5 comments about The New York Times Supersized Book of Sunday Crosswords: 500 Puzzles (New York Times Crossword Puzzles).

1. Not for the average crossworder! Difficult puzzles for the most part and print is very small. Paper quality is good and so was the price but if they are too difficult to solve....more frustration than fun.



2. As you age your mind also needs exercising. Crossword Puzzles are an excellent way of doing this. Research has shown that crossword puzzles are instrumental in warding off forgetfullness and even Alzheimers disease. Your mind is actually more important than your body and it can change your attitude to physical problems and overcome them.



3. Although this crossword book has 500 puzzles in it, it is amazingly easy touse in that the binding is such that it lies flat when you are working the puzzles.



4. This is a great deal on a good amount of puzzles that will last you a long time. The only thing I don't like is that the puzzles are originally from 1983 to 1998, so some of the clues are somewhat outdated and since you don't know exactly when in that 15-year time frame the puzzle appeared some pop culture/political references are hard to figure out.



5. What an outstanding buy! You get (500) pgs. of crosswords; with approx. (100) across & (100) down ea. for $5.99... Even if you are not that good with crosswords, never fear, at the very least, you will greatly improve your vocabulary and learn some slang from other countries all while having fun. You just can't beat this bargin; get one ! Crosswords are NOT about solving them; they are about improving vocabulary; their best asset.

3 comments about Tricks of the Mind.

1. If you've seen Derren Brown in action and it fascinates you as it does me, then this is the book for you, it gives you the principles and techniques to put into practice yourself, and be able to do some of the things he does on the show, from magic tricks to insane memory recollection, and much more, then Derren ends the book with his views on various topics out there, such as the paranormal, religion and so on, this really is a great book, its great to see such a performer share the tricks of his trade for once, thanks Derren!!.



2. I originally ordered this from amazon.co.uk and was willing the pay the international shipping fee, so obviously my excitement for this book was quite large. This is a pretty chunky book, and yes, very very dense with useful information.
   
   What you will find: you will quickly discover that Derren's wit and intellect are quite large, he covers a large range of topics from modern religion, hypnosis, memory tricks, a long discussion on scientific process, and he's damned clever in all aspects.
   
   What you won't find: a step by step, principle by principle explanation of how he does what he does on the show. In short, if you are thinking of buying the book so you too can hypnotize people into seeing their own death in a car crash, you will be sorely dissappointed. Also an interesting point: he makes a clear distinction between what he does and what NLP (Neuro Linquistic Programming) is, and his view of NLP as a whole will surprise you.
   
   I give it 4 stars because although a fantastic book, Derren's writing possess what seems to be a uniquely English problem: they spend 4 sentences explaining themselves with elaborate sentences where one to-the-point sentence would have done well. Perhaps it was just me and my American get-to-the-point way of looking at things, but a chapter or two were nearly enough to make you skip ahead to the more interesting topics.
   
   Overall, a fun read, and do try the memory tricks, you will be blown away with what you can already achieve.



3. Just wanted to say, that I am completely happy with this book. Interesting reading and really good for the start, if you want to go deeper in Derren Brown's magic. However ofcourse not much at all is revealed, but nobody promised this.
   
   Must read if you are interested in memory/hypnosis/unconscious reading/body language/pseudo science/etc., but are just a beginner yet.

5 comments about Custom Cool Jewelry: Create 200+ Personalized Pendants, Charms, and Clasps.

1. This book is worth adding to your jewelry making library. It is well written and beautifully photographed. The projects are clearly explained and I learned some new techniques, especially pertaining to bezels for pendants. Very nice.



2. I was looking forward to receiving this book, what a let down.
   no step by step pictures, pictures are poor.
   Not worth the money and nothing new



3. I bought this book after a quick glance at the cover in the book store. The ideas are great and as someone who already makes jewelry I found it inspirational. As another reader stated not a great book instructionally and it assumes the buyer knows a certain amout about tools and techniques. Even the index of materials/techniques in the back - often items people may not be familiar with - are listed as " picture not shown". Book does have a nice list of suppliers in the back. I would recommend this book just for the pictures !



4. I found this book at the local bookstore, and bought it immediately. It was worth every penny. There is inspiration for almost everyone...Beading, Polymer Clay, Shrink Art, Altered Art....Pop Art. I liked the fact that the book was not really geared toward a total beginner. As an experienced crafter, I prefer to not pay for half of a book full of basic how-to instructions with only a few projects shown. The photos are great, as are the projects themselves. The ideas are fresh and most are quite simple. On the down side, many of the projects featured require the purchase of specialty findings and and bits that could add up to quite a bit of cash. However, the resource guide in the back of the book lead me to many great sites for products I didn't even know I wanted.



5. If you're privy to the booming DIY scene, then you know that "custom" is the new IT word. Turn on any home improvement show or open any craft magazine and you'll see the word being used to denote something a step above the rest. Why? When Big Business cranks out carbon copy style after carbon copy style, individual and personalized imagery and objects are a welcome escape - a breath of fresh air in an often times stagnant pool of overly-recycled ideas and motifs.
   
   Melinda Barta, the managing editor of Beadwork and Stringing magazines, is definitely in touch with the movement away from pre-fab "style" and towards a more distinct design - your own. With her new book from Interweave Press, Custom Cool Jewelry, she empowers the reader with over 200 projects. Not only does she give valuable tips on making your own pendants, charms, and clasps, but she presents several stringing ideas to use your newly created custom pieces. This book is LOADED with useful ideas that spark the imagination and provoke potential.
   
   Melinda has a bevy of knowledge from working on various magazines (including PieceWork magazine), being author of Hip to Stitch: 20 Contemporary Projects Embellished with Thread, having a BFA in Fiber Arts from Colorado State University and being a teacher at schools across the country, including the prestigious Penland School of Crafts. She uses this versatile experience to enrich Custom Cool Jewelry and deliver projects from a truly unique perspective.
   
   What I love best about Custom Cool Jewelry is that it is a spring board for endless creativity. It fundamentally teaches the reader how to open up their personal style toolbox and use what's inside. A lot of craft and jewelry books simply dole out formulas on how to duplicate someone else's ideas. Custom Cool Jewelry is different. It enables the reader to make stunning jewelry of high quality from their own well of inspiration, utilizing the creative and truly cool ideas offered up by Melinda Barta in this must-have book.
   
   I definitely recommend this book!

5 comments about Player's Handbook, Version 3.5 (Dungeon & Dragons Roleplaying Game: Core Rules).

1. Dungeons and Dragons is still the best and most popular table top role-playing game on the market today. My only complaint about this book and the game in general is the sheer volume of companion books you have to get in order to play the game. It'd be nice for them to break down one day and make a good all-in-one product for a change.



2. Really it doesn't need reviews by me, there are plenty. If you're ordering it you've probably already held one and you know what it does and what is in it.
   All I can really say is that Amazon shipped it out fast, UPS (or who ever delivered it) got it here in 2 days, regular shipping, and it was in perfect condition.



3. This is the say all end all when it comes to D&D. With character creation, detailed explanations of combat, skills, feats, and an impressive starting spell library, this book is a must for all players.
   
   If you're new, this is a wonderful text to get a feel for the game. As reference material, I give it an A+ (yes, even for Dungeon Masters).



4. The drawings are a little cartoonish...but still a great book. Now I just have to find some Die Hard D&D players.



5. The 3.5 system allowed for massive customization and character creation, as long as you have an imaginative group and a DM who is good with making house rules to bring things down to earth, then this was the best D&D system to date.
   The forth edition really seems set to drain the money out of one's pockets. There's the miniature push, the web site subscription that should help you to solve problems that the books themselves create, oh and the common place D&D material that was left out of the basic books to lure one to have to buy the additional books, hooray.
   I'm glad people are this interested in this system and I hope more people discover it.

5 comments about Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big With Expert Play.

1. this book is great. it really does a great job of teaching simple and advanced concepts in an entertaining way. I was actually laughing out loud thru some parts of the book.
   
   after reading it thru twice my game has drastically improved.



2. Mistakenly I took this to be a no limit book about small stakes tables. This book only discusses limit hold 'em strategy. As a result I started playing limit hold 'em and use the strategies with success. Unfortunately, I really want to be good a no-limit (as TJ calls it, "the Cadillac of poker"). I think having read this book will help my NL game, but only by abstraction.
   
   Make no mistake, this book is for the limit player. I think any limit player will find this book a must read.



3. This is not a book on No-Limit Hold'em. I think the title is a little deceiving. It should be called Small Stakes Limit Hold 'em: Winning Big With Expert Play. This book is about LIMIT Hold'em. I am a small stakes NLH player and was looking for a book on NLH. There is a lot of good advice on how to play Limit Hold'em in this book for beginners. However, most of the stuff in this book a good player will all ready know.



4. This is a great book for those who already have some experience playing Limit Texas Holdem. It takes your game to the next level. Sometimes you should go for that gutshot straight. Fit or fold is not always the best option. Always know the pot size and your break even odds. This book is not designed to keep you safe and away from traps. It is designed to get you the maximum profits from aggressive play. Advanced concepts include partial outs and outs for backdoor flushes and straights. What is your hand really worth. Other concepts include starting hand evaluations, overcalls, counterfieting, reverse domination, hidden outs. You were always aware of reverse domination (A2 beating AK on a flop of A Q 2), Counterfeiting (A2 vs AK, board of A Q 2 5 Q - AK wins as the pair of Queens counterfeits the pair of 2s. The second Queen was a hidden out). This book gives you plenty to think about and apply in you lifelong game of poker. Here are the essential concepts to raise your game to the next level. Happy fishing.



5. This book is excellent for the small stakes player. There is lots of good information. It can get a bit complicated with all the stuff you have to learn and remember from the book -- but failing to follow the strategies outlined in the book will result you in being a long term loser in small stakes poker.

5 comments about Forcing Chess Moves: The Key to Better Calculation.

1. This is an interim review as I'm less than half way through the book but really loving it. The aim of the book is to overcome human bias in ruling out outrageous 'computer' moves that might lead to an instant win or gain of material. I suppose I am as guilty as the next person of playing automatic recaptures and rejecting sacrificial continuations that appear to peter out. However in my case, the main reason is that I am a lazy analyser.
   The reason I like this book so much is the clarity and helpfulness of the analysis. Each of the over 600 positions in the book is shown with a white or black square next to it indicating who is to move. Hertan then gives the main line of the solution. He also explains why plausible options don't work and gives all the reasonable alternative lines. And he does this all in a very concise way.
   The way I am using the book is as to improve my analysis skills. I study each diagram with the solution that follows it covered up. Then I compare my analysis with Hertan's to see what important lines I missed, or where I gave up on a line too soon.
   This is definitely not a beginner's book on tactics. It assumes you know basic tactics likes pins, forks and back rank mate combinations. As a puzzle book, the positions are more difficult than Reinfeld's 1001 books but not too much harder. The real differentiator for me is the quality of the explanations.



2. I used to think I was pretty good at tactics and calculating variations..until I got this book. I've come to see that I have a biased "play it safe" mode that keeps me from seeing the dynamic potential in alot of positions. And I am terrible at calculating with precision. As the author says, close enough is not good enough...you must strive for precision. This book is helping me in each of those areas. The examples are HARD. Usually when you get a book on tactics the first few chapters are a breeze. Not so here. These are advanced, difficult problems, that have FORCED me to go where I haven't gone before: 1) looking for and analyzing moves I wouldn't even have considered before 2) calculating with precision. It's like having a personal chess coach in alot of ways. I also like that there are typically a number of examples of one theme (ie. corridor mate..back rank..etc) grouped together to help you in pattern matching for your own games.
   
   Overall a terrific book! Whenever you find a book that helps identify and remedy a serious area of chess weakness it is well worth the money!



3. I've got plenty of tactics books, even tactical programs like ct-art (which is awesome btw). But there is something magical about this book! The tactics are so rich and vibrant and truely do change the way you look at positions. You'll find after going through about 50 of these puzzles (out of 650 I think) that you are yourself looking at the board differently. Also this book is thick for a modern day chess book less than 20 bucks, I was shocked to get this book in my hands and discover how the publishing company didnt "cheap out" on the size or text like they were going out of business... Buy this book, you wont regret it...



4. I'm a big fan of studying tactics to improve at chess, and I have a large collection of books on the subject. This is a very well written book on tactics, and is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Good layout, large diagrams, and the fonts and printing are excellant. This challenging book contains 650 fresh and very exciting tactical positions divided into examples and exercises. My only possible critism is that it could use even more exercises, but I keep a note card in the book to cover the answers to the examples and I use them as exercises also. This may not be the best for a beginners first book on tactics, but it is outstanding for intermediate players looking to improve. It is defintely on my deserted island must have list.



5. Charles Hertan and New In Chess publishers are missing a great opportunity to convert this book to training software. A case can be made that Hertan's book is more pedagogically focussed than CT - Art 3.0, which dominates that field.
   
   Relative to most other tactics books, this one actually advocates a straightforward thinking method involving forcing moves and, to a better degree than many similar efforts, does not focus on mating combinations almost to the complete exclusion of tactical opportunities for material gain, which are likely more commonplace in practice. "Stock" tactical motifs are covered in the first two chapters. I dare say that 98% of chess tactic books merely provide the information in those two chapters with varying degrees of examples. In this 400-page effort, Hertan moves well beyond that to more broadly consider and categorize forcing moves generally, many of which do not easily fit into traditional typologies.
   
   I'm not necessarily convinced that Hertan's advocated postition of always addressing oneself first to hard calculation of forcing lines, rather than relying initially on more judgmental assessments to identify candidate moves, would survive a cost (in time) benefit analysis in many situations. Accordingly, I am in turn not necessarily convinced of his assertion that "A deep study of forcing moves is probably the single most important task toward achieving chess mastery." Some positions present a bewildering array of forcing moves and, in Hertan's explanations, this fact can sometimes be conveniently ignored, with solutions presented as if the winning move was necessarily the most forcing, which is not really the case. In these cases finding the winning move likley is the product of some process other than raw calculation of a large number of equally forcing moves. Likewise, the separate concept of "computer eyes" is gimmicky and unnecessary to his thesis -- the term is used in connection with the unremarkable concept that identifying the most forcing moves may include moves that are counterintuitive to humans, and that the human bias against considering such moves is not a tendency shared by chess engines. (While I really have no clue, I gather that chess computers in fact do not consider forcing moves first, and thus the computer allusion has no particular relevance to Hertan's thesis.)
   
   This is not to say that Hertan's unique perspective, argument regarding thinking methods, and wealth of fresh examples from practical play, is not appreciated, or that adding increased consideration to forcing sequences will not contribute something of real practical value to those who need to sharpen their alertness to tactics. Hertan suggests at the end of the book that he wished it could be one's first book on tactics. Very few of Hertan's readers are likely to be blank slates, but I suspect that the greater value of his book will be to add new and useful dimensions to the play of those of us whose tactical approach runs somewhat in a rut.
   
   Not insignificantly, the layout and production values of this book are above average. Returning to my initial point, the only way to materially improve the presentation would be to convert the book to training software.

No comments about The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques: Projects and Inspiration for Creative Canework.

5 comments about Knock-Out Blackjack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised.

1. This is a good book if you want to become a casual card counter. If you are planning on quitting your job and becoming a professional blackjack player, you would certainly need more than this, but the "Johnny (or Jane) Weekend" player that just wants to not get killed by the casino should read and study this book. My favorite part of Vancura and Fuchs's system is the fact that there is no need to clumsily estimate how many decks are left and divide that number into the running count to obtain the true count. K-O Blackjack is a mathematically sound counting system which involves much less effort and study than even the Hi-Lo system. Highly recommended!



2. This system will not work.
   
   Let's assume your playing in a 6-deck game. This system has you start your running count at -20, with -4 or higher as the "key" (The point at which you bet high). Using the KO method, after all of the decks are counted through the count will be +4. Does anyone else see the flaw here? Let's say you have a count of -3. This system tells you to bet high (Even suggesting 10 betting units!). But think about it, if a deck completely counted through will end up at +4, then there's a better chance that you'll be drawing low cards, meaning the dealer actually has the advantage. Put simply, if you use this system YOU WILL BE BETTING HIGH WHEN THE DEALER HAS THE ADVANTAGE. If I'm wrong then correct me, please. But I believe this is a very faulty system. If you win anything using it, count it off as luck. Eventually it will ruin you.
   
   This book explains other counting systems as being near impossible for the average person to learn; even explaining how difficult the Hi-Lo system is (Bull). The Hi-Lo system is still the easiest effective counting system (Explained well in Wong's "Professional Blackjack") with the Omega II being one of the most powerful (Beautifully explained in "Blackjack for Blood" by Bryce Carlson). I highly recommend either one of those two systems.
   
   There is a note in this book about the notion of blackjack books being put out by casinos to sort of sabotage counters with false tips. I believe this may very possibly be one of those books. Avoid, avoid, avoid.



3. If you are an amateur, which you probably are if you are reading this, stop reading right now. Get out your credit card and order this book.
   
   I ordered this book a little over a year ago, and since then I am 8-1-1 in my last 10 casino visits. I am UNDEFEATED (too many games to count) in local private games with low table limits, which are fairly common here in this college town. This was all after practicing card counting for 30 minutes per day for about a month.
   
   This is the most effective simple system you can learn to use. Forget about hi/lo. Knock-Out is an unbalanced system, which means there is no need to keep a true count. This is extremely valuable in a casino environment when you have cocktail watresses grabbing you every 10 minutes and the guy beside you won't shut his trap. Order this book, get a deck of cards, print off the strategy tables and go to work.



4. I usually don't write reviews, but I decided to on this one, because there are some reviews that are idiotic. So, let me share with you my experience. Not only have I read this book, I have actually USED the system. Not only have I used this system, I have also used Hi-Low, and Hi-Low OptI. This book specifically tells you why he wrote it from the beginning, and mentioned all the ins and outs of the count. It is well written, and if you have IQ over 50, you'll understand it. Now the real story.
   
   Basically unbalanced count was developed for the "real" world. Why, try Hi-Low OptI count for 8 hours at a packed casino. Try going there 8pm on friday night, and see if you'll find a table with 3 players only. LOL. You won't. Hi-Low OptI is very draining on your mental fatigue, I doubt even 20 year pros can keep doing it for that long. What they have to do is, do it for an hour and move on to another casino, or table after break. Same with Hi-Low, although easier, it is mentally taxing. I actually sat at a same table ($15) and played for 8 hours straight using KO. It's taxing, but not so much as balanced system. That's what it is designed for.
   
   The book comes out telling you that it's not good as balanced count system, but by miniscule fraction! BJinsider did a great article (i think it's newsletter 29 - free) that showed how KO, Red7, BlackA did against Hi-Low on a 6-deck. Hi-Low was .68% gain, vs .67% for Red7, .65% for KO and .63% for BlackA. The great thing is you don't have to take his word for it. You can download some of these testing softwares or buy it, and run the test yourself, and you should get a similar results.
   
   Now, the final point. All these statistics for counting are using A LARGE # of hands played, to minimize noise and get the actual true "worth" of the system. Remember, you have to play over million hands to actually see these results. .65% is little over 1% advantage over the house. You ain't going to make thousands consistently playing 500-600 hands a week. That why there was the mit "TEAM". They main objective is to get as many hands played possible (they also cheated little using team work, but we'll leave that for another day). If you can get 45-60 hands/hour, you can probably play 10-12 hours/day with break in between. that's like 600 hands avg a day. You have to play 7x600 = 4200 hands. 4200x50 = 210K hands. Do that for 5 years, and maybe you'll stiff 6 figure gain. You want a LIFE like that? (exaggerating little bit, but you get the point)
   
   So, what I'm trying to say is KO is a GREAT system for casual players, as this book was written for. It's also a good system for pros, since it's similar to Hi-Low in returns. Don't expect to leave the casinos with a whad of cash, if you're lucky it can happen. I once made over $2k playing $15 table in 2.5 hours. So, it's possible with KO. But you gotta be lucky too. Because I've also been busted couple of times too ($400 max each session). It's over the long haul he's talking about. Oh, unbalanced system becomes more accurate as deeper you penetrate the deck, so don't go crazy early on. wait for 3-4 decks to be gone, so each deck you'll only have 2 or 3 chances to bet big. That's still good enough if you get lucky, since odds are with you. I played many shoes that I didn't even get to bet big, it's ok. This is the grind. Big spreads are best, but can get heat, so learn some stealth from this book or other books. Go there to have fun, make some money if you are lucky, just don't expect to be rich unless you plan on 12h x 7d x 50wks x50yrs BJ life. Hope this helps.
   
   Edit: I forgot to add this tidbit, since I mostly play AC and they only have shoe games. But for 1 or 2 deck games, I'd recommend learning the Hi-Low as you want more accurate count then. But for shoes games KO and Red7 is just as nice.



5. I bought a copy of this book 10 years ago, and have won money at blackjack almost every time that I *diligently* followed this system.
   
   And...you must practice, practice, practice to be successful!

5 comments about Are You Smart, or What? A Bizarre Book of Games & Fun for Everyone.

1. I am a huge fan of brain teaser books. I have a huge collection of these types of book. BUT after reading this book I say that this book is not as good as it seems in the review. If you think that you will find many Logical and mathematical riddles, this isn't the book for you, but on the other hand if you are into word games this might be a great book for you .



2. The item was shipped as promised, on time and looked like knew. I would definitely buy products from this seller anytime.



3. I just adored this book and enjoyed every single puzzle in it. As one reviewer points out, this is a book for word puzzle enthusiasts. It might be compared to Will Shortz's "Puzzlemaster Presents" series. What I love about this book is that it can be done without the aid of a dictionary, as it uses a vocabulary from common cultural literacy (e.g. types of candy bars, etc.). I also appreciate the fact that the references aren't dated like some game books are, which can lead to frustration when I am asked to rely on my knowledge of stars from the eighties. Overall, I simply loved this book for the accessible but challenging fun it provided. I hope that Mr. Battaglia will be gracing us with another book of this type soon!



4. This extrordinary book takes you deeper than a basic quiz book. It challenges your way of thinking and seeks the reader to apply diverse and lateral thinking in order to come up with what turns out to be, the most obvious answer. It challenges the mind far more that you may think and even challenges you to think. An excelent book to improve spatal orrientation, visual ques and logical thinking. Want to improve your cognition and perception? This would have to be the way. Further more, it is great to use to encourage family members to do the same and simply - THINK. A must try to anyone wanting to indulge the brain in lateral thinking.



5. Pat Battaglia has a gift for challenging the reader with his verbal and numeric teasers. With each page skillfully crafted to whet your appetite for his next challenge, he offers an array of puzzles that make it difficult to put the book down. Many of the mind benders are so cleverly done, with a nice balance between difficult and easy, he almost compels you to turn the page to find out what lies ahead. When you miss the obvious, the frustration mounts and yet you push on, desperately wanting to decide for yourself, "Am I smart, or WHAT?" The book is excellent fun !

5 comments about Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America.

1. I was really looking forward to reading the book, Crazy Good but I just finished it and was disappointed. Oh, not in Dan Patch-a remarkable horse- but in the way the story was told. This is no Seabiscuit of a story. While it has a lot of stats it has much less heart. What I did get from the book was an insight into how cruel the world of racing is. Doping horses was as prevalent then as it is now and no matter how well a horse may be housed, ex-Barbaro, in the end it's all about the money.



2. Very well written, with a some really good, sly humor, and plenty of interesting details. Enjoyed it.



3. Excellent book on an important part of Americana. His legend should never be forgotten. A true sports hero.



4. This book was a big hit and because of the hero story content (little, unlikely guy wins) it is endearing. Though a bit strangely written, lacking in prosaic talent and somewhat dry at times, there are moments of humour and the details are extensive. It could have been condensed, but the heart of the story leaves a lasting impression.



5. As a horse racing and history fan I have read several titles in each category. Currently, I am finishing a master's in American Studies and I must say that I think it should be added to some sort of curriculum. It is an outstanding book that weaves history, journalism, oral history and deft storytelling into one.
   
   I hope many people will read this book in the next few years. I grew up on the Ohio fair circuit and have watched the dissapation of harness racing through the years. What once was an evening attraction has now been relegated to an afternoon affair attended mostly by seniors and while it is great to see them still interested I long to see a younger crowd get into this rich and interesting sport.
   
   The book makes me proud to hail from small town America.