Resources Books

I needed this book when I first became a manager 10 years ago, but at least I have it now. Ms. Hacker did a great job of organizing the chapters and making the book understandable. I hire people almost weekly and finally know why I have had problems in the past. This book showed me how to organize my search and zero in on the right person for the job. I was using the hit or miss approach in the past. I ended up hiring lots of misfits. Thank you Ms. Hacker for making my job easier. Are you writing another book?

This book is a great guide for anyone who is responsible for hiring. It's well-written and to the point. I found myself picking it up and putting it down as I had time. I bought copies for each of my managers.

This book is written for the manager who must hire good people. After reading this book I feel I know how to stay focused in my search as well as where to get people. The questions that can be asked during the interview located in the Appendix were EXTREMELY helpful. I used to think that I ran a high risk of asking something illegal, but now realize that there are many questions I can lawfully ask. Overall, this book was an excellent investment.

This book is written for managers both new and experienced. I have been supervising people for more than 20 years. I found this book to be loaded with good, solid information that I could use and share with my staff. Hiring good people that mesh with the rest of the team isn't easy, especially given the low unemployemnt rate. The author organized this book in a manner that made it convenient to pick up and put down as time permitted. I learned a number of things that have changed the way I recruit for my department. I have 500 people I'm responsible for as a plant manager. I needed this book 20 years ago!

Carol Hacker has done a service to those who are serious about weeding out the costly bad hires that are waiting out there to harm your organization. She makes excellent points and warns about the huge costs of making a mistake.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "How to Spot a Liar in a Job Interview" and "How to Spot a Phony Resume" docwifford@msn.com

Aliza is an enormously impressive woman. Not only has she obviously inspired thousands of woman, but she manages to remain humble and uneffected. Is is just those qualities that enable her books to reach out to woman. I highly recommend them all.

Great book for women who want to to know more about the internet and how they can get into the field. Aliza Shermnan gives a lot of practical information on many different positions in the field, what skills are needed and how you can get started. The experiences shared by many women in the book serve as great encouragement for any woman interested in giving it a try, who want to broaden their prospects or who want to get some new ideas on how to further advance their existing business. It's easy reading and fun -- buy it for yourself or somone else as a gift!!

This book is an excellent guide for those who are new to the Internet and for those who are veterans -- everyone will find something new and useful. Sherman is a clear and practical writer with lots of experience to back up her recommendations. I would recommend this book to any woman.

Terrific book -- both interesting to read (especially the stories of how other women used the web to become successful) and helpful (containing tips on how you can do it too.) It was also very practical, especially (at least for me)the section on growing your business on the Internet. I've read other books in this area, which were very dry, but this was a fast read and a very helpful one as well. I highly recommended this book -- and you don't have to be a female to enjoy it.

Lets face it sisters, it is time to help each other to get ahead professionally. Ms. Sherman shares her knowledge and expertise, as well as others for using all the tools available to us. Don't pass up a fun quick read that can make a difference and make your life better.

since we already know what the plot is about thanks to reviews, I just want to say that my favourite parts in the book are when Dawn & Whitney go shopping and when Dawn's dad and his date, along with others in the neighborhood, attend a classical music picnic. There is also a special surprise at the end of the book relating to dawn's life, read it to find out!

I enjoyed reading about the shopping trips, the music picnic, the carnivals, the baby sitting and everything else.

I really loved this book since I bought it. I think what made it more enjoyable was the way it was descriptively written, anne did a great job writing this book. The way she described the baby sitting jobs, the family dates right down to the detail and the shopping trips almost made me feel as though I were watching a movie of it.

I really love this book! It was extremely well written and Dawn and Whitney had a beautiful friendship. This book illustrates that just because you have a disability doesn't mean you're different from everyone else. Also Dawn's dad is in the dating game and dawn and jeff come along for family dates, that was also an interesting read. I think this is one of dawn's better books. A great read!

The book is very cool! When dawn meets Whitney, Dawn finds out that Whitney has a disease so Dawn asks her if she wants to be her baby-sitter. Dawn and Whitney really had a beautiful friendship in this book. Plus, Dawn's father is having dates with another girl and Dawn and Jeff are asked to come to their father's date.

Another great experience buying a child's book through Amazon. Books received timely and as advertised. My granddaughter loves the books. I read to her every night. I like them to. Grandpa Jim

This is a good ficton book. That's what I think. It has a good cover It was a good story, and it is especially funny when Flea popped out of Gray's head. Then they had to teach her how to fly. It didn't seem so exiting that Bullsnake was not moving. But it got exciting when he moved. This book has great excitement in it! I hope you have this GREAT Book like me!

This book is about a cat that adopts a baby bird that has fallen out of it`s nest because the cat, Gray, doesn't like to eat birds. (Whoever heard of a cat that doesn't like to eat birds?) And when the bird (Gray calls Flea) goes south for the winter Gray is sad because she taught her how to fly.

I thought this book was funny.

It might have taken me a little while to read this book, but it was fabulous. There wasn't a part that I really liked the best because I enjoyed the whole book. If you like cats, birds and funny stories you will love this book.

My nine-year old daughter loved this book. The Wallace's tell this story from the animal's perspective, and do so with great success. Being country-dwellers, and animals owners, we could totally relate to all of their thoughts and antics. Gray, the new cat, along with Callie, the older (and wiser) cat, and their yard-mate Bullsnake share their lives with Mama Bird, Papa Bird and their babies. Find out what happens to Flea, the baby bird, when he takes comfort on top of Gray's head! Find out what happens when Gray visits the barn full of rats! The illustrations add much to the story.

This is a great book even if you are not a Generation Xer. This book will help you understand the cuurrent generation of paretnts. If you happen to be a Generation Xer and a parent, you will love this book. It will help you understand yourself (Oh, that's why I do that.) It will even help you understand why those from other generations don't understand you. Sitting down with this book is like sitting down and talking with a close freind.

If you can name the members of the "Brat Pack", wore leg warmers, or can still recite the lyrics to a Cyndi Lauper song, then this book is for you. Children of the 1980s are fondly referred to as Generation X. Tricia Goyer's book Generation NeXt Parenting explores the parenting styles of this generation. Tricia's insight from her own childhood lead her to change her parenting style to separate her from her baby boomer parents. This book is easy to pick up and start reading from where you left off. She has a style of writing, which incorporates original text, Biblical reference, quotes from other parents, and 156 other cited authors. She is able to bring each chapter together with an 80's song lyric which brought back a lot of my teen memories. In this day and age we are inundated with an overwhelming amount of how-to books. However, this book offers a practical approach to parenting with a study guide to develop your parenting skills. I would recommend it to fellow Gen X'ers.
~Heidi of Chadron MOPS

Okay, I admit it--I'm not a Generation X mom; I'm a boomer mom, but the mom of several in the next generation and now the grandma of one and one-to-be. However, I found Tricia Goyer's book engaging, immensely helpful, understanding and just plain fun. I'm giving it to my daughter--who often feels the older parenting books just don't "fit." The author has done extensive research on parenting, has lived the ups and downs of being a mom to several kids (one from her teens), and has studied and incorporated the wisdom of scripture. I highly recommend this book.

"Generation NeXt" turned out to be an intriguing read for me. I am on the line between Boomers and GenXers. Different sources have placed me in each camp, so if I'm a GenXer, I'm an old one.

My review will be from the perspective of an old GenXer with a teenager and young adult children. At times, as I read "Generation NeXt" I felt exactly that, old, but then I'd turn a few pages and identify with exactly what Tricia had penned.

Had I read this book when my children were younger, I think I would have gained insight leading to freedom from some guilt baggage I lugged around for far too many years.

Tricia's "Generation NeXt Parenting" is an encouraging pat on the back with plenty of spiritual and practical challenges tossed in. She doesn't take traditional problems and toss out advice on how to handle it as much as she covers the holistic issues of parenting and Christlikeness.

If you are looking for another parenting book that has an index and multiple tips on how to handle potty training, you won't find much in "Generation NeXt." However, if you desire to dig to underlying motivations on your part and your children's behaviors, there is help offered here. Of course, a lot of the advice is what we who call ourselves "Christian" know because it's preached from the pulpit, radio and other books. But it bears repeating until we "get" it. Tricia gives practical ideas for how to get on track or back on track spiritually so that you can be the parent God calls you to be.

I learned far more from "Generation NeXt" than I thought I would. Tricia peppers her thoughts with those from other struggling parents and facts regarding the unique building blocks GenXer's have been given.

I thought of several friends who have younger children who could benefit from this book and intend to get a copy to them.

For a few years now I've been a fan of Goyer's novels, with their realistic details, believable characters, and fast pacing. "Generation Next Parenting" is my first introduction to her non-fiction skills, and I'm suitably impressed. Here, too, Goyer deals with believable scenarios and honest struggles that Christian parents face.

I am the father of two daughters, ages 12 and 14. My wife and I have parented from the onset with the belief that we want to prepare our kids for life, not just protect them from it. Goyer finds that balance in this easy-to-read book, offering encouragement and philosophical angles to raising children. The pages are rich with spiritual insight, Scriptural foundations, and bits of humor. The quotes from Gen-X bands (Chicago, Gloria Estefan, Talking Heads, etc) add a light touch to these sometimes serious issues.

If you're struggling with your own generational parenting style, if you're wondering how well you are doing in God's eyes, or if you're just interested in a wise, yet never pompous, guide to "getting it right," then Tricia Goyer's book is for you. (And don't forget to check out here great fiction titles!)

A book I pass around alot! If you are concerned about Earth's natural resources and our future, this is a must read. The author explains the coming world production peak in conventional oil and the facts of dealing with finite resources.

Don't be surprised by the problems we face just around the corner in the new century in energy, minerals and water.

A very depressing book but a very important one if the author is correct. It covers resources of all types: water, metals, oil, arable soil, etc. as it relates to the various economies and lifestyles throughout the world. At the rate resources are being used up, in particular oil and gas, the standard of living outside of the Persian Gulf state could be materially affected in the next 50 to 100 years.

Read it at your own risk: it's going to paint a bleak picture of future mineral resources.

There are many good books on peak oil, but none fly as high as Youngquist's "Geodestinies", giving you an eagle-eye view of how the world works from a resource standpoint. Far more than just the mineral of oil is covered. Youngquist also delves into the role of minerals and good health, their use as currencies, the distribution of minerals around the world, and the most precious mineral of all: topsoil.

The range of what is covered is so vast I can't do justice to this book, but among other things, you'll learn the role of minerals and wars, civilizations, politics, and overviews of alternative energy sources. You'll emerge with a better understanding of how the world really works, what to invest in, and a deep appreciation of the amazing lives we're leading at this peak of civilization.

After I read this monumental book, I was sad and angry that history was never taught this way while I was in school. If there is one book you should have on your shelf for those who make it through the bottleneck of the coming ecological crash, this is it.

I have read thousands of non-fiction books as I walk to work and back ten miles a day -- this is the most important and life-changing book of all of them.

This is one of those rare works that has the power to transform society. It is extremely well written, easily readable and cites an extensive list of references.

This book should be required reading for all college freshmen, and should be included in every high school, college and public library.

It is unfortunate that the book is often out of stock and difficult to find.

While the book reads more like a high school textbook, for the inquisitive mind, the information imparted more than makes up for it. Learning the principle of doubling time and it's portent for future populaiton growth and resource depletion, alone is worth the price of the book. The information presented in the book is sobering and thought provoking, and not a little depressing.
Let's all hope that technology can deliver us from most of the doom and gloom presented in the book. As a geologist I was familiar with the limitations on our mineral resources but did not construct the relational scenarios that were presented in the book. The "oil interval" of earth history is overlooked by most people even in the sciences. It's far reaching implications points out the severe case of myopia from which our society suffers. The fact that we comsume 60% of our soon to be precious oil for the luxury of being able to run to the convenience store for a pack of gum is also sobering. Buy the book impart the information to your kids.

In Getting Results, all logical arguments are backed by solid research studies. What is more impressive, in most cases the raw numbers are included, allowing the reader to analyze the data themselves. The author recognizes the need to substantiate all of his claims with measurable facts. The book also includes real world examples of how each of the 5 steps to getting results works in practice. This book is a solid foundation from which any manager should be able to develop a business strategy that will truly make their business get results! What is better, the book could easily be completed in a week; arming you with the tools you need to combat poor performance in a timely manor.

Getting Results: Five Absolutes for High Performance is a must read for every manager. It is an excellent book and it gets every mamager ahead of the game. I got real understanding of performance monitoring amongst many other issues. Thanks

This is a wonderful book. I would recommend it highly to anyone interested in reading how most of the successful companies are getting the job done. The survey and follow-up interviews from thousands of companies are well documented. It is easy to read and easy to ferret out solutions to specific problems that you may be experiencing in your business. What was striking to this reader was the general lack of the use of self-directed work teams in the businesses that were surveyed, and the continued reliance on the use of individual performance reviews and appraisals to motivate and direct employees. Successful businesses today are still following the basic rules of top down management that have been in place for many years. One must draw their own conclusion about whether this is the BEST way to do business. It certainly appears to be THE most popular and maybe the easy way to do business.

This is one of the volumes which comprise the University of Michigan Business School Management Series. According to Longenecker and Simonetti, there are "five absolutes for high performance" and they examine each with both precision and eloquence. Few (if any) are original. The most effective managers probably practice them (and others) to achieve superior results. Whichever "absolutes" are embraced, they are obviously worthless without effective implementation in combination with both a determination and an ability to adjust to circumstances which can change quickly at any time. Here are the five absolutes:

#1 Get Everyone on the Same Page: Focus on the Purpose of Your Organization

#2 Prepare for Battle: Equip Your Operation with Tools, Talent, and Technology

#3 Stoke the Fire of Performance: Create a Climate for Results

#4 Build the Bridge on the Road to Results: Nurture Relationships with People

#5 Keep the Piano in Tune: Practice Continuous Renewal

No doubt each reader can easily rephrase each of the five or at least cluster several synonyms which suggest each absolute's key point. For example, #1 suggests the importance of agreement (or consensus) on which teamwork always depends whereas #5 suggests the importance of constant attention to the progress of any initiatives so that appropriate modifications can be made. The Japanese word "kaizen" means more than continuous renewal; those involved in such efforts must always be aware of maintaining proper balance (or proportion), especially when responding to a crisis of some kind.

For whom will this book be most valuable? The authors wrote it for "managers at all levels who are looking for ways to improve the performance not only of themselves but also of the people they are directly responsible for." I presume to suggest that this book would also be valuable to recent graduates who have only recently begun a business career. Every organization (including non-profits and family-owned businesses) needs to have an easily understood system (as well as sound strategies) by which to achieve the desired results. Longenecker and Simonetti provide such a system in this book. It remains for decision-makers, especially, "at all levels" to modify the system to their organization's specific needs and objectives. In the Afterword, Longenecker and Simonetti suggest how to "get the ball rolling" toward getting results: Always start with the end in mind, build a model of the absolutes to your organization to be effective as a leader, identify the practices that are most critical to your success, and develop the talents needed to implement and sustain the absolutes for high-performance. Heard all this before? Probably. Are you satisfied with the results you and your organization are now achieving? If not, here is a source to help clarify and assist your initiatives in weeks and months to come. Longenecker and Simonetti conclude their book and I conclude this review with an especially appropriate observation by Henry David Thoreau: "This time, like all time, is a great time, if we simply know what to do with it."

Business is about getting results. And "Getting results" gets down to business in a very direct fashion, using research and the authors' work with senior executives to construct basic guidelines for enabling and empowering managers and organizations. The survey results on the top twenty things a leader needs to do to be effective is probably worth the cost of the book. Some of the ideas and data went straight into my classroom. This might even work for many business faculty as a text for a basic graduate course in management or leadership.

The book lacked a little bit of the 'Tom Peters verve' that wins over large numbers of readers and gets books recognized by business magazines. But serious, thoughtful students of the science (and art) of business will not be disappointed.

I've never read another book like "Good Books Lately: The One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers." It's clever and smart without being condescending. Completely accessible! The book is a blend of history, anecdote and How-To. Whether you're in a book club, or just an avid reader on your own, this book is helpful. It gives great tips on being a more active reader and participant in discussion of books.
I had the good fortune of attending a reading of this book by the authors, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore, and they are even more charming and clever in person! I was in tears with laughter listening to their encounter with Oprah - very funny stuff! Don't worry, the Oprah story is in the book, so you can get a good laugh too!

At last there is a lively resource book for book group discussions! With easy to follow chapters, this book gives the reader the tools to deepen any book group discussion. Whatever book type your group prefers, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore have created a one-stop easy reference guide. I find that I often return to the book before book dicussions, making Good Books Lately an invaluable investment. The authors have made the analytical art of book discussions accessible, and fun. For all of us "greedy readers" - this is the ultimate reference for book lovers everywhere.

Everything one could want to know about starting a book group in a helpful, informative, and entertaining format. A great read from authors who are not just PhDs in English but clearly women who love reading and writing. In addition to detailed descriptions of just about everything one would need to know to get started and keep going, the authors provide lists of books that have proved to be most popular with reading groups. Loved the part about their meeting with Oprah. This is the sort of book just to keep handy to refer back to when you need inspiration or validation in what you're doing whether it's preparing for a group meeting or analyzing a book on your own.

What a great book! Most how-to books can be dull or hokey, but the advice in this book is interesting, creative, fun and often hilariously funny. The authors take an important topic and make it very accessible. I was pretty nervous about starting a book group before I encountered "Good Books Lately," but now I'm encouraged and excited! After just starting this book, I felt like Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens were good friends of mine! This book's a great reference that I'll use and recommend often.

I absolutely loved this book on book groups. A friend of mine recommended it because I was complaining that our book group had gotten a little dull after 7 years. Now, we have reinvigorated our group with the help of this book. Every book group needs to read this book. Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens are absolutely brilliant and incredibly funny.

This book and Anne Graham Lotz' book are two of the best I've ever read. Joni has a unique view of Heaven. This is definitely one to get!

Very informative book on authors beliefs and thoughts. Hard book to find locally and our bible study class has had to share books.

This is a wonderful book that provokes us to think and look forward to our future in Eternity, and ponder the amazement of what awaits us there. Joni's sufferings in this life give her a glimpse of what most never see because of being caught up in this life and all its' busyness. God draws near to those who draw near to Him.

After reading Mary K Baxter's book, I was skeptical about purchasing anymore books about the afterlife. But after watching the Heaven/Hell documentary, it inspired me to purchase this book. I must say that this book is biblical! Joni doesnt conjure up any false visions or dreams about heaven. She sticks strickly with the scriptures, and also adds her real life experiences to express her thoughts of the heavenly realm.

I highly recommend this book for parents who have children who are chronically ill or disabled. I believe that people who find themselves in this situation will also be blessed.This book challenges the readers to take God out of a box and encourages them to envision heaven in a new and exciting way.So throw away the wings and harps and picture a place where there will be nomore tears, no more pain and friendships that will be eternal. We ain't seen nothing yet! Praise God!

With all the books on hiring out there, I didn't expect to find one that showed me a system that worked flawlessly. This is a must have book if you are at all involved in the hiring process. It's worth its weight in gold! Buy it before it sells out. Enough said.

Over the dozen years that I've been interviewing and hiring staff, I have "self-developed" many of the techniques the author presents. However, I had not formalized them. This book provides methods and procedures, helps develop a mechanical thought process, to structure the pre-interview selection, the interview, and the post-interview analysis.

I used the book to augment my own "self-grown" interview process recently and with tremendous success.

This book is a "must have" arrow in every manager's quiver; young or old, new or mature. Whether you have "home-grown" an interview technique, had HR force one upon you, or are looking to develop a strategy, this book will help.

"High Impact Hiring" by Del Still is a must read for everyone from the President of a Company to the Dept. Manager charged with interviewing & hiring decisions. Once you have read this book you will find you are more equiped to gather the pertinent information on candidates which will ultimately give you greater success in this most important decision. Hiring the right individual is one of our Corporate clients greatest challenges so we have been giving this book to them to assist in facing the hiring hurdle. With the assistance of the book they are capable of meeting the hiring challenge with confidence. As the President of one of Southern California's premier CPA firms I am involved in all of our own internal hirings and am so grateful to have read this book. My advise to those of you who are involved in this process is "Don't hire without first reading this exceptional book!" Your business cannot afford the wrong individual. Creating an exceptional company can only be acheived with exceptional people within an organization.

"Making the right hiring decision is more important today than ever before." Del J. Still writes, "I don't have to tell you about the impact of smarter competition and globalization of today's business on profits. I'm sure you've felt the pressure. If not, you will. Even the smallest company cannot afford to operate as they have in the past and expect to suceed in today's pressure-filled environment. How do you win? You win by building an exceptional work force"(p.19).

In this context, throughout the book, he presents his 7-Step interview model that can be summarized by one seven-letter word- 'PROCEED.' He argues that "It is an acronym where each letter represents one step of the process. 'PROCEED' is your blueprint to interviewing success. You'll be amazed at the results you achieve when you follow this process, step-by-step"(p.42).

Step 1: Prepare

* Identify existing superior performers

* Create a job description for the position

* Identify the competencies or skills needed to do the job

* Draft interview questions

Step 2: Review

* Review questions for legality and fairness

Step 3: Organize

* Select your interview team and your method of interviewing

* Assign roles to your team and divide the questions

Step 4: Conduct

* Gather data from the job candidate

Step 5: Evaluate

* Determine the match between the candidate and the job

Step 6: Exchange

* Share data in a discussion meeting

Step 7: Decide

* Make the final decision

Finally, he writes that "Even though the material I have included in this book is based on years of research and practical experience, it can always be improved. I encourage you to experiment with the methods and discover what works best for you...The cardinal rule is to 'stay legal' and 'play fair.' The 'best' thing you can do is put someone in a job where their competencies closely match the requirements. The 'worst' thing you can do is the opposite"(p.221).

Highly recommended.

In December 2001 I recruited a person to our business and because I hired on my gutfeeling I made a very expensive mistake. Now seven months later after enormous amounts of energy and resources devoted to that person I had to fire him.

This book has thought me the importance of looking at working habits and past actions when hiring people. Maybe you can teach a old dog to sit - but who has the time and money for that!

If you are hiring - buy this book and do it right!