Sillars begins by categorizing eight approaches to criticism as belonging to either the common-sense or the deconstruction tradition. Common-sense theories include accurate interpretation, formal criticism and neo-classical criticism. Deconstructionist approaches include semiotics, value analysis, narrative analysis, psychoanalytic theories and ideological criticism.

Chapter Two: Analyzing Messages, defines the message and then attunes the reader to the tools which all approaches to criticism require. Sillars provides concrete suggestions for basic message analysis which will allow all other critical approaches to be used. Each of the next eight chapters deals with one approach. Sillars describes each approach, tells the reader how to use it, delineates its assumptions, and exposes problems with the approach. The book is replete with examples drawn from television programs and the United States political system. Unfortunately, the book assumes that the United States is its universe, drawing no information from events and messages from the rest of the world.

Sillars suggests that the common-sense approaches to criticism (Chapters 4-6) assume that a trained critic can uncover the "truth" behind a message. They assume that there is a truth there to be discovered and that everyone negotiating the message could uncover this truth. Critics of these approaches suggest that there is no truth, only a representation of reality, constructed by one mind to communicate with others.

Deconstructionist approaches want the reader to look beyond the message itself to deeper meanings and contexts. Semiotic analysis (Chapter 6) suggests that messages consist of signs, codes and conventions which comprise values, myths and ideologies which allow us to communicate. The critic must look beyond the message itself to see what it connotes since meaning is negotiated between the message and the audience. Value analysis (Chapter 7) examines texts to determine how they define the culture. The values in the texts reflect the value system of a culture. Sillars describes the major American value system. Canadians appear to share some of the value system Sillars describes. Narrative analysis (Chapter 8) seeks to understand a culture through the stories it tells. Various rhetorical and structural analyses characterize narrative analysis. Psychoanalytic criticism (Chapter 9) which is based on Freud's ideas assumes that we can analyze texts to uncover the interaction between the conscious and unconscious minds. Ideological criticism (Chapter 10) uncovers the political agenda behind the messages. It always examines power relationships within the culture.

Sillars does not favour one method over the others. He suggests that your assumptions and objectives as a critic will govern which approach(es) you use. Various approaches borrow from each other, so there are common elements. I like to think of critical approaches like learning theories: we can use elements from all of them making our criticism much more powerful. I wish that Sillars had reinforced that point in a concluding chapter. As the book stands, Chapter Ten on ideological criticism ends. When you turn the page for the summary, you are greeted with the Bibliography.
The *book* is very readable, keeping jargon to a minimum and simplifying content wherever possible. Although all references are American, Canadian readers will identify with the television examples and with some of the references to the political system and Constitution of the United States. The book provides an excellent introduction to new theories of communication and how they can be applied. Its extensive bibliography will help the reader locate many interesting and sometimes rare material.

REVIEWER

Dr. Richard F. Lewis is Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Windsor. He serves as Chair of the Board of Educational Advisors of CBC Sesame Street. He has been President of AMTEC and Editor of the *CJEC*.
*Internet: Getting Started*, Edited by April Marine, Susan Kirkpatrick, Vivian Neou and Carol Ward. New Jersey: PTR Prentice Hall, 1994. ISBN 0-13-289596-X ($28.00)

Reviewed by Diane P. Janes

Over the last year or so an increasing number of the students I work with, both at the undergraduate and graduate level, and many of the faculty I work with have come to me with Internet questions. Many are very basic, queries on "how do I log on?" or "what is the internet?". Some questions are from more experienced users regarding telnet or FTP. These questions led me to investigate the Internet, which is where I discovered an earlier version of *Internet: Getting Started*.

With its publication by Prentice Hall as part of their Internet Information Series, *Internet: Getting Started* joins what appears to be a proliferation of books and journals on the issues that make up the Internet. Prentice Hall notes that the Series, made up of books by SRI International (the original sponsor of *Internet: Getting Started*)".. are intended as reference sources for users, implementors, designers, and students of the Internet and the protocols it uses. The Internet Information Series is meant to be a guide both to understanding how to use certain networks for particular purposes and to understanding what our world will be like when these new resources have become as commonplace as the telephone is now".

*Internet: Getting Started* is loosely divided into two parts with twelve chapters and nine appendices. The first half of the book is comprised of Chapters One through Six. Content covered includes definition of the internet, discussion of the types of network access, overview of the steps to begin network access, discussion of the costs of connecting, an extensive list of service providers, both commercial and research-based, within and outside of the United States and finally, present NSFNET backbone Acceptable Use Policy.

The second half of the book, Chapters Seven through Twelve, cover the Internet itself. Discussed are Internet "concepts" such as RFC's, Protocols, Internet Protocol (IP) Addressing, the Domain Name System and network security; Internet applications, such as electronic mail, file transfer, and remote login; Internet organizations, both national and international; and resources available on the Internet.

The book comes with a very comprehensive set of appendices including an Acronym List in Appendix I and a list of international Internet connections in Appendix VIIIL
Overall, *Internet: Getting Started* is a very readable book for both the experienced user as well as the novice. Using relatively plain language, it moves through the concepts of the Internet with little difficulty. The pages are well laid out and the index reasonable to use. One of my favourite features in the book is that it is littered with electronic addresses so that readers may contact individuals, companies or countries personally if they need to. I also like its international approach. You never seem to say to yourself "...but I live in Canada...how does this apply to me?".

The bibliography and references are practical, listing, when available, the directions a user would need to retrieve the document from the Internet.

I have only one caution. The Internet is growing at such a rate that information through traditional published sources may be convenient, but can be dated quickly. The editors recognise this reality and leave their email address for readers to send any corrections or additions to the book. For those of you still not explorers of the Internet, they do leave their traditional mail address, voice mail telephone numbers and fax numbers.

REVIEWER

Diane P. Janes, M.Ed, is the Learning Resources Laboratory Instructor with the Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland. She presently serves as Book Review Editor for *CJEC*.
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**Information for Authors**

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