Associations Books

This book is an excellent reference manual. It can be used by engineers or water operators with complete and easily understandable concepts. We have been operating an ozone plant for water treatment for approximately 4 years now and use this book as a source for new concepts and references for our existing operational data.This book is an excellent resource for process design, operations, and system optimization.

This book is a valuable resource that I refer to daily in my work with ozone systems for drinking water treatment. It is written in manner that is easy to understand and it is packed with relevant, practical information about ozone system design, operation and optimization. This book is a "must read" for any engineer, operator or manager involved with or considering ozone as a water treatment process!

This book is the definitive resource for ozone in water treatment. It presents timely information in a clear and concise manner. Well worth the price.

This book is great "airplane" reading. Each chapter is self contained --- usually about 10 to 15 pages, and written by world renowned experts in their field. Partnering is the common theme, but the authors cover a lot of territory.

This book is timely and relevant to today's environmnet. I especially like the idea that all the authors (as if these people need the money) are donating the royalities from sales to the victims of September 11, 2001.

Great book! Partnering is the way to do business now and in the future. The book is a fine collection of tools and strategies in leadership and management. It's educational, inspiring and engaging at the same time. A must read for anybody who manages fast pace, competitive businesses

This is a book for people who are concerned for building a better future. As someone who has spent a great deal of time studying leadership, I find the focus on doing it better that is found in this book to be quite refreshing. Here we move beyond evolutionary changes to ideas that are quite revolutionary. This is not a book about maintaining the status quo power structures. This is a book about creating new leadership styles where partnership with knowledgeable workers will be needed to ensure organizational success.

The command and control style of leadership is coming to an end. For a leader to succeed in the future they will have to rely on their ability to pull together the talents of many individuals. This will be a leader who respects others, who helps coach and develop real talent, who shares success, and who continuously reinvents her/himself. The book gives us hope for a future where we can be productive without sacrificing our humanity.

The books 30 essays by 42 thought leaders are works derived from a passion for helping others. The inspiration for this book comes from an awareness for new leadership made more apparent by the events of 9/11. All of the royalties from this book will go to help the victims of that tragic day.

Dr. Kovach's book is an excellent introduction to the principles of people management for new managers and students. It will also help experienced managers seeking to improve the performance of their people.
The book is a concise guide to creating a positive organizational culture.

I expect readers will retain the book as a handy reference for reviewing the techniques that "get things done the right way- through people!"

Dr. Kovach's book is very concise on a subject matter that could easily take many books to describe. It is a very hands-on approach that managers or would-be managers can use immediately.

I found Dr. Kovach's book, People Power: Getting Things Done Through People Using Good Management Techniques, utilizes a very thoughtful, effective approach to teaching managers how respect for all employees creates positive results for the entire organization. It's a classic example of the old saying, "What goes around comes around." Dr. Kovach uses a humorous, allegorical approach to teaching a subject that can oftentimes be boring and overly technical.

It's a quick but very effective read. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Terry Sullivan
Director of Sales & Marketing
Creatorsoft Corporation

I missed Ty Cashion's book "Pigskin Pulpit" when it was first released a few years ago but with the re-release in paper back this year (2006) I had the opportunity to read it. I think the reason I didn't read it the first time was the title. I thought it was another "Glory" of High School Football book. Had I just paid attention to the subtitle "A Social History of Texas High School Football Coaches" my history buff inclination would have made reading this book a no brainer.

Ty Cashion was ordained to write this book. A professor of history at Sam Houston State University and more importantly the son of a Texas High School football coach, Ty had the knowledge to tell the story and the access to interview, by my count, at least 82 different Texas High School football coaches, many of which are no longer with us.

Some 40+ years ago, when I was a kid, I would listen to Texas High School football play off games on the radio. The radio announcer start by saying something like this: "Broadcasting from P.E. Shotwell stadium in Abilene, Texas ...".

P. E. Shotwell, Darrell Tully, and Gordon Wood may just be the name of Texas High School football stadiums for football fans of the current generation but they are just three of the many coaches that made Texas High School football what it is today. Many young athletes dream of "going pro" and signing multimillion dollar contracts. School boy football players born into the depression era of the early twentieth century just dreamed of the chance to play college football, get an education and coach football. It was their ticket off the farm and a way to a better life.

Ty Cashion chronicles the path to their goal and how the experiences that they had impacted several generations of young men in Texas.

If you ever knew a coach, if you ever played for a coach, if you ever learned from a coach, if you ever cussed a coached, if you ever idolized a coach ..., you need to read this book.

This is a great book. It tells the story of how High School Football has become the number one event in Texas. I am glad someone put these stories into print because sadly many of these great men are leaving us but their stories and the impact they have had, and continue to have, will be passed on. This is a must read for any football fan.

Aren't history books supposed to be dull as dishwater? I gave this book to my 80+ year-old Father for Christmas. He really enjoyed it! So did I, for that matter. Dr. Cashion must have spend untold hours interviewing old-time Texas High School football coaches and those who played under them. This book is as close to listening to those old timers as the written word can be. Growing up in football crazy Garland, Texas (back-to-back state championships in the 1960's under Chuck Curtis), I remember as a child "high school football fever." This hits the mark, or should I say is a "two point conversion."

This is a must read for anyone who is a member of a homeowner association. Linford's explanations of how to successfully live within homowners associations are detailed yet simple enough for the layman. This is a great book to have on your bookshelf as a reference.

I think I have found the best kept secret in this growing circle of CA homeowner's associations - John Linford's "Planned Community Living." Whether it is deciphering foreign acronyms and terms (i.e. CID, CCR, appurtenant interests, indemnification), dealing with power-hungry board members, or trying to settle a seemingly simple dispute over the height of a fence - this book finally helped me understand the foundational issues surrounding the places where many of us live. Buying and settling into a home is agonizing enough. Dealing with escrow, title, loan managers and realtors will test our patience. Add on top of this the "association" with their dues, covenants, conditions and restrictions, and I soon wondered where my freedom went of owning my own home. There are many benefits, like privacy, golf courses and swimming pools, but this was like walking into a foreign country without my Berlitz. The best time to read this book is before you commit yourself to living in a planned community. But, buy it anyway, even if you have already started paying your dues. It will help you navigate the legal side so that you can understand the issues and stand on solid ground when presenting your concerns. I recommended this book to one friend who was thinking about becoming a member of a homeowner's association and another who was already a board member. Both thanked me! Another plus, is that the publisher provides an annual update, discussing all the new laws each year that affect property owners and homeowners association. This is a real estate textbook worth 5x the asking price. It should be included in the package for every new homeowner, board member or property manager. There is a downside to the author if this were to happen......the annual association's legal fees would probably decrease substantially! What can I say - buy it!

I recently purchased this book about the rights of homeowner association members. this is the greatest laymens book. All documented by case law so you know your rights and what to do about them.

This book is tremendously broad in its coverage of planning topics, though not in depth. Most topics get only 2 pages, though some get 4-5. References are listed for each topic to help you find more detailed information. The book is well organized and indexed. It's loaded with illustrations such as graphs, diagrams, flow charts, line art, photographs, and maps. Most are black and white, but there are 16 color plates that are grouped together and stuck in a seemingly arbitrary position in the middle of an unrelated topic.

Some information is already out of date. For example, on page 580 it says that the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) expired in 2003 and Congress was still debating reauthorization. The new act (SAFETEA-LU) was enacted in August 2005 and is not mentioned.

My only real complaint is that the type is quite small and can be difficult to read for 40+ year-old readers. On the other hand, I understand that if they used larger type this huge, heavy book would be even bigger and heavier.

I also got the electronic, online version of the book and was disappointed in that, again because of the small type. Even using a 20" monitor I had a very hard time reading it. The viewer application that Amazon uses has very limited capability to zoom in on the text so it does not help.

This is a mandatory book in an urban planner or college bookshelf, for it has all the necessary information to complete urban projects. It is my handbook and that says all. It is also very well presented with a hardcover in good leather. The only shortcoming that I see is the absence of folded pages with urban plans in a larger scale, or renderings of zoning plans.

An excellent resource for anyone involved in public sector land-use planning. Contains great detail on many different subjects. Good illustrations throughout. Not the best resource for site planning, though.

This book is very informative and a pleasure to read. The author is both knowledgable and opinionated and even if one doesn't always agree with her, her humor is very funny; dry, understated, and British. Most of the plants she mentions are pictured somewhere in the book, and where the picture isn't on the same page as the description, the page number to locate the picture is in the margin right next to the written description. A great job and an excellent book!

`plant partners' by leading horticultural journalist, Anna Pavord, loudly proclaimed on the cover as the author of the best-selling `The Tulip' is comparable to culinary journalist Michael Ruhlman's writing a mass market paperback (probably from Workman or Chronicle Books) on foods which go together. In both cases, the authors' success with `high journalism' is no guarantee that their more pedestrian books will be worthy. Fortunately, like Ruhlman's `Charcuterie', Anna Pavord's more popular efforts like this volume are a cut above the average oversized book crafted to do well on the bargain table.

In fact, Ms. Pavord's book is so well accomplished, the average gardener may actually find it a bit dense. The first thing that stands out is the fact that not only does our scholarly Ms. Pavord use the formal Latin scientific names for all flowers (which I heartily endorse), she also uses these scientific names as the section headings. One has to go to the individual sections and look at the pictures of the flowers to be sure you know of what species she is talking.

Now many Latin names have become familiar enough to a dedicated gardener that this may not be a big thing to a true amateur gardener. Even I recognize with no prompting the fact that `Allium' is the name of the lilly genus and that `Hemerocallus' is the genus name for daylillies. Even easier are the genus names `Hosta', `Iris', and `Phlox'. This still leaves a fairly large number of pretty arcane names for the average occasional gardener.

My other major complaint about this book is that while the primary subject is the matter of pairing plants which go together well, there are very few pictures of the highlighted pairs, as they actually appear in the garden. There are wonderful pictures of many plants, but mostly they are `head shots' which are about as artificial as a photographic portrait taken in a studio.

Even with these two hurdles, this is a really worthy book, worth the effort needed to work with these stylistic choices. The very best aspect of the book is that the pairings are organized by season, and within season, offering pairs of plants that come together into their best presentation garb, whether that be flowers or foliage.

My second favorite thing about the book is that it does not limit itself to either annuals or perennials. It does not even limit itself to our most familiar plant phyla, as it includes several ferns, which are probably ignored by the average gardener.

My third favorite aspect of the book is that in spite of the far ranging variety of plants, it still manages to hit upon a few of my favorites, some of which are actually in my garden at this very moment. It is no surprise that my favorite here is the Tulip cultivar, `Princess Irene', of which I have planted hundreds.

Unlike cooking, which one can (and must) do throughout the year, gardening has those lovely / dreadful lulls in the winter (especially in my Zone 5 and in the author's England), where all one has to fuel the gardening gene is the seed catalogues and books such as the one we have here.

This is the kind of book you want to read through from cover to cover over the Christmas holidays with a notepad and pencil (or laptop) in hand, to record ideas for the coming spring. It will not yield much for the quick lookup. You will need to ponder this material and use it to fuel your imagination and keep that green thumb fertilized during the cold months. The book's value for this use is multiplied thrice over by the fact that Ms. Pavord knows how to write! She keeps you engaged while giving you a tour of facinating possibilities for the coming growing season.

I can't believe no one has yet to review this book. I find myself going through the book to look up a particular plant combination and then spending at least an hour paging through the book all over again. Anna Pavord's humo(u)rful writing makes for an easy read.

This book is a definite MUST HAVE for anyone, beginner, amateur or professional (even if they wouldn't admit to having it on their shelf) who is interested in combining plants. I started using it about a year ago, and the results are fantastic - these combinations work. I especially like the attention to normally overlooked plants such as euphorbias,violets, and columbines and I am dying to try some of the more exotic combinations.

The featured plant trios each contain a "star" plant and two companions. Each of the stars are also listed in the back with alternative partners. The book is organized with gradations from spring-summer-fall and includes bulbs as well as perennials and a few annuals. Missing are shrubs, roses, and climbers, but we can't have everything in one book, can we?

The main critique I have (if possible I would have deducted 1/2 a star) is that the cultural information is decidedly limited - beginners will need to supplement this book with a good all-around perennial book. The pictures are drop-dead gorgeous and alternative colors and specific named varieties are also given.

My advice - buy this book now and you can still get these plants in before spring really gets rolling.

Sylvia M. Vardell has created a poetry guide for sharing poetry with children ages 5-12. This reference is geared to aide librarians and teachers, but is so user friendly that others will benefit as well. The overall theme of the book is promoting the "oral dimensions of poetry" (14) with children, but emphasizes that one must "know" poetry, the poets, and the benefits before they are able to market it to their students.

The six chapters are logically ordered to fully prepare the reader for the poetry experience, from start to finish, and beyond. The first chapter, "Why Make Poetry a Priority?" emphasizes that poetry is everywhere, from TV jingles to proverbs and holds great value to children. Vardell is very adamant that we must not force children to over analyze or butcher poetry, but simply enjoy it for the joy in reading, listening, and performing poetry. The next two chapters define the popular poets and the types of poetry children enjoy. Vardell suggests that poetry awards are good places to begin finding popular poets, but they key is "providing open access to poetry" (16). She defines the major poetry awards, their criteria and recipients, lists not to be missed classic poems, suggests poets from many cultures, and offers fifty names to know in poetry. Our lesson in poetry also includes the different kinds of poetry books, poem selection tools, finding poetry on the web, and criteria for evaluating poetry. These chapters give us a crash course in poetry, leaving us feeling like poetry experts. We now feel ready to get out there and present poetry to our children, leading us to the next two chapters: "How do you Promote Poetry?" (80) and "How do you Present Poetry to Children?" (113). The promoting poetry chapter is chalk-full of ideas of getting our kids excited about poetry. This chapter can actually act as a stand-alone for one who needs quick ideas on how to get poetry out there. Vardell's ideas span from highlighting National Poetry Month, to featuring poets, to pairing poetry with curriculum. Now to the nitty gritty, the actual sharing of poetry with children. Vardell's main focus is oral share of poetry, suggesting how to read poetry with breaks and using body language. She then moves on to ten strategies for sharing poetry out loud. The strategies are thoroughly explained and accompanied by actual title suggestions. Where other instructional guides will typically stop here, Vardell generously adds one last chapter, "What Happens After You Share Poetry?" Here, she offers ways to extend poetry beyond the oral share. Here is where we can delve deeper into the poem without feeling pressure to over analyze. Extensions and insight include: discussion questions, how to lead a discussion, dramatizing poetry, using music and art, writing poetry, learning the poetic forms, and publishing poetry.

Vardell uses a consistent format throughout the book that makes it easy to read straight through or use as a quick reference. Each chapter begins and ends with a relevant quote by a poet. The section headings and bullets break up the chapters into easily read sections and make lists a quick reference. Each chapter offers multiple, boxed "Practitioner Perspectives" giving us insight into actual educator experiences with poetry. These perspectives relate to the topic at hand and offer guidance and inspiration, knowing that this can work and we're not alone. At least one "Poet Profile" is featured in every chapter. These profiles are easy to spot, due to their grey background, setting them apart from the rest of the chapter. The Poet Profiles offer narrative about poetry by the author and an original poem. The appendices offer quick reference information: Noteworthy poets writing for young people and their web sites and a bibliography of children's poetry books and the index offers a quick guide to topics, poets, and titles.

Whether you are someone new to poetry or one of poetry's oldest friends, Vardell's guide to sharing poetry with children will offer itself as a valuable resource.

What a wonderful resource for any teacher or librarian. I got the book to use for library school, but it has already helped me out so much in my classroom.

Poetry Aloud Here: Sharing Poetry With Children In The Library by Sylvia M. Vardell (Professor at the Texas Woman's School in the School of Library and Information Studies) is an expert and instructive study on how to progressively and positively promote poetry in the lives of children, ages five to twelve. Deftly guiding readers through presentation tactics and valuable understandings of the world of poetry among youth, Poetry Aloud Here introduces a wealth of informative and practical ideas for leading young children to appreciate poetry in a meaningful, participatory, and fun manner. Poetry Aloud Here is very highly recommended reading for teachers, librarians, and parents searching for a "user-friendly" reference for creating a creative and effective introduction to poetry for children.

"In reviewing this new colorful pictorial biography of Pope John Paul II, I felt immensely inadequate to express myself, something which comes strangely to someone who has been in the publishing business for over 40 years. Jo Garcia-Cobb has entwined dates and facts of Pope John Paul II with sensitivity and an insight one rarely sees in recent publications. To say that this new coffee table pictorial is outstanding would be selling it short indeed. As owner of a bookstore, I can tell you that the copies have literally flown off the shelves."

My good friend and I are happy to be a part of a very special
display on Pope John Paul II. The exhibit features 25 six foot tables with over 500 pictures and over 50 books. This book just added to our collection is oustanding. A great and easy read with wonderful pictures. I have been a radio announcer for over 20 years and we always had a top 10...this book would be in our top 5. Congratulations Jo Garcia Cobb...John [ Jack ] Allaire
Holy Name Parish....my mailing address:
24 Duncan Ave. Kirkland Lake, Ont. Canada
Phone & fax..1-705-567-1100

This is probably the best of the Pope picture/biography books. I've never seen Pope John Paul II pictures as good as this. This is a must buy for all you fans of the the Holy Father. I strongly recommend it.

The problems in the PPST I test were easier than the problems in the book. I also purchased ETS The Praxis Series Official Guide - a must have for the PPST Writing: the Essay. The Essay Topics section was right on the money. The topic I was given was the same as one of the topics in the book. I wish I would have studied this section more.

I passed two of the three tests - Reading: 175; Math: 185, and I am still waiting for the results from the writing test.

If you are preparing for the PRAXIS I test, I strongly suggest that you get both books.

I was familiar with everything covered on the Praxis and needed refreshing. This book covered everything in detail, then I had 4 practice exams to be sure before the real thing. Excellent...

I recieved this order in a couple of days it was in great condition just as was claimed. It is a very helpful book when studying for the Praxis.