E Books

This book reads like a re-hash of an 80's vintage self-help book, so it may be valuable for lost souls with weak spirits.

For experienced, successful presenters looking to improve further it provides a few points to consider. I have not decided yet if those points are worth the purchase price of the book.

I was a very experienced consultant and pre-sales person that was an expert in my product line and could give a terrific demo every time to customers.

Simply put -- I was wrong, wrong, WRONG.

What I was presenting was the "standard" corporate demo that we were taught to give. I watched one of the standard demos after reading just a few chapters of the book and knew I had to make a significant change.

Toss out your old ideas, throw out your corporate overview slides and find out what the customer REALLY wants to see.

Peter's website has additional terrific tips and please ask your boss to have Peter come out to your sales/pre-sales/consulting teams for training. The 2 days reviewing and expanding on the ideas in this book were the most valuable training I have received ever in my professional life.

Do the last thing first, stop reading my review and buy this book. If your competitors are smart, they are already finalizing their online purchase now.

Some of us give good demonstrations based on gut feel; others need more guidance. No matter where you are in this spectrum, you will find value in the approach recommended in this book.

The methodology forces you to focus on understanding the critical business issues - not only what they are but how to use them in your session. Do the last thing first (a mantra reinforced throughout) captures the attention of the decision makers and influencers in such a way that it shows them how they can apply the solution to their requirements.

By doing this, the number of demos are reduced, the time to commit can be better managed when you have internal supporters wanting to work more effectively.

Read, apply and benefit from the results. I have seen proof of this in my own organization.

Before I started my current role, this book was given to me by a neighbor. In my last six months, I have tried to follow Peter Cohan's principles since I consider this to be the best on the subject. it is easy to forget what the purpose of a demo is, unless you have a clear understanding of what you doing, what you are showing, and what impacts the viewer the most.

Cohan provides a clear strategy for how to approach a demo. From starting with the last thing first, there are many techniques to help you and/or a sales force grab the attention of the viewer. The other technique that we often forget, is to address your customer's needs. By showing them the functionality that can address any pain points or solutions to address any of their pressing needs, the demo becomes more targeted, and ultimately more worthwhile.

If you are charged with giving demo's, this is certainly a great place to make what you do, better.

This is one of the most amazing books I ever read. It really puts it all in perspective. It shows me all the mistakes I ever made that now they make sense. I highly recommend it, but not to my competitors.

This book was awesome! It was purchased as a gift for my 13-year-old son who loved it. It was full of interesting pictures, facts, and stories about the great white shark. He considers it one of the best books in his "shark library".

This is an excellent work about the most feared creature in the ocean. I've always had an interest in marine biology, and sharks in particular, and this book embodies both biological and cultural information about one of my favorite animals. McCosker and Ellis give the great white a fair shake, and while they acknowledge "Jaws" as an excellent film, they also debunk the fallacies of it (i.e. great whites are not 30 feet long, and only very rarely do they attack humans). I appreciated the considerable section of the book that discusses "Jaws"; I feel as though it was necessary to include this information in a book about great whites since that film is the only source of information about sharks that some individuals have been exposed to. Great book, great read...and well worth the price!

A wonderful, excellent, magnificent look at the natural history of the Great White. Written from a scientific perspective but easily accessible to everyone, this book covers biology, feeding, fishing, filming, attacks, and the exploitation of great whites. Nearly every page has superb photos and/or illustrations, and the authors do an excellent job of making the sharks an animal to be respected but neither irrationally feared nor glorified. The text covers all aspects of the shark's natural history, but never gets so in-depth as to be boring. Highly recommended.

I'm not sure why, but I'm a bit of a shark freak. I got this book for Christmas, and I read it all the way through without putting it down. Granted, a lot of this information wasn't new, but it was presented very nicely. The pictures are fantastic, and I enjoyed the extras about other sharks.

I think children as well as adults would enjoy this book. I wound up getting other people (who don't much care for the subject) interested in the pictures and short articles in this book.

Subjects treated include biology, geography, behavior, history, and interaction with man.

The book is great with its info. I could not believe the horror of the picture of the beautiful woman Shirley Anne Durdin and when they describe her being eaten alive...what it must have felt like. The people who watched the shark swim away from their boat said they could see tattered wads of her once-beautiful flesh dangling from its teeth and her arm sticking out. Worse than any scene in "Jaws."

In his usual, thorough and mesmerizing manner, Stanton takes us thru the times of one of baseball's true heroes. Aaron emerges at once a hero AND a normal man with wants, fears and determined expectations lived under the canopy of the race issue. This book is one that is easily read because Stanton makes the progression to the final home run go swiftly. But he includes statistics and surprises which make each page worth the close scruitiny required if a reader is to get the full meaning of Hank Aaron's life and his importance to America's Game. This is a book I'm saving for my young grandson to read and before he is old enough to appreciate it's impact, I'm going to enjoy reading it again!

Author Tom Stanton provides a straightforward account of Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth's home run record during the 1973-74 seasons. The book is partly about baseball but more about Aaron the man, plus his life under pressure from a combination of fan adoration, media crush, and racist hate mail. Imagine being constantly surrounded by adoring fans, and even having tour busses stop in front of your house. Imagine facing hordes of reporters before and after every game, or playing the outfield after receiving death threats. Most fans supported Aaron, but some responded in a vile manner. Like millions of other kids I watched his record-breaking homer on TV, and then was surprised to hear Aaron say moments later, "Thank God it's over." After reading this book, one can see why Aaron said that.

The author might have given more attention to U.S. life circa 1973-1974, the coming of free agency, and how most of the sellout crowd that night left the ballpark not that long after Aaron's fourth-inning homer. Still, this is a very readable look at one of baseball's most famous moments, and one of the game's most inspiring stars.

Early last summer, I walked out of a Vermont bookstore with a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America by Tom Stanton. I wanted to learn about Aaron and his quest to break Babe Ruth's all-time career home run record. About nine months later, I picked the book up and began reading it. I learned more about those two heart wrenching years than I ever thought I could. I also realized that I had just read one of the greatest sports books ever.
There are three main reasons why I consider this book to be one of histories greatest. The first is that it only chronicled the two years Aaron was chasing Ruth's coveted record. Most other sports books I've read, including Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy and Derek Jeter: The Life You Imagine By Jack Curry and Jeter himself both told of the life stories of the athlete the book portrayed. This book is one of the only sports biographies that doesn't tell about an athletes entire life. Although it did tell of Aaron's personal life during those two years, including his marriage to wife Billye Williams, and his childhood inspirations from Jackie Robinson in the first chapter, it is almost entirely about "the chase".
Another reason I enjoyed this book so much, is that it kept interviewing and talking to the same characters, including teammate Dusty Baker and manager Eddie Mathews. With this, not only were you connecting with and watching Aaron grow, but also you saw what happened to his friends throughout all of the two years. With other books, you'll be lucky to hear about a sub-character, or read an interview from the same person mabey on two pages tops.
The third and final reason this is the best sports novel ever is because it showed how hard it was to mentally survive the two record breaking seasons. It told of all the death threats, hate mail, and concerns Aaron had for his family. It also told about kidnappings that were going on at the same time that made him so cautious.
I hope by posting this book review that I have intrigued some of you sports fans to pick up a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America. After reading it you all will agree that this book is not only one of the greatest sports books ever, but one of the greatest books in history as well.

Three-and-a-half stars, actually.

Tom Stanton takes us back to 1973 (with a little of '72 and '74 thrown in, of course) to tells us the story of Hank Aaron and his record-breaking 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record. We follow Aaron through the '73 season, tracking his progress and following the reaction of everyone to his home run. For the most part, the reaction is favorable, but there are many examples of hateful sentiments in the form of letters and catcalls. We also read background on Aaron's career and life, with emphasis on the unfortunate impact of race on not only Aaron, but also baseball in general.

Stanton's book was quite good, and I enjoyed reading it, but I couldn't help feeling like there was something missing. A good baseball book presents the story in a straightforward, professional manner that tells you what you need to know. A great baseball book, though, does that and then gives you more, a little bit of heart, something that takes the story beyond just what happened and gives you a feeling for the subject matter. Stanton just couldn't get to the level of great, he created a skillful portrait of Aaron and he effectively captured the time, but there was still something more he left out. I felt like everything turned out too sunny in the end, that there was more to the bad side (as much as many would not want to dwell on that) that would be key to capturing the story.

Despite my complaints, though, this was a good book and well worth any baseball fan's time.

Like author Tom Stanton, I was a little boy when Henry Louis Aaron was closing in on baseball's crown jewel record: Babe Ruth's 714 home runs. I lived in Forest Park, Georgia, about 12 miles south of Atlanta Stadium, and I had the good fortune to be able to see about a half dozen of Mr. Aaron's home runs in person. I played with the other boys in our neighborhood, and when the Braves were playing we always had the radio on. We could talk and joke and laugh through the rest of the game, but our voices would hush when Milo Hamilton would tell us "Aaron is on deck". Hank would come to the plate and our room would erupt with joy if we got to hear Milo's typical home run call. "There's a long drive.... It's going back.... WAY back.... It's OUT of here! Home Run number 683 for Henry Aaron!"

Anyway - I had to begin this review by admitting what a HUGE hero Hank Aaron is in my life.

All that being said, this book is both very informative and disappointingly bland. It was good to hear the names of those Braves from the past - in particular Aaron progeny Dusty Baker and Ralph Garr. Darrell Evans and Davey Johnson who joined Aaron as the only 3 teammates in history to hit 40 home runs the same year. (1973, the year before historic #715). Eddie Matthews, who was once Hank's teammate, the two teammates with the most life-time home runs, then served as Hank's manager during the years that make up the bulk of the book. Hall of Fame teammates Phil Niekro and Warren Spahn. Hall of Fame opponents like Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver and Don Sutton.

Most enlightening were the details of the paths Hank followed behind Jackie Robinson as a ground-breaking African-American excelling in the National Pasttime. Most heart-breaking were the tales of hate mail and death threats that he received every day. To right-thinking people it is inconceivable that a man could receive death threats only because he was doing his job as well as any person had ever done it.

The four stars are because I didn't come close to receiving the same thrill that this same material could have given me if presented properly. Stanton is a terrific researcher, but his writing style feels clinically cold. If America is a country of "Tall Tales" and our best legends are the real living ones, then certainly Hank Aaron must be one of America's Greatest Heroes by any definition. Stanton says as much in this book, but there's what you say, then there's how you say it. Nonetheless, this is the best record I know of covering these events, and I'd call it "required reading" for anyone wanting to know about Hammering Hank.

I would say that this is a well written and indepth looks at Michael Jordans return to profession basketball with the Washington Wizards.

If you only read one story about Michael Jordan, this is the one to read. I am from D.C. and regard him as the greatest athlete of the 20th century. It was delightful to read about a second comeback. The fact that he did come back to be a Wizard, makes this story remarkable. Worth every sent!

Wow is the only words that can penetrate the ranging emotions that occur when this book is read. Awesome. A must have for any Michael Jordan Fan. I want to be so much Like Mike Right Now.

I would say that this is a well written and indepth looks at Michael Jordans return to profession basketball with the Washington Wizards.

For 13 brilliant seasons Michael Jordan danced the dance of greatness across hardwood floors of basketball arenas from New York to Los Angeles to Barcelona and Paris. With a warrior's heart and an artist's grace, Jordan long ago transcended the sport to become one of the 20th century's global icons.

On the court, his almost mythic flair for the spectacular prompted former Los Angeles Laker superstar Magic Johnson to say simply, "There's Michael, then there's all the rest of us"Off the court, Jordan's ability to alter markets and drive the business of his marketing partners is unprecedented.

Through it all, Jordan showed the world that greatness, true greatness, comes from the inside out. He remains perhaps the greatest practice player in the history of sports, his desire to improve upon his own example legendary. When critics questioned his all-around ability, he became the game's most dominant defensive player at his position. When teams decided to close down the lane and eliminate drives to the basket, he became a deadly jump shooter. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had the most successfully teams of the 1980s but never won more than two consecutive championships. The Bulls won three straight--twice.

In Michael Jordan Returns to the NBA Again, the writer pulls back the curtain on one of the most remarkable sports figure of the 20th century and delves into the question of why he returns to the NBA after going out on top in 1998.

In "Mining Sacred Ground," David Knop delivers full helpings of character, plot and nuanced human interaction in an economical narrative that lurches swiftly ahead into a violent, narcotic, desert nightscape. You can't help but feel the dirt under the nails of a flawed and sympathetic protagonist as well as the harsh burn of whiskey that's as antithetical to this hero's cause as it seems necessary to his character and (we hope) eventual redemption. There is a bit of a magical effect at work here. The reader is pushed forward at an extreme pace into a place where few would choose to enter and yet these pages turn effortlessly. There's no going back, just an involuntarily headlong plunge into a reality more reminiscent of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet," with which Mr. Knop's work seems to share an ethos, than of Tony Hillerman's "Coyote Waits," which just happens to reside in the same geographic space. In a few short pages, the story's main plot line and seeds of secondary complications appear well into development. My greatest hope moving forward is for a level of story complexity that matches the vivid, inspired quality of the uninhabitable but vital world Mr. Knop has created with these deft initial strokes.

Just a small taste of what appears to be tantalizing fare. Author Knop cleverly introduces us to Romero, a hard headed, hard drinking egg averse cop. The start of a riveting tale with vivid and descriptive prose. I want the whole story David.

What strikes me most about David Knop's Mining Sacred Ground is the authenticity of his characters and the Arizona setting. The sharpness of the detail given in the story makes its people and places come alive.

Mr. Knop has an interesting, descriptive writing style that captivated me from the first page and had me wishing for more. In reading this I was reminded of works by Tony Hillerman: similar settings with a Native-American as the protagonist. In my opinion though, Mr. Knop's writing is faster-paced with a better command of the English language. I hope someday to learn how Romero solves the case and his personal problems.

I want to know more about Sal, about Romero, the bikers, the Apaches, and why Romero's wife stays with him. How do the bikers fit in? Did they (the bikers,) assassinate Sal? What's the connection with the Corps and Quantico? Will putting the assassins spent casing in a plastic bag as opposed to a paper bag influence the outcome of the investigation? What drives Romero other than friendship? In thirteen short pages, the author has grabbed my attention, piqued my curiosity and as I turned the page at two in the morning, pissed me off because there is not more grit to chew on. I want more.

This was a pretty fast read. Actually a whole lot faster than Theone's [book: Jerusalem Vigil]. The main character automatically pulls you in and you sympathize and empathize with him through his whole journey. This book has a lot of issues that can cause the reader to look into their own lives and think about who they might need to forgive, or what vengeance they should leave up to God. I enjoyed it, and think I will look for the sequels.

I usually read fantasy fiction books and usually don't read the ones geared toward historical fiction, but I must say, this series is excellent. I couldn't put them down. They are very well written.

Bodie and Brock Thoene have a understading of how the human mind works and their books are so believeable. They take one out of the here and now and put one into the then and there. The history is correct and it makes their books "real".
I am looking forward to reading the rest of their books at some point in time.

As a decendent of Irish-Catholics I found this book enlightening. Never realized the strife entailed in the course of religious freedom in the 1830's and 1840's Ireland and never realized that one could be exiled to America or Australia for infractions against the Protestant landlords.
This book has it all, history, mystery, love, sorrow and intrigue. Also brings the challange of keeping ones christian faith in difficult times. Good book for Catholic and Protestant to read.
Can not wait to read the next book in the series.

When Joseph Connor Burke returned to the small Irish village of Ballynockanor, he only expected to stay a few months. Just long enough to put the past and his stolen inheritance behind him. But as he gets reacquainted with his neighbors, he finds himself drawn into their struggles against Protestants in general and his uncle in particular. Is there a way to reclaim what is rightfully his? Is the priesthood his true calling? And what about his feelings for Kate?

The Thoenes went in an unexpected direction when they started this series. Up til now, they'd been writing about Israel and America. For that reason, I've put off starting this series, even though I've heard such good thing about it. Boy, was that a mistake!

I know very little about Irish history. In this one book, I learned so much that helps me understand the current struggles. Yet, as always, the history is wrapped in a wonderful story with very real characters. While I figured a few things out before they happened, most of the time I was unsure what would happen next and had a hard time putting the book down as a result. As always, the Thoenes develop their characters well and I felt myself getting angry on their behalf on more then one occasion.

I'm already planning my next trip to Ballynockanor for the next chapter in this sage. Any fan of the Thoenes or anyone wanting some fictitious background on Ireland will love this book.

None of the reviews yield the slightest idea of what's in this cookbook. I'm not buying it on that basis, despite the glowing ratings.

In his quarterly newsletter, Robert Stanek, author of "The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches" and many other books for young people, regularly features the books of new and upcoming authors as well as his favorite established authors. He's done this for the past four years. In his October/Fall newsletter, Mr. Stanek features three upcoming authors and one was Victoria Taylor Murray.

While I wasn't sure if Ms. Murray's Lambert series was right for me (her other ones are mystery/romance), I knew at once "Passed Down Through 4 Generations: Victoria Taylor Murray's Favorite Family Recipes: How it all Began" was my kind of book, and equally as important, it was a book my wife would enjoy as well.

As the name implies ""Passed Down Through 4 Generations," has great history behind the recipes. Ms. Murray wrote this book with her brother Joseph. Having tried the recipes, I can say there are many great ones, and more than a few that have become new favorites. I enjoy cooking, and I enjoyed this book. Recommended for any chef or chef to be.

There is something delicious for everyone to chow-down on. The recipes are easy to follow and the finished dish is wonderful. I absolutely love this book and keep it handy so I don't have to panic if a family member or friend suddenly decides to visit without notice. Most of my family members and friends are usually starving when they drop by. Now thanks to the Taylor family of men chefs I don't have to worry about what I'll make them to eat...No More Panic For Me! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!!!

As a birthday gift this year a friend through me a huge party and used a few of the recipes in this fun cookbook including the drink recipes...my one word response was simply WOW! Thanks to the men cooks in this family my party was a real winner. As a second birthday gift my friend gave me a copy of this book. Needless to say I was thrilled! Now, I can hardly wait to through my own dinner party with all the trimings! (I highly recommend this cookbook, it's the best!)

I'm a kind of glitzy girl who loves to dress up and be glamourous, so it's a surprise to people who first meet me that I really know my way around a kitchen. As my hubby always says, "That girl can cook anything ... from gourmet to Southern." And I'm proud to admit that I truly enjoy cooking. Always have ...

Another thing I dearly love is my family and I'm very sentimental about family connections. The title of this cookbook intrigued me because of the family involvement, but then when I read that the author's brother is a chef who joined her in this venture, I just HAD to buy it.

I'm glad I did. I've already prepared some of the fine dishes and they smelled so good, my hubby couldn't wait to sit down to dinner. He's raving to all the neighbors about this cookbook too.

Thanks to both Taylors for the fine dining experiences. We look forward to many more, and I'm baking several of the yummy pastries for our church brunch on Father's Day.

I was very young when I read this book, still in grade school. While I admit, much of the rhetoric and philosophies concerning the sexual revolution were indeed lost to me, being that I was so young; I took with me, unto adulthood the humor and witty excerpts, which are indeed both so simple and clever. Years later, I still make references to this book; whether I regard it in terms of how it introduced/helped me, personally examine and evolve my ideas of sexuality or how much it still makes sense, it is a classic work of art. Read this book!!

Those who Get It should be printing up and handing out this book like Gideons. Every home should have one. Allan Sherman succeeds, as very few authors have, in laying out the terms and conditions of our domestication, and exhibiting nakedly the sad state of slavery under whose shadow we furtively fornicate. This is a hilarious book, which is a symptom of the wisdom it contains. In order to unravel the mystery of how the Sixth Pleasure got so screwed up that a sexual revolution was necessary, Sherman disentangles threads of politics, religion, and culture, all with a light touch and human sympathy. There is no other book that you need more urgently to read.

I purchased this book when it first came out and have been touting its praises and sharing Allen Sherman's humor and knowledge of linquistics ever since. It is the best book ever and everyone should read this book at least once. Fool that I am, I loaned my hard back copy to someone and it was never returned. I hope they re-print this book, it is a classic!

While Allan Sherman's musical offerings are witty and fun, this book is one of the most amazing documents ever published. Like most of the other folks here, I first read it when I was young (16) and have bought and lost (as loaners) several copies. I found a hardcover in a used bookstore about ten years ago and will never let it leave my house now, as replacement copies are amazingly expensive and hard to come by.

I consider it the funniest book ever written, and this comes from someone who absolutely adores Twain, so take that as extremely high praise.

Is it possible that there is really only a single copy of this incredible book? We all seem to have read it, been profoundly affected by it, shared it, and never seen it again. Hmmmmmm. For 15 years I have been searching for a copy to no avail. Hopefully someone will lend it to me and it will be my "turn" again!

I loved this book...

It has a very broad look into opening a Ebay business. It starts with the general how to establish a Ebay business. Then it onfolds into the details of everything you need to know about making money on Ebay. There are a few chapters where I would haved liked them to be longer, like the dropshipping chapter. But on general you have everything there. This book is a must.

This book is like a textbook of your favorite class from college... its very detailed and details are what matters on business.

I purchased a half a dozen books on creating a eBay business and I found this book to be the most complete and informative. Most of the others were junk. If you are starting an eBay business you must buy this book.

I have been on ebay now for a couple of years I have had some hits and misses as a seller. I think now with some of the tips and planse in this book I will be a better and more profitable seller. Oh by the way my Ebay name is Lamont912 check me out some time and just say hello

Skip knows what he's talking about and shares the wealth of his experience in this welcome guide. A Gold-level PowerSeller (not exactly Titanium, but high enough to show he's a pro), McGrath is also an eBay radio commentator, eBay Live speaker, and one of the most knowledgeable eBay writers around. This is a desk reference you'll want to keep handy as you build your business. Leaves no stone unturned. You can't go wrong with this one.

Skip is a very likeable writer who has obviously done well on eBay. I found this book to be well thought out easy to read. I met Skip at eBay Live last year and he was very helpful, which I appreciated. Unfortunately I also bought a book by Adam Ginsberg, only to find out through some news sites that he has been banned from eBay for shill bidding and failing to send multiple orders worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

The only other comment I have about Skip's book is that I would have liked to have seen a few more real world examples of how his techniques can be applied. It's a small point though in a generally excellent book.

Almost everyone dreams about being in charge. In part, that's because they imagine that everyone will jump to fulfill their every whim. If anyone actually tries to lead with that style, they are headed for big problems.

Russell Palmer understands that leadership is all about adjusting to the situation and drawing upon shared interests to get good results. He demonstrates that point best in this book through his personal examples of leading Wharton Business School as its new dean and while managing partner and CEO of Touche Ross. If the other examples in the book were as compelling as his own, this would be the ultimate book in leadership. But those other examples aren't nearly as instructive as his own.

I would observe that such a book isn't really needed except that those who coach CEOs in training tell us that leaders have a hard time learning to lead when they don't have complete authority. If you know a hard-driving talented manager or executive who yearns for a bigger role, this book could add helpful perspective.

russell palmer comes to the topic of ultimate leadership with a very unique set of credentials. palmer was a managing partner of a top wall street firm for many years, he served as the dean of the Wharton School of Business, and he, in more recent years, has begun entrepreneurial ventures. i think, in the middle ages, we might've called him a courtier. the book that he offers us is well balanced between providing insights on management and techniques and skills sets that work or, in some cases, don't. the clarity with which he describes the sets of skills necessary for success is crystal. most of the skills he describes are not unknown to you, maybe a couple might surprise you. with his diverse career experiences, he brings unique and unequivocally brilliant insights, explained in simple terms. one of the marks of success, i feel, of any book that is read, is that it motivates the reader to aspire to higher and greater forms of leadership, whether on the corporate board of the fortune 50 corporation or the rural PTA. this is an outstanding contribution to the literature on leadership and is recommended for those who aspire to make more of themselves. i don't think that it is tremendously scholarly or erudic, good for some readers and not good for others. it is simply, eloquently, practical, informative, entertaining, and inspiring and well worth the purchase, new. be sure to actually read it and not decorate your bookcase with it. you'll be glad you did. i shared it with other members of our management team and it has been very well received.

Although Russell E. Palmer may not be as well known as some of the prominent figures in contemporary leadership such as Jack Welch, Ram Charan, or Peter Drucker, his insights are just as useful. Palmer draws heavily on his widely diverse and highly successful business experience over numerous decades to provide a thoughtful and practical leadership primer.
One of Palmer's main themes is that leaders should tailor their methodologies to fit the particular context or situation in which the leader is engaged. Thus, for example, Palmer argues that the methods that work well for the CEO of a Fortune 100 company would not be equally effective for a managing partner of a professional services firm such as a large accounting firm or an educational institution such as a president of a university.
Overall, Palmer provides an insightful and thorough examination of leadership from a variety of perspectives and various contexts.

his book is written to the business culture in America. Books with a business mindset can be helpful or pointless for the ministry context. A helpful book from business is "Good to Great" and a unhelpful book from business is "Winning" by Jack Welch. This book falls between these two examples. The book is written by a man who knows how to lead. This is a nice difference from some of the current leadership books that are written by experts in academic organization. This author is a leader who has been successful in multiple leadership contexts. Some of the situations that are discussed are not applicable for a minister in a congregation. Churches do not run like top down leadership organizations. The best chapter and the most helpful was the section on "Peer to Peer" leadership. This chapter dealt with the common situation in most congregations. It would be a great chapter for preachers and elders in the church. Peer to Peer leadership is the mode of operation in most congregations because people are volunteers. People are free to come and go as they will. The last section of the book is worth the price of the book. It talks about how to properly motivate workers, but is easily applied to motivating the servants in a congregation.

Russell E. Palmer has had a long and distinguished career. He became CEO of Touche Ross & Company (then one of the Big Eight accounting firms), served as a director on 12 NYSE listed companies, Dean of the Wharton School, and is now Chairman and CEO of his own investment firm, The Palmer Group. He has actually done much more than this, but the point is that he knows leadership from his own practical experience and from what he has seen others do in an up close and personal way. This book is not an academic exercise. Palmer also writes well, so his presentation is clear and concise. Another helpful aspect of the book is the broad list of contributors the author has sharing their insights into the topics most applicable to their experience.

No, Leadership isn't simple. If it were, it wouldn't be so rare and we would not have so many books written about it or courses offered trying to teach it. The author first offers a concise definition of leadership, while being very clear that there are many different styles of leadership. Some work better than others, but they all have similar underlying principles. These are: embodying personal integrity, context driven execution, understanding that in normal times you change what is ready to be changed and then move to the more areas of greater resistance, that leaders have to be ahead of the followers (but not so far ahead as to lose contact with them), and that the point of leadership is releasing human potential.

An executive manager who is also a leader will foster innovation, understand the goals of the followers and use those to meet the goals of the organization, and a sound leader will also possess good judgment. He or she will be personally confident and inspire confidence in followers, will know how to build a rational compensation and reward system, will be an effective communicator, embody good conduct and provide a good example to his or her company, and be a differentiator to their company's success.

The seven chapters showing how leadership needs to be executed within varying contexts are the heart of the book and make fascinating reading. Palmer demonstrates why certain styles of leadership work well in some contexts and not others. He also is able to explain why a leader who is experienced in one style of leadership has an easy or hard time transitioning to certain other contexts. For example, someone used to highly centralized command and control might not be quite as comfortable in a context requiring consensus building.

Do not think of the contexts as either good or bad. They just are and must be managed. The trick is to get the right leader and for the leader to understand the context and act effectively within it. Sure, the leader can transform the situation, but some organizations have a long persistence of culture regardless of the context of a given time period. The contexts Palmer covers are: the top down organization, an organization of peers, the organization in crisis, an organization in need of transformation, the entrepreneurial organization, the academic organization, and the role of national cultures and leading in a global environment. I found all this to be fascinating stuff.

The last two chapters discuss how leaders motivate workers to follow and do what needs to be done while building your leadership capital instead of burning through your credibility. The last chapter recapitulates the qualities of a leader in terms of what was discussed in the text.

I would think anyone interested in management or leadership in any way would want to read and learn from this very useful book.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI