2 comments about My So-Called Digital Life: 2,000 Teenagers, 300 Cameras, and 30 Days to Document Their World.

1. I never realized how much life has changed for teens....this is a must read for anyone on marketing to teens.



2. This book is likable for several different reasons....It provides a social anthropology of children and teens and allows readers to peer into the lives of diverse teens. Some quotes are eye opening and others are confirming of my perceptions of teens. The photos selected are very good and stand on their own merit. I like how this book is written and photographed by teens, so it's not like those dense theses by ivory tower scholars writing about what they think teens arelike.

5 comments about America's Lost Treasure.

1. Tommy Thompson is one of those unusual individuals with the fantastic mind of an inventor/engineer, yet with the ability to work with people to bring out their best. Our government should take note of this man, or hopefully they have, and give him the freedom to let his mind find solutions to many of our problems, as he has shown he can do in this book. It was an adventure, filled with suspense and I would recommend the picture book to go along with the text so you can see the magnificent photos of his find.



2. Tommy Thompson is one of those unusual individuals with the fantastic mind of an inventor/engineer, yet with the ability to work with people to bring out their best. Our government should take note of this man, or hopefully they have, and give him the freedom to let his mind find solutions to many of our problems, as he has shown he can do in this book. It was an adventure, filled with suspense and I would recommend the picture book to go along with the text so you can see the magnificent photos of his find.



3. Tommy Thompson is one methodical scientist. He found a ship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1857 that had eluded searchers for 130 years. He has taken the same methodical approach in creating this book "America's Lost Treasure".

   Gary Kinder wrote a 1998 bestseller on Thompson's search entitled "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea". It is one of the best pageturners I have ever read! More amazing is that it actually happened! The ship was the United States Mail Steamship "Central America" which was making rounds between the Atlantic coast of Panama and New York City during the California Gold Rush era. She was a side paddlewheeler steamship and was hauling a huge cargo of gold ingots, freshly minted gold coins, gold nuggets, and gold dust along with 38,000 pieces of mail and 578 passengers. Much of the gold was being brought to New York to shore up the bullion holdings of banks that had been putting out too much paper money without the available gold reserves to back it. Most of the passengers were returning from the Gold Rush; many were women and children. The ship sank after a heroic battle with a hurricane in 1857 off the Carolinas taking about 425 lives with her and all the gold. Both books chronicle Thompson's epic adventure finding the ship and recovering the gold down 8000 feet underwater where even the US Navy couldn't effectively recover items. Kinder's book clocks in at over 500 riveting pages but, is largely without pictures of all the incredible finds. "America's Lost Treasure" fills in that photographic void quite admirably in it's 186 pages.

   "America's Lost Treasure" is broken down into a background history of America at the time leading up to the Central America's sinking, a detailed account of the CA's fateful last voyage, a background of the equipment and people involved in the search and rediscovery of the CA, the discovery of the ship and the 'Garden of Gold', a review of the personal items found at the bottom other than the gold, and a section on the other scientific discoveries made at the site such as decay processes and new species of life found. There are hordes of very appropriate photographs that perfectly illustrate the topic discussed in the very readable and concise narration. The page layout is very well done and makes full use of the book's ten inches by ten inches size. Particularly interesting is the discovery and opening of several intact passenger's trunks revealing intact clothing and still visible photographs! The gold, however, is the expected showstopper.

   Overall, I can't recommend this book enough when read in companion with "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea". Some people will bristle with disfavor on the efforts in general to recover items from this wreck feeling it is a desecration of history and wrong. I couldn't help but be astounded by the disciplined and rigorous scientific and engineering skills put on display in the efforts. This is an absolutely fascinating pictorial account of a remarkable period in the history of America. It will rivet your attention from beginning to end and have you looking back at sections again and again. It is one of the best coffee table books in existence. The lost treasure found is truly breathtaking and this book is an absolutely worthy account of it! VERY highly recommended!




4. Category: treasure hunting
   
   Boats: SS Central America and a big, capable ROV
   
   Heroes: Tommy Thompson
   
   Location: USA, Midwest and East Coast
   
   Synopsis: Coffee table companion book to Gary Kinder's excellent Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea. Thompson has put together a very good set of photos and descriptive text that doesn't overlap the Ship of Gold story. It's great to see the systems and treasure recovered that you read about in detail in the earlier book.



5. The loss of the U.S. Mail Steamship CENTRAL AMERICA in a hurricane off the Carolina coast in 1857 still ranks as the nation's greatest peacetime disaster at sea -- 425 lives were lost (most of them passengers from the California gold fields) as well as an unbelievable amount of gold in the form of newly minted coins from the San Francisco Mint, assay ingots of many types, raw nuggets, and dust. Thompson, a multi-disciplinary "research engineer," spent years searching methodically for the deep-water wreck and finally located it and began recovering materials from it in 1989. Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea told that story in technical detail; this is the pictorial version, and a gorgeous volume it is. In addition to all that gold in all its many forms, the researchers used a robot to bring up passengers' trunks, discovering books and newspapers that were still readable and clothing that had faded but still maintained its structural integrity. A fascinating work in marine archaeology.

5 comments about The Nikon D200 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography.

1. Rockynook was of great help in solving a problem initially caused by an incomplete Adobe Reader download. I can now make full use of the Interactive Guide Manual. It's an outstanding publication, revealing every aspect and all functions of Nikon's D200 in a very special way. In comparison, other publications previously purchased, do not come close.
   Udo Koch - Stuart, FL



2. 'The Nikon D200 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography' is more like a book that comes with a disc. Yes there is a hardcover 50 page book that has bright, nice pictures, but the content of how to use your camera and what it can do for you is all found on the enclosed CD with the book. Does this type of 'book' work for everyone? Probably not. It's a very niche way to teach and learn. If you are the type that likes thumbing through a book and book only to learn how to use things, this will NOT be for you. If you are the interactive type of person that wants to sit in front of the computer and flip through pictures and learn in an interactive way, the content on the CD is thorough and usable.
   
   Recommended for those that don't care about how the information is presented and want to learn how to use their Nikon in a good way. Also recommended for those that prefer to learn on the computer. Not for those the want to do it "old school" and sit with a huge reference manual on their lap.
   
   **** RECOMMENDED



3. I love my Nikon D200 and am always on the lookout for a book that will help me to get more out of this expensive collection of hardware and glass. I own several D-200 books that are, at best, annotated, paraphrased, and rehashed versions of the existing Nikon User Guide. So it was with some degree of doubt that I approached the Nikon D200 Dbook. My first surprise was it was not just a manual on a CD. It is truly an interactive reference guide. For example, when I read the section that covered menu settings for saturation, the book not only made recommendations for the settings, but when you clicked on the menu setting (which looks exactly like the one in the camera) the photo in the book changed to reflect what change was produced. Too cool. They also include some step-by-step solutions to common setups. I especially enjoyed the section on flash photography in which they showed examples of the effects of different different flash settings and the effects that could be created. In addition to covering what appears to be all aspects of the D200, they have also included a fairly detailed course on digital photography in general. The printed book (about 30 pages) provides a snap summary of how to use the Dbook, an overview of the camera controls, and the menus.
   As both an author and a photographer I think this is an excellent book that should serve as a model for all books of this genre. The only limitation is that you must have a computer to read it but if you are a serious digital photographer you already have one or more notebooks. If you are shooting with a D200 you need to get this book. Eat beans for a week or put off buying your next camera accessory, whatever it takes. This book, if you read it, will make you a better D200 photographer period.



4. The idea of an interactive manual is a good one but I think this one got a bit lost along the way. The use of tables, pictures, and sidebars is a normal practice in printed books where you can see two pages at a time but on screen when you can only see one page at a time interruptions to the text in mid-sentence can be disconcerting. Also, buyers should be aware that the photoshop actions have to be downloaded from the publisher's website since they were left off of the cd.



5. I can not get this CD to work on my system. Maybe your experience will be different, but for me this purchase is just a loss.

No comments about Women Behind the Camera: Conversations with Camerawomen.

5 comments about Shells.

1. Wonderfully photographed and organized in a logical manner, Shells by Paul Starosta and Jacques Senders is a wonderful book to read. Many of the shells are lit in such a way that interior details are easy to see.
   
   Each photograph is accompanied by some details of each type of shell. I appreciated the inclusion of whether the shell was rare, difficult to find, etc. Also whether the shell could be found on the beach or at depth.
   
   Very informative.
   
   This is another book from Firefly Books. I must say that if there is a better company at producing large format books I'm not aware of who they are.



2. Great shell photography and interesting information on shells. A good addition to a nature library and a good coffee table book. Beautiful !!!



3. I was extremely pleased with my purchase of this book. I did a lot of research before I bought it trying to find a book with the biggest, clearest pictures, and the widest array of subjects. I got exactly what I was hoping for. There are shells in this book that look like the inventions of a mad artist - things I would not have believed could exist. The photographs are very large - many times the size of the shells. It's a gorgeous book - I have spent, and will spend many hours poring over it.
   
   I've noticed that many people fault nature photography books for not having field guide style information, with full identification of each subject's species etc. If you want that, this is not the book for you. You will probably not even remember to look for such information, because the photographs are so consuming.



4. Many beautiful photos. But, text is very poor. If, you'd like to know about shells, do not buy this book.



5. Absolutely gorgeous! The most sumptuous book on seashells I have ever seen. A must for anyone who loves seashells, the ocean, nature and beauty. A keepsake, a little treasure.

3 comments about Planet Ocean: Voyage to the Heart of the Marine Realm.

1. What an absolutely beautiful book! The pictures and resolution are amazing. The only complaint I have is that I like to see a few more side texts or full pages of brief information about what it is I am looking at. Other than that, it is a great addition to anyones coffee book collection.



2. There is no lesser a word for this book than amazing. I have seen a number of photographic works on the ocean; and this, by far, exceeds all the others I have enjoyed. The pictures or unbelievable, spectacular, and what I would call the work of photographers of genius. All this for a reasonable price. If you love that essential part of the world which keeps us alive, you will not want to miss this one.



3. We recently went to an aquarium and our 2 year old daughter was fascinated. We purchased this book because we wanted something that had lots of pictures for her to look at. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that each of the pictures had its description on the page itself. No hunting for the names of the animals when our daughter asked what they were. This book has a great variety of pictures of animals, not too much text and I recommend it for young children just discovering ocean creatures.

No comments about The Carlyle.

5 comments about Revealing Character: Robb Kendrick's Texas Tintypes.

1. I guess I'm alittle partial to this book because my brother is in it. But even if that wasn't the case, it's nice to see the faces of the Real Cowboys of today. These Cowboys are what makes Texas what it is, they are the real deal. You can see young cowboys and old cowboys alike, from the new blood just learning the ropes to the oldest cowboy with the years of hard work written all over his face. I'm very impressed with the way this book was done...and am hoping for more to come. This is my new coffee table book.



2. The photos in this book, using the old "tintype" photography technique, capture today's cowboys in an amazing light. Young & old, I think most people don't realize there are still people who make a living this way. Their quotes reveal the type of character we identify as truly American, but have come to believe, like their profession, belongs to a bygone era. How wonderful to know it's alive & well. Put this book on your coffee table & see how often it gets looked at, and better yet, read.



3. Revealing Character: Texas Tintypes by Robb Kendrick is a compilation of black-and-white photography of modern-day Texas American cowboys taken via the historical ferrotype or "tintype" method used in the 19th century. The result is a compilation of black-and-white portraits of hard-working inheritors to an esteemed tradition. Each individual photographed contributes a handful of quotes on the opposing page of his portrait: "The freedom of being out in open country is unlike any other feeling. You can't trade that feeling for money." These are men who spend their lives working with animals, love what they do, and tell it like it is. An afterword, an index of subjects, and a map of the state of Texas showing the ranches where the photographs were taken rounds out this "must-have" collection for cowboy fans of all backgrounds.



4. I was disappointed with the "character" of the shot. The photos were plain posed shots that weren't character revealing.



5. I purchased author's second book "Still" on the recommendation of a friend, I purchased "Revealing Character" after being so enthralled with "Still"
   
   Wonderful to see such an important photo process capture such an important way of life in the 21st century

2 comments about Managing A Nonprofit: Write Winning Grant Proposals, Work With Boards, and Build a Successful Fundraising Program (Adams Streetwise Series).

1. This book is a very good primer for getting one's feet wet in the world of non-profit organizations. While it is by no means exhaustive, it is certainly broad and deep enough for anyone to run their non-profit more efficiently and more ethically. It covers excellent project, team and board building strategies, as well as nearly every type of fundraising and solicitation. Additionally, there is good information on employing the internet for communication, engagement and fundraising -- STILL a fairly new field for many.
   
   Appendices A-C cover some very good tools and examples. Though the listed government grant sources in appendix D focus mainly upon the Humanities and the Arts, valuable web sources are given for finding grants in other areas.



2. 
   This book covers a lot of topics relevant to operating a typical nonprofit organization. None of the topics are covered in much depth, but they are identified and discussed adquately. Just about all the topics covered are what a nonprofit Executive Director really should become expert in BEFORE she tries to found and run a nonprofit of her own. Unfortunately far too many nonprofit leaders try to become Executive Directors, Development Directors, or the like before they are ready. They probably haven't read this book when they should have.
   
   This book is split into 5 sections:
   
   I. Understanding nonprofit agencies (1-2)
   II. Guiding a nonprofit to success (3-6)
   III. Fundraising 101 (7-13)
   IV. Marketing, public relations, and the Internet (14-17)
   V. Appendices (18-21)
   
   And the five sections are split into 21 chapters:
   
   1. What is a nonprofit agency?
   2. Crafting a mission statement
   3. Building a nonprofit team
   4. Working with a board of directors
   5. Improving your day-to-day management skills
   6. Paperwork: corporate bylaws and financial statements
   7. Making fundraising your best friend
   8. Special events
   9. Corporate donations: learn the rules & reap the benefits
   10. Direct mail
   11. Understanding foundations and endowments
   12. Obtaining grants
   13. The Board's role in fundraising
   14. Why market your nonprofit?
   15. Using advertising
   16. Public relations
   17. Making the most of the Internet
   18. Nonprofit Board assessement tools
   19. Sample bylaws
   20. Sample grant proposal
   21. Government grants
   
   The real beauty of this book is that it identifies topics relevant to managing a nonprofit. After you read the cursory explanations for each, then I highly recommend you do some Google searching on the terms in order to find more in depth coverage. Treat this book like an outline for a research project on how to run a nonprofit and you will be really happy you got this book.
   
   I think the book would have been better if it had a chapter on Capital Campaigns and the feasibility studies necessary to have a good capital campaign. And I would have liked to see a chapter on major gift fundraising. And the book would have been more special if it had a resource chapter that listed great books on nonprofit management and fundraising. But none was included.
   
   I would have liked the book better if the section on fundraising had been organized a little differently. I think of fundraising as being about (1) annual campaigns, (2) grants, (3) special events, (4) major gift programs, (5) endowment campaigns, and (6) capital campaigns. Direct mail, advertising, public relations and the Internet all relate to annual campaigns. Those chapters probably should have been consolidated. Obtaining corporate donations and grants are close cousins. They probably should have been consolidated in a chapter entitled "grants." I'm going to rate this book high besides its shortcomings because it is still a pretty good book. 5 stars!

5 comments about Inside Maverick's: Portrait of a Monster Wave.

1. "Are you KIDDING ME???"
   
   Those are usually the first words out of anyone's mouth when they see this book on my coffee table. And then, usually I have to throw in "Riding Giants" and change any conversation we may have been having.
   
   The photography and story telling present by Grant and team in top notch. Grant alone has spent more than a decade chronicling the history of the world's heaviest big wave, and it comes through in an amazing presentation that anyone who could possible comprehend what these guys do will appreciate.
   
   But then again, comprehending just exactly what these guys are doing is pretty much impossible.



2. The stunning photos alone make this book worthwhile, but the surfing commentary is topnotch as well. A great companion to the DVD "Riding Giants", and you will recognize many of the people from the DVD in the book.
   
   If you are in to any adventure sports or just an armchair surfer, this book is for you.



3. Inside Maverick's is an outstanding mix of excellent photos, writing and story telling. The book captures amazing stories from the unique mix of surfers that ride Maverick's. No extreme sport enthusiast's coffee table or bookshelf is complete without this book.



4. Outstanding!! A simply awesome book about one of the gnarliest spots. Five stars hands down. Buy it now!



5. A first-class trio has come together to create the latest and greatest on the big green monster that is Mavericks. The format here is a collection of intimate perspectives by an ensemble of the knights-errant who have made it their business to ride these coldwater giants. The book is nicely split between the paddlers and the tow-surfers, with narratives collected by editors Bruce Jenkins (sports communist for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of The North Shore Chronicles) and Grant Washburn (surfer and documentary filmmaker) that paint a full, satisfying, and pretty scary picture of what goes in this marine no-man's land formerly known as Jeff Clark's private playground.
   Contributors to this volume include Surfing mag editor and big-wave hound dog Evan Slater, paddle-surf advocate Dr. Mark Renneker, and a host of other giant killers including Josh Loya, Zach Wormhoudt, Peter Mel, Kenny Collins, Shawn Rhodes, and still more hugely talented riders, all of whom know how to spin a good yarn.
   In addition to his editing duties, Jenkins offers up a trio of quality profiles and a neat piece on "going left" at this predominantly right-hander. For his part, coeditor Washburn, himself one of the great Mavs surfers, contributes an excellent reflective essay on the historic death of Mark Foo here in 1994.
   But for me the big story in this book is the tremendous portfolio of legendary Bay Area shooter Doug Acton, who's been chronicling the Mavericks scene since the early 1990s. Acton has captured it all - from the biggest swells and the gapingest pits to nervous pre-session huddles and crux moments to the serene overviews and majestic lineups. With action shots bolstered by lots of images reflecting the mix of local and international camaraderie and lifestyle in and around this Half Moon Bay, California, phenomenon, this is beautifully-paced the book of classic proportions.
   - Drew Kampion for The Surfer's Path [www.surferspath.com]