Manufacturers Books

If you own a music studio or you are a record producer, artist, sales representative for a big record company ... you'll get to the exact place you want to go by using this guide. The book provides location data, phone numbers, fax numbers, mobile phone numbers, email addresses and web sites for all the major and minor corporations dealing with music nowadays

This is a must have for any person involved in the music business. I wonder what I would do without it sometimes. Whenever I need a place to go I just have this but my life was much harder before this book came on the market!

This is a complete collection of Music Studious, Music Press, Manufacturers, and so on. I was impressed by this book when I first read it. I have been in the music business for a long time and I never saw such a complete collection of places to go. Amazing and very useful! I highly recommend it!

Wow, if you ever need to know anything about the music industry: where to find a decent record company, who's the best man for that particular job, what are the best radio stations, what's the best newspaper related to music business, then this is a book you should not miss. The CD-ROM format gives it easy access for all and is portable so you can take the listings everywhere with you, it helped me because I travel a lot and a bulky book is not easy to carry

I needed this book because I was young and i had no friends in the music business to tell me where to go and what to do. I bought this and went to spark with the people from these locations and they were extremely helpful and kind to me. People aren't that bad and if you need help just ask or try to find information. I used this book and it was a great help to me.

I couldn't put this book down. This is a richly crafted novel about opposing cultures, youth, love and political conflict. Daanish and Dia are real. The author crafted their characters with such complexity that I felt as if we were all in the same room together. The stories of each family are spun as smoothly as the silk on which the story is based. Brilliant!
Linda C. Wright, Author, One Clown Short
One Clown Short

An excellently written, moving story that allowed me see some of what living in Lahore might be like.

I came across this book because I mentioned to a friend that I was sick of books written about 'the post-9/11 Muslim disaffection' and she said that TRESPASSING was written BEFORE and ABOUT pre-9/11 disaffection, so I might want to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It's a shame this book isn't getting as much attention as the spate of post-9/11 books, because there are so many things it puts into deeper perspective.

The character Daanish is studying in the States during the 1991 Gulf War, and the alienation and anger he feels as a young Muslim male during the Iraq invasion and subsequent American 'victory' are an eerie foreshadowing of the current crisis. It's not just the anti-Muslim media that oppresses him, but the general apathy of ordinary, even friendly Americans who don't want to know about their country's foreign policy. This book implies that the cost of this apathy is more anger, more alienation -- and more violence. If you want to know that the world we're living in today did not begin on 9/11, I highly recommend this book.

Uzma Aslam Khan pulls off a very difficult feat in this novel. She successful creates a wide range of compelling characters who wind their way through various aspects of Pakistan of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The main protoganists are a male student who has returned home from America and is being set up with a woman from a well-connected family. The other is a free sprited local woman who has never been outside Pakistan and has fallen in love with this recent returnee, who is being set up with her best friend. Their relationship tests the limits of what is tolerated in a very traditional culture.

Other characters explore the political nature of life in Pakistan, from involvement in a movement against the government, to anger expressed at foreigners (i.e. Koreans fishing off the coast in traditional fishing waters to the First Iraq War.) This book is authentic in the sense that it explores the frustrations of Pakistani people, regardless of its justification. In fact, the author doesn't justify anything. She presents and lets the reader make his/her own judgements.

My only criticism is that she uses anti-U.S. Iraq War sources (i.e. from General Ramsey Clark) that the average Pakistani would not have access to and is very one-sided. However, this does not detract from the overall message that the average Pakistani was most certainly against the 1991 U.S. war in Iraq.

This is a moving tale and you feel sympathy for all of the principle characters who are caught in a system not of their own making and from which they cannot escape. The concerns are political, social, and economic.

Most Westerners have a difficult time seeing life through the lenses of those who don't have the freedoms and wealth that most in the world do not possess. Though I am an American who has lived many years overseas (I live in Taiwan), I live in a relatively open, prosperous and democratic country. Life here bears no resemblance at all to life as portrayed in Pakistan.

Ms. Khan deserves praise for daring to present to a Western audience the realities of Pakistani life as seen through her eyes. Even if you don't agree with some of the conclusions and beliefs of some of the characters, particularly vis a vis the United States, they also can't be denigrated or ignored. Even if you don't agree with the feelings of those in another culture and you feel they are the result of incomplete information, the feelings are still real and are ignored at our peril. Ms. Khan effectively weaves this into the story without being overly judgemental in her own right.

This book is a must read.

An amazing story of love, lust, power, greed, self-preservation, and self-loathing. The author does an amazing job of challenging our own value system by pushing us to see how all of these powerful states of being emanate from the universal "need to belong". Trespassing is a scintillating tale of the existential angst experienced by its characters, as well as an poignant cautionary essay on how the personal becomes political and vice versa.

Looking forward to Ms. Khan's next novel!

I am a young "Anglo-American" (white) girl living in a Texas/Mexican border town with a 98% hispanic community, and am on my way to learning the language fluently. I read this book in my Spanish class, and nearly died from the beauty of this book! It has helped me along with recognizing and comprehending Spanish along with leaving me a satisfied reader. Someday when I speak fluent Spanish, I will read this to my daughter and am sure it will be her favorite bed-time story. :-)

Seeing as though I couldn't get the real Marianela quickly, this one suited quite well, perhaps even better. I had to write a paper on it and the simplified language made mush easier to understand.

Pablo, a rich blind boy is madly in love with poor Marianela. Things go smooth until renowned Doctor Teodoro Golfín offers to cure up Pablo's eyes. Marianela, who thinks she is ugly is afraid that when he starts seeing, he'll see how ugly(on the surface) she really is. Her fears are confirmed when he falls for his beautiful cousin Florentina, who doesn't treat Marianela too well. She is so attached to Pablo that if she doesn't look beautiful for him, she won't be any use to him. A very destructive point of view which she sticks to. It's a tragic ending but it's common in most Spanish-language stories.

What is the actual implication of this fictitious work? Isn't there a serious, profound and truthful lessons in this love story so down-to-earth but yet so complex?

Marianela, a love story published in 1878 portrays a relationship between a blind man and his guide-- not beautiful a woman, whom he imagines attractive. Loving him she worries that once the man recovers his eyesight realizes she is not as pretty as he thinks her to be.

The author wisely crafts an interesting symbolism between the capacity to see, which is always spiritual and emotional, and on the other hand the human eyesight which can be inadequate, restrictive and misleading.

The implication that runs through the whole story is that adversity is a blessing in disguise, since blindness forces him to be humble enough to perceive the beauty she and others manifest. Once he recovers his eyesight and sees her for the first time with his human eyes, he rejects her.

Wasn't he in possession of real sight while blind than when he was able to recover his sight and to humanly see? Isn't Perez Galdos message, that the capacity to see and understand is mental, emotional and not necessarily physical?

Finally I can say this classic must be understood as a lesson on the spiritual superiority over the evidence presented by the human senses. This emotionally complex story has a symbolism, it will teach a lesson to whoever is receptive enough to its deeper meaning.

I must admit that this book didn't pick my interest when I started reading it in My Spanish AP class in high school. Now after reading it I have to say that this book is wonderfully written and very educational.
Marianela is a girl who lives in The Mines of Socartes, she is the guide of a rich boy who suffers fom blindness Pablo. I loved Marianela's character since the first pages, she is so full of life, so innocent. All her life she lived out of the pity of others but it didn't matter to her. Pablo "said" he loved her and she lived in this illusion where she thought that she would finally be loved and not criticized by her looks.
Then, everything changed when Teodoro Golfin, a miracle doctor gave Pablo his sight. That's when everything changed. When Pablo saw what Marianela really looked like, he just started treating her horribly. Where did all his love go? I have to say that by the end of the book I hated Pablo with a passion. How can someone be so cynical as to tell a person how beautiful she is without really seeing the exterior appearance and then being disgusted by what he sees when he looks at how that person really looks? Sadly that's what happens with Pablo and it would have been better if he had stay blind.
This book bring some things that are really important. True beauty is on the inside, never judge someone by their exterior appearace because you might be surprised. True beauty is not something that you can see or touch, beauty has to be felt.
I highly recomend this book, it will touch your heart I promise

Under the Eye of the Clock is the autobiography of Christopher Nolan, the talented young poet with cerebral palsy. He can't walk or talk or write in the usual manner. Since Nolan lacks the use of his hands, this book like Dam-Burst of Dreams, the book of poems that preceded it, was written by means of a typing stick affixed to his head. The book succeeds both as pure artistry and as a window into the world of the disabled. Nolan has re-named himself Joseph Meehan and told his story entirely in the objectivity of the third person. This brilliant stroke allows him to avoid excessive self-pity while making his sufferings and triumphs real and deep. Nolan's use of language had earned him comparisons with James Joyce, Yeats, and Dylan Thomas. Nolan stretches the meanings and implications of words, rearranges their spelling, and even invents new ones to communicate his moods and perceptions and illuminate life, his own and those he observes, with his unique poet's sensibility.

As a college English and literature instructor, I intend to make this book a required reading if it becomes available in print again. It should bless all readers because it becomes a reminder that NO matter what the circumstances, people should still be respected, loved, and appreciated. And, with this in mind, the reader may receive a self-esteem boost when being reminded of inner-personal value. I appreciate this book so much. I have three copies and continually loan them out.

Christopher Nolan's "Under The Eye Of The Clock" is an autobiographical account of his incredibly awe-inspiring and miraculous life. Born a cripple, he could have been consigned to the rubbish heap but instead and against all odds became a celebrated writer of this Whitbread Book winner, "The Banyan Tree" as well as an early book of poems. Without taking anything away from Joseph Meehan (a self portrait of Nolan), he couldn't have overcome his debilitating handicaps to scale the heights he did without the steady support and tender loving care of his family. A father, mother and sister who are such warm and emotionally intelligent human beings anybody would be blessed and proud to have them as family. The school principals, teachers and fellow students who accepted him, nurtured him and gave him the chance to prove himself equal to the best among physically whole human specimens are themselves shining examples of humanity who deserve as much recognition in Nolan's lifestory. Although it has been compared with James Joyce's "Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man", it is in reality nothing like it. Whereas Joyce's work is for the most part depressing and full of pain and harshness, Nolan's story is so morally uplifting you almost forget its grave subject matter. Nolan's dazzling and inventive writing style is also unique and something to relish. He coins and mints new words which have a yet found a conventional meaning but are so emotionally accurate you know they're right. Read this if you're feeling down and need something to restore your faith in mankind !

I found my way to this book after I had read "The Banyan Tree" by Christopher Nolan. This was a book that I read and reviewed back in February, and ever since I have been mystified why the book never seemed to gain the wide acceptance of readers. All of the reviews that have been posted by readers for "The Banyan Tree" have been 5 star reviews, and the same is the case for "Under The Eye Of The Clock".

If you read you understand how difficult it is to write anything, much less a full book, and then have it selected for and win a prestigious award. In the case of the book I review now it was the 1987 Whitbred Award that was awarded to Mr. Nolan. All very impressive, but that's just the start.

This is an autobiography written by a very young man who next wrote the book "The Banyan Tree" and would take 12 years to do so. This is a painfully candid, but uplifting book about a man with the support of a wonderful Family overcomes extreme realities that are his life to become an Author of international renown.

Mr. Nolan cannot speak, he can barely move at all. He types with what he calls his "Unicorn Stick" that he wears on his head, and even then his head must be supported while he works.

An Autobiography is a courageous work if honestly presented. When you add Mr. Nolan's additional challenges he faces as a writer, and as a person living with his physical issues it becomes an extraordinary autobiographical book.

I hope more readers find Mr. Nolan, he is a unique writer of immense talent, and if you pass by his work you deprive yourself of great literature.

To learn about such an exceptional poet who, without the faith of his family, would never have been revealed to the world, gives the reader a new view of people's limitations. I bought 12 copies of this book (when it was in print)and somehow have given them all away over time.

If you buy this book because the title might indicate it is an overall look at the banjo, its playing, its musics, and its place in society, that is not what this book is or pretends to be.

This is a history of the physical development of the banjo and its construction and manufacture during the 19th Century. There are some small references to the different musics the instrument was used for, but not many. There is elaborate and detailed discussion of the main lines of construction of the banjos during this period. The authors also write well and thoroughly about the business dynamics of the chief producers
of the banjo during the 19th Century.

While this book is obviously the work of two of leading banjo collectors in the world and of interest to banjoists and instrument makers of all kinds, it is an important picture of America social and economic history as well. Someone interested in the rise and development of capitalist industry, fetishism of "the finer things in life" by the middle class, and how culture wars were waged in the 19th Century would profit from reading this book.

For the artistically inclined there are a number of beautiful plates of 19th Century Banjos as works of art. It is clear that the authors priviledge the decoration and physical beauty of the instruments as much as they do the instruments "playability."

This work is great in itself. I found it very readable and believe someone who did not know much about banjos would also find this readable.

If you are interested in the social and cultural history of the instrument to the present day, what you need is
That Half-Barbaric Twang: The Banjo in American Popular Culture Culture by Karen Linn.

If you are interested in the African origin of the instrument, its development from African playing styles, as well as the roots of contemporary "frailing" and clawhammer and much else about the musical tradition of the banjo, especially as used in traditional folk music try African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Study of Folk Traditions by Cecelia Conway. Both books are available here on Amazon

At last, another important book has emerged to stand with the few other necessary references on early American 5-string banjos.

Unlike the two fine Tsumura books which are primarily photographic essays of considerable magnitude, Gura and Bollman's treatise combines a highly readable and informed history with a remarkable collection of rare antique photographs and ephemera plus 4 lengthy sections of recent photographs of exquisite instruments and banjo related objects. Any one of these three aspects would be sufficient reason to own the book.

The frequently startling and personal photographs impart a very human feeling as we progress through the story of the evolution of the banjo in American culture. Amazingly, they represent just a minor fraction of Jim Bollman's immense collection.

Special praise is due Peter Szego for his magnificent photographs of the wonderful early banjos from his own collection.

I find it hard to remain objective as I turn the pages and imagine what it must have been like to pose for one of those Dageurreotypes, rudely dressed, banjo in hand, daring the photographer to capture my soul. And again, when I turn to that favorite Boucher or Fairbanks banjo and long to feel and play it.

Well done, gentlemen, and thank you!

If one were to collect instruments, art and ephemera to organize and document an exhibition about the banjo, a good place to start would be to review Gura's and Bollman's "America's Instrument: The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century." This impressive book actually seems like a comprehensive companion to a museum's exhibition which could have the same name, and I could envision such a treatise being a museum gift shop's best-seller.

James Bollman is recognized as one of our Nation's foremost banjo collectors, and his outstanding assortment of Victorian-era banjos and related paraphernalia is one of the finest in the world. He was very pivotal as a project consultant to the fine exhibition that took place in 1984 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology called "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory," curated by Robert Lloyd Webb. That exhibit's catalogue had some wonderful information, photographs and illustrations. After seeing it, I was personally inspired to research and write an article about "Banjos at the Smithsonian Institution" which subsequently appeared in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine (Vol. 27, No. 5, November, 1992).

Philip Gura, historian and Professor of English and American Studies at the University of North Carolina, is an expert in the history and culture of America's music industry. I found Gura's 2003 charming book, "C.F. Martin and His Guitars 1976-1873," to be well-researched, thoughtfully written, beautifully illustrated, and professionally executed.

In "America's Instrument: The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century," Gura and Bollman begin by documenting the banjo's evolution from the plantation to the stage. An interesting overview of the minstrel tradition and early performers is given. The authors show how the popularity of banjos increased, largely due to effective marketing. As the banjo made its way from the minstrel stage to Victorian parlors and concert halls, the physical development of the instrument was also affected. Part III of the book addresses "selling the banjo to all America," focusing on the efforts of Philadelphia's S.S. Stewart. It's interesting that Stewart's adoption of the "cause" of the banjo (nothing short of everything about it) set him apart from other makers. The book's fourth part, "manufacturing the real thing," delves into how the Boston banjo makers (Fairbanks, Cole) began to challenge Stewart's preeminence in the mid-1880s and eventually design and build the acknowledged standards of the banjo world.

Ragtime is given cursory treatment in this book. Another direction that banjo music took was into classical music, and the book could have devoted something to that incarnation of the instrument. I found it curious that this book makes no mention of Alfred A. Farland, "the progressive banjoist," who caused quite a stir in the banjo world in the mid-1890s when he played concertos, Beethoven sonatas, and even Rossini's "William Tell Overture" on the instrument. He was also known as the "Scientific Banjoist of Pittsburgh, Pa."

It also becomes quite apparent that the major banjo makers in the late 19th Century were located mainly in the urban north, and the great majority of major makers are discussed. However, this book should have at least acknowledged J.B. Schall, from Chicago, who built a large number of banjos about 1870-1907. Of a list of manufacturers of "classic" banjos in Akira Tsumura's "Banjos: The Tsumura Collection," most are addressed. Rettberg & Lange (New York 1897-1929) aren't mentioned, and only very brief mention is made of Weymann & Son (who made banjos in Philadelphia from 1864-1935) and Charles Bobzin (who operated in Detroit from 1892-1915).

While this book is beautifully laid out with over 250 illustrations, some of the very special banjos featured in the MIT exhibition, at the Smithsonian Institution, and in private collections such as Akira Tsumura's or David Vachon's, might have further enhanced Gura and Bollman's book. Some of the instruments are credited as from the collection of Peter Szego or Philip Gura, and the other uncredited photographs are apparently from the extensive collection of James Bollman. While the many full page color illustrations are definitely nice, perhaps the book could've added many more by placing two to four per page. Banjo afficinados typically enjoy such "eye candy," and photos speak a thousand words.

Keep in mind that this book only covers the banjo in the 19th Century. There is a cursory link to the banjo in the 20th Century, and there's only minor mention of firms such as Gibson, Paramount, Bacon and Day, and Weymann. While the authors state that "the stories of these companies and their instruments are fairly well known and...belong to the history of the new century," I hope that Gura and Bollman will consider pulling all these tales together into a sequel that documents the banjo in the Twentieth Century. All in all, they've done a very fine job covering a hundred years of the instrument's early history in America. Banjo-players and others interested in the instrument's history should certainly add this book to their library. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

James Bollman's collection of banjos and banjo memorabilia is stunning and this volume may be the only way in which I would ever be able to view it in my home a photograph at a time. The history is a resource for historians and reenactors alike. The vintage photos are mostly ones I've never seen before. This collection has the most vintage photos of lady banjo players I have ever seen. The 1860's photo of a young woman playing the banjo on page 93 has enough detail for a reenactor to duplicate her dress and accessories as well as her banjo. The same is true of an 1895 photograph of a woman playing a Fairbanks Electric. The turn of the century all woman banjo band on page 10 is inspiring. It's great to know that there have always been lady banjo players and these photos give the lady reenactor a place to start when planning a period costume to go with a period banjo. There is a section of breath taking color plates in this book that allow you not only to see detail on some rare banjos, but also depict antique banjo clocks and memorabilia. I never knew such pieces existed until this book. A great book and a must have for anyone interested in vintage instruments and pickers.

As a banjo player of some twenty-five years experience, as well as a historic interpreter/performer of Early American music, all I can say is that this is the book that I've been waiting for! This well-researched, well-written, beautifully illustrated tome doesn't just give us an interesting history of the banjo; it offer us a fascinating view of the instrument's pivotal role in the birth of American "pop" music.

My favorite features of the book are the antique period photographs, as well as the many wonderful illustrations of authentic period instruments and ephemeria, primarily from the extensive personal collection of the book's authors and fellow collectors such as Peter Szego. The majority of the 19th century photos depicted belong to author Jim Bollman, whose home can best be described as a museum and shrine to the banjo. I'm also a collector of vintage photos of musicians and I can tell you there's no one more respected in the field than Jim. His name is constantly invoked with awe and reverence by both dealers and other collectors. I have to admit there were times at photo shows when I've had cause to harbor some unkindly thoughts towards Jim every time it had become that he had scored all the best photos. However, purchasing this book, which contains many of those incredible unattainable photos, more than makes up for that.

My only complaint about "America's Instrument..." is its failure to really explore the banjo's African roots other than to briefly quote Dena Epstein's pioneering work on the subject. Also, the authors are mistaken in their statements that the African ancestors of the banjo, such as the xalam, "lack the shortened string on the top of the fingerboard that is characteristic of later banjos." In fact, the xalam has three "chanterelles" (drone strings) of various lengths above the two long melody strings. A cursory look at the xalam illustrated in the book would reveal that.

Be that as it may, I highly recommend "America's Instrument...!"

This book is not just for manufacturers, but holds enormous value to any operation. I am impressed by how much practical help is packed into this book. It bridges the gap between a training program or reading books on implementing the Theory of Constraints in Operations and the detailed work that must be done. This book is a must to ensure both a successful and a lasting implementation of Drum, Buffer, Rope and Buffer Management in Operations.

As an APICS member, this was a must. Concise enough, it projected the TOC concepts into applied scenarios so that one can actually measure the value of the theory.
There are not many good books on TOC apart from Goldratt's novels, so buy it.

Mark's book is an excellent, easy to understand read, which I found extremely helpful.

Most books on TOC deal with a lot of theory, or case studies. This is the first book I've read that goes into incredible detail on how to implement TOC using the author's years of experience in this field.

A must-read if you are plannig to implement TOC.

There are, today, many good books on the Theory of Constraints, or "TOC". If you are relatively new to TOC, books from authors like Eli Goldratt, Bill Dettmer, Eli Schragenheim, Debra Smith, Lisa Scheinkopf, and many others are "must reads."

These books, however, generally focus on explaining the details of TOC. This is necessary. In order to succeed with TOC you have to know what it is and how and why it works.

But subject matter knowledge alone is not enough, if you want to actually use TOC in business. You must also have a valid roadmap for implementing it.

In my experience, this is where many people fail with TOC. They believe they can "just wing it" and so try to implement TOC without having a valid roadmap. The results are all too predictable: they wind up lost in the weeds, the implementation fails, and the company becomes blocked from further improvement for a very long time.

Mark's book is valuable because it provides a real roadmap for implementing TOC in a manufacturing organization.

Throughout the book, you have the voice of a successful TOC consultant leading you to understand how to implement TOC in a manufacturing organization. The writing is clear and direct. The advice is concrete and actionable.

The book also provides examples of various charts, forms and procedures that you can use as patterns for the materials you will need in your implementations.

In closing, I am highly satisfied with this book and don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is considering implementing TOC in a manufacturing organization.

Having worked with Mark since 1993 on our TOC implementation and refinement, I can tell you that Dixie Iron Works would have been where we are that much quicker, had this book already been written. A MUST-read for the TOC implementation you want to proceed smoothly and quickly.

As a former product design engineer, I learned a good manufacturers' representative is worth his weight in gold. The rep is the person you turn to if you have component selection or vendor problems. Likewise, a good rep is a conduit for the voice of the customer; the person who makes clear the needs, the wants, and the opinions of the customer. Both roles are essential to a successful product design effort and both are difficult to fill. Like other positions that demand specific knowledge and experience, the job of a sales representative is a job for an specialist.

In "Out-Sourcing the Sales Function", Anderson and Trinkle,- both experts on the topic- explain the intricacies of field sales show how, in many situations, an external sales force can outperform a traditional direct sales team. They give direct specific examples and show how the cost of the sales function can be accounted for accurately. Anyone who's livelihood depends directly or indirectly upon sales, will find this book revealing and useful. Highly recommended.

Bruce Long PhD, PE

Bob and Erin do an excellent job of frameworking the decision criteria of when to use outsourced sales professionals. Reviews the tough topic of the true costs associated with using OSP's vs. direct sales. This is the best book I have seen on this subject. If you are looking at your cost of goods sold and not currently using manufacturer's representatives, this book might give you insight into a great way to go to market !

These comments by Chicago PR consultant Laurence Kaufman, excerpted from a longer review, are right on the money.

Clearly directed at corporate executives with the responsibility for determining how their companies' goods are brought to market - CEOs and CFOs as well as their top sales executives - this book equally deserves careful scrutiny by manufacturers' representatives and their organizations, and by those who interface regularly with field sales people, i.e., distributors and other resellers, commercial and industrial end users.

A number of factors make this book noteworthy, but perhaps the most important is its authorship - a unique collaboration between an academic (Erin Anderson) who has been studying manufacturers' representatives and the decision to employ them for a quarter-century and a field sales professional (Bob Trinkle) who spent close to half a century practicing what he now preaches. And what Trinkle preaches, along with his professorial collaborator, is not that you should choose the rep route to market, but that you should make the choice intelligently - based not only on economic factors but also in full realization of the impact of corporate culture and product idiosyncrasies - and if you choose to outsource, the factors you need to consider in making the strategy work. Trinkle and Anderson do not say that outsourcing is the right thing to do - it may or may not be. But if you decide it is the right thing to do, they also tell you how to do it right.

Another noteworthy feature is the inclusion with the hard-cover book of a CD-ROM Cost Calculator©, that allows those responsible for making dollar comparisons between in-house and outsourced field sales to plug in their own numbers, reminding them along the way of the "soft costs" that go away in tandem with the decision to outsource.

Anderson and Trinkle have created a tool not only for making strategic decisions about how to take products into the field, but for creating a better understanding of the role of the rep as an advocate for buyers and for sellers. If you are a rep who wants to be thought of as an OSP (Outsourced Sales Professional), first read this book; and then make sure each of your principals reads it as well. If you are a customer or reseller, it will remind you of the benefits the OSP brings you in efficiency, advocacy, and continuity. If you are a manufacturer, it will help you analyze when to outsource, when to go or stay direct, and when to field a hybrid sales force, and prevent a decision from being made capriciously.

Outsourcing has become an accepted business practice because it can deliver demonstrable savings and improved services. However, while sales outsourcing is common, it has not been widely adopted by companies accustomed to having dedicated in-house sales staffs. Authors Erin Anderson and Bob Trinkle make a powerful case for the benefits of using outside sales reps, asserting that they cost less and sell more, particularly when they use the tactic of "portfolio selling." The authors explain how the two types of sales forces can co-exist and augment each other. Die-hard sales managers will find interesting material here, though the book belabors a few obvious points and lacks enough real-world examples to juice up the dry text. The authors include a CD with software for analyzing sales costs. Since this is a very specific book for anyone investigating whether to use reps, we recommend it to sales directors and executives who are facing that question. However, front line salespeople and reps should just keep to their appointment books - this text is not designed for you.

This ranks as one of the best written books and a must have. I recommend this to anyone in marketing and sales, from entry level sales people to marketing and sales managers and even CEOs/CFOs. I have over 20 years in establishing new markets, recruiting and managing the sales force and this book is a treasure that I could have utilized throughout my career. Why learn by trial and error when you have so much knowledge in a book? It is apparent to me, that this book is written from "boots on the ground" real-life experience. Concepts are clearly presented and backed up by real world examples. The included CD is a remarkable utility allowing one to caculate true cost of sales and compare business models. Compare current busines practices to a benchmark. An independent sales representative could use this to negotiate commission rates on new contracts with principals.

The Sugar cane handbook is compilation of the procedures for manufacturing sugar from cugar cane; the practical and easy to follow procedures and the experiences detail in the book are just very good.

Every person in charge of sugar cane milling and processing sugar cane must have it as handbook to consult.

Aicardo Roa-Espinosa PhD
President of Soil Net LLC

Not exactly light reading, but great reference book, just look at the contents:

Part One Raw Sugar Manufacture

1. Sugarcane, James E. Irvine

2. Sugars and Non-sugars in Sugarcane, Margaret A. Clarke

3. Methods of Cane Purchase, James C. P. Chen

4. Outline of Raw Sugar Process and Extraction of Juice, James C. P. Chen

5. Purification of the Juice, James C. P. Chen

6. Heating and Evaporation, James C. P. Chen

7. The Crystallization of Sugar, James C. P. Chen

8. Purging, packing and Warehousing of Raw Sugar, Len K. Kirby

9. Raw Sugar Quality Criteria, James C. P. Chen

10. By-Products of Cane Sugar Processing, James C. P. Chen

Part Two Cane Sugar Refining

11. Raw Sugar Purchase, Marketing and Receiving, Fred R. Hill

12. Affination and Clarification, Richard Riffer

13. Decolorization, Richard Riffer

14. Evaporation and Pan Boiling, Thomas N. Pearson

15. Centrifugation, C. Frank Stowe

16. Sugar Drying and Conditioning, Chung Chi Chou

17. Packaging, Warehousing and Shipping of Refined Products, Jeffery C. Robinson

18. Refined Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

19. Specialty Sugars, Andy C. Chen and Amhed Awad

20. Plant Maintenance Program, George Fawcett

Part Three Production and Process Controls 21. Definitions and Terms in Sugar Factory and Refinery Controls, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

22. Chemicals Used as Sugar Processing Aids, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

23. Sugar House and Refinery Calculations, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

24. Chemical and Process Control (Raw House), James C. P. Chen

25. Technical and Sucrose Loss Control (Refinery), Joseph F. Dowling

26. Microbiological Control in Sugar Manufacturing and Refining, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

27. Energy Conservation, Keith Sinclair

28. Total Quality Management System, Leon A. Anhasier

29. Computerized Sugar Manufacturing,

Part (A) Conceptualized Computer Control, Michael R. T. Low

Part (B) Process Control and Integration, Shyam Ambardar

30. Automation of a Sugar Refinery, Naotsugu Mera

31. Environmental Quality Assurance, James C. P. Chen and John Green

Part Four Analytical Procedures

32. Sampling and Averaging, James C. P. Chen

33. Special Laboratory Reagents, James C. P. Chen

34. Polarimetry in Sugar Analysis, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

35. Instrumental Analysis for the Sugar Industry, Chung Chi Chou

36. Determination of Density and Total Solids, James C. P. Chen

37. Determination of Ash, James C. P. Chen

38. Determination of pH, James C. P. Chen

39. Determination of Color and Turbidity in Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

40. Determination of Dextran and Starch, Walter Altenburg

41. Analysis of Sugarcane, James C. P. Chen

42. Analysis of Juice, James C. P. Chen

43. Analysis of the Syrup, Massecuites and Molasses, James C. P. Chen

44. Analysis of Raw Sugars, James C. P. Chen

45. Analysis of Refined Sugar Products, Thomas Wilson and Stanley Bichsel

46. Analysis of Bagasses and Filtercake, James C. P. Chen

Not exactly light reading, but great reference book, just look at the contents:

Part One Raw Sugar Manufacture

1. Sugarcane, James E. Irvine

2. Sugars and Non-sugars in Sugarcane, Margaret A. Clarke

3. Methods of Cane Purchase, James C. P. Chen

4. Outline of Raw Sugar Process and Extraction of Juice, James C. P. Chen

5. Purification of the Juice, James C. P. Chen

6. Heating and Evaporation, James C. P. Chen

7. The Crystallization of Sugar, James C. P. Chen

8. Purging, packing and Warehousing of Raw Sugar, Len K. Kirby

9. Raw Sugar Quality Criteria, James C. P. Chen

10. By-Products of Cane Sugar Processing, James C. P. Chen

Part Two Cane Sugar Refining

11. Raw Sugar Purchase, Marketing and Receiving, Fred R. Hill

12. Affination and Clarification, Richard Riffer

13. Decolorization, Richard Riffer

14. Evaporation and Pan Boiling, Thomas N. Pearson

15. Centrifugation, C. Frank Stowe

16. Sugar Drying and Conditioning, Chung Chi Chou

17. Packaging, Warehousing and Shipping of Refined Products, Jeffery C. Robinson

18. Refined Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

19. Specialty Sugars, Andy C. Chen and Amhed Awad

20. Plant Maintenance Program, George Fawcett

Part Three Production and Process Controls 21. Definitions and Terms in Sugar Factory and Refinery Controls, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

22. Chemicals Used as Sugar Processing Aids, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

23. Sugar House and Refinery Calculations, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

24. Chemical and Process Control (Raw House), James C. P. Chen

25. Technical and Sucrose Loss Control (Refinery), Joseph F. Dowling

26. Microbiological Control in Sugar Manufacturing and Refining, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

27. Energy Conservation, Keith Sinclair

28. Total Quality Management System, Leon A. Anhasier

29. Computerized Sugar Manufacturing,

Part (A) Conceptualized Computer Control, Michael R. T. Low

Part (B) Process Control and Integration, Shyam Ambardar

30. Automation of a Sugar Refinery, Naotsugu Mera

31. Environmental Quality Assurance, James C. P. Chen and John Green

Part Four Analytical Procedures

32. Sampling and Averaging, James C. P. Chen

33. Special Laboratory Reagents, James C. P. Chen

34. Polarimetry in Sugar Analysis, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

35. Instrumental Analysis for the Sugar Industry, Chung Chi Chou

36. Determination of Density and Total Solids, James C. P. Chen

37. Determination of Ash, James C. P. Chen

38. Determination of pH, James C. P. Chen

39. Determination of Color and Turbidity in Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

40. Determination of Dextran and Starch, Walter Altenburg

41. Analysis of Sugarcane, James C. P. Chen

42. Analysis of Juice, James C. P. Chen

43. Analysis of the Syrup, Massecuites and Molasses, James C. P. Chen

44. Analysis of Raw Sugars, James C. P. Chen

45. Analysis of Refined Sugar Products, Thomas Wilson and Stanley Bichsel

46. Analysis of Bagasses and Filtercake, James C. P. Chen

This book is, in many ways, a good companion volume to the other standard text in sugar cane engineering (Hugot, Handbook of Cane Sugar Engineering). Chen and Chou's book is oriented to the sugar processing aspect of sugar manufacture. The book is more about how to make sugar than how to make machines that make sugar.

The Cane Sugar Handbook covers raw sugar manufacture, refining, process controls, and analytical procedures.

The text is illustrated well with many line drawings, charts and graphs, and a few black and white photographs.

There are many useful data tables in the appendix. The text is fully referenced to papers and articles .

All in all a useful reference work to keep in your desk's top drawer (right next to Hugot).

Buruma has the key to a door I, a newbie Nipponophile, use: cinema. His own personality leaks tastefully into his blend of experience and academics. Just the levels I like! Some of the articles are a little outside my area of interest, but he managed to hook me into finishing them.

I found Buruma's collection very absorbing, especially helpful to someone living out East (Hong Kong and Singapore), as I was in the late 90's. The Singapore essay, "The Nanny State of Asia," is an extremely perceptive look behind the official facade of Harry Lee Kuan Yew's police state. If you plan to visit/live in S'pore, the things the locals won't dare discuss with you (out of fear) are dealt with here. Even if you're just travelling from the armchair, this is a well-written and (again) extremely absorbing read.

As someone who lived out East I rank this up with Christopher Lingle's Singapore's Authoritarian Capitalism and Stan Sesser's The Land of Charm and Cruelty (another great essay collection on various Asian countries) as books helpful to the Westerner trying to learn about the region. Buruma's God's Dust has more essays on Asia, including S'pore. For Singapore, I also recomend Francis Seow's A Prisoner in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore, and Paul Theroux's Saint Jack (a Singapore novel set in the Seventies but (I found) remarkably up to date in the attitudes it records of both locals and expats).

Very well documented essays about the East, although most of the articles are treating already out-of-date items. Still they will continue to be essential reading for historians.

In his ironic style, he unveils the lies and double-talk of political and industrial leaders. E.g. Sony's Akio Morita's statement that 'today's Japanese do not think in terms of privilege', while he almost disowned his son, when he wanted to marry a popular singer.
Other targets are Benazir Bhutto, Cory Aquino, Imelda Marcos and most of all the imperious leader of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew.

I recommend nevertheless the autobiography of Yew 'From first world to third', because it is an essential read in order to understand what's happening in China today. Lee Kuan Yew is Jiang Zeming's best friend.

Buruma is a very perceptive observer and reader. His analyses of writers like Yuhio Moshima, Mircea Eliade or Junichiro Tanizaki, or movie directors like Nagisa Oshima or Sayajit Ray are brilliant.
This book is to be put on the same high level as the works of Simon Leys on China.

Sceptical of all talk of "asian values" (profound "culture differences" used to justify the denial of human rights), Buruma is a clear-sighted observer of the East. Buruma describes the phases that Western visitors to Japan tend to go through; an initial phase of delight oft succeeded by rage, and ultimately leading to a sort of near manic-depressing rapidly-alternating hatred/love of the East. Buruma, while obviously retaining a great love and respect for Eastern culture combined with a deep scepticism about "asian values", is unseduced by either extreme. The book opens with essays on individual figures, such as Yukio Mishima (it is impossible to take Paul Schrader's 'Mishima' seriously after Buruma's curt dismissal of its portentious bombast) and Wilfred Thesiger (again, one sees this oft-romanticised figure anew, as a misogynistic, rather sinister worshipper of racially pure noble savages) It closes with a section of essays devoted to Japan, on topics as diverse as Michael Crichton's Black Rain, the Hiroshima peace industry, the treatment of black American baseball players in Japan and the continuing echoes of Pearl Harbor.

This PR guide for manufacturers was published more than a year ago, so some of the editors and publications listed have changed. The great thing is that the editor will provide updated information if you email him, and we have actually secured his PR firm for our manufacturing firm. It's the best marketing effort in our company history.

Since 1987 I have watched TR Cutler take the lead in marketing and PR in the manufacturing sector. Cutler's Guide is the starting point for every manufacturing marketing and PR campaign. It is a resource that everyone in the manufacturing industry will find beneficial.

TR Cutler understands manufacturing PR better than anyone and this guide is the ultimate primer for any manufacturing firm getting started ona new PR campaign or strategic marketing plan.

No marketing resource in the manufacturing sector gives more insight than TR Cutler. Every manufacturing organization owner, senior executive and marketing manager should own this book.