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I read this out of curiosity and found it to be a decent little introduction to wireless for non-networking people.

Do get the second edition as it is updated and it had the router I have been using.

The first part of the book deals with an introduction to wireless home networking, 802.11a, g, b and Bluetooth networks. There is even a little explanation to where the Bluetooth name comes from.

The sections about configuring your PCs and Macs is pretty basic and it should be pretty easy to use as support material if you are trying to hook one up to the network.

There is a section about internetworking sharing but I am wondering if people even need to do that considering the price of routers these days.

There remaining sections dealt with using and securing the wireless network. The security stuff is written well for the beginner who doesn't want to become a master of security. It explains what is involved and what it needed to set up. However, it keeps it high level as to not completely bore a person who is not interested in this stuff(ie encryption theory). In particular a gaming and a home entertainment system. There was an example of a connected jacuzzi which only costs twelve thousand dollars. :)

Other examples included a phone, a refrigerator, chipping your pets and children. The last part seems like a good idea these days but I wonder the "big brother" implications it would present.

Some of the sites mentioned in the book are interesting. I never heard of netstumbler and have found it useful.

There is always the Part of Tens section and it's ok. Nothing new for me this time.

Overall; it's a decent little book for a noob wanting to grasp the concepts of wireless networking and what is involved with running one.

Setting up a router and a network is in my opinion neither routine nor intuitive. So, I purchased this book to guide me through the process of getting a network set up. I bought a Linksys router to connect 2 desktops and a notebook. I could not set up my network using the instructions that came with the router and referring to information in the book. I ended up using Network Magic on the three computers and in a matter of an hour I was connected. However, I have no idea whether the firewall is working or effective on the system. My wireless connection to my notebook is very slow or maybe its the notebook. I also have no idea how to tweak the system to get maximum performance and security. There is a lot of information in the book but in the end it just isn't the information you need to get your network set-up and running properly.

I learned alot from this book. It provides you everything you need to know to get your home wireless network up and running. Excellent

This book is for dummies alright. I feel like a dummy now that I have wasted hours reading it. I'm returning the book tomorrow.

13 of 364 pages on troubleshooting your wireless network! They describe all elements of the systems, tell you how to follow ISP instructions, and how to follow computer networking instructions by copying them from the companies themselves. They do not tell you how to solve any real problems which arise when trying to connect.

Here is an example of a "frequently asked question" (9 pages out of 364). "If everything stops working, what can I do?" Their answer is summed up in three very short paragraphs - call tech support, and if that doesn't work, start over! Now, that is some great advice they dispense right there (sarcasm)!

Please don't waste your time or money on this junk!

I was quite impressed with this book. Although I've had a wireless network for several years, I discovered some very valuable things that helped me to have a far better, more secure wireless network. It made things easy to understand and put in use immediately.

This book is for someone new to wireless networks or someone who has some knowledge but is not an expert. Those of us who don't make our livings working with networks, naturally don't know everything there is to know about networks. So we need a basic understanding and some tips and tricks to help us have the edge. This books gives that.

If you don't buy any other book on wireless networking, buy this one. Keep it as a handy reference. Working with a wireless network can be very frustrating. You need this information at hand. It can save you time and money and lots of headaches.

By the way, the book has been updated right up to the the 80211n standard. So you're getting close to the latest information. Couple the book with the current information you can locate in forums and magazines and you'll have more knowledge than most people when it comes to your wireless network.

I thought this book had a lot of nice patterns and several that, as a beginner, I would certainly be able to accomplish. Very nice pictures and complete and thorough instructions. A nice companion to my other Debbie MacComber books!

I enjoyed this project pattern book. It offered many new designs for prayer shawls to be knitted. The patterns, as in all Debbie Macomber knitting books, are easy to follow. The prayer shawls are different and attractive. I look forward to working on one.

It was the book I needed for class & it helped me get that A

Great book full of very useful information. Only drawback was that I had to get it in paperback with out the spiral spine.

This is a great book: Outstanding illustrations,super ideas, easy to follow directions.
Wish I HAD THIS BOOK TWO YEARS AGO. I bought one for my sister and she loves it.

This is the best book. It gives you lots of info on quilting both hand and machine. With lots of pictures and written info. Good book for the beginner.

A great book for someone getting started in quilt making. Wife has had an earlier copy of this book for some time. This copy was ordered for a Grand Daughter that entered into a new career two years ago, that being a first time young wife dedicated to becoming a profesional Home maker. Am told this book is a step in the right direction.

A friend let me borrow this book and I took it home, looked it over and then and there ordered my own through Amazon. Found it very helpful as I am new at quilting and this had lots of good help in it and is easy to follow. Would recommend this to anyone interested in learning to quilt.

I'm fairly new to this art and had read through other reviews that this was a decent book for beginners. Not only was that reviewer wrong, but there are no helpful pictures/images that break down the steps-it's all based on knowledge you are supposed to know already...

The completed image of each creature is used to be a "guide." Needless to say, it would have been a great book if it had a little more detail with images.

This book is great. It explains everything to you and is very easy to read.
Very cute projects.

This a great book for crocheters. The animals are just adorable and the character description added for each one is hysterical. It really adds to their personalities. I can hardly wait to make each and every one for my grandchild!

This is a great book! The patterns are easy to follow, and perfect for a beginner. Simplicity without compromising creativity! My nieces and nephews will love these cute little animals.

Study strategies are often overlooked in school, yet they are the tools students need to succeed. The authors have included many strategies to help kids stay organized, take tests, do research reports, take notes, and study. I would highly recommend this for middle and high school students.

As a high school English teacher I have always wanted to have a book I could give my students to learn study skills. Study Strategies Made Easy provides practical information and important study skills such as planning for long term reports, how to study for tests, note-taking, organization, and how to improve you memory. These strategies, and the others in this wonderful book, give students the edge they need to be successful.

Among the ten books I have read for this age group, this book is in the top group. It is oriented around learning styles, which may not be immediately understandable or useful to kids who are struggling (it often takes an adult to explain learning styles to a youngster and help the young person practice the understanding), but the sections on communication, reading comprehension, note-taking, homework, memorization, and test-taking were all very good.

One item which is missing from most books of this sort is the concept of "desire." A youngster has to want to improve in order to make gains.

If I were teaching a study skills class to early high schoolers, I probably would use this book. For middle schoolers, I would use Laurie Rozakis' Super Study Skills. For late high schoolers and early college-age students, I would use William Luckie's Study Power.

This book does a good job of describing study strategies. However, I think that the book, SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS: A+ STUDENTS DESCRIBE THEIR ACADEMIC STRATEGIES, by Kenneth Green (from Harvard) is a bit better (which I think deserves 5 stars).

If you have an old house, then you should own this book. Perhaps you don't want to tackle the problems of owning an old house yourself, but hire out instead. If that's true you should still read this book. You'll be more informed and know what the repairs might entail and what questions to ask your contractor. I use this book as a guide for my own repairs and its been invaluable. Simple, clear illustrations of what's inside the walls of an old home is very handy!

My review is based on information from others who have this book. They say it is well written and quite helpful. It is a Christmas gift for someone else and therefore I have not personally looked at it.

First things first.... This is not a fix-it book for the average homeowner. It is a renovation guide for older homes and covers everything from stone foundations to slate roofs and provides whole slew of major structural repair information. So if you are wanting to learn simple home repairs, like fixing a leaky faucet or quieting a squeaky floor you would do better to look elsewhere.

My first house was built in the 1890s and because I was very young and didn't know anything about how old houses were constructed, the construction behind those plaster walls, in the basement and attic looked shoddy to my uneducated eyes but it didn't matter to me, I was just grateful to be a home owner. My father told me this is how real craftsmen built homes during that era. He added: "Son, this house will be around and doing just fine LONG after you are gone!"

Even though I old that old house a long time ago, when I saw this book I knew I just had to have it. It takes a look behind the scenes of old houses and shows how they are broght back to their past glory no matter how much neglect they have suffered. Whether you currrently own an old house, previously owned an old house or just have an interest in construction methods of eras long ago, this book is perfect for your bookshelf!

Mr. Nash has written a wonderfully detailed and informative book that, I feel, is a must-own for anyone who owns or is looking to purchase an old house.

As someone who grew up in the building trade, I found my how-to construction and woodworking knowledge incomplete when my wife and I recently purchased our 1884 Victorian home. This book provided exactly the information I need to understand and recognize the challenges I will face when I perform the renovation. Since approximately 1950, homes have pretty much been built the same which is where my experience lies. But old houses were built in a different way, with different materials, and incorporated much different ornamentation and detail than modern homes. This book explains those differences and offers a myriad of excellent suggestion on how to bring old homes up to modern house standards.

Each owner of an old house has the same questions to answer, such as whether to repair or replace the original windows, whether to repair or replace the plaster walls, how to best increase insulation of the house without creating moisture issues, how to determine the state of the electrical and plumbing, etc. This book discusses each one of these issues, presenting the pros and cons of any decision in a way that is very informative and easily understood.

Though the author's experience and many of the examples given in this book seem to be based in the upper north-east regions, I found very little that was not applicable to my southern-Missouri residence. I may not have to worry much about frost heave on my cellar walls, but moisture is an issue where I will be taking many of Mr. Nash's recommendations to heart, especially his "Ground Roof" option which I have not encountered before.

All in all, this book will give those new to home renovation much needed information on how to recognize and deal with most all problems that will be encountered during a renovation, and will provide those who already have renovation knowledge additional concepts and tools to solve issues that are more prevalent to an old house.

This book is much like 'How to Keep Your Volkswagon Alive Forever', in the sense that yes, it is a how-to book. However, it is also a guide; not just to renovation/restoration but also to yourself: are you, like Nash, the die-hard romantic, the perpetually patient, are you - as Nash puts it- "..a peculiar kind of maniac who is one part ability, one part inventiveness, two parts determination, three parts romanticism, and six parts damn foolishness."?
If you just stood up, proudly, and yelled YES! with your fist high in the air (or at least in your mind, you did), or if you want to be, or know someone who is, or want to make sure the world is never bereft of these fine old houses (and full of soul-less tract homes and 'live-work' lofts), then do not hesitate one dang-gone second- buy this book. buy two, so when the first is covered in saw dust, concrete drips, laquer and stain; you (or others) can still go home and read Nash's superb writing.

My kids love this one. A few years back we went to Plymouth Plantatioon and they love comparing there trip to what they read in this book. Again another great way to really put kids there. So often history books neglect that fact young readers need to feel they can relate and imagine what kids felt during this time. This book does just that.

We are using the book Social Studies Through Children's Literature by Anthony D. Fredericks and he recommends this book for grades K-3rd. It was interesting and while we did know quite a lot of the information from previous studies we still learned a lot. It is all in question and answer format and not only about the Mayflower but also about life in one of the 1st colonies. I would recommend it for grades 2-4th.

I got "If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620" for our Thanksgiving unit based on several glowing recommendations. I was not disappointed. Both my 5 yo and I had a hard stopping once we got started. I learned things about the Pilgrims I'd never known. And, the content is fascinating for children. It covered such curious topics as Did they bathe on the Mayflower?, What did they eat?, How were people who broke the law punished?, What did children do? It was written to entertain anyone over the age of 4. It's a question/answer book and exceptionally well done.

"There were no bathrooms on the Mayflower ship.... You would wear the same clothes day after day, night after night, for sixty-six days and night"--from the book.

You'll also find answers to such questions as: Were the people on the ship friends? Would you have had any fun on the Mayflower? Did the Pilgrims have any medicine? Would YOU live in a log cabin?

This and more interesting information and stories await you (read other reviews). [Suitable for the intermediate grades and up.]

A Non-Workbook, Non-Textbook Approach to Teaching Language Arts: Grades 4 Through 8 and Up

I am a teacher who was looking for a book for my students to use when we study Thanksgiving. Without a doubt, this story is one of the best that we use. It is a great introduction to reading non-fiction, and it provides a wealth of information for students, parents, and teachers.

My students love the story. They can easily understand the Question-Answer format, and it is not overwhelming in its content. It's written in an 'easy reading' style that the students can understand. They are really interested in what the kids did during this time, especially what they did for fun.

I recommend this book to any student who wants to know more about the Pilgrims and their arrival to America. I also recommend this to any adult who is looking for a wonderful non-fiction book for their favorite child(ren).

I never wanted to 'get into' dancing or acting as a child, but this book makes the
world of a child theatrical performer (70 years ago) come alive. I read this so many times. It was just so entertaining. Great book!

"Ballet Shoes" is probably the most popular book in the "Shoes" series, but "Dancing Shoes" is also very good. It tells the story of two girls, Hilary and Rachel, who are training to become dancers on the stage. It is similar to "Ballet Shoes," but for anyone who enjoyed any of the other of the "Shoes" books it is worth reading.

I've been wanting these books for years now. I'm glad I finally got 2 of them. They came very fast and I love them. Thanks.

I received this book when I was about 8 years old. I took one look at it and thought, "I am NOT going to read this. It's a BABY book!" I never touched the book again until 3 years later, when I was 11 years old, and decided just to try out the book. OMG! Was I wrong! This was not a baby book! The story of Rachel and Hilary Lennox and their lovable (in a villainy way)conceited cousin, Dulcie Wintle, is a charming book that every one (and I mean EVERYONE) will love.

Rachel and Hilary come to live with their Aunt Cora, who runs a dancing (ballet, acrobatics, musical comedy, etc.) school, when their mother dies. Aunt Cora is set on making them both "little wonders" but Rachel finds that she disdains it, having no talent for those types of things. Hilary, however, finds that she loves it, and has a real talent for it, too! But Rachel doesn't want Hilary to be a "little wonder," let alone love it! Hilary was going to go to the Royal Ballet School of Dancing before their mother died, and Rachel is set on making her go after her mother's last words for her were to make sure Hilary went on with her dancing.
Misunderstandings will get in the way, as Hilary grows more and more with the "bad" type of dancing, becomes competition with Dulcie, and Rachel comes to find that dancing may not be her thing, but that doesn't mean that stage is not...

Dancing Shoes is a similar formula compared to Streatfeild's other books. After Rachel and Hilary's father dies, they are sent to live with their Aunt Cora, who owns a talent school and troupe. While Hilary is a very talented dancer, she wants nothing more than to have fun. Her sister, Rachel wants nothing to do with dancing, but she does want Hilary to go to the Royal Ballet School to study proper ballet, as her family and old dance teacher wished for, even though Hilary doesn't want to. So everyone, including their mean and selfish Aunt Cora, believe that Rachel is jealous of Hilary. Meanwhile, Aunt Cora's talented, and conceited, daughter now has competition with Hilary.

The book is full of the same charm as her others. While not as endearing as Ballet Shoes and Theater Shoes, maybe only due to the nastiness of Aunt Cora and how mean she is to Rachel, it is still a wonderful read. Any fans of Streatfeild's other books will surely love this book as well.

Although I am not finished with the book, I find the book so far informative and helpful with the class that I am taking. It is an easy-read, understandable and has information that you might already know mixed in with information and research not well-known.

Home-School Relations is an excellent user friendly textbook, both student friendly and instructor friendly. The text is easy to read and includes extensive current information regarding the various issues surrounding home-school partnerships. Each chapter includes several reflection exercises that are applicable for large groups, small groups, and/or individuals. At the end of each chapter, multiple resources can be found for the instructor and/or students. These include "Recommended Activities" (to extend learning), books, articles, videos, organizations, and websites. I highly recommend this textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses.