5 comments about Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn.

1. I'm not sure how true all of the "accusations" / "observations" are about the infamous Mr. Wynn, but the book is extremely well written. Paired with the "Green Felt Jungle" (another excellent book) you will be hard-pressed to put these two books down. I would recommend this book to everyone.



2. This book is a real page turner. It is amazing it ever got printed, given Wynn's many attempts to strangle the unflattering portrayal it in its infancy. That in itself is reason enough to pick it up and study it.



3. So damaging to his super clean image, Wynn drove the original publisher into bancruptcy and tried everything he could manage to keep this book out of circulation. Steve Wynn vs. the First Amendment (1st 1, Wynn 0).
   
   Certainly did improve Vegas by leaps and bounds, but at what cost? Using public water to build his exclusive Shadow Creek golf course, buying art, jets and NY condos with stockholders money as the stock sank into takeover waters, untimately being shown the door by casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian. Once owned by MGM, things changed. The golf course was opened, the art, NY condo and jet all sold.
   
   How does one man undermine Federal law to build a dolphin attraction? he is on film meeting with a known mobster who used his Atlantic City casino (Golden Nugget) to launder money, but can't seem to remember anything about it.
   
   Fact: the son of a Bino Hall operator rises up to be one of the worlds leading casino developers and owners through some very shady associations. He influences Nevada politics as all people with money are able to, so no surprise there. The mob associations are clearly documented and associating with a convicted felon (Milken) is grounds for losing your gaming license, yet Wynn does so with impunity.
   
   Wynn has brought some great changes to Las Vegas, but after reading the other sidie of the story, you have to ask yourself if the ends justify the means.
   
   John L. Smith has done a great job with the facts surrounding Steve Wynn. Hat's off to him!



4. This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to know more about the character of the man who is Steve Wynn. It is a true account of the way he has conducted himself over his history in Vegas and Atlantic City, not the image projected of him by Steve Wynn and his company. It is well written and concise. John L. Smith does an excellent job presenting the information, including several of the more uncanny incidents Steve Wynn has been involved in over the years by merely presenting the facts as they happened. He asks some very good questions that should have been asked but never were because of who the man is. He also points out numerous things that have been glazed over by the press and various agencies involved. Very informative. A definite must read.



5. If you're looking for a biography-style book about S.Wynn's road to being King of Las Vegas this really isn't it. I'm about 120 pages into it now, and I'm already flipping through to see if it is going to get any better. Here's a little on the book:
   
   VERY detailed! Assuming all is true in the book, you can tell there has been much research and hours of connecting people together in the stories in the book. Unfortunately, the book seems to be just that, many many small stories or bits of stories that rarely link together at once. The book really doesn't have a good time line -- it's all kinda scattered, and doesn't read very well. The worst part about the book is for me it seems the author has an agenda to destroy the reputation of S.Wynn. Every opportunity is taken to say how Wynn was asscoiated with crooked and shady characters. So many of these characters one would never recognize, so there is much wrote about why these characters are shady people, so we all will know just how bad the company of Wynn was. There just seems to be nothing good written about Wynn in the book (so far) and that doesn't seem to be changing. Maybe that's just how it really is, I don't know. There's no wonder Steve Wynn sued these people for putting this book out. If you really want a copy, you can look for mine on ebay. This will be the first book I haven't finished in long time.

5 comments about The Last Guardian (Warcraft, Book 3).

1. This book takes place before, and during Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. It is the story of Medivh, told from the view of Khadgar, his newfound apprentice. It fully explains Medivh's actions in the games, though I don't want to spoil that. It also has a few characters people who played WC 1 and 2 may remember, such as Garona, King Llane, and Lothar. I feel that the book's description spoils too much for anyone not familiar with Medivh's story, it's like Star Wars: Reveng of the Sith in a way, if you're familiar with Star Wars you have a basic understanding of what Anikin will do, but you still want to see HOW and WHY it happened. Definiately better for people with basic Warcraft knowledge, though I think you could have never heard of it and still enjoy the book.



2. Helped me understand alot of the backstory of the game. The best was seeing Khadgar in Shatt after I had finished the book, awesome. I would reccomend this book to anyone who plays WOW, or anyone that just enjoys fantasy novels.



3. I read this book book as part of an attempt to understand the history of the warcraft world and it came through in stunning style. A highly enjoyable read.



4. As with most books, it took a chapter or two to really get into it. This book uses many familiar places within the Warcraft lore and was a most EXCELLENT read! The details and descriptions are just awesome.
   I had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended if you love the Warcraft lore.



5. This book should have been book one to the series, as it covers the story from the first game. I'm surprised for such a good author how un surprising the book was. If anyone has read the story written in Warcraft 1 manual. It's basically an expanded edition. Ok read for fantasy/warcraft fans.

5 comments about The Ultimate Hidden Picture Puzzle Book (Take a Hidden Picture Challenge).

1. The puzzles in this book are wonderful to use after students have finished a test or other work. It keeps them quiet so that the other students can finish their work undisturbed. The puzzles are a little more challenging than the usual Highlights Hidden Picture puzzles, which makes them great for junior high age students. I highly recommend this book and hope that Joe Boddy creates more in the future.



2. im sure the book is fine for those of us who can read. My 5 and 6 year old children(and myself) prefer the hidden picture books that show the pictures that need to be found, not in words, but actual pictures.
   
   thanks,
   amy



3. I bought this book for son. He was throughly pleased with it. He said it was the greatest!. The puzzles kept him entertained for hours with never any boredom.



4. This book is not for little kids-it is black and white no color at all, not what we expected at all. It is for children who like to color within the lines with thin markers and kids who are old enough to concentrate-likely 10 and over.



5. I have always loved to search for pictures since I was a small child. These books are fun for the entire family.

5 comments about Fairy Crafts.

1. I bought two copies, one for my 9 yr old daughter and one for her friend. They love it and have had the most fun with these creations. I do recommend a little adult help and guidance with the different crafts.



2. We used this little book as the basis for a flower fairy birthday party for a six year old, and it was a huge success, and considerably less expensive than renting Little Gym or another insitutional party place.
   
   We made several decorations and the gorgeous flower fairy wands.
   
   All of the projects would probably require adult assistance for a child under 10, but they are really lovely and worth any effort.



3. I bought this book, along with Sweet Pea's Garden: Special Things to Make and Do ~ A Flower Fairies Friends Book & How to Host a Flower Fairy Tea Party, to help me with my daughter's fairy birthday party. The crafts are exquisite as well as resonably easy to do. Most items can be easily found around the house or your nearest craft store. I love the crafts in both this and Sweet Pea's Garden. Both books are easy to do although I think Sweet Pea works best for our smaller fairies while this book would be perfect for an upscale girls tea party. I loved the little stories and the illustrations that were woven through the book. The only thing that dissapointed me was that there weren't any recipes. If there had been three or four little recipes that would have rounded out the book perfectly. I fell in love with the little cake in the picture of the table setting at the beginning of chapter three. The crafts included invitations, bookmarks, wings, skirts, fairy dolls with a fairy land playground, jewelry, etc. My favorite crafts were the playground and the blooming tableware. Both were made to decorate my daughters table and they were absolutely beautiful. This made for a magical day. Oh, and there are instructions for a Violet Choker by Heidi Boyd at the DIY website.



4. for all who love fairies or crafts, this is a perfect book. Great ideas, wonderful processes and beautiful products!



5. This book had a lot of really wonderful ideas, however, most of the crafts are for older children and my party was for 6 year olds and younger. I made the fairy braclets for the girls myself as it was a little time consuming. For kids 8+ this is a wonderful book with some really cute ideas.

5 comments about Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders : A John Gierach Fly-Fishing Treasury.

1. John's writing is in one of those styles you look forward to crummy weather so you can justify sitting down and getting a kick out of his antics. To do otherwise, well heck, you'd feel like he'd wag a finger at you and ask, "Why the hell aren't you fishing you dolt!? See that hatch? See that rise? Drop my book and tie into those beautiful little torpedos!"

   The stories are marvelous. John's fishing and hunting partners are a hoot. And I can't help but think that there's some cryptic means of deciphering his secret fishing spots by selecting every third letter of every ninth word of every other paragraph... or something like that.

   The illustrations are GREAT! Hope I can find a garage sale edition of the book so I can demolish it for the pictures.

   John, great job and hope your St. Vrain is chugging along for you.

   GB in Tulsa




2. I always page to John Gierach's column first when the Fly Rod and Reel magazine shows up in the mail box. This was a wonderful read for a flyfisherman in Minnesota in the winter. The thoughts this book brought forth kept me going through the long (too cold to fish) winter.



3. John is one funny guy. And he knows the outdoors. His cast of characters make reading this series of short stories about fishing, camping, and life outdoors a real pleasure. I only hope his other books are as enjoyable as this one.



4. This is one of the best books I've ever read. John's insights into flyfishing and it's connection with day-to-day life are phenominal. I'm ready to buy a camper, quit work and spend the rest of my days cruising fron stream to stream.



5. Death, Taxes and Leaky Waders
   
   Time, little pieces of forever crumbling into tomorrow, so fleeting so fast, so damn close to April 15th and tax day. I received a letter from the IRS, and after a big breath, and popping a fresh load of buckshot into the old 12 gauge, I decided to read it. Appears the government is giving me $600 of my own money back in order to stimulate the economy. They could have saved a stamp and given me $600.41 cents back, or better yet, left it in my pocket. I would have tickled the economy by buying food, books, and of course, fishing gear. Yep, the first true sign of spring isn't robins or dandelions or even April showers, but that first tug at the end of a fishing line. The first day of trout season is always about more than the fish, and no one knows that better than outdoor writer John Gierach.
   
   John Gierach is a free-lance writer and author of several fly-fishing themed books with titles such as Still Life With Brook Trout; Sex, Death and Fly-Fishing; and the cult classic, Trout Bum. His work has appeared in Gray's Sporting Journal, Field & Stream and Fly, Rod and Reel. His writing is not purely instructional, though there's plenty of useful information, nor merely adventurous, though he travels from the Arctic to Scotland to the Rockies, and it's not the purist philosophy of an elite fly fisherman, though there's a witty thinker with a wry sense of humor wearing that patched-up pair of waders. What he does manage to do is explain the peculiarities of the fishing life in a way that will amuse novices and seasoned fly fishers alike.
   
   Death, Taxes and Leaky Waders collects forty of John Gierach's finest essays on fishing from six of his earlier books. Gierach is perhaps one of the most entertaining outdoor writers working today. Like all his writing, these essays are about more than fishing, but about nature, friendship, and observations of life. Gierach often begins with a keen observation that soon leads to something below the surface, which he coaxes out, and successfully lands. As Gierach says, "Writing is a lot like fishing."
   
   Writing is a lot like fishing. Both take patience, persistence, lots of time, an appreciation of the process, and both are harder than they appear. This anthology of Gierach's work is sure to comfort the angler who stands in a cold river for hours and brings home nothing to show for it. As any fisherman knows, there's more to fishing than the fish, and like any good writing, this collection of essays is about more the preparation of camp coffee or catching arctic graylings, but ultimately about life, death and of course, fly fishing...
   
   If you love this book, check out "Of A Predatory Heart" by Joe Parry and "Of Woods and Wild Things" by Don Knauss
   
   Fish or cut bait? Trout or Bass? Drop me an email at frommyshelf@epix.net Trolling for past columns? Cast your line at www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com Be sure to catch "Hobo Finds A Home" a children's book about a cat who wanted more out of life than to be a barn cat. This column approved by the committee to elect Hobo for President

5 comments about The Professional Poker Dealer's Handbook.

1. I'm a student right now in poker school and this is the book we are using for class.
   
   It covers everything from the proper mechanics of "pitching" (dealing cards the proper way), flops, sidepots and controlling the table.
   
   I've read the book multiple times. I highly recommend this to prospective poker dealers and even long time dealers that have developed some bad habits in their game.



2. Have you always dreamed of being a Poker Dealer?
   If you read and study this book, it is only months away for you. My husband was told to buy this book by our Casino Poker Supervisors. He was told to read it three times and then study and practice what is in this book. He has been playing poker most of his life but this book helped him turn his hobby into his job. He worked only 4 days as a Poker Dealer and now he is a Poker Supervisor and Dealer. This book helped him learn the skills to fulfill his dreams and it can do the same for you.
   Become a Poker Dealer with this book by reading and practicing what the author Dan Paymar give you. His tools really work. Good Luck.



3. I got a job as a poker dealer and had have a few errors that weren't quite covered in my "introduction course" by my employers, plus I wanted to be as professional as I could so I decided to buy this book.
   
   The overall structure of the book is somewhat confusing since you can find repeated lines all over the book, and several subjects are covered in several chapters so you can't really know all you need to of, say, blind structure, until you've read most of the book. This however is not that bad since you are most likely to read the whole thing in a couple of sittings. I actually read it in 2 days during breaks right at work.
   
   The obvious lack of illustrations is also a bit of a problem but the explanations are clear enough.
   
   There are some problems that you will find frequently during your job that the book leaves to the floorperson's decition and gives no information as to what their call might be, it would've been nice to know some options on those subjects.
   
   In spite of these issues, the book is excellent at procedures and gives you the tools to be a true professional, my performance has improved a great deal and the players really appreciate a professional dealer.
   
   Overall the book is great, I have it as a reference and when problems arise that need understanding by the players we can actually take the book and show the proper procedures.



4. This item was in amazing condition and shipped extremely quick. I can't ask or anything better. Wish every order was like this. Thank you!



5. The title of my review is a quote from the book, which I gave to my son as a gift for his 21st birthday. He's very happy with it and has already read most of it. The quote is one he took from the book which really spoke to him...practice doesn't make perfect...it makes permanent. Essentially, practicing the WRONG thing won't make you perfect, but it will make a permanent behavior. Since my son's goal is to be a professional dealer, this was a perfect match for him!

5 comments about How Life Imitates Chess: Making the Right Moves, from the Board to the Boardroom.

1. I picked up this book by chance, but it drew me in and I read it in a couple of days. Kasparov takes a fairly radical view that his aggressive, analytical and highly disciplined approach, so successful in chess, can be effective in business, politics and other areas of life. Understandably, he argues for an attacker's advantage and in general views life as a sort of competition (although it may make wince those who think of life in more romantic terms).
   
   My favorite parts of the book are the anecdotes from Kasparov's championships and especially the stories of the other Grandmasters and world chess champions. They were as different as any group of people, followed different training regimes and preferred different game styles. They all perfected their game and through training and competition achieved their personal best. In a way, this book is about playing your own game. Who wouldn't want that?



2. I believe this would make an excellent college textbook, so if you are a college student, or new to the corporate world, then I highly recommend this book -- particularly if you are in sales or marketing.
   
   If, however, you have been in sales or marketing for a number of years, then you will find the messages in this book to be repetitive of what we learned in the 80s and 90s.
   
   This is actually not a criticism of the work for the advice is solid and true to the real world. It's simply repetitious of what's already been said by others. I was expecting something more enlightening.



3. Garry kasparov ha escrito un libro profundo en el que intenta establecer analogías entre el ajedrez y la vida cotidiana. Para los lectores que no están familiarizados con el juego del ajedrez este no es ningún problema, ya que no analiza partidas o posiciones en el tablero. Más bien, explica sus experiencias que vivió como niño, joven y adulto en las preparaciones y competiciones en el deporte-ciencia denominado ajedrez. Al mismo tiempo brinda interesantes anécdotas ajedrecísticas-personales de los mejores jugadores de ajedrez en la historia como Botvinik, Capablanca, Bobby Fisher, Tarrash, Lasker, solo por mencionar algunos. Las anécdotas son muy enriquecedoras en el libro y logra encajarlas en el momento preciso de la "novela" para ejemplificar alguna cualidad humana o situación a superar en la vida cotidiana.
   El libro menciona momentos históricos como la primera y segunda guerra mundial, y las lecciones económicas, políticas y sociales que se aprendieron de estos desafortunados eventos. Dado que el escritor es Ruso, no podría faltar mencionar algunos hechos históricos que cambiaron a la Unión Soviética. Al respecto, Garry Kasparov se ha inmerso en la política de su país que vive tiempos de transformación con la era de Putin y con el actual presidente Dimitri Medvédev. Kasparov se declara un perseguidor de la democracia para la transformación de Rusia hacia un país democrático y plural, y hace claro que esta es su "segunda vida" después de retirarse de los torneos internacionales.
   Hay muchas cosas que aprender para la vida cotidiana de este libro. Quizá el único reproche que tendría sería en el título del libro: "Cómo la vida imita al ajedrez". Al principio pensé que era una mala traducción del título original. Sin embargo, después de consultar el título original publicado en Londres "How life imitates chess", no me quedo sino aceptar que así era. No sé cómo Kasparov defina la vida. Yo quiero pensar que se refiere al lapso de tiempo que tenemos los humanos en la Tierra y las actividades en las que nos vemos envueltos. Es difícil que "la vida" imite a un deporte, arte o ciencia. La comparación o analogía en ese orden parece no ser precisa. "La vida" parece ser algo que fluye con nosotros y sin nosotros, y es independiente de nuestras aficiones. Por eso, considero que un titulo más preciso que el actual sería "Cómo el ajedrez imita a la vida", o "How Chess Imitates Life".
   Quizá solo fue un título sugerido por el editor para llamar más la atención. No lo sé.
   De cualquier manera, estoy seguro que muchas personas disfrutaran de la lectura de este libro. Quizás vean reflejadas algunas etapas o hechos en sus propias vidas, o quizá sirva para aplicar conceptos como motivación, tenacidad, estrategia, y valores en la vida cotidiana.



4. you can see how someone climb the life mountain,and still there is enough to go,how we can learn from the past and correct the way during the life,to not be dogmatist.



5. Part motivational pep talk, part memoir, and part chess instruction, How Life Imitates Chess shares insights accumulated through a lifetime on professional chess's world stage by the most accomplished player the game has ever known. Self-awareness is the main message, and Kasparov has a gift for making the steps to achieving it plain, if not easy. His points are well-illustrated by anecdotes from his chess and political careers as well as historic examples from the worlds of business, politics, sports, art, science, and warfare.
   
   Being a chess nerd is not a prerequisite, though it helps, and if your goal is to become a chess nerd, this isn't a bad place to start.

No comments about 101 More Drama Games for Children: New Fun and Learning with Acting and Make-Believe (SmartFun Activity Books).

5 comments about The Original Wizard Card Game.

1. AS a family we have played this game many times. It's fun for ages 8-80. The rules are simple and easy to follow. One does not have to be a card shark to enjoy this and it works for any number of players from 3 to 6. I would highly recommend it for those who enjoy having family around the table.



2. This is a fun game. The strategy changes a lot based on the number of people playing. It is like Hearts, but less frustrating to those of us without much luck.



3. This is a fun card game especially for families with older children (10 and up). It's a trump game that requires concentration and confidence, but not difficult like bridge.



4. Wizard Deluxe Edition Card GameThis is a great game with no sure winners. It has become our favorite game for our RV group. It is easy but competitive. Probably good for kids but great for adults



5. I bought this game to suplement a Spades group I run. When we have 6 people, 2 have to sit out while the others play. So now with Wizard accomodating anywhere from 3 to 6, I can have everyone play, no matter how many people! We've had 18 playing - 12 at Spades, and 6 at Wizard. It's a lot of fun.

5 comments about Player's Guide to Eberron (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Supplement).

1. I picked this book up somewhat reluctantly - my budget for D&D books is pretty tight - but I'm glad I did. The title is misleading - it's an EVERYONE Guide to Eberron, and if you like the setting, this book is a definate must-buy. My only complaint is that it was too short.
   
   Because Wizards of the Coast limited the book to 160 pages [in line with other, similar releases], there just wasn't enough space to cover everything I wished this book had covered. For example, the Five Nations get a 2-page spread, the Demon Wastes get 4 pages, Droaam gets 52 pages, the Eldeen Reaches get 4 [but that also covers Druidic Sects], The Mournland gets 2 pages, Q'Barra gets 2 pages and Valenar gets 6 pages [including a new prestige class] - but Aundair, Breland, Karnath, the Mror Holds, the Shadow Marches, the Talenta Plains, Thrane and Zilargo, DON'T get their own entries - and they should have. Sure, they get a *little* coverage under other entries, but I would have appreciated a more thorough overview. The information on the other continents and the oceans of Eberron is terrific.
   
   But WotC cut out *everything* that can be found in other references, so this book is almost 100% pure new material - which is its blessing and its curse. If the encyclopedia-style layout bothers you, there is an excellent Index in the back of the book [which is too often missing from WotC products] in addition to a detailed Table of Contents. The book is fun to browse through, and it's easy to find a specific piece of information if you need it.
   
   I especially like the way this book ties together supplemental game stuff into Eberron. Use any of "The Complete..." books and you'll find suggestions for where the new core classes and prestige classes will work. Races for the "Races of..." series find out-of-the way homes in Eberron - so if you use those books, they're covered - and if you don't use them, you lose nothing from the game world. The book is worth the cost just for that help.
   
   I would have been willing to pay more for more content, though - especially if it were of the same quailty as what was included. That is the only reason I rated this book at 4 stars instead of 5. Actaully, I think it deserves a 4-and-a-half.



2. This is a 160 page Player's Source Book Not an Art or Picture Book. Wizard's made the decision to limit most of their source books to 160 pages. Frankly I'm getting tired of reading Wizard Web articles about "All the Material" they had to cut and couldn't fit into a source book after it is released when almost a quarter of this source book like most of their recently published books have to much of the book devoted to art, pictures and reprinting already published material.
   
   Is it useful? Yes and it introduces some new material but it also Fails to Make the Grade. Unless you have money to burn in my opinion this source book only rates the status of a single group source gaming reference versus purchasing as a personal reference book.
   
   The first four pages are a cover page, a credits page and two full pages of pictures. Lose the 2 picture pages and combine the credits and the cover page in the future frees up 3 pages for material.
   
   Basically 15% of the source book 24 & 1/4 pages of 160 are devoted to art and pictures. Things like 4 pages of Full Page Art, 6&1/2 pages of Half Page Art, 4 & 3/4 pages of Quarter Page Art, 1&1/3 pages of One Third page Art and 3 & 2/3 pages of 1/6 or less page Art. Quit reprinting old art and the same old maps again and again.
   
   The Player's Guide to Eberron was produced after the Eberron Campaign System but well over 10 pages are devoted to Reprinting established material. Something a single sentence can reference which they already do for monsters and spells like: The Basics of The Sovereign Host or The Dark Six or The Blood of Vol were introuduced and covered in ECS page....



3. I run an Eberron campaign and was really eager for one of my players to get this. I thought it would hold most of the information from the Eberron Campaign Setting book, only with the 'behind the scenes' details and story paths ripped out. I was hoping it would provide the players with a great explaination of the lands, the houses, etc., but it really falls short. The format is really strange, and I find it hard to find what I'm looking for. The information is also not nearly as useful as anything in the campaign setting book, so usually I end up just pulling information from there, rewriting it sometimes to take out details that my players shouldn't know about. Kind of a bummer, as I really liked the idea of this book.



4. Of all the books at my fingertips in a gaming session, this one (besides the core Eberron book, PHB, DMG, MM) gets the most use. I really like the information provided to the players based on their skills. Furthermore, it is easier to track down this information than in the Eberron Campaign Setting book.



5. THis book has basicly two parts, both entirely designed for players. The first one contains some information about how to roleplay your character according to the personality options that an Eberron adventurer is likely to develop. There is pretty cool information and it helps define the PC, so he finds himself more at home. This chapter goes fome page 7 to 13. The rest of the book is part two.
   
   Chapter 2 is an encyclopedia containing most of the most interesting topics in the Eberron Campaign Setting. There is a lot of inspiration for players in there, as every topic is very player oriented, with explanations about how a PC may get involved with different aspects of the world and society. It's prett cool, but for players only. For DMs, I think almost the whole of this information can be found in the Eberron Campaign Setting. (of course, with some mor searching through the book, since the ECS is not alphabetically ordered as this Player's Guide)
   
   I hate the way prestige classes, feats and new spells or items are presented in this book. They don't have their own chapter; they are instead scattered through Chapter 2, and not even the index shows which enrty refers to a prestige class. So, you may sometimes "discover" a new PrC you never heard of while looking for information about Valenar, for example. Maybe that reinforces the way a PC aqquires knowledge: by asking the DM about a specific topic. But as I said, this book is meant to be in the hands of a Player, not a DM.
   
   There are a lot of sidebars in this book showing the Knowledge DC for most of the information provided in the book, but i guess its purpose is to save he DM the time it takes to think about the appropiate DC.
   
   Well, in short, it is a book for players really into the ECS and/or those incapable of waiting fo their Eberron DM to throw in some information about the world. If you are an Eberron DM, there are a lot of books you should buy before this one.