Bonds Books

Chain-smoking Sheppard Earl owns a bail-bond company. Business was good in Baltimore, Maryland before the 9/11/01 tragedies. Now, with crime down and too many "skips", the bail-bondsman is almost bankrupt. Middle-aged and married, with two children, Shep is concerned about his financial future, while his wife, Marie,
is concerned for his safety.

Best friend, Terrance (Terry) Jones, is Shep's main hope for keeping business open and bankruptcy at bay. Terry is six-foot-six, weighs 285 pounds, and carries a Glock-17 semi-automatic
pistol. As a modern-day bounty hunter, Terry is the last thing any bail-jumping criminal wants to encounter. Terry, too, is middle-aged and married, with a couple of kids, and facing
financial hardship.

Between the two friends, tips and clues lead one or the other to locate runaway fugitives, keeping both men in business and providing income to support their families. But family relationships are strained, as the work is dangerous and requires odd and long hours away from home. Meeting the demands of work and family
responsibilities proves more of a challenge than either man ever
realized.

Peter G. Engelman digs deep into the lives of his characters, drawing out past and present experiences, and future hopes and concerns. He gives an insider's view of what it actually must be like to be a bail-bondsman or a bounty hunter. Mr. Engelman also gives glimpses of fugitive lives and provides realistic court proceedings of a bail client's defense.

Although the pace is slow, as narration is heavy and some author intrusion apparent, RUNNING FROM JUSTICE is a believable drama. I recommend RUNNING FROM JUSTICE for people who seek more character background, emotional depth and problem solving in a book, rather than fast-paced action from beginning to end.

Patricia Spork, Reviewer
eBook Reviews Weekly
July, 2003

Peter Engelman does a fine job of giving us insight into a world that most of us (hopefully) have little contact with. The book is an enjoyable, fast read. I would have preferred a full novel length...perhaps next time.

I truly enjoyed reading this fast-moving, rapid-paced novella. I can't wait to read the next book. The author writes with real enthusiasm and his descriptions help you to visualize the characters. Definitely a one-nighter! Can't put it down until you have completed the book!

A very pleasant read. Couldn't put it down until I finished reading it. I highly recommend this informative and entertaining book.

A friend recommended this book when I spoke of an interesting article in a recent New Yorker magazine about bail bondsmen and so I purchased it here at Amazon.com. I had planned on reading a couple of chapters before going to bed but instead read the entire book in an evening (late). It was very easy reading and the characters were interesting and likeable. I feel certain that they were based on real people that the author encountered in researching the book. This short novel provides an interesting insight into these fascinating underworld characters.

I have been an Emerson fan for years. I loved his Mac Fontana series and have read several of his stand-alone fire thrillers. This is, in my opinion, the best yet. I'm a firefighter myself and I have worked with people like Jason Gum, Ted Tronstad and the rest of the crew -- the good, the incompetent, the timid, the brave and the mad, bad and dangerous. What I like about this story is that it's not only a damned good story but Jason is such a well drawn character. If you ever wondered what it was like to fight a fire, read Emerson. It's all there.

I just started reading Earl Emerson's books, which involve Firefighters and I became immediately hooked. His books are real page turners, with lots of plot twists. The characters are realistic with their human flaws. Earl Emerson's books are well written and entertaining and I enjoy the fact he always has a Female Firefighter in them :)

With a smashing beginning, literally, Emerson has written a very effective tale of a young man whose passivity costs others their lives and nearly destroys his own. At the same time, he is caring and heroic and what he lacks in decisiveness, he makes up for in convection. Jason is a fully drawn, very human character, and it's interesting watching his growth. A diverse supporting cast, and good dialogue and suspense enhance the story, which is also a study of the power of greed. I stopped reading Emerson for a while, as I wanted him to give me more from his writing. This definitively puts him back on my author list.

Earl Emerson has been around for a while, apparently, writing both a detective series and several stand-alone novels that revolve around the world of firefighters in Seattle. Which isn't surprising, since Mr. Emerson IS a firefighter in Seattle. I hadn't heard of him before til I picked this book up off the dollar stack at the used book store. I read the first few pages and was thoroughly hooked. But how can you go wrong with a book that begins with a pig falling out of an airplane into a house?

The Smoke Room is one part Elmore Leonard, one part Carl Hiaasen, and maybe a dash of James Cain, telling the story of naive firefighter Jason Gum, and the royal mess he ends up in, starting with the night of the fateful pig drop. That night he meets a very seductive older woman, whose shenanigans with him lead him to make a mistake that fellow firefighters on his crew cover for him. So he feels he owes them when one of those firefighters drags him into a scheme involving stolen bearer bonds "liberated" from the scene of a dead body call. Gum wants no part of the stolen bonds but also doesn't want to rat out his buddies. But as he dithers, others begin to suspect the scheme and suddenly there's a body count involved. How can he save his career, his butt from prison, and possibly his life from his increasingly ruthless co-workers?

The caper quality and the ever-racheting suspense is what brings Elmore Leonard to mind; the frequent humor in both ridiculous situations and the interplay between the characters is what reminded me of Hiaasen. However, the details of fires and firefighting that become an integral part of the story are unique to Emerson, and one of the things that made this book much better than average. He knows how to provide inside detail and at the same time make the calculations and considerations of a fire scene understandable to a lay reader.

I could not put this book down. Sometimes I wanted to hug and comfort Jason Gum, sometimes I wanted to shake him for his obtuseness, but I had to know what happens to him in the end, even if it meant losing sleep. Well worth checking out.

I found another Emerson book, Pyro, on the same discount stack and it is next in my to-be-read pile!

Some mistakes cost you nothing, while others may cost you everything. Rookie firefighter Jason Gum commits an error in the latter category when he misses a call because he's in the middle of a sexual encounter with Iola Pederson, an older married woman he just met, in the weight room of the firehouse. Because two fellow firefighters help him conceal his indiscretion, he feels obligated to turn a blind eye to their activities when they subsequently violate department policy by removing three garbage bags full of bearer bonds from the scene of another call where they discover the body of an old man. Gum learns the painful truth that lies often breed more lies, and that some lies can lead to murder.

The Shamus Award winning author of the Thomas Black detective series (The Portland Laugher is a high point in that eleven book saga), Emerson has in the last few years penned several novels set in the world of firefighting, The Smoke Room being his fourth such effort. As filtered through the perceptions of the naive yet oddly appealing Jason Gum, Emerson's latest plunges readers into that dangerous world, into a perilous milieu where you're as likely to be killed by comrades as by the dangers inherent in firefighting. Scarily authentic and utterly captivating, full of numerous twists and turns, The Smoke Room is an engrossing tale of deceit and danger, cowardice and courage, easily one of the most compelling books you'll encounter this year.

This book is truly amazing. Beautifully written and illustrated, the stories are heartwarming, to say the least, but also very inspiring. This book is a very important work on spirituality and love and the connection we as humans have with every living being. Share this book, as I have done, with friends, loved ones, and strangers. It will bring us all to a higher level of awareness, gratitude, forgiveness and love. I was deeply moved by it's grace and wisdom and look forward to the next book by this author.

The grace that comes through these pages is just amazing. This is truly one of my all time favorite books. I love the personal story viewpoint and the fullness of life the stories convey. This is a book I have bought for and shared with so many others because it brings such warmth and wisdom into one's life. Magically divine!

Even though I know the author and personally knew many of the animals written about in her book, I am repeatedly amazed by the heart opening I experience when I read these stories. Somehow,the choice to open to the spiritual potential in all living beings is always new. And since, being human, we have a tendency to forget our highest potential and dwell on negativity, a book like this is a simple, elegant, and ever refreshing reminder to experience our true capactiy for love and connection. What a gift!

The author is a clairvoyant and Divine Healer and in these wonderful stories are miracles in Healing. Divine Healing, and miracles are withing the grasp of every person. Every person is a Healer. This was a very inspiring book that cause me to believe that animals are sentient beings who have a heart, soul, and can communicate with us if we listen. They are like little children. This is a must read for anyone who owns and loves animals. I tried her technique for communicating with my cat, and it worked!! tuffy didnt say much though..

As a holistic veterinarian, and also as a friend of the illlustrator of this wonderful book, as well as being honored to have the special cat on the cover as one of my favorite clients, I was very lucky to receive a copy of this book in the mail. I have to recommend this book because of its amazing content and unique insights. When I received my copy a few weeks ago, I sat down and read it cover to cover and was charmed by the stories and also inspired about how this could help with healing both animals and people, as well as plants. I have recommended it to my clients as I feel it is something that will help bring people and animals to a closer understanding of one another and of the spiritual bond between them, that I see every day in the course of my work.

Great book - I studied with Galen and he is a great guy and the world expert on cash-futures basis. Well worth the price and a place in your library!

After reading the Doctors masterpiece three times, i had enough of his theta gamma explanations. I am an avid reader who greatly enjoyed the Doctor's complicated explanations. I totally agree with Elvis. Great work again doctor

After reading the Doctors masterpiece three times, i had enough of his theta gamma explanations. I am an avid reader who greatly enjoyed the Doctor's complicated explanations. I totally agree with Elvis. Great work again doctor

I've been working in Futures & Options research for 3 years now, and this has proven to be the best refernce guide available. Terrence elucidates the concepts and mechanisms underlying the treasury bond basis with eloquence and intellect. His other work, Eurodollar Futures and Options, is also a great reference for the shorter end of the curve.

This is simply the only truly readable and authoritative book on its subject. Terry Belton is acknowledged as being the foremost authority on futures research, and this book bears it out. If you're thinking about basis trading, or work in the derivatives market, this book is well worth a look.

(I should also mention that Terry is my boss..doesn't stop it being a good book, though. Hope I get that raise!)

With a foreword by none other than Drs Kaplan and Norton you can be sure that software is not central to this book's message. Drive Business Performance is part of Wiley's Microsoft Executive Leadership Series, however the only time "Microsoft" is mentioned is when referencing quotes from Steve Ballmer or Chris Liddell. The intended audience is a business one not technical, although technical people would do well to get their hands on a copy nonetheless.

Fitts and Aziza provide a comprehensive look at what Performance Management (PM) is and just how successful organisations can be when they succeed in creating a "Culture of Intelligent Execution". Central to the book's philosophy are what the authors have dubbed the "Six Stages of Performance Management Value". Targeted lists of questions at the end of each section enable readers to assess their organisation's current PM capabilities.

For mine the book's greatest strength are the anecdotes and quotes peppered throughout to underscore each topic. It is obvious the authors went to a great deal of effort to interview high-ranking members of companies who spearheaded some very successful PM implementations. The information gathered in these interviews coupled with well-chosen quotes from the likes of Winston Churchill, Henry Ford and many others serve as evidence to support Fitts and Aziza's Six Stages and the culture of performance management in general.

PM is not just something that can be thrown together in a few weeks by a couple of interns, it is an organisation-wide paradigm shift that takes time, effort and dedication to bear fruit. As recounted many times within the book, the rewards to organisations who implement an effective PM initiative can be very substantial.

This is a great book to hand to anyone who is considering implementing any form of PM. It details plenty of good "See! They did it, why can't we?" case studies as well as providing practical guidance describing how to do it within your own organisation. Highly recommended reading.

At first I was skeptical, but then by the time I finished it, I had something I could actually use. The book goes where few management books dare to go - to actually talk about how to change a business culture. Wow!

There are precise examples of how change is made, with company stories, that allow for organizations to understand that change is possible. This book is now on my must reads list, and I will give it to every executive I work with.

I'd put this book before the Kaplan Balanced Scorecard books and even before Competing on Analytics. The style is concise, the case studies are relevant and the roadmap guidance to changing an organization is approachable.

I just finished reading "Drive Business Performance - Enabling a Culture of Intelligent Execution" by Bruno Aziza and Joey Fitts. Wow, what a fantastic book! It is one of the best I have read on the subject of Performance Management. It finds the right balance of not being too theoretical or too techie. I love the fact that it offers a broad education on the concepts and terminology associated with Performance Management but, at the same time, is highly actionable. It serves a diverse audience. I would recommend it not just to a CEO but for an organization's entire executive team. It offers the potential for some great post-reading dialog.

My favorite part is their defined "Six Stages of Performance Management Value". For those who know me, it aligns nicely with my "crawl, walk, run" approach to business application development. The "money picture" is how they show the six stages, listed below, in concentric circles; illustrating the evolution and associated benefits of a commitment to Performance Management.

This is actually a book that you can read cover to cover and feel like you get value from every chapter. Read it then buy a copy for your boss... then find a way to get to the sixth stage!

I manage a consulting firm and the #1 issue I see my business customers deal with is the perceived complexity of Performance Management. My customers struggle to determine the people, processes and technologies to turn their high-level strategy into a successful execution plan and results.

In this book, I have found a pragmatic guide that helps business managers and IT get together, assess where they are and start the discussions required to succeed in Performance Management. Sure - the book doesn't solve everything on its own, but it at least gives an easy and effective model to follow.

Finally, I enjoyed how the book reads. The authors give plenty of company success stories and have extracted some great best practice examples that help me remember them. Very sticky. I've also had success using the methodology, which appears well adopted given all the companies in the book saying they're "moving to a Culture of Performance". The Six Stages & 3 Capabilities (MAP) framework help me to assess what stage my clients are at today & explain the steps they need to take to garner greater competitive advantage.

All in all, a good & very useful read!

"Drive Business Performance: Enabling a Culture of Intelligent Execution" by Bruno Aziza and Joey Fitts represents much more than a demystification of performance management terminology. The book is neither a re-telling of the benefits of performance management, nor a veiled attempt to shape a business case for PerformancePoint. Instead, the authors introduce novel ideas backed by case study research, culminating in a pervasive and flexible model for business transformation within the scope of performance improvement.

The Culture of Performance (CoP) Model presented by the authors bridges a gap between the establishment of a performance measurement framework (e.g., Balanced Scorecard, TQM, Lean, etc.), and the tools and methods brought to bear in executing performance measurement (read: Business Intelligence). CoP is a comprehensive model for evolving organisations into the strategy-focused enterprises that Drs. Kaplan and Norton envisioned years earlier. To be certain, we all stand on the shoulders of giants.

That the authors chose to include "culture" in the name of their model cannot be understated: it directly addresses organisation-wide cultural transformation as it relates to the adoption of performance management (through the model's six phases). The authors demonstrate, with compelling evidence, that a company is more likely to achieve its desired outcomes when all its members adopt a performance-oriented mindset. Here, case studies on Expedia, Energizer and The Veterans' Health Administration (U.S.) each strike a chord on the sometimes painful transformation to a culture of performance. Aziza and Fitts make these findings practical, encouraging incubation through scored questionnaires, supporting capability models (MAP) and guiding principles. The final chapter of the book provides an excellent summary that aligns said scores to an entry point into the CoP model; this provides a reasonable indication of where an organisation may begin to improve business performance.

This excellent book warrants careful review and consideration-- it represents fresh and illuminating thinking from two of the most prominent figures in the field of performance management. For executives, directors and managers looking to improve business performance (as well as consultants specialising in performance management) consider this book essential reading.

I love this book. It is excellent for beginners and easy to read. I suggest this book to anyone who wants to learn about investing - its title tells it all. Also, it talks about some basic investment strategies & how to read/interpret a stock analysis , prospectus, etc.

As the title would suggest, this is very basic investing information. If you are a new investor, and seek a very broad overview of investing, and your options, then this is the book for you. I bought this book for my mother, who has never invested outside of a savings account. I read the book to be sure it would give her the information I was hoping for. It was exactly what I wanted, written in easy to follow terminology. If you're an experienced investor, this book is not for you, however if you're seeking basic investing information, give it a read.

Investment greenhorns: Read this book - Now! Can we be any clearer? Kathy Kristof has written the ideal manual for anyone mystified by the world of finance. Her clear, fact-filled book completely dispenses with the condescending tone and soothing jabber of most books in the how-to-invest genre. In their place, Kristof has compiled an enlightening compendium of elementary investment wisdom, lucid explanations of financial terms and instruments, and educational walk-thrus of stock-valuation techniques. Simply put: If you are not investing, you must read this book. Whether it's fear, ignorance or inertia that's keeping you out of the markets, Investing 101 will inspire you to put your money to work by revealing, in easy-to-understand language, exactly how it all really works. We at getAbstract recommend this book as required reading for any beginner investors, or to anyone who feels intimidated by a lack of financial knowledge.

This book does such a wonderful job introducing the beginners to the investing world. Different types of securities, different ways of investing ... this book has them all. If you just start investing or are interested in investing, this book is for you, don't miss out such a good book !

Covers everything a beginner needs to know and filled in a couple gaps in my personal knowledge as well. Sorts investment options into categories (short-term, long-term, growth, income, speculative, etc.) and helps you figure out which is appropriate for you. Has a section that breaks down common goals and the appropriate investment for each. Writing style is very easy to read. Highly recommended.

I struggled for five years trying to break free from my past, trying to get over an ex-boyfriend that I couldn't seem to let go of. This book guided me through healing from the trauma of that breakup and my inability to let go. I didn't think it would work (since nothing else had), but I put my all into it and gave it a real chance. I really and truly healed from the moment I completed praying through my list. I even felt healing in areas I didn't know I had pain. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with past intimate relationships.

This book is extremely helpful and well-written. It has information that is accurate from a biblical, scientific and personal level. It addressed the reasons why one doesn't engage in pre-marital sex. It explains the reasons why God gives us the boundaries He gives us.

I bought 10 copies of this book and gave them to friends and family. If there is one book you buy on recovery and restoration from your sexual past this is the book to buy. If you are tired of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results - read this and once and for all hear the truth so you can move forward. This book, and Barbara Wilson's teachings, have been instrumental in the restoration of my former marriage after being divorced for 15 years! BUY IT!

This book changed my life! Whether you have a promiscuous past, or you were a victim of abuse or rape, I am certain your sexual past is affecting your life today. Guess what? There is HOPE! There is hope for you in the truth, forgiveness, and Grace of Jesus Christ. He will take all that junk from your past and heal you. I began to heal when I read the book a little over a year ago. It was then that I realized I had not dealt with a teenage rape and a promiscuous past. I did not realize how angry and resentful I was! I encourage you to start healing from your sexual past--whatever it is, by reading Barb's book. You too can be forgiven and set free!

This book is the best book I have read about past sexual relationships and how to break the bonds that seem to never let go. Barb's story is truthful, honest, and, at times, painful. The book shows all of us how God can take a broken and wounded woman and turn her into a messenger of God. If you have ever had thoughts or images from past relationships with people or photographic/video images that you cannot seem to release, please buy this book. It will help you get rid of the images and the shame associated with them -- forever! Your freedom is right around the corner...

My family loves this book. It's a wonderful blending of the story of St. Valentine and the struggle for racial equality today. The children and situations in the story are believeable and real. They provide a great premise for discussing predjudice with my children while also learning how the sacrificial love demonstrated by St. Valentine can apply to life situations today. We liked this book so much that when our first copy got accidentally destroyed, we hunted down another through Amazon.com to replace it.

While I agree with all that has been said on the this page about this book, I have to add that it would be appropriate for all elementary and even junior high school students as it deals with the issues of race and racial reconciliation in a powerful way.

I love this book because it presents a powerful message in a simple, unsentimental way. The illustrations are amazing -- I'm partial because my daughter and ex-husband were models for several of the illustrations that appear in the book! So thank you, Don Tate. You did a wonderful job, as did the author. A beautiful story about something most of us have a hard time doing: loving our enemies.

simply beautiful, both visually and linguistically...powerful meaning as well...I recommend it highly.

I bought one copy of the board version of the book and loved it. I promptly ordered 10 more copies and several copies of the hardcover book for the children in my church. The hardcover has more text and is even better than the board book. Both books talk about Christ; saint Valentine - who was a Christian who suffered in jail, but blessed and converted his jailers- about the civil rights movement and peaceful resistance, about familiy values and closeness, and EVEN ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH A SCHOOL BULLY. Its main message is that we should not fight evil with evil, but should bless our enemies. At the last page, Marcus, the boy in the story, stretches out his hand and asks the class bully to accept his friendship. It reminded me of Christ's call to humanity to accept Him and his salvation... it's up to each person to accept. I highly recommend the book, either version.

I enjoyed reading this book. Crawfie (as she is nicknamed by the princesses) uses a chronological framework to look inside the royal family. She shares about their daily routines and relationships within the extened family. It starts around the time Elizabeth is 8 or so and goes through her teen years. It gave me a better understanding of Queen Elizabeth than I had from only seeing Helen Mirren in The Queen (2006). It's not the kind of book you'd read to a child who loves princesses. It is written from one adult to another, but a young teen on up would probably enjoy it.

For fans of the British royal family, this book is a must-read. While it may be a trifle dated and decidedly unsensational, the book holds a unique place in the now vast array of books about the royals because it was the first to break the rules and reveal details of life behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace. "Crawfie," who cared for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret for 17 years, was completely cut off by the royal family after the book was published, but the book itself lives on as a kind of time capsule of royal life before the press declared open season on the royal family.

Truly, this book is a national treasure and even the Queen should cherish it (apprently, she does not). After reading it, I have new-found respect for Elizabeth II and her family. No where else would you find such wonderful detail of the lovely lives these little girls led. Its also very revealing to see another side of the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII. I couldn't put it down and was left wanting more!

absolutely fascinating story of Nanny Crawford which brings to life how the Royal Family live. I cannot understand why the Royals thought it was disrespectful to write this and cut Nanny Crawford off for the rest of her life. I wonder what the real reason was?

A lovely portrait of royalty as it used to be, painted in the words of a woman who devoted years of her life to royalty's service. "Crawfie," as a very young Princess Elizabeth nicknamed her new governess, had no idea when she accepted the post that she would be staying for more than a short time. She'd come to help the Duke and Duchess of York begin their little girls' education, after which Miss Crawford fully intended to take up the classroom teaching career of which she had always dreamed. She wasn't planning on growing to love Elizabeth and Margaret as she did. Nor had she any clue that one of her charges would someday sit on England's throne.

The interlude Miss Crawford planned to spend with the Yorks lasted until after Princess Elizabeth's marriage. As a member of their household, she experienced history first hand when the abdication of King Edward VIII - otherwise known as "Uncle David" - forced her employers to give up their private, comfortable, family-centered life. She kept their daughters out of harm's way during the frightening war years that soon followed; and after the war's end, helped the family that by now considered her indispensible in guiding its "little princesses" from adolescence into womanhood.

Charming, but in no way saccharine, this recently re-released book provides invaluable insight into the character of the woman who has reigned for more than half a century as Queen Elizabeth II. Not by any means just for "royal watchers"!

This is a very will written book that I learned a lot from! Mr. Adams is a very good writer that was able to provide knowledge not known to many in a easy to understand way. Up to date information is on his website, which is also very helpful.

I found this book to be outstanding and answers all questions on U.S. Savings Bonds. Before reading it I thought I understood Savings Bonds but I was wrong. You will be amazed at all you can learn by reading this book.I highly recommend it to everyone.
Richard A. Link

This is a recent book covering info on bonds on a current basis so that you can compare w/your own holdings. It covers the features of "I" bonds, which are much more complex than the "E" (which are also described). The author's thoughts are worthwhile to consider, from an investment focus. He includes features that are available on-line, The Savings Bond Wizard, and the Calculator -- The more recent conversion ability lets you get rid of the paper bonds and to inventory them easily.

This book tells you everything you need to know about savings bonds. Also, it's probably the most up to date savings bonds book out there.

This is an excellent book full of invaluable information. A must-read for anyone who has savings bonds or is considering savings bonds as part of an investment portfolio. Tom Adams explains information in a clear, concise manner and the book can easily be read in a weekend.