pictures demonstrate with great clarity what the focus should and can be.

As a result I am now looking for more books from Michael Coyne.

some useful tips...
I bought the lonely planet travel photography guide a few years ago and absolutely loved it! I learned a lot of the basics and really improved my "photo taking" skills. Therefore I was very excited when i found out about the publication of this book. However this people photography guide was disappointing. It provides some useful tips on taking photographs of people but the photos inside the book are not particularly inspiring. Some are good but many are just so-so. (whether one likes a photo or not is very subjective, in my view, but the photos inside this book are really not that exciting. may be i was expecting more from an expert in the field) ... Read more

Product Description
511 pages, Paperback ... Read more

Product Description
With the classification of finite groups an era of research in that subject ended. In this symposium volume twenty-nine key figures in the classification programme analyse the likely directions research will take in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
That America's natural environment has been degraded and despoiled over the past 25 years is beyond dispute. Nor has there been any shortage of reasons why-short-sighted politicians, a society built on over-consumption, and the dramatic weakening of environmental regulations.

In Retaking Rationality, Richard Revesz and Michael Livermore argue convincingly that one of the least understood-and most important-causes of our failure to protect the environment has been a misguided rejection of reason. The authors show that environmentalists, labor unions, and other progressive groups have declined to participate in the key governmental proceedings concerning the cost-benefit analysis of federal regulations. As a result of this vacuum, industry groups have captured cost-benefit analysis and used it to further their anti-regulatory ends.Beginning in 1981, the federal Office of Management and Budget and the federal courts have used cost-benefit analysis extensively to determine which environmental, health, and safety regulations are approved and which are sent back to the drawing board.The resulting imbalance in political participation has profoundly affected the nation's regulatory and legal landscape.But Revesz and Livermore contend that economic analysis of regulations is necessary and that it needn't conflict with-and can in fact support-a more compassionate approach to environmental policy. Indeed, they show that we cannot give up on rationality if we truly want to protect our natural environment.

Retaking Rationality makes clear that by embracing and reforming cost-benefit analysis, and by joining reason and compassion, progressive groups can help enact strong environmental and public health regulation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An essential read for environmentalists
This book is a great guide for environmentalists who want to make cost-benefit analysis more fair. The authors get into the nitty-gritty of why cost-benefit analysis tends to favor industry and give a blueprint for how it can be reformed. An important book for anyone working within or with the government to better protect the environment. ... Read more

Product Description
Transformative Justice illustrates how critical restorative and peacemaking perspectives on crime form the basis of a transformative criminology (a call for personal and institutional transformation of crime and justice). Transformative criminology is explored in terms of theoretical influences, peacemaking and restorative applications, and next steps to be taken in this needs-based and compassionate orientation toward social life. ... Read more