Commercial Products Books

This is another good book of logo ideas. Great for inspiration. Nicely laid out and the pages are of good quality glossy paper. Very nice book for my collection.

This series is a must have for any designer. Not only is it great for ideas, but a nice tool to have when a wishy-washy client just isn't sure what they want. If you are a serious designer, you must own all the Logo Lounge books.

Always a fan, the assemblage of brands from every corner is impressive and helpful. The Lounge has always been and continues to be a wonderful resource for jump-starting logo block.

Great book for inspiration and search for the right ideas. This time RockPub. is making few more pages showing how the logos work in the graphic design environment.

I was excited to see foreign companies using the latest styles in advertisement, like the russian phone company "BeeLine."

Wold highly recoment this book for a graphic design major and advertisement.

Whether you are fresh out of college or a seasoned Senior designer, you will find this book an amazing resource of ideas, trends and just plain good design.

We actually have purchased every volume and they keep getting better and better. Logo Lounge 3 is no different in terms of the unique talent chosen to be showcased in this edition.

If you need a design spark look no further, this is the book of choice.

[...]

I first heard a lecture by Victor Papanek about 20 years ago, shortly before this revised edition was released. He was a very impressive speaker, drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of ecological design ideas. His work has taken him far and wide and in the process allowed him to revamp many of his views on environmental design. This book is an extensively updated version of his seminal book on the subject. It has become a bit dated in the 20 years since its release, especially in regard to computer software design. But, most of the material he covers is still relavent to the present, as we have only begun to scratch the surface of sound ecological ideas.

Having read the more recent books on ecological design by Sim Van Der Ryn and William McDonough, I was surprised to see that neither mentioned Papanek, who prefigured many of the ideas they present in their current books. Papanek long ago advocated the lease/use principle, which makes much more sense in a rapidly changing technological world than does the buy/own principle that continues to dominate our social thinking. Papanek notes the many cultural and psychological blocks we have created for ourselves when it comes to ecological design, but also illustrates how we can overcome these blocks with methods such as bisociation, first proposed by Arthur Koestler. But, what really makes this book stand out are the great number of illustrations that Papanek uses to demonstrate his ideas. This is one of the most practical books written on environmental design.

While Papanek was an industrial designer, his ideas are equally germaine to the field of architecture and biology. He advocated a multi-disciplinary approach, feeling that our universities had become too compartimentalized and were stifling creativity, which needs cross-pollination in order to thrive. The book is as inpiring as his lectures. Papanek challenges the reader to explore new avenues, not continue to follow the status quo, which only results in creative dead-ends.

Papanek, like his mentor Fuller, took on a guru like status where rhetoric became more important than the reality. He bends facts and contradicts himself several places in this book.

Here are a few that jumped out at me

Misrepresentation of the facts -

Page 89 - The Hyatt collapse wasn't bad design rather the builder changed the construction and inspectors weren't doing their job.

281 - He talks about farm implement companies' negative reaction to his walking tractor proposal. Troy-Bilt Rototiller has around since 1937, was and is building a 10 HP tiller very similar to the one pictured.

Contradicts himself -

Page 6 he says, "Design must be meaningful. And meaningful replaces such semantically loaded expressions as ... "ugly"... "cute"...

Page 93 - he describes gum as "tawdry

Page 246 - He asserts that humidifiers are bad because they are "costly, ugly, and ... wasteful of water"

Granted there are a lot of dangerous, overpriced, impractical, and generally unnecessary products on the market, but except for ranting about what he considers to be wrong, he doesn't offer much in terms of direction to others who want to be socially responsible.

one of the best books on design ethics till date!

I first spotted this book while studying in Denmark last year, where my host parents had studied under Victor Papanek. I would have studied under him at the University of Kansas, if not for his untimely and unfortunate passing. This book is one of the best books on the principles and ethics of design. It illustrates both the designer's responsibility and the potential to affect real change in the world through design. This most renowned of works by Papanek focuses on industrial design in two parts: How It Is, and How It Could Be. Papanek encourages radical thinking in design, and most of the topics in the book are easily translated to architecture. To my knowledge, reading this book has never been a required part of the core curriculum at the School of Architecture and Urban Design here at KU, but in my opinion, it should be.

It has been many years since I read this important book. I hope this book will be made a compulsory read for all design students. If only more designers would adopt Mr Papanek's approach to socially-responsible design, the world will be a much better place to live in.

An Unusual Book, July 28, 2007
By Ray "A Reader" - See all my reviews

This book is a somewhat dated, but nevertheless gorgeous, panorama of product design Sony's way, and with their distinguished record of outstanding design work for some half a century, they are certainly in the position to tell us something about design. Never mind Sony's missteps and forays into the world of media and movies - this book tells us all about the Sony WE know, the company that developed the Trinitron television, the Walkman player, the MiniDisc recorder, and brought both cassettes and CD-ROM's into mainstream use (with its co-partner, Philips of the Netherlands). Digital Dreams tells us not so much about products, but how products are envisioned, designed, and ultimately walked through a lifecycle. It's a fun-filled story, filled with stunning graphic designs, gorgeous pictures and artwork, and even a little on how Sony viewed its business at the year 1999.

Though this book is not intended to do so, the book actually serves as a great case study for the field of Knowledge Management. For example, we learn a little bit about corporation logos, how they are best used to leverage their tacit value, and even thoughts on protecting them. We peek into the world of tacit knowledge and skills at Sony, and see how they are implemented in product design and even in marketing efforts. We learn about the creation of a CONCEPT that is materialized in a product (i.e., the MiniDisk recorder, the Memory Stick, the VAIO computer) which is as much about the psychology of human beings as it is the design of the product. As such, the text could easily serve as a supplemental text for a KM course, as well as it's obvious use in a graphic arts, products design, or business-oriented course.


Much of this information is now no longer of great interest to today's consumer due to it's release date of 1999, but it is remarkable to see the "timelessness "of the many designs in the book, and there is really not a dull moment to be found between the covers. In some ways, this was a great date to release such a book, because the VAIO computers were just beginning to hit the market, CyberShot digital cameras where just becoming available, and the Memory Stick was also just showing up, as well. If you can still get a copy of this book and you are interested in product design, graphic arts, consumer technology, and yes, even Sony itself, this book should be just what you're looking for.

Fascinating book that gives a very good insight into the create 'engine' of Sony. A must read for designers and business people alike.

Beautiful photographs and explanatory text help make this book a must buy.

But in no way does it sit on my coffee table - it's in my studio, in my home office - inspiring. The tight detail shots of real products to concept products make you wish all man-made objects had this attention to quality. This book is a must for designers because there are words that go with the pictures. They tell a wonderful story - whether you agree with the philosophy or not - it helps explain the design decisions, the strength of the Sony identity and their success. The timeline diagrams and text explaining the business trends of product entry to saturation really is a reflection of someone thinking and analyzing the system - something not really expected in pretty-picture books.

I can't believe the excellent price point too - most decent design books gouge you on cost. For those who appreciate beautiful form+function, get it.

This is a rare coffee table type book that you'll want to take the the bedroom or study, or wherever you do your serious reading.

You can easily enjoy the book simply for the wonderful images of the ingeniously designed products that Sony has and continues to develop. But what sets this book apart from most in its genre is that it provides the reader with a surprisingly rich context within which to view the design work, not only with regards to industrial design, but also the history of Sony the company.

Reading the text, one gains a deeper appreciation for the level of thought put into the design of each and every product throughout its entire lifecycle.

Finally, the book also provides a unique look into the future of consumer electronics, at least from the perspective of the leaders at Sony. It's a rare opportunity to see the future as defined by a company which has much to do with the shape of our present.

This is definitely a great buy or gift!

I am writing this as a sony evangelist, although the cover of the book is diffrent to the one which is shown here. the content of the book is amazing, The dazzling pictures and photography in the book is an eye opener, The book takes about the cluture and the art of the japanese sony designers. How they get their inspiration from stories and from the world around them. An extreammly good showcase of the arts and industrial developnment and design. The book is also rather new tackling subjects on memmory sticks and the newest Sony MD. However the most impressive part of the book was the chapters on the sony playstation and the sony viao subnote book computers. They explain such indept on how the designers used their inspiration and creativity to craft out wonders of high tech art. They also explained how sony tackled the many problems face when designing the playstation. Overall it is the best sony book i have bought. A wonderful inspirtational book filled with creativity which makes you "wow" at sony's design process and designs. "wow"

Before reading this book I would have found it difficult to believe that I would be able to use the word hyperbole and the Eames Office in the same sentence. The work of the Eames Office remains beyond reproach and this book does offer some genuine insight into its multifaceted work but tends to avoid difficult questions and for the most part gives simple answers.

The book glosses over the realities and complexities of the Eamesian approach to design and the creative atmosphere of the Office. However, I think the title itself makes the authors intent clear. As a "primer" this book fits the bill in terms of the information included. My main criticism is that the author should have followed through and been more concise and direct. This book is verbose and practically glows with the repetitive and nearly-universal fond memories of the individuals interviewed. Worst of all, the prose has the faint sent of re-contextualization and hero worship (hard to avoid for a grandson).

Secondary to the above but still significant is the books poor quality of design and production. I found the book extremely difficult to read. The font and point size selected, compounded by the overly-wide text line length, made for uncomfortable reading. To top it off the paper selected displayed a surface glare that made reading the book all but impossible except in the best light conditions. The design renders it more a pretty-object rather than a functional book. On the other hand it looks good on the shelf... if you want to impress your friends.

If it weren't for the fact that this book is really about as good as any other design book, it would fair far worse. If you couldn't tell, I would recommend getting the book as there is not much out there on the subject thats any better.

I have had the pleasure of visiting the Eames House and the Eames Family (incldg Eames Demetrios--author and grand-son and Lucia --Charles's only child) on the occasion of the Charles's 100th birthday anniversary. What a delight! Before that wonderful trip, I had the benefit of reading this book which helped me fully understand the history and legacy of this important creative team and the family life that influenced them

It's a must have for any mid century devotee. Get it for your library and be inspired!

This is a great insight into the lives of the Eames'. I think many designers (myself included) think we know something of their lives and importance. This book is a true eye opener into their influence around the world. There is so much to learn not just from their work, but HOW they lived their lives. Very well written. A must read for any designer.

As you might imagine and the title implies this is a wonderful introduction to the work of the Eames' design office. More importantly it is a warm fun filled story of two wonderful and creative human beings who truly sought to make a difference in the world by living with integrity. I feel they succeeded and I think that anyone who reads this little gem will begin to see the connections that weave all life's little mysteries into a comprehensive story .

In 1988, filmmaker Eames Demetrios made the film, 901: After 45 Years of Working, a family record of the closing of the Eames Office shortly after the death of Ray. It was an objective attempt to capture the essence of the studio and design work created by Charles and Ray Eames and their multi-talented staff. Now more than ten years later, Demetrios has again recorded the studio and work in the book, An Eames Primer. The modest title implies an introduction and starting point to all the work of his grandparents but it is much more informative. What makes this book essential reading is the personal nature of the writing, connections, and the concept of "design addressing itself to the need."

Much of this personal nature is expressed in the chapter on the life of Charles Eames and Ray Kaiser before their meeting at Cranbrook, including extensive writing on each family history. This early period of their lives is illustrated by several drawings and paintings by Charles and Ray with each piece exhibiting a pleasing combination of color and form that would later become the hallmark of their work.

Demetrios devotes two pages on the issue of the Eameses signing with either Knoll or Herman Miller for the plywood group. This analysis, which isn't really dealt with in other books, is a rational and logical explanation of Charles and Ray's principles and their main concern about simply marketing a "good chair". For anyone interested in this crucial choice the author has formulated an essential case for the decision to go with Herman Miller.

One of the many highlights of the book is a wonderful collection of color photographs of different objects hanging from the ceiling of the Eames House that is pure aesthetic delight. Also, the bottom right corner of each page serves as a flipbook tour of the expansive 901 Studio.

What must have been an amazing event in film exhibition is Glimpses of the USA at the American Pavilion in Moscow in 1959. The seven-screen presentation of life in the United States shows a cultural identity of amazing diversity and Demetrios explains the process behind the production of this film. In an unbelievable set of circumstances, the American government had given Charles and Ray complete freedom to produce this film at the height of the Cold War with no "final cut" approval from Washington. Several pages also describe the production of the two versions of Powers of Ten. These films required experiments in film technology and camera work and Demetrios fully describes the process. The many contributions of staff members and outside consultants are thoroughly explained.

Throughout the book, many former Eames Office members and consultants describe their experience of working in the studio on the amazing variety of projects. Issues of design attribution are commented upon and examined for several projects.

Two days after finishing the book I retrieved Eames Design and several other excellent books and realized that everything now seemed much clearer after reading Primer. Perhaps Demetrios is correct in giving his work that modest title. The clean and clear connection has been analyzed and described so that it all seems so perfectly obvious. This is an informative educational book written in a casual but serious style and a worthy addition to a personal library.

"As Seen On TV" is a fond look back at those Kitschy products and their even tackier commercials for products as diverse as the Chia Pet to K-Tel records. These products would make household names out of people like Ron Poeil, Billy Mays, and Susan Powter as they pushed products to enhance yourself, your cooking, or your home. These 50 products, most of which are still on the market today and still being seen on TV were the forerunners of the dreaded infomercial which made their way into our homes back in the 1984 when the FCC loosened regulations on TV advertising. You'll chuckle as you read about these products, many of which you probably haven't thought about in years.

The book is arranged by product type including Kitchen Marvels, Fashion and Beauty Wonders, Fabulous Fitness, Entertainment Breakthroughs, Home Improvement Miracles, and Get Rich Quick. A history of each products is provided along with details about its use, inventor, and other interesting facts as well as photos. Ron Popeil is certainly the godfather of these products who got the ball rolling with the Veg-O-Matic, actually invented by his father. Popeil's list of products is long and often notorious and includes things such as GLH Formula #9 spray for balding men, as well as the Pocket Fisherman. The book includes a lengthy interview with Popeil as well.

Other items in the Kitchen gadget category include the legendary Ginsu knives...and who doesn't fondly remember those commercials where they sawed through knives and aluminum cans? Then there is a modern classic as former boxer turned pitchman, George foreman introduced the grill bearing his name.

There's the Blue Blocker glasses, Hairagami, Thigh Master, Matthew lesko's books on free Government money, Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, The Clapper, and Life Call Alert in which Edith Fore uttered those words that would become grafted into American lexicon, "I've Fallen...AND I CAN'T GET UP!!!" But perhaps my all-time favorite for pure cheesiness would be Mr. Microphone. Who can forget the goof in the convertible telling the girl walking on the street, "Hey Good Lookin', We'll be back to pick you up later!" It was the epitome of tackiness back then and would probably get him arrested today.

Oh...and the book is informative as well. I never knew that the K-Tel in K-Tel records stood for Kevis Television named after its founder Phillip Kevis. A true pop culture treasure trove!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

If you recognize this catch phrase from the Mr. Microphone ad, you'll love this book. Indeed any child of the '70s or '80s can appreciate the nostalgia and humor of the infomercial era, which is vividly and humorously captured in "As Seen on TV". It's all here, from Abtronic to Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute. If you have any doubt about whether your money would be well spent on this gem, then to paraphrase Ron Popeil: "Just forget it and GET IT!"

What a fun book! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who has ever gotten caught up watching infomercials or home shopping channels. It's fascinating to read about products that became hugely popular, even though in some cases, you look at them now and say "what were they thinking?".

It was especially fun for me because... as I turned each page, I had to wonder if the next product was one I've bought. LOL
Yes, I have succumbed to the "power of the pitch" and bought into the hype. And yes, I have purchased a few of the items in this book (George Foreman Grill, Steamer, etc... and I LIKE the Dr. Ho's Muscle Massage System!) but I'll never admit to how many.

Anyone who has heard "and that's not all" will enjoy the fact that a section with that title is included AFTER the index.

I only gave this book 4 stars because I wanted more products to be in it! It was so fun to read, I wanted more of it.

This book read itself!

I bought this trip to entertain myself for a long drive home from Wisconsin to Florda. (Don't worry- I was the passanger, not the driver. Gusee I should've used the word 'ride' but I'm too lazy to backspace!)

I think the ultimate compliment to a book is when your constantly interupting other people around you to read the next wonderful thing you've read. I lost my voice from this book.

There's not too much to tell in this review. You've simply got to read it for yourself. It is so much more than just a list of goofy things sold via infomercials and TV ads. We get interviews, product history, trivia and much, much more.

We also get the lowdown on what was legit and what wasn't.

So the next time your using the flow-bee and screw up so badly your running to the store for some GLH (if you don't know what that sentence just meant, buy the book)... think of this book. It'll help ya.

And if you're just looking for some easy entertaing reading... this is it folks!

Did folks buy this stuff? They sure did, by the millions according to Harry and Stall. Some of these products would really be hard to parody, the Chai Ceramic Pet that grows vegetation, the Turbi Twist, a hair towel with an elastic loop (with the predictable AS SEEN ON TV on the box) the Copper Tongue Scraper, PROVEN EFFECTIVE was the bold statement on its packaging but it really does look just like a piece of bent metal! Each product has a spread with photos, copy and several colored panels (more on these later) containing background material and other trivia. I liked the Product panels best with their Description, Availability, Claimed Innovation, Upside and the Downside, just read the Downside to each product and really get the truth.

The six basic chapters are Kitchen Marvels, Fashion and Beauty, Fabulous Fitness, Entertainment Breakthroughs, Home Improvement Miracles, and finally Get Rich Quick, between these chapters are some interesting features, pages 122 and 123 cover the rise of the home shopping channels where you will be amazed to find that QVC have studio tours (yours for only [x ammount of dollars]). Ron Popiel, the founder of Ronco, has four pages explaining the background to the infomercial techniques he uses to shift the goods. Incidentally the Ronco story is covered in 'But, Wait! There's More!' by Timothy Samuelson, lots of product photos, vintage ads and packaging and a fairly accurate history of the Popiel family. Ever wonder what happened to yesterday's celebrities, check out pages 74 to 79 to see the Top 100 infomercial-land stars from Allen (Debbie) to Zappa (Dweezel) you'll be surprised who's listed, well, perhaps not. 'As Seen On TV' is a fascinating and fun book covering a subject that most of us would hardly think twice about.

But, wait! There is more! DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL! Buy this book and get absolutely FREE hundreds of words that only come out in daylight! The book's designer (unfortunately) decided to use pink panels, on many of the product pages, with text in light blue. Big mistake, because it is very hard to read in a normal domestic lighting environment and the type used for the headlines on these panels is hard to read even in daylight!

This is a book full of interesting information-- no question there. However, it's not super reader-friendly and I just couldn't get into it. I wanted a random-information book I could read straight through-- this isn't it. However, it is a pretty cool book-- maybe a nice coffee table book addition.

If you are one of those people who likes browsing in drug stores at 3:00 for that hit of domesticated weirdness---such as meat-free Shnookums and Meat pasta or 666 Cold Medicine---then you will savor this book like a fine can of 7 Up Gold.

Also worth looking for are issues of "Beer Frame," Lukas's delightful zine, and "Object Lessons: Songs about Products," a Lukas-inspired EP featuring the highly hummable (seriously) song "Golden Boy Peanuts."

As Sigue Sigue Sputnik so weirdly proved back in the '80s, _anything_ can be a product (even a rock band). This well-written, researched and hilarious book takes us from Thirst and Musk LifeSavers (a favorite in the former penal colony known as Australia) to microwave pork rinds and the smoker's robot (read to believe). The perfect read-to-your-friend-in-the-car-while-roadtripping book

Paul has a talent for looking twice at products we usually take for granted. It's the "how did we ever miss this?" attitude he takes that makes his book and writing so fun -- he's got a great wit and eye for the absurd in everyday life. After reading his book (and his zine, Beer Frame), I've never been able to go to the supermarket in the same way again

I always wondered if I was the only person in the world who was blown away by products like "Armour Pork Brains in Milk Gravy". Paul Lukas has proven that a) I'm not alone and b) if I was more talented I could have made money writing a book about bizarre products. My only complaint about this book was that it ended. I was ready for hundreds of more examples, particularly the weird foods.

If you are senior RD, then it's the book for you, especially in hardware system industry. I personally appreciate the section of composite design and the concept of product platform. It provide general guide to learn from competitor and way to surpass them.
Software portion is not recommended since the example it provide is not solid enough to work out the argument to apply the same concept to software. However, you may workout your ideas from original platform concept in software planning. Maybe. It remain as a question to me until now.

This book changed how I approach product design. It focuses on designs that will succeed in the market place. It's not a book specifically on designing for a market, but how a set of systems built on a common platform will allow you to compete in multiple markets at the same time. Meyer and Lehnerd combine marketing, manufacturing, design and strategy. It's loaded with great examples from companies like Black and Decker and EMC. Also impressive is that the authors show how apply platform principles in software and service markets as well as traditional manufacturing

This terrific book explains how to plan and execute a product platform which leads to a series of continuously improved products. We have used the system at our company to plan and evolve both software products and services. We have been able to spin out many different services that seem very different, but were really variations on the basic platform we had previously built. We can provide tailored solutions for clients with less than 10% of the effort that went into the initial platform development.

As the co-author of this book,using this text in teaching at 3 universities, Northeastern, Boston Univ. and U. Of Penn. in their graduate programs, I have come to realize the power of this book's teachings, its rules and tools for robust product platforms and derivative products, goods and services as well as software platforms.

We are now in the 4th edition and have published it in Spanish with a Barcelona publisher.

Companies that Marc Meyer and I consult with have found it extremely informative and useful.

Our follow up book will be an extension of this book, filled with rich examples of applications to goods, services, software and processes.

Included will be workshop materials for easy application to the users' unique products and business services.

Keep looking.......

Al Lehnerd

After taking a course at Northeastern University taught by Marc Meyers I decided to read his books. He is very forward thinking and offers ideas coupled with real-world experiences. This book is a must read, right up there with The Goal. As a supply-chain consultant, I give this book to my clients to read.

I think Heinzerling and Ackerman show within their very first chapter that they are totally "on" to the tricks of the "C/B/A" Dick Graham policynakers of our day, that they have a powerful critique of and rebuttal to that technique, and a talent for putting forth some very good, easily-understood examples that enable anyone with interest in the subject and a decent amount of common sense to figure out the great (hmm) game being played "out there."
I hate economics jargon, but i really liked this book.

Frank Ackerman and Lisa Heinzerling's book Priceless takes a critical look at the economic method of cost-benefit analysis which is often used to direct policy and behavioral decisions regarding health, the environment and social values. The authors' primary conclusion is that such analysis is often far too opaque to be relevant. Additionally, most cost-benefit analysis is unreflective of the true values of human health, life, ecosystems and other `priceless' elements these methodologies often deal with. It's argued that using cost-benefit analysis too often leads to sub-optimal and unjust outcomes. These outcomes are rationalized only by an academic exercise where everything is deduced to monetary terms.

The book does an excellent job presenting current-day policy decisions and breaking down the assumptions and arguments that led to their adoption. In doing so, Ackerman and Heinzerling show that the `pro-free market' mantra championed by business interests, and gaining popularity in some political circles, is proclaimed a success on the grounds of cost-benefit conclusions. However, the authors dig deeper to examine the questionable methods which seemingly prove that the market creates efficient outcomes and that regulation is often only a costly hindrance. Additionally, Priceless invites readers to consider injustices imposed historically, and in the current-day free market, in the absence of regulation and laws restricting certain activities. Slavery, child labor and toxic pollution are just three examples used in the book where free market efficiency is questioned. Seemingly, "anything profitable that is not prohibited by law is likely to occur" in a free market scenario.

Free market efficiency dictates that labor is first directed to produce the most fiscally profitable goods regardless of what's socially optimal or needed. This is one serious danger of relying purely on monetary terms and profit-maximizing behavior to make choices. Similarly, cost-benefit analysis falls into the same trap. Things which are seemingly priceless, such as human life, are given a monetary value to determine whether endangering activities are prudent and/or have the right to occur. Furthermore, the costs and benefits of action are often calculated using questionable methodologies which can be manipulated to justify decisions based on the analyst's preference. One poignant example provided was the federal government's Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) 2002 estimate that the value of protecting 60 million acres of forest land was a mere $219,000/year. This value was calculated solely by using the cost saved from not building roads in the area and not needing to provide for their ongoing maintenance. Any environmental benefits of the forest's ecosystem and the value it served as a home to plant and animal species were completely ignored. Also disregarded were the future values society might derive from its existence. In terms of cost, the OMB asserted that preserving the land was preventing society from realizing $184 million in economic activity which the forest could provide for. Given such manipulated estimates, government protection of the land was argued to make no sense from a cost-benefit standpoint and regulations which are seemingly beneficial were discounted to inefficient protectionism by free-market advocates.

Priceless devotes much time to examining human-life valuation and estimates in monetary terms. The authors' review of literature on the subject concludes that $5-6 million (in 1999 dollars) seems to be a generally agreed upon range for the value of a human life in most U.S. studies conducted during the past two decades. A quite disturbing aspect of these valuations is that all human life is purportedly not of equal value. The $5-6 million term is often discounted for the elderly, poor and those who are disabled. For example, using a Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) model common to health economics, those in a wheelchair are often given less valuable lives than someone who can walk. However, does a disabled or elderly person value their lives less than a healthier or younger individual? Clearly, justification for such valuation would be morally opposed by much of society and the cost-benefit calculations which assume such values would be viewed as equally unacceptable.

One of the more infamous cases of life-value discrimination appeared in the 1995 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC's) life-evaluation section. In the report, the value of lives affected by climate change was determined using the economic value produced by the countries they inhabited. This meant assigning a $1.5 million value to those in rich countries, a $300,000 value to those in middle income places and a $100,000 value to inhabitants of the world's poorest countries. The outrage which ensued led to a modification of the number in the 2001 IPCC report to $1 million/person, regardless of where they lived.

Beyond the debate regarding proper methods for financial valuation of life, the authors question whether this academic practice is even relevant. Ackerman and Heinzerling contend that reasonable people do not make choices based on the value of their lives and that the supposed price of an individual's existence is nothing more than a dangerous simplification. Rather, they argue for society to make decisions using the precautionary principle where policies should err on the side of caution when irreversible and/or devastating health and environmental effects are at stake. Qualitative factors and a sense of morality should be prioritized before any quantitative measures of how society directs or restricts their resources. On the surface, this approach may seemingly be at odds with the calculable predictions of economic practice. However, the authors argue that conventional economics do not have jurisdiction over the realm of `priceless' elements of the world and human life. After all, should human life and the environmental conditions of the earth be treated as a commodity which can be assigned a monetary value and then `sold' on the market? `No' is the resounding answer provided by the authors of Priceless.

One final critique the authors deliver against cost-benefit analysis regards the practice of discounting for the future. This method, common to modern financial decision making, `shrinks' the value of outcomes on the distant horizon so as to make them seemingly insignificant. The practice assumes money not spent now will appreciate in nominal and real terms before being handed over to future generations. In regards to climate change, there are seemingly two choices a society can make: 1) research and implement clean, renewable energy now and embark upon conservation practices; or 2) save the money which could be put to these programs in a trust fund for future generations which will deliver them principal plus the interest earned. However, the irrelevance of such an analysis becomes clear when considering that the problems of climate change may become unsolvable for future generations. Melted Polar Regions, widespread species extinction, evaporated water sources and infertile growing conditions are certainly going to not be compensated for by any amount of money put away by past societies in a trust fund. For these reasons, it appears wise for current-day society to proceed using the precautionary principle lauded by Ackerman and Heinzerling in regards to the human activities creating climate change.

Priceless concludes with the authors providing four principles which can be relied upon in lieu of the cost-benefit approach. These include: using holistic, not atomistic, methods; favoring moral imperatives over cost comparisons; adopting the precautionary approach when dealing with uncertainty; and promoting fairness towards the poor and future generations. Additionally, we should heed the extreme forecasts when contemplating potentially catastrophic events, such as climate change. Society should consider the potential implications of action (over-investment in pollution control and clean energy) versus inaction (irreversible, widespread environmental change and threats to humanity) and note that the errors on each side are not symmetrical. Erring on the side of caution in this case seems to be the indisputable ideal for society, regardless of what different economists' cost-benefit analyses prescribe.

In summary, Ackerman and Heinzerling's Priceless provides solid reasoning in favor of alternative methods to cost-benefit analysis when regarding the environment, human health and life. I would recommend this book to economists, policy makers, practitioners of law or anyone else interested in considering how such valuations and their subsequent polices are, and should be, created.

If someone tells you that a regulation will cost $100 million but produce only $50 million in benefits, you'd probably think it was a good example of government bureaucrats running amok. But what if you then found out that what the regulation would really do was force polluters to cut emissions in order to prevent thousands of cases of life-threatening illness over the next three decades? And that the $50 million benefits "pricetag" was developed by a bunch of green-eyeshade types who regard each life as worth about $3 million, and who then use a statistical trick to make 87% of that value disappear?
Ackerman and Heinzerling have written a brilliant and scary book that lays out in chilling detail just how widely such techniques are now being used in making decisions about when to adopt health and environmental safeguards - and when NOT to. They also reveal that many of the horror stories repeatedly trotted out by critics of environmental and health standards NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
The authors' prose is engaging and their arguments are compelling. Essential reading for anyone who cares about health and the environment - and who thinks that industry shouldn't be blindly trusted to do the right thing in safeguarding them.

Although sometimes threatened by dry matters of obscure economics, here Ackerman and Heinzerling manage to keep their intriguing moral arguments in full view. The authors convincingly condemn the cost-benefit analysis that has become fashionable for the current administration, and corporations, when evaluating public health and environmental regulations. Such economic practices have resulted in embarrassing, and frankly inhuman, corporate decision making – the most famous example being the case of the Ford Pinto in which the company decided not to fix a minor defect in design because the lives of the people who could potentially be killed were (economically) worth less than the up-front costs. This type of heartless economic analysis is now being used by the Bush administration, and especially the imperious Office of Management and Budget, to "evaluate" all existing and proposed regulations, particularly any advanced by the EPA or other politically targeted agencies. Hence, all regulations are subjected to purely economic cost-benefit accounting. Tellingly, military spending is inherently "inefficient" by this standard, but has never been subjected to such statistical determinism.

Ackerman and Heinzerling convincingly demonstrate that this accounting is heavily politicized, with the costs of health or environmental regulations vastly overestimated, and the benefits to society vastly underestimated. This is often because matters of life quality and morality, which are essentially "priceless," tend to be given zero value in these purely accounting-oriented analyses. And in all cases, arcane and shifty accounting methods can further push the results of the cost-benefit analysis in the direction desired by the politicos who are crunching the numbers. The authors tend to shy away from the obvious conclusion that such supposedly impartial economic "science" is really a cover for politicians and corporations to advance their harsh anti-regulatory agenda and ideology. However, they still do a marvelous job of pointing out not just the errors of such accounting methods (via many real-life examples), but also in showing that supposedly "impartial" economics are advanced for immoral, unjust, and even anti-human ends. As Ackerman and Heinzerling conclude, true economic and environmental justice requires holistic thinking about the state of the real world, not atomistic politics. You can't put a numerical price on everything, especially human life and public health. [~doomsdayer520~]

This book will truly open your eyes. This book presents a rare chance to peak behind the curtain and see how our government goes about making life and death decisions.

Messrs. Rivkin and Seitel serve up a veritable feast of practical ways to stimulate ideas. A central theme is the importance of borrowing -- and transforming -- existing ideas. Theirs is a sort of modern updating of Horace's definition of creativity as being "A new blend of familiar ingredients." Nice company to keep, guys.

IdeaWise combines business wisdom with fast-moving humor. I found myself highlighting something on just about every page, and having a chuckle or two along the way. This book is very cashew-like: each little nugget is tasty, and you don't want to stop eating them.

Steve Rivkin and Fraser Seitel have written a book that gives you permission to be "creative" by "copying" someone else's ideas. They demonstrate that what may be "new!" and "innovative" in one field can be a tried and true, accepted principle or application in another field. They point out, with great examples drawn from a variety of industries, how "revolutionary" ideas have been, and continue to be, actually "borrowed" from unrelated areas. They demonstrate with numerous examples how the success of the adapted application can surpass the success of the original application. This is not a new concept in some fields; that the synthesis of ideas or perspectives from two different disciplines can lead to some higher concept or value in a third may be well known and taken for granted in some fields, but never applied in so practical and enjoyable a manner as in this book. In a sense, they have "borrowed" and applied dialectics to marketing.

Written in a very practical, irreverent and humorous style, Rivkin and Seitel provide the reader with very practical advice about how to generate more and better ideas by increasing your awareness of the world around you. The actually provide step-by-step guidance on things that will work and specific principles that have to be followed to be successful. They led me to a different way of thinking about things, and for the first time in my 50-some years I am actually carrying around a notepad on which to jot down observations that will at some time find their way into my idea-making. I have read many of Rivkin's earlier contributions, and those authored by Trout and Ries, but this is the best-developed and most useful how-to book with which Rivkin has been associated so far. And they picked "Ideas", the topic on which business and cultural growth is rooted. Who can't use this help?

This book has changed my life. I train product managers and have hired expensive consultants --- until I read this book. Now I know the truth. And boy have I learned my lesson. The only "consultants" I'll ever hire again are Rivkin and Seitel!

My original review on PixSylated.com: This book is the Holy Grail for many food photographers. It presents the work of more than 20 leading food shooters in the classic format of RotoVision books. Nearly every spread presents a seductive, full-page shot paired opposite a how-to description and explicit lighting diagram. The book starts with ambient light shots, then works through one light setups, two light setups and then "sophisticated" setups. This is the book I open when I need a dash of visual inspiration. Although published in 2001 and full of anecdotes about shooting film, the book is more valuable today than when it was published with a cover price of $35. IF you can find it, expect to pay something north of $200 for a good used copy. In my correspondence with RotoVision, they said that they have no plans to reprint or issue a new edition. So, if you're serious about your craft as a food photographer, don't hold your breath for a "cheap" version anytime soon.

This is a beautiful book full of beautiful shots of food in all its glory. Each shot is accompanied by a diagram showing you how to position your lights, camera, and subject. You also get info on which film was used, which camera was used, what the exposure was, plus a host of other insider info on this specialty trade. You'll need a basic background in lighting to be able to replicate the techniques. And I suspect you'll want to learn some basic food styling skills, if you ever want to master this field. Still, the book is a must for someone who wants to practice shooting food shots. By mastering each technique illustrated, you can then let your imagnation soar and move on to creating your own fabulous food shots.

I wanted an easy book, without a lot of words and lots of photograhs and this was it. I learned a lot about lighting in general from this book.