France Books

David E. Meadows has not only established himself as today's prolific author of military thrillers, he has stamped a style that TV producer Donald P. Bellisario loves. His characters have a sense of humor in the midst of dire circumstances. It's a playfulness that Bellisario hires scriptwriters to inject into each of his military TV series-currently JAG and NCIS. In his Joint Task Force series, Meadows develops ongoing characters, whom we meet in each book, depending on their mission or circumstance. We live with them. We feel for them. And they age just like us through the series as their responsibilities and duties draw them into even riskier missions, so we cheer them on, as real men doing impossible jobs. This is an endless expectation of the military since many of their political bosses have no similar experience or training to base their orders on. I saw this for myself on a magazine assignment with Canadian peacekeepers following the Rwanda genocide in 1994. Just the replacement of a small part to keep a lift truck running becomes a crisis that requires miracle intervention and innovative thinking in `tactical' settings-you can't call them `combat' when the parties aren't officially at war. And so Meadows' people survive doing the impossible while protecting the United States from terrorists and power-hungry allies.

What has fascinated me through the Joint Task Force series is the rivalry with France along with the ongoing battle against terrorism. Most military and spy thrillers writers target potential enemies in Middle East or Asian countries, such as China and North Korea, whereas Meadows tackles a so-called ally. As I observed in Rwanda firsthand, the treachery of France is a realistic possibility.

Aside from the background of Meadows' writing, he's a `top gun' storyteller. In this book, "France," he opens with a blood-curdling scene that begins with this dialogue, "I know what you're doing." What is the culprit doing? Stealing plans for a laser weapon the U.S. Navy is developing. Who is running the spy? France. Why? Because France wants to shake up the balance of power in the world. Of course, none of this is revealed in the first chapter. The greedy technician kills two fellow workers to keep from being discovered and just as you think he's going to get away with it and live in luxury the rest of his life, he's arrested before he reaches the airport. How did the CIA know what he was up to and why did they wait until after he killed innocent bystanders to capture him? As you find in this example, Meadows holds the reader to every page with strings of suspense that unwind in snippets of revelations, and leaves you at the end with the question, What if France drew the U.S. into war over Africa? Now you can find out. The last of this series, AFRICA, has just been released.

After finishing the last series of books from this wonderful writer, naturally, I had to read his next offering...Happy that I did! David Meadow is a talented writer that has proved time and again to me and all of his fans that he has become a writer that 'we' quite simply MUST READ!!!!! We, (your many fans), Love You David!

Meadows wrote a compelling story about (basically) the US Navy giving the french navy the finger. He outsmarts them, uses their arrogance against them and ultimately, spanks their behinds! If you are pro-US Navy, get this book! The other 3 in this series are well done, too.

I have just finished David's most recent thriller. It is spellbinding, perhaps his best effort yet. The character and plot development is excellent, I couldn't put it down. Great work David!! I look forward to the next project from a man who knows what he is writing about. Keep up the good work, David.

No matter whether you read the spell-binding books in this series in proper order (as this talented author wrote them) or go back and grab one helter-skelter, you're in for a real treat. Each book is a complete story in itself. I generally prefer to read in the order the author writes them, but it isn't always possible ... and wasn't in this case. I started with an earlier one and a later one (AFRICA).

JOINT TASK FORCE: FRANCE lives up to the "enviable, exciting" reputation of the others. I recommend the entire series because this man knows what he's talking about and knows how to build suspense to a fine pitch. I was practically panting with anticipation by the time I got to the last chapter. Great characters, dialogue, and unusual plots.

The books in his first series, THE SIXTH FLEET, are MUST READS, also. Whether your "man" is in the Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force, these books are for you! Actually, they have such universal appeal, everyone is talking about Captain David Meadows.

I understand a TV Movie is being produced from one (or more) of his books. Anchors aweigh, Captain. (Way to go, in civilian jargon!) I'm certain we'll see you on THE BIG SCREEN soon!

I keep a copy of this book in the back of my cab. Passengers just keep coming back until they have finished it. It has funded the purchase of two 1977 beige Mercedes (with sprung leather interior). Thanks Eva, you have made me rich.

Je suis un admirateur de l'oeuvre de Madame le Professeur Steiner, dont cet ouvrage est, pour moi, le "cornerstone". Le texte est plus clair que cristal et m'a inspiré à poursuivre une carrière de "solicitor" en France. Il est accessible à tous de 7 à 77 ans et c'est surement le permier livre que je ferais lire à mon fils lorqu'il choisira sa future carrière. Bravo Eva!

This book is a "must-buy" for all subscribers to "Colonel Fabien Action Weekly". A very subtle analysis of the French Legal System. One can only regret the absence of a chapter on the "Gendarmerie Maritime". 40 bucks well-spent.

As I sit at my desk late at night, basking in the candlelight and stroking my goat, contemplating my semi-annual shave, it is Mme Steiner's oeuvre that I embrace.

This book caused me to flap my arms with delight.

Having read several books on the move to EMU, this is definitely one of the most thoughtful and incisive (and by far the best written!!). Clearly the French perspective on the EMS and EMU is absolutely crucial to understanding why European monetary integration happened at all. Well done! This book enters into impressive detail about the French perspective but places the development of French policy clearly in the context of wider European developments so that the non-specialist can follow the text and learn about monetary integration more generally.

Having read several books on the move to EMU, this is definitely one of the most thoughtful and incisive (and by far the best written!!). Clearly the French perspective on the EMS and EMU is absolutely crucial to understanding why European monetary integration happened at all. Well done! This book enters into impressive detail about the French perspective but places the development of French policy clearly in the context of wider European developments so that the non-specialist can follow the text and learn about monetary integration more generally.

A detailed yet wonderfully readable account of the development of French policy on European monetary cooperation and integration from 1968 to the start of European Monetary Union in 1999. If you want to understand why the Europeans (led by the French) moved to EMU look no further. Unlike many accounts of the move to EMU, this book is neither too theoretical nor too economics-orientated. Howarth's convincing study is set in the context of French economic power objectives in relation to the Americans and the Germans.

This is a well-balanced, thoughtful study of French policy on European monetary integration. For those looking to understand EMU go no further!

This is a detailed yet highly readable account of the reasons why the French sought European monetary integration. I recommend it all those interested in why the French embraced EMU.

This is one of those books you just don't want to put down, and my only complaint is that it isn't longer!! Price is a skilled writer who can describe a scene as carefully as I think she could sketch it (she is an artist by profession). I'll try to constrain my remarks to my impression of her book because I don't want to give away the twists and turns in the story. As mentioned in the publishers review, this is the story of a woman in the 60's who marries and has a house in rural France, her marriage falling apart at the same time her bond with a country woman who on paper she has nothing in common with grows. Her descriptions are so vivid you think you were an eyewitness, which is doubly fortunate because she is present at the close of an era. As she remarks, when she first moved there many people were living not that much different than people did in the Middle Ages, but electricity and the modern conveniences changed all that. As mentioned, a lot of the story centers around her friendship with a neighbor who lived her whole life within perhaps a 3-mile circle of the village. This is a double-edged sword. While her elderly friend is a bridge to a past that is fast disappearing in the 60's, I think the author still harbors some guilt about not being present for her friend at the end. But as the subtitle says, a memoir of love and loss. To sum up, Price is a gifted writer and I hope she is penning another book as we speak!

This is a profound and touching memoir of the joys, sorrows and personal growth of a young America artist. Marjorie Price's life is changed in ways she could never have anticipated when she leaves Chicago for Paris in the 1960's to enhance her art and to experience all things French. She marries a French artist, and together they buy a centuries-old farm in a tiny hamlet in Brittany. As her marriage unravels, Price and her young daughter become more comfortable with their new neighbors and their rural, unmechanized way of life. A central theme, and for me the most touching one, is the way Price forges an affecting relationship with a remarkable older woman who has lived all her life in the hamlet.

Events and dialogue are recreated in a flowing dramatic narrative, laced with elements of sadness and humor. Every scene, every venue, is real and present, drawing the reader in as if witness to a staged play. Always the artist, Price perceives her natural surroundings in their ever-changing light and array of colors and forms, and paints it all with words as effective as brush strokes.

This is a wonderful story of the coming together of cultures and generations. I woman finds herself abandoned in a foreign land, without friends or resources, yet her own love for others provides the friendship and support she needs. She learns to find love right where she is.

Fred Andresen, Author of Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia.

What a delight! This book gets my vote for the perfect summer read! I think it would make a wonderful movie as well.
I was captivated from beginning to end by the adventurous life of this talented author.

When you wake up at 5 in the morning to continue reading, you know that the book has pulled you in! Written with both passion and restraint, the book resonates with the reader throughout. You cannot help but connect with this remarkable woman as she experiences life, love, loss and, most of all, friendship. It takes place in Paris and in Brittany, but really appllies anywhere because of its honesty and spirit. It is a DON'T-MISS book!

This affordable paperback edition of Volume V of Charles Oman's definitive study of the Peninsular War covers the turning point of the conflict. In early 1812, Napoleon withdrew some of his Imperial troops from occupied Spain for his ill-fated invasion of Russia. The dispersal of the remaining French troops to hold down Spanish insurgents coincided with a buildup of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, enabling Wellington to go over to the offensive with an experienced and well-trained force. The bold seizure of the Spanish frontier fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz opened the way for Wellington's magnificent victory of maneuver over Marshal Marmont's French Army at Salamanca. Although Wellington overreached himself at the siege of Burgos and was forced to retrench on the Portuguese frontier over the winter of 1812-1813, the French had lost the initiative in the Peninsular War for good.

Oman brings out how Napoleon's attempts to run the Peninsular War from Paris and Wellington's superior ability to gather intelligence contributed to French defeats. Oman includes a brief but fascinating account, perhaps particularly relevant for modern readers, of the challenges faced by the British Tory government in supporting a long and expensive campaign to dislodge the French from Spain and Portugal. The Whig Party, in opposition, decried every expense and every casualty in favor of an immediate peace treaty with Napoleon. Such a treaty prior to Napoleon's defeat in Russia would have ceded control of Continental Europe to the French Emperor. The Tory government withstood Whig opposition and internal dissension to perservere against Napoleon, trusting Wellington to fulfill the mission of his command.

Oman's command of his subject in volume V is masterful. His narrative is mature and confident. While the focus is on the operational level of war, Oman provides descriptive and ocassionally thrilling vignettes of the critical battles. The footnotes provide much additional context.

This volume and series are highly recommended to serious students of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume a very challenging read.

Volume V of Charles Oman's definitive study of the Peninsular War covers the turning point of the conflict in the Iberian Peninsula. In early 1812, Napoleon withdrew some of his Imperial troops from Spain for his ill-fated invasion of Russia. The dispersal of the remaining French troops to hold down Spanish insurgents coincided with a buildup of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, enabling Wellington to go over to the offensive with an experienced and well-trained force. The bold seizure of the Spanish frontier fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz opened the way for Wellington's magnificent victory of maneuver over Marshal Marmont's French army at Salamanca. Although Wellington overreached himself at the siege of Burgos and was forced to retrench on the Portuguese frontier over the winter of 1812-1813, the French had lost the initiative in the Peninsular War for good. Oman brings out how Napoleon's attempts to run the Peninsular War from Paris and Wellington's superior ability to gather intelligence contributed to French defeats. Oman includes a brief but fascinating account, perhaps particularly relevant for modern readers, of the challenges faced by the British Tory government in supporting a long and expensive campaign to dislodge the French from the Iberian Peninsula. The Whig Party, in opposition, decried every expense and every casualty in favor of an immediate peace treaty with Napoleon. Such a treaty prior to Napoleon's defeat in Russia would have ceded control of Continental Europe to the French Emperor. The Tory government withstood Whig opposition and internal dissension to persevere against Napoleon, trusting Wellington to fulfill the mission of his command. Oman's command of his subject is masterful; his narrative is mature and confident. While the focus is on the operational level of war, Oman provides descriptive and ocassionally thrilling vignettes of the critical battles. The footnotes provide much additional context. This volume and series are highly recommended to serious students of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume a very challenging read.

Sir Charles Oman's comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.

Sir Charles Oman's comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.

This wonderfully affordable paperback edition makes available Volume V of Charles Oman's definitive history of the Peninsular War, which covers the turning point of the war. In early 1812, Napoleon withdrew some of his Imperial troops from Spain for the ill-fated invasion of Russia. The dispersal of the remaining French forces to hold down Spanish insurgents coincided with a buildup of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, enabling Wellington to go over to the offensive with his experienced and well-trained force.

The bold seizure of the Spanish frontier fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz opended the way for Wellington's magnificent victory of maneuver over Marshal Marmont's French Army at Salamanca. Wellington would later overreach himself at the siege of Burgos and be forced to retrench on the Portuguese frontier over the winter of 1812-1813. However, the French had lost the initiative in the Peninsular War for good.

Oman includes a brief but fascinating account, perhaps particularly relevant for modern readers, of the challenges faced by the British Tory government in waging an expensive six year campaign to dislodge the French from the Iberian Peninsula. The British Whig Party, in opposition, decried every expense and casualty in favor of an immediate peace treaty with Napoleon. The effect of such a treaty prior to Napoleon's defeat in Russia would have been to concede control of Continental Europe to the French Emperor. The British Ministry withstood both Whig opposition and internal Tory dissension to persevere against Napoleon and to trust Wellington to fulfill the mission of his command in Spain.

Oman's command of his subject is masterful; his narrative is mature and confident. While the focus is on the operational level of war, Oman provides descriptive and occasionally thrilling vignettes of the critical battles. The footnotes provide much additional context which will be of interest to the serious student of the Napoleonic Wars. The casual reader without background of the conflict may find this volume a challenging read.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06)

"Imagine This!" reaches into our daydreams and fantasies and brings them to light.
Imagine my delight when "Imagine This!" arrived at my home. I remember well a cardboard box playhouse, making mud pies, pretending that my stuffed animals were my loyal subjects and that my swing was my throne. The branches of a weeping willow were my hideout for many lazy summer days. My favorite is "Tissued Wings"

Tissued Wings
I dream of a sylvan fairy glade
Where only I can go
Flickering with golden dappled shade
And dew wet grass aglow.

I dream of the silver radiance
Of tiny tissued wings
On fairies doing their mystic dance
around the toadstool rings.

And if I find they're but dragonflies
Darting from weed to weed
Should I believe only in my eyes
Or go where dreams can lead?


Joanne Froh has dipped deep into the recesses of our minds and fished out childhood memories and put them in lyrical form. She has done so with great finesse. The illustrations add to each poem, expressing it in a visual manner. This is not a book for children! This is a book for all ages. Children will love the poems but adults will savor the memories the poems bring to the surface. My grandchildren love this book and eagerly bring it too me for story time. It is with great honor that I highly recommend this "Imagine This!" Well-done Ms. Froh and Ms.Plagens (illustrator.)

After reading one of the other reviews, I wasn't so sure about this book because it seemed a little too old for my 5 year old. But I bought it anyway and found that it's not only OK for a 5 year old, it will still be great for him when he's 10 or 11. Several of the words are new for him (which is great) and the style and subject matter are timeless.

For instance, "The Dark" which is my son's favorite poem, starts out kind of spooky...describing all the things kids imagine seeing in their rooms at night. But as the poem progresses, it goes in a new direction, helping kids understand that sometimes your imagination just goes a little wild. And when that happens, it's OK -- you just need to rein it in a bit. For instance, the last lines of "The Dark" are: "And just when I think I'll run away / The black gets lighter, turns to gray. / Nothing happens, minutes pass / Like raindrops down a window glass. / I take a deep breath and realize / My imagination has tricked my eyes / All that was, is still is / So off I go, to sleep that is."

I just really think this book is wonderful with a great and inspiring message. Nothing crass, but not overly sweet either. Kids will like it as much as adults -- and that's saying a lot these days!

Who hasn't imagined a stuffed animal coming to life? This book is filled with wonder for both boys and girls. And the illustrations are inspiring as well.

Written by Joanne Froh, Imagine This is a collection of short, rhyming poems for young readers, illustrated in exquisite detail with black-and-white ink drawings by artist Frances Plagens. Emphasizing the power of creativity, Imagine This is a lyrical adventure through the realms and stories of the mind. "The Dark": Tap tap // What was that? / Straight up in bed I sat / Eyes wide open peering, listening / Listening for something nearing. / Something creeping down the hall? / Its shadow cast upon the wall?

Did you ever dream of flying? Do you remember when a cardboard box was a castle? The intricate illustrations and lyrical prose in "Imagine This" will take grownups back to the days when imagination and make-believe could fill a summer day and inspire children to find the magic in the world around them.

What a wonderful and insightful book this is! The tempi recommended are what blows me away-every one suddenly makes the song fit like a glove. The comments and background info for the composers and individual pieces are very thorough-I only wish there was every French melodie in there, I feel so much more secure with the songs that are included!

In the Foreword Bernac modestly says that the book "does not claim to be anything more than a guide for English-speaking singers who wish to study a repertoire which may not be very familiar to them". It is in fact far more than that, and French-speaking singers will find his suggestions for interpretation, tempo, expression and dynamics to be invaluable. He has an unerring instinct for when a song merits a few general comments for its interpretation and when it calls for a detailed phrase-by-phrase analysis. His choice of repertoire for inclusion in this relatively compact book is surprisingly comprehensive. Particularly useful are his suggestions for when to use the liaison (final consonants being sounded before a word that begins with a vowel, which happens more frequently in poetic language than in normal speech) and when not to. Liaisons are not always intuitive or obvious, even to those who were born and brought up in French.

This book is an essential resource for singers or teachers of singing by someone who knows.

I bought an interpretation of French Art Song book, it came perfect condition. Very happy with the transaction! C'est magnifique!

Pierre Bernac's book is an invaluable resource for all classical singers, voice teachers and vocal coaches. His writing is eloquent and graceful and the facts he offers on French diction and song interpretation are easy to comprehend. The poems of major French poets, set to music by many foremost French composers, are analyzed with guidance on elision and liaison, breath points and interpretation.He also includes a poetic English translation of each poem. Having been fortunate enough to have worked with Pierre Bernac earlier in my singing career, I have complete confidence in his artistic thoughts on all aspects of diction and performance of the French mélodie. My book is falling apart after all these years and I will most certainly buy another! You voice students out there who are interested in performance-GET THIS BOOK!

Eileen Davis, Author of: Sing French, Diction for Singers

New information is always one of the factors I like to glean from a non-fiction book. Sometimes the new material is major, sometimes minor. I immediately liked this book because I found a tiny bit of information that I've been curious about for years. A famous unsung, middle-class patron of many of the world's great artists who resided in Montparnasse ran a "Cremerie" directly across the street from Academie Colarossi Art School. The tiny café was described in numerous biographies but the shop owner was always described simply as "Madame Charlotte." I'd done a little research trying to discover more about this fascinating businesswoman whose building was stuffed with artworks and who loaned money to Gauguin so he could travel to the South Seas, but was unable to find her last name. It seemed to have been lost to history. On page 22 of this book the mystery was solved. She was identified as "Madame Charlotte Caron." That discovery immediately led me to buy this book that is chuck full of interesting biographies as well as more than 700 photographs of the artists described and their work as well as information about the people around this legendary Roaring Twenties artist's community. This encyclopedia of information is tied together by featuring Kiki (Alice Prin) at various points. It could have been tied together by using anyone of several artists who were such an integral part of the "Camelot of Paris Art." Picasso or Man Ray would have done equally as well, but neither of them was French or as sexy to look at in the nude.
This book is well worth reading. In many ways, it's like looking at a personal photo album with really good captions explaining the pictures and the people in them. Unlike most personal photo albums this one includes pictures of the "underside" of Paris along with pictures of its residents dressed and undressed. The residents apparently loved to party as demonstrated by the huge number of masked balls and other wild parties shown in picture after picture. This book is extra interesting because of the informal portraits of so many famous artists at work and definitely at play. With snapshots of the smoky world of the cafes, the brothels, the art schools, and the hedonistic picnics, the book makes that by-gone era live again. Kiki, with her cabaret dancing, nude modeling, infamous lovemaking and bubbling personality was the very personification of the hedonistic age that produced creativity the likes of which the world has seldom witnessed. She makes a perfect sexy trunk and limbs upon which to hang this elm tree-sized collection of colorful historic portraits.

This book gives both an excellent pictorial and verbal description of the evolution of the artistic life in bohemian Paris in the early twentieth century. Well researched and written, it brings the ongoing revolution in art (what defines art?) as well as society (the role of classes, women, etc) into both clear focus and understanding. The pictures are both numerous and superb and gives the book a real 'you are there' sense as well. The wealth of detail is sometimes almost overwhelming in fact. An very readable and enjoyable book!!

"KIKI'S PARIS: Artist and Lovers 1900-1930" faithfully evokes the era when Paris served as the nexus for the flowering of artistic movements as diverse as cubism, fauvism, futurism, and dadaism. Each photograph tells a rich story of the personalities and the city that shaped and inspired them.

This is a book that you'll want to read and re-read again and again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

A time long gone of the parisian model for the teeming artists. Lots of great photo's and listings of the people of that time period. Puts you " there " as soon as you open the book. A timeless book of a wonderful age.

This book gives a wonderful photo journal insight into the free-spirited years of early 20th century Paris. The photos and descriptions are magnificent. This book will take you there in an instant.

These Knopf Guides are fantastic. They are beautiful little books, they are not quick guides, they are conscious and indepth. The images are well presented and the text highly informative. This book on New York is especially good, New York is unique and lends itself well to a guide of this kind. Highly recommended.

It's the most handy guidebook I ever used. It tells you all the attractions in Manhattan and it doesn't flood you wth words. It organized into sections, so you don't have to fold the map over and over to find where you want to go. If you love to travel by yourself and you don't want to carry a big book around and look like a tourist, you should get this book.

It's only good for Manhattan though.

If you are traveling to NYC, and spending your time in Manhattan, this is the only map book you will need. It's compact, and will fit in your pocket, and is easy to use and to read.

It starts with a map of Manhattan, which is divided into several sections. Each section has a corresponding map. When you open the book to a section, you will see some text and small pictures showing some of the highlights that you may want to see in the area. Then, the page folds out to a detailed map that is large enough to read easily, even while your walking, but still quite compact. The paper is very heavy, and after ten days of extensive use, my book has no torn maps, or even battered edges.

The back of the book has both bus and subway maps, and although they are pretty small, you can still use them to get around on public transportation. The only thing I used to supplement this book was a compass, which helped when we emerged from a subway tunnel, and needed a quick direction.

The cost of this book is only slightly more than a traditional map and is, in my opinion, an incredible value for the money. As a first-time visitor to NYC using this book, I was amazed that I never got lost; not even once!

We used this book on our first visit to Manhatten and found the book to be very helpful. After preparing for our visit with this book, I felt comfortable and a familiarity with the city.

folks, this is the best idea for a tourbook/map that i have stumbled across yet. i'm not prone to raving, but this will garner praise from me until the cows come home (bearing foot & mouth) no doubt.

so, why is this so great? first of all, it's simple and well designed. the city is broken down into sections. you turn to those pages and there is a brief description of places to eat, shop, etc. the pages then open up into a map of the section with a description of major sites in the area.

brilliant! no fumbling around a big map trying to find your street. no squinting to figure out where you are. it's easy to find landmarks, metro stops, etc.

the card stock is nice and heavy and has lasted well even in my back pocket. the descriptions have been helpful without being too lengthy. and at this price, it's quite competitive with other maps while providing much more.

Hesselbein and Cohen have assembled and brilliantly edited "enduring insights on leadership" from the Drucker Foundation's award-winning journal. What a superb selection of essays they offer! The Introduction by Hesselbein (all by itself) is well worth the cost of the book. As for the 37 individual essays, they are organized within seven Parts:

I. On Leaders and Leadership (eg Peter Drucker, Max DePree, and Herb Kelleher)

II. Leading Innovation and Transformation (eg Peter M. Senge, John P. Kotter, and Douglas K. Smith)

III. Leadership in the New Information Economy (eg Esther Dyson, Margaret Wheatley, and Kevin Kelly)

IV. Competitive Strategy in a Global Economy (eg Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ann Winblad, and Keniche Ohmae)

V. Leading for High Performance (eg Steven R. Covey, Jim Collins, and Noel Tichy)

VI. Building Great Teams (eg Warren Bennis, Jon R. Katzenbach, and J. Richard Hackman)

VII. Leadership Across the Sectors (eg John W. Gardner, Regina Hetzlinger, and James E. Austin)

I know of no other single volume in which so many great business thinkers are represented by so many of their landmark essays. The editors are to be commended for the selections; also for the structure within which those selections are organized. This is "must reading" for leaders and, especially, for whose who aspire to be leaders.

"People both in this country and around the world also have an enormous hunger for ideas; that's why three years ago the Drucker Foundation launched 'Leader to Leader', a journal of ideas by leaders for leaders."Frances Hesselbein writes, "this hunger among millions of working executives demonstrates their concern for the future and a commitment to make a difference. The incisive thinkers and remarkable leaders who have contributed to the journal and to this book open doors, spark ideas, raise signal flags, and help satisfy that universal hunger."

In this context, I partially summarized only five of the thirty-seven essays written by thirty-seven talented thinkers.

I. Peter F. Drucker writes: "the three people from whom I learned the most in my work were all very different. The first two were exceptionally demanding; the third was exceptionally brillant. All three taught me a lot...Five lessons I learned from those remarkable men still apply today:

1. Treat people differently, based on their strengths.

2. Set high standards, but give people the freedom and responsibility to do their job.

3. Performance review must be honest, exacting, and an integral part of the job.

4. People learn the most when teaching others.

5. Effective leaders earn respect-but they don't need to be liked.

II. Doris Kearns Goodwin lists ten lessons from the stories of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and Franklin Roosevelt for leaders of today's organizations:

1. Timing is (almost) everything.

2. Anything is possible if you share the glory.

3. Trust, once broken, is seldom restored.

4. Leadership is about building connections.

5. Leaders learn from their mistakes.

6. Confidence-not just in oneself-counts.

7. Effective partnership require devotion to one's partners.

8. Renewal comes from many sources.

9. Leaders must be talent brokers.

10. Language is one's most powerful tool.

III. John P. Kotter argues: "No organization today-large or small, local or global-is immune to change. To cope with new technological, competitive, and demographic forces, leaders in every sector have sought to alter fundamentally the way their organizations do business. These change efforts have paraded under many banners-total quality management, reengineering, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, turnarounds. Yet according to most assessments, few of these efforts accomplish their goals. Fewer than fifteen of the one hundred or more companies I have studied have successfully transformed themselves." Hence, he lists eight critical steps to transform your organization:

1. Establish a sense of urgency.

2. Form a powerful guiding coalition.

3. Create a vision.

4. Communicate the vision.

5. Empower others to act on the vision.

6. Plan for and create short-term wins.

7. Consolidate improvements and produce still more change.

8. Institutionalize new approaches.

IV. Warren Bennis argues: "I believe that behind every Great Man is a Great Group, an effective partnership. And making up every Great Group is a unique construct of strong, often eccentric individuals. So the question for organizations is, How do you get talented, self-absorbed, often arrogant, incredibly bright people to work together?" And he suggests ten principles common to all Great Groups:

1. At the heart of every Great Group is a shared dream.

2. They manage conflict by abandoning individual egos to the pursuit of the dream.

3. They are protected from the "suits".

4. They have a real or invented enemy.

5. They view themselves as winning underdogs.

6. Members pay a personal price.

7. Great Groups make strong leaders.

8. Great Groups are the product of meticulous recruiting.

9. Great Groups are usually young.

10. Real artists ship.

V. J. Richard Hackman identifies a number of mistakes that managers make in setting up and leading work teams.

Mistake 1. Use a team for work that is better done by individuals.

Mistake 2. Call the performing unit a team but really manage members as individuals.

Mistake 3. Fall off the authority balance team.

Mistake 4. Dismantle existing organizational structures so that teams will be fully empowered to accomplish the work.

Mistake 5. Specify challenging team objectives, but skimp on organizational supports.

Mistake 6. Assume that members already have all the skills they need to work well as a team.

I highly recommend this excellent collection as a whole.

This is a collection of outstanding contributions from the Journal of the Drucker Foundation, by leaders and thinkers. Key sections focus on: leaders and leadership; leading innovation and transformation; leadership in the new information economy; competitive strategy in a global economy; leading for high performance; and building great teams.

A few of the contributors include: Peter Drucker, Charles Handy, John Kotter, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Steven Kerr, Noel Tichy, Stephen Covey, Warren Bennis and Peter Senge. This book offers an enormous amount of rich content. Recommended. Reviewed by Yvette Borcia, Managing Partner, Stern & Associates, co-author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

"People in both in this country and around the world have an enormous hunger for ideas; that's why three years ago the Drucker Foundation launched 'Leader to Leader', a journal of ideas by leaders for leaders."Frances Hesselbein writes, "This hunger among millions of working executives demonstrates their concern for the future and a commitment to make a difference. The incisive thinkers and remarkable leaders who have contributed to the journal and to this book open doors, spark ideas, raise signal flags, and help satisfy that universal hunger."

In this context, I summarized partially only four of the thirty-seven essays written by talented thinkers as follows:

I. Peter F. Drucker writes: "The three people from whom I learned the most in my work were all very different. The first two were exceptionally demanding; the third was exceptionally brillant. All three taught me a lot...Five lessons I learned from those remarkable men still apply today:

1. Treat people differently, based on their strengths.

2. Set high standards, but give people the freedom and responsibility to do their job.

3. Performance review must be honest, exacting, and an integral part of the job.

4. People learn the most when teaching others.

5. Effective leaders earn respect-but they don't need to be liked.

II. Doris Kearns Goodwin lists ten lessons from the stories of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and Franklin Roosevelt for leaders of today's organizations.

1. Timing is (almost) everything.

2. Anything is possible if you share the glory.

3. Trust, once broken, is seldom restored.

4. Leadership is about building connections.

5. Leaders learn from their mistakes.

6. Confidence-not just in oneself-counts.

7. Effective partnerships reqire devotion to one's partners.

8. Renewal comes from many sources.

9. Leaders must be talent brokers.

10. Language is one's most powerful tool.

III. Warren Bennis argues: "I belive that behind every Great Man is a Great Group, an effective partnership. And making up every Great Group is a unique construct of strong, often eccentric individuals. So the question for organizations is, How do you get talented, self-absorbed, often arrogant, incredibly bright people to work together?" And he suggests ten principles common to all Great Groups:

1. At the heart of every Great Groups is a shared dream.

2. They manage conflict by abandoning individual egos to the pursuit of the dream.

3. They are protected from the "suits".

4. They have a real or invented enemy.

5. They view themselves as winning underdogs.

6. Members pay a personal price.

7. Great Groups make strong leaders.

8. Great Groups are the product of meticulous recruiting.

9. Great Groups are usually young.

10. Real artists ship.

IV. J. Richard Hackman identifies a number of mistakes that managers make in setting up and leading work teams.

1. Use a team for work that is better done by individuals.

2. Call the performing unit a team but really manage members as individuals.

3. Fall off the authority balance team.

4. Dismantle existing organizational structures so that teams will be fully empowered to accomplish the work.

5. Specify challenging team objectives, but skimp on organizational supports.

6. Assume that members already have all the skills they need to work well as a team.

Not only these essays, but all of the book as a whole is strongly recommended.

The Leader to Leader magazine, from The Drucker Foundation, is consistently one of the best magazines for insightful leadership thinking. Now the 'best of the best' has been gathered for this handbook. Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter's insight into the four most common mistakes that cause change efforts to fail are superb and right on the money -- and his chapter is just one of thirty-seven. I wish this book had been available when I started my leadership journey many years ago! Whether you are just beginning your leadership journey or you are well on your way to becoming a SmartLeader, this book is a resource that you will benefit from today and in the days ahead.