5 comments about Active Server® Pages Bible.

1. The code in this book is impossible to follow and does not work. This book is great if you like confusion and frustration.



2. First, let me say that after reading the other reviews listed here I found myself questioning the skill sets of the other reviewers....

   This book is very good at what it is attempting to cover - ASP. The book is not entitled "The ADO Bible" or "The SQL Bible". The biggest complaint I often hear about this book is that its coverage of ADO and/or SQL Server is very incomplete. That may be true, but the main topic of the book is not ADO or SQL, it's Active Server Pages and that topic is covered quite completely and accurately.

   One reviewer compains in his review that the author (Eric Smith) continuously sets up database connections using the ConnectionString property of a connection object (provider=.....) instead of establishing the DSN as a constant value (DSN=...). Perhaps that reviewer hasn't heard that using OLE DB Providers rather than DSN's is more efficient and gives the developer more control over the resulting connection. The author continuosly does it this way because that's the preferred way of doing it. If the reviewer had read chapter 10, he would have known that. I can't help taking someone's review with a grain of salt when other statements that they make clearly indicate that the reveiwer doesn't know what he/she is talking about!

   The ASP object model is covered in great detail with WORKING code examples. The flow of topics through the chapters makes good logical sense (HTML,VBScript, ASP, DB Connectivity, etc.). The material is explained in plain terms (when possible) and insight into the networking aspects of ASP are covered as well. The appendicies are extensive and accuate and include a VERY useful comparison of ASP 2.0 and 3.0.




3. As a professional web programmer, I can honestly tell you that this is not a good programming/reference book. The coding in the books works perfectly, but this book didn't give you much idea about connecting the database, (I need to do some researching through the internet) or sending e-mail using asp...

   If you are serious about ASP, you should try WROX books




4. The book is very great and straight forward. I have over 6 books on ASP. This is the best. I'm a Java person but if you want to develop a quick web application this is the book for you. You won't regret it. All the sample codes work. I will buy the author's book next time.



5. I just bought this book and I am already very happy with it. I use ASP to build tools to make my networking job easier. I am only on chapter 4, and it has already been helpful.

4 comments about The Ultimate Seduction (Harlequin Blaze, No 61).

1. Nine months ago Natalie Hastings came to Oakland, California seeking anonymity and safety. A long time boyfriend turned stalker betrayed her ability to trust or enter into intimate relationships. Despite her determination to remain aloof, however, Natalie cannot resist entertaining very erotic fantasies concerning Noah Sommers, a regular patron of the restaurant where she waitresses. Nevertheless, she dare not yield to her beckoning need for a wild, reckless adventure with this hottie.

   Repeated rebuffs cannot discourage Noah's interest in Natalie. One night he finally persuades Natalie to allow him to walk her to her car -- a fortunately decision when Natalie recognizes her dreaded stalker nearby. To Noah's surprise, Natalie flings herself at him, giving him an incredible kiss. When she tears herself away and flees, Noah follows Natalie, but he cannot prevent her from running out in front of a car. After her transportation to the hospital, Noah pretends to be her fiancé so he can remain close. He never expected the situation to escalate and for Natalie to indeed believe them to be engaged!

   Fans will recognize Noah Sommers from Janelle Denison's previous two "Seduction" books and be pleased that he has at last earned his own story - and what a terrific tale THE ULTIMATE SEDUCTION is! Noah's aura of seduction and sin deserves the equally tempting Natalie. The selective use of amnesia as a plot devise allows an unexpected advantage: Natalie forgets her fears and allows her passionate nature to dazzle Noah. Further, does not belabor the amnesia issue, allowing it reach a graceful resolution with her surprising reactions. As a result, Denison once again demonstrates her consummate skill for remarkable characterizations and a delightful plot, in addition to a marvelous blend of romance and erotica. THE ULTIMATE SEDUCTION comes very highly recommended.




2. Sensual romance doesn't get any better than this. Harlequin veteran Janelle Denison concludes her Seduction series with her latest focused on the romance between P.I Noah Sommers and love-interest Natalie Hastings. Noah frequents the bar Natalie waitresses and is intrigued by her persistence to stay uninvolved. This is stemmed from a disastrous relationship to an ex-turned stalker who makes her naturally wary of men. Yet all is changed when she is hit by a car after she panicked from the return of her ex and suffers a retrograde amnesia. Noah steps in as her 'fiance' to protect her and root out the culprit to her nightmares. No longer remembering with only trust in Noah, Natalie bares her sensual side and tempts Noah to a full-blown sexual interlude and a chance at love without realizing that their relationship was a pretense with good intentions. Janelle Denison's Seduction series sparkles with erotic abandon and this entry is no different - except being her most indulgent and sophisticated effort in weaving a superb romance with a cavalcade of hot smoldering passion that will leave you breathless. The intimacy of their passion is a reckless and wild guilty pleasure, a blaze from start to finish.



3. A great couple and a great story. I've always thought that contemporary romances were thin and lightweight compared to historical romances (which I still prefer), but authors like Janelle Denison, Julie Ortolon and Rachel Gibson might just make me re-think that opinion.

   Noah Sommers, hunky, sexy PI and all around nice guy, has been quietly, doggedly pursuing waitress/student Natalie Hastings for seven long months. Unfortunately, Natalie's response continues to be an annoyingly familiar "No". She steadfastly refuses all Noah's attempts to take her out, though he thinks he sees suppressed interest in her eyes. What's her story and why won't she go out with him? He's about to find out when she finally agrees to let him walk her to her car one night.

   Natalie Hastings is living a solitary, lonely life out of habit as well as necessity. Her early life in foster care prepared her well to survive on her own, but Noah Sommers personifies everything she longs for. He's handsome, sexy, sweet, considerate and protective and much as she'd love to have him in her life, she can't. It would endanger herself as well as him, for she is being stalked. She moved to Oakland from Reno to escape the guy, but fears she will never be safe. And as Noah walks her out, she sees her stalker following them, panics and runs - into the path of an oncoming car.

   In order to stay near her at the hospital, Noah tells the staff he's her fiance - a lie that will domino into so many more when it is revealed that Natalie has suffered retrograde amnesia! While Noah hates the lies he feels compelled to tell, he's doing it all in order to keep her safe. And while Natalie may not be sure of much else in her mixed-up mind, she knows for certain that being with Noah is right and where she belongs. But Noah dreads the day when her memory returns - will she hate him for his deception? And can he catch her stalker before he can hurt Natalie again?

   A terrific, fast-paced, sexy love story that I'm sure I'll read again! I'm going to check out the stories about Noah's brother Cole and sister Joelle as well. Recommended!




4. P.I. Noah Summers has finally met his match. He wants sexy Natalie Hastings so badly, he'll do anything to have her... including taking her in after a car accident leaves her with short-term memory loss. And protecting her when he learns she's acquired a stalker. And harder still, keeping his hands off of her until she can remember. Only, he hadn't counted on Natalie making his job to difficult. * Natalie's world has been turned upside down. Her only constant is her sexy "fiance" Noah. And she wants him.. constantly. Only, all of a sudden, he's acting noble. But not for long. Because Natalie's planning a seduction he'll never forget! Before long, Natalie has Noah where she wants him- in her bed and her heart. If only Noah was the man Natalie thought he was..

2 comments about Ancient Coin Collecting V: The Romaion/Byzantine Culture.

1. This review is written from the perspective of the amateur collector on a limited budget. It has been said that collecting ancient coins was the "hobby of Kings". It might also be said that reference books on this subject can only be afforded by Kings, and are certainly less affordable than the coins. Not so with the readable series by Wayne Salyes, past editor of the premier journal on ancient coins, The Celetor. Number five (better to write V) in the series focuses on coins minted by the Roman empire during its long slide into oblivian. Constantinople also called Byzantium, and now called Istanbul, was the capital of the Empire and the center of Christianity from its founding by Constantine the Great in the 4th century to its final demise in the 15th century when the city fell to Mehmet the (Turkish) Conquerer in 1453. Most of us think of Rome as the capital of the Roman Empire but the Eastern half of the empire, while not so glorius, lived a 1000 years longer. Coinage usually reflects the culture, and this is clearly illustrated in Sayles' presentation. It is filled with numerous figures of coins, maps, and geniology. While all of his volumes are usually regarded as "introductory" and for the "new collector" to distinguish them from the comprehensive catalogues used to attribute coins, this particular volume has been particularly useful to me as an affordable attribution reference. It is fascinating to see how the coinage changed from images of emperor and soldiers to images of Christ and crosses. This is a superb addition to the series, fills a gap in the literature, and whets my appitite for volume VI.



2. Wayne Sayles has created a masterpiece with his "Ancient Coin Collecting V - The Romaion/Byzantine Culture." This book is a great resource, it introduces all of the main themes in Byzantine coinage and directs the reader where to look to find out more.
   
   This book goes at length to describe the denomination of Byzantine coins, the meanings of the markings, and has an article for each emperors and claimants to the throne, from 491-1453. At least every page has at least one black and white photo, many genealogies, excellent bibliographies and much more.
   
   This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Byzantine coins. This book is also offers are remarkably lucid description of the narrative of Byzantine history. Highly recommended.

1 comments about Art Nouveau (DK Collector's Guides).

1. While my interest in Art Nouveau is largely a consequence of its incorporation into cross stitch designs, I also admire the inherent beauty in many of the pieces.
   
   I picked up this book simply to feast on the many and varied works pictured including: ceramics, jewellery, furniture, posters and glassware. A cornucopia of designs from Rene Lalique, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Tiffany Studios, Alphonse Mucha and many others.
   
   If you have an interest in Art Nouveau, or just enjoy looking at it, then you may well enjoy this book.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith

2 comments about Warman's Beatles Field Guide: Values And Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. This pocket guide to Beatles collectibles is a handy reference for those wishing to value their own collections or add to them. I learned that my copy of Vee Jay's "Introducing the Beatles" album will not be funding my retirement, since it is in fact a counterfeit. The section on U.S. Beatles releases is useful; clear instructions are given for discriminating among the many variations that exist.
   
   The most annoying feature of the guide is a doltish essay by one Chris Nickson. This uninformed commentator goes on about the importance of "George's" "Baby, You're a Rich Man." You don't have to be steeped in Fab Four lore to know that this is a Lennon-McCartney song. How did this error make it through Editorial? It undermines the Guide's credibility. Nickson goes on to archly dismiss most of the Beatles' music. "Get Back" is "not worth the vinyl." Get this guy out of the 2nd edition, if there is one.
   
   The book's other essays are also superfluous. Why include an article about the Moptops' solo careers when the Guide does not cover albums and merchandise from that period? I wish the section on British LPs, allegedly brief due to space constraints, had been expanded; omitting those essays would have freed up a lot of space.
   
   This book, while not masterful, is nevertheless useful for the many of us who don't know whether we own treasures or trash. Buy it, consult its tables of price information, but don't read it.



2. Bought this for a stocking stuffer for Christmas. My husband, a huge Beatles fan, loves it. My teenage son, another Beatles fan, covets it. If I had known how much they would like it, I would've bought two of them. They are particularly interested in old vinyl records. This doesn't list them all, but it is still a handy reference guide for the items it does list. Note that it only lists US record releases, not the UK records. Though it has its limits, it was a great little stocking stuffer for the price (68 cents plus shipping). Beware that, though this item was advertised by a marketplace seller as "used, like new", it did have a marker stripe across the bottom of the book. Didn't bother us, but it isn't quite "like new" for those giving it as a gift to discriminating recipients!

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire: Rifles·Pistols·Ammunition.

1. I found this book to be lacking in details for the advanced shooter who is looking for information on individual rifles and pistols .the author did not go into much detail ,this book would be ok for a beginner who knows nothing about firearms.It was not what I was looking for.



2. I am an avid .22 rimfire fan. I've bought books on the .22 rimfire years ago and have been waiting for something more current. Good book covering some of the .22's out there and ammo testing along with info on the new .17HMR and .17M2 calibers. The author repeated himself over and over across several chapters the same information. A lot of the photos were reprinted across several chapters. This book could have been about half the size if the author had not repeated information throughout the book. Most of the guns covered in the book were from the author's own collection and did not really cover the various manufacturers offerings. Several good chapters on sighting in and ammo ballistics but overall I was disappointed in this book. If you are looking for a "little new" information on the .22 rimfire there is some here. If you are looking for more in depth information you will have to wait until someone else comes along and writes a better book.



3. For background, I am a rifleman of sorts as well as a ballistician.I also have a Ph. D. James E. House has a Ph. D in Chemistry and his extensive technical background is evident all through this work. This book is encyclopedic in scope and I have found no significant errors in it. I would observe that he does not discuss nor explicate ballistics tables from which ballistic coefficients are derived. I would have preferred that at least some of his more accurate rifles were tested using ten round groups at 50 yards but his use of five round groups is reasonable (multiply five round group size by 1.414 to estimate ten round group size.) I also wish he had devoted (more) attention to rimfire bench rest competition. This may be a bit more detail than the beginner will wish but for anyone with a serious interest in rimfire cartridges and shooting, this book is a must-have. Doc D.



4. An excellent all round review of what modern rimfire sport shooting is all about if you are interested in getting aquinted with that, and I would have given it 4 stars if it gave a more comprehensive review of past rifles and handguns manufactured since the cartridge evolved. But it succeeds 100% as an introduction for laymen starting out.



5. This book has almost the same title as one written by John Lachuk and published in 1978. Since I consider John Lachuk's book to be the best written on this subject, it makes for a good reference and source to compare to. In my opinion James House has done a very good job writing this book. It is sort of an updated version of the 1978 book. Very informative with lots of information on past and current 22's with test firing results. There isn't an area that James House doesn't touch on. Even though he has written other articles and books on weapons, I did not know of Mr. House before this book. Don't let that fool you. This book is well researched, well thought out, well laid out and well written. It might not overtake John Lachuk's book as the best on the subject, but I'd hate to have to live on the difference. Highly recomended.

No comments about Children's Fashions from "Godey's Lady's Book" Paper Dolls.

1 comments about The Golden Age of Postcards: Early 1900s Identification & Values (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. Collecting post cards has been a beloved hobby and pastime from the very beginning of the American postal system and their 19th century introduction to an eager public. THE GOLDEN AGE OF POSTCARD'S identification and values for postcards from the early 1900s will prove an invaluable pick for any interested in pricing or acquiring such postcards, and is a recommendation for any library strong in collector's price guides. Color photos of cards are arranged by season and provide quick look-ups of prices and makers.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Gem Identification Made Easy, 1st Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying and Selling.

1. The book was good for a primer on gem tools and iidentification but lacked the detail I was seeking. It is an very good book for the beginner for it covers a lot of subjects about gem and the various tools used to identify them. I was seeking more exact detail and this book did not have it.



2. Love it so much. A lot of information. This book will teach you how to setup a lab and making identificaiton of the gemstone without attending the gemology school - with very very reasonable price.



3. "Gem Identification Made Easy" opens up the world of gem identification to the jeweler, hobbyist and the curious. I didn't come away with the impression that gem identification is easy, but that some kinds of identification are easy, inexpensive and FUN! Antoinette Matlins makes it clear that the bar to entry into gemology is low. Practice, diligence, and three small instruments that cost less than $200 will enable you to identify 80% of colored gemstones and their look-alikes as well as diamonds and most of their imitations. Since there are at least 3 different gemstones on the market in every color and no shortage of synthetics and enhancement treatments, the skills within the pages of "Gem Identification Made Easy" are invaluable to anyone shopping for gemstones. If gems fascinate you, this book will help you discover if you would like to pursue gemology as a career or serious hobby.
   
   The bulk of "Gem Identification Made Easy" are descriptions of the instruments involved in gem identification, detailed instructions on how to use each, and what they can show you, including many charts which will help you identify stones. The 3 essential instruments that everyone will need are: loupe, Chelsea filter, and dichroscope. The loupe magnifies the stones, revealing inclusions, blemishes, and fillers. The Chelsea filter differentiates between some gems and synthetics. The dichroscope distinguishes single-refracting stones from double-refracting and allows identification of stones by the colors they exhibit. In addition, Ms. Matlins provides instructions for additional tools that one would need to set up a lab: UV lamp, refractometer, microscope. Less essential: spectroscope, polariscope, and immersion cell. For diamonds: SSEF diamond-type spotter and electronic diamond tester. These could cost nearly $3000, but shopping on eBay will bring the price tag down.
   
   The author also dedicates a chapter to "Antique and Estate Jewelry", in which she discusses imitation and alteration techniques frequently found in antique and period jewelry. She advises on how to detect them and includes tables of synthetics and imitations, when they appeared on the market, and characteristics that will help identify them. This is followed by many useful Appendices: a list of gems and look-alikes by color, gem hardness, specific gravities, refractive index tables, tables of dispersion and birefringence, glossary of terms, list of organizations offering gemology workshops or training, equipment suppliers. These are in addition to the many tables and lists in the instrument chapters. Color photos are limited to a center insert, where there are photos of gemstone inclusions and a few other identifying features. "Gem Identification Made Easy" is an easy to understand, practical entry to the fascinating world of gemstones.



4. This was just the book I was looking for. I just recently started to get into collecting colored gemstones and this book was full of great information on what tools I would need and how to use them. That was so important to me.



5. This was a good book, explained many aspects well. Sometimes a little hard to follow. Written for the experienced buyer.

5 comments about The Open Salt Compendium (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Gorgeous photography, great information and value guide. Open salts made of every conceivable material, antique and some newer. If you collect open salts, you will love this book.



2. The previous standard reference book for open salt collectors was Heacock and Johnson's 5000 Open Salts, dating to 1982, still a great basic book, especially for pattern glass. This new entry in the field is outstanding for its clear, beautiful pictures, informative descriptions, and recent price guide included within the text. It does, as one reviewer said, include many high end salts like Steuben, Daum Nancy, and Tiffany that may not be found on the beginning collector's shelf, but it's a wonderful look at what's out there in open salts, and there are many that the average collector certainly may hope to own and even have in the display cabinet. I have found it helpful, even invaluable, as I buy salts for my collection and try to evaluate what I see on the internet or in shops. There was a crying need for a new entry in the open salt collectors' book field. Definitely a 5 star book!



3. This book is a "must have" for long time collectors. For new collectors, it might be a bit expensive but well worth looking at for the information and comprehensive categories of open salt collecting. The photographs of salts and the price and rarity guide beneath each set of pictures is invaluable. Many books on open salt collecting are out of print or have outdated prices. This book is a wonderful feast for the eyes and a great deal of time and effort went into the gathering and photographing of collector's salts.



4. I must agree with the previous "Raves" about this book. I do feel that the new collector can benefit from it also - If I had been aware of such examples of open salts and the information given in this book - perhaps I would not have passed up some finer pieces in the beginning or made some of the mistakes in my early purchases. I have been a basic pattern piece collector but this book has kindled new interests in my collecting desires. I would strongly suggest this book be owned by all Open Salt Collectors - new or seasoned!!!



5. This book is a huge step up from the Heacock & Johnson 5000 Open Salts. The photography is outstanding and the descriptions are informative with current pricing. The authors did a wonderful job of publishing a reference book for open salt collectors which complements the H&J but focuses on higher end salts and includes very little duplication from those in the H&J. This book was long overdue for the serious open salt collector. Thanks for all the hard work to make it happen.