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From Victim to Victor has a CD attached to the inside of the book. This CD (for a PC or Mac) with steps, letters including laws, forms, affidavit and resources, allow you to complete essential correspondence to various agencies by filling in the blanks, completing the forms and affidavit, and surfing directly to dozens of helpful website resources. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you have written a professional legal letter to effectively resolve your problems. It’s like having your own lawyer coach showing you the way at a fraction of the cost of even one hour of attorney time. It is a lifesaver for you to regain your identity.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A book everyone should have around
I bought this book after seeing the author on Montel Williams and hearing people tell of their identity theft stories. Some of which are still fighting to get their good name back. This book has every step you need including pre-written letters to everyone you need to get in contact with if this crime should happen to you. It really is a step by step manual to taking back your identity and stoping the financial turmoil that can ruin your life. A must for every household…

5 Stars Book review
The book is in AWESOME condition. I recieved the order in no time. Very pleased with the service.

3 Stars From Victim to Victor
Along with the book Safeguard Your Identity, this book helps to deal with the theft of one’s Identity and the importance of knowledge in this field, even if it hasn’t happen to you (yet).

5 Stars Very useful book when you are a victim of id thief
Very useful book helping a victim of id thief. It was written by

a victim of id thief and it has all the forms and other legal stuff

on a CD rom that a victim needs to get their id back.

I bought the book in case that happens to me or someone I know and I will have the book readily at hand to battle any id thieves.

5 Stars Security
I bought this book so that I would have the information I needed if such a situation should happen to me. The information that it provides helps you to take steps now in order to make it somewhat more difficult to steal ones identity. It also provides the information one is going to need if it does happen. Great book

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User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Riverting and Amusing — What Else Can You Ask For?
I disagree with many of the negative reviews of this book, possibly because I am a former New Yorker and find that Shute’s characterization of the underpaid, overextended, unappreciated single New York woman is dead-on. I find, too, that Charlotte is a well-wrought and sympathetic character. I enjoyed getting to know these two women. The book is quickly-paced, written in short and snappy chapters that kept me turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it for plane rides or a day at the beach.

1 Star because I can’t give it 1/2 star (hey have to give author credit for writing)
I felt so bad about not liking this book when i began it that i felt compeled to finish it hoping for some grand ending. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. need i say more? Charlene was a believable character, in a stereo typical white trash sort of way. Vera reminded me of a boring timid little blah mouse, and her boyfriend had the personality of a toothbrush. (no wonder they were together) I love a good mystery, but there is nothing mysterious about the rating this book is getting! Watch a good Lifetime Movie instead

1 Star Don’t be a victim
This is the story of a woman who is supposed to be smart and capable (she is neither) who is the victim of a criminal who with whom we are supposed to sympathize (I didn’t.)

We have all been warned to shred documents with personal information to avoid losing your identity. If you have a paper shredder, you may want to put this book through it to avoid losing the time it takes to read this book.

3 Stars An Entertaining Fast Read…
I almost didn’t buy this book because the reviews were less than sterling. But, I know the kind of book I typically enjoy so I changed my mind and stuck it in my cart. Indeed, I ended up finishing this book in about a week (which is pretty fast for me because I have so little time to read). Basically, the book held my interest and moved along…so I was able to stick with it and complete it.

This is a story of identity theft, told in two different “voices” (in alternating chapters). One voice is that of the victim, the other voice is of the perpetrator. Two different women, different lives, different coasts, yet tied together because one stole the identity of the other. It is, of course, a cautionary tale for our times.

As I said, the story moves along. The story is fairly believable and I think we get a sense of who these characters are, and how they come to be in this position. I think the victim character is a little more believable but I suppose that is beside the point. The story is a bit predictable, yet has a few twists, especially at the end. The characters are believable enough but not very sympathetic.

I think the latter point (the fact that the characters are not very sympathetic and indeed fairly drab) are what makes me rate the book three stars instead of four. The story moves along but I didn’t care about the characters very much. And I thought the story was rather thin on details. Specifically, some more background on the characters (prior history of their lives, current details on their lives, more friends, etc.) would have made the story a little more realistic and interesting.

However, because the story did hold my interest, I would recommend the book to those looking for an entertaining fast read, particularly if they are interested in the topic of identity theft.

2 Stars Pretty Bad
I think the book had a pretty good subject for a story but the writing isn’t interesting at all. The writing is just boring and bland. It’s not really much of a story. The book offers some identity theft ideas on creating fake id’s, obtaining credit information, and using it. The author tells the story without moral conscience. At no time does the main character ever seems to feel any guilt about stealing. There’s no sympathy showed for the identity theft victim. Also, the book never shows the possible punishment for identity theft. In alot of ways it’s very morally irresponsible.

I borrowed this book for free from the library. I wouldn’t pay fot it.

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This book imparts knowledge to prevent, investigate and prosecute the complex and devastating crime of Identity theft. This step-by-step guide contains current, nationally-recognised counter-theft expertise.

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Anyone with a computer has heard of viruses, had to deal with several, and has been struggling with spam, spyware, and disk crashes. This book is intended as a starting point for those familiar with basic concepts of computers and computations and who would like to extend their knowledge into the realm of computer and network security. Its comprehensive treatment of all the major areas of computer security aims to give readers a complete foundation in the field of Computer Security. Exercises are given throughout the book and are intended to strengthening the reader’s knowledge – answers are also provided.

Written in a clear, easy to understand style, aimed towards advanced undergraduates and non-experts who want to know about the security problems confronting them everyday. The technical level of the book is low and requires no mathematics, and only a basic concept of computers and computations. Foundations of Computer Security will be an invaluable tool for students and professionals alike.

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From the moment you’re born, you enter the data stream-from birth certificates to medical records to what you bought on Amazon last week. As your dossier grows, so do the threats, from identity thieves to government snoops to companies who want to sell you something. Computer Privacy Annoyances shows you how to regain control of your life. You’ll learn how to keep private information private, stop nosy bosses, get off that incredibly annoying mailing list, and more. Unless you know what data is available about you and how to protect it, you’re a sitting duck. Computer Privacy Annoyances is your guide to a safer, saner, and more private life. Written by privacy pro Dan Tynan, and based on interviews with privacy experts from all over the globe, Computer Privacy Annoyances serves up real-world advice in bite-sized portions that will help you stop the snoops in their tracks. The book even addresses non-computing threats, from telemarketer-cum-stalkers, thieves at your mailbox, nosy folks in your HR department, cell phone eavesdroppers, and more. The key areas covered include:

• Privacy at Home
• Privacy on the Net
• Privacy at Work
• Privacy in Public
• Privacy and Uncle Sam
• Privacy in the Future

Daniel Tynan has written about Internet privacy and security for nearly a decade. His work has appeared in more than 40 national publications. As executive editor at PC World, Tynan edited a special issue on Internet Privacy that won a Grand Neal Award and was a finalist for a National Magazine Award. He has won more than a dozen other honors, including nine Neals, four Maggies, and two Computer Press Association Awards.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Wider than just the web
This book covers more than just your digital privacy. It sweeps on a wide variety of privacy topics. I find that a good thing since it’s comprehensive. In reality your digital identity is interspersed with your physical identity and both a very important.

This is the most accessible of the privacy books I’ve read. The advice is presented in bite sized bits that are easy to understand and implement. It gives both background and practical advice. Both of which are necessary to understand the problem and the solutions.

5 Stars Forget the “Computer” bit… *everyone* should read this book.
Computer Privacy Annoyances

O’Reilly

By Dan Tynan

ISBN 0596007752

As someone who gets asked questions about Internet use and safety all the time, a book I had been itching to read was “Computer Privacy Annoyances”, by Dan Tynan. According to the cover, the book covers “How to avoid the most annoying invasions of your personal and online privacy.”

The quick and dirty? The book gives very practical, real-world examples of how your data can be used, yet the author manages to avoid sounding like a doomsayer… even some of the more scary scenarios don’t come off sounding like sensationalism, just honest (and sometimes even apologetic) examples of what could very realistically happen. (I thank you, Mr. Tynan.)

I’ll take bets on anyone that doesn’t learn at least ten new things they didn’t know about their privacy rights. Mr. Tynan has taken the proverbial “They” and reduced it to the very organizations that “they” really are. Did you know you can request a copy of your FBI files? Do you know who has the power view it? Do you know who is collecting data on you at this very moment and what they are doing with it?

The book’s format allows for a surprisingly fast read. Well organized sections such as privacy at home, on the Internet, in public, at work, and even on a federal level allow for quick chapter absorption. In each chapter, the author states the annoyance, and then the fix. This allows for quick skipping over an ‘annoyance’ that might not annoy you that much.

I did notice that the author made no mention of the everyday information users give out about themselves without even realizing it, such as usernames that contain birthdates and such. But the Internet privacy chapter is only a small portion of the topics covered in this book. In fact, if I had to find one fault with this book, however, I’d say they lost a much larger audience that could have easily benefited from the book by calling it *Computer* Privacy Annoyances.

As a tech professional, if I could get all my clients, users, friends, family and complete strangers to read this book, I strongly believe identify theft could become a thing of the past. And it might even reduce global blood pressure, too. Bonus!

5 Stars Can’t run, Can’t hide
Much as we don’t want to, privacy is something we all need to think about and protect these days, unless we want to give up our computers and other gadgets and go back to stone tablets. Now we have an easy, funny, understandable guide to protecting ourselves in the online age, and we’d be foolish (and just asking for trouble) to ignore it. Dan Tynan has done all the hard work for us; now we just need to make sure that everyone we know reads this book!

5 Stars Required reading for today’s computerized society…
Privacy? Good luck! Even the slightest misstep on line (or anywhere else, for that matter) can open you up to privacy intrusions that you may not know about. Dan Tynan does a really good job in outlining these areas in Computer Privacy Annoyances. This is pretty much required reading for living in our heavily computerized society.

Contents: Privacy At Risk; Privacy At Home; Privacy On The Net; Privacy At Work; Privacy In Public; Privacy And Uncle Sam; Privacy In The Future; Index

In this Annoyances title, Tynan looks at a wide range of activities and situations that involve a potential unwanted loss of privacy. Using a question and answer format, he effectively shows how seemingly innocent activities (like booking a hotel room or ordering a kosher meal on a flight) can be logged and combined to build a profile of your activities that may not present a very flattering picture of who you are and what you do (and with whom). While there’s the obligatory chapters on spam, online registration sites, and the like, there are also excellent chapters that cover privacy at work (what your employers can and can not do) as well as health record concerns. Things may not be as secure and private as you think they are…

Realistically, there’s already more information out there to be gleaned than you’d probably expect and be comfortable with. But by reading and digesting the contents of this book, you can start to reduce your exposure going forward. Even just the awareness of privacy concerns will start to cause you to question *why* a merchant might want certain information. They may *want* your zip code or phone number, but that doesn’t mean you *have* to give it to them. Even if this book keeps you from making just one mistake that would lead to identity theft, then it’s more than paid for itself. A recommended read…

5 Stars Computer Privacy Annoyances
This book is an eye-opener on privacy invasion, and how it can harm you in countless ways. It is a comprehensive study of the many forms privacy invasion can take, especially as practiced on the Internet, and what you can do to protect yourself. Author Dan Tynan has studied these offensive practices for years, and gives us the benefit of his research and findings. Find out what is going on, and what you can do protect yourself, not only on the internet, but in other aspects of your life as well.

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You Are Who the Computer Says You Are

The first two books in this series, Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box and Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent, have become classics in the Hacker and Infosec communities because of their chillingly realistic depictions of criminal hacking techniques and strategies. But what happens when the tables turn, and the criminal hackers become the targets of both law enforcement and each other? What happens when they must evade detection by creating new identities and applying their skills to get out fast and vanish into thin air. In Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity, the hacker crew you’ve grown to both love and hate find themselves on the run, fleeing from both authority and adversary. They must now use their prowess in a way they never expected–to survive…

From the Diary of Robert Knoll, Senior My name, my real name, is Robert Knoll, Senior. No middle name. Most of those who matter right now think of me as Knuth. But I am the man of a thousand faces, the god of infinite forms.

Identity is a precious commodity. In centuries past, those who fancied themselves sorcerers believed that if you knew a being’s true name, you could control that being. Near where I live now, there are shamans who impose similar beliefs on their people. The secret is that if you grant such a man, an agency, this power over yourself through your beliefs or actions, then it is true.

Only recently has this become true in the modern world. The people of the world have granted control of their existence to computers, networks, and databases. You own property if a computer says you do. You can buy a house if a computer says you may. You have money in the bank if a computer says so. Your blood type is what the computer says it is. You are who the computer says you are.

TOC

Part I Evasion

Prologue From the Diary of Robert Knoll, Senior

Chapter 1 In The Beginning

Chapter 2 Sins of the Father

Chapter 3 Saul on the Run

Chapter 4 The Seventh Wave

Chapter 5 Bl@ckTo\/\/3r

Chapter 6 The Java Script Caf

Chapter 7 Death by a Thousand Cuts

Chapter 8 A Really Gullible Genius Makes Amends

Chapter 9 Near Miss

Chapter 10 There’s Something Else

Epilogue: The Chase

Part II Behind the Scenes

Chapter 11 The Conversation

Chapter 12 Social Insecurity

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A good entry into a sometimes difficult subject
This book is a good read for people who are technical, but not information security experts. I see from Amazon that there are other books in the series; I will definitely be reading them soon.

It is a fictionalized account of people (on both sides of the enforcement/criminal side) who are dealing with identity theft and forgery. I would recommend that anyone who has questions about identity theft gives this book a look – it’s definitely opened my eyes.

The technical sections are useful illustrations for those who understand them, but the main thrust of the book is in the concepts applied. Anyone who does not understand the details of the technical approaches would still be able to understand the plot movement and basic areas where they may want to bolster their own identity security.

5 Stars Great continuation of the series
I give it 5 stars because not only is it a great hacker thriller but the use of character names from the 80s movie Real Genius cracks me up. Its like the movie’s sequel.

5 Stars One of the most innovative adn unique books on the mindset of a hacker
This book is hard to put down! It was like looking into a window of the underground world that most people, even those in the Information Security Industry, are unaware exists. The technical aspects in thoe book gave the storyline a credibility that other books lack. The characters were colorful and well developed. The book opened my eyes to the very real threat of identity theft and how identities are “harevsted” and used as currency on the blackmarket by organized crime and malicious entities such as terrorist organizationa. Great read that will not diassapoint you.

4 Stars More fun from the most imaginative security writers on the scene
I reviewed the first Stealing book in May 2003, and the second in September 2004. I liked the two earlier books, and the third book — Stealing the Network: How to 0wn an Identity (STNHT0AI) — is also a fun read. The book is most impressive when it outlines plausible scenarios for identity theft, penetrating wireless networks, and compromising Hushmail. Although some of the writing is rough, I still recommend reading this book.

I’d like to point out a few aspects of the book that hooked my attention. First, Ch 3 explains how to assume a college student’s identity. 1. Steal pre-approved credit card applications from neighborhood mailboxes. 2. Identify a likely target, and find that person’s date of birth and parent’s names using online family tree databases. 3. Buy NetDetective and obtain the target’s SSN. 4. Get a real driver’s license from a thief who stole DMV equipment. 5. Intercept at mail box the credit card applied for in step 1. 6. Apply for a real birth certificate using the credit card obtained in the previous step. 7. Intercept at mail box the real birth certificate mailed to the target’s home. Aside from the SSN acquisition, that scenario is plausible and incredibly scary!

The second scenario that left a lasting impression appears in Ch 8. Jay Beale explains how to compromise and read mail exchanged through Hushmail. The crux of the matter is obtaining control of Hushmail’s DNS servers. At the end of his chapter, Jay notes that Hushmail’s DNS servers were compromised in April 2005. I thought his chapter contained the best mix of story and clear technical explanations found in STNHT0AI.

It is very helpful to have read at least the previous Stealing book prior to STNHT0AI. At times it felt like I was watching the second Back to the Future movie, where Marty sees different aspects of events that took place in the first movie. I was also completely shocked by the hints left at the end of the book, and the abrupt ending left me waiting to resolve the cliffhanger. I look forward to reading Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow later this year.

3 Stars How about some proofreaders?
Good story, followed through pretty well from STN:Continent, which I haven’t read in quite some time, so I didn’t really do much cross-referencing, so take that comment for what it’s worth. My two major issues with the book were:

1) Apparent lack of proofing whatsoever. In some cases it appeared that the author had stopped typing mid-sentence and picked up some time later, forgetting what exactly they had said because they had previously stopped typing mid-sentence. (re-read for example) At one point a whole paragraph was in there twice in a row. This sort of thing frazzled me a bit as I was reading it, and took away from the immersion to an extent. Each chapter was written by a different author so this is not a consitant trend through the entire book. There is some good writing in there as well.

2) More story, less technical stuff. This seemed a bit more ‘novel-y’ than the previous books, I kind of didn’t like that aspect of it. That was just me though. Some of it was pretty good though, and a fun read, like the chapter about Knoll Jr. as well as the Blacktower chapter. All-in-all, I’d have to say that I liked the first STN [:box] the best, but that’s just me. The cohesiveness of the story between chapters seemed to be better in this one [Identity] than STN:Continent, though.

Overall I give it three stars because I am a grammar nazi but you might enjoy it more. I recommend it if you’ve read the previous ones.

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This offbeat, non-technical book looks at what hackers do, how they do it, and how you can protect yourself. The third edition of this bestseller adopts the same informative, irreverent, and entertaining style that made the first two editions a huge success. Thoroughly updated, this edition also covers rootkits, spyware, web bugs, identity theft, hacktivism, wireless hacking (wardriving), biometrics, and firewalls.

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Not bad
Nutshell review – Not a bad book, fun to read, can learn a few things and worth a read. Listed some good resources but will date quickly in the Internet age.

3 Stars Mildly entertaining and moderately informative.
Upon finishing a book, I always take a moment to reflect on what I’ve learned from the reading of it. Experts/hackers, don’t waste your money. This book is a good primer for the computer-illiterate parent who wants to protect their children, or the new computer owner who wants to keep their machine relatively “safe” from viruses and script kiddies. Professionals will learn nothing new, nor will veteran hackers or even long time computer users. Also, I don’t recommend this book to anyone living in a dictatorship or third world country (for reasons of personal safety).

Wallace Wang’s sense of humor and amusing paranoia kept me from falling asleep on the pages. After all, if the FBI, CIA or NSA is -seriously- after you, I think you have bigger problems than securing your email.

1 Star Couldn’t get past one sentance…
“Hackers are generally lazy but intelligent, which means they don’t like doing something boring that they can program the computer to do for them instead.” and thats as far as I got. It irritates me how someone thinks they have enough knowledge on a subject to write a book, yet blatantly has no understanding of the subculture they pretend to have an expertise in. You can get away with this trashy writing in The Daily Mail, but if you’re trying to educate people then you’re just going to get seen thru straight away.

2 Stars An entertaining read but not much on information.
Definitely a book for beginners, this book is not much more then an introduction to the “dark underside”. It should effectively scare any parents or newbes, but bore anyone who’s been on the net for any amount of time. I’m not very experienced on the subject of security but still this book didn’t have much to offer me. There are a lot of other books out there that provide this information and take it a step or two farther.

The book does present a nice history lesson about hacking and tells about many hacking programs, but most of them are nothing but history themselves. Probably the most informative thing about this book is the web sites it references. It does give you starting blocks to find information you’re interested in but doesn’t do much for providing that information itself.

If your looking for the possible bad things you could encounter on the net this book provides an introduction to them. It’s a good read for someone who only wants the basics. But if you want some more in-depth information don’t waste your time and money.

5 Stars A book for those who want to know the Internet
This is a very interesting book, full of web links, tips and Internet resources. This reminds me of another earlier book on Internet web resources but on different topics. Sharing files seems so harmless, and yet it touches on many aspects of our lives. From downloading the innocent MP3 music, to sharing the pirated software (i.e., warez), to browsing pornographic images, this shows how easy one can cross the line. This is certainly a book for the security professionals who would like to have a better understanding of how the hacking underground works, how the secret trading is done from using newsgroups, IRC chats to how hackers use peer-to-peer file sharing technologies such as eDonkey, Kazza, bit Torrent, to distribute their files/secrets. It is also a book for anyone who simply wants to have an awareness of what is out there.

The book also explains how hacker hides his identity in this digital world. In addition to explaining how these technologies can be used, the author also provides suggestions for readers how to protect their systems from having worm, and/or virus attacks. The author also provides a list of freeware for anti-virus protection for those who cannot afford to buy, as well as providing alterative open software for office and photoshops utilities. Lastly, the author talks about copyright laws and what the future holds, giving his opinion on whether how we could adapt to the file sharing technologies. All in all, this is a very informative book. It certainly is an eye-opener.

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Privacy Makeover is a do-it-yourself guide to privacy best practices filled with practical step-by-step guidelines, checklists, procedures, and thousands of dollars worth of policy and document templates. Every enterprise–businesses, not-for-profits, schools, and local government–is subject to state, federal or industry regulations to protect sensitive information and the privacy of their customers, clients, constituents and employees. For example, the FACT Act Red Flags Rule applies to over 10 million enterprises, while the Disposal Rule applies to as many as 25 million. Author Joseph E. Campana, Ph.D., a certified privacy and identity theft risk management professional, guides you through a simple, four-step privacy best practices process with the goal of achieving the protection of safe harbor. When you reach the last page of the book, you can have a reasonable and appropriate privacy-compliance program in place with relative ease by investing a minimum of time and expense.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great resource for small businesses
I just completed reading Privacy MakeOver. It is a great resource for small businesses that need a simple, yet holistic program to prevent privacy breaches and protect business reputation and customer loyalty. Most small IT shops at best generally focus on technical information security leaving their organization vulnerable to breaches which are costly and highly disruptive and can even threaten its continued existence. Joseph Campana provides a do-it-yourself (DIY) manual that can save a small business tens of thousands of dollars in expense to establish a privacy breach prevention program. The average breach costs much more than that. Having a reasonable and appropriate program in place also provides somewhat of a “safe harbor” that can mitigate some regulatory and legal risks should a breach occur. The information security guides I have reviewed are too complex for small businesses and have too broad a scope. I know of no other DIY manual for small businesses and highly recommend this book. It even offers a Companion Web-site with access to additional information.

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I.T. Wars provides a clear path to proper alignment of technology and business, in achieving best results and ongoing returns. The true challenge is in bringing diverse groups of people together from the business and technical realms, in defining needs and making true delivery of solutions. The Business-Technology Weave is an approach that turns everyone and everything into a responsible forward edge. It includes considerations of people, knowledge, communication, corporate culture, attitudes, relationships, content (information), infrastructure, applications, needs, and expectations. It comprises missions with specific beliefs, values, and standards in service to security and growth. The Weave clears political impairments, helps to dismantle protectionism and jealousy, and breaks down departmental “silos.” It opens the way to a future that you define – in preventing the alternative: future’s imposition on you.

What are the liabilities in today’s environment of e-mail, blogs, IMs, downloads, and portable data? Consider: What is being done ‘in the name of your domain’? How best to manage content, in avoiding a glut of information? How can staff best utilize the power of the utilities that are delivered to their desktops? What are the new scales of disaster planning, preparedness, prevention, and recovery? What is your organization’s role in contributing to the surrounding public safety – in securing your own? I.T. Wars begins with a patient, comprehensive exposure of today’s environment and challenges, with equal attention to the Business and IT reader. Whether your organization is public, private, government agency, or association you share in the same concerns: You need a business-driven technology strategy, as well as a business serving one. Now you can develop a vision and pragmatism strong enough to qualify for discussion, planning, and achievement of the best business-technology outcomes.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars How Management and I.T. Can Coexist
I.T. Wars was a very comprehensive book, illustrating how beneficial it is for management and IT to work together. Though at times a little bit too repetitive for my taste there was a lot of good information to be gained by just reading the book. Communication is one of the topics addressed throughout the book. It makes sense to address this topic due to collaboration being a significant part of any business. In addition to communication David Scott also pointed out how problems arise and the best ways to overcome those problems.

Mr. Scott addressed change as being the inevitable and something that should not be feared. In the first few chapters in the book he points out that it is important to first address where you/your company is. Before any problems can be solved you should know where you are so that you can take the proper steps to move forward. One of those steps is to educate your employees.

In addition to educating your employees, Mr. Scott also addressed actual understanding of your employees and the classifications that they can fall into. He makes good points about speaking to people in terms that they may understand. Overall I found his book to be very insightful and beneficial to read.

5 Stars Managing the Weave
Managing the “weave” between business and technology is no easy feat. This book provides excellent application to everyday challenges IT managers encounter while following a common sense approach. Just a few of the concepts covered in this book include:

1. Teaching the significance of “selling” your ideas to those in charge to jumpstart change

2. Stressing the importance of a proactive IT department

3. Dealing with criticism within the context of the IT setting

4. Recognizing that the threat of an electromagnetic pulse could stifle the world as we know it

All of these topics and many more are presented in a logically progressing, fundamental concept building order that is easily understandable and applicable to both ends of the business and information technology spectrum. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has business/I.T. interactions on a regular basis.

4 Stars I.T. Wars: Managing The Business-Technology Weave

I.T. Wars: “Managing the Business-Technology Weave in the New Millennium” by David Scott. This is a very interesting book, while combining all the business and technology tasks, in the end almost all the business activities realized in a company are supported by the I.T. department. Making the all the tech specialist essential for the company.

Some of the most interesting chapters were: Delivery – Project By Project, Business and IT: Who Does What, Why, and When?, Managing People in the Wave – The Challenge to IT. All these chapters are concerning the importance of IT in today’s business world. The one thing that I especially liked was a view to managing those around you: Those you work on: people in the IT reporting to you, those you work with: Co-workers and those you work for: your supervisors. Every person in all these categories is essential and has their own responsibilities in the IT process.

4 Stars Getting IT and Business on the Same Page…
I.T. Wars by David Scott is an intriguing book that aims to bridge the divide between business and technology people within the workplace. He illustrates how both groups are in the same boat and must work together to conquer the many challenges that arise from the ever-changing world of technology.

Change is a continuum, and managers must be fully prepared to effectively plan for, implement, and support projects that will affect the business as a whole. Scott emphasizes the need for communication among several key groups of people, including IT, Business, and the end user.

Scott also provides insight into numerous other issues faced by business. The book teaches us how to effectively manage personnel, maintain the integrity of a company’s security, the importance of a disaster recovery plan, how to deal with negativity, how to effectively give criticism, etc. The book is written in a way that’s easy for any business professional to understand, no matter what their role is in the business. It’s an easy read that’s definitely worth the time.

3 Stars I.T. Wars ….. Lucas would be pleased
Mr. David Scott’s book “IT Wars: Managing the Business-Technology Weave in the New Millennium” is a decent book that covers almost all aspects of both project level efforts and daily business interactions between the Business side of companies and the “back office” IT functions that provide the backbone support of any modern organization. Although much of Mr. Scott’s writings are directed primarily at the technology sector, much of the project management and coordination factors that Mr. Scott discusses could be applied in almost any business or project environment. Communication, observation, self-analysis, goal-setting, problem-solving, etc. are all aspects of modern business and human life in general that each and every person should strive to perfect in their business and personal lives.

One of the primary concepts that I found quite relevant to my business and personal lives, that Mr. Scott covered throughout this book, was the concept of “change as a continuum” or the simple fact that change is a process and not a destination. Too often, people(companies) begin to make changes to their lives(business) based on some external pressure; but once they have implemented the change or the external pressure has been removed, they stop the process altogether or revert back to old habits and go about business as usual. Treating change as a milestone in this manner will often set people(companies) up for future disaster, in the event that some peraonal tragedy(or catastrophic disaster or security breach) occurs. As with any muscle, the “change muscle” requires constant workouts to maintain proper tone and balance.

One complaint that I do have for this book is the seeming repetition of topics at times. Although I cannot specifically point to any particular passage that is replicated more than one place in the book, there were many instances in the book where I felt I had already read the material and did not gain any additional insight.

All-in-all, I found the book to be quite enjoyable and informative.

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