Free Books

Freedom to really live, that's the sum of the book's message. When you take away all the attachments that men are prone to hang on the Gospel, you find liberty. The author understands that having that personal relationship with the Lord, Himself, can't be improved upon by any attachments. This author shows how to get rid of the attachments, and that is the heart of Paul's message to the Roman believers.

I can hardly believe it. My copy of this book is dated from 1976 and has been in continued use since them. Come to think of it, that was the year I entered the ministry and this book has been a constant companion since.

Fritz Ridenour writes for youth, but this commentary on Romans transcends youth and ought to be read by every new Christian. It is simply the best. The genius of Fidenour is that he has the ability to take a very complicated document (Paul's epistle to the Romans) and explain it completely in simple language.

This book has had a profound impact on my understanding of Romans. Twenty years and many Bibles later, I still write in Ridenour's insights in the margin of Romans. This is a great book and must reading for every Christian.

I have had my copy for over 15 years and I find it good to pull this book out and reread it every few years.
The book is a commentary that follows The Book of Romans. The heart of the message is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ - God accepting us, and not earning our salvation through our own works. The book is very well written, very easy to read (I usually reread it in a day or two), and the writing is very down to earth and on the level of the common person.
I first saw this book when I was young in the early 70's - this book has stood a time test, and the writing is still so current today. I reread the book yesterday and it reads like it could have been first published today even though it came out in 1967.
Christianity is a path more than a destination (a way of life in fellowship with God being led by his Holy Spirit). Sometimes you can stray off course, even a little, and start to loose your peace and joy. This book helps me to remember the basics of my salvation and set my heart in the right direction. The beautiful part is this book is so easy to read; no big language, you are not being talked down to, no from another world type of writing - just on your level.
Please read this book. Save a copy, and pull it out every few years. You will be glad you did.

background. I read a copy that was printed in the mid-60's a few years ago. I was a brand new born-again christian coming out of a Roman Catholic background. I understand that things are changing in the catholic church, praise God, but at the time,not much was said about God's grace, and this book helped me out of the religious baggage I had brought with me.Don't get me wrong, I am a bible believing christian, a former youth leader for a Foursquare denomination church, and I plan to do missionary work.This book is not about just doing whatever you feel like, but it is a rich, easy to read explanation of the Book of Romans that examines all the religious things that we do to try to please God so he gets off our backs, or so that we can feel superior to others. This book does a great job of going through Romans and examining our relationship with Christ. It is engaging for the intelligent as it covers the concepts in Romans which are God-breathed, and it is written in an easy to read manner. I have lent this book to many different kinds of people and they were all able to receive from it.It is wonderful for those who came from a legalistic christian background who are just begining to know Christ, so that they can know the freedom that is in Christ.

This is a GREAT book, and fun to read!

It's no wonder it continues to stay in print. I first read the book as a teen. Now more than 30 years later, I just re-read it and I loved it as much as I did the first time!

If anyone were to ask me what a Christian is,why I am one, and how they can become one, this book is one of the greatest resources I could point them to.

In today's world, Teddy Roosevelt would be classified as a sickly geek. As a boy, he had severe bouts of asthma, wore thick glasses and even at age 23 only weighed 130 pounds. This book reveals the people and events that shaped his life. He lost a substantial portion of his inherited wealth when the cattle market collapsed in the 1890's.

Teddy really had multiple concurrent careers, he wrote lots of letters on a daily basis, and he also wrote lots of books and magazine articles, which became the backbone of how he supported his family. The salaries for the various political positions that he held were meagar but he had a terrific work ethic and almost unlimited amounts of energy.

This book is also a ray of sunshine and hope. The 1880's and 1890's were full of corrupt political hacks and yet Teddy found a way to succeed without sacrificing his integrity.

This is a great read and it is my pleasure to recommend it to one and all.

I so enjoyed this book that I wish the author would write a follow-up book on his presidency and the remainder of his life.

Linda Moore
Dallas

It is amazing how Teddy made it to adulthood, let alone bull his way to the top of New York's political scene. His determined mind set against the political corruption of the time is inspiring. We watch as his experiences mold his character and his drive. Grondahl's book unfolds this oft overlooked portion of Teddy'a life and is a necessary read for those who really want to meet Teddy Roosevelt.

TR has always been one of my two favorite Presidents (the other being JFK), and this book is more than just your typical biography on him. It takes the unique angle of writing only about TR's life and political career before he became President, starting with his childhood and going through his political development, service in government, personal triumphs and tragedies, stint as a Rough Rider, time as Vice President, and finally having the last chapter be about his famous late-night ride to take the Oath of Office after President McKinley finally succumbed to his gunshot wound. We learn about how his experiences during this part of his life formed his political philosophy and development, making this incredible human being into the astute incredible President and politician he became over time. Mr. Grondahl really knows how to do his research and how to make it interesting and relevant instead of just some dry recounting of facts, names, and dates. It was also an added bonus how the author lives in the same area as I do.

This book was an interesting look at the early life of Theodore Roosevelt, but the true masterpiece here is the index. Perfectly alphabetical and full of surnames followed by given names, the index deserves a Pulitzer all its own!

A fascinating book. Paul Grondahl shows TR's political rise as an explosive combination of two different factors or forces -- one internal and one external.

These forces are on display on the cover of the book. The title ("rose like a rocket") suggests the circumstances that quickly propelled TR into political opportunity. New York, and the nation, were ripe for a patrician reformer. Yet, as the book makes clear, Roosevelt's life consisted as much of sorrow as of opportunity. So external events are insufficient to explain his success.

The subtitle ("political education") suggests the more important factor -- TR's intellectually aggressive approach to life, which enabled him to constantly improve by learning from his mistakes. Roosevelt himself seldom admitted to mistakes. So it takes a great journalist and historian like Grondahl to extract those lessons for us. A very enjoyable piece of detective work!

Dr DeRosa's book was entertaining, easy to read and packed with anecdotes and information. As an investment pro, his book gave me a greater insight into the often arcane political manipulations that eventually sow the seeds for economic instability. He pulls no punches when he states that central banks and governments themselves set themselves up to be the eventual "victims" of their own bad policies and instead of doing something different, they blame the speculator.
I like his information "boxes" that help the reader with the technical details of the book. Although I have long been a fan of single currency idea's, DeRosa's book has given me reason to pause. Well referenced and well researched.
The reviews by Dr Hanke and Dr Friedman can't hurt either.

This work is illuminating and speaks to issues beyond the world of finance, like politics and ideaology. DeRosa lays out clear and consice arguments in defense of free floating exchange rates and against fixed exchange-rate regimes.

The author debunks the propaganda supporting fixed exchange-rate regimes with insightful analyses based on the facts of the various currency crises that occured during the 1990s. Particularly interesting is the fact that leaders around the world are either ignorant of or chose to ignore the last ten (let alone the last 100) years worth of economic history and persist in attempting to control and plan economies. This book should be required reading not only for finance professionals and central bankers, but anyone interested in how the decisions of people in appointed positions (like the head of a central bank or finance ministry)have far-reaching and often dire consequences.

"In Defense of Free Capital Markets is an impressive survey and analysis of the crises of the 1990s. Mr. DeRosa makes a strong case that official intervention has made matters worse, not better, and that in such instances it is far better to leave it to the invisible hand of the market than to the clumsy, visible hand of regulators."

--Milton Friedman Senior Research Fellow, Hoover Institution Nobel Economics Prize, 1976

Professor DeRosa offers up a generous helping of reality in evaluating the currency crises of the past dozen or so years. From the first world foibles of the Bank of Japan to the third world of currency pegs, the currency calamities of the late twentieth century are thoughtfully presented in a lean read.

While perhaps giving short shrift to the political constraints facing policy makers in times of crisis, Mr. DeRosa nevertheless does well describing the environments and pre-conditions which ultimately fostered our most recent international financial catastrophes.

In this, the age of fiat money, unsustainable currency policies are easy prey for the worlds biggest market. Anyone interested in a brief but informative history of recent currency debacles will truly enjoy this book.

Yale University adjunct professor David F. DeRosa argues that markets are smarter than government ministries. Therefore, he contends, economic development should be left to the free market, since tighter regulations will only distort development. His detailed analysis of economic conditions focuses on factors leading to several crises, including the decline of the Mexican and Japanese economies in the 1990s and the Southeast Asian collapse of 1997. The subject is complicated and interesting, and the writing is often technical and sometimes complex. We at getAbstract call this book to the attention of scholars, executives and managers who have a serious interest in fiscal policy. And we do mean serious.

Codevilla knows this subject. Years spent as a working intelligence professional and more years teaching the subject. His thesis, that intelligence is an instrument of conflict, is the most important place to start in understanding this book. As its title suggests, Codevilla wants intelligence server purpose, and that purpose is statecraft. Elsewhere, he enumerates the challenges of statecraft itself. Here, he focuses on a special - and especially important - aspect of statecraft: intelligence.

Written before 9/11, Informing Statecraft makes hay from Cold War intelligence experiences. Consequently, the book does not address the complex issues and consequences of pre-9/11 intelligence matters or those matters associated with weapons of mass destruction intelligence Iraq. Those issues Codevilla deals with in other writings.

To begin, Codevilla does a fine job of organizing the disciplines of intelligence. Guiding the reader through the thicket of terms and arcana, Codevilla structures his discussion of collection, analysis and production, counterintelligence, and covert action to provide the reader the foundation for the critique of these disciplines, which follows.

With respect to the collection disciplines, Codevilla argues that nearly any fact can be of great importance - or of no importance - depending on the use to which an decision maker might put it. It is possible for a political leader or military commander to choose the right course of action with little (or in spite of) information. Whether a fact turns out to be useful or harmful depends on timeliness, volume, intelligibility and inherent relevance. The consequences of poor collection capability are profound: not having a spy in the enemy camp means never knowing for sure about what is being prepared for the future. Not having a spy means relying on observation, with all its invitations to self-deception.

Once in a while a fact - a picture, a message, an event - is so clearly important that its value is self-evident. In such cases, an intelligence service may transmit the fact to policymakers without analysis, and the policymakers will see its meaning clearly. But even in such clearly obvious cases the key is knowing the difference between facts that can be treated that way and those that cannot. Consequently, the act of screening information for relevance itself becomes an act of analysis. Codevilla observes that two nemeses lurk behind every analytical process. First, there is rarely enough data to draw an unchallengeable conclusion. Second, since the data concern human struggles, it is likely to have been biased precisely in order to deceive the analyst. Moreover, the analyst, being human, comes fully equipped with bias.

Codevilla argues persuasively that serious interest and serious mind are the real prerequisites for quality analysis, and these characteristics distinguish professionals from amateurs. The author quotes Plato in saying that only an expert thief can understand thievery. Knowledge of perverse practices, argues Plato, is necessary but not sufficient to understand perversion. Vulnerability to such perversities is most acute during periods of urgency and stress. This is because, with regard to dynamic events, the analyst is at his greatest disadvantage: The data is sketchiest, the opportunities for deception and self-deception are greatest, and the time is shortest. The analyst must rely solely on his knowledge of the character of the people he is observing under such circumstances.

With respect to the contemporary question of intelligence failure in the nature of surprise, Codevilla's thesis is simple and clear: intelligence has done all it can when it delivers the best possible report that the facts allow to the right person at the right time. Distinguishing such intelligence failures from failures standing from other sources, he notes that the real intelligence failure at Pearl Harbor was not one of intelligence at all. The collectors instantly analyzed, and even managed to deliver. But the high officials who received the product did not order action.

Two factors intervene to complicate the proper delivery of intelligence. First, the providers of intelligence are jealous of their sources and methods. Second, the various users of intelligence all realize that the power to state officially what foreign conditions are like is at the same time the power to determine military budgets and foreign policy.

Codevilla addresses the discipline of counterintelligence in a refreshingly mature and disciplined manner. He thinks of the discipline of counterintelligence primarily as a quality control function. While intelligence services must busy themselves with a host of things, a part of them must be constantly devoted to collecting and analyzing facts about other intelligence services - in short, doing counterintelligence. Counterintelligence is often confused with security, that is, merely with protecting secrets and protecting against subversion. Whereas the objective of security is to cut and prevent all contacts between hostiles and those who are to be protected the objective of counterintelligence is to engage hostile intelligence, control what it knows, and if possible control also what it does. As others have argued, Codevilla acknowledges counterintelligence is the queen on the intelligence chessboard: when one side loses the contest for quality control, its intelligence services become a net liability.

Codevilla urges a fresh understanding of covert action as a complement to contemporary statecraft. Secret relationships, he argues are a means of playing some members of a government against others, or of dealing with an entire body politic under false pretense. The commonplace view that covert action, which Codevilla calls "covered warfare," is the weapon par excellence of the weak states is true, he argues, but misleading. First, covert action works for the weak no insofar as they are weak, but insofar as they are smart. Second, it works even better for the strong than it does for the weak.

Having established a framework for his discussion, Codevilla turns to a critique of contemporary American intelligence.

As he was in previous publications, and has been in subsequent ones, the author is particularly hard on the CIA. Among all other nations, the United States struggles with the human intelligence discipline. This truth is born out in the historical facts of America's human intelligence institutions. The notion of the gentleman spy who steals into enemy territory to sow treachery and steal secrets has no basis at all in the history of the real Office of Strategic Services, the CIA's forerunner.

Today, he argues, real American spies, following the tradition of British intelligence, live by the rule that they themselves should neither masquerade as natives nor steal documents, but rather that they themselves should recruit and manage the people who do such things. Lacking technical, cultural, practical competence with respect to their targets, such spies will at best be ineffectual, at worst, liabilities. Writing before 9/11, Afghanistan, and Iraq, Codevilla offers a long and detailed critique focusing on pre-9/11 failures of US intelligence. He concludes that real intelligence reform will be extraordinarily difficult.

First, Congress is not well-positioned to shape intelligence. Congress lacks the required expertise, and the rule that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee may serve no more than eight years, and members of the House Intelligence Committee no more than six, helps to hold down expertise.

Second, it was before 9/11 and remains today extremely difficult to focus intelligence activities on the most important strategic challenges the country faces. True reform, Codevilla argues, does not consist of procedures, budgets, or of drawing bureaucratic "wiring diagrams" much less of bureaucratic vendettas. It consists of figuring out how the needs of the future differ from what the present bureaucracies deliver, and then acting dispassionately.

Third, Codevilla expresses concern over the quality of America's ability to attract and retain quality intelligence professionals. As with military for foreign service officers, intelligence professionals must be selected from among those intellectually qualified people who want to join the fray on their country's behalf. Commitment to the ends of one's country truly frees intelligence professionals to search for the most effective means. Moreover, intelligence is a people-intensive business. Good performance depends on an unusually wide variety of talents. Many of these talents are rare, and most are not of the sort that can be taught, especially by governments.

Reform is essential, concludes Codevilla. Even - or especially - in the post-9/11 world, this book is important. In the long run, he argues, governments get the intelligence they deserve. Whether in the post-9/11 world the American people are benefiting from their nation's recent and acute struggles with intelligence remains unclear - despite a dedicated and energetic effort at reform.

Yes, Informing Statecraft: Intelligence for a New Century is relentlessly critical of the blundering past performance of various administrations, e.g., "Note well that liberals in America, when in charge of government at any level, of university faculties, or of CIA directorates, take care to hire and award contracts to likeminded folk and to exclude others." P 231.

And, yes the aphorisms are authentic, fascinating, and call for radical reformation e.g., "Sound knowledge of a disorderly world, rather than faith in a trouble free, post-end-of-history `new world order,' will best fit nations to thrive in the twenty-first century." P 72. "There is never enough intelligence to guarantee instant success at no cost and never enough to overcome entrenched prejudice." P 213. "It is more important to define what any particular job, e.g., espionage, is to accomplish, how it is to be accomplished, and to hire the right kinds of people to do it, than it is to decide for which bureaucracy these people will work." P 293.

But the roots of this work lie deep in lessons that humankind desperately needs to understand now at the beginning of the new millennium: the mystery of foreign lands and the mystery of the language, culture, and people integral to them.
o Despite superficial signs of a uniform world culture (cassette recorders, jeans, soda pop, burgers, rock groups), Africans are becoming more African, Asians more Asian, Russians more Russian, etc. The often astonishingly good English spoken by young people from Moscow to Mecca - never mind the Indian subcontinent, where it is the lingua franca - has led many U.S. analysts to the disastrous conclusion that foreigners can be understood in terms of what they say in English. On the contrary, their English words are our symbols, to which they do not necessarily attach the same meaning or convictions we attach. P 239.
o The characteristics of the person sent to gather information often make the difference between information that is useful and information that is worse than useless. P 301.
o The network is most important. Closed terrorist cells in the Middle East are part of the semiopen entourages of terrorist chieftains who are part of overt Palestinian politics in which Arab governments take major parts. P 311.
o Among the most effective forms of propaganda is the propaganda of the deed-the sight of a corpse, and the feeling that one may be next. Nothing so cements a movement for the long run as martyrs, nor changes a government so definitively as killing its members or supporters. P 375.

After my first reading of Informing Statecraft, I read it at random, and find that no matter where I pick up the thread, it produces a comprehensively researched and unrivaled account of the intelligence industry. As always, Codevilla navigates the shoals of this information with great skill and dexterity.

Glad it's back in print! The best book on intelliegnce out there, a beautiful sythesis of general principles and historical examples. In particular, Codevilla has grasped James Jesus Angleton's seemingly simple insight -- that our enemies, as thinking, breathing human beings, may actually go out of their way to feed us false intelligence, so that we will believe things that aren't true -- which has been totally lost to CIA for almost 30 years. Instead, it has been replaced with a naive faith that CIA is simply too smart and professional to be fooled.
Codevilla, from years as a Senate intelligence staffer, knows otherwise, and he chronicles one blunder after another. The lesson: since few if any of Codevilla's proposals were implemented, when CIA says something does or doesn't exist, you should be very, very skeptical. CIA has secret intelligence right? They know things we don't, right? Wrong.

"It is not too gross an exaggeration that when considering any given threat, DIA will overestimate, CIA will underestimate, and INR will blame the U.S. for it." From his opening chapter and his distinction between static, dynamic, and technical facts, on through a brilliant summary of the post-war spy on page 103 and lengthy sections on how we've gotten it wrong, how we can get it right, and what is needed in the way of reform, I found this book worthy of study. An analyst and political staffer by nature, the strength of this book rests on the premise in the title: that intelligence should be about informing policy, not about collecting secrets for secrets' sake.

Admirably writeen, lucid prose, outstanding thought, this book would be the first book I would assign to anyone looking to understand the nature of intelligence.

It is interesting to note that Codevilla wrote two of the best introductions on "how to think" about two major subjects- about war in "War, Ends and Means" and "Statecraft". It is a crime that this book is out of print, and one should do everything in ones power to obtain a copy.

The only other book in the intelligence field that approaches this level of worth is "The New KGB, Engine of Societ Power", an older 1980's book by Robert Corson. All the other poor books on intelligence either take the character of "The Puzzle Palace" (which is stupid and an insider's pro-old boys network hack job) or one of Noam Chomsky's blithering semi-conspiracy theories. "Informing Statecraft" is the only type of really usefull intellectual companion to intelligence work in all existance.

This book is exactly what an intelligence book should be- an attack on the structural inadequacies of the United States intelligence community in the guise of a "how-to" book on how to run things correctly. Flipping through the book, one will wonder at the bales of common sensical yet brilliant realpolitik critiques involved in his analysis of what intelligence should be about.

Her weaving of personal narrative and political context makes this book a must read for feminists of all genres and anyone interested in learning more about the real lives of activists, women and daughters. Making real the complexity of family, relationships and love is a journey for the rest of us too.

Bettina reviews a very important period; her growth, both personal and political, make for fascinating reading. I know her, and many of the persons and events in the book, and her "take" on them is very insightful. Events in her family, which took/take up so much of the reviewers time, are treated, I think, with respect and love, and don't detract from what is a wonderful story. Bravo to her.

I was one of Bettina's students when she taught at SJSU thirty years ago. Her classes were always packed. She is an amazing lecturer and scholar. She had a tremendous impact on all of her young students.

Even thirty years later, I am impressed by her will, determination, and her sense of self. I read an excerpt of this book published in a local news magazine, but even before I read the excerpt I knew I would buy her book.

Most individuals at some point in their lives reflect on their childhood and how it formed who they are today. Bettina's book does this and more...she examines why she makes the choices she did in a manner that is honest. She does not go for the "easy out", but then she never did.

Her lessons and her ability to bear witness to her own life can easily be internalized and applied to your own experiences. You don't have to agree with her politics...you just have to recognize her unique humanity and in doing that you will grow yourself.

Like many others involved in the struggles of the Sixties and thereafter, I was aware of Bettina Aptheker: plaintiff in the famous lawsuit that finally validated the legality of the CPUSA; "red diaper baby" of the famous Herbert Aptheker; and participant in many organizations and campaigns. Also like many others, I had no idea at all about the interior person, the feeling individual who was Bettina Aptheker. The revelations of this book were a bit of a shock to me, though not so much as once they might have been, largely due to the feminist movement's success in raising consciousness about the too-common dysfunction of American families.

What makes this book powerful is the way in which the author weaves in her personal experience, the dimension of feeling, with events of the time and all in the context of relationships both comradely and familial. It seems almost a cliche to say it took great courage for her to live life as she did--shattering the conventions that bound her from sexual awareness and recognition of the crimes committed against her by her famous father. Add to this the tension and very real danger implicit in being a high-profile, public Communist in the US, and we can see her as a very strong person indeed.

This book is a gift to those who may be stunted by any form of "correct" conformism, especially that generated within traditional patriarchal families. It is also of value to those who cared about the efforts against war and racism...and who still care about these issues. Finally, it is a gift to see how she and her beloved partner have distilled the essential values of their lives into a spiritual practice. Thus, Ms. Aptheker completes a familiar circle from personal anguish to struggle for social justice to personal transformation. For those who consciously walk this circle, Intimate Politics will be a deepening and worthwhile book to read.

There are two distinct and fascinating stories interwoven here.
Ms. Aptheker was part of the inner circle wherever boomers spontaneously manned the barricades for social change. She gives us a meticulous (perhaps too meticulous) first-hand account of the people she knew and the events she lived during the free-speech, civil rights, anti-war, and feminist revolutions. Hence, the word 'politics' in the title.

Then she tells another, much more interesting story. The 'intimate' passages introduce us to a very, very bright, traumatized young girl, one who is eager to please and desperate to fit in. So she steps out bravely -- her courage is astounding (especially her courage to change course in pursuit of integrity)-- but every bold action she takes also exposes her to very real dangers from the powers-that-be. A more sensible person might have withdrawn and conformed, but Ms. Aptheker staggers defiantly on. This is a story about secrets, injuries, shame, stubbornness, self-destruction, self-discovery, healing, and the courage to keep following your star, despite it all.

Well written book with a very nice chapter list...so you can look up specific topics as you find necessary.

this is a funny but also serious read. it gives advice on all borrowing, to dining with cheapskates.
if you lend this book to anyone in the borrower or cheapskate category, make sure you get a deposit from them. preferably the same amount the book cost, because you will probably never get it back and have to buy a new one.

This is a great book for anyone with a friend or family member that has money issues that they can't keep to themselves (in other words, it's a great book for just about everyone!). I highly recommend it.

I am part of the camp of people who are often flummoxed over money issues concerning family/friends/co-workers/neighbors/etc. Reading the insights in this book about all-too-familiar situations compels me to have it on my person at all times.

The book includes questions and advice a la Dear Abby but is of course about all the gray areas we encounter when we loan/borrow money, break or make fiscal promises, inherit (or hope to) money - you name the situation, and it's in the book!

What's particularly fascinating is that authors Fleming and Schwarz include quick snippets of research results (most of the research they conducted themselves) about people's experiences and attitudes around specific money and ethics situations. The data isn't so heavy-handed that you feel like you're reading a social-psych book.

Most of all though, I love the no-nonsense advice that was also peppered with humor and wit. Makes for a really fun read.

We all face problems with friends and relatives in borrowing and lending money. Bequests and gifts can also lead to acrimony that shatters families and friendships. This book explains, with humor, common sense, and the results of well-thought out surveys, how to resolve those issues and, more importantly, how to avoid them in the first place. I highly recommewnd it to anyone who wants to avoid the friction and ill will that can result from dealing with the everyday money matters we face in our daily lives.

Steve Fishman's "Karaoke Nation" is an underrated and relatively undiscovered gem. It covers Fishman's attempted transition from journalist to entrepreneur, intermingled with essay-like takes by Fishman on business today. Those pieces feature some trenchant (and funny) observations on the likes of Fast Company, Tom (the spitter) Peters, The Brand Called You and other late-90s business phenomena.

Where the book really excels is in Fishman's recounting of his attempts to breathe life into Karaoke Nation concept. What I love is his recounting of the interactions between himself and advisors/partners-to-be Steve Reynolds (aptly called "Consigliere" thoughout the book by Fishman), web guru Peter Clemente and Oddcast CEO Adi Sideman. It's really fabulous writing. Hopefully, these three are happy with the way they've been depicted. I think Fishman has drawn each of them in a very positive light.

Other high points include meetings with hip hop entrepreneurs Russell Simmons and Chuck D. Fishman has a real ear and eye for what his readers want to hear out of those interactions.

I do take exception to the comment by another reviewer saying "of course the business failed." Not true. What did happen is that the entire Internet craze got pulled out from under Fishman and his circle (they tried to bring this live in the 1999 - 2000 timeframe). And, Fishman does have a completed product he can point to...see karaoke.oddcast.com for a licensed version of the technology. You can actually go there and record a karaoked version of 'The Tide Is High' and a small number of other tunes. It's pretty slick technology. Fishman got his vision into a product. He can hold his head pretty high.

I loved this book. Steve Fishman offers the reader two great stories in one: his own sometimes hysterical, sometimes bittersweet story of trying to become an internet entrepreneur and all the characters he meets along the way; and the story, the history, really, of American business ethic and practices - from Ben Franklin's principles through the dotcom dreamers and schemers.
Fishman has a wry sense of humor and you will laugh out loud at his encounters with all those who participate in the e-business romp, from his dry cleaner who also sells missiles online, to his colorful partners, to the distractible Israeli commando in pink bathrobe and wooly slippers.
It's no secret or surprise that journalist Fishman fails at business; but, lucky for us, he took lots of notes and turned the experience into a great read!

I was in a friends house yesterday and picked up his copy of kareoke nation. It took me thirty minutes to put it down and we missed our lunch reservation but it was worth it. I can't wait till my copy comes and I can go back to reading it.

Definately a must for people who are interested in wit, modern culture, and a whimsical look at fortunes folly.

I f you love adventure this is the book for you. Steve Fishman has the ability to turn a conversation at a cocktail party into a high wire act of observation. His meeting with Russell Simmons as well as his encounter with his missile selling dry cleaner are hilarious and deeply revealing about the nature of the business culture in this country. I've long been a fan of Mr. Fishman's writing in NY magazine and this book confirms his status as one of the leading reporters on our time.

The most redeeming factor about "Karaoke Nation" is that the concept, which reads like something Bill & Ted would have thought up, fails so miserably. Instead of another IPO story, what we get is a nonevent that proves that even during the nutty Internet boom VC's could occasionally be trusted to filter out unworthy projects.

Fishman, who spends almost a quarter of the book glorifying the 70's granola-flaky ideals that defined his sense of self at Brown University, makes a connection that the weird turned pro sometime during the 90's and things like research, development and execution just didn't matter to business anymore - all it took was an Idea, and Passion.

Unfortunately, Fishman has trouble even on these two counts. The Idea, after throwing away some amusingly low-caliber concepts like a "Hi-Five" dummy arm for lonely sports enthusiasts (don't ask) stumbles out of a bar with a vague concept having something to do with Karaoke (duh) and the Internet (because there's no manufacturing involved, so it sounds easy.) Through his journalistic connections, he ends up partnering with a couple folks who have enough experience to at least fake their way through their Power Point presentations and hype things up to some interesting audiences along the way.

The Passion part proves to be hard as well, partly because Fishman's exercising some truly new mental muscles here, and partly because it becomes increasingly obvious that he's the weak link in the chain. Ultimately, being the "Idea Man" isn't enough to keep his partners from deserting him, and Edison's "1% inspiration, 99% perspiration" success ratio holds true.

The downer for me is that Fishman should have read Tracey Kidder's "The Soul of a New Machine" before writing this book. As I mentioned, while 25% of the book is spent glorifying the marvels of EST, he totally missed out on the fact that the foosball-in-the-office sleep-on-the-floor cult of New Technology office life didn't spring from this; it evolved out of mid-1970's microcomputer engineering culture run amok. Fishman has nothing but disdain for programmers, tech workers, and anybody who actually has to develop things; he is, after all, an Idea Man and seems them as the logical extension of 1950's Organization Man. Even when OddCast provides Karaoke Nation's only saving grace in hacking up a quick demo, Fishman seems ungrateful; the fact that his shred of a non-idea ends up being bought out by his tech partner for a pittance seems poetic justice indeed.

And just in case you're wondering, the Million Dollars didn't happen, although Fishman did mange to find find a little bit of Glamour and Fulfillment along the way.

The book is directed towards teens and above which I was not aware while buying it. Regardless of how it is written it includes very basic information that any parent should know and use with their children, including those that can't read yet. I'm staring a Roth IRA for my 4 year old daughter using the tips from the book. The most useful part of this book from the parent perspective is a list of resources to go to for additional information, like the IRS publications, other books or websites to review. Overall very handy resource, but should be priced below $10.

This book is wonderful! It is a great read, and an easy read for any parent teaching their kids about working and what to do with their money. Their is a lot more to it then just saving your money in the bank, and this book does a great job of breaking down the steps of what to do with your money. It even makes suggestions of jobs that children can do, whether it be working for their parents or getting a job outside of the home. My daughter is only 6, but I started teaching her about money and working for her money about a year ago. Of course I did not go into any complicated details, but I felt the younger the better to learn about money and what to do with it. I learned things from this book that I did not know before, so it was not only helpful for me to explain things to my daughter, but it was helpful for me as well, considering I learned some valuable information that I did not know before. I will keep referring back to book as my daughter gets older, and when she is old enough to understand the book on her own, she will read it as well.

Thank you Tracy, for sharing your knowledge, and making learning about investing your kids money not so scary or complicated.

I try very hard to teach my 17 year old strong money lessons.. he needs a job if he wants to have a car, he has to pay the insuarnce on that car.. the gas, it's mandatory that he save 1/2 of every paycheck he gets for "emercencys" etc. But i have to admit, i never thought of him starting a Roth IRA.

We used this book for a little bit of a different reason. This was the first year my son recieved a "w-2" from his very own job. He was so excited to learn he would be getting money back! So it came in the mail and of course "mommy was gonna take care of it". So there it sat.. in my in box for weeks along with all the other to-do's ~ and then I ran across The Kid's ROTH IRA handbook by Tracy Foote. I skimmed through and something caught my eye... on page 93 a chapter started called "Tax Talk - All about tax forms". It was a step by step explanation of how to fill out a 1040 as well as information behind the questions on the form. It has illistrations of what the form and documents look like and shaded areas with extra information to help them along. There is also a Glossary in the back for words they may not have learned yet. It is really geared towards a wide range of tweens/teens, or a fun read for the parent of a smaller child

So, I grabbed the book, his W2, printed off a 1040 from the internet.. and told him good luck.

Within 30 minutes he had his return ready to go LONG FORM, but even better than that it sparked conversations that will help him immensely in his financial future. Before you know it he has refund deposited into his bank account and he is offically a tax paying citizen!

This book is well worth the money and I implore you to enrich your childs financial future with this excellent read.

Teaching children about saving money is critical for their success as adults. This book provides a step-by-step guide on how to teach your children about investing and specifically Roth IRAs. As an adult who had little knowledge on this subject, I found the book easy to understand without it being condescending. My children have both read this book (16 and 10) and were able to understand it completely. Even though they were resistant at first, both of my girls are now eagerly working on saving enough money to start their own Roth IRAs. This is a well thought out book and should be required reading for all parents and children.

After reading "The Kid's ROTH IRA Handbook", I came away with a good feeling that kid's and parents can have hope for the future. Once we get the current generation of kids to understand saving instead of consumption, the problem is solved. This book explains a difficult concept in easy terms "Great job,Tracy"
Art Patino ,CCPS.

Most "low-fat" or "Healthy" recipes seem to be gummy, tasteless, or taste like animal feed. These muffins, scones, and other goodies are actually worth the trouble of baking and eating. And it's nice to have some decent-tasting desserts to serve when my vegan or diabetic friends visit.

Most "low-fat" or "Healthy" recipes seem to be gummy, tasteless, or taste like animal feed. These muffins, scones, and other goodies are actually worth the trouble of baking and eating. And it's nice to have some decent-tasting desserts to serve when my vegan or diabetic friends visit.

What a treat! I'll admit, I was skeptical but wow, after the first recipe, my friends asked for more. I thought the stuff would be bland or dry or just not taste like the real thing but these recipes are the real thing and your waistline won't know the difference cause there isn't any! Thanks Krystine!

I have only tried three of the recipies, and they were excellent. I have only been a "chef" for a few years, but I consider myself an old pro at desserts and these were beautiful.

I read the recent review by booklist and agree with some of their thoughts. Although I must add some of the authors ideas are extremely innovative, especially when it comes to the recipes calling for tofu. I was amazed how wonderful these desserts tasted. When it came to the aspartame I myself had some difficulty with it but after a couple tries I found there is a technique that cannot be deviated from. I'm happy to say that my sugar-free pumpkin pie turned out terrific! I found the recipes not intimidating, very simple to understand. It's a definite must. I have no doubt it will become a classic.

The Language Of Parenting: Building Great Family Relationships At All Ages is a guide designed to help parents better understand and apply proven communication techniques to aid their children's growth, learning, and development. From the importance of avoiding confusion, to the need to hold one's ground firm with younger children especially, the power that lies in humor, and much more, The Language Of Parenting is a superb resource to bridge the seemingly incomprehensible and insurmountable gender gap. Highly recommended.

I initially read "The Language of Parenting: Building Great Family Relationships at all Ages" by David Frees to gain some insight and leverage in my communication with my young children. I was blown away with how abundantly practical this book was in assisting me to improve my communication in all of my relationships (kids, spouse, work, etc.) The book was very easy to follow and was filled with analogies, stories and concepts for immediate application.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with children or grandchildren. At the same time, there is tremendous value for anyone who has any dealings with people. This is an all around winner as a "how to have great communication leading to great relationships book".

David Frees's book reminds the reader that learning is a process that should be established and continued throughout life. This book focuses on the importance of communication as a two way street and provides ways for the reader to examine the quality and efficiency of their own skills. Frees concentrates on the ability to be a listener as highly important when it comes to communication and values guidance over instruction when it comes to parenting. This book inspires you to cast assumptions aside and let your children surprise you with how capably they apply creativity to solve their own dilemmas.

I've read quite a number of 'self help' books over the last few years and I find this book a unique learning experience because:

Prior to discussing the topic of the title, Mr. Frees gives a
perspective on learning. He is clear on the different types of learning (some people do not know that there are different ways of learning) and I appreciated the focus on peak learning environments. We all have them and if you read this book you will begin to know how to identify yours.

In addition, a strategy is established for the reader ... defining a strategy is not a unique concept but Mr. Frees' reminder gets the reader to establish goals and strategies in reading the book... result .... more learning.

Mr. Frees reviews effective communication .... . His discussion on congruency is one that all people can take and use each day in both their business and personal lives.

The writing in this book is clear and the concepts are powerful for everyday living.

Mr. Frees understands the concepts that are the foundation of a peaceful life ...a good example is his discussion on 'beliefs'.

I am very grateful for the teachers that have passed along their knowledge. Communicating is Mr. Frees' wisdom and passion.

"The quality of my communication is the quality of the response I get." ~David Frees

David Frees is a communication consultant and the creator of Quantum Communication programs. He also lectures internationally and is considered to be a master communicator. In "The Language of Parenting," he presents solutions for the highly complex issues that can develop in a parent/child relationship.

His book is divided into four main sections:

1. Building a Foundation: Quantum Learning and Enhanced Communication.

2. The Strategies of Great Communicators: Desired Results, The Beauty of Silence, Listening, Limits of Language and Building Rapport.

3. Tactics, Tools and Skills of Effective Communication: Avoiding Negation, Models of Creativity, Embedded Suggestions and the Power of Humor.

4. Frequently Asked Questions & Parent Resources: Questions about school age children, teenagers, adult children and teenagers. There is also a section for expectant and new parents.

I immediately appreciated the larger font size and the text was especially easy to read. This book is really a summary of all the lessons David Frees has learned throughout his life. He includes scientific research, action plans, wise and funny quotes and bold text to emphasize important points. Many chapters contain a Reminder and Action section so you can put the ideas to work almost immediately. You might find one or two of the ideas helpful and then you can write them in your journal.

While this book is a somewhat serious study of communication, there are some moments of interest when you will enjoy David's humor. I especially like when he puts text all in CAPS to really get your attention. Especially as he says: "you should consider the following belief" and then he really makes his point.

The section on how we process words in different ways was interesting. Do you see words as pictures, as the words themselves or do they produce feelings? He also gives reasons to why e-mail should not be used for complex emotional issues.

David also answers these questions:

How do you eliminate fights and foster positive communication?

What is the best way to approach my child about premarital sex, drinking, and drugs?

Is there really a list of proven communication techniques that encourage children to live happier, healthier and more confident lives?

The Language of Parenting is a highly organized collection of parenting wisdom and communications techniques. David teaches you so many excellent life skills. You can really use most of these skills in everyday communication.

~The Rebecca Review