If your job involves developing basic, easy-to-understand, corporate policies on corporate technology use, this book is for you. Complete with a CD full of sample policies, it practically does your job for you. As a bonus, though, it's actually entertaining to read!
The book includes interesting case studies involving legal challenges, some won by the company thanks to solid policy, some lost by the company by not uniformly enforcing said policy. It also provides some insight on how to beat restrictions if you are so inclined -- the author consults with technical experts to find out how clever employees circumvent corporate controls. I'd have given the book more praise if it had included some of my favorite tricks; but those offered weren't half bad.
Guerin does a good job combining issues involving different technologies into a comprehensive whole. What is permissible in a blog, for instance, should also cover what is permissible in an instant message. This is appreciated by anyone who actually wants to make sense of such policies -- the thick packet I was given at my current job containing the technology has so far gone unread -- I fast-forwarded to the sign-off page at the end, and decided it was easier to just limit my use of technology in a manner that can't possibly be objectionable. This limits creativity and keeps employees from maximizing use of tools at their disposal, but it's far better easier than assimilating all of the conditions that can result in termination.
As an IT manager, I've had to write policies that were afterward vetted by HR for inclusion in the corporate policy guide. I have read enough of them to know what needs to be there, and why. However, I'm also too close to the subject matter, and left completely to my own devices, I'd surely miss something. This book will help avoid omission. If you happen to be curious as to why companies implement policies as they do, this book should convince you it's for the best. And did I mention it's fun to read? I wish I could say the same about our actual policies.
The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Book 8 of the series featuring the pompous, James Bond-alike Aloysius Pendergast. But who's counting? This is the second I've listened to on audiobook, and aside from a few references to past events, the books stand alone on their own merit. Superbly read by the actor Rene Auberjonois; this tale starts with a missing artifact of great evil held by 1000 years in a Tibetan monastery. The supernatural tale that ensues takes to the maiden voyage of an ocean liner that could well end up the second coming of Titanic.
The pacing is good and engaging in a brain candy sort of way. The idea of anyone launching a modern, £1,000,000,000 luxury liner is probably grossly overestimating demand for such a mode of travel. The supernatural element adds a twist to an otherwise predictable novel. Some of the diversionary color was almost as compelling as the main plot line, and that alone is enough to entice me to pick up another of the series next time I come across one at a good price.
A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin
We've been waiting six long years for the next verse of A Song of Ice and Fire. Was it worth it?
Well, fans of the series will undoubtedly gobble it up (most already have). In the previous book, A Feast for Crows, Martin decided to split character lines between two books. Therefore, A Dance with Dragons is meant to exist in parallel with the 4th book, not in sequence with it. This might work better for those reading the series straight through; but for those of us who waited six years, it seemed rather disjointed. For starters, I often had to brush aside the cobwebs of my long-term memory to recall events alluded to that were running in concert with the events in this book; or plot lines left hanging from the third book. As such, I think I enjoyed it a little less than I might have otherwise. I also suspect some day, someone will re-integrate the story lines. By then, the stress of a 2000-page book will be mitigated by the common usage of digital media. If Martin takes another 6 years to produce the next book, that could be a even dozen since last hearing from the Feast of Crows crew (granted, that might be too soon to hear again from the likes of Sansa Stark).
On to the story. The primary story lines follow Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, Daenerys Targaryean, Theon Greyjoy, Tyrion Lannister, and Arya Stark. Many secondary characters share the spotlight, and there is a fair measure of new blood as well. The two most significant events occurring at this time are Stannis Baratheon's attempt to consolidate power in the north, and Daenerys attempt to consolidate her power through marriage to a terrorist leader. There is some foreshadowing of future events with the humiliation of Cercei, and the invasion in the south of a pro-Targaryan force with a surprise figure. Dany's dragons have grown and become a danger to society, adding to her difficulty in reaching peace accords with various warlords who simply want them (and possibly her) dead.
There is also the now-traditional culling of the dramatis personae -- although I won't mention here who or how. It might have been necessary to reign in some of the far-flung story lines to a more manageable set for the next book.
If you've never read the A Song of Ice and Fire series, now is as good a time as any to get started. Read the books, then watch the excellent HBO TV series. On its own merit, A Dance with Dragons falls short of perfection. It advances the story lines of half the story, and there are few conclusions. What is written is very good...but the frustration of another possibly-long wait is palpable. It took longer for me to get through the nearly 1000 pages of this book than it did any of the others; and I'm sure the long separation had much to do with it.
Action is fast and furious, and layer within layer of deception. Very intricate plotting. A bit of a deux ex machina ending though, but a nice setup for the next book.
