The subject matter of the book is excellent in breadth & depth
588948
The subject matter of the book is excellent in breadth & depth. That is why I rated it 4 star.
The writing is burdensome. Long, winding sentences and very detailed "art speak" actually make the reading less enjoyable.
Brevity is a virtue in writing.
952628
This is a fantastic book on the subject of Probability. The subject is quite a hard one to begin with. I have worked with many other books on the subject (Sheldon Ross and Papoulis for example). However, what makes Robert Dobrow's book very useful is its ease of usability without delving too deeply into the theoretical aspects of probability. Students of probability are of two kinds 1) Theoretical and 2) Applied. I am willing to wager the "applied" users such as myself, vastly outnumber the "theoretical/mathematician" ones. This book is squarely focused on the folks like myself who want to obtain an intuitive grasp of the practical and applied aspects of probability and apply it in our domains of expertise. The associated R code is fantastic to reinforce the concepts as well. This is a book which needs to be read and re-read. Then go solve the problems. Play around with the code. In short, there is no royal road to understanding the difficult subject of probability. Do all of this and you will come away with a very good grasp of probability.
Dr Dobrow teaches probability to undergraduate students. His years of experience in teaching undergraduates this difficult subject comes through in his writing as well. In conclusion, highly recommended!
500658
The book is quite excellent in breadth and depth. I wasn't expecting the Excel section to be as entertaining and useful as it was; I'm not exactly a Microsoft fan, but the tools presented in that section could come in handy at work at some point. While not the author's fault, the section on PDF manipulation is of rather limited usefulness, since not much can be achieved with the presented module.

There are only a few typos in the code, which the reader should be able to spot quite easily. The reason for not giving this book five stars is the quality of the book binding. I've never had a book which fell apart in the middle of the first read-through, but this one came undone without much handling on my end.
3478928
These authors know their stuff and this understanding is reflected with the elegance of this book.

This book is a great balance between Breadth and Depth. For those who just need the certificate as a graduation requirement or an extra boost, this book allows you do be able to pass without intense, painful effort.

For those of us that want to make a career out of computer security, it goes in-depth enough to satisfy the craving for knowledge.

The lab projects are for those who want to especially go in-depth. Some of the lab projects are not realistic to do if you are studying on your own without networking equipment.

The only complaints I have are:

1) Sometimes the wording in the book was ambiguous so it was harder to pick the correct answer for the Multiple Choice Quiz.

2) The CD only had a whole quiz and did not have the chapter quizzes. It would have been extremely useful to be able to take the test alongside the chapter quizzes. It's not a big deal because the chapter quizzes are available online. It just would have been nice to have them all in one place.

I would recommend reading this book alongside the latest edition of "Hacking for Dummies" as the two compliment each other and reinforce understanding.

If you need any book for the CompTIA Security+ exam, I would recommend this one.
4677915
The breadth of the book's approach is quite impressive, especially as it is contained in only 193 pp with notes etc.  I am grateful for the writers defining out so much detail in their step-by-step approach. It really gives context to what is involved in the value drivers of the businenss.  The market is screaming for tools to handle the areas of intangible value and leadership decision making still and while SBfV talks about it in theory they still are a voice in the wilderness saying we need some innovation in the near future.  There is nothing in this book that a business owner cannot take immedialtely and put into practice.  A good read; simple in delivery, very comprehensive in scope and well worth the time if you want to understand all the options there are to look at for determining value in the eneterprise.  Well done.
873479
Hitchens writes with a compelling and eloquent style, yet intimately connects the readers to his life and personal experiences. It makes for one of the most engaging books on the subject, and evinces a powerful and deep emotional reaction to the wide swathe of destruction and malpractice carved out by religion over history. Forgoing the philosophical arguments for god, it tackles the much more real and practical concern of the actual and measurable effect of religion on society and humanity. It's a broadly relatable book that anyone can (and should) read and appreciate.
739799
I'm glad I took the time to read through this dictionary. The breadth of subjects is only matched by the depth of expertise each contributor holds. Subject covered range from politically heated topics (such as abortion and climate change), to the biographies of prominent figures (such as John Polkinghorne and Stephen C. Meyer), to philosophy of science (such as paradigms and theoretical virtues), to philosophy of mind (mind-body dualism and near death experiences), and so much more. Scholars who contributed to this title range from bioethicist Frank Beckwith, to philosopher Winfried Corduan, to psychologist Justin Barrett, to New Testament expert Darrell Bock. Updated with the latest contributions in the relevant fields, the Dictionary of Christianity and Science is sure to be the introduction of many scholarly articles to come.

(Written in fulfillment of media review copy by publisher.)
1278681
This book does an excellent job of explaining social psychology, comprehensively covering subjects including self esteem, self presentation, stereotypes, prejudice, sexism, racism &  how to reduce the aforementioned, the link between attitudes and behavior, conformity, compliance, obedience (it explains the Milgram Shock Research test and the Jewish Holocaust), group dynamics & group processes, attraction and close relationships, helping others, the origins of aggression, its situational influences & media effects, and how it can be applied in jury selection & deliberation, confession evidence, lie detector tests, eye witness testimony, in performance appraisals, leadership, motivation, economic decision making, & in health, as it explains how stress can affect it and how to effectively cope with it.

It cites numerous studies throughout the text, gives a summary of subjects presented  and a self test labeled "Putting Common Sense to the Test" at the end of each chapter,  provides many charts and tables to assist in illustration, has a 6 page glossary of terms & 81 pages of cited references at the end of book

I agree with the 5 star review by Ms. Amie Rudolph (September 22, 2013), as it is a wonderful source of social & psychological material and the 4 star review by Gian Fiero (October 11, 2011) that "...(the authors have) combined their expertise and efforts to create a contemporary and highly meticulous introduction to social psychology which provides a breadth and depth of knowledge that offers lucid insights into how we, as individuals, think, feel, and behave in a social context."

Here are a couple of worthy quotes from the book.
On trying to avoid stereotypes (p. 145)  "Rather than try to suppress thoughts about a stereotyped group, one of the best strategies for avoiding the influence of stereotypes is to try instead to activate thoughts about the individual who happens to be a member of that group.  When we have specific, personal information about an individual, stereotypes and other preconceptions can lose relevance and have less impact on how we respond to that person."

On resiliency or hardiness (p. 523):  "...hardy people have three characteristics:  (1)commitment, a sense of purpose with regard to one's work, family, and other domains, (2)challenge, an openness to new experiences and a desire to embrace change, (3)control, the belief that one has the power to influence future outcomes."
3075217
I found this book to be extremely well written and comprehensive, an excellent introduction to what can be a mind-numbingly complex topic.  There is the occasional error (1756 is given as the year for the British capture of Bengal, for example) and odd spelling (Goloconda instead of Golconda), but for the most part, de Souza's work is an sharp and remarkably even-handed work of historical synthesis.
3176947
Richard Smoley is one author that I have a lot of time for, ever since I stumbled across him in New Dawn Magazine, several years back. His latest book offers a variety of topics, ranging from Prophecy to Hidden Masters, Atlantis to the power of Prayer, and much more besides.

But be warned these topics are vast in scope and if you wish to really explore them then Supernatural serves only as an appetizer, and not the main course.  For that you need to possibly belong to a mystery school, or have a vast library and infinite time to spend in pursuing your interests.  And let us not ignore the very critical aspect of experience.

Nonetheless, Richard Smoley has written a very good book, and one that allows one to gain a grasp of some of the basics. At least as far as understanding is concerned.

But I think the real worth, for me comes in Richard's words that appear at the end of each chapter, where his experience and knowledge, humility and wisdom really shine through.  I won't spoil it for you, other than to say, that Richard has a gift of putting things in their right place and in their right order. And that is far better than being led astray.

PDR.
616945
This book gets 4 stars mainly because I find the subject matter so intriguing. The book was originally written in Japanese and then translated to English. It reads as though the writer knew English as a second language well enough to write a book but didn't understand the subtle nuances that make reading English fluid. As a result, any attempt the author makes to convey the emotional changes of the family and medical team reads too flowery. This contrasts with the rest of the book which places a strong emphasis on the specifics of how a nuclear criticality occurs and what went wrong in this accident. It details every symptom Ouchi experienced and every medical procedure performed. The book provides sufficient background as well. This aspect of the book is done exceptionally well and answered many questions I had about this incident. Despite some discord in structure, this book is a truly fascinating case study in radiation treatment and is well worth the read.
1869605
Unlike the `water wonk' review, I found this book to be quite good. It is a broad treatise about water and the many facets it plays in the life of the globe and particularly its growing importance in regional, national, and global security. This topic is now over shadowing global warming as the hot topic of the century. From regional and even local conflicts to threats among nations and from transboundary water users to policy that is ever present in global geopolitics, this book is an excellent treatise on water and its relations to many relevant issues. I and another professor have used the book for multiple classes (teaching several hundred graduate students).

We also use a tandem book for our courses: Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus by The World Economic Forum Water Initiative. Before we purchased the book by Tindall and Campbell initially, we did research on the authors; both have impressive backgrounds. The primary actually wrote a hydrology book for Prentice Hall (a publisher that is almost impossible to become a writer for) that gained stellar reviews. We also looked at that book, which was superbly written. I and my colleagues found this book no less so.

Water Security: Conflicts, Threats, Policies is a well written and edited book that both I and my students enjoy. We particularly liked the larger print which made it possible to read without our glasses and which is talked about in the opening pages. We also liked the broad treatise of water, particularly in relation to terrorism and the Middle East, as well as the Chicago Style references, i.e., rather than a bibliography, the references and footnotes are at the bottom of each page as they occur throughout. This is common among policy and issue books written for an audience of these types. It appears this book was written primarily for homeland and national security practitioners who need a primer on water and its importance and dependence on other topic areas and for that, the book is to be commended.

The executive summary of the book says it all. The summary is very concise and to the point, better than others we have seen. Simply reading the executive summary provides a wealth of information. Also, the book clarifies many water and water-related issues, especially for those in national and homeland security fields. If you want to learn about quantitative hydrology this book is not for you, however, if you wish to learn about the true importance of water and the criticality of this resource both now and in the future in regard to sustainability, geopolitics, and policy and security issues, you should read this book.

Both I and my colleagues actually find the critique by `water wonk' to be simply an egregious attack by someone who has an axe to grind against one/both of the authors. It is an unfortunate smear against a good primer text. We will also say that what is most refreshing about this book is that it has no political agenda, which we and our students found encouraging. Finally my only negative is that the book does not include an index; a minor point for someone who wants to learn rather than copy. I highly recommend this book. My recommendations for additional books to read besides this one are Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus by The World Economic Forum Water Initiative and Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner.
2133065
Karen Armstrong's newest book "Fields of Blood" is a magnificent work for both its breadth and depth
of scholarship on the worlds religions and their relationship with violence. The dictum "love thy neighbor
as thyself" doesn't always seem to hold true when looking at the expanse of world histories. Karen's book is
an excellent work that readers can absorb a vast amount of erudition and decide for themselves what religion's
role has been and what it should be in relation to violence.
4151078
This is such a good book that I'm surprised there aren't more people reviewing and talking about it, especially after the recent writeup in the Washington Post.  If people aren't getting into it, I can suggest a couple reasons why.

Despite Swenson's very readable style, the book is still formidable reading; it comes in at well over 300 pages, including reference materials at the back that are actually worth reading.  There is some humor, but Swenson stops well short of anything approaching disrespect to any faith view.  It actually reads very much like a university lecture.  Lots of facts, lots of perspective, and just enough humor and personality to keep you awake.

A more important reason for its slow start, I would guess, is that it doesn't really give anyone on either end of the belief spectrum (atheist to evangelical) much fodder for their point of view.  This is not a book you can recommend to people who think just like you to use in ridiculing the other side.  Nor will most people find their perspective wholly represented.  She dismisses the use of the word "theory" in referring to evolution with the flippant (and common and incorrect) "gravity is a theory".  She notes that Proverbs shares some themes with Egyptian works and assumes that the Egyptian works are primary without footnoting her statement or acknowledging that this topic is still the subject of some debate.  She states that the flood story was lifted from the Mesopotamians, again without exploring alternative theories or justifying the position.  Yet there is a limit to how much depth you can go into in such a book, and I suspect on the other side that some people will find her too respectful of religious belief.  On many hot-topic issues (homosexuality, abortion, for example) she explains both sides from a Biblical perspective, while not arguing for one side or another.  In short, she walks a very difficult line here and does it well, describing the views and discoveries of the majority of Biblical scholars at this point in time, but never giving the appearance that she has any sort of axe to grind.

I think the most surprising thing to me, reading the book, is that she tacitly makes the case that some of us Bible readers are placing our faith in the wrong thing: Matthew was really written by Matthew the disciple, for example.  What does it matter?  In the end, the Bible is still an amazing collection of thoughts, history, and theology recorded by people who worship a common God, which has been handed down over millennia and still touches people daily.  If nothing else, perhaps Swenson helps us all to look past petty arguments and more at the themes of the Bible itself.  And that's a good thing!

"Bible Babel" is arranged topically, with chapters on (for example) women in the Bible, names for God, etc.  Some familiarity with the Bible might be helpful, but Swenson covers all of the major themes, characters and concepts.  The length of the book doesn't always allow for in-depth discussion, but even long-time readers of the Bible will find food for thought.  In short, this is well worth reading for anyone who enjoys scripture, or is just curious about what's in their Bible.
50483
I first read this some time ago when investigating Wicca.  I still think it's one of the most candid and accessible reads for the newcomer to the topic.  Given the number of not-so-good, me-too books out there on the  topic that we saw published in the 90s, it stands out even more.
Its  strengths are a matter-of-fact style, a balanced and pretty unbiased  portrayal that doesn't try to make a political statement, and the large  volume of information it offers.  It is a sophisticated book that talks a  lot about history, about initiatory experience, and about perceptions of  divinity.  The only flaw I can readily find is that it is a bit dry; just  as its cover doesn't look like Tinker Bell, neither is the style.  I can  hardly mark Crowley down for this, but it's worth mentioning because it  could affect the reader's interest.
Will appeal most strongly to the  serious seeker with mature tastes in reading who is looking to be informed  rather than entertained.
1127694
This is truly a great book that deals with an important and current issue. It sheds light on racism, discrimination, prejudice, stereotypes and scapegoating. Undeniably, Cornel West is a very eloquent and competent author. Moreover, he is very intelligent and persuasive. Most importantly, he provides strong arguments in favor of his viewpoints. However, even though I find this book illuminating and meticulous, there are, nevertheless, shortcomings. West's arguments are sometimes fallacious and ambiguous. To exemplify, West claims that black people become criminals mainly due to socioeconomic factors. According to West, poverty and social factors almost always lead to criminal behavior- learned helplessness hypothesis! This assertion has serious flaws. It is well-known that not all underprivileged people become criminals; this is irrefutable! Consequently, West fails to explain why some black individuals persist in face of numerous adversities, while others actively choose to become criminals. The fact that he does not take individual differences into consideration seriously undermines his work. Instead, West frequently makes sweeping generalizations. It is now widely accepted that overgeneralizations contribute to racial disparities. What I am implying here is that every individual is responsible for his actions. On that account, we all have the right to make active choices in life. Poverty and racial discrimination do not justify criminality. Indisputably, I can actively choose not to become a criminal and I am rest assured that this holds for all of us. West states in his book that majority of white people are biased and inimically disposed toward black people. However, West does not acknowledge that there are black people who are prejudiced too. Dividing people into categories based on one's race fosters racism and prejudice. Moreover, blaming the entire white race for the plights of black people is preposterous. It promotes hatred and suspicion. In spite of these criticisms, however, this book is interesting, informative and thought-provoking! Finally, West's difficult and elegant terminology makes him one of the best writers in English. This is incontestable.
3232288
This is a really good, but theoretical, in depth book on the fairly new subject of VoIP security. It is in places deep technical - not the kind of how-to-approach-the-problem type of book, but really describing in detail how things work. The reason why I picked this book was twofold. One, it really focuses on VoIP *security*  - as opposed to many books on the subject that handle security or VoIP, with only one or two chapters on VoIP + security. Two, it is in-depth and detailed.

Concerning the `in-depth' part, clearly it is. The style is dense, compact, almost academic. No pages of listings or screenshots - just a factual approach: I personally hate those 800 odd pages manuals full of listings, too large font, giving the impression the author is getting paid by the page...

The objective of the book is to give a clear insight in `how it works'. It is clear that Mr. Johnston is a protocol oriented person, and quite a few things are explained and approached from that perspective. It will clearly help you in designing and architecturing a VoIP deployment, but remains theoretical. Do not expect being able to actually configure an Asterisk or other vendor product. But do expect to have a clear view on what matters and what does not, from a technical perspective. In my view, it targets solution designers, VoIP architects, to some extent the technically oriented CSO, but not so much the engineer.

Chapters 9 and 10, Signaling and Media security are really tough reading: I had to go about 2 to 3 times through them! It's not that they are not well written, but the subject is really complex, and, given the style of the book, these chapters go in quite some detail. They are followed by two interesting chapters on PSTN Gateways and Identity handling. One thing I'm missing is a chapter on Session Border Controllers - possibly these are really too new, and the authors didn't want to venture into something so new it may change and obsolete the book too quickly.

Overall, the book is well edited, with no irritating typos - as we see in too many books today. It is compact and easy to handle. Each chapter contains plenty of references to related publications: what you'd expect from any serious college textbook.

The good:
- Dense, concise, precise, detailed, complete
- Product independent - a theoretical book
- Good, no-frills publishing with no pointless screenshots and the like

The not so good
- Some parts are really hard to follow
- Nothing on Session Border Controllers, but that seems to be the only missing point.