Careers Books

I read this book with my wife each taking assignments and reporting back after a day or two. What an incredible read and experience. There is a wealth of challanging material in this book to help anyone wishing to expand themselves into a more thoughtful person.

A pure blessing that has potential and material to make a substancial upswing in one's life.
Rocco

I have been a fan of the Merills, since their synergistic work with Stephen Covey with "First Things First".

I am not married yet, nor do I have a job, but I find this book so practical and I am convinced as I grow up into the various future stages of my life, the wisdom within it, will become more and more obvious.

I really like the idea that balance is not in "balancing the scale" but in "balancing".

The sections that deals with Time Matters and Money Matters, is worth more than the price of the book. When I was browsing through the book, and got to read the Money Matrix diagram, I almost jumped out of my skin. I always felt the Time Matrix is always applicable to one's personal finance. I was so delighted to know the Merrills felt the same and has wrote and developed it further in this book. The book also feature a quote from my favorite personal finance guru, Robert Kiyosaki.

If you have a friend who is getting married, this would be an excellent gift to a newly wed couple. I recently gifted one to my best friend. Since the book is quite expensive for us living in India, I along with a group of friends, decided to give it together.

It's a book worth to be made a family heirloom. I am sure anyone would find it helpful. Its a rare diamond in the overly cluttered world of self-help books. Most self-help books offer advice, but ended up with platitudes and rehash of ideas. We need books like this one.

Another beautiful aspect to this book is the author's recognition that more than offering answers to people, it is more important to help people develop their ability to find the answer within. This is what they called navigational intelligence. It is the effort to develop personal conscience, and listening to it.

Its a book that will never leave my reading desk and will be refered to again and again and again, till I end this life and buried six feet under.

Thanks Roger and Rebecca for an enduring legacy for generations to come. I pray more and more people will embrace your message. If we all do the world will be a better place to live in.

New books telling you how to improve your life come off the presses every week, maybe every day. Some are bad, and you realize you have wasted your time. Some are average, and you might learn a few new things, but they aren't all that memorable. Some are great, and you go back to them again and again. "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" is one of the great books. Years later people remember it, talk about it, and reread it.

"Life Matters" is a great book. It covers a lot of good ideas, the thoughts and observations are well presented, and the book reads quickly.

The first chapter starts off talking about what is important in life. The authors focus on four areas: work, family, time, and money. They have a quiz to help in your self-assessment of how you are doing in each of these four areas. A big message of this book is there doesn't have to be conflict between the four areas.

The next chapter covers three things you have to do in any area of your life. The three "gotta do's" are:

1) Validate your expectations. You have to confront reality, for if you have an unrealistic expectation you will be frustrated. The authors make the point that the direction you are heading is more important than how fast you are going.

2) Optimize Effort. Look for ways to get the maximum benefit for your effort, and make sure your decisions are aligned with your goals.

3) Develop your "Navigational" intelligence. This is the ability to be aware of your changing environment, so that what looked like an important task at the start of the day may have to take a back seat when your boss gives you a new assignment, or a child needs attention.

The next four chapters are on: work, family, time, and money, with a chapter on each area. The authors weave each of the above three "gotta do's" into each area. For each area they explore different ways people see the area, for example how do you see your family, or your money. And then they discuss what is the reality. They have a list of "optimizers" which are techniques for getting the maximum benefit for your effort. And they talk about how to be flexible when situations change.

"Seven Habits" mentions a Time Matrix, which is a two dimensional matrix based on how important something is, and how urgent it is. Many people waste time on things that aren't important, or get caught up doing things that are important and urgent. Stephen Covey explores why doing things that aren't urgent, but important, can make a great difference in your life. For me one of the gems of "Life Matters" was exploring this same matrix in relation to money. The Merrill's point is that it is best to invest your money with the same Quadrant II focus, things that aren't urgent, but are important. For me, that idea alone was worth reading the book. There were a number of similar gems scattered through the book.

The last chapter was titled "Wisdom Matters" and here the authors explore why wisdom is important, and how to improve your wisdom. One of the points they strongly make is to develop an ongoing daily self-important program. The idea is to spend a few minutes each day improving your understanding of life, and how to make better decisions.

This is a great book. If you are interested in improving your life, buy this book, read this book, and then reread it. It will help you get better control of your life. For as the Merrills say, life does matter.

This book is one of many that build off Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," and is a more in-depth discussion of prioritizing (Living in Quadrant II for those who speak Covey). This book is divided into four sections that reflect the four biggest concerns Americans face--the workplace, the family, time, and money. The basic message of the book is that one must think in terms of "investing," whether it be money, time, or effort. It is important to examine what one invests in so that maximum returns can be paid on that investment. As an example, investing money in a car yeilds a much lower return (a negative return) than investing in a mutual fund. Investing time in televison watching yields a much lower return than helping your child with his homework. Investing in effort in a long-term project that is still months away yields a much higher return than filling out some pretty-unnecessary paperwork. Other commentators are correct when they say that the examples of theory-in-action can be fairly unrealistic (even though they really happened!), but they illustrate the authors' points well. I would first recommend the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. If you find that helpful (and I imagine you will), this book is an excellent follow-up to it.

Prioritizing the building blocks of life - family, work, money and time - is paramount to happiness. Some people do it unconsciously by living within their intellectual and monetary expectations. Others need a framework for balance, such as the one that authors A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill provide. To achieve personal balance, the authors suggest becoming a better team player, working more effectively, learning about finances and setting home and work priorities. They establish the goal of building a strong family, centered around parental "family leadership." Do they successfully address the knotty issues they raise? Yes, in a folksy way. This is a useful self-help manual with checklists, self-assessments and personal anecdotes, which are sometimes touching, but sometimes impractical or saccharine. Though the management advice dons motivational language, the sections on family and work are particularly worthwhile. The authors deliver a solid antidote to misplaced modern values, albeit wrapped in some fluffy trappings. We recommend this book to corporate officers and human resource personnel, as well as to individuals seeking balance.

I was so excited when I read this book. It is a guide that was easy to follow chapter by chapter and offered some great personal applications for you to do at the end of every chapter. By the time I finished reading the book and completing all the personal applications, I had created a little companion folder that held my answers to all the questions I was looking for. I highly recommend everyone to read it. Jessica V. Psalidas - Author, Everlasting Purity

This book is exacty what I have been looking for. I am the director of Career Services at Azusa Pacific College and it has been difficult to find a sophisticated book that brings Gods calling together with the pragmatic aspects of finding a career. I highly recommend this remarkable book to use with individuals, classes on life planning or in small groups.

In short, this book is based on biblical truths and presented with a Christian perspective that surpasses any other view. Its tools, assessments, reflective questions, forms, and corresponding text all work together to create a firm foundation with which to guide you toward your life's calling. It is a very easy read with a vast amount of wisdom that is organized user-friendly. I give this book my highest recommendation for its purpose and confidently say that it offers exactly what it advertises, if not more. It's worth more than what they charge; not something you'll find in any other book like it. You'll learn about the foundation of vocation, what are your primary and secondary callings, better understand who you are and where you want to go, and understand more about yourself, your career, your calling, and best of all, how it all comes together.

I find this book inspiring and uplifting! A book that will touch the hearts and minds its readers! Its abundant life renewing principles are a paragon example of a worthwhile person in more ways than a million!

Everyday People Making an Extraordinary Impact

Simeon Johnson

Has some great insights into growing into a new job/life and is an easy read.

Anne and Lynne present the importance of networking in today's corporate world by teaching that networking is more than handing out your business card. By teaching people about your Character and your Competence, you will build a relationship. Your "Contacts" will "Count".

The book starts from Assessing your skills then to presenting the benefits of Networking.
Then step by step, it teaches you how to build a relationship, a connection with your contacts so that they think about you when the need arises for someone in your field.

Buy it! It is worth it.

In "Make Your Contacts Count," Lynne Waymon and Anne Baber have created a networking bible for today's professionals - in any profession or life stage. Reading chapter after chapter, I was able to identify both short and long term strategies to build and nurture my network. In addition, I was struck by the number of practical, simple tips which can be easily learned and practiced in all my interactions - professional and personal. The book provides current real life examples, as well as theory behind authors' recommendations. As a baby boomer with over 30 years of professional experience, networking was something for sales and marketing types. Professionals in private practice or business - lawyers, accountants, consultants - called it rainmaking. For most of us, it was something we only thought about when we were job searching. While job searching is addressed in one chapter, the book is really about how to build relationships - six stages described and how to strengthen. I'm convinced ..... networking is the essential career survival tactic and a core competency for today's leaders.

As a career counselor, I spend a lot of time and energy persuading clients to network who are not naturally good at it. Now I can make better use of my time by recommending this book. There is something for everyone's risk level. No reader can walk away unchanged after perusing this book.

This new edition of Making Your Contacts Count hits the bullseye. The authors state that networking is the essential professional competency in today's business world. Clearly, this book is the essential guide to ramping up your networking skills. Making Your Contacts Count provides substantial practical actions. For instance, strategic advice like how to plan your "agenda" for conversations is interspersed with tips like how to remember names(ex. repeat the first name and introduce that person to someone else..it works!) In our study of organizational success, Shaping Your HR Role: Succeeding in Today's Organizations we found that effective networking was a tactic often used by those who achieve results. I recommend this guide to all people who need to influence others in today's complex organizations.

I just finished reading "Make Your Contacts Count, Networking Know-How for Business and Career Success," by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon and it is a must-read for anyone who wants to be successful in the business world.

"Contacts Count," gives you all the tools you need in an easy-to-use manner to get out there and become successful in the business networking arena.

I have already started using some of the techniques that Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon share in their book and I am finding that it is easier to describe my business and my value to others.

If you keep showing up to business networking events and leaving empty-handed and non-connected, buy this book, read it and start implementing the many practical ways to connect with others, build lasting business and personal relationships and watch your business grow!

An almost too simple invitation to an otherwise complex topic so highly advocated by people so influential as Pankaj Ghemawat, Nancy J. Adler and Orly Levy ... the topic of developing of a Global Mindset! Global Mindset is the ability to handling very complex cognitive challenges in a cosmopolitan world - this takes Personal Leadership! In the book `Personal Leadership' you are as reader invited on a voyage that - if you allow it, will change your efficiency as leader in Global context... enjoy!

I loved the book. Some of the concepts were familiar. When I read the original authors, I found them too abstract. The way that the authors laid out the principles and practices so clearly and practically with exercises converted all that abstraction into a useful tool. I thought of a least one situation where I could apply it immediately. The authors were very open and generous in sharing personal stories. Congratulations on this significant achievement.

This book is a key to understanding how to build effective multicultural organizations. It is a must read for every leader in all organizations - including corporate, government, education, and non-profits.
This is a book for "our time" and includes an easy process that is important to practice on an on-going basis. This process is the key to making a difference in the world.
Dr. Ann C. Schauber, Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University

The word "Leadership" in the title of this book is the Trojan horse that suggests that those who are in or want to be in leadership positions order this book off the Internet and drag it within their mental and emotional gates. Reading it, we wake up to the fact that the leadership the authors speak of has nothing to do with (and everything to do with) leadership in the normal sense of the word. The key is the adjective that precedes it, i.e., "personal." The book is actually a presentation of a self-development methodology or spirituality of being and doing that consists of two principles (mindfulness and creativity) and six practices or steps for cultivating those principles.

The authors represent a training enterprise, Personal Leadership Seminars, LLC, whose programs are delivered by experienced interculturalists using the methodology described in the book. The methodology itself is a combination of humanistic psychology, spiritual disciplines and philosophia perennis that bloomed in the late 1960's and has continues as a subculture in the USA as well as abroad. There are no surprises here, just a well knit set of mental and emotional disciplines and an invitation to a community of support.

If not new, what is the currency of such training and a book about it? The key is, as the authors point out, practice. A bankruptcy of ethics and spiritual discipline as well as the deep desire for it has resulted in a search for fundamental well-being that has led many into extremes of religious fervor where self-immolation and Armageddon are seriously embraced and encouraged by the so-called political, religious, and military "leaders" of the day. So, Personal Leadership proposes an alternative set of spiritual practices aimed at bringing about awareness of self, one's internal and external environment and how the "others" live in them for us so that our responses are creative rather than destructive, real rather than stereotypical, affirming rather than conflictual.

We might say that "leadership starts at home" in the sense that enlightened leaders in politics, business and organizations will do well to have their personal act together if our world is to find its way out of the wars and destruction that much of its current leadership has presented it with.

But it is not only leaders who need personal leadership, in the sense that following the crowd and the demagogue is as much a part of the problem as are those who maladroitly direct the world scenarios. It is trite but true that people get the leaders they deserve.
So there is a set of values here that eschews knee-jerk certainties, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!" The silver bullet is practice, practice, practice. Shakyamuni's dying words are reputed to have been, "Be a lamp unto yourselves."

Today's psychologically-honed expertise for economic and political manipulation is not going unobserved. Naomi Klein in her recent book Shock Doctrine how a runaway economic paradigm enables political and financial leaders to manipulate populations through fear and misinformation. Psychologist Clotaire Rapaille, in The Culture Code points out how people around the world live and buy as they do behaving according to predictable culture codes, largely driven by unexamined unconscious urges--the lizard brain. In other words, great careers and great fortunes are to be made if the blind can be encouraged to invite the blind to lead them, and are satisfied with the cake crumbs that fall from their masters' tables. Whether one blows the whistle on these practices or strives to make a buck off them, the effect is the same, more of the same, more of the same...

This book shows us a way of stepping outside the maelstrom. It is long overdue, particularly in the sense that the intercultural field has largely ignored psychological and spiritual factors in the development of intercultural competence in personal development. This negligence has to a great degree contributed to the irrelevance and ignorance of intercultural work for religious, now become political contexts.
Personal Leadership is evidence that the Buddha and the Tao and Fritz Perls are still pointing the way to enlightenment for those willing to take the steps to seek it. The payoff of personal leadership is in the experience itself, as the many personal accounts of self-engagement in the book illustrate--the book is worth reading for these alone. Coming to see the self and the world more directly and clearly is empowering, but there is no cheap grace. Fortunately we learn to drag ourselves kicking and screaming, leading ourselves to places in and life where we have not been before.

In a sense, this is a book that I didn't know that I was waiting for until I read it--an impetus to do more and better of what has made me do somewhat well in directing my own life and enriching and empowering those around me.

"Letting this book into my psyche" strongly reminded me that Moses, Jesus and Mohammed have left great spiritual traditions with powerful disciplines for development that unfortunately lay dormant but capable of being aroused even in those whose starting point is fundamentalist and authoritarian. Who will have the creative flash that will lead to taking greater benefit from sunnah, theosis, the Exercitia Spiritualia and the halakah etc., in those traditions that so many people feel themselves a part of, the empowerment rather than the opiate?

There will likely still be a place, and an important place, for cultural dimensions, value descriptions, and generalizations about cultural difference for decades to come. Yet such knowledge-focused tools are only a small part of the cultural competence equation and can be rendered futile when not matched with the right mindset, skills, and behaviors.

Personal Leadership helps address this need. It rests on the powerful premise that intercultural development is a lifestyle and daily practice--not simply a skill you get taught in a cultural training course--and offers a new approach that transcends a focus on specific cultures or limit to training or teaching environments. As such, it is an approach synonymous with and symbolic of the intercultural work of the future.

This book hits the nail on the head in many areas, but its greatest quality is that it is thought provoking. Perhaps your company is stuck in a rut and you need to create ways to get it growing again--this book will help get the thought process going. This could also serve as a team building book in that you could buy a copy for each of your key employees (possibly directors and VPs) and assign them each a chapter to discuss at an upcoming meeting. Then brainstorm after each meeting to implement the best ideas from the brainstorming session.

This is truly a great book that should help any executive or company to stimulate the creative juices. Highly recommended.

Market Busters, which purports to offer "40 strategic moves that drive exceptional business growth," follows through well on that promise and does exactly that. It's not a book of fluff or platitudes, and every single strategic move in the book is built upon a foundation of time-tested theories and actual, real-world examples. This isn't a motivational book that tells you "you can do it" but rather an extensive study into what has worked (and also what has NOT worked) written for educated people in straight-forward, albeit not "dumbed down" terms.

Here's how the process works for these 40 moves and for this WHOLE book; in my humble opinion, it's a good process, and I learned a lot. It will suggest a business strategy as follows. I'll take one as an example. Move #11: Eliminate Complexity: "...opportunity for what we call radical surgery, a move to dramatically eliminate complexity. Radical surgery is made possible, ironically, by the very efforts of companies to be responsive and to invest in improving their offerings. [...]" Two examples are then provided, one of a stripped-down hotel experience and another of an overly-complicated oven. Finally, prospecting questions are provided for eliminating complexity or executing the strategy move first proposed.

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR: This book is for serious business people, and people who want to study business as a science and a strategy and not simply as an array of promises and platitudes. I think it is best for someone in a LARGER company or with ABOVE-AVERAGE resources, because a lot of the moves suggest using teams or collections of people, so it is most suitable for corporations and large entities, although for me, it was a pleasure brainstorming experience even as a small business.

Overall, the book is great. It provides a strategic move, talks about it, gives examples, and then asks you prospecting questions or thinking questions to force you to think about the strategy as it applies to your own business. The examples are all real-world and don't always involve success (some show what caused failure). I'd recommend this not only to people already in business but also those planning new ventures.

A very down-to-earth and very practical handbook for any strategical formulation endeavours. Better than those metaphorical ones, like "blue ocean strategy". Would get five stars if it did not mistakenly treat "People's Republic of China" as "Republic of China" in the case on p. 129. There is only one province of ROC, i.e. Taiwan.

There are a number of books on the market focused on innovation, and this one is by far the best. McGrath and MacMillan have built upon concepts introduced in The Entrepreneurial Mindset, and have yet again provided actionable strategies for driving extraordinary growth.

MarketBusters provides a disciplined approach toward examining "profit drivers" within a company and developing straight forward strategies for redefining products, processes and business models. Through models and prospecting questions, the book provides a hands-on tool that can be put to use immediately in virtually any business.

For example, identifying what you charge customers for and how you measure profitablity, and changing the game to match customer needs, is an example of a simple, but effective technique for redefining your offerings and developing a defensible competitive position.

I have seen the results of using the concepts in MarketBusters. A must read!

Better than "Ghostbusters!", this book is most valuable due to its sharp questions and pointed advice to chase away the ghost of slow growth. I'm professionally involved in Private Equity and Venture Capital investing in Germany and internationally. For an investor it is crucial to understand growth drivers and the future growth potential of portfolio companies. The 40 strategic moves and the framework for MarketBusters offer practical guidelines - far more helpful in the day to day business than for example the rather conceptional books of Clayton Christensen. I would highly recommend this book not only to top executives for structuring their companies' growth efforts, but also for investors as guidelines for due diligence questions and better comprehension of growth potentials. Clearly 5 Stars!

This is a fantastic book about salary negotiation and more. Not only does Chapman discuss salary negotiation (both at time of hire and subsequently), but he discusses why and how people should be paid what they are worth. He shows how both company and employee win when an employee is paid fairly, and how both lose when an employee is paid unfairly. Please be aware that this book does not advocate getting "more" unless you are not being paid or offered what you are worth.

YOU GOTTA GET IT! "Negotiating Your Salary" is, without question, the best investment any working individual - or entrepreneur - can make! And what a bargain - if anyone knew what was between the covers, and what an incredible impact it would have on them financially, they would gladly spent ten times the cover price. I am an independent career consultant working with several major outplacement and career coaching entities. As a recognized authority on the subject of job search, I have copyrighted my own program and book on the topic. But when it comes to negotiating techniques, I bow to the Master. I highly recommend "Negotiating Your Salary" to everyone who wants to improve their financial position! I have "sold" this book to every single person I counsel, including a business client who drastically needed to learn how to stop being shy about asking for what she was worth. My copy of "Negotiating Your Salary" is already dog-eared because I read it over and over again. It's my "negotiating bible."

Describes how to negotiate salary by taking employers through three stages of thinking about your salary: 1) budget- this is the range. I will go no further; 2) fudge it--OK, I see this person's value, let's see what I can do; and 3)judge it- I jusge this is what we need. Now, how can I pay them enough? The section on research is exceptional. In addition, there are many excellent phrases to memorize for sticky negotiating points.

From Annotated Bibliography- Learning A Living A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding A Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia

This was a fast and (hopefully) profitable read for me. His techniques are simple and forward. No magic or miracles promised, just some old-fashioned horse-sense for understanding the salary negotiating game and how and why to develop your own negotiating strategies beforehand. The mind-opening section for me was the "budget-fudgit-judgit" stages in Chapter Three "Salary-Making Rule 1: When to Discuss Money". Also good strategies to use to get a raise or at salary review time.

This book or audiobook is a must have. I used these techniques to successfully negotiate a salary increase of 30% one year and a $10,000 bonus the following year.

This book breaks it down step by step and gives you lines to say. It was amazing! Everything the book said the employer would bring up did come up and I was ready with a counter-aurguement. Marvelous!

Don't go into another salary negotiation or performance review without reading this book or listening to the audio-tape. The ROI on this investment has been more than 1000% for me!

Brian's book, "Powerful Steps" is more than great, it is FANTABULOUS. On a scale of 1-5, this book is a 10. I was overwhelmed by the information Brian provided. I am now on my path of working part time on my job, and full time on my fortune thanks to Brians suggestions. I am ready to work smarter not harder. Everyone who works for someone should read this book in order to improve how they earn their money.

POWERFUL STEPS is a powerful collection of observations, strategies, and skills for creating career and business success. While the cover claims the book contains "10 essential career skills and business strategies," it actually has about 10 times as many ideas/strategies assembled under its 10 major skill sets. Indeed, Bieler packs a lot of punch into this terse, straight-to-the-point missive, offering up simple nuggets of wisdom gleaned from his years in broadcast management. His writing is lively, upbeat, and always inspiring. His ideas are simple, effective, and memorably stated. Another one of those books that makes the perfect gift for someone just starting their career in business, or the established manager who is looking to make the leap into upper management.

I have read a lot of self help, self improvement books. This one has very practical steps we can all understand, and implement. Excellent advice for anyone that wants to succeed - not only in business, but in life - from someone who's been there, done that, and succeeded!
Brian J. Bieler

Flo Herald
Herald, Inc.

This was an extremely inspiring and enjoyable book by Brian Bieler. Brian gives an inside look at the way the corporte world works and provides important details that can make one successful. I truly recommend this book to entry level business people and anyone interested in learning more about the way successful people have worked their way up the ladder.

I found Powerful Steps by Brian Bieler, to be motivating, inspiring, and full of practical information. So much so that I shared his 10 Essential Career Skills and Business Strategies at my next speaking engagement! Bielers book has a winning combination of personal experience and business savvy that leaves the reader with a fantastic book to recommend, re-read, and refer to often. Powerful Steps is just that - POWERFUL!

Be sure to bring highlighter with you when you sit down to read Powerful Steps!

Marsha Johnson is a writer, speaker, and the author of Emerald's Garden. See www.marshajohnson.net

This is a valiant effort from Sandip to provide right mixture of content appopriately and right point. The content flow is really amazing and it brings hardware engineer , software engineer , project managers and executives to be able to have differnt orthogonal understanding of the same topic.It provides foundation to further explore the possibilities of RFID which is still in infancy.Great piece of work !!!

I needed to come up to speed on RFID technology and application of the technology quickly. This book had all the information I needed in a very consumable form.

I am just getting up to speed on RFID and found this book to be both authoritative and approachable, clear and complete. Mr. Lahiri lays out the important details and limitations of RFID technology and applications as they exist today and as they will evolve in the future. Helpful appendices provide very useful information on industry players, organizations, web sites, etc.

I highly recommend this book.

Radio frequency identification or RFID is not a new technology. The earliest US patent for a passive (no battery) RFID tag that I know of was issued in 1973. Others trace the beginnings of RFID to the use of radio transponders for aircraft identification in World War II. In recent years, RFID has become a pervasive technology; its use is widespread. The users do not often realize that they are using it. Examples include electronic toll collection, electronic credit cards like the Speedpass, employee access control, pet identification, and automobile immobilizers. These applications total tens of millions of users.

The recent interest in the subject of RFID has resulted from the implementation of passive tags for the tracking of pallets and cases in the retail supply chain. The numbers of tags that may be used here figures in the tens of billions per year. If the RFID industry can make the tags at a low enough cost, the potential for labelling individual items is around one trillion per year. No wonder this industry is experiencing explosive growth and the interest to go with it.

In this book, the author gives us a comprehensive introduction to the world of RFID. The presentation is quite clear, readable, and without technical jargon. It does not require a technical background. Details are kept at a high level. The author is careful to present the benefits and drawbacks to every technology discussed. Individual chapters include: Technology Overview, Advantages of the Technology, Limitations of the Technology, Privacy Concerns, RFID vs. Bar Code, Strategy, Business Justification, RFID Solutions, and Standards.

The book is named appropriately. This is a sourcebook. There are lists of standards, vendors, conferences, organizations and their web sites. This is the best book on RFID that I have read.

Introduction

I was interested in reading this book because I intend on deploying a large-scale RFID solution in the future and wanted to enhance my knowledge on the technology. I figured this would be a good start since the author is an IBM RFID Solution Architect, and perhaps something he would state could disqualify my intentions.

"Learning more about the technology" is a very broad statement, and in my case covered just about everything from Frequencies and Business Applications to Public Scrutiny of the technology. Sandip does an excellent job of staying concise, unbiased and objective throughout this publication. Additionally, he provides insight as to why certain "sides" of public RFID critics/advocates may view things the way they do. The book mentions "getting beyond the hype" on the back cover, and Sandip does exactly that.

Sandip wrote:
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology uses radio waves to automatically identify physical objects (either living beings or inanimate items). Therefore, the range of objects identifiable using RFID includes virtually everything on this planet (and beyond). Thus, RFID is an example of automatic identification (Auto-ID) technology by which a physical object can be identified automatically. Other examples of Auto-ID include bar code, biometric (for example, using fingerprint and retina scan), voice identification, and optical character recognition (OCR) systems.


I come from an environment where my RFID hypothesis is already laid out; I just need additional information on the technology to ensure my deployment is a success. Not only does he give consideration to the variations of RFID technology, he discusses the necessity of businesses using RFID versus other technologies available today and the processes of evaluation, experimentation, deployment, and post-deployment.

Contents

The book starts out with a quick preface that gives a general blurt about RFID and narrows down who could find themselves reading the book.

Sandip wrote:

* Corporate decision makers who have received an RFID mandate from a customer or who want to adopt RFID for their enterprise
* IT managers who want to initiate a first RFID program
* Architects or developers who want to get practical tips and guidelines on implementing an RFID system and avoid the potential pitfalls
* Teachers who want to teach a course about RFID
* Students who want to know more about the technology to prepare for the RFID job market
* Consumers who want to be aware of how the technology is being used and its capabilities and limitations
* Anyone who is interested to know about the technology and its aspects


Although I can see "consumers" and "anyone interested" quickly becoming lost in his intelligent vocabulary, technical specifications and continuous references to variables and infrastructure.

Recommended experience in a technical environment before jumping into this book...and NOT intended for your "everyday Wal-Mart shopper".

Table of Contents wrote:

Preface
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 - Technology Overview
Chapter 2 - Advantages of the Technology
Chapter 3 - Limitations of the Technology
Chapter 4 - Application Areas
Chapter 5 - Privacy Concerns
Chapter 6 - RFID Versus Bar Code
Chapter 7 - The RFID strategy
Chapter 8 - Creating Business Justification for RFID
Chapter 9 - Designing and Implementing an RFID Solution
Chapter 10 - Standards
Chapter 11 - Closing Thoughts
Appendix A - RFID Vendors, News Sources, and Conferences
Appendix B - Passive Tag Manufacturing Overview
Glossary
Index


Style and Detail

Each chapter starts with introduction to the topic, then dives into specifics relevant to the topic. His organization throughout the book is very structured and is incredibly easy to follow. If you miss something or don't understand it, you will probably find that in the next paragraph he will discuss it once again except in further detail.

Beware of chapter 1, it is quite lengthy and very technical although necessary for those reading later on to fully understand the concepts he discusses.

Throughout the book, there are plenty of illustrations and pictures of products pertinent to the context. Most illustrations were very "bird's eye view" on topics, but realize he is coming from the position of a high level executive considering a RFID implementation, who instructs all those in charge of the various departments to comply, then supervises and evaluates accordingly.

Because of the "high level executive" standpoint, Sandip doesn't dip into mega-specifics of RFID tags and readers. You are not going to learn how to interact with a RFID tag or reader by reading this book...you're going to learn how to determine implementation considerations (such as environmental factors, etc), the overall purpose, how to evaluate that purpose, select a vendor, comply with standards, implement the solution, and evaluate accordingly. Overall, pretty much covers the 7 P's concept...to cross your t's and dot your i's before spending too much money.

Conclusion

From a business perspective, this book is a must read. If you are considering a RFID solution, reading this book will give you some good pointers and ways of evaluating effectiveness and efficiency. Perhaps you don't even need RFID (that's covered too).

I thought reading this book was going to help me write data to RFID tags in my RFID Solution...instead it gave me new insight as to the scope and path of my Solution. There is no "one stop" book, but this one should be your "first stop". He gives direction as to where to head if you're looking for more specific or technical information, so you're not left in the dark at the end.

His Closing Thoughts (Chapter 11) was probably the most valuable chapter in the book. Here he cuts through all the hype and anti-RFID/pro-RFID sentiment and addresses issues from both sides. Yes RFID is young, and yes its use needs to be responsible. Its capability is directly proportional to the complexity of the infrastructure. If your infrastructure is secure, the implementation will be secure. What good is "10110011101100111011001110110011" going to do anyone if they don't have access to your infrastructure? Crossing the t's and dotting the i's...

Jon Kleinhans
(...)

In a world in which "parable" has been reduced to trite and trivial, Blumberg has achieved the remarkable-- a powerful story that teaches a great lesson on what happens when work overwhelms life. Blumberg is a talented writer who also keeps the pace moving and characters believable. I have recommended this book to many! It also mirrors my belief in the power of choice as seen in two of my books: Work for a Living & Still Be Free to Live and Gifts from the Mountain:Simple Truths for Life's COmplexitites.

Bottom line: read it!

This book is a quick read with very simple message. While we are all busy working hard at our jobs, or trying to find one -- often we forget to reflect on our lives and people around us. In our search of money, comfort and race for a success, we forget about our families, genuine friends and life issues that are truly important. The book will be a gentle reminder to all readers to stop, reflect and re-assess life priorities. We will be reminded that we all have to realize that life is about serving others around us, just stopping for a minute and enjoying the simple moments in life, dedicating our energy to people and causes that make our life more rich and fulfilling. In another word, money and success is not everything. There are higher responsibilities in life and we have to take charge of making sure they happen, because no one else will.

I can only put this book down long enough to write this review. I left corporate 2 years ago to follow my purpose. It's the best thing I've ever done. I know that the overall outcome of the work I do is benefiting the planet. However, even I still forget to look around and take in what's important. I picked this book up in the airport... I had 3 other books in my bag, I didn't need another one. But this one leapt out at me and I'm sure a little angel had something to do with it.

I on the other hand, couldn't put this down and had to finish it in one reading. I'm glad I took time out of my busy life to do that! A great reminder that life is way too short, and a super script on creating the tools to get to the heart of your life. You'll know how to go about finding your passion, which can be easier said than done in our information overloaded world. A must read for the smarter, harder, fast trackers.

While an easy read, it is not a book to be read in one night. This thought provoking and life altering experience through the eyes of a high strung, bottom line driven personality will resonate with all individuals seeking a better way.

Choose which is most important to you. If is is God and your faith first, family second, job third, you may well be on your way to a truly successful lifestyle. Consider the alternative of an empty, greedy, bottom line way of life. How many true friends do you find there? How many "friends" will be there in your greatest time of need?

These and many other moral and ethical questions can be answered if you take the time to search yourself. Read slowly and deliberately.

You may just find the person you lost so many years ago.

After reading this book, I immediately changed my dating behaviors. I could see how my behavior was hurting the relationships instead of helping. The information in this book makes so much sense, I wish I had read it 20 years ago! I'm definitely taking better care of myself as a result as well. If your single...read it!

Women give their power away trying to fulfill themselves entirely through a relationship, rather than creating a full life, then attracting someone else with a full life to share it. Even if you're already in a relationship, reading this book will fill in the gaps in your relationship journey; it will also influence powerfully your relationships with other women whom you want to influence for the better. As a coach, I've used this book with clients, and also every aspect of my life with regard to influencing other women. Even though the title says, "Temptations of the Single Girl" - get it even if you're in a relationship or even married - it will help your life journey immensely.

If I had read this book sooner, I could have avoided a lot of emotionally difficult relationships. I recognized nearly all my exes in the temptations. After reading it, I felt empowered and wanted more for myself. The next time a temptation came up, I was able to turn it away because I saw it for what it really was...a drain on my time and emotions with no payoff.

I especially liked the section about the 'intentionally' wounded. We are all wounded by bad relationships, but when someone uses that as an excuse for not making an effort or a commitment, they remain intentionally wounded. For years I had been chasing someone who is intentionally wounded. This book helped me realize nothing I can do will make him change because he chooses to stay that way. I was finally able to let it go.

The book gave me a new perspective on dating and did it in a very entertaining way. I saw so many of my own mistakes reflected in Kelly's failed relationships. I found myself cheering along with Kelly hoping she would find Mr. Right and feeling a renewed sense of hope for my own search. I got back my self respect and perspective...thanks! :)

Nina, Your book came to me at exactly the moment I was in need of your message. Having just ended a relationship, I saw how I had experienced nine of the ten temptations all in one relationship. I identified with your main character, Kelly, almost 100%! The way you have written this book using characters to exemplify your message regarding dating traps and how to avoid them is very powerful. I am recommending this book to all my single girlfriends so that they can gain the wisdom you so generously have shared with those of us who very much need it. Thank you for your great insight into the dance we humans perform in the roles of male and female. I look forward to becoming an accomplished dancer!

Temptations of the Single Girl is a must-read for any woman, single or married, that want a mutually satisfying and loving relationship with a man---she's yet to meet or married to now! Nina has artfully lead us through the myriad of issue we confront when we become intimately involved with another person. All of us will recognize our own "temptations" and, thanks to Nina's insight, we can hopefully avoid making the same mistakes again and again.

J. Cummings