N Books

Don't we all wish we could go home again and make it work? Beautiful book and one of my all time favorites.

This is my first book by Barbara Samuels, but I do plan on reading more of her work. The book tells a heart warming tale about love, loss and family that touched my emotions on more than one level. The charactars were brought to life on the pages and the town of Pueblo, with all its traditions, a place you would want to plan to visit and stay awhile. I would highly recommend it!

Now that I've read and thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful book, I find myself missing these characters - that's how real they are. It's a familiar story told with truth, wisdom, humor and insight. As a mother, and author of a book for mothers, NEW PSALMS FOR NEW MOMS: A KEEPSAKE JOURNAL, I especially appreciated the touching moments between Jewel and her son, Shane. My sons are also boy-men, and I know the tug at your heart that happens daily as you watch them preparing to take flight. This is a book I'll recommend to friends. Like Jewel's pies, it's a tasty treat!

I loved this book. It's not often a novel makes me cry, with this one I couldn' t stop crying, but laughing too.

Jewel the heroine has such a wry way of looking at the world that we can identify with her easily, yet she is full of love and does her best to cope like everyone else with some horrendous circumstances. Hers is compelling first-person narrative and the talented author gives her a very strong voice, part comedian part earth goddess, all woman.

Every character is a little jewel that sparkles, and the hunky heartthrob Malachi is even to melt your bones. The love secnes are wonderful--only wish there had been more!!

A beautifully written book-I couldn't put it down, raced to the end and then re-read the whole thing to really savor it. I will definitely be reading more by this fabulous author.

Have you ever read a book and then felt regret when you finish it? This is the book that evokes that response in me. I laughed, I cried and I never wanted it to end! Simply....a great book!

I found this book to be very useful. It was a pleasure to read, fun actually. It helped me to finally take off the last few pounds I was trying to lose. I am a physician and found Dr. Jampolis's approach so easy, that I have recommended it to many of my patients. I like the simple recipes. Her tips on traveling and eating out are great. The information about cholesterol and diet is teriffic, too. Keep at it Dr. Jampolis.

Thank you Dr. Melina for this incredibly user-friendly book. I have always been interested in nutrition, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight, and I became very frustrated when, after having my kids, I couldn't get rid of that last 5-7 pounds despite perfectly adhering to Weight Watchers and calorie counting etc.

I finally met with a nutritionist who helped me create a lifelong way of eating that didn't involve counting calories or obsessing about points etc. I was able to lose the last 5 pounds and have kept it off. After seeing Dr. Melina on local TV, I was curious and bought her book. I was so pleased to find that her guidelines and principles are very similar to those that my nutritionist laid out to me. She presents these very sound principles in such an easy-to-follow way that I have been recommending her book to friends and patients in my practice.

Her principles will be helpful to anyone, whether you feel like you know everything about nutrition (I thought I did) or whether you're starting from scratch and want to start leading a healthier lifestyle. Dr. Melina is a physician who has dedicated her practice to nutrition, which engenders so much confidence in me as I read through her book. And this is also a way of eating that you will take with you for the rest of your life.

I have watched Dr. Jampolis on Tv for years and was excited when she wrote this book. It is very informative and helped me greatly!

This book/diet is wonderful and very easy to incorporate into your busy schedule. Not to mention is small enough to carry around on vacations and to the office. Highly recommend it to anyone!!

For any one who has fought or is fighting the battle of the bulge ,The No Time to Lose Diet by Dr Jampolis is a MUST READ. It emphasizes permanent life style changes addressing behavior, exercise and nutrition. It gives realistic and attainable ways for not only losing weight but most importantly maintaining weight loss. It's doable for those who have hectic lives, are always on the go,juggling work, family and community responsibilities and still want to feel and look good. It deals with daily challenges faced in the real world and has strategies to over come them that can be incorporated into your life to achieve a healthier better you. I highly recommend it.

A truly moving book about the mission of the International Baccalaureate Organization. The ability to look at someone who looks different than you do, speaks a different language than you do, and believes in different values than you do and yet see yourself in that other person. That is what makes for a truly internationally minded human. Old turtle tells her story so well and in that story is the power to change the world.

Old Turtle is a beautiful book for young and old alike. My children loved it when they were very small, because it was peaceful and the watercolors are superb. Now that they are growing older, it gives us a starting point to dicuss such a large topic, such as God. The book is non-denominational, but instead takes a more unitarian approach to God, how we all have our own interpretations and how we can learn from others at the same time. Makes a great gift along with a turtle stuffed animal. Overall, I think the entire world would do good to read this book and take the message to heart.

Old Turtle and the Broken Truth is a beautiful story with lovely watercolor illustrations. I believe it is meant to help us realize some very deep truths. If all children could know this story maybe the world could become much more at peace.

Not only is the story timeless and wonderful, the art work is amazing. You can't go wrong sharing this story with a child or - maybe even more importantly - an adult.

The story opened doors for me and caused me to have an "Oh-my-gosh" moment. "Each of us has only a piece of the Truth," I thought. "Of course. How could I have missed that? In order to have the complete Truth, I need to connect and have more pieces of the Truth."

A touching and powerful story.

We enjoyed this book very much. I think it has a good moral to tell. The humans only have ½ of the truth and really begin to worship it and fight over it. Eventually a small child finds the other truth and unites them all. I have it recommended for grades K-3rd but I would recommend it for all ages.

A very simple concept. No text, just numbers and beautiful pop-up pictures. Simple but lovely to look at.

Really like the style of this counting book. With the black and white visuals opening up to colourful animal popups. Just one error would be the 10 shows as a 0 before it is opened...which is a bit confusing ...7,8,9,0?

These books are awesome. I have actually bought six sets of both one to ten and color surprise. I have four children so one for each of them during the early years and also as gifts for best friends. I recommend them because for one, I never get tired of looking at the vibrant pictures and they capture the children's attention as well. They are educational as well as engaging. I highly recommend them.

My baby loves this book, especially the final pop-up for the number ten. She squeals with delight as I turn the pages. However, I think Color Surprises: A Pop-up Book is a slightly sturdier book. The large numbers which the reader opens on each page are a little flimsy.

My kids love this book. The illustrations and create pop-up's are beautiful.

I have been so busy reading. Sorry I didn't rate sooner.

I was diagnosed with diabetes about 2 years ago. I have read a number of books on the subject. What I like about this book is that it talks about real food. The dessert recipes are made with real sugar. They are low sugar of course, but a number of the recipes can be fed to company. The book also confirmed something I had recently noticed. If I eat less fat, I can eat more carbohydrates with less effect on my blood sugar. I believe this book would be a great place to start for the newly diagnosed, but it is also a great review book that includes a lot of the newest ideas and theories. In addition, it has the basic understanding that food is good and good food is even better.

I add my recommendation to the earlier one that you can save yourself lots of time and money by just buying this book. I recommend the hard-back version as your copy will get lots of use around the kitchen.
The explanations of the blood sugar problem and corrective methods are logical, simple and complete. The book is very well written and makes pleasant reading.
With the exception of two or three ingredients which you may have to find in a health food store, all others can be found in any grocery store.
All of the recipes thus far tried are simple and delicious.
The meal plans and recipes work without a pervasive feeling of constant hunger, which can be a problem in many other diabetic meal plans.
Following a diagnosis of pre-diabetic blood sugar level, and fortunately buying this book on a dietician's recommendation, along with half a dozen others which I rarely use, I have lost twenty pounds in the first three weeks of owning and using the book, with more coming off daily, with minimal exercise. Exercise naturally accelerates the weight loss.
A useful supplement is "No-fuss Diabetes Recipes for 1 or 2" by Boucher et al, but "The Other Diabetes" can stand alone.
The well known and documented relationship between obesity and diabetes 2 can be quickly attacked using this book.
One of the delicious breakfast recipes, Peach Almond Smoothie, will banish hunger for at least half a day, and is widely variable by substituting other frozen fruits for the peaches.
The recipes present lots of variety to accomodate different tastes.

This is one of the most practical and informative books I've found. It is easy to understand and has useful menus and recipes for the busy life of most people with diabetes or pre diabetes. I do not believe you will be disappointed with this book. Give it a read, you'll be glad you did.

My father has type II diabetes. I bought this book for him, but ended up reading it myself. I am not diabetic, but am at risk of developing it. This book is an interesting read, and has a wondeful meal plan and recipes. I have decided to start eating the way she describes, The Mediterranean way, just because it's a healthy way to live. It's just a bonus for me that it also helps prevent and control "the other diabetes". Get this book....it's fantastic!

I agree with the critics who claim this book . . . "a delightful, rollicking history, a fun read and well supported by research". Greenfield's account is entertaining as well as informative, not a book to put you to sleep as some histories are. I read it as a library book and decided it is a 'must have' in my library. Although her style is professional, the read is easy - no big words to look up in order to understand the full meaning. Her account of world events is so insightful and complete, you come away with more than an appreciation of how color has changed the world An understanding of world history in general is gained, both political and economical. I especially loved the personal stories that added so much interest for me.

I live in Oaxaca, Mexico and even many people here are not aware of the impact of cochineal on the Spanish Empire and Europe. This book is fascinating! And well written.

This was one of two books a friend traveled across the country to share with me. I am so glad she did. I would never have picked up this book on my own. I have a terrible time finding non-fiction works that are interesting - unless they are recommended. I look at the table of books and decide something looks good. Then when I get it home, I have a hard time getting to my 100 page allowed stopping point.

Greenfield does a wonderful job of describing the importance of the color red throughout history and the different compounds used to create it. With a focus on the cochineal originating in Mexico, this book covers the fortunes of Spain and the industry itself. Weaving the domestication of cochineal with the efforts of other countries to destroy Spain's monopoly, the book moves quickly. there were very few sections of the book where I was willing to put it down. Yes, I could stop at the chapters, but I only once put it down while in the middle of a chapter.

I highly recommend this book - and if I didn't have to send it back to its owner, I would keep it in the library. I will be recommending it to my mother for her book club. With their focus on women authors and a mix of fiction and non-fiction, this book will give them much to discuss.

Some of the best stories are the histories of everyday objects that few ever consider. This book is an example of such a story. It traces the history of the color red; specifically, it examines the sources of red dye sought by humans over the past 700 years. Something as simple as a color can actually be quite difficult to obtain without the marvels of modern technology. This book starts of at the Venetian textile guilds of the late Middle Ages and shows the reader the state of the world's textile industry. Of all the colors, bright red is hardest to produce on clothing, and individuals and governments devote a lot of time and effort to procure new sources. Many are found, but the best one is carminic acid found in the insect cochineal, native to the Americas, and cultivated in Mexico specifically to obtain the color red. Starting with the Spanish conquest, red dye from Mexico is exported to the rest of the world, and four centuries of trade wars and political intrigue follow. The book lays all this out in chronological order, citing places, people, governments and institutions. But eventually, man's technology caught up with nature's bounty, and by 1900, synthetic red dyes destroy the cochineal cultivation industry. All the ensuing technical advances, scientific discoveries, and commercial contests are detailed clearly by the author. The book ends with a survey of the dye industry at the end of the 20th century, and a review of how red dye has influenced, and been influenced by fashion tastes throughout the centuries. This book touches many countries, and ties in history, economics, fashion, politics and science into a wonderful tale of man's obsession for a specific color.

This book is one of the very best I have seen in a long time. The author has taken great care to present historically correct and detailed information about the long history of cochineal farming, and sale of this commodity (dried beetles that can be processed to create a brilliant hue of red).
She reveals all of the intrigue of Spain's royalty, as they sought to keep this much prized product of New Spain exclusively for the Spanish empire. Even Perkin's discovery of the color "mauve" is discussed. This book will find broad interest among scholars and the general public. It is certainly a book worth owning, if you love the history of textiles.

Patricia Cummings

Reading the book while I'm in the right environment (France - lovely wheather - Lac Léman - tasting and buying wine - et cetera) gives me lots of pleasure. It's not only informative but also 'funny' (excusez le mot) and - while I'm half way the book - puts me in a situation where I have to choose: read the rest of the book or drive to the next planned stop in Marin (Savoie) for wine to taste again... Just decided to follow my nose... and read on in the book when I return.
Conclusion when I finished the book: can't wait to read the next one!

I have only skimmed through this book but from what I have seen I believe that it will prove informational. Also, from this book I have subscribed to a newsletter from the author and find this very informative also. I would highly recommend this to a beginner or an old hat in appreciating wine.

Reading this book was like listening to a girlfriend talk about a subject near and dear to both of our hearts. While reading this book, I felt like I was experiencing her journeys and education with her- and with quite a bit of a sense of humor. All to often, it seems wine educators take themselves (and wine) too seriously. This book will teach you more about wine production, selection, and food pairing without being snobby and pretentious. It was fun, easy to read, and informative. I hope Natalie will be writing more books!

This is the first book that I've read that actually makes it fun to
learn about wine. It's relaxed and realistic for the wine novice.
Natalie teaches about wine to those who want to enjoy it, not just look
impressive ordering or drinking it.
I retained more real world knowledge about wine reading this than I have reading the wine magazines and tomes.

Really great read, full of information, well-paced and accessible. She explains how to find wine you appreciate in what can be a very intimidating industry. I wouldn't normally bother to write a review of a book, but this was an impulse buy that I loved and the author really deserves a lot of credit for something so well written...

This novel is one of a kind, unforgettable. It's coming of age, love story, mystery, fantasy and suspense all rolled into one. I love it! I'm a musician and I can't describe this book in words. If it was a song it would be a melody you heard once a long time ago and never forgot, and all of a sudden you open this book and here it is again. The best advice I can give is to read it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

What a beautiful, sensual, wise novel! It's very short but carries quite a punch. Ruth Setton came to my university to speak and she was simply mesmerizing. She talked about how long it took her to write this novel and for the first time I understood what life is like for a true artist, someone who won't let her vision go, no matter what. She is a true inspiration! Hey Ruth, I love your book and am waiting for your next one. Hope this one doesn't take so long!

An amazing novel, breathtaking in scope and execution. I felt I was in Morocco as I read it, revisitng past haunts, yet I also felt I was in the universal country of the heart. I highly recommend THE ROAD TO FEZ.

This is the kind of book you read as if you're in a dream, and don't want to finish because you know it will be the end of the dream and you don't want to wake up. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to reread it! Then I wished I could enter the world Ruth Knafo Setton created. I felt as if I'd lived in the Morocco of myth and memory that she created, as if I'd taken a voyage through the landscape of the heart. It's the land of passion and desire and wonder, the land we all live in until we enter the grown-up world of walls and barriers and signs that say Keep Out. Every single word in this novel suggests images and themes that are infinite and profound, and yet it's a very short book. Just like a dream, every event leads to mystery and clarity. I wouldn't be surprised if I turn a corner one day and bump into the characters, Brit and Gaby and Suleika. They're definitely alive somewhere!

I didn't know what to expect when a friend gave me this book but I was completely blown away by Ruth Knafo Setton's beautiful, pasionate writing. THE ROAD TO FEZ tells the story of a forbidden love affair between Gaby and Brit, two desperate, lost souls who need each other more than they realize. What the reader comes to understand, along with the lovers, is that love is a miracle that cannot be judged or limited. Gaby and Brit echo other lovers in the novel, all separated by society's rules. But these two take a chance and find a love they never dreamed of. I couldn't put this book down, and ever since I finished it, I've been dreaming of Gaby and Brit!
I was shocked to learn that this is Ruth Knafo Setton's first novel. She writes with so much power, confidence and urgency. I've never read a book like this one that is so erotic, tragic, funny and magical. I'll be on the lookout for her next book!
You've got a new fan, Ms. Setton!

Derbyshire's fine novel is innovative in style and concept. For this reason it requires imho some explanations if it is to be fully understood. Thank goodness for Amazon which makes such explanations easily possible. There are at least two issues which might be helpful for at least some readers to discuss These are firstly the subtedly of Chinese culture and secondly the mysterious meeting between the protagonist and Calvin Coolidge which accounts for the book's title.

There cannot be many novels in which a Caucasian author writes in the first person as a Chinese. To do that successfully requires a deep understanding of Chinese culture which while certainly not "inscrutable" is very different and often more subtle than ours. Derbyshire has this understanding because he has lived in China for many years, speaks several of the languages and last but not least is happily married to a Chinese wife. So as you read the book you will come across many references to classical Chinese novels and poems as well as expressions common in Chinese speech. Pay careful attention to these quotations, they are not there for decoration but they are Derbyshire's pleasant way of showing you some things about Chinese culture and how it differs from ours.

The book's title comes from Chapter 18 in which the protagonist "sees" Calvin Coolidge or perhaps his ghost. It is clear from the previous reviews that many readers have not understood what is going on here, which is understandable since Derbyshire has been perhaps a bit too subtle in developing this part of his plot. At any rate, I figured it out but thought it necessary to e-mail Derb asking him to confirm my theory. Here is what I wrote;

Derb,

I have just finished reading your book and enjoyed it very much. I am thinking of writing a review for Amazon which is needed perhaps because no one seems to have understood your rather mysterious Chapter 18.

Here's my theory of what is going on here. Ding has found out about Chai's attempt to restart his old affair with Selina and makes a plan to prevent this and so save her marriage. She does this with the help of Mr. Chan hence the several long unexplained phone calls. The plan involves the Coolidge impersonator Mr. Ruggles who is actually the man that Chai meets in room 1010. So no dream at all, just a sophisticated plot that you only hint at.

Please tell me if I am on the right track, because if so readers who do not seem to have understood should be informed.

Here is Derb's courteous reply:

That is exactly right, Wolfgang. It is a story about clever women
outwitting a man who isn't as smart as he thinks. Hey, it worked for
Shakespeare (at least four times...)

So there you are. Derbyshire has written a great novel, stylish and well-informed but subtle and nuanced. Buy it, read it carefully, and you will be well-rewarded.

There are other unusual characters in literature, but surely the protagonist of this book is right up there for dynamic range of experiences and interests. He is a former Red Guard Chinese American banker whose also an amateur etymologist and American history lover. When he's drawn toward a tryst with a long lost love only his determined wife can save him and only Silent Cal (in a dream) can possibly advise him.

I was disappointed when my aquaintance with this interesting man came to an end.

My husband and I bought this book simply because we happen to live in one of Calvin Coolidge's old homes. We didn't really expect all that much. Boy were we surprised. I immediately recommended the book to my book club.

Let me say something about my book club: we've been together for almost ten years and we're made up for thirteen stong-minded women ranging in age from 30-something to 80-something. This is one of the few books we have unanimously loved. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we wrote the author a letter inviting him to return to Northampton. He did and it was a joy to meet him.

Rita Bleiman
author "Dirty Tricks"

I was telling a friend who was once my English professor at Cal Berkeley that Seeing was the best novel I'd read in a long time. (Unfortunately, there is currently little time for novel reading.) She asked, "Good book or good read?" I sort of went "Huh," but have been mulling over the question ever since. The answer: good read, emphatically. Swift, short and constantly entertaining in its transitions of place and time, and overlay of memory, Seeing is a true page-turner. Good book? I think the answer here is also yes. Derbyshire, who I presume from his name to be a Caucasian, does a pretty convincing job as an Asian narrator, even capturing Chai's reflexive smugness toward women, particularly his wife Ding. The pitch for the rehabilitation of Calvin Coolidge does not convince me; he still seems a simple man for simpler times whose values are of a more limited guidance than the author implicitly argues. At the same time, the observations on China, particularly the excesses of the Red Guard, and on a self-absorbed and often frivolous America as seen through a recent, successful immigrant's eyes ring very true. And you can't help but enjoy Ding's wiles as she brings Chai to live Coolidge's maxims.

Until recently, my only acquaintance with Mr. Derbyshire was in his role as a somewhat disagreeable controversialist in "National Review" magazine. Then, I noticed his most recent book (as of this posting), "Prime Obsession", a non-fiction account of the work of 19th century German mathematician Bernhard Riemann, whose prime number theorum remains one of the biggest unsolved problems in mathematics. Through the capsule biography of the author, I found out the existance of this book and consulted the reviews here.

Having read "Seeing Calvin Coolidge in a Dream", I can say that it fully lives up to the sometimes-extravagant praise posted here. The book has a quirky charm all its own, not least because of the first-person voice of its hero, Chai, a winning and fascinating personality. Since the plot has been fully discussed in other reviews here, I will limit myself to a few random observations.

--Chai's account of his participation in the Red Guards as a teenager reads like a chiller out of Chen Jo-Hsi's book, "The Execution of Mayor Yin, and Other Tales of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" His witnessing of a gang-rape (which he feigns participation in) shames him and destroys at a stroke any loyalty to the Party he may have had. This starts him on his long road to America.

--Like Joseph Conrad in England, Chai masters the intricacies of English while in America. His ironic and insightful observations of the United States, China, and Hong Kong (before the PRC took over) are fun to read and dead-on.

--The long-dead Calvin Coolidge appears to give some dry and intelligent advice. Mr. Derbyshire manages to squash the old legend of "Silent Cal" as unintelligent and indolent. While the author perhaps spreads it a mite too thick, it is still a useful and entertaining corrective. (I hold with the political scientist who believes that Mr. Coolidge's apparent indolence was the result of a deep--perhaps clinical--depression at the death of his 16-year old son, Calvin Jr. from septicemia caused by an infected blister on his foot that had been raised playing tennis on the White House lawn.)

All of this is just by-the-by, however. The book was simply a delight and I urge anyone whose interest has been piqued by these comments to read it just as I did.

A lot people who read this book are baffled as to what exactly Semco and Ricardo Semler are doing that is so revolutionary. My simple answer is this:

They are treating their employees as "adults" and guess what? They are discovering that their employees behave as adults! Wow!

What's hard to understand for most people who are treated at their work as "children" (boss, may I do this, may I do that, etc., etc.), is that they actually behave as "adult-children"? All the resultant effects of the current and dying corporate system are totally predictable: low esteem, no initiative, fear, office politics, mismatch of talents and goals, etc., etc.

This is the revolutionary premise behind the success of what the 21st century "company" will look like.

Seven-Day weekend is the second (English) book by Richardo Semler, the CEO of Semco. Semco is a weird Brazilian company known for it's modern HR practices. The history of Semco and Ricardo Semler was explained well in his first English book: Maverick.

The author makes a point that the workweek has invaded the weekend via internet and email. Now it's time to abandon the standard week/weekend thinking and have weekend whenever we want and have week whenever we want. So we'll have a seven day workweek AND a seven day weekend.

The book is a collection of stories and opinions by Richardo which are organized according to the days of the week. Every day a couple of stories, mostly about Semco but also about other activities in which Richardo was involved in.

Some of the more interesting points and stories are, for example, where the author is questioning the need to always grow. In business it seems to be the purpose of the business to grow bigger. Richardo questions this purpose and asks why this is. Cannot companies stay small and then still be successful?

Seven-day weekend is certainly worth reading. It's a small book it takes maybe a day to read it. Its well written, it keeps you awake and the stories are interesting. Though, I personally found it less interesting than Maverick (which I had read first). If you need to chose between the seven day weekend or Maverick, I'd go for Maverick. If, after Maverick, you still do not have enough of Semler, then the seven-day weekend is for you.

I had read sound bites from Semler over the past few months, but finally got the book and devoured it over a holiday weekend. It did not disappoint. It presents some very non-conventional wisdom that challenges all sorts of corporate policies and norms with the question - why not do it differently? I wrote about several of these insights on my blog (http://creativeoutletlabs.wordpress.com/?s=semler). This book is highly rated as I am reminded frequently of several of the concepts in the books and I have recommended it to many others. You'll love this one!

Jennifer B. Davis
http://jenniferbdavis.blogspot.com

What an amazing story this book recounts. I kept reading of ideas they had and thinking - Well of course that would never work - and then read on to discover that they did indeed make it work. How I wish that all work was this democratic, this inspiring and this creative. When I had finished the book I felt a sense of excitement that the old methods of working, which seem unchangeable, could so easily be discarded. Well done Ricardo Semler and all the people who have helped to make your ideas reality. You are my heroes.

I really enjoyed this book because it seems to be the antithesis of so many standard biz books out there. No ex-consultant in-depth research of "best of breed" or new "growth paradigm" dreamed up by a college professor - just musings from a man who has created just what might be the best case scenario for the future of work.

The book is based upon is Semco, a diversified Brazilian company where Semler is the CEO and whose revenue has grown from $4 million in 1982 to $212 million in 2003. His basic theme is that in order harness the full power and talents of your workers they have to be truly engaged and this means they have the power to pretty much do what they want when the want - as long as it focuses on generating results for the company.

While many of the practices he implements might not work so well in your workplace, they will get you thinking of what might be possible and what we may hopefully be heading towards. Overall his approach is similar to Industrial Democracy whereby workers are involved in making decisions, sharing responsibility, and have equal authority in the company.

Below are just a few of my favorite quips from the book...

- Once you define the business you're in you create boundaries for your employees, you restrict their thinking, and you give them a reason to pass up on opportunities.
- Semco has no official structure, no CFO, no HR, no mission statement, no job descriptions, etc. it is a place where people are just considered adults and get their job done.
- Semco cares about the core of what an employee does for the company, not the boarding school behaviors like what time they came in. But it is sooo hard to give up control. People should be involved to the point they shout "yes"!
- You need to be willing to give up control. Like an entrepreneur who is flexible, intuitive, non-dogmatic, take risks, make money, and have fun.
- You must tap into your workers true talents. The best way for people to feel job satisfaction, to feel passion, is to get them doing their calling so that work is more like fun.
- If an employee has no interest in a product or project then it will never succeed.
- For a company to excel it must put the employees self interest first. An employee who puts his interests first will be motivated to perform.
- Without formal job descriptions people can wander into neighboring work activities without being chased away for trespassing.
- Workplace stress reflects the difference between expectations and reality.
- Unless we click with a worker, unless he latches onto something he is passionate about, our productivity won't be high. Few organizations make an effort to find out whether a person has a calling.
- A mission statement can be a beautiful document, and mostly useless if it is not driven from the bottom up. Mission and vision are just the first step and they mean nothing on their own. You are judged by what you do, not what you say.
- Privileged information is a dangerous source of power in any organization.
- Limit your plans to 6 months. 5 year plans are ridiculous and every 1 year plan has the stuff happening at the end of the year.
- If a discussion on salaries is taboo then what else is off limits? The only source of power in an organization is information, and withholding, filtering, or retaining it only serves those who want to accumulate power.
- It's easy to talk about diversity, tribes, and dissent; but it can be frustrating, slow, and cumbersome. So much easer just to take control and tell people what to do but then you don't get an employee who is inspired to do their best.
- Productivity stagnates when workers are waiting for someone to tell them what to do or following a formal plan.
- In most conventional organizations decisions are made at the top and the rank and file is asked to check their brain at the door which leads to hostile and extremist views among the workers.
- By giving up or sharing control of small nettlesome issues like dress codes, and of graver matters like factory closings and security, management creates a culture of self-government that has more resilience then my way or the highway.
- No one is required to attend any meeting at Semco. Everyone is invited and they can come and go as they wish. If someone isn't interested in a meeting, then their engaged time is spent better somewhere else. This way management knows which projects are worth pursuing.
- A full time employee only needs one requisite, to have a material connection with the heart of the biz. Their job had to be central part of the differentiation between the biz and their competitors. The connection between the biz and the job had to be intrinsic and obvious.
- In a group environment, the only way to get your idea off the ground is to lobby ferociously in favor of it. If no one buys into it, then leave it on the back burner and return to it later.
- The more informed people are, the better they are able to develop and follow their gut instincts.
- Harnessing the wisdom of people, the reservoir of talent. This only comes from freedom, from democracy, from asking why...

Last but not least, Wiki on Ricardo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Semler