Citadel on the Mountain A Memoir of Father and Son

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Citadel on the Mountain A Memoir of Father and Son
Richard Wertime
Manufacturer: FSG
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZS676

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Thank you for telling your story ...

The eveil that men do

Daddy Dearest . . .

it'll make a better novel

An admirable story

Citadel on the Mountain: A Memoir of Father and Son
Richard Wertime
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000H2MR98

Book Description

A warped dream, an overbearing father, and his son

A handsome, brilliant man, the author's father-irascible, strong-willed, a compulsive womanizer-stands at the center of this strangely compelling story.
In the mid-1970s, after a life in government service, which was shadowy in its depths, Ted Wertime built a fortress-like house on a mountaintop in south-central Pennsylvania. He had forged for himself a secondary career as a highly respected historian of ancient science and technology, and was convinced that it was his fate to lead a sweeping revolution that would cleanse the United States of energy abuse, political corruption, and an odd assortment of social ills. His "citadel" would serve as his revolutionary headquarters. He, his wife, and Joan, the last and most troubled of his succession of mistresses, lived in the house together in a bizarre ménage à trois. His dream was to recruit his four sons to take part in his cause.

The author, Richard Wertime, is the second-oldest son. Citadel on the Mountain is the story of his struggle to escape from a domineering and, at times, hypnotizing father who sought to control the sexual and professional lives of his offspring.

Customer Reviews:

Thank you for telling your story ..........2004-05-27

As a former student of the author, it's a treat to turn the tables and 'grade' him. I read this book over a year ago; and I am just getting around to leaving my review. (Maybe for fear that it would be critiqued!) It's a very interesting situation to be in when you're reading a book that is written by someone you know; couple that with the fact that it is a personal memoir of his life experience. It is a fascinating read, though sometimes disturbing in content. But it is a poignant look into a father/son relationship that was, to say the least, not healthy. But it also reaffirms that strong connection a son has to his father. I thank Dr. Wertime for making his story public and applaud his candor. Grade 'A' ...

The eveil that men do.......2001-04-12

I knew and worked with this bizarre and at times scarey man. It would be impossible for one man, even his son, to know everything about him, how dark, sometimes insane, his obscure habits and character were. Not a plreasant read; not a pleasant subject. But fully worthy of exposure. Unfortunately not a unique type of government "servant."

Daddy Dearest . . ........2001-01-13

Life with Father. Life with Weird Father. A compelling tale of twisted love and affection, minimg all the psychological currents that enter into one's relationship with one's father. This tale is like a car wreck on the highway -- you're repulsed but simultaneously fascinated by what you see. However bizarre Wertime's Dad was -- a twisted genius -- there is at the end something poignant and touching about his relationship. A worthy read!

it'll make a better novel.......2000-10-09

"In the future everyone will write a memoir for 15 minutes. And many of them will get published, because reader passion for personal nonfiction (as well as an urge to share on the part of anyone who has ever been abused, gotten drunk, felt ugly, or gone crazy) has only intensified in our Oprahfied culture of empowering public confession. Everyone's story is interesting to someone, of course, but at this point in the literary onslaught, I've gotten tough on what it takes to hold my interest : A memoir is worth finishing only if (1) the life lived is so extraordinary that the ordinariness of the writing is of little importance, or (2) the writing is so extraordinary that the ordinariness of the life is of little importance. In fact, ordinariness transformed into art becomes the whole point of the Cinderella endeavor." -Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly (reviewing Mary Karr's memoir : Cherry)

Little remarked in the current memoir craze is the fact that an entire generation of writers is wasting the material that authors have traditionally mined for their first novels, their own life experiences. Instead of taking advantage of the personally and stylistically liberating form and techniques which fiction offers, they are inundating us with half-baked recollections of the very specific circumstances of their own lives. Half-baked because real life does not provide the kind of closure and narrative structure that fiction does, nor does non-fiction allow the authors to really plumb the psychological depths of those who people their stories. Instead, they give us stories where they share all too much about themselves, but the folks they interact with, most often parents, are little more than cardboard cutouts. This is a limitation imposed by the form they have chosen. After all, at the point where they start speculating about the motivations, feelings and thoughts of others they are no longer writing non-fiction but have instead veered into the field of supposition, of fiction. this presents a series of problems : first, that what is presented as factual often smacks of the fictional; second, that characters other than the author tend to appear so opaque as to defy our understanding; and, finally, that the authors miss out on a real opportunity to try to understand the people who influenced their lives. Where fiction would force them to see the story through the eyes of the other characters, memoir restricts them to their personal, and obviously incomplete, perspective. The books that memoirists produce, with rare exceptions, serve neither the author nor the reader well.

All of these weaknesses are on display in Richard Wertime's memoir, Citadel on the Mountain. The central figure in the book is his father Ted Wertime, a domineering, violent, atavistic man who held his family in some kind of mysterious thrall. A former member of the OSS during WWII, the father may or may not have subsequently been a CIA operative, but at any rate he did serve in posts in Iran, the Far East and elsewhere which seem to suggest that he remained in the clandestine intelligence field. Whatever his secret duties entailed, he did become an expert on early technologies, specifically on ancient metallurgy, and eventually went to work at the Smithsonian and published several long essays in the Washington Post in the mid-70's.

The book offers little information about how the entire process occurred, perhaps because the author does not know himself, but Ted Wertime gradually became a kind of monstrous combination of John Brown and the Unabomber. He physically controlled and psychologically manipulated his family, to the point of choosing sexual partners for his sons and forcing his wife to accept his mistress as a part of the household. He retreated to a fortress-like home on a mountaintop in Pennsylvania, to which he browbeat his sons into returning again and again. There he awaited his own weird version of the apocalypse, an end of days which he envisioned being brought on by man's overreliance on technology and by the resulting environmental degradation.

You can see from that bare outline that there's the basis for an interesting story here. Ted Wertime was the kind of dangerous fanatic with whom we've become all too familiar, a David Koresh of the radical environmental set. The reader would like to know how he got that way, what made him tick, and, most importantly, why his family allowed him to get away with his repellent social behavior. Unfortunately, that's not what the book gives us. There is never a moment where you can comprehend why Richard Wertime loved his father, let alone tolerated the way he treated his mother. In the final pages he makes a seeming attempt to justify his father; and what does he offer : "How hard he'd worked to become a scholar!;" his love of music, sports and the outdoors; and his talent for reading aloud to his sons and neighborhood kids. That's an awfully meager set of positives to try to balance out the genuinely disturbing set of character traits he's depicted previously. As he concludes the book, it is clear that he loved, still loves, his father, but I have no idea why. At a minimum, the book should have explained that one basic thing.

If Richard Wertime ever takes this raw material and turn it into a novel, I'll be interested to see what he comes up with. As for this memoir, it fails to pass Lisa Schwarzbaum's test, and mine.

GRADE : C-

An admirable story.......2000-10-02

This autobiography is part frightening, part awe inspiring and part shocking as it dives into the generation war between the "greatest generation" having fought in WW II and the Cold War, and their seemingly soft children. Ted Wertime was a Renaissance man having succeeded in music, espionage, diplomacy, and history. However, he also was an abusive spouse and father with his crowning achievement in his mind being the Citadel on top of the Southern Pennsylvania Allegheny Mountains. Ted tried to mold his children into his macho view of the world, which he expected to end soon.

Although he exposes himself, his siblings, and his parents to the world via this book, Richard Wertime has not written a papa dearest. Instead, this combination autobiography-biography paints a picture of a brilliant, but disturbed father passing dysfunctional relationships onto at least his second son, who copycats him. Surprisingly, this book does not seem as if it provides closure to the author who failed to attain that when his father rejected the touchy-feely notion even when Ted lay dying. Instead, it is a combination healing experience for the disturbed author and a reminder to the audience that parents have more than an obligation to their children, who need lots of love.

Harriet Klausner

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Citadel on the Mountain A Memoir of Father and Son
Richard Wertime
Manufacturer: FSG
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TD5HJM

Average customer rating:
Citadel on the Mountain: a Memoir of Father and Son
Richard Wertime
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7C06C

Book Description

Robbie Williams tells her story of growing up a young lady of the South and marrying a much older Augusta attorney. Not content to be a golf widow whose function was to look pretty at social events, Williams took lessons on the sly and became a crack golfer able to beat many of the men in Augusta. She and her daughter Lee Heffernan, who also learned golf in Augusta, offer dozens of revealing anecdotes about Augusta and its golfing brethren.

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2004-01-16

I enjoyed the book, but I was eager to learn more about the men in their lives. Who were these men and how did they feel about the experiences.

Augusta Unveiled.......2002-03-12

This is a terrific book written by a member's wife and their daughter. I am a big golf fan and have read several books about Augusta National and the Masters in recent years, but this one has an entirely different angle--a woman's perspective, and an insider-woman at that. The authors are respectful of the club, but they also are open in offering dozens of refreshing anecdotes that are funny and border on irreverent. There are also a bunch of photos in the book depicting the golf course from a candid viewpoint.

Can't put it down - great golfing insider stories.......2002-02-22

I started the book about 6 and finished about 12. Every golfer, Masters fan, everyone in Augusta will want one of theses books.

It's full of real inside stories of the Club, its founders, the grounds, the caddies, the famous players.

I know the author personally and figured her book would be interesting but did not expected to be glued to it. The wording contained many of the unique phrases used at the National and un golfing. I could not put the book down.

I am not a golfer, but my dad was and I have heard him day dream about golf; I've seen him high on 72 and down on 90; it seems the author got to the point she day dreamed about sandtraps, the rough, the fairways, how she would handle different shots.

Stories about personal encounters with famous golfers and politicians were great. The stories about the caddies and their betting, "ownership" of golfers, their nicknames were fascinating.

The stories about how one gets into the club gives the Augusta National a sense of intrigue.

The stories about the president of the club presented a man bigger than life, who put fear into the hearts of the wealthy and powerful.

Fishing stories, access to the club during the Masters, access to the club during off season were all highly readable and clearly inside, non-public, unpublished views into a closed society.

That only a few people were there at a time off season was amazing; there is/or was a wonderful wine cellar; there were no socials unrelated to golf and no 5 somes.

This is a wonderful book of private information that every golfer will enjoy, buy 2 of (one to keep and one to give away).

Can't put it down - you will have to finish it in one day!.......2002-02-22

I started the book about 6 p.m and finished about 1 a.m; I could not put it down. Every golfer, every Masters fan, every body in Augusta will want this. Lots of great (and courteous) insider stories about the the Club; the creek, the community power fights about the creek; about great golfers, the caddies; the role of women; the founders of the club; the author's learning golf; rubbing elbows with Washington big whigs.

I know the author personally; I never dreamed her book would be interesting; I certainly never expected to be glued to her book, but it is a gem. I've got a couple of golfing buddies in mind who will want to read this book.

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

Can't put it down - you will have to finish it in one day!.......2002-02-22

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

I'm not even a golfer, but my daddy was; and after listening to him talk golf, get down with 90, high on 72, talk about lights for night golfing, discuss the game over a few drinks, I found this book a clincher. I never expected to enjoy a book so much.

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Ladies and gentlemen,: For adults only and mature at that;
Hilaire Belloc
Manufacturer: Duckworth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
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ASIN: B0008639CW

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Only gentlemen can play
Hugh McLeave
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0151699402

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Ruffling feathers: Willis CEO Joe Plumeri elbows his way into a patriarchal and complacent "gentlemen's club" only to be rebuffed in his quest to become ... IN 2007): An article from: Risk & Insurance
Jack Roberts
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000NVJPKW
Release Date: 2007-02-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Risk & Insurance, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1497 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ruffling feathers: Willis CEO Joe Plumeri elbows his way into a patriarchal and complacent "gentlemen's club" only to be rebuffed in his quest to become the world's No. 1 broker. No one believes they've seen the last of him, or that a man not even trained as an insurance broker may still have a lesson to teach the industry.(THE POWER BROKERS: TOP INSURANCE BROKERS IN 2007)
Author: Jack Roberts
Publication: Risk & Insurance (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Page: 28(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Catalogue of the Parisian Gallery of Anatomy and Medical Science: Now open at the Arlington Hall ... for gentlemen only

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Catalogue of the Parisian Gallery of Anatomy and Medical Science: Now open at the Arlington Hall ... for gentlemen only
Robert J Jourdain
Manufacturer: Printed by Rockwell & Churchill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Genitourinary & STDs | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008BF54M

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Forty Foot Gentlemen Only
Mervyn Wall
Manufacturer: Allen Figgis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXGS32

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Forty foot gentlemen only
Mervyn Wall
Manufacturer: A. Figgis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Guy's school geography, on a new and easy plan: Comprising not only a complete general description but much topographical information, in a well digested ... both in ladies' and gentlemen's schools

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Guy's school geography, on a new and easy plan: Comprising not only a complete general description but much topographical information, in a well digested ... both in ladies' and gentlemen's schools
Joseph Guy
Manufacturer: Printed by C. Stower, Paternoster Row, for C. Cradock and W. Joy, Paternoster Row; C. Law, Ave Maria Lane; and to be had of all booksellers, with full allowance to schools
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Only gentlemen can play
Hugh McLeave
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJF9RQ

The principles and law of tithing,: Adapted to the instruction and convenience not only of gentlemen of the profession of the law, but of all persons interested ... to the most leading and recent tithe cases

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The principles and law of tithing,: Adapted to the instruction and convenience not only of gentlemen of the profession of the law, but of all persons interested ... to the most leading and recent tithe cases
Francis Plowden
Manufacturer: C. and R. Baldwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000884SMK

Book Description

A Da Capo Original: "A diverse and lively collection, the highest art of the interview."--Joyce Carol Oates.

Above the Line is a dazzling gathering of insights and anecdotes from all corners of the film industry. The interviews (portions of which have originally appeared in Playboy and Movieline) explore from the inside the skills, intelligence, experiences, and emotions of eleven key players who produce, write, direct, act, and review the movies, including Oliver Stone, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Robert Evans, Lily Tomlin, Jean Claude Van Damme, Harrison Ford, Robert Towne, Sharon Stone, and Siskel and Ebert. Witty, scathing, gossipy, generous, the interviewees show just what make the movies work from "above the line"--from the perspective of those whose names go above the title. These are the "talent"--the gifted individuals, often with inflated egos, often torn by doubts--each representing a piece of the puzzle that somehow gives rise to the best in moviemaking today.

Customer Reviews:

Informative and a style beyond compare!.......2001-06-18

Lawrence Grobel is a brilliant entertainment interviewer. I have admired his work and by reading "Above the Line: Conversations about the movies", his work inspires me even more. As an entertainment writer, I've always wanted to conduct my interviews like Grobel's. One thing about Grobel's style is that he's smart, he's a man who does his research and although I have never met the man, his interviews are intelligent, informative and it leaves me complete. Where magazines tend to have the typical questions that are becoming so damn repetitive in many entertainment publications (and also to short), when you read this book you can tell by his conversations with people like Harrison Ford, Sharon Stone, Oliver Stone and more that they have a certain respect for this man. I can't wait to read the next book from Grobel (which I hope there is another one) and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading entertainment interviews and to those who are interviewers as well. "Above the Line" is deserving of the five stars.

You know how the movies were once called "Talkies"..........2000-10-31

Lawrence Grobel has been writing the finest interviews with the world's famous for the past twenty years. Finally, a compilation of his best work has arrived. The thing that sets Grobel apart from most interviewers is research. He makes a consistent effort to never repeat the same old tired questions. This is apparent throughout this book. I highly recommend both the Robert Evans interview and the Oliver Stone, but they're all pretty great. Be sure to check out Grobel's work each month in Movieline and Palyboy magazines as well.

Above the Line . Conversations About the Movies

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Above the Line . Conversations About the Movies
Lawrence Grobel
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSNHJE

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The Book for the Mac Virgin

There is no better book for new mac users

A Common-Sense Book NOT Written for Dummies

Well written, funny, and informative

It worked for me .....

Macs For Dummies, Eighth Edition
David Pogue
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MacOS | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
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Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual

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ASIN: 0764556568

Amazon.com

Whether you have inherited an older Macintosh or just bought a brand-new one, you'll get more from it with the assistance of Macs for Dummies. In addition to the fundamental information that has put generations of Mac users on the right track, this latest edition of a long-standing bestseller incorporates information about the newest Mac developments, including Mac OS 8.5 and the iMac.

On top of author David Pogue's coverage of the system itself and Mac hardware, Macs for Dummies shows you how to use all the most popular Mac application programs, including AppleWorks (also known as ClarisWorks) and Microsoft Office. There's also an excellent glossary that helps you figure out jargon you may encounter in manuals and on the Internet.

This book would be better if Pogue had included more about creating local area networks (LANs) for Macs--such networks are popping up in homes and small offices everywhere. Setting up Mac LANs is so easy, it seems unnecessary to relegate information about it to More Macs for Dummies, as Pogue and his publisher have done. But by itself, the information here is extremely valuable, especially for people totally new to computing. Macs for Dummies makes you feel welcome in the Mac community. --David Wall

Book Description

The Mac is famous for its user-friendliness. Maybe that’s why you bought one in the first place. But to make the most of all its marvelous capabilities, you’ll be glad to have an equally friendly resource to help you use it.

Written by the renowned New York Times technology columnist David Pogue, Macs For Dummies has long been the bestselling Mac book because it provides just what you need to know to get the best performance from your Mac. And like the Mac itself, this book is easy to use, with plain-English explanations and step-by-step instructions. The revised eighth edition covers

Basics for beginners
Setting up your printer
Working with OS X
Getting online and using e-mail
Creating and saving documents
Using iTunes, iPhoto, and iMovie
What to do if things go wrong

Whether this is your first computer or you’ve just upgraded to OS X, you’ll find help when you need it in this handy guide. You’ll discover how to

Set up your Mac, connect printers and other devices, and navigate the desktop and Dock
Establish an account with an Internet service provider, set up e-mail, and start surfing the Web
Use all the basic software programs and work with files
Edit home movies with iMovie, download music and use iTunes, burn CDs and DVDs, and edit images with iPhoto
Share your Mac or set up a home network
Perform basic Mac maintenance, find and fix problems, upgrade your Mac, and more

With Macs For Dummies, 8 ^th Edition by your side, you’ll be prepared to take advantage of every exciting feature that Mac and OS X have to offer. Before you know it, you’ll be living the digital lifestyle, cruising the Internet like a pro, printing documents and photos—and even getting some work done!

Download Description

Significantly updated from its previous edition, this book examines key Mac features, including Mac basics, working with files, setting up a printer, getting on the Internet, using Apple Mail, getting started with iLife, connecting other devices to your Mac, troubleshooting, upgrading, and much more
Apple’s hot selling Mac OS X operating system and its aggressive "switch" marketing campaign are rapidly driving up the Macintosh installed base
Covers the latest version of Mac OS X and the new and improved iMac, iBook, Power Mac, and PowerBook machines, as well as AirPort Extreme, FireWire 800, the SuperDrive, and the iLife digital media suite
Written by renowned author David Pogue, one of the most successful technology writers today and the author of a popular weekly column in the New York Times

Customer Reviews:

The Book for the Mac Virgin.......2006-11-12

This book is interesting, full of necessary information and written in a easy-to-read style, but it would benefit from having a better presentation, white paper, coloured pictures etc. (You see the difference when comparing it to Mac OS X Tiger Killer Tips.)

There is no better book for new mac users.......2005-08-17

This is a must-have book for all new Mac users and not only! Don`t waist your time by figuring out everything by yourself or calling up your friend everytime you have a problem - this book will solve most of them and even more. David Pogue is a great, funny writer who helps you make your life easier and love your computer even more !

A Common-Sense Book NOT Written for Dummies.......2002-10-11

David Pogue has a genius for making the seemingly-complex simple enough for the average person to understand. This is the perfect gift for a writer writing about the Macintosh system; once you get over your intimidation about computers by following Pogue's straightforward and sometimes humorous examples, the user-friendliness of the Mac makes itself obvious, and you're on your way. An excellent, useful book for beginner and seasoned user alike!

Well written, funny, and informative.......2001-04-06

I read this book a few years ago when I bought a used Mac Plus at a garage sale. Mr. Pogue put me on track with my old computer in a very short time. After a few few months, my relatives and friends were calling me for advice. In many cases I was able to help using what I learned in this book.

One extra with this book. David pogue is one funny writer. I really enjoyed the humor that went along with all the training.

I soon upgraded my computer. I Emailed the author to thank him and ask for some musical software advice. True to his word he took time to answer my questions. This impresses me that in today's world an author will make a commitment to help his readers past the point of sale of his book. Thanks Mr. Pogue! Great book!

It worked for me ............2000-11-17

The reason I bought this book was that I had been away from Macs since I unplugged my Mac IIcx and put it away. I recognized back then that unless I intended to work exclusively with Mac people, the PC competence was THE one I needed most.

Here in my small town, in the last few months I've had a number of requests for help from Mac people. The local Mac guy isn't getting rave reviews at the moment -- possibly because he has too much work -- so the requests for help that I've referred to him have been bouncing back to me.

Before I took any of these people's money, I wanted to make sure that (1) a computer is still a computer and (2) Macs had not totally morphed into something unrecognizable since I last used one. The book convinced me that the answer to (1) is "yes" and the answer to (2) is "no" (but OS X may change that). This book was a VERY fast read, and gave me those answers.

For me the most valuable part of this book were the two chapters on troubleshooting. They were well written, and certainly covered the range of Mac problems I remember from the IIcx. Time will tell if they cover the range of problems the Mac users here are having right now.

I'm trying to decide which book to read next: the O'Reilley book on Macs for PC people/PCs for Mac people, or the Dummies series book on upgrading and fixing Macs. Obviously one (maybe both) will eventually be necessary.

For the person just starting out with a Mac -- or starting out with computers who is thinking about a Mac -- I think this book would be absolutely first rate. And the book seems to have done the job I required of it just about as painlessly as possible!

It gets five stars from me!!

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