THE ROSE REVIEW: Books and Pubs

Diet/Recipe Book Focuses on Anti-Inflammation to Help Extend and Enhance Lives

2006-11-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Based on the article ''Available Now, First Diet and Recipe Book to Focus on Anti-Inflammation -- Naturopath's Delicious Recipes Will Help Save Lives'' at thebizofknowledge.com

Edited (with Introduction) by Dr. Don Rose

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A big buzzword in the medical/nutrition/healing communities today is inflammation. Recently, the connection between inflammation and disease has become established. Chronic inflammation within our bodies erodes our wellness, paves the path for ill health and speeds up aging. Hidden food allergies can overstimulate the immune system, causing inflammation; any inflammation in the body interferes with and slows down metabolism and our natural healing response. Unfortunately, imbalances in our standard diet cause most Americans to suffer from fairly high levels of inflammation. Older Americans are especially at risk; the effects of inflammation can manifest in seniors as heart disease, arthritis and other problems.

The good news is that disease caused by inflammation can often be controlled or prevented through proper nutrition. ''The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book'' gives readers specifics on how to eat and cook in order to prevent and counter inflammation, promoting simpler and easier digestion, and offering less insult to the body by reducing intake of toxins and other difficult to digest foods. --Don Rose

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Medical research shows that chronic inflammation in our bodies erodes wellness, makes us age faster, and leads to degenerative diseases. Hidden food allergies can over-stimulate the immune system, causing inflammation, which in turn slows down metabolism and our natural healing response. Unfortunately, due to imbalances in the standard American diet, most Americans suffer from fairly high levels of inflammation. As a result, many people develop chronic diseases that could be controlled or prevented through proper nutrition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seven out of ten deaths are caused by chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, all of which have a direct connection to inflammation and nutrition.

What can be done to ensure optimal health and healing? ''The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book,'' written by leading naturopathic doctor Jessica K. Black, N.D., helps readers reclaim health by guiding them to practices that facilitate cellular regeneration rather than cellular degeneration and disease. Dr. Black educates readers on making diet choices that promote easier digestion, reduce the intake of toxins, and allow greater absorption of nutrients. The result is improved cellular function and metabolism, and possibly greater vitality and beauty -- not to mention a longer life.

Appropriate for men and women of all ages (even children), Dr. Black's book offers specifics on what to eat and how to cook in order to counter and even prevent inflammation. While providing delicious food choices, the diet eliminates allergens and reduces the intake of pesticides, hormones and antibiotic residues. It encourages whole foods; reduces processed foods, sugars, and other potential toxins such as hydrogenated oils; and encourages ample intake of vegetables and fruits for essential nutrients. Changing one's diet, preparing healthy meals, and enjoying nutritious foods were never so easy.

''The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book,'' in bookstores nationwide, will help people learn to eat and cook healthily. The first half explains the benefits of healthy eating, and provides information about the scientific background of anti-inflammation diets. The second half contains 125 easy-to-prepare recipes, a week's sample menus for summer and winter, nutritional analysis for all recipes and a food substitution chart, so that readers can modify their favorite recipes and make them healthier.

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Book Title: ''The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies -- and More.''
Author: Jessica K. Black.
Category: Health & Fitness / Diets.
ISBN 0-89793-485-7 / Paperback $14.95.
About the Author: Jessica K. Black, N.D. co-founded and runs a primary care center called A Family Healing Center in McMinnville, Oregon with her husband, Jason Black, N.D. She specializes in women's medicine including menopause, as well as allergies, asthma, pediatrics, nutrition, detoxification, and herbal medicine.

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The information provided here is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while The Rose Review always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and use any resource links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions and making decisions.

The article on this website and the content it is based on are covered by a Creative Commons License. Please go to the Creative Commons License site for more information on the CC license that applies to this work.

Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and many other topics. In addition to serving as writer of The Rose Review, he is also Editor In Chief of The LA Report.

Article Sponsor: Life Alert -- for more information on its emergency response services and other benefits for seniors nationwide, please visit these websites:
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REACHING FOR RICH? GET THE NEW BOOK: "HOW TO GET A RICH MAN" by Donna Spangler

2006-02-03T02:30:00.000-08:00

"HOW TO GET A RICH MAN: The Princess Formula" By Donna Spangler is in Book Stores Now; CELEBRITY VIP BOOK SIGNING PARTY Takes Place in L.A. The Week Before Valentine's Day

(LMS): Donna Spangler has finally gone and done it! Write the ultimate field guide about getting a rich man, that is... and the book is very rich itself in its feel (softcover) and contemporary design . Think Beverly Hills pink and palm green; those are the cover colors, which also happen to be the unofficial colors of Beverly Hills.

"How To Get a Rich Man: The Princess Formula" (Boonie Publishing 184 pgs. $12.95) -- http://www.theprincessformula.com -- is an eye-opener of information for women of all kinds looking for the man who meets higher expectations (both financially and, according to Spangler, those men "rich in spirit"). Advance publicity tells TRR that Ms. Spangler has penned much more than a gold digger's guide to finding rich men, but rather a rule book and diary of the experiences of the author's years of dating, and the relationships of one of Beverly Hills' most attractive and successful young women. Since yours truly was once a participant in one of Donna's Internet ventures (an Internet-distributed soap opera), I know she is perfectly suited to write this book; her charm, poise and beauty would certainly make her an ideal catch for many a rich man.

Of course, one may wonder: would men be interested in reading this book? Read on:

"Not knowing what to expect, a number of us who are men in this office wound up taking it home for a tease for our girlfriends and wives. Curiosity got the best of some of us and now we can't stop refering to it. It's fascinating how the book exposes rich men's habits, techniques, desires, attributes and liabilities and it's all packaged into a rewarding pure fun handbook" ----Brian Cowan, LMS Newswire

Other quotes of note:

* " If you want to learn How To Get A Rich Man (yes, that is the title of Donna Spangler's new tome)...Donna says that regardless of your age or what you look like, she can help you attain your goal.", Marci Weiner, Entertainment Today and Movieweb.com

* " How to get a rich man - doesn't every single woman want to know that? Well now you may not have to wonder anymore because Donna Spangler (lives with a rich boyfriend in Beverly Hills) gives you all the answers in her new book......", Anita Talbert - Fox News Channel, Tolucan Times, Canyon Crier, Beverly Hills 90210

* " IF a guy isn't rich in spirit it doesn't matter how much money he has." Donna Spangler

Many celebrities and VIPs are expected to attend the book signing party this coming week in Los Angeles, where a portion of the proceeds from book sales will benefit the Jeffrey Foundation (http://www.thejeffreyfoundation.com), providing child care and counseling for special needs children and their families. Sponsors for the evening include Journal de Hollywood, Fashion TV, LMS Newswire, Boonie Publishing, KNSB TV, and KMAX 550AM Radio. For Media inquiries, please contact: Edward Lozzi & Associates Public Relations, at 310-922-1200.

BOOKS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY

2006-01-09T03:52:00.000-08:00

To help you plan ahead (for once!) for Valentine's Day, here are some literary love letters (that is, letters chained together into words which were then chained together further into books):

Love Letters (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets) by Peter Washington
$10.00 Used & New from: $3.03

The Story of Valentine's Day (Trophy Picture Books (Paperback)) by Clyde Robert Bulla
$5.99 Used & New from: $0.97

Tussie-Mussies: The Language of Flowers by Geraldine Adamich Laufer
$10.85 Used & New from: $7.40

The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths by Marina Heilmeyer
$18.87 Used & New from: $14.99

Valentine School Parties: What Do I Do? (What Do I Do...) by Wilhelminia Ripple
$13.57 Used & New from: $13.14

Valentine's Day: Candy, Love, and Hearts (Finding Out About Holidays) by Elaine Landau
$23.93 Used & New from: $17.95

Hearts, Cupids, and Red Roses: The Story of the Valentine Symbols by Edna Barth
$7.95 Used & New from: $0.11

All of these books are available here.

BORDERS DEAL, POST-XMAS: BUY 1 BOOK, HALF OFF 2nd

2005-12-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

Deal available to subscribers on their Borders mailing list (deals and info every week -- discounts, news, etc); free to sign up. However, Borders usually has the same coupons available at their stores as well, and online if you search around.

A 2005 PICK? YOU BRET YOUR LIFE: TWOBRETS.COM AND EASTON ELLIS's BOOK

2005-12-20T01:39:00.000-08:00

" TwoBrets.com is based on LUNAR PARK, the forthcoming novel by Bret Easton Ellis, in which the main character is Bret Easton Ellis. The book is a mixture of autobiography and whole-cloth invention, and so are the pages you'll click through here."

The preceding quote was from the homepage of the hip, cool, enticing TwoBrets.com website. This book had one of the more interesting online marketing campaigns of 2005. They even created a writing game to help promote LUNAR PARK (which debuted August 16, 2005), and other stuff to play with.

GOT POD? "POCKET AND PENDANT" PODIOBOOK NOW AVAILABLE AS FREE NET DOWNLOAD

2005-04-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

Free Internet Podcast of SciFi/Fantasy Audiobook "The Pocket and the Pendant" by Mark Jeffrey Gets Underway; Author of acclaimed book releases a free fully-produced MP3 audiobook performance online to promote book sales.

(PRWEB) -- Ever wish you could get a new chapter of your favorite audiobook delivered directly to your iPod or MP3 player every week, for free? Now author Mark Jeffrey, together with popular scifi/fantasy website DragonPage.com, has gone and made that possible with his novel, The Pocket and the Pendant. The book is read by the author accompanied by soundtrack music by composer Bjorn Lynne ( http://www.lynnemusic.com/ ).

"There really aren"t a lot of free MP3 audiobooks out there," said Jeffrey, "which really surprises me. It"s a great way to promote paperback and hardback novels, as well as give your existing audience a new way to experience the book." Asked if he thought he was cannibalizing sales, Jeffrey said, "Absolutely not. We"re already seeing thousands of downloads each week, and new listeners are emailing me that they are purchasing paperback copies on Amazon as a direct result of listening to the podcasts."

DragonPage.com is currently featuring three free podcast audiobooks, or "podiobooks": "Morevi" by Tee Morris, "Earthcore" by Scott Sigler and "The Pocket and the Pendant" by Mark Jeffrey. New episodes for each – usually a chapter or two – are released each week. Subscribers use popular "podcatchers" such as iPodder or other applications to get the new audio content delivered to them automatically. "Podcasting is an amazing thing," Jeffrey said, "It"s like TiVo for audio."

So far, five chapters of "Pocket" have been released, with nine more to go. The free podcast is available from DragonPage.com ( http://www.dragonpage.com/ ), PodcastAlley.com ( http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_detail.php?pod_id=2940 ) and the book"s website at www.PocketandPendant.com .

About the Book:

ForeWord Magazine 'Book of the Year' 2005 Finalist.

From the Kirkus review:

"A sci-fi adventure steeped in the lore of an ancient civilization that will appeal to children and adults alike...driven -- and driven well -- by good old-fashioned sci-fi storytelling … "Max Quick's life drastically changes after time suddenly stops. The young man of 12 -- harassed by bullies, living as an orphan in a violent home for boys and about to be thown into juvenile hall – is mysteriously immune to this chrono-freeze. He soon discovers other children who are impervious as well -- namely, Casey Cole and Ian Keating -- and the three find themselves embarking on a thrilling quest ... Heavily inspired by the folklore of the Sumer civilization of ancient Mesopotamia, the narrative shines brightest in the chapters that focus on the re-telling of this fascinating history. Jeffrey skillfully infuses the story with authentic historical context, and then thrusts this narrative into the future by introducing aliens, time travel and massive gems with the power to stop time and minds -- and difficult task indeed, but one that he successfully accomplishes."

Amazon.com review highlights:

"...few people have jammed as much imagination in a 212-page book as Mark Jeffrey has in "The Pocket and the Pendant." "Mind-boggling creativity … frankly, the concepts often left me speechless … The invented mythology that fuels the plot of this book … was absolute genius." "A Masterful Job … Even adults will be fascinated by the theories in this tale. Author Mark Jeffrey has done a masterful job of blending facts and theories together smoothly for an amazing story that readers will find utterly delightful." "A powerful thrilling read that brings you back and forth through scientific theory, childhood, and the meaning of the universe."

Purchasing Information:

"The Pocket and the Pendant" is available from Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and from the book"s website at http://www.pocketandpendant.com/ in two formats: a high quality paperback edition retailing for $13.95 and a downloadable e-book edition for $5.00.

"The Pocket and The Pendant" by Mark Jeffrey – ISBN 1-4116-1323-6

About the Author

Mark Jeffrey has spent most of his life an entrepreneur, "The Pocket and the Pendant" released in fall, 2004 is his first novel. Jeffrey has co-founded three online media companies, the most recent of which was sold to Barry Diller"s IAC in 2004. His first project, The Palace was backed by Time Warner and attracted an audience of more than 10 million users and was selected as one of "The Best of 1996" by Entertainment Weekly. Mark has been named as one of Hollywood"s "50 Creatives to Watch" by Variety magazine. Mark loves riding his Harley, working out at the gym and writing about cool things. Although he grew up in the northern wildwoods of New Hampshire, he successfully escaped The Land of Ice and the Snow, and now lives near the beach in sunny, Santa Monica.

# # #

Mark Jeffrey 310-404-3645

NEW PC GUIDE TO SAVE YOUR HIDE: Paraglyph Press Book, "Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders"

2005-03-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

Book Shows Readers How to Quickly Handle Unexpected Computer Catastrophes

Paraglyph Press recently published a most intriguing survival guide, designed to help PC users expertly deal with the unthinkable. "Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders" (U.S. $29.99, 416 pp, ISBN 1-932111-98-0), authored by PC experts Jesse Torres and Peter Sideris, is much more than a backup and recovery book. The content between its covers covers the real "digital lifestyle problems" that most computer users will face sooner or later -- from the horrific to the embarrassing, as well as the truly stupid accidents and mistakes. For a PC that is smashed, hacked, stolen, in flames, virus-laden, or just plain slow and unreliable, this book covers it all by giving the reader triage advice and tips to prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

With over 150 million new PCs being sold every year, according to IDC, and
laptops, PDAs, and other handheld devices taking over in most households
today, mishaps and accidents are occurring at an alarming rate. Just think
about how devastating a situation like dropping your laptop, having a hard
drive crash, or having your PDA stolen can be (especially if you are not
prepared for such a disaster). Today, PC users are so hooked on their
devices that any kind of disaster or mishap can really set them back. When
a PC or portable electronic device breaks, security is breached, data is
lost or compromised, or a device is lost or stolen, the first reaction is
panic. But with the expert advice in "Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and
Blunders," readers can learn how to protect themselves to minimize the
chance of a problem escalating. Or if a catastrophe hits, readers can
learn how to recover from one in the shortest amount of time. "Surviving
PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders" provides valuable insight on
preventative measures that can help avoid a complicated or expensive cure.
In addition to being a lifesaver, it is a great read, too!

"Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders" is jam-packed with
eye-opening horror stories that will truly inspire (or really scare)
readers to be more cautious. Each chapter shows the reader how to deal
with disasters, mishaps, and blunders that can occur in areas such as
hardware, software, viruses, travel, Internet fraud, identity theft,
networks, and much more. Scenarios are presented with practical, hands-on
solutions designed to help readers solve wicked problems quickly.

Some of the disasters, mishaps, and blunders covered include:

-What to do if your PC or other device, such as a PDA, is stolen
-What to do if your PC won't boot
-What to do if your PC catches on fire
-What to do if you spill soda on your keyboard
-What to do if your network crashes
-What to do if you can't get an Internet connection while traveling
-What to do if your important data is stolen and you suffer as a result of identity theft
-What to do if you are ripped off because of Internet fraud
-What to do if you send embarrassing emails to the wrong people and your job is threatened
-What to do if someone is pestering you by sending you annoying instant messages
-What to do if you are having problems with your power adapter
-What to do if you have a bad crash and you need to quickly restore critical data
-What to do if you are caught pirating software or music (and no, paying a big fine or going to jail is not the smart outcome)

Co-author Jesse Torres says, "As an IT consultant, I see wicked PC
disasters every day. Sadly, most of these crises could be avoided with
just a little planning. My intention in writing this book was to help arm
everyone with common-sense advice on protecting their PCs and other
devices, and learning how to recover from those unexpected catastrophes
that always seem to happen at the worst possible time." Co-author Peter
Sideris adds, "I'm always amazed at how vulnerable most computer users are
to identity theft, theft of their laptops, or completely avoidable
blunders, such as letting their kids play in their office around all their
cables and wires. That's just an accident waiting to happen. This book
is a must-have for anyone who is worried that they're not ready for a
computer disaster -- or someone who runs a computing environment and needs
to prepare for the worst."

Keith Weiskamp, President and Publisher of Paraglyph, says, "After having
a PC crash recently, the first thing I did was grab a copy of "Surviving
PC Disasters," and it saved my butt. Reading the horror stories in this
book made me feel lucky my mishap was solvable, and made me really think
twice about how I use my PC, the Internet, and all of the other gadgets I
can't live without. Anyone with a PC or handheld device needs to read
this book to become aware of the very real threats of loss, theft, or
other mishaps. "Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders" can save
readers a ton of money and a lot of lost time."

About the Authors

Jesse M. Torres is an IT consultant specializing in enterprise management
and administration, with over a decade of work experience in the
government, corporate, and private sectors. He has extensive knowledge of
process analysis and automation. Jesse is an MCSE and has written articles
for "Win 32 Scripting Journal." He is the author of "Windows Admin
Scripting Little Black Book, 2nd Edition," published by Paraglyph Press.

Peter Sideris started his career as a field technician and quickly became
an IT department manager with Prudential CT Realty, managing the helpdesk,
creating network documentation, providing technology needs assessment, and
troubleshooting. He is currently works as a Systems Engineer for General
Technology Group, Inc. in Meriden, Connecticut, specializing in security,
disaster recovery and planning and client needs assessment. Peter has
numerous technology certifications, including A+, MCSE, MCDBA, and MCAD.

About Paraglyph Press

Paraglyph Press, founded in 2002, is now celebrating its third year of
record growth. Founded by highly successful publishing entrepreneurs
Keith Weiskamp and Jeff Duntemann, along with publishing executives Steven
Sayre and Cynthia Caldwell, Paraglyph publishes unique "must have" titles
that help readers do more with the tools they have. Paraglyph launched
the Degunking Series in early 2004, and since then the series has rapidly
grown to cover a number of topics and has established itself as a leading
brand around the world. Some of Paraglyph's recent best-selling titles
include "Degunkinh Windows," "Degunking Your Mac," "Degunking Your Email,"
"Degunking eBay," "Game Coding Complete," "Jeff Duntemann's Wi-Fi Guide,"
and "Looking Good in Print." For more information about Paraglyph Press,
visit www.paraglyphpress.com.

Paraglyph Press is distributed by O'Reilly Media, Inc. in the U.S. and
Canada. For order information, please contact:
O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol CA 95472
Phone: 800-294-4747
Fax: 800-997-9901
E-mail: order@oreilly.com
Website: www.oreilly.com
For distribution in other regions of the world, or for information on
foreign rights and translation, visit the Paraglyph Press web site
at www.paraglyphpress.com and click on the "Booksellers" link.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Theft and Loss
Chapter 2: Hardware Disasters and Mishaps
Chapter 3: Software Disasters and Mishaps
Chapter 4: Network Disasters and Mishaps
Chapter 5: Wireless Networking
Chapter 6: Internet Fraud
Chapter 7: Spam
Chapter 8: Surviving Viruses
Chapter 9: Junkware: Malware, Adware, and Spyware
Chapter 10: Email and Other Internet Hazards
Chapter 11: Travel Mishaps and Disasters
Chapter 12: Power Adapters and Batteries
Chapter 13: Backup and Recovery
Chapter 14: Digital Lifestyle Hazards
Chapter 15: Piracy

NEW HARRY POTTER BOOK COVER REVEALED

2005-03-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

If you can't stand the wait and are really into book covers, or Harry, here ya go... (and remember: if you reserve a copy in advance at Borders, you get 40 percent off...)

HOLY SCROLL!: KEROUAC ORIGINAL WORK GOES "ON THE ROAD"

2005-03-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

<<Click for closeup

The long scroll of attached pages on which Jack Kerouac wrote his groundbreaking novel On The Road is touring the country he wrote so vibrantly about. For a list of Road tour dates, see the official Jack Kerouac site: www.cmgworldwide.com/historic/kerouac . Upcoming dates:

March 24 to May 15	Las Vegas Public Library
2006
January 14 to March 19	San Francisco Public Library

Even if you can't be there in person, you can, via the wonders of the web, still see the scroll, up close and personal. Can there be any doubt that, if he were a youth today, Jack would be a blogger, blogging holy words of jazzical joy from the Road?

It has been noted that, when unfurled, the scroll resembles the white line that adorns many a long road in this great nation. When will someone take the next leap and dedicate a road to Jack, by actually putting the entire text of "On The Road" on the road?

MIND HACKS, another great book from O'Reilly

2005-01-30T13:20:00.000-08:00

O'Reilly's fine series of "... Hacks" books just got brainy.

MIND HACKS is an exploration into the moment-by-moment workings of the brain, using cognitive neuroscience to present experiments, tricks, and tips related to vision, motor skills, attention, cognition, subliminal perception. Each "hack" examines specific operations of the brain. By seeing how the brain responds, you'll learn more about how our greatest organ is put together. If you want to find out what's going on in your head, then Mind Hacks is the key. (And if you always wanted to find out why you can't tickle yourself, you'll learn that too.)

For more info, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/mindhk s

JUN 3-5: BIG APPLE, BOOK EXPO! BEA IN NYC

2005-01-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

June 3-5: NEW YORK

Book Expo America. Javitts Center, New York City.

This is the big one, folks. The biggest expo and conference about books and publishing I have ever seen. The best annual book show in the USA, don't miss it.

But then again, who has time to read?

See http://www.bookexpoamerica.com

ON TODAY'S SLATE: MOVE TO WASHINGTON POST

2004-12-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

Eight years old, now being sold.

Started by Microsoft at the dawn of the consumerization of the net, the online magazine SLATE is being bought by the Washington Post.

Will things change? Probably not. Slate will retain editorial independence and unique identity.

For more details: www.slate.com

Reported today on DAY TO DAY , the great daily NPR news magazine (which just happens to utilize many folks from Slate's fine creative team).

APR 22-24, 2005: FEST OF BOOKS and BOOK PRIZES at UCLA

2004-12-21T13:10:00.001-08:00

The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books takes place Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 24, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., on UCLA’s campus. The event celebrates and animates the written word through panel discussions, poetry readings, cooking demonstrations, book signings and music. The Festival affords book lovers the chance to meet best-selling authors, publishers and other literary figures. The hundreds of exhibitor booths, stage events and popular children’s characters keep it entertaining for all ages.

General event info on the Festival is at http://www.latimes.com/events or 1-800-LA TIMES, ext. 7BOOK. Admission is free, but tickets are required to attend author-panel discussions and lectures because of limited seating. Free tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster locations in Southern California starting Sunday, April 17, at noon until Thursday, April 21, at 5 p.m., or until all tickets have been distributed. A limited number of tickets will also be available on-site.

The annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes is set for Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m., in UCLA’s Royce Hall. Tickets are required and go on sale Feb. 28 at UCLA’s Central Ticket Office. The Book Prizes recognize outstanding literary achievements in biography, current interest, history, poetry, science and technology, fiction, first fiction, mystery/thriller, and young adult fiction. More info: www.latimes.com/bookprizes

NEWER HOTTER POTTER? FIND OUT JULY 2005

2004-12-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Associated Press reports that the sixth Harry Potter Book is coming in July. Will it be as hot as the weather will be?

All squeal for sequels! Look out for more late night bookstore parties, because the sixth novel in J.K. Rowling's seven-tome series will go on sale 12:01 a.m. on July 16 in the United States, Britain and four other countries, according to the publishers.

STEAL (I MEAN BUY) "STEAL THIS FILE SHARING BOOK" (Book Review)

2004-12-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying this book. Author Wallace Wang talks about many types of file sharing -- not just music and movies (all over the media the past few years), but documents of many types and stripes. The book talks about the illegal ways all this is being done, as well as the LEGAL alternatives. It tackles file sharing networks such as Kazaa, Morpheus, and Usenet, and explains how these networks work and how to use them. It exposes the dangers of using file sharing networks - including viruses, spyware, and lawsuits - and tells how to avoid them.

In addition to covering how people use file sharing networks to share everything from music and video files to books and pornography, "Steal This File Sharing Book" also reveals how people use them to share secrets and censored information banned by their governments. Also covered: the ongoing battle between the software, video, and music pirates and the industries that are trying to stop them.

I especially enjoyed the book's little touches; for example, you can read the letter Bill Gates wrote back in the 70's imploring fellow computer hobbyists to stop stealing his software (I guess some things never change!).

Sure, Abbie Hoffman may have written the original "Steal This Book", but Mr. Wang has turned that title into a profitable franchise (ironic, perhaps) -- with his "Steal This Computer Book", its sequels, and now this new tome. If you want to "steal" a chapter, click here (but, shhhh, don't tell anyone....).

"Steal This File Sharing Book: What They Won't Tell You About File Sharing", by Wallace Wang. Publisher: No Starch Press, November 2004, 296 pp. $19.95 ; ISBN 1-59327-050-X

"SHHH! NO TALKING IN THE GOOGLIBRARY!" OODLES OF ONLINE BOOKS TO BE GOOGLE-ABLE SOON

2004-12-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

NPR/KCRW radio show "To The Point" -- and the Wall Street Journal -- report that Web-search giant Google is archiving books from several major universities. The goal: let readers worldwide access works of world-class libraries (e.g., Oxford), right on the Web. The plan: scan 1-1.5 million works. Yes, MILLION. Expected time needed: around two to three years. (Perhaps we can look for jobs like "Copier Drone" on Monster.com sometime soon).

If the scan goes according to plan, Google-able items from Oxford would range from papyrus (the first pulp fiction?), and works from Christ's age, up through 21st century books. The planned first step is to scan 19th century texts. Works the Oxford folks are most excited to get online include a manuscript of the novel "Frankenstein", Handel's "Messiah" score, and more.

So, if you always hated the time and dust involved in going deep into the stacks at a great library -- or for some reason you never took a liking to the Dewey Decimal System -- this googlibrary project should be a godsend (or is it Goodsend?).

Note that, while the ambition/size/scope of Google's project to netify a vast virtual Uni-library is impressive, online-braries do already exist; classic books are available for free on many sites (such as Project Gutenberg -- info at http://promo.net/pg/ ). However, when Google steps into an arena, there is a good chance they will do something bigger and/or better than what has come before, so keep an eye on the ongoing scan-plans of the net's 800-pound Goorilla.

(Speaking of 800-pound gorillas, Microsoft has been making a very big push into Google territory lately, with a new and improved MSN Search, and a new desktop-search toolbar meant to directly compete with Google's desktop search product. As mergers seem to be increasing in the biz world lately, I can't help wondering if Microsoft and Google will ever combine forces -- imagine what a 1600-pound MEGArilla could do! Sure, a few antitrust concerns might flare up, and it's hard to tell who would eat who -- but rest assured, if a Migoosoft ever DOES come to pass, TRR will let you know.)

Final note: Just as mighty Microsoft has a large R&D lab, Google has Google Labs -- which has already taken steps to make Google more Uni-library-like with its new (still in Beta) service, "GOOGLE SCHOLAR". Their website describes it this way:

"Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web. Just as with Google Web Search, Google Scholar orders your search results by how relevant they are to your query, so the most useful references should appear at the top of the page. This relevance ranking takes into account the full text of each article as well as the article's author, the publication in which the article appeared and how often it has been cited in scholarly literature. Google Scholar also automatically analyzes and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even if the documents they refer to are not online. This means your search results may include citations of older works and seminal articles that appear only in books or other offline publications."

AUTHOR PREDICTS DEMISE OF TRADITIONAL BOOK PUB MODEL

2004-11-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

Recently, on the excellent "Connected" mailing list (connected@kenradio.com), a Book Publishing conversation has blossomed; one participant wrote:

"Once a widely-available and practical device is created that will allow
the user to download text to a portable, flexible screen, then the
publishing industry will change radically and quickly."

Mark Jeffrey's response then caught my eye:

"I totally disagree with this. I think the main key innovation is the widespread, low-cost print-on-demand of *paper* books. Nobody wants to read a novel on a screen. And paper doesn't crash or get viruses.

I was able to publish a novel using lulu.com -- and it cost me absolutely nothing upfront. They make money when I make money -- 20% royalty goes to them, 80% to me. Period.

I think traditional publishers are in for a world of hurt in the next few years -- I think we'll have some Stephen King-level bestsellers break out in the POD category. That hasn't happened yet ... But when it does, Knopf, Penguin and the rest are going start quaking."

Mark Jeffrey is the author of "The Pocket and the Pendant", soon to be reviewed here at TRR. To learn more about the book, please go to http://www.pocketandpendant.com

"TINY TIM AND MR. PLYM: Life As We Knew It" (Book Review)

2004-11-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

Tiny Tim: ukelele player and singer. Pop performer who "Tip Toed" and falsettoed his way to become a household name in the sixties. Friend of the Beatles (he hung out with the Fab Four, and quite an exclusive club that was; I recall hearing a tape of Tiny singing "Nowhere Man" for George Harrison, a fellow uke enthusiast). One of the most recognizable faces and names in the world, in his day and beyond.

Everyone then knew who Tiny Tim was, but no one could figure him out... until now.

In this book, Stephen M. Plym, Tiny Tim’s friend, confidant, and manager -- the one person Tiny trusted to tell his story -- shares 25 years of the performer's life: a world more touching, bizarre, hysterical, and fun than anything dreamed up by a sitcom writer (except maybe "My Mother The Car"). This brand-new memoir is a captivating first-hand, insider’s look at TT’s incredible life. Perhaps you were one of the millions of viewers who broke Nielsen records as they watched Tiny marry “Miss Vicki” live on Johnny Carson’s "The Tonight Show" in 1969. Or maybe you watched Tiny skyrocket to fame on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”; if so, you will especially enjoy Laugh-In kingpin George Schlatter's five page foreword to this book -- and cool pix, like Tiny (with Dick Martin) wearing an item I wish I could find: a loud Laugh-In suit and tie featuring all the Laugh-In stars' faces! Sock it to me!

Within “Tiny Tim and Mr. Plym” you'll discover the real Tiny Tim. Experience the funny, outrageous episodes and situations that made up his life. If you are a Tiny Tim fan and always wanted his secrets revealed, or want to learn what all the fuss was about back in the day, here is your chance to find out -- because Mr. Plym, the one man Tiny trusted, had a mission to "tell the whole truth and hold nothing back." Although the man is gone (Tiny died in 1996 -- amazingly, while singing his single 1968 hit, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"), the childlike music and memories live on, and you can relive the magic through this book.

"TINY TIM AND MR. PLYM: Life As We Knew It" by Vivien Kooper and Stephen M. Plym (Foreword by George Schlatter). Makes a fine gift for the ukelele/falsetto/LaughIn/60's/popculture fan in your life. And if you finish the book wanting more, you're in luck; proving that Tiny is still very Big, he has now entered the brave new world of cellphone RINGTONES! One ringy-dingy... two ringy-dingy...

"Small Websites, Great Results" Discusses New Ways to Design Successful Sites

2004-11-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Paraglyph Press announces the publication of a unique and insightful book that shows readers, step by step, how to build smaller but more effective websites: "Small Websites, Great Results" (U.S. $29.99, 352 pp, ISBN 1-932111-90-5). Authored by web design expert Doug Addison, this book captures the latest thinking in website design--that smaller is better, and that complex and bloated websites are a thing of the past because they waste precious time and resources and are often ineffective. This book is especially written for anyone who has put off creating a website because they feel websites are too costly or require too many resources to build and support. The book is also designed for web designers and other professionals who are actively involved in website design.