Resources Books

This is great trivia for those who already have a basic knowledge of the middle ages. It's filled with gross and gristly bits that will entertain and inform. Don't let the juvenile presentation of the book deter you. A really fun read for teens and adults alike. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

Who says history has to be boring and serious? Measly Middle Ages tells the history of the middle ages while completely entertaining the reader. The book itself is filled with lots of interesting information, surprising facts, and insider jokes. It's great fun!

Measly Middle Ages is part of a series of Horrible Histories which teaches history in a interesting, fun, and humorous way. All of these books have great titles like Rotten Romans, Awesome Egyptians, Groovy Greeks, and Vicious Vikings. A copy of these books should be in every local school library.

This great, enchanting, and captivating series attracted me since i was a child. Not only is this an educating experience, this also provides information in a very enjoyable way. Attractive to the most intelligent minds, and interesting to every child, this makes a great gift and also a great reader.
It will make you smile and even laugh out loud as you read book after book. My only question is, why would they ever stop priting? I ask Scholastic to continue print so all who desire a book can recieve one. Thank you.

The book really had no main characters. This book was an informational book covering the Middle ages. The book covered such great people in history as Queen Isabeau, King Richard II, and King Richard III.

The plot of the story is about the middle ages. Also about
how the people changed history and life as it was during the Middle Ages. The history that I learned was a lot different of how it is today. The story also focused on famous kings and Queens and important people who changes history forever and their improtant contributions to the Middle Ages.

The setting of the story is during the Middle Ages which is from 410A.D.-1453A.D.

The Measly Middle Ages is about the people in life that made a diffrence for the people of today. It also tells you about important events and the historic importance of individuals of during the middle ages.

One of the resons I liked this book is because I am realy into history. Another reason that I liked reading this book is because of the awsome illistrations throughout the book. I also enjoyed how the book kept my attention throghtout the story and this is why this was one of best books i have read in a long time.

I came across Terry Deary completely by accident ~ in a gift shop in Scotland, shoved amongst other more "scholarly" hardcovers. As my graduate area of study is the Middle Ages, I was intrigued and bought the book on a whim ~ and haven't stopped buying Terry Deary's books since! Are the books chock-full of historical facts guaranteed to allow someone to walk away thinking they know everything about the Middle Ages, Greece, Rome, France, or any of Deary's other topics? No, of course not. Are the books a wonderfully entertaining (and illustrated!) way of addressing what can admittedly be a bit of a dry topic? Of course! I say any books that can make someone, young or old, become interested in history should be embraced fully. And, hey, I learn something new from every book I read, which is an added bonus! Further, I think these books definitely appeal to adults who have an interest or education in history ~ much as what "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" teaches us about Shakepeare is true about Deary's treatment of history: the better you know the original, the more funny and entertaining the condensed versions are.

After the Bible, this is the best book written for the church today. Bar None. If this book (the ideas in it) would be taken seriously, it will change the church in America - maybe save it from being like the church in Europe. I've recommended it to every single pastor I know.
Rev. Karen Walters

This is one of those books that you could read at any pace, but to really nudge out the details of the pages you really have to do alot of reflection. What i really like about the book was it opened up avenues for fresh questions and perspective. I found that by preasenting their concepts of ministry tried with real stories makes the book authentic. I love this. It gave a realistic vibe to it.

Great book. I got the book from the library and have been using it for a college class. The book is very good and has actually casued me to rethink some of my ideas about non-christians. There are excellent stories in the book. It reminds me of how Jesus taught; in parables. I have never written a review here, but this book impressed me quite a bit.

I was interested in this book because my church is launching a daughter church. The insights that Burke has are so dead on. My husband's Bible study decided to go through the book a chapter at a time, using the discussion questions at the end of each one. The questions are good - really make you think about how the church should look in this culture. I work in a non-profit organization. The entire staff bought the book and we've been using it during staff meetings. This book is accessible, but not "dumbed down" at all.

Starting a church based on the principle that people should feel safe to express themselves exactly as they are without any semblance of pretense, Burke wrote No Perfect People Allowed to chronicle how he dealt with the messiness that inevitably follows. The book is at its best when Burke simply relates stories of his interactions with authentic people and talks about how he approached each situation and why, but it stumbles when he starts talking about broader principles and the bigger picture. At the end of the book, Burke laments that the church has historically emphasized pastors as instruments of instruction while neglecting to enlist people with leadership gifts into the role, and one certainly gets the impression that Burke himself is more gifted as a leader than a teacher. His examples of practice are greatly superior to his contextualization of them. For example, while he has a reasonable grasp on interacting with people of the postmodern generation, Burke's short theoretical explanation of postmodernism is atrociously awful and carries the potential to mislead ministry leaders who may not have the academic background to discern how far offbase he is.

As I read this book I could almost feel the track clicking below the engine, hear the chuffing of the engine as it labored to pull the cars, listen to the lonesome sound of the whistle as the engineer arrived at the crossing and feel the power as the fireman put the coal to the firebox and the engineer pulled the Johnson bar. All in all a great read and a book that anyone interested in the steam era would read with relish.

One of the most compelling railroad books I've read - the narrative is compelling because of Orr's consistent, insightful commitment to doing his job well and discovering the most efficient way to get his train over the road. Of course hardcore railfans will enjoy this book, but I think students of industrial history and those interested in the way people go about their jobs (a la Studs Terkel/working) will get something out of this book as well.

The detailed descriptions in "Set Up Running" will have you smelling coal smoke. Even though I have been a rail fan for all of my 65 years, was an NYC-PC employee, and I'm a native of Pennsylvania, I learned something new on nearly every page and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Although "Set Up Running" deals almost exclusively with operations on a PRR branch line, ferroequinologists (students of the iron horse) everywhere will love this book. It has the unique quality of making you wish it would go on forever.

When I read a book or article about railroads it is easy to tell when the writer is over his head. Not here. This book is authentic.

The time covers a great period of growth of steam locomotive development. PRR classes from the old class R through the M1a are run and evaluated. Which one is the engineer's favorite? You might be surprised.

The book is a labor of love. It is human as well as technological. Here you find the enthusiasm of the young man, the confidence of the mature man, and the feelings of being squeezed out of the retiring man. As I finished the book I sat and thought about the family for a long time.

Set Up Running is simply the VERY BEST railroad related book which I have EVER read! If you don't have it GET IT! PERIOD! (PS: I have NO financial interest in this book or any organization/company which sells it). I'm doing YOU a favor by rating this book and advising YOU to get it!)

ceh

I bought the book on impulse, based on a very strong recommendation, and found it contains the best help I have ever discovered for a writer and/or speaker using the Internet. I highly recommend it. She has an unbelievable amount of detailed research at her fingertips.

The world of the Internet is constantly changing. Without a bunch of ever-changing computer jargon, Carmen Leal has provided a set of tools and techniques for writers and speakers to learn how to research and market online. While there are many websites listed throughout this book, Carmen provides the updated links with something called Living Links.

No one can know everything about this topic of research and marketing but Carmen gives each writer and speaker a running start at the topic with this well-crafted book. It's a resource to get, read, then schedule time to periodically re-read and keep learning about this important area.

Carmen Leal is not just a very smart lady; she's very nice, too. Both traits come across loud and clear in this book. Reading her easy, straightforward, advice-rich prose is like having a conversation with the wise, affectionate aunt you never had. And, without a doubt, her collection of helpful sites for writers and speakers is unparalleled. She had pretty much every link in my own Internet bookmark folder, plus about 25-30% more than I had -- and mine were considerable, being the result of more than six years as a writer. Without a doubt, this book will stay next to my computer and become dogeared from all the love and attention it gets from me.

That said, I do have a slight issue with the marketing of this book as pure Internet reference, because that's not exactly what it is. Ms. Leal's target audience is actually NOT the seasoned writer or speaker who just needs to rev up his or her personal research engine. She's writing for, and to, beginning writers and aspiring professional speakers. Much of her book (some entire chapters and several partial chapters) is devoted to introducing neophytes to the craft and the business of writing or speaking. Thus, considering my six years of experience as a writer, I found myself skimming great swaths of text, with my eyes pausing only when I glimpsed the italic print with which all those juicy internet links are helpfully set apart.

Bottom line: This book is most definitely worth the $10 Amazon will charge you for it, and more. However, its scope is, in my opinion, a bit broad. It would be more useful to professional writers and speakers if it came in a separate, streamlined edition -- one without all the newbie advice we've already heard and benefited from long ago.

Carmen Leal has done a massive amount of research to write this book. She's done the work, and we reap the benefits. Two things endear me to Carmen:

1. She can remember when she didn't know about the internet, and can remember how she learned.

2. She writes in a easy-to-follow style that leads me on the path to understanding.

If only every book on computer topics were written this well!

WriterSpeaker.com--no, that's not a website-- well, actually there is a website by that name. But in this case, it is the title of a uniquely informative book.

If someone other than the book's author had asked me to read this book, I doubt I would have bothered to do so. And, oh what I would have missed had I not read it! "Technical reading" is not usually my choice. In fact, the last time I read a technical book it was assigned reading in college. I swore then that I would never use my precious reading time for technical reading again. Carmen Leal managed to change my mind on the matter, and I am very glad that she did.

My chance meeting with the energetic and engaging author of several books must have been one of those fortuitous moments we all hope for. I found myself face to face with a published author who was real, down to earth, and interested in my personal desire to write. Her energy is contagious. Her passion for writing--and helping others to do so--is overwhelming. She makes the whole writing process from beginning to end seem so easy. With an attitude that says, "If I can do it, so can you," she encourages writers and would-be writers to strive to reach their goals.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of interacting with Carmen Leal on numerous occasions. She always takes the time to inquire about my writing life. She never misses an opportunity to inform or encourage. No wonder WriterSpeaker.com is so reader-friendly. Its author is reader, speaker, and writer friendly as well!

In addition to this, her first technical book, Leal is the author of Faces of Huntington's and the co-author of Pinches of Salt, Prisms of Light. She teaches writing classes for the Collier County Public School System's Adult Education Program, lectures on various writing topics for the Friends of the Library at the Collier County Public Library, and travels extensively to speak at various writing conferences.

Whether the Internet is a constant companion or a new acquaintance, this book offers an amazing wealth of information. Its pages are filled with information specifically designed to meet the needs of writers and speakers. This is a reference book unlike any I have ever read before. In just 269 pages, Leal has addressed internet features, research, tips for finding writing resources including copyright laws, self-publishing hints, business savvy, online writing opportunities and classes, website development, and much much more.

In a highly unusual move, Leal has taken her readers into the "web" via a web address which links to the untold numbers of resources found in her book. She is quick to point out, "All links are checked periodically, and dead websites are eliminated. New websites come with brief descriptions."

Written from her heart, Leal guides the beginning writer through the keys to becoming a successful writer: "Read and listen. Join. Work at your craft. Attend a writer's/speaker's conference or convention. Know the publishing industry." Internet sources to work at each of these keys are addressed in WriterSpeaker.com.

Leal writes that the internet can take us "beyond research and on to success" in our craft by (1)"allowing us to target our work to specific editors," (2) "providing a place to showcase one's work," and (3) "streamlining the communication process between writers and editors."

WriterSpeaker.com has been placed on my desk next to the computer. It is already looking a bit old and worn, but it will likely be my new best friend as I work at perfecting my own writing life with the help of Internet features and great friends like author Carmen Leal.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I purchased this because I was interested in where my daughter was supposed to be. I found that in this age of differentiated instruction, this would help with RTI and making plans for the different levels in my class...

This is a great book for all educators. I highly recommend it. It give great information for all who work with children in what to expect in terms of children's development and implication for learning.

"Yardsticks", by Chip Wood, is a wonderful resourse for anyone working with children aged 4 to 14. It offers insights into the development of various age groups, and the book is conveniently divided by age. So, if you are working with seven-year-olds, you simply go to the section labeled "Sevens" and you can read about their cognitive abilities as well as physical attributes an average child of this age has. I am a pre-service teacher and recieved only a short blurb copy of this book and knew I HAD to have the entire book. It has been a wonderful help in my teaching and I plan on utilizing it for my entire career. Get this book!

It's a great book to learn what children are doing at a certain age and what interests them as a teacher.

This is just one incredible book. It is direct to the point with no flowery words, theories or philosphies. Each chapter is one age. The author creates about a half dozen catagories: physical, communication, etc. and provides bullets under each catagory of what to expect for the age. Each chapter is designed the same. I have found it to be right on the money! This should be a gift for every new parent!

This is a helpful resource for those beginning in the field and will give new ideas to those who have been working in the field for awhile. Each exercise is introduced and explored thoroughly. These exercises can be used "as is" or as a jumping off point by using your own creativity to tweak them for each unique client. We need more books like this.

I have been working directly with children and families for over 2 years, and I have utilized many tools in an attempt to provide an effective intervention; however, none of them have been as effective as the worksheets and intervention strategies found in this book. It has helped me to get to a whole new level when working with families. The tools provided in the book WORK, and I have REPEADETLY experienced it first hand. IT IS NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOK OF USELESS ACTIVITIES!!!

The worksheets and homework assignments are not just given; however, a complete explanation of the appropriate utilization of the tool, as well as a case study with the tool is provided. As a graduate student who is in the process of learning how to be a professional and competent counselor, this book greatly assist me in learning how to apply effective counseling techniques in REAL LIFE SCENARIOS!!! Many of the activities in the book can be utilized in both a Christian and Secular setting. This book has NO BOUNDARIES for the multitudes that it can affect.

The Christian Therapist's Notebook is by far, the most helpful book I've come accross in my Master's degree program in Counseling Psychology. The exercises are ready to use and detailed enough for a beginner or more experienced counselor to implement. One of the interesting components about this book is that it takes into consideration the individual as a integrated unit, considering even the spiritual component of a person's life.

The Notebook has activities for individuals, couples, adolescents and even children. It is a great resource for projects related to group and group processes, as it gives exercises that can be used for a variety of concerns.

Finally, the best part of the book is that the authors have carefully compiled a list of resources not just for the therapist but also for the client; therefore, you have an available list of materials you can refer to the client, which is organized by topic (ex: eating disorders, anxiety, etc.).

As a student and future beginner therapist, I appreciate the wealth of information the authors have shared and systematically organized. It is a great tool box!

Christian therapists need look no further, combined this with the Bible and you will have all the tools you could ever hope for! No doubt you too will think that this book is so well thought out and masterfully written that surely the Lord Himself must have had a hand in this.

The book is very user friendly, you can just open to the section you are looking for and begin. With each and every section being strongly based in Biblical truth and wisdom that only comes from years of experience in the world of mental health counseling. The information is comprehensive and does not leave you confused or wanting further explanation. This book is easy enough for a student, but comprehensive and effective enough for a therapist to use.

Whether you are a Christian therapist, pastoral counselor, or someone who just likes buying books on the internet this is the book for you. I for one hope that Dr. Henry continues to write more books.

This workbook is divided into three sections, one for individuals, one for couples and families and one for children and adolescents. Each one of the sections include homework assignments, handouts and suggested activities. The focus of the book is to answer the question of what do you do when the door closes and you have to deal with the practical issue of effective therapy. In the Christian Therapist paradigm you also have to deal with you can connect this person back to God. The purpose statement of the book is very clear - to provide Christian therapists a way to be passionately Christian and still remain clinically professional.

The information provided is very comprehensive. For each exercise there is a guiding scripture, objective, rational for use, instructions, vignette, suggestions for follow-up, contraindications, resources for professionals, resources for clients, and related scriptures. All of the activities are strongly Christian and Bible based. This fact alone makes it an excellent resource for any church pastor or other leader who is counseling in a church setting. It is also excellent for any therapist working with a client with a background in the Christian church. The exercises are honest and point out in the contraindications when it would not be appropriate. When an exercise makes presumptions as to the client's spiritual level or orientation the contraindications spell it out in the contraindications section.

The Christian Therapist's Notebook is an excellent resource for the Christian Therapist working with Christian clients and highly recommended for that purpose. The exercises are on target and integrate standard therapeutic principles into a Christian environment.

I loved this book. It was exceptional. I thought it was funny and exciting, and had everything an Animorph book should. Tobias is one of my favorite characters, and Rachel IS my favorite. Both of these characters were in it a lot, and that was another plus. I loved the chapters when they told their families what they are and what they could do. Rachel's mom reacted so stupidly it was funny. My eyes were glued to the pages without exception for the two and half hours it took me to read it. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. A must-have addition to the Animorphs series!

This book is my FAVORITE Animorophs book and I've read most of them. The Yeerks begin to realize the "Andalite bandits" are really humans. (most of them) So with the Yeerks closing in The Animorphs and their families must evacuate to the Hork-Bajir valley. Jake parents are taken and made into Controllers and Tobias finds his long lost mother, Loren. This book is really great.

I love books about Tobais and this is his best book yet. The Yeearks are starting to realize that the so called analite bandits are humans and are collecting the animorph's blood to see if there is a family match. Guess whose match they find; Tobais's mother. Tobais's mother is blind and has amensia. Tobais morphs his mother's guide dog and gets her to safety.

I think this book is one of the best Tobias books, but it seems so abrupt when he meets his mother. It's almost like Tobias says, "Hi, I'm your son." Then it's as if his mother says, "Oh. Okay then. I knew that." I don't really like that part. Otherwise, it's pretty good. There are good Rachel and Tobias parts, an appropriate amount of action, and a great deal of emotion.

Yep,that right.The Yeerks are finally begining to think that maybe the 'Andalite Bandits' aren't Andalites at all,maybe they're human.So they have figure out how to tesst them, DNA.Because every time when the Animorphs are in battle, they lose some blood.So if the Yeerks test it they will find DNA strands of every animal the have acquired,and their actual human DNA.They will know who they are, infact the Yeerk computer has already found a match.The Animorphs try to break in and destroy the computer,but they're stopped.But before they leave they see the one match on the computer,its somebody by the name of Loren, Tobias' mother......Tobias is shocked,everyone has always told him his mother is dead,He has to see her and he wants to save her,Jake doesn't really like that idea,He thinks she could be a Yeerk.So Tobias,Marco and Ax will watch her house for 3 days,and if she doesn't go to the Yeerk pool during that time they will know if she safe,but by then so will the Yeerks....But the computer is still going,and soon the other Animorphs' family members will turn up as matches too........

This is definatley one of the best,and one of my favorites!!!!!I loved the story, its a classic Animorph book...This one,like most Animorphs,really get you into the story,you feel like your really morphing,really in the battle,and really feeling the emoitions and thinking the thoughts....I strongly recomend this book,it Incredible!!!!!!!!

It seems to me that The Fifth Discipline (the previous publication of the series) is more attacting to me. The second book can be more precise and concise in content. Generally speaking I still like these two books as a foreign reader.

The Fieldbook attempts at making the esoteric concepts of the fifth discipline more down to earth and contains a treasure trove of strategies, tools, methods and explanations on how to make the learning organization into a reality.

Thus people who have read The fifth discipline will gain the most from this book. It's a must read for people who want to make their organizations transition into a 'learning organization'

This book is a collection of theoretical summaries, reports, analyses, and strategies all quite useful to anyone interested in generating some thinking and action around change. The team of five writers (Peter Senge, Richard Ross, Bryan Smith, Charlotte Roberts, and Art Kleiner) provide some original work, but also serve as editors to a vast quantity of material drawn from practitioners, theorists, and writers in the field of organizational improvement. According to Senge, "great teams are learning organizations - groups of people who, over time, enhance their capacity to create what they truly desire to create." (p.18) This book is really about creating and building great teams. The learning organization develops its ability to reflect on, discuss, question, and change its current and past practices. To do this, people and groups in the organization need to meaningfully pursue the study and practice of the five disciplines - personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking.

The learning organization - Senge's vision for the productive, competitive, and efficient institutions of the future - is in a continuous state of change. Four fundamental questions continuously serve to check and guide a group's learning and improvement (see page 49): (1) Do you continuously test your experiences? ("Are you willing to examine and challenge your sacred cows - not just during crises, but in good times?") (2) Are you producing knowledge? ("Knowledge, in this case, means the capacity for effective action.") (3) Is knowledge shared? ("Is it accessible to all of the organization's members?") (4) Is the learning relevant? ("Is this learning aimed at the organization's core purpose?") If these questions represent the organization's compass, the five disciplines are its map.

Each of the five disciplines is explained, and elaborated in its own lengthy section of the book. In the section on "Systems Thinking" (a set of practices and perspectives, which views all aspects of life as inter-related and playing a role in some larger system), the authors build on the idea of feedback loops (reinforcing and balancing) and introduce five systems archetypes. They are: "fixes that backfire", "limits to growth", "shifting the burden", "tragedy of the commons", and "accidental adversaries". In the section on "Personal Mastery", the authors argue that learning starts with each person. For organizations to learn and improve, people within the organization (perhaps starting with its core leadership) must learn to reflect on and become aware of their own core beliefs and visions. In "Mental Models", the authors argue that learning organizations need to explore the assumptions and attitudes, which guide their institutional directions, practices, and strategies. Articles on scenario planning, the ladder of inference, the left-hand column, and balancing inquiry and advocacy offer practical strategies to investigate our personal mental models as well as those of others in the organization. In "Shared Vision", the authors make the case for the stakeholders of an organization to continually adapt their vision ("an image of a desired future"), values ("how we get to travel to where we want to go"), purpose ("what the organization is here to do"), and goals ("milestones we expect to reach before too long"). The section offers many strategies and perspectives on how to move an organization toward continuous reflection. In "Team Learning", the authors rely mostly on the work of William Isaacs and others, and make a case for educating organization members in the processes and skills of dialogue and skillful discussion.

This book is enlightening and informative. It has already found a place on my shelf for essential reference books.

Peter M Serge, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook

To quote the first few paragraphs at beginning of book:

Among the tribes of northen Natal in South Africa, the most common greeting, equivalent to "hello" in English, is the expression: Sawu bona. It literally means, "I see you." If you are a member of the tribe, you might reply by saying Sikhona, "I am here." The order of the exchange is important: until you see me, I do not exist. It's as if, when you see me bring me into existence.

This meaning, implicit in the language, is part of the spirit of ubuntu, a frame of mind prevalent among native people in Africa below the Sahara. The word ubuntu stems from the folk saying Umuntu ngumuntu nagabantu, which from Zulu, literally translates as: "A person is a person because of other people."


"I bow in honor and reverence that place within you where to the Universe resides, when you are in that place within you, and I am in that place within me, there is One." ~namaste


The five disciplines are at the CORE of a Learning Organization

1) Personal Mastery: expand your personal capacity and ability

2) Mental Models: see how our internal pictures of the world shape action and decision

3) Shared Vision: group commitment

4) Team Learning: group ability is greater than the sum of individual talents

5) System Thinking:


"When we try to bring about change in our societies, we are treated first with indifference, then with ridicule, then with abuse and then with oppression. And finally, the greatest challenge is thrown at us: We are treated with respect. This is the most dangerous stage." --A. T. Ariyaratne (Speech made at International Community Leadership Summit, Winrock, Arkansas, March 1983. This quote paraphrases and expands upon a well-known statement made by Mahatma Gandhi in his book Satyagraha in South Africa, 1982, 1979, Canon, Me.: Greenleaf books)


"An [organization] is not a machine but a living organism." --Ikujiro Nonaka /****
Fundamentals of epistemology: what is knowledge, the nature of knowledge, and what constitutes learning.
understanding is achieved after internalization.
Without experience, we cannot truly understand.
Internalization: transformation from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge, habits and culture that we do not recognize in ourselves.
Innovation is a process to capture, create, leverage, and retain knowledge.
What is your belief? A belief about images of the world - you may call it a mental model - is a very subjective thing

information is the flow of a message, while knowledge is created by accumulating information. Thus, information is a necessary medium or material for eliciting and constructing knowledge.

The second difference is that information is something passive. When we switch on a TV set, information comes regardless of my commitment. But knowledge comes from my belief, so it's more proactive.

And the organizational knowledge or intellectual infrastructure of an organization encourages its individual members to develop new knowledge through new experiences.

This dynamic process is the key to organizational knowledge creation - that is, socialization (from individual tacit knowledge to group tacit knowledge), externalization (from tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge), combination (from separate explicit knowledge to systemic explicit knowledge), and internalization (from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge) [...].

[...]

Three Guiding Ideas

1) The Whole. When you are pointing a finger at the problems, notice how many fingers are pointing back at you. If you fixed the symptoms and ignore the root causes, the problems have not gone away. Another way to look at this is treat the person, not the disease. Of course treat the disease if the patient is dying, but know that the patient will get sick again because the "root causes" are stil there.

2) Community. The self is "a point of view." "The essence of being a person is being in a relationship [with] other people." You will not believe this, but each person before you is there for a reason. The reason this person is there at this moment is for you to learn something about yourself. If you ignore the person, do not ignore or forget the lesson.

3) Language. The map is not the territory. We cannot contain every bit of information that comes to us in the world, so we have to create a "map of the territory" and then refer to the map for our information. By changing a person's map, we change their reality. Language is the map, not the reality.

Senge's second serving of the Learning Organization is filled with practical tips and real-life examples from companies and organizations that have embraced the teachings of the Learning Organization successfully.

The Book is a collaboration of several writers who do a superb job of unraveling the web that is the learning organization. At times, it may seem to the reader that the book is a labyrinth of disjointed concepts and ideas. However, if you have read `The Fifth Discipline' you will find no problems following the concepts introduced. In fact, you will even understand why the writers have chosen to introduce them in that fashion. If you have not read "The Fifth Discipline', do not despair, it will take a little longer to get `the whole picture'.
The Book is divided into 8 main sections:

1) Getting Started addresses the basic concepts and ideas of the Learning Organization.
2) Systems Thinking (the fifth discipline) - Many people have argued that Senge should have delegated the fifth discipline until the end, however, without Systems Thinking, your vision is disjointed and incomplete.
3) Personal Mastery covers the area of individual development and learning. The chapters here are among the most valuable in the area of self-growth and self-improvement.
4) Mental Models - These are the pictures that you have in your head which represent reality.
5) Shared Vision - You've seen the whole picture, you've developed and you understand how you see the world. Now you need to find a common cause with the rest of the people in your organization, something that you all work for.
6) Team Learning - As you work with other people in teams or groups, you need to pass the stuff that you have learnt and the wisdom you've acquired to others. At this stage, the learning is no longer that of the individual, but the group.
7) Arenas of Practice - (Self explanatory)
8) Frontiers - Where do we go from here.

If you are interested in development, learning, growth, leadership, gaining a competitive edge whether at an organizational or personal level, then this book is for you. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is book is for everyone.

I received my books in great shape and in a very timely fashion. Would order from this place again...Thanks so much!!

Just started book ,but am truly amazed at simplicity yet depth of information to live and serve as a Christian in this life. Am anxious to finish and apply.

This is a great book. It is helpful for counselors, but also very practical for self-help. It is eye opening to say the least--helps to get to the heart of problems.

I was only about ten pages into this book before I realized that it was very, very good. And it kept getting better. It is not only theologically sound in the sense of not containing noticeable errors, but also deals with its subject matter in a theologically astute way. And in addition to being theologically sound, it is pastoral and practical. I have no doubt that I will return to it again and again in pastoral ministry.

The main idea of the book is that all believers should be doing what Tripp calls "personal ministry," helping people to see themselves and their situations in a biblical light, and work to be conformed more to the image of Christ. Most of his stories and application have to do with pastoral ministry or professional Christian counseling, but the principles could apply just as well to a small group leader, or any Christian who wishes to be used by God to minister to others. In examining our lives, we (and the people we counsel) need to understand the fundamental teachings of the Bible on God and humanity. We have to understand that we are fallen, that sin has pervaded every aspect of our lives. As a result we sin, we suffer from the effects of others' sin, and we respond sinfully to that suffering. Sin is not an occasional mix-up in an otherwise well-functioning system; it is a constant reality that is at play in every situation we deal with. We must also understand, though, that as believers we have been fundamentally changed by the gospel. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we really are able to fight against the power of sin ad walk in increasing obedience to God's commands. In short, all of us are "people in need of change," God gives us the means by which to change, and we are called to help each other change.

This book is a great introduction to personal ministry, especially for a pastor. The examples were a little dramatic, and it could be discouraging for someone who isn't dealing with marriages that are falling apart or people who were abused as children. But Tripp's principles are a great paradigm for any Christian who desires to minister to others and build deeper relationships within the body of Christ.

I was given this book by a mentor of mine and told that it would be extremely helpful. The problem is that I saw it was deemed a "counseling" book on the back, so I moved on for a while before I picked it up and read it. I continued to see the book on the "Best Seller's" list at many sites that I admire, so I finally picked the book up and started to read. I have to be honest, if I were to try and write all that I learned this review would turn into a novel itself.

Paul David Tripp really unpacks a three part effort.

One: To show me who I am
Two: Who others are
Three: How to practically minister to them, and accept their ministering to me

This book gets to the root of the issues and he even starts with the theological impact of understanding who God is and then who we are, namely: we aren't perfect, we need change, and we need help in that changing process from Christ and others.

This book not only unfolds what we are to do in daily ministering opportunities, but he unpacks the practical ways to do them. One of my favorite quotes in the book is that:

"We often say we need to preach the Word, but we also need to counsel the Word."

That is what this book is all about. It is how to counsel the Word of God to those in everyday life that need change just like you and I. What will hinder this book is that some will think it is only for the pastor or counselor, but it's intention is for all believers and it is written that way and is desperately needed for today's church.

I have already used the book and will continue to go back to it to try and unpack my shortcomings and also to help others do the same when they are in need of ministering. I know this is not the "hot topic" of discussion around the water cooler, but this book is much more needed in today's world that wants to only deal with actions instead of the root of those actions, namely, our darkened heart in need of the power of Christ. You will learn how to effectively and biblically (synonymous terms) counsel another as they ask a simple question or are having everyday life problems, instead of giving a "pat" answer or reciting Scripture and telling them to pray about it. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

Read first copy I bought. This 2nd, 3rd & 4th are for my grandkids. They're are the ones inheriting the problems and, I hope, they will be living toward solutions. I especially like from p. 123 on, when Brown begins proposing solutions. Astounded that we humans, globally subsidize nonrenewables by &700 Billion ANNUALLY. Love the idea of carbon taxes rather than cumbersome regulation & enforcement. Kathryn Russell

Plan B. 2.0 is the most comprehensive book I've found yet on the converging crises that we are facing in the world today. In Part I of the book, Lester R. Brown lays out each crisis, explaining the causes, and then goes on in Parts II and III, lays out a rational, well-thought-out,practical solution to the problems at hand. I gave my husband a copy of it to use for part of the Critical Issues for Law Enforcement class he's teaching at our local university. As far as I'm concerned, every American ought to have a copy and read it often and thoroughly. We need to be aware of what we're doing to ourselves and others. The frosting on this cake is that he gives us the tools we need to remedy the situation...if we act now.

If you care about this planet and our journey upon it, this book is essential reading for the millennium ahead. I just wanted to add my five stars. Please read the other reviews for the overview of "Plan B: 2.0"

It's a real shame that the publisher did not take the trouble to load the table of contents into the product information section provided by Amazon, because that alone should persuade anyone that gets to this page that the book is a MUST BUY MUST READ MUST SHARE.

Each of the following section titles has six sub-titles that I will not repeat here:
1. Entering a New World
2. Beyond the Oil Peak
3. Emerging Water Shortages
4. Rising Temperatures & Rising Seas
5. Natural Systems Under Stress
6. Early Signs of Decline
7. Eradicating Poverty, Stabilizing Populations
8. Restoring the Earth
9. Feeding Seven Billion Well
10. Stabilizing Climate
11. Designing Sustainable Cities
12. Building a New Economy
13. Plan B: Building a New Future.

Although an updated version of the first edition published in 2003, this version can be said to be both completely new, and finally ready for public consumption now that Al Gore has put Global Warming on the public mind.

I still prefer J. F. Rischard's High Noon 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them for the general reader, and I still think E. O. Wilson's The Future of Life is one of the top three in this area, but this book by Lester Brown has the merit of consolidating and structuring detail in a manner I have not seen elsewhere.

I recommend the book be ready in conjunction with books by Herman Daly's Valuing the Earth: Economics, Ecology, Ethics and Paul Hawken's Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, in part because everyone is now starting to realize that green sustainability is in fact the non-negotiable first step for any business to survive into the next decade--natural capitalism.

Most intriguing to me, and the heart of the book on page 257, is the consolidated Plan B budget totallying $161 billion a year needed to meet all of the goals the author postulates.
BASIC SOCIAL GOALS
12B Universal primary education
04B Adult literacy
06B School lunch in 44 poorest countries
04B Assistant to pregnant women and preschool childen in 44 poorest
07B Reproductive health and family planning
33B Universal health care
02B Closing the condom gap (Bill & Melinda Gates can have this one)

EARTH RESTORATION GOALS
06B Reforesting the earth
24B Protecting topsoil on cropland
09B Restoring rangelands
10B Stabilizing water tables
13B Restoring fisheries
31B Protecting biological diversity

As the author points out on the next page, world military expenditures total $975B a year, with the US alone responsible for $492B (this was published before we all knew of the half trillion dollar cost of the Iraq invasion and occupation). Hence, the $161B a year total is a fraction of the total spent on out-dated military systems, and could be funded by the US alone if we had the right leadership and public consensus.

Personally, and based on other readings, I believe that the author is under-estimating the costs, and avoiding a focus on many other factors including the urgent need to eradicate transnational crime and end inter-state and civil war. This is, however, a superb start and ideally suited as a primer for any level of learning.

Readers interested in seeing a broader perspective that places the ten high-level threats (poverty, infectuous disease, environmental degradation, inter-state conflict, civil war, genocide, other atrocities, proliferation, terrorism and transnational crime) in the context of the twelve policies that must be managed as a whole by all nations (agriculture, debt, diplomacy, economy, education, energy, family, immigration, justice, security, society, and water), and that in turn oriented toward the urgency of keeping the eight challengers (Brazil, China, Indonesia, India, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Wild Cards) from repeating our mistakes, can check in at Earth Intelligence Network.

Rescuing are planet and our civilization is going to be a great deal harder than the author suggests, and is going to need a massive awakening by the public as to the "true cost" of all that we are doing wrong. I expect that we will succeed, in part from top down efforts by Al Gore and this author among others, and in part by bottom up efforts where individuals can get from the Internet the "true cost" of any good or service in terms of water content, fuel content, sweatshop labor content, and tax avoidance status. Noami Klein's books, No Logo: No Space, No Choice, No Jobs and The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism are recommended in this regard.

Over-all an absolutely superb piece of work that caps the author's decades of advocacy on behalf of the planet. There is no other person that has been focused on this topic with due diligence year after year.

I believe this author should be recognized, along with Herman Daly and Paul Hawken and Anthony Lovins and others, for their total commitment over decades.

We do have prophets for our time. Lester Brown is one of the most important among them. In his well founded search for truth and solutions for our demographic, ecological and economic problems of global dimensions, he powerfully opposes the four faces of destructive stupidity of our times: ignorance, refusal to discuss matters, denial, and faithful dysfunctionality. I made this book the present day Bible that must be read and discussed in my course on Bioethics: Perspectives on Human Life, at Le Moyne College, Syracuse NY.
Dr. Andrew Szebenyi S.J.