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For me this book is a little too heavy- too scientific - I'm teaching children most of the time - This book will enrich our knowledge beyond instructions - I like this book but I think I need to read and read again to catch the idea and use it in my class.

I recently had the opportunity to read one of Lawrence A. Kane's books entitled, "Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo" and found it to be a fantastic book for anyone involved in the teaching of students and not just those involved in the martial arts. This book is a fantastic source for reference material concerning the art of teaching, and yes, I do feel that teaching is an art form.

The approach Lawrence takes in this book is simple, yet loaded with an abundance of information that shows you various methods that you can easily incorporate into your own particular style of teaching regardless of what the particular subject is. I can almost guarantee you that if you purchase this book and study it for a few weeks, and then start applying the information that you have learned, that you will see a notable improvement in your own teaching ability, while at the same time see a marked improvement in your students.

When I first read this book, I identified with a lot of the mistakes that Lawrence mentioned concerning my own teaching style especially when I first started teaching students a little over 20 years ago. Although it is imperative that we as individuals make our own mistakes, it is not that easy or desirable to make mistakes when you are responsible for the development of another individual. Although Lawrence's focus is on teaching the martial arts, a lot of what he tells you could also be used when teaching your own children. However, you would have to modify your teaching method a bit.

The following is a brief review of each of the six chapters in this book and what there main focus is on.

Chapter One: Understanding Learning Style Differences

In this chapter, Lawrence delves into the different types of personalities that an instructor will undoubtedly find in his students, as well as, how to tailor your teaching style to best suit each individual personality type. He also delves into the use of the five senses in order to enhance your teaching ability so that your students not only retain more information, but also enjoy the lessons being taught.

The five senses are; seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, and smelling. Although it isn't practical to employ the use of all five in every lesson plan, you should try and devise a few that you could use once every month or so. I used a similar approach once teaching a group of law enforcement officers and the response I received was very encouraging. It works so use it.

Chapter Two: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Tool to Understand Student Predilections

This particular chapter is quite complex, yet Lawrence makes is all seem rather simple with his easy to understand explanation of the various personality types and how they are best suited to learn and retain information. In this section, Lawrence supplies you with some very good resource material to have your own personality tested in order to determine what type of personality you have and what method of teaching is more conducive to your ability to learn.

Chapter 3: Applications of the Six Teaching Styles to Martial Arts

The six teaching styles discussed in this section are; modeling, lecturing, cooperative performance, independent performance, knowledge capture, and role reversal.

Lawrence describes in detail each one of these teaching styles and provides good examples of when to teach that particular method and how to apply it to the teaching of the martial arts.

Chapter 4: Fostering a Positive Learning Environment

In my humble opinion there is one section in this chapter that perhaps says it all when it comes to the ability to teach another person, and that is the attitude of the teacher.

This was the single most important thing that jumped out at me when I read this book. Although there is tons of useful information provided within the pages of this book, none of it is going to be worth the proverbial hill of beans without the proper attitude being displayed by the teacher.

Etiquette or respect for oneself and others is so vitally important not only to the learning environment, but also the living environment where we have to co-exist with so many different people from a vast array of backgrounds and cultures.

Another great subject that Lawrence brings up in this section is the importance of a solid emotional and physical environment in which to teach your students. The one undeniable single factor that is prevalent in everything that Lawrence discusses is the teacher. He or she is the one who will make or break a class and/or the students in it. You can have the most exciting subject and something that you are hugely passionate about become the most boring and painful experience if the teacher is horrible. Or you can take the most boring subject and make it interesting if the teacher is passionate and knowledgeable about how to get his/her information across to the students.

Along with a lot more information on the role of the teacher, Lawrence also spends some time going over some very solid information on how to find the martial art and martial arts school that is best suited for you.

Chapter 5: Developing and Implementing Lesson Plans for the Dojo

This section covers not only how to devise, refine and implement a lesson plan, but also how to adapt when the plan you have is not working. It also covers a lot of really solid information on the martial arts itself and the various nuances that are prevalent within it.
Lawrence also has a lot of really solid useful information concerning the martial arts and their use in a self-defense situation. He gives a couple of really good examples from his own personal experience that shows what may be a preferable way to handle a situation rather than resorting to physical means. Although one must always keep in mind that no two situations are going to be identical and what may work well in one situation may not work well in another.

Chapter 6: Conclusion/Stages of Teaching

This section is rather brief as I am sure the author intended and merely goes over that which he has discussed in the previous chapters. However, there are some very good tidbits of information included here and in the next 40+ pages.

This book, like all of Lawrence's books, is filled with solid useful information concerning whatever subject he has written about. There is much that can be learned from them and I highly recommend that you purchase them and study the information contained in each one of his books.

Shawn Kovacich, martial artist/author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

Excellent, Excellent Book. Great insights for using proven teaching methods and applying it to Martial Arts.
Also other cool stuff!!

A good teacher should also be a good student, if they hope to convey and assist the development of correct principles in others. I believe that pertains not only Martial Arts, but to any aspect of life. The challenge, is understanding that not all students learn, process, or retain information the same way (regardless of age).

Lawrence Kane has created a tool for those serious about imparting knowledge to their students in ways they can understand...and excel. The valuable information in this book is essential to those of us who truly care about what (and who) we teach.

A highly recommended book.

Their are many martial arts books outlining the basics of about any martial art you could wish to learn, but Lawrence A. Kane's Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory And Communication Techniques In The Dojo is different from the rest. Lawrence A. Kane is a man who has taught and created martial arts classes and business seminars, and who focuses on the teacher of martial arts as much as the technique. Readers will lern just how to motivate and retain students, optimize time, and adjust to individual learning styles and talents using Martial Arts Instruction: is an informatively instructive and very strongly recomended manual.

I've taken my time between receiving the book and writing this review. This book has so much going for it I didn't know where to start. This is so information packed with techniques that I thought were "new" such as knitting with beads, looped knitting and felting.

I know how tempting those big books with all the beautiful color pictures are but you'd pay three, four or five times as much as you would for this little gem. It provides a surprisingly interesting chapter on the history of knitting.

It has an old-fashioned feel to it that is totally charming as are the illustrations which give the eye a rest among all the info provided. I purchased it mostly because I need techniques for Fair Isle knitting, and the book provides very good info on this.

Deserves to be in every knitters library no matter how hip you may be.

I have a bookshelf of knitting books, and after reading over and over about Mary Thomas and her books, I finally broke down and purchased them. Wow! Am I impressed! She did an amazingly thorough job of writing, and of illustrating her volumes. Treat yourself to this classic:-) and its companion volume.

The Mary Thomas knitting books (As far as I know there are two, one on knitting per se and the other on knitting patterns.)are the only knitting books one would ever need to learn knitting and enjoy knitting for a lifetime. Granted, there are many wonderful modern books with better pictures, great diagrams, fine patterns and neater print, but contained in these two paperback Dover reprints of very old books are instructions for beginning through advanced knitters, simple explanations to all the knitting problems I have ever encountered and instructions for any knitting pattern you'd ever want to knit. There are even little funny bits in the margins for folks who like a good pun. I am a life-long knitter and have frequent use for these books. These books make great gifts for a knitting friend who does not own them

This is an old book with beautiful instructions to try some wonderful stitches that are not found in most new books on knitting.

This is such a fun book. I have read a little more than half of it now, and skimmed through the rest, and there is so much here. The history of knitting that she gives at the beginning as well as sprinkled throughout the text is very interesting. She shows ways to do things that I have never heard of, and explains some things so that I finally understand them! I don't know if this would be good for the complete beginner. But then, I think that knitting is easier learned from a person than a book. But, once you have a few basics down, this book will teach you a lot.

The writing style makes you feel as if she is sitting there talking to you. And the words "hip", "funky", and "not your grandmother's...", are never used. That is a real plus to me, as I find that whole trend rather irritating. (But that's a whole 'nother topic.)

Here are the chapter titles to give you an idea of what is in the book:
History
Knitting Implements, Ancient and Modern
Knitting Yarns
Gauge and Tension
Knit Movements, Stitch and Fabric
Selvedges. Casting on. Casting off. Edges
Shape: Increasing and Decreasing
Colour Knitting
Frame or Rake knitting
Looped Knitting
Beaded and Bead knitting
Embroidered Knitting
Garments
Details of Garments
Shetland Shawls
Gloves
Socks and Stockings
Knitting Hints

I found it very interesting that there was a chapter about rake and loom knitting, as that has become so popular again. I do knit on knitting boards too, and the directions and illustrations were the same that you would see in a more "modern" book. There really is nothing new under the sun! The spiral sock pattern looks fun too. I want to give that a try soon.

Overall, this book is full of interesting information, and while not as glitzy as the newer books, it would make a great addition to your knitting library.

This book is the origin of information theory (then called "communication theory"). Explaining measurement of information in both discrete and continuous variables, this historic work defined one of the most important watershed moments in science, and serves as an excellent introduction to the subject.

This book doesn't need any presentation: it is well known by all the scientific community as the "start point" of Information Theory. Roughly speaking, today we would not have cell phones or internet without Shannon's work.
With his fundamental theorem, in 1948, Shannon prooved that it was possible, under some conditions, to have reliable communication. Since that moment, the research on Information Theory has become more and more important and has continued to develop in many different ways.
So, this book is historically fundamental for all those people interested in Communications.

Typically, a paper which defines a new field of science is not the best introduction to new researchers in the field. This is not the case with The Mathematical Theory of Communication. If you are interested in information theory, this is the one and only place to start.

This book is the best technical book i've ever read. It's clear, concise and logic. It explains all the fundamentals of communication theory, a basic for telecom and electronic engineers. All technical universities of everywhere must explain their communication theory subject following exactly this text. Above any other technical book. A gem.

The origin of this book lies in the Bell Telephone Laboratories initiative in researching how wireless and telecommunications can be improved. The problem it deals with is a classic one for electronics, telecommunications and computing - noise vs. fidelity of data transmitted. The solution it propounds is simple and yet so revolutionary that it charted the course of these fields since it was published.

The basic premise of the book is that 'redundancy' or elimination of noise occurs at infinite time. 'Entropy' or shuffledness allows for some noise and produces more information because it requires reconstruction at the receiving end.

The authors support their arguments with simple statistical formulae which explain how entropy and redundancy are inverse of each other.

This book has been highly debated by both the people involved in the fields concerned and the people outside the field.

Most of the debate surrounds the controversial aspect of Shannon and Weaver's definition of information in engineering terms, which excludes issues like relevance, meaning etc.

A great deal of debate also got carried into social sciences and humanities where a new celebration of 'entropy' occured.

"I interviewed Mike DiCerto on the AuthorsFirst radio show about his book
"Milky Way Marmalade." This book is awesome! The story just flows; it's
funny. The readers really get to know the characters, who are interesting;
each one different. If you like Douglass Adams' work, this is just as good
(in my humble opinion). Anyone who loves a riotous space adventure should
give this book a try."

Reviewed by Susan Pettrone for Reader Views (9/06)

This fantastic tale of Caffrey Quark and his journey across time and space is one of those books that will leave you spellbound until you finally turn the last page and find out as Quark found out, what the one thing that brought meaning to his life really was about! Quark has endless musical connections throughout this book and they only serve to further develop his character through their use. It is amazing how the mere mention of a song within this book can conjure up so many images for the reader that mere words would fall short of doing. Music is after all the universal language and we see throughout "Milky Way Marmalade" language put to fantastic use by the author!

Throughout this book we meet colorful characters both in action, appearance and language such as Yin, the wonderful little "dog" he befriends, only to find he is actually another being equal in intelligence and cunning as Quark himself, Violet, a woman of spectacular beauty with, of course, fantastically "violet" eyes and a magical personality to match, POE 33, an android with a missing piece of his memory and the key to that is most important in Quark's life and to the music itself, and of course, Angie, Quark's computer-generated friend who spouts sugary "terms of endearment" in her quest to gain Quark's love. The phrases Angie uses often leave the reader laughing aloud with their obscurity and oddness, but for some readers create Angie's character as no other device could. These characters transcend all notions of "normalcy" and it is fact their oddities that endear them to the reader and cause them to have such depth of character and definition as integral parts of Quark's life. By the end of the book, the reader feels as though a part of Quark's life as well, a trait that I found to be especially endearing to myself as a reader!

"Milky Way Marmalade" is a book that spans so many ages, from young teens interested in fantasy and science fiction to adults wanting to escape from the realities of 9-5 and the high price of fuel. The adventures are many, the action dynamic and the storylines within so wonderfully woven that the transitions from one to another are seamless and wonderfully easy to follow for even the most casual reader! I would highly recommend this book to all readers from ages 12 through adult. It is a great book to "get away" from the world today and visit Quark in his world so different yet so very much like our own!

Milky Way Marmalade by Mike DiCerto is an unusual and whimsical science fiction adventure that brings together a collector of exotic meats, a blue android, a purple-eyed woman, a dog with a secret, a bizarre quest to save the Wisest Substance in the Universe (known as the mythical L'Orange), and perhaps also all life as well. A loopy, riotous, and high-spirited, original space romp, Milky Way Marmalade is a lot of fun and documents author Mike DiCerto as someone to keep track of!

"Milky way Marmalade" is a rather strange science fiction book. I liked it, and I enjoyed the style in which it was written. All in all, I can honestly said that I have never read something like it :)

Do you want some clues about why on earth I say that?. Well, I suppose I could start by telling you something about the plot. The main character is Caffrey Quark, a young man who sells exotic meat, and looks for unusual specimens all throughout the galaxy. Truth to be told, that business isn't an easy one: "The exotic meat collecting business relied on place and time. It relied on punctuality, and an encyclopedic knowledge of galactic fauna and their individual mating, scavenging, migrating, hibernating, hunting and dying habits. But perhaps more importantly, success in the business relied upon the planet containing the exotic edible to have the decency to be there when one arrived". That kind of job can be tiring after a while, specially for a sensitive man like Caffrey, who eventually decides he cannot go on killing "miracles of diversity", and decides to retire.

Caffrey doesn't know exactly what he is going to do, but destiny has something prepared for him... As he is travelling in his spaceship, "The Moby Dick", he finds an old box with Earth music, including "The Rollings Stones"'s "Satisfaction" and "Stairway to heaven" by Led Zeppelin. When Caffrey listens to those songs he receives a great shock, due to the fact that the music he knew was pretty boring, and nowhere nearly as good as that. Caffrey becomes obsessed with finding more of the music that has "kick-started his soul", and as a result ends up selling his spaceship and buying a transport with a "temporal twist engine" that takes him to the "original" Earth, in the past, "in a time where its future still held potential". There he goes to many live shows of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Yes and Genesis, among others, but also forms a rock band named "Marmalade skies".

Things were going too well to last, though, and soon enough people from his previous life will meddle in his new one, kidnapping his four bandmates, and forcing him in a quest for "L'Orange", the most important substance in the universe. Caffrey, a more or less normal man in bizarre circumstances, will be accompanied in his quest by Poe 33 (a robot who was supposed to take care of "L'Orange", but that seemingly lost it), his recovered spaceship,Angie (a very disgruntled main computer), a dog that is not a dog and Violet.

Why is Caffrey's quest important?. Simply because "L'Orange" can shape the universe, and there are people who want to shape one without music. As our unlikely hero understand that he goes from someone who says "I wish I understood my role in this little soap opera" to a person willing to do almost everything to save a world that has a place for the music he loves so much.

On the whole, I think that if you like science fiction and rock music, you will really appreciate "Milky way Marmalade", an unusual combination of both.

Belen Alcat

An orange cube of gelatin contains the ultimate knowledge in of the universe. Called L'Orange, or the Akashic Records, or the Philosopher's Stone, or the Universal Hologram, and so on, it contains the past, present and future of all things. In the year 3265, Trinesmart Quark, II, a "procurer" of exotic foods, travels the universe in pursuit of his trade, until he tires of killing exotics merely for the satisfaction of the extremely wealthy and indulged. Soon he finds himself in pursuit of L'Orange and engaged in a surreal adventure.

Floating in the vastness of space, Caffrey discovers an ancient jukebox and recovers the sound of 20th century music. Living in a time when music no longer exists, Caffey finds that rock and roll speaks to his soul. His new passion lends new purpose to his life and he retire from procurement to spend his life on 20th century earth. But soon the android Poe 33, Portsmith to L'Orange finds him and ask for help. Suspiciously separated from L'Orange, Poe 33 needs Quark to help him before another entity can capture L'Orange and gain ultimate domination of the universe.

Author Michael DiCerto pens a novel that combines the outrageous fun of HITCHHIKER THROUGH THE GALLAXY and Monty Python with the search for cosmic meaning. Exotic imaginings and bizarre adventure lend MILKY WAY MARMALADE an irresistible appeal with its whimsical and outrageous style. Science fiction fans will discover DiCerto's gift of fabulous characterizations and wicked plotting lends a dynamic freshness to the genre. With rich nuances that become at once spiritual and satirical, MILKY WAY MARMALADE belongs on the keeper shelf. Very highly recommended.

"If you plan to live in a society that uses money as a means of exchange, then it is intelligent to master money," says Phil Laut author of Money is My Friend. Of course I agree, while noting that I have trouble recalling ever reading that sentiment put quite so bluntly.

Mastering money is, indeed, crucial to succeeding in our society and fortunately, or unfortunately, as the case may be, that task runs right through the task of mastering yourself, according to Laut. He effectively emphasizes the importance of throwing off negative programming and learning to write the script for your life and your financial success. He's 100% on target, but he makes it sounds simple, when, in practice, it may not be so easy.

Aside from the philosophical/psychological approach, Laut appeal's to the reader's analytical side by introducing and expounding on his four laws of wealth -- I. THE EARNING LAW, II. THE SPENDING LAW, III. THE SAVING LAW, and IV. THE INVESTING LAW -- throughout the book. But, where the book really excels is by offering ways we may have acquired "stinkin' thinkin'" regarding money and how to counteract it.

Money is My Friend is actually very similar to Moneylove by Jerry Gillies. These books offer slightly different takes on very consistent core themes. Since both authors site Leonard Orr as an influence, so it should be no surprise. Orr was an earlier proponent of the idea that the state of one's mind and one's beliefs about themself are key factors in manifesting more money. I actually like to think of these books in tandem. I recommend reading both of them in succession, as their slightly different takes form a more comprehensive whole.

In the final analysis, Money is My Friend makes a clear case that money, in and of itself, can not cure financial woes. But, the reader may rest assured in the knowledge that applying the ideas in Money is My Friend, as well as Moneylove, can pay massive, life long, dividends.

A friend recommned this book to me, and since I trusted this friend, I ordered the book. First of all, I am very sceptical of these money and beliefs books... but after reading through the book and doing the exercises, I realized the definite power this book has. It is extremely practical and provides the indepth work that one needs to do to overcome barriers to wealth.

This book really made me think. Its not a fluffy get rich quick scheme - its about owning up to negative values and habits and how to change them. I gladly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced poverty/and or debt and wants to rise well above it! It has really helped me challenge my beliefs...

BTW, after reading this book and applying these prinicples I ended up with a nice new apartment (and saved $200 in rent), a wonderful girlfriend (now fiance and soon to be wife) and I got rid of my 20 year old car and got a nice reliable vehicle... So there! The principles in this book are great! It WORKS!

Money making process is a very wide area. Author tried to mention all the ingredients that make a successfull money making formula. In doing so the book is more a list of things, then practical ideas how to accomplish them. Also I do not like how he goes very deep into psychology. Rich Dad's series are much better if you need to change your way of thinking about money.

Money is my friend is a wonderful "how to" guide on how to achieve financial freedom. It is built on sound principles that show you how to eliminate you financial fears and reprogram your conscious and sub conscious mind with affirmations of riches and success. One of the prerequisites that are required in order for you to achieve mega riches is to believe you are worthy of mega riches. This book shows you how to reprogram your mind to believe that you have what it takes. Highly recommend!

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works and Founder of www.EmpoweringMessages.com

This book does a great job of explaining the reasons for commonplace hang-ups about money and offers a very workable solution. I actually struggled with being an "over saver" - and there aren't many books written for us. Laut outlines a great way to live for today (spending what you have) while also saving for the future. It's easy to read and easy to implement.

"Must-Win Battles" appeals to me as a book that gives readers (most typically managers) the tools to lead their teams through a journey that can save their very own jobs in the long run. With a style not too distant from Lencioni's, where the authors show a fictional case in action, the book presents the path in a journey to help teams win those battles they cannot afford to loose, what they call Must-Win Battles (MWB). While offering tactics to deal with the expected bumps along the road, the book remains very strategic all the way through, focused on the strategic goals of aligning steering teams around the same agenda and eventually getting the entire organization to buy it in and embrace it.

The book wraps up with lessons from won and lost MWB journeys and a real-life case from the Unilever Ice Cream Frozen Foods business group to illustrate the entire process in action. While the fictional case presented belongs to the executive team leading the entire European organization of a company, the learnings in it could easily be extrapolated to smaller settings: a production facility, a university, etc. Highly recommendable like all Wharton School Publishing books I've had a chance of reading.

Unilever's 19-page MWB journey described by Kees van der Graaf is a fantastic read. It not only illustrates the stages and steps aligned with the authors' belief of leadership principles, I find it most valuable is Kees van der Graaf sharing with us with his personal lessons learned from the processes such as "trust my gut more than ever before" and "We have great values; they come from the heart". This reminds me of another book titled "Head, Heart & Guts" by Dotlich/Cario & Rhinesmith. Indeed Kess van der Graaf brings these to life.

MWB stands for "Must Win Battles," which is the title and a common acronym throughout this this book. Authors Peter Killing, Thomas Malnight and Tracey Keys use "battle" to refer to competitors and "must-win" to mean these battles must be won. There are a lot of circumstances applicable to the concept of 'battle.' Examples and case studies cover management style, team work, planning, shortlisting, and executing, are noted. One example is Unilever in Africa, Nestle China, and a two-year case study of the CFF business groups from the words of an executive.

Three sections and nine chapters.

Section I: Preparing the Journey

Section II: Engaging the Team

Section III: Making it Happen

The different types of managers listed are the commander, diplomat, thinker, and motivator, who are defined and described. This is followed by the role of Emotional Intelligence in the workplace. EI is just as, and oft-times more vital than IQ. There are questions regarding this that the reader can answer for themselves so they can apply this concept to their own situations in life and in the work place. This book helps the manager and employees as individuals and allows them to reflect on others and themselves.

Different dynamics of MWB, which often may include change. While strategically planning and implementing Must-Win Battles there are Resisters, Bystanders, and Supporters. A time-line is almost always necessary and matrices and diagrams are presented, when planning and executing.

A good reality check is in chapter 4, which lists "Typical Company-Related Myths." Those who've worked in medium or large organizations can identity with the company values and slogans. But they're usually only slogans, because they aren't practiced. :)

At the end of the book there are:

A) The MWB Journey and Road map
B) The Denison Survey: Questions
C) Using the External Assistance

This is helpful for all people who manage and work in organizations of all types and sizes.

In any organization, at any time, there are probably three to five key battles that must be won to achieve important goals, write authors Killing and Malnight. As you read this, you are probably thinking of the battles that are ongoing right now, the ones you need to win to get to your own goals. The first step, then is identifying what the key battles actually are and eliminating the sideshows that distract from the real issues. The authors advise that these battles are NOT internal, instead they are:

Market-focused
Something that makes a difference
Creates excitement
Are specific and tangible
Are winnable (!)

The example provided is one of Unilever, a large multinational company, working to gain market in Africa. But despite Unilever as an example, the strategy to pick your fight and win it is equally applicable to small business--if not more so.

One point I really admire is that the authors recommend that emotion be considered along with reason in how to win those battles. In other words, instead of steamrolling over emotion, which is a statement of condition, like the weather, the authors recommend dealing with it and generating excitement by directing emotion. There is also good advice on "not shooting the messenger" or how to take bad news. As one top CEO remarked to the press on how he achieved success "First, you have to deal with reality."

Excellent book and a must-read for business managers of any organization.

Q: What must be managed effectively to improve an organization's performance?

A: "First, [managers must] identify and win the right battles....But to win the battles, many organizations need to create a more effective top team and build an organization that [is] .less silo-based and capable of focusing all of its energies and capabilities on the chosen battles."

Q: What is a "must-win battle" (MWB)?

A: "MWBs are the three to five key battles that your organization absolutely must win to achieve its key objectives."

Q: What are the characteristics of a well-chosen MWB?

A: It must "make a real difference, be market focused, create excitement, be specific and tangible [and measurable], and be winnable."

Q: What is an "MWB journey"?

A: It is simultaneously both an emotional and intellectual process which must be completed by everyone involved in order to transform their organization. Ultimate success will depend upon a "shared understanding of the challenges and options facing the organization, an agreed list of three to five MWBs, a committed [and competent] team for each MWB, a high-level action plan for each MWB, new [better] ways of working together, individual commitments, and an initiation assessment of the starting conditions for engaging the organization."

Granted, this is an unorthodox way by which to begin a review but I really could not think of a better one. (No doubt someone else has.) The authors of this volume share what they have learned about why some organizational transformation initiatives succeed while most others fail. What they propose is a three-phase process (a "journey") which begins with a rigorous and thorough assessment of the current situation, followed by an engagement of the Team and then of teams for the MWBs, and then an engagement of the given organization which involves embedding the Team agenda and aligning the organization while maintaining momentum of the MWB initiatives.

I especially appreciate the authors' provision of all manner of reader-friendly devices throughout their lively narrative. For example, check lists of key points, graphics (maps and figures) which illustrate step-by-step segments of the "journey," and - whenever appropriate - caveats and disclaimers which correctly remind the reader that no course of action (including the one which the authors recommend) "fits all."

In the final chapter, they share eight "Lessons" learned from their research: five from successful MWB "journeys" and three from those which failed. In Appendix A, readers are provided with a comprehensive "MWB Journey Roadmap" and then in Appendix B, the authors provide "The Denison Survey: Questions" (copyright © by Daniel R. Rosen), a culture survey which is discussed on pages 47-48.

Presumably the authors agree with me that it would be a fool's errand for anyone to read and re-read their book, then rush - or even stroll -- to implement everything in it. It would also be a fool's errand to cherry pick diverse (albeit sound) ideas from a variety of different sources and then attempt to consolidate them in a single plan of "attack." Rather, I urge each reader to read Must-Win Battles with great care and then, preferably in discussion with others, co-determine what would be most appropriate to the given organization. Killing, Malknight, and Keys can be very helpful to that process of aanalysis and, especially, to identifying the highest priorities and most important objectives. My guess is that, by following that procedure, the "must-win battles" will reveal themselves.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Jason Jennings' THINK BIG, Act Small, Michael Hammer's The Agenda and Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

This is still the definitive book on the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Almost anything you want to know about the breed is here: its history, pedigrees of some well-known ancestors of today's Tollers, training information, even a full pictorial on how to groom a Toller from start to finish. Alison Strang and Gail McMillan share their love of the breed as well as their knowledge. I recommend this book to every Toller owner or would-be Toller owner, since your life won't be the same once one of these little red rascals joins your family.

This is just about as good a book on any breed you can get, it has pride and place with my other books.

If you are seriously considering adopting a Toller, then this book is a must-have reference. Ms. Strang encapsulates key information and lays it out in an easily-accessible format. She discusses the history, breeding, and temperament of the Toller in a comprehensive and interesting way. The step-by-step grooming section (and accompanying photos of the late, great Barney) is the best I've seen to date. It's rare to find a groomer familiar with the breed in the US; most assume they are small Goldens and that grooming is done similarly. Au contraire! When I used to bring my dog to a groomer, I learned years ago to bring a photocopy to serve as their cheat sheet/user's guide. Due in no small part to this section (and some hands-on training-thanks, Alison and Sandy MacF!), I now groom my own dogs. This reference has enriched our knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the breed. We suggest it to people who meet our dogs and want to learn more. I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in this intelligent, active and keen breed.

It is is very good book about Tollers. Lay-out is very high quality. If you have Toller of your own or you want to know about Tollers it is a good buy.

This fantastic book really gets into all corners and hide-outs of the Toller. Alison's and Gail's knowledge of this dog is simply amazing. We as breeders show the book to all our friends in the dog world, and many of them has already bought it. Simply fantastic. Thanks Gail and Alison

I know Ms. Heidenreich personally and worked with her for years. As I believe parrots to be the most misunderstood of all pets it is always a touchy subject to discuss parrot behavior with parrot owners. Barb is one of the few "parrot experts" I have ever met after 13+ years in the zoo animal training field. I highly recommend anything written or offered by her. Good luck!

Barbara provided great insight into parrots and why they do what they do. She uses reeal world examples from Parrots and many other animals that she has experience with. This book breaks down the different types of aggression and signs to look for. I wish I had ordered "Good Bird! A guide to solving problems in companion parrots" at the same time as they are complimentary as I understand it. It will arrive this week. One other thing, the book has a ton of great photos as well! You won't be disappointed with this book.

Excellent reference for owners of large parrots. This book will explain why your bird does what it does. It is absolutely the best book I have purchased so far concerning the behavior of my macaw. It takes the mystery out of your birds aggressive behaviors. It explains your bird's natural daily routines. I found it most enlightening. Once you understand how parrots behave in the wild, your bird's behaviors will make a whole lot more sense to you, and that truly helps you provide the best for your companion. This book is a real jewel for owners of large parrots and I think it should be required reading for all who own one. Well written and highly informative, it is by far the best book that I have found on parrot behavior to date. It will really help you understand your bird.

This is the best book of it's kind I've read. It explains the why as well as the "how to". Others I've read do not give examples of "how to" like this book. Behavior modification is a tough problem and this book really helps.

I have 3 adopted Umbrella cockatoos and an African grey and was looking for some advice on dealing with behavior problems. I agree with her philosophy but was really looking for the PROBLEM SOLVER(!) part of the book. The book is not organized well and digresses plenty (to other species, etc.) You have to read to the end to actually find some "problem solving" techniques and by then I was frustrated with it. I am still considering buying one of her DVDs as realize she is knowledgeable on parrot behavior. However, this book needs a new title. Worth reading overall but doesn't really give much practical advice on solving behavior problems. For example, here's a good suggestion (not hers) -- Wrap your arm in "Ace bandages" and wear a long-sleeve shirt (to hide the wrap) for biting parrots. I do not have high pain tolerance and am tired of advice suggesting you "take the bites". I can't. Meanwhile I was afraid to handle one of my biting birds...that is, until I protected my arms. Now I can actually work with this bird and since the biting does not get a response from me, and I'm not fearful and expecting a bite, the bird is no longer doing it. Gee, a simple solution! THAT'S the kind of advice I was looking for! But I need more practical problem solving advice. So I'm still looking...!

Well, I can also say that Lon Milo Duquette's "Chicken Qaballah of Of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford" is a good intro to the Caballah and this is a great place to go next for a more in-depth(still accessable) study in the Caballah. Regardie's "Garden of Pomegranettes" is a classic for caballistic pathworkings but this book offeres a simplified version of that. Greer is AWESOME at making Golden Dawn practices easy for the 'less than adept' to access!!!

If you ever wanted to understand the true foundation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, this book is a must have! I cannot recommend this book enough! Mr. Greer's explanations of the magical workings of the Cabala and its relations to the Golden Dawn system of magic are well worth the lofty price to acquire this book. "Paths of Wisdom" sets the stage for Mr. Greer's follow-up book "Circles of Power". If you are an aspiring solitary magician looking for a fresh approach to the Golden Dawn traditon of magic, then invest your money wisely and buy these books. You are guaranteed a well rounded education in the high magical arts.

First off, I must present my biased disclaimer of being a huge fan of John Michael Greer. Few authors in this field have his ability to tackle a complex subject, gather an immense amount of information, sift through the dross, and present it in such accessible and practical fashion.

Paths of Wisdom is no exception. If you own only 1 book on the Hermetic Qabala (as distinct from the traditional Hebrew type), MAKE SURE this is it! Qabala, by its very nature, can be a complex, pedantic, and often dry and confusing study. However, the patient and persistent student will find great rewards. Too often one learns the rudiments while lacking the deep understandings, which can be subtle and paradoxical. This book helps clarify all that. Granted, there's a lot of material here too, and it'll take time to fully absorb all the hidden jewels. But the engaging and lucid writing style makes this anything but a dry reference or "how to" manual.

Greer does not lose sight that to experience the Qabala is to practice and live the tradition each day, not just read and discuss it. Paths of Wisdom is a reminder that Qabala is not a static, pedantic methodology that exists in a vacuum, but a beautiful, living, dynamic system that evolves alongside humanity's aspirations to re-discover our forgotten Oneness. As a valuable tool for personal growth, pathworkings are presented as a freeform, archetypal, and deeply subjective experience based on the Tree of Life's path symbology, and not as the common, predefined, guided visualizations. The incredible and often neglected faculty of the human Imagination is greatly emphasized. The aspects and symbology of the Tree of Life are very well presented. With this book and Greer's equally excellent Circles of Power, the student of The Western Mysteries will find a lifetime of treasures and inspired direction for their sacred journey.

What an unbelievable gem. I wish to the gods this wasn't $8 million used. I can say without reservation that it is one of the best Cabala/Kabbalah/Qabalah book EVER WRITTEN. Why it's no longer printed, the world will never know. JMGreer is planning on expanding it and printing it with another publisher, luckily.

If you ever come across a cheaper copy--or have the extra dough to spend--I recommend this book immensely, for accurate and clearly explained Kabbalah study AND magickal practice. I can't recommend it highly enough. Because most people can't afford this, I second this recommendation with "The Magic of Qabalah" by Kala Trobe and "The Mystical Qabalah" by Dion Fortune. You won't be disappointed with either. Beginner or advanced, all of these both invaluable, accurate and wise.

this book is very easy to read and understand. it brings many of the complex concepts of the qabala, (as understood in the golden dawn) to a level most students can understand. it's like a more interesting version of the golden dawn papers. i'd also recommend Dion Fortune's mystical qabala.

I must say first that the format of "Politics" takes some getting used to. Mr. Heselov goes from giving examples of how the general public is being taken advantage of by credit card companies and the resulting "Credit Card Cancer" to hidden secrets about mortgage companies and loans (his own bailiwick, with over 42 years experience), to anecdotes which go from O.J. Simpson to Michael Milken. Sometimes all in the same page, without any clear boundaries separating them! However, once you acclimate yourself to his unique writing style and get your "sea legs" beneath you, "Politics" is a truly remarkable and illuminating read. Interspersed with the author's own experiences and insights, he paints a picture with seemingly random strokes of the brush about the general climate of Big Business and the political arena. But, like paintings that look like a collection of random shades and layers of paint up close but magically transform into a vivid image when viewed from afar, "Politics" leaves the reader with a clear picture of the forces that lay just beneath the waterline in the political and financial world. Read it once all the way through, then keep it around and read the selections in random order! It is simultaneously amusing and shocking, and guaranteed to entertain and educate. I am on the verge of buying a house myself, and I definitely feel better prepared to face the lending companies after having read this book. Thank you, Mr. Heselov!

The writing style is energetic and it draws you into the world of numbers. Mr. Heselov provides case histories that will make your hair stand on end. A must-read for anyone with more than one credit card. And Mr. Heseleov knows Cher! (page 40)

Politics, Money & Shtick should be required reading for any credit card holder or mortgage shopper. The book is informativeand easy to read. This book is an investment that will bringyou many returns. If you are serious in saving money this book is for you.

An interesting & amusing look a Pot Pourri of Subjects. Don't analyse just enjoy.

Jack Heselov provides a lot of insightfulness and information in his book regarding credit cards and home loans. The American Consumer can gain a good deal of useful knowledge by reading his book before buying or refinancing their home. Additionally he really nails the credit card companies and shows just how much they are really charging the average consumer who carries a balance on their credit cards. The interesting and humorous manner in which Mr. Heselov has written his book makes it easy and enjoyable to read.