Associations Books

This book is great for the organic gardener. We've enjoyed all of the information in this book. We highly recommend it onto others. :)

Good primer for a beginning organic gardener. You can read it cover to cover or skip around to find information on your specific organic gardening needs. The book takes a pragmatic look at the challenges of organic gardening while keeping the "first, do no harm" philosophy in tact. The technical information and references are comprehensive without being overwhelming.

This is an easy to read, easy to understand book on organic gardening. It is very straight forward and doesn't assume more than basic gardening knowledge - just as it should.

Michael Gorman's book provides an inspiration and rejuvenation for mid-career professionals as well as motivation for anyone just entering the field. The meditations can be considered one at a time, with plenty of time for thought, or read one after another for a deluge of professional wisdom. This book is recommended for all librarians, anyone desiring to learn more about becoming a librarian, and everyone who loves books, reading, and libraries.

Just recently I was trying to explain to someone, not familiar with library work, what it was I did, and why I did what I did. I recommended Gorman's book to them to read. You can read the book straight through or just open it up anywhere and receive ideas and inspirations.

Michael Gorman has achieved prominence in librarianship, first through his major role in the total revision of cataloging rules, and second, more recently, as the co-author of the provocative Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality. This new work is a total departure from anything he has done before, being a collection of 144 "meditations" for librarians. Each meditation consists of a quotation, from authors as diverse as Jean Anouilh and Justice Potter Stewart, a short essay, and a final resolution. Topics range from "Occam's Management Theory" to "Burnout." As is all of Gorman's writing, this is first-rate, and recommended for lovers of books and libraries, as well as for librarians.

Ourika, by Claire De Duras, is a unique depiction of an African American during the French Revolution. Previous portrayals of Africans in French Tradition are reportedly vague and are not frequently described as individuals. The story of Ourika is a true story about an African woman who is rescued from slavery at a young age by the governor of Boufflers and is raised in a wealthy aristocratic white family.

Claire De Duras was born in France in 1777 and was forced to flee her homeland shortly after the execution of her father. She doesn't return until 1808 with her French husband, the Duke of Duras. De Duras doesn't have the desire to publish the story of Ourika until she sees what an interest is provoked by telling it orally to the customers in her salon. When De Duras does publish it in 1823, she does so gradually because female authors were not given much, if any, credibility at this point in time. The first edition had no author or date printed on it and consisted of only 25 private copies. The book did not remain a secret for long and several thousand copies were printed over the next few years. De Duras wrote four other novels the same year as Orika, but only two others were published before she passed away in 1828.

The story of Ourika is quite personable. The story is told by a doctor whom Ourika is one of his patients. At this point, Ourika's depression has taken a severe toll on her health and the doctor (who remains unnamed throughout the text) is determined to cure her despite her poor physical state. The doctor is initially taken by her gentle and eloquent manner, curious as to where an African woman had learned to be so proper. She insists that he can not cure her without knowing what troubles have ailed her health. Ouirka tells him the struggles she has had to face as an outcast throughout the course of her entire life as a black woman raised in a white person's world.

As Ourika gets older, she is reminded daily of how alone she is. She has no family and no white man will marry her. She doesn't understand the culture of her own people since she has never experienced it, so she doesn't fit in anywhere. The only male friend Ourika has ever had marries a beautiful wealthy white woman. Ourika is constantly sneered at by those who do not know her, so she limits her time away from home. The accounts of Ourika's life are told in dramatic detail and give the reader much sympathy for her. Her depression causes frequent fevers and she falls unconscious on numerous occasions. All of Ourika's oppression is eventually relieved as she turns to God and becomes a nun, but at this point her body is too frail to continue much longer.

Ourika is a remarkable story for someone who is interested in nineteenth century Europe or studying inequality between races throughout history. Ourika touches deeply on subjects not commonly written about in the early nineteenth century and paints a vivid picture of how difficult life was for women and minorities during the French Revolution.

Written by a woman in 1823, Ourika is a fascinating short work set during the French Revolution. Ourika is an attractive, intelligent young black woman who was rescued as a child from slavery. She is raised as any wealthy white child would have been. She excels in her pursuits and charms all. By chance, she discovers who she is, and what it means to be black. The truth changes her. This work raises many questions, and provides some haunting insights into human nature. Highly recommended

Lillian Lewis, the reviewer, has not read this book if she can call it "delightful." Nor is Ourika's happiness, actually ever "restored." This is a devastating tale about a young woman who hopes to be part of her mainstream culture, only to find that her black skin and Senegalese heritage will forever bar her from the only culture she's ever been a part of--aristocratic France. Duras writes a compelling novella, full of anguish and the unfairness of her contemporary French society (and one that resonates today worldwide). It is an extraordinary tale, but it is absolutely not "delightful."

I have started reading the book for the second time , I couldn't put it down. The author really knows how to explain the bible in layman's terms. I am back online to find more books by Dewight Nelson.

if you are looking for a forever friendship with God, this book is a wonderful way to learn more about him... was it the same God who created this world and flushed it with flood? to know me is to love me....

Outrageous Grace: Finding a Forever Friendship With God is not a long book, but it is overflowing with illumination and inspiration. Dwight K. Nelson addresses some of the hardest questions posed by sinners and believers alike concerning God, and he delivers eloquent and persuasive answers to those questions. Even many Christians find it hard to reconcile the jealous God of the Old Testament with the meek and loving Jesus Christ and His Father of the New Testament. On several occasions, the God of the Old Testament meted out divine punishment, struck fear in the hearts of his earthly children, and sometimes appeared more like a consuming fire than a loving Father. He denied Moses and Aaron the right to enter the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the desert after a seemingly minor transgression on Moses' part. Even in the New Testament, in the early days of the church, God struck down Ananias and Sapphira when they conspired to secretly keep a portion of the money they made by selling a piece of property. If God is Love, how could He have done these troubling things? Taking the idea even further, how can a loving God allow so much misery and suffering in the world today? These are questions all Christians ponder at some point.

Nelson does a fantastic job of tackling these hard issues. In each and every case he examines, he puts forth convincing reasons for God's actions and shows they were all borne of love. In formulating his central argument, Nelson goes all the way back to Lucifer's fall from grace and the introduction of sin in this world. He does a wonderful job explaining why God did not simply destroy the rebel angels; moving from this, he blames Satan for spreading the lie that God should be feared. He devotes a chapter to explaining just what sin really is, making brilliantly illuminating use of the parable of the prodigal son in this regard. He backs up his argument that God meets us where we are and as we are, extrapolating from this notion a brilliant explanation for the frightful appearances of God to the Israelites of Moses' day. In cases such as the seemingly extreme deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, Nelson explains God's actions as a form of "accelerated judgment" made so as to protect the larger body of followers from the dangers it would otherwise be exposed to. In each and every case, no matter how cruel God's action may seem on the surface, Nelson certainly proves to my satisfaction that God acted out of love and not jealousy or rage.

God is not to blame for suffering and pain on earth, Nelson argues; He in fact shares all of our afflictions with us, and He proved the depth of his relentless love beyond doubt on Calvary some two thousand years ago. God wants his children to love Him, but true love cannot exist unless men and women have the freedom to say No to divine love. That is the heart of Nelson's explanation for the existence of pain and suffering among believers and non-believers alike. I found two of Nelson's related arguments very interesting. Nelson does not think the existence of pain and suffering can be explained completely in terms of God using pain and suffering in order to teach us some valuable lesson or to somehow reach someone else in a special way. I know many Christians who react to hard times by thinking God is punishing them for something, but Nelson warns against such thinking. Such thoughts lead to a fear of God, which is exactly what Satan wants to achieve in the hearts of men. In the pages of Outrageous Grace, Nelson shows that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of Jesus' day and our own time, a loving Father who acts only out of undying love for his children. I believe all Christians would benefit enormously from reading this book.

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.