Annotated Bibliography
This is an attempt to recreate the annotated bibliography without including any information about the books in the webpage. We're using the book data in the XML file and the structural data in the XSLT file to construct the bibliography; almost like we were pulling the data from a database, except the structural formatting is separated into the XSLT file. In a database driven application (like PHP or ASP.NET), this information would most likely be programmed into the page. PHP would have to be, even PHP6 is spaghetti code (ie written inline with the XHTML); and while ASP.NET has best practices to avoid this, there are few examples in the literature of how to do this except in very simplistic (and unrealistic) cases. 90% of the .NET examples for this type of work are configuring Gridviews, Detailsviews, etc. right in the XHTML. Further, since we're displaying virtually all of the data in the XML file, XML has competitive performance vs. a database. Databases are excellent speed demons for culling out subsets of data. However in a case like this, where you're returning everything, it has few benefits vs. storing your data in an XML file; that's a key reason we choose this bibliography for testing. It's a pretty sensible case to use XML.
<ul>
<xsl:for-each select="Bibliography/item">
<xsl:sort select="author/lastName" />
.
.
.
</xsl:for-each>
</ul>
The basic structural code is the same as before so let's get right down to the lists that we're creating. We start with the <ul> tags to define the list. We want to list each book and series in a list, and then each volume under the different series. More on that later, for now we just want to target the main series item and the stand alone books. We start with an <xsl:for-each> that selects the root node, Bibliography, and then looks for all <item> nodes within it. This grabs the stand alone books and the main series items like we want. Then we sort them based on the author's last name.
<li class="ref">
<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test="@format = 'series'">
<xsl:call-template name="reference">
</xsl:call-template>
.
.
.
</xsl:when>
<xsl:otherwise>
<xsl:call-template name="reference">
</xsl:call-template>
</xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>
</li>
Now that we've grabbed and sorted the main series and stand alone book items, we need to display information about them. We now create the <li> tags which will contain the information for each item. Inside this, we create an <xsl:choose> tag to detect whether the item is a series, ie by using the <xsl:when> to test for the format attribute value of series. (Note that we've removed an <xsl:choose> that tested for the <series> child tag. It was unnecessary once we included the <xsl:choose> to test for the series attribute which more immediately homed in on the series objects; as opposed to the child tags which grabbed the series and their individual volumes as well.)
If the item is a series, we call a named template. This is the first time we've tried this. There is a second <xsl:template> tag later in the document that defines the information we're going to display, and it includes an attribute, name="reference". This allows us to insert that entire code block simply by using this <xsl:call-template name="reference"> tag. The call-template tag goes and finds the named template with the matching name attribute.
The named template, more on that later, then displays all the information about this series. If the item is not a series it is a stand alone book and the <xsl:otherwise> once again calls the template named "reference". Now we can immediately see the value of having the code for displaying bibliographic records in a separate template. If we didn't, we would need to write the entire code block twice. In fact, we'd need to write it a third time, as the last section of this code block displays the volumes of each series. So we're using a third of the display code that we would otherwise need.
<ul>
<xsl:for-each select="item">
<xsl:sort data-type="number" select="volume" />
<li class="ref">
<xsl:call-template name="reference">
</xsl:call-template>
</li>
</xsl:for-each>
</ul>
Finally, for each parent series item, we want to display each of the child items, the volumes for that series. So we begin a nested list using the <ul> tag. A new <xsl:for-each> tag selects all <item> tags that are children of the series item. We sort them by volume and define their data-type as numeric. This grabs all the volumes of the series and sorts them into volume order. We can then create the individual <li> tags to display them and call the named template for a third time using the <xsl:call-template> tag to display the bibliographic record for each volume.
We've simply translated the decisions that a bibliographer makes in compiling a bibliographic reference into XSLT programming decisions. Looks great, right? Take a look...
Titles by Series
- 5*.
Brunsden, Denys,
J. Malcolm Wagstaff,
Caroline Burgess. eds.
World Atlas.
1st American ed.
New York:
DK Publishing, Inc.,
1999.
338 pp.
(208pp. of maps.)
Well thought out color scheme with highlights and shadows conveying the 3D topography. Excellent selection of maps from world to local maps, from physical to political to specialty maps, with copious amounts of background information and data. Wise use of big maps for core topics, extensively supplemented with smaller maps and diagrams for extra topics. Beautiful and informative, in every way one of the best books compiled by DK, perhaps the best graphic design publisher of non-fiction books in the world.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Coe, MichaelD..
Breaking the Maya Code.
1st US paperback ed.
New York:
Thames and Hudson, Inc.,
1992.
304 pp.
(112 illustrations.)
A basic background to language decipherments and pre-Columbian American history. Well-written and packed with details, but quickly and clearly sets forth the requirements for any decipherment and then dives into all the details of the tortuous road that Mayan scholars took to get there.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Davis, Lindsey.
The Marcus Didius Falco series.
Marcus Didius Falco.
The tales of Marcus Didius Falco, an ex-Roman Legionaire and low-life informer (ie, a classic tough detective in the mold of Sam Spade). Marcus solves 1st century AD crimes in Rome and across the Empire with his loyal buddy in the police force, Petronius, and his elegant dame, Helena, a nobly-born Senator's daughter. Every novel is dressed with a delicious look at some aspect of Roman history or culture as seen from the inside by the Romans. But what truly sets this series apart is its beautifully developed relationship between Marcus and Helena and Lindsey Davis's marvelous wry wit.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 4G.
Davis, Lindsey.
Silver Pigs.
Marcus Didius Falco.
1.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1991.
241 pp.
Begins the adventures of Marcus Didius Falco as he travels to Britain to break a plot to overthrow the new emperor, Vespasian. The chapters in the mines will haunt you, but the story is necessarily bogged down in exposition and introducing characters. A good series openner, but better is to come.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 5*.
Davis, Lindsey.
Shadows in Bronze.
1st American ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
2.
New York:
Crown-Random House,
1990.
384 pp.
Marcus must track down loose ends, as a mysterious stranger is trying to resurrect the plot against Vespasian. The first great book in the series, boasting a clever well-ploted mystery and vivid characters whose relationships hit their stride in a way they never quite managed in Silver Pigs. Davis has a perfect turn of phrase and a beautiful sense of dramatic timing that builds to a riveting climax.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 3G.
Davis, Lindsey.
Venus in Copper.
1st American ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
3.
New York:
Crown-Random House,
1991.
288 pp.
Suffers by comparison coming after one of the best books of the series. This novel explores Roman tenement life, an interesting social issue often ignored historically, but perhaps one which should have been ignored by Davis. The book drags for significant sections as Marcus looks for a new place to lives.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Davis, Lindsey.
Iron Hand of Mars.
1st Ballantine Books ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
4.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1992.
320 pp.
If Roman tenements were boring to read about, then the dreaded German frontier is the perfect topic to bring the series back. If there's a book where the Roman history lesson overshadows the vivid characters, Iron Hand of Mars is it. From the sheer scale of a gigantic Roman frontier fortress laid out with its main streets, to the fate of the three legions destroyed by the Germans, Davis brings alive the horror of the German frontier for civilized Romans circa 100AD. The rich background provides the perfect setting for Marcus to investigate reports of a new revolt by the Germanic tribes.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Davis, Lindsey.
Poseidon's Gold.
1st American ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
5.
New York:
Crown-Random House,
1994.
352 pp.
Where Iron Hand of Mars succeeds by reveling in exotic parts unknown, Poseidon's Gold is equally brilliant by staying close to Rome sweet Rome. Marcus and his estranged father delve into the shady past of the perfect older brother whom Marcus has always felt inadequate next to. Marcus is vulnerable and authentic with his male relatives (and their memory) in ways that make for utterly compelling reading. A fabulous book.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 3G.
Davis, Lindsey.
Last Act in Palmyra.
1st Ballantine Books ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
6.
New York:
Warner Books,
1997.
432 pp.
If Germania made for gripping reading, how can the Roman Middle East be so uninteresting. The wandering acting troupe goes down with the Roman tenements as a good history lecture, but lousy reading. I did not follow Marcus and Helena, now expecting parents, all the way to exotic Palmyra just to see the inside of the theater. After beginning with international intrigue in the city of Petra, chiseled into the Arabian cliffs, this story was disappointing. At least compared to Davis's usual quality.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Davis, Lindsey.
Time to Depart.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
7.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
1997.
432 pp.
Back to Rome, back to basics, back to the sleazy underlife of the city. Davis's sense of dramatic tension building to the climax is exceeded only in Shadows in Bronze. Davis introduces a series of underworld characters important to later books who create havoc at Rome when their boss is exiled. Naturally, Marcus won't leave his policeman friend, Petronius, in the lurch and investigates.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Davis, Lindsey.
A Dying Light in Corduba.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
8.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
1998.
464 pp.
Davis finally seems understand the value of the supporting characters shes developed in Rome. While this book explores corruption in the forgettable olive oil production of Roman Spain, Marcus and a now VERY pregnant Helena, split time with Rome, which saves us from an otherwise uninteresting plot.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Davis, Lindsey.
Three Hands in the Fountain.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
9.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
1999.
432 pp.
Marcus must track a nondescript serial killer. His grisly habit of cutting up his victims lead Marcus down into the gargantuan and creepy Roman sewers. Even better, Marcus and Helena's transformation into parents adds a new twist to the series.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
Two for the Lions.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
10.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
1999.
464 pp.
[,
]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
One Virgin Too Many.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
11.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
2000.
368 pp.
[,
]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
Ode to a Banker.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
12.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
2001.
384 pp.
[,
]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
A Body in the Bathhouse.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
13.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
2002.
304 pp.
[,
]
- 4G.
Davis, Lindsey.
The Jupiter Myth.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
14.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
2002.
336 pp.
A funny thing happened on the way home... Marcus is still stuck in Britain to solve another murder and break a crime syndicate. The supporting cast is especially strong. His friend, Petronius is both poignant and realistic struggling to build a romance with Marcus's sister, Maia. And his wife, Helena, is forced by the case to consort with Marcus's sleaziest and most infamous old girlfriend.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
Scandal Takes a Holiday.
Marcus Didius Falco.
15.
New York:
Century,
2004.
320 pp.
[,
]
- .
Davis, Lindsey.
The Accusers.
1st US ed.
Marcus Didius Falco.
16.
New York:
Mysterious Press,
2004.
384 pp.
[,
]
- 5*.
Grannell, Craig.
Web Designers Reference: An Integrated Approach to Web Design with XHTML and CSS.
1st American ed.
New York:
Friends of ED Co.,
2005.
389 pp.
Excellent reference that includes a great deal of explanation and is well organized even for someone seeking to learn XHTML and CSS. It definitely helps to have an understanding of HTML first, but no background in XHTML and CSS are required. Lots of code side by side with the graphical output it creates. Lots of tips for executing particular elements with real world experience. Lots of workarounds for getting visual CSS to do things it doesnt necessarily do well, and get them all the way done so they look nice.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2006/01/03]
- 6*.
Haywood, John.
Atlas of World History.
New York:
Barnes & Noble Books,
1998.
121 pp.
(facing pages have the same page# so it actually has twice as many pages, plus index.)
Excellent resource with over 120 detailed full-color maps. Topical maps highlight key empires and/or historical periods with accompanying essay that provides an excellent historical summary, similar to other high-quality historical atlases. However, almost unique among history books, Haywood includes 26 world maps stretching from 2000BC to 1999AD. You can use one map to place nations in context to one another, e.g. 800AD shows that when Charlemagne ruled the Holy Roman Empire, the Abbasid Caliphs ruled the Middle East, and the Tang Dynasty ruled China, or you can trace from one world map to the next, e.g. see how China's Han Dynasty expanded from 200BC to 1BC and then fragmented by 400AD. This is invaluable when trying to keep the Mongols straight from the Mughals and stay sane, especially if you're a visual learner. Chroniclemaster1's favorite historical desk reference. Limited edition book, usually hard to find.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Jacobs, Sas.
Flash 8 Accelerated.
Korea:
Youngjin Singapore Pte. Ltd.,
2006.
272 pp.
An excellent resource to take a new Flash user and lesson by lesson build on what you've learned to turn you into a solid intermediate user by the end of the book. Wonderful full color pictures let you see exactly how everything looks. Each chapter lays out the theory and tools behind a topic and then drops into two to four exercises that lead you step by step to give you hands on practice. This also results in an extensive portfolio of work, and hands on learners may want to start with the exercises first.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 3.
Kentie, Peter.
Web Design: Tools and Techniques.
2nd ed.
Berkeley, CA:
Peachpit Press,
2002.
436 pp.
Divided into beginning, intermediate, and advanced web design. Well put together, but its strength is also its disadvantage. Aside from the beginners section where pictures appear next to HTML, the book explains how web designers really do things using the tools web designers really use. So, if you dont have all those specialty programs to help you build a website, large sections of the book may be useless to you. If you have one or two of the more important, and you may at least have something similar, it is helpful. I found it interesting just to glean general information about the world of web design, especially the section on XML.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2006/01/03]
- 5*.
Kerrod, Robin.
Hubble: The Mirror on the Universe.
1st US ed.
Buffalo, NY:
Firefly Books (U.S.) Inc.,
2003.
192 pp.
The ultimate coffee table books for nerds. The text is interesting, is logically laid out and does a decent job (3/4 rating by itself) of both explaining fundamental background information and discussing some of the latest discoveries in very general terms. The entire book is laid out with a general audience in mind. However, all the information is just an excuse to drape page after page with dazzling, eye-popping images of stars, galaxies, and nebulas. Often well hear in a newspaper about some amazing picture from the Hubble Space Telescope, with a grainy newspaper image next to it and a blurb with the link to the actual picture at NASAs website. But most of us have not really seen many of the actual images. You will probably never read this book, but its more than worth the time to check it out of your local library or buy it yourself for the amazing vistas.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Klauser, HenrietteAnne.
Writing On Both Sides of the Brain.
New York:
Harper Collins Publishers,
1979.
143 pp.
Here is a book that's both useful and a treat. Imagine reading a book about how to write that practices what it preaches. Klauser's prose is soft and instructive, engaging and personal. It is also highly valuable. Whether you're writing the next War and Peace or just writing a memo, Klauser gives many concrete tips for how you should write. For those looking to write long or detailed pieces Klauser gives great writing techniques and exercises. Even better, Klauser has a light yet masterful touch in explaining how to approach writing. Other books tell you not to stress out. Klauser's ability to enjoy writing and communicate how she does it are the most valuable lessons in her book.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2007/09/19]
- 3*.
Lewis, C.S. (Clive Staples).
Til We Have Faces.
1956.
1st HBJ ed.
San Diego:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
1980.
324 pp.
A very difficult read, but tremendously rich adaptation of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. Lewiss story presents the depth, difficulty, power, and obscurity of great myths in a narrative form. Elements of surrealism are the most instrumental way that the story both transcends and loses itself. However, it is very beautifully written, almost poetic, and it gets better and better the more times you read it (but it still rates a good 3 the first time through).
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 3G.
Maalouf, Amin.
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes.
New York:
Schocken Books,
1984.
352 pp.
Interesting and well-written book for a lay audience. Full of good information but it's arranged first and foremost so that Maalouf can tell the stories of the Crusades. Presenting a clear and understandable history takes a back seat as he jumps around geographically and chronologically to follow the threads of his accounts. As Arabic scholarship and documents are being translated in a woefully slow manner, this is still a valuable book. European records of the Crusades are nowhere near the scholarly caliber (or credibility) of the Arabic sources, so this book fills an important gap in English-language Medieval history. Consider Maalouf a good read (and your only choice) while we wait for a history book on this topic to be written in English.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
MacMillan, Margaret.
Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World.
1st US ed.
New York:
Random House,
2002.
608 pp.
Tells the story of the conference and of the many fascinating personalities behind the monumental 1919 Treaty of Versaille that ended World War I. One of the few books to be both entertaining reading and a truly excellent history of its topic. The story of the conference is interspersed throughout the book to enliven the historical narrative of each nations portion of the treaty and how it developed. MacMillans country by country arrangement makes clear and understandable sense of the mammoth conference that becomes a confusing hodge podge in so many other accounts. Paris 1919 is in clear lucid prose with astute observations and demonstrates a clear understanding of the successes and failures, impact and limits of the peacemakers of 1919. Spiced with the flavor of what it was actually like to be there in Paris after the war, this is the quintessential comprehensive history of the end of World War I.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4.
Mohler, JamesL..
Flash 8: Graphics, Animation, & Interactivity.
Clifton Park, NY:
Delmar Learning,
2006.
575 pp.
Walks a user through from the basics of Flash to the elements of ActionScript and how to create animations. It's well laid out for teaching yourself Flash and recommends exercises to complete after each topic in the chapter. This may be as simple as telling you to play with a new tool which is better learned hands on, or step by step instructions to walk you through a complex task. Some images and tables in the book are too small but the content is very good.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Norwich, JohnJulius.
The Byzantium series.
Byzantium.
Well-written for a lay audience and a good read for history buffs, Norwich sets forth the oft ignored history of the Eastern Roman Empire which survived until Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453AD. Follows a generally chronological account, but told in stories so it back tracks on occasion. Extensive history of military, politics, and the royal family life of an empire thats generally neglected in English-language scholarship.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4G.
Norwich, JohnJulius.
Byzantium: The Early Centuries.
1st American ed.
Byzantium.
1.
New York:
Knopf,
1996.
416 pp.
Traces the origins of what would become the Eastern Roman Empire, when Constantine refounded the greek colony of Byzantium in his own honor, as the city of Constantinople. Follows Constantine's emergence in the reign of Diocletian. Continues through the fits and starts of Christianization, and collapse of Rome, to Christmas 800AD when Charlemagne was crowned as a rival to the emperors of Constantinople.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 4G.
Norwich, JohnJulius.
Byzantium: The Apogee.
1st American ed.
Byzantium.
2.
New York:
Knopf,
1992.
416 pp.
Traces the histories and the accounts, some competant some suspect, that are all we have left of the resurgence of the Eastern Roman Empire around 1000AD. The most important volume in the series, because it deals with history that is almost wholly untaught in Western Europe. Also traces the cultural accomplishments of an empire that gave much to the Islamic Middle East at a time when Western Europe used stencils so kings could sign their own names. Fills a major gap in European history.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 4G.
Norwich, JohnJulius.
Byzantium: The Decline and Fall.
1st American ed.
Byzantium.
3.
New York:
Knopf,
1995.
461 pp.
Follows the political collapse of East Roman government that allowed the Turks to consolidate their crushing victory at Manizert. However, the Fall of Constantinople in 1453AD, is revealed in all its ironic detail to be the work of fratricidal wars between the Christians states of Europe. Follows the devastation wreaked by the 4th Crusade which sacked Constantinople, (and marked the end of the East Romans as a major power) and the numerous other adventurers who spread devastation and slaughter in the Balkans in pursuit of the title of emperor.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 5*.
Shaara, Michael,
Jeff Shaara.
The US Civil War series.
US Civil War.
Excellent, well-researched historical fiction trilogy on the American Civil War. Written by father, Michael who won the Pulitzer Prize for The Killer Angels, but then passed away. His son, Jeff, completed the other two books in his fathers style as a tribute, but created perhaps the most powerful historical fiction trilogy ever written. Each chapter follows an eye-witness to the unfolding carnage of the US Civil War, complete with their feelings, ideas, and impressions drawn from diaries and research. Like watching history as it happened.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 5*.
Shaara, Jeff.
Gods and Generals.
US Civil War.
1.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1996.
512 pp.
Robert E. Lee and Thomas Stonewall Jackson dominate this tale of the opening battles of the US Civil War. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain gives perspective to the conflict both in contrast of his view from behind the Northern lines, and in the similarities between these dedicated, driven soldiers. Shaara does an admirable job following in his father's footsteps.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 6E.
Shaara, Michael.
The Killer Angels.
US Civil War.
2.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1996.
384 pp.
James Pete Longstreet's wisdom collides with Robert E. Lee's faith. Behind the Northern lines, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain wages a desperate struggle to hold Little Round Top, the exploit for which the North's most decorated soldier is best remembered. Shaara's style is both simple and revolutionary, hopping from character to character giving the reader a front row seat for all the important events of the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara's gripping prose, vivid characters, and careful research earned him the Pulitzer Prize. The very best in historical fiction writing.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 5*.
Shaara, Jeff.
The Last Full Measure.
US Civil War.
3.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1998.
640 pp.
Jeff Shaara's second book, completing the transformation of his father's novel on the Battle of Gettysburg into a sweeping trilogy of the entire US Civil War. Follows the two senior commanders Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Melded with views of the battles on the front lines, Shaara starkly contrasts the ineptitude and heroism of commanders with the bloody brutality of the final battles of the war; leading to the mournful finale at Appamattox Courthouse.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/23]
- 3G.
Shaara, Jeff.
Gone for Soldiers.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1996.
512 pp.
A prequel to the US Civil War Trilogy, it traces the future commanders as they see combat for the first time. Follows General Winfield Scott on his daring invasion of Mexico that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. Well-written and interesting but unquestionably the weakest book hes written. It is quite possible that this is because Shaara is all too accurately representing the character of the Mexican-American War. Shaara's other series on the US Civil War and the US Revolution are charged with the driving moral force of those conflicts, the clash of dedicated, deadly soldiers and the ideals they will kill and die for. Gone for Soldiers fails to live up to Shaara's standards because the subject has no such ideals or passions at stake.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 5*.
Shaara, Jeff.
The US Revolution series.
US Revolution.
Excellent two volume recreation of the figures of the American Revolution and their impact on the defining moment of North American history. We are party to their ideas and impressions as they watch the events unfold making for moving biographical portraits and riveting history. From the fields of Lexington and Concord, to the halls of the 2nd Continental Congress, to the all important campaigns in the South, Shaara illuminates history in human terms.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 6E.
Shaara, Jeff.
Rise to Rebellion.
US Revolution.
1.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1996.
512 pp.
Shaara returns to top form after the readable but disappointing Gone for Soldiers. We see history unfold from the eyes of the Ben Franklin on diplomatic assignment in London and Paris, John Adams giving shape to American politics and government, and George Washington as he faces off against General Gage for control of Boston.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/22]
- 5*.
Shaara, Jeff.
The Glorious Cause.
US Revolution.
2.
New York:
Ballantine Books,
1996.
512 pp.
The action loses a touch of its edge as it dives into battle after battle, but is engaging and brilliantly written. Like riding at the side of George Washington at the Battle of Brandywine, or General Greene on his march through the Carolinas. General Washington and his subordinates fight campaign after deadly campaign against General Cornwallis to determine the fate of the fledgling United States.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/22]
- 4G.
Shupe, Rich.
Flash 8: Projects for Learning Animation and Interactivity.
1st ed ed.
Sebastopol, CA:
O'Reilly Media Inc.,
2006.
340 pp.
Includes a thorough run down of all the Flash features and tools for a beginner, with large clear pictures. For more advanced users it provides a lot of more technical detail including programming concepts and techniques. Anyone wanting to really learn how to use ActionScript will find this a much more sensible approach. It gives you a solid introduction to how real Flash developers make their pages tick.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 4*.
Teague, JasonCranford.
DHTML and CSS Advanced.
Berkeley, CA:
Peachpit Press,
2005.
424 pp.
Well written guide for intermediate and advanced users of CSS and Javascript. Writing is very clear and professional, but with enough personality that it avoids being overly dry. (For example, Teague uses text and illustrations from the gorgeous original editions of Alice and Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1872).) Focuses on specific tasks or ideas to add to a website or use. Consistently puts complete code (with important lines highlighted in red) next to the graphical output, with explanations interspersed throughout as necessary. 5* resource if you want to perform any of the tasks included.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2006/01/03]
- 6E.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (John Ronald Ruel).
The Lord of the Rings series.
Lord of the Rings.
For a treat there's the beautiful Alan Lee illustrated edition: Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. Illustrated ed. Illus. Alan Lee. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. 1198pp. (50pp. of illustrations). The quintessential fantasy trilogy, and still one of the best series ever. For Tolkien, he was exploring ancient mythic tradition to tell stories that he, as a scholar, found interesting. For the rest of the world, he was pioneering an entirely new genre, fantasy, that flared into life following in his footsteps. The settings are amazing, the story telling rich and deep, and the writing is deliciously and poetically readable. However, it is still the characters and their tremendously meaningful human relationships that elevate this series to the status of one of the all-time classics. The somewhat tainted reputation that the fantasy genre has acquired since then, is a testament to how difficult it is to do it well, and attests to the phenomenal talent of this quiet Oxford professor.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/6/27]
- 6E.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (John Ronald Ruel).
The Fellowship of the Ring.
1954.
2nd ed.
Lord of the Rings.
1.
Boston:
Houghton Mifflin,
1987.
432 pp.
In some ways the best book in the trilogy, Fellowship of the Ring is both the most intimate of the books and the most non-traditional. Setting aside epic scope, the story follows the story "before" the quest of the Ring for almost half the book. Then ratchets up the dramatic tension with the flight from the Nazgul, the path through Moria, and the clash between Gandalf the wizard and the demonic Balrog. The most personal of the books and the the most beautiful, packed with twice the poetry of the other volumes.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/22]
- 6E.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (John Ronald Ruel).
The Two Towers.
1965.
2nd ed.
Lord of the Rings.
2.
Boston:
Houghton Mifflin,
1988.
352 pp.
The most gripping book of the series, Two Towers follows the Fellowship as it breaks in three and scatters across the lands of the South. Frodo and Sam meet Gollum a twisted creature of the Ring, while the rest of the company converge on Isengard to battle Sauruman, a treasonous white wizard. A tense tale of high adventure that climbs to the pinnacle of Cirith Ungol where Frodo falls before the dark spider, Shelob.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/22]
- 6E.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (John Ronald Ruel).
The Return of the King.
1965.
2nd ed.
Lord of the Rings.
3.
Boston:
Houghton Mifflin,
1988.
448 pp.
The promise of the first two volumes, at last give way to the epic grandeur, and mythic imagination of The Return of the King. Like tales of ancient legend, The War of the Ring unfolds in the vivid clash of good against evil, the few against the many, and the fate of the Ring & the world hangs in the balance as Frodo plunges into the nightmare land of Mordor.
[Chroniclemaster1,
2005/9/22]
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