The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

Book Description

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”

With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.

In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

An extraordinary well done history.......2007-09-27

It is often said that teaching and learning in high school is a mile wide and an inch deep. All I ever heard and read in high school about WWII and the naval battles against the Japanese Navy in the Pacific is that the United States won the war! This book capably presents the truth that it was never quite a certainty as the battles unfolded. It is a wonderful thing to have a talented writer and researcher as Hornfischer dedicate his extraordinary talent in presenting this excellent well written definitive history of the US and Japanese naval battles near the Phillipines in October of 1944. This book is very highly recommended as an excellent and thought provoking history as well as a true testimonial to the bravery of U.S Navy personnel in battle.

Learned A Lot That Is New.......2007-09-16

I'm about two-thirds of the way through the book. Even at this point, I've learned a lot that I hadn't really appreciated before.

First of all, sometime back I read a book about the naval battle of Guadalcanal. In that battle, it seems as if all the Japanese had to do to sink one of our ships was to get just one hit on it. By the time of the Battle Off Samar, American ship building must have radically improved. Even the American ships that went down were hit literally dozens of times before finally succumbing to the inevitable. And lots of other American ships were hit but kept fighting and were still fighting at the end of the war.

Another realization was the awful damage 16-inch naval guns do to the human body when they hit a ship and explode. The mental picture I used to have of WW II naval warfare was antiseptic. Yes, guys died -- but I saw it as ever so much cleaner than the awfulness of land warfare. The author of the book has descriptions of what the results were. Naval guns were far bigger than anything in land warfare. The biggest shell for field artillery was about the size of a football. In the Navy, the plentiful six- and eight-inch guns had shells as big as a five footballs. And the 16" (or 18" for two of the Japanese Navy's "super" battleships") were as big as a garbage can and weighed as much as a Volkswagen. When they exploded, huge chunks of the sides of ships would be opened up like a tuna can even though it was inch-thick steel. The effect on the human body was even more devastating. Guys were literally ripped apart and sometimes whole compartments of guys were ripped apart so badly that one guy couldn't be identified from another. It was, literally, like an explosion in a meat locker. Never again will I think that naval warfare was antiseptic. (This is also something of a warning that if you read the book you're going to get all those descriptions too. If you don't think you can stomach it, then you'll either have to skip over those sections or skip the book.)

The book also follows the survivors of the ships that went down as they bobbed in the water waiting for rescue. Their time in the water was made more troubling by the fact that they were constantly being circled by sharks. It was their "good fortune" to be covered with bunker oil from the sunken ships that apparently acted both as a shark repellent and a sun block. But, unlike every other book I've read or movie I've seen, the whole story of a naval battle isn't over when the shooting stops. And, it isn't easy to spot guys in the water with a whole ocean to look at. It was also interesting how, despite the desperate situation they were all in, they all worked to help the wounded among them first. (Unlike the movie warriors who are all fight, the tenderness displayed to the worse off among them is remarkable.)

This is a great book for anyone wanting to know what World War II naval warfare was really like.

Also, there are a lot of maps that help to follow ship movements.

Great book, but..........2007-09-14

I enjoyed the book and the heroism of the sailors and airmen who fought the battle has seldom been equaled. However, the whole reason they were in this terrible position to begin with was poor decision making and poor communication from the higher levels, esp Halsey. I found that after a while that fact made the book a bit depressing for me. It seems obvious that such a powerful Japanese fleet should have been given more respect (watched closely, etc.) since Halsey knew it was in the area.

Gene's review of Tin Can Sailors.......2007-09-13

A very good narrative with human interest about an important naval engagement of the WWII. How the US Navy reacted to an almost impossible situation that seemed hopeless. Read his other book about the sailors of the USS Houston who sank and survived to help build the highway in the jungle which included the Bridge over the River Quai. He is a very good author!

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.......2007-09-13

Having served on 3 destroyers (Tin Cans) 1952-1965, two of the Fletchers, this book brought back many memories, both good and bad, of those years of service and sailing on those ships. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it difficlut to put down. There are so many heroic stories to be told that have not been revealed, and so many more that will never be told, but I thank this author for telling this one.
Kenneth E. Irons

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

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The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
Hornfischer James D.
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UF0ED8

Customer Reviews:

Essential to understand Black & Appalachian history.......2007-05-07

Between 1910 and 1930, one million people moved into the coal fields of central Appalachia. The biggest concentration of the half of them who were African Americans moved into West Virginia's southwestern counties, especially McDowell county where my mother was born a Black miner's daughter. Yet, when folk think of West Virginia and the Appalachians, these Black folk are ignored or forgotten. When people think of the battles of the coal miner's union, they neglect the question of Black folk. Likewise, to understand African American history properly, it is important to understand the struggles and life experience of such significant sections of the black proletariat like these Black miners, the Black autoworkers of Detroit, or the Black steel workers of Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Chicago.

Trotter provides an exhaustive study of the whole process of Black proletarians moving to West Virginia's coal fields, the construction of Black communities, and the lives of African Americans in the mining camps and mining towns. He presents a very good picture of the conflicting forces involved including the mine owners and the state and local governments they controlled, white American and immigrant miners, the bureaucrats who ran the UMWA, as well as the black middle class that grew up in West Virginia.

What interests me is the way he shows that the mine companies increased segregation and racism in West Virginia in an attempt to stem the unity of Black miners with white miners in the many battles that took place over unionization. He is also quite good at showing that the rising African American middle class came to serve the interests of the mine owners and the white ruling class in attempting to dampen the militancy of Black miners on both the working class and black rights fronts.

What is interesting is the glimpses Trotter gives of the potential power of Black miners in West Virgnia. He gives one instance where an African American was lynched were hundreds of Black miners marched on the coal camp where the lynching took place.

It is unfortunate that his study ends in 1930 so he does not cover the successful battles in the 1930s by the UMWA that organized many of these miners and provided one of the basis for the mass organizing campaigns of the CIO.

Coal, Class, and Color: Blacks in Southern West Virginia, 1915-32

Average customer rating:

Coal, Class, and Color: Blacks in Southern West Virginia, 1915-32
Joe William Trotter
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPVM58

Book Description

Designed to give readers the background knowledge necessary to make health promoting food habits a natural part of their lives, this practical, user-friendly guide explores the ways in which quality food and beverage compliment each other and enhance the pleasures of the table, and highlights various cultural food traditions, the history of food, and the connections between lifestyles, diet, health, work, and environment. Teaches the importance of food selection, safe food handling, preparation and cooking methods, portion control, managing overall fat intake, and relying on a variety of flavor enhancer and seasoning techniques. Explores cultural food traditions and the history of food. Examines the connections between lifestyles, diet, health, work, and environment.

Customer Reviews:

IN GOOD TASTE---a excellent book for the amateur or seasoned chef!.......2005-10-06

I would recommend this book to anyone! It is very easy to understand, clear and very user friendly. The recipes are nothing short of amazing...I still can't believe that they're healthful! :) My friends and family are always blown away when I make something from the book. The cobbler with citrus ice is particularly good!! Don't miss the veal with parmesan coating--that's a dinner for any night of the week that my family loves and really wows guests...if they only knew how easy it is to make. An excellent book for those looking to cook healtfully without "dieting". Fantastic.

A must have for foodservice professionals!.......1999-01-08

This book is written in an unintimidating style and presents clear and concise nutritional information. It features a renewed excitement for cooking recipes that not only look good, and taste good, but have the added bonus of being good for you! Unlike other cookbooks on nutrition, this book highlights the excitement of cooking and removes the stigma typically assoiated with nutritional cooking. A must have for professionals and gourmands alike! This book is instrumental for the new generation of culinary students.

Great recipes & healthful cooking techniques anyone can use.......1999-01-07

This is a terrific book, especially for the cook who wants to know more about healthful cooking techniques. I have applied these techniques to the foods that my family & I enjoy. The book offers a wide range of recipes that are unique, interesting, and fun to prepare. There is a section on nutrition that explains healthful eating in easy-to-understand terms. Also a section on wine with food. I loved this book, it is written in a friendly tone with a great deal of personal insight on food from the authors. Most of all the recipes are superb!

In Good Taste: A Contemporary Approach to Cooking

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In Good Taste: A Contemporary Approach to Cooking
Victor; Kimbrough, Mary; Gielisse, Kathryn C. Gielisse
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OITDJW

Book Description

Do you remember ducktails...going parking...and being scared to death? Do you remember hanging out at the local drive-in...or the beach? Do you remember your first love and the pain of breaking up? Then, go back to the Fifties and Sixties and relive those glorious teenage years--as told only by someone who lived them can tell. The setting is Bainbridge, Georgia-- population 10,000--but it could be Milam, Texas...or Aimes, Iowa. You'll recognize the characters--they lived in every small town. And you'll recognize the Fifties as they really were. "This book is hilarious! It has drama, suspense, humor and that univeral appeal I call...commonality! You'll laugh, you'll cry and your heart will break as Roger Searcy retells the stories of his youth."--Ramsey Horton, Greenwood, South Carolina

Customer Reviews:

It's My Story....And I'm Stickin' To It.......2005-02-08

A must read book if you grew up in the 50's and 60's. You will laugh and cry as you read the true and hilarious adventures of Roger and his friends. It will make you yurn for the good ol days. I read the book in one night, and have read it again.

I was there!.......2003-07-21

Roger really nails it with this book and I should know because I was there. Roger was my best buddy. He physically pulled my lazy carcass out of bed each summer morning in 1958 & 59 and dragged me to swim team practice. (I was a night person; Roger was a round-the-clock person.) I devoured the book in one sitting and have been reminiscing ever since. The characters we grew up with and the things we got into could easily provide material for two or three more books! Let's have'em Rog!

It's My Story and I'm Stickin' To It.......2003-03-11

Very funny and entertaining book...Once I started reading it, I
could not lay it down..Several friends that I told stories to from this book,really had several laughs and each related similar
experiences...This is VERY enjoyable reading...Yes, I do think
all of us are in this book in a LITTLE way...The author did a very NICE job putting this one together.....This is my FIRST review but NOT my last....I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK...THANKS !!

IT'S MY STORY and I'M STICKIN' TO IT.......2003-03-05

Very Funny...Great MEMORY reading...I can relate to this book...
A lot of DOWN to EARTH humor...Reminds me of my CHILDHOOD...
I highly recommend to all 30 to 90 year olds...There are towns
in Texas that are very similar to Bainbridge...I am sure that
EVERYONE who reads this book will LOVE it...Seems so REAL...
Anyway, my family and friends LOVE it...
Edley Martin...Harlengin, Texas

IT'S MY STORY and I'M STICKIN' TO IT.......2003-03-04

A TRUE small town AMERICAN book...Big city residents will ENVY
all small town people..A MUST READ for ALL travelers of AMERICA..Wish we had this book years ago...WE take the side roads and LOVE to explore small towns...EVERY RESIDENT of EVERY SMALL TOWN CAN "RELATE" TO THIS BOOK..A true tell it like it is
book..SERIOUS,FUNNY,TRUTHFUL and SAD...We "HIGHLY" recommend this book for ALL of America...Wish the book had been LONGER..
Really hope EVERYONE has the opportunity to read it...Yes, we believe it is a FIVE STAR book...GREAT GREAT JOB..Many thanks to the author for TELLING it like is WAS and probably still is..

That's My Story & I'm Stickin' to It: Memories, Yarns & Tall Tales

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That's My Story & I'm Stickin' to It: Memories, Yarns & Tall Tales

Manufacturer: Coffee Table Books/Jagttomal Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0966296907

Book Description

This deluxe songbook includes six songs from their famous Fillmore East gig on New Year's Eve, 1969: Changes * Machine Gun * Message to Love * Power to Love * We Gotta Live Together * Who Knows. Features a special 24-page section of full-color photos and the interesting story behind this recording.

Average customer rating:

Nice photos, but printed lyrics are often wrong
~ Yet another missed opportunity ~
Beautiful Package

Jimi Hendrix - The Lyrics
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation , and Jimi Hendrix
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0634049305

Book Description

Jimi Hendrix was such an extraordinary guitarist, it can be easy to forget that just as much passion, soul and precision went into his lyrics. Inspired by Bob Dylan, Hendrix was a fearless lyrical innovator, willing to let his imagination guide him to landscapes of words hitherto unexplored within the realms of pop music. This extraordinarily personal book includes numerous examples of Jimi's handwritten lyrics, often scribbled on hotel stationery, and photos of Jimi accompanying every song. From the existential euphoria of "I Don't Live Today" to the elusive beauty of "Little Wing" to the psychedelic blues of "My Friend" to the otherworldly "1983 (... A Merman I Should Turn to Be)," the lyrics of Jimi Hendrix remain among the greatest in the pantheon of rock, infused with the same inventiveness, virtuosity and courage that informed his guitar playing. Readers will of course also thrill to see such Hendrix classics as "Purple Haze," "Foxey Lady," "Voodoo Chile," "The Wind Cries Mary," "Dolly Dagger" and "Are You Experienced?". Jimi Hendrix: The Lyrics is sure to be one of the leading gift books of the season and a perennial favorite for Hendrix fans for years to come. Hardcover with full-color and b/w photos and illustrations throughout.

Customer Reviews:

Nice photos, but printed lyrics are often wrong.......2007-09-14

I think the book has value if you enjoy seeing reproductions of Jimi's lyric writing - stuff in his own hand. I also enjoyed the many nice photos. I am irritated at the poor quality of the printed lyrics - lots of mistakes. Example: Burning of the Midnight Lamp. At one point the printed lyrics say "About the surface in the wishing well, and a couple lines later the word "bale" appears instead of bell. If you look across the page at Jimi's very legible handwritten version you will see "about the circus in the wishing well" and also "someone to toll my bell" - not bale! My recollection was that Jimi sang the words circus and also bell. There are many other similar mistakes. So I believe the printed lyrics are worthless. I bought a used copy and I am happy with the photos of Jimi and his original lyrics. I'd be upset if I paid full price for the book with all those incorrectly printed lyrics. A revision is in order.

~ Yet another missed opportunity ~.......2004-01-26

This is yet one more addition to the long list of missed opportunities the "author" & cohorts have committed.

There are typos on nearly every single page, which a professional proofreader should/would have spotted.

Also there are many lyrics with no written verification in Jimi's own hand, so we're left with the "authors" translation which, of course, are full of typos or "misheard" words.

It's a shame more than a few trees had to give their very all for this one.

On the positive side, the layout is nice, even though it features many already seen photographs, and some unpublished ones as well.

Beautiful Package.......2004-01-14

I like the look and feel of this book. Loads of excellent photos, page after page of lyrics, wonderful paper used, all lovingly assembled. In the past, I haven't really searched out the written lyrix to Jimi's tunes very often, and in reading these, I came across a few surprises. That's not really surprising, because many tunes were released after his death and of those, no doubt some had only a working vocal track that probably would have been re-recorded had he lived. As an example, the lyrics to Hey Baby. So I found myself pulling out disc after disc to listen intently to hear the words I'd missed previously. In some instances, the words in my mind sounded closer than those in the book. Some of the book lyrics are reproductions of Jimi's handwritten lyric sheets, so those are about as definative as it gets. Also, I have a nit to pick and that is how Amazon portrays Janie Hendrix as a co-author. If I remember right, the book gives her credit as compiler.

The bottom line is hinted at above - reading this book will motivate you to play the music and listen to the words. That's not a bad thing! In fact, the sum total Experience of it all is most excellent. Where did those Easter Eggs get off to?

Average customer rating:

Hendrix = Legend

Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live at the Isle of Wight (Tab)
Jimi Hendrix
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Highlights from BBC Sessions

Jimi Hendrix: Blues

Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys*

Jimi Hendrix - Volume 2: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of His Guitar Styles and Techniques (Guitar Signature Licks)

ASIN: 0634057286

Book Description

18 songs from the recently released Hendrix concert DVD and CD, including: All Along the Watchtower * Dolly Dagger * Foxey Lady * Freedom * Hey Joe * Machine Gun * Purple Haze * Red House * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band * Spanish Castle Magic * Voodoo Child (Slight Return) * and more.

Customer Reviews:

Hendrix = Legend.......2007-05-10

Jimi hendrix's style I have to say is one of the most flexible and purest there is. He has different version's of his songs and "isle of wight" will show you what I'm talking about. If you compare "Red House" from woodstock to wight..the woodstock's version sounds more bright/happy than the wight. I think it also comes from his mood.

Jimi Hendrix Experience Smash Hits - Complete Lyrics and Lead Sheets for Fourteen Songs with Detailed Notes and Color Photographs for Each Composition

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Jimi Hendrix Experience Smash Hits - Complete Lyrics and Lead Sheets for Fourteen Songs with Detailed Notes and Color Photographs for Each Composition

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Publishing Corp.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FPDDGS

Product Description

Includes: Purple Haze; Fire; The Wind Cries Mary; Can You See Me?; Hey Joe; All Along the Watchtower; Stone Free; Crosstown Traffic; Manic Depression; Remember; Red House; Foxey Lady; 51st Anniversary; Highway Chile

Jimi Hendrix: "'Scuse ME While I Kiss the Sky"

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Jimi Hendrix: "'Scuse ME While I Kiss the Sky"
David Henderson
Manufacturer: International Music Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Jimi Hendrix: The Forty Greatest Arranged for Easy Guitar with Lyrics, Chord symbols, and a Special Section in Guitar Tablature

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Jimi Hendrix: The Forty Greatest Arranged for Easy Guitar with Lyrics, Chord symbols, and a Special Section in Guitar Tablature

Manufacturer: Wise Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0860011623

Average customer rating:

Like wow! I'm on Saturn looking out at Uranus!

Jimi Hendrix - South of Saturn
Jimi Hendrix
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Matching folio to the recent release of 15 tracks, including lost gems like 'Tax Free,' 'Look Over Yonder,' and 'Pali Gap,' as well as previously unreleased recordings like 'Here He Comes (Lover Man),' 'Message to the Universe' and 'Midnight Lightning,' and more.

Customer Reviews:

Like wow! I'm on Saturn looking out at Uranus!.......2004-11-09

Wrap your thumb around that neck and get busy! This folio to the CD 'South Saturn Delta' compiles cuts from 'Rainbow Bridge', 'Loose Ends', and 'War Heros' (all long out of print); along with alternate takes of album cuts and unreleased material.

The theme of the tune 'Message to the Universe', provided the melodic framework for a large portion of the obscure album 'Nine to the Universe'. That's in case any of you were wondering.

The showcase instrumental 'Pali Gap', with its phenomenal comping and dynamic finger-grease, masterfully illustrates the singularly lyrical quality of the Stratocaster guitar. And in attempting to play this cut on your Strat, you may find out very quickly just how unforgiving the Strat can be. And Jimi played with a ridiculously high action. But with patience and practice one may overcome such obstacles to be greatly rewarded. Rewarded with money and women? Well, I certainly wouldn't know anything about that. Still, its nice when I hear things like, "Wow! It's like I'm at Woodstock or sumpthin', dude! Hit?"

Next to 'Pali', I like Jimi's instrumental version of 'Little Wing' here, with its 'Floyd Cramer' type rhythm fills and vocal quality soloing.

This title goes well with 'First Rays of the New Rising Sun', which contains the other tracks from 'Rainbow Bridge' and 'War Heros', as well as those found on the out-of-print 'The Cry of Love'.

Customer Reviews:

"A Very Brady Guide To Life" is Jennifer Briggs at her best........1998-07-28

"A Very Brady Guide To Life" is a creative look at the Bradys. My family and friends enjoyed the letters, especially the ones that are signed Thindy Brady.Jennifer Briggs at her best.

Review Contains: Thoughts (on the book),.........ect........1998-01-03

Personally, I think that "A Very Brady Guide To Life," is a well written book. I like the fact that it contained humor, and the fact that it had letters to each member of the Brady family, from friends, and enemys... The parts of the book that caught my eye the most were: The Lists. I loved the lists! They were very creative, and humorous! The book contains: Lists, Pictures, Letters, an introduction......ect. It was a nice book (for a change), for the entire family. I being 24.....found it funny, and so did my 5th grade students!

Book Description

Troubleshooting can account for up to 90 percent of a network administrator's job, so effective troubleshooting skills will help administrators respond quickly in a crisis situation, and keep their networks running smoothly. It can be a quantum leap from network administrator to troubleshooting guru, but knowing how to implement the right technique at the right time can help administrators take their skills to the next level. The Real- World Network Troubleshooting Manual focuses on the methodology and process of network troubleshooting, and how to apply them in real-life situations. Designed to make any network administrator a troubleshooting expert, the book starts with an overview of some readily available, basic troubleshooting tools. From there, multiple real-world troubleshooting scenarios are covered, from basic problems to more advanced, including what to do if a workstation is unable to surf the Internet, wireless users cannot connect to the network, or a hacker attacks the Web site. Although the primary focus is on the Windows workstation and server environment, many of the troubleshooting scenarios are non-operating system specific and can be applied to any computing environment.

Customer Reviews:

Misleading title.......2006-11-28

I couldn't agree more with Jarmo.

I would rename this book: "Things that may happen to you while running Microsoft Windows and certain applications on a networked environment"

Subtitle: "(not a Networking book)"

Why I won't buy this book.......2006-11-08

I've got to this book at Amazon from a sponsored link in a newsletter for IT professionals.

Amazon's "Look inside" feature is great - convinced me not to consider this book. Even the first network diagram shows IP addresses with five bytes (192.168.2.2.2) and network masks like 55.255.255.0. One can say it's a type, but again, the next diagram shows the same errors.

I don't believe this is a book for pros.

This book is bloody cool.......2005-08-09

First and foremost, the thing I like the most about this book is that it is current. It troubleshoots technologies in use today, speaks briefly about emerging ones, all while teaching basic troubleshooting skills as well as using enough real-world examples to be helpful to any business help-desk operative.

Not just about network troubleshooting.......2005-05-14

I just received this book from Amazon and was somewhat surprised by its contents.

For the first: this book spends quite a few of its pages to discuss scenarios not *directly* related to network troubleshooting.

For the second, many of the scenarios describe a problem that is specific to a particular vendor. I would have preferred content that was usable for networking issues regardless of vendor.

For the third, the problem scenarios or the solution descriptions may not bring anything new to your personal solution arsenal (unless you have very little experience in this field).

For the fourth, the book comes with a CD containing tools from SysInternals (such as Autoruns, Filemon, etc). Besides the fact that these tools can be freely downloaded from SysInternals web site, maybe more annoying is that the book provides no scenarios or advise on using these tools to troubleshoot problems. On the other hand, as an example, chapter 4 uses over 7 pages to list the Windows Recovery Console commands; the list seems to contain the same information that can be obtained using the HELP command inside the Recovery Console.

Some examples of the scenarios:

Chapter 3 (pages 45-91) deals with workstation troubleshooting. Example scenario:
- Problem Scenario "12" on page 88 (User is unable to install NAV Corporate Edition on a workstation): This scenario discusses the problem as occurring on a Windows 2000 with SP4. The solution: re-apply SP 4.

Chapter 4 (pages 93-158) deals with Windows Server troubleshooting; tools described in this chapter are the Windows Performance Monitor and Recovery Console.
Example scenarios:
- Problem Scenario "1" on page 134 (Data faction server does not boot): Discusses how a particular case of a server not booting was resolved. Solution: replace the power supply switch.

- Problem Scenario "3" on page 142 (Inaccessible boot device error stop 0000007B): Discusses how to troubleshoot a server displaying a blue screen with the "Inaccessible boot device ..." message at start. The described temporary solution: run ChkDsk. A more permanent solution: replace the hard drive.

Chapter 5 discusses SQL Server (pages 159-182) troubleshooting. Example scenario:
- Problem Scenario "2" on page 176 (Poor performance on SQL Server): Discusses what to do when SQL Server takes unusually long to return query results. In this case a large amount of data had been uploaded to the SQL Server just before the problems started. The solution: to run the command "Update Statistics "

Actually I am curious as to why the book was named "The Real-world Network Troubleshooting Manual: Tools, Techniques, and Scenarios"? Marketing reasons? A better name would have been something like "The Real-world Generic Troubleshooting Reference with Basic Tools, Techniques, and Scenarios".

Review of "The Real-world Network......".......2005-03-04

Becoming a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MSCE) may help you get a job, but getting this book will help you keep your job. It has numerous real-world troubleshooting examples and does a good job of explaining the process of problem solving. It explains troubleshooting techniques that are not covered in most classroom settings.

I wish this book was available a little sooner, because a lot of the tricks and techniques mentioned in the book I had to learn the hard way. To get the most out of the book, it's a good idea to read it before you have to jump into a difficult troubleshooting problem, so you've had a chance to practice and understand the techniques discussed in the book. But, it's still a helpful book if you need to solve a problem right now. Highly recommended!

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