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Dr. Kernan's four years overseas, which encompasses the full length of the War in the Pacific during 1941-45 is an autobiographical treasure that is as true a war story as any can be. This book takes us not on a pleasure cruise, but a voyage into a long-forgotten world of young, Depression-era ranchers and shoe clerks turned aviation ordinancemen and pilots. These we meet, however briefly, snaking up the stairs in a long line at the New Congress Hotel whorehouse in old Honolulu, in a below-decks poker game on a rusting, inflammable escort carrier, or seen for a fleeting moment, unconscious in the gaping seas as the result of a slight but deadly flight miscalculation, sinking beneath the waves, impossible to save, gone. Those voices of the past, their thoughts, fears and dreams, are recorded here with a painful honesty and without much sentiment for, as the author admits, he never really intended it for general publication at first. Those of us who appreciate history poured straight up will be forever in his debt that he changed his mind.

War, of course, is the antithesis of wonderful, and yet Alvin Kernan's memoir is so vividly and beautifully written that I wish to have been at his side during that time. The other reviews give a sense of Mr. Kernan's story, but I want to spend my praise on his writing: clear, direct, unadorned prose, which nevertheless conveys an absolute sense of place. If you want to learn to write well, you will read this book repeatedly. If you teach writing (not making up), consider Crossing The Line as a textbook.

Highest recommendation. You can order new copies online at Yalebooks.com.

. When you think of an east coast university professor who specializes in the humanities--Shakespearean literature, in this case--you probably won't be visualizing someone who started adulthood by engaging in vicious aerial gunnery duels with Japanese fighters and otherwise living the stressful, profane, hazardous life of an enlisted sailor on three World War II aircraft carriers, one of which was sunk while he was aboard. Such is the case, though, with retired Yale professor Alvin B. Kernan, author of "Crossing the Line," one of the most interesting and often gripping sagas of navy life that I've read.
. The book came as a surprise to me, on two counts. One, I knew that Kernan had been an aviation ordnanceman on the USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway, and later an aerial gunner. But I had very little notion of the depth of his wartime experiences, not only as an aircrewman but also in escaping the sinking of the USS Hornet in the Guadalcanal battles and in a harrowing deployment aboard the escort carrier USS Suwanee (CVE-27). Suffice to say in this short review that Kernan earned a Navy Cross, a DFC, and five air medals from inside the turret of a TBF Avenger!
. And two, I had previously read Kernan's fictitious account of the Battle of Midway, "Love and Glory," which I thought was interesting but flawed in a number of regards (see my review on Amazon). For that reason, I was a little dubious about reading "Crossing the Line." Would this be another "interesting but flawed" piece of work that would cause me to keep my red pen handy while I read it? No. Crossing the Line is simply outstanding. Anyone with an interest in WWII naval air action will also want to read this book. I highly recommend it. Yes, there are a couple of minor nits that a very knowledgeable historian might want to pick, but they are so insignificant as to be unworthy of mentioning here. "Crossing the Line" will not disappoint you. In fact, you'll probably find it hard to put down.
. (Reviewed by R. W. Russell, Battle of Midway Roundtable, www.midway42.org)

Alvin Kernan has written one of the best books on WW2 I have ever read, and I've read a lot of them. His descriptions of his wartime experiences are crisp, vivid, and relevant.

If any of us are ever tempted to generalize in a negative way about sailors in the U.S. Navy, I suggest they read this book all the way to the end. What Kernan went on to do after the war is just as impressive as what he did while he served Uncle Sam.

Alvin Kernan was a 17-year-old from a poor family when he enlisted in the Navy in 1941. He was assigned to the carrier Enterprise and was aboard on Dec 7, 1941. He served aboard carriers most of the war, including a tour aboard the Hornet and he was aboard when she was sunk. He spent most of the time with the torpedo squadrons and gives a vivid account of the Battle of Midway. Most war histories are written by or about the leaders and it is unusual to find someone who was there for all the battles but who was seeing it all from the bottom up. After the war, he went to college on the GI Bill (as did I) and eventually ended his career as dean of the graduate school at Princeton. This is a vivid and knowledgeable account of the carrier war from one who was there and is a skilled writer. Anyone interested in the navy in World War II should read this book.

I have been a fan of Prosek since his Trout days. This introspective book helped me to understand his precocious talent for observation and drawing and his need to get out on the stream. I wish him well.

The Day My Mother Left beautifully captures the agony and the pathos of an adolescent abandoned by his mother. The novel includes a myriad of conflicts that are typically found in realistic contemporary fiction. We see the conflict of person vs. person with the main character dealing with his father, mother and the school bully. The main conflict; however, is between Jeremy, the protagonist, and himself. His unresolved issues with the divorce, his mother leaving and offering no communication and his burgeoning artistic talent contribute most to the overall theme of the novel: beauty and love can grow from struggles and pain. Each character is round and dynamic; the major characters in this story evolve and change subtly as time progress in the novel. One of the highlights of the book is how the author reveals these character changes. The book is told through the eyes of Jeremy, an early adolescent. His self-centeredness only shows the other characters flaws and transformations when Jeremy finally sees them. Prosek reveals his characters and themes so movingly and realistically. This novel will appeal to late middle school students and up.

Nine-year-old Jeremy has a close relationship with his mother. She goes to every one of his baseball games, cheering him on from the bleachers. Jeremy gets teased for her enthusiastic encouragement, but he doesn't care. The bond they share is special. In fact, she is the only one to whom he has ever shown his collection of bird drawings. But when she abandons the family, Jeremy's world shatters into a million painful pieces.

It starts with an argument about her excessive drinking, the fact that Jeremy's father isn't making enough money, her crazy behavior at the fancy dinner party, his lack of attention, and especially about her seeing another man --- the father of Jeremy's rival, Rick. The two of them met at one of Jeremy and Rick's baseball games. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Jeremy's mom decides to leave and be part of a different family, one that doesn't include Jeremy.

Jeremy's older sister responds by escaping in her car for work and friends, while their father becomes imprisoned in his own despair. Jeremy must decide for himself how to put the pieces back together. Recreating his collection of bird drawings is the first step, since his mom took the old one with her. Jeremy finds comfort in the birds, in mirroring their beauty, in tromping through their wooded habitat. He also takes an art class to improve his talents and meets a girl named Casey.

Over the next three years, Jeremy continues to struggle with the fact that his mother abandoned him and never even called him on the phone, much less paid him a visit. But life continues, with even more obstacles to overcome, such as his dad remarrying and his beloved uncle getting sick. Jeremy learns to wade through the tough times without overloading his heart of bitterness. He even manages to say a prayer for Rick when he needs an operation. But will he ever be able to forgive his mom for leaving him?

James Prosek has created a beautiful story that all ages, genders and races will enjoy. He has an obvious love of nature, which shines through in his vivid descriptions of feathers, fish and forests. His novel's voice is precise and rare, nailing perfectly Jeremy's preteen character enduring pain and grief. Jeremy's spirit will inspire us all to be better people.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

I first became aware of James Prosek through his artistic and literary treatments of fly fishing and thought I would give The Day My Mother Left, his first fictional effort, a go. I am so glad I did--what a wonderful little book! Though it is intended for young adults, as a mature reader I found it very engaging.

This autobiographical novel is a very candid picture of a difficult time in Prosek's, and his protaganist's, life. Prosek tells his touching story beautifully and without remorse. I would liken this book to Angela's Ashes in its portrayal of an unbalanced family and their troubles in a voice that does not blame but instead finds grace in the struggle. In the case of Prosek, his gravitation to art and nature provides ballast and equanimity; he shows us an inner journey enabled by his exploration of the natural world. And it is a damn good story. . .

Yale-educated James Prosek is clearly an extremely gifted and multi-dimensional creative talent. I know of few other YA books that tell such a story of charm and tenderness from the male point of view. I highly recommend it!

Jeremy's mother has often been disappearing for hours at a time, but on a Sunday afternoon all truths are told.

His mother has found a new love - the father of Jeremy's enemy at school and on the baseball field. A fight occurs between Jeremy's mother and father. His mother leaves, and she takes everything with her - including Jeremy's Book of Birds that he had been illustrating himself.

No one can believe that she left. Especially Jeremy. He feels abandoned and hurt. Through his father's sadness and his own mixed-up feelings, Jeremy recreates the Book of Birds and finds solace within himself through nature.

James Prosek's THE DAY MY MOTHER LEFT is very moving. Coming from a divorced family myself, it's easy to relate and understand Jeremy's feelings. Mr. Prosek uses outstanding details within the story and has also created lovely drawings. It is a great book and experience from beginning to end.

Reviewed by: Jeremey

This book talks about friends putting on a magic show for Hank's cousins. Frankie, one of Hank's friends, is the magician. He remembers that he wants to see a monster movie so Hank says he's going to record it.But he presses the wrong button. Frankie gets mad when they get home. Hank is so sorry he takes the cable box apart. They buy a new one the guy for the cable company has a copy of the movie that Hank didn't record. Then Hank invites Frankie over to see the movie.I like this book because it has a good ending and it like he's talking to you.

This is a good book because it has a lot of action. The book has a lot of action because Hank thought his sister iguana laid eggs in a cable box. Read on to see what happens.

The Day of the Iguana tells the story of a fourth grader named Hank Zipzer and his sister's iguana. Science projects are coming due for Hank, so he has to find a project and fast. He gets the idea to take apart his cable box and see what's inside. Wha† he didn't count on is his sister Emily's iguaua laying 23 eggs.
This book gives you a look at a boy called Hank Zipzer and how he gets through a few months of fourth grade with his best friend Frankie and his sister Emily and her iguana Catharine. The story starts in the beautiful modern city of New York. Hank has to put on a magic show for his twin cousins and promises Frankie to tape a monster movie when there doing the show but he accidentally presses the wrong button and tapes something else. Hank feels so guilty that he decides to take apart a cable box and see if he can prevent that from happening in the future. My favorite part in the book is when the baby iguanas are born. They are so cute. I recommend this book to children and family because it is about honor and trust. It is a great book and teaches kids that iguana birth can make a big change to your life. It also teaches you how to be a great friend.
W.S.

A story about three friends Hank, Frankie, and Ashley. Hank and his friends are a magic act they call themselves The Magik 3. Hank's twin cousins are turning four years old. The twin's parents hire a clown but the clown gets sick. Hank's aunt needs to find an act for the birthday party. She askes Hank if he and his friends would perform. Hank and his friends agree to perform. Then Frankie remembers that there is a monster movie marthon that he can't miss. Read the book to see what happens.

The way I see it, any book that can keep a 10 year old boy away from his video games, gets 5 stars and then some. "Day of the Iguana" and the other eight books will do for boys what "The Babysitters Club" did for girls. I've been waiting a long time for something boys can relate to other than "Yu Gi Oh" comic books and "Captain Underpants." Henry Winkler has done that with Hank Zipzer and his friends, he's made reading fun for boys. You can count on Hank getting himself in a situation that would be best handled being straightforward and you can count on him going out of his way being anything but. The best part is watching you kid choose Hank over the TV. Parents all over will understand just what an accomplishment that is.

I bought this book for my brother, who loves dogs as much as I do. When he finished it, he sent it back, so I read it as well, and we both enjoyed it. This is a very sweet book which makes a great gift book for someone who loves dogs, someone who loves Japan and its history, and especially for someone who loves both. I would have liked to see Penguin go the extra mile for Martha Sherrill and spring for glossy pages for the many great photos in the book, but that would be my only criticism.

I had to leave it at the library because i wanted to leave it for my friend who i intended to send right down to check it out. It's about an eccentric in a culture not known for eccentrics. It's about his wife and family. His wife is a stoic and her relationship with her husband is like reading science fiction to a 21st century American. The dogs are great. Great. Please do not go out and buy an Akita though. This is a lot of dog. A whole lot of dog. They almost need a mountain.

This book has touched me. The main character is morally strong, and the result of his strength has affected a breed of dog to a point beyond comprehension. If you own an Akita, this is a must read. If you do not own an Akita, you need to read this as well.

Heard about this book when Charlie Rose interviewed the author on his show. Apparently the Akita is a country dog bred in the mountains in Japan. During WWII, the breed was threatened--people ate them because they were starving--and this is the story of how one man formed a network of friends to save the breed and protect them. It is also the story of his family, including stories of the different dogs he saved. For dog lovers and Akita fans especially.

Haven't had a dog in years but love great books about dogs and this is a great book about a dog and the man who rescued the breed from extinction.

And what a gentle man he is. Brings the word Zen to life for me. And to think he never accepted money for any of the dogs, and has lived such a simple pure life. Not only is it a story of a man saving a breed of dog, but it also has some priceless lessons about living simple, enjoying stillness and being content.

I wonder if the Japanese exchange students we have had over the years who all owned Akitas know of Morie Sawataishi.

Always celebrated for its beautiful evocative setting in Portofino, THE ENCHANTED APRIL has also to some extent been dismissed as a sentimental trifle. It is not: for all its surface charm, it is also one of the most searching fictional works ever written on the nature of goodness, and its effects upon selfishness and acquisitiveness. Two Hampstead housewives, Rose Arbuthnot and Lottie Hawkins, advertise for two other women to share in the costs so that they may rent an Italian castle for the month of April and escape their loveless lives; when they and the other two women (the dazzling Lady Caroline Dester and the rigid bluestocking Mrs. Fisher) arrive at the spectacularly lovely castle, they begin to discover that not only have their spirits been refreshed but also that their value systems have changed through what amounts to the dispensation of the castle of a kind of secularized grace. Elizabeth von Arnim accomplishes this very probing study of modern British mores through the very subtle and unobtrusive psychological realist use of extended interior monologues. The result is a novel that is not only completely beguiling but actually quite thoughtful. A greatly underappreciated little gem.

In the spirit of the Bronte sisters, this novel delights and entrances. An enjoyable read.

Wonderful! I could read the book and watch the movie over and over! Treat yourself to a vacation in an Italian paradise with real characters and a physical beauty you could reach out and touch. Von Arnim makes this simple plot so magical and warm it makes you want to visit San Salvatore too!

Just got through watching the wonderful movie; not as wonderful as the book, but very good. Have now read this book at least three or four times, and still adore it every time. Has to rank as one of my all-time favorite books. Must rent an Italian castle on the western Mediterranean coast some day. The writing is so witty, and warm, the story so imaginative, the moral so wise. Love is all; just to love, not expecting anything in return. It opens people up. Lotty, Rose, Lady Caroline, and Mrs. Fisher all live in these pages. And the gardens, the flowers, the utter beauty of San Salvatore. The author quite obviously loves flowers. Even the servants are clearly drawn, Francesca and Domenico. Lotty becomes a truly original character. Love, love, love this book!

Well, you've already heard about the story. Just wanted to add that the characters were so real, it was as if I were really there with them. A wonderful turn of events at the end. Caught me off guard. Very enjoyable. Beautiful writing. Now I've got to rent the movie.

Much like Gary Hamel's book The Future of Management, one needs to read this book with an open mind. It is an exceptional book and one that I am giving away to my clients this coming Holiday. It is thought provoking and enlightening. Above all it stresses that companies have a need above profit. That profit is the score, not the game itself. Perhaps had the management of Enron and others of that ilk truly believed in a purpose beyond profit, corporate America would not being wearing SOX today.

There's a difference when you fly Southwest vs. United. You feel different shopping at Costco than you feel shopping at Wal-mart. Why? That question is explored and answered in the book Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose by Raj Sisodia, Jag Sheth, and David B. Wolfe. This is one of those books that will cause you to think about why you feel as you do towards certain companies, and how those feelings translate into real profits.



Contents: A Whole New World; It's Not Share of Wallet Anymore - It's Share of Heart; New Age, New Rules, New Capitalism; The Chaotic Interregnum; Employees - The Decline and Fall of Human Resources; Customers - The Power of Love; Investors - Reaping What FoEs Sow; Partners - Elegant Harmonies; Society - The Ultimate Stakeholder; Culture - The Secret Ingredient; Lessons Learned; Crossing Over to the Other Side; Acknowledgements



On Wall Street, companies are usually judged on their profit. Squeeze as much out of your business as you can, cut costs wherever possible, and make sure you meet your numbers. To be sure, plenty of companies are successful under those rules (such as Wal-mart). But when you look at their performance over the last few years on the stock market, returns have been stagnant or have trailed the field. The alternative way to run a business is as a "firm of endearment" (FoE). These companies have a passion for what they do/sell, they have a strongly defined purpose for what they want to accomplish, and they look to contribute to society in more ways than just the quarterly dividend to shareholders. These FoEs, like Costco, Whole Foods, Harley-Davidson, and others, include stakeholders to mean all parts of society that they touch... shareholders, employees, the community, etc. The focus isn't on pure profit, but instead on contributing to the well-being of all the stakeholders. That's why a company like Costco can afford to pay their employees a living wage, have low turnover, and *still* turn a substantial profit. They have captured the hearts of their customer base, and that base will go out of their way to shop at Costco whenever possible. That's also why a company like Ikea can propose a new location and have nearly universal acceptance in the community, while a new Wal-mart location brings out protesters in force. There's obviously a lot more that differentiates FoEs from their counterparts in the marketplace, but once you recognize an FoE, you'll understand why they are successful by *not* following the same formula as everyone else.



It's tempting to think that all the FoEs covered in this book can do no wrong. That's not the case. JetBlue was/is an FoE that badly damaged their reputation during the winter when storms caused massive cancellations. It even led to the resignation of the CEO. Like other business books of this genre (In Search Of Excellence, From Good To Great), only time will tell how these companies will fare over the long term. It may well be that a decade from now, the stars of this book will have all fallen to the wayside. But I would venture to guess that the companies covered here will have a much larger margin of forgiveness than would other companies that are just focused on the next quarter...



This is a book that is highly recommended for anyone running a business. It should cause you to rethink the factors of success for your company, as well as point you in directions that could lead you to become an FoE in your niche.

This book identifies a batch of companies that have oriented their business model to providing a superior feeling in the minds of their customers. In many cases I absolutely agree with them.

Wegman's supermarkets for instance presents an excellent shopping experience. I particularly love their cheese department where knowledge people stand ready to discuss their magnificant array of choices and even to giving you samples to taste seemingly without end or sales pressure. In turn I buy far more cheeses than I would otherwise. We both win.

But then they turn to Wal-Mart and repeat a litany of alleged problems with employees, suppliers, and communities. My own experience with Wal-Mart is limited to one store in the small town where I live. But my experience doesn't match the alleged problems. I go there, the people, from the greeter at the door to the most junor sales clerk are friendly and willing to walk halfway across the store to help me find something. I talk to people who work there (away from the store) and they universally say that it is the best job they've ever had. Does the Wal-Mart experience depend on the store? Are the alledged problems just that, allegations? And for that matter, does every Wegman's have such an excellent cheese department? And what about Microsoft? Everyone (nearly) uses their products and most people hate the company. What does this say about their future? I guess we'll just have to watch and see.

This is a book that describes one way of doing business that has worked for a lot of companies. It provides a good insight into what these companies do.

What is a Firm of Endearment? The authors argue that their example companies share a common set of core values, policies, and operating attributes which include:

1. aligning the interests of all stakeholder groups (customers, employees, partners, investors, and society) rather than seeking profit optimization

2. below-average executive compensation

3. open-door policies

4. employee compensation and benefits are above average for their industry

5. above-average employee training

6. empower employees to satisfy customers

7. hire employees who are passionate about the company's purpose

8. humanize customer and employee experiences

9. enjoy below-average marketing costs

10. honor the spirit as well as the letter of laws

11. focus on corporate culture as a competitive advantage

12. are often innovative in their industries

Companies identified include extensive examples drawn from Commerce Bank, Container Store, Costco, Harley-Davidson, Honda, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Johnson & Johnson, Jordan's Furniture, New Balance, Patagonia, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Timberland, Toyota, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Foods.

These companies are often contrasted with Wal-Mart and the Good to Great Companies identified by Jim Collins in 2001 in terms of stock price growth.

The authors argue that there is a new level of consciousness emerging that rewards those who do good while doing well. The implication is that all firms should shift to stakeholder optimization and the cultural values identified in the example companies.

While they don't make this argument, it's clear that the authors have identified many of the mindsets that lead a company to seek optimizing results for all stakeholders.

Before you assume total cause and effect, I would like to raise some issues not fully addressed in the book:

1. This is an after-the-fact evaluation. As such, (like Good to Great), we may mostly be seeing what the leaders are proud of . . . rather than what caused their success. For example, Southwest's success is focused on their corporate culture. But the company also has a better business model than almost any other airline (Ryanair's is better) and does a better job of fuel cost hedging than any other U.S. airline. Those factors aren't mentioned.

2. These companies are almost all in consumer products or services. A class of socially conscious consumers has sprung up who look hard for such firms. It's not clear that OEM and industrial buyers have evolved their preferences nearly to the same extent. So many of the lessons may only apply consumer goods and services (except for those validated by Gallup for having a motivated and effective group of people working for you).

3. Almost all of these firms are highly effective business model innovators who have gained enormous advantages over competitors who seldom innovate their business models. As a result, they can afford practices that may or may not pay off in profit without incurring any negative reaction. The next business model innovation will pay for the cost.

I was surprised that this book didn't look at the study I made from 1992-2001 that identified continuing business model innovation as the single best factor for explaining high levels of corporate performance (see The Ultimate Competitive Advantage). The books share some examples in common (including Jordan's Furniture and Timberland), but many of FoE's examples are also superior business model innovators (Amazon, BMW, CarMax, Caterpillar, Container Store, Costco, eBay, Google, Harley-Davidson, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Patagonia, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Food).

4. It often pays better to serve stakeholder interests than to ignore them. Why? Because ignoring stakeholders often burdens both the company and the stakeholder with costs and experiences that neither want. This economic case for stakeholder focus isn't fully developed outside of the customer arena.

5. The book emphasizes sustainability, but much of that argument is built around companies disappearing from the Fortune 500 (something that happens whenever a merger happens . . . which doesn't mean that the organization goes away, just the corporate headquarters in most cases). In the research of my students on environmental sustainability (see Hiroshi Fukushi's work, A Strategic Approach to the Environmentally Sustainable Business, for example), it's apparent that making the environment cleaner than when you touched it is economically advantaged in most situations. The idea of sustainability is based on the outmoded notion of not doing too much damage rather than finding profits in making the world better than you found it.

But it's a good book that creates more questions than it answers. This one will probably stimulate some more careful thinking in the area of where seeking to be more considerate of others is going to create better results as well as better sleep.

In the Prologue, when discussing The Age of Transcendence through which the contemporary business world is now proceeding, the co-authors (Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe, and Jagdish N. Sheth) suggest that it is "a cultural movement in which physical (materialistic) influences that dominated culture in the twentieth-century are ebbing while metaphysical (experiential) influences become stronger. This is helping to drive a shift in the foundations of culture from an objective base to a subjective base: People are increasingly relying on their own counsel to decide what the truth is...That shift acknowledges a long-suppressed idea in a world largely guided by Newtonian certainty that chemistry Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine says is scattering to the winds: Ultimately, everything is personal."

Thus do the authors establish a frame-of-reference for the thesis of their book: That each stakeholder in an organization tends to thrive best when all stakeholders thrive. That is, no stakeholder group is more important than any other. "It is disciplined dedication to the well-being of all stakeholders that separates firms of endearment from their competition." Stakeholder relationship management (SRM), the authors suggest, can achieve and then sustain superior business performance that, in turn, will create n a decisive competitive advantage. They are convinced that SRM business models will increasingly be seen "as the most efficacious way to achieve sustained superior business performance in years to come" but only if (huge "if") the interests of all stakeholder groups are brought into strategic alignment.

Two Questions: Are all stakeholder groups of equal importance and do they have the same interests? Also, are all members of a stakeholder group (e.g. shareholders) of equal importance and do they have the same interests? These questions occurred to me as I read the first chapter, especially the brief discussion of the "distinctive" core values, policies, and attributes that firms of endearment (FoEs) share in common. Eventually, Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth provide answers to these questions, answers best revealed within the narrative.

If indeed "endearing companies tend to be enduring companies," how do the 28 FoEs that "made the final cut" for this book compare with the 11 companies praised by Jim Collins in Good to Great? "Over a 10-year horizon, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 1,026 percent to 331 percent (a 3.1-to-1 ratio). Over five years, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 128 percent to 77 percent (a 1.7-to-1 ratio). Over three years, FoEs performed on par the Good to Great companies: 73 percent to 75 percent." (FYI, there are no duplicates on the two lists.) As with the exemplary companies discussed by Thomas J. Peters in Robert H. Waterman, Jr. in In Search of Excellence, not all companies on any such list continue to meet the criteria that were the basis of their initial selection.

For me, some of the most interesting material is presented in Chapter 11, "Crossing Over to the Other Side." At one point, the authors cite Oliver Wendell Holmes's observation "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." They then quote one of my favorite passages in James O'Toole's The Executive's Compass:

"To move beyond the confusion of complexity, executives must abandon their constant search for the immediately practice and, paradoxically, seek to understand the underlying ideas and values that have shaped the world they work in. Managers who clamor for how-to instruction are, by definition, stuck on the near side of complexity."

According to Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth, the big challenge of the times is to transcend the zero-sum mindset because, given the profusion of new opportunities, absolutes (by nature limiting) are found everywhere on the near side of complexity. "They emerge from people's perennial quest for pat solutions, or `silver bullets,' as they are sometimes described. This is a key point because, as Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth explain, a zero sum mindset leads to the conclusion that one stakeholder group can only benefit at the expense of the other stakeholder groups...However, opportunities increase by an order of magnitude when the mind breaks free of zero-sum thinking."

There are specific reasons why endearing companies tend to be enduring companies and one of the most important is their having "the ability to transcend ruthless competition and embrace the fruits of cooperation [which is] the essence of evolved humanness."

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Bill George's Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value and his later book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, co-authored with Peter Sims. Also Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, Adrian J. Slywotzky's The Upside: The 7 Strategies for Turning Big Threats into Growth Breakthroughs, Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson as well as Ram Charan's Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't, Lynda Gratton's Hot Spots: Why Some Teams, Workplaces, and Organizations Buzz with Energy - And Others Don't, Robert J. Herbold's Seduced by Success: How the Best Companies Survive the 9 Traps of Winning, Jack Alexander's Performance Dashboards and Analysis for Value Creation, and Michael Useem's The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide--Knowing What to Do and When to Do It.

Over the past 30 years I have read many, many self help books and it appears that within the structure of general self help books most authors tend to stroll down one of two comfort paths: One path tends to be ego laden within the authors own expertise and intentions with little acknowledgment to other possibilities or solutions. If the author did not experience it, then it must not exist and we are pulled down a path of only the author's view or adaption, hence we are held to the author's own growth pattern with little glimpse of anything else. The second and more common path is written in a way as to keep the own author's behavior away from the direction of the book as if their own character could flaw the outcome of the book's message or purpose. An example would be an author who knows how to schedule their time accurately and conveys it eloquently with active experiences and involvement but distances them self from other areas of the book when their own flaws are in conflict with their message. In other words, we like or adapt to the book based on the working principles and descriptions used in the book without much connection to the actual author. I think our parents said it best with: "Do as I say and not as I do."
Here is a book that takes a different path; a book written in authenticity as the author uses his own history and working principles to convey who he is and with total acceptance and intention that we probably are not like him. This book is not hypothetical but instead uses real experiences and examples covering each principle or point completely. This might be the only motivational book I have read in over 5 years that does not use any inspirational quotes and I can understand why because most books need additional validity from a third party to make them influential or believable, whereas this book stands on its own with sound principles and examples. To write in this manner takes a special person who can convey them self soulfully and openly and still stay true to their intended path.
This book is written about constraints that limit our daily lives and how to realistically reduce or eliminate them in a simplified manner. I do not believe someone can appreciate the methods or principles of this book without reading the book completely as each constraint is structured to exemplify the others. Not only are we informed on how to deal with our own constraints but we are also led to understand the limiting constraints in others, making us better leaders, managers, spouses etc. As the author honestly conveys his own constraints, we also gain a better insight of his own style of writing and can utilize these understandings to gain a better knowledge making this book a "Catch 22" with a positive ending. To not grow from this book is to ignore the very principles illustrated and clarified completely to our benefit. I see the possibility of not only improving my own limitations but to be a better communicator and interpreter from each constraint and behavioral example. I must confess that I found the first half of this book average and not until I discovered all of the constraints and their limitations did I come to really appreciate the author and find my own limiting thoughts that withheld valuable information from me. I found that the book was written exactly as it is because this is who the author is and it is up to me to interpret it accordingly. Thank you for this array of valuable insights.

Written by head of The Flippin Group and expert motivational coach Flip Flippen, The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back is a no-nonsense self-help guide to identifying how personal constraints and often unconscious restrictions can hold one back from one's full potential. Breaking free of those restraints and learning to "flip" negative thoughts and behaviors into positive ones form the core of The Flip Side. Negative personality-driven trait types are listed and range from "bulldozers" (too dominant, ignoring all dissenting options) to "marshmallows" (too nurturing, avoiding conflict at the expense of their happiness) and "quick draws" (too impulsive, with poor self-control). A readily accessible guide to improving one's strengths through recognizing and turning around one's weaknesses.

As a believer in the process of self-reflective therapy, Flip has provided substantial direction and real-world situations to see that we all have personal areas that keep us from our best. I especiallly appreciated the opportunity and recommendation to take one step at a time and reclaim our best qualities.

The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back

I highly recommend this book for those who have found they have other roads to travel but have made personal road blocks that only the individual can remove.

I was walking through the book store a few weeks ago and saw The Flip Side on display. I was astonished to discover the author was my first boyfriend!

I bought the book because Flip wrote it. I was so delighted to discover that it offered insightful, practical advice on how to overcome my personal constraints to become the person I have always wanted to be.

The stories Flip relates reveal his warm, loving and humorous personality. He is open and honest with us about himself and his own life and encourages us to do the same thing with ours.

Flip's book is not just another self-help one that will gather dust on your bookshelf. He offers a plan based on his 30+ years of counseling experience with the tools to implement change in your life....if you just do it! It worked for him and it is working for me.

Thanks, Flip, for showing up in my life again in such a truly miraculous way!

Talking about capitalizing on a name... :) The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back by Flip Flippen. This was a book I picked up on in one of the personal productivity blogs I follow, and it is one of the most practical, easy-to-understand books on personal change that I've read recently. Even better, he goes into how *you* can react and respond more effectively to each personality type. And trust me, you'll find your problem coworker/friend/acquaintance in here with no problem. :)

Part 1 - Understanding Personal Constraints: Something Is Holding You Back; The Foundations of OPC (Overcoming Personal Constraints); The Five Laws of Personal Constraints; Overview - The Top 10 Killer Constraints
Part 2 - Identifying Personal Constraints: #1 - Bulletproof (Overconfident); #2 - Ostriches (Low Self-Confidence); #3 - Marshmallows (Overly Nurturing); #4 - Critics (Too Demanding, Nitpicky, or Harsh); #5 - Icebergs (Low Nurturing); #6 - Flatliners (Low Passion, Vision, or Drive); #7 - Bulldozers (Overly Dominant); #8 - Turtles (Resistant to Change); #9 - Volcanoes (Aggressive, Angry); #10 - Quick Draw (Low Self-Control, Impulsive)
Part 3 - Overcoming Personal Constraints: Building Your TrAction Plan; Constraints Are Personal - My Story; Personal-Constraint Combinations; OPC Starts at Home; OPC in the Workplace; Personal Constraints and Culture; Listening to What Others Say - The Power of Honest Feedback
Conclusion - Raised in Captivity; Next Steps; Acknowledgments; Index

I'm sure glad I don't have any of these... NOT! :)

Each of the constraint chapters uses a couple of examples (some historical, some personal from the author's work) to show how a particular trait can play out and limit one's effectiveness. This is followed by the "Are You ..." checklist, which has 10 questions you can ask yourself to see where you fall in terms of that constraint. If you're on the high end of the scale, you'll be interested in the "So I'm ... Help Me!" section that follows. That's where Flippen lays out specific actions you can take to change this part of your behavior. Even better, that section is followed by a "How Can I Deal With A ... Person?". That's where you get to find out what types of communication and actions you can take to make your interactions with that personality type go better. The goal isn't to change them (although that would be nice), but it's more like survival skills so you don't get caught in the debris and aftermath of their limitations.

And in case you're wondering, I have marshmellow-y tendencies with a little flatliner and turtle thrown in...

I think that any book that helps you categorize or examine your behaviors can have a positive influence. The Flip Side seems to work better than most in that you don't have to struggle to see yourself or others in the scenarios, and the advice and actions are concrete and do-able. If you're looking to kick things up another level in your life (or avoid kicking someone else in frustration), I'd recommend this book...

I was a little disappointed to see just two disc in the case when there were 8 for the book. The second disc is all music. This book pulls out one of the most important points from his book "A New Earth " which is "Staying in the Now". I listen to the music CD on the train or just before I got to bed to help me relax. This book is a nice compliment to his other books.

I have listened to most of
E. Tolle's book on cd and especially loved this one for the 2nd cd. I find his message powerful and important in todays world. This set contains the best meditative music I have ever heard. I'm sure I lent it out and never got it back, so for the very powerful music in this set I am reordering....very well worth it!

Gateways to Now is a wonderful extension of Tolle's two books: The Power of Now and A New Earth. The audio book is a way to hear Tolle's ideas from his own voice. Tolle gives several ideas of ways to become "More Present". It is well done and great for expanding consciousness.

This CD has some techniques discussed by Tolle to perceive inner space. They require some repeated practice for those not familiar with meditation, but seem to work fine. The music is a minor distraction.

Even though I love to read, because of a life long engagement with ADD and insomnia,it is not often easy to obsorb or retain the contents of any book let alone one such as this. One that requires serious contemplation and quiet reflection. However I found this book to provide,a meaningful metamorphosis to this mecurial mind, a soothing serenity to my secluded spirit, and a sedative to my oft troubled soul, things that I seldom enjoy. I completely agree with many of his points, such as the eternal nature of our Spirits. Also the concept that all living things have presence and Spirits. In fact I have I personally found that while riding my bicycle in the nearby mountains(for me by keeping my body active seems to quiet this overactive mind)I can actually hear and feel the presence of life forms around me especially durring early spring mornings. On several occcassions I hold my hands close to the long grasses, trees, or whatever life form is near and feel it's energy and each ones' very discerable Spirit/presence, which is exciting to be part of. Additionally on such mornings it seems that the annimals, insects,etc. do not fear me and will often come out and seemingly greet me. They know I come in peace and love, with an appreciation for each of them and their Creator. It is also interesting to note that most of the indiginous peoples of the earth were very much in tune with all this. I believe this book can help all of us get in touch with the spiritual side of all that exists on this planet. It sure makes it a much more interesting and beautiful place to live!!A New Earth

I WAS REALLY STRESSED OUT, HAVING PANIC ATTACKS, REALLY DOWN ON EVERYTHING AND TAKING MEDICATION FOR ANXIETY. THIS BOOK CHANGED MY THINKING ABOUT LOTS OF THINGS. I BECAME SO POSITIVE ABOUT LIFE AND ITS MEANING THAT I EVEN STOPPED MY MEDICATION AND FEEL GREAT.

A MUST READ.

This lady is slowly turning my life around. Everything in the book is common sense but in today's busy world we no longer think that way. I've gained a new outlook on life and am approaching situations that would normally leave me stressed in a more peaceful way. It has something for everyone.

This book offers practical strategies to help readers achieve inner peace in a busy, chaotic world. Each of the 52 strategies are realistic and simple to implement. Dr. Borysenko offers strategies in each of the main areas of our lives including: overall life, taking care of yourself, time, managing your mind, developing compassion, kindness, and clear communication, and creating wisdom and purpose. She offers a specific action for each strategy so the reader can begin transforming their life immediately.

"Inner Peace for Busy People" is definitely worth the time to read.

Chapters are short. Nice read before bed. Good and thoughtful information. Worth the money.

As a big believer in the need for personal peace to achieve our life purpose and a huge fan of Dr. Joan Borysenko's wisdom, I treasure this book!

Who among us in this high speed world isn't stressed by the environment in which we operate? And, who among us hasn't seen that our health and performance is better when we have inner peace? The challenge is to maintain our inner peace in this busy world. And, this book provides 52 thoughtful strategies and tactics for doing so.

Other reviewers have done a fine job of summarizing the contents of this gem. So instead of replicating that which they have summarized, let me share how I use this book. This is one of a handful of books that are my life guides (Cheryl Richardson's Unmistakable Touch of Grace, Judith Orloff's Positive Energy, Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life). I reread these books frequently. Each also stands as a powerful tangible reminder of that which I believe I must practice. And, each has directly contributed to profound, positive changes in my life.

Beyond the personal benefits of this book, I am just enough of an idealist to believe that the best anecdote to the absence of peace in this world is for each of us to become more peaceful. To be a beacon of peace, and a practioner of kindness. This is as good a guidebook as you will find in setting forth a holistic approach to personal inner peace.

A fairly interesting book. O'Donnell lists the campaigns of the elite troops of this theater of command, details the plan of battle, and then gives the oral histories of those who served in those campaigns. Most of the veterans are at the end of their lives, so these oral histories present a heartfelt tribute to the difficulties these soldiers endured during combat. What surprised me most was how these soldiers/veterans got choked up recounting the battles they went through, and the friends they lost. Freedom isn't cheap, and these soldiers are living proof of how America was affected by the battle.
This is a good read. Oral histories are good at describing the personal experiences of soldiers, but they don't put perspective on the actual battle campaigns. If one wants to know more about the War in the Pacific, one needs to read a general history, before reading this book.

This review is of the Audio CD version of this excellent book. Jeff Riggenbach did a fantastic job reading this text. He managed to give proper emphasis without drowning the material.

Many soldiers are reluctant to talk of their wartime experiences for fear of seeming boastful. O'Donnell got these veterans to open up and tell their stories. They did so that the fallen heroes would get proper credit, not to tell of their own exploits in a grand fashion. Many of the other reviewers have told of the specific episodes relayed in the book, but what struck me was the depth of feeling that these men had many decades after the fact. One soldier tells of looking up the family of a fallen buddy after the war. It was as if he felt driven to tell them of their son's valor and his worth to his fellow soldiers. Another tells of a friend he saw die in combat after having met his wife and been their with him during the arrival of their child. It was a common theme that these men had these experiences with them every day, if only just beneath the surface. I highly recommend it to those who would like to grasp the depth of the sacrifice these individuals made on our behalf.

I read this book after "Beyond Valor" by the same author and I wasn't disappointed. "Into the Rising Sun" is a collection of first hand accounts of the brave men who fought in the Pacific. The author sets up the accounts with some background material to make more sense to it all. After re-living some of these battle through this book, I started to understand what a living Hell these guys lived through. The intensity of the Japanese soldier was astonishing.

This book has special meaning to me since my father was a Marine fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He was at Guadalcanal and Okinawa .I now know what a hero he was!

This is the second of Patrick O'Donnell's books. O'Donnell is a gifted oral historian who's been collecting the recollections of men who were soldiers and served in the Second World War, partially through a website he set up some years ago, and partially through other sources. This compilation shows off O'Donnnell's strengths, and weaknesses (such as they are) and is a good example of his work.

O'Donnell, for whatever reason, is very attached to "elite" infantry units. In his book on the European Theater, this included paratroopers, rangers, and the members of the 1st Special Service Force. In the current book, which covers the Pacific Theater, the distinction between "elite" forces and the regular ones is somewhat more blurry: Army Rangers, paratroopers, and members of Merril's Marauders are the participants from the army, but the author chose to distinguish the Marine Raider and Parachute units from other Marine outfits. This is a weakness as all of these forces were disbanded in 1943-4, and so the book would be rather truncated as far as the Marine Corps went for the last 18 months or so of the war. This (of course) is unacceptable, so the author merely follows former members of these specialized units who were absorbed into other, regular Marine regiments.

The result is that some battles are covered in considerable detail here, while others (notably Saipan and Peleliu) are ignored because the Marines who participated in these campaigns weren't "elite." This includes members of the 1st Marine Division, who were arguably the most experienced in terms of combat against Japanese soldiers. So what's here is rather skewed and somewhat disjointed, but if you accept that, then the material that's here is worthwhile.

I enjoyed this book, within its limitations, and I would recommend it and the others in O'Donnell's series, provided you accept what they are.

Well, if other reviews don't say it already, this book was one of the more brutally honest books written about war against Japan. Its honest because its brutally politically incorrect. The American soldiers who relates their stories, tell not only of the horrors that the Japanese troops committed but additional horrors of what they did to the Japanese troops. This was no-hold bar combat, where there were no "good guys" or "bad guys" per say. The stories related in this book was all about killing, surviving and living on. In doing so, anything goes and there were no rules. It may be that many general readers may be kind of shock to read so honest account. Some of them may not like the read how the Americans in these pages acted with certain amount of brutality that almost mirror their enemies. But then, what is war after all, right?