V Books


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V Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

V
Perl 5 Interactive Course: Certified Edition (Interactive Course)
Published in Paperback by Waite Group Press (1997-11-01)
Author: Jon Orwant
List price: $49.99
New price: $35.00
Used price: $5.21

Average review score:

5.5 stars actually..
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-23
The problem I've seen with technical books is that either they are in tutorial/textbook format which includes lessons and then review questions at the end of each chapter, or they are purely reference type books ideal for looking up things on occasion and not really good for a beginner to learn the subject matter. This book was the first one I felt that was ideal in both textbook form as well as a reference book for looking things up.

The chapters were basic enough for the beginner to grasp the material, and the lessons were rife with hands-on examples which I thought was the best part. I like to try things out as I go through the lessons and so the material was very useful for me.

The printing of the material was interesting and draws the reader into the subject, important notes and pitfalls are highlighted between the text to avoid the paragraphs from becoming too long and drawn out. The writer's diction is sometimes humorous to avoid the reader from losing interest.

The book is kind of bulky and thick so as a consequence of regular use, the glue based binding gave way somewhere in the middle of the book so when I open it, the first half of the book is attched merely by a shred to the second half, so I have to be careful now when I lookup things in it. I wouldn't trade this book for anything.

I have never taken any instructional classes on Perl scripting and can safely say that everything I know about Perl scripting I've learned from this book. That being said I am able to write fairly sophisticated perl scripts and have the ability to understand fairly obfuscated perl code without difficulty. I use perl as a very strong and useful tool in my day to day tasks for scripting and text processing needs and I often dazzle and amaze my colleagues at work with the tricks I'm able to pull off by using perl scripting and I owe it all to this book.

In short, I give two enthusiastic thumbs up for this book and the 5 star rating that I gave this book was merely due to the amazon limitation on the number of stars you can give in your review.



A great Perl book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-01-10
I started learning Perl two years ago. I first browsed libraries, free tutorials, news groups etc... It was nice for the beginning but soon enough I understood that's not the way :)

I started looking around for good Perl books and somehow got to this one. I think I can clearly say, that this book did the work. Teached me Perl from the ground up. I'm now planning on buying "MySQL and mSQL" to start working with databases. I also consider buying "Mastering Algorithms With Perl" & "Programming Web Graphics with Perl & GNU Software".

Anyway, if you want to start learning Perl, buy this book. I also use it as a reference.

A good tutorial
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-02-09
The book is a good and detailed tutorial for all novices who want to learn Perl. No hit around the bush stuff and the chapters were well thought of. Credit should be given to the author and the publishing group for these helpful information. The Source codes on the CD-Rom comes handy when when you want to test out the sample codes in the book. The questions at the end of each chapter is a good revision after scanning the chapter. I strongly recommend those who want to learn Perl to get a copy of this book as their first book.

Perfect Perl Book
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-02-10
After the Camel book, of course. This book is very well paced with well thought out examples. I needed it as a refresher last year, and now use it as a reference.

The only down side is that the Web Based interactive segment is no longer available. not a big deal since it's the same quizes as in the book, but there was a gee-whiz, isn't it fun factor to have it available online.

This book covers everything from soup to nuts. It starts the learner off slowly with the basic perl syntax and then smoothly moves into subroutines, OOP, DBI modules, Security, etc. all with the same interesting and amusing style.

I don't know if it's mentioned in the Editorial review, but the author is the Editor of The Perl Journal (www.tpj.com) which is a magazine devoted to the perl programming language. So Jon Orwant *knows* his topic.

Best Introductory Perl Book Ever Written - No Holds Barred
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-01
I've read and use most of the Perl books out on the market today, but none comes close to getting you going well with Perl as does Jon Orwant's book. I still use it as a reference today, but it is the best any money can buy for learning Perl. I'm back buying another copy because I loaned mine to a friend and I miss it so much that I want to make sure I'll always have a copy handy. My old copy is so well worn that a fresh copy is enticing also. As for extras in the book: the quizzes are great for testing your understanding, and someone has done a great job at proofreading this book -- I don't know whether that person is at the Waite Group or is Jon himself, but I know that anytime I have questioned an answer, or a script, or anything in the book I have always found the book to be accurate on closer inspection. It is very much like the Camel Book in being authoritative -- what Jon says is Perl Gospel Truth - if I had to pick two Perl books, I'd pick this one for learning and the Camel Book for ultimate reference. Jon's book should be rated a 5 and a half star - this is the best that it ever gets!

V
Pizza: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza
Published in Paperback by ()
Author:
List price:
New price: $28.36
Used price: $21.59

Average review score:

Delicious Home-made Pizza
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-24
We purchased this book with a gift certificate from our wedding and have loved it ever since! Included are recipes for the crust, the sauce, and many different types of pizza (white sauce, red sauce, chicken, veggie, etc.) I am not an advanced pizza dough tosser so creating restaurant style crust is more difficult than I thought it would be. This book is such a great buy that we purchased it as a wedding gift for someone else.

Of the three Pizza books I purchased, this one is the best.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-16
Very good layout and pictures of final product. The book doesn't have thin paper pages like the others, but rather thick semi-gloss paper that you can easily wipe off if you spill something on it.

Good experience
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-29
The item was delivered in a timely manner. It was purchased as a gift, therefore I am unable to give a review on the book itself.

A must have for pizza lovers
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-09
This book is fabulous! A must have for anybody who loves to eat and cook pizza! The recipes are easy to follow and the pictures make your mouth water. There are many unique pizza's that look fun to try as well as your basic pizza. The dough recipes are exceptional.

Perfect
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-30
This cookbook is made well. It has thick pages and colorful pictures. The recipes all look delicious and have ingredients that are readily available at the market.

V
Pugs in Public
Published in Hardcover by (1999-09-14)
Authors: Kendall Farr and George Bennett
List price: $15.95
New price: $20.33
Used price: $8.09

Average review score:

For All Pug Lovers...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-06
This is a book for all the pug lovers out there...I enjoyed all the pictures and stories about people just as obsessed with pugs as I am. Highly Recommended.

A truely great book for Pug lovers
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-31
Pugs are a unique breed and if you like Pugs or know someone who does they will LOVE this book! It is gorgeous with many great pictures of Pugs all over New York. It doesn't have much information on the breed but that is not the point of it, its a small coffee table book with some lovely anecdotes about Pugs. I am away from home at uni so when I miss my Pug I flip through this book!
I definitely recommend it!

Boosting Pug's Popularity
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-02
I purchased this book few weeks ago and it is already one of favorite pug books in my personal collection. I am a friend (instead of being called a master or an owner) of several pugs since I was about 8 years old. Now two of them are living with me. Pug is an amazing creature and I have been trying to make others understand why I feel what I feel about pugs. This book is a wonderful way to show others the amazing Pug world!

Perfect Puggies!!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-30
This book contains pics of pugs. Pugs are perfect. Need I say more??

Posh Pugs!
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-16
Nice book about and for people who pamper their Pugs. Not intended to be a "useful training tool" (I don't know where the reviewer below got the impression that it was supposed to be..!) but just a cute fluffy book about a select group of upscale NYC pugs and their eccentric owners. Photos and more info of "Pug Hill" in Central Park would have been nice (but perhaps too common?). Makes a good mini-coffee table book or x-mas gift for your uppity Pug pals.

V
Renato's Luck
Published in Hardcover by (2000-04)
Author: Jeff Shapiro
List price: $24.00
New price: $15.57
Used price: $9.53

Average review score:

Bella, bella Signore Shapiro
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-18
Beautiful, beautiful Mr. Shapiro. Having spent two weeks in the Tuscany region this summer Renato's Luck quickly brought me back to the quiet, easy pace of the small towns in the region. Many of the towns/cities mentioned in the book we had actually been to. I think anybody wanting to go, or have been, to Tuscany would enjoy this story. In many, many ways his life is truly lucky.

What a storia!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-04
Having returned from a few months in Italy, I have wanted to stay in touch with all the "life" that Italia offers ... this book is a wonderful way to recapture the experience. The way Shapiro builds his characters and their dilemma, he really wraps the reader into Sant'Angelo. Che bello ... bravo Shapiro!

A perrfect read for a gloomy day!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-06
I highly reccommend Renato's Luck to anyone who enjoys a chraacter driven novel full of interesting yet familiar characters. I found Renato and his fellow Tuscan villagers to have sharp insight into the absurdities and joys present in everyday life. Renato confronts the fears and challenges we all face as we get older and begin to question the choices we have made in life. The answers that Renato finds to these questions point to important truths that are present in our own lives.

A Renewed Taste for Life
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-07
Renato's Luck, from the first word to the last visual, is the perfect read for anyone seeking a renewed taste for life. Jeff Shapiro has taken the Italian culture and woven a tale of hope, faith, and new-found happiness throughout his characters. Renato, in particular, becomes the small town hero of a delightful Tuscan town. Every character that Renato encounters shares a unique tale, simple yet so very Italian. Amazing for an American expat living in Tuscany. The visuals in this book are so precise that anyone who has visited Siena, Montalcino, or anywhere in Tuscany for that matter will no doubt be transported back to the tranquility of the Italian countryside. I loved the Italian phrases throughout the book, including their incredible translations! Bravo, Jeff Shapiro. Bravo, indeed. A must read for all!

Lovely book lovely time
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-23
****
Renato's Luck is a pleasant read and a very postive (as opposed to dark and negative) book. I would recommend it for those who would like to be uplifted while they are entertained. It is a peaceful and satisfying book too.

The perspective of small town life from Renato is enjoyable. I have often wondered how and why someone would live their entire life in one place, avoid the change and almost designed "personal growth" that our culture encourages, and still manage to carve a happy and fulfilling life for her/himself. This book shows how this is possible. To be a little clearer, the book answers the question "How can you be a very ordinary man and live a boring life in a boring town and have no education or ambition or much spiritual life to speak of---and yet participate to the max in all life and the universe has to offer?"

When I finished reading Renato's Luck, I felt uplifted and inspired about the little things in my own life, and the value of each life, no matter how mundane or ordinary it looks to the outsider.

The descriptions of Italian life are beautiful too; they are not long windy descriptions though but more a "showing" than a "telling" which allowed you to absorb Tuscany culture feeling almost like you were there.

I rated it four stars instead of five because I think it is a very good book but not a great book (not one that I will read and reread over and over again, highlight and treasure forever). That said, it's well worth the money.
****

V
Saving the Corporate Soul--and (Who Knows?) Maybe Your Own: Eight Principles for Creating and Preserving Wealth and Well-Being for You and Your Company Without Selling Out
Published in Hardcover by (2003-03-10)
Author: David Batstone
List price: $26.95
New price: $10.57
Used price: $6.96

Average review score:

Simple rules for building a good reputation and foundation of values....
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-10
This book provides excellent examples and guidelines to putting the respected values back into corporations. I especially enjoyed the chapters on valuing the worker, transparency and integrity and customer care. I have seen how these, when in place, really explode the popularity and the growth of corporations, and when management deviates from the values for the short term buck, then corporations are then exposed in the media and start to fail (and people even cheer for their downfall). This is a great follow up to "The Naked Corporation" book, and both state that some sort of plan of transparency should be in place.

Excellent and Essential Advice
Helpful Votes: 16 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-15
David Batstone's excellent book on corporate integrity is a must-read for executives and managers who want ideas on how to create profitable but soulful businesses that show heart as well as logic. This is not a text that preaches from the pulpit or revels in moral condemnation of Enron's misdeeds. For those of us who are sick to the teeth of reading Enron/Anderson post-mortems, Batstone's book will come as a refreshing change.

Reputation building has always been a profitable way to grow a business. `Reputation is not the same thing as a brand' Batstone says. Instead he says, `Reputation is the perceived character a company holds to public eye', which is probably the best definition this reviewer has read. Using the eight principles outlined in the book, managers are guided through examples that have helped or hindered individual companies. IKEA vs Home Depot for example is cited in the Community section of the book - the underlying principle being `A company will think of itself as part of a community as well as a market'. Which one would you rather have open a store in your community, and why? For the record, the residents of Mountain View, CA (a pretty town near to Silicon Valley) said they'd prefer an IKEA, and not because they like modular Swedish furniture.

The eight principles outlined in the book are:

Principle One: The directors and executives of a company will align their personal interests with the fate of stakeholders and act in a responsible way to ensure the vitality of the enterprise.

Principle Two: A company's business operations will be transparent to shareholder, employees and the public and its executives will stand by the integrity of their decisions.

Principle Three: A company will think of itself as part of a community as well as a market.

Principle Four: A company will represent its products honestly to customers and honor their dignity up to and beyond a transaction.

Principle Five: The worker will be treated as a valuable team member, not just a hired hand.

Principle Six: The environment will be treated as a silent stakeholder, a party to which the company is wholly accountable.

Principle Seven: A company will strive for balance, diversity and equality in its relationships with workers, customers and suppliers.

Principle Eight: A company will pursue international trade and production based on respect for the rights of workers and citizens of trade partner nations.

If you are looking for one book to share with others in your organization to start a discussion on integrity and reputation, Saving the Corporate Soul should be it.

Picked low fruit missed the Agribusiness
Helpful Votes: 21 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-28
This book is written very well and is pretty straightforward. So straight forward you can get most of the concepts of the book by reading the table of contents. There can't be much to argue with in the book because virtually every corporate hack who raked in the money during the obscene years is now preaching the same messages of corporate redemption. Expense stock options, treat employees fairly, create an environmental scorecard.... wake me up when it is over. In short, there is nothing new in these pages but the way it is recapped is very sweet primer on the subject. But my question is why did Batstone stop where he did? Where are the chapters relating to the ethics of afdvertising and PR? The ethics of obscene campaign contributions and political lobbying efforts? Where are the chapters about companies holding communities hostage by leveraging the threat of relocation for sweet tax deals? The chapters about what truly sustainable business practices mean about the globalization of companies?
Batstone does a nice job on the content he handles but fails miserably in addressing the core problems at the heart and soul of corporations today.

The Book for our Times
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-29
Batstone shows by numerous examples, compelling stories, and shrewd analysis, that running a business with integrity and values intact is indeed "good business". This refreshing book provides welcome reading in a time dominated by corporate scandals and public cynicism. I recommend this book to EVERYONE!!

My question: will anyone act accordingly after reading this?
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-09
I say this book is worth reading, after watching The Corporation (the documentary).

You can read many books on "corporate responsability", ethics, and caring for the environment. But, when pressed for profits, in real life, when your job is on the line, would anyone "do the right thing"?.

Don't get me wrong... I praise the author for writing books like this one. And more like it are needed. But the question should be: aren't corporations, often almost-run by stockholders (with CEOs always on the line and on the brink of getting a kick by angry shareholders) and also the executives heavily influenced by wall street gurus, are all of them capable of "corporate responsability" and a long-term strategy?. I'd say no.

I think that companies that "sell out" to the stock market lose their soul, and become tools for a few speculators to "make a quick buck". A stable, responsible company then starts sailing at the mercy of a few stock market gurus and the volatility of the international stock markets. But of course, that is my personal opinion.

The Canadian documentary titled "The Corporation" (can't wait to see it on DVD - for the moment check out www.thecorporation.tv ), argues that Corporations as we know them today, and specially mutinational ones, are flawed by design.

The movie surprisingly got a great review on financial publication The Economist, which praised it:. It begins with a potted history of the company's legal form in America, noting the key 19th-century legal innovation that led to treating companies as persons under law. By bestowing on them the rights and protections that people enjoy, this legal innovation gave the company the freedom to flourish. So if the corporation is a person, ask the film's three Canadian co-creators, what sort of person is it?"

"The answer, elicited over two-and-a-half hours of interviews with right-wing captains of industry, economists, psychologists and philosophers, and left-wing intellectuals, is that the corporation is a psychopath. Like all psychopaths, the firm is singularly self-interested: its purpose is to create wealth for its shareholders. And, like all psychopaths, the firm is irresponsible, because it puts others at risk to satisfy its profit-maximising goal, harming employees and customers, and damaging the environment".

I repeat: try to read this book, and then watch The Corporation (the documentary), which shows the opinion of real execs, in real life. Both essays will make you think, probably getting in the way of your good night's sleep.

V
The Selected Journals of L. M. Montgomery: Volume V: 1935-1942 (Selected Journals of L. M. Montgomery)
Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press, USA (2004-11-04)
Author: L. M. Montgomery
List price: $35.00

Average review score:

The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: 1935-1942
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-03
Although the famous author's last years brought her much sorrow and depression, she continued to depict the world as it once more became plunged into yet another world war. In her famous journals, she described movies she saw, including GWTW, air conditioning, and the frustration involved with generational gaps. It is a must read for those who followed the previous books.

Delightful insight into a world long gone
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-04
Obviously this is for fans of L M Montgomery - if you know and love her writing, you will recognise among the friends and acquaintances of her youth the characters that people Anne of Green Gable's turbulent world. But this wonderful journal is much more than that - it is a fascinating insight into a world which is long gone.

We read of Maud's complex family arrangements, her desire to be a good teacher and disappointment with some of her placements. Her small victories selling stories to publications, and the seemingly endless stream of suitors who proclaim love for her (my favourite is the hapless Mr Mustard). It is a tale of love found and not acted on (and the agonies that accompany it), familial obligations, frustrated talents and beautiful Canadian country side. It tells of heppiness, despair, joy and nostalgia, and is as engagingly written as any fabulous novel.

By all means read this if you wish to understand the creator of one of the world's most engaging literary characters, but also to have a glimpse of a world none of us will ever see the likes of.

Fascinating
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-25
Poor poor woman. I could scarcely put it down. But it brings up many questions. Why did she think that Mr. Leard, the Love of her life, was not worthy of her? Why did no one ask her husband Mr. McDonald what the heck was bothering him? Why did she not know in 5 years of courtship that something was terribly wrong with him? Poor, poor woman. The synthesis of this book is when she asks herself why a woman that she felt was mean and hateful was happy and she was not. Indeed, why?

LM DIARY
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-23
IF YOU LOVE THE OTHER DIARIES YOU WILL ENJOY READING ABOUT HER FINAL DAYS. I ENJOYED ALL OF THE OTHER DIARIES BUT THIS ONE IS THE SADDEST. SHE HAS HER GOOD DAYS AND BAD, BUT SADLY SHE STOPPED WRITING IN THE LAST YEARS WHEN LIFE BECAME SO UNBEARABLE THAT SHE COUDLN'T EVEN WRITE ABOUT IT SO THIS DIARY IS INCOMPLETE. YOU WILL LOVE SEEING INSIDE THE LIFE AND MIND OF AN AUTHOR WHO ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN HER OWN LIFETIME AND LIVED TO WRITE ABOUT HER PERSONAL LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD TO HER LAST DAYS. THIS DIARY IS HER LAST, BUT LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON IN HER WRITINGS. HER DIARY WAS A WAY TO SHARE HER INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS THAT SHE COULDN'T SHARE IN HER NOVELS. YOU TOO WILL FEEL LIKE A KINDRED SPIRIT.

I've been waiting so long
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-05
These journals, are beautifully put together. I remember when I found the first one and then each suceeding volume. I knew this one was coming. I even called the author at Guelph University to ask her how much longer I would have to wait.

She said then that they had to wait for some of the people in the journals to die before they could publish them. I would guess Dr. Stuart Macdonald was one of them.

They thrill me and make me feel closer to thise amazing woman. I've read everything she's written now. The sad thing is that once this volume is finished there is nothing new to read.

My greatests thanks to L. M. Montgomery and to Drs. Rubio and Waterson for their great work.

V
The Serving Leader: 5 Powerful Actions That Will Transform Your Team, Your Business, and Your Community (Ken Blanchard (Hardcover))
Published in Hardcover by Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2003-08)
Authors: Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert
List price: $19.95
New price: $4.78
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $19.95

Average review score:

Timeless principles of Leadership in action
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-31
Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert utilize a short story format to teach the attributes of leadership. In a consultant's interviews with community leaders revitalizing the inner city, the attributes of true-to-life leadership are demonstrated by action in the narrative.

They highlight the astonishing truth that the best leaders' focus upon building up the people around them, that no man is great on his own.

This very readable leadership 'story' - thankfully light on matrices or charts -draws out more purposeful insights than most books on the topic.

Creative and educational
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-23
These guys have done a great job with what I call semi-fiction. Following the journal of a consultant as he reconnects with his father and learns the lessons of being a serving leader. This book goes further than Collins' Level 5 leadership and takes you into 5 practical pathways for becoming a serving leader. Excellent read.

Sevant Leadership is not for Wimps
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-10
A very well written, thoughtful and practical book that courageously tackles the challenge that all successful leaders ask themselves at some point in their careers- "OK so I have made a big impact on the numbers- and achieved my goals- but why do I still not feel satisfied?" The authors correctly point out that it is all about what you give to others- and not just to impact top or bottom lines in business- but also to impact the communities around us. Those who have not really dug into what a Servant Leader is- and does- may well have their exising paradigms upended. Servant leadership is NOT about being spineless or too nice- it IS about setting a very high standard and holding people accountable- but also caring about and investing in them to help them to hit and surpass this high mark. Having been a keen student of leadership over the past 20 years, I have seen trends and fads come and go and many leaders rise and fall. What I like best about The Serving Leader is that its principles are timeless and fad-proof. One will never go wrong being the type of Servant Leader described in this book- and they may become the leader who has the type of impact that they never dreamed big enough to conceive. A great read!

Great resource on servant leadership
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-20
This book is truly exceptional for anyone who wants to be able to truly understand the heart of servant leadership. If you are ever able to meet Dr. Stahl-Wert, you will understand that he does not just write about it and talk about it, he lives it in his own personal and professional life which makes the book even more real. Do not read this book unless you are ready and willing to commit to the call to servant leadership and what it can mean for you and your organization.

Understands Deeper Issues
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-19
Jennings and Stahl-Wert know what they're talking about. Unlike many "leadership experts," this book rings absolutely true. A very moving, honest, hopeful story that helped me a lot. Thank you for getting to the deeper heart of leadership.

V
The Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More
Published in Paperback by (2003-10-31)
Author: Bill Jensen
List price: $17.95
New price: $12.60
Used price: $11.53

Average review score:

Excellent Book to save time
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-23
This is a must read for anyone who uses a computer for their work. The book suggests the reader skip to the summary in the back and save even more time by not reading the book - great idea. Since what Bill Jensen has to say can be said in so few words because he know what he wants to say, how he feels about it and what he wants the read to do.
Read it or at least the summary; then just hand it to a co-worked, family member or anyone you just want to help out.
I have deleted more e-mails without opening them then ever in my life. Since I read this book it has handed back hours a day to me that I was wasting on work and e-mails.

Excellent Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-03
I think this book is the best book ever written for dealing with the business world today. I feel like it was written for me. I wish I had access to this book 5 years ago, I could have used it.

Thank you for your contributions for helping to make a healthier more informed work environment and employee for those who take a long time to get there.

The original "Simplicity" is a must-read companion
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-26
Bill Jensen's ideas and tactics have crystallized my ability to be effective. I read "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" before reading Jensen's original "Simplicity", and for me, "Simplicity" is superior because (1) it explains the rationale behind Jensen's ideas and (2) offers invaluable guidance on effective presentations. "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" 's examples were not as helpful to me as the initial wisdom and suggestions in "Simplicity". Read them both!

WOW! Buckle your Seat Belts.
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-13
What I like about this biz book:

1) Its fun and challenging "If your boss doesn't get it, and has a high likelihood of never getting it... time to say "goodbye". Pretty simple right?

2) Attitude of "You don't have to be a victim of corporate crap"... reminds me of a refrain I have heard from my husband when he talks about his day job "They can't even run their own life, I will be damned it they run mine"

3) Respect yourself more. Your time is valuable. Push back.

4) The complexity starts from within. From within my own company, within myself.

The How To Section(s)
Email
Scan incoming subject and author, if not relevant hit "delete"
Scan email for 1) action to take 2) deadline date.

In sending messages use the 3"x5" space constaint.

If it is simplier it is more likely to be done. Make it easy.

Remember the key: what do you want them to know, feel and do!

Presentations:
Turn the one point you want people to know into a question. Provoke conversations. Give everyone handouts. Use of Stories is a good thing.
1 hour presentation = 20 slides MAX!

Meetings Big Idea!! When you agree to chair a meeting approachit as if you have just been handed a portion of someones life. Because you have. Run a meeting like one that you wish you had been invited for.

Helpful hints 1) get only the important people 2) get the right people 3) define what success looks like 4) Mentally see the successful meeting 5) Put the objective of the meeting up front
6) Be passionate about the people and reason of the meeting.

Fix my job......please!
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-15
With a title like this, Jensen's book should be flying off the shelf. I know it caught my eye when I first saw it. We all want to "do" less and "accomplish" more and there are some excellent ideas in this book to help you do just that.

Nothing in this book is easy, though. Someone as inclined to follow the rules like myself will find it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the more demanding recommendations. This is a shame, as these people are those who would probably benefit the most.

Even if you don't think of yourself as a rabble-rouser, you should still read this book and take heart that there are some possible methods of extracting yourself from business situations that leave you feeling busy, but not very productive. There are ways of escaping the bureaucracy and yet keep your job.

The cutest, yet still effective, idea in the book is the "Less-O-Meter" associated with each chapter. These graphical gauges give you an "at a glance" reading on how much Courage you will need to put this tip in place, how difficult it can be and the possible yield to your productivity and happiness.

You may be ready to take on your whole company and engage in full-scale "pushback", but implementing even one idea from this book could do a world of good for you, your job and your career, while helping your company, as well.

V
Slow Dollar (Deborah Knott Mysteries)
Published in Hardcover by Warner Books (2002-08-31)
Author: Margaret Maron
List price: $30.00
New price: $5.69
Used price: $4.21

Average review score:

Another great one of the Knott Series
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-02
#9 of the Deborah Knott series- The "carny" comes to town and with it a murder. Deborah is the one to find the victim. A long lost relative appears in this one as well. This book is a turning point for Deborah and the series. A surprise to the reader! I am starting to really enjoy this series. It took several of them to get there but I am glad I did not give up. The most notable aspect of this series is the author's way of highlighting something distinct about North Carolina in every book and weaving a mystery along with it.

one of my favorites
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-19
I really liked this one. It was clear that Maron had fun writing it.

:)
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-22
i really like this book! it's great to discover a new mystery author.

:)
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-22
this is a great book! i'm glad that i discovered margaret maron.

An enjoyable modern cozy
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-06
Cozy mysteries are really of two types: Novels in the traditional cozy style whose main emphasis is a mystery and its resolution (e.g., Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers) and novels in the more modern cozy format, whose main emphasis is on social interactions (primarily between family, friends, and coworkers) with the mystery being a smaller component of the exposition. This is definitely a cozy in the latter form. Remove the additional social interactions, and this mystery could be presented in a novella or even a short story, although not as interestingly.

If you find modern cozies appealing, you will certainly find this an interesting book. Here, self-assured Judge Deborah Knott finds a dead worker while visiting the annual Harvest Festival Carnival. The reason for this death and the identity of the killer is the primary mystery. The preface provides a family tree of the Knott family, which is absolutely needed, as the Knotts are a large family, many of whom are presented in this novel. Readers will find themselves frequently referencing this chart to keep track of Knott family members. Fortunately, the number of carnival workers and additional characters is relatively small, but it may still pay to keep some brief notes of who they are as you read. There is also an informative addendum with a glossary of carnival terms, e.g., "cutting up jackpots", "plush", "rake `em and scrape `em" that are used in the novel.

I felt the story started somewhat slowly, but it quickly caught my interest, and as events unfolded it became harder to put down. Although the story is told in the first person, in terms that will probably appeal mostly to female readers, and there are probably more descriptions of Judge Knott's clothing choices than would interest male readers, this novel should none-the-less appeal to both sexes.

The novel reads quickly and easily, and provides a very enjoyable way to relax.

V
Stalker (Danger.Com, 5)
Published in Turtleback by Demco Media (1998-02)
Author: Jordan Cray
List price:

Average review score:

Really good book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-05
I really liked this book and the way it was written. It captures you in the beginning by giving you a look in the journal of the stalker, and from there it does not dissapoint.

Mina and Camille were bestfriends until Camille bacame popular and started hanging with the "cool crowd". She pretty much dithched Mina throughout thier Senior year, which was why Mina was so suprised to get a call from her. Camille asked mina if she wanted to go to the mall, and while hating herself for it, she said yes.

The trip started out rocky and didn't get better from there. As they were eating frozen yogurt Camille asked Mina if she would go with her to meet this guy named Andrew, that she had been talking online to. Mina told her she shouldn't meet him and they fought. Mina caved in and said she'd go, but Camille didn't want her to come anymore. She said she'd take the bus home and stormed off. Mina went home and then recieved a phone call from Camille's mother.

She asked if she had seen Camille and that's when it all started. Camille wasn't back by the next morning so the police were brought in. She was labled missing and they were looking for her.

In an attemt to help Mina went to Camille's locker looking for some kind of clue. There she met up with Camille's Boyfriend, Mick. From there they start trying to find Camille and in the end........

This is a really good book and so are the rest in the [...] series that i have read. The way ti was written captures you, and i LOVE the characters. A really good read, i would suggest tit to anyone.

This is a real thriller!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-10
I love this book. Mr. Cray knows how to right. This story is about a girl named Mina. Her ex-best friend, named Camille, is missing so her and Camille's boyfriend start looking for clues. Before long they find out that she was kidnapped. Unfortunatly she dies so Mick(Camille's boyfriend) and Mina start to look for her killer. They uncover a BIG mystery.

Brilliant!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-20
After a quarrel between the two ex-best-friends Mina and Camille, also called Camy, Camille is missing. Her parents, the police and the other people think she has just run away as it is typical for teenagers. But Mina doesn't think so. With Camy's ex-boyfriend, Mick, the scornful girl makes investigations. They come across a dangerous stalker who terrorizes the famous actress Deva Winter ... The case becomes more complicated but then a dead body is found - Camille's. Nevertheless, Mick and Mina don't give up and keep on hunting the murderer. They've just one chance: Mina must play the stoolpigeon in order to trap the Stalker. A dangerous task ... This book shows that life for popular teenagers isn't so easy as you might think. You can be lonely as well. Jordan Cray's novel is very sad, you sympathize with the characters, especially with Mina and K.D. and understand them. Impressing is Mina's change of character. The sarcastic girl becomes a strong, sensible, thoughtful and lovable person. It's not only a simple Internet crime novel, it has depth and truth. Once started the story demands to be finished. One of the best books I've ever read!!! I also recommend "The ShadowMan" and "Dead Man's Hand" .

You can't put this book down!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-30
This book is really good! It's addicting beginning to the end!
Story line: Mina and Camille were best friends starting from their early childhood. They looked the same and everyone thought they were sisters, they were inseparable, But one summer Camille goes with her mom to stay by the beach the whole summer. When Camille comes back she's a totally different person. She has new clothes, lost some weight, and even had a summer boyfriend. When they go back to school the following year Camille becomes totally popular and leaves her somewhat geeky friend, Mina, behind.
When Mina and Camille get in a huge fight at the mall about Camille's new cyberfriend, and how Camille is going to meet him/her, Mina tries to talk her out of it. Camille then storms away saying she's going to take the bus home. But when Camille is missing the next day Mina gets worried. So Mina and Camille's boyfriend go hunting for clues leading to her dissapearence.
This book has a great twist in the end and I would highly recommend reading this book.

Brilliant!!!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-20
After a quarrel between the two ex-best-friends Mina and Camille, also called Camy, Camille is missing. Her parents, the police and the other people think she has just run away as it is typical for teenagers. But Mina doesn't think so. With Camy's ex-boyfriend, Mick, the scornful girl makes investigations. They come across a dangerous stalker who terrorizes the famous actress Deva Winter ... The case becomes more complicated but then a dead body is found - Camille's. Nevertheless, Mick and Mina don't give up and keep on hunting the murderer. They've just one chance: Mina must play the stoolpigeon in order to trap the Stalker. A dangerous task ... This book shows that life for popular teenagers isn't so easy as you might think. You can be lonely as well. Jordan Cray's novel is very sad, you sympathize with the characters, especially with Mina and K.D. and understand them. Impressing is Mina's change of character. The sarcastic girl becomes a strong, sensible, thoughtful and lovable person. It's not only a simple Internet crime novel, it has depth and truth. Once started the story demands to be finished. One of the best books I've ever read!!! I also recommend "The ShadowMan" and "Dead Man's Hand" .


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