Rating: 
Summary: This IS the Book to buy FIRST!
Review: It's been said many times that the vast ocean of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) is fifty miles wide and two miles deep and preparing for it can be quite an overwhelming endeavor. Various on-line study groups and web sites have numerous suggestions and links where freely available materials and helpful hints may be found. Individuals share there study guides and suggest the best books to procure for the study quest. I myself have participated and contributed in these vibrant forums. It's been said many times over that NO one book can effectively cover the CBK and to prepare the CISSP candidate for the exam. I too have amassed a large collection of the most suggested tomes. Well The CISSP Prep Guide almost negates this statement. The CISSP Prep Guide is now the FIRST place to start! I wish it had been in print a year ago when I began my quest for the CISSP. It is a complete and affordable textbook covering the MEAT of the CBK. This book completely defines and explains the major points of the CBK. It is an extremely readable and understandable text. If you can't afford attending the ISC2 CISSP Seminar either because of cost or time away from work this book is for you. If you have already attended the CISSP Seminar this book is for you. I was blessed by having the opportunity in attending the CISSP Seminar yet I am still finding that The CISSP Prep Guide is building upon the materials presented in the seminar. I can see where my copy of The CISSP Prep Guide will quickly become a dog-eared reference text that I use to refer to while carrying out my duties as an Information Systems Security Officer with the U.S. Government.
Rating:
Summary: I can't over state how good it is!
Review: It's been said many times that the vast ocean of the CISSP Common Body of
Knowledge (CBK) is fifty miles wide and two miles deep and preparing for it
can be quite an overwhelming endeavor. Various on-line study groups and web
sites have numerous suggestions and links where freely available materials
and helpful hints may be found. It's been said many
times over that NO one book can effectively cover the CBK and to prepare the
CISSP candidate for the exam. I too have amassed a large collection of the
most suggested tombs. Well The CISSP Prep Guide almost negates this
statement. The CISSP Prep Guide is now the FIRST place to start! I wish it
had been in print a year ago when I began my quest for the CISSP. It is a
complete and affordable textbook covering the MEAT of the CBK. This book
completely defines and explains the major points of the CBK. It is an
extremely readable and understandable text. If you can't afford attending
the ISC2 CISSP Seminar either because of cost or time away from work this
book is for you. If you have already attended the CISSP Seminar this book
is for you. I was blessed by having the opportunity in attending the CISSP
Seminar yet I am still finding that The CISSP Prep Guide is building upon
the materials presented in the seminar. I can see where my copy of The
CISSP Prep Guide will quickly become a dog-eared reference text that I use
to refer to while carrying out my duties as an Information Systems Security
Officer .
Rating: 
Summary: False Assertion
Review: This book purports to be the only one you'll need for CISSP, and that's just plain wrong. I read it completely, yet saw questions on the test from material that was simply not covered in this book. It's not badly written, just not adequate. My suggestion is to try the All-In-One Guide, or SOME OTHER BOOK.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking but probably should be your first read for CISSP
Review: This book attempts to cover the 10 domains in the CBK which is not possible in one book, much less a book that's not even 600 pages. However, this should probably be the first book you read in preparing for the CISSP exam.
The reason for the three stars is because of the amount of errors in the book. I contacted the publisher a week ago for a link to the corrections and to date - still no response (doubt I'll get one). The CISSP exam covers multiple fields in security and for those of you who are in a technical field will see how lacking the authors are there. As a security analyst in a CERT, I was blown away by the authors' lack of knowledge. I would put in a few examples of the types of errors but I doubt Amazon would print this if I did.
On a positive note, I still recommend this book due to a lack of choices. Since this does cover all 10 domains very briefly, it will give the readers a good idea of what their weaknesses and strengths are.
Rating: 
Summary: Scholarly Presentation - Keeps Reader Focused
Review: I studied this work 30-days before taking the CISSP November 2001 examination. You don't pass the CISSP exam from just reading; broad experience is mandatory. The 'Prep Guide' helped me pull my experience into focus for the exam; the book does not give you the answers on the test, it helps you understand the concepts, thus, it helps the reader understand the exam questions which in turn allows the exam taker to go quickly into deep memory and find the answer that most resembles those on the exam. Of all the thousands of dollars of "security" books that I have purchased, read, and studied, the 'Prep Guide' is the only one that extensively covers the broad spectrum of topics emphasized in the exam. Main plusses of the book:
(1)It keeps you focused in your study,
(2) The scholarly writing is a good preparation for the way the examination questions are stated,
(3) It will continue to be a solid reference book in my security practioners library (the added HIPAA information may have been filler but I find it useful in the profession if not for the exam), and
(4) Best price of any prepration security book for the focused information that it provides. Oh, yes, and it helped me receive my CISSP certification in November. Buy the book and study the book, you will not go wrong.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the latest so it's not the greatest
Review: This is a great book if you need to jump in a time machine and take the CISSP exam two years ago. If you need to study current material buy the Gold Edition instead because it's more current. The Q&A edition is very valuable as well.
Rating:
Summary: Not a one stop read
Review: This book will not prepare you fully for the CISSP exam in and of itself as claimed. If you are looking for a single source to pass the CISSP exam, study the CISSP Examination Textbooks, vol. 1 & 2, 2nd edition from SRV Professional Publications. The first volume covers the material, while the second contains 1500 sample questions. People criticize the CISSP Examination Textbooks as unwieldy and at times confusing, and they are, but all the important material is covered, and the sample exam questions are helpful in preparing for the test. So even though they read a bit like a VCR manual, they are very helpful. Knowing the information they cover should allow you to pass the test when combined with your three years of experience. If you can read a second book, and I recommend that you do, read The Information Security Management Handbook, vol. 1, 4th edition compiled by Harold Tipton (often called "The Tipton Book"). It is a bit dated in its material, but puts you in the right mindset to think the way the test does. All in all this book is a good introduction, and covers good information, but it doesn't dig deep enough into each of the domains to fulfill its goal as a one stop CISSP exam guide.
Rating:
Summary: Best technical resource
Review: According to the three CISSPs I've asked, this book is the key to the kingdom. Written for technical folks by technical folks, it clearly describes the 10 domains. I made this book the center of my study platform. If you are a sociology major, try another title.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to Read Complete Review
Review: This book is a great review book. It's easy-to-read. Hits the important points. If you've been working in the industry for a while, this book will do the job.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoy the Sahara and pass the exam!
Review: This book has been said to be as dry as the Sahara, well it is perhaps drier but it has the information you need to master the exam. Use the book and a good CD or on line review source and you can master the material. I have rarely seen technical security and audit books that are not dry-the subject is dry. It's all about the answers! Buy the book it's worth it (bring water too).
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