Rich Books

As other reviewers have pointed out, Marie Wallace is best known for her two years on the spooky soap opera Dark Shadows.But her career, and her life, encompass so much more.For decades, Marie Wallace was a working actress, appearing on television, and in scores of theatre productions, including eight stints on Broadway.Her credits are impressive, and she has worked with many theatre greats. In her new book, On Stage And In Shadows, she invites her readers to figuratively join her for a cup of coffee while she tells of her childhood in New York City, her early days as a model, and her wonderful adventures in show business.In sharing her memories, Marie Wallace not only regales us with stories about Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason, Bob Fosse, and her dear friend Ruth Buzzi, she educates us on the hard work it takes to succeed and do good work in the often cuthroat world of New York theatre.The book, like it's author, is a charming delight!On a personal note, I'd like to say that, after having met and talked to Marie Wallace at numerous Dark Shadows conventions, her charm is no act!Marie Wallace in person is every bit as warm and delightful as she is on the printed page.Bravo!!!!!!!

Many know Ms .Wallace from her time on the classic cult soap opera, Dark Shadows. While a fascinating and integral part of Wallace's career, Dark Shadows is simply a small thread in a very large and impressive tapestry of work and I might add, an enviable career on the stage and screen .

Those hoping to read about Ms. Wallace's days in the strange and supernatural world of Collinsport, Maine won't be disappointed. The actress offers up wonderful stories of her time on the spooky soap. Even more fascinating is a look back at her time on the Great White Way working opposite and along side luminaries such as Ethel Merman, Gwen Verdon and Bert Lahr.

More then anything else I love this book because it so purely conversational. Every moment is told so vividly and with such great detail, without ever once lagging or boring the reader. I honestly felt as though this lady had pulled up a chair next to me and was just shooting the breeze. The book also chronicles a Manhattan and a Broadway we'll never see again . I found one very important sentiment Marie makes through out her personal story . Something anyone in any profession or walk of life should keep in mind: take chances, keep moving on, don't be afraid to venture down a new path!

Marie Wallace: Actress, Photographer, Raconteur!

Theater and TV lovers will enjoy this career memoir of actress and photographer Marie Wallace even if unfamiliar with her work. I happen to be familiar with her stage and TV career so I loved the book all the more. Ms. Wallace has worked with many performers and directors, some of the better known performers being Jackie Gleason, Ruth Buzzi, Ethel Merman, Gwen Vernon just to name a few and her insights into the business itself is as interesting to read as her recollections of the cast and productions.

As an actor and acting teacher, I recommend this book for those new to the business as Ms. Wallace offers advice and opinions about how things were done when she first started out and how they work now. Ms. Wallace's memoir is a fascinating read for anyone who loves the business and fun of showbusiness.

This book was a delightful read. Written in an easy-going and friendly style, Marie keeps the reader hooked with her career progression throughout the years. She shows how a positive outlook and energetic approach to life have benefitted her both her life and career.

In addition, her stories about each of the shows she was in are engaging and fun to read about, from her descriptions of other actors, some well-known, some known well only in theatre, to her take on each of the characters she played. It was good to see how much she has enjoyed her career as an actor and later as a photographer.

A warm and charming person herself, Marie Wallace earned with hard work the accolades she received in her shows and still receives when she encounters her fans. What a treat to get to read about her life and career.

"On Stage and in Shadows" is a joy from cover to cover, an invigorating experience that hits every note beautifully. If you're interested in how an actor/actress "makes it" against seemingly insurmountable odds, then Marie's book is for you. She candidly chronicles her truly remarkable life and career(s), from cradle to today--all the while pulling no punches and sparing no detail. I was particularly interested in "On Stage" because of my connection with "Dark Shadows," the infamous gothic soap opera that featured Marie as "Eve," "Crazy Jenny Collins," and "Megan Todd." Her fan club was the first one I joined, way back in 1969, and our eventual meeting at Hampton Playhouse on July 29th of that same year has remained a clear and nostalgic memory for me. She is both a fascinating individual and a strong-willed survivor, as you, too, will discover in "On Stage and in Shadows." Profusely illustrated, written in a personal, conversational tone, this book is one for the ages. Highest rating!

This is a essential book for beginners and advanced users. DBAs can have good references to implement ASM without problems. There are many information not found in conventional forums.

Other than Oracle documentation, this is the only ASM source of information that I know of. This book is a relatively fast read and comes in at under 300 pages.

The first chapter is very helpful and I learned some information about disk storage that I did not know. I am more comfortable talking with SAN and system administrators now. They also get the feel that I know what I am talking about. After the first chapter, the book dives right into ASM architecture and management. Each chapter is well written and easy to understand. This book also covers the new features in Oracle 11 and you can see that Oracle is dedicated to maturing ASM. ASM is here to stay and it will gain in popularity.

One of the areas that I thought could have been better is the discussion and explanation of RAC, ASM and how the cluster registry is affected. It would have been nice to have a chapter on OCFS just as a supplement. Some shops will utilize both OCFS and ASM. OCFS will host the OCR and voting file as ASM can not be used.

If you are new to ASM or you are an expert, this book is a good read. If you are new to ASM will get more out of it (obviously) since it covers everything you need to know to install and maintain ASM. Fortunately since this is the only ASM book (as of today) and it is great source of information you will not be wasting your time. This book comes highly recommended.

George Loewenthal
Denver, Colorado

Oracle Automatic Storage Management Under-the-Hood & Practical Deployment Guide.This is a must have book for those who are working on ASM or who are planning to implement ASM.Chapters like "ASM Space Allocation and Rebalance","ASMLIB Concepts and Overview","Managing Database in ASM" and "ASM and Storage Array Configuration" gives you in detail information.

After reading the book I can say that now I know what actually is ASM/How it works/How to Implement ASM and I don't need any more training on ASM.


-MOHAMMED MOINUDDIN UMAIR
Senior Tuning Consultant,LEHMAN BROTHERS,NEW JERSEY

One of the authors of this book is the director of development for ASM. Who would know more about it than the developers? The other 2 implement it in many different environments. Lastly, the technical reviewer Charles Kim wrote the 11g new features book for Apress. There could not be a better group of people to write a book about ASM and review it than these individuals.

I would highly recommend this book for any DBA that will be working with ASM and / or RAC. The high performance, ease of use, and low cost make it a very attractive solution. This book will teach you everything you need to know about ASM (that's why it's called an "Under-the-Hood" guide). It also makes an excellent reference.

Someone recenlty mentioned that Oracle Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is probably the best thing ever happened to Oracle next to SQL*Plus. I would second that. However there was no definitive text available in the market and Nitin & co perfectly filled the gap with this classic one.

This book starts with the basics of the storage technology and moves towards the center of the ASM with deep discussions on ASM data structures, ASM in operation and ASM troubleshooting. Nitin probably probably knows more about ASM than anyone I know and excels in explaining the complex technologies in easy to understand manner. You will immensely benefit from his wisdom and real life experience.

A must read for Oracle Storage Administrators and DBAs working with RAC/ASM.

I was introduced to Order of the Stick about a year ago and read the comics religiously. Rich Burlew has a wonderful sense of humor, and I've come to fall in love with the characters.

The one drawback is for people not familiar with Dungeons and Dragons (like myself) some of the jokes fall very flat. However, there is enough humor throughout the comics to keep it going even when you're wondering what the heck they're talking about with Chaotic Good and twelve sided dice.

This is the story of six travelers who are ... well, traveling. Of course, once one goal is accomplished another follows and so on. Their characters complement each other nicely and there's romance and magic and swordplay, all the integral parts of an epic story. I definitely recommend the books.

[...]

I've been following the comic from the website [...] and it is absolutely hilarious! I can't stop laughing! You definitely need to have a basic understanding of how D&D or other gaming systems work in order to get most of the jokes. I don't really care for the game, and though I've only played a few times, I get a lot of the jokes and it just really entertains me.

I highly recommend it! Check out the website if nothing else!

Over the years, I've read a number of online comics. I've also read a good many gaming (roleplaying) based comics. Order of the Stick is one of the few that have enough humor, engaging characters, and storyline to draw me (no pun intended) back to read and reread.

I have heard the art could be better, but to be honest, I think the art style is part of what makes the comic. It's simplistic and very 'cookie cutter' in form, but Burlew manages to eek out very individualistic characters, villains and monsters.

In short, Order of the Stick is downright hilarious with enough intelligence to be worth rereading and enough jokes that it has yet to get old (I've read the 200+ strips featured on the OotS site, plus the run that is currently in Dragon Magazine). It will be finding a place on my shelf alongside Calvin and Hobbes.

Burlew's parodies of role-playing and fantasy are spot-on. His comedy is spectacular, and he has developed the characters so you CARE about these stick-like squiggles (okay, so the art could be better). Character-development works, but its the comedy that slays me, I laughed til I sprayed milk out of my nose! Though I don't remember drinking any milk that day.... hope I didn't rupture something.

OMG! its so funny! i love it! stick figures, going on adventures(sort of)...
anyways, this book is for those who love Order of the Stick and want to have their own copy for themselves, or d&d lovers who have played and understand the basis of d&d...
(if you dont know d&d, you wont get most things in this comic)

I read a lot of books about leadership and this is one of the best I've seen in a long time. The "Preface" to each chapter puts the following pages into context. The ongoing business case of fictional company Apex Integrated Technologies takes an arguably dry subject (i.e., "leadership") and fleshes it out to be a very interesting topic.

The authors segment the challenges a manager/executive faces into logical chapters. Each is carefully analyzed and presented in a way that makes the reader *think*. Although Messrs. Petty and Petro provide good substance, this book is also interactive. There are plenty of lists and general observations (e.g., "The Top Ten Challenges of the New Leader" and "The Nine Credibility Builders Rules for Effective Leaders to Live By"), but equally important are the thought-provokers (e.g., "Career Planning Questions" and "Seven Questions for the Ambitious Aspiring Leader"). The chapters are chocked full of insight and advice, and each is nicely closed with an "Epilogue."

What makes this book unique are the Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter and the password-protected portions of the authors' web site that provide answers and additional content and perspectives.

This book was so "right on," that I ordered an additional 12 copies to share with close clients and business associates. It's a must read!

Art and Rich have done a great job of getting to the meat of how to put action to the development of leaders and more importantly potential leaders. Too often we push people down the leadership path with no defined criteria as to who will make a great leader and how you guide people through that decision. Months later you deal with talented people being ineffective leaders, which leads to wasted time and (more painfully) difficult decisions as to what to do with a once effective person. This book will help you make the right choices with your valuable resources and then follow up on how to get the most out of those chosen leaders. You'll also end up with happier, more focused teams as a result of effective leadership.

The book does a nice job of balancing theory with action plans. The addition of their website provides a set of resources to use on an on-going basis. In my opinion the book is differentiated by the fact that it isn't a one-time read that ends up sitting on the shelf and adding little value a month after it is read. You will definitely want to keep this one on your desk. The book allows leaders at all levels to define action plans with their direct reports and put the critical follow up into place that holds all of us accountable to developing leaders rather than paying lip service to the importance of leadership. A highly recommended read for all levels of leadership.

I highly recommend this book because it improved the way I view organizational leadership and I believe the practical ideas presented can significantly strengthen new leaders or experienced leaders.

The conversational, easy-flowing writing style creates an enjoyable reading experience. The book repeated a well-paced pattern: leadership vignettes, leadership lessons, and then off to the Web site for the authors view on the vignettes. Each chapter begins with a preface consisting of a realistic leadership vignette - a challenging scenario that puts the reader in the shoes of a leadership dilemma. Then the chapter introduces the leadership concept being discussed, such as "To Lead or Not to Lead?". The chapters interweave leadership lesson and concepts, pragmatic philosophies, and the two author's personal experiences.

Then after reading the chapter, but before moving on to the next, I found myself visiting the Web site to read the authors perspective on the vignette in that chapter's preface. Readers don't have to use the Web site in conjunction with reading the book, but I found myself very curious to learn more about how the leadership concepts could be applied to the vignette.

The three chapters that I found particularly beneficial were on the topics of choosing to be a leader or a solo performer, credibility and providing meaningful feedback.
The authors challenge the reader to honestly assess if they've got the right motivation, values, and qualities to be a leader. They help the reader make this determination between choosing a solo career versus a leadership career without judging one choice as "better" than the other - just very different.

I was refreshed by the lack of theoretical prose that seems to be too prevalent in most management books. It's down-to-earth stuff, yet it had enough weight to leave me thinking about the ideas for days after I set the book down. The perspective on credibility was liberating from the perspective that they encourage leaders to "be themselves" but also to develop the leadership habits and traits that their followers really want from them (follow-through, sincerity, honesty, visible agendas, giving credit, going to bat for their team, getting to know team members, and being respectful).

In the end, this was one of those books that I wished I would have read at the beginning of my career instead of 20 years into it. But as the title mentions, it is also a guidebook for experienced leaders. I highly suggest it for all who are, or want to be, in leadership roles.

This is one of the best written leadership books out. It contains practical advice for those looking to begin a career in leadership as well as some great insights for those who have been directing teams for years.

Prior to each chapter there are small vignettes that capture the essence of what's going to be covered. I found these very beneficial and entertaining. It provided a real-world glimpse into how different leadership issues arise and are addressed.

This book is one that you'll find yourself referencing often. I've recommended it to numerous people and they've all found something valuable in it.

This is the best practical book on leadership that I've read in at least twenty years. The title makes two promises.

The main title promises that these are practical lessons and that you will learn things that will help you in the day-to-day, nitty-gritty work of leading a group of people. The book lives up to that promise.

The sub-title promises that this book will be valuable for both "aspiring" and experienced leaders. The book lives up to that promise, too.

In the Introduction, the authors say: "The choice to lead is often made without understanding." They're right.

Many people choose to take a promotion to management because it's the only way to increase income and prestige. They don't think about how their life and work will change. Many companies offer promotion to management without analyzing whether a person can succeed in the specific work of leadership.

Part One, "To Lead or Not to Lead?" tells a person considering moving into leadership how to make a good decision about whether to do so. It's worth the price of the book all by itself.

The authors point out that leadership should be a specific career choice because it is a specific kind of work. Some people will have the talent to do it well. Others will not. You'll find seven questions to help you determine your ability and willingness to succeed in a leadership position.

Chapter 2, "Solo Performer or Leader," helps you look at leadership from both sides. If you decide that you want to pursue leadership work, Chapter 3 will help you answer the question: "How do I get there from here?" The authors give you eight solid career planning questions to help you sort things out, along with lots of good advice.

Part Two of the book is about "Succeeding from the Start." It, too, is worth the price of the book all by itself.

There's help on two different transitions. There is advice about how to make the move from individual contributor to supervisor or manager including excellent material that will help you understand your new role and how to deal with some common challenges. There's solid practical advice like "Everybody has an agenda" and "Your associates' personal problems become your problem."

The authors also remind you that "you want to change people, but people don't change much." Every manager with some experience has found that out the hard way. The people at Gallup have established it with research. It's just one of many bits of the wisdom in this section.

There is also advice about how to make the transition to leading a new group. Early in Chapter 5 you're advised to "have a plan for the first few months." Then the authors give you tools to develop that plan.

They describe four primary start-up tasks and give you question lists to help you plan each one. They identify six agenda killers and address the special challenges of what they call "internally-placed, first-time leaders."

They're the people who are promoted and often assigned to supervise the people they've been working with. A couple of hundred years ago, Wellington's British Army knew that was a bad idea and transferred men promoted from the ranks to a different unit. Many of today's companies haven't caught up with Wellington on that one.

With Part Three we move on to issues for experienced managers. In Chapter 7, the authors tell you to "Forget everything else. Here's the real job." The real job is creating an effective working environment. Naturally, they tell you what one looks like with "Seven Indicators of an Effective Work Environment."

There's direct and helpful advice on giving feedback which the authors call "the most dreaded task imaginable." My own research supports that statement.

Working managers tell us that talking to people who work for you about performance is one of the hardest things they have to do. Most books on leadership don't offer any advice on how to do it. This book offers a lot.

There's a process for analyzing supervisory situations. This is simple, straightforward, and actionable advice about what to do when you are thinking about a face-to-face encounter with someone who works for you.

There's also first rate advice on developing the knowledge and skills of the people who work for you. You'll find "Four Axioms for Developing Others" (the first two are that you can't do it for them or to them) and an excellent Individual Development Plan Worksheet.

The final section of the book is about "Tying It All Together." There's a ton of practical advice and also "Twelve Questions to Keep You and Your Team Focused."

Whether you dip into it for advice on a specific issue or problem, or you read it straight through you'll find a lot of value in this book. I do have some quibbles, though.

I wish they'd written two books. I'd like one book for people considering leadership as a career choice and another book for those already in leadership positions.

The case studies that precede each chapter and the questions that follow each chapter may work well in a classroom or group-use setting. For me they interrupted the flow of the book.

I found the web site to be poorly organized to support the book and missing several promised links. That may be fixed by the time you visit the site. You'll want to do that after buying this book and, if leading a group is something you do or something that you're considering as a career choice, you should, definitely, buy this book.

Well, this is definitely a page turner and a flip through and a go back and read again and share and tell people they just have to read it.

Imagine, so many wrote their last words poetically. Some wrote pages while others wrote short. "I demand a recount." "Mispronounced dead on arrival." And perhaps you'll guess who wrote one word "Imagine!"

My absolute favorite, laugh out loud epitath--

When my time on earth is done
And I have breathed my last
I want them to bury me upside down
So my critics can kiss my ass

This is definately one of the most entertaining reads all year.
The telling, moving, and sometimes hilarious reflections kept me turning the page. It was tough for me to put down! This book is a real treasure. Debbie Farmer, author of 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'

This book is built on an interesting idea. Larry King asks three- hundred people, most of them American celebrities from the worlds of sports, entertainment, business, journalism, music, comedy, writing ,acting, politics, science and education what message they would leave behind and wish to be remembered by.
Some take this lightly and answer in a quick one- liner or even a word- some seem overly burdened by their own importance, but many hit ' right notes' and quite a few have a real humor.
This is the kind of work which one skims, jumps back and forth in, looking for something interesting. Most are misses, but some are scores, and it is the scores that make the book worthwhile.
A few examples follow which I found of some value.

" For years I've been claiming ,"I'm only human. I'm only human." Maybe now you'll believe me." SHELLY BERMAN

" I hope I see you later." MAUREEN STAPLETON

"He did his best when no one was watching." BOB COUSY

"Jim who?' JIM BOUTON

" I want to be remember as a good guy one who always helped others in need. JOE FRAZIER


" The best is yet to come." BEVERLY SILLS

" He was never boring. He said out loud what others whispered. He challenged authority; the higher the authority, the stronger the challenge. He made the legal system more acceptable to the public He taught thousands of students and educated even more readers and viewers.He listened best with his mouth open. He was fun to be with. He was never boring.All this without knowing how to use a computer. ALAN DERSHOWITZ

I was among the saddest to hear of Larry King's passing in 1987. I had long been a fan of his nonsensical ramblings in USA Today and knew that I might miss those columns unless they replaced it with something superior like a Jumble or a Suduko puzzle. Imagine my surprise to see him on CNN almost 20 years later. Alive ... well sort of alive. Was he cryogenically thawed out? Let this be a warning to all of you in frozen states ... it does NOT always work out.

And this book is just fabulous, a collection of self-serving, inane babblings by the assistants of famous people. Because famous people most certainly do not have the time to write such heartfelt and sincere passages ... they're just not capable of it. It's outside their skill set. So don't be angry with them, just accept them for who they are ... famous friends of Larry King, columnist, talk show host, suspenders-wearer.

When you pass on from this life, what would you want people to say about you? Larry King asked that question of over 300 celebrities, and the result is "Remember Me When I'm Gone," a fascinating compendium of epitaphs and obituaries penned by the still living about themselves. The celebrities include actors, authors, business people, journalists, artists, musicians, politicians, and scientists. The contributions run the gamut: funny, spiritual, laudatory, biographical, comforting, witty, and philosphical. Appropriately enough, there are some song lyrics from songwriters, cartoons from cartoonists, comic epitaphs from comedians, and poetry from writers. Fred Rogers composed his contribution before his death, when he knew he was seriously ill. Larry King provided his own epitaph as well. It was tough for me to select a few examples from so many interesting contributions, but here goes:

Joanna Barnes: At Last - A Parking Space!
Arnold Schwarzenegger: I had fun.
Ted Turner: I have nothing more to say.
Beverly Sills: The best is yet to come.
Robin Leach: Hi, this is Robin Leach standing outside the pearly gates!
Jim Davis: I would like to be remembered as someone who was extremely old.
Dr. Laura Schlessinger: How arrogant to write your own epitaph.

This book displays a lot of wit and wisdom on a sobering topic, and I recommend it as an entertaining and enlightening read.

Eileen Rieback

This is a simple and yet powerful book. Becoming financially independent through real estate is not as difficult as we make it. Follow the book and watch your net worth grow!

An easy-to-understand guide to planning downstream wealth. This book can be the one that makes a difference in the financial well-being of a great many people.

This book is a must for anybody interested in REI.
I've read more than 10 of these REI books and guides, and this one is my favorite.
The great thing about it is that if you believe in the same ideas as Mr. Gorel, you can contact his company and they can help you find a property.

You won't regret buying this one.

I've read many books on real estate investing and this one is at the top of my list. It provides practical advice for investing in real estate and shows how real estate investing is not just for the already wealthy, but can be achieved by almost anyone who sets their mind to it. I especially appreciated the chapter about using Quicken and setting up a filing system for keeping your investments organized. This is a subject I haven't seen covered in other REI books and is very practical and fundamental. I have seen Mr. Gorel speak at events and he is sincere, inspiring, intelligent, and down to earth -- no snakeoil salesman here. His advice and example has helped me get ahead financially.

It is refreshing that a book as informative as Remote Controlled Real Estate Riches is written in a simple, clear, and organized manner. It is non-intimidating even to the novice investor such as myself. This book has given me confidence, as its easy-to-read pages are full of SANE advice (no deceptive get-rich-quick scheme here) regarding the locating, buying, holding, managing, and selling of real estate. Thankfully, it even includes a section on how to organize your real estate documents!! I'm so glad that Mr. Gorel has shared his wisdom and experience with us. To me this book is great find, and I enthusiastically recommend it!

Very original, haven't ever read anything in a POV like that... and I like the plot :)

Fantastic Book! I enjoyed every page of it. It's a tightly, well though out and well told tale. The ending was a nice suprise too.

I should have paid more attention when I picked up this book. I thought it said "a ghost story", "not a ghost's story". This book is told from the point of view of the ghost (Frank). Frank's brother, Herbie is about to begin his senior year and he has decided to go out for two sports--football and cross-country. He is now the same age as his brother was when he died.

The premise of the book is that there are some things that must be done while yet alive. It is a book that really gets you thinking about your own life and what you are doing with it.

While there are no objectionable words, I would recommend this for readers over age 12 due to subject matter. Definately one of the better books I have read.

Author Wallace is a natural at writing exciting, realistic sports action. However, RESTLESS is about so much more than sports. It's a surprising mystery filled with real teens. The dialog is amazing! It's how real people talk. Here are three non-sports reasons you'll love this book:
1. Everyone would like to be like Herbie, the main character.
2. Everyone would want a big brother like Frank.
3. Everyone knows someone like Eamon the Ghost.
Wallace's book is honest, funny and dramatic. I can't wait for the next one.

Herbie: When Herbie is running through the graveyard, building his endurance for his heavy sports schedule, he knows almost immediately that there is a presence with him. Even when he thinks about all of this afterwards, he knows he will not be able to stay away from the graveyard and the spirit that beckons to him.

Frank: Eight years older than his brother, Frank died of cancer at seventeen. He was not ready to leave and fought hard to hang onto his body, but it finally just gave out. He misses Herbie, his parents and all the passions that he could never have. Frank needs to let Herbie know that things are finally going to be all right and that he can move on. But something else is happening in the graveyard, and even Frank can't understand who the spirit is that is reaching for him.

Eamon: Killed in a tragic accident in the late 1800s, Eamon has not found his peace. He is looking for a way out but does not know where he really is. He has found a great energy in the running boy and a possible channel to another world.

RESTLESS is one of the most original YA books to come along in recent years. While there are themes of spirituality and time travel, what lies underneath the ongoing story are the themes of love and endurance. Author Rich Wallace has done some detailed research into theories about the afterlife and expresses this information beautifully through his characters and the story line. His characters are chained together in their common theme of grief and loneliness. Frank (who has been dead for eight years) narrates most of the story, which gives it an entirely fresh perspective.

This book grabs you from the first page and won't let you go until its exciting and rewarding climax. Get ready for one of the best reads of the season!

--- Reviewed by Sally Tibbetts (stibbetts@maine207west.k12.il.us)

I first read a Chinese translation of this book in China. After I came to New York, I immediately found an English version. The book is about the story of an immigrant family from New York up state from the depression years to the fifties. The family operated a bakery shop. The 3 children didn't get much love from their parents who fought with each other constantly, and had to struggle to make ends meet. All of the children had to depend on their own to find a way to live in the world, since their parents could not give them support, and not much guidance either. I read the book at least 3 times. Initially, every page was exciting, dramatic, and funny. After 2 rounds, I started to notice that the author added quite a bit of soap opera type of ingredients to his book, which are not necessarily bad. However, it is still a great novel. A great story that everybody can relate to. Many of the characters and events are depicted very very vividly, and very dramatic. It was adapted to a TV mini-series in 1967 and it was a sensation. I wish the mini-series could be available in video format. Nick Nolte played Tom Jordache, Jean Simmons played Gretchen Jordache in that mini-series, according to records.

Author Irwin Shaw had a sequel named "Begger, Thief". It is more sacastic, more profane. A lot of the powers of the realism shown in "Rich man, poor man" was lost. The interesting, up-lifting character Rudolph Jordache in "Rich man, poor man" became a millionare whose only job was to save his various family members from trouble. Still, "Begger, Thief" is distinctively a Shaw novel. Good story that are exciting and fun to read.

I first read a Chinese translation of "Rich man, poor man" in China. After I went to New York City, I immediately found a copy of the book. The book is the story of a poor family in up state New York, from the depression years to the fifties. The father was a German immigrant and the mother was raised by an orphanage. The family operated a bakery shop. One of the 3 children, Rudolph Jordache was raised with a lot of love and was the hope of his parents. The other two children didn't get much love from their parents who fought with each other constantly. All of the children had to depend on their own to find a way to live in this world, since their parents could not give much guidance and could not support them for going to colleges. Rudolph was handsome, hard-working, and very disciplined. He later became a self-made millionare and a politician. His sister Gretchen Jordache became a columnist and later worked in the movie industry in Hollywood. The youngest child Tom was not as lucky as his brother and had frequent troubles with the law. I read the book at least 3 times. Initially, every page was exciting, dramatic, and funny. After 2 rounds, I started to notice that the author added quite a bit of soap opera type of ingredients to his book, which are not necessarily bad. The novel has a great story that everybody can relate to. Many of the characters and events are depicted very very vividly, and very dramatic. It was adapted to a TV mini-series in 1967. The mini-series was a sensational hit and did very well in the Emmy's. I wish the mini-series could be available in video format. Nick Nolte played Tom Jordache, Jean Simmons played Gretchen in that mini-series, according to the records. The author Irwin Shaw wrote a sequel named "Begger, Thief". It was more sacastic and more profane than the original. The power of the realism shown in "Rich man, poor man" was lost to some degree. The always motivated and hard-working character Rudolph Jordache in "Rich man, poor man" became a millionare whose only job seemed to be saving his various relatives from trouble. Still, "Begger, Thief" is distinctively a Shaw novel. Good story that are exciting and fun to read.

the fiction is was written iwrn shaw it was the population in the us. in `70

This is a wonderful book, spanning the lives of a dysfunctional family - their loves, their lives, their triumphs, their failures. The characters are fantastically developed. I left this book craving more. Fortunately, Beggarman, Thief is available for those like me that didn't feel like RM/PM should have been over. I fell in love with the characters and just didn't want to leave their lives! I truly enjoy books that delve into the lives of its characters over many years. This one succeeded beautifully in keeping my interest over decades of story - it didn't try to "cram" too much in, while at the same time providing enough information to hold the interest, I believe, of even the casual reader. Worth every minute and highly recommended!

A superb story that spans two generations of an immigrant family that settles down in america to pursue their dreams.

Rich Shareowner, Poor Shareowner!: Common Sense For Investors And Managers! by Will Marshall is a basic shareholder money matters guide that presents its core principles in very easy-to-understand format of anecdotes and vignettes. Individual chapters cogently address the definition of shareowner value, determining the 'cost of capital', how acquisitions can actually erode shareholder value, and much, much more. An excellent introduction to the conflicting, varied, and sometimes financially perilous world of the share market, Rich Shareowner, Poor Shareowner! is very strongly recommended reading for anyone who is investing in today's volatile stock market.

Business books usually present the same level of satisfaction to the reader as a serving of steamed broccoli - fulfilling and valuable though less enticing than the main course. But Marshall's book is different. Rich Shareowner, Poor Shareowner! presents important and valuable instruction on business valuation and investment as part of an enjoyable read. Marshall weaves his business issues around a gentle story filled with lively dialogue among interesting characters in charming settings. Lead by a sage cowboy, the reader is guided through complex concepts at a comfortable pace, fed in bite-size pieces. The result is an effective combination of instruction and entertainment that should be the goal of all educators and authors. This book teaches; it is the main course.

Will Marshall has found a way to teach even the non-financial public about shareowner value. It's a book everyone should read! He has taken a difficult topic and made it user friendly by building a story around the financial information. Will's common sense approach to creating value for the shareowner is something every company should apply.

This is the book I wish I had read a few months ago. Will Marshall has provided tools that will make me a wiser investor and a better manager. The concepts presented in this book cut to the heart of accurately determining, tracking and growing the value of an enterprise - critical tools for the business investor and manager alike.

The information is presented in an enjoyable to read story format as a group of people exchange questions and ideas around morning coffee and evening campfires while visiting at a western dude ranch. An easy to read and informative book.

This is the book I wish I had read a few months ago. Will Marshall has provided tools that will make me a wiser investor and a better manager. The concepts presented in this book cut to the heart of accurately determining, tracking and growing the value of an enterprise - critical tools for the business investor and manager alike.

The information is presented in an enjoyable to read story format as a group of people exchange questions and ideas around morning coffee and evening campfires while visiting at a western dude ranch. An easy to read and informative book.

Most answers to complex problems are incredibly simply. I think we know this, but we get our heads buried in the sand pretty quickly. Bill Rich's book is like a gentle nudge from a friendly sheepdog, helping us find our way back.
The author's love of 'just being here' is contagious. Whether Catholic, Christian or Human, this book will lift some of the weight.
This is NOT a self help book. It does NOT contain directions. It does NOT require the purchase of any kind of clothing or equipment.It's good words, well written. The worst that could happen is you might feel better.

Decon Bill has the gift of wisdom; sharing hope and inspiration in a way that can be enjoyed by anyone seeking positive reinforsement. Provo sir! I read it, loved it and gave serveral as gifts!

The reflections in this book are extremely meaningful! I felt the book was very easy to read and helped me understand Jesus in a way I had never experienced. Each chapter has a special theme ( ex. hope, forgiveness, love, fear, suffering, etc.) and follows the church year, beginning with Advent. However, I read the chapters based on the theme I felt I needed at the time. This is an excellent book to read for daily devotionals and prayers. I've given several copies of Scattered Raindrops to friends and they love it!!!

Deacon Bill has the gift of addressing difficult topics with a light touch.
His experience with his family, the corporate world and the church provide the foundation for this book.
Deacon Bill uses his talents well

Deacon Rich's book is not the kind of book I normally read. In fact, I am not even a Christian. However, when we were sent a copy as a gift, I sat back with a cup of coffee and Scattered Raindrops and started to flip through it. Three hours later I finished "flipping through." Rich writes with wisdom, intelligence, and humor--and he writes about topics that effect everyone, whatever our beliefs. Deacon Rich's prose is clear, concise, and full of insight into the human condition. His message is full of love and hope and faith; reading this book reminded me what it means to be alive and why we need to appreciate each moment we have.