Presentations Books

A thoroughly engaging book about meaningful architecture - it now holds a very special place in my architecture library, right next to Michael Benedikt's For An Architecture of Reality.
Excellent for anyone interested in Peter Zumthor's work.

Reading this book was like reading a long-lost secret manual of
"How to become a 21 century Samurai..." I guess that sense of delusion rises because the content and the tone of book has this (quasi) idea of medieval perfection achieved through a repetition of hands-on practice. "I do not work towards architecture from a theoretically defined point of departure, for I am committed to making architecture,," writes Zumthor.

Moreover, a reader, at the back of her/his head, has those powerful images of Bath House in Vaals (tour de force of phenomenological experience) that intensifies the delusion. One would think, 'Zumthor must be a man from Mars to build architecture like that' and 'his writings must be a strong sleeping pill.' Usual Suspect !

He writes extremely clear with extremely simple terms. This slim book tells us how an architect of such originality thinks and experiences daily life. It's a great pleasure to find out what kind of music (Mozart's piano concertos) zumthor listens; what kind of artists (Beuys and Merz) he likes; what kind of film he watches (Ettore Scola's film Le Bal); what kind of books (Calvino) he reads; and what kind of sayings ("the hard core beauty") in the radio show captivates him. A former cabinet maker, his book is carefully jointed, just like his buildings. Anyone who found this book fun/inspiring to read should also try Alvaro Siza's "Writings on Architecture"

Wonderful book on contemporary tropical design. Just looking at the pictures transports me to another place! I've even incorporated some of the simple design ideas into my own home. From the simple & serene to the eclectic, you won't be disappointed.

In short, this book has exceptional photos and displays wonderful furniture and design of natural materials. It's amazing to see how these materials can be formed into such beautiful and practical pieces of furniture. It's functional art!

What is unusual about The Truth about Managing Your Career...And Nothing but the Truth is that readers at different levels in their careers will find this book useful. Someone graduating from school or someone aiming at the executive suite will benefit from reading it.

The underlying messages in the book are profound yet simple ways to develop the most effective mindset, behaviors and approaches to use in the workplace. The 60 chapters are truths which help you excel in your current job as well as pave the way to the next level in your career. One of the most practical aspects of this book is the way it unveils the causes and reasons for mistakes you have made without being aware of them until later when you are puzzled. I found this book and its examples very enlightening.

Anita Yeung
Hong Kong

I was recently given the opportunity to attend a leadership development class that was sponsored by our organization. I purchased "The Truth About Managing Your Career" and decided to bring it with me to the training sessions. I was amazed and delighted by how well the book supplemented the sessions with its clear, concise and informative chapters. I recommend this book for any aspiring leader, and it should definitely be part of everyone's leadership toolbox.

What a tremendous step forward from prior universal design home building/remodeling books. It inspires as it educates the reader about the pragmatic sensibility of this concept. Plentiful, excellent color photography and diagrams backup the top-notch content. Designer Wendy Jordan goes far beyond the functional basics to provide a smart guide to great design that works to everyone's advantage. Her helpful "great idea", "spotlight" and "universal specs" move the reader around all the important home design zones and deliver very important lessons on creating smart living spaces for a much broader range of users while anticipating future needs, be it aging or disability.

This book is a fabulous resource for anyone building or remodeling a home. It demonstrates, both in words and photographs, why universal design is a great idea for anyone, not just people with physical limitations. Who wouldn't want to live in one of the houses pictured in this book? Wider doorways and halls, more efficient and better designed appliances, no threshold to trip over when entering your house--these are all great ideas for all of us. Use this book for yourself, give it to your architect or builder, you will not be sorry.

Simply put, Rollinson's book needs to be on every geochemist's desk. Hard rock, soft rock - majors, trace, or isotopes, this book is an invaluable resource.

This book is simply excellent. It contemplates everything on the geoquímica, being of easy reading and understanding. He approaches concepts and it applies methods very well. The writing form is great, as well as the illustrations and diagrams. It should not lack at in the library, be her particular or public. Congratulations for the people that possess or they will possess that book!

The Virtual Workplace was carefully reviewed and compiled by the editors. It discusses a wide range of topics on the virtual workforce. It provides a source of ideas through analytical, empirical, and case-based studies and helps in advancing the understanding of "the virtual workplace in relationship to the new computer and communication information technologies, people and organizations in the world" (preface). The text will undoubtedly provide discussion for professionals and students in business management and sociology.

Human aspects from both employee and managerial viewpoints, economic issues, and settings including academic teleworkers and teams are all included.

Offers a comprehensive array of information on different ways to present business data. I have not seen such a thorough compilation before, and find that I regularly refer to this when tackling various projects.

This book is an encyclopedia of business graphics. It provides 101 different types of charts and graphs, and is organized based on how and when the chart and graph types are appropriate. The organization is Tracking, Variances And Comparisons, Presentation, Schematics And Maps, Organizing Data/Information, Probability, Prediction And What-If, Strategy, Financial, and Marketing.

I frequently use charts to display data and considered myself an expert; however, I discovered new chart and graph types, such as web maps and Marimekko graphs, that I had never before encountered. It would be an understatement to say that this book has significantly expanded my graphics vocabulary.

What I especially liked, in addition to the wide array of charts, is the advice on effectively using them. Although the writing is terse, each chart is discussed in a consistent format. The accompanying CD ROM adds even more value to this book because 26 of the tools are provided in either PowerPoint, Excel or Acrobat format. This allows you to tailor and use preformatted charts and graphs instead of having to create them from scratch.

A very detailed book about uniforms in Japan, with major focus on school uniforms, but the book also deals with post-school uniforms in the work place and even in the home. Lots of examples and a solid foundation set on past studies, books and surveys. The author also shows the anti-uniform culture, which sometimes ends up being just as uniform. Formal uniforms vs. the cult of playful kawaisa (cuteness).
Really interesting, seeming to follow the changes within the life of the Japanese, from school uniforms, to the college rest period (where you wear whatever you want), to the uniform (and job)they will be wearing the rest of their life.

McVeigh examines how clothing in Japan, specifically the uniform, acts both as social control and socializing mechanism, and also functions as a site for protest and differentiation. Along with the first part, which deals mainly with uniforms, there's also fascinating discussion of Japan's "cult of cuteness", an aesthetic which is fundamentally Japanese and which ranges from Hello Kitty to hardcore .... Did you know that some Japanese schoolgirls actually choose their schools based on how "cute" the school uniform is? Too much. Cool book.

I have owned this book for several years. As a practicing attorney it is very helpful in all aspects of my general law practice. I am a Master Pratictioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming and this book is chuck full of NLP materials and how to use them in the practice of the law. It also is a good book for anyone who wants to be better at communicating with others, being more persuasive and having a better command of using language for persusaion. I have recommended this book to other attorneys to whom I have made presentations. The material is very clear and will be more helpful if reviewed from time to time. A basic book or two on NLP would also be helpful for anyone reading this book. This book is a dynamite, must read for practicing attorneys.

For any lawyer, this book is a must. But it has so much valuable information in it about how people communicate that anyone could benefit from reading it. I have seen many books that merely tell me what I already know about observing and communicating with people. As a lawyer, a writer, and an actress, I find that this book gives me real, practical approaches that can be used in a variety of ways -- to reach others deeply, or to win an argument against them. I'm glad it is now available in a more affordable edition.

This is an exceptional book. It is a quick read with outstanding points for writing in different aspects of business. The author, Susan Benjamin, gives you six steps to use when writing anything. I especially appreciated the section on how to make a quick list of the points you want to cover in your writing before you start writing then using this list to write fast, saving the editing and proofreading for later. Moreover, Ms. Benjamin states that you should find an editor, a good editor, to review your documentation. I suggest that if you want a good book on business writing, this is the one. Buy this book. You will not regret it.

Bad habits and working conditions get in the way of WORDS AT WORK. Writing is easier if you look at it as a process: listing what needs to be covered and when; writing and rewriting for an attention getting opening, a smooth main part, and a memorable ending; editing; getting feedback; and proofreading. Author Susan Benjamin also says to build a portfolio of regularly written documents, find mentors, make reading and writing comfortable habits, pay attention to budgets and deadlines, take classes, use common sense, and write what the boss wants. With her emphasis on appropriately personal or professional tone, lively word use and solid structure, her book works well with Cosmo Ferrara's WRITING ON THE JOB, Marcia Layton's THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO TERRIFIC BUSINESS WRITING, and Jeffrey McQuain's POWER LANGUAGE.