3 comments about The Ultimate IQ Test Book: 1,000 Practice Test Questions to Boost Your Brain Power.

1. If you're looking to exercise your brain, these tests will certainly stimulate and strengthen your noodle and result in improved brain function and longevity - the medical community is in consensus with this. But, if you're trying to see what your IQ is, these tests might not be the most representative. The tests in this book are actually HARDER than real IQ tests, or at least the one I was given.
   
   Several years ago, a former employer sent me with a group of employees, all part of a management training program, to take a series of tests and evaluations. A professionally administered and proctored IQ test was given as part of the process. The main difference between the tests in this book and the REAL IQ test was that the ladder was multiple choice and the tests in this book have many questions that require a written answer that doesn't allow for guessing. This in fact makes the tests in this book more difficult than a standardized IQ test.
   
   These tests are challenging, to say the least. But after you've done a few, you'll better understand the logic that goes into conceiving the questions and your scores will improve.
   
   I'm contemplating applying for membership into MENSA and I am confident that doing these practice tests will significantly improve my entry score compared to if I went in cold.
   
   But I feel the best use of these tests is for brain exercise. Unless you're in school or actively learning new, complex things, your brain gets into autopilot mode and starts atrophying. Consistent challenges like problem solving is one of the best ways to keep you mind sharp.



2. "The Ultimate IQ Test Book" is a collection of 25 IQ tests (mostly drawn from "The Times Book of IQ Tests" books 1, 3 and 5 - no idea what was wrong with the tests in books 2 and 4). The questions in this book are culturally unbiased (unlike those in some other IQ test books that I have seen) and cover the three main areas of intelligence that are typically covered by IQ tests, that is, verbal intelligence, numerical intelligence and spatial/visual intelligence. However, the word "ultimate" in the title is a bit of an overstatement.
   
   The biggest drawback about this book is that the tests are unstandardized. What this means is that you can get a score for each of the tests in this book and you are told whether you are average, excellent, exceptional, etc, based on this. However, it is not possible to convert these scores to IQ values. Furthermore, the questions in this book are slightly different from those that are typically found in most standard IQ tests. Mensa's website recommends the books of H.J. Eysenck, for those wishing to practice for their entry exam, and the questions in this book are quite different from Eysenck's questions. Also, the solutions to the questions are not always well explained. There are several questions in this book that I still can't solve, even with the answers.
   
   This book is a reasonable puzzle book and may provide some assistance to those intending to sit an IQ test in the future, but only if you're run out of other practice problems. For people actually wishing to calculate their IQ, then this is not the book for you. A more suitable book is Test Your IQ. "Test Your IQ" is not a perfect book either, but at least it allows you to get a numerical value for your IQ, rather than simply telling you that you are "exceptional".



3. A good IQ exercise book that helps me to kill time while travelling in the train and waiting for somebody. It also provides great exercise for keeping the brain power in motion.

5 comments about Heavenly Sword: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Adds some spice to the other species, fun and easy to read book! Real helper!



2. Let me state this up front: I don't own a PS3, I've never played this game, and odds are I never will. However, based on what I'd read about this book, it had a great gallery of conceptual art in it and, as a devotee of movie, comic book, and video game conceptual art, I decided to check it out. I was certainly impressed. The book contains a substantial conceptual art gallery in the back, and the art stands up with the kind of designs you'd see in an "Art of Star Wars" volume. I was certainly impressed, and I hope this trend of putting out more video game art in book form continues.



3. All right, I am going to be honest and say that I am not the type of person that buys a whole lot of strategy guides to help me through a game. But I got stuck in this game, and got one. So far so good.



4. Heavenly Sword is definately on my top-five video games right now. This game has more combos and moves than any other out there. I thought there was alot in "God of War"...Hah! I've been playing Heavenly Sword for over a month now, and I think I still don't know all of the combos. The graphics are top-notch, it's got a decent story, AND...a beautiful hero!



5. Thanks. It has helped me be better at the game. It arrived in excellent condition and in a timely manner.

5 comments about Exploiting Online Games: Cheating Massively Distributed Systems (Addison-Wesley Software Security Series).

1. This book is a must read for anybody interested in online games or software security. Non-technical readers can skip over the detailed code for exploits, and will still gain an excellent overview of the problems that online games face. Those interested in understanding the problems in detail will undoubtedly enjoy the code as well.
   
   One of the main problems discussed by the book is that online games include a lot of game logic on the client side to provide a responsive and enjoyable experience for players. However, the problem from a software security perspective is that attackers can modify the client-side logic to change some of the rules of the game to their advantage. Of course, client-side trust issues are a widespread problem in software, and are not limited to online games alone. The book discusses many other problems with online games (and massive distributed systems in general) as well.
   
   This book has at least two advantages over many other software security books. Firstly, it should appeal to a wider audience that includes millions of online game players, thus increasing general awareness of software security issues. Secondly, it does not shy away from providing full source code for actual exploits, which should help software developers better understand what their software is up against.



2. I really appreciated the detail the authors went into in order to explain how to pull off certain exploits. It was obvious that they had really tried them all hands on.



3. I thought the book would contain more about FPS cheating and less about WoW. It's 90% about WoW. I don't work on an MMO so I got bored fast.
   
   Not a horrible book, but not great either. I preferred Hoglund's Rootkit book since it had more generic approaches to subverting win32 processes.
   
   If you work on an MMO, you should probably pick this one up.



4. By the way, you can read more in my book . . .
   If you want to know more, buy . . .
   Discuss further in my book and every other book printed by my publishing company . . .
   
   This book is a mess of poorly explained code snippets and self promotion. Also, it focues 90% of its hacking on WoW. If you don't know anything about World of Warcraft, then you will be completly lost. I have /timeplayed 1000 hours, so I could follow all of the WoW references, but unfamiliar readers will not understand large parts of the book.
   
   Half of the work in this book is just cut and pasted from code scattered on the internet. If you don't know C++, how to exploit the Windows OS, or modifying memory, these walls of code don't make much sense.
   
   This is the first book I have ever returned. The constant self promoting and lazy cut and paste code just frustrated the hell out of me.



5. Online games are, as the term implies, video games played over the Internet. Many of them have associated online communities that reach well beyond the closed world of traditional single-player home games. The most popular, World of Warcraft, boasts more than 10 million players worldwide.
   
   While the world of online gaming is built to entertain, its creators and players fight the same IT threats as business-oriented networks. Today's 12-year old who is hacking World of Warcraft simply to cheat at the game could, in a couple years, be targeting corporate networks to more nefarious ends.
   
   While the game attackers' goals are different, this book demonstrates the lengths to which they are willing to go to access a system. Those tactics are likely forerunners of software and network security challenges to come in other online arenas.
   
   In Exploiting Online Games: Cheating Massively Distributed Systems, authors Greg Hoglund and Gary McGraw offer a look at those threats. The book's 10 chapters provide a comprehensive overview of everything from game hacking 101 to reverse engineering.
   
   The authors explain in depth why and how online games are a harbinger of software security issues to come, and manifest some that already exist. They describe how gamers have created billion-dollar virual econ-omies, how to build a bot to play a game for you, why players cheat, and even how game companies invade players' personal privacy.
   
   Most important, the authors describe how game creators overcome a security issue only to have it defeated by the hackers. Sound familiar? This never ending "Spy vs. Spy" scenario is obviously frustrating to the game creators and underscores the critical importance of building effective application security into the fabric of the game.
   
   Both Hoglund and McGraw have written extensively on the importance of software security. The sooner you and your software developers read their most recent book, the better off your software infrastructure will be. Your software is critical to your organization; protect it as well as the gamers do.

5 comments about Poker: The Real Deal.

1. Being a novice at poker, I bought this book expecting to find some very basic, not too complicated strategies on how to win at poker. Instead, I found a book that introduces some of the mathematical complexities of the game and in doing so, forced me to think more about the science of poker rather than the luck of poker. I have read this book many times and each time I learn more. I believe this book is excellent in that you have to read it more than once to understand it.
   
   Phil also sent me an autographed photo, personalized. I am impressed, he is the ambassador to poker that poker needs.



2. This page a day calendar was useful but a little light on poker strategy. It won't be something I'd suggest buying for it's information but as a page a day calendar it was fun and sometimes informative. I'd suggest a Phil Gordon page a day calendar to anyone interested in poker.



3. Of all the poker authorities out there, I'll put Phil Gordon in the top three, along with Brunson & Sklansky. Without being arrogant or aloof, he explains the history and techniques of the game. He explains the odds and math in very simple terms that anyone can understand and benifit from. Phil walks you through the stages of learning the game. You learn how to play on line and setting up your own home game. He then walks you through moving from low to middle limit games. "The Real Deal" will definitely step your game up a few levels. This is a great addition to anyone's poker library.



4. Among the very best hold'em poker books for beginners. Good advice and clear examples make this a must have for those who want to learn and improve their game. Even for intermediate players it's a good refresher and ensures your fundamentals are rock solid. Easy to read and enjoyable to boot!!



5. I'm a relative newcomer to poker and after reading reviews on Amazon, I chose this as my starting point to start reading in order to improve my game.
   
   The other reviews are spot on, this is an excellent starting point, for the following reasons:
   
   1) It's extremely easy to read. It's well written, and it's peppered with interesting scenarios and anecdotes that keep it from getting boring. I breezed through it in a few days.
   
   2) It's not jam packed with statistics, yet at the same time covers the basics. I'm sure in depth statistics are necessary for more advanced players, but for a beginner they can be overwhelming. The book does provide some very basic statistics, such as the calculation of "pot odds" in order to determine when to chase a drawing hand.
   
   3) It covers a very wide range of topics, from a basic overview of the game, the types of equipment you need (incl brand names of cards and chips), how to host a home game, a description of casino cardrooms, how professional tourneys work, the world series, etc. It also of course has a number of chapters on how to play a game, such as how to think like a poker player, and a brief description of a number of different poker strategies and when they can be used.
   
   4) Finally, it contains a number of references for additional reading. Like I said, this is an introductory book, and I plan to follow it up with additional reading.
   
   I also purchased Slansky's "The Theory of Poker" and Caro's "Poker Tells", both also recommended by amazon reviews (and both recommended by Gordon in this book), and I'm very glad I started with this one.
   
   One note though, this isn't a big issue but the majority of the book focuses on limit hold-em. Many (if not the majority) of the concepts are applicable to other poker games, but I think it's worth noting that the vast majority of the examples are limit Hold 'em and I don't believe that is mentioned anywhere on the book's cover.

No comments about Changing the Game: How Video Games Are Transforming the Future of Business.

5 comments about Chess Exam and Training Guide: Tactics: Rate Yourself and Learn How to Improve.

1. I loved this book. I could hardly put it down! You do all the problems, and fill out the graphs at the end (no cheating! you have to be honest). Then when you get is a scientific report of your strengths and weaknesses in different areas of chess. It's uncanny how accurrate this is. The best thing is you know where you need to focus your training, and he gives you advice for that. If you are interested in improvement, then this is a must.



2. This contains an extremely well selected set of 120 questions. Unlike typical "Find the best move" books, the author gives 2 questions for each position and 4 multiple choice answers. None of the problems are simple, and force you to think deeply before answering, looking for every possible resource from both sides. The answer explanations are very instructive as well. You can't go wrong with this book, it will tell you what your stength is and which tactical theme/technique you need to improve.



3. This book really helps to know how good/bad you are in Chess. Everyone will feel that Igor Khmelnitsky invested tremendous effort to make this book. This book comprises 120 questions to assess different levels of your chess knowledge. The good thing about this book is when you go through it and finish your exams and know your scores you will be amazed by the accuracy of the test. With this test and his recommendations everyone can play better chess after this. I found its very useful book even for beginners (like me) to assess their weakness and strength and improve further. Worth of buying it, highly recommended.



4. This book has really helped me determine which areas I am strong and which I need to improve in. I am a 1550 level player and have been at this level for over a year. I wasn't able to figure our why I could not beat stronger players but after reading this book I am now much clearer.
   They have very simple pictures and very easy to read information , unlike lots of chess books out there.
   This will help everybody who is looking to got one notch above where they currently are. Lessons in Tactics, counter attacks, strategies, defense are all very well given. Also very easy to follow. I recommend this to everybody who wants to play better chess.



5. I haven't finished working my way through the test positions yet, however, I've seen enough to reccommend this book to anyone trying to improve their game. The positions are challenging. It enables you to isolate and identify gaps in knowledge so your efforts are more focused. I'd like to see more books like it.

2 comments about Munchkin 6: Demented Dungeons (Steve Jackson Games).

1. Great set of cards, delivered on time and for much less than what i would pay at a game shop.



2. Already having nearly every Munchkin game, I was curious what to expect from this expansion. But this game is truly a way to change up the normal Munchkin rules by adding in Dungeon cards. These cards give all the players extra advantages (and disadvantages) thus making game play go by a little quiker than normal. I do recommend using the blank cards to create your own dungeons or treasures.

5 comments about Quick & Easy Scrapbook Pages (Memory Makers).

1. I love this book. It has a lot of creative and fun ideas. All can easily be adapted to fit your own needs. My money was well spent.



2. I ordered this book after reading all the great reviews, and I was disappointed. I was expecting 100 layout ideas that I could use as a starting point for my own layouts. Yes, there are 100 layouts in the book, but it is a VERY, VERY basic book, and the layouts are VERY simplified. It's pretty much a resource for beginners on how to use basic products and how to journal. I'll be giving this away to a newer scrapbooker.



3. I'm a beginner but I'm an addict and this book was not helpful at all. It is all about the doo dads and the add ons, and there were very few layouts that had more than two photos on the page. I am more interested in simple, clean (and easy and quick) layouts where the photos are the focus. This book was not the book for that. The sequel which I bought at the same time was a bit better, so if you're still considering this book at least buy the sequel.



4. I just got the book in the mail today so haven't put any of its ideas to use yet, but I know it will by my side from now on when scrapbooking! There are so many great ideas. I will definately be turning to this book everytime I get started on a new page.
   I would definately recommend this book to those new to scrapbooking, it will help a lot. Lots of ideas for layouts, supplies you will want, embellishments, journalling, and so much more. It even gives you good instructions on how to do each layout and tells you about the products they are using and where to get them.
   Just an all around good book! You really should buy it!!



5. This book has realistic, simple ideas for a scrapbooker who doesn't have tons of time to do elaborate lay outs. I sit down when I "get a chance" so having a book which isn't over the top elaborate was good for me. I don't use the full page layouts, but rather have taken ideas from each and utilized them to fit my style. Overall, a fun book.

5 comments about The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary).

1. The Woodbook is another welcome Taschen addition to our design library. Long overdue this compilation delivers to the point easy to compare notes and images in varied cross cut and with the grain directions. Even suitability and durability is covered. Brilliant!



2. Excellent Value. I am an advanced hobbist woodworker and this book is an a great reference for a multitude of common & somewhat rare or unusal North American wood. If you buy your wood from one-man or small sawmills, this is very good reference for identification. Additionaly, shrinkage data, 3 view pictures of grain & surface, and application data make this book very important reference work for your personal library.
   
   I could also see where environmentalists and outdoorsmen would find valuble.



3. This is a beautiful book -- almost coffee table quality. It opens with an interesting history of American forests and their trees, albeit from a "we destroyed the beautiful forests and the environmentalists saved them" perspective. The pages associated with each tree variety contains a very limited bit of information about the variety and three nice photos of the grain, one in each orientation -- longitudinal, transverse, and radial.
   
   While the three grain perspective photos are useful, I had hoped for something with more that just a couple of lines of information about each species -- more like Hoadley's two excellent books, the USDA "Wood Handbook" or Peters' "Woodworker's Guide to Wood".
   
   Each opening chapter and each information page is printed in three languages.



4. This book was a birthday gift for my brother, a talented wood worker who built his own home, decks and remodels all over the northeastern US, tables, jewelry boxes, domino boxes, and spectacular bowls. He was delighted with the book.



5. Being born, and lived, all my life in Mexico city I am waht we call a "city rat". The Taschen book fills my lack of knowledge on trees and woods.
   
   Presentation is superb and the case even sounds like wood when you knock it.
   
   I saw the book at Paris last opened museum, the Quai Branly, but due to the weight I waited until I came back.
   
   You can not miss it with this book.

1 comments about Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?: The Play-at-Home Companion Book to the Hit TV Show!.

1. ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? is a companion book to the hit television game show that allows readers to answer questions like those featured in the show. The book is divided into 75 different quizzes. Just like on the show there are ten categories ranging from earth science, chemistry, math, biology, U.S. history, English, human science, social studies, U.S. geography, world geography, world history, measurements, art, grammar, music, spelling, astronomy, physical education, animal science, physics, ancient history, and dance. The ten questions range from 1st grade to 5th grade level questions. Also each quiz also has a bonus question for the million dollar question.
   
   I love trivia books of every kind. I've seen the show several times and figured I'd pick the book up and see what it would be like. In all honesty, other than the format, the questions aren't that different than many other trivia books you will find around. However, the way the questions are arranged does allow you to play the game at home. The book is also very portable and good to bring on trips. It makes for a good way to pass the time with the family on long drives. Lastly, the book includes an introduction by Jeff Foxworthy. The introduction is rather short, but Foxworthy does share a few comments about the show and his initial impressions about being the host of a trivia game show.
   
   Recommended for fans of the tv show and trivia buffs.