Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 is a comprehensive text that has, in the author's own words, "one-only one-goal: to make you the most productive Word user on the block, no matter what kind of documents you create. From letters to manuals, reports to Web sites, you'll find a relentless focus on productivity, including:

• What's the fastest, easiest way to get the job done?
• How can you streamline and automate all those annoying tasks you've been doing by hand?
• How can you do more with Word than you ever thought possible?

Even if you're experienced with Word, you'll be amazed at how much it can do for you-and how easily, once you know how."
Recently I reviewed another book that was a summary of the new Microsoft 2002 Office suite, and I commented in that review that "should the user need real significant detail on a program, other books were available that would enable the user to become an expert on individual programs, like Access or Word, but that was not the audience of that book" that I was reviewing. Well, Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 is the book that has the significant detail I was referring to, and it does the task very well. In fact, it is the clearest, most comprehensive book on Word in any of its versions that I have ever read!
Who should read this book? Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 has been carefully designed to benefit virtually any Word user:

• If you are only somewhat familiar with Word, you'll appreciate the focus on productivity.
• If you are an experienced Word user, but new to Word 2002, you'll appreciate the detailed coverage of Word's powerful new features, with extensive practical examples.
• If you're completely new to Word in any version, Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 will help you quickly learn the skills and good habits that it might otherwise take you years to master.
• If you are using Word in a business setting, you'll welcome the many practical examples, and illustrations of how to handle business features, such a revision control, mass mailings, etc.
• If you are using Word as a Web editor, Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 will show you how to turn out great pages and sites with a minimum of hassle.
• If you are using Word to write books or other long documents, you'll like Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002's many practical examples of outlining, tables-of contents, indexing, footnotes, cross-references, etc.

Chapter Overview
Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 is well organized in five major parts.
Part 1 contains Word basics, getting productive fast. The first eight chapters cover: what's new in Word 2002, navigating Word 2002, basic document creation, storage, retrieval, quick effective formatting techniques, productivity tools, printing, using Word as an e-mail editor, and using Word speech and handwriting features. These eight chapters are the real basis of learning Word 2002 properly, whether or not you have used any version of Word before starting on Word 2002. You will find it to be great reading and very informative.
Part 2 helps you with your documents. These five chapters cover formatting, proofing, templates, forms, and document style in considerable detail. They will enable you to master formatting your document to make it look really professional.
Part 3 covers the visual element - making documents look great. The section covers adding images, and graphics to your Word document for maximum visual benefit.
Part 4 is called "Industrial-strength document production techniques." This section covers the topics we usually try to avoid, yet need to use frequently. When you master these six chapters you will be a real pro who is able to efficiently use mail merge, outlining, using master documents, tables of contents, indexes, footnotes, figures, and all those valuable Word tools we wish could use better.
Part 5 looks at Word in the corporate setting. You will learn how to manage document collaboration and revisions, automating your document production using field codes, and customizing your Word 2002 to better fit your needs. The inclusion of such topics makes it a reference that you will value for a very long time, and you will keep going back to it to learn and enhance your skills many times over.

Summary
Its clarity and attention to detail make Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 useful as a teaching text for the neophyte user, a productivity enhancer for the experienced user, and a reference text that will be appreciated and often referred back to for years to come. It is 966 pages of pure gold for the Word user, no matter what the skill level of the user.
Que has hit another home run with this excellent book by Bill Camarda. It is a great buy at $39.99 and is recommended to you without reservation.

Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2002 by Bill Camarda. 2001. Que. $ 40.