Dean Books

Cemeteries are like galleries of the dead, mausoleums and tombstones etched with the intricacy of a sculptor's chisel. Art of the Cemetery is a gorgeous visual journey into some of the most elegant and quaint gravesides around the world. Horror writer Dean Koontz reflects upon mortality while discussing his personal insights about death, and speaks about the sense of quiet charms that permeate cemeteries from New Orleans to tiny cemeteries hidden away in corners of the world. The pictures in the book represent lavish and sometimes forgotten memorials, and serve as ceremonials to the dead, whether the dearly departed are famous graves buried within Paris' Pere Lachaise cemetery or unmarked tombs decorated in simple yet loving care. Many of the tombs are studies in beauty, and photographer David Robinson's pictures paint an ethereal eye over many of the locations, giving testimony to cemeteries as artistic havens of extraordinary form and decadence. Koontz explores the perceptions of death and the afterlife by reflecting on the history of cemeteries, his eloquent words giving a sense of humanity to the imagery of death. The pictures show remarkably beautiful cemeteries, such as the Montmartre in Paris and the Jewish cemetery in Prague. The idea of transcendence is evoked through the pages, with images of exquisite emblems of wreaths and personal items left on graves to remember the dead. There seems to be a story behind many of the grave sites shown, which makes the book a fascinating exploration each time it's looked at. While the book does depict symbols and artwork of the silent world of the cemetery, it's not a somber portrayal that will sadden. The book's depictions of angelic statues and carven marble resting places serves to uplift the common misconception about death as a final end. To view the pictures and epitaphs from tombs of lovers and children is to visit an unknown soul's home, leaving your thoughts like flowers at their feet.

To appreciate this is book of art you have to be able to look past all preconceived ideas of cemetaries and dying and look further into a higher realm of spirituality. The monuments featured in this book speak of something other than death - they speak of the person that lives on and the people that are left behind to remember them. Looking through the pages I felt a connection to another world that was very much alive. When you look at each picture you can feel the emotion. The monuments whisper to you from beneath the vines and the algae that threaten to keep their secrets forever. Looking at all of this one must wonder why so many feel the need to express their grief in such a manner? When I look at the pictures, the beautiful aged monuments tell a story of their own and possess their own mortality, especially the ones that mimic our image. Seeing their bodies covered in snow or their faces that have aged like our mortal ones instill a sense of fragility among the living and the dead alike. There is no escaping the inevitable and if you could just look past the marble and granite you would see the souls that are trying to tell you their story. After I read this book I longed to see Pere-Lachaise in Paris. I finally got the opportunity five months ago. Being there was the most surreal experience I have ever had. I found many of the monuments shown and I have to say David Robinson's photography speaks to us in a way that no spoken language can. Pere-Lachaise is over 105 acres of remarkable ethereal beauty. Cemetaries are usually thought of as the land of the dead but this book will show you how alive death can be. After you view this book you will not only see beauty, you will feel it. And if you are one of the lucky ones you will realize that cemetaries are alive and if you listen closely, you will feel what they have to say.

Dean Koontz did a beautiful job with this book of photographs of cemeteries, writing words that whisper softly into the ear and which match the photos perfectly. This is a lovely book.

The book explains the factors that leads to the increasing power of patients over providers. With some examples of pioneers adopting to the changes, you can have an idea where the future lie for providers.

Personally, I think this book is especially helpful for providers. As or consumers, they will experience these changes first hand within their daily lives.

This excellent treatise on the possible future path of Managed Care is a benchmark guide for all of us who are involved in healthcare. Of particular interest are the four examples of "Scenario Planning" which are offered. The reader may challenge oneself by imagining additional, or alternative, scenarios; particularly in view of the current stock market volatility as well as a new national presidential adminstration.

This is an excellent piece of analysis that looks at where we are, how we got here and where we are likely to go. The authors have done a fantastic job of outlining seven major factors that impact the health care industry (consumerism, public policy, information technology, etc.), and the four scenarios at the end of the book provide a great framework for doing your own crystal ball gazing. This book sort of picks up where Paul Starr left off. A must read for any health care executive who plans to remain an executive in health care over the next 5 - 10 years.

I was very fortunate to read a book that gave you a feelimg that there are few football coaches out there who can coach football the old fashion way: physical discipline, honesty, and being a great motivator. For Bo to share the stories about Woody Hayes was just awesome. I feel that Bo went thru a great experince in his life time. I have read this book probably 10 times and I like what he critcizes about the NCAA making these ridiculous standards. May God bless him.

If you are a fan at all of michigan, or know anything about Bo Schembechler you will love this book. It's a great biography about a great coach. This book takes you to a small family in Ohio to a assistant coach under Woody Hays then to Ann Arbor to become one of the most famous coaches in NCAA history, I HIGHLY recomend this book... GO BLUE!

If you love football this book is a must read. The stories about Bo and Woody are tremendous. I wish all young coaches would read this book before establishing a coaching philosophy. The character of Bo is inspiring and proves that you can still win and do it the right way.

A very pretty book, wonderful illustrations and a very charming tale. I would say for any age. And learning about Chinese traditions is a big plus.

A really fine fairytale set in Hong Kong in which children of the land learn to accept children who are different from them. This is a very readable tale for children, probably from 7 to 12, depending on which country, etc., and the moral is excellent. The author's details on the boat people "fisherfolk" are often excellent and really bring the story to life. Both the writing and the theme are excellent.

Well written and beautifully illustrated tale for children set in southern China. The tale ends on a poignant note but along the way we learn about the ways of the Chinese fishing community and how they have to adapt to present conditions. A very well done fairytale.

Amy Lin

As an instructional technologist for a progressive, comprehensive, rural community college, I observe and assist in the change process as it relates to teaching and learning. When I first saw this book advertised from Atwood publishing, I was intrigued by the title and felt this book would be a great addition to my professional library. Not only did this book exceed my expectations, but it provided me with a fresh perspective on the change process through helpful "real-world" case studies from leaders who are effective at their respective institutions. I would recommend this book as a "must read" for any leader or manager or perspective leader or manager in higher education.

The book is organized into three sections: an overview of change theory, case studies by effective leaders, and a summary with strategies that can be implemented at any higher education institution.

In chapter one, the authors make a strong case for a framework for organizational change that includes leadership, technology, and culture. In chapter two, the authors explore the differences between managers and leaders within the culture of higher education. Knowing the tradition and history of an institution is critical in facilitating effective organizational change. The authors also explore the culture, context and the environment of the institution and how it may impact effective leadership strategies. Various leadership styles are discussed thus providing valuable insight into the qualities needed in an effective leader. Chapter three provides practical leadership perspectives and strategies for deans and department chairs. Some of these strategies include a "hedgehog" or "fox" metaphor depending on the leadership styles a leader or manager may possess. The authors provide an excellent summary table that compares the two leadership styles as they relate to the organizational framework, leadership framework, change framework, conflict/problem framework, and pedagogical framework. An individual decision change process is also explored. In chapter 4, Christopher Musselwhite provides a comprehensive overview of managing change: styles, stages, and effective leadership for academic leaders. What I liked the most about this overview was the range of behaviors that leaders exhibited and how that impacts change. These behaviors ranged from "conservers" on the left, "pragmatists" in the middle, and "originators" on the right. Conservers prefer to work within the existing structure, are detail oriented, and don't like surprises. Pragmatists deal in outcomes, are peacemakers, appear more team oriented, and are less likely to have hidden agendas. Originators prefer quick and expansive change, are viewed as change agents, are often regarded as visionary, and are risk takers with big ideas. According to Musselwhite, knowing the behaviors and leadership styles from all three types helps a leader navigate the change process.

The second section of the book includes interviews from various leaders from colleges and universities. This section was very insightful. Each interview included similar questions that dealt with the individual's background and experience, leadership qualities, communication strategies, the drivers of change at their institution, their values, impact of technology, and where they see their institution in 5 years. I especially enjoyed reading the insights from Walter Gmelch, Dean of Education at Iowa State; Yasmen Simonian, Clinical laboratory Sciences Chair at Weber State University; Allen Mori, Dean of the Charter College of Education At California State University, Los Angeles; and Fred Hurst, Dean of Distributed Learning at Northern Arizona University. I appreciated the candor of the interviews and the valuable insights these individuals provide in exploring effective leadership practices.

In the final section, the authors compared and contrasted leadership styles, behaviors and theory with examples provided by the various interviews. This section provided the most benefit by showing how all of the pieces fit together. The authors summarized this information into a bulleted list for leadership characteristics for the future. They also provided a framework for the new academic culture for change.

I feel the authors were very successful in meeting the intent of their book. Not only is this text a solid academic resource, but also it is a practical "field guide" for leaders. The authors provided a well-written, collaborative resource for current and future leaders.

What I liked most about this book was the breadth and depth of exploration of effective leadership. By learning about various leadership styles and behaviors, I learned more about my leadership qualities. I have also used this book as a resource to evaluate and understand the leaders I work with on a daily basis. By identifying my strengths and leadership styles and those of my colleagues, I have started to employ new leadership strategies that are actually encouraging effective change to happen.

You don't have to be a dean or department chair to influence the change process. You just need to understand how effective change happens and how it works at your institution. This book provides an excellent resource to assist in this change process. It is a valuable reference for academic leaders or those involved in the change process.

Collaboratively compiled and expertly co-edited by Michael J. Johnson, Donald E. Hanna, and Don Olcott Jr., Bridging The Gap: Leadership, Technology, And Organized Change For Deans And Department Chairs is an impressively informative and strongly recommended anthology of interviews concerning the crucial responsibilities that academic deans have for maintaining the spirit of education and leading dynamic change to keep in line with new knowledge and leanings. Focusing on the keys to managing the dimensions of organized change - leadership, technology, and culture - Bridging The Gap offers a road map to adapting to both daily complications and long term shifts.

Bridging the Gap is a book whose audience is a relatively small niche but that niche effects a large portion of our society. This book is aimed at the middle layer of leaders in the colleges of the United States; specifically deans and department chairs. These are the people that affect change in colleges and universities from a powerful but less visible position because they are part of the decision making process in upper management and are the sounding board for those in the trenches of the lecture halls.

The editors approach the book in three parts. They begin with an overview of change theory laying a foundation that essentially states that being the conduit for positive change is one of the most important jobs these leaders have. The second part of this book consists of actual case studies. They have interviewed a number of deans and chair people from a variety of colleges and gotten their story regarding the joys, pitfalls and politics of making positive change a reality in this environment. The final section has a summary and suggested strategies that one might use in the college environment to lead as those who were interviewed have done.

I found this book to be very helpful and surprisingly insightful. I am new to the academic political hierarchy and now I am better prepared to seek out and pay attention to what I truly need to know. I also have a better understanding of where my strengths lie and what to keep in check. In some ways colleges, like so many companies, are going through growing pains as they keep up with the technological advances that force the old guard to change the way they do business, competition is simply too great to ignore the wired world of the 21st century. Additionally, I was surprised at how many academic leaders have no formal management or leadership training. They have simply grown through the ranks.

This book provides many perspectives and a suite of useful advice. If you are interested in being a leader or understanding what it takes to get things moving in the college environment I would highly recommend Bridging the Gap.

A vast majority of the literature related to terrorism protection/prevention has related to what the government and or the individual can/must do. Dr. Alexander brings a much needed perspective to the table - that of business. 85% of the identified Critical Infrastructure in the U.S. is in the hands of private industry (business). Dr. Alexander discusses how a broad spectrum of CI could be targeted by terrorists (not just the airlines). Thought provoking and insightful. I found it a wonderful addition to the necessary readings list of anyone wanting a strong background in Critical Infrastructure Protection.

Business Confronts Terrorism: Risks And Responses by Washington DC political consultant Dean C. Alexander provides the reader with an informed and informative overview of terrorist threats to business both abroad and here at home. Alexander also explains the ways in which terrorists take advantage of our ordinary, everyday economic system to finance their activities. He goes on to explore corporate security measures; analyses the relationship of the public and private sectors as they collaborate to defeat terrors groups; and reveals how the threat of terrorism has affected American labor, management, and business in general since September 11, 2001. Simply put, Business Confronts Terrorism should be considered mandatory reading by every American private citizen, business owner, labor leader, and government policy maker.

We think of terrorist attacks as something that should be the responsibility of governments. But as this book points out, most of the targets are not government buildings or institutions, they are businesses. Targets have certainly included aircraft and also banks, theaters, churches, buses, trains, pipe lines, gas stations, restaurants, department stores, hospitals churches and of course office building such as those at the World Trade Center.

Security tends to follow the last successful attack. After 9/11 a tremendous amount of effort was spent on air line scurity, almost nothing on subways, bridges, tunnels - can you imagine the effect of blowing up a few of these in New York City?

This is not a prescription of what to do to avoid or stop terrorist activity, as the title suggests, it is an introduction to the risks involved and an explanation of what is happening on a world wide basis as a result. A small book, it covers these aspects very well.

"If you have never visited the Carolinas, this book will be second best to the visit plus it will encourage you to visit there in the now or the future. Also, the depiction of what life can be in the beaches of the Carolinas is so entreating and takes you away from the stressful, fast living pace of today's world. I highly reccomend this book; I found it difficult to say goodbye to the charactors."

Diane has done it again!

"Carolina in the Morning" is a supremely readable volume, and it can be shared with the whole family!

This warm, enthralling story of a small South Carolina town, characters with which any good Southerner can identify (I am a native Southerner), and several stories that are intertwined to show us how gracious, kind, and faithful God really is! Each of the scenes paint a picture of grace, even when we aren't expecting it!

Rachel, Austin, Pastor Chuck, Jake and his wife Ellie, Randolph Young, Spence, Grandma Betsey, The Thurstons and the Adams--we all know folks just like these characters! These people have so intersected and intertwined our lives, that we are better, stronger people for them having done so. We see those fragrant, genteel traits and habits that so define what "character" really means in the life of a Christian. The hustle and bustle of the very real cities of Atlanta and Chicago didn't define the principal characters, Rachel and Austin--their personal values defined them.

In a time when so many temporal things can "define" values, Diane's volume, Carolina in the Morning, will be a refreshing, and calming read for everyone in the family.

This is a book for the entire family--a rarity indeed!

This book is well written with great details. I really felt like I was visiting my home state of SC with the descriptions of the tabby ruins, scenes in Charleston, the marshes, the low country boil, etc. She even includes a recipe for a low country boil. It is a popular seafood treat.

The peaceful atmosphere and caring people in the small coastal SC town of Tabby Walk are a welcome change as Rachel leaves Chicago to vacation at her grandparent's beach house. To her surprise, she meets a man who is visiting from Atlanta to enjoy childhood memories of the small town. Although the vacation is short, they continue to see each other and fall in love.

Rachel and Austin share Christian values. They reach out to others. One touching development is finding love letters written during the War between the States and their thoughtful efforts to locate the descendants. The author uses historically accurate details.

I enjoyed the relaxed nature of the book. I prefer stories which don't scare me to death. If I want that, I can watch network news!

As long as your interested in Model railroading, as I am. This is a definative work. it make fascinating reading.

The late John Armstrong is considered by many in the model railroad community to be the Dean of layout planning and now I know why. The tricks, tips, and explanations he gives are first rate and I understand so much more about layout planning and design such as why to use easements for curves and how to plan them (P. 18) or how to integrate crossovers into a simple dog bone layout for the best effect (use two, P. 30). Never have I seen any designs get more use out of space but at the same time keeping a regard for scenery and not looking "toy-like." I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it extremely useful.

This book is a great companion to "Track Planning for Realistic Operation: Prototype Railroad Concepts for Your Model Railroad", also by John Armstrong. Unlike other layout plan books, this has many details on the operational aspect of these layouts, decisions on how to recreate in scale an specific prototype and notes that make the book a complete reference on these layouts, not only a set of plans gathered on a book with no further detail (which is exactly what we often see in layout books). Layouts range from small to larger size, so there's is inspiration for everyone inside, from begginer's to advanced modellers.

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This book is recommendable for students and physicaltherapists, practitioners of the use of electrotherapy modalities and procedures in the usage clinical. The authors offer a review of the physiologics principles, devices, instrumentation, and general principles of electrical stimulation. This title contributes to knowledgement about current developments in their research findings, theory and wide range of clinical application of the modality. Whereas, this book provides understanting and support for the practice of electrotherapy to obtain desired physiologic responses for the management of diseases and injuries in humans by physitherapy

Great review. Even demonstrates bathtub electrotherapy. Utterly shocking and in depth coverage of this most electrifying subject!

I haven't actually read this book, but I attend school where Dean teaches, and ever since I took a class with him last semester, I am convinced that he is the coolest person alive, and will therefore support anything and everything he does. I agree strongly with whoever said, "Let's face it...Dean kicks butt!" He is an amazing writer and a great person. YAY FOR DEAN!

You should really read this book! I thought Ruben was exalent! And Dean Nelson was great toO.(My point is to read the book). They both ARE REALLY GOOD!!! I am so giddy and exsited that the book was so great,I really want you to read it. For the last time,buy the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets face it, Dean kicks butt. When I started reading Welch's stories, I was very impressed on the talent he possesed to thread his stories together, and that alone should get you to read the book. I had at first skipped Nelson's part, just to get to the "good part", but when I began to read Nelson's passage, I was blown away buy his skill. I mean, WOW! I was taken into his world and could feel his passages around me. Nelson is a true master.