Morgan Books

This in-depth look into transaction processing provides a wonderful place to start when considering implementation in your application(s). Cover-to-cover, this is an EXTREMELY easy read and doesn't try to be "fancy" or use complicated wording as many other books on the topic do.

Before reading any other transaction books or jumping into API document, this is a MUST MUST MUST MUST read. When developing an application that has transaction support, this is wonderful as a reference in order to include data in presentations, summaries, position papers, internal documentation, etc.

No only will this benefit a general developer, but also benefit people not in the development environment. This allows for clarification of communication between departments without going into API-specific implementation details.

This book is excelent for who want to deep his knowledge in TP. Is very practical with many examples and tips. Funthermore include examples of of transacctions for commercials TP like a MTS (COM + today), Tuxedo, CICS, etc.
Is a book very very recommendable.
bye.

The title of this review is a quote from the book and it summarizes it very nicely. Indeed, the book provides a great deal of information in such a small volume, but many of the things that would have been nice to have are missing and many are just skimmed over.

The best chapters of the book explain in very simple words the principles of transaction logging (along with recovery from a failure), two-phase locking and two-phase commit.

The chapter on transactional communications is not as thorough as the just mentioned ones and pays most attention to transactional message queueing rather than synchronous RPC and peer-to-peer. On top of that, message queues are just transactional, period. No attention is paid to the message queues specifics.

The chapter on transaction processing monitors considers only the three-tier environment with presentation, workflow and transaction tiers.

Other problems ?

The whole chapter with an overview of the existing transaction processing software was useless. You see, product Foo has features A and B, and product Bar has features C and D, so what ? As you read it, certain architecture similarities show through, but it's up to you to analyze it, the book gives no cross-product comparison, no analysis, just a list of acronyms.

Samples in Cobol (duh !) or tangled C-like code. The pictures are less than perfect.

But the biggest problem to me was certainly the lack of real-life information. Specifically, I would better be interested in interaction between transactional and non-transactional systems. An acknowledgement of databases and message queues being the only transactional systems (or not) and the implications of that. Two-phase commit in heterogeneous environment. And so on.

A great introductory book.

Transaction processing is a daunting topic, and this is one of the few books that provides the basics in a clear, understandable manner without overwhelming the reader. Most of the book is focused solely on transaction processing, but it touches on queuing as well, which makes it the ideal first book for anyone who is seeking details that extend beyond pure TP.

I like the way that the authors use real products to reinforce key points made throughout the book. While some of the products are no longer mainstream (indeed, some were never mainstream), the fact that real world implementations are used makes the information realistic. If you are using CICS, MQSeries, Tuxedo or similar products this book will have even more value. I also like the way difficult topics, such as locking, high availability and database recovery are given entire chapters because these topics need to be thoroughly understood in order to completely understand transaction processing.

After reading this book you will be armed with sufficient knowledge to make intelligent choices in selecting the right approach for transaction processing in a system design, or to understand the nuts and bolts of any TPM that you are supporting. I also agree with Cem Kaner's earlier comments that this book is an ideal resource for software test professionals who need to understand the entire environment that they will be testing. If you want to go deeper into TP, I recommend "Transactional Information Systems: Theory, Algorithms, and the Practice of Concurrency Control" by Gerhard Weikum and Gottfried Vossen, which drills much further down into the details of both transaction processing and queuing systems.

This book was written in 1997 which is often considered ancient in "Internet-years" but it is still very relevant because it focuses on fundamental principles of transaction processing (TP) rather than the latest whiz-bang technologies that optimize TP.

For those of you who aren't TP experts, a transaction is a computer operation that meets the ACID test. ACID here stands for:

Atomic - the steps that comprise transaction succeed or fail as one, there is no partial success.

Consistent - the internal data structures of the system(s) remain consistent with business rules.

Isolated - the data read or manipulated by the transaction is not altered during the duration of the transaction's execution.

Durable - the results of the transaction are persisted

Why does this matter to the system user or stakeholder? The canonical example is that of the ATM machine (or the "handy bank" if you're Australian). When you withdrawl money from an ATM, it has to go out and validate you have enough funds to meet the withdrawl, reserve those funds, and dispense cash - all within the same transaction. If the ATM failed after your bank account had been debited but before you'd gotten your money, you'd be very upset; conversely if the cash was dispensed but the debit procedure failed, the bank would be very upset. Ted provides very amusing analogy for this using a wedding ceremony but you can read that in his book.

There's a whole lot more to transaction processing beyond ACID and the ATM example, including two-phase commit (TPC), high-availability, massive concurrency, and crash recovery. To find out about all of these topics, read the book. One thing to remember though is that most application developers will never have to deal with the extremely complex details of providing a working and robust transaction management implementation, but like any technology it's important to understand the technology's fundamental principles and mechanics to effectively use it.

The book itself is extremely dense. The content of the book is "only" 324 pages long but covers a large amount of ground in a good amount of detail. Definitely read in a quiet place free of interruptions with a strong cup of coffee.

One shortcoming of the book is that it was written in 1997 so it doesn't cover TP implementations in Java (e.g. JTA, EJBs, etc.) but it was nice to finally find out what the heck IBM's CICS and IMS products are.

Interestingly enough, I have never had to deal with complex transaction processing (i.e. two-phase commit) in my short IBM career. This is probably because I've worked on business-to-consumer (B2C) applications where only one data source is involved rather than a business-to-business system where multiple data sources are involved. I'll have to ask the B2B guys if they get heavy into two-phase commit or if it's not an issue.

The reason I read this book is because I've always been a bit mystified by Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs). When I joined IBM, I knew the word, but I was not familiar with such topics as object-relational persistence, object remoting, and transaction processing, so to me EJBs were simply things that took four classes/interfaces to do what I could do in one simple POJO. Ted Neward, in a very interesting web interview on the Serverside.com mentioned that he used to think EJBs were completely worthless, but during the process of writing Effective Enterprise Java came to realize that they were not worthless but rather over-marketed. He said that they should have been called Transactional JavaBeans rather than Enterprise JavaBeans because transactions are what EJBs did very well. So, hearing this from Ted I decided to read a book on fundamentals of transaction processing, so that I could understand EJBs better. Now that I've read all about TP principles, I pick Richard Monson-Haefel's book again, and all of a sudden EJBs start to make a lot more sense.

This is a very good and enjoyable book to read, i enjoyed it very much and i would tell my friends to read it. Im glad its on fiction and not non-fiction, i would not like the way it went or the way it turned out. I am looking forward to reading his next book. I hope its very good like his first one. Thanks Mr Bradford Morgan,keep up the good work . Sincerely your;s JoannCleary.Booki01

The book has some good ideas on what not to do in an emergency! It could prepare a family for a major catastrophy. Well researched and written!

The author has dealt with a different and controversial topic in this action-packed, page-turning thriller. The story grabs the reader from the beginning and takes you through a nightmare of the worst kind..right up to the surprising twist on the last page. Bradford Morgan has an extraordinary talent and I highly recommend this novel.

When i first heard about this book, I was a bit apprehensive...thought the author was jumping on the bandwagon. Boy was I wrong! Everything you imagine about Y2K happens and how the characters deal with it is extraordinary. The political aspects of the book rate right up there with anything I have read by Ludlum. The characters are so believable, I think I may know some of them. I have been a fan of Stephen Hunter and David Morrell, but after reading this book I will havwe to move Bradford Morgan to the top of the list. I can't wait for the author's next book. If you are looking for a book that you think about long after you have finished, this is the book for you.

Two credible stories woven into one complex and gripping novel. If you love to hate the current administration in Washington DC, you'll be captivated by the explanation that Morgan has laid out for the President's behavior. In the other Washington, a prudent family gets swept into the chaos of a Y2K stricken nation. Most exciting drama I've read in years!

Every sales person will agree that keeping sales contact information updated and organized is the key to success in business. The tools provided in this book have helped me to use Act effectively and efficiently. Since I started using Act I can't live without it!!

The 101 Sales Action Tool book not only serves as my "How To" manual but is a complete "Action Plan"
I refered it to a Community College teacher who now uses it for preparation in his "Act 6.0" class.
In the past year I have opened new business worth over $5,000,000,as a result of tips from Brad Sandy, and his book 101 Tools in Act! This is a good reason for me to suggest that you purchase it.
Brad has an easy way to show how to use Act.

After reading all of the wonderful reviews of this book I bought a copy. Unfortunately, when I compare the price paid for the book with the value I received, I have to conclude that the publisher got the better end of the deal. This book is more than a users guide, but only a little bit more. My recommendation is to get a book on Act from the library, and save your money.

Using the book put me in touch with Brad Sandy and his website 800sell.com. I have especially appreciated his recommendation of Norton Utilities. My computers are running better than ever thanks to its problem solving abilities. Brad help me to better organize my database, and I have found his book very helpful in seeing the big picture with ACT. I respect his sales style and appreciate our relationship.

I am an ACT! Certified Consultant so I am strong in my technical skills and upon the first read felt this was just another rehash on the user guide or other How-To books on ACT! Was I ever wrong!

When I picked up the book the second time I began digging deeper into the strategic concepts Brad covers (especially in chapter 3), then the ideas began to flow. I have not only implemented many of these items internally, I now recommend this book as a "must read" for all of my clients.

If you just need to know how to schedule an activity, or do a simple lookup, read the user guide, if you need to synchronize with remote users, call an ACC (ACT! Certified Consultant), if you want help developing a strategy for getting more from ACT! and yourself, buy this book, read this book and use these ideas!

This is the most helpful and comprehensive book on how to market a book. I learned so much from Penny and recommend her book to all my writing students who are seeking publication. These days the author is responsible for marketing her book and it is worthwhile to know what you are doing in order to get the most from your publicity dollars.

I've marked, highlighted and dog-earred this book and I continually come back to it as a reference manual as I am publicizing my book RIGHT TO RECOVER: Winning the Political and Religious Wars Over Stem Cell Research in America. With the advice in this book I was able to put together a marketing plan for pre-publication that my publisher is very pleased with.

Yvonne Perry
yvonneperry.net

From Book to Bestseller by Penny Sansevieri is the book you need if you intend to self publish and also if you are published by a major publisher. The author, who has seven other titles to her credit, is an expert in how to promote yourself and your book on Television, radio, book signings and other ways. She discusses the secrets of writing books that sell, creating unique marketing campaigns, budgeting, and more. This is THE book that authors need! Excellent!

This book solved my problem. It empowered me.

I have started, built and run several successful industry-specific brick & mortar and internet businesses. I knew I had a story to tell with my first book project. Indeed, the book was picked up by a very reputable New York publisher pretty quickly.

My problem was, what road to take next. I could find bits and pieces of marketing information here and there, but no map. I was anxious and uncomfortable outside my knowledge base... That was, until my publisher gave me a copy of Penny's book to read!

From Book to Bestseller is a complete roadmap. It guides you through the valleys of despair into the world of public relations and marketing in easy-to-understand steps. It will empower you too.

Janyce

I admit, most of the contents of _From Book to Bestseller_ were not new to me because I've already read other books on marketing for self-publishers, which contained much of the same advice. I found this book to be rather breezy and fluffy in comparison. I also admit that I'm an editor as well as an author, and this book is in need of editorial work. To get my pet peeves out of the way, it's time for the copyeditor and layout artist to discover:

* Curved quotation marks
* That reviewers will not respect a publisher who calls an ARC an " advanced" reading copy (it should be "advance")
* A better use of white space in the layout--especially, using less of it
* And, that certain tips don't have to be repeated in multiple chapters, because this is a book, not a series of independently published reports

Having gotten all that off my chest: _From Book to Bestseller_ consists of a series of very short, bite-sized chapters, like little reports. Its real strength is its advice on radio and TV appearances, rather than on some other and often very successful marketing methods. There is little information on mailings to consumers, bookstores, and libraries; on the mechanics of writing catalog copy, ad copy, and press releases; or on the use of wholesalers and distributors.

This book makes little attempt to discuss the comparative values of different marketing methods, or on how to analyze whether a given method is working for your particular book. Because an infinite amount of time and money can be spent on marketing, but much of it will not bring results for a given book, this is a significant weakness. _From Book to Bestseller_ sometimes implies that just "getting exposure" automatically sells books. That is not in fact the case.

For example, there is an upbeat chapter on starting a syndicated column. A syndicated column can be a useful revenue stream for a professional journalist. But since it takes substantial time and effort to not only get syndication, but to write column after column after column, it's an exceedingly time-consuming way to just publicize a book. An author can hardly mention his or her book in every column. It is much easier, and just as effective, to do a one-time press release mailing to journalists already writing columns.

I would recommend _From Book to Bestseller_ only to authors and self-publishers who want to market their books primarily through TV, radio, and personal appearances--and who have already done research to determine whether these very time-consuming methods are likely to market their particular book well.

From Book to Bestseller is the full meal, from appetizer to dessert, on the art of marketing a book. Penny Sansevieri has written the definitive guide to the process of self promotion. If she does not cover it, you don't need to know it.

With so many books being published every day (statistic used in the book is 195,000 a year) it is up to the author to find a way to make his book standout from the rest. It is especially true for authors that so not have paid media specialists working for them. This resource guide gives both debut and experienced authors the tools and information to be able to get the word out about their books. The lay out of the book is conducive to easily accessing and processing the information. Large type lets the reader focus on understanding the suggestions, well thought out, complete chapters and sections form a logical progression through all the different stages of promotion. It is extremely thorough in addressing the many facets of book marketing from creating a successful media and press kits, It includes the addresses and contact names for many for radio stations, associated press, reviewers, and tv (even Oprah). Web addresses that cover a wide assortment of needs are also listed throughout the book and under Helpful Web Sites.

Her hints include such interesting information as the best time of year to pitch an idea, the best time of the week to have your book arrive at the reviewer's office and why mass emails are not a good idea. it is the strength of the book that it does cover such ideas that most authors will not have considered. It is truly specialized knowledge. For the simple cost of a book authors receive in depth information they can only get from a professional in the business of marketing and self promotion. Not a bad deal at all.

Although this book was written with authors as the target audience it could also be helpful for anyone beginning to market a new product or or even a new business. Sansevieri has an insiders knowledge about the business of promotion that can be translated into PR for authors or entrepreneurs.

(It is ironic that, with all her expertise, Ms Sanseviei would get her book to a review site she does not include in her book. Oh well- we can assume she will rectify that and add Front Street Reviews in future editions.)

This book should be considered required reading for anyone designing and developing sites.

Most of the websites online do not follow the practices outlined in this book and would be better off if they did.

The book is filled with clear examples and shows bad content and then the ways to improve it.

Great book!

From the moment I started reading this well-constructed, excellently researched book, I couldn't put it down and wanted to know more. The pages are reader-friendly, and lots of good examples make all the author's advice come to life on the page. "Letting Go of the Words" clarifies so many gray areas of writing for the web. I highly recommend this book to anyone who ever has to write anything that will appear on the web, and also to designers who are responsble for setting up websites. Once you read this book, you won't be able to look at any website in the same way again.

This is one of the best books you can buy if you creating a website, looking for ideas on how to make your site better or just need simple easy to implement ideas. Ginny has created an easy way to focus on your "audience" make any site practicle with simple solutions. Tips and trick that any one can do without functionality. This is a best value!

This book is an absolute must read for anyone who develops websites. Ginny Redish provides great examples of web pages and how the visitor is affected by the arrangement of the content. I love the way she presents a website user and allows you to "think" like a visitor.

I'm a big fan of technical communication texts. This book is exceptional, and stands apart from others in many ways:

- Many technical communication texts repeat the same rote guidelines. Although this book does not ignore the "classic" rules (e.g., "Write in inverted pyramid style"; "Use space effectively"), many of the rules are unexpected or even contrarian (e.g., "Use a sans-serif font"; "Long lists are o.k. for familiar items"). All rules are backed by examples that demonstrate their effectiveness.
- The book provides clear examples of real-world Web content, including many "before" and "after" images that demonstrate the book's principles.
- The production of the book is excellent. The color printing and rich layout help to make the book attractive and approachable.

Although the focus of this book is Web communication, the rules, principles, and guidelines are relevant to any form of written communication. The number of examples and diversity of the book's guidelines make this an ideal text for technical communicators and Web content developers of all levels of experience and proficiency.

Michele Morgan in her book, A Magical Course in Tarot, ISBN: 0-7394-2475-0, sets off to teach others how to read the tarot in an intuitive manner.

The book is broken down into three distinct parts:

Part One - Flesh and Bone basically covers the basics of tarot history, how to acquire the 'right' deck, how to do readings, and gives symbological associations.

Part Two - Heart and Soul covers meanings and possible interpretations of all 78 cards broken down by Arcana and then suit.

Part Three - Heaven and Earth covers the aspects of using tarot as a spiritual device and how to find a reliable psychic plus a little more filler.

I have to say, I was completely let down by this book....it is very basic and very cursory in the depth of information provided. Everything covered is pretty common sense and I found the writing style while easy to read a bit sophmoric.

I would recommend this book for novices and people interested in dabbling in the tarot, but this would be of little use to intermediate and advanced readers.

I'm glad I bought my copy used at a very good price, not something I would pay full price for.

Though this book provides a refreshing perspective on the interpretation of the tarot (no more little white booklets with keywords!), I found it rather bland and predictable. It certainly has a joyful tone and inspiring message, but the intuition is much more complicated and unreliable than implied in this book. Though I don't doubt Ms. Morgan's sincerity, it seemed like something written to appeal to the New Age mass market and not much more.

If you have even a passing acquaintance with intuited divination, this book will not present you with any new information. If you are interested in a more serious and detailed look at tarot interpretation, try the works of Rachel Pollack.

I have been a professional Tarot reader for over sixteen years, and it is rare for me to read books on Tarot. While perusing a page on Amazon of Tarot books, I came across this one and felt instantly drawn to its title. When I received the book and started reading, I found myself enchanted from the first sentence. Ms. Morgan is an excellent writer, presenting her thoughts in a lovely and endearing way. But what I took away from this book was an even deeper appreciation of the power of intuition in Tarot reading and the truly sacred knowledge that the cards can highlight for us. Ms. Morgan's little book re-ignited in me the excitement for Tarot that I haven't felt since I first acquired a deck of cards ages ago. This book can definitely be read and used by anyone interested in Tarot, whether a seasoned practitioner or an absolute beginner. Thank you, Ms. Morgan, for this wonderful book!

I learned tarot from this book, and I think its a great beginner's book. I recommend it to my friends who are interested in learning tarot, or even already know it and are looking for fresh perspectives on it.

For 15 years Tarot was an absolute mystery to me, until somebody told me to stop reading books about tarot and start reading the cards. Michele Morgan is doing exactly the same, and lets me wish I would have read this book 15 years ago. With each step the author not simply how to begin reading the tarot with your own intuition, but also why her advices work. If I had only one sentence to explain this book, this one would it be: Michele Morgan changes every mystic dogma into true fairy magic!

With over 50 contributing Experts to this book you can't go wrong.

There is so much to be learned it is incredible.

Each leason is short and easy to read. You could take each leason in the book and apply it immediately with out any added cost.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing over 30 of the authors from The Masters of Sales book and if you would like the mp3 audio's for free Register at [...] and under the referred by section put MastersOfSales and we will email you the links to download the MP3's

Thanks Ivan and Don for such a Masterful Book.

Masters of Sales. Secrets from top sales professionals that will transform you into a world class salesman. Ivan R. Misner & Don Morgan. 2007. ISBN 1599181290. This book needs to be on every sales persons shelf beside the phone. Its been quite a while since I have found so many great sales ideas form so many to notch sales people in one volume. There is knowledge here that will benefit newbies right through to old sales dogs. Of course if you are content to not be among the top 10 % of producers among sales people who also are the most voracious readers, then you lose nothing by ignoring this book. Your loss is your competitors gain. Buy it, read it, use the advice and read it again. Yes I liked this book. Its everything that Google library says it is below:

Sold! The magic word. The holy grail. Why are some salespeople remarkably successful, while others make call after call with no results? How do some turn any no into a yes, while others can't even get their foot in the door? For the first time, more than 80 of the most successful salespeople in the world have come together to reveal their secrets to success. You'll learn what makes these outstanding sellers true masters of their craft-and how you can adapt the masters' tactics for your own. Learn Martha Stewart's secrets to promoting yourself as an expert. Discover the 11 key questions to ask from Harvey McKay. Get Anthony Parinello's advice on selling to CEOs. Be trained in guerrilla tactics for direct selling from Jay Conrad Levinson. Find out Brian Tracy's secrets on the psychology of selling. Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success.

Ivan R. Misner and Don Morgan have co-authored several books, including Masters of Success as well as this one in which 73 "masters of sales" share their secrets. What soon became obvious to me as I worked my way through this book is that I was exploring a paradox: peak performers in sales share much in common (persistence, rigorous preparation, a positive mental attitude, sharp focus, a high energy level, people skills, a thick skin, etc.) and yet each possesses a unique "something" that cannot be duplicated, or even quantified with any precision. Bill George calls it a person's "true north, the internal compass that guides you as a human being at your deepest level. It is your orienting point - your fixed point in a spinning world - that helps you stay on track as a leader. Your True North is based on what is most important to you in terms of your most cherished values, your passions and motivations, the sources of satisfaction in your life. Just as a compass points toward a magnetic field, your True North pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership."

The subtitle of this book at least implies that by learning various secrets from top sales professionals, the reader will be transformed into "a world class salesperson." That is, of course, nonsense and Misner and Morgan presumably know better. What their book offers, rather, is a rare opportunity to share insights from dozens of successful people, conveniently assembled within in a single source and presented sequentially in eleven chapters, each of which assigned a central theme. For example, "The Master of Sales Attitude: Aligning Your Inner Self with Your Outside Personal Image" in the first chapter and "Closing the Customer: It's in the WOW Factor" in the final chapter.

Most of the contributors were unfamiliar to me but I greatly appreciate what they shared. Of course, Misner and Morgan include essays by "the usual suspects" such as Jay Conrad Levinson, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins, and Harvey Mackay. There are at least two reasons why all of them are generally considered "super stars" in sales: first, they sell lots of their own stuff (i.e. books, CDs and DVDs, seminars and workshops); also, they have successfully trained thousands of others (who bought their stuff) to sell whatever their respective companies offer. But again I wish to stress that Zig Ziglar, for example, does not clone himself. His objective is to inform but also to ignite those with whom he has contact, directly in person or indirectly via his books and tapes. He urges those in sales to master basic skills, of course, but constantly stresses the importance of formulating or adopting strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their own needs and interests. In "Sales 101: What Every Sales Professional Needs to Know" (Pages 15-19), Ziglar makes several basic points of indisputable validity - citing ten highly desirable habits that he has found to be "extremely useful" in all aspects of his life -- but this advice will be of little (if any value) unless and until another person grasps, indeed embraces its meaning and significance, then applies effectively what she or he has learned from Ziglar. The same is true of advice offered by other successful men and women who, like those who contributed to this book, share the lessons they have learned, especially from their failures.

My guess (only a guess) is that this book will be of greatest value if the Contents section is checked out first so that each reader can then determine which themes - and which selections clustered with each theme - are of greatest interest. (Caveat: It would be a mistake to ignore contributions by those who are unfamiliar.) I presume to suggest that there are three basic questions that each person in sales must be well-prepared to answer when in contact with a prospective buyer. The first two pose no significant challenges (or at least shouldn't) but success or failure almost always depends on the response to the third. Here they are:

Explicit: Who are you?
Implicit: Are you honest? Do you know what you're talking about? Have you made an effort to understand my business? Will you protect my best interests? Are you and your organization reliable? Can I trust you?

Explicit: What do you do?
Implicit: Which specific products and services do you offer that I need? Can you answer my questions? Can you help solve my problems? Will you "go the extra mile" when that is necessary?

Explicit: Why should I care?
Implicit: What differentiates you from other sales people? What differentiates your products and services from what competitors offer? What unique value-added benefits do you offer? Will doing business with you strengthen my own customer relationships?

Credit Misner and Morton with carefully selecting and then brilliantly presenting a wealth of material that can help to answer both explicit and implicit questions such as these.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Masters of Success also co-edited by Misner and Morgan as well as two books by Tom Butler-Bowdon: 50 Success Classics and 50 Self-Help Classics.

This book reinforces what you've been told over and over again - selling is about relationships and you must work to be good at it. Throughout this book however, are basic principles that should be reinforced and refreshed. Especially take note of page 239. Role playing is a no-brainer when preparing for any presentation, but how often do we do it with the client who we've already sold? This book truly has light bulb moments!

It's been said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. Perhaps if would be fitting to amend this to include the fact that sales are an absolute certainty in this life. Who has not dreaded the purchase of a vehicle or trip to a retail store where a hoard of salespeople surround you looking to score the latest commission? A closer look at "sales," however, indicates it is a fitting filter to understand many vocations.

Isn't the minister actually a salesperson who is intent upon moving his parishioners ever closer to a "close?" What of the school teacher who daily sells the student on the need for an education so that they can live their dreams? Of course, those who actually sell goods are what are stereotypically imagined by the term sales.

Everyone can benefit from the refreshing book, Masters of Sales, a work full of practical ideas born out of the actual practice of modern "master sellers." The work is skillfully divided into short vignettes grouped under a common theme, such as: The Buyer's Perspective. Those who sell on a day-to-day basis will be inspired by sales legends: Zig Ziglar, Martha Stewart and Brian Tracy, just to name a few of the 73 who have corroborated on this work.

The vignette that resonated the most deeply with me was the one supplied by Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame. He elaborates how he and co-creator Mark Victor Hansen sought the advice of Ron Scolastico and utilized his Rule of 5. Every day, ask yourself, "What five things can I do that will move me closer to my goal that will make a quantum leap for my career?" Then do them. If everyone read and then put this vignette into play - the very nature of industry would be changed in a few months.

If your career even peripherally involves sales, then you would love this book. If I purchased only one book in 2007 - this book would be it, hands down. I inhaled this book and look forward to more books in this series.

Armchair Interviews says: Super book about sales that should be on your bookshelf.

Word cannot begin to say how insightful this author is. And still speaking to us many years after his death.

Once again Andrew Murray gives excellent counsel for spiritual growth. Every believer needs help along the way and Absolute Surrender is a great tool to use as a springboard. The message is meaty and to be taken in with the intent of life transformation! As Jesus lived His life in absolute surrender to Father God, so must we, and this book points the way!

THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOK I HAVE EVER FOUND OTHER THAN Andrew Murray,THE POWER OF Intercession. I suggest the whole world would Understand the Bible A whole lot clearer if they just read Andrew Murray Books. What A wonderful Evnagelist he was.

This book was truly insightful and should be used as a tool to assist all who strives to improve their Christian walk.

Right up there near Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presence of God" (free online at the Practice Gods Presence web site) are the wonderful works of Andrew Murray. "Absolute Surrender" is a classic in every sense.

These gifted children of God have a way of restating, enlivening, and magnifying the very words of Our Lord and do greatly glorify Our Father.

I will be starting school this fall, and found this book to be a great introduction. It is easy to read, and the highlights and charts made memorization easy. It was easier to read then Baby Barash, as a beginner.

I have to agree with the other 5 star writers. Pound for pound (makes a difference in your backpack) this book is hard to beat. I find it more complete than Secrets of Anesthesia, and more user friendly than Miller. If you want to learn 100 ways to not do something, and read conflicting studies then go for Miller, otherwise "M & M" is king. Besides, I challenge anyone to bring Barash or Miller into the OR with them for a quick reference...

I used the third edition of this book for my writtens and orals. I am fellowed in cardiothoracic anesthesia, and boarded in pain medicine. It is more than comprehensive enough for everday practice, and it is more than enough to get you through the written boards, and will certainly help with the orals. Miller, Barash (is there an etc to these two choices?) are much more comprehensive, but they are highly dependent upon the writers of each chapter: while some are great reading, others ramble on incessantly about studies which show effects on giant squid axons, or how 3-74% of rats will react when their tails are clamped. And who can forget the effects of isoflurane on the livers of salamanders? Morgan-Mikhail is put together logically, it is highly readable, and it is extremely affordable, and while it won't give you every answer, it's a good start.

It is a good basic book that covers the essentilas very clearly in not too long chapters. It is a good entry level book for doctors during their first year of residence in anesthesia.
Also for the doctor that needs to update his knowledge.

My personal experience and the reason for buying the book was that I after 5 years i neuroanesthesia needed an update prior to a period as an anesthesiologist in a not specialised department. In this way the book served its purpose well.

This would be an optimal choice for most medical students with a special interest in anasthesia as well as for anaesthesia residents. It's extremely well-written, neither too detailed nor too simple. The authors write with authority, which is a good thing.

If I had to say something negative about this book, it would be the lack of colourful illustrations (this refers to edition elder to the 2005 edition). But then again, one knows what to expect when buying a Lange medical book. Still, this is a minor drawback, and means nothing in my eyes. I highly recommend this book!

"Lean" with Allen "Pooney" Richards as he jumps into the gang life; struggle with him as he tries to maintain a double life of school and sports as a young man and the gang life as a Crip. You will grow with Mr. Richards as he realizes the life he has chosen may put him and his family in harms way and decides to make a turn on the right path. Rochan's story is unique in the way the content is handled, gangs are often a staple in some novels, but never before has it been explored in this way. The plot and action was steady throughout, the characters were well-developed and distinct, the only thing more I could ask for is maybe a bit of history on some of the characters.

1. What did you like best about this book?
I liked how the author addressed an issue that is very prevalent amongst youth. Although a bad situation the author showed that redemption is possible if you want it.

2. What did you dislike about this book?
There wasn't anything I disliked about the book.

3. How can the author improve this book?
The author could give the reader some more insight into the characters with a little more back information.

Okay so let me tell you this book is about a boy named Allen a.k.a. Pooney he just joined the Deuce-Nine Crips and he's loving it at first. He thought he had it all money,respect,power, and lets not forget about the women, but then one of the highest ranking members starts taking a liking into Pooneys little sister Sheila and let me tell you shes only 13 years old Pooneys love for "the family" starts to crumble and he wants out, but it's much harder to get out of this gang then it is to get in so what is Pooney to do

Regina Richards knows how hard it is being a young adult in such a corrupt world. Her kids father have been locked down for years and he will not see the light of day on the outside again. Regina knows that her young son Pooney will need the structure of a strong man to make it in an increasingly violent world. Hopefully, someone else doesn't decide to take the stand for the father Pooney once had.

Sheila knows that one day her lies of trying to hide Pooney's ways are going to catch up to her. She loves her older brother and fully understands that he is caught up in something that is hard to get out of. If she is trying to watch out for Pooney, who is watching out for her?

Pooney loves the life of money, cars and respect. His fifteen year old mentality ensures him that the "street life" is more important than being a good student, a responsible son and a helpful older brother. After reaching great levels in the notorious street gang, Deuce-Nine Crips, Pooney realizes that it is not all fun and games.

Gangsta Lean takes you from the heart of a young man to the bold streets of Galveston, Texas. There are pages that will make you laugh, cry must mostly understand. You understand how hard it is to raise two children as a single parent and also to raise a teenage son. You also begin to see that peer pressure and the streets are easily something that we call could fall victims to. Great story for all to read.

I loved this book.....I liked how the main character Pookey wasnt like the other street guys that are portraied in other books.....the author didnt try to make him seem like he was a normal street hustler....and was doin the things that he did since he was 9 years old as others are seemed to be in other street novels........it showed how a normal young male got into the wrong things and making the wrong decisions......the author Rochan Morgan made him like a regular teenager.......I liked how he was a virgin in the beggining of the book unlike other books make the teenage guys have sex with every girl that pops up in the book........I loved the relationship between him and Taye and loved how it came about....he didnt step to her she stepped to him......regardless of her dangerous ex Lil Arthur.......this book had me in tears at the end......everybody should read this book.....I cant wait til Rochan Morgan releases his next book

Allen Richards aka "Pooney" was just a 15 year old trying to fit in. A proud new member of the Deuce Nine Crips, Pooney is faced with the seemingly easy street life. As naive as Pooney was he knew it was time to call it quits when his gang leader, Mo is building a relationship with his sister. But how can he just quit? It's Deuce Nine 4 life--right? With a tough predicament at hand how can Allen do whats right?
This book has it all. Action,love,suspense,gangs and murder. It showed all the characteristics of the street life. The book was outstanding. If you haven't read this yet you should jump it up in your to read list. Trust me, you wont be dissappointed.