Inevitably, when one studies any area of interest, one accumulates a library of books and other references along the way. After decades of study and practice, I have seen a lot of trash written about Wicca, so finding a well written, useful reference book like this one is a delightfully pleasant surprise.

As the title suggests, this book dissects and discusses common Wiccan ritual practices in relation to the four Elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water). What is particularly nice about this book (as opposed to the average BoS) is that it explains WHY things are done a certain way. (Why do we make offerings to the gods? Why use incense and water to cleanse the circle before casting? Why ground and center before beginning a ritual? etc.) It's kind of like a Wiccan mentor in book form.

FWIW, I do not agree with everything Ms. Lipp has to say about Wiccan ritual, or a number of practices she recommends, but that does not make this book a bad reference in the slightest. Her reasons and rationale are well thought-out and expressed, her explanations are reasonable, and her opinions are declared as such. She also includes anecdotes from her own experiences as an HPS, plus examples of chants and invocations in both formal and informal styles that can be used as is or adapted to suit your individual needs and/or preferences.

I would highly recommend this book for those who are new to witchcraft, or to any kind of magickal practice, as a teaching reference or even as the focal point for a discussion group because it addresses nearly every aspect of Wiccan ritual. It is a "food for thought" reference, stimulating more questions than it answers for those who are introspective, and answering questions that are commonly glossed over in Wiccan publications.

Bright Blessings!

I discovered Joe Burns, Ph.D. and his online references years ago. Generally I like his stuff a lot, mainly because Joe has a real advantage over most people who write computer books - He is NOT a computer professional! His Ph.D. is in Communications!

That means Joe excels at explaining the way things work, but he is not always as good at writing good code. I actually tried to use his JavaScript book for an introductory JavaScript class I teach. Unfortunately, there were so many errors in his syntax that I never used that text in class again.

In spite of the above comments, if you need a "how to" book to get you started in HTML, this is not a bad reference to begin with. The lessons will lead you step-by-step through core aspects of HTML and will introduce you to many *concepts* of web design in general. Just don't take Joe's word as gospel when it comes to the gritty details.

After you get a feel for HTML, I recommend that you get O'Reilly's "HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide". The O'Reilly text WILL give you the correct (and definitive!) nitty-gritty details, but it is NOT for beginners. Think it as you would a dictionary. Use Joe's book to learn the how and why, then polish your HTML knowledge and skill with the Definitive Guide.

Have fun!

I was introduced to the Baebes by some friends while we were on a road trip to a wedding. I'm not even sure now which CD it was they had in the car, but the music stayed with me and the name definitely caught my attention!

When my copy of The Rose arrived I cranked it up. It was as if angels had dropped by to sing my spirit into heaven. Their voices were distinctive and harmonious, polished, yet still individual.

My personal favorite cut is #7, "There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu". Maybe it was because I got The Rose around Thanksgiving, or maybe not. Somehow I just think this song would be a wonderful part of a Christmas church service. It's exactly the kind of music I would expect from an angelic host. Simply elegant and hauntingly beautiful.

Another positive aspect of this album is its variety. The cuts range in tempo and style from elegant to lively, providing a musical feast for the ears.

If you are not familiar with medieval music, this would be a wonderful introduction. And if you already enjoy music from centuries past, The Rose is definitely a blossom worth plucking!

When I was a kid and I got to go out for dinner with my folks, I remember my dad teaching me how to choose a wine. He showed me how to select a wine according to what we were having for dinner, demonstrated swirling and sniffing techniques, and discussed the local California wineries. It was great!

Then I grew up and forgot most of what he told me.

The good news is that this book contains everything my dad told me and more! But what I liked best about this book (besides the refresher course) was that it was written in an easy-to-follow, matter-of-fact manner. The tips were practical, the commentary was light-hearted, and at times I almost felt like I was reading instructions written especially for me by a friend.

A definite "must-have" for anyone who wants to add a bit of practical culture to his or her repertoire!

I discovered Roger Zelazny's writings long ago when I was young and impressionable, for which I am eternally grateful. This collection of his short stories is my personal favorite because the stories contained within are each unique and distinct, no two alike. Think of a banquet with many courses, each one delicious and completely different and you will know what I mean.

From "Passion Play" to the "Stainless Steel Leech", through "Comes Now the Power" and "Damnation Alley", Zelazny demonstrates his uncanny insight into the soul of man, machine, and beast. And in the title piece, "Last Defender of Camelot", he takes the over-told Arthurian legend and twists it into something fresh and original. Yum!

But my favorite story is "For a Breath I Tarry", a post-apocalyptic vision of hope and humanity springing from a most unlikely and accidental hero.

If science fiction, GOOD science fiction, is something you value, this book will please you for many years because just when you think you know everything these stories have to offer, some other facet or nuance will creep up behind you and remind you how strange and wonderful the universe really is.

BKA

I discovered Joe Burns, Ph.D. and his online references years ago. Generally I like his stuff a lot, mainly because Joe has a real advantage over most people who write computer books - He is NOT a computer professional! His Ph.D. is in Communications!

That means Joe excels at explaining the way things work, but he is not always as adept at writing good code.

I actually tried to use this text for an introductory JavaScript class I teach. Given the organization and structure of the book (there are 55 lessons covered in 9 chapters), I expected few problems. Then we started keying in some of Joe's sample scripts.

To be blunt, Joe's syntax sucks. He almost never uses closing semicolons at the end of his statements and he often does not use the correct case for reserved words or methods. Since JavaScript is a touchy programming language at best, these seemingly minor errors can drive a beginner (or expert) to distraction.

In spite of the above comments, if you need a "how to" book to get you started in JavaScript, this is not a bad reference to begin with. The lessons are well organized and introduce beginners to basic programming concepts and theory, in spite of the syntactical errors they contain. I recommend, however, that you get O'Reilly's "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" as a supplemental reference. The O'Reilly text will give you the CORRECT syntax (syntax is the computer equivalent of grammar, folks) plus lots of other nitty-gritty details that will come in handy as your skill level improves.

Good luck!

BKA

I had the misfortune of being certified highly gifted in the fourth grade. I call this a misfortune for a variety of reasons.

1) Given the dynamics of my family, I had no support to help me deal with "being different" while I was growing up.

2) Although the school system I attended had programs for the gifted, they were more like college prep courses and did little if anything to address the emotional/psychological factors of giftedness.

3) All the hype and pressure about me being gifted left me with no real sense of what that meant realistically, let alone how I could use my "gifts" to my advantage.

This book addresses these issues, and more. Much more. Through reading how being gifted has affected others, I have come to realize that many of my issues are, in fact, "normal". It addresses a number of the myths and realities of being gifted, and how misperceptions can and do impact our lives. It talks about different kinds of "giftedness", and describes dominant characteristics of each type.

For me, this book is a godsend. I only wish Ms. Streznewski had written it, and I had read it, about 3 decades ago.

BKA

Ok, I admit it. I'm getting divorced.

Everything is amicable. Besides, there are no bills, no mortgage, no kids to fight over (thank the Maker!). So I got this book so I could save a little money and file all the paperwork myself.

You know what? After reading and re-reading and scratching my head at all the legalese I finally admitted defeat, went to one of those "legal assistance centers" and threw a few hundred bucks at them.

If you can make heads or tails of the legal jargon and stipulations and gobbledegook, more power to you. I'm sure this book is very helpful for those who can understand how lawyers think.

Me, I'm sticking to computers!

In my review for <Creative HTML Design.2> I admitted to being a Lynda convert, and so I am. I am a freelance web weaver, and Dreamweaver is my HTML editor of choice. I also teach web design and development in Southern California, so I am always looking for good references to use in class or tell my students about.

Like other books by Lynda Weinman, the Dreamweaver 4 Hands-On Training is well written and comprehensive. My one and only complaint is that her HOT books are targeted mainly for folks who are new to web design, so some of the in-depth, nitty-gritty details I might be looking to add to my arsenal (I've been building web pages since 1994) are sometimes lacking. This book is no exception to the rule.

This particular text has several advantages over other Dreamweaver references for several reasons:

1) It's written in English, not "geek".

2) It includes tons of screen captures (mostly grey-scale), step-by-step instructions, AND a CD-ROM with lesson files. This allows you to follow along with the book and do EXACTLY what is shown in the text.

3) It contains practical tips on typography, image optimization, and cross-browser compatibility.

4) You don't need a crane to pick it up. ;-)

Unfortunately the book glosses over some of the fine points about using frames, tables and layers in web designs, but these points are minor when compared to the strengths of the book overall.

If you are just starting to learn Dreamweaver, or if you are an intermediate user who is looking for an easy to use reference, I highly recommend adding this to your library!

BKA

I've read this book twice now. Once when I first bought it and again a couple weeks ago. My reaction after the second reading was an intense desire to unplug every electronic device in my house - even the microwave - and smash them with a very large hammer.

Why, you ask? Because there is no way, I repeat, NO WAY to truly, totally and completely protect yourself from invasions to your privacy in the modern world. It almost makes me sympathize with those radical survivalist-types.

Mr. Stein clearly and concisely lays out the hazards of surfing the web, sending and receiving e-mail, and doing a number of other things on the Internet. He gives a lot of the history and background of various technologies (JavaScript, Cookies, etc.), explaining how things got the way they are now, and where they are going in the future. He further gives practical suggestions that anyone can implement to practice "safe surf".

Web Security contains content for systems administrators, web designers and lay-people alike. Better yet, these sections are cleanly separated making it easy for technical and non-technical folks to easily get to information that most interests them. Best of all, the entire book is written in English - not techno-babble - so you don't have to have a degree from MIT to understand it.

If you have been looking for a good introduction to security issues on the Internet, this book is a must-have!