Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 [Hardcover]

 
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The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 [Hardcover]  

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

THE SANDMAN, written by New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman, was the most acclaimed comic book title of the 1990s. A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven, THE SANDMAN is also widely considered one of the most original and artistically ambitious series of the modern age. By the time it concluded in 1996, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. Now, DC Comics is proud to present this comics classic in an all-new Absolute Edition format. The first of four beautifully designed slipcased volumes, THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL. 1 collects issues 1-20 of The Sandman and features completely new coloring, approved by the author, on the first 18 issues, as well as a host of never-before-seen extra material, including the complete original Sandman Proposal, a gallery of character designs from Gaiman and the artists who originated the look of the Sandman, and the original script to the World Fantasy Award-winning THE SANDMAN #19, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," together with reproductions of the issue’s original pencils by Charles Vess. Also included are a new introduction by DC’s president Paul Levitz and a new afterword by Gaiman.

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From Booklist

Comic-book publishers have grown expert at collecting individual issues of a title as graphic novels and later rereleasing those collections with hitherto unpublished sequences, further artwork, and other "bonus" material to entice buffs to purchase the same book twice and thrice. DC Comics brings the game to a new level with the Absolute series of oversized, slipcased, hardcover volumes of landmark titles. Neil Gaiman revived the name of an early comic-book superhero only to give it to a protagonist whose utter difference, and that of the cohort of relatives who took the spotlight whenever he--the Sandman--absented it, refreshed mainstream comics even more than Frank Miller's overhauled Batman had a few years earlier. The Sandman and his siblings are embodiments of the dark forces of nature----death, destiny, and other dismaying elementals. They play out their adventures mostly in contemporary settings that have been completely recolored for the first of four Absolute volumes that will re-present them all. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 612 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English

 The most beautiful book I own, October 12, 2006

By 

Isaac VanDuyn (Ann Arbor, MI) -

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This review is from: The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

I received mine in the mail yesterday, and it blew me away. This is a large, girthy, edifice of a volume. The black leather cover comes complete with raised flourishes on the spine and a subtle embossed key and lock motif on the front and back. The letters are embossed in silver, all in a subtle yet glorious old-style script. There is a wide, heavy black silk bookmarker anchored to the center of the spine. The pages are sturdily bound and obviously built to last. This book would look at home in any of the ancient, eldritch libraries Gaiman's artists draw so well throughout the series.

Much has been made of the recoloring job in this edition, and I can now fully endorse it. I do not own any other edition (and now I'm glad that I waited to buy it), but my roommate does, and comparing my copy to his is like comparing old and new photographs. Mine is crisp, clear, and beautiful. His looks muddy and decrepit by comparison.

If you have never bought an edition of Sandman before, this is the one to get. Gaiman's masterpiece in a presentation that rivals anything I've seen. Fully worth all the money spent on it. I just wish more publishers would give their masterworks this luxurious treatment.

Absolute WOW!, November 9, 2006

By 

J. A Magill (Sacramento, CA USA) 

   

This review is from: The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

Every fan of the graphic novel format chooses for themselves the moment at which the medium "broke out." Watchmen. Miracle Man. Dark Knight Returns. The Contract With God Trilogy. While there can be no right answer to this question, for me it lies with Sandman, Neil Gaiman's brilliant, literate, and highly entertaining romp through areas as diverse as pop culture, Kaballah, Freudian analysis, serial killers, Shakespeare, death, and other areas too many to number. The story follows one of the endless, creatures that exist as personifications of certain eternal forces, Despair, Destiny, Delusion, Desire, etc, in this case Dream.


The story begins with Dream's capture by mystics in Britain between the world wars and takes off at his release in modern times, following his struggle to rebuild his realm, shattered and abandoned for his absence. While the first few issues touch at the edges of the traditional comic universe, Gaiman quickly departs this and enters his own deep textual musings. While a thread binds all the tales here together, a passion play of rise, fall, and self realization, what one finds here most pleasurable are the stories. Dream is the keeper of tales and many are to be found here. Shakespeare's troop performing a Midsummer Night's Dream for the real King Oberon, a man gifted with eternal life, another of a writer who captures and holds bound a muse for her stories, yet another of the trials of ruling hell, and many others.


Nor does this volume stand along on its prose, for the art too may be some of the most lovely in any modern graphic novel, rich and varied. While the book comes pricey, fans will love the oversized format and those beginning the collection will quickly notice that the price is only nominally higher then buying the individual soft back volumes. Of one thing I am certain, no one will likely regret taking this fine work home.

Well worth the benjamin., January 23, 2007

By 

Ethan Zlomke (Madison, WI USA) 
 

This review is from: The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

There are enough reviews and analyses of The Sandman Chronicles to warrant my cutting to the chase. I own the entire Sandman in hardcover with covers by Dave McKean. They are gorgeous. The recolouring alone is worth the price of owning this volume (and subsequent ones). Now looking better than ever, the strange world of the Endless is given extra depth. The care to the binding and slipcover as well ensures that this will live on your shelf for a very long time.

 

From the pages of Newbery Medal winner Neil Gaiman's THE SANDMAN

 
Publication Date: October 20, 2009

From the pages of Newbery Medal winner Neil Gaiman's THE SANDMAN comes the young, pale, perky, fan-favorite character Death in a new Absolute Edition collecting her solo adventures! Featuring the miniseries DEATH: THE HIGH COST OF LIVING #1-3 in which Death befriends a teenager and helps a 250-year old homeless woman find her missing heart.

THE ABSOLUTE DEATH collects the miniseries DEATH: THE HIGH COST OF LIVING and DEATH: THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE together with "The Sound of Her Wings" and "Façade" from THE SANDMAN #8 and #20, the P. Craig Russell-illustrated "Death and Venice" from THE SANDMAN: ENDLESS NIGHTS, and the never-before reprinted stories "A Winter's Tale" and "The Wheel." This deluxe volume also features an introduction by The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer as well as extensive galleries of Death portraits and retail products, sketches by artist Chris Bachalo, and the complete original script by Gaiman for THE SANDMAN #8.

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Five Minutes on Mondays: Finding Unexpected Purpose, Peace, and Fulfillment at Work [Unabridged] [Audible Audio Edition]

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Editorial Reviews

Imagine the leaders of one of New York City's top real-estate firms coming together every Monday morning to hear...the moral and spiritual thoughts of a Rabbi.
Imagine them returning, week after week... coming to eagerly anticipate those five minutes as a moment of uncommon peace in the world's most brutally competitive environment.
Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall? To hear the paths Alan Lurie traced for his listeners, how he helped them bring together their spiritual and business lives, the sacred and the profane? Five Minutes on Mondays compiles these talks for the first time, sharing Lurie's deep and profound inspiration on the challenges we all face - at work and in life.
Lurie draws on millennia of philosophy, theology, and science to help us answer our deepest questions, comfort our deepest yearnings, and become better people - more connected to each other, and to the Greater Purpose. Here's how to:

• Prosper while keeping your integrity
• Balance faith, honor, and ambition
• Use your workplace as your moral and spiritual "gymnasium"
• Find deeper meaning and purpose in your work
• Face your fears and failures, and keep going
• Gain real respect - and give it
• Live one authentic life - at work, and everywhere else

©2009 Alan Lurie; (P)2011 Julie Phifer                                                                                                    

2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Both inspiring and thought provoking, September 14, 2009

By 

Srikumar S. Rao (Commack, NY USA) -
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

 

 

This review is from: Five Minutes on Mondays: Finding Unexpected Purpose, Peace, and Fulfillment at Work (Hardcover)

Alan Lurie is a Rabbi and thus - I presume - has spent many hours pondering deep philosophical questions and thinking about the meaning of life. It shows. While he may not have any answers for you, he does have questions and observations that will knock your own thinking machine off its habitual paths and and get you thinking about your own life and dilemmas in fresh ways that enable you to discover the answers you are seeking.

For example, he tells the story of the philosophy professor who posits that the true test of any philosophical belief itself is paradoxical. In other words the belief must be internally self-contradictory. Initially this seems perverse, even stupid. As you begin to ponder the implications - and he helps you travel some of this path - you realize that this is actually very profound. In fact, there are entire schools of Eastern practice based on wrestling with the conundrums of paradox utill the thinking mind simply gives up. That opens up the way to a deeper form of knowing and is the point of the exercise.

And he has the droll tale of how all of us are graduates of MSU - making stuff up. And this is precisely what we do. We tell ourselves stories all the time and start believing in those stories and they gradually construct the world we live in. Change the story you tell yourself and your world alters.

There is much wisdom here. This is not a book to be read. Take it like a vitamin pill - a small dose every day.

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Minutes on Mondays, April 10, 2009

By 

Jeffrey H. Simon -

(REAL NAME)   

 

 

This review is from: Five Minutes on Mondays: Finding Unexpected Purpose, Peace, and Fulfillment at Work (Hardcover)

These are amazing essays on life, attitude and tolerance.
They are inspirational and enjoyable.
Alan Lurie is a gifted thinker and writer.
Can I give it 6 Stars?

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a quiet gem, August 30, 2009

By 

Elisa Robyn (Colorado) -

(VINE VOICE)   

 

 

This review is from: Five Minutes on Mondays: Finding Unexpected Purpose, Peace, and Fulfillment at Work (Hardcover)

Five Minutes on Monday is quiet gem. I have not seen it on any lists, but it should be. The author is an architect turned rabbi turned manager. He brings a wide breadth of knowledge and experience to his quiet Monday insights. The book is a compilation of Monday morning talks a business team. While many of the insights come from the Jewish tradition, they are peppered with stories and concepts from philosophy, science and other religious traditions. The tone of the book is very soft, encouraging reflection on the deeper meanings of the ideas.

The topics range from justice to creativity to resolving conflicts to being authentic while facing fears and cultivating happiness. Quiet and powerful. I started to just read through the book, but found that randomly opening it and reading a bite-size section was better. There is an index that is very helpful in finding pertinent themes. Even the short highlighted quotes are useful. For example, I just randomly opened the book to this one:" With experience and guidance, we discover that mistakes can, in fact, often be turned around and transformed into a positive growth experience."

The chapters are short since each was a short Monday talk. I recommend reading one at a time, perhaps daily, and spending some time with the thoughts presented. Again, it is a quiet gem. It does not loudly shout about transformation, the power to change or our need to heal the planet. The truths are simple, direct, and applicable to individual life. The chapters left me thoughtfully inspired...a nice feeling.

I recommend this book to anyone in a leadership position needing some insight, anyone wanting to deepen their daily reflective practice, anyone wanting some quiet inspiration, and anyone interested in applying Jewish (or other) philosophy in a mainstream setting.

The Hunger Games [Unabridged] [Audible Audio Edition]

   

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Editorial Reviews

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before -and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

©2008 Suzanne Collins; (P)2008 Scholastic Inc.

 

1,284 of 1,357 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging. Brutal, but engaging!, August 19, 2008

By 

Michael A. Behr "mabehr" (New York, NY United States)
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

 

 

This review is from: The Hunger Games (Hardcover)

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Wow. I was barely able to put this book down for a second after the first few pages got me completely hooked. Suzanne Collins narrative here has an immediacy to it that, when combined with the very dramatic life-or-death plot, is incredibly compelling. It's entertaining, and incredibly disturbing all at once. If this was merely a good read, I would have given it 4 stars, but they say great art leaves you changed after you experience it... and this book definitely did that. Suzanne Collins has, with one amazing work, propelled herself onto my top shelf.

Parents, caveat emptor! The storyline is brutal. Even though the writing is geared for young adults, the main characters are teenagers, there's very little physical romance, and the actual violence would probably count as PG-13 nowadays... it's probably one of the most terrifying books I've read in a very long time! Right up there with George R.R. Martin, if not more so. Remember what we learned from Jaws: you don't actually need to SEE the shark in order for it to be terrifying. Sometimes not seeing the shark is even worse.

The story is basically about a teenager who is forced to compete in a 24-man-enter-1-man-leaves event. I don't want to spoil it by saying any more, but if you liked The Running Man, you'll definitely like this. And if you're young enough that you don't remember The Running Man, nor did you get the Thunderdome reference, then I'm just way too old. But take an old fogey's advice and read this book.

Amazon, when can I preorder book 2???

4.0 out of 5 stars Game on!, September 2, 2008

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY)
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

 

 

This review is from: The Hunger Games (Hardcover)

Clearly Gregor was merely the prelude. Suzanne Collins, you've been holding out on us, missy. As an author we were accustomed to your fun adventures involving a boy, his sister, and a world beneath our world. I think it's fair to say that we weren't really expecting something like The Hunger Games. At least I wasn't. But reading it gave me a horribly familiar feeling. There is a certain strain of book that can hypnotize you into believing that you are in another time and place roughly 2.3 seconds after you put that book down. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer could convince me that there were simply not enough canned goods in my home. And The Hunger Games? Well as I walked down the street I was under the disctinc impression that there were hidden cameras everywhere, charting my progress home. Collins has written a book that is exciting, poignant, thoughtful, and breathtaking by turns. It ascends to the highest forms of the science fiction genre and will create all new fans for the writer. One of the best books of the 2008 year.

Life in District 12 isn't easy for Katniss and her family. Ever since her father died the girl has spent her time saving her mother and little sister Prim from starvation by hunting on forbidden land. But worst of all is reaping day. Once a year the government chooses two children from each of the twelve districts to compete against one another in a live and televised reality show. Twenty-four kids and teens enter, and only one survives. When Prim's name is called, Katniss exchanges herself without hesitation to compete alongside the baker's boy Peeta. To survive in this game you need to win the heart of your audience, and so District 12's trainers come up with a plan. Why not make it as if Peeta and Katniss were in love with one another? But in a game where only one person can live, Katniss will have to use all her brains, wits, and instincts to determine who to trust and how to outwit the game's creators.

I described the plot of this book to my husband, particularly the part where Katniss and Peeta fake being in love to gain the audience's approval and the very first thing he said was, "Oh! That's the plot of They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Then I mentioned that it took place in the future and that government leaders set up teenagers to fight one another to the death and he said, "Battle Royale". So sure, there are parts of this plot that have been done before. You could say it's The Game meets Spartacus with some Survivor thrown in for spice. But that's not what makes a book good or bad, is it? Some of the greatest works of literature out there, regardless of the readerships' age, comes about when an author takes overdone or familiar themes and then makes them entirely new through the brilliance of their own writing. Harry Potter wouldn't have been any great shakes if it weren't for Rowling's storytelling. Similarly, Collins takes ideas that have certainly seen the light of day before and concocts an amazingly addictive text. About the time you get to the fifth chapter that ends with a sentence that forces you to read on, you're scratching your head wondering how the heck she DOES that.

Your story often rests on the shoulders of the protagonist. Is this a believable character? Do you root for him or her? Because basically it is a very hard thing to create a "good" person on the page that your reader is going to fall in love with. Because we readers know that we are flawed, we are often inclined to side with the similarly flawed people we meet between a book's covers. Katniss, on the other hand, is so good in so many ways. She sacrifices herself for her sister. She tries to save people in the game. But there's almost a jock mentality to her too. Katniss can figure out the puzzles and problems in the game, but when it comes to emotional complexity she's sometimes up a tree. Most remarkable to me was the fact that Katniss could walk around, oblivious to romance, and not bug me. Seriously, nothing gets under my skin faster than heroines who can't see that their fellow fellas are jonesing for them. You just want to bonk the ladies upside the head with a brick or something. The different here is maybe the fact that since Katniss knows that Peeta has to play a part, she uses that excuse (however unconsciously) to justify his seeming affection for her. Thems smart writing.

Oh! And did I mention the dialogue at all? The humor? Yep, there's humor. We're talking about a story where adolescents hunger for blood, and Katniss is getting in lines about her trainers like, "And then, because it's Effie and she's apparently required by law to say something awful..." Good stuff. The words pop off the page. And then there's the fact that we're dealing with a dystopian novel where the author has somehow managed to create a believable future. No faux slang here, or casual references to extinct dolphins. There are some animals that were scientifically altered, but you can't have a future without a couple cool details like that, right?

In general, this book throws a big fat wrench into the boy book/girl book view of child/teen literature. People love to characterize books by gender. It stars a boy? Boy book. A girl? Girl book. Now take a long lengthy look at the first book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. It stars a girl... and a boy too. There's a lot of hunting, fighting, and survival... and a lot of romance, kisses, and cool outfits. There's strategy, the world's most fabulous fashion designer, weapons and a girl who knows how to fight. This is not a book that quietly slots into our preconceived stereotypes. And you know what happens to books that span genders? They sell very well indeed. That is, if you can get both boys and girls to read them.

The age range? Well, for most of this story I would have said ten and up. I mean, yeah the basic premise is that a lot of teenagers go around killing one another, and sure there's some romance to deal with, but none of it really seems inappropriate... until a final death scene appears in the book. I won't give any details, but suffice it to say it is gruesome. There are definite horror elements to it as well, so with that in mind I am upping my recommendation to 12 and up. I'm sure that there are 10-year-olds out there who've seen much worse stuff on cable, just as there are 12-year-olds who'll freak out ten pages in. Still, I'm more comfortable recommending it for the older kids rather than the younger. You'll see why.

It occurs to me that there has never been a quintessential futuristic gladiator book for kids. That is undoubtedly the roughest term you can give this book. Now I'm not a person who cries easily when she reads something, particularly something for kids. Yet as I was taking a train to Long Island I found myself tearing up over significant parts of this story. It's good. And it's so ridiculous that a work of science fiction like this could even be so good. You think of futuristic arena tales and your mind instantly sinks to the lowest common denominator. What Collins has done here is set up a series that will sink its teeth into readers. The future of this book will go one of two ways. Either it will remain an unappreciated cult classic for years to come or it will be fully appreciated right from the start and lauded. My money lies with the latter. A contender in its own right.

270 of 313 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hunger Games - Definitely worth reading!, August 20, 2008

By 

Jay R. Chase (Houston, Texas) -
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

 

 

This review is from: The Hunger Games (Hardcover)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

It took me a while to get to this book because I never saw it out of my two daughters' hands. They devoured it! Once I read it, I understood. This is the second book I have reviewed this month that had a powerful female protagonist (other being 'Graceling').

I found the book to be well written with a fantastic pacing. Their is violence in there, but not so over the top as to be distracting. Intimate scenes are sparingly written so as not to be too embarassing (something I greatly appreciated as a dad!!) The rage against the system theme is prevalent enough to notice, but not as overbearing as say.... Ayn Rand or Terry Pratchett.

All in all, I highly recommend this book for kids from 12 up. The ending leads me to believe that this will be a series. I imagine I will be pre-ordering as soon as it's available. Congratulation Ms. Collins!!

All the best,

Jay

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 2012 (First Aid USMLE) [Paperback]

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Price For All Three: $104.28

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About the Author

Tao Le, MD, MHS, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the University of Louisville. He is also affiliated with the Division of Allergy and Immunology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Vikas Bhushan, MD practices diagnostic radiology from his home-base in Los Angeles, California.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical; 22 edition (December 19, 2011)

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 delivers exactly what you need to ace the exam: More than 1200 frequently tested facts and mnemonics that provide a complete framework for your USMLE review.

• Conveniently organized by organ system and general principles
• 125+ full-color clinical photographs integrated throughout the text
• Hundreds of full color illustrations complement the text and improve retention
• Rapid-review section for last-minute cramming

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) [Hardcover]

Series: The Hunger Games | Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Gr 7 Up--Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Reviewers were happy to report that the Hunger Games trilogy is alive and well, and all looked forward to the third book in the series after this one's stunning conclusion. But they disagreed over whether Catching Fire was as good as the original book Hunger Games or should be viewed as somewhat of a "sophomore slump." Several critics who remained unconvinced by Katniss's romantic dilemma made unfavorable comparisons to the human-vampire-werewolf love triangle in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. But most reviewers felt that Catching Fire was still a thrill because Collins replicated her initial success at balancing action, violence, and heroism in a way that will enthrall young readers without giving them (too many) nightmares. 

Biography

Suzanne Collins has had a successful and prolific career writing for children's television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. Collins made her mark in children's literature with the New York Times bestselling five-book series for middle-grade readers The Underland Chronicles, which has received numerous accolades in both the United States and abroad. In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Collins lives with her family in Connecticut. 

How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition [Hardcover]

 

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 2011

If you've been let down by the undelivered promises of marketing, this book is for you. Launch reveals a new way to grow your business that involves focusing on the needs of others, giving gifts, working with outsiders, and restraining your marketing messages. These principles are precisely the opposite of traditional marketing. Yet they work. And they are the future. If you follow the formula outlined in this book, you can attract countless customers and prospects, resulting in amazing business growth.

This book will show you how to:

• Create highly sharable content that meets people's needs
• Identify and work with outside experts, many of whom will gladly promote your content 

• Attract and retain raving fans that will help your business grow
• Creatively market and sell to people who will gladly purchase your products and services 

se

Launch isn't like other marketing books. Rather than making keen observations about others who've achieved success, the ideas and principles in this book were developed, refined, and practiced by the author to great success. Pick up a copy for yourself and one for a friend.

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Review

"What Stelzner shares here is proven! He's already built a community that propelled his brand not only beyond the competition, but ahead of an entire industry." Brian Solis, author of Engage!  --From book

"This isn't a book about marketing; it's about human nature. Understand that and you've unlocked the key to your success." Scott Monty, Head of social media at Ford Motor Company
--from book

"Launch is your road map to success in an ever-changing world." Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment --from book

"If you're looking for a better way to reach the business heights you've only dreamed of, start reading Launch." David Meerman Scott, author of Real-Time Marketing & PR --from book

"I only believe what I've read in Launch because I've watched Michael Stelzner do it himself. It works." Chris Brogan, President, HumanBusinessWorks.com and co-author of Trust Agents --from book

From the Inside Flap

In order to rocket your business to stellar growth and far-reaching recognition, you're going to need plenty of fuel—nuclear fuel to thrust you beyond the pull of gravity and primary fuel to keep you moving forward. And what's that fuel made out of? Content.
Launch provides a detailed recipe for the most combustible content—rich, magnetic content that attracts people and opportunities. This special content helps you access the most influential experts in your industry and earns the trust and loyalty of people—and to earn that trust, you'll need to pack away your marketing messages. Primary fuel, the regularly produced free content that meets the needs of your readers, is a gift that keeps people coming back and cultivates raving fans. Carefully designed and highly targeted nuclear fuel—content that has a big impact—leaves a lasting impression on people and rockets your industry recognition.
Launch delivers field-tested guidance on how to create the most compelling content, and then leverage that content for maximum velocity—while gaining the support of top experts in your industry. You'll find step-by-step instruction, including how to:

• Develop an outward-focused mindset that inspires the content creation process
• Identify role models that could become tomorrow's strategic partners
• Build relationships with outside experts who'll gladly help you grow your business
• Employ social proof so visitors turn into faithful fans
• Implement the ten most effective types of content—the fuel of your business
• Discover new ways to market that don't repel people, but actually engage them

Every marketer throws around the word "content," but few have mastered the art and science of creating useful, thought-provoking, and viral content. Launch delivers the inspiration, encouragement, examples, and know-how you need to boost your brand to new heights and send your rocket ship to undiscovered galaxies.

From the Back Cover

"Hands on and generous, Michael shows you preciselyhow he does it, step by step."—Seth Godin, author of Linchpin
"What Stelzner shares here is proven! He's already built a community that propelled his brand not only beyond the competition, but ahead of an entire industry."—Brian Solis, author of Engage!
"This isn't a book about marketing; it's about human nature. Understand that and you've unlocked the key to your success."—Scott Monty, Head of Social Media, Ford Motor Company
"If you're looking for a better way to reach the business heights you've only dreamed of, start reading Launch."—David Meerman Scott, author of Real-Time Marketing and PR
"I only believe what I've read in Launch because I've watched Michael Stelzner do it himself. It works."—Chris Brogan, President, HumanBusinessWorks.com, and coauthor of Trust Agents
"Theory is fine, really. But what's even better is how-to action.And that's precisely what you'll find here."—Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs, and coauthor of Content Rules
"Mike's teachings absolutely work! This book is a must-read for anyone serious about building a sustainable empire on a solid foundation in today's fast-moving, new media world."—Mari Smith, coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day

About the Author

Michael A. Stelzner is the founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com—a popular online magazine that helps businesses answer social media questions with useful how-to articles, in-depth case studies, expert interviews, and original research. He also authored the book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged, and is the man behind several large professional development conferences such as the Social Media Success Summit.

Ranking Number One: 50 Essential SEO Tips To Boost Your Search Engine Results [Paperback]

Ranking Number One: 50 Essential SEO Tips To Boost Your Search Engine Results [Paperback]

 

 

Publication Date: June 26, 2010

With millions of websites on the Internet, search engine optimization - or SEO - is the difference between ranking one in Google and remaining invisible. This book breaks the latest SEO techniques into 50 tips that can help any website - from a small company to the largest corporation - rank number one in the search engines and boost your visitor traffic and sales.

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From the Author

I've worked on search engine optimization (SEO) for dozens of websites and decided to boil down the mechanics of exactly how it works into this book. You don't need to be technical to understand search engine optimization, but you need to employ effective strategies if you want to rank well in search engine results. Although SEO tactics change constantly, these 50 tips represent the "tried and true" techniques that will always help visitors find your website.

From the Back Cover

Are you tired of your competitors' websites ranking ahead of your's? Are you frustrated with watching potential customers go somewhere else? Then you need to know the 50 insider tips that SEO experts use every day in the world's busiest websites.

Regardless of your level of technical expertise, Ranking Number One will show you the secrets of the search engines and the tips used by high traffic sites to boost their rankings in Google™, Yahoo!™ and Bing™. With over 200 million established websites on the Internet and billions of web pages, it's never been more important to know the tactics and strategies that will get your site on page one of Google's search results.

SEO gives you the control to build highly successful websites that attract visitors, convert traffic into sales, and develop repeat customers that will come back to your site again and again. Whether you are building from scratch or refreshing a site that's not getting the traffic you expect, Ranking Number One will show one step at a time how to plan for top placement in the search engines.

You'll learn how to think like an SEO pro, how to avoid the mistakes made by 90% of the world's web sites, and how to keep your top place search rankings for the long term. Inside you'll discover:

• How to plan SEO before you build a new web site, and the secrets to creating great content
• How to get authoritative sites to link to you and make your site a go-to hub for visitors
• How to channel the crowds to your site with social media
• How to use free tools from Google and others to measure your success 

Published by One Uproar.

--Backcover copy

About the Author

James Beswick has a B.Sc. in Management and Computer Science from Royal Holloway College, University of London. James is also Google Analytics IQ Certified. He has worked for a variety of Fortune 500 companies and consults in online marketing, search engine optimization and website design. James has a keen interest in technology and marketing, and aims to help organizations to maximize their revenue opportunities online. James also provides webinars and seminars to small and medium-sized businesses to help them get the most out of SEO and online marketing. James is the founder of One Uproar and works in California. Also by this author: "Getting Productive With Google Apps". 

Biography

James Beswick has a B.Sc. in Management and Computer Science from Royal Holloway College, University of London. James is also Google Analytics IQ Certified.

He has worked for a variety of Fortune 500 companies and consults in online marketing, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and website design. James also provides webinars and seminars to small and medium-sized businesses to help them get the most out of online marketing. 

  the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, Easy to Follow, June 22, 2011

By 

Bob

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ranking Number One: 50 Essential SEO Tips To Boost Your Search Engine Results (Paperback)

Unlike most SEO books, this has a lot of easy to understand information and tips. I was already doing many of the things but learned some new ways to use Google to position my site.

5.0 out of 5 stars 50 Essential SEO Tips, December 21, 2011

By 

steshe865 

This review is from: Ranking Number One: 50 Essential SEO Tips To Boost Your Search Engine Results (Paperback)

This is a good book for people who know something about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This book, in my opinion, is aimed at the target audience of those who have more than just a beginning knowledge of SEO and who are looking to add to their tool bag of things they can do to advance their standings. That being said, it could also be a good book for those who are just starting into the world of understanding how SEOs work as long as it is used to further their knowledge and have more success in a shorter amount of time. But, as a stand-alone book on SEO for a beginner, it is not designed for that purpose. For the beginner, I recommend this book only be used as a supplement to a good book on the basics of SEO and to understand that in that context it is worth the investment. For the more advanced person involved with SEO, it is a useful tool.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent advice!, July 4, 2011

By 

Kathleen Goll "Kathy in Rochester" (Rochester, NY) -
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ranking Number One: 50 Essential SEO Tips To Boost Your Search Engine Results (Paperback)

This book is packed with excellent strategies, explained concisely with good examples and screen shots of reports, etc. There are so many good ideas here, it is difficult to figure out which ones to act on first.