Lawrence Books

This is an excellent, excellent series, and I highly reccomend it to anyone who is writing a thesis that includeds scenes from daily life in the past. I wrote my thesis on the idiom, "THe Pen is Mightier Than the Sword: Con Side" and this book was a great way for me to quickly and easily find refrences and examples.

This book is a life-saver.

In 1812 And All That: A Concise History Of Music From 30,000 BC To The Millennium, classical music composer, conductor, and musician Lawrence Leonard takes a fascinating, unique, irreverent, funny and strangely informative survey of music history. He examines such off-beat and entertaining questions as to why Glinka's "Russian & Ludmilla Overture" is suitable for boiling eggs, and why Mozart's overture to "The Magic Flute" is not; how Haydn's wife influenced the development of the sonata form; the position held by the camel in Italian opera; and why Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" is so loud; and much, much more! 1812 And All That is enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone who ever sat in an audience or performed upon a stage!

I had the opportunity to see the Naked People Play in Baltimore and it was a treat. The writing jumps out at you and it's thought provoking. Great piece to do for the small budget theater or College environment.

The 2nd Language of Leadership is an informative and highly readable book that will be a great resource for professionals, students, persons in managment from many fields. It captures the reader's interest in the beginning with a short story entitled the "popcorn chronicals". This story draws the reader into a leadership conflict seen through the eyes of two persons who hold different values, and who exhibit different leadership styles. The bulk of the book shares research on the "big 5 personality factors" and their relationship to leadership. Examples of key leaders in business and politics bring the descriptions to life for the reader. A key issue throughout this book involves the notion that each person will have areas of relative strength and weakness related to the big five. They suggest that our capacity for leadership is related to our ability to know both our strengths and weaknesses. Areas that come naturally to us are described as the "first language" of leadership. When we find a leadership niche that fits with our innate personality strengths we will be more likely to succeed. However, long term success is thought to require that we operate beyond our narrow area of strengths. The authors debunk the myth that one personality is the "ideal" personality for leadership. They convey the importance of adopting an attitude of acceptance and learning to augment areas, which they entitle "the second language" of leadership (i.e., areas of leadership that don't come as quickly). They describe the relative merits of 4 views on leadership (the power view, the transformational view, the paradigm shift view, and the social view) that follow from one's personality profile. This book offers an empirically-based guide to preparing for leadership positions. This book will be a very informative and helpful resource especially for those entering a leadership role or trying to enhance their skills in an existing leadership role.

Rarely does a book come along that creates a profound, lasting impression on the reader. While I am not a self-help enthusiast, certain recent events in my life left me feeling dejected and low on self confidence. It was a happy accident when I found this book at a friend's house.

Mr. Preston treats self-confidence not just as a state of mind, but as a skill that can be shaped and increased. While his tips are concise and easy to implement, his writing style is very congenial, at no point do I feel that I am being talked down to. He brings a unique perspective to approaching your confidence, such as self-assertiveness, good listening skills, setting goals; actions not commonly associated with building self-esteem. More than just a self-help book, Mr. Preston has written a manual for life, that is both accessible and memorable.

The book will work best as a gift for any young person about to enter college or a professional career. I heavily recommend it.

As a success coach myself, I often like to seek out new ideas & learn innovative approaches from other success coaches, either in person through social conversations or from published works or by attending related conferences.

I am very glad to have come across this very well written book, which embodied the author's '365-ways-to-be-your Life-Coach' program for personal & professional growth.

I am also very impressed by the author's expressed willingness to share his innovative ideas as well as his professional philosophy:

"I believe the best coach for you is you & I aim to give free rein to you. This book will show you exactly what you need to do to turn yourself into your own life coach..."

The author & his book do not disappoint me. Personally, I find it very refreshing to read about other success coaches' thoughts/experiences. Frankly, I even picked out some good ideas from him.

For the layman, I dare to say that the 365 priceless ideas, exercises & skills to learn from & apply are really worth the price of the book. I must warn though that this book is not just for reading alone, you got to work hard with it: read it once, jot down some notes in a journal, answer some or all the questions asked in the book, ponder & reflect on your own experience, & review your progress.

The author's writing is straight-talk. Clear, concise & easy to understand, too.

My only 'complaint' is that the author should have incorporated some cartoons between pages to break the melanchony of reading a extremely text-heavy book. In fact, on the front page, he had one simple but appropriate line-drawn cartoon to start off.

Other than that, I have thoroughly enjoyed perusing the book very much. I will give it a rating of 5.

Lots of "new" ideas about achieving success have come and gone in recent years. In this clutter of cheesy, get-rich-quick stuff, where are the real insights, the ones with staying power?

50 Secrets of Becoming a Millionaire is a treasure trove tucked into a paperback. It's a book that feeds the Golden Twins of Success: step-by-step know-how and inspired motivation. It's addictive! A must read that lifts your heart and mind! I've read it three times, and it never fails to shake me up.

50 Secrets defines the practical methods that have made individuals rich for centuries. Methods that never go out of style. Insights that would have been just as true in ancient Rome as they are in modern America. Each chapter illustrates its principle with an inspiring story from the life of a self-made millionaire.

For example, Chapter 17's story of John H. Johnson, the black founder of Ebony magazine, was stunning. Penniless, lacking higher education, living in a 1940s world of discrimination and disinterest, if ever there was a man who succeeded against overwhelming odds, it was John H.Johnson. You¹ll read his story and say, "Good Lord, if I have half the determination of this man, nothing can keep me from my goals."

This book is eye opening. No one can fail to profit from it. It¹s the book you wish you'd read when you were 18. BUY IT! Keep it with you, read a chapter whenever, then apply the ideas and the energy that day.

This inspiring book tells an awesome story of someone's trek across the Sahara. Leaves you spellbound, and amazed, very good book!

Loved this book. Very inspiring and good tips on how to loosen up and allow more creativity in painting. He was a wonderful painter.

This book has many excellent illustrations of how to use spreadsheet software to solve business and economics problems. The book includes a lot of info about Lotus 1-2-3 and some info about Excel.