Enterprise Books

This book contains everything that I needed to extend my existing Crystal Reports 9 development knowledge into the Oracle DBMS realm. As an experienced CR developer, but one without any previous experience with Oracle as the back-end, this reference provided the necessary overview of the Oracle system along with sufficient supporting detail - to allow me to quickly acquire the skills to competently utilize the Oracle system in general, and some of its more advanced features on particular: Stored Procedures as datasources, REF Cursors, the MINUS Set Operation, Materialized Views ...

Having performed several searches of the Crystal Decisions knowledge base for detailed guidance in using Oracle Stored Procedures (and Packages) as a datasource and coming up short of the desired comfort level - in terms of the breadth and depth of coverage, this reference proved invaluable in my last CR consulting engagement. As an added bonus, Annette Harper responded personally to my email requests for clarification in areas that a more sober reading (one performed outside the deadline pressures of an existing consulting engagement) would have allowed.

In short, and speaking from the perspective of an experienced CR developer with decent DBMS skills in general, this book made it possible to comfortably and competently transition to using Oracle as the back-end data store.

This book by Annette Harper is one of its kind in the market.It explains the various ODBC drivers by a comparitive study which gives us a very good idea as to which driver we should use.
The book is very helpful for people who are writing Crystal Reports against Oracle Database.

Crystal Reports 9 on Oracle is an excellent book written by Annette Harper. Every report writer will benefit from the in depth coverage of how to write effective reports by best utilize Oracle 9i database features from new Oracle 9i analytical SQL functions, PL/SQL, materialized views, external tables, flashback queries, etc. to Oracle optimization techniques. The book's expert insight into Crystal Reports 9 optimization tips, Data Dictionary report and Crystal Reports 9 repository will empower Crystal Reports writer to fully utilize Crystal Reports 9 and create faster, better reports.

I just finished reading "Curse of Kirsan" after having it strongly recommended by a friend. It is a fascinating read, especially Chapter 5 "Some Unusual Positions" which describes in some detail the story of the smitten author's relentless quest to corner her idol, Garry Kasparov (Sarah ultimately tracks him down at his hotel, and finagles her way into his room). This book is well worth reading, particularly for those interested in the more "human" side of the world of chess.

It would be reasonable to assume that the focus of this book is Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the controversial President of the world chess governing body (FIDE). Living up to the billing of its subtitle ("Adventures in the Chess Underworld") "Curse of Kirsan" does provide an engaging look into the seamier side of the money and politics which fuel competitive chess at its highest levels. (In fact, the book is dedicated to the memory of murdered journalist Larisa Yudina, a vocal critic of Ilyumzhinov).

However, for the larger part "Curse of Kirsan" is an immensely entertaining treatment of the divergent personalities populating the world of serious chess. Included are familiar names such as Alexander Alekhine and Andor Lilienthal, but also a host of lesser-known, but wonderfully unique, characters such as Andras Adorjan (a tireless proponent of what has been christened "Rainbow Chess").

My favorite chapter of the book is that dealing with Garry Kasparov. Hurst's humerous and self effacing recounting of her efforts to corner Kasparov for an interview provide both a highly amusing story and a captivating glimpse into the personality of perhaps the greatest player of all time.

Much of the book is in the form of personal interviews conducted by Hurst, and the personal touch she brings to the narrative makes it vastly more appealing than would be a simple recounting of people, places, and events. Hurst has a knack for effectively profiling her subjects in their own thoughts and words, and the result is a truly engrossing panorama. One needn't be a chess fanatic to enjoy "Curse of Kirsan".

Highly recommended.

A chess player is one who can, with almost feline-ease, remove one chess piece from the board, using thumb & forefinger, while at the same time, and with equal ease, shuffle a second piece to that square, using his middle two fingers without the slighest hesitation. It is an image of a more delicate athleticism, having an almost acrobatic quality, and it is the mark of the serious chess player. It matters not the rating, nor whether most games are lost or one. Only the experienced practitioner of chess, can do this.

"The Curse of Kirsan" (by journalist SARAH HURST) is a terrible title. Do not misunderstand me. The book is excellent; but it sounds like fiction of the "myth & magic" genre, and it took over an hour on the Internet to ascertain whether Hurst's book was actually NON-FICTION. Have you ever had that dillemma? You look all over Amazon and everywhere else, searching for the simple words, NON-FICTION, and cannot find them anywhere, and worse, they don't even print the words NON-FICTION inside the book, so...??? Suffice it to say, it is non-fiction. It is certainly NOT a terrible book.

Only a single, thick chapter gives consideration to Ilumzhinov Kirsan of Kalmykia (near CHECHNYA) which is the source for the book title, "KIRSAN". Here are a couple of quotes from Ilyumzhinov Kirsan the dictator, not from Hurst's book, by the way.

"Irrespective of what I tell people, I give them instructions on a subconscious level, a code...I am creating around the republic a kind of extrasensory field, and it helps us a lot in our projects." -KIRSAN

"In my country, there is only one man who plays politics, and that is me. The other men have to work, the women have to bear children, and the children have to play chess." -KIRSAN

{this is the President of FIDE? They couldn't get Homer Simpson to take the job??? }

Hurst is a young journalist whose childhood interest in chess is re-awakened in 1993. She launches into a chess writing career with the result that she is poorly paid, though Her loss is our gain. Hurst gives us the "human interest" side of the contemporary chess scene, covering chess clubs and players in Britain, Hungary & Eastern Europe and the far reaches of Asia.

Hurst's chess history goes back no further than Alexander Alekhine, and through that Soviet player's trials in Europe, as an expatriate Soviet citizen, we become acquainted with the state-sponsored Soviet chess system and its scandals and brilliancies.

Her interviews with scores of chess personalities, some of them now deceased, are highly illuminating, especially in an era when many chess foundations are eagerly seeking to introduce the oldest game in the world into elementary schools and middle schools, as an aid in development. It is a good idea.

Moreover, Hurst writes with a commitment to moral principle, being an outspoken critic of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov's corruption and shady dealings when many members of the chess-playing community were reluctant to look further than cash purses, human rights issues be damned. Her outspoken criticism of the world chess governing body, FIDE, expemplifies this commitment to ethical principle. [federation internationale of chess, is essentially the translation from French] Hurst called for a boycott of the chess "Olympiad" in Kalmykia, sanctioned by KIRSAN ILUMZHINOV, while the ordinary citizens of that tiny nation suffered from lack of basic necessities of life.
[Mothers on a hunger strike to protest conditions were beaten!]

What I found most intriguing about Hurst's chapters are the repetitive nature with which chess fascinates and absorbs the attention of ordinary people and prodigies alike. The photographs are surprisingly informative also. The photo of young Luke McShane at the London Chess Club (p. 123) is reminiscent of a young boy, a bit of a prodigy, at our local chess club here. [And there are a handful of child chess prodigies here as well!]

There are not as many chess articles written by world-travelers like Hurst. There are those who are more-traveled, and they may play more chess, but Hurst is a journalist first and only secondarily a chess player. She is capable of phenomenal shifts in tone, from deadly earnest criticism of human rights offenses, to child-like fascination with the Royal Game. Anyone who has observed the tinkling, clacking, rapping, cascade of sound emitting from the moving chess pieces will understand.
--Bruce R. Bain, President, Denver Chess Club

This is the catalogue for the current Tate exhibition that focuses on Twombly's various series that have marked his long career (the Ferragosto paintings from 1961, the Blackboard paintings from the late 1960's, the Bolsena paintings from 1969, the later Four Seasons cycles, etc). Without being a retrospective, this book sheds a new light on a painter that has gained in stature over the years. It enables the reader to discover a coherence and continuity in an apparently haphazard body of works and shows what a master of color and composition the artist is. The high-quality illustrations add to the value of this book which, in my opinion, is one of the best published recently on the artist (I own more than 20 books on Cy Twombly).

No reproduction can approach the texture and fascination of a real Cy Twombly. This beautifully produced book lets you imagine some lovely things. Nice photo essay on his life, too.

Don't be misled by the different total page numbers given for this and the hardback - I ordered both
and received two versions with the same text and illustrations (the 192 page total is incorrect - it actually
matches the hardback).
A wonderful book though, which should be seen as a worthwhile supplement to the recent publications of the
Leeman monograph and the 50 years of work on paper.
There is some duplication with the Leeman, but not enough to hold back.

"Love [him] with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your passion all the time. When he comes home treat him like you haven't seen him in a month. Love him! Don't waste any time fighting or arguing. Love him! Even when he seems unlovable, especially when he seems unlovable, love him!...Love with all you have."

Take a journey with two ordinary people as they live and love an extraordinary love.

Jordan T. Maxwell tells a story of an unknown, amazing life, and a love that will captivate the reader and keep them holding on until the very last word on the very last page.

Imagine what it would be like to find a treasure in an attic as a child, and then to one day rediscover that treasure through the eyes of its beholder to learn that it's something so much more than you could've ever imagined.

Dandyflowers is story of a father who's kept a journal regularly since he was in high school. Over a weekend he shares his secrets with his soon to be wed daughter, wanting to give her his advice about love, and from beginning to heart gripping end, the reader is privy to a wondrous life, filled with a rare love that is more easily dreamt of than obtained.

I read this book in one day and found myself unable to put it down. I laughed, loved, lived, and cried right along with the characters, and was sad to see the story end. I've read many books, but rarely has one moved me the way Dandyflowers did. It's a thought provoking look at love that makes you stop and think about what is truly most important in life.

Dandyflowers is a tale of love that is paradigm of what love should be: unconditional and never ending.

I highly recommend this book, and anxiously await its sequel.

Erin had a happy childhood growing up with two loving parents. The announcement of her engagement to Jack results in some shocking surprises from her father. Much to her embarrassment, Erin's father, Jerry, insists she spend some time with him so he can give her what he calls his "love talk." The talk begins with a trip to the attic of the family home to retrieve a stack of his old journals and other mysterious treasures.

Jerry surprises his daughter with information about his previous marriage to his high school sweetheart. Erin never dreamed her father had been married before. By sharing his carefully kept journals, he reveals the details of a tender, loving relationship that began his freshman year in high school.

He met Laura the first day of school when she accidentally smacked him in the face with her locker door, and it seems it was love at first sight. The detailed journal entries tell Jerry's story of love. From the first date, to the first kiss, to the first prom, and finally marriage and a set of beautiful twins, Erin hears about a love that was pure and true.

DANDYFLOWERS paints a beautiful, honest picture of the tender development of young love. Author Jordan T. Maxwell takes readers into the intimate corners of the relationship between Jerry and Laura, at moments heartwarming and funny, and at times heartbreaking and emotional. Fascinated by the intense descriptions, there were times when I laughed and others when I wiped away tears.

I highly recommend this book to anyone involved with teen girls who may be dreaming of future romance. They would be lucky to have even half the experiences portrayed in DANDYFLOWERS.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

The author had me from the very beginning sentence. The sweet love between the two main characters was what love should be in our lives. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing. I will suggest this book to my friends and family. I can't wait for his next book!

I'm not one to write these type of things but just had to review this book. I found the book an easy read and could not put it down. It was very suspenseful and has left me with a thirst for the authors next work. The book unfolds at a great pace but keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It has amazing twists and turns. It will make a great stocking stuffer for anyone who enjoys reading. I know I'll read it again!

A shocking revelation. The author hits the mark in this thrilling conspiracy novel, I couldn't put it down! The character development is flawless and the story seems so real! Scary to think this can possibly happen.

The Author does an amazing job with his attention to detail. Im looking foward to more work from this up and coming writing force. Great charactor development and emotion. 5 stars on this book all the way. It was an easy read cover to cover, and i could not put it down. The theories in this book hit close to home for me. I cant wait for a sequel! If you only buy one book this year make it this one!
-Tom

Enjoyed this book very much, for a first time author, certainly keeps your attention. When will the next one be out?

I am extremely impressed with Victor Treutel's first novel. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. I loved every piece of the story, especially the hormone crazed private detective. The ending was spectacular. I can't wait to read more of his novels.

Once I opened this box, I couldn't put it down! I read it in a single sitting. I loved the characters. This is a wonderful first novel. Can't wait to read me of his novels.

"The Definitive Guide to Making Money Online With Your Writing" by Clark R. Covington is a must-have addition to your writing library. In this short book, Mr. Covington gets right to the point and gives well-thought out and detailed examples of writing markets that he has discovered and used to great success. He outlines many examples from writing web content to SEO article writing. He also gives many concrete ways to find potential writing goldmines, future writing opportunities, and the pros and cons of each writing market. He also peppers his books with amusing anecdotes of his meteoric rise from being destitute to owning several successful online writing businesses in a few short months. After reading this book, I felt inspired to start my own online editorial business.
This book is a great gem.

"The Definitive Guide to Making Money Online with Your Writing" is chock full of concrete examples of how to succeed. Clark Covington not only explains the ins and outs of writing for different online markets; he also backs it up with his own experiences. The author tells the reader the basics to how to go about writing, what pay is reasonable for, and what to expect in the future for each type of writing. There is no sleight of hand going on in this book. Instead, everything is obviously real and true. I enjoyed reading this down-to-earth discussion of a timely topic. I can already see that it will help me in making money online.

I have read and re-read this book. Through its information I have made the decision to follow my passion and dream; becoming a self-employed freelance writer. And I'm making a living at it with enough money to save and invest on top of it. NO joke. In today's economy. I do work and write long hours on some days, but it's worth it. If writing for a living is your dream, read this first, sharpen your skills and follow your passion.

This is a wonderful read on the topic of demons. No hype or mystery here, but a solid Biblical approach to the topic. This book covers what demons are, what they do, how they do it, and what we can do about it. Mike Green is one of the best authors I have ever read on practical Christianity.

Its About Time!!!

Finally, a book that treats a delicate subject with Godly insight, accurate scriptural reference, and personal understanding. Mike Green has hit a home run with this excellent treatment of a all too often misunderstood subject. This is a "must have" for any Christians Library.

Demons....not a subject most people like to think about, but ignoring the subject is definitely not in our best interest. I am midway through my second reading of this book, and it is a keeper. It's the type of book you will want to refer to again and again throughout life. Mike Green's treatment of the subject is extremely perceptive, instructive and gives tremendous insight into demonic strategies, ways we unknowingly invite their activity into our lives, and the God-given authority we have as believers. However, this book is not just about demons! I came away with a deeper understanding of the heart of the battle, a greater love for the Kingdom of God, and practical instruction on experiencing more intimate fellowship with the Lord. As a Christian author, I'm not sure this would be the easiest subject to tackle, but Mike Green has done it in such a way that it removed the discomfort of the subject of demons and instead taught me that many things I attribute to trials, emotions, or my own thought life are symptoms of demonic activity. By recognizing this and by applying what I've learned through Demons and You, I am experiencing greater freedom and peace. I believe this is a book every believer should have in their possession!

I have been too frugal to go buy this revised edition of The Development of Chess Style, but have thumbed through a friend's copy, and like it very much. The text has been completely rewritten in algebraic notation and the diagrams are now placed where their positions occur in the text rather than in the middle of the page as in my old edition. The portion written by Euwe has only been subtly revised by Nunn through the use of unobtrusive footnotes. He completely rewrote the section on the Soviet school of chess and added sections on Fischer, Karpov, and Kasparov (as well as a few of Kasparov's most recent nemeses).

John Nunn is another great chess author who is unashamed to call himself a fan of the game, and a fan of the players. This book is a very fascinating historical journey through several hundred years of chess games, including games and annotations. I don't know which I loved more: the games, or the text....great book!

There are a number of books that analyze games of 19th and 20th century Masters. One is Richard Reti's "Masters of the Chessboard." Another is the recent Mammoth book of the world's greatest chess games, which John Nunn co-authored. And there are others as well, including this one, originally written by World Champion Max Euwe and updated by John Nunn.

I think this book may be the most instructive of them. It has 61 games, 59 of which are annotated. But more than that, it has a 17-page description of the teachings of Wilhelm Steinitz (the first World Champion of chess). When I read the original version of this book, I had never seen a book by Steinitz, and I was not aware of some of the fundamentals of positional play. This book changed all that. It describes Steinitz's main elements of positional play: development, mobility, the center, king safety, weak squares, pawn structure, Q-side majority (with both Kings castled K-side), open files, two bishops, material advantage, and the need to convert temporary advantages to permanent ones at once (or lose them). And it gives some of Steinitz's games which illustrate these elements.

My only complaint with the book is that it did not spend a few more pages describing a little of the thinking of other chess strategists, such as Nimzovich, Reti, Larsen, or Benko. We see one Nimzovich game in which blockade plays a role, but we don't see much of his other ideas, such as overprotection. We see very little on the theory of playing a flank game in which one gives up the center and then plays against it. And I think the Benko gambit is just one example of another style of play that could have been included.

I recommend this book, especially to those who want to learn more about positional play.

I thoroughly enjoyed this passionate tribute to the author's Italian heritage. The authentic recipes from Basilicata are magnificient. The author shares family photos and recollections of growing up Italian-American. A great gift for fellow Italian-Americans.

I thoroughly enjoyed this heartfelt tribute to the author's Italian immigrant grandmother. The recipes are delightful and unusual. A must-have for any gourmet kitchen.

"Discovering Basilicata" is much more than a cook book. This book is written from the heart and describes this yet-to-be discovered region of Italy, Basilicata, from someone who has been there and whose roots are from there. Fascinating vignettes of life in Basilicata are interspersed with historical and modern receipes from the region in English and Italian! Soups and Pastas, main courses of game and fish, side dishes and pizza, and deserts. It's all there written in a delightfully personal style. This book would make an excellent gift for anyone, whether they have been to Italy or fondly wish they could go. Basilicata still preserves the essence of old Italy. It lies waiting to be discovered. "Discovering Basilicata" opens the door to this discovery.