effect

The butterfly effect refers to the interconnectedness of the world. In other words, a butterfly flapping its wings in China could cause a hurricane on the other side of the world. But this book really deals with the Bradbury Effect as in his A Sound of Thunder where the death of a butterfly in the distant path has unknowable effects on the present.

In this book we have a character with a very messed-up life. Not only is his family dysfunctional (dad is in the nut house), but he has blackouts and does very disturbing things.

The book takes a long time to get started by filling in tons of background history. Eventually we get to the point where our character learns he can effect things in the past. Usually to disastrous effects. He keeps trying to correct things but they keep getting worse.

So, will he be able to make things better? Unfortunately two things stand in his way. One is that "time travel" is bad for his brain. The other is that people think he is crazy and want to lock him up.

So we wind up with a series of bad lives that we stop caring about after a while. We also learn a bit about his talent (although not enough). Finally we get a cute, romantic-comedy-style ending.

But my big question is if he had total blackouts, how was he able to write about the events in his journals? We don't know how much of the events he managed to transcribe, but at least with the video camera incident we do see that he wrote about things he didn't remember and then didn't remember he wrote about them. Too weak for me.

This is a long book for a novelization of a movie aimed at this audience and it just doesn't work or interest. I am sure it could work for readers who don't care about the details (sort of like viewers who made Armageddon successful). As a movie novelization, the author obviously did some work to fill out the story. I can only suspect that the movie has to rush through many of the events in the book.

I give it three stars for the author's efforts to fill out the story (it's not his fault the story didn't work in the first place).

This book is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It makes you wonder what you would do if you were Evan Treborn if you had his life.

When Evan was younger he began to write notebooks. Now those notebooks come in handy when he needs to go in the past to save his only love, Kayleigh Miller. His life is turned upside down when he blocked out all of his extreme emotional moments of the past. Now he must live through them where he can pause, slow down, rewind, and fast forward. He promised her he'd be back for her but know he must decide how to let go.

This has to be the best book I've read all year - what do you mean I still have another 10 months to go?! Surely nothing can beat this book!

I originally saw the trailer for this on the Freddy vs Jason DVD, and instantly said "I need to see that movie". And then I was in a book store, looking for another book (which I didn't get), and I spotted this book! And it followed me to the till, so I just had to buy it, after it walked all that way. OK, I'm being sarcastic.

I tend to read the books, and want to see the film, or vice versa. And normally I'm disappointed by one of them. (Carrie by Stephen King is nowhere near as good as the film) I have quite a few books based on films, or films based on books, and this is definitely another one to add to my collection. And bring out again if I ever get to see the film.

This is a fantastic book. All the loose ends are tied up at the end of the book, and you find yourself going "aaaaaahhhhhhhh, that's what that was supposed to mean" when the pieces start slotting together.

There are some sections I can't see working in the film - such as the first 150+ pages are 7 & 13 year old Evan. And I'm sorry, Ashton Kutcher doesn't pass for those ages!!! So I'm a bit iffy if that will work in the film - it'd better be in the film, a lot of the story is in this section.

There's also quite a few interesting points in the book too, which has my little brain ticking over. There's one specific point on page 215, where the grown-up, present Evan says that when you make a decision, whatever the other decision is, gets made in a parallel universe - OK, the book can say it better! But you get my drift. I'm one of these weird people who gets freaked out by all that kinda thing, that there's parallel universes, that such simple decisions can change the rest of your life, or going back in time and changing something so tiny, can cause so many drastic changes - thank God we can't go back in time ... yet!!! (Just imagine what could happen)

This is a terrific book, I will be recommending it to a lot of people. Not that they will read it, but never mind. It's good. It's unputdownable. (That's a word) And now I need to see the movie. And not drool over Ashton Kutcher - although he does look rather nice with the stubble on the poster! OK, I've had too long a day at work, I'm going crazy.

If you are searching for a 'How To' book that gives you explicit details on how to make lotions and soaps from scratch, this is not the book for you. The lotions and soaps listed in this book are made from lotion and soap bases. Otherwise, it is a great guide for at home beauty techniques.

I am in the bath & body business. I bought this book years ago and still enjoy browsing through it each time. It's displayed on my coffee table and guests enjoy browsing through it as well. It imparts a sense of calm, serenity & beauty. The photos are most exquisite.

I can hardly wait to try some of her exquisite bathroom decorating projects and recipes for homemade skin care products. Another great book is "Make Your Own Cosmetics" from Neal's Yard Remedies in London. It's also inexpensive and sold by Amazon.com. Wonderful color photos and lots of easy recipes. The best book I've seen on making vegetable-based cosmetics and much more.

Though, it's a little dated, last update was in 1998, and its 2004 as I write this review, information contain in the book is very informative. I've been weight training for 15 years, and had heard and read many articles regarding creatine of its use, and positive and negative effects. This book is a good reference regarding creatine use.

I hope Dr. Sahelian would consider updating this great book with the latest findings about creatine. Great book none the less.

This is an excellent introduction to the benefits of creatine for the lay reader. It answers all the important questions and sets guidelines. I certainly felt much safer taking creatine after I had read it. There are helpful columns on the necessary amounts, based on your weight and the intensity of your work-outs. I can also recommend Sahelian's books on Pregnenolone and DHEA.

i was expectical a bout creatine suplemanting, until i got the book. it clearly shows how to use the suplement, how it works and the dossage to take according to the body and goals.

this book is worth it's price, i took the advices, tried it and i gaied 4 pounds of lean mass in three weeks.

The book has a good section on chords and scales, another on guitar setup and repair, and another one on buying a guitar. But this is mixed in with all sorts of very strange stuff. There is discussion of diet & nutrition, exercise, and "the cranial rhythm." There's even a warning to store up food for a Y2K disaster. Puh-leeeze.

I'll keep this book around for guitar adjustment information, but if I want material on holistic self-help, I'll look for a book on those topics, not a guitar book.

The book really cuts through the nonsense and shows what you need to take your playing to a higher level. The section on learning to play by ear is so simple I'm kicking myself for not learning this before.

The reviewer from Youngstown, Ohio is in need of a wake-up call. Being someone who works on industry Y2K problems, I can safely say that storing some extra food and water is a not a bad idea and certainly doesn't deserve the sit-com "Puh-leeze" treatment from Youngstown. The strange self help stuff the Youngstown reviewer mentions is simply advice to take care of your health and that you don't have to be a walking drugstore to make good music.(Puh-leeze Youngstown, even a feeble mind like yours can absorb that one - use the force young Skywalker). A book that touches on guitar philosophy is sure to get a few namby-pamby reviewers like the one from Youngstown.

Anybody can learn the technical stuff of playing guitar. Few will learn to use it to take the guitar and the music they make to the fullest potential. This book is an excellent example on that train of thought.

I had high expectations for this book. I have studied almost every stop motion book there is and I have to say this is nothing special. There are a few tips in it that I found enlightening but not enough to hold the whole book. Although the author seems knowledgable in the field, she does not put her instructions across clearly. I found it difficult to follow in that she gives a bit of info and then directs you to looks in later chapters, when writing instruction/how-to books it is wise to put things in order so thats the more basic blocks of info are placed at the beginning so you can refer BACK. And perhaps this book may be a tad more useful to readers in the UK, as the author refers mostly to UK companies and retailers for supplies. Over all I feel that there are a few things in this book that are useful and can not be found in other books. Perhaps if you already have a collection (such as myself) it is nice to own to compliment other books, but as a stand alone it falls short of being very helpful.

I am in the middle of producing my own stop motion film and this book has really helped guide my production.... from creating armatures to set construction to animation... this book has a little of everything for those of us who have chosen this "lost art" of stop motion animation. This is a great book for anyone that is serious about getting their stop motion film made... I am constantly referring back to it because it is loaded with useful information. So I would definetly reccomend this book to anyone interested in making their own stop motion animation.

This is a truly wonderful book, Susannah and Focal Press should be applauded for putting out a stop motion book in these CGI saturated times. I couldn't fault it in any way and I would say it should be a must have for any stop motion enthusiast. Susannah definately knows her stuff, I found it easy to follow the tips were great and there is heaps of information to study.

I've viewed many of the video training products from vtc.com, Lynda.com and Total Training. These are the three main creators of video training for Adobe products. I am sorry to say that I was mildly disappointed with the After Effects training package from VTC.

Although this video seems to cover all the important functions in After Effects 5/5.5 including production bundle, which is a huge application and takes a fairly long time to master, the problem with this particular video (for me) was that the trainer tends to trail off in his explanations (speech) while demonstrating features in AE. In other words, he either tends to not fully describe the features or explain how they work while he is demonstrating them, for example, explain fully exactly what Transfer modes are, how they affect layers below them while demonstrating them etc., or he starts out with a good explanation, but then trails off in his speech and seems to not finish what he intended to explain while working on the video clips. It left me with some big questions after I was done.

It is obvious he understands After Effects, but knowing and having good teaching skills are two completely different things, and he may want to take this to heart when doing his next video, which I am sure he can do since he does seem to have very good knowledge and professional experience with this product. There is lots of room for improvement. In the same price range, I recommend the After Effects Training from lynda.com, same price, better explanations. The package from Lynda.com actually has two trainers in the Video, and their explanations as to what is going on are clearer, to me anyway

Another problem I had with this video is that graphics the trainer uses to demonstrate AE features could have been better planned, many of them do not really demonstrate very well the AE features he is focusing on. It seemed that they were thrown together at the last minute when he started making the video, not planned out very well for the material. Some of them you can't see very well, and better plainning for his exported format would have helped.

Another thing I had a problem with in this video, is that the trainer spends at least a half hour at the very beginning talking about After Effects without demonstrating it, whereas the product from Lynda.com goes right to learning AE, so there is some dead space in the vtc product. Much of the beginning of this video can be fast forwarded - I tend to like trainers who get immediately into the application.

Of course if you have the money, I would strongly recommend the After Effects training from Total Training, over 35 hours and exhaustive, however nearly ... bucks. But well worth it. With an application like After Effects, if you really want to learn it well and fast, this is the best product. But I do wish they would lower their price a bit!

As mentioned by other reviewers this is the best way to learn any Adobe product.
Adobe has a mean way of using unconventional keyboard shortcuts and hiding or making up there own names that mean nothing until your shown what it does. By using this program you'll be up and running over the weekend. The only complaint I have is, at first it wasn't that important to have good examples because he takes you through a great overview of the program functions and features. But later in the program he uses the same photo's and repeats his favorite effects. For a program that has the capability to blow you away with effects there wasn't really anything we did except move around a few pictures rotated things here and there and use 10 to 20 second video effects. I was hoping to see some real life examples and be immersed on a high effect intro or something.But still worth the time.

This set is actually the best AE Training I've ever taken.

So I just had to give you my input on this.

I only work for clients. In other words, I'm a REAL artist trying to learn design and motion graphics and not a standard 'reviewer' of these things, but I really like this set.

I'll agree the recording quality could've been better of course - but I think that's a VTC issue. I have Lynda's AE Training set and it is about the same(256 color/compressed etc.).

I've tried training from everywhere I can get it. Live, books, videos etc. This the first set that actually MADE me UNDERSTAND - not from a technical level (like the other sets try to teach) - but from a true designer/artist level.

I found the fact that the guy teaches you ONLY the most important stuff first to be EXTREMELY refreshing. Honestly, Lynda's training really bored me out of my mind! Who wants to know EVERY single button and every single menu item with no rhyme or reason??? Just tell me how to do AWESOME stuff!

35 hours of training from Total Training seems like the same thing. It's fine if you have all the time (and money) in the world, but I don't. I've seen examples from them - poorly designed and OVERLY explained!

Maybe I'm just more of the younger 'want it quick' type generation. And this definitely delivers! If you're in the older, slower, 'I need to know every single thing before I begin' generation then you MAY be disappointed. (but you'll probably love it anyway)

I think if you're technical - wanting to know exactly how AE calculates each pixel colorings and scientific stuff like that, yes, you might want a reference book as well. And that's intended. He starts off TELLING you he's an artist/designer - and teaches you as an artist designer - not a mathematician type. So yes - if you're mostly interested in numbers and not a gorgeous final piece - go for one of the other training products (and end up with poorly designed projects such as what they teach you with - yuck! You REALLY want that?)

For me - the examples were great! Lynda's CD uses ONE example for the WHOLE thing!!! Who wants to see a cartoon monkey move across the screen?? How hard is that to 'plan out'??

Instead - Jayse used real pictures, and when possible, real video footage. He explains at first that the recording software limits the possibilities - but still doesn't let it stop him from using real video footage anyway. (which hardly any other training uses anyway)

He also has a companion site with examples and further training, updates etc.

For me, the beginning was the most important part - the part no other training I've seen has - which is HOW to set yourself up to learn the program ultra fast. It's clear he really wants you to learn it - and that's pretty cool for a 'true' user

I also LOVED the end sections on demo-reel tips. Nobody else includes that, so for me it was quite helpful and inspiring. He also includes design theory - color/typography/composition etc. That's stuff these other trainers don't seem to know anything about.

This is the first and ONLY training that has helped me QUICKLY and made me WANT to start creating projects immediately!

For me - THAT alone is worth the price of the set!

... It helped me more than the Meyer's books, Classroom in a book and online stuff put together.

If you really want to learn AE and create beautiful/ WELL-DESIGNED motion graphics and effects with it - then this IS the best training available. Seriously. Period. (at least in my humble opinion)

Hope that helps the real artists out there!

.Mike

Victor Davis Hanson is a rarity among classical scholars: he writes with elegance and conviction not only about classics (I admired Who Killed Homer?, which he wrote with John Heath), but about the decline of independent farming in America. A fifth-generation California grape farmer, he has written previously in Fields Without Dreams about his struggles to retain the family farm. (He wrote so passionately, in fact, that I used to read quotes aloud to my husband after dinner, alternately enthralled by brilliant insights and disturbed by weird tangents into political conservativism). A classicist myself, I am startled and impressed by his ability to relate the experiences of farmers in America to ancient Greek agriculture. Though I still read Latin on weekends with my husband, I have known very few classicists who can write compellingly about anything outside their narrow field of knowledge This new collection of essays, The Land Was Everything, is more palatable to the common reader than Fields Without Dreams: he educates the general public about the social and economic whys and wherefores of independent farming in the twenty-first century. His book pays homage to J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, a Frenchman who wrote Letters from an American Farmer in 1782, and explores American farmers' options, describing their war on pests and weeds,the history of chemical poisons and pesticides, the impact of suburban sprawl, weather, trespassers, and other enemies of agriculture. I'm a fan of this gallant classicist-farmer curmudgeon, though I don't agree with all he says.

Agrarianism goes down to a hard and dusty death. The realities of growing commodities as a family in California are tough. Hanson does know what he's talking about, contra reader S.M. Stirling, below (I wonder if this fellow even read the book, his comments are so off, not to mention being practically a personal attack on Hanson); he lives the reality of this difficult life while also being a classical scholar. He seems uniquely qualified to illuminate the Greek and Latin roots of agrarianism as the foundation of democracy, and with a lifelong interest in the classics, I found this very interesting; I learned a lot. I highly recommend this book, which I found compelling...

This is one of those few books that I enjoyed and thought about so much that I bought six copies from Amazon to hand out to friends who I believed would also appreciate Hanson's efforts. It really is that exceptional! The thing most notable about "The Land Is Everything" is how much response it will provoke out of you if are a "thinking type". That doesn't mean you will love or hate it all...you will, however, THINK! Despite the definite order the book is arranged in, you will get a sense that much of it was almost written in streams of thought. Hanson seems to meander on tangents at times and in other places even rants but, this stream is still flowing briskly! He focusses in on "Man versus Nature", "Man versus Man", and "Man versus Self" in the realm of small-scale farming.

Hanson is uniquely qualified to write about the subject of farming and it's effects on character. He is a fifth generation grape farmer in California while also a Professor of Classics at CSU Fresno. The clincher is that he can convey his beliefs to paper with a VENGEANCE! The crux of this book is showing how the decline of self-reliant family farms in America is sapping the core character of what an "American" was in our first 200 years. He passionately describes the life, both good and bad, of the American farmer and gives numerous examples of issues that influence his/her character and culture. The fact that America, up until fairly recently, was predominantly a land of farmers is elaborated on at length. Hanson admires and respects the ways the brutal realities of farming the land force farmers to stay literally rooted in hard work, ethics, and honesty even if it sometimes makes them crazy! He then launches into his assessments of the effects on the gradual loss of this culture on the United States today as it becomes more and more "urban" and "cosmopolitan".

One thing I can almost promise: you WILL have an opinion on this book once you've read it. There will be points that you will agree or disagree with strongly and many others that will fall somewhere in between. The bottom line is that you will definitely feel better for having read it.

Finally, if you have found yourself drawn to understand the heroism and motivation of the New York City fireman who fought and died at the World Trade Center attack on 9/11, I doubly recommend this book.

While I usually enjoy books of this particular genre, Betty J. Eadie's "The Ripple Effect" was disturbing. She describes the death of her baby daughter from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in heartbreaking terms. The scene in the book touched me deeply - until I happened to describe it to an expert on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, who said, "What she is describing is physically impossible." Who EDITS some of these books anyway? Who PUBLISHES these books without at least doing enough preliminary checking of the facts to see how plausible the events described within really are?

After reading Embraced by the Light and The Awakening Heart, I was inspired and intrigued by Betty Eadie's near death experience and her journey to the other side. However, I still had many questions. The Ripple Effect has answered most of them and is a definite 'must have' whether you're a follower of Betty's writings or just curious. Not only does it provide the answers but also gives insight as to why we're here and what we can do to spread the love and goodness that our earthly world so desperately needs. I highly recommend this truly wonderful book. The world would indeed be a better place if everyone read it and abided by 'the ripple effect'.

I was inspired by this book. I have read her other 2 books and found those to be great. Particularly her first book "Embraced by the Light". Her second book was still good but not in the same league as Embraced. This book almost gets back up to that par, worth reading and re-reading and re-reading again. However, I would suggest reading her books in order Embraced by The Light then the Awakening Heart and then The Ripple Effect. I strongly reccomend them.

The Sky, the Stars, the Wilderness is actually three novellas in one book. The first is a somewhat interesting tale that has some suspense combined with Bass' always vivid imagery of the arctic wilds. I found the second story to be a confusing jumble of characters mixed with cumbersome metaphors concerning oil wells and mortality. The third is somewhat better in that it has beautiful imagery and a gentle, simple storyline. The only drawback is that almost absolutely nothing of interest occurs in the whole story. For those readers looking for a work of art translated into words, The Sky, the Stars, the Wilderness will satisfy. If, however, you read a book to see something happen, you will probably be disappointed by this one.

This book is actually three novellas. The 3rd story is The Sky, the Stars, the Wilderness. I read this book years ago, and it remains vivid in my mind. It is one of the top three pieces of nature writing I've ever come across. The characters tell the story of the teeming wildlife on a large Texas ranch in the mid-1900s Texas. When you are through with the story, you will feel a deep kinship with the sense of place the story depicts. It will make you long for it, and long for other places you have come to love.

I can't tell you how much this book amazed and moved me. Rarely is an author able to convey a love, awe and understanding for nature as well as Bass does. Especially difficult is to make the reader feel his love and understanding so keenly and directly, without letting the writing go preachy and soft. Reading these stories was a very emotional experience for me--Bass seemed to tap straight into my animal mind and make simple phrases and descriptions go right to my core. One of the best books I've read in the last few years, and I read a lot. Highly recommended.

This book illustrates photographic special effects that are sophomoric and aesthetically unappealing. It does not cater to the serious photographer, and it is poorly produced with mediocre photographic examples. After reviewing this book, I found it of no use and returned it.

Elinor Stecker-Orel's book is an inspiration to the serious photographer who wants to take things several steps farther and enter the realm of creating, rather than just taking, awesome photographs.
You can use the book "out of the box" as is and directly appropriate the many creative techniques she imparts, or use the book's techniques as jumping off points to inspire and fire your own imagination which will enable you to come up with additional special effects techniques on your own.
I have the benefit of both having Ms. Stecker-Orel as my instructor at the New York Institute of Photography, and as my personal friend.
In addition to her very long, distinguished list of professional credentials (Former editor of Popular Photography-still on the masthead as associate editor; seven books published; many photographic achievements, and much more) I can relate from personal experience what a dramatic difference in your photographic potential her instruction will make. She is a skilled teacher, and that comes across in this excellent book.
I was able to produce some very professional looking and unusual photographs both utilizing the techniques taught in the book, and by using those techniques for further inspiration.
Thanks, Elinor!

Some photographers are of the opinnion that using special effects is for the photographer that doesn't know how to produce a powerful image without using some sort of gimick. Well, I'm not one of them. I say the ends justify the means. If the picture is asthetically pleasing, you did a good job. This books presents a lot of techniques that I have not thought of using. Many different takes on using techniques such as double exposures, using items you can find at pet stors, different ideas on reflective surfaces(more than shooting pictures using mylar.) Filters, vignetters, lighting effects like using ultraviolet lights, cross-polarization and a ton more. There's also a section in the back telling you where to get items like ultraviolet lights and makeup that will glow for ultraviolet lights. All in all, a good book for those of you who like using special effects.