Retailers Books

First of all, let me just say that whether or not this is autobiographical (or semi-autobiographical, or based on something she heard from a friend of a friend) this novella is very well-written and easy to read.

Having never worked in Japan myself, I can't comment on how accurate this is. However, it seems to be written with a view to making us sympathise with Amelie and while it accomplishes this during some points, at others I found myself far more in sympathy with the unfortunate people who had to work with Amelie. For example, who on their first day would just waltz in as though they owned the place without bothering to introduce themselves to the receptionist, irrespective of how old they were? Who in Western society - never mind Japanese - when getting screamed at by their boss would turn round and baldly say they were wrong? And as another reviewer mentioned, if your boss offers you a piece of white chocolate, surely it's better to accept it whatever your own personal feelings (genuine reasons for refusal such as diabetes/allergies notwithstanding)?

As a fiction novella (or even a tongue-in-cheek commentary on her own experiences) it's entertaining and well-written, and it makes you want to keep reading. For me, however, there was no feeling of triumph on behalf of the main character that you'd expect at the end of such a book. Amelie comes across as immature in places, not because of her general behaviour but because of the numerous faux pas she commits that wouldn't have been tolerated in Western society.

Instead I was left thinking, "yes, you were right to leave after everything you went through, but you brought a lot of it on yourself."

As I said, well-written, but don't take it too seriously.

This is an amazing book. I've heard it's her best, and I am not sure the writing can be improved. Hemingway-esque writing. The plot is funny, sort of a Larry David script meets Hokkaido Highway meets Douglas Coupland. But what is amazing is the sparse, power-packed writing. Reading this is bliss.

And by "French", I mean "in French". So keep that in mind for this review: I know nothing of the English translation presented here, I only have read the original novel, written in French.

"Fear & Trembling", the translation of "Stupeur & Tremblements", is a novel that is very autobiographic, if not entirely. It tells the story of Amélie during a year of work she spent in Japan, in a big building.

Amélie was born in Japan and speaks the language; thus, she is like a bridge between the East and the West, and I found it very interesting, for once, to see racism from the other side.

As to the writing itself, well, it's excellent. The style is great, there is humour all the way, and that with a very sharp and witty analysis of the situation. That novel is perfect from beginning to end. Every page is a pleasure to read.

One thing I am very curious about is what a Japanese reader would think of it. I'm interested in knowing if Japanese society, and its workplace, are so soul-crushing, which wouldn't surprise me, given the suicide rate in that country. You probably have heard of those 5 years old children committing suicide because school was too hard: I've never heard of anything remotely similar anywhere else.

Once again, I emphasise that I know nothing of this present translation, but the original French is delicious. The novel won a most prestigious award in France - the Grand Prix de l'Académie Française - and it deserved it. If you are curious about what French literature is up to (as in literature written in French, for Amélie is Belgian), then I recommend you read this excellent novel. It's a relatively short read, under 200 pages, and small ones. I read it in 3 sessions, and those weren't particularly long sessions. It could have been longer, though, I didn't get enough of it!

I can only hope that the translation of this edition does justice to the original, but as far as the story, style, and wit go, you can't make a mistake by reading "Fear & Trembling". Especially if you're into Japanese society, workplace environments, cross-cultural issues and what it means to be a white woman in Japan.

Although this novel, whose title in French is "Stupeur et Tremblements," is available in an English translation, read it in the original French if you can. It is the funny (and sometimes appalling) account of Amélie-san, a young Belgian woman living in Tokyo who goes to work for Yumimoto, a Japanese corporation. Because she speaks excellent Japanese, she looks forward to an opportunity to use her language skills. Instead, she misunderstands the arcane codes of conduct that govern the relationships between employees and their superiors, and her relationship with the beautiful Fubuki Mori, her boss, deteriorates to the point where Amelie finds herself in charge of her very own "office"---the company toilets. All of the novel takes place inside Yumimoto, on the 44th floor of a skyscraper office building, although Amelie occasionally peers out of a window in the bathroom as if she is encapsulated in some strange underwater vehicle from which she cannot escape. In addition to detailing the bizarre hierarchy that has assigned her to replacing toilet paper rolls, she makes interesting observations on the nature of Japanese employee relationships and on the difficulty of being a female executive in Japan. You'll have to decide for yourself how much truth lies behind the slapstick quality of her wacky encounters with her bosses. The novel is evidently based on the author's own experience as an employee of a Japanese company. It makes a nice counterpoint to those rhapsodic East-meets-West memoirs that over-romanticize Japan.

The spare writing and stark story are captivating. This writer's magically elegant, restrained prose is magnetically beautiful. I felt as though I couldn't tear my eyes away. I started reading the book at lunch time, sitting alone at a table in a restaurant, and didn't stop reading until I had finished the whole book; I had completely forgotten where I was (and was blind to the rudeness of occupying a whole booth by myself long after I'd finished eating, while hungry people waited in line). Nothomb's prose brings to mind the haunting, restrained style of Jane Smiley in "The Age of Grief," or of Jamaica Kincaid in "Lucy." Like those works, it reads like a novella or a short story: each word that is written, as well as each word that the author chose to omit, carries individual weight and commands the reader's full attention. Equally compelling is the mysteriously fateful story arc that carries the heroine to ever greater suffering and isolation. Although it's a realistic novel, it reads a little like a fairy tale; it brings to mind Paul Coelho and, to some extent, Haruki Murakami. You feel, as with those writers, that you're reading about magically meaningful, symbolically rich events whose meaning you can't quite grasp. The book is also compelling in the way a nonfiction memoir of a miserable childhood or adolescence can be compelling; you can't stop reading it in the way you can't stop reading "Name All The Animals," "Prep," "Don't Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight," "The Glass Castle," or "Are You Somebody?" You have to keep reading just to discover whether the heroine survives. This book is a perfect little jewel; to change a single word would diminish it.

This is a negative book on Wal-Mart, but probably not as negative as its severist critics. Actually the author writes quite extensively about K-Mart and about their many missteps over the decades. He also writes some about Sear's (How many times has Sear's tried to reinvent themselves?). I think K-Mart stores will ultimately become Sear's stores with the K-Mart store and logo disappearing, and I could see Sear's going out of business in the next ten to fifteen years. Sear's has a few brand names (Craftsman's tools, Kenmore Appliances) that Home Depot or Lowe's would pay a king's ransom to acquire.

I wasn't aware that Wal-Mart has faced as many battles to build their stores over the years. I thought that it was mainly confined to the liberal northeast.

Considering how large Wal-Mart has become I'm surprised that they're as efficient as they are given the interference from the government. Actually I think Wal-Mart was probably a better company fifteen years ago. Clearly the battles that they've faced with the environmentalists et al has caused them to be a less effective company and has caused them to pass some of these costs onto their customers.

Despite what their critics say Wal-Mart provides hundreds of jobs in every community to those who otherwise would be unemployed. Those employees would leave in a minute if they had the requiste job skills and experience to obtain a better job. The biggest anti-Wal-Mart opponents are unions (non necessarily union members) and environmentalists. The two anti-Wal-Mart websites are union funded, and I read a survey recently where 67% of respondents (which included union members) support Wal-Mart. When union members are subtracted out of the survey results, the support jumps to 80% of the participants.

Bob Ortega's excellent study of America's largest private employer (728,000 workers in 1997) is truly food for thought not only about Wal-Mart as a retail organization, its leaders, and its impact on America, but also about the direction America was headed into at the close of the 20th century.

Ortega's book, IN SAM WE TRUST: The Untold Story Of Sam Walton And How Wal-Mart Is Devouring America (1998) was widely reviewed as hostile to Wal-Mart and those who support it, but one cannot help but notice an overall tone of admiration in Ortega's book at the success of Wal-Mart's well documented rapacity and avarice, and the fact that its bottom line big dollar success was only possible because it's enormous customer base have voted with their feet and their pocket books to keep it going and growing.

Author Bob Ortega is a Princeton grad later schooled at the Columbia U. Journalism School, well known along with the U. of Missouri Journalism School as the most prestigious in America. He's also a WALL STREET JOURNAL employee. For all of the pretentions IN SAM WE TRUST (1998) makes of being a true muck-raking tome, the author's WALL STREET JOURNAL mentality and morality shines through to any who examine his book closely.

When all is said and done, Ortega has written a book which admires Wal-Mart, and is likely to do that organization no harm whatever. His provided backgrounder information about the nasty and unpleasant side of Wal-Mart doesn't affect the bottom-line, to use a phrase near and dear to Wal-Mart management, and to Ortega's mentor newspaper, the WALL STREET JOURNAL.

The book reminds me of the extravagant PATTON (1969) movie which appeared in the middle of the War In Vietnam, and told the story of General George S. Patton, Jr. and his activities during World War II. The expensive movie (for which the main actor won an Academy Award) provided very critical material about Gen. Patton, and showed his failures and personal problems in some detail. But, all in all, it was a hagiography which was said to have been screened often in the Nixon White House, and which the pro-war people of the Vietnam War era loved. For all its criticism, the movie admired Patton, and was a PR piece for pushy generals, the U.S. Army, and war as a catagory of human activity.

It's doubtful that Wal-Mart bigshots at company HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas lost any sleep over this book. Wal-Mart profits were probably boosted as a result of the book. After all, it provided more publicity about Wal-Mart. As movie star Erol Flynn was supposed to have said often, "I don't care what the newspapers say about me...just make sure they spell my name right."

All this said, the book DOES reveal many interesting facts about Wal-Mart and by reflection, about America these days.

Wal-Mart's status as America's largest private employer is discussed. By 1997, Wal-Mart had long since passed General Motors Corp. to achieve this status. The kind of work offered by Wal-Mart and other "big-box" type discount and "catagory killer" chains... had REPLACED manufacturing to become the dominant new blue-collar job in the United States. This kind of job offered far lower wages, fewer benefits, and less job security than the old manufacturing type job it replaced.

Ortega says the WALL STREET JOURNAL compared GM jobs with Wal-Mart jobs in 1997 and noted that the average GM wage was $19. per hour; at Wal-Mart $7.50 per hour. With benefits included, GM compensation was worth $44. per hour; Wal-Mart's (for those who get benefits) was $10. per hour. Ortega rightfully concludes (but isn't necessarily unhappy about the fact that) Wal-Mart has become a mirror for the new American workplace where Federal employment figures showed that more than 30 percent of American workers hold only part-time or temporary jobs.

It's safe to conclude that when the new #1 employer in America offers less than 25% of income provided by the old #1 employer, Americans as a group are getting poorer.

IN SAM WE TRUST (1998) states that when a new Wal-Mart store arrives in a community, 75% of its profits are drawn from trade previously enjoyed by small, often "Ma and Pa" stores many of which cannot stand against Wal-Mart competition and soon close down. Author Orgega refers to this as "strip-mining" local commerce previously but no longer owned and operated locally, and uniquely responsive to local needs and pressures.

If Wal-Mart ever become history, and its services become unavailable in the 3000 plus locations where it now operates, the loss of the centrally controlled organization would impact the lives of many, many Americans. The re-establishment of the many small business Wal-Mart bull-dozed into oblivion is not likely to provide relief to these Americans.

All this is worth thinking about, and for that reason, Bob Ortega's book IN SAM WE TRUST: The Untold Story of Sam Walton and How Wal-Mart Is Devouring American (1998) is worth buying and re-reading often.

A thorough and factual history of the rise of Wal-Mart. Well written and most interesting. I read this book out of curiosity about how Wal-Mart came into being, and what factors made it grow into the giant of the industry. "In Sam We Trust" did go into the background of Sam Walton himself, without going into any special hero-hype or star-bashing, instead simply outlined the story as it happened. From this, I learned much about the organization, and my questions were well answered.

i had to vote for at least one star, but if i could've voted for no stars at all, that would have more accurately summed up my opinion on the subject. ok, the critics say that (local store) are devouring small business and small towns, but they don't see, or want to see, the big picture. sam walton's formula for success was very simple - treat co-workers with respect and kindness, just the way we all want to be treated, and give customers what they want and then some. most (local store) employees that i know are very happy with their jobs, even if they could work somewhere with more income potential they don't want to because they are proud of what they do, and rightly so. (local store) associates take pride in doing what they do every day, serving the customers, seeing their happy faces light up when they feel honored as important, valuable human beings rather than just another transaction, another number that doesn't mean anything. anti-(local store) are spiteful that sam walton was a visionary businessman with a simple plan for making the american dream a reality and who shared that vision with everyone he encountered, from associates, customers, stockholders, and even the president of the united states when walton was presented with a presidential award. if these people want to say that (local store) is running out small business, remember what sam walton said about customers being free to choose where to shop, nobody is forced to shop at (local store), but most do because they know that when they do, they will as a rule get more out of it than shopping at any other retailer that offers the same merchandise. the unions are very unhappy because they see (local store) and the way they do business as threatening to their livelihood, though it is not an anti-union company, they've just figured out how to make unions obsolete. open communication with management and workers is possible, and a win-win situation when people just get their egoes out of the way and work as a team. the unions want workers and management to be divisive because this is just a way for them to pirate employee's salaries, creating fear is profitable for them. i don't respect the way most unions do business, if that's not obvious by now, because it seems rather unethical. (Local store) is the #1 private employer in this country for a reason, and nothing the opposition can do or say can change that. "the customer always" is more than just a catchy slogan, it's a way of life for most walmart associates. it's an attitude that carries over into other areas of life, pride in a job well done and service with a smile can apply to any facet of living. when you finally realize how bogus this (local store) bashing bandwagon truly is, maybe you'd get more out of reading mr. walton's biography, "made in america".

I worked at Wal-mart and I know exactly what you are talking about. Right now it is happening in my home town. There are a lot of small stores and Wal-mart will run them out of business. When I worked with Wal-mart the main focus was making that money. They had to do everything to make sure that they were getting in every dollar they could. Forget the associates. They did not really care about the associates. We just had to make sure that the customers were happy so they would spend more money. It should not be that way. It is true that Wal-mart gives to the Children's Miracle Network and to other charities but they always get something out of it. Wal-mart cares about one thing and one thing only, making a profit.

This book both drew me in with its beauty and realistic portrayal of 3-year-old Bo's thoughts and repelled me with its unstoppable sense of tragedy. About responsibility and piousness as well as familial love, Scott also deals admirably with the tricky subject of interracial relationships. Bo's father dies before he is born, so he is left in the care of his still teen-aged mother (who has been disowned by her own family for falling in love with Kanon, who is African-American and Bo's father) and his father's loving parents. When his mother, Jenny, dies, a custody battle ensues between the grandparents and the situation escalates into one which is dangerous for everyone. I recommend this book due to the poetry of Scott's writing, and also the beautiful fragmentary style with which she switches between characters in the past and present.

I really liked reading Make Believe by Joanna Scott because it was a book that made you think of what was really going on. Joanna Scott used a lot of sensory and describing words, she didn't just tell you exactly what was happening, she made you figure it out for yourself what was actually happening. Also, I liked this book a lot because it doesn't sugar coat life how most people do. She was able to tell a story while making people aware of the dissfunctional society that we had and still do have. I would reccomend this book to anyone that has patience. This is an excellent book to read to make your own troubles not seem like troubles at all.

Joanna Scott, the book's author, writes lyrically astounding portrayals of what Bo, the main character, sees happening to him and his family. Bo isn't even 10 years old yet and more has happened in his life than one could bear in a life time. The struggles and paradoxes that him and his care-takers face are dramatic and show reality; what real people go through.

Although, because this book is very lyrical and also because its looking through the eyes of a child, sometimes its hard to understand if you're not concentrating completely on the book. That's its one, and only, drawback.

I picked this book up at the library recently and I have to say that although the storyline is a good one, I found the telling of Bo's tale to be much too drawn out.

The story begins with a car accident and Bo, a bi-racial child, is dangling upside down in his mother's car. His mother Jenny has been killed and Bo is now an orphan. From here the story continues with both sets of grandparents fighting for custody of Bo. The white grandparents only want Bo when they come to the realization that there may be some money involved. The story of the whole custody battle was slow moving and really not developed enough.

I enjoyed parts of the book but really felt it could have been a little less confusing in its depiction. It was somewhat disjointed and the characters never became real to me.

At the center of "Make Believe" is Bo, a four-year-old child whose father died before he was born and whose mother is killed in a car crash in the opening chapter, with Bo describing the experience through the limited perspective of a toddler while hanging upside-down in the overturned vehicle. Estranged from his maternal grandparents (the Gantzes, both white), Bo and his mother had been living with his father's parents (the Gilberts, both black), where he remains in the weeks following the accident--until the Gantzes decide to fight for custody of the grandchild they have never seen.

Joanna Scott's novel contains a number of memorable scenes: the trauma of the opening chapter that introduces us to the worlds as seen by Bo; the clock-driven, flashback account of the death of Bo's father (the best-written passage in the book); the aborted attempt by the Gilberts to flee the presumed outcome of "white versus black" justice; the increasingly horrific battle between the Marge and Eddie Gantz over how to accommodate and discipline their grandson. These masterful set pieces illustrate pivotal events and justify the motivations of characters, whether it be the grandfather who behaves monstrously toward his adopted charge or a case-worn family court judge with his own domestic concerns. And, along the way, Scott scatters the dramatic elements for one final fatality to shatter Bo's childhood.

True: it can all seem a bit much. The story of little boy Bo at times resembles a made-for-TV movie. Although the occasional interior monologues are purposefully reminiscent of Faulkner, the language lacks the Southern Gothic edge that made his voice so distinctive--this is Faulkner Lite, really. And the veering trajectory of Bo's story borders on melodramatic contrivances that go beyond plain bad luck. Yet, somehow, the sum of this novel ends up being greater than its uneven parts; in spite of the faulty hardware used to assemble Bo's home, Scott manages to create a powerful morality tale of trial and redemption that seems allegorical in its effect--make-believe, if you will.

Target is one of the most popular retailers today and Rowley recounts their development from a Minnesota store to cross country superstar. This book is best read in conjunction with Sam Walton's made in America. Although it is fairly agreed upon today that Wal-Mart and Target do not compete with each other they did initially and the difference between the two is instructive. Target uses wider aisles as well as bigger floor space. Their selection is meant to be higher end and there goal was to capture middle class discounters. The stores development is well written and Rowley adds some of the fun stories along the way. This is a great book for those interested in retail and a very quick and fun read.

This product was actually a gift for a 7 year old who is in love with the Target symbol and store. I chose 5 stars because I'm sure thats what she would choose.

Being from Michigan, I used to have a sort kin'ship with Target, and it's family of stores. Hudsons was the LAST of the real department stores, and although I'm not sure I ever shoped there, I still remember THE Hudson's store in Detroit. And who could for get the Hudson's Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade? So when I found this book in a discount bin I though... Why not? What I didn't realize is how wide ranging and insightful the company is. As your reading the book, you find you self saying over and over again.... "WOW.. I never realized that that was what I like about Target" For example, ever notice there's no music playing overhead? Me either, and till it was pointed out. If you have a background or even an interest in retail, marketing, or corprate structure this book is a must. If all that stuff bores you, and you just love to shop... well... then it's still a great book.

Walmart officially gets credit for being America's most profitable retailer, but I am convinced this honor should go to Target.

Upper management at the company realized that people wanted to look chic without paying designer prices--and somehow convinced 'big names' to go along with them. What seems like a given was obviously (and still is) radical because Kmart had basically sunk itself into oblivion with insistence on circa 1980 marketing, and Walmart is where you would go for perishable goods. 'Good clothes' instantly makes me think of Target.

The commercials for this chain are very attractive, working in the store logo with young and trendy op art imagery. Wanting to save money can be both fun and hip only if you are shopping at the Target store. People not realizing that Target was a discount merchandiser could honestly believe they were being asked to shop at an exclusive botique. This was entirely the point of their advertising strategy.

The reading for this book is not particularly insightful (being written by one of Target's concept makers), but can provide some thought. Business success depends on the ability to carve out a niche.

As a 24-plus year team member with Target Stores I was skeptical in reading a book about a company that I know everything about, or so I thought. I was pleasantly suprised at Laura Rowley's "On Target." As an insider, I found the book to be accurate and balanced. Rowley gives a detailed account of the rich family history behind the Bulls-eye as well as examining Target's operations. "On Target" explores Target's advertsing strategies, service and technology, guidelines for growth, and looks ahead at some of the challenges the company faces. In addition, Rowley peeks into the philanthropic side of Target, exposes Target's artistic character, and reveals what separates Target from its competitors. "On Target" is well-written, easy to read, and hits the mark.

Michael Dibdin has written several Aurelio Zen mysteries, and this one is yet another encounter with strange situations and even stranger characters. An Italian police detective, Zen is generally at odds with his superiors and suffering some kind of punishment for it, but he always gets the job done.

In this offering, there's an especially nasty murder of a renowned vintner in the Piedmont area of Italy, and Zen accepts a private contract to solve it. The reasons behind that are bizarre enough, but the investigation takes several interesting turns, including two more murders. Everyone else is convinced that the crimes were committed by the same person, but there doesn't seem to be a motive that connects them.

When Aurelio arrives in the village of Alba, he's not at his best by any means. Adding to the misery of his personal life, he's being stalked by someone and appears to have been attacked in his sleep. Everyone he interviews about the initial murder tells him a great deal about everything but the murder, and it becomes clear that the villagers know who did it, but aren't going to say.

Dibdin is fun to read, and it's interesting to see Italy de-romanticized. The Italian beauty is there, but the point of view in this book is that of working class people who make their living from the wine and truffles. And of course, of Zen, who will soon be doomed to a "promotion" that takes him to Sicily. Sounds like there's another Zen novel on the way.

This was my first encounter with Aurelio Zen. I'm not sure if this is comic writing with a mystery touch, or a crime mystery with a large dose of humour. Either way, the combination works very well. There is one laugh-out-loud scene where Zen is briefing his colleagues and no one has the slghtest idea what he is banging on about. If you enjoy detective novels but need a break from world-weary noir types or omnicompetent pathologists/historians/ computer geeks, then Zen will provide a refreshing change. Like the film Sideways, this is a work that wine fans will get more out of.

In 1944 Beppe Gallizio, aged 15, was stationed on the road from Alba to Acqui in the Piedmont with a simple-minded soldier called Angelin to watch for any passing fascisti. Just before dying in an ambush, Angelin dug up a truffle in a nearby field.
After the war, Beppe returned to the place and his secret hoard of white truffles allowed him to make a good living until Aldo Vincenzo decided to put up a barbed wire around his property to protect his vineyard since his wine was slowly acquiring a reputation.
Then the prices for la trifola went through the roof and the truffle became to be known as the "white diamond" so Beppe had to take extra precaution in order that his annual harvesting remained secret. But one night a man saw Beppe in the dark and his dog Anna barked at him...
When Dottor Aurelio Zen is summoned to the Palazzo Torozzo, house of a famous director called "Giulio", Aldo Vincenzo is dead and his son Manlio is in prison, accused of having murdered his father. Since Giulio is an eager wine collector and this year's harvest at the Vincenzo estate is likely to be one of the greatest of the century, Giulio has arranged with the Ministry of the Interior for Zen to be sent to the gloomy city of Alba in order to release Manlio Vincenzo from prison in time to make the wine this year! And that is going to be far less easy than Zen had anticipated...
Another sympathetic glance at Italy by Michael Dibdin, this time allowing the reader to cast a glance at the secrets of winemaking.

Didbin's series about Italian police detective Aurelio Zen has been popular for a number of years, but this sixth entry is the first I've read. At its start, we gather that Zen has been through quite a bit in his last adventure, and as a reward, is to be posted to the dangerous Mafia enclave of Sicily (Which, by the way, is the setting for Andrea Camilleri's fun Inspector Montalbano series). Zen is not at all pleased by the prospect, and is thus pleased when a prominent film director pulls some strings to have him assigned to a case in the wine making area of the Piedmont.

There, the son of a prominent vintner sits in jail, chief suspect in the gruesome murder of his father. The director is emphatic that the son must be cleared so that a favorable vintage may be harvested and bottled. Under these rather ludicrous marching orders, Zen heads north to Asti, where truffles known as "white diamonds" and wine are the all-consuming topics of local interest and key to the vintner's murder and the intrigue surrounding it. Not surprisingly, there's a deeply tangled web of connections and interests in this insular community dating back to World War II, and Zen struggles to unravel the threads of the past. Not that he's super-motivatedóupon his arrival, he's crippled by a nasty illness and a bout of mysterious sleepwalking. He tends to mostly exhibit a detached vibe to the whole proceedings until it starts to turn into an intellectual puzzle for him.

Zen seems like an interesting character, but I was never really drawn into this story. Perhaps the setup was just too contrived, or the whole puzzle just too Byzantine, or my lack of knowledge of or interest in wine making undermined the premise, or perhaps it was a lack of interesting characters. The only really vibrant supporting character was a rich local doctor with an arid sense of humor and utter disregard for propriety. Otherwise, the locals tended to blend together into a lumpy mass of suspicion and crustiness. Things aren't improved by an awkward subplot involving a woman who claims to be Zen's daughter. On the whole, it wasn't enough to drive me to the rest of the series, although I can see how others with different taste might be enchanted.

A glass of nice Cabernet Merlot would go well with this, the sixth Aurelio Zen novel, set in a wine-growing region of Piedmont in northern Italy.

Dibdin creates interesting characters. Zan's psychology is getting darker and more brooding as his relationships with others become more brittle.

As with all the Zen series, I recommend reading them in order. Previous cases are discussed, and the supporting cast of characters, as well as Zen, change and develop.

This was an extremely boring read, and read like a junior high text book. Way too much information, very few anecdotes. I can't remember anything interesting to take away from the book, and am sad I plowed threw the whole thing (I was on vacation, and that was the only book I brought.) I am a wine specialist and educator, and found no inspiration in this. Find another wine history book.

This is an enjoyable and highly informative book. I had no idea of the way that wine was so intricately tied up in the progress of civilization. The book covers a vast swath of history and almost the entire planet while describing the evolution of wine and the wine trade.

The author seems to hold few biases and gives an even-handed treatment to the various aspects of this story. The only bias that I detected was towards wine merchants. This is not surprising since he makes his history as a merchant very clear. But I was disappointed that the final sentence, and particularly the final phrase, of this book were so focused on the importance of wine merchants. I read this book as a result of an interest in wine and history. Wine merchants are a necessary part of the story, but from my point of view they're just one cog in the wheel.

As another reviewer mentioned, the author's writing style leaves a little to be desired. This is not a major fault. It's just that I found his sentence structures and choice of words to be a bit awkward at times.

Although I've raised a couple of critical points, I still enthusiastically recommend this book. It's a fairly quick read, is filled with easy-to-digest information, and pulls together many facets of the story of wine. If you like wine and history, this is the book for you.

I found the book extremely interesting in so many ways, eg. Geography, History, the evolution of wine storage over the centuries, the comparison of regulations from Nation to Nation.

We all should have heard of Babylon (even from Boney M a few years ago) but how many of us would have known that it was roughly where Baghdad stands today. Who would have known that the earliest remnants of wine grapes found (so far) were in the Republic of Georgia?

A wonderful learning book.

I was amazed by the influence that wine had on the development of the world, how it influenced population growth, exploration and everything else. I found it very informative and would recommend it to anyone interested in wine and its history.

This is a great book that is an in depth view of how wine evolved to be traded among empires and countries. I was startled to learn as I read this book that there was so much political haggling of wine in the early ages. This shows that wine has always been an important product of enjoyment for the ages. The book is a little too in depth at times, but you wouldn't want it the other way, so it is good. I enjoyed this book as a bathroom book and had enjoyable mornings reading this.

There is some valuable info in this book, but nothing you wouldn't find in any other eCommerce publication. The problem here is run on sentences, improper grammar, typographical errors, and a huge rally around business in the UK (rather than the US or international). If you are looking for a great visionary book on eCommerce try Tom Siebel's "Cyber Rules." This book isn't worth the money!

There is some valuable info in this book, but nothing you wouldn't find in any other eCommerce publication. The problem here is run on sentences, improper grammar, typographical errors, and a huge rally around business in the UK (rather than the US or international). If you are looking for a great visionary book on eCommerce try Tom Siebel's "Cyber Rules." This book isn't worth the money!

De Kare-Silver wrote "E-Shock" to help retailers and manufacturers understand the online marketplace evolution. Full of case studies and examples, he provides practical guidelines, tools, checklists, and strategies for decision-makers.

This book gives you the information to make informed choices, formulate heads-up sales strategies, and create savvy 21st century marketing plans.

This book stood out when I first saw it at an American Management Association book store. The author focuses on the successful pioneers of the E-commerce revolution, and he helps us anticipate the future. A number of practical e-commerce business strategies are also offered for aspiring Web-preneurs. You can't ask for much more!

An original book (yes there are with e-something) about dedicated "click and mortar" companies approach to the web.

It comes with a full set of tools (tests, frameworks, ...) that are very useful to practicionners

Most of the facts at the detailled level are relevant and informative the only pitfaall is that most analysis are initiated not truly deepens.

The book is a great starting point for someone who is interested in beginning a collection of hot sauce. There is a lot of information that is useful in helping someone who may not know where to look to start a collection. Some of the information however is out of date. For example I was searching for a particular hot sauce that was listed and the address of where to get it was a man's home address and he did not collect or have any of the hot sauce that he was referred to as having. There are not many of those mistakes and if someone is really looking for a particular sauce there is plenty of information and locations listed within the book to call or email for additional information or to have a brochure sent to you personnally. This book was given to me as a gift and it was how I was started in collecting hot sauce. Because of this book I have met many neat and interesting people as well as visited the sites and activities that are listed within.

An excellent short-cut to locating any of the hundreds of sauces seen in Thompson's well-known posters. Mfrs' name/address/phone, even E-mail address (for many). US & international. A must-buy: the cool way to collect hot stuff.

This is a fun book that categories hot sauce by region and gives a heat rating from 1 to 4 chilies. While the flavors and ingredients are included, and the rating system is generally accurate, this book would be more useful if it included a better comparison to well known hot sauces (such as Tabasco) and if the authors included a short list of sauces that would serve as an introduction to various regional hot sauces.

This is a small reference book, full of names, addresses & contact info for hot sauce vendors. But, don't expect an eye-popper, there's not much more to it than your local yellow pages. I bought this as a stocking stuffer for a hot sauce enthusiast, and wound up not giving it. Based on the photo, I expected a colorful book, full of pictures of hot sauce bottles, chilis, and what-not. There are no pictures, just listings. It has all the excitement of the local phone directory. The paper is newsprint-like, adding to the "yellow pages" tone of the book. It is very small in reality, pocketbook size, and thin. The content is not ~remotely~ exciting as I'd hoped.
But,,, if you're just looking for a small portable directory to find names & addresses for hot saucing, this little ... book could be handy.
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This is a great book for those just starting in the retail feild. I use this book to train all employees in my company about our product. It is easy to follow and has an good index. The topics range from textiles to jewelry to furniture and fine dinnerware. This book would also be great for consumers who want to insure they always buy the best quality merchandise. Don't let the price scare you--this book is worth every penny.

My two year old loves this collection of Noddy stories with all the familiar characters. The pictures are bright and colourful and the text is uncondescending.