Rules Books

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R15CWBRK6PQER2 Rules of Darkness by Tia Fanning. Video/Music produced by Brett Cordle of BC3 Productions.

In a remote forest settlement, a place almost untouched by the modern world, a baby girl is born with a powerful gift. But like all wondrous gifts, this one too comes at a high price.

Because of her special ability, Katia has to follow twelve rules of darkness, rules she must abide by at all times, or else risk losing her soul forever. But when Katia accidentally breaks a rule, horrific repercussions ensue and an old love mysteriously appears at her door.

Katia will soon discover that things buried in the past can come back to haunt the present, that a promise made is a promise kept, and that no matter the circumstances, there are some rules that should never be broken.

Katia's healing gift is governed by 12 Rules of Darkness that she must follow her entire life. Life in her secluded and narrow village is hard. From her birth, she is assigned a Protector to keep her safe. When her grandmother dies, she makes the painful decision to leave the remote village to start a new life where she does not feel isolated and dependent.

Stoyan became Katia's Protector at a very young age. He has taken his responsibility to heart and has never questioned his status or devotion to Katia. When she leaves, he knows that Katia does not truly understand the bond between the Gifted and her Protector. No matter how she tries, Katia cannot run from Stoyan, her gift (that she views as a curse) and her fate.

Ms. Fanning's writing is both exquisite and wonderfully creative. Rules of Darkness employs familiar plot devices and writing antidotes that resonate through sound writing. The ending was the only area that didn't hold too many surprises for me. I still savored reading it. Rules of Darkness has a contemporary Gothic atmosphere without the camp. I never knew what was going to jump out of the shadows next, which made it more than worth my while.

Katia's narrative was hypnotic and yummy, kind of like eating a tasty bag of Jay's potato chips nonstop. There were times when I thought she was selfish and annoying, but considering her background and loss of freedom, it was understandable that Miss Thing was dealing with years of resentment and hurt. What redeems her character is the reunion with Stoyan. He bridges that gap to her past and helps her to deal with her gift. By the end, Katia evolves in so many ways that you forgive her for all the trouble she puts `poor' Stoyan through.

Stoyan is mega sexy to the max even when he is being overbearing. I visualized a tall, dark and silent Eastern European type with just the right mix of Dracula meets seductive Sorcerer. He's old school in the sense he has a strict honor code and sense of duty. Stoyan could be labeled an extinct species, which made me want to kick Katia whenever she started acting bratty.

Rules of Darkness is a marvelous novel bursting with supernatural thrills that had me turning the pages. Ms. Fanning didn't let me down either when things got hot and heavy between Katia and Stoyan. The sexual tension was intense, the descriptions steamy. It's a story I would enjoy revisiting. I'm hoping that the author will write a sequel and there are no rules to say I can't keep my fingers crossed.

Patrice
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Rules of Darkness is a paranormal romance written in the first person. It is the story of a young woman (Katia) trying to escape a destiny she never wanted and finally coming to grips with the importance of her special abilities.

Tia is a fantastic pacer and plotter. The story grips you from the first page and refuses to let you go until you reach the conclusion. Whether it's a confrontation with an angry ghost or surrendering herself to the touch of her husband (Warning: Explicit Content), Tia's attention to detail creates a vivid picture of the world Katia must live in.


If you ever enjoy a good romance novel, I highly recommend you add this one to your collection.

Rules of Darkness is a fabulous book by new author Tia Fanning. Dark and spooky, sexy and suspenseful. Loved it!

The Rules of Darkness is written in first person, and I must admit that typically, I don't do first person--however, Tia Fanning grabbed me from the start. Katia is born with a gift of healing which she considers a curse. Trying to deny her heritage and culture (something many young, head strong women do), she runs from it. Stoyan is her yummy protector and the love of her life. He will not let her go and will overcome every odd to set the record straight and have Katia safe and by his side.
The story is compelling, fast paced, and mystical. I love Tia's style and characters.
Can't wait to read the next in the series.
Write quickly, Tia.
Aleka Nakis

Don and Martha continue to write about the customer experience from different viewpoints, each making great points and providing insight for both those who are recipients of that service and those providing it. As a member of the consulting field in this area, I always learn something more from reading their books.

This is an excellent book which challenges the most fundamental assumptions business leaders today make. I took it with me on vacation and couldn't put it down. Full of examples and best practices, this is easy to read and thought provoking. Don and Martha expose the crisis of "short-termism" which is increasingly challenging, especially in today's economy. They also highlight the evolving role of the customer given our networked and interconnected world. They share the latest trends and thinking on various topics from employee engagement to innovation to inspire leaders to think strategically about their customer experience design and the opportunities that will drive their long-term success.

Reading this book is just like being in a business presentation by Don and Martha. The text flows very fluently, pouring real life examples drawn from their extensive experience with marketing and customer management.
It is also like being in a meeting in our own business. If you are an executive with marketing and sales responsibilities and you already do your job 'out of the box', you'll want to read this book to inspire your actions. If you still have to prove your point inside your company, the book will give you tons of reasons to show your boss why the company needs to start doing things differently right now.
Concepts like "customers are the scarcest resource", "the experience you give your customers is more important than the message" come to life with abundant examples. Customer equity management applications get a lot more tangible, even if you haven't read Return on Customer: Creating Maximum Value From Your Scarcest Resource, the authors' previous book.
Highly recommended, easy read, but don't be fooled. This is high-impact matter, which may seem deceptively easy to execute. The final chapters about diversity and dissent, corporate culture and leadership bring forth the organizational efforts needed to push these concepts forward in the real world.
Extensive reference notes can help you further research the subjects covered, which is great in an environment of ever-accelerating change.

Don and Martha have done it again! They have identified and exposed one of the most difficult challenges in business today -that of short term-ism - or the obsession with making quarterly numbers at the expense of long-term and lifetime customer value.
They've dared to question some of the most fundamental business tenants and then provided evidence that new ones have emerged, such as the critical need to build and maintain trust, the necessity of employee empowerment, and the power of social networking, just to name a few.

Yes, this book is enjoyable to read; but more importantly, it has real-life examples, practical advice, and executable strategies for those who dare to build great companies for the future, not just the next quarter.

Elizabeth Rech
Hingham, MA

I read all books from Don and Martha. "one to one future" was the first and the best book I've ever read related to CRM. "return on customers" was a first attempt to demonstrate that company value isn't necessarely equal to EBITDA and value of shares. Don and Martha introduced here the concept of long-term view vs short-termism.
With this latest book "rules to break & laws to follow" - I've read it in one day! - they follow their concept of demonstrating what real value to a company means.
I do like especially the introduction of an "employee/empowerment"-dimension which was a little bit missing until now.
Real great book. A must for all leaders and managers.
René F. Lisi

Thank you, Rhonda Wojicicki, for writing this book. It is a tool every school needs to offer its students and their families. There are many children who benefit from speech therapy. This upbeat, colorful book takes the stigma out of speech therapy and gives children a new platform from which to build confidence.

I would like to see every school offer this book to its students and families.

I loved this book!!! I am the mother of 3 children and a former teacher. I would recommend this to everyone. It could be used by parents, speech therapists, teachers and anyone else interested in introducing kids to what actually goes on in a speech class. As a teacher, I watched kids go in and out of my classroom for speech. The other children never understood WHY and even made fun of them for leaving. I wish I could have utilized this book to explain EXACTLY what speech class is all about.
As a parent, all of my kids (8,6 and 2) have enjoyed the silliness of the story...yet I feel they were informed of different special needs some children require. It is a great ice breaker for speech therapists as well. Once kids see how fun and easy the lessons can be-I think their fears about being "different" or being pulled from class, will change.

Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist Ronda M. Wojcicki presents Speech Class Rules: An Introduction to Speech Therapy for Children is a picturebook that teaches young readers about what to expect when attending a class designed to help them with speech/language impairments. "When Felipe started coming to speech class, he talked with a lot of 'bumps'. (That's what Miss W. calls it when he stops in the middle of a word or sentence, or he repeats something). She says that some people call it stuttering. But now he's learning to use 'easy speech' with soft starts and lots of breaths." Speech Class Rules is a very positive and nonthreatening introduction ideal for easing anxiety, and especially recommended for school libraries to help orientate students learning communication skills. The simple illustrations by Loel Barr show the "Speech Class Rules" on the wall: 1) We speak slowly and clearly. 2) We take turns talking. 3) We use soft voices. 4) We do our homework. 5) We respecte each other. 6) We have fun!

Having been in education for over 30 years, I found Speech Class Rules very refreshing. It is about time someone addressed the needs of the elementary speech therapist and those children requiring speech services. An easy read that is both informative and comforting, Speech Class Rules will be a useful tool in any school district. Ms. Wojcicki has written a book that will allay the fears of prospective speech students and their parents.

Sandy Malanga
Language Arts teacher

Speech Class Rules is a very informative tool for explaining speech and language disorders to children that is hidden within a fun and entertaining story! I especially love the discussion questions at the end. What a great resource for anyone who has a child in speech or works in education.

That the mathematics book is considered really a distinguished reference to all kinds of the sport.
By the pieces of information and the explanatory drawings to all of the tactics and the sportS movements.
And more than 120 sport prioritize by a plentiful interesting and wonderful style by the pieces of information and the clear drawings to each sport.
And concentrates on the rules and Alastratgiat to each sport with an useful historic summary.
And he by a right considers an easy mathematical encyclopedia by a printing with high quality.

Sports: Complete Visual Reference provides a survey of the history, rules, strategies and equipment for over a hundred sports played around the world, covering classic Olympic events, individual and team sports, mechanized and equestrian events and others. Color illustrations and clear explanations discuss the origins and rules of each sport and its evolution over time.

This book is a great visual reference for many types of sports, even ones I knew very little about. It is also great for kids to give an insight into many different areas to discover something that interests them. I highly recommend it!

A terrific book describing thousands of sports. You will find sports such as softball, gymnastics, swimming, bowling, diving, and martial art sports. And that's less then a quarter of what the sports in here are! (You name a sport, it's in there!) The book features a history for each sport, the rules, the equipment, and has full color graphics showing basic moves and positions. A must-have for everyone interested in sports.

This book provides in-depth information on all known sports, even some I did not know about! The illustrations are great. It is perfect to know what a sport is all about. Start reading it and you won't stop. Reference at its best. I strongly recommend this work of art.

Bravo!

This book is excellent. It is very thorough and easy to understand. There is sample code in every chapter so the concepts are very clear.

I have been using subfiles in RPGIV for many years - this book taught me some new tricks I wasn't aware of!

This is THE subfile book for AS/400 RPG programmers.

Mr. Vandever approaches the subject with a sense of humor, lots of examples, and excellent technique. The examples are written in ILE RPG IV (RPG III programmers will find the book useful, as well), and do a nice job of showing off recent RPG IV enhancements by incorporating them in the examples.

I have developed lots of subfile programs, and read the other books on the subject. This is by far the best treatment of the subject that I have seen.

As a programmer new to RPG 4 and programming for the AS/400, I needed help with subfiles. This book proved easy to read (I can't say I've read it through, but enough to get what I needed) and there are lots of helpful code examples. I used the sample program for a page-at-time subfile application almost verbatim to get started on one of my programs, which saved a considerable amount of time and effort. Overall this book has been quite useful for me.

Book really explains subfiles in terms anyone can understand. The CD/ROM has sample code that you can use immediately as "models" to develop your own programs. Author does an excellent job of explaining how subfiles work. But if you are like me, you will develop several subfile "skeleton" programs for your own future use. That's where the examples can really help...

I felt this was a good book, and was happy to see good reviews, and a good review from Blog Critics. Unfortunately this book is no longer available from the distributor, but another book by Chris Jones (me) is out... The Ecomancer. It is available here on Amazon. Thanks.

We decided to read this book for our book club recently. It was an excellent choice! The characters were well developed & interesting, the plot was well thought out. I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down until I was finished. Thanks, Chris!

This book is about a man and his wife who are living and working in the greater Seattle area. Both are career oriented and the career path of the wife leads to her becoming missing. Her husband of course wants to find her. The adventure of finding her and the story of the PDA is compelling -- To the point where I could not put the book down even when it was three o'clock in the morning. Unlike many books which make me tired when I read them, this one kept me going and I was excited to get to the next page.

It was a fun book for me and I am looking forward to more books by Chris Jones.

I found this book to be excellent. I am not a huge reader but tore through this book in three days! The imagery created by Chris Jones is wonderful and takes the reader throughout the Northwest. The character development is great and the story is gripping. The storyline is cutting edge and exciting.
Looking forward to the next book from Chris Jones!

I thought this book was great. A software company (closely resembling Microsoft) releases a slick organic handheld PDA that features new digital rights management technology. At the same time, one of their employees goes missing. Her husband begins a search for her, and in the process you are taken from the political machinations of the software company out into the lush environs of Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula rain forest. It is an exciting read, a real page-turner. Very atmospheric but not overdone.

Talk Like a Winner!
Author: Steve Nakamoto

21 Simple Rules for Achieving Everyday Communication Success

Reader Book Review

By: Brian J. Donley
Author: "The Original Psychology of Success and Donley's Law"

"Talk Like a Winner!" a New Communication Masterpiece. In an era of already advanced communication technology, Steve Nakamoto blazes another new path to the top with "21 Simple Rules for Achieving Everyday Communication Success."
It's obvious after spending several weeks reading the rules and learning and applying the strategies, methods and ideas, that Steve put his heart, mind, body and soul into creating "Talk Like a Winner." His character shines through with his honesty, enthusiasm, warmth, and love for human kind. His knowledge, wisdom, experience, and skills are there for the taking.
The journey starts with how "Talk Like a Winner!" evolved. A page describing, "How To Use This Book." Next, 21 action related titles and how they apply to the book. Under each title is a simple but powerful rule followed up with some examples, wisdom and seven to eight strategies, methods or ideas. Last, some reflection back on what you just learned, along with some questions to lead you to evaluate and respond to future applications. The book ends with some information about the author, reader reviews, skills, strategies, and FREE bonus material.
From beginning to end "Talk Like a Winner!" is a winner in every sense. I believe this book is a must have for every man and women, for personal or professional use! Parents, your children will benefit from the skills you teach them from the strategies contain within at any age, saving you and them hard times in the future!
Some key areas of interest:
How to, stay away from energy draining negative topics.
How to, interrupt negative pattern discussions.
How to, find energy charged positive topics that are relationship changing.
How emotional intensity naturally stimulates a listener's interest.
How to read body language or unspoken cue's from your audience.
Value of a Smile - $ Priceless $ - "One of the smartest communication habits!"
Value of Listening - $ Wisdom $ - "The more you listen the more valuable you become!"
Value of a Sincere Compliment - $ Heavenly $ - "Changing your entire life for the better!"

"I have personally and professionally applied several strategies and methods with resounding success the past weeks! I affirm that I will continue to learn, apply and teach (be an example) to others moving forward!!!"

Rating: "Talk Like a Winner" receives Donley's Five Star W.O.W (Words of Wisdom) rating!!!!!

Thank You Steve

Steve Nakamoto's book "Talk Like A Winner" is a must for everyone who wants to achieve communication success. On a scale of of 1-5 Steve's book is a 10. I know first hand that relationships and business deals can be lost in a second, because of the wrong words spoken at a crucial moment. Don't be left behind by making mistakes that everyone makes. Get Steve's book and learn the do's and the dont's of everyday communication skills. If I had to say on word that would describe Steve's book it would be FANTABULOUS.

Michael Monji, author of "Does It Pay To Die?" a living trust workbook.

Steve Nakamoto will inspire you to be the best communicator. What I found in this book was that he gave personal accounts of himself and they were not always glowing reports! What he does is show you that no matter what the circumstance, you most definitly can follow the 21 Simple Rules easily and successfully. If you find that you need some coaching to insure that you are able to navigate easily in a social or business setting, this is the book for you. I could see this book used in a corporate environment when they are training their leaders to communicate as best as they can in any situation. Talk Like a Winner will give you the tools needed to express yourself anytime and anywhere.

In Steve Nakamoto's new book Talk Like a Winner, he points out that communication is one of life's most basic skills, yet the vast majority of people have never been taught a simple way to master the fundamentals.

I agree. As an author, I communicate much more effectively and feel more comfortable with the written word, but oral communication is still a significant part of my life at work, at social events and in trying to effectively market my own books.

Steve shares many of his own communication mishaps, and lets the reader know that they are not alone in having communicated the wrong message through body language, tone, or a poorly worded sentence.

He then gives helpful tips on how to improve your communication skills - not in front of a large audience - but in what he calls "private speaking," the effective use of everyday conversational skills. I think this is where Talk Like a Winner stands out from other books in its class. Many people have a fear of public speaking and will never try to improve those skills. But all of us need to communicate on a personal level with others in our daily life and should try to develop a proficiency in these interactions. Steve also makes the point that the better you become at private speaking, the easier it becomes to develop effective public speaking skills and self-confidence.

I think readers, like myself, that do not enjoy social situations, will find this book very enlightening and informative. Talk Like a Winner motivates, inspires, and encourages while serving as a fundamental handbook to effective everyday communication and personal success.

Steve Nakamonto is the dating/relationship expert adviser on [...] "Ask Mr. Answer Man" message boards, and is an award-winning author. He learned many of his skills while serving as an international tour guide, and in Talk Like a Winner, he guides readers on their journey to everyday communication success - one conversation at a time.

Jessica James has a master's degree in communications and is the award-winning author of the Civil War novel Shades of Gray.

When relationships either fail in being established or once established, begin to break down, they tend to do so as a result of impaired communications. Being able to listen and to speak effectively is one of life's fundamental requirements for success. Now personal development trainer Steve Nakamoto (who also serves as the dating/relationship expert on iVillage.com's 'Ask Mr. Anser Man' message board) draws upon his many years of experience and expertise in counseling men and women to communicate more effectively and successfully, has distilled his advice into writing "Talk Like A Winner: 21 Simple Rules For Achieving Everyday Communications Success". Readers will learn how to develop an unshakable self-confidence in their ability to express themselves in any social circumstance; how to connect quickly and effectively with others; how to keep romantic connections active; how to gain the respect and friendship of others; how to bring out the best not only in themselves but in others as well; how to avoid costly, counter-productive, and avoidable arguments; how to build lifelong relationships; and how to enjoy the kind of unlimited freedom of thought (as well as action) that self-expression can provide anywhere and at any time. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Talk Like A Winner!" is a confidently recommended addition to personal self-help reference collections and self-improvement reading lists.

Great book, fast shipping time. Everybody at my barn is asking to read this informative book

This book takes the complicated, step-by-step directions found in all the other horse training books and provides ten common-sense rules that can be applied to every horse training situation. It's an excellent addition to your horse training/psychology library and one that is a thoroughly enjoyable read as well!

I wish this book had been available five years ago when I first became involved with horses. Dr. Nock's "Ten Golden Rules" is the first book anyone interested in training a horse - or even owning one - should read. Except for clearly outlining a procedure for tactfully establishing your superior rank within your 'herd', this is not a 'How To' recipe book. Instead, Dr. Nock explains basic learning theory as it applies specifically to the horse. With the information this book provides you can better understand, evaluate, and implement any of the more detailed training programs promoted by today's top trainers, solve problems those programs don't address, or even develop your own training program. Learning the 'Ten Golden Rules' will benefit both you and your horse.

I loved this book. Have been reading lots of the natural horsemanship stuff, and so much of it is esoteric, badly written or simply makes you feel an incompetent idiot. Bruce Nock doesn't do this! It's simple and practical and starts working straight away. No secrets. Just do it. Thanks, Bruce

Training with author is mandatoring in my barefoot trimming certification course, so I thought I would get an early jump on the reading. I am a confirmed clicker trainer, with clicker as an overlay, mostly on John Lyons training.

Definitely Nice to Have for the person very interested in training, animal behavior and the science behind it all. Perhaps not the first or second book to buy for a Newbie trainer who really wants to get started today!

As of this date I still have not finished the book, but this has been a book that has tought me how to avoid the pitfalls of running your business. It is for this wisdom that the book is a treasure, no romaticism, fire-soul inspiration, just nononsense advice on how the real world operates, given samples on how some have flopped by disobeying the principles.

Sometimes the obvious isn't so obvious. The 12 Principles are based on simple truths of business. Kirk's writing style is straightforward and provides intimate examples of how sometimes blindly following "Guru speak" doesn't always make sense.
A great model for start-up and new business.
Will be passing along to clients as gifts.

This book should be given free to the corporate thieves and felons as they either enter or leave prison. It should also be required reading for all the unemployed .com ceo's and future MBA's. It's a refresher course in business and Cheyfitz is a refreshing writer who makes his points while giving us a good read.
It doesn't matter if you are running a dry cleaners or a Fortune 500 company, this book supplies you with the tools to make it work.

Summary:

Thinking Inside the Box is a compilation of the old, very-very basic principles of running a business. Cheyfitz does not claim to share any revolutionary ideas with the reader; on the contrary, he asserts that the fundamental philosophy of business has not changed for centuries, only the methods and tools evolve. This conservative attitude is coupled with entertaining style. He draws examples both from his personal experience and from conscientiously researched literature.

For beginners in business the book is a must. Veteran businesspeople should know most of Cheyfitz's rules from experience; still the book will probably provide some valuable insights for them, too.

Detailed review:

It is difficult to find a business book that is systematic, practical and entertaining at the same time. Books written by outsiders (such as university professors) are often strong on research and well-structured, but they tend to be too theoretical or even naïve for the practitioners. On the other hand, books written by businesspeople are sometimes just collections of anecdotes, they are often simplistic and specific to the author's circle of experience. Usually the best case is when businesspeople partner with professors (as in the case of the Balanced Scorecard) or when researchers go out to the "field" and actually observe how business success is achieved in real life (as in the case of First Break All the Rules). The worst case is of course, when conceited consultants with little practical experience or theoretical knowledge write a book after doing some sloppy "research" (a good example of that is businessThink - make sure to get your copy if you want to learn how to write something extremely arrogant and condescending).

Thinking Inside the Box is a rare example of a businessman writing a book without too much bragging, with his own stories being short and relevant, and his research on other companies unusually thorough and well-referenced. All he promises is to summarize the basic rules of starting and operating a business, and he does exactly that, in a definitely entertaining style. The visualization he uses (the 12 rules are the planks of "the box") is a rather unnecessary addition, but - as a previous reviewer observed - it catches the eye of the would-be-buyers better.

A peculiarity of this work is its conservative point of view. These days most business books urge you to continuously innovate, turn your business upside down and "think outside the box". Cheyfitz warns us that while modernization or transformation of your tools and methods is often necessary, it is always risky, so you should not temper too much with the basics of your business if it is going well. The last time I read anybody warning me that I should be cautious with innovations was Gerald Weinberg in Secrets of Consulting - and that was rather long ago. ("Nothing new ever works"- says Weinberg, which is of course a little exaggerated statement, but in my experience still not very far from the truth.) Paradoxically, being conventional is a highly unconventional (shall I say heretic?) attitude in today's business literature, probably this is why Thinking Inside the Box never made it to the bestseller list.

Cheyfitz claims that there are some basic principles of business that have been unchanged for centuries, and will probably remain true for a long time in the future, so if you disregard them, you may soon be out of business. The book lists 12 "timeless rules" or "planks". Some of these rules are so simple that you would feel that the author wants to insult your intelligence had he not listed copious examples of businesses ignoring them. A couple of the rules in the second half of the book are not so trivial, and as such, probably more debatable than the rest, but still they come from a person who has applied them in practice, so they deserve at least careful consideration. Thus the book is much more than a farewell speech to the "New Economy" invented in the .com period.

The "planks" include the following (rephrased by me, for I do not have the book on me when writing this review):

- Profitability is everything.
You may start your business with a loss initially, but you must have a clear plan to achieve profitability. Sounds like a trivial chapter not worth reading? Cheyfitz quotes many well-known examples of not following this rule. We are living interesting times... (Our beloved Amazon.com is one of the examples. While I am a customer and fan of Amazon, I would not have slept peacefully at night if my money had been invested in this company. Yes, I know they have achieved profitability, but all too many .coms with similar strategies failed.)

- Give customers what they want, not what you want to give them.
Another "trivial" rule. While we know how powerful advertising can be, and it is often more useful to have good political relationships than good customer relationships, many companies could dramatically improve their bottom line by adopting such a philosophy. But in this neck of the woods not many companies seem to have discovered it yet (including the local branches of US multinationals).
Just one recent example (I am sure you could add hundreds of others from your own experience): I bought a carpet on the Internet from Germany. I asked the seller to send it by a reputable company instead of the Postal Service. He answered it was impossible to find one. I thought he must be crazy, so I contacted GLS, UPS and some other companies who are supposed to be in the business of transporting goods from one place to another. It turned out that the seller was not crazy: all these firms with thousands of trucks running in Europe told me it was impossible for them to transport a f...ing rug over a distance of a few hundred miles if it is rolled (length: 3 m - 10 feet, weight 50 kg - 110 lbs). They did not even offer any alternatives (like: we can do it at an extra cost, we contacted another company that can do it for you...), they basically told me to go to hell. Eventually we had to transport the rug folded (which of course did not do it good). Will I be a loyal customer of any of these guys? You bet I won't, regardless of their reputation or marketing efforts.

- Know what your main asset is (and protect it).
The main asset may take different forms, but it is rarely something physical. The examples given by Cheyfitz help you understand the concept and find your own main asset. This is also sound advice, often followed but sometimes neglected even by otherwise good firms.

- Do not build what you can buy.
Your business can grow faster if you both grow it internally and at the same time you buy up good companies that have the expertise, customers, etc. You may buy companies even if they are in the red, assuming that you have a plan to turn them around. This is probably the most debatable of the 12 rules, since there are numerous examples of seemingly meaningful mergers with catastrophic results, so following this rule may lead you to unpredictable situations - while Cheyfitz cautions against such moves in the other chapters. True, Cheyfitz emphasizes that you should do your homework and look very carefully at what you buy, still I feel that by giving your customers what they want or by protecting your main asset, you take much less unnecessary risk than by buying up troubled firms to grow your "empire". Even so, this is a point that every business that wants to grow should seriously consider.

(For a complete list of the rules, read the book : )

I would make Thinking Inside the Box a mandatory reading at the beginning of MBA studies. It will be very helpful if you start a company with little experience, and probably even experienced busiensspeople will not regret reading it and consider whether they fully follow these classic rules. Thinking Inside the Box is a book that will not become outdated anytime soon.

I admit I bought this book because of the title. I am so annoyed with repeaters constantly spouting off about "thinking outside the box" and other "clever" little catch phrases they pick up in magazine articles, books, and management seminars, that I just had to get this book once I saw the title. Despite the humorous title, this book is actually a solid business book. The only humor here is in the utter stupidity and arrogance of management in some of the case studies. The book starts out by making the case that there is rarely anything "new" in business (something I've believed for a long time). It then goes on to essentially discuss the basics of business. The subtitle, The 12 Timeless Rules for Managing a Successful Business probably more effectively describes the content (but I doubt I would have bought it with that title).

What I really liked about the book is the way it quickly covered the topics with a rapid-fire series of organized case studies. The diversity of case studies ranging from Enron, Microsoft, AOL and Webvan, to McDonnel Douglas, Fed Ex, American Express, and GE made for some very interesting and thought provoking reading. Granted, the "12 timeless rules" are things you probably already knew, but that's not the point. Just because you know something doesn't mean you are using that knowledge in your decision-making. This book makes you think, and I believe that is its greatest value. Anyone about to make important business decisions should read this book first

Don't be shocked of the thickness of the book. I still have my (paperback) copy from '95,and flipped when I saw the price on Amazon.Com. Exellent book,and very deep and thorough information on (Sengoku Jidai era) 16th century Japanese history. This book is for the serious history student,and I mean money no object. Book talks about the military government of Kamakura, Muromachi, and Edo Bakufu's.

This book is best suited for readers looking into specific topics of the vast Japanese Medieval history. For those, who is looking for another affordable alternative to the excellent "Cambridge History of Japan" series, I would recommend this book. It devotes a section to the Mongol Invasion and the Decline and Fall of the Kamakura Bakufu. This was culled from the Cambridge History of Japan and is very informative. The book is thorough and it should be among your collection of Sengoku Jidai books.

This book is a must buy for those who are interested in medieval Japan, but can not afford the Cambridge History of Japan. This book consists of a articles written by such luminaries as Jeffrey Mass and John Whitney Hall. Taken together, their articles trace the political history of Japan from the Genpei War to the formation of the Bakuhan system under the Tokugawa. Essentially, it traces the political eveolution of medieval Japan.

This is a great alternative for those who wants to get the extensive "The Cambridge History of Japan Vol.3" Most of the contents were culled from the later. I find this book very helpful, and concise. It offers alot of good information of the Kamakura Bakufu and the invasion of the Mongols. Plus it's priced moderately. A must for students of the Sengoku Jidai.

Warrior rule in Japan is a compilation of essays by well-known authors on history of Japan: Jeffrey P. Mass, Ishii Susumi, John Whitney Hall and Harold Bolitho. This is a serious academic book on history of institutional development of Bakufu (the warrior government, or, as it is widely known, the Shogunate) in Japan from the times of Minamoto Yoritomo through Tokugawa Bakufu). In contrast to books by, for example Steven Turnbull, who wrote extensively on military strategies, tactics, campaigns and concentrated among other things on personalities of samurai leaders, this author goes into the in-depth analysis of the development of Bakufu as an institution and describes governance of Japanese society, gives some insight into economic and judicial powers of its branches.

"Warrior rule" is a serious reading for a serious scholar. Due to abundance of Japanese terms, it is not easy to read. However, without getting an exposure to the subject of this book, it is not possible to understand, what really stood behind many military campaigns and moves famous people of those turbulent times and feel the atmosphere of samurai age. The life of famous daimyo was not 100 per cent war, but also administration, politics, influence, economics, rituals, law and justice.

In addition, Harold Bolitho provides a general outline of the concept of Han, or local government, or the government of a daimyo, his area of administration and source of power and structure of loyalties. One learns here concepts of local samurai, fudai (or hereditary retainers, although this concept is quite described by other authors as well), shugo, jito and other concepts necessary to learn history of this legendary age.