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Magick: Liber Aba : Book 4 (Magick Bk. 4)

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THE be all-end all Thelemic resource
Indispensible for Thelemic magicians
Book 4 Parts I - IV
Highly Complex, Stylized, Substantive
The Book of Magick

Magick: Liber Aba : Book 4 (Magick Bk. 4)
Aleister Crowley , Mary Desti , and Leila Waddell
Manufacturer: Weiser Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

THE be all-end all Thelemic resource.......2006-03-20

I've owned this book for several years now, and I STILL learn from it everytime I pick it up. This is NOT the right book for someone new to Aleister Crowley's writings - if you're just starting to look into Thelema and Crowley's approach to Ceremonial Magick, buy Lon Milo Duquette's "The Magick of Thelema"(recently re-issued as "The Magick of Aleister Crowley"), or Crowley's own "Magick Without Tears", a compilation of letters between Crowley and a female student regarding various subjects in magickal/spiritual development. Crowley made the mistake of assuming his readership was at least as educated as he was - well, everytime I read either his or H.P. Blavatsky's work, I am reminded how poor the modern public education system has become! This massive tome is worth every penny it costs, and more... It takes time(maybe a lifetime) to absorb, but it is absolutely worth it. Just remember this: Crowley was constrained by the prevailing laws of his time, and as such, was not always LEGALLY able to come out and just say what he wanted. Alot of things are spoken of in allegory and symbolism; and alot of the time, Crowley had his tongue planted firmly in his cheek when making certain statements. The guy had a cRaZy sense of humor!! Crowley was NOT a baby sacrificing monster - he was a misunderstood genius.

Indispensible for Thelemic magicians.......2004-08-18

One cannot approach Thelemic magick without this book. I have editions of the various parts (Book 4, Magick in Theory and Practice) and they just don't work independently the way the whole volume does. It pulls all of the A.'.A.'. curriculum together and presents it, along with Crowley's examples and commentary, in such a way that a solo practioner might actually be able to make sense of it.

But it is not for beginners, or for light reading. If you want light reading about Thelemic magick, try Lon DuQuette or Gerald del Campo. Then come back to this book.

And if you don't accept the concept of "magick" don't bother with it.

Book 4 Parts I - IV.......2004-06-14

Having read the lively debate/reviews below, I think some important points have been missed through what appear to be fairly 'knee jerk' reactions.

It should be noted that Crowley was one of the first 'Westerners' to bring the teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the UK & USA during a time of strict formal religious discipline. He was the first to spend serious time and money investigating the mysteries of the mind and the subconscious, using drugs (then legal) and meditation, which was unheard of at that time (1900's). Just as 'The Beatles' (Crowley appears on the front cover of Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearst Club Band) and many other 'Society changing' bands experimented with mind altering drugs and alternative reality in the 1960's - he also wrote about his experiences with painful truth and applied his findings to the way we perceive existence.

Such people are rarely accepted by their social group. Anyone who breaks with convention (and he broke many) will be reviled and attract a certain amount of infamy. To disregard him entirely is wrong. To worship him is also wrong. His achievements create open debate on alternative religious belief systems - allowing people to question their own inherent faith and to explore others.

His greatest achievement is not so much 'Magick', but the fact that all spiritual belief should have the same overall goal, that of an infinite broader view of our own reality in life and death, and to attempt to achieve this without the hindrance of conditioned guilt/sin/love/hate/ego - as well as social/religious taboo's.

However, Crowley did attempt to increase his own wealth via magical practice and this failed. Crowley also wanted (at one point) to 'renounce his role as Magus' and stated he ..'could not go on with his work' due to lack of belief in his own powers, although he continued with his practice's for some time after this. But his ground breaking work in detailing Buddhism/Yoga (featured in this book) and creating open interest, and greater tolerance for, alternative belief systems is valid.

The book, like most of his output, is a product of its time. He did attempt to ritualise his beliefs and it shares the same instructional 'symbolic' style of the bible. A better read for those who have an interest in his work would be 'Do what thou wilt - A Life of Aleister Crowley' by Lawrence Sutin, also sold by Amazon. Its well written and researched - providing an objective view of his life and work.

Highly Complex, Stylized, Substantive.......2003-09-05

Be prepared: The presentation can seem incredibly obscure, obtuse and allegorical... but this is an occult book after all(!) If you aren't prepared to appreciate this, and to explore deeply to get to the underlying substance, you wil certainly hate this book and get absolutely nothing from it but irritation. This isn't the latest pop Llewellyn "Celtic Love Spells" production. Crowley's work is serious, smart, original, highly relevant religious/magickal philosophy, which can be very liberating.

One further comment: The pitifully ignorant, tiresome and homophobic review several down should speak for itself.

The Book of Magick.......2003-08-23

If you want a laugh a minute, read some earlier reviews.

First, let us deal with the alternate reality some people seem to live in--Crowley did not die impoverished. Netherwood is certainly modest, but it is a reputable boarding house and is quite a nice place. It is not squalor or filth as some failed creatures seem to think.

Secondly, ad hominem arguments in general are things we thinking human beings call "illogical". Crowley spent his money foolishly--how does it follow then that Crowley can't be spiritually advanced? It simply does not. Yes, he was bad with money--a lot of people are, but what does that have to do with their religious beliefs?

Thirdly, yes where was Crowley's guardian angel? He died a disreputable old man, indeed. More or less forgotten, yes.

So what?

If I am to transcend the world the herd lives in and is ruled by, am I supposed to want the herd to admire me? Or am I going to want them to think I'm "too weird", or "insane"?

Think about it.

Now that we've gotten back to planet Earth, we can safely deal with the book itself.

Still seeped in the tradition of initiated blinds, this is a book which can sometimes be confusing. Sometimes a blind is perfectly obvious, such as the infamous chapter on blood sacrifice. Sometimes, they are not.

This is an invaluable book, however, for modern occultists of whatever stripe. You ought to discount much of his writing on yoga, however, since there are some instructions which (due to the lack of medical knowledge at the time) are potentially dangerous--do not use the positions he mentions. Do not do pranayama one nostril at a time.

The first two parts of the book largely apply to general Magick, and are very good instructions. For Thelemites, an added bonus is the fourth and final part of the book, a survey on Crowley's claims about what led up to the dictation of The Book of the Law, in addition to a copy of the Book itself and some early comments on it.

Crowley's legendary "Naples Arrangement" of Qabalah makes it's first appearance here, along with a few particularly well-drawn diagrams of the Tree of Life, significantly better than the tiny ones in The Book of Thoth.

A highly recommended book which you can find whole or in parts, occultists need this in your library. Dismiss the fools and read, and discover on your own.

Building With Reclaimed Materials (Beta Plus)
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Building With Reclaimed Materials (Beta Plus)
Wim Pauwels
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Insightful and interesting
Experience is Relevant
Tell me something I don't already know
Excellent reference for conducting succesful betas!

Beta Testing for Better Software
Michael R. Fine
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lessons Learned in Software Testing
Managing the Testing Process: Practical Tools and Techniques for Managing Hardware and Software Testing

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Book Description

Implement, operate, and use beta testing immediately with this hands-on guide to the best practices

Beta testing is a complex process that, when properly run, provides a wealth of diverse information. But when poorly executed, it delivers little or no data while wasting time and money. Written by a leading expert in the field, this book will help you reach the full potential that beta testing has to offer.

Michael Fine compiles the best practices to date so you can effectively bring beta testing into your company's process to improve product quality. Using real-world case studies, this book begins by clearly explaining what a beta is and why you need one. Fine then explores the beta test procedure and walks through the best processes to use when implementing a test. He concludes by detailing the steps you should take after completing a test in order to take full advantage of the results.

With this book, you'll gain a better understanding of what beta testing is, why every company needs a beta test program, and how to get the most from a test. Fine will help you: <UL> <LI>Understand all the steps involved in beta testing using real-world case studies</LI> <LI>Implement a beta test using best- known practices</LI> <LI>Produce better products based on the results of well-run beta tests</LI> <LI>Apply beta testing across many platforms and many technologies</LI> <LI>Improve on existing processes and identify critical issues</LI></UL>

Customer Reviews:

Insightful and interesting.......2005-10-11

Having never managed a beta test or QA testing, I found this book insightful into the processes used. It was definitely a fascinating book full of valuable information for anyone interested in beta test management. I'd highly recommend!

Experience is Relevant.......2004-05-07

As the author of this book, I happy to hear criticism and welcome people sending me their opinions. However, it is important for people to understand that this book is for people who have have no experience with beta testing or are looking to improve an existing program.

If you have already a successful beta program, you do not need this book. If you have years of experience in conducting tests, this book will only confirm what you know. It is focused on best practices.

If you have a beta program and it doesn't work or if you have never beta tested before, then I believe you will get a lot of benefit from this book(...)

Tell me something I don't already know.......2003-09-20

I was disappointed with this book. I've worked 10+ years as
a software developer and manager so I guess I've seen everything
because this book didn't present any ideas/processes that
I hadn't seen from working in the industry. The examples
tended to be cute little stories which were lacking any real
depth. I would have rather seen some real "war" stories written
up in detail. This isn't a keeper

Excellent reference for conducting succesful betas!.......2002-10-04

Having previously coordinated beta tests at several companies, I've seen how a wonderfully executed beta can be in terms of value to the organization.. as well as how a poorly defined program can result in months of wasted time.

In reading the book, I can identify with several of the "gotchas" that the author points out (such as how crucial customer communication is during a test). The elements of a well run beta are clearly described, and are presented in such a manner that anyone can take the concepts as a template to apply in their own organization.

I have purchased a half dozen copies to distribute to various groups within my company, and hope to get both hardware and software teams to utilize the planning, execution, and post beta processes that are described in this book.

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This book provides an authoritative review of developments in the chemistry of Beta-lactams: in particular the synthesis, reactivity and mechanisms of reaction, including novel Beta-lactam structures and non-Beta-lactam analogues.

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Best astrology book
Woops! Sorry for the confusion
Typical
Crowley's Astrology under the guise of Adams

The General Principles of Astrology
Aleister Crowley , Evangeline Smith Adams , Hymenaeus Beta , and Beta Hymenaeus
Manufacturer: Weiser Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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This first full-scale reconstruction of his essential text has waited 85 years to appear as he originally intended it.

Long before there was Linda Goodman, long before astrology bestsellers turned up in supermarkets, there was Aleister Crowley, the most important astrological scholar and authority of the early 20th century. Ghostwriting for Evangeline Adams, it was Crowley who wrote the vast majority of her classic textbooks, Astrology: Your Place in the Sun (1927) and Astrology: Your Place Among the Stars (1930). General Principles of Astrology finally acknowledges Crowley's authorship.

Crowley's goal was to abandon traditional assumptions, so he based his findings on actual charts and how they were expressed in people's lives. In his characteristically clear and elegant prose, Crowley discusses each planet from a scientific and mythological point of view. He provides an exhaustive analysis of astrological types, drawing conclusions for over 180 astrological nativities of well-known artists, poets, musicians, philosophers, politicians, and business leaders from the 18th to the 20th century.

This new book is composed of painstakingly gathered work, primarily ghostwritten by Crowley, and published in various early twentieth-century texts. It is published here in one volume for the first time, in an undertaking endorsed by both the Adams and Crowley estates.

Customer Reviews:

Best astrology book.......2007-01-05

Astrology was forbidden and therefore neighwell forgotten till late 19th century. It was Crowley who raised astrology from obscurity. And he knows well that which reimplemented into western culture.

A beautiful book which describes -as its title pronounces- the general principles of astrology. No other astrology book I have yet seen that does that so well. All planets and signs are described very basic and yet rich in information. Relievingly absent is the psychologized approach toward astrology that saturates the content of the contemporary books.

There are almost 200 charts of well-known people which he interprets throughout the book. There is additional information where Crowley crosses astrology with other occult knowledge.

Heralded is Weiser who published this book in the fashion it deserves. Beautiful hard cover and rich in figures, tables and illustrations.

Woops! Sorry for the confusion.......2006-03-11

Oops! The review posted by Cicada Brodadaktylos Eos! entitled "A Frightening wake up call" was intended for James Wasserman's "The Slaves Shall Serve", it has absolutely nothing to do with this great work on Astrology - which does indeed merit five stars. My apologies for the confusion.

Typical.......2005-03-02

This is pretty typical astrology content related to the subject matter from what I've seen in years shopping in larger bookstores' new age section. But is raised up a notch because it is by Aleister Crowley, notorious occultist and literary genius. The birth signs are covered after a few introductory short chapters. Then there is the planets in the solar system. If you can afford to shell out the 80 bucks for this one it is worth it to have such a nice, excellent book by someone as famous as Crowley. I am a Thelemite and have Brother status in the O.T.O. and each time I read anything by Crowley I am proud to have been even a tiny fraction of a part of this mysterious prophet and his amazing literary genius. If you are going to be a Thelemite, it is important to get past the juvenile "do anything to shock people" that permeates so many would be occultits. Do what thou wilt, love under will!

Crowley's Astrology under the guise of Adams.......2002-10-13

This new tome from notorious occultist Crowley was originally two books with Evangeline Adams as its author. According to the introduction by H. Beta, Crowley was in New York for sometime and met with Adams whom they were to write a book on astrology together. Due to unfortunate circumstances, Adams took the material that Crowley wrote, reworked, omitted and added her own material and eventually became an authority on the subject. The two books by Adams, "Your Place in the Sun" and "Your Place Among the Stars" (written 1927 and 1930 respectively) are essentially the works of Aleister Crowley. This edition by Samuel Weiser brings back Crowley's original writings in their original form and in one book. In a similar format as Magick Book 4, 'The General Principles of Astrology' is bound in a nice maroon hardcover cloth book with a sigil embossed on the cloth cover in metallic gold (looks like a modified Mercury symbol). Crowley's writing at many times is elusive even for the most astute occultist, however, as in Magick 4, he is making great efforts to be clear to a larger audience. The text was written in 1915 before the discovery of Pluto, so for some astrologers that may be your only set back.

In my opinion and from what I know of Crowley, the work is largely unfinished, however, what is presented is entirely a workable system. Crowley probably had the least amount of faith in astrology as a science among all the occult arts, but because he was so verse in many subjects, he is not one to let it be unexplored. Astrology seems as vast a subject as Kabbalah, as so much is written about it, that it seems that no one person can legitimately claim authority. My preference is Alan Leo's work even though much of his work is before Pluto as well. Crowley stands as a modern authority on much occult work that this was a book I could trust in giving a clear exposition on the subject.

Amazon.com

In the tradition of small books that try to explain a lot (think How the Irish Saved Civilization), John Man's Alpha Beta is an excellent survey on the history of letters. They may have played a more dramatic role in the advancement of Western culture than most people realize: "The Greeks, so this argument runs, would not have been so influential but for the invention that fixed their writings, the invention that they named after its first two signs, alpha and beta--the alphabet." This opinion will no doubt ruffle a few feathers in the classics departments at universities, which have instructed students on the intellectual and literary achievements of the Greeks for generations. Man seems to challenge the idea that the Greeks offered something inherently worthwhile. "Possibly nothing of their oral genius would have been preserved but for a piece of astonishing good fortune. They just happened to live near one of the cultures that had stumbled on the alphabet, and they just happened to be at a crucial state in social evolution that made them open to its adoption." This is a fascinating argument, and Man makes it a compelling one, although it's also possible to believe the Greeks had the additional good fortune of producing a storyteller as good as Homer.

Most of the book is a well-told tale that runs a course from the first symbols pressed into clay tablets to the advent of the Internet--the Greeks are just a piece of it. The book covers the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Etruscans, and several other cultures in some detail. One of the most interesting sections discusses the Koreans, creators of "an alphabet that is about as far along the road towards perfection as any alphabet is likely to get." Man is a colloquial writer; reading Alpha Beta is like listening to a popular college professor lecture on his favorite topic. The complex and controversial scholarship on the alphabet becomes instantly accessible to nonexpert readers on these pages. Anyone interested in the power of words and the history of civilization will find Alpha Beta irresistible. --John Miller

Book Description

Praise for Alpha Beta <BR>"This book comes at the perfect momentas we rediscover the importance in early reading of cracking the alphabetic code. The story of how that code came into being is a fascinating one, and Man is the ideal writer to tell it." Times Educational Supplement

"A richly absorbing exploration, from B.C. to PCs, of the evolution of the most fundamental characters of our cultural history, the alphabet we so much take for granted. John Man writes with a compellingly restless curiosity and immediacy. The ever surprising, exotically detailed narrative in his informative book makes it as undryly enjoyable as a successful archaelogical dig of one of Alan Mooreheads colorful histories of African exploration." -David Grambs, author of The Describers Dictionary and The Endangered English Dictionary

"Text that is crisp, taut, and as clear as a bell.... A fascinating story with many a beguiling subplot along the way." New Scientist

"Letter perfectthe best histories and mysteries of our ABCs!" Jeff McQuain, author of Never Enough Words and Power Language

Customer Reviews:

Who is John Man?.......2006-06-24

The book provides a clear enough pathway along the history--at least, the author's version of the history--of the roman alphabet. Obviously, a book published by Barnes and Noble will be geared toward a popular rather than academic audience, and Man recognizes this, but he seems uncomfortable drawing a boundary. For example: leading off the first chapter with a story about his headmaster in boarding school, who only had one eye, then the seventh chapter with, "at this point in my research, I began to wonder what was going on." On page 204, while discussing the adoption of the Phoenician alphabet by the Greeks, he says that "some classicists would rather Zeus is pronounced 'Zday-us,' to the confusion of non-specialists like me." Why would you read a book written by someone who's not a specialist in the topic they're writing about? Couldn't this book have been better written by someone who's actually made a career of studying it, rather than just reading up for an assignment? Also puzzling and distracting are his frequent anecdotes from his field work among the Waorani Indians in Ecuador (hard to get less relevant than Ecuador), his irritating habit of filling in historical information with first person narration, and the yarn about the time he shot a hole in the wall after his Uncle Stephen left a rifle loaded in his cabin. In sum, he never reaches the balance between actual scholarly work (which is good, by and large) and awkward attempts to identify with what he must imagine to be an ADD-inflicted reader, making this book unsatisfying for readers with either a casual or a serious interest.

Great Read!.......2005-12-04

I love this book, and I think anyone with a passing interest in linguistics and language evolution (as well as art history) will as well. Man does delve into minutiae, as other reviewers have suggested, but I enjoy minutiae, myself. I think the book was cleverly and humorously written, making it an easy read, and I look forward to Man's next project.

Quite interesting indeed........2003-10-30

I was indeed quite surprised to find so many negative comments about this book from other readers' reviews. Indeed personally I found this book quite interesting, just to mention how the author proposed the interesting theory of the evolution of the character "a" in the chapter of "Letters in the Wilderness". And I like the chapter of "Into Sinai" which proposed another theory of how a biblical figure (Mose) was created. I have no way to tell if his theories are with or without facts, but it's interesting to read.

Neither style nor substance as easy as ABC!.......2003-10-07

You would be hard pressed not to agree with other reviewers who seem near unanimous in their sense of frustration with the author's meandering style which unfortunately obscures some interesting points. Instead of holding up and walking us through a clear thesis, the author continually digresses into various minutiae about ancient Mediterranean history, archaeology, and linguistics, coupled with an awkardly placed chapter, two-thirds into the book, compariong and contrasting the dynamics of biological and cultural evolution.

This being said, I feel it only fair to tell you what the book attempts to convey. John Mann sees the alphabet (by which he really means the modern Roman alphabet used widely in western civilizations) as a peculiar artifact of human invention and whose origin and spread were hardly accidental. According to him, the evolution of the alphabet was shaped by dynamics similar to those which cause heridity, variation, and selection of genetic traits among species. His foil is the work of Yale classics scholar Eric Havelock whom Mann characterizes as holding up the ancient Greek alphabet as the paragon of literary perfection and the underpinning of Greek genius.

Mann then proceeds to dismantle this image of the ancient Greek alphabet, showing the debt the Greeks owed to older civlizations, notably the Phoenicians, through a complex process of evolution initally shaped by the needs of recording trade transactions in a mechanism more efficient than Egyptian hieroglyhpics or Sumerican cuneiform, and later by the needs of an emerging culture (the Hebrews) whose ideology required literacy under a strogn charismatic leader (Moses).

It would be neither fair nor accurate to represent John Mann's arguments on the origins of the alphabet as based on biblical claims. In fact, he is cautious to point out the such claims are generally not substianted by available evidence, much of which however was gathered by archaeological expeditions exploring such claims. Unfortunately, the discussion of this topic is too full of digression from the book's purported central thesis to be worthy of the few interesting insights it does bring.

Having described the archaeological finds around the "Asiatic" script which was contemporary with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, Mann shows links between this script and that developed in the mysterious eastern Mediterranean state of the second millenium known from Egyptian sources as Ugarit, one of several~~ rival Phoenician ports of that ancient period. Again, the central thesis in the book gets lost amidst a welter of minutiae, albeit not uninteresting, about this civlization.

In the next step towards completing the jigsaw puzzle he presents, Mann shows the links between the Phoenicians who had their alphabet around 1200 BC and the ancient Greeks whose early alphabet is not evidenced till 800 BC. But before leaping into this discussion, Mann inserts the seventh chapter of the book whose title "The Selfish Alphabet" takes off from biologist Richard Dawkins' book "The Selfish Gene" and in which he develops a curious argument about the evolution of cultural artifacts as language and religion which he likens to the so-called memes, the famous term that Dawkins coined in his 1976 book. Mann admits his own struggle in seeking his "Grand Unified Theory of Culture" and does humbly invite the uniterested reader to proceed to the next chapter where he continues his exposition on the transmission of the alphabetic tradition from the Phoenicians to the Greeks.

Lest you think that Mann has a narrow focus on Western civilization, you might be interested to discover his special interest in Mongolian culture and history. In fact, his fifth chapter provides an absoluting fascinating account of the development in fifteenth century Korea of an alphabet which Mann, quoting British linguist Geoffrey Sampson, describes as QUOTE one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind UNQUOTE

With this chapter,in which he shows this Korean script drew from the Mongols, Mann tries to butress what seemed to me to be one of his key points: that the invention of the alphabet was a rare intellectual achievement whose impact was independent of technology and which has linked many civilizations. Referring to the thirteenth century adoption by Mongolian leader Chingis Khan of the alphabet of the Naiman people he had conquered, Mann proclaims grandly QUOTE He [Chingis Khan] ordered his staff to adopt the script of the newly conquered Naiman tribe, who wrote taking a system from the Uighurs, who inherited ot from an Iranian culture, Sogdian, who had taken it over from Aramaic, who had it from old Hebrew: in effect, the script familiar to the Israelites 3000 years earlier UNQUOTE Full circle back to his argument on the origins of the alphabet.

The appendices provide some interesting set of transliterations across different alphabets, a historical timeline, and a fairly extensive biobliography. I was truly sorry to find this intriguing book handicapped by its cumbersome style, let alone some likely questions about the scholarship.

GOOD TOPIC, HAPHAZARD GISTS.......2003-01-22

The motive of this book is very fine, but its factual presentation is the exact opposite.
Starting with the first chapter, John Man's intention to initiate his audience into the ancient Chinese writings brought confusion to both himself and his audience. Information about the ancient Egyptian writings are not better. They were presented in hazy haphazard manner. It is easy to lose patience with the very first part.
The author had scarcely understood his topic before rushing into teaching his audience.
Nevetheless, I must add that if the needed homework is accomplished, Mr Man would come up with a better book: a very interesting piece. But as regards the current situation, most readers would get lost in this book. It is that confusing!

The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny

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A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call
Challenge Consensus Reality!
A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us"

The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
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Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Simplest Path, Step One: Free Your Mind delineates, in one slim volume, a complete system for achieving personal spiritual awakening, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense plan individuals and groups so enlightened can follow to awaken Humanity en masse and positively transform the world. This book contains keys to awakening. Awakening from our personal dream shatters the solid "box" of limitation memes have built around our lives, and frees us to fluidly craft our personalities, environments, relationships, careers, etc. as an artist paints a landscape or a sculptor teases form from formless clay. All of us awakening together from the shared dream of the planet will mark the birth of our species out of our current global nightmare of decline into a limitless future literally beyond our present ability to imagine, even in our "wildest dreams," indeed.

Customer Reviews:

A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call.......2007-05-15

This is one of the most clear-headed books I've read in years on the subject of real, nitty gritty, get your hands dirty spiritual development (as opposed to the fru fru New Age variety). So much of what passes for "spirituality" in our time amounts to some author, celebrity, priest, philosopher or self-appointed guru telling us what to "believe," sight unseen, if we want to reach heaven, attain enlightenment, achieve "ascension," etc. Casspriano takes an at times startling opposite approach. For Casspriano, such unquestioned/unquestionable beliefs are not only NOT the path to spiritual awakening, they represent the chief obstacle blocking our realization of higher consciousness. And it's not just religious beliefs ("faith") he's talking about, but all our beliefs about reality, especially those that enclose our thinking in "boxes" that limit our freedom to find solutions to real-world threats like Peak Oil, overpopulation, Global Warming, etc. Though much of the book focuses on individual enlightenment, for Casspriano, these larger planetary issues are "spiritual," as well. Whether the issue is our personal inability to find happiness or Humanity's collective rush toward physical extinction, the cause is the same - our wrong-headed beliefs about what's real. The solution is the same, as well - continuous, deep questioning. Using Richard Dawkins' concept of "memes" as a central metaphor, Casspriano first breaks down the basic process of belief, showing the mechanism in our brains by which beliefs misdirect and control our psyches, then he walks the reader through an exploration of a series of ten "anti-meme questions" aimed at breaking down the walls of our mental "boxes" and setting our minds free. With each question, he supplies an exercise designed to allow the reader to attain a personal taste of reality "beyond the box," especially as flavored by that chapter's "Key Question." For the most part, this formula works very well (with a few rare moments of over-exuberance on the author's part, as already described in other reviews, though as a card carrying vegan environmentalist, I can't say I particularly minded), delivering a cumulative series of death-blows to some of the most basic "pillars" of our present human consensus reality. Beyond the walls those pillars supported lies real reality, where we are all interconnected and interdependent, and, in Casspriano's view, mutually destined for greatness, if we can just wake up and grab the reins of our runaway culture in time. This is not a book for spiritual "feel gooders" seeking soft assurances that they're perfect just they way they are and everything's going to be all right, no matter what. This is a wake up call, a tool kit and a concrete action plan for becoming individually enlightened and collectively saving the world, all rolled up into one. That, I think, is a cause well-worthy of exuberance.

Challenge Consensus Reality!.......2007-05-10

This is a thoughtful book that addresses how we may go about developing a process to question our everyday consensus reality. I suppose if I have learned anything in 49 years of life, it is that all personal and social problems stem from our fundamental views on the nature of reality itself. Vincent Casspriano uses the concept of a "meme" as a fundamental unit of ideas, assumptions, etc. that often block our understanding of reality itself. One such meme, for example, may be that we have to "fight for our freedom" or the world's a "fearful" place and hence, we have to be ready to kill to protect ourselves. I suppose you could also use the word "paradigm" here as well, but the essential point of this book is that we "unconsciously" function in our life with many limited points of view that block our ability to solve problems on both a personal and a social basis.

While Vince Casspriano is to be congradulated for producing a book that presents both a methodology and a motivation for personal transformation, there are a few pitfalls here that the potential reader should be aware of before tackling this material. The author has some rather strong views on fossil fuel consumption, meet consumption, and the role of humans in the cycle of procreation. While I generally agree with his analysis on fossil fuel consumtion and meat consumption (as I have viewed large tracks of deforrested grazing land in developing countries), these viewpoints can distract the reader from the essential point here which is to rigourously question consensus reality. Since I am single, and have no motivation to have children, I definitely disagree with his views on the necessity of human procreation on this planet, but here again, it is important to extract the essential meaning rather than get caught in the specific political/social debates that these issues may spawn.

If you are serious about personal transformation with the potential for changing our global consciousness, than this book can be an invaluable tool. I do agree with the Author that a world population of "high functioning" people can resolve every planetary problem we face today. As we systematically question our consensus reality, we will see our problems in new ways, and with this new perspective, problems can often be quickly resolved or transcended.

A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us".......2006-11-13

I considered titling this review, "Stop Whining, Wake Up and Get Busy Saving the World," but decided "Eating Us" would be more attention-grabbing - which matters because I believe Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" is an important book, and I want to do whatever I can to draw your attention to it. Pick the title you like best. Both very fittingly describe what you will find within the pages of this remarkable new release from New Paradigm Press.

I have selected three short quotations to explore in this review that I think best summarize Casspriano's overall message:

From Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":

"Right now, this very moment, you are asleep... Even if you are reading these words in broad daylight - sitting at your desk or beside the kitchen table, your feet firmly planted on the floor, eyes open, senses alert, feeling the weight of this book in your hands as sounds of life rise and fall rhythmically around you - you are deeply asleep, and dreaming furiously"

Now, the idea that Humans are sleeping, and must therefore "awaken," is by no means unique to Casspriano's "Simplest Path" spiritual system, being the root observation underlying pretty much all Eastern religion, and a lot of Western Occultism and New Age metaphysics, as well. In fairness, Casspriano makes no claim to this as an original insight, openly supporting his assessment of the human predicament with quotations taken from Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. He then flows seamlessly into a list of complementary illustrations from the secular realms of Quantum Physics, brain/consciousness research, and most to-the-point, the study of memes and memetics, ala Evolutionary Biologist and world's best-known cheerleader for scientific atheism, Richard Dawkins.

If you've never heard of memes or memetics, a quick Google of those terms will reveal hundreds of serious, information-rich websites devoted to this now thirty-year old science. In a nutshell, a "meme" is a sort of contagious thought-form that spreads between people by way of imitation. Obvious memes in our environment include advertising jingles, fads and fashions, etc. Casspriano somewhat radically extends the concept to include just about everything that makes up the contents of our individual brains and shared human culture. While he resists redefining the word "meme" wholesale, he decidedly expands its definition to make memes and "memeplexes" (what you get when a number of memes band together into an organic, relational unit, like a religion or cultural or political movement) the basic, fundamental building blocks of everything we habitually label "real..."

And then he demonstrates, in at times excruciating detail, the complete emptiness of the "apparent-reality" that is a byproduct of memetic activity in our brains. What we call "real" is not real at all. It's an illusion spun up by our memes. And our memes are not original to us. They are "viral invaders" assailing our minds from without. Worse - and, while even this thought is not wholly unique to Casspriano, he certainly gives it his own very effective spin - memes are by no means mere passive beliefs or simple "harmless ideas." They are, Casspriano believes, actively predatory psychic parasites whose survival depends on our buying into the illusions they create in our minds. Think of illusion (Samsara, Maya, etc.) as a web we're caught in. Memes are the spider. We are the fly. Gotcha.

One thing I like very much about Casspriano's book is that he never asks us to take anything on faith, least of all this rather ugly depiction of the human psychic/spiritual condition. He not only challenges readers to test his hypothesis firsthand in order to experience what is real and true for ourselves, he spends a large chunk of the book outlining specific exercises anyone can do to escape memetic interference and personally experience reality as-it-is. The exercises in Part II of the book are powerful medicine... But this is a digression, so let me return to the point.

Memes are the spider, and we are the fly. A better metaphor might be that memes are the farmer, and we are the cow. Domesticated and docile, we allow memes to milk us daily, to extract from our minds the potent human psychic energy which, if reclaimed by us and put to proper human use, would quickly and positively transform our lives and our world. This transformation is awakening, ascension, enlightenment, metanoia, the Buddha-like change of consciousness most religions and spiritual systems on Earth hint at, but few ever actually deliver to followers. In this analysis, Casspriano's "Simplest Path" is very much in line with Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way," Carlos Castaneda's Toltec sorcery, and a few other well known spiritual practices inhabiting a somewhat darker, though perhaps more realistic corner of the New Age. But unlike most of those other systems, Casspriano's prescription for escaping illusion and awakening to reality is remarkably, well... simple.

From Chapter Three, "Waking Up":

"The simple truth is that we are sleeping because we lack sufficient energy to wake up."

And later in the same chapter:

"The real work that brings about awakening, rather than merely granting the external appearance of "being spiritual," while actually embroiling us ever more deeply in the dream, is a rigorous, daily commitment to the identification and elimination of every self-serving belief from which our personal dream-lives are constructed."

For "belief" in the quotation above, read "meme/memeplex." Casspriano certainly does, treating the terms as largely interchangeable. In the end, this genuinely simple - at least in the sense of being uncomplicated and pragmatic - spiritual practice amounts to discovering reality as-it-actually-is less by searching for a glimpse beyond the illusion, than by systematically withdrawing our participation in, and identification with, the dream. When we disentangle our psyches from memetic illusion, only reality remains. We don't have to chase it; to a meme-free mind, reality just appears. This is "Satori" in Zen Buddhism. This is "stopping the world" in the Toltec sorcery of Castaneda and others. Casspriano's genius lies in his talent for exposing the core mechanism behind such complex and often inscrutable spiritual systems, and for putting into plain language clear instructions for unraveling the dream and achieving personal awakening. The virus-like process by which memes take over and control our human minds, as described by Casspriano is, to my mind, very complicated (but well worth struggling through). What is genuinely simple about "The Simplest Path," however, is Casspriano's prescription for breaking those bonds, once you've made the effort to understand how they are created and maintained. For Casspriano, remaining a victim of spiritual sleep and energetic exploitation by memes is a complex activity in which we unconsciously invest enormous amounts of psychic energy every day of our lives. Awakening is the product of a simple act of withdrawing that investment, which automatically re-energizes of our minds and lives. Or as Casspriano cleverly phrases it when closing Chapter Three, "Waking Up":

"Unweave the tapestry of the dream, and awakening happens."

Anyone can do this. Spiritual awakening, in Casspriano's view, may be hard work, but it is not complicated work. The path to enlightenment is really rather shockingly simple. Fall out of love with the dream. Reclaim your psychic energy. Wake up to reality.

The ten "Key Questions" Casspriano explores in the second section of the book are designed to put the theory laid out in Part I to practical and immediate use. Essentially, I think Casspriano sees these ten issues - why we treat enlightenment as an "airy-fairy" ideal instead of a measurable transformation of brain functioning, the excuses we make for avoiding personal responsibility and integrity along the lines of Castaneda's "impeccability," the fallacy of belief in a "separate self," etc. - as pillars of both our personal and collective human dreams. They are by no means an exhaustive listing of the memes twisting our minds. But they are primary keystones on which layers upon layers of the grand illusion are built. Topple these ten baseline pillars and the larger structure crumbles.

Casspriano explores some "Keys" more successfully than others. One downside to the book is that, especially in the "Keys," Casspriano's own memetic prejudices shine at times rather glaringly through, as when, in his discussion of the American "What Would Jesus Do?" religious fad, he characterizes the Evangelical Christian purveyors of WWJD as, "ultra-conservative, right wing ideologues." Even should the reader personally agree with such pronouncements, its hard to resist thinking, "Hey Vince! Your memes are showing!" But where he nails his point, Casspriano's prose can be downright inspiring, as with the "Key" cosmological study "Is Earth the Center of the Universe?," which explores the gap between what we know, scientifically, about the Universe and what our daily choices and behavior says we really believe, about the cosmos and about ourselves. His closing "Key" "Are We Alone?" so poetically frames the true stakes of our global human predicament - species survival VS extinction - that its hard to imagine anyone keeping their gaze glued squarely to their own self-involved navel in the wake of reading it. Of course we are not alone. There are six and a half billion of us on Planet Earth, and whether we awaken to what's best in us or follow our darkest drives over History's cliff into oblivion, we do so as one. One planet, one fate.

This notion of "oneness" and of a common, intertwined human spiritual and biological destiny is a core theme in The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND that sets it apart from any spiritual book in recent memory. My final quotation from the book returns us to the opening lines of Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":

"We are all aware of the challenges facing us as we enter together into the 21st Century:

· World oil supplies are running out.

· Global warming is transforming the Earth into a steamy greenhouse.

· Even as our technology connects the world, ideological extremism, terrorism and militarism divide us as never before.

· Headlines bombard us with news of war, famine, pestilence and death until we feel overwhelmed and unable to respond.

· Time is running out..."

Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Transformation, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" does not offer easy escape from these very pressing real-world human ills, but rather, a down to Earth, workable prescription for their cure. Yes, we must awaken as individuals, and, rest assured, "The Simplest Path" shows spiritual seekers exactly how to do that. But a prime message of "The Simplest Path" is that, for personal awakening to have meaning, it must occur within the context of a complete re-visioning of global culture, and a mass wrenching away of the wheel of History from the control of viral memes, that we might create a common cosmic human destiny worthy of our highest potential as a species.

Now that's a meme worth feeding.

Average customer rating:

Very Useful For Beginners and Mid-level Developers
good introduction to ASP.NET 2.0
Go Beyond the Basics
An expensive paperweight
Get your hands dirty with 2.0

ASP.NET 2.0: A Developer's Notebook
Wei-Meng Lee
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596008120

Book Description

When ASP.NET hit the street a couple of years ago, it was a real eye-opener. Microsoft's tool for creating dynamic, server side web applications introduced Web Forms, a feature with the same rapid drag and drop convenience enjoyed by Visual Basic developers, along with a method for creating XML-based web services. ASP.NET was more than an upgrade of Active Server Pages it was a quantum leap ahead. Now Microsoft has a new version of ASP.NET as part of its upcoming next generation release of the Visual Studio .NET development platform. ASP.NET 2.0 is already available in beta release, and web developers are anxious to get a good look at it. That's exactly what our new Developer's Notebook allows you to do. More than just an introduction to ASP.NET 2.0, this practical guide acquaints you with all of the new features through nearly 50 hands-on projects. Each one places emphasis on changes in the new release that can increase productivity, simplify programming tasks, and help you add functionality to your applications. For example, ASP.NET 2.0 includes master pages, themes, and skins so you can build applications with a consistent page layout and design. Other changes allow for the automatic creation of web pages for use on mobile devices, while wizards and controls allow you to perform frequent tasks (like data access) without having to write a single line of code. ASP.NET 2.0: A Developer's Notebook also includes suggestions for further experimentation, links to on-line documentation, and practical notes and warnings from the author regarding changes to the new version. The new Developer's Notebooks series from O'Reilly offers an in-depth first look at important new tools for software developers. Emphasizing example over explanation and practice over theory, they focus on learning by doing you'll get the goods straight from the masters, in an informal and code-intensive style. If you want to get up to speed on ASP.NET 2.0 before its official release, this all lab, no lecture book will get you there.

Customer Reviews:

Very Useful For Beginners and Mid-level Developers.......2006-10-18

This is a well-written, easy-to-use book hitting the main points of ASP.NET 2.0. I've never read it cover-to-cover, but have gotten great use from it as a reference manual when I need to quickly figure out how to do something new in ASP.NET 2.0.

The book's laid out in a clear fashion and has a solid index, so it's easy to find the material you need to solve a problem. Each "lab" in the book is task-oriented, so you'll find things like "Create a Master Page for Your Site" which details the steps necessary to accomplish the task. Sections are nicely done and full of tips and tricks, plus there are plenty of short sidebars noting smaller bits of interest such as content pages being limited to having only one master page.

I've found the breadth of coverage quite nice. The author hits everything from Master Pages/Site Navigation to Security to Profiles. There's also a nice section on Performance which talks about site precompilation and caching. (I even nabbed one of the author's labs for one of my talks on .NET -- with attribution, of course.)

The book's very nicely done. It's concise and clear, and I like its style, both content and visual. Some folks might complain about the examples all being in Visual Basic 2005, but as Dr. Phil might say, "Build a bridge and get over it." The labs give you more than enough detail to understand how you need to use the Framework to accomplish tasks, so the particular language used shouldn't be such an issue.

Advanced ASP.NET developers probably won't get a lot out of this unless they're completely new to 2.0, but beginning and intermediate developers should find the book very helpful.

So far this book's been very useful.

good introduction to ASP.NET 2.0.......2006-09-03

This is a pretty good introduction to ASP.NET 2.0 for folks who are already familiar with ASP.NET 1.1. All of the examples are in VB.NET, so if that bothers you, you might want to look elsewhere. I prefer C# myself, so I just rewrote the examples in C# as I went along. That gave me something mildly interesting to do as I worked my way through the book.

The examples in the book are pretty simple and generally just serve to illustrate basic concepts. There's no really interesting code in the book. It's really just a quick way to get through some of the new stuff in ASP.NET 2.0.

One problem with this book is that it was written during the beta phase, and doesn't reflect a few things that changed in the final version of ASP.NET 2.0. There is an update document on O'Reilly's site, and there may be a new printing with those corrections, but I'm not sure about that.

Go Beyond the Basics.......2006-06-19

This is a great book for taking your ASP.NET 2.0 skills beyond the basics. Learn valuable skills for improving your web sites such as data caching, partial page caching and lowering the cost of server callbacks. Learn to let your site save user profiles and let users save site themes as a personalized profile; plus lots more.

Where other books just gloss the surface of controls and topics Wei-Meng Lee using a lab notebook approach drills down multiple layers on each topic and in just over 300 pages manages to cover more information than books with 3 times the number of pages; and on almost every page is a URL for additional information. IMHO, this book should be on the bookshelf of every serious ASP.NET developer.

An expensive paperweight.......2006-06-09

I really have not gained anything from this book. I bought the book having extensive 1.1 experience with a bit of 2.0 experience.

The examples are way to simplistic. I can see this book being okay for an absolute beginner, but advanced developers aren't going to gain much.

And all of the examples are in vb.net... *sigh*

Get your hands dirty with 2.0.......2006-04-25

I bought this book after reading a couple of chapters at a local bookstore. It's very hands on, totally gets the job done. I was trying to implement a web application using the new asp.net framework, and it helped me out in all but details which I did not need till later on in the project.
What it will not do: Explain you the intricate differences, eg. at the level of the asp.net worker process in the difference in the way it compiles pages at runtime.
What it will do: Get you completely up and running with the new framework, esp. with a very good chapter about the GridView control.

The Law Is For All: The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber Al Vel Legis Sub Figura CCXX, the Book of the Law

Average customer rating:

In More Plain Terms
Oh for the Old Days!
Must have along with The Book of the Law
Be Careful: but still lots of enlightening fun ...
The Law is for Sum, not All

The Law Is For All: The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber Al Vel Legis Sub Figura CCXX, the Book of the Law
Aleister Crowley
Manufacturer: Thelema Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book of the Law
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ASIN: 0972658386

Book Description

Crowley's life and thought are inexorably linked with 'The Book of the Law.' He received this visionary work by direct-voice dictation in Cairo in 1904. As an intelligent sceptic, he first found this improbable means of communication difficult to accept. Yet he could not ignore it or its message. He worked for decades to interpret its meaning for initiates and the general public. Eventually he entrusted the task to his best friend, Louis Wilkinson who possessed impressive literary qualifications. The result of his work, completed and augmented by Frater Superior Hymenaeus Beta of the O.T.O., is this long-awaited authorized popular edition of Crowley's "new commentary" on 'The Book of the Law' and its first appearance as Crowley wished it.

Customer Reviews:

In More Plain Terms.......2005-11-12

This book is simply a collection of commentaries by Crowley himself on the meanings of each line to The Book of the Law. This proves useful to newbies when you are first taking the steps necessary to become a Thelemite, namely accepting The Book of the Law as your way of life. At first I got the basics that it was occult oriented and possibly a satanic philosophy as told through eloquent prose. You have to decide if this is right for you and that you want to do this.

Oh for the Old Days!.......2005-08-14

This book is one of the better commentaries on the Book of the Law. Unfortunately it lacks much of the material found in the long out of print Magical and Philosophical Commenetaries on the Book of the Law ed Symonds and Grant 1975 and this new edition lacks the charm of the previous publication by New Falcon Press edited by Dr Israel Regardie. Unfortunately this is to be expected as we have fewer people who actually knew Crowley around to edit his books for us. However the new attempt by Mr Gary Breeze (frater ha) is a good jobbing introduction for the beginner.

Must have along with The Book of the Law.......2004-04-28

This is a must have to understand The Book of the Law. This book has given me a new outlook on life. It has helped me change my thinking for the better and has helped me find my path. I highly reccommend reading this over and over again if you have read The Book of the Law. Something is sure to appeal to you. I am sure if you open yourself to the words in this book that it will do you a great deal of good. I only wish this was as popular as the bible is today. Maybe if it was more well known the world would truely be heaven on earth.

Be Careful: but still lots of enlightening fun ..........2003-12-12

When I first read the Israel Regardie edition of THE LAW IS FOR ALL, my mind was essentially exploding in every direction. I was relatively inexperienced with reading (what were to me) such exciting pyrotechnics.

However, this stuff can be a little TOO exciting. One can't guarantee what such things do to an average mind -and life- like mine was (is ?) Just like one can have initial disasters from playing around with Tarot cards, or magick and occultism in general, read Aleister Crowley with caution! (I.e., W E Butler writes in his book 'The Magician,' that those interested in studying magic read rather alot of other books first (he gives a list.) Then he asserts, one may be able to "deal selectively" with Crowley's writings.

Take it from one who has been reading Crowley for 20-plus years: Butler's is good advice !!! Israel Regardie, Dion Fortune, Franz Hartmann and others are to be recommended before soaking oneself in too much Crowley, too quickly.

In any event, I suspect this volume to be rather sanitized, if it is as edited as people say. Fortunately, much of it can be read online, from another edition. And it is still useful and convenient to have some of the Commentary in this bound form.

What I personally did, was get a hold of a copy of a larger edition of the same material, edited by Kenneth Grant and John Symonds. I photocopied this rare (hardcover)edition from a friend, and added the missing pages from my Regardie edition of 'Law is for All', as published by Falcon Press in the early 80s. I might recommend that those interested, do the same, if they can, to make sure they get as much of the Commentary as might be authentic.

The Law is for Sum, not All.......2003-04-25

Crowley is perhaps giving an aphoristic title to his work in a similar manner as McLuhan and Leary has done in more recent times. An evocative slogan that can spin many ideas and interpretations. The question then being, "Who is All?" Also, "What is the Law?" And if you get that far, then you might ask, "Who's Law?" One might answer very literally and find that not All people agree with Crowley's thinking. Also, if this is Crowley's own Laws, then they are for him and not me. Another might answer in an equally esoteric manner and say "You" to all questions.

This book is a commentary by Crowley himself on his own worshipped book "Liber Legis", better known as "The Book of the Law." For those that study Crowley with seriousness, intensity and repetitiously will find "The Book of the Law" in almost every text bearing Crowley's name to the point of exhaustion. While "The Book of the Law" is an important book in uncovering many of Crowley's meanings and points of view, it would appear he was creating a fellowship around something that should have been more personal.

"The Law is For All", however, offers select insight into "The Book of the Law." The rest of it is work for the reader. It is not something in plain English for one to say "ohhhh!" after they are done reading it. It is still kept in the traditional kabbalistic coded framework for those that have already done their homework or is willing to put forth the work.

"The Law is For All" is not an esssential guide to understanding "The Book of the Law", yet, can aid towards understanding Crowley's take on his experience, but I would believe that interpretation does not stop at Crowley's word. For me performing the rituals offered in other books has given me the greatest insight to "The Book of the Law" while "The Law is For All" only gives partial intellectual clues.

"The Law is For All" then is really not for "All", at least in the literal sense. I believe he was saying "All" meaning everyone should adhere to what was written in "The Book of the Law", however, I also believe he was referring to the "All" as in the "You" or, rather, "All of You." The "Law" is what is written on your heart. This book is for those that are interested in Crowley more than in Magick, in my opinion.

Adobe Photoshop Cs3 Beta First Look with Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw
Average customer rating:

Good overview of new Photoshop

Well, it came in well below my expectations

In the Interim

Adobe Photoshop Cs3 Beta First Look with Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw
Ben Long
Manufacturer: Peachpit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC

ASIN: 0321508130

Book Description

This book, covering the public beta of Photoshop CS3 will get you up to speed with the new interface changes, and will help you learn all of the new features in the CS3 beta such as next generation Camera Raw, new and improved Bridge, Photoshop Lightroom Integration, improved printing, Nondestructive smart filters, black and white conversion controls, improved curves, automatic Layer Alignment and Blending, and more. The Photoshop CS3 Beta is available free for download on Adobe labs for registered users of of either Photoshop CS2, Adobe Creative Suite 2 Standard or Premium, Adobe Production Studio Standard and Premium, Adobe Video Bundle or Adobe Web Bundle.

Customer Reviews:

Good overview of new Photoshop.......2007-04-12

This was really the only book I could buy now to get somewhat up to speed with the newest version of Photoshop. This is good for those already familiar with previous versions who want to get a better idea what to expect. Even when CS3 and other instructional manuals come out, this is very straightforward and quick to read covering the most important info. This is not for someone new to Photoshop.

Well, it came in well below my expectations.......2007-03-30

Ben Long used to be dedicated. Back in 2000 - 2002 his books were a joy to read. But his latest installment on "Adobe Photoshop Cs3 Beta First Look with Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw" was just hastily rushed to print. Apparently nobody even bothered with reading it. But even worse, the book lacks any structure and concept. So all in all, very dissapointing I must say. It's so sad I spend the money on such a useless book. Hmmm. Next time I'll be smarter!

In the Interim.......2007-03-03

Here's a book that will prove useful for a limited time. That's because Adobe Systems Incorporated seems to have adopted a policy of making a free, public beta release of its new software before coming out with a final version. It did that with Lightroom, and now, with Photoshop CS3. Unfortunately the help facility that comes with the Beta version is practically non-existent, although one can learn a little about PS CS3 by searching around the internet for various spots discussing the new software.

Ben Long's very brief volume is aimed at filling the need for some kind of guidance for users until a final version of PS CS3 comes out, and then several weeks later, lots of books come out. (Lightroom came out in late February, and at least a half-dozen Lightroom books are scheduled for publication before summer.)

Long's book only deals with the new features of PS CS3, and then only tells how they work. There is no advice on the application of the software. Don't buy this volume if you don't know how to use PS CS2, because there is no discussion of tools and practices that haven't changed. Yet I commend the publisher for producing this volume so quickly, because there was a real need for it.

You may well ask yourself why you even need to try the Beta version of PS CS3. Well for some people, there are tools available that will make it worthwhile making the Beta their main image processing software. For example, many PS users objected to using the old Bridge facility for the initial culling of pictures because although you could see an image almost full screen, you couldn't bring it up to 100% of the pixels, which is often necessary to make an accurate judgment about the quality of an image. The new Bridge allows 100% viewing. Long covers this feature, although, probably because there was an earlier iteration of Bridge when he wrote this, there are a few aspects of its use that he misses. Others who have despaired over the fact that application of filters was often destructive of the basic image, or not subsequently adjustable, or required the use of difficult keyboard commands to preserve the image, will appreciate the introduction of smart filters.

Some of the better features of Lightroom have also been introduced into the Beta like an improved Adobe Camera Raw interface, and Long describes these features nicely.

There are some things that PS CS3 Beta won't do, like embed EXIF data in a JPEG, that Long doesn't mention. That's why any serious user of PS CS3 will want to keep in touch with the CS3 discussion group on the Adobe web site. On the other hand, if you are getting started with the Beta version, this book will be of great help, at least for a while.

As a side note, there is no comparison between PS CS3 and Lightroom here. Although some of the interfaces are similar, they do handle files differently, and each user will have to decide which software to use, especially since use of the one software may actually lose you some features of the other. But that's a different story.

Programming Book:

Programming Book

Programming Book