P Books

I read this wonderful book as an undergrad in the seventies. I found out about O'Neill from Stewart Brand's journal of the time, "The Coevolution Quarterly". O'Neill was the outer space guru of the age, just as John Lilly was the inner space pioneer. I assumed, as an enthusiastic youngster, that there would be millions of humans living at L5 by now. Unfortunately, we have a government run space program that, like any government bureaucracy, is inefficient and at the mercy of inferior minds (Congress and the White House). Nevertheless, this book is a good read and shows what one professor and a handful of grad students can come up with. For present day forward thinkers, review the ideas of Bill Stone (Stone Aerospace).

I'm writing this review of the review dated September 8th 2001, wherein the reviewer challenges us readers to implement the ideas of O'Neill's book RIGHT NOW.

I wonder if anyone took that challenge, or if we were all distracted by what happened 3 days later?

Looking back over the past 4 years, I think, like the other reviewers who have written since that fateful day, that those events and their consequences show us that getting off this planet, and what we will learn from the effort, is an idea that becomes more imperative day after day.

If anyone is involved in a "mini-biosphere" project called for in the September 8th, 2001 review, or knows of such, please e-mail me with contact info.

Congratulations to all who can see beyong the curve of our Earth, to the endless horizons of space.

This book paints a fascinating and telling picture of the future of mankind as the author sees it. In explaining how humans will consume the Earth and eventually spread out into space, he also provides compelling evidence for Fermi's paradox: If alien civilizations exist, where are they? I recommend this book for those who are interested in the potential course of human civilization, especially those wondering where overpopulation is going to drive technology.

This is the classic proposal for the human expansion into space by the originator of the idea himself, Gerard O'neill. In it, he shows how space settlement could be done using boring 1970's technology.

A very good and thought provoking read, it is the ONLY space book that presented a plausible way for the rest of us (not just the "experts" and scientists) could go move into space in style AND the only one to show a semi-convincing way to pay for it all (space-based solar power).

For those who dream of colonising Mars a hundred years from now, and the far stars in the distance, a thousand years from now, this book is a must read. For this is a world among the stars achievalble today. A land oif endless resources and land available for all to live well, and start over.

And should be required reading for all High School science students.

This is not Star Trek or Mobile Suit Gundam, this is for real.

I first came upon the first edition of this book back duirng my high school days in the public library. Everyone needs a good dream every now and then to rest their souls upon should they choose to study a nightmare.

And though I was not able to comprehend the vision, in the beginning, the dream did take root. And I firmly do wish for more books on this subject to be written. COLONIES IN SPACE by T.A. Heppenheimer being the only one I have found so far.

Dr. O'Neill envisions a world of endless resources built from the moon. And it can be achieved.

This book really helped my wife go through the probate process for her mother's estate. Highly recommended book!

This is a great book for going through the probate process. It takes
you through the entire process and explains all the jargon. The only
problem I had with it is that if your probate includes anything which
is a little out-of-the-ordinary, e.g., heirs/beneficiaries who may contest the will, it does not help. However, one book cannot cover 100% of
the possible cases. This book probably covers 95% of the probate cases
and is helpful even if you are one of the "odd-cases" and you are not familiar with the probate process.

If you can only purchase one book on probate in California, this book should be your first stop. I am in the process of probating my mother's estate and I will save at least $20,000 by using this book. There a dozens of forms, tips and tons of information on the subject. If you are motivated and organzed, this is the guide to help you avoid the high cost of attorneys in probate. I cannot urge you STRONGLY enough to use this book as your guide to probate in California.

My brother and I are in the process of probating my Mom's estate with the assistance of this excellent book by Nissley. It hops around a little bit, but all the information is between the covers. So far we have had zero problems. We have not had to consult with an attorney nor a paralegal to have our forms filed with the court. This book is going to save us time and money - about $5,000 on my Mom's small estate. Thank you Julia Nissley and Nolo Press!

After my mother passed away and I was named executor, I discovered something: California's probate system is a massive, elaborate joke designed to make lawyers rich. It's incomprehensible how convoluted the process is, and how absolutely ZERO help is available. (The court clerks I turned to answered every question with this: "I can't tell you! I'm not a judge!" And, of course, it's not like you can contact a judge.) Imagine trying to file the tax returns for Microsoft without any training or instructions: that's just a hint of what you're in for here.

Armed with this book, though, I got through the process. And -- against all odds, and despite the ridiculous restrictions and obfuscations this laughable legal system imposes on people WHOSE PARENTS JUST DIED -- I got all the way through probate, saving something like $10,000 in legal fees.

So, if your estate doesn't have much money -- or the legal system just bugs the heck out of you, and you refuse to fling hard-earned money at those charlatans -- get this book and thank your lucky stars it exists.

This book has some really great info that you can't find other places. A real must for anyone dx with or close to someone dx with "iron overload".

This book was recommended by a friend when my 26 year old son was diagnosed with hemachromatosis, before I even knew my husband and I are both carriers. I ended up getting two of my sons (2 of my 3 have hemachromatosis)a copy. It relieved a lot of fears and answered a lot of questions, questions that my family doctor didn't know the answer to. It also gave us direction as to what to do and what to expect. Very easy to read, very easy to understand.

This book should be much easier to find.The information is badly needed.If it were more accessable more people would see the symtoms and perhaps get better diagnosis. All doctors need this in their offices. My gastrointerologist said he'd have to do some research on this!!! He's suppose to be the "specialist"!This has helped me understand that with proper diagnosis and treatment this disease need not be a serious problem. Well written. A must read. Many thanks to Dr. Phatak for writing this.

At long last, a single source of invaluable information about diagnosis and treatment of Hemochromatosis along with many personal trials and tribulations of those who have experienced the frustrations of obtaining an appropriate diagnosis. "The Iron Disorders Institute's Guide to Hemochromatosis" is a tremendously welcome resource. I was so impressed I purchased 7 additional copies for my 5 adult children and 2 of the RNs who conduct my frequent phlebotomies.

I'm also relieved that newly diagnosed "Rusties" do not have to go through the agony of research as I did back in 1979 when I was diagnosed as a result of my younger sister's autopsy results. There was scant information available in the medical journals of the period. I recall one occasion spending more than 4 hours in a medical library only to locate a single 2 year old article about Hemochromatosis, which was replete with statements that have since been proved mythical. No one will have to endure that again with the advent of IDI's "Guide".

The "Web" has certainly provided considerably more accessibility to Hemochromatosis information, yet much of what is available still has to be validated. The "Guide to Hemochromatosis" overcomes this problem by providing in a single-source forthright testimony, easy-to-understand charts and time-tested data contributed by highly recognized scientists in their fields.

The "Guide" can reduce, even eliminate, the frustration often experienced when trying to convince a family member of how crucial it is for having the appropriate blood tests conducted to determine stored iron levels. The feedback I've received from those whom I have given this book to has been overwhelmingly positive. There is little doubt as to the value of this book in one's arsenal for educating loved ones about the insidiousness of excess iron and the damage iron can do to the human body.

I found that one can simply read individual chapters in no particular order and assimilate a plethora of knowledge without being bogged down in technical jargon. This book relates well on a very personal level. I can not emphasize enough the value of this book. It commands a highly visible location in my reading library, replacing the "Reader's Digest".

I also highly recommend this book as being very germane to every individual, worldwide, who has Irish, Scottish, or English ancestry.

Finally, there is definitive information out there, instead of just people passing word of mouth warnings. This books is worth gold for people of Celtic ancestry. I was diagnosed with HHC, laughingly called the Celtic Curse because it can strike people of Scottish and Irish ancestry, there was not a lot of information out there about it. One in four people can carry the gene that causes the body to store too much iron in the deep muscle tissue, kidneys, liver and heart. It can be fatal if not caught. This book helps those find a way to live with this problem.

When I learnt I suffered from this, I had not heard of it, no one I knew had it. However, within in the last five years, many people I know are aware of a friend or family member that now has it. It often mimics many other health problems, so it's good to get early treatment and have books such as this one that help you manage your lifestyle.

This book addresses all the issues and give people a sound understanding of the problem, how to face it and how to live with it.

So often today we find the victim and family of an horrific crime victimized the second time. When I read an excerpt of "Dead Man Walking" and then saw who was directing and starring in the movie version I realized that this cruelty was being visited upon the family of Faith Hathaway. I have always had my doubt about the death penalty however the writers have a very valid point about the alternative punishment: life without parole. As long as the murderer is alive there is a chance of commutation of sentence (the removal of a mandatory sentence makes an inmate eligible to be considered for parole) or an outright pardon. After researching the number of commutations allowed in the past I now realize that, with great deliberation, there still is a place for the death penalty.

This book is valuable for anyone interested in the debates about justice, but particularly for readers of Helen Prejean's Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account Of The Death Penalty In The United States. I also advise reading Debbie Morris' Forgiving the Dead Man Walking: Only One Woman Can Tell the Entire Story, and the Bourgue family's Dead Family Walking: The Bourque Family Story of Dead Man Walking, both written by victims of the murderers for whom Helen Prejean was such an eloquent advocate. This is not as appealing as Dead Man Walking, not as warm and fuzzy, but it is an unflinching, indeed horrific, look at the reality of murder and vicious cruelty.

I believe that if we, as a society, release someone whom we have good reason to believe is dangerous, we are responsible for future acts of violence. Not as a responsible as we are for executing an innocent person, but still bearing a burden of guilt. What I like best about the book is that he talks about the reasons that keep me from accepting the abolition of the death penalty. Varnado points out that the arguments that are advanced against the death penalty could, with slight editing, be advanced against any punishment; at 53, I can remember when they were. Executing the murderer doesn't bring back the victim, but neither does anything else. Many of the leaders of the abolition movement, currently begging us to be content with life-without-parole (LWoP), are the same people who have been opponents of any long-term imprisonment. I don't think that we would have LWoP if we didn't have a death penalty. Given the arguments against three-time loser laws, will people who don't accept LWoP for three felonies, even if they are all violent, continue to support LWoP for a murder, however heinous? I think they'd revert to their earlier and more sincere opinions.

It's not an easy question. The legal system is simultaneously too harsh and too soft. Innocent people have been convicted. Chills go down my spine when mayors, governors, etc., announce that heads will roll if someone isn't accused within 48 hours. "Testilying", i.e., false information by the police, is apparently all too common, but the defense is no better. Obviously our legal system is not too concerned about public safety: convicts are given probation, violate it, and are simply given probation again. I hear horrifying tales of the carelessness of parole boards.

I have also come to think less of Helen Prejean, the more I know about her. I finished Dead Man Walking not convinced, but with great respect for her. As she has become more famous, and more information is available, it has become clear that she feels her cause justified lying and general carelessness with the truth. As Varnado and Debbie Morris point out, she simply accepted what Willie told her without any investigation. It was fine as his spiritual advisor to deal with the world as he saw it, but when she crossed the line into legal advocate and author, such sloppiness became irresponsible. Further, she apparently was knowingly telling a lie when she claimed Willie was remorseful. Not only did he contradict her in his own interview, but Debbie Morris told us that she admitted that she didn't think he was capable of remorse. She has now written a book about people who were supposedly innocent of the crimes for which they were executed; I suppose that I will read it, but at this point, I wouldn't take her word for it. She has co-founded a program for victims, but as Varnado points out, she remains extremely insensitive to them as individuals. Her prayer condemning the participants in an execution, including the victim's parents, is a case in point. She topped this off by not considering how they would feel about appearing in her book, let alone the movie! She's great at touching apologies, but they only mean something if one tries to do better.

Readers concerned about valuing the murderer over the victims may also be interested in reading The Victim's Song by Alice Kaminsky; Yale Murder by Peter Meyer; and The Killing of Bonnie Garland: A Question of Justice by Willard Gaylin.

Victims of Dead Man Walking has been the most difficult, tear-jerking, enraging, must read I have come across. Ever. This brutal rape and murder happened not far from my home, and Faith's memory is still well within the minds and hearts of people all over our area. She was a beautiful, smart, 18 year old young lady who had the world within her reach on graduation day. But a cruel, unrelenting Robert Willie and Joseph Vaccaro, both of them boasting about a life of crime without remorse, stole Faith Hathaway away from this earth. They raped her repeatedly, stabbed her until the gaping wounds nearly severed her head, and left her to die alone in Fricke's Cave, only to be discovered 8 days later by a then 25 year old whip detective Mike Varnado. Hollywood doesn't want you to know these things. They would rather you believe that a then 24 year old "Matthew Poncelet" (a dead ringer for Robert Willie if there ever was one), who received the death penalty by electric chair, became a remorseful repentant man when he met his fate. Nothing of the sort ever occured. His partner in crime, Joseph Vaccaro, sits this day in a federal penitentiary still serving out his sentence for yet another crime, the rape and kidnapping of a "16 year old from Madisonville".

This book is so very well written it feels as though Detective Mike is speaking to you personally. He makes it easy, while terrifying, to put yourself in his shoes, countless sleepless nights after discovering Faiths swollen, nude, decomposing body in the once family oriented Fricke's Cave. You can feel the anger rise up from the pages from a very cruel young man who boasted of his murders, who never showed remorse, but loved the attention he gained from the spectacle of a nun and the television news. After the book DMW and movie of the same name, the real story of Faith Hathaway was nearly forgotten until Detective Mike brought forth the true details of the crime. One need not be pro nor con death penalty to learn valuable lessons and true facts of Faith Hathaway. After speaking with Faith's mother personally, I learned that Mrs. Harvey (Faith's mother) asked Tim Robbins (DMW director) to at least visit the area of Fricke's Cave where her daughter was left to die. Mr. Robbins response was "I don't have the time". Please - make the time for this book, the REAL story of the Victims of Dead Man Walking. These words by Detective Mike will make you a litttle wiser to the facts of this young girl, the trial that followed, and could very well give you the knowledge to save your own life one day.

I lived in the area when this tragic, senseless, and incredibly brutal rape & murder took place near my hometown. Friends and relatives worked the case, and the entire area mourned the loss of Faith Hathaway as the peaceful innocence and sense of safety in our rural area was forever shattered.
The wounds were re-opened when Dead Man Walking came out. It was a slap in the face of everything good and true. It was an incredibly cruel blow to Faith's family, who deserved so much better after the tragic loss of their daughter.
Thank you Mike for setting the record straight, for honoring Faith's memory.

I read the book "Forgiving The Dead Man Walking" by Debbie Morris, who was also kidnapped and raped by Robert Lee Willie and Joe Vaccaro. Debbie lived to tell the story in her own words... I highly recommend it for those of you who care about this topic.

This book is great! There are many word activities to choose from, which I find very helpful and a time saver!

This concept keeps kids interested. They want to figure out the little words and the big words created by the letters, so it's an excellent one for phonics. If you already use Open Court, it would be a good supplement. There is some prep time involved in writing and cutting the letters, unless you're smarter than me and use die-cut letters from a bulletin board!!

I use this resource with my first graders in conjunction with our phonics program. It is a super hands-on way to reach those tactile-kinesthetic learners!

This book is wonderful for primary grades as well as ESL classes. It's interactive and the kids love it. We use it every morning when we enter the "Wonderful World of Words." There is also a Making Big Words for intermediate grades! I definitely recommend it!

This is the best spelling book I have seen. I am a homeschooling mom of 2 boys (9 & 8) and this is the easiest method and they enjoy it too!

I learned about this book after reading about Dr Castaldo's son's accident in Catholic Digest. I ordered the book and once I started reading the book I couldn't put it down. A must read book. I'm passing it on to my daughter who is going into the medical field. It renews one's faith in doctors who really do care. Lorraine Schoedler, Allentown, PA

Excellent reading, should be required for any one entering the medical profession. These stories explain why we go into medicine

I bought this book after reading an excerpt of the story about David in Catholic Digest. This is a very enjoyable book and definitely should be read by health care providers.
Greg .. a dentist

I must caution readers that this review may be biased - Dr. John Castaldo has been a close personal friend for over 20 years.

To me the book is more than stories of love, faith and healing. It's the story of two human beings who, as they become more skilled as physicians, struggle to become more human, in a profession that is simultaneously life-and-death, and often dehumanizing.

I visited John daily while his son David was in the hospital. I remember the hundreds of cuts on David's body, and the grief expressed by John and his family. But I also remember his determination that David would recover.

This is not a superstar ("look at all the great things I did") type of book. There are successes mixed with sadness, and perhaps failures. But that is the human drama of life. The book is worth buying and reading.

In this book, two neurologists recall memorable cases in their practices and events in their personal lives where their patients taught them valuable lessons about life. The stories reveal very human and humorous aspects of these eminent physicians' personalities. Some of the accounts are sad, others almost incredible, and still others will have you chuckling and shaking your head. In many chapters, the spotlight shines on the patients - not on the doctors. This is a unique book with stories you will want to share with family and friends.

I loved this book. It made myself think alot about today's society as I was reading it. I have never read a book quite like this one before, and I am looking for more. Finn was a great character along with Benji. I would like to know what happened after Benji brought Finn home and hooked up with her mother, did they live happily ever after or was it like a one night stand... I believe they lived happily ever after. I hope. Great read for the mature adult. Definatly a must have for your book collection.

This knockout will have you entertained, moved, touched, and perhaps touching yourself...

I was so into this book by the first page, I read it all in one day!! I just couldnt put it down. Finn's character was the best in the book and along with Benji. I have never read a book that made me think so much while reading it. I'm glad for the ending and I liked the part where both of them where high on grass, and contemplatling their worlds!! Too Funny!! a must have for any book collection!!

I like to read first novel and this one by Andrew Lewis Conn falls into a particular category of first novels: typical. It is a typical first novel. It has a clever enough plot and interesting enough characters but it falls into many of the traps that I see in first novels.

Mainly, this novel is too clever for its own good. I see this in two main things: first, Mr. Conn clearly has a wide-ranging intelligence but it takes an expert to integrate concepts from the details of pornography, the depths of Shakespeare, Joyce and Nietzsche and the subtleties of cutting edge physics. He doesn't quite pull it off. Second, I find Mr. Conn's variations of prose style as the book progresses to add little to the experience of the book and a bit pretentious. Normal prose, flashback, multiple headings, screenplay format, stream-of-consciousness--it's too much.

On a personal note, I don't consider myself a prude but I could have done without some of the more "vivid" details of the porn industry. I, like most guys, like a little prurient detail but after awhile it becomes a little much. And Finn may be a prodigy but she's still only ten-years-old. Of the many interesting characters in this novel, she was the only one I found that tested the edges of believability.

Still, there's a lot of good stuff here. I love the descriptive detail of Ithaca and New York City, in particular. I look forward to seeing Mr. Conn's next outing. I think there's potential here.

This is an incredibly ambitious first novel that lives up to and exceeds all my expectations. The language, the wordplay, the descriptions and above all, the story had me mesmerized from Chapter 1---my favorite in the whole book. Mr. Conn, I salute you.

One of the best Gone With the Wind- type books I've ever read and never wanted it to end. Following 10-year old Fancy Deverell after rescue from a slave and her journey to adulthood, from poverty to fame and fortune makes it a classic epic that I will save on my bookshelf for many years to pass on to future generations.
I continue to look for more books by Ms. Spellman. If you like epic saga books with lots of pages that continually hold your interest, make this one of them.

I absolutely loved this book. At over 800 pages, I thought it would take forever. Well, it did in a way, I'm planning a wedding and couldn't reserve the time I use to to reading. But in the past month, I just couldn't put it down. This book is just such a sweeping saga, you can't help but get wrapped up in the characters lives. It begins in the 1860's and covers over 30 years. I loved the fact that the end is a journal entry 20 years later. This book is definitely a keeper. Hopefully, I can find another copy, because mine is so worn from so long going in and out of my purse.

I was fully totally consumed by this book and was left craving for more. Truly, a one of a kind, epic novel that will leave you wishing it would never end! I read this magical book every couple of years and I am still moved each time. Even the most cynical of my friends break down into tears and swear by the end that this is the best book they have ever read. period. This is right up there with Gone with the Wind! Buy it today!

This is another book which I. read years ago and it is a keeper.I loved the main female character Fancy and her love for two brothers made me cry.Such a good love story and it just is a book you must read at least once.I plan on reading it again.Wish I could find more like this one.

This truly is one of the best books I've ever read. It was 700 pages long and it wasn't long enough. I wish she wrote a sequel.

I have always considered Lewis one of the founding fathers of the modern profession. His short "Fundamentals of Project Management" book published by the American Management Association is one of the first project management books I read. That book provided a brief overview, while "The Project Manager's Desk Reference" expands into all the elements of the project management discipline.

Lewis covers the entire project lifecycle. He begins with a concept overview and his "Lewis Method of Project Management". He discusses initiation and requirements, paying particular attention to problem definition and articulating the mission. He makes it clear that many projects build solutions to the wrong problems. Lewis spends a few chapters on implementation planning, providing good coverage of the WBS - "there is no project that won't benefit from doing a WBS", critical path, estimating, etc.

He spends several chapters on controls, which appear to be an area of specialization. I would have liked to see more on tools and techniques, but there's a very good presentation on concepts and strategies. There are some good sound bytes that speak volumes:

* "A control system is designed to cope with the routine; exceptions must be given special handling."
* "The important should be controlled. However, what is controlled tends to become important."
* "If control data does not result in action, then the system is ineffective."

I also appreciate the explicit mention of feedback loops and third order systems. Finally, there's the obligatory section on earned value, which I skipped.

There are a couple of chapters on defining and avoiding project failure, which is very appropriate for a PM book. He makes an important point on perceptions, and perceived successes and failures. He stresses the importance of establishing a mutual agreement on criteria of success with the stakeholders in order to prevent a perceived failure. Conversely, "if the right people consider the project a success, it is, for all practical purposes." While scope, costs, and schedule may be a source of pressure during the project, "once the job is complete, if it satisfies the needs of a lot of key people, the missed cost and schedule targets become less important" (This fact sometimes escapes analytical project managers). Lewis then proceeds to quantify 13 common causes of project failure and then transitions into risk management, which I found lacking in applied tools. I expected a little more on risk management given the energy spent on defining success and failure in the previous chapters.

Lewis provided some chapters on systems theory and decision and problem solving theory at the end of the book. Most of this was cursory, but there are some practical inclusions, such as the is/is-not matrix and stratification. I was glad to see this as these subjects are too often absent from such books.

Early on the author states "Dealing with people is a major function that a project manager must perform" and later presents secionts on communications skills including insightful concepts like self-discovery via the Johari Window, interpersonal skills, and B2B communications.

Lewis brought in guest authors for several chapters. While a good idea, I personally didn't particularly like the selections and felt the subject matter did not belong.

The Desk Reference does not focus on any particular industry and should be relevant to all project managers. Accordingly, there aren't many case studies.

In his preface, Lewis says of handbooks, "there is the knowledge that I could find almost anything I need to know in those great, massive books". He says of his book, "I believe it covers the core knowledge you must have to be successful as a project manager". Lewis does indeed touch on everything you need to know, but while it has the breadth, it lacks the depth in several areas. "Handbook", and definitely "desk reference", in my opinion, imply breadth *and* depth. I learned from, enjoyed, and recommend "The Project Manager's Desk Reference", but would rather see it take the title of his earlier "Fundamentals" book.

In the Project Manager's Desk Reference, Lewis presents a comprehensive approach to project management. He then goes through his model step by step from developing a concept to final project review and close out. The templates and additional models he uses along the way are extremely helpful. He addresses problem solving, risk management, and how to know when to pull the plug on a project. In the back of the book, there is a thorough checklist for project managers and a list of resources.

This book will be very helpful for anyone who needs to manage a project, expert and novice alike. The concepts and language are easy enough to understand for a novice, but so thorough that it will be useful to experts, too. The content tends to be more focused on projects dealing with research and design, product development, or something that is intended to be marketed and sold, rather than event planning. So event planner will probably want to look for another resource.

There is a wide range in regards to the suitability of graphics, textboxes, and tables. While some were extremely helpful and necessary, others were almost inappropriate, at best, or even distracting. The amateur nature of some of these graphics and textboxes only discredited the good context; but this book is an excellent book despite some of these things, but it would be even better without them. I would have also liked to see an appendix of the templates Lewis introduces throughout the book.

Simple examples and clarity of expression help the reader to master even the most complex project management concepts. Be able to distinguish new and old earned value terminology as this edition uses the old language (e.g., BCWS, BCWP, ACWP vs PV, EV and AC). Otherwise excellent.

Project Manager's Desk Reference is a complete, well-written guide about Project Management intended to college students and to any person not familiar with this subject.

The topics covered by this book include Project Planning, Scheduling (PERT), Controlling (Earned Value Analysis), Reporting/Evaluating and Risk Analysis. The book also discusses other subjects that certainly will be faced by the Project Manager, like how to Improve the Communication Skills, how to Solve Problems and Making Decisions.

This book is not intended to experienced managers that need more tools to conduct their projects. These people should look for specific books about the aspect of Project Management that they need to deep into, like Risk Management.

This is direct and to the point. Lewis' writing style is solid and very readable. He does not have a pretentious know it all attitude like so many authors have today. Not only is this an excellent desk reference, but it also can guide you through the essential concepts needed for effective PM duties.

I struggled with the concept of second innocence (still do); however, the premise is that we can maintain or recapture a sense of wonder, delight (whatever you want to call it) throughout our lives. And it is this sense of wonder that keeps us growing and allows us to become truly wise. I'm old enough to know wisdom when I see it and young enough to appreciate that innocent wonder in children. Izzo takes us through various aspects of our lives and shows how a sense of wonder keeps us young while allowing us to truly grow older with grace.

At first, this book seemed to me to be trite, full of little aphorisms and such. By the time I reached the end, I finally understood the underlying message. As with our personal relationships, what counts in our daily living ARE the little things. The author presents this insight with a gentle hand that matches the mood of the message. Thank you, John Izzo, wherever you are.

"John Izzo has written yet another fantastic book that has profound impact on the reader's daily life. Upon finishing the first reading, I turned the book over and began reading it all over again. A few weeks later, I picked it up and read it a third time and I just could not stop talking about it! This truly is a book that will not stay on a bookshelf for long.
Written in such a way as to remind us what we already know, but do not practice, Izzo's simple views on life can help the reader realize the full potential of their lives. His compelling stories are useful tools to view our own lives, jobs and families with more kindness, while discovering the peace that was always within our grasp.
A rich, thought-provoking book such as this could very well make the world a better place - one reader at a time." ~ Lillian Brummet, co-author of the book Trash Talk - a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Just wanted to thank John for writing inspiring words that convey wonderful foundational thoughts and feelings. I too am a great believer in an abundance mentality and try to live and act in the "now" every day.

If the population of our world would take the time to slow down enough to contemplate and realize that we all (most?) really want the same simple things from life, what a great place this world would be.

Author writes about rediscovering the wonder and joys of life. Based on his own experiences including death of his father, first love, a family suicide and other compelling stories, Izzo cheers you on to reconnect with and learn from your own life stories. It can be difficult at times to maintain optimism and grace in a world filled with cynicism but Izzo's inspirational book certainly helps you down the right path.