Hoffman Books

Presently, I am studying Hebrew. This book gives new meaning to learning a language. I thought I could not learn b/c the alphabet is so diffeent. This book gave new meaning to the letters, language and Judaism.

After perusing several books on Kabbalah mysticism, not letting them sink-in I went from Rabbi Kushner's Book of Letters and his Book of Words to this little jewel of Hoffman's mystical entry to 22 Hebrew letters. In his ten-page Part 1, he moves through the developing Hebrew alphabet from the North Semitic tribes more than 3500 years ago, to Ezra the Jewish Scribe of the 5th Century, to the Midrash, to the Talmudic Commentary on Exodus, to the 13th Century Zophar (Book of Splendor)!

When Hoffman arrives at the Zophar he reflects on the statement that, "God looked into [the Letters] of the TORAH and created the universe." From one of the early Jewish mystics, Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia he quotes the Hebrew letters as a means to arouse tremendous intuitive capabilities: "Look at these holy letters with truth and belief...[it] will awaken the heart to thoughts of godly and prophetic images." In Abulafia's approach he suggests that, "one begin to combine letters, a few or many, reversing and rolling them around rapidly, until [one's] heart feels warm."

While teaching dysfunctional children in their teens I began making good use of the Hebrew letters such as Yud, Reish and Shin... Yud for the words 'yom' or day; names as Yoel [Joel] Yoneh [Jonah] and impulse for good and evil: yetzer hatov and yetzer hara!

Also Reish as Holy Spirit, [Ruach Ha-Kadosh]; healing [refooah] and healer [rofeh]; Shin for words as Shabbat, Shalom and simcha [joy] and shana [year]. These last ones fit beautifully with the name of one of the girls-Kashanah! Not only is Hoffman's Jewel great for metaphorical teaching, it is an avenue to reach those inquiring, inquisitive, uniquely thoughtful Minds! For them to see the beautiful pictures created by Karen Silver is a Plus!

I strongly recommend for teachers of Special Education... Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

If you are really serious about learning,this is a must have. Easy to read and above all, easy to understand.A big plus, it is enjoyable.

I have personally found this book to be spiritually enlightening. The author is obviously well versed in Kaballistic writings and philosophy. I find Mary Barker's review to be offensive and written from an uneducated point of view.

If you are looking at a fresh perspective on the Hebrew aleph-bet give this book a chance.

This book was written for people who truly do not know anything about the Hebrew alphabet. The book is tiny, the pictures of the letters are really pretty and big and shiny, and the writing is kind to the mind. Great gift idea for kids or for seekers who aren't sure if they want to be pagans or monotheists or atheists. Or for Jews to give Christians who have a lot to learn without offending them. It is a pretty gift book, not a scholary tome. Poeple have found it heart warming. The quality of the paper really is exceptional. You could frame the letters. I am a Jesus freak and have given this book as a gift and it has been loved by Jews and Christians and atheists.

Leaping Upon The Mountains takes survivors to the next step in recovery, picking up where Victims No Longer left off. One of the best way survivors can learn is by hearing the stories of others, and their strategies for recovery. Leaping Upon The Mountains offers an incredible wealth of information and lessons for survivors to take into their daily lives.

This book is a "must" for male victims of childhood sexual abuse, and for those who are partners of males who were abused as children. Most the text is a compilation of information, stories, recovery techniques, insights, etc. garnered from adult males who were sexually abused as children. If you have read Mr. Lew's first Book, VICTIMS NO LONGER, you should read this one too. Recovery from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse can, and does happen, and LEAPING UPON THE MOUNTAINS is full of encouraging messages to assist in the recovery process.

Accounts from men read like mini stories. Inspiring to actually know how they made the leap. Wonderful to know that they made it.

As a counsilor for survivors of exual abuse, I found Leaping Upon The Mountains a great follow-up to Lew's ground breaking book Victims No Longer.The clients who read it found the statements by other survivors most helpful in their own recovery.

This is much different than his first book - a collection of things that survivors in recovery have found useful or helpful in their recovery. I would recommend it as a complement to Victims no Longer.

This book filled me with hope, despair, joy, sorrow and finally, at the end, a disquieting and lingering sadness. Though not always complete in itstelling of political events, I strongly recommend this to anyone interested in learning about his Polish Jewish past. A good first look.

I give this book 5 stars. The author has rejected myths, generalizations, and prejudiced thinking to give a fascinating history of Polish Christians and Polish Jews. She is careful to give the viewpoints of both groups, beginning in the Middle Ages and continuing to the present. When she quotes a source, she reminds us that this is that person's opinion, not necessarily a universal truth. She cites to references in Polish, Yiddish, and Hebrew. She does not condemn or defend either group, and realistically argues that neither was right or wrong; some people helped each other, some people harmed each other. She gives a detailed account of the history of Poland that is not widely available in this country. The author is both Polish and Jewish, and grew up in Poland. Her ability to abjectively at her subject is convincing and admirable.

Hoffman traces the experience of Jews in pre-modern Poland, partitioned Poland, the Second Republic, WWII, and the immediate postwar period. There is a wealth of information presented in this volume, and I generally focus on matters not elaborated by the previous reviews.

After the Partitions, and particularly as the 19th century wore on, Jewish and Polish political interests increasingly diverged. Consider the situation in Russian-ruled eastern Poland: "In fact, Jewish attitudes towards tsarist rule were mixed. In contrast with the Poles, Jewish communities basically accepted the legitimacy of the Russian government, even though they may have bridled against some of its policies." (p. 117). Hoffman sees the later Litvak Jewish immigrants as not so much a force of Russification, as a significant source of pro-Russian political orientation as well as radical-left sentiment (p. 137).

By the time of the resurrection of the Polish state in 1918, the Polish-Jewish gulf had grown large. Polish Jews wanted not only civil rights, but, in contrast to western European Jews, also minority rights (p. 164). Not surprisingly, this led to overt separatism. Hoffman writes: "In Bialystok, representatives of the Jewish community proposed that the city and surrounding region should become part of Lithuania rather than Poland, because this would put Jews in a better numerical position. The suggestion was met with outrage by Polish politicians." (p. 164). During the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920, Jewish loyalties were ephemeral. Hoffman remarks: "According to the Yizkor Book, views were divided between those who sided unequivocally with the Polish cause, and others who felt that Bransk did not really belong to Poland, and therefore should not be required to supply soldiers to the Polish army." (p. 165)

Much has been said about prewar violence against Polish Jews, but little about internecine Jewish violence. Hoffman comments: "The factions quarreled, splintered, and accused each other of betrayal and Jewish anti-Semitism. Not infrequently, members of competing parties disrupted each other's meetings and got into bloody street brawls." (p. 179; see also pp. 180-181).

Most Bransk-area Jews were murdered by the Germans at Treblinka. Those Jews who managed to flee the ghettos not only faced the danger of betrayal by Poles, but also betrayal by other Jews (pp. 224-225). In fact, two of Hoffman's fugitive relatives perished as a result of a Jew who led the Germans to their hiding place (p. 6).

The small percentage of Jews saved owes to the rarity of Jews who escaped the ghettos. Furthermore, Hoffman remarks: The Yizkor Book records several instances in which Jews refused help offered to them by Poles, because they did not want to abandon the others." (p. 223).

Hoffman recognizes the fact (p. 2) that the Germans' choice of occupied Poland as the site of the death camps had nothing to do with actual or presumed Polish attitudes towards Jews. She is also open-minded to the possibility that the Kielce Pogrom had been a Soviet-staged event (p. 249).

Shtetl is an excellent work of social history, although it is also a good outline of Polish history at the political level over the 8 centuries it covers. It is well written and an easy read.

The author has a clear agenda, which is to be more balanced in her treatment of Poles than Jewish writers have usuually been and to be more balanced in her treatment of Jews than Poles have been. The book digs deeply into the sources of Polish perceptions of Jews and vice versa. It gives a deep feel for what life was like in Jewish communities in Poland. The chapter on the period between World Wars I and II is particularly good for showing the political, cultural and economic vibrancy that had come even to the rural shtetls. It must be one of the most "objective" books written about the historical relationship between Jews and Poles. A sympathetic portrait of both peoples that celebrates their virtues and describes their shortcomings as perceived by the other.

In stark contrast to Marzynski's film Shtetl, and even more so Yaffa Eliach's book, There Was Once a World, Eva Hoffman has a remarkably balanced view of the relationships between Polish Jews and Polish gentiles. She candidly informs the reader how prejudices worked both ways. Polish gentiles might look at Jews as crafty, while Jews would often display a condenscending attitude towards Christians. She also discusses the tensions created by the fact that only some Jews saw their loyalty being to Poland, whereas other Jews shifted their loyalties to whatever foreign power was ruling over Poland at the time. Of course, the Russians, following a divide at emperia policy, encouraged polarization between Polish Jews and Polish gentiles by their policies. And this became worse during WWII. Hoffman acknowledges the fact that many Jews who collaborated with the Soviet Communists against the Poles, and the inevitable anti-Semitic backlash this created. However, Hoffman is careful to point out that, contrary to the impressions created by many Holocaust films, Poles did not (with rare and individual exceptions) participate in the German Nazi-sponsored murder of Jews. In fact, the roundups of Jews in the Bransk ghetto were performed by Lithuanian and Ukrainian collaborator police forces, not Poles. And, when it comes to individual instances where Poles did betray hiding Jews to the Germans, Hoffman is also fair enough to the reader to point out the unfortunate fact that Jews also searched for and betrayed other Jews. Finally, she addresses the accusation that the mainstream Polish underground (AK) murdered Jews who hid in the forests. She notes that there were various criminally-oriented bands which roamed the countryside, and it is these, and NOT the AK, which may have been responsible for the murder of fugitive Jews, who, owing to their obvious vulnerability, were a perfect target for such crimes. However, Hoffman is apparently unaware of the fact that, according to a Soviet document, there were also "phony AK" commandos sent inside German-occupied Poland by the Soviet Union. The job of these commandos was to commit various crimes against the civilian population (including Jews) and then to create the impression that the AK was responsible for them, all as part of an overall strategy to discredit anti-Communist forces in the eyes of the population. However, all in all, despite this shortcoming, Hoffman is remarkably objective in her treatment of Polish-Jewish relations. It is sad that her work is the exception, and not the rule, in this regard.

The paintings of cloud city and the Probe droid are among my all time favorie McQuarrie works.

There are great concept pics.

And with Empire as the general concensus for "favorite movie" it stands to reason this would be among folks favorite art collections.

Of the three original Art-of Star Wars books, this is the best, for it does not include the screenplay that the other two do, and instead has useful information about the production of the film instead. The only drawback is that many of the illustrations run across the center of the page, where the binding obscures a portion of the image, but this is fairly common in softcover of this type. Recommended for fans and serious film buffs alike.

Of the three original Art-of Star Wars books, this is the best, for it does not include the screenplay that the other two do, and instead has useful information about the production of the film instead. The only drawback is that many of the illustrations run across the center of the page, where the binding obscures a portion of the image, but this is fairly common in softcover of this type. Recommended for fans and serious film buffs alike.

This book is the best in the Art Of Star Wars series, but has a few downfalls.

This book is filled with color photos, but the text that goes with the pictures hasn't improved much. A good thing about this book, is the artwork is divided up into sections: HOTH, STAR DESTROYER, ASTEROID FIELD, DAGOBAH, BESPIN, REBEL CRUISER, and at the beginning of each section is about one and a half pages of text that describes how the "section" was done for the movie.

The "features" of the book such as the technique for the Imperial Walkers and Tauntauns to make them move, was included in the paragraphs at the beginning of each section, but really was poorly written. And the evolution of Yoda wasn't even written in text at all. All it consisted of was pages of drawings that looked different.

The pictures are, as always, magnificent, and included photographs, drawings, sketches, paintings, matte paintings, and blueprints, although the blueprints are on two pages, and a portion of them disappear where the two pages meet. But the rest is great, and it is so amazing to see how real the matte paintings look!

All four and a half stars are for the great pictures, organization, and text, but the missing half star is due to the lack of text. The lack of text is the real downfall, but since the pictures are great, I don't regret getting it. Especially since this is the only ART OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK book there is.

This book is FAR superior to the other two "Art of" books in the original trilogy because it is actually an "Art of" book and NOT an illustrated screenplay. By publishing the script elsewhere (in numerous publications - the best being "The Empire Strikes Back Notebook" which had the script, commentary from Kasdan and Kershner, and tons of storyboard panels - try to get a copy), Lucasfilm wisely left room for the artwork and its accompanying explanatory text. The other two books, while providing plenty of fantastic eye candy, unfortunately tell you nothing about the artwork. It is a good sign that for Episode I, Lucasfilm has chosen to go with and improve upon the editorial model set by the "Art of Empire" book.

After I finished this book, I could not wait too read more! It was a very well written publication about one of history's most feared yet respected pirates of all time. The last 6 chapters seemed to be read in minutes as the story became more intriging by the word. This is a MUST read for any pirate fanatic!

Blackbeard is a novel of action and romance that rings true historically and will satisfy any adventure fan. In the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter and Tarzan, Hoffman has delivered a manly character whose lust for life, adventure and fortune is balanced by an equally ardent passion for love. The plot is tight and compelling, the characters well-conceived, and the fast-paced action sequences lend directly to the story. The title character, Blackbeard, is convincing and multi-dimensional. Hoffman deftly delivers a portrait of Blackbeard that satisfies expectations and surprises the reader with a clear picture of the deeply emotional, sometimes savage, but always real man behind the tall tales.

There is plenty of "villainy and murder" as promised in the title of Ms. Hoffman's riveting pirate novel, but they are only tastes of the overall sensuous feast of love and death in "Blackbeard." The author has successfully blended historical accuracy with the pirate mythos in a consistently intriguing story. Blackbeard's love interest and the subtle and thrilling erotic bond between the pirate and his lady are filled with the longing and romance found in many great adventures. Hoffman's novel follows in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter and Tarzan series, presenting a robust, manly character whose lust for action is matched by his passion for love. An exciting and satisfying read!

This is one of the best books about Colonial America I've read; especially the history of North Carolina. Margaret Hoffman molds Blackbeard into a romantic and likeable fellow. Relying on authentic documents along with some fictional accounts, she has written a very readable book about the famous pirate who, still today, is a legend along the Carolina coast. For anyone who enjoys reading about the history of the original colonies along with it's notorious characters, this is excellent reading. From Governors Eden and Spotswood to poor little Anne Hassell (Eden's "pawn"), the author has brought everyone into real life. If this is indeed her first book, as the dust jacket implies, I'm looking forward to reading her future novels.

I read this book because I was looking for an action-packed adventure
story about the greatest pirate of all time, Blackbeard. Even the
title makes the book sound exciting. However, the book was very
disappointing. Most of it centers around Blackbeard falling in love
with a local girl. The author portrays Blackbeard as a gentleman who
is really kind-hearted on the inside but happens to be in the
profession of piracy. This is an incredibly sappy romance novel with a
little bit of history thrown in for kicks. The...imagery is severely
lacking.

What a SUPERB release. This is my medicinal herbal bible; it's quite complete, very nice graphics, and is easy to understand. It sits right next to my magickal herb books and has been an invaluable reference. HIGHLY recommended.

OakRaven

David Hoffman's "The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal" is one of those rare books I keep nearby, as I'm constantly referring to it. Developed for the layman, Holistic Herbal provides sufficient overview of various herbal remedies to allow one to get their feet wet and feel competent while doing so. Part 1 of the book is a mere 16-page overview of the holistic concept - short, but if you weren't already sold on it, you wouldn't be reading the book, would you? Part 2 covers the practical aspects of herbalism, including the collection and preparation of the various herbs. This is one the areas where the work shines through, as Hoffman's descriptions and photographic accompaniments clearly and succinctly illustrate the process of making not only infusions, tinctures and decoctions, but also capsules, lozenges and suppositories. The latter part of this section also familiarizes the reader with the technical terms associated with herbalism, from abortifacients to vulneraries, in clear layman's terms. Part 3 begins the herbal itself, and its clearly expounded sections will have you referring back to it often. Each page has one to two herbs, with a photograph of the herb in question, a description of the parts used and their preparation, dosages and possible combinations with other herbs for varied therapeutic effects. Seemingly in recognition that this information could overwhelm the layman, Hoffman outlines on page 49 a home herbal medicine chest, with around 30 basic herbs as well as the (minor) equipment one will need in order to make use of them. The therapeutic index which lists the various ailments and their herbal remedies also emphasizes several herbal remedies within each category that are particularly efficacious for the ailment in question.

This work offers a satisfying introduction to herbalism for the general reader, and is enhanced by useful sections on medical terminology, when to gather herbs, useful addresses, and further reading. Medical practicioners will probably find that the book contains insufficient detail and inadequate references to other literature and experimental data.

The most useful part of this book - and the one offering the clearest exposition of the author's philosphy - is the 4th chapter entitled "Systems of the Body". This is the chapter that a reader with a specific complaint should turn to first. This includes sections on eleven bodily systems, including: the circulatory system; the lymphatic system; the respiratory system; ears, nose, throat and eyes; the reproductive system; and the digestive system.

Taking the digestive system to illustrate the author's approach, the whole section consists of 14 large pages. In the first two pages, the author explains with the help of illustrations the anatomy and function of the digestive system, and then gives general lifestyle advice on prevention of digestive disease. The next two pages are an introduction to the various kinds of herbs for the digestive system, among them bitters, hepatics, laxatives, emetics, demulcants, astringents and anti-spasmodics. The final 10-page subsection is titled "Patterns of Digestive Disease", in which Hoffmann offers his views on the nature of, and possible treatments for, problems as diverse as constipation, anorexia nervosa, mouth ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and gall-bladder inflammation. The herbs mentioned in this chapter can then be looked up in the preceding chapter, a traditional herbal which devotes half a page to each herb, mentioning the parts used; how and when to collect it; its chemical constituents; its actions; and preparation and dosage. I find half a page far too little, but combining this with the information in the rest of the book, the reader will usually find enough to suggest a possible remedy for common complaints - one that will usually require verification by a qualified practicioner.

The rest of the book includes chapters on "the holistic approach" and "practical herbalism". The latter explains how to gather herbs and make herbal preparations; the chemistry of herbs; the action of herbs; suggestions for a basic herbal medicine chest for the home; and a therapeutic index, which gives an alphabetical list of conditions with most of the potentially useful herbs.

The pictures and profiles on the herbs are a pleasure to read and look at. I would have given the book 5 stars, but there is a dearth of safety information for some herbs (e.g. comfrey, coltsfoot, lily of the valley, sassafras)which I feel is a serious omission. Someone just starting to learn about herbs may start consuming them on a regular basis before coming across the safety information elsewhere. Also, in the section on body systems, the recommended herbal recipes are accompanied by symbols which are not explained anywhere in the text (or if they are, the explanation is very well hidden because I can't find it!) Other than that, the book contains a great introduction to how the body's various systems work and also a lot of common sense advice on optimizing health (not just illness prevention). The philosophy of herbal treatment (treating the whole person as opposed to treating a symptom or a disease) is nicely discussed. Also the therapeutic index makes it easy to find herbs that you can try for specific health needs. A nice addition to the herbal library as long as you have other books that offer the safety info that this one lacks!

I own a later 2002 version of the 1996 book. Except for cover design the content has remained very much the same. That is one of the best available books on herbs and herbology. It shows the herb with a color photograph for those unfamiliar with what each herb looks like. It gives a detailed description of the herb amd exact formulas of how to use it singularly or in combination.There are other features like how to cultivate and dry the herbs and how it relates to a body system. One of the Best herb books available

While not designed to be a reference tool, the book repeatedly offered just enough information to be nearly useless. To me the title "Fast Track" assumes its a "quick start" book for beginners. While I wouldn't expect it to teach you something as simple as an if statement, it assumes a higher level of programming knowledge than is common to newbies. If you have zero knolwedge of ASP.net don't start here.

The index in the book is less than satisfying.

Explanations of many items are weak and uninformative. If your apps don't fit their molds you will have to difficulty adapting your code.

The only pros were the number of examples and the low price.

First let me say this book fully met my expectations from what I know of Wrox press and the Fast Track series. It was a big help on the little things I was hanging up on. I'm a very experienced programmer with a lot of languages under my belt, and so my biggest hurdle in learning a new technology is the "translation" of certain concepts from one platform to another. This book is good for that "I know how to do X in ASP classic...how does that fit into .NET" state of mind. It probably would help to already be familiar with C# or another OO language though...pure VBScripters may have more trouble with the syntactical elements.

My only problem with this book is the very cursory examination of custom user controls. When I started writing ASP.NET, one of the first things I wanted to do was translate my old SSI libraries into the .NET framework, and one of the best ways to do so is with custom user controls...but the book barely spent two pages on it, and what they did discuss was hardly worth mentioning to begin with.

Aside from that one gripe however, great book.

If you have some experience with server-side development such as ASP or Java Servlets, this book is a perfect fit. The authors did an excellent job in explaining the essence of this new technology with just enough information to give you a thorough understanding of all its core features. The samples are short and to the point and I liked the fact that it showed both how to handcode and what you gain if you use VS.NET. Unlike other introductions to ASP.NET this book is a very quick read. It feels a bit like a good discussion with a fellow developer who had years of ASP.NET experience. It told me what I need to know to get productive fast. Very impressive. I look forward reading more from these authors.

I've partecipated to a number of Microsoft briefing on .net the past year. The evangelists i meet where doing all to make .net impossible to understand and this made me look at .net with a certain suspect. Then i got this book and.. tadah! I've seen the light. If you understand nothing on how asp.net works this is the book for you. You'll see that there is nothing magic, nothing hidden behind ,that your knowledge of asp and ado still worth (despite the propaganda) and that .net could become a improuvement of your old style of work, not his destruction. The book covers shortly but effectively all the aspects of asp.net development. Is a great point to start from.

I purchased this book and Fast Track C# together and I was not disappointed with either book.

Pros:

The Fast Track C# book is targeted to Java and C++ developers making the transition to C# and the Fast Track ASP.Net C# Edition is targeted to ASP 3.0 programmers making the transition to ASP.Net. Even though I have limited ASP 3.0 experience, the book was easy to follow and I did not feel lost. When you have multiple authors, the difference in writing styles can sometimes be very obvious but that is not the case with Bellinaso, Gaster, and Hoffman. Their writing styles blend together. It was hard to distinguish where 1 author finished up and another started. Each chapter in this book builts upon the knowledge of the previous chapters. If you have some ASP and/or .Net skills you might want to skip the 1st (What is ASP.Net?) chapter. The authors show the results of the source code. If you do the examples, you can compare your results to the authors. A lot of books show you the source code but never show you the results. How can you know if you are doing it right, if you do not have the results to compare it with? Wrox recommends that this book or the "Beginning ASP.Net using C#" be followed with more advanced or specialized books. This book will give the basic skills to successfully write ASP.Net using C#. I would follow Wrox's advice and supplement this book with more advanced books. This is an excellent starting book and will get you up to speed with ASP.Net using C# in a hurry! I highly recommend this book.

Cons:

If you use a highligher, it may "bleed" through several pages before or after the page that you highlighted. This really makes a messy book. Did anyone else experience this?

This is a nice book for beginning readers. It has a simple story, lots of rhymes and beautiful pictures. My 4 year old likes trying to read the story and my 2 year old loves listening and looking at the pictures.

this is a super book for learning to read. my 3 year old loves it. the story is cute, the rhyming is fun and the pictures are great too. definitely a great way to introduce reading to toddlers.

My son enjoyed this book. Its great for beginners. Gives them nice breaks with the pictures. My son is 3 years old and wanted to learn how to read. I recommend this book and The Bob Books for the beginners.

K. Platt
Fishers, IN

I thought this book would be great but I was wrong. It has about six sentences in the whole book. Almost all of them are: The fox ____ on the box. The filler words are jumped, played, sat, ate, etc. The word "ate" is a sight word so they don't even sound it out. A reader that can read words with ed at the end are too far along to be reading a book with all the other words being the same on every page. A beginning reader will not know the ed ending and if you tell them then they know the whole book since it's almost the same on every page. This book is lame. Check out my much better review of BOB books. I reviewed set 3.

If you're using a reading program such as Hooked on Phonics, I would say skip this series. Most reading programs have sufficient books of this caliber for your child. If you're not using a program, this is a helpful book to work with new readers.

The shipping was remarkably fast!! It is a text for a class so it isn't something I am thrilled about reading, but it is a good book if you are looking for something for medical ethics.

arirved as described good shape and on time

This book is a great guide. There is a lot of material to cover and the book does a great job in explaining and giving examples. There is a lot of reading so be prepared.

the information is overwhelming.....this is my first Philosophy book and I am amazed at all the information that is in this book.....wonderful scenarios to discuss in class......makes you look at things from the other side of the fence.....only drawback....takes forever to read.....this book is not for the speed-reader.....

I am a professor who teaches Bioethics, primarily to college nursing students. I have used many textbooks over the years and have reviewed dozens. I have used Munson's text for the last 3 years. This particular edition is his strongest yet. Potential readers should be aware that Munson takes an encylopedic approach to the field. Each chapter includes a focus case, additional cases, ethical analysis, survey of the context, and a selection of articles written by bioethicists that cover a variety of opionions on the issue. This approach has both its strengths and its drawbacks. On the positive side, Munson's text is an excellent resource for faculty who wish to reduce the course to a single text. There is very little need to supplement the text in any way.

But the encylopedic approach has its drawbacks. First, each chapter is very long and slow to read. I have found resistance from students to read entire chapters. The next time I use the text I will direct the students to particular sections within the chapters. Second, and more problematic, the text is rather undeveloped in its moral theory. Munson confines his explict moral reasoning to a specific section in each chapter, often devoting no more than a short paragraph to each school of thought. In addition, Munson only rarely takes a position on these issues himself. Without a central guiding moral vision or approach, students are often left bewildered and perplexed about what to think of these issues themselves.

In the end, I believe that the strengths of Munson's text outweigh its shortcomings, though professors who are considering this volume should be aware that they will need to do a lot of focusing of class discussions.

After reading Meeting Excellence I do believe I will be able to get more out of meetings both as a facilitator and as a participant. Chapters such as the one on creating an Action Agenda are very helpful.

Other parts of the book were less relevant to general meeting excellence, such as the chapter on integrating a new team member. I also wished more detail was provided, as sometimes the short chapters read almost like the Cliff's Notes on Meeting Excellence rather than the book itself.

Finally, I can save you the trouble of reading chapter 24: "Serious Fun at Team Meetings?" The answer is, "No."

Parker and Hoffman's newest book, Meeting Excellence is a first-class, practical guide to preparing and conducting meetings. It is a well-organized work that will have high utility for any meeting facilitator.

The book's chapters are heavily cross-referenced and loaded with well researched and proven tips, techniques and templates for setting up, running and evaluating meetings.

Of particular interest in today's complex world are chapters titled, Communicating in a Videoconference, Teleconference Tips, and Achieving Clear Communications in a Multicultural Meeting. They are short, clear and to the point.

Expert facilitators may be particularly interested in two of the entries in the Resources section: What Would You Do? Problem Scenarios for Meeting Facilitators, and Your Final Exam. The latter is a set of 25 multiple choice questions. Instead of the standard answer set you would expect to find at the end of such a quiz, the authors provide answer "clues" that cleverly loop the reader back to relevant chapters.

Even as an experienced facilitator, I found myself underlining and flagging page after page. I've copied check lists and reminders to take with me into important meetings. I keep it close at hand and refer to it often when prepping for my next meeting. Well worth the price and the time it takes to read this book.

Parker and Hoffman have a written a very needed book. It is a book that everyone who leads meetings or group discussions should keep on their desks. The book provides us with the needed tools to understand and lead effective group discussions. Parker and Hoffman not only tell us what to do but how to do it. Though only recently purcahsed i have already found myself thumbing through the book on several occassions looking for and finding the guidance i have needed. Of particular assistance has been their chapter three on How to Prepare an Action Agenda. Do not let anyone borrow this book it is not likely to be returned.

Meeting Excellence is an extremely useful book. As its sub title suggests, Parker &Hoffman have consciously chosen to give their readers a toolkit versus a tome. They're smart for going that route and have, in my view, done a terrific job. Few organizations make meeting facilitation a priority - hence we don't see many meeting leaders getting very good at it. But for those who have the self awareness and the self interest for improving their productivity, this book is a must read. What's useful is that the book is written in an extremely readable style and organized in a format that works well for the novice meeting leader as well as the pro. They cover the landscape from ice-breakers to ensuring post meeting effective action and include vital tips on handling the land mines associated with tele/video-conference meetings as well. They even have a fun, short piece on integrating food into the meeting leading strategy. And although committed to the micro- toolkit approach, Parker &Hoffman are smart in recognizing that there's also a big picture to this challenge and have included a brief but excellent Fast Company article called: The Seven Sins of Deadly Meetings. It helps the reader frame the challenge and puts the toolkit in a helpful context. All in all Parker and Hoffman have made an excellent contribution to the noble and worthy cause of making our meetings less deadly and less sinful.

Hoffman and Parker have produced a high quality piece of work by coming up with pragmatic, clear and practical book on effective meeting management. This easy to read and use book is among the best on the market on meeting design, facilitation and management.

After reading this book, the reader will realize that meetings need not be just a nuisance and total waste of time and resources, but can be a very effective tool for the success of an organization if it is effectively managed.

All in all, the authors have offered solid and timely advice to help managers ensure that meetings presentations are professional and effective, everyone participates in the discussion, conflicts are effectively resolved, the meeting is kept lively, there is focus on achieving meeting goals and managers can choose among several internet based meeting tools, among other benefits. A very useful book that is well worth reading.