J Books

I'd highly recommend this book for people who already know something about Catholicism, but need a bit more depth in order to understand why Catholics believe what they do. I have used it as a resource for people who are Catholic but it has been a long time since they have had catechesis, or for non-Catholic Christians who want to understand more about Catholicism.

It may be a bit too detailed for someone just beginning the Inquiry or RCIA process unless they want a thorough resource book, but in this case I would definitely pair it with a simplified copy of the Catechism.

It makes a great gift book too!

My seminarian friend recommended it to me. At times Opus Dei can be too black-and-white with no gray in between, but this book is still a wonderful way to connect all of Catholicism. I go to Mass regularly and have gone to a Catholic HS, but I still didn't feel like I knew my faith. This book was able to show me how we do know a lot about our faith, but we just have a problem making sense of what we know. Also, his analogies are brilliant. I use them constantly in explaining Catholicism to others.

This is required reading for the Catholic, literally as many catechism classes require it. It is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith in general. It is full of useful information laid out in an informative and well written manner. It is easy to find information and questions. That being said it is also very dry, but its hard to make a book like this a page turner.

I've owned this book now for about 3 years and have read it through all the way, once. I've gone back to sections for refresher information, many, many times. What I like the most about this book is, if you do not have the capacity (time, or stamina) to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) all the way through - this is an excellent way to get "more than the basics" of what is in the CCC in a very clear, concise manner.

From the very first page (just like all catechisms of the Catholic church) it starts with the three fundamental questions. Who made me? Who is God? Why did God make me? Just that first page will have you hooked and you will not want to put it down. I constantly recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 because it is that clear in it's method of explaining the faith. I do not believe this book is for anyone looking for a "dumbed down" version of the faith, and by that I do not mean there is anything wrong with the book written by Fr. Tregilio called "Catholicism for Dummies." Quiet the contrary, these two books are just for different types of readers.

Another interesting observation on this book is the different kind of people that love it. I have met such different personalities and ages of people (13 to 79) who love this book that I think that fact is also a recommendation of the book.

Read it, it's good for answering all your questions AND will untangle any misconceptions you have developed along the way, or just remind you of what you may have forgotten.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book.

I use this text frequently for inquirers into the Catholic Faith. Every one says it is witten in a very interesting style. Many can't put it down once begun. Well written and faithful to Catholic Church teaching.

This book is a must-have for new fathers.

It highlights the social, mental and emotional evolution of what it is like becoming a father which most anyone can relate to. The black and white pictures are incredibly tasteful and expressive.

I was transported to a higher level of consciousness as I viewed the exquisite photographs of fathers and their children, and read the tender, hopeful and caring words that accompany them. This book will not only lift your heart, it will inspire and encourage fathers to express their love and tenderness for their children in ways that fathers of past generations were often unable to do. I hope that many fathers (and mothers too!) of the current generation of children will enjoy this book and identify with the wonderful fathers who participated in its creation. We all need to celebrate and encourage good, loving parenting whenever we see it, and this book presents us with a perfect opportunity to do that.

This book deserves all of its rave reviews. In addition, it's a terrific teacher of portrait photography. I know that I have tried for years to take pictures of loved ones that could show even half of what I was feeling toward my subjects.

So how does he do it? Smith's portraits of beautiful dads and their delicious babies succeed magnificently for a variety of reasons. He uses light and shadow to make a point: for balance and harmony. If a dad's face is partially obscured in darkness, the beaning grim on his baby's face assures the viewer of the dad's (unseen-by-us) big smile.

Where a muscled fatherly arm is in view, there is the pudgy softness of the baby's arm. One feels the strength of dad, the vulnerability of baby, and is thrilled with the photo. Torsos, either trim or pudgy, are nearly always balanced and complemented by one another. A dad holds a baby in one hand, and the solidity of the dad's legs - and the calm face of the baby - assure us that the child is safe.

Another thing I loved about this book is that it reveals mature bodies - not for their conventional "perfectness," but as vessels of love and (in the dads' cases) protection. It's about bodies, but is never voyeuristic.

But it is the faces which are so arresting. Study this book, not only for its message of love, hope, and caring - but for the great advice it offers on how to begin to take much better, if not downright successful, pictures!

I found the photographs of fathers with their babies touched my heart. As a mother, I know how DEEPLY I feel for my two children. This book allowed me to see that men, too, are profoundly touched and forever changed when their child is born. I enjoyed reading each father's short narrative about how they cried, felt joy, enriched their relationships with the child's mother, and that they'd rather stay at home with their family than go out with "the guys". A GREAT Father's Day gift or Father-to-be gift!

when i saw the book cover, i immediately thought the book would be a great father's day gift for my daughter to give my husband. when the book arrived, i was surprised to see that on each page, there was a naked dad with a naked baby. i found it to be a little distasteful, and i was frustrated that nowhere in the amazon book description was it mentioned that the book contained nude dad/baby pictures. while some might find the book fascinating and sweet, i wish i'd had more information on the book before purchasing it. if i had, i wouldn't have bought it.

This book provides an insightful look into food, nutrition and health from a more holistic perspective. A modern expanded approach to the age old theory "you are what you eat". A must have for health conscious individuals.

This was one of the most informative books I have ever read! Easy to read and understand. It makes total sense and is easy to follow the advice given. Worth every penny and MORE! Thank You Corinne!

Feed Your Need is an excellent book for anyone who wishes to improve their health, and offers particularly useful information for diabetics. Some of the information seems to be the opposite of what we are told by many mainstream "experts". However, I was able to lower my blood sugar levels significantly by following some of the suggestions in this book. Although I still need to take an oral medication to control my diabetes( changes take time to implement and old habits die hard!) this book has made a big difference in my life.

A book well-worth reading! "Feed your Need" is a very readable book which opened my eyes to how food choices affect the physical body. Applying just a few of the suggestions has made me feel more energetic and healthy. For anyone wanting to understand WHY you should eat or not eat certain foods this book is invaluable.

Recently I am trying to be health concious and thank god I found this book by accident-actually I was looking for the food cure related books..I started to read the book and could not stop before I finished. Unlike the other sources in the market, this book explains what to do with your life/health in a easy to read way and understandable. It changes the way you look at the life and you will start to be observant about your life without realising. you should read and see the changes in your life. I strongly recommend you to give it a chance if you have any doubts. you will be thankful!!!!

You can't help but love reading this book aloud to your little one! The rhymes, illustrations, and humor can't be beat. And there's something irresistible about "Fix it Duck!" My two year old always reaches for this book and when we get to a job for "Fix it Duck", he pumps his fist emphatically while singing "Fix it Duck!". I highly recommend this book, as well as Duck's other board book - Duck in a Truck.

This is a great book especially when you started with Duck in the Truck. Very cute story and great illustrations. Lots of detail in the illustrations that are fun to pick out.

What a wonderful story this is....poor Fix-It-Duck only wants to help and he keeps making things worse and worse. A delightful bedtime story you will enjoy again and again.

It's okay, the story is fine. But compared to Duck in the Truck this one is just okay.

that we bought it and donated it to our local library to share with other kids. I have 3 children ranging in ages from 3 - 8 and we all LOVE DUCK!!

I picked up this book because I realized that I knew next to nothing about the human genome--one of the most significant scientific accomplishments of the century. Shreeve's explanation of what it is and why it matters while describing the dramatic intellectual, technical and commercial competition between the academic community and private venture capitalists--most notably Craig Ventor-- is spellbinding. The most painless way to familiarize yourself with recent human genome research. An outstandiing read.

You don't need to be a scientist to be captivated by this book. This is a riveting story of the intersection of vision, ego, politics and the battle between commercial interests and publicly funded efforts to do nothing less than lay the foundation for the technology that will likely define this century.

This is not a dry chronicle of the scientific methods, technological and computational breakthroughs that made this great accomplishment possible. Rather, Shreeve manages to guide the layman through the intricacies of all of the above, while never loosing site of the more interesting story of the personalities and interactions among the key players in this story. There are lessons here for anyone - integrity, vision, politics, business, perception and the law of unintended consequences.

The best book I've read this year.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the future of science, medicine, and technology. Though I have been intrigued with the human genome project and the mapping of other life forms, I had never understood the process or knew the key players in the epic search to do so. James Shreeves' masterful account of this landmark achievement brings the complex and compelling venture into sharp focus. His narrative includes not only colorful and insightful quotes from those involved on all levels, but also offers cogent explanations of the technical and scientific issues in breakthrough biological data-processing that will eventually change all our lives.

Firstly, I haven't even finished this book at the time of my writing this review, but I could no longer wait to comment on it.

The distinguished feature of this book is its style of writing. It is incredibly simple and straight forward, without any unncessary twist of language or logic. Although this is a depiction of the whole story behind the Human Genome Project, it reads like an epic tale of a breathtaking journey.

James Shreeve gives a close account of all the events that led up to sequencing of human genome, including politics, science, business, legal matters and personal relations. What's more, is that a lay reader who understands nothing about gene or molecular biology can learn a whole lot of things he didn't know before. While the book is not technical in biological and other scientific explanations, it is sufficient to explain to the lay reader about genes, their importance as well as their pharamaceutical value.

This book, like other reviewers have mentioned, is truly hard to put down. Highly recommended to everyone!!

I could not put this book down. This is an engrossingly written glimpse into the people, politics and science of the Human Genome project(s). Extraordinarily well done. Uplifting.
Exciting. At times depressing. Full of real people at war with real problems and real results.

I have a tendency to be too wordy in my writing, so to learn more focus and control, I have been studying (and writing) haiku. The Haiku Handbook has been an engaging resource for me in those efforts. Each of the book's five sections contains a wealth of ideas and information that both challenges and inspires:

Part One: Haiku Old and New [A great introduction to the experience of haiku and to Japanese Masters. The "Why Haiku" is helpful in clarifying one's purpose for writing such brief poetry.]

Part Two: The Art of Haiku [Natural themes, the form and craft of haiku; this is the section that I like best, and I repeatedly refer back to these pages. I especially enjoy how the author discusses the difference in Japanese and English languages.]

Part Three: Teaching Haiku [How to teach haiku writing to children, lesson plan included]

Part Four: Before and Beyond Haiku [Haiku and its uses]

Reference Section [With Season-Word List & Glossary]

Overall, this is a worthy product for anyone who wishes to delve into haiku more deeply than the introduction that most Westerners receive.

I love this book, as a matter of fact I love it so much I purchased two. One for my desk and one for my purse. Great info for Haiku writers.

The perfect volume for fans and writers of haiku. Indispensable.

Blyth's Haiku Seasons books and Higginson's guide to reading and writing "haiku" in English are two of the necessary books to begin to understand what haiku is all about. I have a difficult time with the idea that a tiny poem written in any of the Romance languages--esp. English-- could be called a "haiku," even though the author might include season words and even the 5/7/5 syllable count. I would much rather call them epigrams, because they simply cannot give you the effect of a Japanese haiku. Anyone who argues otherwise is simply fooling themselves, and you. Given all of that, however, Blyth and Higginson are good books to have on the shelf. Blyth, I believe, is the better writer/translator and his sense of chronology and history is stronger. In addition he gives hundreds of translated gems to admire from Basho, Issa, Buson, and others. He also doesn't try to convince you that haiku can be written in English. Higginson is the warmer writer and his generosity to the reader is apparent from the beginning, so practioners will find him perhaps more useful than Blyth in a practical sense. I disagree with Higginson's history of English language "haiku"--there are some important people he simply leaves out, but he more than makes up for the omissions in other chapters. Both writers impart an enthusiasm for the subject to their readers. If you're building a haiku library and would like a great start, Blyth's four volume set and Higginson's Haiku Handbook are the way to go.

There are very few books on how to write in any idiom. This book explains the hows and whys of haiku. What it takes to get started and to continue to write. I have found this useful in my writing that is not associated with haiku or poetry. This book is a lot of fun to read, and is not stuffy and boring as text books are. It will serve all writers well.

This book was mindblowing to read. The ideas presented in this book feel like logic that should be taught in schools, but sadly its not.

I dare you to read this book and disagree with its philosophy.

First of all, I'll concede that it's tough to find someone who argues better for libertarianism in practical, understandable terms than Mary Ruark. Moreover, her book's a very simple read and paints vivid examples of what a libertarian world *might* look like.

But this brings me to my first minor critique. Ruark provides examples of the way a free nation might run, but she elaborates on them in such detail that one begins to get the impression that she's arguing for the examples themselves. When she discusses a system of free-market private schooling, she describes the schools she envisions in intricate detail, and they don't remotely resemble what I think schooling in a libertarian country would look like. Now - Presuming I weren't a libertarian and even slightly objected to the school system she describes, I might simply reject all her ideas based on my objections to her illustrations of them.

Secondly, I just disagree with Ruark's anarcho-capitalistic version of libertarianism. I really am - as some libertarians would say - myopic enough to believe that we need government to provide public goods (I'm talking about the real ones like defense, police protection, and criminal justice). And call me a statist, but I think we'd have to fund these government activities with taxes. Of some kind. Somehow. Of the unvoluntary sort. With - yes - government force to ensure compliance.

Otherwise, though, this book should make an interesting read for libertarians and non.

I love this book. Really.

Dr. Ruwart's political philosophy's foundation is about non-aggression. This is nothing new in the libertarian creed, and the difference is that instead of concentrating on arguments of property rights, she really drives home with the non-aggression principle. She avers that by using aggression (i.e. force) to solve our problems, we end up only worsening our lives. We create a world of zero-sum games instead of a system that respects individual choices so long as they do not harm our person or property.

What also makes this book a pleasure to read is that it its tone is very friendly and accommodating. Many people (rightly) expect books on political philosophy to be badgering or aggressively written, so I like that Dr. Ruwart ditched the popular approach. Plus, her compassionate way of writing makes it difficult to call her a bloodthirsty free-market fan -- she does care about matters like helping the poor and making healthcare accessible.

Every issue she looks at shows the failures of aggression (i.e. government) to be effective, and conversely non-aggression (i.e. voluntary, private cooperation) has been more successful. Healthcare intervention? It's aggression, and it's bad for our health (and our wallet). The Federal Reserve? Central banking is aggression that monopolizes the money supply and creates the "boom & bust" cycle. The public school system? It might be obvious that the Department of Education doesn't actually educate anyone, but the whole setup is aggressive too, and children suffer because of it.

The principle of non-aggression is also applied to pollution, crime & punishment, the FDA, gun ownership, and -- the one especially important these days -- foreign policy. Non-aggression wins every time, and very few issues go untouched.

A cool touch to Dr. Ruwart's book is that she puts tons of great, great quotes in the margins, which work wonderfully with the topic at hand. One of my favorites comes from the first chapter (about the basis of non-aggression): "...we are living in a sick Society filled with people who would not directly steal from their neighbor but who are willing to demand that the government do it for them," says William L. Comer. That's classic! There's a lot of great ones, many of which I didn't recognize.

Please, read this book. This is a world where governments keep getting bigger, and that will always mean more aggression as the State invades more aspects of our lives. Know what's scary? In Chapter 19, "The Communist Threat Is All In Our Minds", Ruwart shows that the United States has implemented eight of ten policies The Communist Manifesto declared necessary for a transition into socialism. Darn. So, getting the word out on liberty is always a good thing. Please see Scott Ryan's excellent review of this book too.

There are two books I recommend as introductions to libertarian thought. One of them is Murray Rothbard's _For A New Liberty_. This is the other.

Dr. Mary Ruwart's _Healing Our World_ is in some ways a better general introduction suitable for a broader audience, in large measure because it appeals to the better nature of everybody from conservative Christians to hippie mystics: she really _does_ mean, and quite rightly, that libertarian principles are the means for healing our world. Her essential point is that, _whatever_ our goals and beliefs, we can best serve them by honoring our neighbors' choices so long as they aren't threatening our lives or property. For when we do so, everybody wins; my gains aren't your losses, and there really is a common good at which we can both aim.

Moreover, Ruwart carefully and compassionately explains why the libertarian approach is a better way to bring about the (entirely legitimate) goals of the more modern sort of liberal: for example, improving the quality and availability of medical care (including alternative medicines), reducing pollution, saving the environment, and so forth. Readers of, say, the Objectivist/Randian literature might come away with the impression that concern for the well-being of persons other than oneself (let alone the "environment"!) is just incompatible with libertarianism. Ruwart argues that in fact libertarianism offers not only the best way to _promote_ such concern but the only viable way to put it into practice. (On this ground alone, there are probably lots of _libertarians_ who could profit from a close reading of Ruwart's book just to pick up its tone and tenor. Her example of tolerant understanding could lead more "brittle" thinkers to enter empathically into values that haven't exactly been common among libertarians.)

Lurking in the background of Ruwart's exposition is her clear sense of the "market" as simply voluntary human interaction within a framework of obligatory respect for others' well-being. This view should appeal even to readers who don't care for the term "market"; it might, for example, be attractive to various sorts of communitarian and others who worry about the reduction of social life to economic exchange. The essential point is that human society, community, is an organic network of interacting centers of voluntary activity, not a bureaucratic order that imposes mechanical top-down rules via statute or regulatory agency -- and that trying to turn it from the former into the latter is just a fancy way to destroy it.

Ruwart's outlook should delight everybody from Calvinists to Hayekians to Taoists. And there has never been a time at which it's been more important to get the word out on liberty. Get this book at once and pass out copies to your friends; Ruwart's libertarianism has something to say to people of every political and/or religious persuasion or none.

By the way, you can pre-read it online if you know where to look. Amazon doesn't permit URLs in reviews, but write me if you want to know.

Well, maybe just the young idealistic legislators. The career legislators will probably pooh pooh the idea that we might be alright making our own decisions.

Hideaway is the story of Parris and Martin. They meet back up years later after Parris's ex husband threats pulled them apart. The love affair between Parris and Martin is one you don't want to meet.

The way that Parris and Martin meet is so electrifying because upon meeting one another he saves her life when her ex-husband tries to kill her. He then takes her into his home and takes care of her while she is recovering(he even brings a surgeon to his house to repair her jaw). They end up falling in love and she is forced to leave him just when she finds out that she is pregnant with his child. After years of living without her, he finally decides to look for her and finds out that they have a beautiful little girl together. Rochelle Alers portrays Martin as such a concerned father, he panics when he finds out Regina (their daughter) is sick. After trials and tribulations through their marriage, he finds out that she is pregnant again and hasn't told him about this baby. This is just the first novel in the Hideaway series.

Hideaway is the story of Parris and Martin. They meet back up years later after Parris's ex husband threats pulled them apart. The love affair between Parris and Martin is one you don't want to meet.

Parris meets the intriguing Martin Cole and overnight her life changes forever. After an abusive first marriage can Parris trust Martin with her heart. When seems to be going great for the couple tragedy darkens their path and Parris is forced to live in secret and withhold a piece of her heart from the man she truly loves.
Can Parris and Martin finally be together and who is after Parris? Is it her ex-husband or someone even more threatening.

This is the first introduction to the Cole dynasty. Catch a quick peek at two interesting characters Joshua Kirkland and Matthew Sterling.

Once you read this you will have to read the rest of the series.

"Hideaway", what a great book!! I thoroughly enjoyed the romance, the intrigue, the mystery. Martin Cole was one determined man. He knew who he wanted and went after her. Martin did not stop when first given the cold shoulder by Parris. Luckily for Parris, he did not! Martin was Parris' lifesaver. But to Martin, Parris was his heart, his soul, his everything. Martin was willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary in order to win Parris and her love. Throughout their story, Martin indeed was Parris' backbone. He was there when she needed him.

Parris was a cool, intelligent woman who not only captured Martin's heart, but she had his soul as well. Parris was given the blunt end of the deal. Through no fault of hers, she had to suffer the lost of a loved one for many needless years. However, true love can outlast any stumbling blocks as shown by Martin's and Parris'story.

"Hideaway" will not leave you bored. In fact, it was a fast read and every page makes you want to learn what happens next.

"Hideaway" is the beginning of a new series by Ms. Alers. One I look forward to reading. Well, this is all for this one. I will continue the review in "Hidden Agenda" and "Vows", as well as the others.

Thanks, Ms. Alers for some great and exciting reading.

I am stunned! Never have I read a book that has so much wisdom for the home and family, and I've read a bunch. Our society has slipped so far from nurturing and caring for each other in the home and this should be a must-read for anyone wanting or planning to be married. Although it is faith-based, it chock-full of everyday reasoning and insight that everyone can understand. If you're looking for clarity into the roles of the people who live in your home and how everyone can live up to their potential, this is the one to read.

The material covered in this book is worthwhile and useful. It is, however, written in 19th century linguistic style which can, and for the most part is, difficult to slog through.

This book is not really a book about "homemaking" in the sense of housekeeping. This is a deeply lovely book about what the experience of living in a happy home should be like. This book was written years ago, when people still had the idea that the home and the people in it should be a haven for each other, and a beacon to those in the world. This is a book that calls husbands and wives, siblings, sons and daughters, to a higher vision of a home. It reminds that all are part of this goal.

This is not just a book for moms, though, despite the picture on the cover. One of the most intimate nights my newlywed husband and I have experienced was when I read aloud to him the chapter on Husbands. Just thinking about how we can love each other better and the deep responsibility that is was very meaningful for us.

I highly recommend this book -- the language alone is lovely to read. The style of the book is peaceful and lyrical. This is not a typical self-help book; this is a peaceful, worshipful book.

A MUST for newlyweds, or anyone who wants to be intentional and biblical about their marriage and family life.

I am very much in love with this beautiful work. Many of the passages left me in tears. A call to arms for all Christians. My huband and I decided to give this book as wedding and baby shower gifts from now on. Stirring and well writen...read it, read it again, and again.

I think this book would be great for Newly Married couples. Dont let the girly looking cover fool you. Its packed full of examples on how to treat others. In the intro it said "the aim is to mark out duties and responsibilities of each member of the household..." I really enjoyed it and will have my children read it too.

I received the book in fine condition in a timely way.
Outstanding!

This book comes recommended by Margaret Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World which in turn inspired Robert Buckman, CEO of Buckman Labs, to write Building a Knowledge-Driven Organization. These two books, and two others, Clayton M. Christensen & Michael E. Raynor, The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business (Collins Business Essentials) and Steve Denning's The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations (KMCI Press) combine with this one by Don Maruska to offer a perfect small library for any person desiring to advance "collective intelligence" and "smart teams."

Some may consider the book simplistic, but I do not. It has just the right amount of text and white space, and its organization as well as its points are compelling.

When the author itemizing the obstacles to cooperation and information sharing: battling egos, conflicting styles, lack of commitment and follow-though, office politics, knee-jerk actions, seemingly irreconciliable differences, an atmosphere of defeatism (or a culture of unfounded arrogance), and a legacy of distrust, he is talking about the $70 billion a year U.S. Intelligence Community that I am so familiar with, and he is probably also talking about the Department of Homeland Security, every local, state, and national organization associated with the catastrophic failure to cope with Hurricane Katrina, and just about any corporation or other organization out there.

His ten easy steps merit listing here, not to rob the book of its punch, but to emphasize that each chapter on each of these steps is hugely sensible, implementable, and profitable: 1( enlist everyone including secretaries and maintenance folks; 2) discover shared hopes rather than differing problems; 3) uncover the real issues; 4) identify all options (in ignored foreign opinion, the US foregos most really implementable options); 5) gather the right information, and all of it; 6) get everything on the table; 7) write down choices; 8) map the solutions; 9) look ahead; and 10) stay charged up.

These are NOT as simple as they sound, nor are they easily implementable without an understanding of the context and the methods that the author lays out in his coherent, concise, and comprehensible manner.

His emphasis on full information, and exploring all the options ("look at the whole tree, not just the limb you are on" all resonate when one thinks about how badly the US has screwed up the so-called "Global War on Terror." First we cut taxes, gutted the Treasury, installed political cronies in key organizations that in turn drove out all the experts long ready for retirement; then we alienated all our allies, provided special tax deductions on gas guzzlers, and invaded Iraq under false pretenses. Now we are creating more terrorists every day than we are able to kill in a year.

For a specific sense of how pathetic our national-security decision making is, see my review of David J. Rothkopf's Running The World: the Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power In New Orleans we had a mayor that left town ahead of the crowd; a governor in denial; a head of FEMA with no clue; and a President on vacation not to be bothered. Not a single one of these have any idea how to actually do reality-based decision-making, or even how to guide a sound inclusive non-ideological decision dialog (not a debate, which the author stresses over and over will destroy the ability to be open-minded).

America is facing some very serious challenges at all levels, from family, neighborhood, and schoolhouse, to statehouse and White House. This book is much more serious than The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and much more likely--when read with the other books I mention above--to help serious people arrive at serious decisions.

EDIT of 12 Dec 07: See the books below for evidence that neither the Executive nor Congress practice decision-making in the public interest:
Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency
The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11
A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies
Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq
The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track (Institutions of American Democracy)
Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It
Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders
Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches

"Don Maruska has provided an excellent blueprint for decision-making success. His book, How Great Decisions Get Made, is an indispensible tool for anyone involved in leadership, in both the public and private sectors. I have had the good fortune to watch Don use these principles firsthand, and I marvel at how he has translated his 10 easy steps into a clear, straightforward guide. This book is one that is destined to be pulled off my shelf for guidance, time and time again." Dr. Steven M. Ladd, Superintendent of Schools.

Don Maruska is a genius. His 10 Steps to reaching agreement are a simple process that any group or organization should use to deal with complex issues. This simple system removes ego from the decision making process and avoids the "me too' speeched that drag out a meeting, polarize the participants and add nothing to resolution of the issues. Don's system enables the group to reach quality agreements quickly and harmoniously.

I think Don's work is one of the most useful "life affirming tools" I have encountered in my 35 year career. It is useful not only in business, but also in family life with spouse and children. I highly recommend his book and methodology to all who want to simplify their life but also be responsible for their actions. I loved it!