Professions Books

Roger Hall provides us an extraordinarily well written opportunity to be personally affected by the devastation that befalls an innocent individual judged guilty by a powerful media greatly influenced by wealthy puppeteers. Hall's transitions between chapters challenge you to put the book down. There is a tremendous amount of honesty and intimacy wrapped around this modern man's encounter with the windmills of Texas. You cannot walk away from this book without an altered perception of the media and the games the powerful play. I re-read this book a year ago and it continues to stir the occassional thought and to provide a filter through which the press is processed. It's a great read -- it's an even better story.

Mr. Hall did an excellent job sharing his experience with one of Houston's wealthiest families and the press.

Freedom from the Press - A Personal Story of Libel by Roger Hall. Maharatha Books, Middleburg, FL. 1998 (new edition). 334 pp. $16.50 trade paper.

Like the popular nonfiction book A Civil Action made into a movie, Roger Hall1s Freedom from the Press is an absorbing account of an involved lawsuit against a corporate powerhouse by an individual with important personal interests at stake. This author1s case was a libel case against the Houston Chronicle, which in 1991 ran a front-page article accompanied by a photograph implying that Hall had once been a bona fide member of a controversial New York cult rather than an unwitting recruit who had ultimately tried to discredit it. Hall came under extraordinary pressure because in a deposition he tied a local wealthy businessperson named Douglas Wyatt to the cult. This was used by enemies of Wyatt to destroy his reputation through the newspaper article. During one phase of his ordeal, Hall felt his life was threatened. Hall1s small business shortly fell into ruins, and he sunk into a severe depression. But he nonetheless managed to carry out his lawsuit until after some setbacks that would have defeated most persons, he prevailed in the end. Hall relates succinctly the legal procedures and issues at stake, and takes you into his own emotional turmoil. The reader holds his breath pulling for Hall against the powerful interests set against him.

review by Henry Berry Book Reviewer Editor/Publisher, The Small Press Book Review

This brilliant book is a sociological study of the modern business school, an ill-understood institution that has had a profound impact on the world's economy. Insider Rakesh Khurana, a professor at Harvard, begins in the late 19th century, when B-schools were born into a burgeoning America. Wharton was the first true B-school, established in 1881 with $100,000 from Joseph Wharton, a Pennsylvania Quaker. Programs at elite colleges, such as Dartmouth and Harvard, soon followed. Nasty teething pains, however, upset business schools' infancy. Academics didn't agree on curriculum or even purpose. Moreover, the nagging question about whether business (or "management") was a real profession lingered. In adolescence, the gawky B-schools looked longingly at their unquestionably legitimate, older, wealthier siblings: graduate schools for law and medicine. This led to a business-school image makeover that didn't quite work, according to the author, leaving today's B-schools facing mid-life anomie as the economic value of B-school enrollment - and the resulting M.B.A. - drops. getAbstract recommends this book to anyone who wants to understand the past and future of this influential institution.

Khurana does a superb historical review of business schools and business education. It clearly shows that one could predict a country's future 20 years ahead if you look at what business schools are teaching at the time. " Tell me what you are teaching in B Schools and I will tell you how your economy will fare in the future'. Seems obvious but no one has done this type of analysis before.
Khurana also shows how americas center-left was instrumental in creating MBAS and a socially responsible business leader, a move we have shifted away since 1970 when "agency theory" got a foothold in Wall Street. A must read.

I am attending the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University and I forwarded the title of this book to both my professor and the center dean. I am currently pursuing a dual Masters (MBA/MPM) so this book is of particular interest to me in regards to the author's views of the graduate business schools and the MBA programs. This is a big book (500 pages) so there is a lot of information to digest. I fully agree with his assertion that graduate business schools are loosing touch with corporate America to an extent. The major brand name schools (Harvard, Stanford, etc...) only appear to graduate MBA students with needed connections. When it comes to business education, there is a chasm between what is taught and what is needed in the marketplace. I had a cousin who graduated from HBS and hated the 2 year MBA experience but only pushed to graduate for the networks and the "Harvard" reputation. She learned nothing of the experience. The adage: "it is not what you know but who you know" is correct for these brand schools. When it comes to my experience with Keller, I fully disagree. Keller Graduate school teaches a lot of management practical material as well as theory and so far I have learned a lot of practical information for the business world. The case load is not all case study (as opposed to Harvard). What makes this a very good book is that if one is considering a brand b-school, don't expect to learn or make your mark. The lesser known but more practical business schools will be more advantageous (and cheaper!)

It is just what you expect from a tax course case book. It gives you a clear black letter law, provides useful examples, and does not have too many cases (which are mostly outdated - though demonstrate some basic principles). If you had one of the books by these authors - you know what to expect: approach is the same. In addition, you may want to get Logic of Subchapter K to help to digest some of the hardest technical stuff, and Black Letter: Corp. & Partn. Taxation (same authors) for a good outline. And yes, some accounting basics would be very helpful.

This is the industry standard textbook, both for law school courses in partnership taxation and for MST (Masters of Taxation) courses of the same title. This text is concise and readable and does an excellent job of explaining the concepts involved in the taxation of partnerships and other flow-thru entities.

This textbook is readable and has both simple and complex problems - something I don't see often in legal texts.

please don't buy into the portrayal of Islam as oppressive and unfair to women. Learn as much as you can before jumping on the hate bandwagon. There's more to life than just what YOU may hold to be true. Again, for a good explanation of the status of women and men in Islam, study this work by a great contemporary Islamic scholar, an excellent speaker, and a true gentleman.

As-Salaamu A'alaikum.

As a non-Muslim, I found the explanations of Islamic views very clear and well delivered. The quotations from the Qu'ran and Ahadeeth are well selected. Misconceptions of Islamic views are dealt with by reference to those specific quotations from primary sources, which have ignited those misinterpretations.

I found the book wholely honest and helpful. No propaganda, just simple, straightforward discussion of gender equity according to the Qu'ran and Ahadeeth. Included are many examples of cultural views in Muslim lands, which contradict Islamic views. This differentiation is vital to the reader, who would tend to see current non-Qu'ranic practices, such as that of the Afgan Taliban, as Islamic when it is but a perversion from Islam.

I fully recommend this text for open-minded non-Muslims, who desire a fair treatment on the subject.

Dr. Badawi presents an authentic approach to gender equity in Islam and dispells certain misconceptions held by many muslims and non-muslims alike. He supports his position by drawing from examples in the Qur'an and the Hadeeth.

This is a must-read for anyone who want to learn more about gender equity in the spirit of normative Islamic principles.

Wow! I was shopping in a "bricks and mortar" bookstore and saw this book as I was cutting down an aisle. Something on the cover - the picture I think - grabbed me. I decided to see if I could get it on the internet instead. One thing: its not cheap! Fitty bucks! And only 222 pages! But I will tell you, it takes so long to read each page, that you more than get your money's worth. There are many thoughts in this book, so the thoughts-per-cost ratio is actually quite good...thus making it one of the better book values I have encountered, even for books in the $50 range. And let me add something else: I had to read it three times, to begin to understand it. I think in three more readings I will have a strong grasp of the topic - meaning, that, you really read this book six times - breaking the cost down to eight dollars per reading.

Mr. Berkowitz appears to have a full command of his subject. While the topics in this book may not make you the hero of your office Christmas party if you start to recite them, in certain social settings (for example, if you are having lunch with a group of professors, or if you are playhing tennis with any members of the Leibniz family) you will be pleased with how much you know and can recite.

I would recommend this wholeheartedly. My final thought is that I would like to see this book climb up from 286,000 on the rankings here on Amazon, because I find it hard to believe there are 285,000 better books out there.

I attending Roger Berkowitz's reading of The Gift of Science and quickly purchased my own copy. While I am certainly not an "academic-type" the concepts in this book really got me thinking. Whenever I listen to a press conference or read anything related to law and justice I can't help but bounce the information off what I have learned in The Gift of Science. This brilliant book opened my eyes and gave me the tools to look at the American justice system in a whole new light.

I did not expect this book to be what it was. Before, I knew Leibniz transformed mathematics and theology but had no idea he forever altered the relation between law and ethics. The subtitle is misleading: the Gift of Science is not only about G.W. Leibniz, it's about philosophical and cultural upheavals centuries ago that still resonate. And it's also about the rise of modern law and modern thought. A fascinating read for anyone who cares about intellectual history, the effects of the scientific revolution, and especially, the state of justice. Weaving together different disciplines in a manner I have not seen before, Berkowitz manages to demonstrate both a historical argument and a paradigm shift that rings so true. I will not look at current court cases the same way again -- and I am left feeling I know how we arrived where we are today... This is disturbing, illuminating, gripping stuff.

I BOUGHT THIS BOOK AS A GIFT. I DID NOT READ IT. MY SISTER-IN-LAW LOVED IT. THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU.

Frances Karnes is Director of the Center for Gifted Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi where she is also Professor of Special Education. Ronald Marquardt is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at The University of Southern Mississippi and a specialist in constitutional and administrative law. In Gifted Children And Legal Issues: An Update they have collaborated to bring together the very latest in a profoundly informative survey of the legal rights and obligations connected to the public education of gifted children. The chapters include Federal and State initiatives, the legal process and gifted education, court cases and gifted students' educational opportunities, a case-by-case examination of school policies affecting gifted education, negotiation in gifted education, gifted education and mediation, gifted education and due process, other legal issues related to gifted youth, gifted children and the Office for Civil Rights, legal issues affecting the gifted in the new millennium. Gifted Children And Legal Issues: An Update is further enhanced for the reader with a number of appendices: Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 1988; Table Of Cases; State Offices of Gifted Education; State Associations for the Gifted; National Associations and Resources for the Gifted; Position Statements of the National Association for Gifted Children. Gifted Children And Legal Issues: An Update is essential reading for all educators, policy makers, and parents concerned with the issues of public education and the gifted child.

Gifted Children and Legal Issues: An Update picks up where Gifted Children and Legal Issues: Parents Stories of Hope left off. The new volume adds more recent legal findings, plus options to full legal discourse, including negotiation, mediation, and finally, due process.

Plus appendices including the Javits legislation that we often hear of, but until now I didn't know what it *really* said, a list of state gifted education offices, state associations, national associations, and position statements of the NAGC.

A good reference volume for parents and professionals working with (and fighting the battles for) gifted children!

If you have ever taken for granted that public libraries are an established part of our society and if you cannot imagine our society without them, you must read Ruth Rikowski's book, Globalisation, Information and Libraries.

It provides an excellent overview of the main elements of the GATS and TRIPS agreements and how these treaties could negatively impact public access to information. Ms. Rikowski explains clearly and in great detail how the GATS especially could threaten public libraries the world over, examining the situation in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, the US, and other nations. I cannot recommend her work highly enough. She explains a technical topic clearly and simply, and provides detailed references in each section of the book so that the reader may follow up with further research.

This is an important book in a world that is rapidly becoming more corporate. The WTO's corporate agenda is not being called into question by the mainstream media, nor are its activities being reported to the public. Much of the WTO's activity is enacted behind closed doors, with no public input, and its negotiations are taking place between representatives with the corporate interest at heart. Representatives of the public interest have been, until now, absent from these proceedings.

I commend Ms. Rikowski for her work compiling the mass of existing evidence against the WTO's GATS and TRIPS agreements and for explaining the implications of this evidence clearly for the public.

Anyone who cares about the public's continuing right to access information and who cannot imagine a world bereft of public libraries must read this book.

The implications of the World Trade Organization's GATS and TRIPS agreements don't really make it to the library staff café (but neither do the issues of outsourcing, downgrading and job insecurity these days, so that should not surprise us). While the library sector is busy hiding its collective head in the sand, Ruth Rikowski has been carefully and iteratively constructing her theory of open Marxism (most librarians think that Marx just goes with Spencer). Be warned: this is not the usual dumbing down manual that you find in your information centre / career office (with obvious advice and "lots of pictures"). You are expected to read 400 pages (which could do without repetition in many parts, but then perhaps to communicate you do need to iterate - to the point that the TINA effect becomes the tinnitus effect). Rikowski uses historical data to contextualise the topics she explores (a rarity these days) and successfully deconstructs what "service" means in the rise of global capitalism. While intellectual property rights and services become under these agreements "tradable commodities", it might not be altogether undesirable to replace the present public library service (with their bad book provision) into a privatised service. When this happens, librarians from this sector will wake up to what could have been and wasn't, because of their lack of real culture and scholarly approach to collection building, and their inability to curate for the next generation.

This book's four parts should become compulsory reading (and essay setting) at Library school: globalisation and the World Trade Organisation; the general agreement on Trade in Services [GATS]; agreement on trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights [TRIPS] and the Open Marxist theoretical perspective on global capitalism and the World Trade Organisation. The guilty parties are all discussed in the book - so ask your local library to stock a copy - while the public library still exists.

Outside the legal profession and the sphere of economics Ruth Rikowski's book is a refreshing attempt to critically address and explain to information professionals and to the general public the implications of the World Trade Organization's GATS and TRIPS agreements with regard to the free flow of ideas, access to information, and effects on information services.

One of the distinctive features of Rikowski's book, which I found extremely thought provoking and useful, is her open Marxist theoretical perspective. It is an approach which by drawing on Marx's labour theory of value enables her to demonstrate how in an information based and globalising economy the GATS and TRIPS agreements make it possible for the value of intellectual labour embedded in iinformation processes and products to be converted into capital and transferred into the hands of those in big business who seek to augment their already massive capital assets at the expense of the interests of the general public.

Although the subject matter is by nature somewhat technical, nevertheless the book is based on thorough research and highly accessible and informative.

It is for all these reasons that I highly recommend Rikowski's book to readers.

Have you ever wondered exactly what the Brady Bill does? Or how the Clinton gun ban law defines "assault weapon"? Answers to these questions, and many, many others can be found in a fine new book Gun Laws of America. Written by Alan Korwin and Michael P. Anthony, Gun Laws of America is a citizens' legal guide to every federal gun control law on the books today. Even gun law experts will be impressed with the breadth and scope of this book, which includes the first federal gun control which is still on the books (a 1894 statute authorizing the forfeiture of firearms used for illegal hunting in Yellowstone National Park). And then there's the first real "gun control" statute within the modern meaning of gun control: a 1927 statute outlawing mail-order handgun sales. The authors do more than just provide the full text of every federal gun control statute. At the beginning of each statute, they also provide a plain-English summary of the statute, so that a non-lawyer can get the gist of it. In addition to the well-known gun control laws, the authors also supply information about the huge variety of less-known laws. For example, did you know that if you use food stamps to buy firearms or ammunition, you will be permanently disqualified from the food stamp program? I had never realized that a legal resident alien who violates any firearm statute (including the most trivial municipal ordinance) can be deported for the violation. Handloaders and other folks who purchase gunpowder will be interested in federal statutes involving explosives. Did you know that the Secretary of the Treasury (who oversees the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) has the authority to enter onto and investigate any site where an explosion has occurred? Persons concerned about local control of the schools will be surprised to find a federal law requiring that public schools expel any student who brings a gun onto school property. And of course there is the heart of the federal gun control laws: sections 921 through 930 of volume 18 of the United States Code. This law came into being as the Gun Control Act of 1968. It outlaws all interstate firearms sales, with a few exceptions. Having been modified by the Firearms Owners Protection Act (1986), the Brady Act (1993), and the Clinton Crime Bill (1994), the federal gun statutes are now quite complex, with cross-references piling up one on the other. Gun Laws takes you through these laws step-by-step, so that you can see precisely what the federal government outlaws, and what it doesn't. You will also find little-known provisions that may be quite important to you. For example, as the result of an NRA amendment to the Brady Act, airlines which ship your firearms in checked baggage have to put the "firearm tag" on the inside of the case, so as not to make the case a target for theft. The other major part of the federal gun control system is the National Firearms Act of 1934, which requires a special tax stamp to possess machine guns, short shotguns, and short rifles, and which also sets up a federal excise tax system for firearms manufacturers. One particularly interesting part of the book traces the rise in the volume of federal gun control laws. Before the Roosevelt Administration, there were hardly any such laws. Since the 1960s, huge numbers of gun laws have been enacted every decade by Congress. Review by Dave Kopel, Independence Institute, http://i2i.org.

As a state certified Concealed Handgun Instructor in Texas, I am most indebted to Mr. Korwin and his research staff for the very thorough presentation of Texas and U.S. Federal legislation. Not only are the statutes presented in an orderly manner, there are ancillary laws that are thoroughly discussed -- both are presented in legalese and in layman's terms so that the unannoited may understand fully what is being laid out in the law.

I require that all my clients purchase his Texas Law book when they sign up for my course. It has proven to be immeasurably necessary to gaining a more complete understanding between what the written law states and what the courts choose to interpret from that law.

Mr. Korwin's book on Gun Laws of America will help you keep out of harms way from laws in states that do not have certification courses such as those available in Texas. Be very aware of Federal legislations that can destroy your freedom if you do not know of them. My best to all of you that wish to protect yourself and at the same time do not want to become an unwitting criminal in doing so. These books by Mr. Korwin, and those he recommends, are a must for gun owners across America. Add them to your personal library and knowledge base if you wish to become an informed and sanely secure gun owner.

Every federal gun law in America word - for - word, with that unique "gist" that only Korwin can do. A must for any person interested in the subject and an excellent compliment to his position paper

The authors made the legal issues easy to understand. I was out there looking for a such book for a long long time, and this is the book. This book helpes me to be prepared for some potential legal matters that I may have to face in a complicated casino hotel environment. I had a great opportunity to meet with the author Stephen Barth at the New York Hotel Show one year. He was a keynote speaker.

Great industry resource for lodging and hospitality managers. This book is far more practical than others Ive used or reviewed. Mr. Barth makes the book usuable for students, yet extremely practical for those already in working in the field. We now promote and encourage the use of this book with all those we work with.

As President & CEO of the Texas Hotel and Motel Association, I have known Stephen Barth as a revered professor of hospitality law at the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, as a tremendously popular seminar leader, and now, I am pleased to say, as an outstanding author.

His book, Hospitality Law, provides an up-to-date information source that can teach practicing hospitality managers and students how to avoid and minimize legal difficulties they might otherwise face in the running of lodging properties. The book is well written, easy to follow, and best of all, gives examples from the actual operations of lodging and restaurant establishments. Especially strong are the sections on contract law, safety and security, and employment issues.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the legal issues that arise in the everyday decisions that a lodging property professional must make.

This is an excellent book. It gives enough detail and helps beginners as well as veterans. However it will not take the place of actual experience.

Elkouri is the penultimate arbitration manual. Having arbitrated, been an advocate, and taught arbitration, I feel confident in recommending this book for literally every area of arbitration. The book is, admittedly, geared toward labor law practice. However, the principles are the same in general arbitration. Labor arbitration and all other areas share a common history in the United States.

The book is clearly written, meticulously researched, and thoroughly indexed. I highly recommend it for arbitrators, advocates, and faculty.

This book is an essential for any arbitration advocate's library. I purchased it as an update from the fourth edition and I was amazed at how much more information and how many more topics are addressed in this book.