Tax Policy Handbook for State Legislators

Book Description

Ziggy's countless fans feel as though the lovable character with the big head and the generous heart has been with them all their lives as well. Every day, the quintessential little guy in a big world speaks to more than 75 million faithful readers who identify with his hopes and insecurities. Their diminutive hero, who relates better to his animal friends than he does to other people, always manages to find the bright spot, inspiring us to do the same. Get Ziggy with It collects gems from the past year and classics from the seventies and eighties to celebrate the new millennium.

Customer Reviews:

Drowning Mime..........2000-12-20

Ziggy's abortive foray in world of hip-hop is a cautionary tale for toeless cartoon characters everywhere. Though assisted in the studio by such rap impresarios as Big Daddy Kane, Sir Mix-A-Lot, and the ugly guy from 3rd Bass, Ziggy's "Get Ziggy With It" was a mish-mash of conflicting styles, meaningless lyrics, and a curious tendency toward mandolin samples. Without the virtuosic production of Tom "Dre Money" Wilson, the album fails like a drowning mime...not "so-bad-it's-good," but merely "so-bad-it's-terrible." With the repetitive shout out, "Zig Zig, mack mack Schmig!" we feel a deep embarassment for an artist that, like David Hasselhoff, should have stuck to his forte.

The $20 million "Get Ziggy With It" video for the album's title track and first single was the greatest failure since Ziggy's use of Rogaine. The opening scene, shot on the Sultan of Brunei's luxury yacht in the middle of the Ganges River, took 14 months to film and cost the lives of 12 different Ziggy stunt stand-in midget balding eunuch albinos (with no toes). The remaining 26 scenes had to be shot in Tom Wilson's cousin's rec room in Battle Creek, Michigan. The disjointed feeling of the video echoes Ziggy's entire putrescent late '90s repetoire.

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Never Get Too Personally Involved with Your Own Life (Ziggy)
Tom Wilson
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000TYE2JM

Average customer rating:
Never get too personally involved with your own life: [Ziggy]
Tom Wilson
Manufacturer: Sheed and Ward
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0836206231

Amazon.com

Mirth of a Nation is a collection of short humor pieces compiled by the Thurber House, which is a very dry way of describing a very funny book. Mirth is, at long last, a truly perfect humor-browser's read, for everything--everything--is presented with a wry wink. The book opens with Dave Eggers's guidelines for submitting work to the Thurber House ("Before undertaking the typing, straightening, and mailing of your submission, please do us the small favor of washing your hands. Please.") and closes with Al Franken's refreshingly mean-spirited index ("Luntz, Frank, likelihood of his immediately turning to index and looking up his name, 48"). In between is a hilarious collection of both new and previously published pieces. Targets range from contemporary issues (Chris Harris, tackling the UFO phenomenon in "What We Talk About When We Talk About Little Green Men": "If their object is stealth, why must they employ colored, blinking lights on the outside of their spacecraft? Is it alien Christmastime?") to the biblical, as in Ian Frazier's marvelous "Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Principles; Lamentations of the Father" ("Heed me; for if you sit like that, your hair will go into the syrup. And now behold, even as I have said, it has come to pass.") The book is so funny, in fact, that it would be a pity to give away any more punch lines. Grab a copy and see for yourself. --Ali Davis

Book Description

Seriously Funny Writing By Today's Most Celebrated Authors

Merrill Markoeon Networking with angels
Garry Trudeau on re-retranslating Madonna
David Sedaris on reviewing school Christmas Plays
John Updike on cross-dressing with J. Edgar Hoover

Also included are riotous contributions from Henry Alford, Jon Stewart, and David Ives, as well as millennial maxims by Mark O'Donnell, gardening advice by Mertensia Corydalis, and highlights from Randy Cohen's savvy "News Quiz."

Brought to you by The Thurber House

Customer Reviews:

A mixed bag with enough tasty treats to satisfy.......2005-04-18

With about 140 pieces from dozens of contributors, this humor anthology is a mixed bag. For me, some of the essays and parodies fell flat. Yet enough were truly hysterical to sustain me and keep me turning those pages. Among my favorites: Jon Stewart's "Pen Pals" and "The Last Supper, or The Dead Waiter"; Garry Trudeau's "I Am a Tip-Top Starlet" and "To Our Valued Customers"; Al Franken's "Index";Zev Borow's "A Graceland for Adolf"; Mark O'Donnell's "TV Guide, Soon"; Bill Scheft's "The All-Purpose Concession Speech"; and P. J. O'Rourke's "Memoir Essay."

You have GOT to be kidding.......2004-02-10

I suppose if your IQ were in the mid 90's, you'd find these books amusing. I had the misfortune of taking both this one and "More Mirth..." as reading material on a cross-country flight. After 200 pages, no giggling, but lots of "oh come on" rolling of the eyes. Sophmoric crap. I ended up reading the US Airways magazine and doing the crossword instead.

5 Stars, except there are 50 more star humorists in the book.......2003-10-27

Humor books are usually miscellaneous hodge-podges of "something for everybody." This one is not. It's a sustained compilation of great writing. Writing by very talented people who are variously smart-alec, smart-assed. and just plain smart. That's the one thing that's similiar about all the pieces: they're just very well done. After that, there's a huge range, from Sedaris's hilariously scatching review of kiddie theatrical productions to Garry Trudeau's re-re-retranslating of a Madonna interview back and forth from Russian. There are as many expected players--Ian Frazier, Fran Lebowitz, Dave Barry, P.J. O'Rourke with terrific pieces--as there are surprises and newer names. Favorites? Howard Mohr (who worked with Garrison Keillor on Prairie Home Companion for years), John Updike doing a parody about J. Edgar Hoover cross-dressing. David Ives, the brilliant playwright, giving a culinary history through philosophers. Even the index, by Al Franken, shows that Mirth of a Nation is serious about being funny, from cover to cover. I have the second volume, More Mirth of a Nation, and, believe it or not, it's even better. Thirds, anyone? I gather from their website it will be out in 2004. Can't wait.

WORST EVER.......2003-01-20

This CD was the worst of anything I have ever heard or read. Out of six CDs, there were two Dave Barry's and two other stories that were bearable. The rest were lists: I mean lists that were numbered, like reading a menu that someone must have thought were funny. And several were things that came off much better when they were passed around in email.

hilarious.......2002-05-07

This book is non-stop funny. I believe that Mirth of a Nation is going to become a major pillar in the realm of humor writing. The pieces are well chosen--there is truly something here for everyone. The big names come through with hilarious material, as well as many I've never heard of (but hope to hear more from!) I can't wait for volume 2!

More Mirth of a Nation : The Best Contemporary Humor

Average customer rating:

Mirth?
Where's The Mirth?
This is funny?
A definite 4+.
Loved it!

More Mirth of a Nation : The Best Contemporary Humor
Michael J. Rosen
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060953225
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Book Description

More seriously funny writing from American's most trusted humor anthology

Witty, wise, and just plain wonderful, the inaugural volume of this biennial, Mirth of a Nation, ensured a place for the best contemporary humor writing in the country. And with this second treasury, Michael J. Rosen has once again assembled a triumphant salute to one of America's greatest assets: its sense of humor. More than five dozen acclaimed authors showcase their hilariously inventive works, including Paul Rudnick, Henry Alford, Susan McCarthy, Media Person Lewis Grossberger, Ian Frazier, Richard Bausch, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Nell Scovell, Andy Borowitz, and Ben Greenman -- just to mention a handful so that the other contributors can justify their feelings that the world slights them.

But there's more! More Mirth of a Nation includes scads of Unnatural Histories from Randy Cohen, Will Durst's "Top Top-100 Lists" (including the top 100 colors, foods, and body parts), and three unabridged (albeit rather short) chapbooks:

David Bader's "How to Meditate Faster" (Enlightenment for those who keep asking, "Are we done yet?")

Matt Neuman's "49 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth" (for instance, "Make your own honey" and "Share your shower.")

Francis Heaney's "Holy Tango of Poetry" (which answers the question, "What if poets wrote poems whose titles were anagrams of their names, i.e., 'Toilets,' by T. S. Eliot?")

And there's still more: "The Periodic Table of Rejected Elements," meaningless fables, Van Gogh's Etch A Sketch drawings, a Zagat's survey of existence, an international baby-naming encyclopedia, Aristotle's long-lost treatise "On Baseball," and an unhealthy selection of letters from Dr. Science's mailbag. And that's just for starters! Just remember, as one reviewer wrote of the first volume, "Don't drink milk while reading."

Customer Reviews:

Mirth?.......2005-02-23

This piece of garbage is not worth your time.Go elsewhere for true amusement.
Rediscover Kurt Vonnegut.
This entire book is just terrible and was the only thing I had on my cross country flight.

Where's The Mirth?.......2004-04-14

Rarely have I been as disappointed with a book as I was with this one. I love a good laugh, and picked this book up while on a business trip, expecting to have a good chuckle while on the airplane, but alas it was not like that at all.

There were one or two gems in here, but mostly this is a collection of "almost funny" stories and essays. Many of the writers here are trying way too hard to be hip and intellectual.

You will find more laughs per page in this month's issue of "The Economist" magazine. Do yourself a favor and skip this book. Try anything by Woody Allen or P.G. Wodehouse instead.

This is funny?.......2003-07-28

Ok, granted, there ARE a FEW things in here that deserve a chuckle, but for the most part, this stuff is pure drivel. Definitely not a "sit-down-and-read-it-all-in-one-go" book, but even when broken up into small chunks, you'll spend forever and a day looking for something that's truly funny.

A definite 4+........2003-06-04

This book is a compilation of funny writings by prolific American writers. Betwixt a strange look at Pokémon and a letter from the Census takers, there are great things, like the periodic table of rejected elements, and 100 favorite body parts. This book is hilarious, and I recommend it to all people, except for people who make census, and the creator of Pokémon.

Loved it!.......2003-02-07

This is a terrific compendium, with a little something for everyone, no matter how high or low their brow. There are some head scratchers, to be sure, but for the most part, the contents are sheer joy. Smart but accessible--The New Yorker meets Dave Barry.

The Comick Magazine; Or, Compleat Library of Mirth, Humour, Wit, Gaiety and Entertainment: An Annotated Catalogue of the Contents With Notes on Authors and Sources

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The Comick Magazine; Or, Compleat Library of Mirth, Humour, Wit, Gaiety and Entertainment: An Annotated Catalogue of the Contents With Notes on Authors and Sources

Manufacturer: Edwin Mellen Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Catalogs | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0773455957

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The Mirth of a Nation

Manufacturer: Vantage Books, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EBIT5S

Product Description

A rare collection of vaudeville routines used by some of the world's best comedians of the time, compiled by a vaudeville headliner. Contains routines of men like Fred Niblo, Lew Sully, Dockstader, Eddie Leonard, Joe Penner, Will Rogers, Chic Sale, and many more. Introduction by George Jessel. Recommendations on back of DJ include Lou Costello, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante.

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The Mirth of a Nation
Jimmy Lyons
Manufacturer: Vantage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PAWCCE

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The Mirth of a Nation

Manufacturer: Vantage Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ECKPUO

Product Description

This is a collection of the outstanding professional routines used by the world's greatest comic artists. Word for word monologues, and routines that have made millions howl in the big cities and whistle-stops across the land.

Mirth of a Nation: 15 Years of Humour in the Mail & Guardian

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Mirth of a Nation: 15 Years of Humour in the Mail & Guardian
Shaun De Waal , and Barbara Ludman
Manufacturer: Timber Press (OR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0620260335

The Mirth of a Nation: America's Great Dialect Humor

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The Mirth of a Nation: America's Great Dialect Humor
Walter Blair , and Raven Ioor McDavid
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0816611688

Mirth of a Nation: The Best Contemporary Humor

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Mirth of a Nation: The Best Contemporary Humor
Michael J. Rosen
Manufacturer: MJF Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1567318339

Product Description

At last, a premier showcase of fifty-four great literary humorists and masters of the journalistic jab, the social spoof, the parodic proof, the satire, the tirade, and the send-up. Here are those "last laughs" and "wit's end" pieces everyone turns to first but then loses in back issues of favorite magazines and newspapers, including: Merrill Markoeon Networking with angels Garry Trudeau on re-retranslating Madonna David Sedaris on reviewing school Christmas Plays John Updike on cross-dressing with J. Edgar Hoover Also included are riotous contributions from Henry Alford, Jon Stewart, and David Ives, as well as millennial maxims by Mark O'Donnell, gardening advice by Mertensia Corydalis, and highlights from Randy Cohen's savvy "News Quiz."

The Mirth Of A Nation: The Gay Parade As Seen By Sinners, Skeptics, Cynics, And Sour-Pusses

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The Mirth Of A Nation: The Gay Parade As Seen By Sinners, Skeptics, Cynics, And Sour-Pusses

Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nonfiction | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The classic account of the 1960s counterculture in San Francisco. A rare example of journalism that approaches art in one direction and the best of social science in another. --Newsweek

Customer Reviews:

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK ABOUT THE 60S AND ITS A TRUE STORY.......2005-02-20

this is the best book about the 60s and the haight ashbury
ever writen i should know im white rabbitt

Was there... did that.......2001-04-11

As one of the lead characters in this story, I was quite taken with the veracity of my performance. Nick did an amazing amount of leg work over the course of the summer, based initially on people I introduced him to. He pursued many paths of interest and covered a substantial amount of territory. The narrative, as described elsewhere, had as much structure as the situation itself allowed, which was really very little. The Haight-Ashbury was about things happening. Things, in this milieu, were not particularly planned, beyond setting a temporal framework and attempting to provide events for the framework, or just letting the events take over and flow where they would. As a followup, Stuart Loomis and the White Rabbit have recently been in contact by email as a result of a documentary on the period broadcast on PBS. Kelly avoided Vietnam and spent many years as a roady for rock and roll bands. He disappeared from view in the early eighties. Nick himself has spent a number of years recently working on plays for the stage, after a long successful career at the Washington Post. The White Rabbit gave up on the idea of pursuing a medical career and is a senior executive in Information Technology.

The Real Thing.......1999-04-03

This is the book that really explains what went on in San Francisco in 67. Von Hoffman does a wonderful job of telling the scene how it was. Ifyou want to understand hippies of the 60's read this book. It takes a different approach of the scene by not foccussing on anything, but covers everything. Von Hoffman did what most writers of the Acid era did or could not do; he was unbiased. The only down side was the strange organization. It had no chapters or real structure. Despite that fact, the book was very fluid.

WE ARE THE PEOPLE OUR PARENTS WARNED US AGAINST

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WE ARE THE PEOPLE OUR PARENTS WARNED US AGAINST
Nicholas Hoffman
Manufacturer: Quadrangle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CPEBD

Average customer rating:

We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us Against
Nicholas Von Hoffman
Manufacturer: Ivan R. Dee Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPD5EI

Book Description

What you will soon read has served me well, placing bread in my pocket as well as on the table. Pockets Full of Miracles is filled with many of my own routines as well as my adaptations of effects that I feel are worth performing. My repertoire, like my life, is filled with variety. Within these covers you will find routines involving cards, money, fire, gags, bar-betchas, mind-reading, comedy and more.

In the school of magic, I have no idea at what level, or in what category, you would place yourself. With that in mind, I have tried to create a book for every type of magician. With the descriptive text and numerous photos I have tried capture every nuance during each routine. In addition, each term that falls into the category of "magic jargon" has been bold-faced. These bold-faced words are defined in the glossary at the back of the book.

Please do not read this book as if it were an instruction manual for simple tricks. Take the time to read between the lines, and I promise that you will find some of the true secrets of magic. A successful magician is not measured by the quantity of effects he or she learns. The important thing, as in most professions, is the quality of what you know. So be prepared...

You're about to learn how to do some incredible mind-blowing magic!

Magically yours, Diamond Jim Tyler

-Excerpt from Pockets Full of Miracles

Customer Reviews:

How the pros think.......2001-03-27

This book not only has great tricks, but killer routines, with all the details. Most magic books have sketchy instructions with lots of bugs and mistakes, but Diamond Jim is a detail-oriented author, and I appreciate that. There is a difference, of course, between great tricks and killer tricks, and this book is a serial killer. I still have several of the tricks contained herein on my to-learn list.

pure magic.......2000-09-27

Diamond Jim's book is an incredible book for all magicians. Whether you're just starting out or have been doing it for years, this book gives insight and, step by step, teaches you what you need to know to master the magic. It's a must read!

A book for everyone!!.......2000-09-26

This is truly the book for all magicians of any caliber. I have personally read and performed every trick in this book. Diamond Jim has tweeked every description so that it is written for beginners and not belittling to professionals. I would most definately recommend this to every magician to add to their catalogues.

A Book That I Can Even Understand.......2000-09-23

P.F.M.is a wonderfuly written book on the art of Magic.This book has a lot of useful pictures and a glossary.The explaination are clear and vivid,Iwas able to understand it with out having to ask my 11 year old for help.I purchaced two of these books,one for me,and one for my 11 year old step-son.Some of the tricks you will be doing the same day, and others you will need to practice some.We have had lots of fun doing these tricks for our family and friends.

This book is Awesome!.......2000-09-23

Having been a professional magician for the past 17 years, I've read many books on magic. In my opionion, "Pockets Full of Miracles" is the best on the subject. It is beautiful, well-written, and has great photographs. It will help the beginner or the advanced magician by giving them clear-cut explanations to some of the many amazing effects in the professional repetoire of Diamond Jim.

Book Description

Stories of romantic and classical ballets take their place among the fairy tale and the comic ballets that everyone loves. All the magic and enchantment of these beloved ballets are here. The Nutcracker, Giselle, The Firebird, Swan Lake, Petrushka, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, and Ondine are told in easy-to-read language. Each story offers young readers and listeners a sparkling introduction to the magic world of dance. Ages 5-12.

Tsui Hark's Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (The New Hong Kong Cinema Series)

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Tsui Hark's Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (The New Hong Kong Cinema Series)
Andrew Schroeder
Manufacturer: Hong Kong University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Hong Kong | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 9622096514

Book Description

Hong Kong cinema exploded into world culture during the 1990s, driven by its link with Hollywood's dynamic new digital special effects technologies. This book provides essential historical background by analyzing the culture, politics and technological network surrounding Tsui Hark's masterful but under-appreciated Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain.

Dancing in the dark: Astaire and Rogers made sweet screen magic.(DANCE MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS) : An article from: Dance Magazine

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Dancing in the dark: Astaire and Rogers made sweet screen magic.(DANCE MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS) : An article from: Dance Magazine
Sylviane Gold
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000DZVELQ
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Dance Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1117 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: Dancing in the dark: Astaire and Rogers made sweet screen magic.(DANCE MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS)
Author: Sylviane Gold
Publication: Dance Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 79 Issue: 12 Page: 90(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The legends: they made magic.(GREAT PARTNERSHIPS): An article from: Dance Magazine

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The legends: they made magic.(GREAT PARTNERSHIPS): An article from: Dance Magazine
Allan Ulrich
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000GD8094
Release Date: 2006-06-16

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Dance Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2006. The length of the article is 671 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: The legends: they made magic.(GREAT PARTNERSHIPS)
Author: Allan Ulrich
Publication: Dance Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 80 Issue: 5 Page: 40(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The magic pilgrim: intuition, humor, and a unique perspective inspire Yoshiko Chuma's work.(Biography): An article from: Dance Magazine

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The magic pilgrim: intuition, humor, and a unique perspective inspire Yoshiko Chuma's work.(Biography): An article from: Dance Magazine
Amanda Smith
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Dance Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1307 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: The magic pilgrim: intuition, humor, and a unique perspective inspire Yoshiko Chuma's work.(Biography)
Author: Amanda Smith
Publication: Dance Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 80 Issue: 12 Page: 68(5)

Article Type: Biography

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

While early directory standards (such as X.500) offer some cross-platform functionality, none has the flexibility and widespread appeal of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), which is fast becoming a standard part of networked computers. In Understanding and Deploying LDAP Directory Services, three experienced engineers share their knowledge of LDAP in theory and practice, effectively defining this fast-emerging technology. If you're planning to work with LDAP in any way--whether as a network manager, a software developer, or an information technology administrator--you need to read and pay attention to this book. It's the last word on LDAP as it stands today.

Since directory services aren't widely understood, this book begins by defining them and explaining what they can do for an organization. The guide then gets into the specifics of how LDAP organizes directories and handles queries. The authors go to great lengths to talk about what information to put in directories, how to validate and maintain it, and how to manage access to it. There's also lots of material on initiating LDAP services and on troubleshooting.

The aft part of this book holds special appeal for software developers, since it talks extensively about how to implement LDAP in both new and existing software. Throughout, the authors pay special attention to data redundancy, security, privacy, and the economic issues involved in an LDAP deployment. The book's real-world focus is cemented by case studies (both historical and semifictional). --David Wall

Book Description

This comprehensive tutorial provides the reader with a thorough treatment of LDAP directory services. Minimal knowledge of general networking and administration is assumed, making the material accessible to intermediate and advanced readers alike. Designed to meet multiple needs, the first part of the book presents a general overview of the subject matter, and the next three sections cover detailed instructions for design, deployment, and integration of directory services. The text is full of practical implementation advice and real-world deployment examples to help the reader choose the path that makes the most sense for the specific organization.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Good Book.......2007-06-08

It is a very good book for those who want to understand and use LDAP. I bought it after I have read it from a friend.

A 'must' for learning LDAP .......2005-09-10

Very clear and simple introduction followed by all the interesting
informations both the LDAP user and the LDAP administrator should know.

A general overview of LDAP and deployment scenarios.......2004-03-10

Background:
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a software protocol that enables locating organizations, individuals, and other resources such as files and devices in a network, whether it is a public Internet or a corporate Intranet.

As LDAP adoption and deployment is increasing, the expanded second edition of "Understanding and Deploying LDAP Directory Services" is published with more materials from the authors on the protocol and how to apply it effectively in different network environments.

Book Organization:
The book consists of twenty-six chapters divided into six major parts:
- Directory services overview and history
- Designing your directory service
- Deploying your directory service
- Maintaining your directory service
- Leveraging your directory service
- Case studies
The book begins by defining directory services and what they can offer for an organization then gets into the specifics of how LDAP organizes directories and handles queries with coverage of LDAPv3 extensions and the Netscape Directory Server.

The books then moves on to explore a wide range of topics such as designing directory services, naming, topology, replication, privacy, security deploying, directory services, implementation pitfalls, cost analysis, maintaining directory services, troubleshooting, and creating and enabling directory-service
applications.

The book offers help and advice for comparing "LDAP-compliant" products on features, management tools, reliability, performance, scalability, security, standards conformance, interoperability, cost, and other criteria. Then, having chosen a vendor, you'll walk through piloting your application
and testing it for performance, scalability, and reliability. Finally, the authors show how to put the system into production, keep it running smoothly and securely, provide for backups and disaster recovery, and make improvements over time.

The final section of the book presents four thorough deployment case studies, showing how diverse organizations can use LDAP as a simple, versatile solution for a wide variety of problems.

Is the book for you?
The book gives a good architect's or project manager's understanding of LDAP and of the difficulties inherent in deploying any complex mission critical software system.

For architects, this is a concept book rather than a reference book: After reading this book you will still need to refer to product manuals or reference books to help you figure out how to implement your design.

For a project manager, this book is valuable especially with the checklists, something that can be used to guide the deployment of many new systems.

Software developers would read the book to understand more on issues such as redundancy, security and privacy.

For IT professionals who are relatively new to the area, it is the book to read on LDAP.

General Comments:

- There are many specialized terms that are used without being defined or before being defined.

- There is a lot of superfluous material bringing the book to over 900+ pages requiring constant filtering on the part of the reader.

- The book offer more concepts that practical help. You will find a lot of managerial discussions, including talking to your users, piloting your directory and getting feedback. If you are looking to learn how to technically implement LDAP, these discussions will not interest you much.

- The book assumes that you have a good understanding of LDAP and Directory Services. The introduction chapters do not cover many basic concepts, many terms are not explained until used several dozen times, and there is no glossary.

- Managers will appreciate the sections on product selection, piloting an LDAP service, costing, disaster recovery, long-term maintenance, monitoring, and application development in a directory-centric world complete the picture.

- Several case studies are presented, including useful sidebars entitled "20/20 Hindsight".

The Good Stuff:
- Provides a lot of theoretical concepts
- Covers all aspects of LDAP deployment
- Discusses the design aspects of LDAP
- Designed to meet multiple needs
- Minimal knowledge of networking is assumed

The Not So Good Stuff:
- Not much on practical implementations
- Sometimes the explanations are too long
- With over 900 pages, the book is too long
- Sometimes hard to follow the line of thought
- A glossary of technical terms is not provided

Conclusion:

If you are planning to work with LDAP whether you are a network manager, a software developer, or an IT administrator, the book provides a lot of information which will help you define your directory requirements in detail and design a directory service that meets them. You will also ind the book valuable during the evaluation, planning and deployment process. However, if you are a programmer who is looking for a programming book or some kind of a product manual to help you setup LDAP services, this
is not the book for you. It is mostly targeted for architects as it is more of a concept book rather than a reference book.

In general, the text is full of advices and real-world deployment examples to help the readers choose the path that makes the most sense for their specific organization. I personally would recommend the book as a general
overview of LDAP and deployment scenarios.

Excellent one!.......2003-05-29

I bought several LDAP books and try to jump start on this topic.
This one let me very quickly to get into it. Esp. the case study part, give me the real world situations to think about various trade offs. The writting style make reader easy to read. Excellent one!

It's the LDAP bible........2002-09-27

This book has everything you needed to know about LDAP, but didn't know to ask. Awesone technical coverage as well as some really good ideas for deployment strategies.

Understanding and Deploying Ldap Directory Services

Average customer rating:

Understanding and Deploying Ldap Directory Services
Mark Smith
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7KGPO

Understanding and Deploying Ldap directory Services - MacMillan Network Architecture and Development Series

Average customer rating:

Understanding and Deploying Ldap directory Services - MacMillan Network Architecture and Development Series

Manufacturer: MacMillan Technical Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HK8DKC

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