5 comments about Foodie Fight: A Trivia Game with Gameboard and Cards.

1. Had a lot of laughs over the game after Christmas dinner (gift to my daughter - a foodie)



2. I recently attend a weekend cooking school where we played both Foodie Fight and the Trival Pursuit Game dedicated to food. Foodie Fight was much more fun, more interesting questions, better catagories and just the right difficulty. The school was attended by "foodies" and some new to cooking and all enjoyed the game. It's a winner!



3. Saw this at xmas time and thought it would be a fun gift for a family member. I was worried that the questions would not be challenging enough being that the person is a consumate foodie, as is another family member who would be present during the holiday. We played the game and even they couldn't answer all the questions!
   Game is designed really well, good variety of questions even for the novice foodie and I like how you can play a short game or a long game.
   Good fun!



4. This game is fun, but can go on for a long time to the difficulty of some of the questions!



5. Gave this as a gift to my brother who is a masterful chef. He enjoyed it. Good gift idea for those who cook.

No comments about It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons.

5 comments about Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction.

1. The second best after "The Compleat Strategyst" at a primer level, highly redable.
   Yes, unfortunately enough, I am over the age of 13 (65)



2. The book is very well written, and surprisingly easy to read, considering how dry the subject matter can be at times. Gives a very nice introduction to the topic, and finishes off with a more formal discussion of some advanced topics.
   
   If you are a mathematician, this book is probably excruciatingly easy for you, and probably has little academic value. But, if you are a layman, with an interest in systems and games, it really gives you a lot to think about, and a new way to think about it. It introduces a method of determining possible outcomes, as well as giving a nice overview of more sophisticated concepts, should you decide to explore the topic more fully.
   
   Each chapter begins with some questions to consider while reading, and detailed answers to help at the back of each chapter. The only real issue I found with the book is that the questions are missing from chapter one, yet the answers are there. Odd.



3. it was received in ample time for school and in great condition
   a pleasure to work with
   thanks so much



4. This is my "Goldilocks/Babybear" game theory book. Not too hard, not to soft, just right.
   
   Without calculus, Davis provides a complete introduction to an arcane but useful mathematical discipline. The Compleat Strategyst: Being a Primer on the Theory of Games of Strategy by Williams was too soft. It used the simplest possible methods to address the concepts being discussed, and barely acknowledged some of the most interesting topics in game theory. Games and Decisions: Introduction and Critical Survey by Luce and Raiffa was good, up until you hit the calculus (pretty quickly in each chapter), after which I have no basis to form an opinion.
   
   Davis hits all the important concepts of game theory without resorting to sigma notation or even more occult symbols (unlike Luce and Raiffa). He does, however, require a fairly solid understanding of algebra, (unlike Williams). With this fairly humble prerequisite knowledge, Davis takes the non-mathematician where he or she needs to go, and provides a fairly complete level of understanding.
   
   I would recommend this one as a perfect sequel to Williams, should the reader not be challenged, or as a stand-alone for the marginally mathematically literate (such as myself) who need a practical understanding of mathematically grounded decision making.
   
   E. M. Van Court



5. Got this for hubby for his b-day off his wish list and well he loves it. Says he is learning a lot! Did tell me it was a tough read but still learning from it.

5 comments about Final Fantasy X-2 Official Strategy Guide.

1. I was very pleased with the speed in which my game guides came in. They were perfect when they arrived and I was very excited to start using them.



2. This strategy Guide is very very resourceful full of information and its awesome! Tells you where everything is and how to get there. If you wanna complete the game with 100% this strategy guide book is here for you!
   
   Cody Collum



3. My purchasing experience was excellent and my daughter was very impressed with this item as a gift. It was received timely and in excellent condition.



4. Nearly all the way through the game and a 100% completion in one run. Without a guide like this I don't see how anyone could get 100% even after several times through the game.



5. The shipping was fast and the product arrived in lovely condition. However the book itself was poorly written, and if you're buying this I STRONGLY recommend reading the mini games section first as the only way to see the entire ending of the game is if you complete some of these things, a fact which is not mentioned until well AFTER you're 1/4 of the way through the book itself. I was very satisfied with the purchase, but as most of you know FF isn't a short wham-bam game and it was horribly disappointing that after getting 15-16 hours in we realized we'd be watching the end of the game on youtube anyways =p Also, there were still parts that were explained in such uncertain terms we ended up using the internet to find the answers anyways. A die hard FF fan....I was extremely disappointed in Dan Birlew's product this time.

5 comments about Yoga Games for Children: Fun and Fitness with Postures, Movements and Breath (SmartFun Activity Books).

1. If you are looking for a very serious yoga book, this is not the book for you. It contains very little "yoga theory" or any philosophy, etc. But if you are looking for fun and healthy ways to get your kids using yoga, this book would be very helpful.
   
   Whether you are reading the book as a parent or as an educator, you will get lots of cute ideas on how to integrate yoga with even very young children [3 and up]. There are a whole lot of different activities - including yoga poses that are child friendly, breathing awareness, relaxation, visualization, and games to build trust and team work.
   
   I am finding this book very useful in designing a fun exercise class for preschool and younger elementary age children. I would recommend it without reservation.



2. This book has so many wonderful ideas for games. Loved it and would highly recommend it



3. For any parent or teacher who values the educational potential of movement, this book is a must. This book provides great, usable information for teaching yoga to kids. It shows how to make it a game, not just a series of stretches. There is much here to stimulate creativity and imagination, too. Power Brain Kids



4. I was asked to teach a Kid's Yoga summer program. I wasn't sure where to start and didn't know if I could keep the children's interest. This book was a great resource. If you are a Yoga Teacher and new to teaching kids this book is a must. The kids loved the class and partially due to Yoga Games for Children.



5. YOGA GAMES FOR CHILDREN
   
   I work with children. I am a paraprofessional in a special needs school, and was very excited to read this book, to see if there might be anything I could use with our kids.
   One of the things that I noticed right away is how many of the games and exercises were done in groups or pairs. This is fantastic in my opinion! It seems to me that these days kids are more isolated than in the past. I am not sure what it is, but I rarely see little girls walking and holding hands or boys roughhousing. Fighting yes, just roughhousing, no. I also have noted that most parents do not hold their children's hands any more. This is very sad in my opinion, as touch in and of its own is healing. Touch during play is a good thing!
   
   So, I was very pleased to find that there were things that there were games where the kids held hands or leaned back against each other. I believe this helps to build co-operation and understanding.
   There are also plenty of games where it is individuals alone. My favorite is Sun Salutations! It incorporates many basic yoga positions, and it will be a lot of fun for the kids. The Mountain is a close runner up. I can just see the kids enjoying those games, and having fun.
   The relaxation exercises are ideal as well. Sometimes kids, as well as adults, need to just let it go and breathe. This book gives several examples of how to do this.
   I will not be able to use many of these games with my special needs classroom. We have a low functioning group and the understanding is not there in some cases, and the physical abilities are not there in others. My niece is a preschool teacher in a daycare facility, as well as being Assistant Director. She is very excited about trying many of these games with her class! I had a hard time holding onto the book long enough to finish reading it before passing it on. She is thinking that if it works out she can suggest it for other sites in the corporate system she works in .
   
   This book would also be great fun for any family with young or even not so young kids. I raised four kids of my own, and know how valuable that together time is, and there are many fun suggestions here. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has young ones in their life.

5 comments about The Mathematics of Poker.

1. Got this on a recommendation. It's been a while since I've used my brain to this extent. I've read other reviews saying that you don't need much math to get through it - don't believe it. I'm only halfway thru the book - there are nuggets of information, and hopefully some very useful info later on...but it's the type of book one would likely have to read a few times to get the gist of it. Unless you've got a math brain like Jesus Ferguson. Recommended to a certain extent.



2. I bought this book thinking it was going to contain analyses of poker. It does not. Let me repeat that. IT DOES NOT. What it does contain are analyses of simple poker-like games, the optimal strategies of which are easily determinable by anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of game theory. The authors, after wasting your time with simple, near obvious results then proceed to draw no useful conclusions applicable to the real game of poker as played for real money in the real world. But if you think having it on your bookshelf will make your poker library complete, then buy one today.



3. As an engineer, I was very excited to start reading this book, then as I started to read, I realized I was in serious trouble. I am the type of player who loves to read strategy poker books, (i.e Harrington on Hold Em, Theory of Poker) but this book in my opinion cannot teach you much about strategy because most of the math presented in the book is very abstract. The authors tell you in the first few pages that if you want to question the material or better understand the material you should refer to a math text because they don't want to scare readers away. However, it is the fact that they cannot present each mathematical truth in detail which causes the book to fail most readers who do not have a mathematical background. If a book could show you how to make the right play in a 3 handed poker game with a simple calculator as opposed to setting up multiple equations using graphs with several variables to accomplish the same goal, a reader would probably go with the calculator.
   
   Overall, the book is very well written and presents great examples of mathematical proof of why a certain play is correct and why others are not correct. If you love mathematical proofs, poker, and working out equations, then you'll probably love this book. However, the book, in my opinion, uses very complicated equations to prove what many poker players probably already understand in a simpler, more straightforward context.



4. When it comes to the everyday poker player this book gets ZERO stars!!
   But - the title does say The Mathematics of Poker. and if you look at it as A complex math book with poker as it's subject then this book gets FIVE stars. unless you're working on, or have, A college Math degree then this book is not for you! The books you should read instead are "Texas Hold'em Odds and Probabilities" by Matthew Hilger - or "Killer Poker By The Numbers" by Tony Guerrera both of these books are way more practical!!!



5. I bought this book and that was a big mistake. The beginning of the book was fine to me. Because almost everything was explained well. but, the more I read into the rest of the book, the more headaches I got.

5 comments about Killer Sudoku 1: The Deadly New Dimension.

1. In my opinion, Killer Sudoku puzzles are much more fun and satisfying to solve than regular Sudoku puzzles because of the added complexity of the sums and the various techniques that can be employed to solve them. "Killer Su Doku 1: The Deadly New Dimension" contains 110 puzzles of which there are 17 Gentle, 30 Moderate, 42 Tricky, 16 Tough, and 5 Deadly puzzles. Each puzzle has a suggested time to beat. There is also a two-page "Guidelines for Solving Killer Su Doku".
   
   I didn't find the guidelines for solving to be particularly useful. They give a quite minimal explanation of how to solve these types of puzzles and leave out explanations of some of the more important techniques for solving, such as the 45 Rule. (Steve Arons book, "The Official Book of Killer Sudoku" contains a much more comprehensive introduction.)
   
   Regarding the suggested times, I didn't specifically time myself, but I often noticed that I took much less or much more time than what was suggested. As for difficulty, I found that sometimes a puzzle in a given section was either much harder or much easier than what was implied. The puzzles in the Deadly section were no more difficult than the ones in the Tough section. The hardest puzzles in the book are 78, 98, and 105. I eventually figured out some interesting equations and relational techniques for solving 78 and 98. (Whew, that was fun!) Puzzle 105 is the only one that I have not yet managed to solve.
   
   This brings me to a recommendation for the Solutions section. In general, I find the solutions in the backs of Sudoku books to be useless. If I finish a puzzle and it conforms to the rules then it's correct; otherwise it's wrong. I don't need a solution to tell me that. The only time I look at the solution is occasionally when I'm doing a really difficult puzzle and I want to check an intermediate result to make sure I'm on the right track so I don't end up having to erase the entire puzzle and start over. This also helps to instantly understand what type of mistake I made. Something that would be really helpful in the solutions for the really difficult puzzles would be to show a partially solved grid and an explanation of how to get to the next step.
   
   On the whole I found this book to be very enjoyable and highly recommend it for any Killer Sudoku fan. Publisher, another one please!



2. I do enjoy regular Sudoku. But there are a couple of problems with it. First, while it uses numbers, it in no way uses the properties of numbers. Second, the level of effort to solve such puzzles is generally uneven; you may get a few numbers early, but then it gets very tough, and soon after that it is easy again. When it is tough, you may have to write down possible values in a square or guess, and that's unsatisfying compared to being able to simply write down correct numbers in blank squares.
   
   With Killer Sudoku, one does get to use the additive properties of numbers, so there really is a difference between the symbols! And the level of effort is more nearly even. In addition, even hard puzzles generally can be solved without writing anything down but the answers. It is my favorite Sudoku variant ("Greater than Killer Sudoku" is my second favorite).
   
   This book is about at the right level. Do not be scared by the "deadly" puzzles at the end, as I found them to be easier than some of the earlier ones.
   
   I recommend this book to all those who enjoy a challenge and have some time on their hands.



3. If your bored of Sudoku and not finding the standard puzzles challenging you need to try these out. The page layout of this book is good there is ample room to write your number combinations and there are suggested times for each puzzle. The paper used in the book is softer but stands up fine to an eraser.



4. I ran into Killer Sudoku accidentally, and became hooked ever since. The (simple addition and subtraction) math involved adds a new dimension to the puzzle. Unlike the standard Sudoku, Killer Sudoku puzzles have more twists and surprises waiting to be explored. The more difficult puzzles in this book are very satisfactory in harboring many pleasant and exciting ones.
   
   The books contain 110 puzzles of 5 levels. When you advance to the last two level, your skill and fun are elevated as well. I guess after you mastered the game, you may want to get books with only difficult ones (and they should be so published). One nice thing about this book is that the puzzles seem to have been tested, and there is a 'par' time for each one of them. For easy one the pars are ten to 20 minutes, and the hardest ones up to 90 minutes. These par times are pretty good in that I tended to exceed them in the beginning, but after I have advanced to high levels and came back to do some easier ones that I skipped I often beat the par. The time competition factor also is a way to enjoy the easy ones.
   
   Highly recommended for going through the levels and mastering the game. If you are looking only for tough Killer Sudoku books, this one contains about 20 very good ones.



5. I encountered Killer Sudoku in a Will Shortz sudoku variants book and became hooked on it, and this is a great book of it. It allows you to move between a variety of solving techniques taken from both regular Sudoku and Kakuro. The puzzles here come in a good variety of solving difficulty, with enough easy ones for you to practice your techniques on, and enough challenging ones that you won't get bored.

3 comments about Learning Autodesk Maya 2008, (Official Autodesk Training Guide, includes DVD): The Modeling & Animation Handbook.

1. it is a great reference book!! I'm a student at animation major.. this is helping me all the time.. Also you can use this book for learning the software by yourself.. it is explaning and then give you assignments so you can understand the lesson well..
   
   good luck!!



2. This is the ideal guide for those who want to perfectionate his or her modelling skills. Extremelly usefull step by step tutorials. Highly recommened. Another score for Autodesk!



3. This is a really cool learning guide. It is geared a little more towards people who have a basic understanding of the Maya universe. If you have never used maya at all, it may be a little confusing. I suggest playing with the interface and going through the "Getting Started" lessons included with the Maya software before getting into this book.. The dvd contains support files for the lessons in the book. It would have been nice if it had some video reference. The pictures in the book aren't the best guides, so unless you understand the text, you may find yourself using more creative freedom to complete the models than actual tutoring. Still, it is a great reference and gives you all you need to create some complete models to practice building and animating. Hope this helps.

5 comments about Spell Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. I have been playing D&D for most of my life and i have never found a book that i like as much as this one. i carry it with me to every game. this book collects spells from almost every source possible (dragon magazine, the wizards of the coast website, and past books) and puts them all in one place without the bull. i don;t feel like wizards of the coast is trying to scam me for any money like i do when i purchase some of their other books, this is a serious tool to DMs, Wizards, Sorcerors, Rangers, Clerics, Paladins, Bards.... pretty much everyone except fighters and barabarians will find this book useful at one point or another.



2. The best 3.5-D&D spells from WotC (the official publisher) collected in a single book with the quality they usually bring to us.
   
   With this book and the core Player's Handbook, you'll have all the official spells of the game, including from the "Complete..." handbook lin.
   
   Really useful if you don't want thousands of reference books.



3. This book was the 6th D&D book I purchased for our group. As I did not have access to the vast majority of various other books, from which these spells are taken, the book was a 'bargain' for me. It is also a shrewd purchase for gamers who are less interested in the flavor of some Wizards books and just want the game info. There is no page index for the book but the back of the book lists the new spells by class & level. Virtually the entirety of the book is the spells listed in detail alphabetically so the lack of pin-point page citation is not a big deal.
   
   The only complaint I have with the product is minor. They renamed some spells (primarily took out the 'Bigby', 'Mordenkein' etc). As an original matter having simpler spell names is probably a good idea, but to change them in a spell supplement is just a hassle for those gamers who want to go to a specific location for a spell. This change is only asking for compatibility trouble and confusion. The spell name changes are listed in the book.



4. Few of Wizards of the Coast (WotC)'s books are worth the cover price (over-inflated due to glossy full-color pages - even on almost entirely B&W books (such as this one)) and this is no exception. However, what this book has going for it is a ton of new magic spells.
   
   There are all sorts of spells for the D&D game in this book and most work flawlessly into almost any and every style of play without any concern or specific review by the GM at all. There's little to cause a game to become unbalanced in this book (a nice change from some of the books WotC was putting out at the time this came out).
   
   The only significant drawback to this book is that it lacks the spells of the Player's Handbook and Campaign Setting rulebooks. It would have been nice if the book included all the spells from such books (at least the "SRD" (System Reference Document) spell materials) so that the "compendium" book would have been more complete and allowed for new ideas and avenues of magical ability into any D&D game a little more easily. The lack of some of these means this is another book you'll want to carry around (instead of replacing one, two, or more books you will have to carry around) with you.



5. The Spell Compendium contains a wealth of new spells and spell ideas for any of your spellcasting characters. Some of these do edge towards the overpowered, while some go the opposite way, but regardless, they offer some special variety and uniqueness for your spellcaster to take advantage of. Many of them have appeared in one form or another in numerous modules or other sources. Now they are collected for easy reference. Some are certainly great utility spells that have been missing since 2nd edition. I even found one that was very similar to a spell I once created from scratch for a campaign I was in that I felt my character needed as part of a divinatory/investigative tool (Object Read).
   
   Also, the collected listing of Domains, their powers and spells is a welcome addition. So if you are looking for some potentially signature spell or style that will set your spellcaster apart from the usual, or want to throw something totally unexpected at your party of adventurers, this book may have it.

5 comments about Life Picture Puzzle: Can You Spot the Differences? (box set).

1. I always liked getting the weekly Life spot-the-difference puzzle in the Saturday morning paper to do over coffee. Now we bring the books along for road trips.
   
   If you are a fan, this collection of paperbacks will not disappoint.



2. This Christmas, I wanted to get my 8-year-old son something that didn't require batteries, something that we could spend quiet time working on together. I bought this picture puzzle set on impulse, not knowing what it really contained.
   
   Just as I had hoped, he really got into solving some of the puzzles with me. In fact, I was the one who wanted to take a break after I got a little cross-eyed :-)
   
   I also like that the puzzles are so portable and would be easy to use in a waiting room or on an airplane.
   
   Finally, as an ESL teacher, I can see how these would come in handy for expanding my students' vocabulary.



3. I bought this set for my grandchild (5) but had a hard time getting it away from my son (35)...book consists of side by side identical pix except for some subtle differences which are "puzzling" to find...fun!



4. I have bought all of the picture puzzle books and love giving them for gifts. There is not an age group, gender, or personality type that has not enjoyed them. Great for traveling, waiting rooms, or coffee table. I bought the whole series for my friends 5th grade class room; she "lets the kids play with them as rewards". The kids beg to play! You or the intended receiver of gift will not be disappointed. 100% guarantee A+++++



5. These puzzles are very addictive and fun. I would recommend them to anyone. They also help you look at photography in a much different way. As an amateur photographer and digital artist it really helps to hone in on detail.