#9 - Snake Eyes: Declassified

Ahh... Snake Eyes. Pretty much *THE* most central figure/hero/idol in my life from age 4 onward. My love for just about any other character in any form (music, film, comics, books, cartoons, etc.) is nowhere near the pedestal that on, alone, stands Snake Eyes. This collection of a 6-part mini-series by Devil's Due Publishing was an instant buy for me. But even with my devout affinity, I buy anything related to him with some trepidation. He is wildly popular, and as such he is one of the most exploited characters and in reality he has the least to cover. By nature he is an enigma with almost no identity, information or past. As you can imagine then, all of these types of tales are simply made up to either pander to the fans or try to give back-story where there really is none. Sometimes it comes off as a bad gimmick and occasionally, not often, someone has a unique angle that works. This is one of those times it worked... thankfully. It takes the parts and pieces that have come out over the years and adds just the right amount to them to form a cohesive story. For any fan this is not to be missed. Highly Recommended!

#8 - The Dragonhead

John Sack's "The Dragonhead" was a bargain bin find I came across a few months back and shelved for the right time. That time finally came and while I enjoyed it it required some work on my part to keep it that way. The writing style is not for me at all and smacks of trying to be a bit too clever for his own good. The other drawback for me is that it is "literary journalism" which basically means it is all based on reality and truth but the writer takes some liberties and creates dialogue and environments and situations. I find this incredibly frustrating and you have to suspend your belief to enjoy the minute details because you know they are fabrications. Even with all of this, the story is true and it follows the life and times of Johnny Kon, The Dragonhead, essentially the head of the Chinese Mafia and it is a decent ride. It's long, a bit contrived, a bit repetitive, but engaging and interesting to see things through his eyes such as the Vietnam War, America, and retribution. It's a tough call on this one, but I'd say in the end it is Recommended.

#7 - The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen

Wow, where to begin? I learned of this book from a quick comment made by Anthony Bourdain in one of his books, and having great respect for Jacques Pepin, ran out and picked it up. From his time with the late, great, Julia Child to the miserable shows with his dopey daughter I have always loved Jacques' classical French technique and work... although his dishes aren't ones the average home cook would attempt, heck I rarely even tackle his projects, but they are amazing. I always thought he was a bit snooty and high-class but that is all brought crashing down by looking at the photo of the tough 12-13 year-old dressed in his kitchen whites and holding a battered ladle as big as himself on the cover. It is also quickly dispelled in the account of his life within which ranges from growing up in wartime France to his own stint in the armed forces to some wickedly grueling appointments and terrible mishaps. He has paid his dues and in ways I had never known or would have expected. His writing style is exceptional and he even tossed in topical recipes which I'm dying to try out. This is unlike - and better - than most foodie/cooking/chef books out there, and just an amazing read. This is now firmly in my personal favorites short-list, and it goes without saying: Highly Recommended.

#6 - Miracles on Maple Hill

This is a special one to me. My mother has a love and a connection with nature unlike anyone I know, it is magical. After excitedly watching this past years PA Farm show and learning about making maple syrup from a demonstration by Janet Woods she decided to finally act and tap the sugar maple standing in their front yard. It ended up producing over 12 gallons of sap! During the demo Janet Woods had suggested two books, one called "Backyard Sugaring" and "Miracles on Maple Hill," a 1957 Newbery award winning children's book. It turns out that, while fiction, it is written about a real place and it just so happens to be around Lake Erie which is where Janet Woods' Hurry Hill farm is located. We got to take a trip to the farm recently to see the process firsthand and I decided to read the book. Miracles on Maple Hill is a tale of childhood, adventure, country life, struggles, and joy... and quite an accurate account of the maple sugar process it turns out. Everything is captured in such a real and honest way that you will completely forget this is a work of fiction shortly after beginning. Truly a timeless read for young and old alike, Highly Recommended. Thanks Mom!

#5 - Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure

Whew, that's a long title. I'm not normally a fan of books aimed at a particular certification because they tend to just teach to the test and offer no real insight. I'm similarly not normally a fan of any Microsoft written book on their own products because they tend to do a lot of self-promotion and hide inadequacies while ignoring possible better third-party solutions. Despite all of this I still plunged ahead and took this large tome of geekness on since it is an area of interest to me. I actually liked this book. Sure, some of the network info gets a broad brush and little depth but the overall Active Directory coverage is very good and does a good job of taking a pretty nebulous concept and making it concrete. If you would like to learn about Active Directory or support it in your daily life this is a solid low to mid-level book on the topic. Recommended.

#4 - Linux Bible, 2008 Edition

The "Bible" series by Wiley have always provided a large amount of content for the money covering a wide range of products and operating systems. Sometimes they can just be big, for big's sake only and a bit unfocused, however, when I picked up the latest edition on Linux I was pleasantly surprised. There was the usual chapters every Linux book seems to include but there were a ton of new and helpful sections as well as a broad spectrum covering almost all of the top distributions briefly and including them on the DVD that comes packed in. If you are a newbie or a grizzled veteran of the Linux game this is a great pick up. Recommended.

#3 - Asterisk: The Future of Telephony

Asterisk is one of the cooler products to come out of the open source front over the years. Most people don't think much of their telephone in this connected world, you pick it up and there is a dial tone. In America we have also never really had a choice in our phone carrier due to monopolies or large corporations locking down price and features. Asterisk punches through this artificial barrier and allows companies and individuals to regain some control of their phone systems, for free. It is a game breaker and a well written and tested piece of software. It could be a bit more user-friendly though so a book like this is a great companion. Highly Recommended.