I Books

The Truth Seeker as CD audio book I received as a present. Due to ill health I now can't read very much for very long. For someone who has been a bookworm all her life this was very difficult, but audio books have come to my rescue. Mum listens to them while she is doing housework, and my sister has them on in the car during her 40 minute commute to work, & back.
Dee Henderson is a favourite author in our house & we particularly like her O'Malley Series, of which this is number 3.
It has been abridged fairly well & Matilda Novak is a good narrator - a big plus for me where audio books are concerned! Also there is music in lots of places to give atmosphere; & sound effects - fire blazing, sirens, airport tannoy, doorbell tone, phone ringing to name a few - which help to bring the story alive. Enjoyable to listen to over & over again!

Book three in Henderson's O'Malley series. Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist. Quinn Diamond is a U.S. Marshal. They find their lives intersecting both personally and professionally as they investigate related murder cases. The mystery element is juxtaposed against the real-life touches of humor and family. Lisa's journey to Christ and her romance with Quinn form intriguing supblots.

Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist who has a difficult time with Jesus' resurrection. Quinn Diamond is Marcus O'Malley's partner in the U.S. Marshal's Service. He's been trying to get Lisa to go out with him. Unfortunately, pursuing Lisa is going to be almost impossible because he's already asked out her other sisters!

Their paths cross when the cases they are investigating become intertwined. I love how we get to continue to follow the O'Malleys we already know and how we are able to get to know the others before we read their stories. I wish my family was as close as theirs is.

The other O'Malley novels are: The Negotiator, The Guardian, The Truth Seeker, The Protector, The Healer, The Rescuer. Each is a wonderful read!

I loved this series! I wasn't sure about reading a Christian Romance but this is so much more. Dee Henderson has a way of making you feel as though they are the real deal and you are right there with the O'Malley's. You'll laugh, cry, and everything in between. Enjoy!!

Women are missing.

Amy Ireland disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. For U.S. Marshal Quinn Diamond, it's a case that has never closed. He's still searching--determined to learn the truth.

They are turning up dead.

Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist; mysteries are her domain. She has worked crime scenes in Chicago for years. Examining a sea of evidence, the connections between victims are so faint they they fade into ill-defined wisps as she searchs for a pattern.

Lisa O'Malley is running out of time.

The threads are pulling Lisa's and Quinn's cases together. And where they intersect there's a killer who will stop at nothing to see his secret remain buried.

And now she's missing, too...

Quinn wanted Lisa's help. He never planned to put her in danger. She didn't expect him to invade her heart...or his God to change her life. And while Lisa understands death and darkness all too well, she's about to discover love and the Resurrection.

Anfra,

This book has changed my life. As I read this book I was tremendously blessed. God definitely spoke to me through you as some of the information in your book helped me to understand myself more clearly. I've got alot of work to do!!

I loved how you ended each section with "Think about it, sisters"!! That phrase caused me to pause and think about what I had just read in depth.

Your writing style was easy to understand, funny, informative and inspirational. I'm thankful that my sister Andrea, gave me this book because it has changed my life.

Thank you for promoting sisterhood and helping me to grow more spiritually. I have been encouraged, enlightened and empowered.

Anfra, express her views on life's many embers: AIDS, sex, politics, spiritual, how to raise your children, meditation and more.

I especially like "A Tribute To African-American Authors" where she uses the titles of various author books to get her point across.

A great reality check book.

I was searching through the bookstore looking for more books by Juanita Bynum. The store clerk recommended You Are My Sister by a new author that I never heard of. I must say I was skeptical at first. I liked the cover and the synopsis on the back and needlees to say I was drawn in. What? A book about why women date married men. Woow, I was intrigued and what I found on the inside pages made me call the book store up and ask if they had any more books by Anfra.

Write on my sista, write on! Please write on.

A new fan, Gwynn in Detroit, MI

I could not put this book down. A friend of mine was reading it at work and suggested that I get a copy and I did. I didn't know that I was in for a treat of refreshing and uplifting words from a powerful sister.

Words can't express how enlightening this book is. You Are My Sister should become an anthem for women. I loved the Sisterhood Creed in the front.

Thanks Anfra for those encouraging words of wisdom.

You Are My Sister - An Inspirational Book That Promotes Sisterhood and Spiritual Growth by Anfra is a definite must read. I really enjoyed this book. This is indeed a winner.

You Are My Sister by Anfra takes you on a wonderful spiritual journey of reflections and self-upliftment that humbly reminds us that we are somebody. I was very inspired and it really eased a lot of my inner stress that I had while reading the book. I feel not everyone can produce writings for inspiration and spiritual growth; it's something that has to come natural to the writer. Anfra not only captures and reflects that definition, but she naturally does "encourage, enlighten and empower" with her writings.

Although I had many favorites, a few elevated themselves to me as being my inspiration. "What's Blocking Your Blessings?" was a rude awakening to me and I humbly enjoyed her writing. It is a compelling reminder that we tend to overlook stress related issues that can impact the blocking of your blessings.

Another of my favorites was "Weight Problems." I realized from that passage that we have to stop, think, and come to terms of what is actually weighing us down. We have to realize that it's not always about the physical, that it's about the religious, mental, and spiritual growth and development that we must acquire within ourselves to survive the heavy burdens that we unconsciously put on ourselves.

I also enjoyed Anfra's poetry section. Three of my favorites were "Someone Else's Eyes" A Message From An Unborn Child" and "I Got It." All three including her other collections had me nodding my head up and down and side-to-side. They were definitely on time.

Finally, the last section was what I consider a serious grand finale because this section was about YOU doing a self-inventory. The title alone is self-explanatory - "To Thine Own Self Be True" You Are My Sister-Personal Inventory. Anfra provides you with an opportunity to now examine yourself with various questions, and exercises that can only do one thing and that is encourage you to take charge of your life.

Although I could go and on about my favorites, I think words would be well spent if you get the book yourself and enjoy a magnificent collection of her writings, poems, reflections, and inspirations, that I know will do more then "encourage, enlighten, and empower" but will bring a humble "amen" "wow" and "thank you" to Anfra for sharing her spirituality and inspiration with us. You will truly enjoy this book and will want to keep it nearby for those pick me up days. I give it a rating of 5.

Reviewed by Kalaani

This books is wonderful! I am using it in small groups at work and the kids absolutely cannot get enough of this book. I bought all titles in the series! Great for paired reading among siblings, parents and children, and friends!

Our students really love all the books in this series. They frequently choose them to read to each other during free choice time. I would really recommend this book to other teachers as a great source for oral reading practice!

My seven year-old grandson introduced me to Mary Ann Hoberman's work. He loved reading to and with me. I'm a volunteer reading tutor and I use her books to teach first graders to read. They love it.

I highly recommend the books by Mary Ann Hoberman to excited kids about reading.

Judith Hays

I love Mary Anne Hoberman's "The Cozy Book", it is always a great bedtime story. So, when I found this title on Amazon, I couldn't resist. My son is 7 and enjoys reading, so this was perfect for us; he reads to me, I read to him, and we read the last verse together. The stories are cute and short, good if you only have a few minutes at the end of the day. The emphasis on reading is an added bonus.

This is a light book that contains short stories. The stories are cute and quirky, fun to read. Our 7 year old collects books and this one is one of her many favorites. We bought this book for a gift. We have the larger version. We take turns reading together, I read a verse and she reads one. Our daughter started reading before age 5 and I know it's because we read to her every day and just before she went to bed.

This is a really sweet book! My 9 year old daughter really enjoys it. My 6 year old son could care less right now. But if I talk to him about the meaning, he then understands it more and asks some really smart questions!

The story is about how we (the children) are a big part of earth. How everything is a part of us. Everywhere we look on earth and above is what we are made up of... kinda cool. I really liked it!

If you have a universal outlook on spirituality- you will love this book! My children beam after we read it. They feel special, loved, secure... all the things we want for our kids. There is not ONE THING scary or negative in this book. It voids the polarity idea. It is fantastic.

This is a wonderful book. I have a four year old son who has owned this book since before he was three. He loves and understands it, probably more so than many adults. It is the favorite book for my husband and son to read together.

If you like this book you will love "Child of Fairy, Child of Earth". Both books have beautiful verse, illustrations and messages.

This book is beautifully inspiring and a needed aid in nuturing spirituality in children, I love it as much as my 3-year-old.

This is by far one of my most favorite children's books. "I am part of all I see, and all I see is part of me." Those first two pages sum it up.

The illustrations are warm, gentle, and beautiful. If you look closely you can see little elves and fairies hiding in the forest. My girls love to try and find them while we are reading.

I have given this book as a gift many times and it is always well received.

Thank you Chara for creating such a wonderful book for our evolving little ones (and their parents)!

The space race of the 1960's was a crossroads in time that will never be repeated.

Walt Cunningham had a crow's nest view of that period. As a member of Apollo 7, the first Apollo mission and the first successful flight after the catastrophic Apollo 1 fire that almost disbanded the space program, he was able to see the inner workings of the American space program. He has recorded this unique perspective in "The All-American Boys."

"The All-American Boys" is a rare document of what really happened in the early days of the space program. In my opinion, most other astronaut memoirs are cleaned up versions of the truth--all "flag waving" and "ballyhoo." One gets a sense in the All-American Boys that the space race is being presented warts and all, including the social and political quirks of being an astronaut.

This version is an unabridged audiobook of Walt's book, which was first published in 1977 but thoroughly updated for this version. It covers Mercury/Gemini/Apollo but also shuttle/MIR/ISS. Walt himself narrates the audiobook, which is a great bonus. His pleasant narration makes the 22 discs go by very quickly

Unlike most other astronaut memoirs, you get your money's worth with this book. Highly recommended.

Col. Cunninghams's audio CD version of The All American Boys is, simply put a great listen! Having read the hardback, I thought that there would be little to gain in buying the CD version, but I was wrong. His carefully spoken rendition has laugh-out-loud moments, and his tough but thorough thought provoking commentary on the space race, NASA, the Russian's, the International Space Station, and the future of man's involvement in space is a must have. I don't know why, but hearing it 'first person' and in the spoken words of someone who was there, and who made this history, is a remarkable thing. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Absolutely Fantastic!
Walt's voice resonates through you as he recounts his life experiences before, during and after his NASA years. This is a wonderful way to learn about Americas Space Program from the ground up.
Whether you have read the AABoys or not, nothing matches hearing this incredible story with the true life passion only the author and main character, Walter Cunningham, can convey.
A great joy, and true and exciting find! A must have for anyone interested in space history and space exploration. What fun it was to replay parts to hear the subtle inflections in Walt's voice just to gain a greater insight into how this space hero must have felt during the space race years, through to the changes that are on the horizon today.
A most favorite addition to my space collection!

I got the title of this review from Apollo 11 astronaut Mike Collins who described fellow astronaut Walt Cunningham this way. Only a few people have flown in space, and so we would expect astronaut auto-biographies to talk about this, but unfortunately, only Mike Collins book "Carrying the Fire" does it. After reading a few other autobiographies I finally came to the conclusion that it is not really worth the time and money to get their books, with them spending most of the pages discussing petty jealousies, practical jokes, celebrity golf tournaments, and their success or failure in the world of business.. Thus, I was somewhat reluctant to purchase Cunningham's, but the reviews convinced me to give it a try. Fortunately, it was worth it. Cunningham does share the flaw of the others in that he also doesn't describe his Apollo 7 flight in any detail, but the uniquness of his book is that he does give an interesting perspective on the American space program, and his fellow astronauts, not seen in the other autobiographies.
Part of the reason is, as Collins pointed out, that Cunningham received a rigorous scientific education and was involved in scientific research before going to work for NASA. This gave him a greater ability to objectively judge the qualities of his fellow astronauts.
The original Mercury astronauts were good pilots, but one of the most important qualitites that they were chosen for was ability to stand immense stress, because at that time, it was not known how spaceflight
would affect the astronauts, physically or mentally. After Project Mercury proved the stresses were not as bad a feared, new generations of astronauts were chosen who had better education, better ability to understand the increasingly complex Gemini and Apollo spacecraft and a greater appreciation of the importance of the exploration of space in a scientific sense, something the Mercury astronauts did not have so much.
Cunningham also shows that the grind of training took a toll on the Mercury astronauts, and he says frankly that the commander of his Apollo 7 mission, Wally Schirra, who flew outstanding missions in both Mercury and Gemini (piloting the first rendezvous mission with another vehicle) didn't really have his heart in his Apollo mission and it negatively influenced his performance. Schirra repeatedly lost his temper during the mission which gave his whole crew a bad reputation leading to both Donn Eisele and Cunningham being banned from further flights (everyone admits Cunningham got an unfair rap in this). Cunningham also frankly points out that although the crew indeed proved that Apollo spacecraft was flight worthy, they didn't really accomplish nearly as much as they could have during their relatively long-duration flight in a scientific sense.
Other interesting things I learned from this book was that, starting with the two-man Gemini flights, the Mission Commander was the astronaut who controlled the abort initiation sequence, so he had to be significantly better, and management required more confidence in him than in the other astronauts who flew along, and in borderline situations, he had to have the best "feel" for how the flight was going and the spacecraft was performing.
One surprising thing Cunningham reveals was the most astronauts felt that
in the Gemini 8 mission (first docking of a manned spacecraft), astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott made a serious mistake leading to their spacecraft to spin out of control. Fortunately, they got it back under control and made an emergency reentry. Most histories of the space program say it was a mechanical glitch and that Armstrong's cool response gave Deke Slayton the confidence in him to assign him to be the commander of the first landing on the Moon.
Cunningham feels that ultimately, although all the astronauts were talented and qualified, the flight crews were chose based on Slayton's
feelings of friendship
for the fellow (although it should be pointed out that the great success of the space program shows that Slayton did generally pick the best to fly) and this was more important than ability, physical fitness or other objective considerations. Famous examples was Slayton giving Alan Shepard the Apollo 14 mission without him having served as a back-up crewmember on a previous mission. Although Shepard did an excellent job landing the Lunar Module very close to the desired target, his subsequent performance during the lunar EVA left a lot to be desired and much possible scientific gain was lost. Another example was Gene Cernan crashing his helicopter while he was ogling sunbathing girls. Many people
thought this would wash him out of his Apollo 17 command position, but Slayton covered up for him (it should be pointed out that Cernan did an outstanding job both piloting and carrying out his scientific duties on that flight).

Finally, although he wrote the book before the Space Shuttle first flew,
he points out that many of the astronauts felt too many compromises were made in designing it and that it wasn't safe. Cunningham points out that fighter pilots and astronauts find taking life-endangering risks to be exhilirating IF THE RISK IS NOT TOO GREAT. However, they oppose taking foolhardy risks, and not a few astronauts felt the Shuttle fit into that
category. Subsequent history has unfortunately shows that was the case, and the new Orion spacecraft is going back to an Apollo-like design and getting away from the "space-plane" concept.
All-in-all, I found the book a good read and a pleasant reminder of the
glory days of the manned space program that led to man walking on the moon.

This guy is one opinionated s.o.b. - but this book is all the better for it. Because Walt Cunningham is aware of his limitations, and has the virtue of being right in his strongly-held opinions.

I'd recommend this book even for those not interested in space flight. To see the cut-throat office politics behind a smooth veneer... it's something that relates so much to many walks of life. The fact that it is told here in the golden age of space flight makes it all the better. Wow! A great book.

I searched for a book that would give me the necessary words to start my day right and this is truly it. I like to do a short meditation before I leave the house each morning and this fits the bill just right. I'm always amazed how often the daily reading seems to talk directly to me.

I am a manager in a faith-based organization and this is a great book to use for daily devotionals with staff.

Max Lucado has a special way of using words to touch and stir the soul and this devotional is no exception. He touches your very soul in this little devotional which is a great addition to any Christians daily reading schedule. A little Max goes a long way with his thought provoking and touching the very deepest places of your soul. A must read and add to your library.

Very nice daily devotional. Full of lots of helpful insights into God's plan for our lives.

I have always liked Max Lucado's writings and have several of his books. His explanations of various scriptures is outstanding. Thanks Max.

Dawn Rochelle has lukemia and her 15th birthday is comming up she starts wondering if she will live to see it.Then she gets a big surprise her big brother comes to town Dawn soon finds out that teddy is getting married Dawn is so excited.When her lukemia takes a turn for the worst how much time will she have before her big 15 or the wedding or will she even live to see it?

I love the Dawn Rochelle novels. I love how the author goes into good detail.

For the past year, Dawn has been in remission. Though she has to be in remission for four more years to be declared "cured", Dawn's blood tests have been coming out positive, and life continues to go on. Then Rob, Dawn's older brother, arrives home from college with great news- he's getting married! His wife-to-be, Darcy, is pretty and nice. But Dawn senses that Darcy doesn't like her because of her cancer. At first Dawn wonders if maybe she's just feeling jealous of Darcy's perfect life and attitude, but when Dawn's cancer returns, with only a bone marrow from her brother to save her life, Darcy becomes more and more upset, which causes her brother to become upset, too, and Dawn is afraid that she is ruining her EVERYONE'S life with her cancer. But that won't last much longer if the transplant doesn't work...

This book was very touching. It talked about the closeness between Dawn and Rob, and Rob's loyalty to her in this rough time, when death is waiting at Dawn's door. It was very interesting, and was a page-turner for me. I ended up reading it from beginning to end in only one morning. Like the last book, it also talks about cancer, and is educational if you want to know what cancer really is. I recommend it to girls who love good books!

The second book of the Dawn Rochelle series...it was astonishing. The book is one true pageturner, and not only that, it brought me to tears. I cried twice in one day, as I've gone on directly to continue with the second book in the series since I got to read the first one.
Lurlene McDaniels has an unbelievably hypnotizing gift with words; she's truly remarkable. Once again, I recommend everyone who has the slightest bit of feeling in them to read it.
It's wonderful and heartbreaking.

I Want to Live is a really good book. I like this book because it tells you what it's like to have cancer. I don't think this book could be any better. If you were looking for a book I would recommend this one especially if you were a girl.

Dawn, the main character, was in remission, but then she needed a bone marrow transplant. Your going to have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

As you begin to read chapter one, this book will become a page-turner. The amazingly woven detail gives life to this story of over fifty years ago. Author Taylor Branch documents how M. L. King, Jr. walked into the storm of what was to become the Civil Rights Movement, and was then sucked into its vortex. As a "boomer" I was alive during parts of this, growing up in the Midwest. I remember some headlines and TV scenes, but reading the minutiae of what was behind those headlines was like unto discovering a mother's diary. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The best single book on the civil rights movement I have ever read. Parting the Waters is partly a wonderful, complicated biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. However, it is also a history of the early years of the entire civil rights movement. King, SCLC, and SNCC are described in great detail and their efforts are set against a background of federal reluctance to intervene in the South. Inspiring and detailed.

I am about halfway through this book. Even though I have not finished yet I feel compelled to comment on it. I believe it is extremely important for African Americans of my generation to get a more complete understanding of the civil rights movement. So far this book has opening my eyes and changed the way I view our African American experience.

What is best about this read is it flows like a history book. I give much credit to Mr. Branch for simply telling the story and not adding too much of his own commentary and opinion. That is one of my pet peeves with many of our `writers' today. They want to impose their opinions and biased interpretations. We do not need opinions. We need to educate ourselves with facts and draw our own conclusions. Okay, I will get off the soapbox.

Anyway I highly recommend this book. It is a very long read, but if you seek a deeper understanding of the African American experience this is a great start. Many of the issues we face today can be interpreted more accurately by getting a more complete account of our past.

By most accounts, Branch's three volume history of the Civil Rights Movement is the authoritative account of Dr. King's life. But beyond the facts and history, this particular volume is an example of masterful storytelling. I read this book during my morning and evening commutes, stuffed between strangers on the train. Branch transported me to another time and place, at times on the brink of tears. Branch devoted decades of his life to crafting this story. His efforts leave us with an honest and beautifully told story - one of our nation's most inspiring and tragic.

This is the first of a trilogy of books on the civil rights struggle in the USA as centered around the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior. Covering the 1950s and early 1960s, this book lays the groundwork for many of the pivotal events that would take the civil rights movement onto the international stage and eventually legend. All the key characters of this movement would enter the stage of history here... Bayard Rustin, the gay, pacifist communist, would play a key role in organizing the March on D.C. LBJ, the master of the Senate, and then vice president would come to realize the need of the Civil Rights Act, as segregation was intertwined with poverty and to defeat one, he needed to defeat the other. Malcolm X would rise in the Nation of Islam, paving a path to glory and his eventual death. And the central character that bound them together; the Reverend Dr. King himself, would change history by trying to tie together the lunch counter sit-ins, freedom rides, marches, and legal debates into one cogent movement.

All of this and much, much more is laid out in careful, chronological detail by Taylor Branch. Backing every word, every name, and every date with citations to court documents, newspaper records, first-hand interviews and countless other sources, the author brings this period to life, vividly with raw emotion. This book lays bare the soul of America at this time, from the inner politics in the White House and courthouses throughout the South, to pressrooms, jails, and public squares. We, the reader, see how the Civil Rights movement ground forth one city, one law, one riot at a time. Incredible! Highly worth the time to read thru from cover to cover.

I bought this book because I needed about $5 to give me free shipping. I enjoyed it and I realize that I am not one of the worst parents out there! Families go through the same things we do--with those stares from other people looking at us like we're swamp-creature parents!

Good book (every parent should read), great condition for used book. Very effecient in deleviery.

I listen to Sheri on 'Bob and Sheri' and have loved her sense of humor for years. The book is LOL funny. She brings the challenges of trying to make a crazy life with kids look like what we're told is a 'normal' family into life as it really is.

Kudos, Sheri, and thanks for all the laughs!

While searching through Amazon's Bargain Books, I came across "Be Happy or I'll Scream!: My Deranged Quest for the Perfect Husband, Family and Life" by Sheri Lynch. With a title like that, I couldn't resist buying it.

Sheri is a woman who had a less than pleasant childhood and yearned for the perfect family, the kind she saw on TV sitcoms. Even after she was married and had children of her own, somehow she still had not achieved that "perfection". She decided that over the course of the year, they would become the ideal nuclear family. Her course of action - THINK yourself happy, REMEMBER they're growing up so fast, ADAPT to the challenges and PLAN for adventure or T.R.A.P. for short.

In the end, she realized that happiness has to be pursued, that it doesn't just end up on your doorstep. "The real fun of life isn't waiting to be found in the biggest or flashiest or most spectacular places but in the small, quiet, mundane moments that disappear when you're not looking. Those are the things that can't be scripted or bought. They can only be seen and felt and remembered." So very true!

Her wit and humor left me truly laughing out loud! I highly recommend this book!

[as reviewed on my blog "My Personal Reviews"]

This is a quick read and Sheri's humor is great. I truly enjoyed the book!

With Martha Finney, Libby Sartain has written a book that is, in her opinion (as of 2003), the first one written "by an HR practitioner for HR practitioners about managing your own unique career as well as dealing with the special challenges of daily life in the world of human resources." As she explains, most of the stories she shares are taken from her 13-year tenure as Vice President, People at Southwest Airlines. Since 2001, she has served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Yahoo at Yahoo! Inc. This book was published in 2003.

She is a staunch advocate of what she characterizes as a "fully empowered" HR career, viewing it as a "calling" and asserting that it can - and should -- provide a competitive advantage to any organization, especially now when competition for human talent is almost ferocious. Those equal to the challenges of such a career in HR possess both highly-developed business acumen and what Daniel Goleman defines as emotional intelligence. Sartain insists (and I wholly agree) that a corporate culture "based on respectful treatment of all the company's employees is essential to the company's long-term success...The most successful companies are the ones that make it their business to help their employees achieve their highest potential and use their gifts and talents most fully." It is no coincidence that on Fortune magazine's annual lists of those companies that are most highly admired, most valuable, and best to work for, several of the same names appear on those lists year after year after year. Presumably each of exemplary company has "fully empowered" HR resources and capabilities.

With regard to Sartain's advice to those already embarked on a career in HR or who are now preparing for one, she focuses on "six essential ingredients of every great HR career" in Chapter 3. She commits a separate chapter to each and they are best revealed within her narrative, in context. Throughout her book Sartain addresses just about every conceivable issue relevant to those "essentials," helping her reader to consider all plausible options and then make decisions appropriate to his or her own talents, experience, goals, and concerns. She also suggests a number of "dos" and "don'ts" based on what she has learned throughout her own career thus far. She seems by nature to be an enthusiast, one who would prefer (as the old bromide states) "to light a candle rather than curse the darkness," but she also reveals an abundance of street smarts.

She is passionately committed to helping HR executives to establish and then sustain a "fully empowered" career, in terms of both personal and professional development, one that is fulfilling and thus satisfying to them but also in terms of how much value they can add, not only to the given organization but also to the personal as well as professional development of those whom they are privileged to serve. I use the phrase "privileged to serve" deliberately and presumably Sartain concurs.

If empowered with sufficient resources (including the support of senior management) and if properly prepared and fully committed, a HR professional who is both competent and compassionate can help to achieve objectives such as these:

1. Continuous recruiting of those who have the talent, experience, and character that may one day be needed

2. Interviewing and hiring procedures that are rigorous, thorough, and cordial so that each candidate is given every opportunity to "shine," of course, but is also treated with utmost respect

3. Orientation that accelerates the process by which each new hire becomes an integral part of the given organization and its culture

4. On-going formal and informal training that develops in participants the leadership and management skills that are needed at every level and in all areas of the given enterprise

5. Performance measurement conducted formally (at least quarterly) and informally (each day) that is based on criteria that are clearly explained, mutually understood, and consistently applied

One of Sartain's key points is that hearts as well as minds must constantly be nourished. In many (too many) organizations, HR professionals have been "so distracted by the need to be taken seriously that [they have] been tempted to jettison any discussion of how [their] personal feelings and principles are factored into the business equation. As a result, the HR profession has been cultivating a reputation that I am tempted to say it often deserves - that of being a single-minded administrator with a big, red, rubber stamp that reads: `No! Against Policy and Procedures!'" Sartain is convinced that in human resources, indeed in all relationships within and beyond the workplace, head and heart should not be mutually exclusive. "That's what it takes to build a great business." In the concluding chapter, "How Do We Get There From Here?," she suggests nine "major points" that must be covered to reach that destination.

Bon voyage!

Those who share my high regard for HR from the Heart are urged to check out The New American Workplace co-authored by James O'Toole, Edward E. Lawler as well as The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance co-authored by Brian E. Becker, Mark A. Huselid, and Dave Ulrich. Also, two of Fred Reichheld's books (The Loyalty Effect and Loyalty Rules), David Maister's Practice What You Preach, two of Jac Fitz-enz's books (The 8 Practices of Exceptional Companies: How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets and The ROI of Human Capital: Measuring the Economic Value of Employee Performance), Dean R. Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement: Rethinking the Way We Measure And Drive Organizational Success, and Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution co-authored by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson.

I had seen Libby present at a conference and bought her book there. I read the book on the plane ride back and dog eared several pages. It is a good no nonsense book on what HR professionals do. I liked it so much that I purchased a copy for our entire HR department and we used it as a discussion during Business Partner meetings.

The group loved it...you will too.

Writing this book as an HR professional's guide is a tragedy! Part 2 (HR is Your Company's Best Asset) is a truly enlightened guide on people management and should be read by everyone who is in, or who aspires to be in, a leadership position in any organization. Including Part 1, (Your Own Career is Your Best HR Asset), this from her heart advice guide by practitioner Libby Sartain (Southwest Airlines) is not just well written, it is superbly written - the thanks for that may go to Martha Finney; but the thoughts are surely the wisdom of a hands-on expert in people management.

Focusing on Part 2, let's look at a few examples of what Sartain has to say: Hire the Person, Not the Resume - hire for fit; Don't Forget the Stars You Already Have in Your Ranks - promote from within; Start Your High-Potential Employees in Customer Relations - they carry an understanding of customer needs ...throughout their entire career. And, her "Show Them the Money!" and "Using Benefits to Build Relationships" chapters may be the best ever for understanding compensation's role in engagement. But, it gets better; Chapter 32 is titled: Recognition, Rewards, Fun: The Triple Crown of Employee Engagement. I could go on, but you get the picture; this Part 2 of the book contains wisdom for anyone in a management role. The whole book is recommended as a must read for HR professionals, Part 2 is recommended as a must read for managers.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

HR from the Heart is an amazing guide for HR professionals who genuinely want to serve their companies. Lifetime learnings and analysis of human behavior have been compiled in this book.The book is wholistic and it is a guide for all aspects of the HR function. Today's companies need to have unique recruitment, orientation, learning, developmental and performance systems. Great people attract great people, and great people want to work for great people. Companies mission must be a cause around which everybody is motivated and energised. The companies need to have a differentiating culture and all leaders in the company must promote the culture. All leaders must embrace new attitudes and conduct themselves in new and different ways. The language of communication is important as it give the company it's edge over the competetion. The workplace should be friendly and people must have fun doing their duty.Lastly, HR's job is to serve others and to humanise the work.

I have been involved in the HR field for some 21 years. Like any HR professional, we have a lot of stories to tell. In this book, Libby Sartain has a way of melding her stories with solid HR theory. At times, the book is simple and colloquial but more often than not it weaves its simplicity into a picture of HR I think and practitionaer would want to establish at their workplace.

A lot has been said about HR "at the table" and being a "strategic partner". This book shows how that is accomplished not so much by providing means to that end but by showing how doing what is right and good can get us to that end.

Judging from its Amazon sales rank (88,428 at the time of this writing) the book hasn't made it into too many hands. But don't let that stop you. If you are in HR (or someone who wants to be) this book is essential for giving you the big picture and getting you started on the path to achieving your end.