Peter Books

I am sure that I am not the target market for this series, as I will turn 56 in less than a week. In spite of that I have to say that I love this series of books. The sisters and their extended family keep me entertained, crying and rolling on the floor with laughter.
I recently discovered these books when reading a newspaper article about the frenzy around the release of the sixth book.

I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter books and since there probably will never be another one am glad to find a replacement that is just as good and sometimes better.

I can't wait for the 7th installment, to find out what myths and fairy tale stories will have new light shed on them.

I absolutely love this series. I have read them all but book 6, and can't wait for it to be released. I can see this series becoming very popular.

The 5th book is wonderful, but the end bit, which has to do with the Scarlet Hand, is extremely confusing. Furthermore, the 6th book (yes, its out!)has a plot that doesnt really match up with the 5th. Still, its an extremely compelling read, I suggest that you buy it!

I confess. I am well in to my thirties and had read all of the Grimm books before I thought to share them with nine year old son. Sharing them with him has been like sharing my best, most delightful secret. Every night it pains him to put the book down because he can not wait to see what happens next. And what is better than the sound of a child's laughter? Surely something you will hear often while reading this book.

Buckley does a fantastic job at blending fantasy (these are fairy tale characters, afterall) and reality (who have lives in the 21st century). His Grimm series is full of adventure, emotion, and laugh out loud wit (whether you are 9 or closer to 39). Book 5 feels very different from the others. Maybe it is because we have become invested in these characters. Maybe it is because of the plot elements Buckley introduces to this book. Time travel is nothing new to writing, but it certainly adds a spark to this book and really feels right at this point in the series (so glad it didn't happen earlier). And though Buckley always leaves us hanging at the end of each book, the ending to this one has got to be the best (one of many OMG moments in the book) and should be accompanied by some "duhn, duhn, DUHHHHHHH music in the background.

I have only two questions after reading Magic and Other Misdemeanors- 1) when is book 7 coming out??? and 2) who is the master of the Scarlet Hand?!?! Ideas anyone?

The adventures never seem to end for fairy-tale detectives Sabrina and Daphne Grimm. This time they are investigating a series of thefts of magical items like Baba Yaga's Wand of Merlin, Morgan le Fay's Wonder Clock, and water from the Fountain of Youth. Usually Granny Relda and Mr. Canis help them solve mysteries, but Sabrina and Daphne are pretty much on their own this time. Granny Relda is busy trying to raise money to pay her property tax and Mr. Canis is finding it harder and harder to stop turning into the Big Bad Wolf. Will Sabrina and Daphne be able to find the thief before they run out of time?

"Magic and Other Misdemeanors" is another great entry in Michael Buckley's delightful "The Sisters Grimm" fairy-tale detective series. Sabrina and Daphne continue to grow as characters in each book, especially Sabrina, 12 years old by the end of the book and not nearly as angry as she was in the earlier books. Buckley does a great job of incorporating fairy tale and other legendary characters such as Cinderella, Goldilocks, some of the seven dwarfs, the Queen of Hearts, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and many more. It's always fun to see how he tweaks the various characters - for example, Puss `N Boots is an exterminator, Cinderella hosts a radio talk show called The Dr. Cindy Show, and the witch from Hansel and Gretel is a (not very good) dentist. There's a wonderful sense of humor throughout the book (the magic mirror's computer still being on dial-up and Granny Relda's "recipes" are just two examples of that humor). There are some scary moments, but nothing too frightening. The reason for the theft of the magical items has been done before, but Buckley somehow makes it seem fresh.

"Magic and Other Misdemeanors" is aimed at ages 9 - 12, but readers young and old will enjoy it.

I've taken my time between receiving the book and writing this review. This book has so much going for it I didn't know where to start. This is so information packed with techniques that I thought were "new" such as knitting with beads, looped knitting and felting.

I know how tempting those big books with all the beautiful color pictures are but you'd pay three, four or five times as much as you would for this little gem. It provides a surprisingly interesting chapter on the history of knitting.

It has an old-fashioned feel to it that is totally charming as are the illustrations which give the eye a rest among all the info provided. I purchased it mostly because I need techniques for Fair Isle knitting, and the book provides very good info on this.

Deserves to be in every knitters library no matter how hip you may be.

I have a bookshelf of knitting books, and after reading over and over about Mary Thomas and her books, I finally broke down and purchased them. Wow! Am I impressed! She did an amazingly thorough job of writing, and of illustrating her volumes. Treat yourself to this classic:-) and its companion volume.

The Mary Thomas knitting books (As far as I know there are two, one on knitting per se and the other on knitting patterns.)are the only knitting books one would ever need to learn knitting and enjoy knitting for a lifetime. Granted, there are many wonderful modern books with better pictures, great diagrams, fine patterns and neater print, but contained in these two paperback Dover reprints of very old books are instructions for beginning through advanced knitters, simple explanations to all the knitting problems I have ever encountered and instructions for any knitting pattern you'd ever want to knit. There are even little funny bits in the margins for folks who like a good pun. I am a life-long knitter and have frequent use for these books. These books make great gifts for a knitting friend who does not own them

This is an old book with beautiful instructions to try some wonderful stitches that are not found in most new books on knitting.

This is such a fun book. I have read a little more than half of it now, and skimmed through the rest, and there is so much here. The history of knitting that she gives at the beginning as well as sprinkled throughout the text is very interesting. She shows ways to do things that I have never heard of, and explains some things so that I finally understand them! I don't know if this would be good for the complete beginner. But then, I think that knitting is easier learned from a person than a book. But, once you have a few basics down, this book will teach you a lot.

The writing style makes you feel as if she is sitting there talking to you. And the words "hip", "funky", and "not your grandmother's...", are never used. That is a real plus to me, as I find that whole trend rather irritating. (But that's a whole 'nother topic.)

Here are the chapter titles to give you an idea of what is in the book:
History
Knitting Implements, Ancient and Modern
Knitting Yarns
Gauge and Tension
Knit Movements, Stitch and Fabric
Selvedges. Casting on. Casting off. Edges
Shape: Increasing and Decreasing
Colour Knitting
Frame or Rake knitting
Looped Knitting
Beaded and Bead knitting
Embroidered Knitting
Garments
Details of Garments
Shetland Shawls
Gloves
Socks and Stockings
Knitting Hints

I found it very interesting that there was a chapter about rake and loom knitting, as that has become so popular again. I do knit on knitting boards too, and the directions and illustrations were the same that you would see in a more "modern" book. There really is nothing new under the sun! The spiral sock pattern looks fun too. I want to give that a try soon.

Overall, this book is full of interesting information, and while not as glitzy as the newer books, it would make a great addition to your knitting library.

"Must-Win Battles" appeals to me as a book that gives readers (most typically managers) the tools to lead their teams through a journey that can save their very own jobs in the long run. With a style not too distant from Lencioni's, where the authors show a fictional case in action, the book presents the path in a journey to help teams win those battles they cannot afford to loose, what they call Must-Win Battles (MWB). While offering tactics to deal with the expected bumps along the road, the book remains very strategic all the way through, focused on the strategic goals of aligning steering teams around the same agenda and eventually getting the entire organization to buy it in and embrace it.

The book wraps up with lessons from won and lost MWB journeys and a real-life case from the Unilever Ice Cream Frozen Foods business group to illustrate the entire process in action. While the fictional case presented belongs to the executive team leading the entire European organization of a company, the learnings in it could easily be extrapolated to smaller settings: a production facility, a university, etc. Highly recommendable like all Wharton School Publishing books I've had a chance of reading.

Unilever's 19-page MWB journey described by Kees van der Graaf is a fantastic read. It not only illustrates the stages and steps aligned with the authors' belief of leadership principles, I find it most valuable is Kees van der Graaf sharing with us with his personal lessons learned from the processes such as "trust my gut more than ever before" and "We have great values; they come from the heart". This reminds me of another book titled "Head, Heart & Guts" by Dotlich/Cario & Rhinesmith. Indeed Kess van der Graaf brings these to life.

MWB stands for "Must Win Battles," which is the title and a common acronym throughout this this book. Authors Peter Killing, Thomas Malnight and Tracey Keys use "battle" to refer to competitors and "must-win" to mean these battles must be won. There are a lot of circumstances applicable to the concept of 'battle.' Examples and case studies cover management style, team work, planning, shortlisting, and executing, are noted. One example is Unilever in Africa, Nestle China, and a two-year case study of the CFF business groups from the words of an executive.

Three sections and nine chapters.

Section I: Preparing the Journey

Section II: Engaging the Team

Section III: Making it Happen

The different types of managers listed are the commander, diplomat, thinker, and motivator, who are defined and described. This is followed by the role of Emotional Intelligence in the workplace. EI is just as, and oft-times more vital than IQ. There are questions regarding this that the reader can answer for themselves so they can apply this concept to their own situations in life and in the work place. This book helps the manager and employees as individuals and allows them to reflect on others and themselves.

Different dynamics of MWB, which often may include change. While strategically planning and implementing Must-Win Battles there are Resisters, Bystanders, and Supporters. A time-line is almost always necessary and matrices and diagrams are presented, when planning and executing.

A good reality check is in chapter 4, which lists "Typical Company-Related Myths." Those who've worked in medium or large organizations can identity with the company values and slogans. But they're usually only slogans, because they aren't practiced. :)

At the end of the book there are:

A) The MWB Journey and Road map
B) The Denison Survey: Questions
C) Using the External Assistance

This is helpful for all people who manage and work in organizations of all types and sizes.

In any organization, at any time, there are probably three to five key battles that must be won to achieve important goals, write authors Killing and Malnight. As you read this, you are probably thinking of the battles that are ongoing right now, the ones you need to win to get to your own goals. The first step, then is identifying what the key battles actually are and eliminating the sideshows that distract from the real issues. The authors advise that these battles are NOT internal, instead they are:

Market-focused
Something that makes a difference
Creates excitement
Are specific and tangible
Are winnable (!)

The example provided is one of Unilever, a large multinational company, working to gain market in Africa. But despite Unilever as an example, the strategy to pick your fight and win it is equally applicable to small business--if not more so.

One point I really admire is that the authors recommend that emotion be considered along with reason in how to win those battles. In other words, instead of steamrolling over emotion, which is a statement of condition, like the weather, the authors recommend dealing with it and generating excitement by directing emotion. There is also good advice on "not shooting the messenger" or how to take bad news. As one top CEO remarked to the press on how he achieved success "First, you have to deal with reality."

Excellent book and a must-read for business managers of any organization.

Q: What must be managed effectively to improve an organization's performance?

A: "First, [managers must] identify and win the right battles....But to win the battles, many organizations need to create a more effective top team and build an organization that [is] .less silo-based and capable of focusing all of its energies and capabilities on the chosen battles."

Q: What is a "must-win battle" (MWB)?

A: "MWBs are the three to five key battles that your organization absolutely must win to achieve its key objectives."

Q: What are the characteristics of a well-chosen MWB?

A: It must "make a real difference, be market focused, create excitement, be specific and tangible [and measurable], and be winnable."

Q: What is an "MWB journey"?

A: It is simultaneously both an emotional and intellectual process which must be completed by everyone involved in order to transform their organization. Ultimate success will depend upon a "shared understanding of the challenges and options facing the organization, an agreed list of three to five MWBs, a committed [and competent] team for each MWB, a high-level action plan for each MWB, new [better] ways of working together, individual commitments, and an initiation assessment of the starting conditions for engaging the organization."

Granted, this is an unorthodox way by which to begin a review but I really could not think of a better one. (No doubt someone else has.) The authors of this volume share what they have learned about why some organizational transformation initiatives succeed while most others fail. What they propose is a three-phase process (a "journey") which begins with a rigorous and thorough assessment of the current situation, followed by an engagement of the Team and then of teams for the MWBs, and then an engagement of the given organization which involves embedding the Team agenda and aligning the organization while maintaining momentum of the MWB initiatives.

I especially appreciate the authors' provision of all manner of reader-friendly devices throughout their lively narrative. For example, check lists of key points, graphics (maps and figures) which illustrate step-by-step segments of the "journey," and - whenever appropriate - caveats and disclaimers which correctly remind the reader that no course of action (including the one which the authors recommend) "fits all."

In the final chapter, they share eight "Lessons" learned from their research: five from successful MWB "journeys" and three from those which failed. In Appendix A, readers are provided with a comprehensive "MWB Journey Roadmap" and then in Appendix B, the authors provide "The Denison Survey: Questions" (copyright © by Daniel R. Rosen), a culture survey which is discussed on pages 47-48.

Presumably the authors agree with me that it would be a fool's errand for anyone to read and re-read their book, then rush - or even stroll -- to implement everything in it. It would also be a fool's errand to cherry pick diverse (albeit sound) ideas from a variety of different sources and then attempt to consolidate them in a single plan of "attack." Rather, I urge each reader to read Must-Win Battles with great care and then, preferably in discussion with others, co-determine what would be most appropriate to the given organization. Killing, Malknight, and Keys can be very helpful to that process of aanalysis and, especially, to identifying the highest priorities and most important objectives. My guess is that, by following that procedure, the "must-win battles" will reveal themselves.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Jason Jennings' THINK BIG, Act Small, Michael Hammer's The Agenda and Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

This book is good. It explains the concepts clearly and wont ever leave you thinking "how the hell did it do that??"
However, Organic Chemistry 6th edition by Francis A. Carey accompanied by the enormous solutions manual is the best Organic Chemistry book on earth, hands down. It presents the ideas in an order that is compounding, so that everything you do in earlier chapters is reinforced with the following chapters; and it presents the concepts as clear as day. Once you've learned to push electrons everything else is cake.
Perform the problems in the back of each section and read the solutions manual after each problem and you wont get lower than a C on any test, guarenteed.

other books that follow mechanism (as opposed to functional group) approach to learning organic chem:

Organic Chemistry by Marye Anne Fox, James K. Whitesell (ISBN 0763721972)

"A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry" and "A Primer to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry" both by Peter Sykes

Organic Chemistry by Joseph M. Hornback (ISBN 0534389511)

Look at my other reviews for other chemistry books.

Very well-written organic chemistry book. Without detailed explanation, the approach the authors use makes organic chemistry a little easier to learn, and the examples and explanations in this textbook are superb. I don't highly recommend organic chemistry, but if you want to learn it, I highly recommend this book.

I have read and used many books on organic chemistry, both on my BS and graduate degree programs. This book has been the best ever written on the subject. The authors have treated the subject to its simplest detail to be understood by everyone. Now that I am a practicing chemist, I always look at this book as a reference. The presentation is very good and the way the chapters are organized is very neat and arranged. The topic on synthesis in action and retrosynthetic analysis is very interesting. What I find very nice are the topics on the application of the chemical principles on real life synthesis. The information are all up to date. Stuart Warren and his co authors has gone a long way and their expertise is shown in this wonderful book. Warren has been one of my favorite chenistry authors way back to his simple books on chemical synthesis and retrosynthetic analysis. I recommend this book, not only to students, both on their undergraduate and graduate programs but also to practicing chemist and chemical engineers and all those who love and find the field of chemistry a very interesting subject and those who wants to find chemical knowledge at a glance. Truly, this is a one volume Encyclopedia on Organic Chemistry.

I learned organic as a sophomore with the popular text by Wade. While I did well in the course and text got me through, I found I remembered nothing 2 years later when preparing for a graduate level organic course.

I picked this text up in order to 're-learn' organic. This book does just that. It's not a quick and easy referenence but an excitingly comprehensive text that truly allows you to learn what is really going on in organic chemistry. I am thoroughly satisfied and having finished my preparation with this text, I feel light years ahead of where I was at the completion of my sophomore organic course.

Highly recommended.

One of the books you find difficult to put down until you finished the entire book. A story of a small boy looking out of a window at a world of the holocaust with all its horror and who is able to escape, survive and prosper in this land despite a difficult family relationship except for his love for his brother. The story of how he became a successful business man and a loving, caring family man despite his relationship with his parents should be reading material for all young people.

A soulful personal account of the Holocaust, loss of freedom and property, and relocation to America by a true survivor. Initiated through his child-eyed visions of Nazi dominance in his Austrian homeland, Mr. Abeles' brings us full circle to his tremendous success and triumph as an American citizen and businessman. An outstanding testament to the power of the American dream, and the immigration opportunities that our forefathers intended....

Even though some parents don't know how or can't display their love in traditional ways, Peter Abeles' story shows that the love is still there. How much he and his brother loved each other was emphasized by the lack of expression by his parents. The beautiful part is how Peter learned how to express his love with the help of his wife Bonnie. Unfortunately, these lessons were learned after his parents' death. Everybody can learn from Peter's story.

The book takes you on a journey with a young boy named Otto. His family's trip from Vienna during the start of the Holocaust to their arrival in America. When Otto looks out the window he sees how everyone else around him live with loving parents. He finds no love in his own family except for Otto's brother Heinz Robert. Otto's success is due to hard work and long hours. This has taken him away from his own family. Eventually, the long hours at work pay off with success and family love and appreciation. A joy to read and to think about your own family's hardships and success. I am gald that my son-in-law (Joe) gave me this book to read.

Peter has done a beautiful job in describing the necessity of finding out about your past if you want experience peace in your life today and in the future. Often we don't want to look "back there" but the author shows us much courage and honesty in confronting the demons of his past and the healing that comes as a result.

For nearly half a century Peter Ferdinand Drucker (1909- ) has inspired and educated managers-and influenced the nature of business-with his landmark articles in the Harvard Business Review. Here, gathered together and framed by a thoughtful introduction from the Review's editor Nan Stone, is a priceless collection of his most significant work.

One of our leading thinkers on the practice and study of management, Drucker has sought out, identified, and examined the most important issues confronting managers, from corporate strategy to management style to social change. Through his unique lens, this volume gives us the rare opportunity to trace the evolution of the great shifts in our workplaces, and to understand more clearly the role of managers in the ongoing effort to balance change with continuity.

Now, these important articles and essays are strategically presented here to address two unifying themes: the first examines "The Manager's Responsibilities" while the second investigates "The Executive's World". Accompanied by an interview with Peter Drucker on "The Post-Capitalist Executive", as well as a thought-provoking preface by Peter Drucker himself, a complete picture of management theory and practice emerges, both as it was and as it will be.

Infused with a perspective that holds new relevance today, these essays represent Drucker at his best: direct, wise and challenging. Peter Drucker on the Profession of Management, sure to be studied, debated, and enjoyed by everyone concerned with management, everyone concerned with management, is a timely offering from one of the most respected and prolific authors to appear in the Harvard Business Review.

At 90, Peter Drucker is, by all accounts, the most enduring management thinker of our time. Born in Vienna, educated in Austria and England, he has worked since 1937 in the United States, first as an economist for a group of British banks and insurance companies, and later as a management consultant to several leading companies. Drucker has since had a distinguished career as a teacher, including more than twenty years as Professor of Management at the Graduate Business School of New York University. Since 1971 he has been Marie Rankin Clarke Professor of Social Science and Management at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University in California, where he still teaches in the fields of management and business policy. He is the founder of The Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, and has counseled numerous governments, public service institutions, and major corporations.

Drucker is a writer, teacher, and consultant with a long-term business perspective second to none. His twenty-nine previous books have been published in more than twenty languages and span sixty years of modern history beginning with The End of Economic Man (1939) and Managing in a Time of Great Change; Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; The Effective Executive; Managing for Results and The Practice of Management. Nan Stone is the editor of the Harvard Business Review.

Peter Drucker has 60 years of experience teaching and writing about management. This collection of essays, first published in Harvard Business Review, outline Drucker's views on managerial responsibility. Among other things, this book also includes his insights on making more effective decisions, improving staffing choices, locating innovative opportunities, and aligning your theory of business.

Drucker outlines the five essential management principles:

1. Management is about human beings. Your task as a manager is to make people capable of working together.
2. Management is embedded in culture. You must be able to use parts of your history, tradition and culture as building blocks for a common corporate culture.
3. Management is responsible for growing an organization. Integrate training and development into your organization at all levels.
4. Use yardsticks like market standing, innovation, productivity, human development, quality and financial results to measure and improve performance.
5. Look for results outside of your company, in the products and services you deliver, not relative to internal processes within the company.

Drucker also outlines six steps to guide decision-making:

1. Classify the problem. Is the problem unique to your company, or the beginning of a more general problem?
2. Define the problem. Make sure the definition explains all the observable facts.
3. Define the boundary conditions, like objectives or goals, that your decision must satisfy. When the conditions change, your decision must change with them.
4. Decide. Usually you will have to compromise eventually. Decide what is right.
5. Take action. Make sure your employees know what the decision involves, and who is expected to do what.
6. Get feedback. Gather information on the effectiveness of your decision. Make sure your decision is still relevant to current conditions.

This is one of the most, thought provoking books, I've read this year. In the first part of the book, Business philopher, Peter Drucker protrays and verbally the business model of today, and highlights the necessary interactions of managers with the model. In the second part of the book, Drucker breaks away and reveals a series of startling revelations about today's business.

The theory of business is what Drucker, defines as "what a company gets paid for." Drucker states when big companies get in trouble they blame "complacency, arrogance, mammoth bureacracies", as a plausible explanations. However, the problem's root causes are rarely identified and the prevously stated explanations are rarely right. Most companies fail, to perform well, at what they get paid for.

Drucker defines the parts of the business environment, as: environment (society and its structure and the market), mission (customer ), (core competencies) and technology. Why is this important? The assumptions about environment, mission, and core competencies must fit together. Drucker drives home the point by contrasting the sucess of non-profit organizations with profit organizations, stating we can learn from the success of non-profit organizations, namely: well define mission, lack of deep management hierarchy, individual responsiblity, a deep understand of individual roles and purposes, and cohension between expectations and results. Secondly, the theory of business must be known and understood through out the business. Drucker stresses the importance of learning from the non-customer. And Lastly, the theory of business must be tested constantly.

The Effective Decision process involves the follow sequence of steps: 1. Classify the problem 2. Define the problem 3. Specify the answer to the problem 4. Decide what is right rather than what is acceptable 5. Build into the decision the action to carry it out 6. and test the validity and effectiviness of the decision against the actual course of events. This is an high level sketch outlining a model for effective decision.

Drucker provides two methods, to help make, people decisions. The two creative approaches are: determine if the right people has right qualifications, perceptions, and talents; and make sure the individual understands the job. The first approaches advocates careful selection of the individual, by determining, how well the candidate fits the job assignment. The second approach measures the new manager's understanding of the job. The process requests, the new manager to write on paper, what they think will make them sucessful, in their job. Senior management reads the paper to determine, if the manager has grasped an understanding, of the job, and revalidates their decison about the individual being the right person, for the job.

The discipline of innovation encourages managers to separate the reasons for successful management, into two groups: systematic and non-systematic innovation. Both systematic and Non-systematic opportunies exist within an company or industry because of unexpected occurences, incongruties, process needs, and industry and market changes. Systematic innovation begins by analyizing the sources of opportunity. Innovation is perceptual and conceptual by definition and innovators must go out look, ask, and listen. Effective innovations start small. Small Innovations can lead to large implementations. Without innovation the company will go out of business. Innovation keeps a company competitive in the market and capable of meeting customer needs.

Technology has created a great diversity of information. In order for a manager, to be effective, managers need to identify the information they need to effective perform their jobs.

The world is moving to a society of organizations. Companies are moving to global economies of scale. People interact with various organizations to achieve results. Because of this new organization theory, outsourcing is preferred when no direct management hierarchy exists to a Vice President. Outsourcing provides high skill specialist, management, and senior management. Companies are achieving better results organizationally by outsourcing business process where possible.

Management is responsible for creating the knowledge worker. Historically, significant increasing in productivity were the result of a management core build established. Management is responsible for building the skilled worker. Organizations are made up of individuals, who have a high degree of technical skill and knowledge. Information must be convert into knowledge and manager's communication ability dictates the level of effectiviness in using the skilled worker's knowledge. Organizations represent a network of specialists, rather than a strong command and control heirarchy. However, technology of itself does not increase productivity.

How do managers increase productivity? Managers increase productive by helping the knowledge worker to work smarter - not harder. Management creates the knowledge worker by empower them with specialized skills and knowledge. Productivity gaps are closed through training. Management must decide who gets trained. Training the right people increase the worker's capability, compensation, and productivity. Performance can only be achieved by the worker working smarter not harder. Only ten percent of the work is effectively and producing ninety percent of the productivity and profit. Thus, over ninety percent of the work is ineffective. It is management's responsibility to reduce this inefficiency. Drucker will later introduce his activity oriented decision model to help managers reduce the amount of inefficiency.

Managers are responsible for creating and maintaining their carreer path. Receiving a higher education degree and employment, in a large company does not guarentee retirement, with the company. Managers are responsible for designing and maintaining their career. Fragmentation of purpose and thought must be overcome to reduce confusion and losses. Knowledge workers must learn how to produce. This requires the knowledge work to remain current, with changes, in the business environment. Their contribution in large part depends on the knowledge workers ability to adapt and learn smarter ways to produce.

Activity Oriented Decision model prevents loses and failures. Activity Oriented decisions combine value analysis, risk analysis, quality analysis, and process analysis, into one. Decisions resulting from managers who follow the activity oriented decision model don't risk losing capital. The combination of the various information sources, associated with the activity oriented decision helps the manager understand the potential value of the venture, the potential value, the risks of failure, and the cost of modifying or implement new processes, and the long term affects on quality in the organization.

The activity oriented decision model is a conceptually definition and the practical discipline proposed exciting possiblities. Activies are analyzed, defined, and sequenced. Resources are allocated to the activity. The activity outcomes are measured to determine, if they are meeting requirements. Managers weight the risks by asking "what are the benefits of the activity?","What are the fallout impacts for failure to implement the activity?", and "what are the impacts to the organization long term by implementing the activity?"

Analysis of the process, results in time and budget allocation estimates. Schedules provide time lines and sequences linked to a resources. Managers must coordination various organizations to gain access to a resource. A resource represents a individual in a specialize field of knowledge. Communication and coordination are necessary to effectively manage various resources, so each individual understands, what is expected and what to produce. Budgets and time provide the boundary of the activity problem. Its possible to have a budget or schedule which exceeds the boundary of the problem, making the activity unfeasible. To avoid this problem, the manager must provide clear objectives to be developed and maintained. The objectives scope must stay within a predefined problem boundary.

Peter F. Drucker is known as the "management guru's management guru". The articles in this book explain the reason. Each article is a landmark in the field of management.

In the preface Drucker shows why he has become so famous. He shows his strength of recognising trends and how these trends will affect business, people, and society. This preface is followed by a short introduction from the editor.

The book consists of two Parts, The Manager's Responsibilities and The Executive's World, with each consisting of 6 Harvard Business Review-articles (out of 32 articles and growing). The book also includes an interesting preface, an introduction by Harvard Business Review-editor Nan Stone, and an interview with Peter Drucker.

In Part I - The Manager's Responsibilities, the articles discuss the managerial responsibilities of the manager, although Drucker prefers the term "executive". The articles discuss general management such as the decision-making process, effective management, strategic management, and innovation.

Part II - The Executive's World, Drucker discusses the history of management, the transformation from the traditional command-and-control model to knowledge-based organizations, information technology, and non-profit management.

The book concludes with an interview with Peter Drucker, which is based on his 1995-book 'Post-Capitalist Society'.

The book deserves the five-star rating since each article is fantastic. Perhaps some of them overlap, but it is amazing that some of the articles written in the 1960s are still very valid today. Drucker's writing style is simple US-English.

It should be mandatory for every M.B.A. student in the world.

Radiant Mind is a fantastic book! Having read many books on Zen, Buddhism and meditation, along with personal training and meditation retreats, I have to say Fenner nails it! It is difficult to say exactly what it was in the book that was most meaningful, but what Fenner says and how he says it definately gave me several Ah-Ha moments. Similar to Adyashanti's teachings, if you have moved beyond dogma and liturgy in Buddhism, and are truely looking for the essense of Buddha's awakening, then this work is where you want to spend time. It is a book I will return to many times.

Whether you are an experienced meditator and long-time scholar or a complete beginner, Peter's teaching on these CDs will lead you to a direct experience of unconditioned mind, which is ineffable, i.e. your mind in its natural state, beyond words, ideas and concepts.

If you have read the book, you should still order the audio CDs. The richness of Peter's verbal expression, with its emphasis and significant spaces communicates this experience in a way the book cannot. You can actually participte with him in this experience. He is an extraordinary teacher.
Radiant Mind: Teachings & Practices to Awaken Unconditioned Awareness (Sounds True Audio Learning Course)

This book is exceptionally clear and lucid, while covering material that is deep and too often difficult.

If you pay close attention, you'll be able to notice that the author gives us readers a *process*, somethings to do...that help us get results.

This isn't theory-only, it's very practical.

If you want good background and foundation, processes and methods that work, if you want to come away with clarity and be able to make progress -- then this is one of those rare books that will give you all that.

The purpose of Radiant Mind is to turn the reader's attention toward cultivating unconditioned awareness in the midst of everyday experience. Peter Fenner is a well known teacher, writer, scholar, and counselor. In the world of nonduality, Radiant Mind is one of the few all-encompassing, structured nondual teachings for students of the early 2000s. If your current involvement with nondual teachings is unsatisfactory, you may be very pleased with the breadth and depth of Radiant Mind. I recommend investigating it.

Fenner anticipates and confronts the reader's avoidance and dishonesty. He points out the difference between disconnecting from and deconstructing our problems. He's honest: "We don't necessarily want to examine our patterns. In fact, the patterns are constructed with a dual purpose. They are designed to sabotage our life and the lives of others, but in such a way that we don't recognize them."

Following each chapter are exercises. Their initial objective is to connect you with your fixations or conditioned existence. Then the exercises are designed to cultivate unconditioned awareness through sitting, pure listening, and various ways of deconstruction, especially conversations: "These conversations dismantle the structures of our conditioning and introduce us to the experience of contentless awareness."

For those who think they are beyond meditation, or contemplative practice, Fenner points out that practice is necessary in order to reveal to us that practice is not necessary. More honesty: "This constant denial saps our energy and demoralizes us, because we're engaged in a losing battle with a reality that simply isn't interested in our existence."

Peter Fenner does not allow you hide anywhere. He knows all your tricks and spells them out. At the same time, he is open about the paradox of functioning out of the nondual space. He says, "You're so complete it doesn't mean anything to say you're complete. This book is a paradox. ... I'm sure you also know that it has nothing to do with unconditioned awareness."

Counselors, psychotherapists, coaches, spiritual teachers, and self-realized gurus looking for ways to explain things better, and anyone functioning within, or with, or as the paradox, will benefit from reading Radiant Mind.

Radiant Mind may also be engaged as an 8-month course. Fenner mentions the course in passing at the very end of the book. He gives all he's got within the limitations of a book. The course is not necessary, however the serious reader/student will know soon enough.

Finally, I want to briefly talk about the index. The index is excellent and professional. The only thing that puzzles me is why the material in the exercises at the end of each chapter was not indexed.

For example, under the entry "pure listening," all the appropriate page numbers in the book are noted except for pages 123-124, which are exercises in pure listening. Perhaps the indexer or publisher could explain to me the justification. Aside from that, it is one of the best indexes in the nonduality genre today. That the Appendix on Radiant Communication was indexed is commendable.

Jerry Katz
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality

For those seeking some form of Enlightenment, Fenner shines a bright, if not harsh, light on just what enlightment is - and is not. His writing is actually very positive and helps one to experience the non-dual in everyday life (hence: Radiant Mind), instead of merely seeking to "be" non-dual, which of course is an impossibility. This is the CD version - it is clear but Fenner does speak a bit slowly, perhaps attempting to induce a calm aura into his ideas. Very straight forward and down to earth, a welcome change to the Ken Wilber style. A valuable addition to a seeker's library.

I loved this as a child and my son loves it just as much now that I have introduced it to him. A true classic for kids.

A continuation of a great book. To be able not just to find these houses, but to actually get to live in one... I'm fairly sure this is where my dream of buying an old Victorian fixer-upper came from. It's not a sequel that you wish had never been written, it's one that you're extremely grateful was written. It continues with the same air of mystery - things to be found, adventures to be discovered - all while providing a very happy ending for all of those involved. Definitely a classic that I plan on sharing with my own children someday.

I am spending this summer re-reading all of my favorite children's books. I have a copy of Gone Away Lake, and was thrilled to obtain a copy of the sequel. I also have other books by Elizabeth Enright and hope that my granddaughter will enjoy them as much as I did (and still do). Ms Enright is a great writer.

I discovered this sequel to the original "Gone Away Lake" just recently, and was surprised because I never realized it existed! Having read "Gone Away" as an adolescent, I was caught up in the story immediately, and always wondered what happened after the story ended. Well, now I know! In fact this sequel is just as good as the original, and actually seems like more of a continuation of the original story than a sequel. You will fall in love all over again with not only the story but the characters as well. Miss Enright just seemed to know exactly how to tell a story to hold a reader's interest and make the characters unforgettable. While written for children, these stories will also capture the imagination of adults, many of whom will remember the original story from their childhood. Kudos to Elizabeth Enright...she will be sorely missed!

I loved this book as a child, looking forward to giving my nephew a copy. Give your children a break from video games and violent movies...

I thought Peter Lerangis did an exquisite job at creating a suspensful setting. This book is about a 14-year-old, Adam Sarno, still trying to relieve himself of the four years of grief in result of his best friend drowning in a hockey accident. He finds a video camera that everyone thinks is broken, but he can see into the past with it. Is he merely insane or gifted? The ending was very shocking.

I found this book very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. The excitement Peter Lerangis crafted into it was amazing. I loved it, I recomend this book to anyone who loves suspense.

Before I was given this book, it was like pulling teeth to get me to read. After beginning this book, I REALLY could not put it down. I just had to turn another page. And another. And another. It was almost like participating in a soccer game where you just don't know what's going to happen next. I was caught reading this book in class at school. The teacher thought it was so cool that I was so involved in the book, that she actually GAVE me the book! She had never seen me like that, she couldn't believe I was actually reading. Really I couldn't believe it myself!
THIS IS A GOTTA READ BOOK!

I am a teacher in Newark and had my students read this book in class. They could not put it down and kept reading ahead awaiting what would happen next. Any parents trying to get their child to read should get this book.

Wow were the first words that came out of my mouth. That day I had just gotten back from a used book store and picked this book out. This had been the best book I had ever read. The ending was fasinating and the style of writing he used was, well... super. I loved this book so much I rushed to school the next day and got all my friends to read it. They loved it too, but that wasn't enough, I then got my family to read it. My mom was estatic. I then had to get the rest of the series. And, just like the first, I love them and always will.

Four years ago, a boy named Edgar died in an accident while playing a game of ice hockey. His best friend, Adam, is always reminded of that night in his dreams. He knows he could have helped him and he knows he tried, but the fact remains...it was his idea to go out and play on that ice with Edgar and his other friend Lianna. Even though he knows what happened, he doesn't remember it at all for some reason. Nobody will explain to him what happened, either, because they know he's blocked his memory out for a reason. But he was there and he feels ashamed and guilty, worried that he may never know the details...until one day when he comes across a camera that acts strange, displaying the wrong picture and doing other similar things. Adam presumes it's broken until he see's something from four years ago through the lens of the camera. He steps into the scene in which he is ten and reading a book, and it becomes his reality until he chooses to leave or the camera is disturbed. He uses the camera a few other times and actually rearranges history by interfering with the scenes he experiences. Nobody else can see this, either. The four-year anniversary of Edgar's accident is coming up in a few days and Adam is eagerly awaiting the moment so that he can bring Edgar back. The camera, however, will show Adam things he will not want to see. It will show him the truth, but the truth is far from what he thinks happened. In fact, it's much worse. Soon, the camera is missing and time is running out before the day arrives. Adam must retrieve it in time and keep it safe while he attempts to change history and bring back his best friend from the dead.

The second book in the Watchers series is far superior to the first. Peter Lerangis has well-developed his knack for writing the mysterious and suspensful, and in this book even the innermost emotions of a hurting person. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last sentence when a shocking ending via Sixth Sense occurs. I enjoyed this book way more than Last Stop and I found it even more envolved and intriguing. It should not be overlooked by anyone of any age.

I got this book after the First Gulf War. Rhonda Cornum's courage as a POW is inspirational, especially under the circumstances in shich she found herself. It is well-known how the Ba'athists rotinely employed torture (real torture, not redefined torture) in order to get airmen to make statements critical of the Coalition war effort. In fact, the enemy we were fighting against at the time were barbarians who had no scruples when it came to the men and women who fell into their hands.

An awesome book about an awesome Soldier.

I thought I'd let readers know that now Col. Rhonda Cornum was nominated for promotion to Brigadier General today.

I express my deep respect, admiration and gratitude for Colonel Rhonda Cornum's service to our country and the medical profession. She is a soldier's soldier. Her book is as entertaining and as inspirational as her career. Read it and it will change your life forever.

I'd heard that there was a female soldier captured during the first Gulf War, but I didn't know anything about her until I read this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Rhonda Cornum's strong personality comes through the pages of this book. Just her description of how she coped with her untreated injuries is impressive, and I second the person who admired how she kept her spirits up by singing in her prison cell. I hope if I ever found myself in as adverse a situation as she did, that I would be able to remain as courageous and confident throughout. Her description of the struggles she faced as a woman in the military is blunt without sinking into self-pity. An interesting and impressive slice of the first Gulf War, and a courageous role model and heroine.

I pinched COL Cornum's book from my boyfriend, curious to find out more about his boss. She jogs by my workplace almost daily, she seems frail and full of girlish energy. Recently,I met her at a LRMC function and she IS full of girlish energy. As she's a former POW, I was unsure what to expect. Since then, I've been even more curious about the woman my old mentor COL Ron Blanck described as "a woman to watch". That was back in '91 - we'd been following her release on AFN-TV from FARMC HQs during Morning Report. I was hungover but jolted out of my stupor by the respect in his voice. He later made it 4-star and respect was never something he's doled out like party favors.
I've just finished her book (coincidently on the anniversary of her release thirteen years ago). It was staunchly pro-military and pro-American without resorting to gush-mode. It made me laugh unexpectedly, it made me run to my PC and download Lee Greenwood, it made me understand my former mentor. I took it to bed, I took it to breakfast and finally, I took it in the tub with me where I cried so hard at the reunion passage that I dropped it in the water. It was the autographed copy which she'd recently presented to my boyfriend on his birthday. I hope her sense of humour has rubbed off on him. If not, I'm in big trouble. Buy this book. Buy your own copy and buy some for your family. Then buy some for your neighbors. I need the karma points.