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Review of The Future of Banking In a Globalised World (The Wiley Finance Series) (Hardcover)

2010-04-10T19:34:00.000-04:00

Chris Skinner's book is an informative and highly relevant book for understanding opportunities and challenges in today's 24*7 global financial markets. His writing is clear and entertaining. Using a fresh and innovative approach, Chris Skinner highlights the importance of technology in servicing customers across the globe, and points to a number of trends that will affect profitability if not taken into account. A must read for anyone interested in 'the future of banking'.

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Review of Financial Independence 101: A Simple Strategy for Building Wealth (Hardcover)

2010-04-10T11:19:00.000-04:00

Financial Independence 101: A Simple Strategy for Building Wealth by L. E. Robillard, is a straightforward, how-to guide to taking control of one's financial affairs, creating automatic income streams, building wealth through market index funds, providing for both present and retirement needs, maximizeing gains and minimizing risks, and much more. Written by an investment expert with 40 years of experience in the finance industry, Financial Independence 101 is both accessible and practical, presenting sometimes complex investment concepts in down-to-earth terms for non-specialist general readers of all money-savvy skill and experience levels.

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Review of Peace of Mind: A Step-By-Step Guide to Personal Safety and Security (Hardcover)

2010-04-10T08:41:00.000-04:00

Peace of Mind is one of those books everyone should not only read, but go through with the entire family. It is a workbook to organize your life. Completely. We're so laid back about organizing our records, credit cards, insurance policies, car records, leases, etc. Yet there is no way of knowing when we or our family members need to have easy access to those records. It could be as simple as not having a legal will -- a friend paid over seventy-thousand in unnecessary taxes when his father passed. The book goes through a lot of "life-organizing" information that we all should go through. It's a must have, must read, and must fill out the forms, AND tell your spouse, kids, relatives, where the information is stored and how to get access to it. Highly recommend. Also download the forms from them. It is a step in the right direction for every parent.

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Review of Minnesota Days (History & Heritage) (Hardcover)

2010-04-10T06:17:00.000-04:00

This is a wonderful collection of the best of Minnesota writers and artists. There are essays by a wide range of Minnesotans, living and dead, from the humor of Garrison Keillor to the remembrances of African-Americanauthor Evelyn Fairbanks. The photographs are stunning, including anincredible head-on view of a grey owl in flight and beautiful portraits ofthe diverse Minnesota landscape. The rest of the country must surely envythe incredible talent we have here in Minnesota!

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Review of From Buildings and Loans to Bail-Outs: A History of the American Savings and Loan Industry, 1831-1995 (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T21:55:00.000-04:00

With thrifts like Washington Mutual now among the nation's biggest financial institutions, and the excesses of the 1980s still fresh, it's hard to believe that savings and loans once were nonprofit cooperatives. Yet, so-called buildings and loans were, in fact, altruistic associations that sought to give working-class people access to credit. Business historian David L. Mason lays out the little-known roots of the S&L industry in this intriguing study. He outlines the cultural, political and economic forces that shaped thrifts. While Mason doesn't shy away from the S&L debacle of the 1980s, he makes it clear that he sides with the institutions. Readers looking for dirt on the crisis should look elsewhere. Still, we recommend this thorough report to anyone who's curious about the history of the thrift industry.

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Review of Culture-on-Demand: Communication in a Crisis World (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T19:41:00.000-04:00

Fundamentalists of all types beware!This is a fresh argument that doesn't just repackage the usual tired critique of media and globalization but offers much more to consider. Highly recommended for readers of all cultural, political, and religious persuasions. Lull is right.We are living in a crisis world and we have to deal with that reality directly.Lull analyzes how religious fundamentalism, the media, and cultural and political loyalties induce global and local conflicts.But he also shows how communication technology is changing our shared destiny for the better.Like all his work, Lull's position on these matters is original, tough-minded, and hopeful but never naive.A blueprint for the future and a must read for the open minded.

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Review of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise: Breakthrough Gains from Unstoppable Change (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T15:34:00.000-04:00

Fritz Leiber's "Lankhmar" stories tell of a fail-safe system available to the citizens of Lankmar in case they were in grave danger of defeat:They could summon the Gods of Lankhmar, who would lay waste their enemies - and them, too.(Naturally, one does not summon them too often.)
Many leaders, thinking like managers, wait until drastic action is mandatory to save their organization - risking possible destruction in the process.Mitchell and Coles outline a series of steps, somewhat reminicent of Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich" system, for recognizing danger (read: opportunity), planning for riding the crest of said opportunity, and for overcoming the organizational inertia that most large systems possess to make it happen.
Part of the change process is accepting risk:The "Gods of Lankhmar Effect" might do to describe the process they envision, as the change device carries the potential to expose the organization to collateral damage, or "creative destruction," as Shumpeter termed it.Knowledge of the risks involved contributes to the "stalls" many cohorts will use to block change.Much of the book is devoted to strategizing ways to overcome the more common ones.
Some of the stalls ("But that's not the way I thought it would be!") remind one of the reactions of individuals to personal loss - the grieving process is often described as a five-step one, including denial as an early reaction.Facing change of major magnitude, when the action called on for survival and the chance to prosper, may involve the preceived loss of what one holds dear.Like Themistocles, the innovative leader may have to sell his people on letting the Persians burn Athens, by offering a compelling vision of the marbled splendor awaiting the victors, as opposed to hoping that a conventional response to overwhelming force will somehow do the trick - magical thinking, if you will.
Tactics described by the authors start out with measurement concepts - an essential part of a rational decision-making process.Collecting relevant data, and knowing what that is, constitutes the first line of defense in directing organizational change.After all, what good is a thermometer when what is needed is a Geiger counter?
The essential quality of the book is this:Accept the need for overcoming a majority in your organization who will not see or accept change, and who may not accept the best alternative for meeting it, along with the consequent resourcing demands. Be prepared to identify and ally with those who come to share your vision. Anticipate dealing with stalling tactics, or be just another Cassandra - right on your predictions, but ignored by those you warn.
-Lloyd A. Conway

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Review of Confidence Games: Money and Markets in a World without Redemption (Religion and Postmodernism Series) (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T15:02:00.000-04:00

Having read-or having attempted to read-a few of Mark C. Taylor's recent books, I was delighted to discover that this one, "Confidence Games" was both entirely different and more of the same. Where his always lucidly written, often provocative and sometimes esoteric reviews of contemporary science, art, architecture and fashion have often left me grasping for a conclusion, this book, "Confidence Games" delivers-BIG.

If writing about the meaning of it all were a physical sport, I would hazard that this fleet-footed journey from the birth of money to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center is Taylor's marathon: a long, fast ride that covers as much ground as an old school Hollywood epic without the tin-eared dialogue.

Throughout, Taylor deftly summarizes insights from celebrated economic and cultural thinkers of the last several centuries without getting bogged down in the dense foliage of history, all the while reminding readers that what paths may look today like a straight line are almost always a zig zag.

What can you expect to get from this book? For many, it will be a pithy introduction to the incredibly complex financial world we have inherited. Others will likely nod their head as Taylor provides intriguing evidence for the parallels and connections between high finance and high art, God and Mammon, computers and contemporary culture.

Like the best music, this book finds a deep groove early on and smoothly segues from pleasant chords to surprising riffs, never missing a beat even as the drummer gets wicked. This is clearly not summer or beach reading. But, given the often-cited consensus that 9/11 changed everything, a book like "Confidence Games" gives readers an unabashedly pleasurable opportunity to struggle with the very complicated questions that define the world in which we have found ourselves.

Taylor's tenacity in pursuing "the meaning of it all" through the lens of money and markets provides us with the rare opportunity to see the big picture in sharp focus.

Disclosure: Over a decade ago, I was a student of Mr. Taylor's and continue to correspond with the author on current affairs.

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Review of Designing Instruction for Technology-Enhanced Learning (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T14:08:00.000-04:00

Patricia Rogers' ambitious book includes valuable contributions from educators in all kinds of institutions and from all over the world.This book tries to be everything you need if you are new or fairly new to technology-enhanced learning, covering history, relevant educational theory, and how-tos for K-12, higher education, and business training.Clearly written and carefully organized, it's easy for any teacher to get something from this book.For any library with teachers as patrons, this book is essential.

If there is a fault to this book, it's that breadth of coverage means limited depth of coverage.This is a strong book for getting started, but most teachers will find sections of the book that are very helpful and others that can be skipped.Also, although each chapter is well-documented and scholarly, there is relatively little acknowledgement of objections to technology-enhanced teaching.Some of the strongest objectors are acknowledged and answered, but more subtle issues about technology and teaching could be dealt with more seriously.The book's general attitude is that technology-enhanced teaching is a realm of vast possibility as long as it is designed properly.

For teachers who want to get started exploring that realm, this is a great guidebook.

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Review of In the Space Left Behind (Hardcover)

2010-04-09T04:57:00.000-04:00

A wonderful book. It combines a pitch perfect rendering of a teenager's point of view in a story that rings true to adults as well.
Should make a GREAT movie someday!

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Review of J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2007 (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T20:32:00.000-04:00

I have purchased this book each year for the last 15-20 years.It is awesome.

Barbara
Jacksonville FL

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Review of On the Edge of Certainty: Philosophical Explorations (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T20:07:00.000-04:00

It is unfortunate that Tallis' views seem to be rather obscure compared to the large piles of tripe put out by people such as Dennett, Dawkins, Foucault and the Churchlands.In the series of essays contained in this book Tallis mehodically dismantles many aspects of both modernism and its antithesis, post-modernism.

Both have needed to have their fundamental frameworks laid bare but few have been able to cut through all the self-grandizing hyperbole to really go for the jugular.Tallis' essays demonstrate his wide range of knowledge and very perceptive views.

The first essay, "Explicitness and Truth (and Falsehood)" is worth the price of the book alone since it brings to the fore how the nature of truth itself has been obscured and twisted to suit modernism and post-modernism.Not only does Tallis' argument lay bare the problems but this is one of the few philosophical works that is quite readable.That is, Tallis' tone and style make this book quite enjoyable to read.

The "A Critical Dictionay of Neuromythology" neatly debunks the interesting variations on definitions readily invented by authors such as the Churchlands and Dennett.I suspect they will bluster and perhaps produce some responses but the true nature of their arguments, incoherence, shines forth after reading this work.

I enjoyed Tallis' references to Wittgenstein and the critique of de Saussure in addition to the other essays.Throughout the book Tallis displays a quiet brilliance that will hopefully be recognized by others in the philosophy of mind.

Enjoy.

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Review of Talking Money: Everything You Need to Know About Your Finances and Your Future (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T15:22:00.000-04:00

When I found out that Robert Kiyosaki had good things to say about this author and this book I just had to get it. I didn't want to wait to buy the book so just downloaded the e-book to get started. This book is a winner.

I liked the section on buying cars. Other than Charles Givens, Chatsky is the only financial author that I know of who warns about dealers price (sucker stickers)vs the markup. This piece of information alone can save you thousands.

Also, like Givens, Chatsky recommends buying a 2 year old car vs a new one. The basis for this is that a new car will depreciate by 50% as soon as you drive it off the car lot. Buy your dream car, but 2 years old and put the saving in a good mutual fund.

The money market fund advice was also interesting. Chatsky offers a website to compare rates and shop for the best funds. This makes more sense than depending on your broker.

The investment advice is also right on and one of the only financial authors to explain the best time to be in stocks and bonds. A nice departure from the usual "buy and hold" or "dollar cost averaging" theory.

Chatsky also discusses "power buying" or how to save a bundle on almost everything you'll buy.

The credit card information was pretty basic but informative.

Overall, Talking Money is a winner and will offer you some new insights on how you spend your money and how to invest.

Good, solid advice that really works. I highly recommend this book.

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Review of Protecting and Rebuilding Your Retirement: Everything You Need to Do to Secure Your Financial Future (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T12:19:00.000-04:00

This book is simply written, easy-to-understand, and provides practical advice for everyone. The author recommends a realistic approach to investing that includes buying a diversified portfolio of index mutual funds. Other topics covered are investing in annuities ? fixed and variable, IRAs, and 401(k)s, and insurance (life, health, and disability).

Abromovitz, an attorney and financial educator, provides readers with a well-written explanation of the key components of developing, protecting, and rebuilding decimated retirement accounts. He recommends a pro-active hands-on retirement planning approach.In this 224-page, nineteen chapter book, Abromovitz covers how to make relatively safe investments that will continue to grow, how to plan for health issues and large medical bills, how to maximize your social security benefits, and how your financial safety can be improved by investing in stocks, real estate, annuities and 401(k)s.

There is no earth-shattering advice in this book.However, the author provides straightforward advice that can help individuals get and stay focused on the right track so that they can accomplish their retirement dreams.

Most individuals have not really thought about all aspects of the retirement process and have let the chips fall where they may.The devastating bear market of 2000-2002, unfortunately changed the retirement landscape for millions of individuals whose retirements have been postponed and many potential retirees have been forced to keep working to make ends meet. The reason for this was that most individuals did not understand or consider the risks of investing in the stock market.

By reading, studying, and implementing the wisdom in this book, readers will put the odds in their favor to obtain a secure and peaceful retirement.This book should be required reading by all individuals, whether or not they are approaching retirement since the advice provided will help all readers better manage their financial issues.

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Review of The Mighty Niagara: One River-Two Frontiers (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T08:11:00.000-04:00

The Mighty Niagara is an excellent book for anyone interested in the geography, history, economics, sociology and development of Canada's Niagara Region and New York's Niagara Frontier.
The two sides of the Niagara River share a common history from the fur trade through the War of 1812, the building of the Erie and Welland canals, the creation of hydro power and the boom in manufacturing in the 20th century. However Buffalo, the two Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland handled these changes in radically different ways.
In his book, John N. Jackson along with his two contributors presents more than 200 years of layers of development. With a well-written text backed up by photos, charts and maps, he takes the reader on journey through time and geography.
The Mighty Niagara is a "must read" for anyone trying to understand one of the busiest border points between Canada and the United States. The communities are similar but every different.

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Review of UML for Developing Knowledge Management Systems (Hardcover)

2010-04-08T03:03:00.000-04:00

This book is by far one of the best books I have read on knowledge management.I highly recommend this book for everyone's library that has an interest in Knowledge Management.Dr. Rhem has a knack breaking Knowledge management into everyday terms that is easy to relate to.I believe in this book, it has become mandatory reading for all our employees.

This book has a nice introduction to the knowledge management offering definitions, some history, and various critical dimensions of knowledge management. Each dimension of knowledge management is broken down into understandable terms.

I would recommend this book to for beginners and experts in knowledge management.It does cover advance areas of knowledge management.Also the review on UML is also a nice refresher.

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Review of Deflation: What Happens When Prices Fall (Hardcover)

2010-04-07T22:05:00.000-04:00

I follow the financial news fairly regularly, reading the news headlines and many of the columns on the Internet at least three times daily. A few months ago, the main topic of some of the economic stories was one that I had never seen in a contemporary financial column, the possibility of the U. S. economy entering into a deflationary state. A deflationary condition is when prices start to fall, and people begin to delay non-essential purchases in the belief that they will continue to fall, which can lead to an economic collapse. In general, it was considered a significant threat, and apparently the high officers of the Federal Reserve (the Fed) were preparing contingency plans if it were to happen. The possibility, consequences and potential benefits of a deflationary phase in the U. S. economy are the primary topics of this book.
Outside of major wars and their consequences, there were two major economic cataclysms in the U. S. economy in the twentieth century. The first was the Great Depression of the thirties, which was a major deflationary period. The second was the uncontrolled inflation of the seventies, where price increases were relentless, a major success was proclaimed when the inflation rate dropped to ten percent or less. These two long-term economic problems form the major historical basis for the basic premise that monetary policy is the preeminent driver of major economic trends. Milton Friedman, long the primary champion of monetary policy, is mentioned many times. Farrell finds many historical justifications to blame the severity of the two events on the Fed. While it cannot be refuted that the Fed made many major mistakes in both situations, the political leadership also must bear a great deal of responsibility. That point is made, but not quite as forcibly as it should have been.
The primary event that is driving the current concern over the potential for deflation is the performance of the Japanese economy in the last decade. It has been in a recurring deflationary condition throughout that time, performing sluggishly and with no end in sight. However, Farrell uses this as a point of demonstration as to how monetary policy can be used in a counterproductive manner. He argues that the Fed is smart enough to avoid those mistakes and will act quickly and forcibly to prevent a dangerous deflationary trend in the U. S.
Another major point is whether deflation is in fact a trend to be feared or welcomed. As Farrell so excellently points out, there have been many deflationary periods in the American economy, and while we remain focused on the 1930's, the others were often periods of economic expansion and growth. They were due to the development of new technologies, which led to previously unheard of improvements in efficiency. Dramatic improvements such as the telegraph, telephone, railroad and medical advancements all changed society and dramatically lowered the costs of gods and the efficiency of living. His point is that if the costs of the goods are declining due to increased efficiency, then it is a very good thing. Companies being forced to reduce their production costs in order to compete is always a boon to the overall economy.
The last chapter contains a series of recommended policy changes. The first is that global free trade should be expanded to include all nations. Farrell argues that since the poorer nations largely rely on agriculture, the U. S. should stop subsidizing agriculture, which would allow the products from the poorer nations to compete in the global markets. A valid point, but of course politically impossible. One point that I found of particular interest was the cost benefits of sophisticated medical care. He argues that nearly every successful medical treatment returns more than it costs. The exact figures are that from 1960 to 1997 it cost approximately $13,000 in medical spending and pharmaceutical research to gain one year of additional life and that the economic return on this additional year of life was $150,000. If true, it would be the most powerful argument for universal health care that could be made. An additional argument made in this section is that the current system of employer-managed health care programs is inefficient and should be refined into a single program.
Several pages are devoted to significant human capital investment, which means enormous investments in education and training. Farrell argues very forcefully that this is essential and historically justified. As Americans began moving from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial one, the massive investments made in education were necessary for the transformation to be complete. He argues that sufficient investment capitol would be available if the agricultural subsidies were eliminated.
Farrell makes powerful arguments in favor of his basic premise that deflation is an expected consequence of dramatic increases in economic efficiencies due to the opening of global trade and technological advancements. While I sometimes had minor disagreements with his points of emphasis and understand that his proposals for solution are largely politically impossible, I found the book a sound analysis of what is now being raised as a potential economic danger.

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Review of Home After Dark: One Man's Memories (Hardcover)

2010-04-07T09:17:00.000-04:00

I have read this book again and if I could, I would give this book a five star rating. How can we judge another persons life. If the book is well written and interesting how can we? As a reviewer is it really fair to do so? If the person was a serial killer I would not give it the time of day to read it. But this book is different. I have to let what I wrote below stand but wish I could change it all.

I have had four men read different part's of this book and they really enjoyed it. I personally found some of his transgressions with women to be cold and harsh. But then this is his life story.So it is only fair to the author that I give his book a four star rating. It is well written and honest.

From a child born into poverty to a man who could grace the halls of any mansion or board rooms, this is the true story of Darryl E. Robidoux. At a young age, Darryl knew farming was not the life for him. Farming was back breaking work from dawn to dusk. He wanted more from life than that. Darryl never experienced parental hugs and had never heard his parents say that they loved him. That would affect his relationships as an adult.

At every stage of his life, the author's goal was to learn as much as he could absorb and to better himself. Despite dropping out of high school at the age of 16, he made it into college and first majored in Engineering, then later experience more premier education. He negotiated his career into the field of computer science at a time when computer systems were literally contained in buildings as large as a warehouse.

No matter who he worked for, he gave his all to them. He would be assigned to a project that might take days or weeks to complete. But, with Darryl's work ethics, he would always finish before his allotted time period. It became a challenge to him to be done faster and be better at what he did than anyone else.

One thing the author hopes people will understand about his book is that with enough self motivation and perseverance you can become who ever you want to be. No individual is shackled to their beginnings. It is your individual choices that go into making your dreams come true or not.

Daryyl E. Robidoux met the goals he set for himself and retired at the age of forty while his career took him through the early stages of computer development. This reviewer can't help but think tht when he retired, he learned to love and how relationships work. To not only receive but to give also.

Now days we only have to push a button on our computers and a whole world opens up to us, and we should always remember that the author was a part of the reason that we can.

He states unequivocally that he is a biological product of his parents, that can never be changed, but he likes the person that he is.

Thank you Mr. Robidoux for being part of a new industry that would later change our world in so many ways.

While working on this review I had a chance to email Darryl. We sent some some emails back and forth. I have a secret for you that I learned. Darryl is a sweet and a really nice man. It is the kind of man he is now that will be remembered the most.

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Review of Wealthy Choices: The Seven Competencies of Financial Success (Hardcover)

2010-04-07T05:27:00.000-04:00

One of the most unique financial advice books today, "Wealthy Choices: The 7 Competencies of Financial Success" teaches sound financial advice is a very open and reader friendly manner.Instead of massive discussion of theory, the book teaches by creating short, realistic vignettes and then explaining what is going on.These vignettes are situations that are sure to strike a responsive chord for many people.For example, one of them reads "How are you, Elise?How am I? You really want to know?My 401(K) statements say I have less money; the credit card company says I owe more money; I'm not having any fun; my checkbook doesn't balance; the machine ate my debit card; I didn't get to watch the videos I'm paying a late charge for; I can't find a house I can afford; and I got a bad haircut.... I'm losing it." Author Penelope Tzougros then goes on to explain what is going on, what needs to be done or how to view the situation, and what to do.

The seven competencies discussed are Valuing, Paying the Bills, Losing, Leveraging, Dreaming, Growing, and Gifting.These are not only important competencies that must be understood to achieve financial success but they are also the areas that cause the most stress in a relationship.When two people have different value systems between money, leisure, assets, etc. things can become very stressful very quickly.Dr. Tzougros does an excellent job of helping people to see where things are just differences in style and philosophy and where they are sound financial principles.This is one of the best books available for the average person untrained in financial theory who just wants to get control of their finances and achieve their goals.

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Review of Carry A. Nation: Retelling the Life (Hardcover)

2010-04-07T01:44:00.000-04:00

A fascinating account of an important and little known American historical figure.The book is well researched and very well written.

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Review of A Writer's Coach: An Editor's Guide to Words That Work (Hardcover)

2010-04-07T01:20:00.000-04:00

Writing coach Jack Hart just published the best book about the craft of writing since William Zinsser's classic "On Writing Well."
"A Writer's Coach: An Editor's Guide to Words that Work," comes at a good time. Bad books come out of printing houses, magazines disappear, and newspaper continue to commit slow suicide, writing about government infrastructure or "converting" to online under the theory that two-paragraph text information bursts are what readers desperately crave.
(Actually, what readers crave is video, a lot more video than writers or newspapers are giving them...but fundamentally, with that video, what they really want are STORIES).
Jack is a writer's editor who knows how to build great stories. Readers might want more video these days, but they have hungered for good stories since long before a blind Greek began to dictate the first chanting lines of the Iliad. The online world will figure this out, probably sooner rather than later, and when they do, the reading public will find good stories, video and text, all of them containing the same fundamentals that Homer used to create his masterpieces. There are 12 fundamentals, actually:Method, Process, Structure, Force, Brevity, Clarity, Rhythm, Humanity, Color, Voice, Mechanics, Mastery.
Those are Hart's 12 chapter headings in "Writer's Coach, but they were the 12 tools of Homer and Aeschylus and Shakespeare and Orson Welles and Steven Spielberg and any storyteller who's ever captivated an audience.
What appears underneath those simple chapter headings is some of the best instruction anyone could have about how to become a skilled writer, and Jack does it by bringing clarity to the most complex ideasOne of the hardest writing concepts I ever tried to memorize, for example, is the "ladder of abstraction," the profound idea that all words exist on a continuum running from the absolutely concrete to the cosmically abstract. It's a valuable idea for a writer to memorize, and in the ten years since I encountered it I could never make it stick in my head, until I saw this in Jack's chapter called "Color." Here's a ladder anyone can grasp:

LADDER OF ABSTRACTION:
Everything there is
Living things
Vertebrates
Humanity
Americans
American truck drivers
Portland truck drivers
Acme Freight truck drivers
Fred

Jack's book demystifies writing while deftly explaining the classic underpinnings of writing as classic art. As a newspaper editor he's edited two Pulitzer-prize-winning stories and contributed to a third; he`s long been known as one of the great coaches of writing in the country. In each chapter, he takes apart the mechanics of writing the way a gifted mechanic take apart a car, showing in an engaging way how each part works and how it all fits into a whole. For anyone like me who desperately wants to get better at writing, this is the book to have.
The best part about this is that Jack lets loose the confident and catty soul of wit. Turn to nearly any page, and you'll see it:
"Some writers bristle at the very sound of the word `outlining.' But please put aside all those negative connotations that linger from the outlines your grade school teachers forced you to do. Forget Roman numerals. Forget subheadings and sub-subheadings. All you need is a quick-and-dirty summary that cuts right to the key points."
/
"Why should writing be agony?" he asks. "Physically, writing's relatively easy work. Take it from a guy who's loaded log ships, pumped gas, and tarred roofs in the midsummer sun. Writers work on their butts and out of the weather. So what's with all the whining?"
/
"Of all the devices that can add humanity to your writing, the direct quotation is the most overused. A newspaper sports story or a traditional news feature may contain a direct quote in every other paragraph, a practice that usually produces a parade of inane or merely dull utterances. Great magazine writers repeatedly demonstrate that the direct quote is expendable, writing five thousand words or more without resorting to one direct quote."

Reading Jack's book about craftsmanship reminds me of a crew of workmen I worked for in the summer of 1975. The carpenters were small-town men from Kansas who chewed tobacco, talked wistfully about women, drank cheap beer in their private hours, and paid attention to the exactness demanded by their craft.Every move they made had a purpose: "Keepin' everything square with the world," they called it. They used chalked string snap-lines to quickly lay down a straight line on a row of boards to make a cut; they used levels to keep the floors and stud boards straight; they studied diagrams, placed boards and made cuts in a sequence that put a building together that could stand for centuries. They knew the names, purposes and nuances of every tool, every grain of wood and every sequence of process that they laid their hands to.
Most writers, in contrast, just start typing, which is why so many stories fall apart in their hands or don't get read by an audience.
Not one of those carpenters, as far as I know, has ever attended the Poynter Institute's national writing workshops, or the annual Nieman Narrative Writing conference in Boston, where Jack speaks to packed rooms; but those guys with the toolkits would have recognized him as a craftsman. Great writing is mostly craftsmanship, with just a brushstroke of art, and Jack is an engaging teacher of both.
Here is Jack, explaining why writers write badly, or succumb to writers' block, or see a story with great potential fall apart in their hands:
"The tendency to see the task ahead as overwhelming explains most keyboard anxiety. For a variety of reasons, we view writing from the back end. Day in and day out, we witness the finished work of accomplished writers. In our minds' eye we stroll down street after street of beautiful homes, ignorant of the piece-by-piece construction that created them, one two-by-four at a time. `Look at that gorgeous building,' we think. `The craftsmanship. The detail work. The sheer size of the thing. I could never build something like that.' "
Jack explains all, from how to conceptualize and create to how to begin laying out steps that make a story stand tall.

Other samplings from the book:
"The secret to writing well is in the process, not the finished product. You get better not by sitting down at the keyboard and trying to match the finished work of good writers, but by changing the way you work.
/
"Think first; write later. Why hurry to the keyboard if you're just going to sit there, stressing out and string at a blank screen? Pave your way to a first draft with some sort of rough plan. Scan your notes. Jot down key points. Ask yourself some questions. If you have two hours to write, take an hour to prepare. If you're fifteen minutes from deadline, take five to think."
/
"Shrink your subject. Most of us are way too ambitious when we set out to write. So we end up with a Missouri Basin phenomenon---a flood that's a mile wide and an inch deep. Give your readers some depth so that they can enjoy the water. Pick the most interesting, unusual, or surprising aspect of your subject and dive in."

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Review of Simple Web Sites: Organizing Content-Rich Web Sites into Simple Structures [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

2010-04-06T18:27:00.000-04:00

This book is a collection of case studies, like Jakob Nielsen's Homepage Usability. The explanations from one chapter to another tends to be repetitive, and not all of the 24 websites are really-really cool, BUT unlike Jakob's book that just attempted to make long distance intepretations, this glossy hard cover book takes us into the design processes complete with each designers' thinkings, from the early paper sketches, the sitemaps, and the final screenshots. And those insights are good enough for me buy this book.

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Review of Introduction to Policing (Criminal Justice Series) (Hardcover)

2010-04-06T17:58:00.000-04:00

This book is unorganized, out-of-date, too focused on New York City, and on every other page promotes the authors and their careers...On page 7 they are telling you how much has changed with the computer age, and the internet, and one of the authors tells you he went to grade school and they used quill pens and fountain jars...okay, I didn't need to know that.It was so annoying that by page 14, I was going to submit to them a list of improvements, but it would have been EXTENSIVE!From there on just gritted my teeth and got through it...Good luck!You'll be really tired of the references to the Trade City Bombing, and NYC in general, by the end of it!

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Review of Downsizing Democracy: How America Sidelined Its Citizens and Privatized Its Public (Hardcover)

2010-04-06T09:13:00.000-04:00

The authors are substantively at the top of the heap in terms of making sense and documenting their observations.The book loses one star to poor decisions by the editors and publishers on dark paper, single spacing, small almost crowded type, and an over-all look and feel that makes this book annoying and difficult to read.

The authors discuss and document ten points in each of ten chapters:
1) The tyranny of the minorities has reached its ultimate peversion--single individuals, well-educated, well-off, get what they want, and the poor masses lose the power that came from groups with diverse backgrounds.
2)Citizenship has lost its meaning--taxation is automatic, and the US can be said to be back in a situation where the broad masses are experiencing "taxation without representation."
3) Elections now feature only the intensely loyal minority from each of the two major parties--the bulk of the voters have dropped out and elections are thus not representative of the wishes of the larger community.
4) Patronage has changed, with corporations rather than citizens getting to feed at the public trough, and the focus being on influencing policy after election, never mind who the people elected.The authors also do an excellent job of discussing polling and the manner in which it misrepresents the actual concerns and beliefs of the people.
5)Three chapters--one called "Disunited We Stand", a second called "From Masses to Mailing Lists, and a third called "Movements without Members" all make more or less the same point, but in different ways: political mobilization--people actually joining, doing, writing, demanding--are out, and instead we have micro groups, sometimes actually limited to the employed staff of an advocacy group, that raise funds, take stands, and get what they want, without ever having actually mobilized people to come together in a political manner.
6) A very thoughtful chapter covers the manner in which law suits and the judiciary have become a new battleground, a means of overturning laws and regulations made by the legislative and executive branches.While the authors do not go into the recent scams where a "nature conservation" non-profit sells prime environmental land to rich people below cost, and then accepts their tax-deductible contributions, they might also have explored how the law is being used to subvert the public interest, often with the help of the very "advocacy groups" that are nominally representing the public interest.
7) The authors do an excellent job of discussing how the out-sourcing of government functions to private enterprises undermines accountability and lead to severe abuse.Similarly, non-profits, including notional churches and other tax dodges, can enjoy enormous public subsidization in the way of tax breaks, while giving less than they should to the public treasury.
8)The author's end by asking "Does Anyone Need Citizens?" and the last two words in the book are "Who cares?"Today, the Administration's answer would clearly be "no", we don't need citizens.Unfortunately, the vast majority of the US public is both uninformed, and unengaged.Citizens have allowed themselves to be side-lined, and by this excellent account from the authors, should they choose to re-engage, they will have very hard work in front of them as they seek to overturn a half-century of deliberate ventures all seeking to reduce citizenship, increase bureaucracy, and reward corporate patrons of individual politicians who choose not to act in the public interest, but only their own.

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Review of A Free Nation Deep in Debt: The Financial Roots of Democracy (Hardcover)

2010-04-06T08:53:00.000-04:00

"A Free Nation Deep in Debt" is James Macdonald's first literary contribution to the field of political economy and it is rich in historical detail, a fact which may make it a challenging read for anyone unacquainted with ordinary economic history and its specific historiography. Macdonald, an investment banker for many years who now lives in Oxford, England, discusses the idea that the way a country borrows its money is associated with what kind of government it has. In his discussion, Macdonald traces the evolution of public debt from antiquity to the present, arguing that public finance and political freedom are more closely interrelated than most people realize.

For those who like some structure in a book of this complexity, it can easily be divided into an introduction and four main sections. The first seven pages, with the title "Introduction: The Financial Roots of Democracy," sketches out what is to come, providing the reader with a framework for the coming text and raising the essential questions with which the author will wrestle.

The first section traces the history of public finance and political freedom from the end of the Bronze Age to the end of the Dark Ages, contrasts two different types of finances -- tribal and imperial, explains the historic advantages of autocratic government, considers the critical period when some of the emerging societies settled down and civilized themselves without losing their political freedom, and, in regard to the so-called Dark Ages, asks why they had a more intense and enduring effect in western Europe than in other places. This initial section sets the stage for a comprehensive description of the relationship of public finance and political freedom in the Middle Ages and modern times.

The second section deals with medieval Europe. It was to be the role of medieval Italian city-states to bring back the idea of democratic public financing and modify it so it could become a workable plan for public financing. According to Macdonald, "The system that they created, although in one way fatally flawed, set off a chain of events with results that no one could have predicted." The third section of the book continues the discussion of public finance by looking at the attempts of other European states to come to terms with the implications of the Italian strategy.

The fourth and final section considers events after the French Revolution, and the author suggests that "The outcome of the Napoleonic Wars demonstrated the superiority of a political system based on the alliance of parliamentary government and public debt, but now there was a new question: Would a system created in a world of restricted citizenship and limited franchise prove compatible with universal suffrage. It was the role of the nineteenth century to find a solution to this problem. In the devastating wars of the first half of the twentieth century, this solution was put to the test." And Macdonald concludes that "The First World War was the apotheosis of 'democratic' public finance, the Second its swan song."

Throughout the reading of "A Free Nation Deep in Debt," one is struck continually by both the historical detail the author has uncovered and the factual surprises which he springs on the reader. How many of us realize, for instance, that the problem of public financing was intimately related to the fall of Rome or that in the eighteenth century it was commonly accepted that public debt and political liberty were intimately related? Regarding our own time and country, how many of us realize that the role played by the United States in World War I was funded with public debt?

I will leave it to the experts in economic theory and history to evaluate what appear to be Macdonald's conclusions in this romp through political economy from ancient Mesopotamia to the United States in the twentieth century. Has public borrowing from citizens in times of war gone hand in hand with modern democracy, as Macdonald argues? Does he present a compelling case showing why a democratic government is able to borrow more cheaply from its citizen-lenders than an autocratic state who does not consider its citizens to be equals? Was, in fact, World War II the "swan song" of democratic public financing? And, if true, has this occurred as a result of a decline in the public's trust of government, particularly in Western nations, combined with increasing globalization of the economy?

Readers can decide for themselves whether Macdonald adequately answers the above questions, as well as the other questions he tackles. Suffice to say, "A Free Nation Deep in Debt" is a comprehensive and detailed consideration regarding a certain aspect of economic history, specifically the relationship between public financing and political freedom. Certainly an interesting read, but let the reader beware. This scholarly book is definitely not Sunday afternoon "leisure" reading.

Fortunately for the reader, this book is enhanced with a detailed appendix of notes on currencies which describes them and sets out their relationships in historical context. Furthermore, a helpful glossary is provided which explains the technical terms used in the text, although the educated reader will not have much difficulty with the terms as they are used since they are explained as they occur within the text itself. The author has also provided thirty-five pages of notes, a 21-page bibliography, and a useful index with both major and minor topics listed.

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Review of A Million Is Not Enough: How to Retire with the Money You'll Need (Hardcover)

2010-04-06T07:23:00.000-04:00

Michael Farr's book, A Million is Not Enough, covers retirement planning like a warm blanket on a cold night. It gives you a good sense of security, letting you know exactly where you stand and what you need to do to be successful in the end game. Fear not. The book doesn't drag you through overly detailed explanations of what specific investment techniques exist, though it highlights them. Instead the book provides valuable succinct answers to the really important questions of the why and how of retirement planning.

I think everyone knows that a million dollars is not what it used to be. And Farr starts off by hammering this point home. What you need in retirement is relative to your current lifestyle, and the lifestyle you hope to lead without working. Ten million dollars might not be enough retirement savings for some folks.

Three major sections guide you through Farr's retirement planning and execution processes.

1) Helps readers understand his view of the mission: Save successfully for retirement. Here Farr asks you to decide what you want out of life.

2) Talks to investing wisely, balancing risk and reward, but only after helping you assess where you stand relative to your goals. There's even a monthly budget worksheet to gain insight into current spending, from which future spending can be predicted. The last section addresses building and maintaining a healthy investment portfolio.

The paperback version is under 300 pages, with enough figures and tables to keep your interest. I especially liked his example retirees and how their portfolios were allocated. Are you a Neo-Boomer, a Core Boomer or a Tail-end Boomer? I would have liked to see more references and a detailed index to make the book more complete. But the added benefit of the entertaining introduction by P.J. O'Rourke makes up for these small shortcomings.

NOTE: A leading financial analyst and strategist, Farr currently guest hosts on CNBC's Squawk Box. His commentary can be heard on the Associated Press Radio and National Public Radio, and he is quoted regularly in the Wall Street Journal and Forbes, and PBS's The Nightly Business Report.

Armchair Interview says: If you're looking for information on retirement planning, Farr's has done a great job of presenting it for everyone to understand.

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Review of Slackonomics: Generation X in the Age of Creative Destruction (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T22:11:00.000-04:00

Lisa Chamberlain will make you laugh with her deadpan humor as she takes you back on a nostalgia tour.But, this book is not just about the beauty of the trifecta (Generation X, Slackers, and Nevermind all in 1991) for the slacker generation.It will affirm and validate the life choices you have made from when `you came of age' through `adulthood' given the economic and social forces at play influencing those choices.It wasn't just about separating ourselves from `the crowd' with our flannel shirts.I experienced many`ah ha' moments as I began to string together various experiences within the context Lisa lays out, from career decisions to quality of life considerations, where and how I want to live, the importance of friendships, relationships, etc...It just made a whole lot of sense.And the end has a message ...our responsibility and (more importantly) our ability given our sensibilities to address and tackle many of the challenges thrust upon us by the previous generation.

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Review of Financial Infidelity: Seven Steps to Conquering the #1 Relationship Wrecker (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

She rushes to the mailbox to intercept the credit card statement and make sure that the incriminating information remains confidential. He receives a nice bonus check but blows it all at a bar after work. Lying to a partner about money is all too common. Bonnie Eaker Weil, Ph.D., uses her 30 years of therapeutic experience to present a compelling study of financial deception and its impact on relationships. Attitudes toward money - even spending habits - are shaped during childhood. The trick is understanding them. Weil says adults who lack insight about their attitudes tend to perpetuate destructive behaviors that can harm their relationships. getAbstract believes that almost anyone can benefit from Weil's advice. She's right on the money.

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Review of Noah's Other Son: Bridging the Gap Between the Bible and the Qu'ran (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T04:58:00.000-04:00

NOAH'S OTHER SON: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN examines over twenty figures who plan major roles in both the Old and New Bible Testaments and the Qur'an. Author Brian Brown is a Canadian minister ministering in communities where Christian majorities interact with Muslim and Jewish minorities: his purpose in NOAH'S OTHER SON is to bridge gaps between Islam and the West through considering common religious experiences and images. Even readers well versed in Christianity may be surprised to learn that women who are nameless in the Bible have their records in the Qur'an, and that Noah had a rebellious other son who refused to get on board the ark and thus drowned. A top pick for any serious spirituality collection.

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Review of e-topia (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T04:36:00.000-04:00

All in all, Mitchell's vision of urban life in the industrialized nations is compelling. He weaves a convincing mosaic of The City of "real soonnow", where the design elements of architecture are extended toinclude the additions of Bandwidth, telepresence, conduit and storage.Indeed, as a network engineer myself, I believe he pretty much has it spoton, for those of us who are fortunate to live in the Northern Hemisphere.But what of the rest of the planet who won't have OC-48 cables running downtheir main streets? (80% of humanity have never come in contact with acomputer, let alone a network infrastructure).He paints a picture of aglorious brave new cyberworld for the top 5%, but ignores the implicationsof this technology on the other 95% of the people on this rock we callearth. Still, if you are one of the fortunate ones (or wish you were) to beable to take part in this vision, the book is well worth reading. Earth:E-topia or Borg Planet, YOU decide!

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Review of New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T04:28:00.000-04:00

I love this book. It's extensive, easy to follow and copiously illustrated. With it, I can tackle most small-and-medium jobs around the home (even plumbing, my personal bugaboo. New faucet? No problem!) Without it, I'd be stuck having to call someone in and paying good money to have the work done. This book is a great resource for homeowners (or even renters) and is all the home repair and improvement manual that many people would ever need.

The book is broken into sections, organized by the type of work they cover. There's a chapter on Electrical, one on Plumbing, one on Power Tools, etc. The Emergency Repairs section at the beginning of the book could be invaluable in making your home safe and habitable if necessary until a professional can come in to make permanent repairs.

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Review of Less Is More: How Great Companies Use Productivity (Hardcover)

2010-04-05T01:30:00.000-04:00

Perhaps because of, or even in spite of, positive reviews aplenty from other Amazon reviewers, I found this book disappointing and confusing. A comment in the Introduction caught my attention. Jennings writes "we were eager to avoid Tom Peters' embarrassment when a number of excellent companies sagged badly soon after publication..." Quick Google searches on three (there were more companies; I just did three) Jennings-commended companies (The Warehouse, Ryanair, and Nucor) read more like embarrassments as well.

To be specific:

The June 4, 2003 New Zealand Herald reported that "The Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall has stepped back into the company's day-to-day operations, leading a scheme dubbed Project Urgency to fix its Australian problems. ... Tindall is leading Project Urgency. Its aim, as the name suggests, is to give the Australian operation a rapid makeover."

At the same time, Ryanair had its own problems. Per the web report: "Europe's fast-growing low-fare airline, dropped as much as 14.7 percent Tuesday after the low-fare airline said it expects lower fares and yields this year will pressure its profit margin." The book may provide an explanation: Jennings lauds attention to customer service and satisfaction and chastises those who fail to respond to customers. As Jennings ironically notes: "Other than cheap airfares, customer service at Ryanair is nonexistent." Queried by Times of London reporter as to the paper receiving "more complaints concerning Ryanair's customer service than any other airline," Ryanair's CEO response: "We don't screw them every time we fly them." Nice attitude.

A third featured company, Nucor, also turned south about the time Jennings went to press: Nucor's stock price dropped by half between mid 2002 and early 2003.

There is more I found unsettling: Jennings repeats canards about "eggs and ham" (the chicken's involvement and the pig's commitment), about showing prospects a heavenly version of product yet delivering hell, and about decentralizing fireworks production (avoiding one big explosion). He mimics Jim Collins's "Get the right people on the bus." He follows Peter Drucker's ideas to produce the anagram, WTGBRFDT ("What's the good business reason for doing this?"). And Edwards Deming must be spinning in his grave when he reads Jennings: "The objective is to perform the task with zero variation." (p.129)

The all-too-flattering biographies and profiles remind me of Fast Company or Inc. pieces. The book concludes with a self-congratulatory chapter recommending of Jennings' previous work, an epilogue featuring Jennings' personal trainer, and a lengthy section of acknowledgements that consists of name dropping more than links to research help. He commends his research team of recent graduates of Stanford, Princeton, and Berkeley yet he offers no systematic research, data, tables, graphs, analyses or standards. Jennings has a lot of ideas and inspiration, but little is substantiated. And, in another twist, the book is about more (productivity, profits, revenue per employee), not less. The final product is a watered down amalgam of "In search of excellence" and several other popular business authors and books.

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Review of A Guide to MATLAB: For Beginners and Experienced Users (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

This book is more of an introduction to Matlab 6 than 5.It claims to cater both beginners and advanced users.I use Matlab 6 for my research in Communication and Signal processing.Having worked on Matlab 4 , I doubt whether it can be a serious introduction to advanced users.The material is fairly concise and easy to read.All examples are simple and easy to implement straight away after a first reading.It covers almost all important sections to prepare you for any field you would like to work on with Matlab 6.

It has a full chapter on "Simulink" which is really nice having.The are bountiful examples and three practice sets.I would have loved to seea full section on " Files ".This is a drawback.Apart from some minor shortcomings this is a fairly good introductory book.

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Review of 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

While there are a lot of personal finance books, only a few really deal with the reasons why a person/family get into a debt situation.Well this book starts with the reason why and goes from there.The book is divided into two parts: "the reasons why" and "what to do about it".

Personally, I didn't know what I'd get out of the book (I've read a number of finance books by secular authors). To my surprise, I actually started to understand where I was making my mistakes and where my place and my money's place are in God's plan.If you want to finally fix your money problems, this is the book for you.

I must admit that the second part of the book is much more helpful with the workbook, so plan on buying both.

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Review of Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

It's often hard to tell, when reading a book like this one, whether the authors have really hit on an important insight grounded in solid evidence and research, or instead invented a marketable idea and cherry-picked instances and examples that "prove" their point. Although perhaps the passage of time is the only way to tell for sure, I argue "Mavericks at Work" really has seized on something important. That makes this a valuable read, not only for current and wannabe-future business leaders, but for anyone who ... well ... works for a living.

William Taylor and Polly LaBarre argue that the real head-to-head competition in business today isn't process versus process, or even idea versus idea, but rather "values system versus values system." The business leaders who inspire them and who, they argue, are leading the way into the future, are the ones who have rethought the very idea of business, the market, and both internal and external collaboration. A big part of their book applies the model of open-source software and technology-development to the business, and describes how various corporations have harnessed technology and the world's intellectual resources to solve business problems.

But the technological angle is only part of what makes someone a "maverick at work." Another major focus of the book is on companies that have created an energetic and innovative corporate culture that truly inspires employees and delights customers. Herb Kelleher's Southwest Airlines is always the darling of this sort of analysis, but Taylor and LaBarre also introduce us to Commerce Bank in New York, Anthropologie, the GSD&M advertising agency, and others. These places, the authors argue, are changing what "work" means, and so creating not only customer and employee loyalty, but also (and therefore) business success.

The word *maverick* derives from Texan rancher and politician Sam Maverick, who allowed his unbranded cattle to roam semi-wild instead of branding them and penning them in fenced-in ranges. That sort of independent spirit describes the companies and business leaders profiled in this book. It remains to be seen whether theirs is the way of the future, but Taylor and LaBarre have made a solid (and energizing!) case that it is.

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Review of Modernity's Wager (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T09:24:00.000-04:00

Seligman provides an excellent essay that challenges modernity's wrongly-held belief in the autonomous self.While he asserts the significance of authority in human relationships, I believe the book is stronger as an extended statement regarding the social embeddedness of human beings.It debunks the often touted belief in increased individual isolation due to fundamental social changes that supposedly tear apart social ties.For this alone, the book is highly instructive and intellectually entertaining.Will interest anyone who has spent time thinking about the place of the self in the modern world.

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Review of Profit with Honor: The New Stage of Market Capitalism (The Future of American Democracy Series) (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T06:19:00.000-04:00

This book is about ethics and integrity in corporate America. The author discusses the various scandals of the past decade or so, looks at root causes, and proposes a solution.

This book could easily have been a statist prescription for yet more regulation by that whacko entity we call the federal government (which doesn't actually govern), but fortunately it was not. Just as easily, it could have been yet another book used by the author to push the leftist agenda in the rosiest of terms, despite the fact that agenda has always failed and always will. Fortunately, we were spared that reality-challenged view as well. Nor is it another effort to push the "conservative" agenda (basically, a way of diverting money to special interests). In fact, Yankelovich stresses the need to move beyond political "solutions" to problems.

People change careers, and I am one of those people. In my former life as an engineer (in a galaxy far, far away or something to that effect), one of the skills I learned was root cause analysis. This kind of analysis is demonstrably absent in public policy, as is evident from the demonstrable failure of federal policies, federal agencies, federal programs, and just about anything else spewing forth from Washington, DC. I notice that most "experts" have pretty logical-sounding solutions to what ails us, but almost none of them first determines what problem needs solving. They have a hammer (their area of expertise), and the whole world is their nail.

Yankelovich takes a humbler and more rational approach. This book talks about what CEOs and other leaders should do to restore integrity in our corporations, yet in the preface he says he's neither a celebrated CEO nor an expert on the subject. Upon reading the book, I found this worked to his advantage. He's not an armchair general type, either, though. He was on many boards over many years and has seen the workings of the inner sanctum firsthand. His background as a social scientist and researcher is also a critical qualification, because he has an excellent lens through which to observe and analyze.

At 169 pages in paperback format, this book is short. It's not a highly detailed academic treatise on case histories. Yankelovich is certainly capable of producing such an opus. But it would be read by academics rather than CEOs. This book is the perfect size for its primary target audience--the high level corporate executive. It can fit into a briefcase for reading during a return flight or two.

Profit with Honor has ten chapters. The first two give us a clear picture of the problem. In those chapters, Yankelovich also discusses why legal remedies don't work. For example, if you have a law barring a certain behavior, people who believe it's OK to game the system will find and exploit a loophole. To see how this pans out, look no further than our insane, and counterproductive, federal income tax code. He also talks about what happens when a company promises to play nice and then doesn't.

The next two chapters explain why "What's good for GM is good for America" isn't so (not to pick on GM--that was the actual statement, but the sentiment was quickly adopted by other companies). Yankelovich also provides comparisons between the ethics of today (or lack thereof) to the ethics of previous times. This isn't a "sure was great in the good old days" fantasy. Yankelovich bases his analysis on actual research, including a study of the Harvard Business School Class of 1949.

What he has to say about "civil society" in Chapter Five is right on target, and should be required reading for everyone over the age of six. Unfortunately, we have too few adults with the proper training in civility, and we gag on that aftertaste of that every day.

Chapter Six and Chapter Seven provide a good discussion of stewardship ethics, which Yankelovich proposes as the means of getting our corporations back on track.

In Chapter Eight, Yankelovich exposes the fallacy of the "Shareholder Value" philosophy, leaving no doubt for the reader that it has proven to be costly and destructive. Chapter Nine explores the concept of gatekeeper integrity. Our gatekeepers include institutional investors, auditors, business lawyers, investment bankers, business journalists, and educators--and they have profoundly failed us.

The final chapter, Titled "Hummer vs. Hybrid" nicely ties the book's concepts together. What better way to make things clear than to use a common example and figuratively turn it over in your hand so that each edge, nook, and cranny is exposed to sunlight? This example concerns the attitudes of two companies. The first one is GM, which I loathe. The second is Toyota, of which I am a customer and a huge fan.

GM chased short-term profits by producing gas-guzzling Hummers. Thanks to GM lobbyists, the CONgress (which sells legislation to the highest bidder) introduced more distortions into that abomination called "the federal income tax code" to make it advantageous for people to own Hummers rather than a vehicle that makes sense. Hummers tear up our roads (causing us to pay higher road taxes) and consume four times the fuel that a sensible vehicle does (causing gas prices to be higher). So, we all pay for some insecure person to drive around in a Hummer dominating the road while GM managers soak up their bonuses for short-term profits and Middle East terrorists enjoy the funding provided by the additional oil revenue. All perfectly legal.

Toyota, on the other hand, behaved responsibly by producing the fuel-efficient Prius hybrid. It's important to note that this isn't their only fuel-efficient vehicle. My Camry gets nearly 40 MPG on the highway (5-speed manual transmission, good driving habits, synthetic oil, and other things boost its fuel economy past the EPA rating). Some other models of conventially-powered Toyotas, such as the Corolla, do even better.

If we replaced every GM vehicle with a Toyota Camry, America would no longer have an energy problem.

Toyota's venture into the hybrid market came at the cost of short-term losses. This car isn't a cash cow for them, and it isn't causing their executives to go home with multi-million dollar bonuses. It's part of the their long-term strategy to build cars that serve people and society. It's the result of their "continual improvement" ethic.

Yankelovich follows this same ethic in his writing. He isn't proposing a quick fix. He's proposing a change in underlying attitudes and beliefs, and it takes time for those things to produce effects. It's like eating right vs. taking medications. Eating right won't instantly make you healthy, if you are presently not eating right. But it's the only way to be healthy and correcting the effects of wrong behavior takes time.

It's also a monumental task to get all the players on board with such a change. If this book makes its way into boardrooms and executive suites across the country, and if individuals in those boardrooms and executive suites decide to make personal integrity a top priority ala the Class of 1949, that change can and will happen.

If you like the idea of a nation in which corporations are run in an ethical fashion (providing a model the federal "government" might learn from), read this book and then recommend it to others.

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Review of The Intelligent Negotiator: What to Say, What to Do, How to Get What You Want--Every Time (Hardcover)

2010-04-04T05:37:00.000-04:00

Charles Craver is the Leroy S. Merrifield Research Professor of Law at George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) where he teaches negotiating. Through his work at the Law School and in workshops throughout the world, Professor Craver estimates that he has taught negotiating skills to some 60,000 attorneys and businesspersons.
The Intelligent Negotiator is a book that fulfills the promise of its title. Craver provides the reader with the techniques and skills to become a true master of the craft.
Unquestionably, The Intelligent Negotiator will prove invaluable for the beginning negotiator and a solid source for refining the skills of the more experienced practitioner. Refreshingly, in a field in which so much has been written and is often unacknowledged, Craver credits and draws upon the research and findings of its authors. Additionally, although he has a preferred approach to negotiations, the author provides a fundamental negotiating skills book that does not rest upon the adoption of a singular negotiating style.
"Don't even try to adopt just one negotiating style or philosophy," Craver tells his reader in the first sentence of his work, "for there is no single approach that can effectively govern all bargaining transactions" (p.3). The intelligent negotiator, in Professor Craver's view, is a person who is comfortable working within a suite of negotiating styles. The reader who understands that premise is on the way to wisdom.
The experienced negotiator knows that no matter what the hopes, not every negotiation expands the pie. Negotiators come in all stripes and are driven by differing motives. Success in negotiations requires that its participants understand and adapt easily to the reality of functioning with an arena encompassing widely disparate styles.
Craver notes three major approaches that the intelligent negotiator must master. The first of these is the Competitive-Adversarial. This is the stuff of win/lose negotiations, the zero sum game in which the pie is presumed to be fixed and one participant wins more if the other loses more. The second he defines as the Cooperative-Problem-Solving approach. In this style, the parties seek to expand the pie through engaging in a joint creative enterprise and thereby enable the participants to realize a win/win outcome. The intelligent negotiator recognizes that this second style has inherent rewards and significant risks of exploitation depending upon the true commitments of the parties at the bargaining table to the cooperative negotiating style.
Both styles remain predominant in negotiating and Craver introduces the reader to some of the research on the effectiveness of practitioners of these two dominant negotiating styles. It is interesting research.
Craver cites a study of the negotiating styles of practicing attorneys conducted by Professor Gerald Williams of Brigham Young University some twenty years ago that may surprise many readers. According to Professor Williams' research, most practicing lawyers do not use an adversarial style in their negotiations. Two thirds of the attorneys, as viewed by their colleagues, used a cooperative approach and only twenty-five percent of the lawyers were seen as practitioners of an adversarial style of negotiations (p.10).
More importantly, peer assessment concluded that cooperative negotiators fared far better than adversarial attorneys in the negotiating arena. Fifty-nine percent of the cooperative style negotiators were viewed as effective negotiators and only a miniscule 3 percent were considered ineffective. Only 25 percent of the adversarial style negotiators were deemed effective by their peers and a staggering 33 percent were judged to be ineffective. A more recent study reported last year by Professor Andrea Kupfer Schneider, found over half of adversarial style negotiators were considered ineffective by their peers (p.10).
There is much that the negotiator can draw from these findings, not the least of which is that the intelligent negotiator must be able to adapt and operate successfully in an arena of diverse approaches. Reliance on a singular style, as Professor Craver well illustrates is a recipe for disaster.
Given this, Craver offers a third style as the best primary style for the intelligent negotiator. The Innovator approach, as the author calls his preferred style, is a hybrid of both of the preeminent negotiating approaches. Its hallmarks are beginning with principled offers, matching one's counterpart on how much and what is disclosed, relying on objective criteria and recognizing that the primary goal of the negotiator is to obtain beneficial results for themselves and secondarily for the opponent.
The core of the book, however, is far from a discourse on a singular approach, but rather the teaching of the underlying fundamental skills and techniques that every negotiator regardless of their approach requires to succeed in practicing the art. The book, therefore, is an intelligent negotiator's guide to the practice of negotiations.
Craver explores the process thoroughly and leads his reader through the tough issues confronting every negotiator with concise and well-reasoned advice. The author shows the reader the importance of setting high goals, even increasing them before negotiations begin. He gives the reader solid advice on how to construct an opening offer and coaches the negotiator on its critical impact on the psychology and course of the negotiations to follow. The reader learns how an opening offer operates as an anchor, its role in bracketing the negotiating settlement range and its use in framing the other party's perception of gain and loss in the potential agreement. If these concepts are not clear to you, they are clearly explained in Craver's work.
There is far more in this volume. You will find strategies for multiple item negotiations, techniques for handling absurd positions, some careful advice on reading body language and a host of topics that the intelligent negotiator must know. You will find it a valuable negotiating skills guide of value for any style of negotiations.
To complete his work, the author turns his attention to some of the more special types of negotiating situations that all readers encounter. You will find some insightful advice in his concluding sections on negotiating employment agreements, automobile purchases and real estate bargaining.
Highly recommended.
John Baker, Ph.D.
Editor, The Negotiator Magazine

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Review of The Good Neighbor: A Novel (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

I've read all of William Kowalski's novels since he immediately became one of my favorite contemporary American authors with his stunning debut, "Eddie's Bastard".
"The Good Neighbor" is a surprisingly accomplished and mature work for an author of Kowalski's still young age and marks a departure point for him.While his earlier books seem written from overpowering talent and passion, "The Good Neighbor" is clearly the work of an author who has grown into conscious mastery of his craft.While his prose is as expressive and flows as effortlessly as ever, "The Good Neighbor's" plot is masterfully constructed, and every element of the story falls into place with the precision of a Swiss clockwork.The characters are alive and drawn with astounding psychological accuracy, particularly Francie, the unlikely hero of the novel.Kowalski is not preoccupied with the fleeting moments of pop-culture.Instead he is an author of substance, concerned with the humanity of his characters in which we all recognize ourselves.In the case of "the Good Neighbor" is Francie Hart's courageous and inspiring story of self-discovery that will leave no one untouched.

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Review of Fundamentals of Manufacturing Supplement [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T18:47:00.000-04:00

I take the CMfgT exam this week and I feel I'm very prepared due to using this book as a study guide...
Best of Luck...

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Review of Research Methods in the Social Sciences w/Data Disk (Windows) (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

This is the sixth edition, which means that the still probably useful fifth and previous editions are now good for landfill duty.The price is hefty. (Why don't textbook publishers offer financing?) That said, this isa usable book, one that the reader might be tempted not to sell after classis over.The research and statistics chapters are well-written and placedin logical order.The material is comprehensive, and strikes a nicebalance between not being too technical without being too elementary.Whatappealed to me was the by-the-numbers approach, with numerous listsembedded in the text throughout.(For example, if there are seven factorsto consider in reference to the internal validity of a research design,they are boxed off and numbered, after being discussed in the text.)Thebook comes with a disk containing a 1996 general survey of social scienceissues.This is provided by way of example, and is referenced at the endof most chapters as a real-world example and 'how to' guide to researchmethedology and design.Nonetheless, you can do as I did, and read withoutusing the disk (I used it once), and still come away with completeunderstanding. This book is also free of the filler that crowds andobscures useful information in the garden variety textbook. This bookwould have gotten five stars, had it not been for the authors' annoyinghabit of using liberal examples.In a social science research text,reference to politically sensetive issues is to be expected.What annoysis that virtually every example, whether derived from real life, or anadmittedly ficticous example, is given a liberal slant.If the factorsbeing researched are education and political orientation, then liberalismcorrelates with higher education (read: conservatives are dummies).If thesubject is nominal variables, the example is party affiliation in adistrict where Democrats outnumber Republicans two-to-one.In other words,the examples serve the standard orthodoxies of our time.Don't expect tosee any on race and abortion, or the use of guns to deter crime.Thatsaid, since the main users of this book are college students, and as suchare getting much heavier doses of campus radicalism and causes du jour,this book's bias is relatively mild.If you are going to study researchmethodologies, you could do much worse than this text. -Lloyd Conway

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Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T08:57:00.001-04:00

There are dozens of books which address many of the same topics and issues and this is one of the best because it was written primarily for non-experts such as I who seek "comfort, happiness, and financial security on [our] terms," of course, and need guidance to make appropriate decisions. Answers to questions such as these are more difficult to formulate now than at any prior time that I recall:

*What are the significant differences between standard of living and quality of life?
*Are they mutually exclusive?
*How can -- and should -- "wealth" be measured?
*To what extent (if any) is there a correlation between personal happiness and net worth?
*What do the happiest people seem to share in common?
*What are the most damaging misconceptions many people have when formulating a financial plan?
*Which strategies and tactics are most effective to achieve financial security? Why?
*What are "The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness"?

Chatzky address these and countless other questions which many of us may have but feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, we can retain highly reputable financial planners whose services are worth every dollar they cost. However, my own experience suggests that a financial planner's best client is a well-informed client. More specifically, financial planners are most valuable once a client has carefully completed exercises such as those which Chatzky includes in her book. Invoking direct address, what do you REALLY want in life? Being rich and being happy are NOT mutually-exclusive. Many people are unhappy because they are essentially insolvent, if not destitute. No savings, credit unworthy, deeply in debt, in danger of foreclosure or eviction, etc. Many others are just as unhappy because of their affluence. They yearn to possess what money can't buy: physical health, peace of mind, friendship worthy of the name, etc.

Caveat: Do NOT purchase this book or any other such book unless and until you are wholeheartedly committed to doing the "homework" required and then to following through on whatever decisions you make. I think that Chapter 6 (all by itself) is worth far more than the cost of the book. However, do you REALLY understand the requirements as well as the benefits of living within your means? Tough decisions may need to be made. (I mean TOUGH.) Do you have what it takes to make them? More importantly, do you have what it takes to stick with those decisions no matter what? Years ago, the actor Rod Steiger was asked if young people ever requested career advice. "Oh yeah, sure, all the time. I look them right in the eye and ask `Do you want to be an actor or do you HAVE to be an actor?' The longer it takes themto answer, the less likely they'll ever make it." If you HAVE to have financial security, Jean Chatzky can help you to achieve it.Otherwise....

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Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T08:57:00.000-04:00

Review of Finance: Introduction to Institutions, Investments, and Management (Hardcover)

2010-04-03T02:15:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent overview of finance and related topics. focuises on macroeconomic factors, such as aspects of national banking and finance, international trade and currency exchange systems, etc. Also focuses on corporate and business finance. Also contains excellent exercises for math and accounting functions.

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Review of Inventing the Child: Culture, Ideology, and the Story of Childhood (Children's Literature and Culture, 17) (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T17:05:00.000-04:00

This book will change your views on how to raise your kid and, in a deeper level, help understand the deadlock our society is in and how to try to break free of our habits of violence and destruction.
It analyzes the myths and books we feed our children and the subconscious message we hand to them everytime they go to a Disney movie or consume merchandising. It also explain the amount of violence they are directly subjeted too by unknowing and loving parents. Truly an eye opener.

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Review of Powerhouse Principles: The Billionaire Blueprint For Real Estate Success (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T10:15:00.001-04:00

Beeing an experienced (and successfull) developer in Italy, I can assure you that the book is phenomenal.
In this book I learned "something" that will increase my net-worth by the (many) millions.
Thank you Jorge.

P.S. For you that are starting out, get this book. You might not fully understand every single phrase of the book ... in any case you will learn a lot on the business of developing and/or investing in real estate

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Review of Powerhouse Principles: The Billionaire Blueprint For Real Estate Success (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T10:15:00.000-04:00

Review of The Firm (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T08:21:00.000-04:00

The Firm was published in 1991, and almost overnight John Grisham became a household name and a force to be reckoned with in the realm of fiction.There must be something in the water down in Oxford, Mississippi; while Grisham is certainly no Faulkner, he is a man who knows how to make a novel come alive and ensnare any reader who comes along.I really do not care for lawyer-type novels as a general rule, and the fact that Grisham makes such stories so gripping and fascinating has me quite in awe of his talents.Mitch McDeere (whom many may still envision as Tom Cruise, since he played in the role in the movie based on this novel) is a highly intelligent yet monetarily challenged law student finishing up his degree with high honors at Harvard.Holding serious offers from prestigious Chicago and Wall Street law firms for his services, he decides to go ahead and hear the pitch from a smaller law firm in Memphis.What he hears is an offer he cannot believe and cannot refuse.A starting salary significantly higher than he would make elsewhere, promises of large bonuses for passing the bar exam and succeeding on the job, an ascension to partner in as short a time as a decade, a new house with a miniscule mortgage rate, a brand new BMW, and other perks soon have Mitch and his wife Abby settling down in Memphis to enjoy a life of luxury (albeit with hard work on his part).The firm really seems to care about Mitch and his family, wanting happy marriages with several children, to a degree that has Abby a little suspicious.Mitch passes the bar exam, and life is great, despite the fact he is working eighty hours or more a week.Then an FBI agent comes to see him, dropping hints of nefarious dealings at the law firm, asking him for help.Thus begins a journey in which Mitch must first decide whether to risk the lives of himself and his wife to violate his legal oaths and sell out the Mafia-controlled law firm, or take his chances, make his millions, and hope the feds don t find enough evidence to eventually land him and all of his coworkers in prison.It is really an exciting story, as the McDeeres have to deal with and evade both the feds and the Mafia in their efforts to somehow bring down the firm without sacrificing their own lives.

I found the schemes Mitch employed on his behalf were quite inventive and plausible, but as the novel progressed in the later stages I found myself wondering how the Mafia could really be incompetent enough in their surveillance to keep losing track of Mitch at crucial times.I can understand the feds having a little trouble staying a step behind him, but you would think that the Mafia could have put an end to all of these games (and to Mitch) long before he got into a position to bring them down.Also, Abby s transition from a housewife who wishes her husband wasn t spending all of his time at work to a wily assistant to her scared and scheming husband is a little abrupt.I also had a hard time completely liking the protagonist after a certain indiscretion on his part early on.I m not complaining, though, because the tension of the novel ratchets up nicely in the final stages and kept me turning the pages with bated breath.I haven t read Grisham s more recent novels, so I can t say whether or not the quality of his writing has gone down over the years.What I can say, having read both A Time to Kill and The Firm, Grisham s first two novels, is that the man really and truly had it at the start of his career.The action never ebbs, the story never bogs down, and the reader finds himself hanging on for dear life and loving every minute of it as he/she follows the course of whatever events Grisham chooses to relate.

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Review of Texas, Cotton, And The New Deal (Sam Rayburn Series on Rural Life) (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T06:27:00.000-04:00

Dr. Volanto has written an interesting book about the New Deal's attempt to deal with ever dropping cotton prices and overproduction which only worsened the Great Depression. He writes about the various years and the attempts by FDR and the AAA department to get farmers to voluntarily reduce their crops and pay them to plow up their lands with the goal of bring production under control. He makes an interesting point in the book when he notes that severe droughts did more to help limit cotton production than did the AAA's programs.
It's a short history of just one state's problems during the Great Depression. He does not compare the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act) program in Texas with other cotton producing states (which would have been an asset to the book) but it's a good historical read and very informative.

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Review of Marketing to American Latinos: A Guide to the In-Culture Approach, Part II (Hardcover)

2010-04-02T05:06:00.000-04:00

When I took my first trip to California in the 1960's, I saw fast food outlets selling a strange cuisine that I had never seen on the east coast - tacos.I hadn't a clue what this was..never even heard the word.Much has changed since then.
Latinos are a major new presence and force in the United States, whose influence on our commerce and politics will only continue to grow.For those who have more than casual interest in this phenomenon, perhaps for purposes of business or for politics, Isabel Valdes has produced a most timely and useful guide.Ms Valdes, with professional precision, takes apart this demographic and cultural Rubik's Cube, lays the pieces out before the reader, and then, taking the reader by the hand, methodically and meaningfully puts it all back together.Weaving together a tapestry of various countries of origin, age distribution, language preference, time in the US, etc, the author helps us sort through the reality behind the headlines and develops systematic approaches to formulate an effective and targeted business strategy.Data is targeted, timely, well presented, and well analyzed.Yet, the human dynamic behind the data is not lost.Highly recommended.

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Review of Bogle On Mutual Funds: New Perspectives for the Intelligent Investor (Hardcover)

2010-04-01T14:38:00.000-04:00

For almost a decade now, this has been my bible on mutual funds.Using a straightforward and candid approach, Vanguard founder John Bogle explains every aspect of mutual funds and the industry behind them.Never does Bogle exaggerate information or mislead the reader as many other financial "guru's" do to sell their books.He is a true consumer advocate and his goal is clearly to educate.

Covered is everything from stocks, bonds, money market funds, indexing, asset allocation, expense ratio's and the risks inherent not only in investing but in not investing (e.g. the erosion of the dollar vs. inflation in "safe" investments).Bogle utilizes numerous graphs and statistical data throughout the book to help make his point and to allow the reader increased comprehension.

It is important to note that this book was published in the early 1990's.Since then capital gains tax laws have changed and the Roth IRA was yet to be created.For more up-to-date information I would recommend reading Bogle's newer book, Common Sense on Mutual Funds. Nevertheless, Bogle On Mutal Funds is a great place to start educating yourself to become more financially savvy.This book has been invaluable to me and I believe it is key to my investing success.I find myself often referring to it, expecially now in these turbulent market times just to hear Mr. Bogle remind me to, "stay the course" and I will be rewarded.No wonder so many admirers refer to the beloved Mr. Bogle as, "Saint Jack."

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Review of Vote Your Conscience: The Last Campaign of George McGovern (Hardcover)

2010-03-30T12:35:00.000-04:00

A first class chronicle of the 1984 McGovern campaign. Mr.Marano offers a top notch explanation of the motives that pushed Senator McGoveron into the race. You will be inspired by this beautifully written volume.

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Review of The True Cost of Happiness: The Real Story Behind Managing Your Money (Hardcover)

2010-03-30T05:16:00.000-04:00

Stacey Tisdale and Paula Kennedy have really made me aware of "The True Cost of Happiness" in a way I did not expect. I was startled to learn that the problem I had with finances had very little to do with money! It's really about attitude, self-esteem, and accepting life on life's terms. I found it a challenging, enlightening, and encouraging read. It is a mirror that anyone, if they are brave enough to be honest, can see how they got to be in their present relationship with money. I discovered that in my early life, money had been using me instead of the other way around. This book caused to me think about how my personality controlled the way I related to money, and money had nothing to do with that. I found that, in reality, the book was reading me very well. However, it let me know that anyone, including me, can change no matter where we are today. This book requires rigorous honesty to be effective enough to cultivate this positive change in how we view money, which is, after all, just a medium of exchange. I think students at a very young age should be made aware of this book so that they can become exposed to the fact that it is their attitude about money that will determine whether they live richly, or poorly. It is liberating to know that a change of thinking can create a better way of living by putting money in its proper place.

Richard Fewell

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Review of Real Estate Development: Principles and Process 3rd Edition (Hardcover)

2010-03-29T21:35:00.000-04:00

This book was recommended as a textbook for a 4th year course in real estate development and it reads like one. It is well organized and covers this broad subject with detailed, practical information in a systematic way.

Most of all I enjoyed the two real life case study storys (of the development of an office building and a high-rise apartment) that weave through the chapters. These were very candidly told by the developers themselves and give the real picture of the trials and tribulations of large project real estate development.

Numerous listings of information sources, web sites, and bibliographies at the end of each section makes this book a 'keeper' reference text.

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Review of Professional Practice for Interior Designers, 3rd Edition (Hardcover)

2010-03-29T14:03:00.000-04:00

FINALLY, a book that was written for the trained interior design professional. The author explains in detail how to legally and financially start and run a professional interior design business. The author is affiliated with the NCIDQ and definitely understands the difference between decorating and designing. Excellent read for anyone seeking or even just curious about the ins and outs of starting a business.

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Review of Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and People (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series) (Hardcover)

2010-03-29T13:02:00.000-04:00

This book is a refreshing look at what is most important in achievingproject success: people functioning in organizations.While it reviews keytools and techniques in a user-friendly fashion, its chief goal is to raisereaders' awareness of the central role of people and organizations indelivering successful projects.What's more, it is an easy read, filledwith practical examples of real world scenarios.It is particularly usefulfor knowledge workers in businesses like IT, finance, telecoms, R&D andtraining because it does not get bogged down in painfully detailedtreatment of techniques that are marginally useful on real-world projects.

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Review of Sex, Drugs and Economics: An Unconventional Introduction to Economics (Hardcover)

2010-03-29T07:35:00.000-04:00

If you think economics is really the "dismal science," then Diane Coyle, a Harvard-trained economist who lives and works in London, is out to change your mind. And what a job she does in her new book on the basics of general economics. This work is indeed an easy read on a complex subject but Coyle never insults the intelligence of her readers and fully intends to explain in a readable style exactly what the study of economics is all about.

Right at the beginning, Dr. Coyle tells us precisely what she intends her book to do: "This book aims to demonstrate that economics is essentially a particular way of thinking about the world that can be applied to almost any situation affecting individuals, companies, industries, and governments." Then, to make sure we all understand that the study of economics is not just for the professional or the academic but has a broader horizon, she insists that economics is "the subject for you whatever your interests and concerns" and that her objective is "to provide a new light and refreshing appetizer that might satisfy delicate appetites but also encourage some readers to develop a taste for more."

One of the things that makes this book so appealing is that Dr. Coyle uses our ordinary life experiences to allow us to grasp many of the major concepts of economics. She does discuss sex and illegal drugs and how economics applies to them, but she also has chapters on sports, music, energy, auctions, war games, movies, the Internet, weather, and other common topics with which we are very familiar, all utilized as a means to introduce, explain and describe various technical terms and concepts at different points in the book.

For instance, the first chapter of the book, titled "Sex: Can you have too much of a good thing?," introduces the concepts of "demand" and "supply," as well "inelastic supply of labor" and "product differentiation." Chapter 2, which is about illegal drugs, introduces the concepts of "market," "externality," "price elasticity of demand," and "cost-benefit analysis." A later chapter on sports explains the concept of "economics of scale," while the chapter on music explains the idea of "marginal cost," and the chapter on immigration explains the concept known as the "lump of labor fallacy." Furthermore, she provides an excellent description of the concept of the "public good" in the chapter on disease, and her discussion of this concept will be of particular interest to libertarians and classical liberals.

There are a few things I found particularly helpful during my reading of this book. The most important to me as a general reader was that the major terms and concepts of economics were set in boldface type as they were introduced in the text. This meant I paid particular attention to them as I was reading and realized they were important to understanding what was being said. Next in importance, at the back of the book is an appendix outlining and explaining the "Ten Rules of Economic Thinking," a section I thought helpfully summed up many of the main points expressed in the text. Finally, a glossary is provided which further explains and expands the major terms and concepts used throughout the book. I wish this sort of format was used more often in books on otherwise difficult subjects. And of course the book includes the usual bibliography (with many Internet websites also provided) and a well-organized comprehensive index.

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Review of Morning in America: How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980's (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America) (Hardcover)

2010-03-29T05:21:00.000-04:00

Ronald Reagan campaigned and then was elected on a promise to restore American virility. In the closing years of the cold war, we wanted to believe that America was a super power and that we ourselves were super.

Who better suited for that type of positioning than a former Hollywood actor? I think the "1950's Doc Brown" from the 1985 blockbuster 'Back to the Future' spoke for many people when he just expressed shock that an actor ended up as President of the United States. Yet, it made perfect sense in the early years of the cable revolution when the 'best' public official was one who did manipulate the media for their message.

The author examines how this manipulation provided a needed boost to America. We were still recovering from Vietnam and had difficulty realizing that we were perhaps not the center of the world. Reagan's campaign was genius because it essentially said 'don't' and encouraged swing voters to believe that everything would be solved if they elected Reagan.

Reagan made critical inroads with 'blue-collar' democrats. These voters had supported the party on economic issues but had been increasingly at odds with the Democrats on social issues. Specifically because of his own Hollywood background, Reagan knew these voters could be won if he stressed 'morals' and 'tradition' regardless of how he (a twice divorced man who had signed off on the liberalization of abortion laws as California Governor) actually felt about those same issues. Appearance IS everything in politics.

The author also makes clear that the Reagan years are not admirable. Troy explains how the feel good images of success and luxury were sharply contrasting with the reality being experienced by many people. The rapidly rising cost of living, spending cuts, and the AIDS epidemic prevented many other people from enjoying the prosperity.

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Review of The Cottage Ownership Guide: How to Buy, Sell, Rent, Share, Hand Down and Retire to Your Waterfront Getaway (Hardcover)

2010-03-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Most of the book was about how to buy a cottage which is similar to buying a house: Use a good lawyer,get a loan or mortgage, etc. This book would be useful for someone who has not purchased a house before. I wish I could get a refund!

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Review of Civic Space/Cyberspace: The American Public Library in the Information Age (Hardcover)

2010-03-28T12:07:00.000-04:00

The subtitle is: the American public library in the information age.

The main strength of this book is in the historical perspective it offers.The authors give a broad, national overview of the public library as an institution, its governance and funding, and U.S. national information policy generally.This historical, research based approach makes for somewhat dense reading, but also makes the book a valuable resource.

The main drawback of Civic space/cyberspace is that the authors really do not provide much detail about the site visits to 22 libraries and other institutions which also shaped their thinking on the subject.

I found it frustrating that the book's generally postive comments about the future of public libraries and the ways that they are adapting to information technology were second guessed by the very last paragraphs of the book.

I would recommend this book mainly for librarians, library school students, or those significantly involved with public libraries in some way.

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