Training Books

Owning a business where alcohol is served, while profitable, has never been more dangerous than it is today. From under-age drinkers to inebriated customers and everything that falls in between, a business must be proactive in protecting their assets. All it takes is one honest mistake to land yourself on a "watch list" or even worse - fines and license suspension.

This book is a wealth of information and resources for everyone from a small pub to a concessionaire at a major baseball stadium. Dugan provides a step-by-step training manual that is easy to follow and simple to implement. There is even a CD included that contains every chart and form in the book so that you can print it out and put it to use in your daily routine.

Dugan gives us a comprehensive training program covering issues such as management responsibilities, types of customers, training and staff concerns, legal matters, and assessing customer. Following the policies and procedures outlined in this book is a solid step towards protecting your future, growing your business, and avoiding litigation. This book is a must-read for anyone who serves alcohol as a business. People who host private parties would do well to read this book also, especially during this holiday season!

Restaurants that sell alcohol work with a double edge sword. The alcohol sales are beneficial because it ups the revenue for these businesses but there are also many laws which govern the industry which can cause headaches if these laws are not followed. The authors of this book do a fabulous job of how to serve alcohol properly to protect not only the restaurant but the individual who is selling the alcohol as well.

The book is easy to follow and to understand. It begins by having simple definitions which everyone who serves alcohol must know such as what alcohol is, what the effects are on the body, what BAC stands for and what it is important. It also goes into detail about the different things that can affect the BAC in an individual; how many drinks, if they have eaten food, amount of alcohol in a drink, and the size of the person. It also goes into complete detail on the types of alcohol regulations that are out there.

The second section of the book goes into how the managing of the alcohol should occur and how to deal with those issues which are bound to come up such as minors, how to hire good bartenders, what type of licenses are needed, and how to cut someone off when need be. It also has a section on what to do when a legal issue comes up, such as hiring a good lawyer, and keeping documentation.

Section three is how to train the employees which are going to handle the alcohol. It goes into detail about the many parts of the training process from checking identification to watching the client for signs of having too much drink. The authors also suggest that each of the employees also have refresher courses every so often when needed. The book will likely benefit many in the restaurant industry and show that with responsible service of alcohol, everyone wins.

College-level collections with schools strong in culinary and food management courses will want to keep THE RESPONSIBLE SERVING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: A COMPLETE STAFF TRAINING COURSE FOR BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND CATERERS in the collection both as a reference and as a circulating item. Two years have gone into the making of this comprehensive manual which blends the legal issues with the ethical issues involved in serving alcohol professionally: management and liquor service staff receive all the knowledge allowing them to responsibly serve alcohol in licensed premises, from understanding BAC levels and the law to checking ID, handling difficult customers, and more. While the price tag may be hefty for a standard-sized paperback, its specific, well-detailed information is priceless for any serious food industry holding.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Stop, Look, and Listen! should be the subtitle of this excellent resource guide. Beth Dugan starts with a chapter called What is Alcohol?, and does not let up until she concludes with a creative section of "modules." These training modules contain the most valuable information this guide provides. From calculating drinking ages, checking ID's, understanding state laws, identifying intoxication and understanding a customer's rate of consumption, she offers a resource guide that can assist new as well as experienced bar owners. Serving alcoholic beverages at your establishment can increase revenues and turn into an enjoyable experience; but can also open you up to a myriad of legal issues. This invaluable book walks you through the steps on how to responsibly serve alcohol, how to train a competent and responsible staff and how to handle emergencies. Although included in the book, the accompanying CD-ROM presents handy details such as state law information, easy to read charts on calculating alcohol content, and the previously mentioned modules. As an extra, the CD-ROM also offers printable versions of the posters included in the book that promote responsible drinking. Overall, this book is a must-have tool for any bar owner, restaurant operator or caterer; a resource that has the information to prepare you for the many challenges faced when serving alcoholic beverages in your food service business, and one that encourages you to responsibly embrace the opportunity.

This book is an excellent read for anyone that will be serving alcohol in a professional capacity. I didn't know what to expect when I picked it up, but I was happy to find tips on detecting whether someone is drunk, suggestions on how to keep up profits while limiting the amount of alcohol a customer consumes, and much more.

There is a guide for training staff members on how to recognize fake IDs, pouring drinks properly and just about anything else you can think of that would help keep patrons from becoming too inebriated.

I like that the author makes a point to say how things differ in various states and then has an appendix which shows each state and what categories they fall in. I also liked the CD-ROM that came with the book. It has charts in it that were used in the book - such as the alcohol absorption rate diagram. It's really great stuff. There are also worksheets on the CD-ROM that can be used in combination with the suggested training.

The only thing that I didn't love about the book was that in the beginning the author provides some information that isn't entirely relevant - such as what alcohol is, what it means to be drunk vs. alcoholism. Things like this are common sense to most people. But all in all, this is a very helpful book that anyone looking to start up a restaurant, bar or catering service should look into.

Volume 5, "Reverse Crescent Kick" (outside crescent in many styles) in Kovacich's "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series, like the previous four books, covers the kick from about every angle one could possibly imagine. Shawn if anything, is consistent, which aids this series. Format is the same throughout all books so far, which aids the instructor or the student, making information more quickly accessible. The reader knows what to expect, details about muscle groups, target areas, and proper technique are standard.

His application for the spinning crescent (step back turning reverse crescent) on page 187-188 is right on. I first, before reading martial books with photos, normally skim the photos and titles of chapters before begining to read. I saw the photos on this page and thought "Oh no, bad technique to throw with his opponent's maneuver."
Then I finally get to that page later in the day and Shawn uses the occasion to show what is wrong with the kick. Thank goodness and I wasn't disappointed. So far, Shawn Kovachich's technical knowledge about the kicks thru volume 5 have been impressive. This book is a bonus for students and instructors a like.

This is Volume Five of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the Reverse Crescent Kick. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the reverse crescent kick?
I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points.
So, what is a reverse crescent kick and why would I use it? Shawn writes that the reverse crescent kick is like a tennis backhand swing. The striking surface is the outside edge of the heel and the targets are the same as the crescent kick in Volume Four: face, neck area, lower legs and forearms. The reverse crescent kick is difficult to execute (at least I found it difficult!) but the arc of the kick is deceptive and may confuse your opponent. Getting inside another's Observe, Orient, Decide and Act loop can win a match for you--or allow you to seize and keep the initiative in a fight.
I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Reverse Crescent Kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!

When I first started taking Tae Kwon Do classes, the first three kicks that I learned were the front kick, crescent kick, and the reverse crescent kick. The reason why I, and all new beginners, learned these kicks first is because they are generally speaking the easiest to learn and the simplest kicks to use, or so I thought. Once again I thought that I had this kick down pat along with its sister kick crescent kick, and front kick. Well thanks to Mr. Kovacich and his Achieving Kicking Excellence series of books I was in for a big surprise.

The whole time that I have been practicing the reverse crescent kick every one of my classmates kept telling me what a good looking kick I had, just like they kept telling me about my crescent kick. Well, they were right it was a good "looking" kick, but I soon found out that it, just like my crescent kick, only "looked" good and that there was really nothing at all to my kick. Once I started reading Reverse Crescent Kick, the 5th volume in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking excellence series, I became aware of so many small little things that I was either doing wrong, or wasn't doing at all, that was having a dramatic impact on the actual effectiveness of my crescent kick.

Mr. Kovacich covers everything about the kick from the pivoting on the ball of your base leg foot to the correct area of your kicking foot to strike with ( and its not the entire outside edge of your foot) and absolutely everything in between. This is truly a remarkable series of books and I am still dumbfounded at just how much information is packed into each book on a single solitary kick. You would think that some kicks are so simple that there is no way you could write a 200+ page book on the subject. Well you would be wrong. I have read this book several times already and I have picked up something new that I had missed each and every time I have read it. Mr. Kovacich is truly an amazing martial artist and he surely has the technical skills down when it comes to kicking.

I highly recommend that you purchase all ten volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series and you (and your instructor) will see your kicks literally improve by leaps and bounds. I'm so glad that I found these books as I know I would not have improved so well in my kicking skills without the additional insight. Thank You!

Achieving Kicking Excellence

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

This series is a fantastic reference for anyone interested in the finer points of kicking, particularly for those of us whose exposure to this aspect of the martial arts has been somewhat limited. I have been doing this stuff since 1970, for example, yet have focused exclusively on styles that have very little emphasis on kicking applications (e.g., Goju Ryu karate, Kodokan judo, and Matayoshi kobudo). Goju Ryu, for instance, utilizes roughly 70% hand techniques. Don't get me wrong, I have a pretty mean mae geri (front kick) that can rock your world, but there are many other leg techniques utilized by other arts that I am simply not at all expert with--hatchet kicks, axe kicks, and crescent kicks, to name a few.

This is why I was so excited to find Shawn Kovacich's comprehensive "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series. If you are familiar with Kris Wilder's outstanding tome, The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power, these books take a similarly in-depth yet approachable style. Each volume explores one type of kick in great detail, outlining some 50 or 60 technical points (depending on the type of kick), in an easy to understand and utilize manner. At first blush you might think that it would be tough to devote an entire volume to just one type of kick, yet each offering in this exceptional series runs more than 200 pages and is packed with meaningful information.

No dojo darling, Kovacich really knows what he is talking about. A fourth-degree black belt in both karate and taekwondo, he has competed in full contact sparring tournaments (including the prestigious Sabaki Challenge) and is the world-record holder for both endurance- and high-kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Kovacich has been teaching martial arts since 1985 and this knowledge, skill, and ability really shine through in his writing.

The text is clear and comprehensive, yet written in everyday language that just about anyone can easily grasp. No matter how good the writing, however, this sort of topic needs wide-ranging illustrations to ensure thorough comprehension. Fortunately there are tons of them. Regrettably though, the pictures are quite dark and/or grainy in most places (my only real complaint about the series). Despite the fuzziness of the photo printing, however, the pictures themselves are first rate as are the corresponding illustrations. Most of the pictures not only have captions but also reference numbers that align with the text to assure further clarity. There are separate illustrations that show the appropriate foot position and base of support for each movement too. This layout method is really slick; I like it a lot. There is a pretty good index in the back that supplements the table of contents too, so you can easily refer back to anything you will want to re-read later on (and you'll almost certainly want to refer back to much of this information later on).

While the front and back matter are virtually identical amongst the various volumes (such that each one can stand alone without the rest of the series), the core content is unique for each type of kick. This front and back matter (e.g., warm up and stretching) is a bit cursory too, though that is perfectly understandable given the primary focus of the books; truly nothing to be overly concerned with in my opinion. Each volume in the series is laid-out in an identical manner and includes the following topics:

-- Basic anatomy of the kick
-- Warm up and stretching
-- Principles of the kicking movement (e.g., stability, balance, sequence of movements, speed, accuracy, targeting, visualization, etc.)
-- Performing the primary kick (e.g., fighting position, knee raise, coil, impact, follow-through, recoil, knee drop, return to fighting position).
-- Performing variations from the primary kick (e.g., step, switch, jump, spin, cross-over, etc.)
-- Training and practice methods (e.g., skill, strength, speed, and power training)
-- Trouble shooting the kick
-- Kicking applications against an opponent
-- Author's awards and accomplishments
-- Recommended reading

No matter how well written, you cannot learn martial arts solely from a book, of course, but this series is a fantastic supplement for hands-on instruction. It covers important nuances that are rarely described adequately by most sensei (or sifu, etc.). I have found that, in general, books can reach a level of clarity and comprehensiveness that is simply not achievable with DVDs as well. This series is no exception to that rule. Despite a bit of redundancy amongst the various volumes, the technical merits and detailed analysis of the kicks make these books a stellar resource for any serious martial artist. I'm proud to include all ten volumes in my library.

Highly recommended!


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, Martial Arts Instruction, The Way to Black Belt, and The Way of Kata

THE RISE AND FALL OF DODGERTOWN: 60 YEARS OF BASEBALL IN VERO BEACH is a specialty item for baseball collections and Vero Beach area residents who enjoy game history. It charts the history of the Dodgers, who have been coming to Vero Beach every spring since 1948, and it tells of an entire culture and community which sprang up around the rise of 'Dodgertown'. Baseball fans will find this an engrossing history.

This book really captures the spirit of Dodgertown and the special bond that grew and splintered between the community of Vero Beach and the Dodgers there. This book is packed with pictures and stories of Dodger greats, past and present. It's a shame they had to leave it, Spring Training will never be the same. But at least it's captured in prose!

Clearly a labor of love, this book tells not only Dodgertown's story, but baseball's and America's. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys forays into the cultural and economic evolution of the game. While baseball's players and facilities may have undergone dramatic changes through the years, Johnson's love of the sport clearly has not. A masterful work.

Tom

P.S. I also recommend "Spring Training Handbook" which goes to similar lengths to detail baseball's history in Florida.

This is a fascinating story, well researched by the author and laced with historic pictures. The book is full of anecdotes that vividly evoke the sixty years of Dodgertown and much more. Fay Vincent got it right: "It's a story that deserved telling. Rody has told it--and told it well."

At exactly the stroke of midnight last night, I read the last page of Dodgertown and laid the book aside. It was a wonderful read. I was sorry it ended.

The book is a winner in so many ways. Obviously, a tremendous amount of research went into it. But at the same time, it wears its research well, never becoming a tome. Knowing virtually nothing about Vero, the Dodgers, or the history of baseball, I kept learning on each page, while growing familiar with the place, the people, and the wonderful mystique of spring training. I really felt I was there.

And so, I was saddened, I mean really moved and at times angry, during those final chapters when everything seemed to fall apart. Your own last pages indicate that you, and probably others, have philosophically come to grips with the passing of the good old days, but for a reader like me, new to it all, it's terribly difficult to let go. I kept wanting to go back to the O'Malley days. I felt personal loss in that I'll probably never be able to experience the special nature of Dodgertown. Oh, sure - another team may come in. For a while it even looked as though it might be the Orioles. But even if the Os' had moved to Vero, the camp wouldn't have been the same.

I was looking for some new training ideas
and this book gave me plenty. While not big on
diet and nutrition (plenty of other books cover that)
it did give me lots of ideas on how to change my
workouts.

After reading it, I think the goal of the book is to
give people different workouts to try and from those
workouts give women and men some new and different
choices that can help keep them motivated and
working out and not quitting because of boredom or
no results.

I enjoyed the author's web site....
He seems like someone who's down to earth, very
knowledegable and speaks about the mental aspect
and its importance unlike any of the other
fitness and health experts out there.

I have been lifting for 18 months now, I have varied my routine about every 8-12 weeks or so and was running out of ideas,this book is full of great workouts each for different goals and a lot of usefull tips for lifting, a little bit of general nutritional info but definitely great for the weight lifters.

This book is perfect for anyone who is into bodybuilding, or just lifting weights to get into shape. It offers workouts for people who can make it to the gym only 3 times a week, those who can go more often, and those who can't make it at all!

Normally the most difficult thing for me to overcome when working out is boredom. However, with this book, I can change up my routine whenever the old one gets boring. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

I won't go nuts with this review because it is simple -

This author and this book is the first step to take...PERIOD!
I had been working out since I was 14, and I honestly did not know what I was doing until I was about 24 or older. Lots of wasted time! I had read many books, tons of those popular "magazines". All of them left me confused and going in circles.

My advice - start with this book and read it cover to cover. Then go buy his other books Bodybuilding 101 and Bodybuilding 201. These 3 books alone will give you all you need to know for your first 2 or 3 years of training. After that, your experience and knowledge will guide you from then on. I also recommend buying any other book Dr. Wolff has written. Also, this guy is no pasty pale, 100 pound Doctor reading from a textbook. He has used these methods himself and as you can see by the pictures of him in the books, he is huge and healthy. He walks the walk.

Robert Wolff gives you proven and time tested material, coupled with his own personal experience. He goes over proper diet, proper technique and methodology to get you started off on the right foot. All of us are different and what works in the magazine interviews of the Pro bodybuilders probably will not work for you.

Did I mention that the author really will answer your e-mail questions!! Yes, I have had actually direct communication with him. He answered my questions and was more than happy to help!!!

Forget Atkins, South Beach, and all the other hype out there. Read and learn from Dr. Wolff.

I'm so tired of the old three sets of this and three times a week of that. I almost wanted to stop training. And I'm not too excited at the thought of spending more money on personal trainers, so I bought Robert Wolff's Great Workout book. Best money I ever spent.

I kinda feel uncomfortable writing where everyone can read what I'm saying, but I will say that the workouts are different, some of them are tough, but they work really, really well and that's all I was looking for in a workout book.

I bought his other book called Bodybuilding 101 and found it to be more informative as far as information for a beginner to advanced. But having said that, I think this next book offers a lot more in the way of workouts than Bodybuilding 101 did. For that reason and because it's worked really well for me, I give it five stars.

I'm a serious athlete and train people professionlly (as a career) and this book does what it claims... it takes the latest and greatest information on running and endurance training in general and puts it all under one title in an easy to digest format. Train smarter, not harder. Buy this book!

It's tough to find a running book that isn't just a rehash of the same old stuff. This excellent guide is very technical in places, but full of new information that you haven't heard a hundred times. Recommended.

I just finished reading The Cutting-Edge Runner. This is one of the few running books that I read from cover to cover. Many of the books out there fill half the pages with running plans, this book focuses on providing great useful content. I'm training for the Richmond Marathon, and have already incorporated a few of Matt's suggestions into my program. The book is truely on the cutting edge, Matt provides the latest concepts on how to run faster, longer and healthier.

I used to do triathlons, but now I figure I'm primarily a runner. I just turned forty, and I am on a quest to get my 5k time from the 19 minute range down to 18 minutes. I figure if I can do that I'll start winning or placing in my new age category; that's my way of dealing with middle age and mid-life crises and so on.

I typically read a couple running books a month, looking for ways to improve, and this book really stands out. The author cites numerous studies and relates his personal experience in incorporating new discoveries into his training. If you subscribe to Runners World, you're probably familiar with most of these advances, but it's all thoughtfully considered here in a way that lends itself to reading cover to cover.

This is an absolutely amazing, and probably most cutting-edge book on running you can find on today's book market (summer 2006), and a large part of its appeal is the fact that the content and the author's numerous recommendations are based on recent, serious, and carefully analyzed research.

This means, alas, that the book is VERY technical, and often assumes that the reader will understand without further need for explanations some fairly arcane terminology in the areas of sports medicine, biomechanics, and physiology. Admittedly, the author makes a good-faith effort to explain some of the more complex issues, but sometimes even that is not quite enough for this reader.

Although it will be a good, informative, and worthwhile read for all those interested in running, the recommendations and advice will be of use mostly to (and are almost exclusively directed at) serious, competitive, and very experienced runners.

I have to admit that since I focus on running as only a small part of a basic general fitness program, i.e., I have completely NO interest in running competitively, or in training for a marathon :) - most of this info. is not for me. Still, for those more focused on running competitively, it is probably a very valuable, cutting-edge read.

I hope that at some point the author will take the time and write a book based on the same well-informed sources, but directed at a more casual runner, and general reader without sports-medicine background like me.

We revamped our entire sales process and compensation package. This book was an excellent resource for us and helped us go from point A to point B relatively easily

Here is a great book for sales managers. Gets to the point, easy to read and offers great value for money. Don't bypass this for books heavy on theory and lacking practical ideas to increase your sales

In "Sales Management Power Strategies", the author makes it clear that increasing sales revenue is the responsibility of several departments working together. As you read this book you will get many ideas that you can easily implement to help your sales department succeed. Paul takes you step-by-step from hiring the right person, setting quotas and accurately forecasting results, to getting the entire company focused on revenue.

As CFO of a high tech company, I especially appreciated the practical advice, as well as the worksheets for getting top revenue performance from the company. We have already started implementing some of the ideas in this book and know we will be seeing great results.

If you're looking for a business book to add to your sales library, this should be the next book you read.

It has been said that if something is unmanaged it is uncontrolled. If sales management was truly honest, "shoot from the hip" would best describe their current sales processes. In his book, Mr. DiModica transforms time tested revenue strategies into action steps. The title says it all "building a replicable and scalable sales process." This is a great resource for any organization that is unsatisfied with their sales performance.

If you are looking to manage your sales team more effectively, then get this book. The author gives very specific details on how to manage your salespeople by metrics, develop a sales scorecard, calculate sales quotas and targets accurately, and hire the right sales staff for your company. Lots of books out there are full of fluff and generalizations, but this particular book gives techniques and strategies that work in the real world and will help increase your team's peak performance. I recommend this book to anyone seeking to build or improve their sales team.

SalesBURST, can help make a difference in your career no matter what industry your in. Pat's advice, guidance, and insights help you understand the art of selling anything! (sell yourself, projects, products!). It's a quick, funny, informative read, and you'll find yourself sharing Pat's techniques and stories with friends & family! I love 'sell me this pen'!

If you want to learn how to sell smart, read SalesBurst. I was a part of EVCOR, which is where Pat Evans developed the SalesBurst methodology. The principals of SalesBurst helped make my company grow at an incredibly fast rate and ultimately made me wealthy. I still use these techniques today. SalesBurst is a must read for anyone who wants to succeed in sales and mandatory for my sales force at MarXam LLC.

I know Pat Evans. I contacted him after reading his very enjoyable, useful sales primer.
"Pat, I'm going to write a review of your book. I think it provides really good sales lessons for anyone, be they budding or experienced personnel. I think it is worthwhile, but I don't often give five stars in my reviews."

"Look" he said "You say it provides really good sales lessons, you say it is worthwhile for sales people at all levels. It deserves five stars - absolutely."

That conversation sums up the book. No nonsense, easy to use ideas that should create a sales burst for you and your colleagues. And he sold me on giving the book five stars!

I have personally known Pat for over 10 years, and this guy knows sales.

From prospecting to closing, everytime I talk to Pat I learn something new. It's like those moments when you hit your head and say, "Darn, why didn't I think of that on my own?" Great stuff you need to know.

Pat is a wonderful sales teacher, and I'm sure you will enjoy learning from him as I have.

Sales Burst is a winner. Fast moving, hard hitting and designed to help you deliver results fast. Take my advice. Buy this book today!

Jeb Blount, author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

John Richard Young is one of the finest minds and spirits dedicated to training our companions on the planet( he trained dogs as well as horses). The revised edition of his Training of the (Western) Horse is the single book needed by the neophyte who comes to horsemanship and equitation with an intelligent desire to make the horse a partner in pleasure and comeptitive sports alike. I wish the University of Oklahoma Press would bring out a new edition, and also gather his articles written for various horse publications into a third volume for the compleat JRY. His death was a loss to the equestrian community, but this book with its broad understanding of history and the varied styles of riding and uses of horses over the centuries is without a peer in the specialized literature of the Horse World, and remains as his monument.
Olivia Tsosie

I have read the book by Mr. Young and I have tried his theories and I have found them very helpful on not just my horse but on many other horses as well. I own a very spirited Arabian and were it not for this book I would have given up on him. I am always quoting from this book when I try to teach others why they are having problems with their horse. It is an excellent book to have as a reference guide and highly recommend that novice horsepeople, judges in horse competitions and even experienced riders read this book. I have read horse magazines as well as other books by different authors and JRY's book is the standard by which I measure them by. I come from a place where the methods are somewhat harsh and crude but I always thought there was a better way. Thank God the local Library had a copy and that there was a man named John Richard Young. I now own a copy of my own.

I WAS GIVEN THE ORIGINAL BOOK BY JOHN RICHARD YOUNG BY SOMEONE WHO GROW UP THE SAME TIME AS GREATS LIKE JRY AND MONTY FOREMAN. THIS BOOK SHOULD BE READ BY ANYONE RIDING OR ATTEMPTING TO TRAIN HORSES. JRY'S STYLE OF ASKING "WHY" AND GETTING YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE ASKING THE HORSE TO DO IS FANTASTIC. I GO BACK TO THIS BOOK CONSTANTLY, NOT ALWAYS FOR SPECIFIC RULES AND TECHNIQUES, BUT RATHER FOR THE THOUGHTS AND THEORIES JOHN R. YOUNG PROVIDES. HE TEACHES YOU THAT THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO TRAINING AND TELLS YOU WHAT TO BE LOOKING FOR EACH STEP OF THE WAY. THE CHAPTER ON BITS AND SADDLES IS ALONE WORTH THE COST OF THE BOOK. YOU WILL LEARN THAT ANY BIT WITH A SHANK IS A CURB BIT, AND WHAT THE BALANCED SADDLE LOOKS LIKE, WESTERN OR ENGLISH. AND WHY YOU CAN'T RIDE RIGHT IN MOST MODERN SADDLES. IF YOU CARE ABOUT HORSES AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, THIS BOOK IS MUST READING. YOU AND YOUR HORSE WILL BE HAPPIER FOLLOWING JRY'S IDEALS. THIS BOOK WILL GIVE YOU THE COURAGE TO TRAIN AND RIDE IN A COMMON SENSE WAY, WITH THE KNOWLEGE TO BACK IT, SO YOU WON'T SUCCOMB TO RIDICULOUS, AND SOMETIME DANGEROUS METHODS PROMOTED TODAY.

I originally read this book in its first edition dating back to the 1950's: "Schooling the Western Horse." This book, however, is less about training "western" horses, than about Mr. Young's philosophy of training for any horse. It relates as much to dressage as to "western" training. Although Mr. Young does not deal in the usual language of dressage trainers, his comments will be thought provoking for anyone interested in working with horses. More than anything else, he asks potential horsemen to really think about what they are doing,and what they wish to achieve, and not to accept conventional wisdom - to ask questions of their instructors, etc. Although those well-grounded in dressage will be able to find fault with some of Mr. Young's comments, I think they will still find this book an interesting addition to their equestrian library. In fact, it should be noted that "Dressage Today", the official Publication of the United States Dressage Federation has recently started a series of articles on a correspondence between the late Mr. Young and an experience dressage rider. I love this book and its companion, "Schooling for Young Riders," which is a training book put in the form of the story of Mr. Young training a pony for his daughter and teaching her to ride at the same time

Truly one of the great written works on interdisciplinary horsemanship-- Jaime Jackson Author, The Natural Horse: Foundations For Natural Horsemanship

As a 8 year manager in the pharm industry, I can say that the author "nails it". For reps new to the industry I would use this as a handbook and refer to it often. For veterans, it is helpful to remind us what truly gets the business rather than chasing activity reports.

Very solid book!!!

After having read many books on the subject of "how to be a good pharma sales rep," this is truly one-of-a-kind and worth reading! Since it's written from an insider's perspective, the terminology, the situations, and the scenarios ring true. If you want to learn how to be a top performing rep, the information is there for the taking. There are mini self-assessments at the conclusion of each chapter so you can quickly tell where you are in terms of mastering that particular step. In addition, there are bullet-pointed summaries at the end of each short chapter.
For those who are not yet in the business or who need a "primer" before coming to training, be ready to learn the lingo - this is how real reps talk to one another and how they operate. This is the real deal. Don't miss it!

After more than 7,000 sales calls in pharmaceutical sales working for AZ, this book brought me back to the basics that made me so successful. This book is particularly powerful because it is written by a former top producing rep, someone who has been there, and not an administrator. If your sales are dragging, this book is a powerful Rx for success!

Sarah was a top performer with a major pharma company, then decided to spend a year interviewing top pharmaceutical salespeople with an eye toward writing this book.

She became increasingly concerned as she discovered that the "secrets" to success were not so secret after all; it was continual application of the basics. She wrote the book anyway, figuring that if that was what led to success, then it needed to be said.

The book's main drawback is that it is short, basic, and simple. Its main strength is that it is short, basic, and simple.

It covers 10 very fundamental and universal behaviors that all pharmaceutical sales representatives should practice. There is nothing new here, and at first, this took me aback somewhat. Then I realized what the chief benefit of such a book could be - giving it out to sales reps would reinforce exactly what every company emphasizes, but provide an "outside" validation of those messages. Based not on theory, or novelty, but on the track record of successful professionals "in the trenches."

You won't buy this book to discover novel techniques. But you just may hand it out to your district sales people, or new hires, as a reinforcement and a motivational tool. I recently loaned it to someone who was in the midst of interviewing for a pharmaceutical sales position; he stated that he wished he'd had it before the first 2 interviews!

What a fantastic book - I highly recommend it to all of my friends in pharmaceuticals. Thank you for mailing it quickly too!

The course gave a great overview into SharePoint. While a good product, the SharePoint interface can be somewhat unintuitive. This course was great for bridging that gap.

I purchased this training video early on. I also took a class on Sharepoint. I found that the video was much more comprehensive than the class, and covered Sharepoint Portal and Sharepoint Windows. The topics cover all the nuts and bolts of setting up and managing a Sharepoint website. I would recommend it for anyone who is anticipating the installation of a Sharepoint site or is in the early stages of building and managing a Sharepoint site. Additionally the DVD on Sharepoint 2003: Development is also comprehensive and very useful.

This DVD provides a great overview of all the important Share Point functionality with an easy to navigate menu allowing easy toggle between topics. As the IT Manager for a large construction firm, this DVD allows me to easily review only the topics I need to focus on. Continuous visual images of the narrator provide the feeling of being in a classroom environment although probably not critical to getting the message across. A great purchase for any company deploying sharepoint! Recommended.

The topics covered in the video are very in depth. The video also provides a URL that allows you to download a virtual pc image to follow along with demos and labs. This video should be enough to get even the most novice Sharepoint users up and running.

Great training!! The best I have seen so far. It's well worth it. The topics covered are very comprehensive and the Virtual PC image is also great for practitce.