Collins Books

Frances Hesselbein is currently editor-in-chief of Leader to Leader quarterly. Previously, she served as CEO of the Girls Scouts of the USA and then as chairman and founding president of the Leader to Leader Institute, formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management. Her published works include this book as well as The Leader of the Future, co-edited with Marshall Goldsmith and Richard Beckhard; The Leader of the Future 2, co-edited with Goldsmith; and Be*Know*Do (an adaptation of the U.S. Army's leadership manual) to which she and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) co-wrote the Introduction.

In his Foreword to this book, Jim Collins observes that Frances Hesselbein "grasped a central paradox of change: the organizations that best adapt to a changing world first and foremost know what should [begin italics] not [end italics] change. They have a foxed anchor of guiding principles around which they can more easily change everything else. They know the difference between what is truly sacred and what is not, between what should not change and what should always be open for change, between `what we stand for' and `how we do things'...Equally important, she exercised the discipline to say no to opportunities that did not fit the central mission." This brief excerpt from an uncommonly insightful analysis of Hesselbein's numerous and substantial contributions to knowledge leadership help to prepare the reader for the 19 essays that follow in which Hesselbein shares what she has learned about leadership that understands the importance of knowing that leaderships is much less about what one does, and much more about who one is.

The essays originally appeared over a period of three years, 1999-2002. After re-reading them, Hasselbein observes, "I found that I believe even more passionately in the whys [of leadership]: the values, the principles, the beliefs that define who we are, what we believe, what we do, and how we work with others, our fellow travelers on a shared journey to leadership in an uncertain world." In this volume, of all the challenges that CEOs face, she identifies those that have little to do with managing the enterprise's tangible assets (important though as they obviously are) and everything to do with monitoring the quality of leadership, the work force, and relationships.

More specifically, the "`how to be' leader knows that people are the organization's greatest asset and in word, behavior, and in relationships she or he demonstrates this powerful philosophy...builds dispersed and diverse leadership - distributing leadership to the outmost edges of the circle to unleash the power of shared responsibility...holds forth the vision of the organization's future in compelling ways that ignite the spark needed to build the inclusive enterprise...and [meanwhile] knows that listening to the customer and learning what he or she values - `digging in the field' - will be a critical component, even more so in the future than today."

My take on all this is that Hesselbein fully understands and appreciates the value of "know-how." Her key point (if I understand it) is that effective leadership can be provided only by what Bill George characterizes as "authentic" people: those who consistently demonstrate the values, the principles, the beliefs that define who they are, what they believe, what they do, and how they work with others. As George describes them, they demonstrate "the highest integrity, [are] committed to building enduring organizations...have a deep sense of purpose and are true to their core values...have the courage to build their companies to meet the needs of all stakeholders, and recognize the importance of their service to society."

Both Hesselbein and George are convinced, and I wholeheartedly agree, that the greatest leaders are those who develop and then sustain authentic leadership at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise. Moreover, they are determined to be "good citizens." As Hesselbein explains, they believe "that the community is as much their business as is the business of their enterprise. They dedicate the same commitment to this job, the same forecasting, planning, marketing, and mobilization of energy and initiative, that they dedicate to building the enterprise within the walls."

Make no mistake about it: These are formidable challenges that Hesselbein poses to those who aspire to be leaders. "All the how to's in the world won't work until the `how to be's' are defined, embraced by the leaders, and embodied in every action, every communication, every leadership moment." Indeed, she continues, there must be "leaders of character at every level, leading the organization and the community of the future." Some may view that challenge as "unrealistic." It isn't. Others may view it as "idealistic." It is...and that is the most important lesson all of us can learn, not only from what she has written but from what she has been and continues to be.

Frances is a special and extraordinary role model who shares her insights and encourages others to reach for their maximum leadership potential. The creativity within her advice is engaging and inspirational. This is a great book for young leaders and those who are developing goals and a vision for their career and personal success.

Hesselbein on Leadership should be on all leaders "must read list". Frances has taken the multidementional, quantum complexity of leadership and given timely gifted guidence in language and concepts that are understood by the intellect in addtion to being rocognized by the soul.

Her thoughtful and thought provoking words are a call for the action of "being" not just "doing". Every sentence rings with truth and power. This is a book you will return to again and again.

This book was first mentioned to me at a Leadership presentation at one of the not-for profit organizations I serve, and then again a short while later at a UCI Graduate School of Management presentation by a local executive. This is a delightful small book filled with some good advice, pithy sayings and leadership insights. Hesselbein lives up to her reputation in this compendium of essays on Leadership. I rather like books of essays because often each chapter, or essay, stands on its own and can be read or re-read as the need arises.

Hesselbein writes in a clear and conversational manner that makes it easy to understand her point. But one should not be lulled into complacency while enjoying her most readable style for the insights to be shared are important and many. She points out with great understatement that "Leadership is a matter of how to be rather than how to do it." She offers as whole new way of organizing our enterprises as she explains "Managing in a World That Is Round." This book will find its best use for those managers looking for a metaphor or simple explanation to share with others in the organization such complex topics as organizational change, behavior, and interaction with the environment. It will be on my reference shelf for a long time to come.

Frances Hesslebein is one of the world's greatest leaders. In fact, Peter Drucker (no "easy grader") said that she was the most effective executive that he had ever met.
_Hesselbein on Leadership_ is a compilation of her wonderful essays (largely from the journal "Leader to Leader").
In a world where many leaders have gone for the "quick buck", it is gratifying to hear from someone who is interested in "doing what is right".
Her writing, like her leadership, is direct, honest and to the point. Unlike some leaders who specialize in slogans, she is someone who only writes about what she believes in and is willing to live.
Her work has the unique quality of being both timeless and refreshing.

"Sonya has done it again!! Sonya Hamlin, the communicator's communicator, tells everyone what she has long taught the pros. Written in clear format and style that itself makes her point, Sonya Hamlin talks to us. As we read, we smile, we scribble notes, and, boy, do we learn, even those who thought they already knew. Insightful, wise, intensely practical, unfailingly on target and a joy to read. Bravo! A must read for anyone who works and must therefore talk."
-Heidi Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Treasury and Securities Services JP MorganChase

The author has a strong background in broadcast journalism, giving her an unusual but very useful perspective on communication techniques for business. Her suggestions are practical and her examples are true to life. If you're looking for help conducting meetings, attending meetings, creating and delivering presentations, or simply trying to become more effective in informal business communication, this is an excellent place to start.

I've tried to read everything written on the topic of speaking and communication skills, since I'm a professional speaker and sales trainer. I've fogotten a lot more than I have remembered, but Sonja's book is one I go back to on a regular basis. It's readable, where many are not. It's also full of sound, tactical and easy to implement advice and it covers all the bases on this topic.

"What I especially enjoyed is that this book has something for everyone. Baby boomers, Generation X'ers and Millennials will learn how best to communicate with their own and different generations. Organized individuals will appreciate the clear structure that includes tools for planning ahead, while those that prefer spontaneous conversation will be better equipped to navigate through uncharted waters. There are great tips for how to improve everything from one on one conversation to large presentations in a friendly or hostile environment. My daughter is taking a course in managerial communication at college and I would love for her professor to see and use this book. We all can become better communicators by reading How To Talk So People Listen.

Sonya's book does an excellent job of identifying the different communication styles and strategies between Generation X and Y and baby boomers, all of whom are working together in today's diverse organizations. Yet the fundamental message is about the importance of face-to-face interactions and "How to Talk So People Listen" details simply and clearly the essentials of effective communication whether talking one-to-one or presenting to a room full of people. The book underscores the importance of listening and provides an outstanding section on leading successful meetings. "How to Talk So People Listen" is a practical guide for thinking strategically about a range of communication interactions. This book is a tremendous reference for anyone who values the art and skill of effective communications.

I bought the book as inspiration for my nephew who is going into designing characters for video games. It's exactly what I wanted him to check out. Lots of scantily clad vixens with great muscle tone and fantastic creatures to stir the imagination.

This book collects their calendar and other advertising work. I was a little diappointed with this book because it contains some paintings from other books, instead of artwork we haven't seen in print before. The title is a little misleading. Overall, a good book and worth the price.

I had purchased the 2007 calendar and loved the artwork. This got my curiosity going as to how they started doing this type of artwork - which is fabulous. So I ordered their book to find out their story. Facinating read and just awesome artwork!

We have all their books and truly this one is another true work of art and expression of good art in this world of ours.

This collection proves, as if it needed proving, that Vallejo and Bell consistently provide the finest fantasy art around, both individually and as a team. Samples in this collection include book covers, where many readers will first have seen their work ("Oh, that's who did that cool cover!"). It also includes samples of their calendar art, advertising commissions, and other works that accumulated as they chased their muse.

I know there are negative attitudes about "mere" commercial art, and even reticence to call it art. If you define art (or Art) as whatever doesn't get wide recognition, then we'll disagree. I have no qualms about the morality of keeping beans on the table, and I'd like to think that at least some advertisers have realized the value of appealing to our visual intelligence. Although the purpose of each commission is clear, B&J bring their full range of skills to bear on every piece they deliver. Their wit, composition, and craftmanship meet the same standard in every work, whether for sneakers or pure inspiration.

I could go on at length about how great their work is, and almost did. Instead, I invite you to see these wonderful works for yourself. The majority of the book presents their oil paintings, with a few pages of commentary at the start of each section. In among those, you'll find preliminary sketches, book covers as the publisher finally showed them, and comic book pages. There are also a few atypical works, SF themes with no living being in sight - even though B&J are best known for their mastery of the human animal (among others), they do a great job with the hardware and landscape, too. Suspending disbelief isn't the problem in viewing these works. Instead, the problem might lie in getting past the belief in each painting's inner logic. It's not normally in my orbit, but I'll be looking for the tarot deck hinted at in this work - it might even motivate me to figure out what all those arcana are about.

-- wiredweird

I just loved this book, too, and probably will never read another diet book again. "The Jungle Effect" is really not a diet book - it's the Occam's razor of human dietary habits, the way our ancestors have always eaten for survival. Working only a block away from Dr. Miller's office, I've been tempted to walk down there to get the book autographed and buy ten more for my family and friends. I probably won't do that, but I definitely will do my best to promote it to people I know. I've already started making changes in my husband's and my diet and it's been a joyous, life-enhancing and elegant experience.

By comparing the sort of meals that Americans are used to eating to, say, an African meal, Dr. Miller conveys an eye-opening epiphany. It should come as no surprise that the fiber content in African meals actually prevents the development of colon cancer. It's not a big mystery, but we're always looking for complicated schemes and sophisticated medical breakthroughs for answers, when the solution is pretty darn obvious and really pretty simple.

I think that readers will also enjoy the travel diary experience as Dr. Miller wends her way not only through remote highlands in Mexico, but the wilds of Walmart in the Central Valley. She really wants to help everyone find a solution, regardless of their status or income and to be able to do it with any and all available resources. What a wonderful book. What great medicine.

The old cliche is true - Dr. Miller has been my personal doctor for years and proved it to me. Her approach helped my health and well-being tremendously and is so logical and common sense - it's a shame that more doctors don't use nutrition as the first line of defense and offense for good health.

I expected it to be an interesting resource with some good recipes - but it is a highly readable and inspiring book. Worth owning and living by!!

I heard an interview on the radio & was really impressed with Dr Miller. Her book delivers. The book is understandable & really makes the reader think. This book is life changing. The recipes are delicious. After living low fat for a long time the recipes are so flavorful and satisfying. Hope Dr Miller has another book coming out!

If you are interested in food, you need to read this book. It takes a no nonsense approach to diet, and studies why eating a wide variety of foods that haven't been touched by processing of any kind is really the logical way to go when making food choices. Miller's approach is very well balanced, well researched, and chock full of interesting facts. You won't be disappointed!

I absolutely loved this book. It has so much great and interesting information and it inspired me to start thinking about my food in an entirely different way. It made me get excited about my food choices and eating for better health. I also love all the recipes. They are so unique and different. I would 100 percent recommend this book if you are interested in finally being excited about the food you eat and the wonderful impact it can have on your health and wellbeing!

This book gave a lot of information and ideas. We liked using it!

This book flows like the campfire. From gathering the supplies, to lighting the fire, to the blaze, to the dieing fire, to the embers it's an enjoyable experience.

It has lots of activities: stories, songs, skits, etc. to make your campfire an enjoyable experience.

I wish I had owned this book when I taught a Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation for teaching Cub Scout Adults about making a successful overnight campout.

This book has been added to my library and will be suggested at all future BALOO trainings.

I just bought this recently, and it is much better than I even expected. I have a bunch of camping books in my library, and this one is better than many more expensive adult books. It has great advice even for adults, but is indespensible for camping with kids. It teaches you how to build a fire safely, cooking on the fire, (great kid favorites recipes), dealing with bugs, how to pick a camp site, what kind of Lots of safety tips too. The fun drawings make this a pleasure as well.

The authors show you how to make a reflector oven. The main feature if this book is the fun activities for around the fire such as stories songs, games, etc. Teaches kids how to identify the stars easily and even identify features on the face of the moon. I plan to use this with our Cub Scouts.

When our family decided to go camping this year, I felt a little bit overwhelmed with the idea that my 5 year old son would not have anything to do. I went on line and bought several books about camping with children and found that this was my most helpful It not only covers the basics like making a fire and food preparation but also the fun side of camping like the games and sing alongs. It gave me a refresher course on camping and at the same time opened up the door to have some camping fun! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has children. I can't wait until we go on our trip next month. This book has given me so many ideas that I know my son will not be bored.

I recieved this book in the mail... Then used it two hours later that is how useful it was for me... If I could give it 10 stars I would. It is written in a way that is easy to understand so that if you wanted to give it to a child you could, yet it is comprehensive enough for an adult... I would rate this as a good use of my money...

a girl marries. she soon frinds herself a widow with a baby on the way. the heir to a fortune. some one is trying to put her in a nut house but her lover saves her. my favorite quote from the book " he lend over me and looked at the baby and said there's only one thing wrong he's not mine, that was his praposil for marrage" the 8th victoria holt book i read.

It's very hard to find good works in this genre, though in the 1960's they were quite the rage. Victoria Holt is arguably the master of this category. I think Kirkland Revels is her best, especially if you like the traditional moonlight, madness, murder, and dark old manor house novels. If you like atmospheric work with prim, but heroic, governesses beleaguered by jealous relatives and shady characters, this one won't disappoint.

This is the first nowel of Victoria Holt I read, since then she is one of my favorite writers. If you want to read some books by her, Kirkland Revels is a good choice for begining.

When Catherine came home from school in France, she found her home as gloomy and repressive as ever. She longed for a chance to escape from it, and when she met Gabriel, she did just that. They were married and she went to live with him in Kirkland Revels. Almost as soon as the arrived, Gabriel died. People said it was suicide, but Catherine thought otherwise. After she found out she was with child, strange things started happening, and she realized that someone was trying to kill her - and her child!

I love gothic novels, and this one is one of the best! If you have never read one before, or if you have read a hundred, this is the book for you!

I first read this novel when I was in junior high school. It was the second novel I read by Victoria Holt, but it was the first one that made me want to read more of her books with enthusiasm. It was very hard to put down this book after the first chapter. The suspense kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen next. Victoria Holt is a great romantic-suspense author and it's really sad that she's no longer around to write more books. And I'm even more disappointed that "Kirkland Revels" is no longer in print. My copy of the book was borrowed and I never got it back. I don't even remember who borrowed it. It was back in the 1970s. So now all I have are fond memories of the book and the story. I wish the publisher would print this book again (hardbound). I need this book to add to my collection of Victoria Holt novels.

I originally bought this book for my granddaughter but was so taken with the charm and love expressed in the paintings that I also got it for myself as well as for other nieces.....this belongs on your keep it forever shelf.

This book has been a family favorite since my children were small. It holds both adults & children spellbound. I have never seen a book in which the text & artwork work together so beautifully, yet each can stand completely on it's own.

I first read this book more than 20 years ago. It moved me to tears then. When I met the man who was eventually to become my husband, I gave him a copy of it. It illustrated the power of loyalty and true love. He gave me a blue butterfly pin as a reminder of the impact the book had on him. Even now when we see a butterfly, we can't help but think of the story. It is truly one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.

This book was read to me by my boyfriend (which was read to him by his mother when he was a child) and I never have heard a book that comes so close to reality. It is a true tale of devotion, friendship, loyalty, and most importantly, love. What made this book unique, other than the wonderful illustrations, was the fact that it carried a theme so powerful with only two main characters, a lion and a butterfly. A must read for anyone with a heart!

I loved to read to my daughters when they were little. I spared no expense in collecting unusual children's books for them. Lion and Blue was one of our favorites. The art and poetry worked together in a chemistry that is hard to explain. The illustrations are true art. The story, while easily appreciated by a child, was also appreciated by the mother. It takes a true look at love, which sees perfection and not the differences among us. To expose young minds to concepts such as this, while capturing the eye with vivid and beautiful pictures is to instill forever an appreciation in art and literature.

I had originally rented this book from the library with an intention of zipping through it to obtain a general idea and feel for the concepts presented. I found myself constantly stopping to take notes and unable to finish the entire book during the loan period. After renewing twice and hardly making it a quarter of the way through I decided I would have to purchase the book.

As the General Manager of a small business with no formal training and little prior experience in managing a company this was the best investment I could have ever made. I'd recommend you take notes as you read in order to get the most of this book. Read it a second time a year after you finish it.

I'll give 5 stars for the content of the book, but why is it so small in dimentions and so THICK. I don't understand why it was made this way. Along with this book, I have ordered four more Drucker books and the paper quality of all of them is AWFUL.

This is the book on how to make a business WORK! I am president of a small company and immediately took the ideas and practices out of this book and applied them to great success. This is not a quick read, and every item will not pertain to each individual person, but the observations presented explained a huge number of obstacles I was facing. If you are trying to manage any form of modern organization, buy this book and spend the time reading it. It made me a huge Drucker fan.

this book is just great. i find it a straightforward and no frills book. yet reading it makes business interesting and encouraging. a truly indispensable reference and guide to management, better than any textbook i have come across in terms of giving clarity to the big picture. for that i have huge respect and admiration for peter drucker.

peter drucker is just "the man" in management in my book.

This is a heavyweight tome with clear insight. Every manager should read this.

For example, Drucker writes what strategy planning is not:
a box of tricks;
nor modelling;
nor forecasting;
nor masterminding the future.

Methodically, he explains what it is: Analytical thinking & commitment of resources to action.

Drucker is famous for his simple questions which resonated across the corporate world for 50 years, and was especially influential with Jack Welch at GE.

In this book Drucker poses these questions as the framework for creating a business strategy:
*What is our business?
*What will it be?
*What should it be?
...And the killer: *If we were not committed to this today, would we go into it?

Written in '73. Valid today.

You need to have been an apprentice historian in the mid-sixties to appreciate the impact this book had on Europeanists. I was thirty-one years old in 1967. I had taught history in high school for eight years and picked up a master's in history at NYU, and I was starting my Ph. D. program in history at Yale, concentrating on early modern European history, and within that specialty, on medieval and early modern political theory. (Later, when I taught college, my specialty course was on Machiavelli, More, Erasmus and Guicciardini.)

Braudel had just published the second edition of his masterpiece. The book had been significantly rewritten and was about a third longer than the original edition. But it was available only in French, which I read well but exceedingly slowly. The first edition --but not the second-- had been translated into Spanish, my preferred second language, so I swotted the Spanish first edition for orals. Reading it in a foreign language, it was too much in a limited amount of time to absorb and integrate with what I already knew about the times. I more or less flubbed the Braudel question in my orals. (In contrast, I did a killer job responding to a question about Ernst Kantorowicz's The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political Liturgy.)

Later, teaching a winter term course in college, I assigned the by-then-published English translation of Braudel's second edition to my students, giving myself --at long last-- an opportunity to read it in my native tongue. I was floored! The masterful use of maps and graphs to show hitherto unnoticed trends in history, the wealth of illustrative detail, the scope of his view! Of all the masterworks of the first two generations of Annales historians --Bloch and Febvre, Braudel's other works, Le Roy Ladurie, Aries, Duby, etc.-- Mediterranean is still the undisputed masterpiece on early modern European economic and social history.

I have been keenly interested in world history for nearly 20 years. I read, on average, 30 non-fiction historical accounts per annum. With rare exception, I have always felt up to the task of both completion and comprehension. Braudel is an entirely different animal. What Braudel has presented in the form of 16th-century Mediterranean history is formidable, innovative, and exhausting.

Braudel's narrative weaves itself through overlays of historical strata that demand as much from the reader as any contemporary written history available. His is not a mere linear schedule of cause and effect, but a finely crafted history of regional parallels which render the methodology as thought provoking as the content.

Fully one-fourth of the book is devoted to economics in such painstaking detail that, while the specialist may revel, the layman may grow foggy, uninterested, and, unfortunately, bored. But, this does not detract from the overall value of Braudel's effort. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World is a singular achievement in written history which offers the reader a vantage point that I have yet to find elsewhere. 5 stars.

This book is a very detailed starting point for Renaisance fans. At its heart this is a socio-economic history. The clever inclusion of climate and geographic conditions presuasively explained why prosperous Capitalism grew in some regions while others remained stagnant. Chapter 5-"The Human Unit" was the most informative. Most facets of history are here for the reader to absorb. This is the type of book we all wished we had in school.

Braudel's text on the Mediterranean is considered one of the contemporary classics of historical writing, and I can see why. It sets out to convey a total history of the Mediterranean world in the latter half of the 16th century, but ranges over so much more territory in order to achieve this objective. Just as Jared Diamond builds a foundation on geography, climate, and local flora and fauna in _Guns, Germs , and Steel_, so does Braudel begin his history. However, he does not stop there, and moves on to cover social and economic history, and, in the second volume, deals with the more standard "history of events" typical of most historical literature. Do not skip the second volume, as the tapestry Braudel weaves is not complete without it. The text is very detailed, too detailed at points, but I believe this gives the reader confidence in the authority of the writer. Clearly Braudel has done exhaustive research. You, too, will be exhausted by the time you finish this magnum opus.

I have written a review of the first volume of Braudel's history of the Mediterranean, and here will only say that it is necessary to read this second volume in order to appreciate what Braudel began in the first volume. The second volume is the more typical "history of events", but as Braudel concludes -- and correctly so in my opinion -- the history of events is founded on geography, demographics, and social and economic history. Braudel builds this foundation in the first volume, and the two volumes must be read jointly in order to fully appreciate Braudel's astounding accomplishment.