F Books

This is a wonderful book of popular songs in Spanish, which my triplet boys latched onto immediately. The songs are very engaging, and each page has lovely artwork. I speak Spanish, and my boys were born in Spain. I have been trying very hard to help them maintain a little Spanish, and this book has been very helpful. It doesn't come with a CD, but you can easily learn the tunes of the songs if you know how to read music. And even if you only speak rudimentary Spanish, I think it's possible to learn the songs and enjoy them.

This book quickly became the boys' favorite bedtime routine. I hear them singing the songs during the day as well. I highly recommend it.

I love the colorful pictures in this book and that it has music to all of the songs. It is a wonderful book and my baby loves when I sing to him!

Beautiful pictures, and easy-to-follow tunes. A must-have for anyone who has children whom they are introducing to Spanish, and very useful for us adults as well!

My family enjoys this CD a lot. Mr. Orozco has a wonderful voice to listen to and the lyrics are fun and interesting. One song "Paz y Libertad" is emotionally touching. It is easy to learn Spanish listening to these elegant songs. I bought the other CD, Diez Deditos as a gift for a friend's family and they like that CD too.

This is an excellent book full of poems and songs. All are beatifully illustrated. Our 2 1/2 year old spends a lot of time just looking at the pictures and humming the tunes. Songs are easy to learn, fun to sing, and many have hand signs.

This book of songs is really helpful whether you are trying to emmerse your child in Spanish (as we are), or just exposing your child to a different culture and sounds.

P.S. Don't forget to buy the companion CD!

I have found Dr. Tom Plaut's Asthma Guide for People of All Ages a crucial resource as we learn about our daughter's asthma. Dr. Plaut explains asthma physiology, medications, and devices very clearly. The tone is friendly and positive. The patient stories are like a support group, giving a window into other people's experiences. Some of the stories made me count my blessings! Others illuminated issues I hadn't really thought about, but that were in fact affecting my family.

These features alone would make the Asthma Guide for People of All Ages a good buy, but Dr. Plaut's book goes beyond physiology, treatments, and personal and family impact to address two important areas many people are likely to be struggling with, and which are valuable no matter what treatment you use. It explains how to understand and respond to your individual condition; and it encourages you to take an active role in your own care.

Some doctors take a one-size-fits-all stance--"this is how I like to treat asthma," in the words of one Procrustean family practitioner we consulted. In contrast, Dr. Plaut's approach provides information and reasoning to help you to understand your particular situation. It also teaches the skills you need to identify your own personal best state, to spot your own triggers and symptoms, and to know when you need to take action to prevent further trouble.

Again, too many physicians expect the patient to blindly do whatever the doctor says. This gets my goat. Dr. Plaut's book stresses the importance of working together with an experienced physician instead of just carrying out instructions. He shows how this enables the individual or family in the trenches to handle asthma care calmly and competently in a range of situations.

Family members are encouraged to work cooperatively instead of hierarchically with one another, as well as with their physician. Dr. Plaut recognizes the common pattern where, when a child has asthma, one parent takes on the job of being the asthma authority/caregiver, and he explains why this is not a sustainable long-term plan.

In harmony with the overall emphasis on shared knowledge and responsibility, there are also chapters on dealing with asthma at school or on family vacations--where the knowledge and responsibility of people outside the immediate family become important. The school chapter has very interesting and enlightening sections on applicable laws and common indoor air pollutants--as well as on how a typical teenager might behave during an asthma episode in school!

I recommend Dr. Tom Plaut's Asthma Guide for People of All Ages to anyone interested in learning how to be an active, empowered partner in their own asthma care or that of a family member.

My son's pediatrician recommended that I read this book. Having been recently diagnosed with asthma, we were exhausted from running from doctor to doctor (for 6 years) with no answers about his "cough". We were told to do everything from "ignore it", or just give "cough medicine" so we wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. Before I read this book, I felt very out of control with regard to my son's asthma. I cried after every doctor visit because I was so utterly overwhelmed by the technical lingo and all of the different medications and when/why I was giving them. Once I started reading this book, I cannot believe how much sense everything made. I knew what questions to ask, what terminology to use and more importantly, I felt in control. My son's pediatrician even commented to me how I was asking all the right questions, and how much of a difference he could see in me! I am not as stressed when my son was experiencing a "flare-up" and I even now understand WHY I am giving each medicine and what it does to help him.
I would HIGHLY recommend reading this book for anyone who wants to know more about asthma.

Dr. Plaut's book is informative, easy to read, and helpful. His direct, no-nonsense approach to treating asthma is reassuring, particularly after being newly diagnosed with asthma. His book has enhanced our ability to communicate with our son's doctors about his symptoms, prescribed medications, and signs of improvement. We are grateful for this comprehensive resource.

This is a tremedous book for anyone that thinks they might have asthma or if they actually have been diagnosed with asthma. My 22 month old was recently diagnosed with asthma and even though I'm a college graduate I was having some trouble making sense of all the medications and reading the signs when he was having trouble since he's too young for a peak flow meter. This book covers it all in great deal and teaches you how to really manage your asthma whether you can use a peak flow meter or not. A wonderful book and worth far more than the list price. The author is actually an asthma specialist and indicated you can get the information in this book from your doctor, but it would take 10 hours. It would be difficult for you to remember and you would probably not want to pay for it! I think that is a good description of this book! It goes along exactly with what my doctor has been saying, only presents it in an organized manner along with some forms in the back to keep a daily diary and treatment plan. EXCELLENT!!!

I have read a number of books and articles on asthma. This is by far the most comprehensive, up to date and it is easy to understand, too. I checked a copy from my library but it is so good that I am going to purchase it for my personal reference library as well as my child's school nurse. This book even has short section explaining cough-variant asthma, which is what both me and my son have...this is a little known type of asthma which in my case was mis-diagnosed for 35 years.

My son who is 13 yrs old loves this book and so do his friends. Beautiful pics but very heavy book.

This book packs a punch -- well written and an excellent compilation of historical data. Steve Davies and Doug Dildy have truly produced the finest book ever written on the world's greatest air superiority fighter. All Eagle Drivers need a copy of this book.

This is the best book I have seen on the mighty F-15 Eagle. I "must have" for any fighter aircraft enthusiast.

An outstanding work. Excellent pictures, references and the text written by former fighter pilots brought back a flood of memories. The book is a worthy tribute to a great aircraft. Highly recommended.

Tony M. (WGFP)

The Boeing F-15 Eagle was unquestionably the world's most capable fighter from the late '70s until the entry into service of the new "3.5-4 generation" aircrafts in the last years, and Steve Davies has done a great job of describing its technologies, development and service with the USAF and other air forces around the world.
Breaking the tradition set by earlier generations of USAF "jack of all trades" jets (primary the F-4 Phantom), the Eagle was designed uncompromisingly to meet the demanding USAF's requirements as a pure air superiority fighter to counter the treat of the new Soviet MiGs, becoming only later a true multimission- strike aircraft with the -E model.
Short of a set of pilots notes and supported by a wealth of superb photography, Steve Davies provides the reader with just about all there is to know about what is justifiably claimed to be the world's most successful jet fighter. I just hope to see more title like this from the Osprey Publishing in the future.

I love the format of the daily prayers in this book and the way that scripture is incorporated into the prayer as well as promptings for personal prayer time as well. This is a great way to have daily worship and prayer time, as well as reinforcing God's word into our memory.

This is a prayer book that turned my quiet time into something i began to look forward to. Dr Ken Boa shows how verses from the Word of God, when prayed in the structure of the Lord's Prayer can transform your relationship with Him. Buy the book for yourself or better still, gift it as a blessing to somebody else!

Face to Face has become a mainstay for my time in the Word of God. The daily scriptures always apply to personal life - always timely. I like the size and covering of the book - I can take it with me anywhere - usually it goes with me daily to the gym. It is a great source of refreshment and getting my thoughts grounded back on the absolute Truth of God's Word. There's always a verse or two that I end up copying on an index card to keep before my eyes regularly.

In the introduction to this book the author writes, "The problem with prayer is heightened by the fact that people often succumb either to the extreme of all form and no freedom, or the opposite extreme of all freedom and no form". I was pretty much in the all freedom trap and felt my time spent praying was wasted a lot of times due to my inabilty to get my mind in order. This book has really helped me to improve my prayer life.

I really enjoyed the way the book is organized with gentle nudges at the end of each section to get you going in the right direction. My previous prayer efforts consisted of me basically free associating. Since purchasing this book I have found myself getting to my point or just finding what I want to say much faster and with much, much more clarity. I also learned work in a time to stop and listen for a change, too!

Another problem I had had with my prayer style was the pure inabilty to pray out loud. I'm not talking about in front of people or groups; I mean just praying out loud, alone, in my house. It was like my brain would freeze when I opened my mouth. Reading aloud the passages inluded in each section allowed me to let my mind get 'warmed up' and my prayer just flowed out after I finished reading a section.

This isn't a Book of Prayers that you just read out loud. Rather, this is a book that lets you pray God's word back to him and then nudges you in a general direction that you fully expand on yourself. I found this book series recommended on my church's website and am very glad that I found them. Just to be clear, the book isn't a Bible replacement or a list of prayers. Face to Face is organized based off the Lord's prayer and is merely a guide to developing more meaningful prayer. I highly recommend it.

This book has been a spiritual renewal. I would recommend it to anyone who desire to draw into a more intimate prayer life with our creator.

Fiction First Aid, by Raymond Obstfeld, is packed with practical, no-nonsense tips for troubleshooting a manuscript that "needs something." It's organized simply, with chapters about plot, characterization, setting, style, theme, and the writer's life. Each chapter has sections describing symptoms, the ailment, diagnosis, and treatment. Because the author's approach assumes that the reader has already written a manuscript, I wouldn't recommend Fiction First Aid as the very first "how-to" book for a novice. But this one is high on my list of favorites.

I was looking for a writing guide that dealt more with plot and characterization as opposed to really technical issues (grammar, syntax, etc). My grammar is fine, but sometimes I need a reminder as to why my character isn't working or the plot is flat.

Instead of teaching about why a sentence seems off, it tells you why the story seems off.

This book is easy to read, well conceived and incredibly helpful. Obstfeld knows his stuff and he writes from the perspective of one who has been in the trenches and knows what writers need to know. Highly recommended.

I've read many other fiction writing helping books (2!), and I can solemnly swear that this one is the best. Instead of destroying your dreams of being a writer by constantly reminding you that writing is a hard business to get into (as if I didn't know that), it offers you hope. The author obviously is experienced at writing fiction, as he teaches a class. This book is well garnished with many interesting and helpful anecdotes. The problems he adresses are things that I've been concerned about in my writing, but had not been able to find answers to in other books. It's written in a very easy to read and noncondescending manner, and has good eamples. I wholly recommend this book!

I'm an editing book junkie, and this is hands down the best one I've ever read. It gives specifics on trouble spots and what to look for, and actually tells you how to fix them. So many books I've read just advise of what to do, but never show you how. I read through the pages thinking, "I do that. Yikes, I do that too." My work has improved trememdously since I read this book. I think every writer who wants to polish his work or give it a final once over before submission should read it.

This book contains four separate sections, one on each of the cardinal virtues. In each of these, Pieper takes a look at the virtue as defined, or often mis-defined by the contemporary world and he contrasts this with how the Church in general and St. Thomas in particular understand that given virtue. What emerges is a picture of true humanity. Often what the world offers us is appealing but insufficient, God calls us to go deeper and strive to reach higher, and in return He promises us true joy. As other reviewers have noted, this is a challenging but rewarding read. The insights it provides leave much to ponder as to how we can truly begin to live more richly in God's desire for us.

Simply brilliant reading. Living naturally is what the crux of this book is all about.

The book delves into ethics, civics, justice, philosophy, psychology, and I think it is a healthy tool for understanding classical literature: Shakespeare, for example, and the inner psychology of his characters as this moral plain, that Pieper describes, is so much closer to his than most of what we hear in our modernity.

Pieper, here, spends time defining what the classic moral compass is, taken primarily from the last officially sanctioned church doctor St. Thomas Aquinas. Pieper brings Aquinas and other philosophers' language up to date, for the ears of the modern mind. Christianityfs definition has too much to do with how it's enemies, or alterior users, wish to define it and Pieper spends a short time correcting this in places.

If you liked this you might like Pieper's Virtues of the Human Heart which is a bit less discriptive but more powerful.

Pieper also makes the point that the most important stuggle is the internal struggle for meaning and direction in any organization or person.

Tapping into the core of the western philosophical tradition, Pieper shows the reader how the ancient virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, have a universal and pressing contemporary application, in the world of human decision making....i.e., the right thinking that clears a path ahead. Formulated out of the Greek, Roman, Hebrew, and Christian traditions, he reminds of their elemental spirtual basis in Faith, Hope, and Charity.

He notes with special emphasis, the primacy of the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence, as the clear eyed and humanly perfectable, effort to take a hard, and as objective as possible, look, at the entire factual context of a decision. And, in one of the most beautiful chapters among many in this wonderful book, is Pieper's elucidation of how this caluclation is aligned and informed by the the Spiritual Virtue of Charity.

I find the book to be both a practical and a spiritual insight into human awareness itself.

I first came into contact with this work because it was a required text for my seminary class on ethics. Pieper is a first rate German philosopher and expert on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas.

If you study this book, The Four Cardinal Virtues (fortitude, temperance, justice, and prudence), along with his other book, Faith, Hope, Love (the three theological virtues), you will have a wonderful primer on ethics.

One word of warning. Philosophy is not light reading. I know, it was one of my majors. Philosophy written in German and translated into English produces a book not for the timid. If you are willing to take on the challenge, more power to you. It is worth the effort, but you should know what you are getting into before you put down your money. This is a book for those who want to think and wrestle with ethics. It is not for everyone.

I read this book over and over again. Pieper is a great antidote to the vagueness of some modern Catholic writers who tend to use a feel-good approach to virtue and write vaguely about sharing, caring, and being nice to people. This book tells you what the virtues really are and what they have meant to the Church for two thousand years.

This is a great on site guide for any one looking for a simple and accurate guide to building rafters.

I had a copy of this book when I worked as a carpenter. I rebought it for my son who is in the trade, and is planning to start cutting roofs in Montana. This will be a very valuable asset !!!

I have probably ruined five of these books, due to rain, losing them, etc. I just keep on buying them. After you measure spans you do not have to go back up on the roof. This is the best roof framing book of all. Five stars.

Trig calculators are for guys who wear visors, carry framing axes, and use sinker nails because they don't know how to drive a common nail. This is the book that the salty old man who takes pride in the fact that the house aint a quarter out; it's plumb level and square keeps on hand. I bought an extra copy for the old man who wore his out after 35 years, and taught me the value of doing things right. Read it and use it and you can frame any roof based on the principles it effectively teaches.

I learned to be a carpenter from my grandfather, and other master craftsmen that I worked under during my five-year union apprenticeship in Southern California. That was during the time when a lot of the carpentry teachers were still wearing white-bib overalls instead of the toolbelts we wear around our waists nowadays. This book review is derived from many sources: The various conversations I had with some of those long-gone master craftsmen from years ago, the good things that master framer Larry Haun said about this book in his Framing Roofs DVD, the use of this book by master roof cutter Steve Peters in his video series, "The Art of Roof Cutting," and a few other things that I learned along the way while researching this text, carpentry history, and this author.

An early settler and carpenter, born in 1889, by the name of Augustus Frederick John Riechers wrote this book, "Full Length Roof Framer," and published it in 1917. Then, in 1944, he renewed the copyright for a second time right around the same time as D-Day, on June 6th, 1944, when Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy to fight for the liberation of Europe during the Second World War. I'm also told by a family member of Augustus that this book received its last renewal copyright in 1969 before it changed hands to a new copyright owner in 1992.

Augustus Riechers was born during a time in architectural history when the Victorian style homes were still enjoying their success on American soil as well as Great Britain. These old Victorians, especially the Queen Anne styles, were a true testament to the incredible craftsmanship and talents of carpenters at that time. Sophisticated rooflines and elaborate turrets adorned these homes like jewels never again to be replicated! These were the master carpenters that Augustus learned his trade from, and they didn't have the fancy scientific calculators that we do today with their sine, cosine, and tangent functions to cut those roofs and turrets.

Even so, according to what some of the long-gone carpenters and my grandfather told me many years ago when I was an apprentice, was that they did utilize one little booklet titled, "The Carpenter's and Builder's Practical Rules for Laying out Work." This book was written by a brother carpenter named Milton N. Rogers in 1901. I'm also told that in its day, it was very popular with carpenters because it contained useful information such as reading a steel square, rules for kerfing, along with information concerning common, hip, jack, and valley rafters. In addition, I was told that the carpenters back then really liked how this book fit into the pockets of their bib-overalls along with their carpenter pencils. However, this booklet, as popular as it was, did not cover enough information specifically for cutting roofs, so they just relied more on their good-ole framing squares or drylines.

Let's continue on with some important dates in the history of this book. It's 1944, what is happening in our country? Well, for starters, we're still at war with the Japanese, and Americans are looking forward to getting back to normal life. However, it will still be just over a year until the Japanese surrender. Then, finally, it happens! The war is over! The Japanese sign the surrender agreement that's referred to as V-J Day, on September 2, 1945. Victory over Japan!

With the Second World War finally over, life in America was about to change dramatically again. Returning veterans by hundreds of thousands now back home wanted to secure jobs and start new families. Married veterans desired the same aspirations with the wives and children they had left behind. Factories that were converted to producing supplies and materials for the war effort could now begin switching back to their normal operations, and the millions of courageous women that we refer to as "Rosie the Riveter," that ran those factories during the war, could once again return to their homes to be with their families. With these situations going on, however, we now had another growing problem: How in the world are we going to build enough houses fast enough for these thousands upon thousands of families?

Enter again now, the carpenters. They now have the enormous task of building homes for literally hundreds of thousands all across America! How are they going to keep up with the huge demand? That's where resourceful carpenters like the author of "Full Length Roof Framer," as well as many other talented craftsmen, took on the challenge and began developing newer methods for building homes more efficiently. This book, by Augustus Riechers, was certainly one of the tools that they came up with and utilized. At last, the carpenters had a book that could be carried inside a pocket, and still give every rafter length that was needed to get the houses built faster to meet the demand!

Now, and in conclusion, here we are today in the 21st Century. We're much faster production framers than our brother carpenters were in those days with our nail guns and roof trusses, but it's still nice to have a little book like this around for the times when we do stick-build a roof or two. At any rate, the next time you hear about this book, or read a review on it, consider owning it for nothing else but the short history behind it and its place in carpentry history. In addition, don't fret about which is better, calculators or rafter books. It's just a simple matter of preference. To some, calculators are faster. To others, rafter books are faster. I recommend this Library edition because it's very thin and compact. It fits nicely in the pouch of your toolbelt and it doesn't care if you get a little sawdust on it or drop it like my construction calculator does. I'll close this review with this: I own two copies of this book. One to use on the job when needed, and one to keep safely wrapped in our family's hopechest for our children.

This book review is dedicated to the memory of this legendary master carpenter named Augustus Frederick John Riechers, who passed away in October 1978 in Palo Alto, California. I, as well as countless other carpenters worldwide thank him for taking the time, and effort, to write a book like this to make the carpenter's job a little easier. It's also dedicated to the long-since-gone craftsmen in their white-bib overalls that left the rest of us a legacy and example to follow, and to keep this tradition going by passing along what we have learned to all carpenters far and wide.

This book is a gem! Andrew Knight's ideas for creating a "hook" are both practical and achievable. The fact that many of the "hooks" are based on his own background should encourage readers to examine their own experiences
to see how they can be used on a college application. I wish this book had been around when I was a school counselor!

Mary T. Richardson M.Ed

Let me start of with a couple of points of critique. Some of the ideas are slightly debatable. For instance, in Chapter 3 on the `Hook' more value is placed on activities that are not time-consuming than those that actually take up time. Does the experience of being involved not count for something? While this question is answered (p. 123) with the advice to pursue a cause "even if it takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears," the book seems to contradict itself at least slightly on this point.

Chapter 2 on grade engineering also poses an issue. On page 48, the advice is given that if a student has a 98% average in English he should begin submitting C quality work. This seems to contradict earlier statements on page 23 about doing outstanding in select classes in order to receive excellent letters of recommendation. If one partakes in true grade engineering achieving the minimum it takes to receive an A, how can one impress those who are in a position to write a letter of recommendation?

Setting aside my knit-pickiness, all-in-all this book provides EXTREMELY valuable insight not only on winning scholarships and getting into the school of your choice, but on life in general. I have recently completed a bachelor's degree and wish that I had my hands on this book as a high-school freshman so that I would not currently have thousands of dollars in student loans. As a self-acknowledged perfectionist, Andrew Knight's book has truly led me to think more deeply (and even philosophically) about why I work so hard to be an overachiever and why I should instead be an "opti-achievier," putting focus on only the worthiest and most interesting activities. While this book is intended for students or parents of students, I personally feel that there are lessons provided that could seriously benefit anyone who reads this piece of work.

I met Andrew while I was an undergrad at MIT (he was a grad student) and can personally vouch for his credentials and experience.

I think Mr. Knight does a great job in this book because he takes a very fresh approach to getting into a great college and getting a lucrative scholarship. Knight tells students to focus on activities which add value and make you "stand out of the crowd", rather than the 100 standard things good students do in school. He really approaches the problem of building a great academic resume as a businessman -- he suggests that you can maximize a scarce resource (your time and attention) by focusing on unusual, high-profile, and unique activities.

Another interesting angle of the book is that it makes arguments and attempts to persuade the reader through rational argument, rather than fiat argument. If you have a smart high school kid, he or she will really appreciate the adult tone the book takes when suggesting different plans for achieving academic success. If you're a parent with a younger child, this book will make sense to you and will convince you that Knight is right.

In retrospect, I really wish I had this book when I was in high school. I spent a lot of time doing marginal activies (National Honor Society, humdrum community service, etc) and was generally really stressed out. I'm sure I could have spent my time much more effectively. I think kids today are under too much pressure to do too much stuff. This book can help you have academic success and enjoy your life at the same time.

Andrew Knight's book is a good read, easy to follow and is arranged well. The book provides strategies that Andrew used to get lots of money and get into great colleges, and the strategies are easy to follow and are things that would not be shown to you in any other book. If you are in high school, READ THIS BOOK! Its not just for high schoolers, but it is applicable for college students and for seniors ready to get out into the working world. But if you are in high school, now is the time to read the book and apply it's techniques to your life and get scholarships. The book really shows how easy it is to do this. It is great to see someone providing this sort of info in order to help others get great financial help and get into excellent institutions.

Brian Steele
Geology Major at University of Georgia
Graduating in the Fall 2008 with a B.S.

Knight's "Full Ride to College: How to Win Scholarships and Get Admitted to the College of Your Dreams" is a must have for every student. This book is very helpful in finding the many opportunities afforded the students aspiring to continue their education. I think that students should be equipped with this book in their last years of high school. It really helps you get motivated to have a successful college search and ways to finance your education. This book helps alleviate the stressful process of college applications and makes the transition a comforting one. Please buy this book for yourself if you are a student or for you children if you are a parent. College is possible and this books tells you how to get there!!!!

Foley's book, The Global Entrepreneur, is an excellent resource for anyone interested in international trade, and the multi-faceted considerations one must give to the endeavor. It is particularly helpful to those interested in export sales, and marketing, with an insightful view to a variety of approaches a business person can take to the marketplace. The book addresses Self-assesment and Market Research, Business Preparation and Developing Global Partners, Logistics and Finance, and Sustaining Success. Foley successfully demystifies global business, and walks the business person with an interest in global markets from the idea stage through to long-term customer relationship management. This is a great read.

Mr. Foley takes it right from the start - from solid information on whether to even consider making international sales, all the way through to direct foreign investment. Along the way he provides detailed examples, reference materials, and a number of excellent resources that take the mystery out of international sales.

Perhaps most importantly, this is not a regurgitation of MBA material on the subject - Mr. Foley has directly relevant experience, having spearheaded international expansions earlier in his career and now advising companies on how to achieve their global potential.

This is an excellent reference that our company continues to use as we expand to new markets globally and work to increase our share in markets we're already addressing.

Exciting, inspiring, motivating, encouraging, helpful, informative, clear, comprehensible, easy to read. Excellent book!!! Knowledge, experience, and passion towards discussed topics just shines through every page. Written in a easy to understand language, the book is a perfect aid to not only beginning exporters/importers, but also experienced ones. Lexicon doesn't belittle reader's mental abilities by chewing on every elementary detail; at the same time it doesn't bombard anybody by heavy concepts and trade jargon. Author uses great approach to delivering information - logical, clear and ordered.

As a newcomer to the "world of global business," I was searching for one resource that would quickly build my understanding of the various aspects of the international arena. I was thrilled to discover The Global Entrepreneur, by James Foley. This book covers everything from basic definitions to the broad issues of "how," "why," and "when" to go global, while also providing solid information on specific topics such as logistics, marketing, relationship building, strategic planning, and using the internet.
And it accomplishes all this in an informal, easy to read and understand style. Mr. Foley writes in a conversational manner, taking information that could be quite dry and boring, and making it interesting and exciting. As an added benefit, the book also includes numerous other resources to enhance your research and exploration of the global arena.
The Global Entrepreneur offers a wealth of information and is a practical resource/reference book for anyone involved in, or becoming involved with, global business.

This is an excellent source for everything from foreign market evaluation to the documentation for your first sale. Well written and enjoyable to read. While startng out in the game of global enterprise, I have a lot of questions. The questions are being answered, plus all the ones I didn't know I needed to ask. The book excites me to pursue the markets. Before hand I thought it would frighten or discourage me, reading about all the work and risk involved. It was encouraging to hear that international business is where to see the world and its cultures, not just a way to increase profits. I plan to use this book as the guide when our company goes global.

Of the many books I have borrowed from my dad, this was one that I have read repeatedly. Unlike some humor, I still chuckle every time I read "A hunker is not a squat" or the one about the grasshopper trap. This is one of three of Pat's books that I regularly give as gifts to those young men of impressionable age in their pre-teen and teen age years. Hopefully reading this book will enlighten both their minds and hearts.

I picked this book up at a liquidation sale at a used book store mainly because I liked the title and not knowing anything about the author. This was my first reading of Patrick McManus and now I just have to read more of his works. My better half was trying to watch TV while I was reading this and I kept interrupting by reading sections of the book. His comment was "I can relate to that." I got to the point where I couldn't read any more until I wiped my eyes. This is a must-read for anyone who needs a good laugh.

A book filled with humorous stories, this compilation of experiences was a treat to read! The Grasshopper Trap is only the second book I've read by Patrick McManus but now I want to track down all of his stories. McManus writes humor without the obscene, offensive language that seems so common everywhere these days. It's a refreshing, fun read with stories that entertain as well as remind us of a simpler, less frantic way of life.

The title of these comments is from one of the tales in this third collection of short stories I have read by Mr. Patrick F. McManus. The author has been writing the yarns and his versions of his childhood "true" stories for decades, and has now produced 12 collections of these essays in book form. Many of the stories are about being outdoors and failing miserably as a hunter and fisherman, but one gets the impression that to the extent he fails, he does with seeming intent. It's the outdoors he loves, not harming it or its inhabitants. When he does speak of a successful outing with his friends he complains so much about the "success" that again you can tell coming home empty handed is his real goal. A collection of stories is what he is after.

The best stories here range from his childhood when speaking of why an 8 year old is perfectly competent to own his first knife, while even one day short of the 8th anniversary would be nothing less than a felony were a knife to be given to such an infant. He goes on at length as to how men delude themselves in to their thinking they have convinced their wives how their gun collections multiply without a single purchase. And in a story entitled, "A Hunker Is Not A Squat", he explains how with the correct posture, a stick and a dirt floor, The United Nations would be unnecessary, and world conflicts would end.

Mr. McManus writes for everyone who enjoys a good laugh, uncontrived humor, and just simple observations about human nature. He does not preach about the solutions to world problems, claim a cure for the common cold, or how to get rich. He just gives the reader the gift of laughter, an invaluable gift.

I have always thought that Patrick McManus is the funniest writer on the planet. I read his stories when I need to laugh or relax. Sometimes I irritate my wife by reading it in bed. I try not to laugh out loud, but I only succeed in sounding like I am trying to muffle continuous sneezes.

However, not everyone gets it. I have been shocked by watching people read McManus without so much as a smile (though most start snorting like wild pigs on acid) . My only guess is that getting McManus requires a couple things. First, it requires some understanding of his experiences. He absolutely nails all of the stupid things 'outdoors men (outdoors people)' do and think, but don't want anybody to know about. Second, you have to see the self-deprecating aspect of his humor. Third, you can't look for great literature in integrated books. Patrick McManus is an excellent writer, if you see these as independent stories simply collected in a volume. They are meant for adults who want to laugh at themselves. So, If you are willing to or already meet the above three criteria, you will love this book.

By the way, I am a professor of clinical psychology and (other than worrying a little about McManus) I sometimes recommend this and other McManus books. I do this with people who have racing thoughts and anxiety at bedtime, and when I believe they have the necessary experiences to find it funny. It often works quite well. I think of his stories as little pieces of happiness. (Oh, that even makes me sick to hear. Sorry)