Books

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=**__//Books about Second Life//__**=

This is my ABSOLUTELY favorite book on SL for beginners.
 * __A Beginner's Guide to Second Life - v3image__**

By far the easiest book for someone new to SL. My only disappointment was that there is no index.

White's close to 400 page color book is worth it's weight in gold. It's the next book I would strongly recommend after 'A Beginner's Guide to Second Life'.
 * __Second Life: A Guide to Your Virtual World - Brian White__**

This was **the** book everyone was recommending when I first entered Second Life. Not only where many of the links outdated (which I know is partially the nature of the beast of SL), but I found the information too vague and a lot of it was beyond what I wanted or needed for my initial foray into SL.
 * __Second Life: The Official Guide - Michael Rymaszewski, et. al.__**

Though I am by far no fan of the 'for Dummies' book, I will make an exception for this one. Clear step-by-step instructions, colorful visuals, and a sense of humor make this book a valuable addition to my bookshelf.
 * __Second Life for Dummies - Sarah Robbins & Mark Bell__**

I don't know about you, but when I travel to a new place, I go out and purchase lots of travel guides so I can make the most of my time there. Well, SL is no different. This great little guide has pointed out some places that would be of interest to me in SL, and so far I have not been steered wrong! This is also the 'PRIZE' being given away at my workshop, 'Get a Life, A 2nd Life That Is!' at NECC on November 20th!
 * __The Unofficial Tourists' Guide to Second Life - Paul Carr & Graham Pond__**

This book is broken down into various design components: 1. Designing your look - getting dressed, shopping, and designing clothes 2. Designing your persona - developing your profile and finding your niche 3. Designing your SL - social etiquette (VERY IMPORTANT!!!), jobs & careers 4. Designing your home - options for residency, basic building skills 5. Designing your homestead - landscaping 6. Designing your empire - private sims Great colored pictures throughout, as well as, useful screenshots.
 * __Designing Your Second Life - Rebecca Tapley__**

This book has the look and feel of the 'Dummies' series (which I DO NOT like), but luckily Mansfield has a way with words that is neither insulting nor demeaning, and actually had me chuckling a few times. This book covers the basics and goes into far deeper detail than other beginners' books on SL. Some of the information was a little too advanced for me, but I did pick up quite a number of tips & tricks on things I though I already knew a lot about.
 * __How to Do Everything in Second Life - Richard Mansfield__**

Taken from amazon.com: "When a virtual journalist for a virtual newspaper reporting on the digital world of an online game lands on the real-world front page of the //New York Times,// it just might signal the dawn of a new era. Virtual journalist Peter Ludlow was banned from The Sims Online for being a bit too good at his job--for reporting in his virtual tabloid the //Alphaville Herald// on the cyber-brothels, crimes, and strong-arm tactics that had become rife in the game--and when the //Times,// the BBC, CNN, and other media outlets covered the story, users all over the Internet called the banning censorship. Seeking a new virtual home, Ludlow moved the //Herald// to another virtual world--the powerful online environment of Second Life--just as it was about to explode onto the international mediascape and usher in the next iteration of the Internet." I've got this book on order and I'm looking forward to reading something on the history and culture of SL.
 * __Second Life Herald: The Virtual Tabloid That Witnessed the Dawn of the Metaverse - Peter Ludlow__**

Another Tour book for Second Life, this book has page after page of colorful images that provide an excellent representation of the various locations listed. If you enjoy sightseeing, then this might just be the book for you.
 * __Second Life In-World Travel Guide__**

You can search for other books on SL dealing with advanced scripting, making money, etc. by doing a search on your favorite online bookseller. For the purposes of this presentation, the books listed above would suffice most who venture into SL.