I am one of those who only use Google for all kind of online search and never go further then the homepage. I am definitely missing out many great features from other search engines; however, I don’t have time to play around with every search engine on the web to find out what each has to offer. Fortunately, Diane Poremsky has done the research for me. Google and Other Search Engines delves into major search engines on the web including: AltaVista, AOL Search, Ask Jeeves, Excite, Google, HotBot, Lycos, MSN Search, Yahoo, and many more.

Poremsky starts off with an overview of how search engines work then she breaks down each one to show how you can benefit from using one over the other to make your online search more effective in less amount of time. I didn’t even know that I could type in tracking numbers to find out the status of my UPS package or flight information through Google. I didn’t know how to use the Boolean searching in AltaVista and HotBot to limit my searches for more effective results. Best of all, Poremsky takes us through Advanced Search Options, which I never bother look at. Beside the major search engines, she also touch upon the specialized ones such as searching newsgroups, locating mailing lists, finding people, finding businesses, and many more from A to Z.

Diane Pormsky’s Google and Other Search Engines is a helpful reference for improving your online search. If you’re new to the web, this book is highly beneficial to you. If you’re a veteran, you might pick up some advance features from one search engine over another. From a web designer perspective, reading this book helps me get a good idea of how people would do their searches and how each search engine responses so I can improve my sites’ keywords and meta tags to better accommodate each search engine and my target audience.

One of the greatest strength about Lynda’s Hands-On Training series is the ability to reach the right audience. Lynda Weinman and Shane Rebenschied had definitely listened to the readers; therefore, they know exactly whom Beyond the Basics is for. While beginner Flash books bore the hell out of me and advanced ActionScript books make me dizzy, Beyond the Basics bridges the gap. This book is all that you need to build a complete interactive Flash site.

If you look at Flash sites and wondering how the developers loaded video, music, text, form, and everything else seamlessly into a page, you need to pick up Beyond the Basics. This book is truly a real world hands-on training where you get to put together an interactive Flash site from scratch. Shane will walk you through step-by-step of building a Flash based site in a modular fashion. According to Shane’s definition, modular fashion is, “to design a module once, then reuse it for multiple purposes.” You will learn how write reusable ActionScripts, load external SWF and JPG files, format text with external TXT, HTML and CSS files, build a dynamic slideshow, develop a Flash form, generate an MP3 player, make a video player, and construct the navigation bar. In fact, go to L.A. Eyeworks and see what you are going to build.

Even though I haven’t touch ActionScript for two years, Shane helps me get up to speed with his clear and approachable style. Furthermore, his sense of humor helps moistening up the book. For instance, “There’s a ton of new and very exciting examples in the next chapter, so go lock your door and tell your significant to go to bed without ya because you have a different date tonight! ;-)” I was about to go to bed at the end of that chapter but his witty makes me go into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee to read on. It’s a nice reading when the author loosens up a bit.

Beyond the Basics is highly recommended for any intermediate Flash users and web designers who would like to create an interactive Flash site. The book is definitely worth its price considering how much you get out of it; however, there is one area the book should have been included is Flash accessibility. Designing accessible content is extremely important on the web and Macromedia has recognized it by integrated new features in Flash to promote accessibility. Beyond the Basics is fantastic but it would have been greater if accessibility is covered.

Improve your design with Jan V. White’s Editing by Design. This classic masterpiece will show you how to attract magazines’ readers from every possible angle. For instance, it shows how to grab readers’ attention while they are flipping through the magazine and how to use space appropriately instead of wasting it.

Even though Editing by Design focuses on graphic design, I find many elements could be applied to the web as well. For example, rhythmic placement (sameness) could be used to help visitors get a sense of where they are. The rhythmic placement of a navigation menu would help increase usability. With his third edition, White has updated the materials to cover design for screen as well; therefore, he mentioned principles that applied toward the web along the way.

Complimenting his explanations with the witty hand-draw cartoon illustrations, White makes it easy to comprehend the fundamental of design including: layout, typography, color, space, and much more. White starts off with The Multi-page Medium and Inducement where he gives us an invaluable psychology tour of how readers approach a magazine. My favorite chapter is Originality because of the useful tips from White:

You don’t need to be “original” if you:
1. Do not overfill the pages
2. Split information into its component parts
3. Organize space on the page into well-designed zones
4. Devise shapes appropriately to the material
5. Vary the visual texture the way the text is written
6. Don’t mix information types within the info-unit
7. Use contrast to help searchers find what they are looking for
8. Use the same visual techniques throughout
9. Use verbo/visual means appropriate to the material

Yes, but what if you’re stuck for ideas?
Work at it
Develop and keep up a file
Loosen thinking
Forgive yourself
Eliminate the negative
Use your hands
Describe the subject in words
Look for patterns
Substitute a pictorial metaphor
Use a detail
Transform the familiar
Look for a new angle

Finally, the Q&A section is useful for designers (web, graphic, information), art directors, and editors. If you wear one of the hats mentioned, Editing by Design is for you. The content presented is timeless so buy it, read it, learn it, and apply it.

Even though English is my second language, there is no excuse for my improper use of punctuations; however, I don’t feel so bad for not getting it correctlyt because Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots & Leaves, the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, shows British and American make mistakes too. As a stickler, Truss is fed up with the incorrect use punctuations and she shows no love for the ones who misused them.

Unlike other grammar books, Eats, Shoots & Leaves is concise, humorous, and approachable. Truss demonstrates how misplaced punctuation could alter the communication and she does it in a witty manor. She has done a great job of providing correct and incorrect usage of basic punctuation side by side for comparison. The best part of the book is the little history of punctuation such as: who invented italics, semicolon, coma, etc. Thanks to Truss, I am now clear on the use of ellipses and [sic].

I am not an expert on this subject. On the contrary, I am not even close to average; therefore, reading this book and writing this review is a hard task. Not only I have to read it slowly and carefully, I also have to write down useful advices. There is one usage of punctuation in the book I am quite confused and hoping Truss would explain it but she didn’t. From what I can recall from reading grammar books, the punctuation always goes before the quote; however Truss uses it interchangeably throughout the book. For Example:

Punctuation is “a courtesy designed to help readers to understand a story without stumbling”.

Notice how Truss uses the period after the quote. Shouldn’t it be before the quote? One time she uses it after; other time she uses before. Can someone explain to me when to use it after/before appropriately?

I can easily see how this book would make it to English classes required reading. Eats, Shoots & Leaves is both invaluable and enjoyable for anyone who would like to punctuate properly.

Angela Ardis’s Inside a Thug’s Heart shows the sentimental side of 2pac Shakur. The book features letters, poems, and conversations between 2pac and Angela during his incarceration at Rikers Island and Dannemora State Prison for sexual assault charges. Pac had so much confidence when it comes to women. Even when he was locked down, he was still able to make a woman falling head over heels with his pen. He aroused her soul with his letters and sexed her mind with his poems.

Pac’s words were provocative and Angela’s writing was erotic; therefore, reading their exchange letters not only make you laugh and cry but also arouse. Pac expressed himself clear and explicit. He was keeping it real and didn’t afraid to speaks out his sexual, depression, and honest stage of mind. Jail can lock him down physically but not mentally. Likewise, Angela kept the faith in him and followed her own instinct instead of allowed her mother, friends or the media interfered with their relationship. She wrote sincere letters and exotic poems to help Pac keeps his head up. Best of all, she knew exactly how to get a man hard with her fantasy stories. She put him critical condition with her vivid descriptive words, “She slowly licked the head, then the shaft, and ran her tongue up and down the length of it and back to the head. Round and round she went, then she put it her mouth and begin sucking it, first softly, then hard, then softly, than harder, circling her tongue at the scrotum.” Damn! Where can I get a pen pal like that?

Inside a Thug’s Heart is simply a pleasurable experience. After reading it, I can see how he could make Can U Get Away, Temptations, How Do You Want It, What Ya Phone Number, Do For Love, etc., so damn hot. It’s his personality, his openness, his honesty and his masculinity that carried throughout his works. Angela did a fantastic job of structuring the pieces and putting all the letters together. It was like a love fairy tail, they finally met each other near the end; unfortunately, the story didn’t end at that point. Angela lost a great friend and we lost a real rapper.

Finally, Lynda Weinman and Jeff Van West come out with Adobe Illustrator CS: Hands-on Training. This is the only book that gets it right for me. I must admit that I am an illiterate when it comes to Adobe Illustrator. I have no problem with Photoshop but I have been struggling with Illustrator for years. I have been reading books after books but still failed. How am I getting by all these years? Flash has been saving my career; however, I have to get over the learning curve of Illustrator if I would like to create more advanced vector artworks.

Why did I choose Hands-on Training over other books? I had the same learning problem a few years ago with Dreamweaver 3. I read the manual and several other books but still didn’t understand it. Fortunately, Dreamweaver 3: Hands-on Training came to rescue. I spent five hours reading that book and was able to grab the concept of Dreamweaver inside out. Now once again, Lynda and Jeff help me overcome Illustrator learning curve with their approachable style and lenient instructional manner.

Even though the book comes with exercise files and demo movies, Lynda and Jeff do not required readers to follow the CD-Rom exercises; therefore, they provide detailed screenshots of every step along the way. I am the type of person who cannot read and go through tutorials at the same time. As a result, any book that relies only on exercises (hint, hint) to get the point across will not do it for me. I am sure many others have similar problem as well but if you can read and do exercise at once, you will appreciate the tutorials and the bonus demo movies accompanied with the book.

So if you’re new to Adobe Illustrator, this book will save you time and money. If you need to get up to speed with Illustrator CS swiftly, this book is for you. If you’re like me who needs to get over the learning curve, this is it. The Hands-on Training series is still one of the best instructional books out there in the market. I am recommending it undoubtedly.

Before More Eric Meyer on CSS released, I downloaded all the source codes from the companion web site and study them to see if I can get by without reading the book. As a web designer who works with CSS on a daily basis, I could understand the codes presented; however, I am glad I have read the book. Otherwise, I would have missed out the concise and simple methods of presenting complex CSS driven web sites. It’s amazing how Eric Meyer makes intricate CSS layouts seem so easy to accomplish.

More Eric Meyer on CSS features 10 hands-on projects that could easily tailored to your own work. For instance, the first project fits perfectly for someone like me who is currently retrofitting all the Vassar College table-based design web sites to CSS layout. Whether you want to make a beautiful weblog, design an attractive homepage, or create nice round corner tab navigations, you’ll be in for some real deals. Project 10, Designing in the Garden, is simply an inspiration. It’s persuading me to design a version of Zen Garden for myself.

After following Eric’s step-by-step logical approaches to CSS, I have confident in pulling off any complex layout properly without any hacks to get the right visual design. Furthermore, the flexibility in his process demonstrates the power of separating content from presentation. In project 6, with a few tweaks in CSS, he has turned the CSS-driven drop-down menus from vertical to horizontal. In the Branching Out section at the end of each chapter, he encourages readers to rearrange the layout or further enhance the project with a few edits in CSS.

If you have a basic concept of CSS and would like to put your knowledge into practice, pick up this book. If you are new to CSS, I suggest you pick up his Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition before diving into this book because Eric doesn’t allow basic explanations interferes with the flow of the projects. This book is very focused and if you don’t have basic understanding of CSS, you might get confused. However, if you understand the basic, you’ll appreciate the brief and straightforward explanations the book provided.

Eric Meyer’s Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition is my new best friend. This book is unquestionably invaluable because of Eric Meyer‘s in-depth knowledge of CSS. He had done an amazing job of covering both CSS2 and CSS2.1 side by side. It is extremely helpful to see what has changed from version 2 to 2.1. The major different I have noticed is many elements have been dropped. For instance, text shadows did not make it into 2.1 because of the lacking of support from browsers.

The most essential part of Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide is how Eric Meyer keeps the future in mind, especially with the forward thinking of XML where CSS will play a major role in presenting XML’s presentation. Not only he gives clear and concise explanations, he also provides examples to demonstrate how designers would style an XML document.

If you would like to code proper CSS, you will appreciate the careful attention to detail this book provided. Whether you are new or veteran to CSS, you will appreciate the power of what CSS2.1 can actually accomplish by reading this book. If you’re looking for references, you will appreciate the comprehensive coverage of CSS. Whether you’re a web designer or web developer, you will appreciate the time Eric Meyer had devoted into this precious book. He is truly a CSS guru. Now that I have read the Definitive Guide, I can’t wait to dive into his More Eric Meyer on CSS for some hands-on projects.

New to CSS? Friend of ED’s Cascading Style Sheets: Separating Content from Presentation, Second Edition, is a good starting point. The authors do a fantastic job of covering the basic foundation. After reading this book, you will be able to create CSS table-less layout in no time. Importantly, you will understand why it is important to separate content from presentations.

As a web designer who uses CSS/XHTML everyday, I find this book to be a valuable review. The last chapter, CSS Design Project, is most appealing to me. It’s inspiring to see how other designers apply different methods on coding their works. Although they do a great job of keeping their contributions short and sweet, beginners might have a hard time grabbing the concepts. A little more codes and further explanations would be great for both beginners and intermediate readers.

Cascading Style Sheets: Separating Content from Presentation is definitely recommended for designers who are still having a hard time getting over the CSS learning curve. If you have been using CSS for a while, this book will give you a solid idea of where your skill is at. I find it extremely useful to review what I have already know.

Reading Patricia T. O’Conner’s Woe is I is an invigorating experience of learning English. O’Conner has done an extraordinary job of making grammar easy to understand. Her refreshing, clear and thorough writing makes this book an enjoyable reading, as well as an invaluable resource for writer. With the latest edition, Woe is I is not only updated, revised but also included a chapter on writing emails. I am as guilty as charge when it comes to writing quick and awful emails.

Pick up Woe is I if you want to learn proper grammar. It is highly recommended for ESL students too. This book has been added to my English favorite collection, which includes: William Struck Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Ann Longknife and K.D. Sullivan’s The Art of Styling Sentences.