FI Books

This was just what I needed to develop a special VBA program with Access. The Win32 API's let you get a little closer to the Window operating system than most standard languages.

After buying many useless books on the VB API programming I bought this one after I read the reviews, and it is the ultimate reference ever.

If you are thinking of buying it, read the other reviews - they describe it more than I do - and go ahead and get it. It's worth every ounce of its weight in pure gold.

This book is useless for any work or learning.

All samples are made with authors' functions which are in compiled dll written in C++ !?

Each chapter has at least 30% about porting from Win16 to Win32.

And book is filled with listings of forms and projects.

If you remove all this from book, the rest is less than 100 pages with confused explanations.

Do not buy this book. There are much better books around.

For as long as there's been an API for VB developers, Dan has been THE source for reference on how to use it. He is the definitive authority. (How many people can earn that title about anything?)

Use this book FIRST. Then check with other sources of you need to.

it works well as a desktop reference but it also takes a little time to explain some of the more hardcore concepts. i recommend this book to ANYONE wanting to start and sucessfully finish an API project.
from this book it is apparent that mr Appleman believes VB can do ANYTHING by using a little API and, after owning it for a few months, you'll know it's true and you'll know how to make it happen too. a must-have for any self-respecting vb programmer

"The Merro Tree" is one of my favorite stand-alone novels. It is beautifully written and -- a rarity in SF these days -- unique both in its characterizations and its plot. It is one of those rare books which I found myself still thinking about many days after reading it. Kudos to Waitman for her stunning debut novel!

Unfortunately, Waitman's second and only other novel to date ("The Divideded") was a sore disappointment.

This is a fabulous book. Waitman is brilliant.

Allan Cole

This book had no middle ground. It was by turns creative and stunning, and flat and boring.
Some things Waitman did really well were the character development of Mikk, the memories of his mother, and the Master.
Yet mixed in with this were some horribly written scenes and characters. Thissizz, the famed snake, wasn't described very well. Mikk's brilliance was very overdone, making him less easy to identify with- and making me sick with jealousy, of course.
It's worth reading for the good parts, but the bad parts were painfully so. The relationship between Thissizz and Mikk, while essential to the book, was a strange and uninformed depiction of homosexual love which involved overdone feminity on Mikk's part and loads of love-bird prattle between the two.

This book is simply amazing. As one of the reviews before me states, it really gets into some of the base psychological issues a performer feels as they learn and atempt to master their craft and shape into an art that is their own. If you don't recognize parts of yourself in Mik you'll see a friend. I am an avid reader and this is one of the few books I have enjoyed time and time again.

I have looked for another book by this author every single time I have been in a book store since, hoping to find another gem like this one. Thank you, Katie.. and I hope your writing the next one now!

i read all the reviews about this book and i decided to add mine because nobody seems to catch what in my opinion is the point of this novel.

this work has undoubtedly a sf background: alien worlds and races, spaceships, etc.
it deals with important issues such as the value of art, censorship, the tendency of people to create sort of dictatorial institutions they must afterwards fight against, same sex and interracial relationships.

still one has to admit this is not really pure sf, because ms waitman seems to have decided to use such a (interesting and detailed) background to express her views on some topics. she manages to do it with little inconsistencies and very few slow pages, which is remarkable for a first novel.
this is a bildungsroman (sorry, i do not know the english word) such as goethe's but it is not half as boring or selfindulgent: ms waitman writing might not be spotless but the plot structure is complex, intriguing and achieves a lot of tension.

what one would not expect is that this novel is basically an enthralling if a little exotic love story: the two main characters share a growing, developing, intimate affection depicted in a simple but moving way. one of them is humanoid, the other a sort of giant snake, both are males (and the author is not, one should remember) but disbelief is easily suspended and ms waitman manages to give us a very effective idea of their PHYSICAL desire for each other too. the only point i feel i have to complain about is the idea of both being basically heterosexuals who share love out of a kind of predestination. i found this rather unbelievable; but this is sf, so i imagine her idea is legitimate.

Looking for some 'new' authors to read, I went into a used bookstore and randomly picked up books off the shelves without even reading the back covers. This was one of them and I'm glad I chose it. This is a really beautiful story between an orphaned actress and a dying duke. More than once I found my vision blurring reading this wonderful, sometimes sad story of how these two found each other and the love story that developed. Stephen and Rosalind are as different as night and day and yet they enjoy each other so much that it's impossible not to really like this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of Putney's work. This is really a must read.

I was bawling like baby at the end of this book. This was the second of her books that I've read and I'm very impressed so far. I read "The Rake" first which is also very good, but I think I like this one better.

This novel really made me wish like Stephen that i also had faith in God and some higher power. Like most young people i rarely do think about Death and life after death, just because it is too far away from me right now to be real. But what if i would have to die tomorrow? And i knew it. Wouldn't I wish there is more to life than we all see around us? Wouldn't I wish that when i die, it won't be THE END?
Stephen knew he was going to die and all these questions started inside him and made him wish he was religious and a beleiver like Rosalind, so that he would be sure that he would still be seeing his loved ones again after he died. Life and death both are so much easier to endure if you have faith.
Towards the end when Stephen was dying i cried quiet a few times which is rare for me.
This type of romance novel remind me why after reading more than thousand romances i still keep coming back to read more and more?
In the beginning i had a hard time getting into the story but from the time when Stephen told rosalind about his illness it became hard for me to put down.
Very good thought provoking romance with a surprise happy ending!

I feel like this is one of those series' that should go on and on forever, but in that special way it does.
Everyone of the fallen Angles and their honorary members do indeed have that happily ever after symbolism in the heart of every Mary Jo Putney fan of her legendary Fallen Angel series.
But why do I still feel a sense of wanting.....a thirst to go out and simply read everything this author has ever penned??? Because she is a great story teller that's why, one is left with little choice. Though my appetite is limited to the Napoleon/Regency/Georgian Era, I'm tempted to purchase her contemporary modern novels.

Stephen's story was wonderful to read, even though the plot was less in depth than some others in the series and the simplest mind would have figured it out within the first few chapters, it was a great ending to the series.
I'll miss these couples terribly but like I said, they will live on in my heart forever and ever.....I'm almost in tears, this is ridiculous but true. Nothing more to say....go out and purchase this entire series NOW!!!!!!!

This is my favorite Mary Jo Putney novel. After all, who could resist the delectable characters in One Perfect Rose? I have read all of Mary Jo Putney's books, and I have to say that this is the one that I keep coming back to. (Needless to say, the Fallen Angels series is my favorite series of hers.) In fact, I've reread this so many times that the binding is threatening to fall apart! The characters of Rosalind and Stephen and their love are refreshingly sweet and utterly irrisistible. It is blantantly easy to enter their two different worlds and share the underlying attraction that is always there between them.

Rosalind Fitzgerald Jordan is a sweet widowed actress who is also extremely beautiful;she has grown up in a loving, honest environment despite the "disgrace" of being associated with the theater. Her adoptive parents are also strolling players who are skilled at their craft and thoroughly in love with each other. Stephen Kenyon, the Duke of Ashburton, comes from a completely different world from which he is trying to escape after learning of his nearing death from his physician. Rescuing Rosalind's little brother from drowning in a river, he steps into her world quite ably and the two are caught up in a whirlwind of passion and love.

Several twists are also included in the course of the novel but doesn't detract in any way from the main plotline. Mary Jo Putney is a gifted writer and if you have read any of her books, or even if you haven't even heard of her before, One Perfect Rose is the book to try. All the others will pale in comparison to the dazzle of this romance, and I guarantee that you won't regret it.

As a girl brand new to the Air Force with my soon-to-be husband deployed, I found myself all alone in Utah in our big empty house, waiting months for his return. So I bought this book.
In the beginning, Kay offers encouragement and advice for families dealing with deployments and the regular career surprises that we should all expect. But the latter half of the book is like an on-going commercial for her other books about how to cut coupons and comb garage sales with seven kids. She also includes way too many personal stories for her "hero profiles." It's almost as if she got out her good ideas in the first 40 pages, and scrambled for random material for the rest.
The whole book seemed thrown together. There were even one or two typos and grammatical errors that were quite distracting. I've yet to find a book that gave good advice for a military spouse without talking down to the reader.

This is a guidebook written with a lot of warmth and heart. Sure you may be able to get the same info online or on base, but it wouldn't be dispensed with the understanding and empathy that Ellie Kay imparts. Her specialty is in money matters so this book has an excellent chapter on that (and who doesn't need a little course correction in that every now and then!) I found her family pre-deployment checklist to be a super resource, even to someone who's been an Army Spouse for 18 years. The profiles and interviews with other military spouses added a human interest angle to a book that was helpful in every respect.

Marna Krajeski, author
Household Baggage: The Moving Life of a Soldier's Wife

This book is a wonderful tribute to all the things that can happen during a deployment. It's a humorous approach to life as we know it in the military. Deployments come and go, it's how we survive them that tells us who we are!
While the very few negative comments on this site suggest the book is not for everyone, I disagree. It IS for everyone. Ms. Kay's book is not a protocol manual on what steps to take at a spouse coffee nor lists the hierarchy of a Family Readiness Group. It IS a book that helps families cope with the everyday life and mishaps that arise during deployment or periods of spearation. It is helpful to hear how others have gone before you, and to know that you are not in this alone.
I found this book to be a great shoulder to lean on, a confidante, and recommended it to my battalion spouses. The idea that "this, too, shall pass" makes me feel that we can always endure more than what we think we can. Deployments are not designed to make spouses stronger, that's just the unintended benefit. (Be sure to read the other books by Ellie Kay, as she has some fabulous tips on finances!)

I was given this book as a gift from a dear friend during my husband's last deployment. While I found it very helpful, I couldn't help but feel at times that the contributors didn't really understand what it is like to be on the other side of the ranks. ...the Enlisted Soldier.... All of the illustrations were Officer's wives and families! I found myself asking "what about the issues that face the families of enlisted service members?"

I am a Navy Wife of four years facing my first deployment as a wife and I found this book to be the corniest thing I've ever read. EVER.

The "comical" stories everyone seems to be gushing over sound like they were pulled right out of a dusty old Reader's Digest. I didn't find the book to be informative and I found the definition section of the book to be incredibly trite and boring.

Example: Term Active Duty, Military Speak: Actively serving and deployable. Spouse Speak: This means your address is written in pencil in address books.

Dear God. How incredibly lame. Military members move. Yes. It's true. We ALL know that. Civilians know this. EVERYONE knows this. This poor attempt at humor is dull and over-used.

I didn't learn ANYTHING from this book and would NOT recommend this to anyone SERIOUSLY looking for information or advice about military life or deployments. You can get USEFUL information by going to your local Fleet and Family Support Center or attending a pre-deployment brief.

boy find these by accident and can't get enough of them. have to read all night to finish .

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This is another one of a series of "Shadows" books by Kay Hooper. This book draws you into the world of the paranormal, delivers mystery, and a bit of romance. I certainly didn't guess who the culprit was, and I'm usually good at doing so. Highly recommend her books. Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

This is enough for me, I can't take any more of these preposterous stories. FBI doesn't use Kevlar vests? No they would rather depend on a handy healer! Surrre.

Don't waste your money

Unique as each of Kay Hooper's books are. Even a skeptic would be enthralled by her psychic storylines. I am proud to now own each and every book from the Bishop series to date. I would recommend this book and all others in the series to anyone who liked to curl up with a good book. Especially if they didn't mind staying up until the wee hours of the morning just to finish the book - as I did. Two thumbs up!

With this book Kay Hooper managed to have me looking in every closet, double checking my doors... It was a great supernatural thriller that I recommend to all that can stomach it. I wasn't too keen on the Weje Board but Kay managed to tie it all together!

Little known by other than connoisseurs of the strange and mysterious, this odyssey of the questing human spirit is well worth the patience it takes to cope with the opening chapters, which lumber considerably as the author prepares us for the meat of the story. But once our characters reach Tormance - a planet circling the star Arcturus - the adventure begins in earnest, in a world where the spiritual takes physical form, and our hero Maskull battles a zoo of tempters and diverse philosophies as he strives reach the Blue Sun, and free his soul from the dreariness of everyday life.

The early chapters remind me of a device sometimes used by H.G. Wells and Joseph Conrad, of assembling a group of interesting or intelligent people in a Victorian soiree, and, having made them comfortable with a cheering drink, confounding even their sophistication with an amazing yarn. Try The Time Machine, Victory, or Lord Jim; but in those the technique is used throughout, and is not at odds with story. Here though, it clashes, and Lindsay risks loosing his reader before truly commencing his story. Why did he do this? To place the normality of early Edwardian England at odds with eerie Tormance perhaps, and so emphasise the illusion of everyday life? If so, it's a risky strategy, which must have put off many a reader.

Lindsay's purpose appears to be not merely to entertain, which he does well, but to illustrate a Gnostic world view, where the world and its attractions are seen as the realm of evil, with truth lying beyond, entirely separate and distant. In term of using characters to represent spiritual or moral forces, it compares well with Pilgrims Progress. Read it as an entertainment or as a savagely uncompromising moral fable; in either case it works well.

Graham worthington, author, Wake of the Raven

Those who read it during their "formatory" years were left with an indelible imprint, some remembering the characters and scenes decades after reading this book. The same can be said for PK Dick's "Ubik" and "Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" among others. To review Arcturus in any other way (eg literary) would be like a chemist reviewing an excellent wine from a chemist perspective without ever tasting it. As someone once said "there is a difference between knowing and knowing about." Regarding the movie suggestion, maybe Tim Burton could pull it off.

Lindsay offers an imaginative diatribe against a world hopelessly blind to it's true spiritual nature in A VOYAGE TO ARCTURUS. The "hero" is Maskull, but he represents Everyman, and the world he visits is Tormance, which is Earth in disguise, stripped of it's nuances and complexities. Tormance is a world of physical and psychological extremes circling the larger of the twin suns comprising the star Arcturus.

Maskull is on a quest for the truth, but it's more a result of compulsion than volition. He and his companion Nightspore are summoned by the mysterious Krag to make the journey because Surtur has returned to Tormance and compels them to follow him. Who Surtur is will be discovered much later, as will the identities of Krag and Nightspore. Maskull arrives on the south of Tormance alone and somehow knows he must head north. His ultimate goal will be to find the realm of Muspel, under the mysterious blue Alppain sun, where Surtur's true nature will be revealed. Until he gets there, he must deal with a world ruled by Crystalman whom many confuse with Surtur. This world is dominated by the blazing white sun called Branchspell. On his journey, he will interact with various strange inhabitants of Tormance who will in some instances strengthen and help guide him, but in others, frustrate him and expose his human weaknesses. It is all a necessary preparation for his ultimate test.

Lindsay tries to offer us some strong medicine for the spirit and he couches it in beautifully descriptive prose. This is really not a book for Science Fiction or Fantasy buffs, although it could be categorized as belonging to those genres. It uses some wildly original ideas to philosophize about the nature of humanity, like Dante did in The Divine Comedy or Swift did in GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, but on a considerably less ambitious scale. The characters are purely symbolic so you can't truly identify with them, and Lindsay's basic view on Man's nature is pessimistic. You have to buy into his philosophy to truly appreciate this book.

I first read this philosophical fantasy back in the 1960s or early '70s. I was overwhelmed by it then, but a year or two later when I went to reread it, the book had disappeared. (Doubtless an unreturned loan to a friend.) When I learned the book was back in print, and in several aditions, I wasted little time in buying it. I now realize that I was right the first time. The novel is (at least!) a minor masterpiece.

I will not get into details of the plot which centers on a journey of a man from earth across Tormance, a fictional planet circling the fictional two suns that make up the star we know as Arcturus. There, he searches for truth and has a series of fantastic adventures--some of them murderous--that entail the growth of extra limbs and organs whle his beliefs change as violently as his body.

It was only the edition I have (Wilder Publications) that made me hesitat before giving this bood the five stars it richly deserves. The many misprints include misspelled words, sentences with words missing, poor punctuation, etc. etc. One major typographical stumbling block was having hyphens the same length as dashes. The most curious flaw, however, was placing the name, Frank R. Stockton at the top of left hand pages facing the book's title which was correctly placed at the top of the right-handed pages. A little research told me that Stockton wrote fantasies for children--which probably explains the suggestion at the front of this edition that parents discuss with their children how views on race have changed since the book was written. An otherwise strange caution since "A Voyage To Arcturus" is not a children's book nor is there any mention of race in it.

In summing up, I would say do get this magnificent novel, but try to avoid the Wilder Pubications edition. There are many other editions listed in Amazon and they can't all be as flawed as this one.

It would be hard to add much to the foregoing reviews. Suffice it to say that the book is genius. it requires several rereads and its better approached when you are over thirty.

Words like unique are often used about the prosaic. This book is, indeed, unique.

If you can get hold of the Savoy edition you will savour the true beauty of the work in a suitable package; a beautiful edition. If you collect books I wouldn't pay an arm and a leg for the insipid first edition, a small Gollanz hardback, with brittle, flimsy paper.

Book two of The Pendragon Cycle, in which Lawhead moves forward in his retelling of Arthurian legend onto a little firmer historical ground, in that time between end of Roman military presence and establishment of island-wide political rule.

This slim historical grounding gives Lawhead's tale believability, and he writes in fast-moving style, seldom bogged down in breathless romanticism, and sometimes rising to profound and humorous levels in retelling this oft-told tale.

Book three in the series: Arthur (The Pendragon Cycle, Book 3)

I am a fan of the Mary Stewart Arthurian legend, yet I found myself enthralled with the Pendragon Cycle of books. Very different types of stories, but I found them equally interesting. I read this book almost 20 years ago and I remember it almost in its entirety.

Merlin goes through a considerable period of Myrddins life. He is the child of Charis of Atlantis and Taliesin the Bard.

From being a kid and showing his tutelage by various luminaries, to life as a young warrior, all the way through to becoming a kingmaker and installing Arthur.

Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion. Stephen Lawhead has his home in Austria with his wife.

I admire Stephen Lawhead's writing very much. It is quite obvious to the reader that the author loves his subject matter and in his historical novels has diligently researched the material that he uses. Even with Merlin, which can only be described as a fantasy, the way the author sets the scene makes the reader almost believe that they are reading a factual rather than a fiction book.

Having brought the `children' of Atlantis to the shores of Britain in Taliesin, the author now focuses on the mystical figure of Merlin, who in all the other legends is always at the right hand of Arthur. Merlin has a vision of the Kingdom of Summer ruled by the Summer Lord.

I spent a MONTH trying to slog through this book. Taliesin wasn't too bad, i liked the new twist on Atlantis, but this book was a constant headache. I fought my way through the first half, then had the person i had borrowed the book from skim through and tell me what the heck happened in the end.

Looking for Schildts recent books and saw this one pop up on the list and it was like I was in the late 90's all over again LOL! But this was an extremely good book. Anyone that could make me understand MFC and ATL falls into the "super author" category. I'm only limiting this review to 4 stars because I never finished the book. And by the way, if you're still using MFC then WAKE UP BUDDY! Its a new world out there now so get on the .Net gravy train and stop banging your head against a wall with MFC and ATL. But if you must bang your head then use this book as a cushion because it will definitely make the job easier.

I have been studying C/C++ programming and MFC/Win32 API programming for approximately one year now and during this time I have accrued over one hundred books on the subject. This said, in the Visual C++/MFC category this book is the best introduction that I have found. One clear reason is that the author teaches MFC programming in the absence of the Visual Studio App Wizard so that the reader gets a fundamental understanding of how MFC works, from the ground up, just like the title suggests. The final chapter then covers the App Wizard, and Class Wizard as well. He also covers the Document/View architecture in one of the final chapters. Moreover, the exposition, in terms of code generated (functionality), very closely parallels the code and topics the author treats using the Win32 API in his book Windows 98 Programming from the ground up,
all of which is still relevant in 2005. Certainly there are many other good books on MFC programming but as an introduction I have found this book to be the best, not surprising as the author is a world renowned programming language expert and a prolific author. Thanks to this book I will ultimately be able to read more advance books with greater comprehension in addition to writing tighter Windows executables.

I have a few books on MFC and windows programming in general, with one thing in common - they were collecting dust on my shelf, because none of them covered the fundamentals good, they would all go right into wizards, or spend forever on semantics, without really teaching you why. I'm an embedded engineer, with good c background, and some experience with c++, and this book IS THE BEST. After spending less than 1 hour on first few chapters, I felt like I was finally getting it, and right now, more advanced reading like Blaszczak's MFC finally makes sense. I am also surprised by negative reviews here - in my opinion this book is THE book to get started with windows programming, and really know what you are doing.

Looking for a good start to programming Windows 95/98/NT/XP? I can recommend Schildt. It uses "hand programming" which is the best way to learn and it teaches the Wizards later on. If you have never programmed Windows before this is s great place to start.

What's my background? I have been doing applications in FORTRAN, Pascal, Clipper, FoxBase and C++ for 20 years; all numerical apps using only the console and text files for input and output. I have been using Visual C++ continuously since 1998 and it is now my only programming language.

You need to be very strong on C++ before beginning MFC. I recommend "Teach Yourself C++" by Al Stevens and "The C++ Programming Language" by Dr. Stroustrup. I have practically memorized these and regularly use STL objects and code in my console based MFC applications.

But now I need to use the Windows interface and hence my positive experience with Schildt. I spent a week studying direct programming of the Win32 API using another book and tutorial I found on the web. My conclusion: You would be crazy not to use MFC. If you are doing anything close to a standard application you would be crazy not to use the Visual C++ 6.0 Wizards.

Schildt starts with the absolute basics, just as do the university courses on MFC. This may in fact be the only book on MFC that I need ... but I right now do expect acquire a more advanced book once I understand all of the MFC basics.

No CD-ROM is supplied with the book. Not a problem. I down loaded the code (complete with how to compile instructions for VC6) from www.osborne.com in October 2003, so even through the book is 5 years old, the code is still accessible and VC has not changed only slightly so the instrustions in teh book still applie. The code download uses the single file approach and is not split into separate header and body files. Ok for learning.

The biggest problem with this book is that it's ugly. No, not just ugly, but the typeface chosen is too large and very difficult to read. It doesn't matter that the material is good if I can't stand to read the book. What's hard about reading it? The type is too large and heavy, and you can't quickly scan the pages, you have to read letter by letter to make the words.

have not got into this series at all, still a good book but at times abit slow

This book was brain candy. It was well paced and just interesting enough to keep you going, but didn't require any effort to read. There were weak moments and moments of serious eye rolling (the over use of poetic quotes for example became tedious and lost impact). The character, Braden, the male lead was well done. He was the best developed and the only really developed character in the book. His handicap was a bit of a twist right off the bat. It was slid in so easily that I found myself stopping and going, "What? He's what?" and flipping back a few pages to review. The weaknesses she "tells" us about in Braden, would have been better "shown." But still he is the most interesting of the characters in this book. The female lead, Cassidy Holt, is over the top naive and innocent... and sorry, but no girl from the old west who hearded cattle and worked a ranch is this innocent and naive.

The biggest complaint in this is that it is the pinnacle scenes for a romance novel (nudge, nudge) that fall absolutely flat. The romantic tension is done well as it builds, but during the culminating moment, the writer's cliched and even down right silly analogies and vocabulary pulled me out of the moment and hand me giggling. One can use petals as a simile as in "soft as a petal," but one should never use "petals" as a euphemism for a body part. It is simply silly.

All in all it's a nice pleasant read. A nice curl on the couch with a cup of tea or coffee and forget about the outside world book.

I can't give a rounded synopsis of this book because I only made it half way through. The book itself has a good premise, but the characters lack dimension and depth.

Cassidy has hidden strengths and a certain amount of vulnerability that at first endeared her to me. However, by the middle of the book, she hadn't grown up or expanded her personality.

I'm a huge fan of the Laurel K Hamiltons/Katy McAllistars of the world and between books I go exploring for new Authors. I'm sorry to say Susan Krinard doesn't make my list as a must read.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. Krinard makes werewolves real and serves up emotional tension with a backhoe. Braden is a complex hero, and not always heroic, but he recognizes his errors and grows as a character. Cassidy remains somewhat innocent throughout the book, but that's part of what appeals to Braden; plus, the hurt and betrayal that strike at her innocence are beautifully rendered, making the reader hurt, too. Her need to be belong is palpable. You can feel the heightened tension when the werewolves are together and challenging each other. There are moments when the book falters (for example, Bredan's fall into his grandfather's outlook and behavior is never fully explained), but it serves as a thorough introduction to the Forster family. The love scenes are the weakest part, and Krinard's euphemisms are so laughable as to almost be more uncomfortable than crass words. Sometimes the exposition is too long or slow, but once the action begins, it moves with good speed.

TOUCH OF THE WOLF is a pedestrian effort. The story - about an American werewolf who goes to England to find her family - is choppy, with holes here and there in the plot, quotes way too much poetry, and is cast with characters who aren't that interesting. The heroine, Cassidy, is not very endearing - she's irritatingly naïve (my eyeballs are rolling right now) and is way too desperate to find love. She also fixates on Braden right from the start, though I don't know why exactly, other than he is the first werewolf she meets. I thought Braden was more flushed out a character than Cassidy or his two siblings. His handicap was promising, though there seemed to be a lot of moments in the book where, superhuman senses aside, the author seemed to forget he WAS handicapped. The story also seemed to suffer from moody melodrama and a need to make a secret out of EVERYTHING. I understand that TOUCH OF THE WOLF is the first of a trilogy, the other two books following the stories of Braden's siblings (an annoying ice queen named Rowena and a cowardly trickster named Quentin). I'm not quite sure I want to bother with their stories. The reason I read TOUCH OF THE WOLF is because I adored TO CATCH A WOLF, which is about Cassidy's brother, Morgan. I'm pretty disappointed that Cassidy's story was so dopey. Oh well.

Update as of Jan 4, 2005: I just read a young adult novel called BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE that dealt with many of the same topics as TOUCH OF THE WOLF, including real-life issues such as fitting in, dealing with the loss of family, etc., as well as werewolf issues like determining the leader of the pack and the rules associated with breeding/mating. I have to say the teen book, BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE, was a lot more sophisticated than TOUCH OF THE WOLF in every respect and was a much more engaging read. BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE was shorter and set in modern times with a angst-filled heroine and, while it didn't have the full-blown love scenes found in a romance novel, it had a sexually-tense love triangle that was fun and exciting to read about.

Well I am sure it would have been good and helpful reading, but it never did arrive, not a good book to buy used

The Big Book for NA tells us everything we need to know to work the steps. A great way to start for those wanting help.

this is a must-have resource for those whose drug of choice is not alcohol, but some other drug (cocaine, meth, marijuana, Rx meds, etc.) Like the book Alcoholics Anonymous, it explains the foundations of recovery for those starting their journey into sobriety and recovery.

After reading this, I would encourage the person to read other recovery materials, especially from the Hazelden organization, and GWC Inc. (Look them up on the internet). You will find a wealth of recovery materials there to continue the journey.

Recieved Wrong Book. Got (AA) Alcoholica Annonymous, not (NA)Narcotics Anonymous. Poorer condition that was stated

Contacted sender 3 times with no response.

Very disapointed. Purchased book elsewhere.

I want to thank everyone in the fellowship for showing me how to stay clean for more than 14 years to this date of my review. I rarely go to meetings today due a new direction in spirituality, however, the foundation of this program has been grounded in my life to have kept me clean for this long. If you are new to recovery, do what I did. Go to the meetings for the coffee. I say this cause it really doesn't matter why you go to meetings in the beginning as long as you suit up and show up. You will go for the right reasons eventually and they will make you get this book. It worked for me thus far and I hope you find recovery as I did utilizing this book and my sponsor for the answers to stay clean ONE DAY AT A TIME. God Bless!