Adams Books

This book is an indispensable reference for any artist who aspires to paint or draw Native Americans as part of their Western art if they want an authentic representation of those forgotten times.

[As an aside, I managed to find a hardback copy of this book, so they are out there if one looks hard enough for one.]

This book contains the best black/white images from the original complete collection. The portraits of Indian and the past moment of their daily life were captured with their character and dignity.

It is a marvelous image collection (Edward spent 30 years to make this 20-volume encyclopedia) of history. It represents the love of the dying population, and records the broken dream of native Indian.

absolutely stunning recollection of his complete photos. the reproductions are somewhat small, but easily viewable. such a complete set is so awe inspiring, anyone who has an interest or a love for native ameircan history/american history must have this book. absolute beauty.

Edward Sheriff Curtis dedicated his life's work to documenting the customs and lifeways of the Native American peoples of North America. This extraordinary book includes some of the best photographic examples from Curtis' twenty volume masterpiece, "The North American Indian," one of the most significant representations of traditional indigenous culture ever produced.

Curtis was one of two official photographers for the 1899 Harriman expedition to Alaska.
On his return, he stopped in northern Montana, accompanied by George Bird Grinell, editor of Forest and Stream. There he witnesses the deeply sacred Sundance of the Piegan and Blackfoot tribes, a sight which transformed his life. Grinell said to him at that time, "Take a good look. We're not going to see this kind of thing much longer. It already belongs to the past". It became clear to him then, that he was to record, with pen and camera, the life of the North American Indian.

Beginning in 1900 and continuing over the next thirty years, Edward S. Curtis, sometimes called the "Shadow Catcher" by tribes' people, took over 40,000 photographs and recorded ethnographic information from over eighty American Indian tribal groups, ranging from the Eskimo or Inuit people in the North to the Hopi people of the Southwest. In the end, the work comprised twenty textual volumes and twenty portfolios with over 2,000 illustrations
They are organized by tribes and culture areas, encompassing the Great Plains, Great Basin, Plateau Region, Southwest, California, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. Featured here are some of the photographer's most impressive pictures, including: seal-hunting Eskimos of Nunivak Island, portraits of three Piegan chiefs on horseback, portraits of Chief Red Cloud, Ogalala Sioux, Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Nez Perce, the magnificent Canon de Chelly, (Navaho), and one of my favorites, Kotsuis and Hohhuq - Nakoaktok - 2 masked performers in a winter dance.

These reproductions are a precious American legacy and an artistic masterpiece worthy of any collection.
JANA

This is an incredible collection of pictures. Piles on piles of pictures. But... The pictures are small. I was hoping for a collection of large pictures(i.e. 8x10) but the majority of them are approximately 4x5. It's a wonderful book, but don't expect full sized images. Irregardless it's a great buy for the price. You'll have a hard time finding a collection of pictures as big as this(even if the pictures are small) :)

This book covers what psychotherapists need to know in order to protect themselves in our litigious world. I'm recommending it to all of my colleagues.

After reading this book, I realize some of my ordinary behavior must be changed.Having been trained to use counter transferential observations as an important tool, I often recorded my feelings during the sessions in my notes. I now understand this is a serious mistake. Tragically, I now think of my notes as a public document in a potential investigation of my professional practice. I don't like doing it, but I now document my activities around my one client who is potentially suicidal. I feel I have been warned in time, so I now practice with more awareness of potential litigation.

This book covers what psychotherapists need to know in order to protect themselves in our litigious world. I'm recommending it to all of my colleagues.

You may think you are protected from wrongful accusations by clients, but this book demonstrates that in most cases you are not. I didn't know anything about such matters until a dear friend and colleague was unjustly accused, and unfortunately didn't have the help of this book. What she went through damaged not only her ability but her desire to continue making her living as a therapist. I stopped doing custody cases after I saw what happened. ON YOUR SIDE is the best -- perhaps the only -- source of step-by-step help for embattled practitioners. I'm grateful to have found it and have been telling every therapist I know. If you find yourself on the spot, this book will explain the intricacies of the system and advise you step-by-step on the best practical (and psychological) ways to defend yourself. But please, don't wait until it happens!

As a healthcare professional, I found this work to be extremely useful and cautionary. It is one of those rare non-fiction books that informs while being completely absorbing. "Adams" brings sensitivity, intelligence, experience and wisdom to this compelling read. By generously exposing the pitfalls we may face because our chosen profession is at the mercy of the legal system, "Adams" shows us how to safeguard ourselves and our livelihood. If you think malpractice insurance will protect you, think again...and read this book!

Although I have been reading a lot of documents related to OpenCable, I was looking forward to a comprising work, where all was coming together. That book is now available. The good structure and well managed balance between the bigger picture and the details makes this is a very interesting book for a wide audience in the North American cable community.

No kidding. Michael Adams has taken very complex technical subject matter and crystallized it in a conversational, easy-to-read manner, injecting personality and humor to make the text thoroughly enjoyable. Very refreshing approach to material that is usually inaccessable to non-engineers. Highly recommended for anyone in the broadband networking arena. Calculus is not a prerequisite!

The opencable industry has great promise and potential. In its early formative stage, various industry participants (hardware and software developers, service providers, cable MSO engineers, etc.) really need and will benefit greatly from this book.

Michael Adams has done a great job of pulling together various information pieces in a coherent framework in an understandable and easy to read manner: history, rationale, process, market and technical details of the OpenCable architecture; current status and future direction. I recommend this book highly.

Satish Thatte, Director, Product Management & Standards LG Electronics Research Center of America Princeton Junction, NJ

If you need a way to get employees, vendors, customers or anyone else up to speed quickly on how cable television networks are being re-designed for digital and interactive services, this is the book for you. It clearly and concisely covers the widely varying technical issues involved in designing broadband systems. I think it will a handy reference tool to both technical and non-technical readers.

Although I have been reading a lot of OpenCable documents, there was a wish to have a book that gave the overview and connected the pieces together. That book has now arrived. I can recommend it to all that like to have more knowledge on digital cable and the overview of opencable.

Besides being quite possibly the best small business book I've read in a long time, Outfoxing is just plain FUN to read. Mr. Marks, a "foxy" business owner himself, shares the ways you can identify what kind of small business owner you're dealing with, what their most pressing business needs are, and create a strategy for marketing and communicating with your small business clients. He gives an insider view on the psychology of small business owners which helps with such common issues as getting paid time. He identifies the most common objections small business customers have and how to get around them. I especially loved that he puts an emphasis on creating loyalty and long term partnerships with our customers.

I can't count the number of "aha" moments this book gave me - and I'm supposed to be one of those crafty, seasoned business owners myself. I am going to be using this book as a gift and giveaway for a long time - it's fantastic!

Required reading for anyone who is dealing with small to mid-market companies-- or thinking about entering this marketspace. Gene has worked successfully with both large Fortune companies and the small to mid-market sectors and in this book he discusses the differences and really hones in on the small to mid market space. He then takes it to the next level and gives you the tools you need to be successful in this market space. Gene's writing style makes for a quick, straight-forward read.

I have not enjoyed a business book as much as this since Gerber's E-Myth. This book is very cleverly written and demonstrates a knowledge of small business that can only come through years of experience. Filled with useful information and fun to read.

It takes a fox to know a fox and the author knows his foxes because he's one too. So if you deal with foxes as does the author this is a very entertaining book that will give you a lot of great ideas for being foxier than you are.

You've de-bunked the mystery of the small-business fox and given us great insight on to how best to recognize management styles and apply crafty techniques to win their business and continued loyalty!

This book has a totally refreshing and charming way of addressing the real needs, feelings, and experiences of women after 40. I applaud the author for her great insights, witty advice, and outrageous suggestions. I went right out and bought a red sweater after reading this book and I am heading to the paint store next!

As a woman over 40 it was wonderful to read such an elightening book. It spoke to my soul. Judy's words and stories encouarged me to embrace all the parts of me as I embark on yet another phase of my life. I highly reccomend "Painting the Walls Red" to anyone who is over 40, will be over 40 or knows someone over 40!

Painting The Walls Red has a real depth that only those of us over 40 can really appreciate. Aging well means laughter and hope and Judy gives us both in this truly touching and often times spiritual approach to really living this particular phase of life. I give it a loud and enthusiastic thumbs up!!!

I loved Painting the Walls Red. It's a book that most women over 40 will enjoy and relate to. It's not ponderous reading like some self-help books. Painting the Walls Red addresses a lot of serious situations that older women face. Yet it's done in a way that doesn't feel uncomfortable or tedious. The book feels safe, like an old friend. I love the women's stories. And I love the way Judy Ford has introduced some "fun" things along with the more serious ones. Women over 40 often forget how to play and do the joyful things we did when we were little girls. We take ourselves far too seriously most of the time. Painting the Walls Red is a reminder that we can be serious as well as silly. That we can cry as well as laugh. That our age isn't what dictates WHO we are. It's our attitude and how we choose to look at life. I definitely want to paint one of my walls red!

Aging is a conundrum of sorts. As we grow older we get wiser. We gain perspective. We lose a great deal of those immobilizing, everybody-is-looking-at-me insecurities that come along with youth. For the first time it seems that our hard edges soften. We don't take life so seriously. There is something liberating about aging. It feels relaxing somehow. At the same time, however, aging feels overwhelming. We experience health issues that we thought belonged only to our grandparents. We face retirement and wonder how we will survive on a fixed income. We lose those precious attributes (perky breasts, smooth skin, naturally non-grey hair) that our youth-obsessed culture seems to value over anything else. Sometimes I feel that with each year I age, I become more invisible. I am losing my innocence, I am losing my beauty, I am losing my voice in society.

This is where Painting The Walls Red steps in so beautifully and brilliantly. Judy Ford writes with an optimism that is nearly impossible to find these days. It is fine by me that the book does not offer any medical information about aging as there is an abundance of that available to anybody who does a little research. What we are missing, what we desperately need as we grow older, is tenderness and compassion which is exactly what this book offers. It is full of stories about women over forty who have all approached aging in unconventional ways. These stories are utterly inspiring. The women Judy Ford writes about remain excited, inspired, amazed and fresh even as they mature. Painting The Walls Red is not a book for women who are stuck believing the myths we are told about aging. It is a book for women who believe in the power of creativity, who work to keep their hearts open, and who want to live in awe. I guess it is obvious that I have been deeply touched by Judy Ford's work. I highly recommend this book.

Gripping and thought provoking! The Power has characters and a story that the reader cares about as the plot unfolds.

Give us more! Better than Chrichton..This is "Real Fiction".
On scale of 10 it's a 10. You write it, I'll read it!

I judge my interest in a book by how sorry I am to put it down and how badly I want to get back to it - very much in this case. While there were a couple of times I didn't quite catch how the subject got changed, it didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the storyline. While interesting, exciting and romantic, what was most obvious to me was that the author intended to be thought-provoking - and certainly succeeded in my case. I'll be sharing this book with family and friends and I'll be first in line for this author's next publication!

I loved it. After the first 100 pages or so, I could no longer put it down! For years I've wanted Robin Cook or Michael Palmer to write this story, and I'm so glad that John Adams finally did...and I must say, did as good a job with it as they would have. It may be a work of fiction, but there is more truth to it than I want to think about. Vaccine injuries are certainly NOT FICTION, I know, I have cared for my vaccine injured daughter for the past nine years. I highly recommend this book. If you like medical mysteries, you'll love this one.

The Power takes its reader on an intense journey delving into the clandestine underbelly of the nation's pharmaceutical industry. Author John Adams succeeds in joining together a host of relatable characters in a refreshingly enigmatic storyline. Truly promises gutwrenching action with repeated uppercuts to the emotions.

The following case concerning property forfeiture comes from Rhode Island and is very illustrative as to the real goal of such government action: greed. Luz Rivera of Providence, RI was arrested in 1995 and charged with drug dealing. The police also confiscated $860 from her apartment after a search. Ms. Rivera had the charges against her dismissed in 1996 after she successfully proved she was at work and not at her apartment at the time of the alleged drug deal. Being found innocent of the charges, she naturally requested that her $860 be returned and obtained the necessary court order for this to happen. The state refused to honor the court order and Ms. Rivera contacted the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties union to assist her in obtaining the return of her money. The ACLU has threatened the state with a contempt order but the state attorney general's office has filed a motion to have the 1996 order requiring the return of the confiscated cash null and void. The state meanwhile maintains Ms. Rivera's cash was lawfully forfeited. Considering Ms. Rivera has been cleared of any charges of illegal activity, what is the basis of the state's claim? Very simply, it is the basis of greed. The state government wants Ms. Rivera's cash and has decided to keep it, all moral considerations, notwithstanding. A more clear example of the real reason behind property forfeiture could not be given. It is money pure and simple. Citizens have it and the government wants it.

The New York City Police Department has learned a valuable lesson from state and national law enforcement agencies. The Department will implement its "Zero Tolerance Drinking and Driving Initiative" sometime within the next month according to Police Commissioner Howard Safir. The stated goal of this new program is to discourage drunk driving and means anyone arrested for drunk driving in NYC will have their car seized until acquittal of the charges. The policy is based on the fact that city code permits police to seize "instrumentality's of crime." Commissioner Safir expects the program will result in thousands of cars being seized in the near future. According to criminal lawyer Gerald Lefcourt, this is a serious misuse of the forfeiture laws as they were not intended for this type of situation.

Mr. Lefcourt is right in his supposition that the forfeiture laws were not originally intended to address crimes such as drunk driving. Originally they were to punish drug dealers by confiscating the goods they bought and used with the proceeds from the drug trade. However, it has not taken government agencies long to realize the full potential of forfeiture laws since any property used in committing a crime or that results from illegal activities can be seized. This provides government an easy way to take from the public whatever it wants and is a natural motivator for unscrupulous, unethical and illegal actions by the government. In this case, if the city of New York wishes to discourage drunk driving it can increase jail time for a conviction, but its much more lucrative to confiscate a nice car.

There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself from many dangers -- frivolous lawsuits, predatory taxes, thieves, and greedy bureaucrats, just to name a few. A good place to start is with Adam Starchild's book.

This book will give you everything you need to completely safeguard your home, your family, your money, and your privacy. In other words, everything that's important to you.

You'll also find out how to create "invisible wealth" and how to use trusts for wealth protection... how to use family limited partnerships... how to structure a corporation for the greatest safety... how to go offshore with your wealth... and how to use foreign bank accounts.

An offshore haven is simply a country other than your own. To an American, it's anywhere you bank outside of the U.S. Why invest in offshore havens? Because when you invest outside your own country, you are no longer tied to its restrictive financial laws, and can protect your assets, save taxes and build your wealth easier.

Most of us have been hoodwinked into thinking that offshore havens are illegal, too risky, or otherwise unworthy of consideration. Don't believe it. Financial expert Adam Starchild will dispel myths and misconceptions about offshore banking and reveal how you can:

Achieve total secrecy and and financial privacy
Transfer your money offshore, and keep it safe from lawsuits, creditors, the IRS, etc.
Use offshore havens to legally avoid, defer or minimize taxes
Invest globally and build your wealth
Pick the offshore haven that best meets your objectives
Choose the right offshore bank and maintain an account -- easily and safely
Do business offshore -- and reap extraordinary benefits
And more!

One of the graces of living in the United States is the ability to buy affordable real estate. The open market provides both buyer and seller a plot of Mother Earth in order to raise their children or develop a nest egg for the future. One of the casualties of the War on Drugs is legislation aimed at the drug dealer, could deeply effect the land-owning taxpayer. The following example will give you a clearer understanding. In the summer of 2000, state police discovered 517

marijuana plants growing in an isolated hollow in eastern Kentucky, unbeknownst to the property owners, Dale and Diedre Hall.

Authorities suspected the family, based on a tip from a drug informant. According to the Hall's family lawyer, police were unable to get enough evidence to make an arrest, let alone to secure an indictment or a conviction. Nevertheless, the Halls owe the state a little more than $1 million under a 1994 law that taxes marijuana dealers $1,000 a plant and penalizes those who do not pay the tax before they are caught. The law, upheld by the Kentucky Supreme Court, was modeled on statutes in other states that has passed muster with the US Supreme Court. The law has brought in close to $300,000 in revenue, at least some of which came from drug dealers who made confidential payments to the state.

The tax assessment does not require a conviction. The law is enacted when police report on the seizure or discovery of illegal drugs, which they are required to do within 72 hours. The Hall's lawyer said the tax blocks his client access to the judicial system, challenging the provision of the law that requires suspected dealers to post a bond equal to the amount owed before they can file a protest.

The area where the Hall's reside is located in coal country near the Kentucky-West Virginia border. The depressed coal industry has left many out-of-work coal miners to fend for themselves. Usually they do it through the cash crop of marijuana grown on parkland or, in the Hall's case, private property. According to an article by APB News, the 1994 law requires marijuana growers and dealers to buy tax stamps at the rate of $3.50 per gram or $1,000 per plant. While the process is confidential and payment of taxes cannot be used as evidence in a criminal case, the civil penalties are added to any criminal ones once someone is caught, along with an additional penalty for failure to pay, said state Rep. Charles Geveden. "It's not a ruse or an attempt to legalize marijuana," said Geveden, a Democrat from Wickliffe, in western Kentucky, who was one of the law's sponsors. "What it does is it creates a monetary penalty as well as the criminal penalty."

Too little too late for the Halls, who acquired the American dream of owning land through hard work and sacrifice. What saved them from total financial ruin was Dale's decision to follow Diedre's advice

about offshore asset protection. Now the Hall's life savings won't be burned up in tax levies from the discovery of some hemp plants.

This is among my top 5 audio books, out of the perhaps 50 that I've listened to over the years. The author's wry sense of humor combines with a gift for suspense to make for an excellent spy novel. But there is also a sensitivity to human emotion that is touching at points. Highly recommended.

I have been a book reader my entire life. This Author (who passed away a few years ago) shall be deeply missed. Written with intelligence and in a manner that the characters (and their souls) become alive on the paper in my hands.

It is very likely you have never heard of this author, nor his Quiller series.

Warning :) Know up front that if you order one of them, you shall (over time) order all of them.

Run do not walk and gather up many enjoyable evenings with all of the Quiller novels.

A deep thank you Elleston Trevor, aka Adam Hall for providing me with your words.

...this author did to the spy thriller--don't be put off by the number of pages, each is fast-paced and the writing style is both accessible as well as being completely original--with all the hoopla over Brosnan quitting the Bond series, Broccoli and co. could do no wrong using this character and series as a template--HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

There is a lot more info on the Quiller series at www.quiller.net, a fan site.

In New Zealand, where I live, haere ra is a Maori term meaning more than goodbye. It expresses sorrow at the departure, regret at the necessity for parting, hope for a reuniting in the future.
Adam Hall, creator of Quiller, is no more. Quiller has performed his last service with his usual stoicism, his acknowledged courage, his down-at-heel humanity.
I've enjoyed meeting with Quiller on a regular basis; I regret that he shall tell me no new tales.
However, I have his old tales to refresh my mind as to what an extraordinary character he was.
Haere ra, Quiller.

Designs are easy to duplicate and instructions easy to follow. Quilts are show stoppers!

This book is everything that I expected it to be. Barb Adams is an expert at everything she does.

The blocks in this book are beautiful! I am making the first block now. The patterns are fullsized although they overlap which makes them a little harder to trace onto freezer paper. My block is looking great and I can hardly wait to make the other eight!

The Blackbird ladies have done it again. Another gorgeous book, a feast for the eyes! This quilt is on my to-do list for sure.

The lady who complained about getting the patterns increased at Kinkos - I will give her the benefit of the doubt and presume she didn't look through the whole book. The patterns are in the book, at FULL SIZE! You don't need to increase the patterns at all.

What she is talking about is the page which shows you the whole block put together - a layout template. Some quilters like to use a layout template, others don't. I find it easier not to use one. Most people are not going to need to add $45 to the cost of the book!

I hope it won't put anyone off buying this book. The pages she is talking about are not necessary to make this quilt. Once again, the patterns are in this book and are FULL SIZE!

The lady before me is also quite right in saying that you can enlarge sections and paste together. This will cost you maybe 20 cents, not 5 bucks!

A beautiful book which I highly recommend, especially since a trip to Kinkos will not be necessary :)

I really love the look of these blocks. The person who complained about the cost of enlarging the patterns has no clue that you can enlarge portions of the pattern and then tape the pieces together. It shouldn't cost $45 to enlarge the patterns! Why go to Kinkos and pay that kind of money? She must have limited resources or is just plain lazy. It's not difficult and it should not be an excuse not to buy this book. I plan to make a grouping of 3 of the blocks and hang them in my dinning room. They are all just lovely and the photos are beautiful! I haven't been so excited over a quilt book in ages. Highly recommended!!!

At a time when so many on Wall Street hang on his every word, this compendium of Alan Greenspan quotations is just what is needed. Reading a collection of quotes -- along with the author's excellent analysis -- gives you a better understanding of Greenspan's theories. The author does an excellent job of organizing the Chairman's thoughts into concise chapters with brief commentary. I found the book an easy read for a topic that can be hard to comprehend.

I know so little about the world of finance and economics and I'm so terrified by my ignorance, I Quicken© what my kids spend their allowances on. So, a book on Alan Greenspan's cryptic ruminations on economic theory wasn't exactly at the top of my "must read" list. But Larry Kahaner has performed a minor miracle here. Not only does the Sphinx-like Greenspan speak in this book -- he also makes a lot of sense. Kahaner does an excellent job of putting Greenspan's words of wisdom into an understandable context with clear, supple, and lively explanations. Now I know why Greenspan has been so influential -he works from a core of bedrock beliefs and strategies that guide his decisions no matter what the economy is doing. This book is a great example of how to make the obtuse and obscure understandable for the common reader. It's also a terrific introduction to basic economic principles because Kahaner does such a good job of showing how Greenspan's macro theories can be easily translated into the micro of your own financial life. A surprisingly good read.

Morbid curiosity drove me to open this book. I suppose I expected to find some sort of arch-conservative, Reaganite-Republican, Ayn-Randian, ultra-capitalist dogmatist. But the figure that actually emerges is that of a dedicated, technical-minded civil servant.

The book contains selections from different Greenspan speeches given over the years. Most selections are prefixed with some scene-setting remarks by the author, Kahaner. The book doesn't have much structure to it -- the chapters are in alphabetical order (e.g., "Banks", "Capitalism", "Derivatives", etc). So you can skip back and forth without losing anything.

While Greenspan's speaking style is usually clear, he does have a roundabout way of talking. For example: "I don't want to suggest we're about to do anything at this stage, but I would confirm we are obviously going to do a great deal of thinking about the whole process." Somewhere else, he jokes: "I've been able to string more words into fewer ideas than anybody I know, and I'm continuing to do that."

Nonetheless, the reader can pick up most of Greenspan's opinions without too much trouble. For example: (a)Debt - bad. (b)Inflation - very, very bad. (c)Capitalism - hurray! His view on income distribution: "No society succeeds unless virtually all of its participants believe that it's fair and gives people opportunities." That one sounded all right to me, but his views on labor strike me as downright creepy; for example: "It should always be remembered that in economies where dismissing a worker is expensive, hiring one will also be perceived to be expensive."

On a subject of current political concern, the privatization of Social Security (or "modernization" is what they're calling it now, I think), Greenspan argues against it for workers already contributing to the system: "Investing Social Security assets in equities is largely a zero sum game." But he also suggests that allowing younger workers the option to move to a semi-privatized plan might be practical.

Greenspan maintains a pretty aloof tone in most of his speeches. For example, while touring the economically devastated region of South Central Los Angeles, he dryly observes, "We regulators are swamped with all sorts of data... It's important to put a face on the numbers." On the matter of dealing with others: "...beyond the personal sense of satisfaction, having a reputation for fair dealing is a profoundly practical virtue. We call it 'good will' in business and add it to our balance sheets."

A section near the end of the book contains remarks others have made about Greenspan. One economist sums it up best: "When Greenspan dies his headstone could read: 'I am guardedly optimistic about the next world, but remain cognizant of the downside risk.'"

I read this book because this guy seems to be one of the most important men in the world. I wanted to understand him by seeing what he had to say, rather what someone else said about him. The book is organized very well, and the writer, Larry Kahaner, did an excellent job overall. If you're interested in business and the stock market, I'd say this is a must read. Also, Kahaner's other books are also very good. This is an author I follow.

The core of this book is a series of quotations by Dr. Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve (1987 - ) on the subjects of banks, capitalism, competition, debt and deficits, derivatives, education, employment, the Federal Reserve, forecasting, the gap between rich and poor, globalization, gold, housing, humor, inflation, the new economy, politics, reputation, risk, small business, Social Security and Medicare, the stock market, technology, and trade. The quotations are simplified into their key principles in brief commentaries by the author, Mr. Kahaner. The author has also provided a brief biographical sketch of Dr. Greenspan as well as comments by others about Dr. Greenspan. (For trivia buffs: Did you know he was once married to the painter, Joan Mitchell?)

Alan Greenspan is a classic conservative, monetarist economist. His views fit nicely into that category. He also has a lively wit, which is normally well hidden behind the facade of "non-speak" that he specializes in. The author has considerately included some of Dr. Greenspan's most famous bon mots. His convoluted sentences are more famous across the planet, and deliberately so.

For when Alan Greenspan really speaks, as he did about "irrational exuberance" in the stock market a few years ago, the ground moves beneath the financial markets. So he has to be careful.

Care is also required because of politics. The Federal Reserve is supposed to be an independent body that is not part of the political process. Yet Congress can change its powers very easily. So the best approach is to hide in the shadows, as much as any 800 pound gorilla can.

This strategy is complicated by the fact that the chairman has to make many speeches, and has many required reports to Congress each year. So, Chairman Greenspan has to utter a lot of words while saying very little.

Perhaps the truest statement in the book was the quote about him pointing out that people on both sides of any issue quote Alan Greenspan as supporting their position. And that's the brilliance of these obscure sayings.

The only times he can be open is when he is in front of a group that doesn't matter. For example, he can praise the small community banks to the skies, because they are so small. Bring up Citigroup, and he has to move off in other directions.

The book that still needs to be written about Alan Greenspan is his art of saying much while communicating little. Now, that would be a book!

My favorite slant on Alan Greenspan was missing from this book. The financial news channel, CNBC, has developed a way to anticipate which way interest rates will go. It depends on the size of Greenspan's brief case when he goes into a Fed meeting. When it is thick, rates change. When it is thin, nothing happens. With a between-sized case, the bias between tightening or not may shift. Interstingly, they are often correct with this approach. And this story shows perfectly how much scrutiny he is under.

The man has done a fabulous job of running the Federal Reserve. We should not forget that in our focus here on his words. This is an area where actions speak louder than words, as they often do.

Now that we are off the gold standard, controlling the money supply is more important than ever because there is no limit on the potential to create inflation. As a former economic forecaster, Greenspan knows that economic forecasts are more often wrong than right. So you have to be vigilant and aggressive in anticipating problems. You will get a good sense of that perspective from this book. It will bring all of those words into a coherent sense of Greenspan's philosophy for you.

After you have finished absorbing these very long sentences, I encourage you to think about when in your life it is good to be balanced in your communications in order to moderate the response. Clarity is not always a virtue. But do be clear whenever it is important to get the point across. Follow Hemingway then. When obscurity helps, follow Greenspan.

May you aggressively pursue the opportunities in front of you, but in a balanced way that exercises extreme caution about the risks involved. In considering your choices, you should pause to consider how forecasting may not always be correct. Naturally, you will want to give full weight to the concerns that your hear as well. (This is my attempt at a Greenspanism, for demonstration purposes.)