Resources Books

One of the best books on taking an outside look into how we do business, live and experience the world as people, not just consumers.Get Back in the Box: Innovation from the Inside Out

I have read tons of books on business practice and ethos. Rushkoff brought a great mix of theory and practical examples that are working in the real world of business. This book is the business version of "positive psychology", which advises that we develop our strengths and most problems will self correct. In this case it is, pursue your deepest values and you won't have to spend all your resources on marketing. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is involved in an organization at any level. I am a pastor of a church and it has provided many thought provoking concepts to explore in our context.

I'll admit, it took me awhile to really get into this book. Once I got through the first couple of chapters of "Get Back in the Box" though, I couldn't wait to read more of it.

The author, Douglas Rushkoff, feels that we're in the midst of a renaissance in creativity and collaboration. As he puts it, "genuine creativity is a result not of out-of-the-box thinking, but of true expertise." Here's a great example he used partway through the book: The person that decided (years ago) to put a VCR and TV into one device wasn't really innovating. The person who came up with TiVo, on the other hand, was a genius and someone who truly had a handle on people's viewing habits.

He's got an entire chapter on what he refers to as "social currency." The retailers featured as noteworthy examples in this chapter include B&N ("the store is a social hub"), Guitar Center ("it's a place to try out pretty much any piece of musical instrument there is--and to play on it for hours") and the Apple Store (described as "a little cathedral"). I tend to think Starbucks fits the mold as well. In fact, this chapter got me wondering about what would happen if Starbucks and Apple ever decided to create some co-branded shops...

Here are a few of the other interesting tidbits I highlighted throughout this book:

** ...customers don't want to communicate with brands anymore...they want to communicate through them...

** Although we claim we want more leisure time, we are much more likely to find an opportunity for genuinely fulfilling engagement and learning at work.

** It's about learning to tinker, to tweak, and to test the most basic, underlying assumptions of one's core business or technology.

** (Regarding focus groups...) In the vast majority of the dozens of groups I've observed or led, the purpose was less to glean new insights than to confirm the insights already held.

This turned out to be a very enjoyable book with all sorts of great observations.

A great book. Reading this was like a breath of fresh air and really changed my thinking about technology, innovation, design and the hope for creating a livable world.

Where to start...

I rated this 4 stars; 5 stars for being thought provoking and reinforcing my notions of what businesses should be concerned with, and 3 stars for the authors glaring examples of old-renaissance ideas/execution that didn't/don't work, yet providing nothing more than hindsight.

I agree with the previous post that the first half of the book was better than the second half. There are so many examples that are counter to the authors examples, but I'll give a few here.

First, in the absense of fullfilment opportunity exists. While Wal-Mart may be an evil company for some of its practices it also provides people in developing countries with a job, where none may have existed before. If you have no food and someone gives you a scrap then you at least survive to move onto a larger portion. If those who are employed at Wal-Mart cannot find another job that pays more than minimum wage then I would suggest going to a library and start learning...it has free internet access...

Second, many of the arguments made throughout the book are based on a circular reference that is incapable of breaking down, when in fact it would break down. If a=b=c=d...y=z and z=a then for values of a-z that fluctuate so does the continuum. Every example given in the book relating to whatever currency units are give follows the same principle: that at some point, hidden beneath the guise of logic and play, energy will need to be expended that is not optimally or even close to optimally what any person would normally do in search of or in realizing the new renaissance. This breaks the whole model and I suppose it also degrades innovation at the same time.

Third, open-source software, though trendy, has limitations. Imagine a world where function a is performed via single open-source project composing of a single developer, then fast-foward t years where function a is now performed by 1000 different projects each with 1000 developers (who share the same egos), in the meantime you have some number of function a demand satisfied by 1000 projects so a/1000. All of the sudden you have function b that people just though of at t+1 days, but only a small portion like 1% of function a projects are compatible...but the developers of function a projects not wanting their egos to be crushed realize this and perhaps migrate over to the small % of function a projects that are compatible...leaving the other 99% of function a projects to be picked up by some developer(s), whos egos aren't as big, to try and work something out with function b compatibility. Now you have function a compatible projects with a huge number of developers wanting to make their mark with function b, but the 99% of the people who utilize function a and now function b must switch to projects that are fully compatible and relearn, etc. The point is that people want recognition, however good or bad that may be, but it's the truth...even authors put their name, photo, etc.

Fourth, I agree that understanding your "core competencies" are very important and understanding the "source code" and "patterns" is nice, but what really got me was how high people must be in order to realize that this is the path to eternal bliss or "play." I mean who in their right mind would choose to clean out a septic tank as a way of "playing" or even perform surgery on someone's brain...just for fun, when you know that someone's life depended on whether you were qualified or not. If you aren't qualified then doesn't that introduce a classe system of sorts? Who would regulate this...would this person think that telling someone they are incompetent was "playing?" It's clear that any system which qualifies someone as being able to perform a specific action, no matter how much fun they might have, is clearly old renaissance and the illusion of new renaissance is just that (not in entirety, but practicality).

Fifth, while some people prefer to solve challenging problems, others would rather just sit around surfing, etc. What do we do with those people? Where would they get their surfboards, wax, wetsuits, food? I'll tell you who...the people that have enough resources at their disposal to just sit back and ponder how the old renaissance is coming to an end in favor of the new renaissance.

Sixth, peoples faith often becomes a paramount influence in the actions they undertake. Some are at extreme ends and radicalize what is otherwise a very moral and just view of how things should be. These radicals often carry out actions against others because their convictions are so strong and so outside of the middle that even if the middle moves it will not be enough so enough will be "encouraged." This artificial skewing leads to others ultimately forgoing "play" in order to build a counter-trend necessary to prevent skewing that is non-organic. In the end you have a reduction in pure innovation (good) and an increase in pure existence. I'm guessing that the author was too busy contemplating whether or not we could he didn't think whether or not we should...

Seven, the book discusses how currency became the demise of society as it pertains to interest, greed, etc. However, in the Paypal example he exalts that business for being upstanding and trying this new thing, but it ultimately fails because of the banks...yada, yada, yada. Anyways, Paypal was earning interest on the float vs. charging money for its service. How is that new renaissance? If we take the banks out of the equation so that interest is no longer accrued then who pays for the hosting, data, maybe it's those people who like to play in data centers. But then, who builds the steel racks, elevated floors, servers, ethernet cables, routers, switches, supplies power, constructs the building, stays up all night trying to figure out why no interest is being accrued :)

Well, that was more of a rant than anything else. I'm glad this book cemented my ideas about open-source software and about how so many company executives are in such disrepair. Innovation...hmmm...whenever I have a bug in software I usually just open a debugging program that I purchased and print-out the portion of code via a printer, utilizing a driver, written by some person of gets off on that sorta thing...but would they do it for free if there other needs weren't being met...I don't think so.

There's a reason why doctors get paid so much money, there's are reason why people do jobs they wouldn't otherwise do, there's a reason why the new renaissance only exists in the imagination of Gene Roddenberry. The have's and the have not's exist today, and perhaps in the 21st century we can combat much of this gap; however, until everyone is content with their existence and opportunity for existence then we will not reach the new renaissance. Indeed, it will only exist where truly innovative ideas take place...our isolated dreams...

Steve Chandler and Duane Black present an approach to management that promises to lower your stress level, increase your happiness and allow everyone in your organization to be more creative and productive. The idea is that old-style, hands-on micromanagement does not engage today's workers. The book tries to persuade readers through emotional appeals, which can be illuminating but sometimes appear strained. The book includes interesting quotes from all kinds of people, including Peter Drucker, Deepak Chopra, Napoleon Hill (whom the authors criticize), Voltaire and others. We say the authors' core ideas are persuasive, but the style might lean a little too much on intangible insights for some readers. However, this is a great book if you are a stressed-out manager who wants to find a new approach. Read this, calm down and stop micromanaging.

I have experienced this type of success when leading volunteer groups but haven't been able to define the formula until reading this book. When people volunteer, you can't fire them. If you lose them you have to do all the work yourself! You have to figure out a way to use what they have to offer. The principles in this book work!

The Hands-Off Manager's chapter headings include uncomplicated titles such as "Using the Power of Neutral" (Chapter 3) and "Letting Go of Judgment" (Chapter 11), but this book is far from simplistic. I began reading with the thought that I would skim the book in an hour or two. I soon found that there are truths here that deserve a slow, careful read.

The book's writers, consultant and author Steve Chandler and construction executive Duane Black, have outlined a plan for transforming a company's culture from one of judgment and criticism to one of leading employees to contribute more than any goal or KPI will motivate them to achieve. The book makes a logical, persuasive case for managing people in a way that gets them thinking about how they can contribute to the success of the company, and in doing so, make work fun and rewarding. It teaches managers how to create constructive relationships with their employees, and in doing so, significantly reduce their own stress levels.

In my work as a corporate trainer, I began incorporating principles from the book into several training courses a few months ago. The effect the book has on each group of managers is the same. They recognize the truths contained in the book, see how applying them will reduce stress and make them more effective leaders, and ask for more training based on the principles in the book.

Read this book with thought and care, and you'll change the way you think about management and leadership.

Great Book! I give this 5 stars. There are few people in life and business that look within and do their own internal work. There are a lot of teachers in the world that have helpful information. Then there are those few teachers that consistently look inside themselves and these are the true leaders of our world.

Duane Black is one of those leaders that is consistently walking his talk. As a successful small business owner for more than 20 years, I have recently found myself holding the position of manager of a small group of entrepreneurs. Duane Black and Steve Chandler's ability to take all different types of information and philosophies and bring them back to personal responsibility has been done with grace.

We are all observers of the people around us. A great manager is one that is observing himself and is by doing so, much more effective in assisting others in empowering themselves.

Great reading!

Grant Helgeson
Scottsdale, Arizona

Managing the folks in today's workforce is very different than it was a few decades back. They usually don't take well to rigidity, conformity, or being told anything. Steve Chandler and Duane Black believe there is a great way to manage them and to improve their life and yours. They call it hands-off managing. That is, you don't try to control them by turning and pushing them (metaphorically) in a specific direction. What they believe is that you should spend more time helping your employees understand who they are as people and why they can use their work to help them express that unique self they have to contribute. Sounds a bit squishy? Yeah, me too. However, there really is a solid core behind the kind of soft metaphors they use to express it.

Much of the book is focused on getting you to treat yourself this way. The idea is to lower your stress levels by not forcing yourself to be a certain way, don't worry so much about overcoming and willing things into existence. Rather, relax and find your own core and your true gifts and then you will be ready to lead others this way. Several times they say (probably too many times) that the best gift you can give another is the gift of them self.

The book is full of anecdotes from their own coaching experiences to illustrate their points. They also use quotes from the likes of Deepak Chopra (this always raises my concerns about the point being made), Napoleon Hill (whom they also bash for using the work think), Voltaire (!), and many others. They also make some really odd comments. One being that DeNiro was channeling a dead boxer in "Raging Bull". Hmmm. Jake LaMotta was not only alive when the film was made (he was born in 1921), he is alive in 2007.

While I quite enjoy their point about the new work force, not trying to force things so much, focusing only on the present and the one most important task, I found the packaging of the ideas a tad saccharine. It is up to you whether you will find it appealing.

I found that this book had a great many resources online for finding physicians within particular specialties (i.e. one site for radiology doctors, one site for cardiology doctors, etc), but did not have mention of any sites that put all specialties and regions together. One such site to find a doctor is http://www.appointmentnet.com, or even WebMD... although Appointment Net has the easiest search for finding doctors, and even allows you to make appointments and renew prescriptions online.

The web is like the Tower of Babble - jammed with information but difficult to sort out. This book is an invaluable guide to the many, often confusing, sources of online health information. Buy it. Use it. Profit from it.

I found this book to be extremely valuable. Not only does it immeasurably help you to research healthcare and related issues, but it is an excellent reference for understanding how to research healthcare providers. My wife and I will keep this on our short list of resources for good living.

When I was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and spent a lot of time researching the disease and its treatment, "Healthcare Online" was exactly the kind of book I needed but didn't have. It's clear and easy-to-use, though quite sophsticated in its research assistance, and very, very helpful in providing ways to separate out the valid information from the misleading or phony stuff. In the areas I researched intensively, it lists all the sources I eventually found for myself, plus some very useful sites I never discovered. I often counsel newly-diagnosed individuals with my disease and now will pass on this book as a gold mine for their own inquiries.

Healthcare for Dummies validates the Internet as a research tool. It provides qualified healthcare sources with which to help ourselves, our families and friends.
I needed immediate information to help my mother cope with my Father who has Alzheimer's. I not only found organizations with information on Alzheimer's, but sources for my Mother (the caregiver) to contact for guidance and assistance.
Healthcare is rarely one issue. This guide can assist in the search for information on conditions, treatments as well as insurance and life stage issues -- all available on the Internet.

I know next to nothing about homeschooling and I found this book very helpful. It gives a very basic overview of the most popular homeschooling styles. It was this book that introduced me to the Charlotte Mason method which I have decided to use for my child. This is a great springboard book for those who have no idea where to start (or if they even want to start).

This book is just PACKED with information for the veteran homeschooler down to the family just beginning to consider the possibility of homeschooling.

One of the greatest things about this book is that each method of homeschooling represented has an introduction and two separate articles by two different authors. Not only did this format provide many different schools of thought presented in many different styles, this approach also gave such a rich view of each method that it made me wish I could do EVERY method... but then, again, I am the eclectic type and so I DO use many of these methods already!

I did wish that the very intense methods (i.e. The Principle Approach and Classical Education) would not have been listed first in the book because they were simply overwhelming. I think a new homeschooling might decide they could not do it and might not read any further. These methods were beautifully described, but I have to admit, my heart began to pound when I thought of how little Latin my children have been exposed to and how few hours we have spent on rhetoric and how many great classics we have still not read! If they had been placed after a few of the less structured methods... they would seem more approachable, I think. For instance, I would feel like I could handle some of the harder subjects if I could mix them with a style more like my own natural bent. I tend to mix Charlotte Mason, unit study, classical education and I use some workbooks, as well. Knowing more about the Principle Approach, I realized how much I agree with the concepts discussed and plan to adjust my style to reflect what I have learned!

I love the format of this book. I think Charlotte Mason would agree that its short, readable chapters lend themselves well to being fully understood in a one-sitting space of time without watering down the content or, conversely, fatiguing the mind.

On page 43 I think some of the scripture references listed were incorrect, but this book was otherwise flawless as far as I could see.

I found so much encouragement to help me on my own journey... especially the wonderful articles on homeschooling special needs children. Every article buoyed up my faith and my excitement at the wonderful gift God has given our family by allowing us the privelege of homeschooling our children!

My favorite quote from the book is by Christine M. Field (pg. 122):

"Let God work through your weaknesses. In his grace, he can accomplish what he wishes in your life and in your child's life. When we lay our burdens and the tasks that seem insurmountable at his feet, he opens the doors of opportunity and brings encouragers alongside as we navigate the path ahead."

This book definitely IS the opportunity, clearly expressed and the encourager to run along beside the overwhelmed homeschooling family. Thank-you to the authors and editors of this book for this well-compiled, beautifully written resource! I know it is a "keeper" and I will be recommending it often! :)

I liked this book as it truly is like going to a homeschool convention and getting very educated in every different style of homeschooling. I also found it very motivating and informative.

This book is so rich in information that I read it twice. Each chapter is about a different style of homeschooling and contains information written by experts in those areas. I enjoyed learning more about the different styles of homeschooling. And I know that I am satisfied with the way I have chosen to teach my children at home.

Like the cover says, it really is like a homeschool convention in a book! I only wish I had this book when I first started homeschooling! Oh well, better late than never...

This is my 3rd year homeschooling and I thought I knew all about the different learning styles and methods available. But who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

It was quite interesting to learn that I am in fact... a Traditional Homeschooler. Who knew?! I have always loved the Charlotte Mason Method and the idea of Eclectic Homeschooling... but looking at what I am currently doing, I am definitely in the Traditional category.

NO WONDER THINGS AREN'T "QUITE RIGHT"!!!

It's funny how God reveals things in His own time. I've been debating, wondering, praying, wondering, thinking, and wondering about our curriculum choices for next year... And then I read this book and realize that the current curriculum we are using does not match up to my ideal of homeschooling. While it appeals to the busy, organized, check-off-the-box side of me, the fun and excited wonderment is definitely missing. And this little book helped me to put in words what I've felt all along.

So whether you are thinking about homeschooling, just starting out, or still tweaking the process (like me!), this book is definitely for you! It is truly a handy-dandy resource that is laid out in easy-to-read chapters. It discusses the what, why and how of several different approaches/methods/philosophies of homeschooling. These include Classical Education, the Principle Approach, Traditional Textbook, Charlotte Mason, Unit Study, Special Needs, Carschooling, Eclectic, Unschooling/Delight Directed and Whole-Heart Learning.

A BIG thank you to Paul and Gena Suarez (and the many talented contributing writers) for putting out such a great resource! Two big thumbs up from me!

By Bill Seelig, President, S&C, Harnessing the Power of Families in Business

Ray Brun has written another out-and-out homerun! This booklet is chucked full of practical, real world strategies for hiring the best of the best. Ray is one of the country's premier business consultants; having worked with hundreds of successful owners of small and mid-size companies. He gets to the critical components of hiring and recruiting with clarity and a sense of wisdom; honed by years in the hiring, consulting trenches. A must read for those of us responsible for building winning teams.

An excellent instructional book filled with real world helpful input on how to attract and retain quality employees. A good read and excellent value!!

Ray has put together a must read for all business owners or any leader looking to recruit the top human capital to their organizations. "How small businesses capture talent" is a great starting point for anyone looking to successfully hire winners!
Robert L S Boroff
Managing Director & CEO
Reaction Search International Inc.

This book is the best of Ray, his insightful yet practical approach to people. Each of the strategies will work to advance solutions to that never ending challenge of getting and keeping the best team.

My clients have seen success implementing these techniques and have better organizations as a result. They have seen unexpected success with the use of "branding" which is very unique approach for a small or closely held businesses.

When "times are uncertain", it is the best time to improve the quality of our organizations. Ray's book is the right tool for today's times!!!
Thanks, Ray!

This useful guide is packed with creative tips and novel strategies for recruiting the best candidates. Pages 7 and 8 (which cover the 4 critical steps to avoid hiring mistakes by getting clarity on what you really need) are worth the price of the entire book, but don't stop reading there. Brun doesn't mince words or give flowery explanations - he gets right to the point. (Something any busy executive will appreciate) He also supports every strategy with concise real world examples.

If you are frustrated that you can't seem to get enough qualified applicants for your important positions, stop complaining and put this book to work for your business.

This book is now required reading for my clients that are building (or re-building) their team.

Chip Doyle
Sandler Sales Institute

I am a graduate student in the field of behavior analysis. I used this book as it is intended to be used from start to finish. I successfully designed an educational teaching program that taught students a lesson in geography. I was very excited about the results. The students learned the material very quickly and became extremely fluent. Even though I used the book to guide me through designing an educational program, I could certainly see how this book could be used in an organizational setting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning a technology of teaching that is extremely effective.

This book is a good example of a text that actually helps the reader get something done- namely, create and refine an instructional program for any setting or audience. Dr Bruce takes you from a blank page to a well designed, efficient training course in a step-by-step manner. What impressed me most was the skill with which Dr Bruce not only presents the critical ID concepts, but also shows in great detail how they can be applied.

Instructional Design Made Easy provides an insightful look into instructional design. After careful consideration of the material in this book, I considered using the concepts in an educational setting. A better use of this book would be in a business related setting, in which I have had some experience. The Efficient Design Checklists in each section is a great help in keeping users on track toward their objectives. I particularly like Exercise 2 which helps one to identify measureable results. The Performance Objective Template on page 53 of section 1 really helps translate ideas into action. This book is valuable to those who prefer a step by step approach, yet it is flexible enough to be useful to those who have experience in the fild of instructional design.

There isn't an easier way to learn about instructional design than by picking up a copy of Dr. Bruce's book. This book offers a step-by-step process for designing any training need whether it is business or education oriented. Each task within the design process is broken down and explained with clarity, allowing the reader to view specific examples and nonexamples for each component within this process. I have repeatedly used this book to improve the content and design of material for a distance learning course in behavior analysis. I have also used this book to design activities for business projects and education workshops. I highly recommend this book to those who are new to instructional design as well as to those who wish to improve their current practices.

This book practices what it preaches -- a rare commodity in the instructional design literature, indeed! It begins, early on, with presenting a pre-test to the reader (don't worry, you can check your answers!). Then, rather than concentrating on prose and commentary, which many instructional design books do, this book emphasizes practical exercises. You learn the "rules" of good instructional design by working through many examples, and importantly, nonexamples of design practices. While the book focuses on instructional design for computer-based instruction (the example illustrations are mainly of screen captures using the Precision Learning System), the principles you learn can be applied to any instructional system. Dr. Bruce has written an easy-to-follow, easy-to-use first-rate book on instructional design.

For several years I co-taught a series of workshops on Instructional Design with Dr. Bruce at the Association for Behavior Analysis conventions. The materials in these workshops, which were well-attended and highly rated, became some of what was used by Dr. Bruce in the development of his book. There is nothing like having a live audience to help shape development of your materials, and with this book Guy has produced a valuable tool whether you are in education, business, or otherwise interested in designing good instructional materials of your own! -- JE

Leigh Branham has done an admirable job writing a practical manual for keeping good employees. I believe any employer will find scores of proven tactics they can apply at once. As Joe Bosch of Pizza Hut says: "If a company implemented just four or five of these practices, they would be significantly better at retaining talent." Gee. Making more money because your employees are motivated. What a concept.

Doni Tamblyn is author of Laugh and Learn: 95 Ways to Use Humor for More Effective Teaching and Training and The Big Book of Humorous Training Games (Big Book of Business Games Series)

I read the book as part of an MBA mid-term project and would recommend this to any line manager or human resource practitioner who wants real, proven ideas and thoughts about attracting, retaining and developing quality employees. The book is very well structured and easy to read, yet a no-nonsense approach and in depth look at retaining valuable people.

Finally an employee retention resource from an outstanding consultant that combines practical step by step instructions with theory AND excellent examples from top companies. Keeping outstanding employees should be a top priority for every business, but unfortunately retention often runs a distant second to recruitment. Leigh Branham takes the mystery out of keeping top employees by providing business owners, managers and consultants proven retention tips. After introducing each retention practice, Leigh provides a questionnaire to evaluate your company's effectiveness. Plus the appendix is filled with surveys, checklists and evaluations you can start using today! As a consultant and coach, I am using Leigh's material with companies and individual clients and getting excellent feedback.

Keeping the best employees is a goal that is not often met in today's changing and fluid new economy. Leigh Branham introduces four key strategies designed to help an organization keep the employees it wants. These solid practices are designed to have a positive impact on an organization's best workers by increasing motivation, performance and satisfaction. These four key points are organized in parallel with an employee's life cycle in an organization:

Key #1: Be a company people want to work for.
The leadership of the organization must create an environment where three essential elements are put into place: adopt a "give and get back" philosophy, measure what counts and pay for it, inspire commitment to a clear vision and definite objectives.
Key #2: Select the right person in the first place.
Poor recruiting decisions today result in the poor performers of tomorrow. An organization must claim responsibility for recruiting to ensure it not only chooses the right candidate, but also stays connected to the external business community, and thereby having access to the full diversity of the talent pool.
Key #3: Get them off to a great start.
Knowing that between 50 and 60 percent of employees change jobs within the first seven months, it is seasoned experienced manager and leaders that focus on this critical period to the organization keeps its best employees. The keys elements during this period: communicate how their work is vital to success, get commitment to a performance agreement, and give autonomy and reward initiative.
Key #4: Coach and Reward to maintain commitment.
To sustain an employee's commitment to the organization, his relationship with his manager is a critical element. It is said that 50 percent of satisfaction at work is determined by an employee's relationship with his or her manager. Managers should: proactively manage the performance agreement, recognize results, and give employees tools to take charge of his or her career.

If at all possible, this book should be read in combination with Branham's subsequently published book, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It's Too Late, and preferably read first. That is desirable but not imperative. Either book can firmly stand on its own merits and both are "must reading" as competition for talent becomes increasingly more aggressive. That said, the subtitle of this earlier book correctly indicates what it provides: "24 ways to hang on to your most valuable talent." Branham carefully organizes his material within eleven chapters and focuses on four "Keys," providing with each several "retention practices." Too many business books are bloated with theory but wholly impoverished in terms of practicality. For that reason, I commend Branham on the fact that he devotes most of his attention to explaining HOW to establish and then increase the appeal of an organization that people want to work for, how to hire the right people in the first place, how to get new hires off to a great start, and how to use effective coaching and appropriate rewards to sustain their commitment. Well done!

This book is amazing. I have studied under and spoken with Jerry Cook on many occasions and he and his ministry and this book have changed my life and my own ministry, i highly suggest any and every Christian and or minister (as they are the same thing) purchase this book and read it, and read it again.

It brings to light everything that is simple and right about Christianity and the church, and how we as members of the body of Christ should be ministering and living our lives.

Jerry Cook puts into words my hearts cry!
He reminds me to hope and dream of what the Body of Christ could be.
I love this book so intensely it's looking rather worn.
After reading it over and over myself, I bought copies for my board and staff.
I even preached a sermon series inspired from its pages and encouraged my entire church to purchase and devour it!
If the people of God knew how to really love, accept and forgive, we would truly be Jesus with skin on.

PS...thank you Jerry Cook and Stanley C. Baldwin for letting the Holy Spirit use you to positively change THE church...

This book will ignite passion in you and equip you to do the work of the ministry. It's message expresses the heart and mind of our Heavenly Father and His desire and purposes for the church in the earth today. The church should be an active force in the world providing a place for the borken hearted to be healed and the captives to be set free.

I became familiar with this book back in the late 70's. This book has much to say to Christians who want to be actively and accurately involve in their Church and their faith. Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness lives up to its sub-title very well: Equipping the church to be truly Christian in a non-Christian world.

I sat down with this book and did not get up till I finished it. That is not amazing due to the few pages there are. The amazing part is how my faith, my worldview and my Chrisitanity was so radically changed by such a small book.

The Bible is the original text while this book if the Cliff Notes in applying the real Christianity.

I now see Jesus in the eyes of the homeless; the prisoner; the "pain in the neck" people and therefore my christian expression has changed.

Do Not read this book if you do not want to change your actions toward people.

First let me say that this book is very well written and easy to understand. It gives the reader wonderful info on MP3's and other music file formats as well as the comparsion from the standard CD format vs. MP3 format. Before reading this book, I had well above average knowledge of the various types of music files, playlist, jukeboxes, and MP3 and WMA and other music file formats. However, it did fill in some gaps that I had overlooked and I learned even more after reading the book. This is a very good reference book for the beginner. However, since it was written several years ago, it only touches on WMA's. Not that this book was written with more info on MP3 formats. Today we have in many Internet online stores the WMA/DRM (protected music). These types of music files need a newer MP3/WMA/DRM player that will handle the WMA/DRM music file format downloads, which many online music stores have. This is a great book, however, a bit historic. The MP3 players as described in this book (available at that time) came with only 64 meg flash drives and 64 meg flash cards. Now the norm is at least a 1 GIG flash player, and many MP3 players today have huge hard drives. However, this book still has good overall BASIC information. I highly recommend this book to a beginner just learning about MP3 music.

MP3's have become one of the hottest new things on the 'Net, to the delight of music lovers everywhere and most likely to the chagrin of the music industry. This book covers a wide variety of topics regarding MP3's, starting off with a brief description of how mp3's came to be, where to find and download mp3's, Internet radio stations, etc. The chapter on digital music and copyright law also contains useful information on just what it and is not legal with regards to having and/or downloading mp3's.

It also tells you what software and hardware is the best for playing mp3's and "ripping" your own mp3's. The descriptions of the software and hardware you can use are quite good. Next are three chapters describing in detail digital audio, along with MPEG audio. Then comes the section any mp3 "ripper" will be most interested in, ie converting music into mp3 form, by first converting it into a .wav format, then into mp3 and finally recording your own CD's.

The book's final chapters are a 'tutorial" on various mp3 software ripper programs like Audio Catalyst and Cool Edit. There's also some info about using WinAmp, which is one of the more popular mp3 players (and the one I use). There's also further information about related web sites, other books, even a glossary.

The future still looks bright for mp3. Not only is it a way for music lovers to download their favorite songs, it also is a way for new artists to "break through" by offering their music on various web sites in the form of mp3s.

This book offers quite a bit of good information about the MP3 phenemenon.

This is an outstanding book on Internet and personal computer audio with emphasis on the MP3 audio-encoding format. It covers the whole range of online audio from the Internet or CDs as well as streaming audio.

Starting with an overview of digital music and the Internet, the book explains why there's so much excitement over MP3 and online audio, discusses how to find music on the web, and reviews Internet Radio. The authors include the best discussion of digital music and copyright law I've seen anywhere.

The chapters on how to prepare your computer for digital audio discuss everything from what software is needed to what to watch for in selecting the best computer hardware, from CD drives, speakers, sound cards, and the cables that connect these things together or with your home entertainment system.

The portion of the book on understanding digital audio contains one of the best overall discussions of how sound and digital audio technology works anywhere. Especially valuable is the discussion of the tradeoffs involved in different selections of parameters in digital audio, such as bit-rates and sampling rates.

The book wraps-up with several excellent tutorials for basic computer tasks used for digital audio. In addition, there are tutorials for common tasks using several popular computer audio software programs.

Bruce Fries is a technology consultant & writer and an Associate member of the Audio Engineering Society. He also is the founder of TeamCom, a new media publishing company. Marty Fries is an audio engineer, technology consultant, and blues pianist. His audio engineering work includes designing and building studio sound equipment systems.

This is the best-written and edited book I've read on Internet audio and streaming audio to date. It's easy to read and explains complicated terms and concepts in terms anyone who can use a computer can understand.

Throughout the book are excellent links to additional resources, as well as an extensive index of websites on the topic of Internet audio. While the focus is on MP3 and audio files (vice streaming audio), much of the information applies to Internet radio as well.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in working with MP3 audio files, whether beginner or experienced "ripper." I also highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in how to improve the recording, playing, or streaming of audio files from their computer. Finally, I recommend this book for anyone concerned about what is and what isn't legal in working with digital audio files.

Review by Mike Powers, Internet Radio Guide, October 1999

I'm the author of the MP3 and Internet Audio Handbook and I've just finished a new book, Digital Audio Essentials, that has approximately twice as much information plus detailed chapters on editing audio, digitizing vintage records, and setting up an Internet radio station. It covers both Macs and PCs and has instructions for using iTunes, Musicmatch Jukebox, Media Jukebox, Sound Forge, and Peak.

... This book by Bruce and Marty Fries covers THE FOREST and THE TREES - concerning all things about MP3 music technology - equally well! In other words, you will no longer be lost in THE FOREST about all things MP3 because of THE TREES! The authors cover the OVERVIEW (The Forest) of all things MP3 just as well as they cover all the minor DETAILS (The Trees). ... The authors make EXCELLENT teachers: they KNOW their subject well, and they know how to PRESENT it to you so that you NEVER get lost or feel left behind! The book is VERY well ORGANIZED. It is layed-out logically and flows from one chapter to the next in a natural and easy-to-follow way. Reading this book is NOT HARD, and because it is so easy to understand, you will learn faster!

... I can't say that I knew NOTHING about MP3 music and technology BEFORE I read this book, but after having read it I feel like I REALLY understand everything I need to know to make the right choices about how to record, play, and listen to music in the MP3 format. Most importantly, the authors do not only tell you ABOUT MP3 technology, they tell you HOW to use it, DO things with it, and WHERE to go on the world wide web to get more INFO on whatever you might be interested in concerning all things MP3. The book is packed to the gills on almost every page - cover-to-cover - with web site URL addresses where the reader can further their search for information about MP3 technology!

... The book is VERY thorough and detailed, with an easy-to-follow lay-out, easy-to-read text and design, and very helpful photographs and illustrations that make it almost impossible to NOT "get it"! After reading this book, if you don't know just about EVERYTHING concerning MP3, you just were not paying attention - because the authors have left NO STONE UNTURNED! ... The only regret I had was that they wrote the book (as they themselves confessed up-front!) for the IBM-compatible, PC crowd - and I am driving an APPLE iMac computer!!! ... I recently wrote to the authors about this, and they said that they are working right now on a revised edition that will have more information in the HOW TO SECTIONS for people using APPLE computers. This will be a welcome relief!

... Even so, there is a lot of helpful mention of places and products that concern the MAC CROWD (of which I'm one! : ), and they DO agree that the SOUNDJAM MP software by Cassidy & Greene "is one of the best for the Mac." (page 69). So, even if you're a Mac-man like me, you really can't go wrong reading this book because it covers all the bases. It's MORE than just an introduction. It's a great REFERENCE book to keep by your computer at all times - whether you're a consumer interested in LISTENING to MP3s or a musician who is interested in CREATING MP3s in order to upload onto musical web sites, over the Internet, on the world wide web so that ANYONE in the world can listen to and/or purchase one's music! ... My hat is off to the authors for a job well done! ALSO: this book is FUN to read! ..

It is a very useful reference book for anyone interested in power generation. It contains general mechanical and electrical theory, design approach, operation and maintenance concepts. It has practical value as it contains broad information about steam turbines, gas turbines and auxiliaries. It is a very valuable desk reference.

I think this is a great reference book. The book is very easy to read, and to understand. I have found the book's content to be highly relevant to the field and could be used every day for anyone interested (or working) in power generation.

Power Generation Handbook is very comprehensive, covering all aspects of steam and gas turbines and generators, combined cycles and many other topics. This is a very valuable desk reference.

P. Kiameh's "Power Generation Handbook" has been an invaluable addition to the materials I need to sucessfully execute my job. I work in the electrical power industry and Mr. Kiameh's simple and practical approach has provided that extra assistance that allows for easy solution to our every day problems. More importantly, Mr. Kiameh has managed to complile useful and important principles relating to the Power industry in one handbook. I highly recommend this book for technical personnel involved in the Power Generation Industry.

This is an excellent, practical handbook on power generation. It contains clear descriptions of how power generation components are constructed, how they work and how to maintain them. Points in the text are illustrated through numerous detailed photographs, drawings and graphs. Topics include steam turbines, governing systems, valves, lubrication systems, gas turbines, bearings, seals, combined cycles, cogeneration, electrical components, etc.

I have attended two courses taught by Philip Kiameh at the University of Toronto's Professional Development Centre, one on power generation equipment and the other on mechanical equipment. Philip was an excellent teacher and his text books are similarly excellent and I highly recommend them. This text book is a valuable reference to the power generation course material.