Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto

Amazon.com

There's quite a bit of intelligent analysis and thought-provoking insight packed into the pages of Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, which is a little surprising considering how darn stupid most of Klosterman's subject matter actually is. Klosterman, one of the few members of the so-called "Generation X" to proudly embrace that label and the stereotypical image of disaffected slackers that often accompanies it, takes the reader on a witty and highly entertaining tour through portions of pop culture not usually subjected to analysis and presents his thoughts on Saved by the Bell, Billy Joel, amateur porn, MTV's The Real World, and much more. It would be easy in dealing with such subject matter to simply pile on some undergraduate level deconstruction, make a few jokes, and have yourself a clever little book. But Klosterman goes deeper than that, often employing his own life spent as a member of the lowbrow target demographic to measure the cultural impact of his subjects. While the book never quite lives up to the use of the word "manifesto" in the title (it's really more of a survey mixed with elements of memoir), there is much here to entertain and illuminate, particularly passages on the psychoses and motivations of breakfast cereal mascots, the difference between Celtic fans and Laker fans, and The Empire Strikes Back. Sections on a Guns n' Roses tribute band, The Sims, and soccer feel more like magazine pieces included to fill space than part of a cohesive whole. But when you're talking about a book based on a section of cultural history so reliant on a lack of attention span, even the incongruities feel somehow appropriate. --John Moe

Book Description

Countless writers and artists have spoken for a generation, but no one has done it quite like Chuck Klosterman. With an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and an almost effortless ability to spin brilliant prose out of unlikely subject matter, Klosterman attacks the entire spectrum of postmodern America: reality TV, Internet porn, Pamela Anderson, literary Jesus freaks, and the real difference between apples and oranges (of which there is none). And don't even get him started on his love life and the whole Harry-Met-Sally situation.

Whether deconstructing Saved by the Bell episodes or the artistic legacy of Billy Joel, the symbolic importance of The Empire Strikes Back or the Celtics/Lakers rivalry, Chuck will make you think, he'll make you laugh, and he'll drive you insane -- usually all at once. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs is ostensibly about art, entertainment, infotainment, sports, politics, and kittens, but -- really -- it's about us. All of us. As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, "In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever 'in and of itself.'" Read to believe.

Download Description

"From the kid who brought you Fargo Rock City -- the first book in history to garner the praise of Stephen King, David Byrne, Donna Gaines, Sebastian Bach, Jonathan Lethem, and Rivers Cuomo -- comes Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs -- the first book in history to examine breakfast cereal, reality television, tribute bands, Internet porn, serial killers, and the Dixie Chicks. Countless writers and artists have spoken for a generation, but no one has done it quite like Chuck Klosterman -- with an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and a seemingly effortless ability to spin brilliant prose out of unlikely subject matter. Whether deconstructing Saved by the Bell episodes or the artistic legacy of Billy Joel, the symbolic importance of The Empire Strikes Back or the Celtics/Lakers rivalry of the 1980s, Chuck will make you think, he'll make you laugh, and he'll drive you insane -- usually all at once. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs is ostensibly about movies, sports, television, music, books, video games, and kittens...but, really, it's about us. All of us. As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, ""In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever 'in and of itself.'"" "

Customer Reviews:

Worth skimming.......2007-10-01

I recommend borrowing this book from your hip literary friend, who already owns it. It has some very funny chapters, and some of the interludes between chapters are truly great. However, it's really unsatisfying in large doses; after finishing a lot of the chapters, I just felt that I had wasted my time. Klosterman has a nice dry wit, and he's good at BSing about quirky topics. But that's really not enough for me to buy a book. Skim it at the bookstore or get it from the library; this is not a book that you'll ever want to reread.

An oxymoron for Gen Xers.......2007-09-16

I decided to read this book after considering the many positive reviews along with the accolades of several independent book sellers. I shouldn't have. I'm not going to say this book is bad, but its certainly not anywhere near being good either.

This book is a self-described manifesto, which it is not. It is the inane ramblings of someone who does not suffer from lycantrophy. It is dysfunctional, poorly written, and is essentially about nothing at all. I liken it to a Seinfeld episode, in print form, but without the distraction that comes from actual humor or entertainment value. In hind site, I'm starting to wish Klosterman did suffer from lycantrophy.

If you don't believe me, I will let a Chuck Klosterman quote from the book serve as a one line synopsis:

"Do you not see what I am no longer not saying to you? If so-congratulations!"

Like a great conversation.......2007-06-08

Reading this book is like having a long conversation about life with the most sarcastic/ funny person you know. Klosterman is easy to relate to, even when you haven't got the slightest idea what he is talking about.

Manifesto?.......2007-06-03

This book is only mildly funny and outdated. It seems like a bad rendition of the books he references, like "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." The section on mixtapes is uninspired- "Love is a Mixtape," by Rob Sheffield is much more successful. This book produced no mindblowing or even relatively interesting ideas- a waste of time if you ask me.

How much junk culture can you take?.......2007-04-27

Chuck K is undoubtedly is a very clever dude and some of the insights here will make you laught at loud. Ultimately however I would advise cherry picking through these essays, as Chuck is so enamored of his beloved
'low culture' that it will get both stultifying and extremely banal. Make sure to skip the analyses of bad tv shows (esp The Real World and Saved by the Bell). Chuck tries so hard to show why disposable pap has an influence on society that he torpeoes hiw own argument - his assertion that Gen Y behavior pettern can be correlated to a character on Real World says much more about Klosterman than anything else. Similarly, his essay on the Lakers and Celtics rivalry sets perhaps a new low in 'serious' sports journalism, as the argument that the Lakers reperesent Democratic party values while the Celtics carry the torch for Republicans (CK seems to be a fairly staunch right-winger after his addiction to pop culture is peeled away) is beyond absurd, and his assertion at the end that "if you dont' care about the Lakers-Celtics you don't care about anything" (this is said unironically) is downright embarassing.

Chuck will also be very strident in his declarations of what is 'cool' and 'uncool'. The repeated appearance of these exact words in almost evry essay (sometimes sevral times) becomes very annoying and pointless. Klosterman (by his own admission) of course is 'uncool', but his endless obsession with coolness (and defining it)renders it meaningless.

So enjoy, but be careful.

Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Priceless
Simply the best
Even if not perfect - still no other book on Cocoa comes close
Great introduction for Windows Programmers
Excellent book for people new to cocoa.

Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition)
Aaron Hillegass
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0321213149

Amazon.com

There's a reason that a large slice of the open-source movement has defected from running Linux on its laptops to running Mac OS X. The reason is the Unix core that underlies Mac OS X, and the development tools that run on that core. Cocoa makes it easy to create very slick Mac OS X interfaces for software (as well as to create applications in a hurry), and this new edition of Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X does an excellent job of teaching its readers how to put a Cocoa face on top of code (Objective-C code almost exclusively). If you know something about C and/or C++ programming and want to apply your skills to the Mac, this is precisely the book you want.

Author Aaron Hillegass teaches a Cocoa class, and his book reads like a demonstration-driven lecture in a computer lab. That is, the book takes a heavily example-centric approach to its subject, beginning with simple announcement windows and proceeding to cover the more advanced controls and object-oriented features of Cocoa and Objective-C. Throughout, he hops back and forth between descriptions of the goal to be accomplished, listings of the code that does the job, and instructions on how to use the Mac OS X development tools to speed the development process. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to write software for Mac OS X in Objective-C and, especially, with Cocoa. The new edition shows how to use NSUndoManager, add AppleScript capability to an application, do graphics work with OpenGL, and use Cocoa under Linux using GNUstep. As well, all the basic controls and design patterns are covered.

Customer Reviews:

Priceless.......2007-08-07

This book is written like Mac products are designed. It reads easily and is complete in content. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone beginning to program on the Mac OS X platform.

Simply the best.......2007-07-24

This is quite simply the best Cocoa book on the market. Aaron has a clean and easy way of describing the most complex topics. I've read several others and they just can't compare.

Even if not perfect - still no other book on Cocoa comes close.......2007-07-07

To avoid reapeating what has been written by many other readers, I'll be brief: if you want to get a grip on Cocoa - look no further. You won't find a better book on this subject as of the time I write these words. If you are new to programming in general - learn the basics (elsewhere) first.

Great introduction for Windows Programmers.......2007-04-17

I have been developing windows applications since 1987. I found this guide to be well written, and I was able to get my first few applications up and running in short order.

Excellent book for people new to cocoa........2007-03-02

This book does not go into deep details of Cocoa or Xcode but it does what it promises and that is to teach you enough to start building Cocoa programs. And it does that with great quality and makes sure that you understand the concepts that it is teaching. It does not go deep into Objective-C so I highly recomend for those with little C experience to grab a copy of "Programming in Objective-C" by Stephen Kochan. Those 2 books together are easily the most valuable books a programmer beginning Mac OS X programming can own.

The only thing I wished it had more of is to give a little bit more info on how to use various features of Xcode. look to "Beginning Xcode" for that info.

Learning Cocoa with Objective-C, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

Great Start to Learn OS X Programming
OK...
A good book, but not the best book
Indispensible Guide for Moving from C to Object Orientation
Good try, but needs a bit more work

Learning Cocoa with Objective-C, 2nd Edition
James Duncan Davidson , and Inc. Apple Computer
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596003013

Book Description

Learning Cocoa with Objective-C is the "must-have" book for people who want to develop applications for Mac OS X, and is the only book approved and reviewed by Apple engineers. Based on the Jaguar release of Mac OS X 10.2, this edition of Learning Cocoa includes examples that use the Address Book and Universal Access APIs. Also included is a handy quick reference card, charting Cocoa's Foundation and AppKit frameworks, along with an Appendix that includes a listing of resources essential to any Cocoa developer--beginning or advanced. Completely revised and updated, this 2nd edition begins with some simple examples to familiarize you with the basic elements of Cocoa programming as well Apple's Developer Tools, including Project Builder and Interface Builder. After introducing you to Project Builder and Interface Builder, it brings you quickly up to speed on the concepts of object-oriented programming with Objective-C, the language of choice for building Cocoa applications. From there, each chapter presents a different sample program for you to build, with easy to follow, step-by-step instructions to teach you the fundamentals of Cocoa programming. The techniques you will learn in each chapter lay the foundation for more advanced techniques and concepts presented in later chapters. You'll learn how to:

Effectively use Apple's suite of Developer Tools, including Project Builder and Interface Builder
Build single- and multiple-window document-based applications
Manipulate text data using Cocoa's text handling capabilities
Draw with Cocoa
Add scripting functionality to your applications
Localize your application for multiple language support
Polish off your application by adding an icon for use in the Dock, provide Help, and package your program for distribution

Each chapter ends with a series of Examples, challenging you to test your newly-learned skills by tweaking the application you've just built, or to go back to an earlier example and add to it some new functionality. Solutions are provided in the Appendix, but you're encouraged to learn by trying. Extensive programming experience is not required to complete the examples in the book, though experience with the C programming language will be helpful. If you are familiar with an object-oriented programming language such as Java or Smalltalk, you will rapidly come up to speed with the Objective-C language. Otherwise, basic object-oriented and language concepts are covered where needed.

Customer Reviews:

Great Start to Learn OS X Programming.......2005-07-02

This book is a great start to learn the best OS X programming technology. As a professional developer. The title says it "Learning Cocoa with Objective C". Avoid the book "Cocoa in a Nutshell" until you know Cocoa and Objective C and want a good refeerence.

I also plan to read: "Programming in Objective C" and "Cocoa Programming", but only after mastering the material in this book.

OK..........2005-02-25

While this book is very detailed and has a lot of information in it about Cocoa programming, it starts off too quickly. You might be discouraged by the assumptions the author makes about how much C (and programming in general) you know. If you are experienced in computer programming, then you will find this book to be a blast and will learn objective -C in no time at all. However, if you aren't too good with programming, start off with some online tutorials or other books, as you will get lost after reading the first two chapters or so.

A good book, but not the best book.......2004-05-10

A very popular book, and greatly improved in its second edition. Very example and tutorial oriented; somewhat out of date at this point, however. Helps the user learn Interface Builder, ProjectBuilder and Objective-C, too. Possibly a bit shallow to get the reader writing their own Cocoa programs from scratch, but a good introduction. Ultimately, probably not as recommended for a first purchase as Cocoa Programming by Scott Anguish or Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X by Aaron Hillegass.

Indispensible Guide for Moving from C to Object Orientation.......2004-02-23

Being an old Pascal and C programer from the earlier Mac OS (systems 6 and 7) I was finding 1) that Carbon documentation was a mess, and 2) that Cocoa's object orientation was incomprehensible. So, in deciding which environment to work in to upgrade my old scientific apps, I felt stuck between two impossible choices. I wanted the power of quartz and the familiarity of C in a format I could learn. This book provides the indispensible introduction to object orientation that is a prerequisite for Cocoa and ultimately Apple's latest and greatest stuff under the hood. From there, the developer documentation and Garfinkel's or Hillegrass' books can take you the rest of the way. But, this is the place to start if you're conversant in c but not objects.

Good try, but needs a bit more work.......2004-01-16

This book needed one more pass by the proofreaders. There are an annoyingly large number of typographical errors and other mistakes. What surprised me is that after introducing a number of features of Interface Builder, the author tends to manually write code (e.g., outlet declarations) then load the results into Interface Builder to make the various object connections. It would have been better in my view to simply use Interface Builder to perform these tasks (certainly less error prone).

Book Description

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book

Hold on to your hats! Two new pals have arrived on the scene: Cowgirl Kate and her stubborn, but devoted cowhorse, Cocoa. Together they count the herd, ride the range, and, of course, argue till the cows come home--as only best friends can do.

With its spirited text and bright, humorous illustrations by Caldecott Honor recipient Betsy Lewin, this first book in the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series is bound to be a hit with young wranglers everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa.......2007-03-09

Was recieved in alloted time and in the condition it was described.

Great friends.......2006-10-16

This title is a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book. Cowgirl Kate and her
horse Cocoa understand each other perfectly. Sometimes Cocoa does not
want to work and Kate knows just what to say to get him moving. When
she cannot count all the cattle,Cocoa helps her. Cocoa is always hungry
and Kate works hard to take care of him.
When she can't sleep, he sings her a lullabye.

"Will you fluff my straw?" Cocoa asked.
Cowgirl Kate sighed.
"I am very tired," she said.
But she climbed out of her sleeping bag
and fluffed his straw.
Then she crawled back into her sleeping bag.
"I am hungry," said Cocoa
Cowgirl Kate sighed.
You are always hungry," she said.
But she climbed out of her sleeping bag
andgave him three carrots.
Then she crawled back into her sleeping bag.
"Uh-oh! My water bin is low," said Cocoa.
Cowgirl Kate groaned.
"Why didn't you tell me that before?"
"I didn't think of it before, " said Cocoa.
"First I was thinking about straw.
Then I was thinking about food.
Now I am thinking about water."
"You are doing too much thinking," said Cowboy Kate.

Lewin's paintings are comical and expressive. Kate and Cocoa's expressions are priceless as they stare at each other during this exchange.

"Once there was a cowgirl who needed a cowhorse.".......2006-09-03

The sprightly Cowgirl Kate is a girl with a love of the ranch she lives on and her horse, Cocoa. Cocoa has a sense of humor when it comes to Kate, a frisky challenger in these short chapter stories for young readers who love adventure and horses in particular. Cocoa shows his mettle and his stubbornness, but with an endearing personality that makes Cowgirl Kate smile every time. Part pal, part pet, Cocoa is always hungry, demanding apples and stories from Kate, but doing her bidding in the end, Kate cleverly handling the horse with a bit of outrageous creativity.

In one story, Cowgirl Kate offers Cocoa a surprise after he eats his morning oats. Too curious to bother with his boring breakfast, Cocoa rips open Kate's present and begins chewing it vigorously. Unfortunately, the present doesn't taste so good. Of course not; it is a straw hat, now all chewed up, with three holes instead of two for Cocoa's ears. The joke is on Cocoa, who learns a lesson about patience. In "Bedtime in the Barn", Cowgirl Kate takes her sleeping bag to the barn overnight, prepared to stay with Cocoa. Kate is awakened by Cocoa's incessant demands, "fluff my straw", "I'm hungry", "my water is low". Later, frightened by an owl, Kate curls up next to her horse. The charming paintings by Betsy Lewin are complement the marriage of little girl and her fanciful horse, happy adventures for young readers. Luan Gaines/2006.

The sprightly Cowgirl Kate is a girl with a love of the ranch she lives on and her horse, Cocoa. Cocoa has a sense of humor when it comes to Kate, a frisky challenger in these short chapter stories for young readers who love adventure and horses in particular. Cocoa shows his mettle and his stubbornness, but with an endearing personality that makes Cowgirl Kate smile every time. Part pal, part pet, Cocoa is always hungry, demanding apples and stories from Kate, but doing her bidding in the end, Kate cleverly handling the horse with a bit of outrageous creativity.

In one story, Cowgirl Kate offers Cocoa a surprise after he eats his morning oats. Too curious to bother with his boring breakfast, Cocoa rips open Kate's present and begins chewing it vigorously. Unfortunately, the present doesn't taste so good. Of course not; it is a straw hat, now all chewed up, with three holes instead of two for Cocoa's ears. The joke is on Cocoa, who learns a lesson about patience. In "Bedtime in the Barn", Cowgirl Kate takes her sleeping bag to the barn overnight, prepared to stay with Cocoa. Kate is awakened by Cocoa's incessant demands, "fluff my straw", "I'm hungry", "my water is low". Later, frightened by an owl, Kate curls up next to her horse. The charming paintings by Betsy Lewin are complement the marriage of little girl and her fanciful horse, happy adventures for young readers. Luan Gaines/2006.

Book for horse loving children.......2006-07-23

The book is written in 4 chapters that could be read individually at 4 different sessions. Each tells its own story. The illustrations are clear and concise using bright colors. Children that love horses would like this book. I used it as a read-aloud story at the library but a reader of about 1st grade level would have no trouble reading it.

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman.......2006-03-10

This is an excellent book for early readers. My 6 year old kindergarten granddaughter is excited about being able to read Chapter books now, and she loved Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa. The colorful illustrations helped her as she sounded out the few words she did not already know.

If Truth Be Told (Five Star Expressions)

Average customer rating:

A WOW 5-star read!
This is an awesome book!
fascinating look at a girl becoming a woman
When a book makes you laugh and cry, you just have to love it.
Touching to the heart

If Truth Be Told (Five Star Expressions)
Lynda Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Five Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594145687
Release Date: 2007-06-20

Product Description

Five Star Expressions

Customer Reviews:

A WOW 5-star read!.......2007-07-19

WOW, I loved this book. This is an emotional story that touched me so deeply. What a great read.

The story is told through Christie's eyes. The story begins in August of 1961 and takes place between Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach, Florida. Christie is the youngest of the three O'Kelly sisters, and is 14 years old when she meets the boy of her dreams. His name is Todd, soon to be her step cousin. Her Uncle Jack is marrying Carly, Todd's mother. After falling for Todd she decides to put away her teddy bear, which she takes back out of her closet from time to time for comfort. After four years of dreaming about her future with Todd, she is devastated from a letter to her aunt and uncle revealing that Todd is married.

The story progresses through eight years. Christie comes home to find that Todd had been to her place looking for her. Todd is determined to win Christie back, but Christie wants no part of being hurt and lied to again. Todd offers to be there for her as a friend due to her uncle's illness. She does not believe him and calls her uncle, and learns it is true that he is sick.

They are thrown together time and again due to her uncle's series of medical conditions. Todd is persistent and they become engaged. Then suddenly her uncle dies.

Christie is confused as she thought he was doing better, and Carly's behavior and actions around her are very different, almost as if she feels guilty about something. Christie is determined to find out the truth, as she does not believe her uncle's death was natural. So she begins asking questions, prodding for the truth, but is afraid this will be the end to her relationship with the man of her dreams.

The author mixes romance and a touch of mystery. The plot is intriguing, the characters are believable, and the story has vivid details. The story will tug at your heart and will bring tears to your eyes.

A fascinating read, I could not put this one down--highly recommended,

Armchair Interviews says: A definite 5-star read.

This is an awesome book!.......2007-07-11

Where mystery meets romance, If Truth Be Told is a poignant and thought-provoking story of Christie and her search for the two things that matter most to her - love and truth. But when the two collide, she has to find her own balance between them and ultimately decide which matters more.

I have to say that I truly loved this book! Ms. Fitzgerald writes the character of Christie so well that I could almost believe she really exists. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough!

fascinating look at a girl becoming a woman .......2007-07-02

In 1961 when Christie O'Kelly was fourteen her beloved Uncle Jack, who serves as her male role model after her dad died, remarried. At the ceremony, Christie and her older sisters meet their new Aunt Carly's son Todd. Christie thinks he is a hunk, but he ignores her. Over the next four years as she trades bobby sox for stockings, Christie finds she still wants Todd until he marries someone else.

In 1973, a divorced Todd realizes Christie is the one for him, but she rejects his advances. When her beloved Uncle Jack becomes ill, she goes to help Aunt Carly nurse him. Todd uses this time to try to re-win the heart he tossed aside when he thought she was too young for him.

This is a fascinating look at a girl becoming a woman as Lynda Fitzgerald takes readers through the major events shaping the life of her likable lead female. Thus the story line feels more like a series of vignettes in the life of Christie rather than a novel. This technique enables the audience to see deeply into what made her the adult she is, but lacks sustained action built from previous events as each occurrence is somewhat a stand alone. Fans of deep character studies of whom and what turned a teenage girl into the woman she is will appreciate Ms. Fitzgerald discerning tale.

Harriet Klausner

When a book makes you laugh and cry, you just have to love it........2007-06-28

Lynda Fitzgerald has reached out and touched my heart with this book. There are parts where I look back and relive those wonderful tender feelings of my first love, my first heartbreak and then cry because of the lost of a father figure. You will too when you read this book. The author has such a way with words that you will find yourself bursting with laughter at Christie's sense of humor then turn around and cry at the heartbreak of losing her favorite uncle to a fatal disease. You will hold your breath when Christie realizes that there may be more to his death and the truth may cause her to lose so very much more. I just love this book.

Touching to the heart.......2007-06-22

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/07)

"If Truth Be Told" is an incredibly written fictional story. The author, Lynda Fitzgerald, incorporates romance, suspense, and mystery into an excellent plot. The story begins with Christie O'Kelly at the age of fourteen. In addition to the typical teenage angst that most of us experience, she is also dealing with being treated like an outsider by her mother and sisters. This pushes her closer to her uncle and his new wife Carly. When she meets her uncle's stepson, Todd, it is love at first sight.

Carly takes Christie under her wing and while she is teaching her about hair and makeup, she also instructs her on life and why people act the way that they do. This new perspective helps Christie become more compassionate towards her siblings and her mother. When Todd falls for Christie, he tries to do the right thing by not taking advantage of her. In the long run, he makes some very poor choices and manages to break her heart.

Years later they meet again. Christie is still angry at Todd for hurting her. When her uncle becomes ill, it forces them together and, in time, allows many of their issues to be resolved. Her uncle's illness causes Carly to change. After he passes, she clings on Todd and does not want Christie around. Christie begins to suspect foul play in her uncle's death. This drives a wedge between herself and Todd. She has to work harder than ever to try to overcome this.

I really loved "If Truth Be Told." Because there are no slow moments in the story, I had a hard time putting it down. Fitzgerald has a talent of wrapping you up in the story so that you start to feel like Christie's family and her issues are your own. Fitzgerald also impressed me with her ability to have Christie develop emotionally as she is growing up. Her transition from teenager to adulthood and her lessons learned along the way are so perfect for who she becomes. Her friends and family are also going through their own issues especially in regards to relationships. Everything that is happening seems so real, I felt more like this was an autobiography.

"If Truth Be Told" really touched my heart. Not having Ms. Fitzgerald's talent for words, I cannot give this book the kind of review that it best deserves; I can only tell you that you should not miss out on the chance to read it. This is a great choice for a women's reader group.

Cocoa in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))

Average customer rating:

A Great Purchase
A Good Reference -- Not a Tutorial!!!

Cocoa in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))
Michael Beam , and James Duncan Davidson
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596004621

Book Description

Cocoa® is more than just a collection of classes, and is certainly more than a simple framework. Cocoa is a complete API set, class library, framework, and development environment for building applications and tools to run on Mac OS® X. With over 240 classes, Cocoa is divided into two essential frameworks: Foundation and Application Kit. Above all else, Cocoa is a toolkit for creating Mac OS X application interfaces, and it provides access to all of the standard Aqua® interface components such as menus, toolbars, windows, buttons, to name a few. Cocoa in a Nutshell begins with a complete overview of Cocoa's object classes. It provides developers who may be experienced with other application toolkits the grounding they'll need to start developing Cocoa applications. Common programming tasks are described, and many chapters focus on the larger patterns in the frameworks so developers can understand the larger relationships between the classes in Cocoa, which is essential to using the framework effectively. Cocoa in a Nutshell is divided into two parts, with the first part providing a series of overview chapters that describe specific features of the Cocoa frameworks. Information you'll find in Part I includes:

An overview of the Objective-C language
Coverage of the Foundation and Application Kit frameworks
Overviews of Cocoa's drawing and text handling classes
Network services such as hosts, Rendezvous URL services, sockets, and file handling
Distributed notifications and distributed objects for interapplication communication
Extending Cocoa applications with other frameworks, including the AddressBook, DiscRecording, and Messaging frameworks

The second half of the book is a detailed quick reference to Cocoa's Foundation and Application Kit (AppKit) classes. A complement to Apple's documentation, Cocoa in a Nutshell is the only reference to the classes, functions, types, constants, protocols, and methods that make up Cocoa's Foundation and Application Kit frameworks, based on the Jaguar release (Mac OS X 10.2). Peer-reviewed and approved by Apple's engineers to be part of the Apple Developer Connection (ADC) Series, Cocoa in a Nutshell is the book developers will want close at hand as they work. It's the desktop quick reference they can keep by their side to look something up quickly without leaving their work. Cocoa in a Nutshell is the book developers will want close at hand as they work. It's the desktop quick reference they can keep by their side to look something up quickly without leaving their work.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Purchase.......2007-03-24

One of the best books a Cocoa programmer can buy! It references most of the Cocoa API and Objective-C, as well as providing a few good examples. I find it indispensable.

A Good Reference -- Not a Tutorial!!!.......2005-07-24

This book may be recommended by Apple Computer as reading for programmers aspiring to be OS X Cocoa programmers, but these "In a Nutshell..." books from O'Reiley are like the dictionary. They are good references, but not good to learn from.

A much better starting place to learn Cocoa programming -- the best OS X technology for new Mac-OSX only software -- is the book "Learning Cocoa with Objective-C'. This book is also on Apple's recommended reading list for programmers aspiring to master Cocoa.

The ISBN number of "Learning Cocoa..." is: 0-596-00301-3.

I plan to continue my study of Cocoa with "Programming in Objective-C:A Complete Introduction to the Objective-C language". I feel that I need this book even though I know C and C++. Objective-C is quite a bit different. ISBN 0-672-32586-1

Then, I plan to read: "Cocoa Programming" ISBN 0-67232230-7.

That brings me back to the book that I started with. "Cocoa in a Nutshell". Then, I'd be ready for a reference book, and I would also use Apple's web reference, and on-disk reference materials that are on your hard disk when you install Apple's free development tools.

Average customer rating:

An excellent intro to Obj-C for those who need the depth
Handy, well written Objective-C Reference!
A great resource for digging deeper into Objective-C
Fantastic Fantastic Fantastic

Objective-C Pocket Reference
Andrew Duncan
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596004230

Book Description

Objective-C is an exciting and dynamic approach to C-based object-oriented programming; it's the approach adopted by Apple as the foundation for programming under Mac OS X, a Unix-based operating system gaining wide acceptance among programmers and other technologists. Objective-C is easy to learn and has a simple elegance that is a welcome breath of fresh air after the abstruse and confusing C++. To help you master the fundamentals of this language, you'll want to keep the Objective-C Pocket Reference close at hand. This small book contains a wealth of valuable information to speed you over the learning curve. In this pocket reference, author Andrew Duncan provides a quick and concise introduction to Objective-C for the experienced programmer. In addition to covering the essentials of Objective-C syntax, Andrew also covers important faces of the language such as memory management, the Objective-C runtime, dynamic loading, distributed objects, and exception handling. O'Reilly's Pocket References have become a favorite among programmers everywhere. By providing important details in a succinct, well-organized format, these handy books deliver just what you need to complete the task at hand. When you've reached a sticking point in your work and need to get to a solution quickly, the new Objective-C Pocket Reference is the book you'll want to have.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent intro to Obj-C for those who need the depth.......2004-05-10

Probably the best book to read to learn Objective-C, if Apple's PDF on the language is not enough for you. Covers Objective-C both from Cocoa and non-Cocoa perspectives. Try Apple's PDF first, and if it's not enough to let you jump into one of the Cocoa programming books (which all mostly assume knowledge of C and Objective-C), then this book is recommended.

Handy, well written Objective-C Reference!.......2003-11-15

Andrew Duncan's Objective-C Pocket Reference is just the book that budding Cocoa programmers should have on their desk. It is well written, well indexed, and succinct enough to read in an evening if desired.

After reading it cover to cover, I think this will be a valuable resource for looking up any Objective-C related questions I have.

Note, you should have an understanding of C before trying to read this book. Also - it will probably make more sense to you if you already have some experience with Cocoa. This is a quick reference - probably not the best way to learn the language. However, the book contains a list at the end which recommends other books and websites which are more thorough.

I'd say it's well worth the cost.

A great resource for digging deeper into Objective-C.......2003-09-30

O'Reilly's OBJECTIVE-C POCKET REFERENCE follows in its line of slim booklets designed for quick reference while at the computer. I found it a very helpful book.

While titled "a pocket reference", the book is not something that should be put on the shelf right away and merely consulted from time to time. For a beginning Objective-C programmer, reading the book straight-through can be very enlightening. The basics of Obj-C are easy to grasp, and an Obj-C beginner can immediately start constructing solid applications without knowing about categories, protocols, or root objects. But O'Reilly's book is the best place to start becoming familiar with these obscure topics that might just help one solve a particularly tricky problem.

I have only a few complaints about the book. One is that it talks about the #import preprocessor directive, but nowhere does it mention the advantages of using #ifndef guards. Another problem is that in some parts it is Cocoa-specific; I would have preferred that it concentrate on the OpenStep standard in general so that other OpenStep implementations might not be left out (but the book does occasionally mention GNUstep, which is great).

O'Reilly proves itself the best publisher for developers again with this book, and any Objective-C programmer should invest in it.

Fantastic Fantastic Fantastic.......2003-01-29

I have three different books for objective C programming, which by the way are very hard to find. This book, which was published just recently, is the best objective c book I have read yet.

Book Description

Cocoa Programming is a comprehensive work that starts as a fast-paced introduction to the OS architecture and the Cocoa language for programmers new to the environment. The more advanced sections of the book will show the reader how to create Cocoa applications using Objective-C, to modify the views, integrate multimedia, and access networks. The final sections explain how to extend system applications and development tools in order to create your own frameworks.

Download Description

The most comprehensive programming book on Mac OS X. * Write Mac OS X applications in Cocoa in Objective-C using object-oriented techniques. * Includes tips and tricks that boost programmer productivity, * Written by four leaders in the Mac OS X programming community.

Customer Reviews:

Very well written.......2006-05-04

(Review written July 2004, reposting because it disappeared) This is a big book, so I was at first leery about whether I would be able to get through it without becoming depressed or lost. I did get through it, I didn't get lost, and I felt in capable hands all the way through. Furthermore, it was worth every minute of time I put into reading it.

Although there are three authors of this book, listed alphabetically on the front cover, it reads as if written by a single author. It becomes readily apparent that the authors know Cocoa as well as the best programmers know it. But even more important to me was that they craft every single sentence with care for the context they're building, and they don't violate our faith with out of context material. Time and time again I was silently appreciating their skill and care for quality writing.

Great, but outdated.......2006-01-22

I've really gotten a lot out of this book, and I would highly recommend it, except for the fact that it came out in 2002 and only covers 10.1 (with an appendix entry discussing the new features in the "up-coming 10.2"). Many of the methods documented here have been long since "deprecated."

If you can find this book at a reasonable price, it would pair well with a more current book. I found it contained valuable information not present in some of the more recent books.

If this guy ever releases an updated version of this book, I would buy it in a Nano-second (a little iPod humour there)(Yeah, very little).

Great to bring you up-to-date, modern Mac OS X application development.......2005-07-16

This book is great for people who want to develop serious Mac OS X applications.

The essence of Cocoa.......2004-10-11

Cocoa is an OO framework for programming for Mac OS X. It has a vast amount of classes, protocols, and even functions. Thought Apple has done a great job of advancing and improving their own documentation on Cocoa over the last 2 or 3 years, you have to have a certain amount of familiarity with the framework to get your way around it. This book would be your best bet for such a guide on Cocoa. I've been using this book for a year now, and it has never let me down. It helped me to develop over the time that unique way of thinking, which you need to have to be productive and effective user of any framework. Thank you guys for writing this great book!
On a side note, I should say that the publisher has not done its job with book layout and such, so don't be intimidated by its size, it could have been much slimmer.

About the relevance. Yes, the book was written before even 10.2 came up, but it still has its purpose fulfilled. Yes, there is nothing in it on Cocoa bindings, but as I said in the beginning, it will give you a good start to get your way around the Cocoa reference documentation to find all the details. I urge the authors to update the book in the light of the recent developments.

To conclude, if you are serious about staring the software development in Cocoa on Mac OS X, this is the BOOK to read and have around.

From an author.......2004-09-16

Disclaimer: I am one of the authors.
Cocoa Programming provides intermediate and advanced programmers with the knowledge and techniques to produce powerful full-featured Cocoa applications. Cocoa Programming communicates the wisdom and design experience of three top-notch veteran Cocoa developers and includes technical information and insights that are not available from any other source.

Cocoa is Apple's powerful and mature object oriented development technology for creating Mac OS X applications quickly and efficiently. Apple recommends that all new applications written for Mac OS X use Cocoa. Cocoa is distinguished from other object-oriented development environments in several ways: Cocoa is mature, consistent, and broad. Cocoa is based on a cross-platform specification and has evolved from a cross-platform implementation. Cocoa is extraordinarily extensible, flexible, and dynamic in part because of Objective-C, the language used to implement it.

This comprehensive book covers virtually every aspect of Cocoa application development from the tools used to build programs to sophisticated multi-media and low level implementation details. Topics ranging from client-server networking to game development are covered. Examples that can be used directly in application code and a companion Web site, http://www.cocoaprogramming.net/, provide a treasure chest of reusable objects that illustrate the best practices developed through years of use.

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners (Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa)

Average customer rating:

giddy up
"These partners are going places... together, of course."

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners (Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa)
Erica Silverman
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152060103

Book Description

Cowgirl Kate and her best friend Cocoa are as feisty as ever as they play hide-and-seek, get new shoes, and learn the true meaning of friendship. They're partners through thick and thin, and partners do everything together.

Customer Reviews:

giddy up.......2006-10-16

Join Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa on their wild west adventures. This is the second book for the Cowgirl Kate series. Cowgirl Kate loves her job as a rancher and tries to do her best. Cocoa is her hourse and sometimes has a mind of his own! There are four chapters in the book. Each is like a separate adventure for the 2 best friends!

Cocoa the horse was a neat character.. He sounds a lot like a real child instead of a horse!

I would recommend this book to kids who are just learning to read. The words are simple and easy and the chapters are short.

"These partners are going places... together, of course.".......2006-09-03

In another happy pairing of Cowgirl Kate and her horse, Cocoa, Partners contains four more stories of the antics of this spunky cowgirl and her best pal. In the first story, Cocoa is due for new horseshoes, but balks at the suggestion, declaring, "I don't want horseshoes. I want cowboy boots." When Kate tries to fit him with the boots, Cocoa realizes with disappointment that they will never fit a four-legged creature. Once Kate explains that horseshoes are everywhere on the ranch because they bring good luck, Cocoa is delighted, prancing about in his new horseshoes, pleased to be the bearer of good luck. Whether playing hide-and-seek (or as Cocoa likes to call it "hide-and-eat") or practicing roping, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa are partners in everything, working out compromises and solving every dilemma with good humor. Playful and affectionate, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa tackle life together, sharing the chores and the fun, because "partners do everything together". Betsy Lewin's paintings are particularly energetic and colorful, full of the action of life on a ranch and the joyful friendship of a little cowgirl and her favorite horse, a chapter book on working together and problem-solving for young readers. Luan Gaines/2006.

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