Resources Books

Having been through various Studer trainings and earning my fire starter pin in the leadership team of a hospital many years ago, I was so excited to see Quint publishing these ideas for the rest of the working world.

I'm now in a different corporate environment and am sharing "Results That Last" with my leadership teams here. The translation into the traditional American corporate environment simply works. The concepts are not only well written and outlined, but also the supplemental figures and diagrams really help to illustrate the tools that make hardwiring behaviors work.

The book is easy to read and get through either as a refresher (for myself) and as a first time read (as it has been for colleagues).

Best part of entire book is on rounding. We are instituting it with our agency to complement customer service training. It can be hard to get people to think beyond the immediate customer service problem and a response that will get rid of the customer. Rounding looks at the systemic issues and implements a plan to ensure they get done.

Results That Last is an excellent companion to the remarkable series of books that Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton about creating and implementing superior strategies (The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action, Alignment: Using the Balanced Scorecard to Create Corporate Synergies, Strategy Maps: Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes, and The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment).

Researchers report that only about a third of all strategies are successfully implemented. Many couldn't be implemented because the concept was too difficult to do. Others fail because the management cannot bring the right actions to bear. For this latter group, Results That Last can be quite helpful.

Quint Studer has taken the research literature on best practices in motivation, satisfaction, improvement, coordination, communication, and implementation and spelled out a series of leadership and management processes that will help you apply those findings. Even someone who doesn't think of himself or herself as talented in leadership or management will get a lot more done with these methods. For most, it will be more valuable than an MBA degree.

I have two cautions about the book:

1) If your strategy is a mistaken one, you'll still flop.

2) Mr. Studer's experience seems to be mostly in hospitals and consulting. As such there's a lot of fine-grain application in other industries the book doesn't describe. You'll have to find that on your own. By referring to the source best practice studies, you'll fill in some of that gap.

Quint Studer wrote a masterpiece for modern leaders to follow.
The book has a broad application of thoughts, and fits modern business issues. This book is well worth reading and applying for results that last.

In the Introduction to this book, Quint Studer makes the following assertion: "Standardize the right leadership practices and you will find that organizational performance improves across the board...and stays improved." More specifically, results-driven leadership at all levels and in all areas will achieve and then sustain outstanding performance throughout the given enterprise. That's obvious. Here's the challenge: To get the right goals, the right behavior, and the right processes in proper alignment. More specifically:

1. Have stretch goals that everyone understands and supports, then measure performance in terms of progress toward achievement of those goals. At all times, know what is most important and focus on doing it.

2. View behavior from two separate but related perspectives: values and productivity. At companies such as GE and Southwest Airlines, for example, there is zero tolerance of inappropriate behavior no matter how productive the given offender may be. At the same time, people are expected to produce results (Jack Welch calls it "hitting the numbers") or seek career opportunities elsewhere.

Note: I agree with Studer that the behavior of all supervisors must be "standardized," at least to the extent that they have impeccable character, know their stuff, provide constructive criticism whenever it is needed, earn and remain worthy of trust, and do everything humanly possible and appropriate in the best interests of those entrusted to their care. That said, allowances must be made for differences in personality, lifestyle decisions, avocations, etc.

3. Make all processes as simple as possible...but no simpler. Many processes streets that remain essentially unchanged (except for occasional repairs) even as residents of homes, merchants and their customers, and students enrolled in schools come and go. This is especially true of the process by which an organization such as the U.S. Marines develops leadership. "Many are called, a few are chosen" and then all receive rigorous formal training with hands-on daily supervision as they are absorbed by the culture and identify with its values, meanwhile strengthening individual skills, enriching personal knowledge, and - over time - adding increasing value to the organization.

According to Studer, "Evidence-based leadership (EBL) enables us to create results that last. What is EBL? It's a strategy centered on using the current `best practices' in leadership - practices that are proven to redsult in the best possible outcomes. The `evidence,' in this context, is the reams of data collected from study after study that aim to determine what people really want and need from their leaders. When leaders apply these tried-and-true tactics to every corner of our organizations, we achieve consistent excellence. Our organization's success is no longer dependent on individuals. It's hardwired. No matter who leaves, the excellence remains."

Throughout his narrative, Studer explains how EBL enables those who practice it to identify and deal with "High, Middle, and Low Performers," recognize the five critical elements employees want from managers, "manage up" to improve the performance of those they supervise, measure performance fairly and consistently, improve employee selection and retention, "harvest" intellectual capital, take a customer-centric approach, and build a culture around service, and serve as a role model for effective communication, cooperation, and collaboration.

Well-done!

Those who share my regard for this book are urged to check out Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management co-authored by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton as well as their earlier book, The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action as well as Edward Lawler's Talent: Making People Your Competitive Advantage, Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?: Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes Which Can Destroy Your Company, Michael Levine's Broken Windows, Broken Business: How the Smallest Remedies Reap the Biggest Rewards, George S. Day and Paul J.H. Schoemaker's Peripheral Vision: Detecting the Weak Signals That Will Make or Break Your Company, and Sydney Finkelstein's Why Smart Executives Fail and What You Can Learn from Their Mistakes.

A good read. The concepts are simple to understand and execute... and make sense. The Blue Train concept is common sense for today's complex business world.

It is clear from reading this book that Surinder and Bart have lived this leadership approach. Many authors write theoretical books with little practical experience. They have walked the talk. This book is an excellent guide to values based leadership. It is about leadership, innovation, and strong values. I strongly recommend it.

Riding The Blue Train not only inspired me professionally, but personally as well. It has changed my point of view on the kind of person/employee I strive to be and the type of company/individual leader I envision working for. Kumar and Sayle discuss the Breakthrough Journey, which is a road I highly desire to travel on. "Breakthrough leadership is a product of bold vision, intense focus, and hard work. There are few 'born leaders' in the world from a Breakthrough perspective, but it is a skill one can learn and nurture." This book illustrates how you can accomplish this skill to become a great leader by Riding The Blue Train. I have given this book to many people as a gift, including the management team at my office who are also now Riding the Blue Train! My company now sees our success in the corporate world from a new, energizing perspective.

How many Corporations, Government Branches, and/or Educational systems really understand in how to build a business, or instill justice, or educate our youth? This book advises you must first build the people to be the best they possible can be. This book was inspiring to the degree as a manual in "How to Succeed."It should be required reading in all H.S. and colleges throughout the nation. Lets instill in our people the 5 powers of Insight, Inspiration, Intentionality, Intentional language, and Congruence to establish bold visions as so stated by the authors.As a practitioner in the field of holistic medicine, someone once said future medicine shall prescribe no drugs,thus the wholistic aproach on life.Maybe the Breakthrough Journey (the core message) will bring us into a more positive and healthy relationship with the rest of the world and the future.A unique approach in motivating and stimulating the people. Thumbs up on this book!

I found the book a powerful read and filled with valuable real-life stories of successful leadership using breakthrough strategies. As far as I am concerned it has arrived full steam on platform 1 for books on leadership. It puts the Positive firmly back into Growth and People into Factor. This book is an essential read for all leaders who aspire to drive innovation and transformation through motivating individuals, teams and entire organisations. On top of all the new insights I have gained, I now know how to deal with any complainers: I just ask them: "What do you intend to do about it?"

If you want to know more about your subc.I heartily recommend these CDs

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
The Master Key System
Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World
The Science of Getting Rich
The Science of Mind
Think and Grow Rich: Original Version

You can get all four of FSS's work in the Wisdom of FSS, which is only $11.20. Believe me you won't be sorry her work surpasses that of Wayne Dyer, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and even Catherine Ponder.

Consisting of a series of talks on various topics relating to the achievement of happiness, this book teaches the reader how to triumph over adversity and experience abundance through spiritual law. The author's explanation of Biblical tales and metaphors is especially valuable and insightful and her interpretations are full of common sense and practical wisdom. Her very engaging style and wonderful ability to explain age-old spiritual truth ensure a stimulating and uplifting reading experience. She deals with topics like faith, intuition, inspiration and more, even referring to movies like The Wizard of Oz. The last chapter is about the inner meaning of the fable of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and how it relates to the thought-forms in the subconscious mind of the individual. It's brilliant! Not only are her words powerful and inspiring, but special affirmations are provided to help achieve successful outcomes. The Secret Door is definitely on a par with her classic work The Game Of Life and I strongly recommend it.

Bet you can't read just one! You will crave all of her books once you have a taste of Florence Scovel Shinn's words. After you read the books, don't forget to buy the affirmation cards - they are a must!

Florence Scovel Shinn's work, specifically in this book, is a beautiful testament to how unlimited our universe is, and how boundless our creative capacity is in our life.

As a true pioneer in the field of consciousness/laws of attraction in our current times, Shinn writes with uncanny wisdom about succinct concepts, as she helps anyone who reads this book learn about success: that being abundance without limit.

Her work is beautifully expressed, and brings about a peaceful feeling when reading. You can tell she knew what she was writing about, and her faith in unlimited, positive creative capacity is truly timeless wisdom. This is a classic book that can only benefit any reader.

This book was the second book I got. I thought it was a very good book. I read in like 3 days. I liked the part when Ruthie was trying to act like a guy by doing those gross guy things!! I read over and over again until I got a new 7th Heaven Book. I love to watch the show. I watch it every night when I can or when I'm not doing anything else..... I really hope that you 7th Heaven fans will read this book if you already didn't. If you do I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!!

i thought this was a good book i mean it was very interesting (for me anyway) this is the only book i will read unless i have to like in school but that is the ONLY book i will read out of school, but i can't read them all as fast as you can make them can you make them. can you make some for the older age levels please because those would probebly be just as good.

I have read alot of 7th Heaven books, and Secrets was my 2ed favorit. I would recomend this book to kids 5-10 no younger because they will start to keep secrets.

Mary and her basketball team get there season cut shore because there grades drop. So Mayr and her team trash the schools gym and the get arressted will the camdens clear her name? read to find out! I would reccomend this book to anybody ages birth to death it has a great moral.

BOOK REVIEW

In this book Lucy one of the sisters. Is on her high school student court team.
Her sister Mary is in her signor year of high school and on the varsity basketball team. The girl's grades dropped so they can't play anymore. So they go out to eat and think about trashing the school gym. Then they sneak in and start to T.P everything and then they graffiti every thing and than they get caught by the police and the school principal and they get in a lot of trouble.

I do recommend this book if they like the T.V show 7th heaven an like to read. I would recommend this book because it is interesting and funny. It was a page turner because at the end of a page it did not tell enough information so it was a cliff hanger . So I kept on reading the book. I did enjoy this genre because I love this T.V show and this was about a show I had never seen. There were surprises in the story like when Mary and her friends got caught and when they decided to trash the school gym and when Simon got suspended for a whole week.

I am finding this book to be inspirational and insighful. I feel called to reach out to seekers and this is giving me confidence that I can do it in a way consistent with the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, our mother father God.

This is THE manual for seeker small group leaders, or, potential leaders. It's clearly written by someone that has done it. Alot. Some books are written from a theoretical point of view, and that can be good, but this book is written by someone right off the front lines. It's obvious throughout the book. This should be required reading for anyone, or any church, starting a seeker small group program.

I cannot recommend this book more highly - it is the definitive text on how to run one of the world's most important ministries: seeker small groups. Garry has developed an approach to seeker small groups that is counter-intuitive, insightful, and most importantly, proven effective in his 25+ years of leading groups.

Not only does the book offer well-thought-out concepts for approaching seeker small groups, but it gets painstakingly practical in how to apply them. It even offers step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for and run the first few meetings, questions to ask, and logistical tips. Anyone that reads the book will be prepared and inspired to lead a seeker small group, regardless of his/her level of evangelical "giftedness" or experience.

Finally, the book is an engaging and enjoyable read, peppered with captivating stories of individuals whose lives have been changed by the very groups Garry has led or inspired.

If you are considering starting a seeker small group, this is a must-read before launching. If you are not, you owe it to yourself to read this book to understand the immense impact these groups can have on the lives of people far from God.

Not a fan of forming a group just to talk about spiritual things in hopes of being able to share the gospel.

I know for a fact, the majority of people love talking to strangers about spiritual things almost immediately.

Its a lie to think you have to arrange a time and place and to build relationships with people to share the gospel or to get them to a point where they are open to spiritual truths.

The good: This book is written by a great guy with a heart for God. I just don't agree with everything but thats ok. I like the chapters on how to facilitate a small group, keep interest, ask questions, etc. They are valuable insight into the psychology of group management and how people think.

I need to make clear: This book is good. Set up a seeker small group. Its great to do this. I've done it. But 1on1 evangelism is crucial too, even if you don't have the "skills". Just start spiritual conversations with strangers or friends and watch how far they go. The gospel can be shared easily and without force. These seeker small groups are good too, but should not be a major time taker like this book promotes.

Check out thewayofthemaster.com and especially Mark Cahills "One Thing You Can't do in Heaven" for some great evangelism literature that anyone can follow and be encouraged with.

Not sure of how, exactly, my glowing review of Garry's book would be conveyed, I surveyed some other reviews already posted. The most negative stated:

"Its a lie to think you have to arrange a time and place and to build relationships with people to share the gospel or to get them to a point where they are open to spiritual truths."

I would like to thank the author of this review for giving me the words with which to praise Garry's book. If I may paraphrase the line, above, it says that "you don't need to spend so much time in relationship-building in order to accomplish your agenda of sharing the Gospel."

The point of Garry's book, I believe, is that building a relationship IS sharing the Gospel!!! Loving people and creating a safe environment for them isn't a means to sharing the Gospel, it IS the Gospel!!!

As someone involved in vocational ministry, I would like to thank Garry for teaching me how to leave my hidden agenda aside, so that I may accomplish God's agenda. This book breaks the mold of our thinking, where evangelism is relegated to doing anything possible to force the Gospel down a person's throat at any time.

By putting into practice the philosophy of this book, we are able to BE the Good News in a person's life while, at the same time, providing a forum where a seeker may be comfortably introduced to fellowship and accountability as they take their first steps on a path which will eventually lead them to an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior.

I happened upon this book while looking for some words of wisdom about motivation. I am an educator and pursuing my Masters Degree in Education. I am interested in motivation, and Muna has made his chapter on motivation and job performance so relevant that I can easily translate the metaphor of the tripod to the needs and talents of my students in an effort to increase performance and learning. Thank you, Farid. Excellent read!

The Seven Metaphors was one of the nicest Christmas presents that I recieved this year. It covers seven tools covering various subjects from child upbringing to retirement planning.

This book is valuable for both business management and personal life. For example, the chapter entitled the Helicopter View is very useful for solving business as well as personal problems. I enjoyed this book very much.

Dr. Muna succeeded in distilling a career of valuable experience and wide reading into a very interesting, clearly written, and thought provoking book full of wise comment. I could not put the book down once I started reading it. I highly recommend it.

As a regional director for a multinational company, I found this book extremely helpful in highliting the different ways available to you when you are facing a problem,planning your retirement, or strengthening your leadership quality. I strongly recommend it for any manager who wants to climb up the corporate ladder.

As an expatiate working in Germany, Dr. Muna's book applied to situations that I have encountered in Germany. Although his book only attempts to deal with the management styles in the Middle East, it has a much broader reach that can be applied to many management situations, especially on the Affiliate level in American companies. I found his to be book very insightful and applicable. This is a must read for managers, especially those who work abroad.

The Kahnweilers have written a thoughtful, well organized and understandable guidebook for human resources professionals. Shaping Your HR Role, Succeeding in Today's Organizations, however, has a broader scope than careers in human resources. The book is a thoughtful discussion of the role of human resources in organizations and of good management practices. William Kahnweiler describes himself as a "pracademic", and he and Jennifer Kahnweiler have written a book that combines good practice with outstanding academic research. Anyone interested in better understanding the important role of human capital in an organization and how to wisely use it will benefit from this book.
Jim Martin, former Georgia Commissioner of Human Resources. "

Drs. William and Jennifer Kahnweiler do a superb job outlining the competencies required of a contemporary HR professional in this business environment.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

This book provides very helpful advice about how to be successful within the HR field, both for those entering or transitioning to the HR field, as well as for practicing HR professionals.

The Drs. Kahnweiler do an excellent job of providing detailed descriptions of the skills, traits and knowledge needed to successful in HR, and also provide great advice about how to hone your skills and traits, and gain the knowledge to be successful in the field.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of entering the HR field as well as current HR professionals who would like to become more effective in their roles.

Shaping Your HR Role engages readers by providing them with the tools to better understand themselves and how they can best apply their talents in HR.

With outsourcing HR as a trend, individuals in this profession or thinking about moving into HR can learn how they can truly contribute to a company's productivity and find fulfillment in their work at the same time.

Lynn Joseph, Ph.D.
Vice President
Parachute, Inc.

As a student of the HRD program at GSU, I found the book very helpful in providing a starting point for my career. The chapter discussing the various 'hats' that HR professionals wear provided insight into what a potential job in a corporation may look like for a new graduate and job seekers alike. I was impressed with the case studies and the wealth of experience that both doctors shared with their audience. I would recommend all students and practitioners read this book and keep it as a reference.

I read this short book within a space of an hour. It is straight to the point, and is written in the style of a story. The author is a Physical Therapist and tells the story of when he was a student and he visited a senior Physical Therapist in a hospital as part of his training. He learned how to motivate someone within 60 seconds to undertake therapy by increasing importance + confidence in the patient. Although this book was essentially about how someone was able to increase his patients' motivation, this can also be applied to other areas of your life - for any goal. It is an easily understandable read and if you are looking for a way to increase motivation quick then look no further than this book.

This is a great book for anyone to learn about how to motivate yourself or others. It's in a very simple story format without a lot of exercises like other self-help books. Very good book - I highly recommend it to anyone that needs to know more about motivation.

This is a great little book. It is written in a light style that makes it easy to read and digest the principles that Jim spells out. If you have ever tried to make a change and been unsuccessful in accomplishing your goal this little book will help you to understand why you failed and how you can increase your chance of success. I found it to be helpful both with my own personal goals and in better understanding what may help to motivate my clients to achieve their stated goals.

Like any book in this genre this book will not actually help you unless your "motivated" to change your own behavior. It's simple, easy to read, and practical. It shows you the keys to changing your perspective on on how motivation actually works in yourself and others. I enjoyed it.

Being a cardiac rehab nurse and spending a lot of time each day trying to get people to change their lifestyles to create better health, this book caught my eye. After reading it, I found the principles instantly useful for me to use at work. They can help anyone get motivated to get past the barriers that keep them from making changes to improve their health. Additionally, the book is short and to the point which is good for a busy Mom like myself.

What a great resource. The stories recited in the book are poignant, humorous, and best of all, real. As a director of administrative support services I'm always looking for creative ways to get a point across. Stories work; these stories and the follow-up activities and presentation tips work.

My organization faces two challenges on a daily basis. First, what is the most efficient and effective way to collect, organize, manage and disseminate mountains of information? Second, how do we continue to streamline and simplify our administrative processes to provide more value-added service to our constituents?

The resources Lori and Mary provide through this text have enabled me to communicate more effectively with my staff during our planning and design sessions. The moral of these stories help us keep focused on the expectations and perceptions of our constituent base.

It's a book to be kept on your desk and referred to many times.

I find that I hear myself telling the same stories over and over again to colleagues when trying to make a point. On the one hand, this is good for sending a consistent message. On the other hand, I get tired of hearing the same thing, and need to make my points in new ways.

As the global marketing research manager for Invista (the world's largest fibers company with consumer and b2b brands such as Lycra(r) and Stainmaster(r)), I need to convert data to meaning that helps our leadership to make decisions. That is what the stories in Stories Trainers Tell do for me. When our managers understand the opportunities that stories point out in the research, they are better able to act with confidence and communicate with clarity.

While I contributed to the book, I also use what it offers to make me a better communicator. I can communicate the meaning I see in data more effectively when I have a story to help me out.

I recommend that you check out the book for yourself to learn how you can upgrade your thinking and practice no matter what role you are in.

I am a Director of Training for a fortune 500 company. Quarterly, I look for new resources that my 40 designers and trainers can use when developing and delivering material to our employees and agents. This book was the gem I've been looking for. Story telling is the most powerful thing a trainer can give their students - because the stories last in the mind forever when the technical details disappear. This book details the how, the what, the when, the where, and the why. Recently I bought a copy for each one of my staff - and the incredible results are already coming in!!! Thanks for my best new resource of the year!

To be successful as a project management consultant, it is important to be able to influence people to move in the direction in which they need to go (not always the direction in which they would like to go). The thing about using stories to influence is that people love stories and will listen even if they are resisting other management methods. This book has wonderful, rich content and is very easy to use. The commitment of the authors to help readers succeed is demonstrated by the sayitwithastory web site and newsletter. I am very pleased this terrific resource is available. [By the way, these stories work on family members also!]

Storytelling has been used to convey history and lessons for centuries. Before newspapers came on the scene, story tellers would travel from village to village telling stories to share the news of what was happening in other communities and the world at large...at least as large as it was back then. One could argue that storytelling has become almost a lost art as our communication mode has shifted more to content, facts, polices and procedures. In the corporate world, leaders and managers-and training professionals-have attempted to communicate without really reaching people "inside," where messages can resonate with a mental or emotional picture. It's that inner connection that has the potential of changing behavior and making a difference. To make that connection, communicators need to engage people's minds and hearts to help them "get" the message.

So here's a book on the stories trainers tell. Big book, thick. Whew! That's a lot of fluffy, touchy-feely soft stuff! That first impression will disintegrate as you open this wonderful resource. Sure, there's a treasure chest of stories, mostly from experienced trainers and professional speakers who use them regularly to build the effectiveness of their work. If this book were merely a collection of all those stories, it would be a helpful reference...sort of a Chicken Soup for the Trainer's Bookshelf. Fortunately, the authors have a deeper understanding of what communicators need, so they created an incredible tool kit for trainers, speakers, executives, managers, coaches, parents-the list goes on.

Each of the stories is presented with tips on how to use it, questions to enrich the telling, key point options, and follow-up activities. The stories-short, not long-are set apart in the text by the use of helpful shading. So, now we have more value than just a catalog of stories. But, wait! There's more. The book includes an explanation of different kinds of stories, when and how they can be used, with a cross-reference to the 55 stories. Want even more value? The stories are gathered into chapters that organize the resources for easier access: Appreciating Differences, Communications and Feedback, Customer Service, Influence and Motivation, Leadership, Living Our Values, Performance and Coaching, Problem Solving, Teamwork and Collaboration, and Training Fundamentals.

Are you sensing why I'm enthusiastic about this book? We're not done! I've only told you about what's in the back of the book! "Stories Trainers Tell" begins with an invaluable section on the why and how of using stories to enhance and enrich communication. Page after page of tips and insight educates and inspires the reader, deepening understanding to raise the level of professionalism and effectiveness in communication.

The CD-ROM? Pop this tool into your computer and enjoy an MP3 format delivery of audio dramatizations of the stories in the book. Readers can now learn as listeners also, and most of the recordings are authorized for replay to audiences. Playing a recording of someone else telling a story, then facilitating the interpretation and application of what was heard offers a new dimension to the richness of communication, thought stimulation, and movement to action.

Then there's the reading list and the index. So much! You'll be captivated with a cover-to-cover read, entranced by the stories yourself. This book will sit prominently on your shelf as a primary resource for years to come. I half-apologize for the long review, but this book deserves the accolades.

This is by far the best book I have read on technical analysis. It is a complete guide to all the different aspects of T/A. The best part of the book and the reason it I give it 5 stars, is the fact that the author has tested all of the indicators himself (and his team), and if he hasn't tested them personally, he list someone who has. He provides you with the success/failure rate of different indicators, what % of the time the stock will rise after say a declining wedge, and how often contrarian trading works to your advantage.

If you have not read a book on T/A before, I would recommend reading something like Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets. I think you will get more out of the book if you already have a good knowledge base built up before hand.

Technical Analysis by Kirkpatrick and Dahlquist has raised the bar and set the standard for TA books. It's far more advanced than Murphy's Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets, and a much easier read, as well as more scientific, than Pring's Technical Analysis Explained.

It consists of 629 pages loaded - I'm talking small type - with brilliant insight after brilliant insight. The book serves as a guide, a text book on TA, and a myth buster of some of the "pie in the sky" vodoo that distorts the image of TA. It tells you - with statistics and scientific research - what's effective, what was never effective and what used to be effective. After reading several investment books I learned both fundamental things and TA things.

I read this because it was required reading for the CMT exam and I really wish I'd read it when I started trading a few years ago. It's easy to read and conveys a wealth of information that anyone who trades would find useful. The chapters on the TA controversy, charts, trends, MAs, and cycles are especially clear. Also valuable is that it's a serious book with none of the hype thrown in by authors of TA books who are really selling themselves. My only criticism is that the authors seem to believe they have to throw every technique and oscillator they've ever heard of into this book, regardless of whether they're of any value. But this allows the CMT people who prepare the exam to throw in questions on obscure topics as well.

The authors are Kirkpatrick and Dahlquist. Mr Kirkpatrick is an instructor in finance, Fort Lewis College School of Business Administration in Colorado and Ms Dahlquist is a senior lecturer in the Department of Finance at University of Texas. Ms Dahlquist has a Ph.D. The book has an impressive bibliography. It is 19 pages long and includes some papers not readily available to the general public. At the end of each chapter and Appendix A there are a list of review questions. I answered all of these questions and by the end of the book I was confident that I had come to grips with the subject matter.

This book is very smooth to read, and the insights are thoughtful. It is definitely a classic in Technical Analysis. However, the charts could use a little more simplicity. When you compare the charts in this book and the ones in the J. Murphy's "Technical Analysis Of The Financial Markets", considered the bible of Technical Analysis you spot the difference. The latter is a heavy volume but it can be read faster, because of the self-explanatory charts.

Overall, a must-have!