K Books

Greville and Clarissa had concealed their love affair for three years.

Greville was a middleman, who had traveled the world to search out reliable sources of semiprecious gemstones. The successful London company he founded would have the stones cut in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, or elsewhere, then distribute the gems in quantity to creative designers and producers of fashionable jewelry. Greville also owned racehorses, starting when someone had given him one in settlement of a debt.

Clarissa was the attractive wife of an older British lord, who had pursued her. Greville became Clarissa's first love, as she became his. When he was not on a trip, and she could come to London, they would meet. When apart, which was most days, they had agreed to pause at a set time of day to think of each other, knowing that each was doing the same.

A sudden accident ended all this. Greville had been walking down the High Street next to a construction site, when collapsing scaffolding from high up, struck him, sending him to the hospital, where he never regained consciousness and soon died.

Here are Dick Francis's very first words of the story: "I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me."

The speaker is Greville's brother Derek, younger by nineteen years. Too tall for flat racing, Derek is a steeplechase jockey, which is especially dangerous because of the jumping. In the story he is, in fact, on crutches recovering from a broken left ankle injured in a race.

Derek's racing world and Greville's business world collide throughout the book. Derek must pick up the complex gemstone business traces, while undergoing continuing pressure from racing owners and trainers to hurry up and heal.

The company employees tell Derek that Greville did not deal in diamonds. In going to the bank, Derek discovers otherwise. The manager tells him that three months earlier the bank had loaned Greville a million and a half U.S. dollars, specifically to expand into diamonds, and would soon be looking to Derek to start repayment.

Where are the diamonds? Stolen? Who are the customers who wanted them? Greville's company business and his house are broken into. Derek is assaulted and shot at. The action is nonstop. The book is a fascinating, literate page-turner.

Note: Probably all of us readers like to notice where a book's title appears in the text, and to see the meaning in context. I frankly lost count after more than a dozen instances, many of them different -- from Intensive Care Unit monitor lines going flat, to straight thinking versus labyrinthine, to honest test reporting versus shadiness, just to name a few. And a big one near the end of the book, which I wouldn't want to reveal here. Your reading will have to decide which of the many applies most strongly. Or perhaps they all do?

This has to be one of my all time favorite Dick Francis novels. It has everything a mystery should have in it - murder, missing jewels, mayhem... In my opinion, it's going to be difficult for Francis to top this one, but I can't wait while he keeps trying!

Straight takes the reader behind the scenes of the jewel trade and it's not an industry that's always on the up and up. Derek Franklin has been on a roller coaster ride of late as his steeplechase jockey career is nearing the end with him sustaining yet another injury. During his forced leave to heal, Derek finds out that his older brother, Greville, has been attacked and is on his deathbed. After his brother succumbs to his injuries, Derek is told that he has inherited his brother's business. Too late to protect himself, Derek realizes that his brother was a target and Derek suspects it has something to do with a fortune in missing diamonds.

This isn't a direct "who dun it" but also has a few subplots that are enjoyable in their own right. When Derek is summoned to his dying brother's hospital bed, the interaction (or lack there of) made me very thankful for the close relationship I have with my brothers and sisters. This thankfulness was reinforced throughout the story, as Derek learns more about his older brother and begins to understand him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Derek is sure that a clue is hidden in his brother's computer, but he is unable to access the correct password. Greville's secretary comes to the rescue. After hearing the clues left by Greville, followed by a brief mind struggle, she comes up with the correct code word and up pops a message on the computer screen congratulating her and promising her a raise. Now that's the kind of boss I want - he sounds fun!

The only negative some may have with this book is that it is a detour for Dick Francis. As most of his books revolve around horseracing, his devoted fans have come to expect that background. In Straight the only reference to horseracing is the fact that Derek is an injured jockey.

Want to read a mystery that will have you guessing until the end? If so, then this is the book for you to read next! It's very enjoyable and will have you wondering until the very end.

A reader knows what they are getting with a Dick Francis book. The mystery will be well plotted, the hero (usually a jockey or former jockey) will bravely face whatever trials that face him overcoming his troubled past and/or secret sorrow and the action will center around the some part of the racing world. Every once in awhile though a surprise pops up, this time the jockey is thrust into the totally alien world of gems.

Jockey Derek Franklin has been sidelined by a broken ankle, shortly after his brother Grenville is murdered. As Derek tries to settle the estate he finds himself drawn more and more into his brother's world of finance, gems and quirky little gadgets. Gradually he begins to sort out the mysteries surrounding Grenville's life and death but soon discovers that there are others who are determined to keep him from the answers. In the end, of course all is revealed.

This is a well plotted and clever mystery. The clues are all there for the reader to follow. The characters are well written, and draw the reader into the story.

Dick Francis's Straight is a great read. The mystery in this book is very gripping. The characters are realistic. Derek the jockey was the hero. He suffered several physical and mental setbacks. But in the end he saved himself and his brother's gem trading business. Even though Francis's heroes are always in one way or another noble, the villains are not always as real as the heroes. In Straight, the cocaine drug dealer was almost a stereotypically bad guy. He wasn't therefore very real.
Dick Francis did an excellent job of research for this book. The details of the gem trade are astonishingly believable. In fact, I learned many interesting tidbits, for example, cubic zirconium is 1.7 times the weight of diamond. It's a really good book. I recommend it to readers who like mysteries or detective stories.

I just discovered the world of Dick Francis novels with To the Hilt and was impressed enough to try some more. Straight is another well written, fast-paced novel with great characters and plenty of suspense. The book goes fast so if you are a quick reader have another book handy because you will cruise through this. I highly recommend.

Yes, you must read it. This book tells about two girls that live 100 years apart that think that life in 100 years or 100 years ago will be better than the life they lead. So, while Amber is transported back in time, Ada is transported forward in time with the help of a mysterious wishing well. Both girls must go to orphanages, as they have no family in this strange time, and both figure out that life in either time isn't what they thought it would be. Now they long for home. But they have one problem. How in the world are they going to get home?
A book filled with suspense and fantasy is the best book, in my mind. The only thing wrong with this one: the author never reveals what creature was in the well. Still, I would highly recomend this book for anyone who loves fantasy.

Switching Well is one of the best yet most confusing novels I've ever read. As they switch times through chapters it was kind of confusing. Peni R. Griffen sure has a way of grasping your interests.
The quality of the book on a scale of 1-10 would be 91/2. Most of the characters are almost real. You can feel the emotions they face and the hardships they endured. My favorite character is Ada because as she experiences the modern world it is just one more discovery after another. This character is special to me because even though her father believes women are inferior she still tries to earn his respect. The author did a masterful job in development of characters. Peni R. Griffen was able to grasp my interests and hold on throughout the entire novel. As she switched off characters she would leave you with many questions such as: What about Ada? Will Amber be in trouble? etc. My favorite scenes in the book are when Ada and Mrs. Bauer hang out with each other because they were interesting. I wouldn't have made any changes. I think Peni R. Griffen's way was the only good way this novel could have been written.
From this book I learned to take nothing for granted and that you never know how important something is to you until it's gone.

Switching Well, written by Peni R. Griffin is an outstanding narrative about two girls who switch centuries in a magic well and can't reach their times. Ada is a 13 year old girl with a peaceful and normal personality. Amber is a spunkier girl but feels sad when she finds out her parents are divorcing. They meet new friends, people that aren't very nice, and have to lie along the way, but somehow tell the truth. The girls learn about one another because people think they're missing. I recomend this book... it's absalutly fastinating.

Switching Well by Peni R. Griffin has two main characters. The first is twelve-year-old Ada Bauer, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, in 1891. Women in her time are not considered as important as men, and her father thinks so. Her teacher was tempted to fail her essay about a woman's rights. So she goes to the Haunted Lot and wishes in the well to live a hundred years in the future. The second main character is twelve-year-old Amber Burak, who also lives in San Antonio, but in 1991. Her parents are thinking about getting divorced, and she seems to be the last to know. She, too, goes to the Haunted Lot and wishes in the well that she lived a hundred years in the past. Ada and Amber switch places and are completely confused in their new lives. They try to wish themselves back home, but it doesn't work. The longer they stay a hundred years away, they wonder if they will ever be able to get home.

Yes, you must read it. This book tells about two girls that live 100 years apart that think that life in 100 years or 100 years ago will be better than the life they lead. So, while Amber is transported back in time, Ada is transported forward in time with the help of a mysterious wishing well. Both girls must go to orphanages, as they have no family in this strange time, and both figure out that life in either time isn't what they thought it would be. Now they long for home. But they have one problem. How in the world are they going to get home?
A book filled with suspense and fantasy is the best book, in my mind. The only thing wrong with this one: the author never reveals what creature was in the well. Still, I would highly recomend this book for anyone who loves fantasy.

I would love to see this book updated and organized with color coded tabs for easy reference. It had a lot of good tools and ideas, for both parents and teachers. We pass this along to our teacher every year.

As a parent of children with TS, I obtained this book for teachers to have a better understanding of techniques in the classroom. Consistently, I came across teachers who would apply the techniques uniformly and dismiss the "it depends" approach which is critical in dealing with TS... from the standpoint that the condition is ever changing in an individual, and it is different from one person to the next. (Too many teachers would say, "Oh I've had a TS child before"... I have *two* as well, and they and the *effective* approaches in teaching them couldn't be more different from one another.)

For example: putting a child near the front of the room for attention issues and to help them keep on track... may be devastating for a child who does not want their tics on display, and of course not necessary for the child who tics but who does not have attention issues.

Seating arrangements need to be assessed INDIVIDUALLY for every child; and for those with TS, it needs to be assessed more than once... the condition is dynamic, not static, (it waxes and wanes), the techniques need to be dynamic too. Too often I see the techniques gleaned from the book used statically and never re-visited throughout the academic year as to wether they are working, and/or if they are needed at any given moment.

The book doesn't necessarily indicate static approaches, it just seems to me that once the book is read, (or skimmed is more likely what I found to be the case by our educators), that the educators we've dealt with will focus on one erroneous technique that may have nothing to do with our child's current needs or situation, and claim that they are modifying their techniques for our child with TS, with no consideration as to the effectiveness. Or worse, (from our child's standpoint), they will read about *behavior* approaches when in fact our child has no associated behavior issues, (the book tends to lump different but sometimes associated conditions like ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, Mood disorders - and offer techniques without clearly delineating if the symptoms are TS or from other conditions), and the resulting assumptions as to the root cause of any given *in-classroom* behavior can have a devastating impact on a child with TS, especially if *intention* is thought to be behind *disruptive* behavior.

Don't use this book unless you plan to delve deeper into your student with TS, and their exact manifestation of symptoms, and their pattern of symptoms and then be prepared to re-visit the THEN resulting specific application of techniques, on a continual basis, other wise you can do more damage than good by ASSUMING that you are applying techniques covered in the book, when in fact you may not be addressing the specific situation your student finds themselves in, in any given week, in any given hour.

The plan needs to be flexible, use the book ala carte or for brain storming solutions... don't apply it like a recipe, your ingredients will always be different with a TS student.

I have a now 17 year old daughter who began really struggling in school at age 10, 5th grade. We had her evaluated by the school and they determined that because her IQ was high, she was not eligible for special services, despite the fact that she was failing almost every subject and had trouble socially. I took her to our own child neuro-psychiatrist and, after a lengthy interview and eval, she was diagnosed with tourette syndrome. Further it was determined that she was manifesting her TS with many symptoms of ADHD and OCD...something the school district refused to take into consideration.

I stumbled upon this book at our local book store and literally sat in the aisle just soaking up the most accurate description of my daughter that anyone had ever been able to give me - and it was a BOOK! It was as if I could have written the list of symptoms and the various methods they offered that work (most of the time). I immediately paid the $35 for this book without reservation and read it from cover to cover, several times. There are about 10 pages in the back of the book with many many other resources for parents, DR's and educators.

The thing about any brain disorder is that they vary in degree and there are very few who have an exact definition or symptomology...iow, no two are ever truly alike. It is VERY common for kids with TS to have crossover symptoms of ADHD and OCD and vice versa. This book addresses those symptoms. This book also talks a lot about the common 'rage attacks' that many of these kids experience and how it's such a normal reaction to what they are going through...it really helps the parents to put their child's behavior into perspective and rather than parent from a purely punitive standpoint, the parent can custom fit their parenting styles to suit that child. This book shows you how to do that. It offers tips and resources to help teachers deal with these types of kids in a way that is not humiliating and embarrassing to the child or his classmates. This book helped me to 'read' my daughter and learn how to diffuse a rage attack before it happened - any idea how incredible that is??

Most teachers have been trained to teach one way. They have a population of about 24-30+ students in their class and they have to figure out a way to teach them all so they teach to the majority. Who does that leave out? The bright shiny star students and those who need a helping hand or those who need just a little encouragement and a few secret code words to get through a lesson plan. The majority of teachers do not have the time or the wherewithall to accomplish the goal of moving from one lesson plan to the next with ease when she has even ONE special needs kid in her class. Someone loses and most often, it is the student who needs the help the most. Sure, the schools provide paras, but only in the classrooms that have a named special education student in them. If you have a kid who has TS and isn't designated Spec Ed, then his/her class will not have a para in it.

That's another reason this book is so valuable to ALL teachers. Each of our children learn in their own way...there is a way to teach them and teach them well. This book should be mandatory reading for all prospective teachers. Every teacher should have this book in her library!! I made 3 copies for my district, one for the elementary level, one for junior high, and one for the high school level. I don't think one person ever cracked it open; if my daughters experiences at our local public school are any indication. We transferred out to a charter school in 9th grade. She did very well there. The entire staff was very up on their special needs kiddos and my daughter benefitted from their style of teaching and their empathy - something that is sorely lacking in our public schools in my opinion. Buy this book!

I am 19 and when I was in elementary school tourette's was still looked upon by many proffessionals and most authority as something that "didnt exist"or the parents fault. My [...] teacher mrs. streneva used to poke me so hard in the chest when i disbehaved that i recieved many bruises on my chest. the doctors said i would never make it through public school. My mom paid 40 some dollars for this book back then, and we didnt have alot of money, and it cost a fortune, and this book was my moms treasure and she never ever let me hold it and never ever let any of the teachers borrow it, instead, she made then copied pages & such, and then the teachers would request more information on a topic and my mom would copy it from this book. this book educated alot of authority and all the teachers at Pleasant Elementary in Warren, Pennsylvania. This is a big miracle, I have a huge thanks for the writers who did this. This book is a 100% MUST HAVE for ANYONE with ANY amount of children with tourettes syndrome, ADHD, Depression, bi poklar, or any such. It is a strictly MUST HAVE. I reccomend this with everything in my heart and for helping me get through elementary school. As for for making it through public school? I am now a freshman at edinboro university of pennsylvania and even though my grades arent very good, I have made it this far, and I can do things with my life that doctors never thought would be possible. I am almost tic free, thanks to my medications. And it all started with this book.

I love this book, which I have found invaluable in educating my son's teachers about the disorder. It is basically a compilation of information that any well read TS parent has probably found in 20 different locations, but for the novice looking for a thorough overview in one book, "Teaching The Tiger" goes a LONG way toward increasing their TS education. It gives practical advise re behavioral interventions that work, and more importantly those that DON'T.

I find teachers are more receptive to this book because it is written specifically for teachers (rather than taking advise/instuction from a parent). I've found it to be quite credible and informative to them. I believe the answer to stigma, ignorance, and misinformation (ex: the 20/20-60 Minutes/media representation of TS), is education. This book provides it, specifically aimed at giving teachers tips on dealing with TS in the CLASSROOM environment. My son's teachers have been really grateful for these TS-specific insights.

If you can afford the $35 for this book, DO! It is a worthwhile investment into making your child's educational road a smoother one. In the meantime, you may be able to do what I did. I borrowed a copy from the library and made photo copies of the most relevant chapters for each teacher/aide involved with my son. I also either showed them the book itself or made a photocopy of the cover, in case they wanted to purchase/borrow the entire book themselves. If you have a good relationship with the principal or school librarian, suggesting that the school purchase a copy for the staff library is also practical.

Those are my two cents, on "Teaching The Tiger". "Taming the Tiger" came first and provides a similar compilation of info for parents and others learning about TS. I hope you'll check out these books for yourself.

AMM

Don't miss this one! Mainly about the lives of school girls in modern England, with enough eccentrics and quirks to keep you smiling throughout, with nice Mozartian references, not to mention PG Wodehouse, "The Leopard", Oxford, aging hippies,and several disorganized, but loving families. The heroine's mixed up love life is mostly amusing, though it does seem to hit a strange wall with the very odd Giavanni at the end. Still, this is miles ahead of most popular fiction out there,and worth re-reading too!

I must agree with another reviewer who stated that while pretty good, this novel is not her best effort (that would be "Brother of the More Famous Jack" and "The Travelling Hornplayer") I never found the characters in this novel to be as engaging as in her other works. Our main character Alice while intellegent and lovely, is so easily swayed by the men in her life I was beginning to think she was incapable of knowing her own mind. And the men in her life....ugh, I was having a hard time deciding who was more obnoxious, the foppish "my poppet" Roland, the "marry the bosses daughter" Matthew, or the egomanical Giovanni. By the end of the novel I was hopeful for Alice but something about Giovanni.....Hmm.

It's amazing what she does! I'm in awe. Noah's Ark is great too - I'd highly recommend it, and all the others. This one is my favorite.

I really loved this book. I could never tell quite where it was going but I loved where it ended up. One reviewer on this site commented that he was tired of Alice being a doormat for men, but I could easily see why she would be this way. Her development into a person with enough self-confidence to assert herself is an imporant part of the book.

I worked backwards, first reading The Travelling Hornplayer, before I read this. A measure of a good book for me is whether or not I think about the characters when I am not reading, and how much I enjoy them--for good or bad--when I am reading. It is delightful to finally see Alice get away from Roland "my poppet" Dent and head back to Jem. This is a book well worth reading! Go and find all of Trapido's books, you won't be sorry.

There is a drive within the genetic code of human beings that can be as urgent as the need for food, water, or sleep. It is the urge to procreate. When Kelly Damron and her husband tried to have children in 2001 she had to deal with the problem of infertility. She was finally able to conceive only to have her twin daughters born prematurely in 2004. Then after their troubled birth, Kelly found herself experiencing postpartum depression. She went on to join the march of Dimes as an active volunteer in 2006 and became the co-chair of the Family Teams Committee for the March for Babies (formerly known as WalkAmerica). She was the Mission Family presenter for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event on May 17, 2007, and has become involved with RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, assisting in their Marketing and Events Committees. In "Tiny Toes: A Couple's Journey Through Infertility, Prematurity, And Depression" Kelly candidly records her personal story, drawing upon both her experience and subsequent hard-won expertise. Now the mother of two happy and healthy little girls, Kelly has written "Tiny Toes" for the benefit of the thousands of others who every year must deal with what she's had to cope with -- infertility and premature births, and sometimes a combination of both. Strongly recommended reading, especially for the one in eight couples encountering infertility and the 12.5% of women whose babies are born prematurely, "Tiny Toes" is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring.

As an individual who dealt with infertility in the past and currently works with couples struuggling with these issues in outpatient treatment, I found Tiny Toes by Kelly Damron to be an excellent resource to anyone facing infertilitry and/or prematurity. Not only does it provide informative technical information, but also honestly and directly addresses the emotional stuggles faced by couples going through this process. This book is an invaluable resource to those early in the process in identifying, preparing for and dealing with the many emotional issues. Those who have already gone through the process of infertility and/or prematurity will find this book to be normalizing and validating. Furthermore, this book is a wonderful resource for extended family and friends who want to learn about the physical and emotional struuggles in order to be understanding and supportive to their loved ones. I will continue to recommend this courageous and helpful book to anyone I encounter struggling with similar issues!

I have several friends in various stages of IVF and that have delivered premature children. Until this book, I didn't know the internal struggles, day to day struggles, and strength needed within a family. I now have a much better understanding. Read this book so you can be a better person to your child, your friend or co-worker going through this challenge.

Kelly Damron's book Tiny Toes is a must read for everyone. We all know couples who struggle with infertility and the challenges surrounding this issue. Tiny Toes is very educational, entertaining and enlightening. The specific infertility terms, methods and process were amazing to learn about. Kelly shared in such a realistic way her personal journey through this difficult and learning process. Once you begin reading you won't want to put it down! Like me you'll think of dozens of others who can benefit by this excellent book!

Kelly's story provides an inner glimpse of the struggles of a family during infertility, premature birth, and depression that will touch anyone. Although it may be especially poignant for families that share this struggle, I was moved by Kelly's honesty and passion even though I have not had the same experiences. As a similar personality type, it was especially meaningful for me to understand the process Kelly went through to overcome her depression and how she found joy and hope through these adversities.

Pam Vredevelt writes from a Christian point of view. She is a wife of a man in the ministry, a woman who gives talks, and a mother of three. Their third child was born with down syndrone. Pam went through a period of depression. Slowly, she began to realize that there is beauty in having a "special needs" child. The messages of hope throughout this book make it an appropriate book to give to any friend who is going through a difficult time. (ie cancer, divorce, etc.) I received mine as a gift, and have dog eared pages to refer back to.

Anyone who has faced disappointment, death or any kind of tragedy this book is for you. It is filled with hope. I will give this book as gifts to many of my friends and family. I hope others will treasurer it as much as I have.

I loved this book by Pam Vredevelt so much that I am reading it a second time. It is so encouraging because it gives the perspective of a parent in clear and heartfelt wording. I have many "Nathan's" in my classroom whose parents have surely felt some of the same grief and joy expressed by Pam. I applaud her for writing such an emotionally open and inspiring book becuase it has given me new perspective into what the parents of my students continually deal with.

Someone gave me a copy of this book years ago when I was going through tough times. Though details of my situation were in no way similar to the author's, I could relate to the fears and spiritual/emotional struggles she faced. Her story of hope and spiritual strength helped me to face and then conquer my own fears. I have since given several copies of this book to other friends facing their own life struggles, and have received much positive feedback. Highly recommended.

I am the mother of a child with Down Syndrome. My neighbor gave me this book and it was at a time when I most needed it. Sometimes raising a child with a disability can be challenging and this gave me hope. I sent it to two other people who could also use the same hope at a difficult time. It is inspiring to know that these children are not alone. I learned that from this book and it helps us as we go on this journey. Thank you Pam Vredevelt!

If you are interested in developing new skills in how to do the relationship dance, this is the book for you. Fearless Loving is a must read. It doesn't matter whether you're currently in relationship, whether you would like to be in a relationship, married, single, recently split up, or divorced. Rhonda has a talent for bringing together concepts and distilling them into bit size, chewable skills for taking action, which most any one of us can implement, given our commitment.

This book is a valuable tool for me, personally and for my sixteen year marriage/partnership. I'm finding new ways to really listen, communicate, to set boundaries, to clarify perceptions, to honor my feelings and to play.

Fearless Loving also offers an insightful and helpful protocol for people who are interested in a new way to date. I highly recommend this book to my friends and anyone interested in Love.

Rhonda Britten just gets it. This book is so wonderful. She can guide you along your path to loving in a way you never thought you could, but always wanted to. The most poignant truth for me is that everyone is innocent. That's so hard to think and act on, but she's so right about it. I would have everyone believe me innocent until proven guily, so it only seems fair for me to believe that about everyone else. This book will help you with understanding any type of love and how to do it best! She never coaches you to be someone you're not, and even highly discourages behaving as if you were playing a game. She teaches you how to test your prospective partner, or current partner so you can hear what they're not saying (which is more insightful than what they are saying). Rhonda will fill you full of courage and you will feel that you can love confidently without ever sacrificing who you are, or ever compromising what you need from a loving relationship.

Fearless Loving is well-written and packed full of useful tools that if followed will send you on your way to building new love relationships, enhancing the one's you already have and uncovering and discovering the ways in which we block or deny ourselves love. The author jumps into the trenches with you as she reveals her own personal experiences. This approach made it feel real and tangible. The best self-help book I've read in a long time!!

If you've ever been through divorce -- if you've ever had a failed relationship and aren't quite sure why things couldn't have worked out better -- if you're tired of playing relationship roulette -- READ THIS BOOK!! It's the guidebook for finding and keeping love that you've been looking for. And don't forget to read Fearless Living, too! It's your ticket to freedom and to the real YOU!

ok, i only first heard of Rhonda by watching the TV reality show "starting over" + then got hooked onto watching the amazing clarity with which she brought women from all walks of life to.
so my roomate bought this book to assist her from dating another jerk, and boy, is this book stellar! its not thick, not complicated, but really packs an emotional + mental punch. i have even more respect for this woman, who has been through so much + has found a way to positively help others. i've been telling all open-minded pals of mine who really do want to change any "failures" they have to read this. its really good stuff!

Unfortunately we know very little about the history of Modern Turkey and the Turkish people in general. I would even say all we know is unsubtantiated ...in general against Turks. This wonderful book of outstanding historian Lord Kinross is telling the real story behind the modern Turkey and the avant-guard philosophical foundations that created this modern republic out of ashes of a country which was torn off completely by wars followed one another. This book is clearly proving us that Ataturk is not only the most important political leader of our century but also may be some centuries back and some centuries forward yet to come. Any person from the developed Western societies who are serious about learning something about a nobel nation such as Turks and their genius humanitarian leader Ataturk, this is the book to read.

At 9:05 AM on each November 10th, all the inhabitants of Turkey stop their worldly activities and observe a few minutes of silence. They are observing the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, in 1938. Ataturk was a man larger than life. After the destruction of the Ottoman Empire during WWI he defeated western European powers bent on carving up the spoils for themselves, and formed the new Turkish Republic in 1923. Ataturk was directly responsible for the disaster inflicted on British and Australian forces at Gallipoli, dramatized in the 1981 Australian motion picture. He also fought unsuccessfully against T. E. Lawrence and his Arabs. After forming the new Turkey, he completely reformed its society, replacing the arabic alphabet with latin, abolishing both polygamy and the fez, and installing a secular government. Lord Kinross' masterful book captures the broad scope and the thrilling details of the life of this amazing man and demonstrates his influence on the 20th century. Ataturk is one of the best biographies ever written, about one of the most interesting men in history.

Ataturk is, for most Westerners, the Unknown Titan of the Twentieth Century - towering over most of the centuries leaders and up there in the Pantheon with Churchill, de Gaulle, Roosevelt and Truman. Ataturk's vision, courage and generosity of spirit would have marked him out as exceptional in any period, but his achievement in creating a new, modern, forward-looking nation on the ruins of a corruption and strife-ridden empire that had finally collapsed after centuries of decline is unprecedented. Ataturk - Mustapha Kemal - did not just remake Turkey, giving it new hopes, new visions and new liberties, - even a new alphabet - but he remade himself in the process, coping with personal weaknesses and failings and never letting them master him. Tough, courageous, ruthless when necessary, Ataturk nevertheless balanced these qualities with compassion and humanity. Like many great soldiers turned politicians he never lost sight of the fact that yesterday's enemy must be tomorrow's friend if the mistakes of the past are not to be perpetuated. This masterly biography covers every aspect of Ataturk's life in detail and is the ideal introduction for the open-minded Westerner eager to understand modern Turkey and its heroic people. I first read it in 1967 and it remained as an inspiration for me until I had the privilege and pleasure of living and working in Turkey a quarter century later. I then reread it with even greater delight and was able to make a personal pilgrimage to Ataturk's severe and dignified mausoleum (which he would probably never have wanted) in Ankara. Ataturk's portrait hangs in my study and this book has a place of honour on my shelves - if you love history and seek personal inspiration then get it at all costs!

having searched for a book on this leader but finding it out of my price range i happened to find a copy for £10 in Turkey of this book. It is a brilliant read. A man forgotten in the west but so properly idolised in turkey. Now I understand what all the fuss is about. This character is no Mussolini, Stalin or other jumped up tin pots but a man of the most amazing integrity and insight. It is amusing the way Lloyd George spend his whole career trying to undermine him but in the end with the defeat of the grekks fell from power due to his integrity. A tear passed my eye reading about the death of this hero and I certainly felt that i understood a bit more the respect and emotions theTurks have towards him.

I am Turkish. So I have read lots of things about Ataturk throughout my education. But it was all about the events like wars, revolutions, treaties but not the feelings about this great man. Now I understand some of his moves better.

I think everybody can learn something from this book but especially people of Turkey should read it to learn what kind of events our nation lived on our way to freedom and what kind of differences a leader can make.

This is a great resource for individuals looking for some leadership pointers.

I recently re-read this book, curious to know to what extent its content remains relevant. My conclusion? It is even more relevant today than it was when first published in 2004. In Richard E. Cavanagh's Foreword, he recalls a discussion during dinner with Peter Drucker and Jack Welch who shared the same opinion that the United States military services do the best job developing leaders. What we have in this volume is an adaptation by Frances Hesselbein and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, with assistance from Alan Shrader. Hesselbein and Shinseki also wrote the Introduction. The material is carefully organized within seven chapters, followed by a Conclusion that reviews the most important points, correctly noting the unique and compelling role that the U.S. Army has played since June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year.

With regard to the book's title, "Army leadership begins with what the leader must Be, the values and attributes that shape a leader's character...People want leaders who are honest, competent, forward-looking, and inspiring...People willingly follow only those who know what they are doing. One of the quickest ways for a leader to lose trust and commitment of followers is to demonstrate incompetence...Character and competence, the Be and the Know, underlie everything a leader does. But character and knowledge - while absolutely necessary - are not enough. Leaders act; they Do...They solve problems, overcome obstacles, strengthen teamwork, and achieve objectives. They use leadership to produce results."

I realize that these concepts seem simple. In one sense they are. However, in this context, I am reminded of what Oliver Wendell Holmes once said: "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." The challenge to any organization when developing leaders is to guide those involved to the other side of complexity." The composite of excerpts from Be-Know-Do identifies core concepts, to be sure, but it also describes the character, competence, knowledge, and results-driven initiative that the U.S. Army seeks to develop within every one of its soldiers, regardless of rank. "No one is only a leader; each person in an organization is also a follower and part of a team. In fact, the old distinction between leaders and followers has blurred; complex twenty-first-century organizations require individuals to move seamlessly from one role to another in an organization, from leadership to `followership,' and back again."

Hesselbein and Shinseki are to be commended for their skillful adaptation of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, but also for the inclusion within the narrative of relevant material from sources outside the U.S. Army organization. For example, they quote prominent business thinkers throughout the narrative: James Kouzes and Barry Posner on leadership by example (page 24), John Gardner on the importance of a shared vision (page 30), Patrick Lencioni on teamwork (page 86), and John Kotter on a leader's "quest for learning" (page 132). Readers will also appreciate the provision of various "Exhibits" such as 5.1 that provides a brilliant illustration of Team-Building Stages.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Frances Hesselbein's other works that include The Leader of the Future 2: Visions, Strategies, and Practices for the New Era co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith, On Leading Change: A Leader to Leader Guide co-authored with Rob Johnston, and Leading for Innovation: and Organizing for Results co-edited with Goldsmith and Iain Somerville. Also, I highly recommend the wealth of resources available at the Leader to Leader Institute (http://www.leadertoleader.org/), a non-profit and tax exempt organization that includes a subscription to its magazine among several membership benefits.

Since I became a civilian a few years ago, I've struggled somewhat with explaining to my team how to adapt what I "know" about Army leadership into terms they can understand.

This book does a great job of putting the fundamentals of Army leadership into terms civilians can understand, and better yet, implement or integrate into their leadership experience.

The fundamentals apply to every organization, and I highly recommend it to any student of leadership!

Although this book is required reading, not only for ARMY OCS, but also for other applications, it is quite possibly the most BORING read ever.

While the information is quite valid *and* genius, basically the ARMY's system on leadership, it is just plain boring... Sorry, it's the truth.

For the price, the information is golden. In fact, even if the price were higher it would still be worth what you pay. But even still, this was a painful 171 pages to read!!

BUY IT. READ IT. GET IT OVER WITH...! :)

The world's benchmark with respect to leadership is the market driven capitalist company, however it seems they have lost their way when compared to the US Army. After you read this book you will be shocked to find out how far ahead of private business the US Army is in the area of Leadership.

Ultimately the US Army has determined that in some fashion everyone that reports to you is also a leader and needs to be trained and respected as such. The US Army's leaders are actively developed at all levels so that they can lead and develop others - no lip service here.

In light of the previously posted shining reviews on this text, I suppose there is not much more to be said, but I felt compelled to bolster what has already been written. This book is, along with Norman Friedman's US Submarines since 1945, without question, among the definetive works on submarines of this period. Outstandingly researched and presented. Do not hesitate to buy this book. Top notch.

I was somewhat skeptical of this book when I saw nothing but 5 star reviews from purchasers of the title. However, having read it, this is THE Cold War submarine reference. It contains insights not only into the technologies deployed, but the rational (or in some cases the Irrational) that led to the development of the mysterious technological marvels we could only speculate on during the cold war. The authors clearly show both American and Soviet perspectives on the cold war submarine development. I found the information regarding the CONFORM design on 1967 to be of particular interest. Rickover's insistence on developing the 688 class killed CONFORM. Yet CONFORM was 40 years ahead of anything available at that time. It is interesting that the 688's were far more fragile than one might imagine. Yet Rickover insisted on having his way. Where would we be had the CONFORM design gone through?? This book is absolutely the best material that I have read to date on cold war submarines.

Not as many actual pix of subs as most books but it is very well written and also dabbles into the politics and design that went on with each new design of submarine. Nice charts and missile specs and things like that. Goes into greater detail of the US boats more than Soviet.

I sought a book with a serious overview of the topic of Cold War submarines, and not a book about one or another aspect of the topic. I ended up with a book that contains both an excellent overview as well as serious discussion of specific submarines, strategies, technologies and the men behind the scenes.
The story is well placed within the historical context of the political, military and economical events and processes of the Cold War. The text is well written and well structured.
Especially fascinating is the look behind the scenes of Soviet submarine design, construction and operations - those were among the best-kept secrets of the Soviet Union.
Besides dealing with "main stream" submarines, there are several interesting chapters about different experimental projects; rescue submarines and several fantasy projects, like freight vessels and aircraft carrying submarines.
Although the story is focused on the Cold War period, there is a detailed discussion of WWII technology that highly influenced Cold War designs, as well as descriptions of post Cold War vessels and fleets.
The book is well illustrated with photographs and line drawings.

I knew about a Polmar from reading references in some papers, so I finally decided to give a try. I wasn't disappointed. There were lots of technical details giving an overview. Better yet, it is a balanced account - by no means are Americans portrayed as all powerful.

If there were two things it can be improved on - well, one would be the placement of the endnotes. It is a matter of taste, but considering how many there were and how interesting they were, it might have been more convenient to have put them at the bottom of the main text as footnotes for each page.

The second is that I would have killed for a chapter or two on "other than the equipment". Subs are not just their designers, their admirals and the technicals - it is also the men, their organization and their training. Polmar briefly goes over the differences, but it could have been given a full chapter or at least an Appendix if extra efficiency measures were applied to the pre-Cold War history stuff.

Now, I'm going to buy another Polmar book that would hopefully fill up the gap. Wish me luck.