Richard Books

Book on mold should be required reading for all homeowners as well as those living in apartments. The serious health effects on mold are overwhelming . . . explains what mold is, how it it can effect you, and what to do about getting rid of it. This is an excellent book. I am recommending it to all my patients.

I recently moved out of a house that was infested with Toxic Mold and knew nothing about how to deal with the problem. Now, I've done extensive research on the subject and keep coming back to this book for the right answers. Most research papers and books on this subject are not understandable unless you have a PHd. This book is written to be understood by every day people. In my opinion it's the best book on the market on the subject of Toxic Mold.
Michael Dean

As an environmental professional, I am pleased to find such a well-writtrn and informative book on mold. This work gives the reader a clear understanding of the basics of the ocurrence, sampling, and remediation of toxic mold in enough detail to help home owners to avoid the serious mistakes often made by people when dealing with toxic mold. The author obviously knows what he is talking about and has a real concern for health and welfare of people with mold problems. I have no problem recommending this book highly to anyone needing to know about black mold.

This book is one of the best on the subject of mold and what to do about it. I have purchased other books on the same topic, but frankly they didn't impress me much. And after I finished reading them I felt like they hadn't really been helpful.
But this book was a pleasant surprise. It's a quick read, and it's interesting. The author is knowedgable, and a certified and registered mold inspector. He provides very specific and practical information to the reader.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for good, helpful information on the subject of mold and how to deal with it.

This book delivers. Full of practical info for homeowners how to deal with molds and prevent them. And what to expect from professional remediation. But also plenty of scientific and amusing historical facts to make it a very interesting read. (I have almost used up my highlighter.) The writer's love for fungi in the form of mushrooms is counterbalanced by his crusade against household molds.

Based on conclusive research, the authors teach you how to apply the keys they discovered for radical "blockbuster" products. The research component extended over a decade. Some of the things they found reinforce what one would expect, other finds show assumptions to be inaccurate. For example, having a specific "due date" pushed teams members to find a way to get things done. Positive interpersonal relations among team members, however, was not found to be that significant.

Lynn and Reilly do not advocate "management by walking around." Their research indicates that senior executives who are passionately involved in the day-to-day decisions of bringing a new product to market get the job done, not those who have a passive, casual interest in the team's efforts. Therefore, they say it involves a lot more than just popping in occasionally to see how things are going.

Particularly useful is the discussion they have on creating products so radical that customers don't even know they want them because nothing comparable exists. In such cases, they describe how to be your own customer in bringing such products into being. They cite a couple of examples of people who did so, and because very wealthy.

Blockbusters is one of those rare business books that once you start reading, you just can't stop. I read this book in maybe 2 sittings, because each chapter created a strong curiosity to learn quickly, "what is the next key step." I couldn't wait to finish so I could go into my company and begin implementing some of these steps.

Like most business books, Blockbuster has theory, but backed by solid data and many years of research; however, unlike other business books, it written in a very practical manner, particularly for the working business profressional.

The authors, Drs. Lynn and Reilly, seem to have a very good understanding of what goes on inside companies when teams work together to design and launch new products. In my opinion, they were able to successfully identify the key areas that all business leaders must be aware of if they are to be successful in product launches. The case histories of real product successes, both industrial and consumer, showed me the power of having a solid product development process.

I highly recommend Blockbusters to senior management or anyone that is involved in the new product development process, whether the products are consumer, industrial, or services.

It is difficult to find a well-written book that addresses the real-world application of New Product Development and "blockbusters" - Drs. Lynn and Reilly solved this problem!

Whilst their work is based on in-depth surveys and an extensive analysis, they convey the success factors to practitioners in an easy-to-read and understandable format. "Bottom-line" information is found here.

My MBA students (New York) are intolerant of all theory and no practical application - they love this book!

Blockbusters brings home the key elements of bringing a true winner to the market. You will not be surprised at the elements they bring to your attention, but will be pleasantly reminded of the fundamental points that you often forget. Excellent business analogies make the reading not only informative and educational, but also enjoyable. Knowing the problems that some of these larger companies faced and overcome helps put other business problems into perspective. I have already implemented their Dirty Dozen questions into the team plan and I am building the War Room as we speak. I think they have created their own blockbuster and I look forward to further work from these authors

Every year companies spend spend hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars guessing what it takes to create just one hugely successful product. A large portion of that money could be saved if new product development teams would read Blockbusters and take its message to heart. The real world examples evaluated by Lynn and Reilly include high and low tech "blockbuster" products created by well-funded corporations and a struggling garage start-up. The authors teach five keys to success that are shared by all. Well worth buying and reading thoroughly.

As a big Yankee fan growing up in the 1950s and 1960s this is certainly material that interests me and brings back many memories. Lally does some narration to set up the interviews. But the inside stuff is the interviews with players and managers involved in the games. He goes all the way back to Babe Ruth's called home run in the 1932 World Series and covers a lot of controversial plays and events including the Phil Linz harmonica incident in 1964 (mostly a media build-up. But was it a turning point for the Yankees?

It was interesting to learn how the Giants stole signs in 1951 to make their comeback against the Dodgers but refused to use this proven system in the World Series against the Yankees because Durocher was afraid of being caught.

On the other hand Lally relates how the 1961 Reds stole the Yankee signs in the Series. But that did them no good at all!

I remember how nervous I was when Terry was pitching to McCovey with the tieing run at third and the winning run at second in the 1962 series. I was watching the game with my parents but couldn't stand it when the Giants appeared capable of pulling out a dramatic victory in the ninth inning of the seventh game. So I ran to my room to watch by myself with the sound off. Before I could be alarmed by the line shot he hit, I could see Richardson holding on to the ball.

It was a great surprise to me to hear that Clete Boyer was so scared of what might happen if the ball were hit to him that he was glad when they decided to pitch to McCovey. This meant that the ball would not likely be hit to him! If they walk McCovey to pitch to Cepeda the pressure would definitely be on the third baseman. This revelation was amazing comong from one of the all-time great fielding third basemen.

This is the flavor of the book which follows the history of the Yankees in roughly chronological order. Lally reused some interviews he had gotten from an earlier book with some revision by discussants such as Jim Bouton.

I give it 4 stars because I was a little disappointed with the coverage of the 1996-2001 Yankees. With five World Series to cover, Lally chose a long discussion fo the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets and said nothing about the 1996, 1998, 1999 or 2001 series. I can understand neglecting the unexciting 1998 sweep of San Diego but the others had their dramatic moments especially Torre's first win in 1996. There was no more drama than the 2001 series with two dramtic Yankee wins and that horrifying ninth inning loss in game seven.

When I first saw this book and gave it a brief thumbing through in the bookstore I was put off by the fact that the title is really a bit of a misnomer because this book is not a comprehensive overview of the entire history of the Yankees and there are a number of leaps in chronology (from 1980 to the 2000 World Series just to name the most obvious one) but once you settle down and realize what this book is trying to do, you'll be hooked all the way. Lally, who wrote the fine overview of Yankee seasons from 1965-1982 in his 1983 book "Pinstriped Summers", sets out to try and tell stories about moments in Yankee history through the years that have not been told before by going back to the surviving players both Yankee and opponent alike who are still able to give their version of events. As a result, we get introduced to a large number of fresh and fascinating stories such as Cincinnati stealing signs in the 1961 World Series, and there is a postscript to the recent revelation of the 1951 Giants stealing signs in the pennant race as we learn that Leo Durocher refused to do that in the 51 World Series against the Yankees, fearing he would get caught.

No Yankee fan should be without this!

As a big Yankee fan growing up in the 1950s and 1960s this is certainly material that interests me and brings back many memories. Lally does some narration to set up the interviews. But the inside stuff is the interviews with players and managers involved in the games. He goes all the way back to Babe Ruth's called home run in the 1932 World Series and covers a lot of controversial plays and events including the Phil Linz harmonica incident in 1964 (mostly a media build-up. But was it a turning point for the Yankees?
It was interesting to learn how the Giants stole signs in 1951 to make their comeback against the Dodgers but refused to use this proven system in the World Series against the Yankees because Durocher was afraid of being caught.

On the other hand Lally relates how the 1961 Reds stole the Yankee signs in the Series. But that did them no good at all!

I remember how nervous I was when Terry was pitching to McCovey with the tieing run at third and the winning run at second in the 1962 series. I was watching the game with my parents but couldn't stand it when the Giants appeared capable of pulling out a dramatic victory in the ninth inning of the seventh game. So I ran to my room to watch by myself with the sound off. Before I could be alarmed by the line shot he hit, I could see Richardson holding on to the ball.

It was a great surprise to me to hear that Clete Boyer was so scared of what might happen if the ball were hit to him that he was glad when they decided to pitch to McCovey. This meant that the ball would not likely be hit to him! If they walk McCovey to pitch to Cepeda the pressure would definitely be on the third baseman. This revelation was amazing comong from one of the all-time great fielding third basemen.

This is the flavor of the book which follows the history of the Yankees in roughly chronological order. Lally reused some interviews he had gotten from an earlier book with some revision by discussants such as Jim Bouton.

I give it 4 stars because I was a little disappointed with the coverage of the 1996-2001 Yankees. With five World Series to cover, Lally chose a long discussion of the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets and said nothing about the 1996, 1998, 1999 or 2001 series. I can understand neglecting the unexciting 1998 sweep of San Diego but the others had their dramatic moments especially Torre's first win in 1996. There was no more drama than the 2001 series with two dramatic Yankee wins and that horrifying ninth inning loss in game seven.

Since I wrote this the Yanks missed the World Series in 2002 and lost to the Marlins in 2003 and then that unthinkable loss of 4 straight to the Red Sox in the 2004 championship series after winning the first three. With playoff losses in 2005, 2006 and 2007 Torre has elected to go to the Dodgers and Joe Girardi will take the helm in New York. Steinbrenner gave the free agents what they wanted and so Posada, Rivera and Rodriguez are still Yankees with the hope of a 2008 World Championship that would finally be their 27th and last in the original Yankee Stadium.

"Bombers: An Oral History of the New York Yankees" does not cover the entire history of baseball's most storied franchise. Richard Lally is limited to living voices, which is why this book begins with Babe Ruth's "Called Shot" in the 1932 World Series. It ends with a look at the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets, but there is a giant gap between that section and the previous way, which is about the Kansas City Royals winning the 1980 League Championship Series. "Bombers" features oral testimony from more than a hundred people, most of them Yankee players, but some of the better ones come from some of their opponents. Whether you have heard of some of these great moments in Yankee history or not, you will enjoy the insights these players bring.

However, be forewarned that periodically Lally sets up these oral histories with introductions in which he writes with exaggerated rhetorical flourishes. For one excessive example, Lally writes about the 1939 Cincinnati Reds "they made mental errors about as often as Dorothy Parker flubbed bon mots." Rule #1 for the editor of an oral history should be not to get in the way of the people doing the actual talking about history. I would rather hear what Lonny Frey (major-league infielder, 1933-48; second baseman, 1939 Cincinnati Reds) has to say about being swept by the Yankees in the World Series a lot more than anything Frey has to say beyond setting up the historical context. But Lally is so determined to wax poetic that it becomes quite oppressive at times.

But despite his sporadic linguistic excesses, Lally does have his moments, the best of which is "Blackballed," a concise indictment of the refusal of Yankee management to bring black baseball players to the club, ignoring Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and others to sign Artie Wilson, Luis Marquez, and Frank Austin (i.e., ignore future Hall of Famers to go after lesser talent that would not last longer than a season in the minor leagues but give the team window-dressing regarding possible integration). This is one of Lally's longest pieces and it introduces one of the longest testimonies, from Vic Power. Reading about what the Yankee management did just infuriated me and just proved once again that racism makes people stupid. Lally also does a nice job of editing some of the oral histories together to create a seamless narrative, like the beginning of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak.

This book will appeal to baseball fans, not just Yankee fans. In fact, the character who most caught my interest was Elden Auker, a submarine pitcher who was told by both Ruth and DiMaggio that they could not really pick up his pitches. Auker's recollections are sprinkled throughout the first part of the book and, as he points out himself, he came close to being the man who ended the two most famous streaks in baseball history: Gehrig's consecutive games played and DiMaggio's consecutive games with a hit. Ultimately, the point is that listening to what baseball players have to say about playing the game is worthwhile, even if the team they played for was the St. Louis Browns. There is something bascially compelling about these first person accounts. Hopefully fans of other teams will put together similar volumes for us to enjoy as well.

This book was quite an interesting read. I would most definitely recommend it to any die-hard Yankee fan or even someone who would like to learn more about the most successful sports franchise in history. It gives a nice background of most of the Yankees history.

If you do not understand or like baseball I would suggest if you would like to read this book do so with some caution. It goes into some detail about the games and may be confusing to someone green to the sport. But if you do read it you may find a new love for the game of baseball and the greatest sport's franchises ever.If you are a Yankee fan or even just a baseball fan you will absolutely adore this book

Unlike other baseball books I have read this one didn't seem like just a history but an actual story that although I knew the outcome wanted to read more about. No baseball library would be complete without this gem.

What a book! This is a great story. If you have a kid in Little League and you don't know what to say to them when they are just starting out, or when they lose a game, or any of the other stuff that goes with being a kid in sports, this book is for you.

i purchased this book for my 9 year old fanatic baseball fan of a son last Christmas. It was then, and remains still, his favorite book ever. I truly hope that Mr. Bosworth has more books just like it.

Great book not only about baseball, but also about working hard and doing the right thing. It's easy to read and once you pick it up, it's hard to put down. I recommend it to all parents and kids involved in sports. The book's price makes it affordable to everyone.

I am a college student, with an undying love for baseball. An old coach recommended it and i could not put it down. It's easy enough for any child to read, and entertaining enough for any baseball lover-no matter what age! It touches on all of the real issues of a little leaguer and how they feel. I felt like i was being transported back into my little league dugout. Then the magic of the story is an added bonus. This book is a "must read," and will be finding itself a home on every sports lovers bookshelf in the very near future. Wow what a book! Great Job Mr. Bosworth! You are a great author and a true baseball story hero!!!

Finally a sports fiction for both children and adults. The Box Seat Dream touches the heart and soul of anyone who has ever played baseball or any sport for that matter. My son is not an avid reader but loves to play ball. He couldn't put this book down. He even brought it to the dinner table. I loved it as well. Exciting baseball games, realistic life obstacles, skills learning and fantasy all wrapped up in one book. Mark my words, this story will one day become a movie. If books were honored in the Baseball Hall of Fame, The Box Seat Dream would be inducted. It is that good!

Like a ship's captain, a CEO is only as good as the latest weather report. If a chief executive unknowingly steers his or her ship into the path of a hurricane, that ship's in trouble, no matter how skillful a seaman that captain may be. And unfortunately for CEOs, hurricanes - in the form of disruptive changes that remake markets overnight - have become almost an everyday danger. Authors W. Warner Burke, William Trahant and Richard Koonce argue that the most critical function of a corporate leader today is to monitor and respond to these rapid shifts in the external marketplace, or business climate. To illustrate this point, they offer insightful profiles of leaders who successfully guided their companies through the storms of organizational change initiatives. These profiles are especially effective in giving the reader both a sense of the personalities of these dynamic executives and a practical breakdown of the methodologies and strategies that they employed. We [...] strongly recommend this book to senior executives, would-be change agents and anyone curious about how to navigate the turbulent environment of 21st-century business.

This book is a must-read for anyone involved with organizational change -- whether you are managing the change or experiencing it from the "front lines." These fascinating Q & A's gave me real insight into the process. I recommend Business Climate Shifts to any forward-thinking person in the corporate world today.

Just ordered "Business Climate Shift" at the recommendation of a friend. I am a consultant who works with corporations on training and e-learning strategies that support implementation of knowledge and skill development in rapidly changing market places. My work continually has me working with senior managers on business change issues. I am always looking for new perspectives on organizational change. What is interesting about the book is the interview format. A very interesting way to explore the subject. The interview style gives you a chance to draw your own conclusions and you get a personal feel for the context senior managers face as they address organizational change issues. I have found the interviews very engaging and the authors do a nice job of summarizing the key organizational change issues for each interview. Many organizational change books present models and theory. This one also gives you a view of the human and personal issues associated with leading major change initiatives. .

After reading BUSINESS CLIMATE SHIFTS it was clear to me that this book was as much about leadership as about change. As a thirty year middle manager who has participated in both the planning and implementation of change, I was extremely pleased to read throughout the book that, although the companies were focusing on the customer, they all recognized the importance of the employees. The one common denominator throughout the book was that how management treats the employees is how the employees treat the customers. Although Colin Marshall at British Airways and Roger O. Goldman of National Westminster Bancorp. have distinctively different styles, they both recognized the importance of employees in the change process and demonstrated that leadership is key to effective and efficient change.

Starting my career in government late in life, I have noticed a reluctancy of federal executives to get the rank and file involved in major change initiatives. I suggest that any government manager or executive contemplating change read BUSINESS CLIMATE SHIFTS. The lessons learned from those who have been there, both government and industry, are invaluable and provide a framework for developing issues and questions that need to be addressed before any major shifts or changes in organizational culture.

As a college president, I read a lot of books about leadership and about institutional change. I found "Business Climate Shifts" to be extremely enjoyable to read, helpful, and relevant to a CEO of a not-for-profit. Although the idea of fast change seems like an oxymoron when connected to higher education, this book gives a framework in which higher education and other not-for-profits can operate. The helpful use of the living organism as a metaphor feels comfortable for higher education as does the book's use of scenarios -- something we are very comfortable with but often fail to use. In fact, the use of a metaphorical approach throughout fits with current thinking on the sources of visionary capability in leaders. The Organizational Diagnostic Checklist is worth the price of the book; it allows an organization to begin quickly the process of assessment and can be used throughout an organization. Educational institutions are very familiar with assessment, and this book fits directly into that familiar territory while giving it a business twist. The use of informal case studies and interviews makes the book easily readable and quite interesting. The chapter conclusions help focus the reader's attention on what has been read and demonstrate what has been learned from the case study. I found myself going back to them as a kind of review when I had finished the book. Asking people who have been successful to describe their own skills and approaches adds strong credibility and validity to the book. I feel certain this aspect of the book will make it useful as an educational tool for developing future leaders.

You want to talk about traveling, eating, praying and loving.....the bio of Sir Richard Francis Burton is the real deal on Eat Pray Love. This Englishman who lived during 1821-1890 traveled through out India, made the pilgrimage to Mecca,(incognito) explored parts of Africa, in search of the Nile's source, lived as consul in Damascus, Brazil and Italy. He had to learn many different languages and dialects (29), study several religions, cultures, eat the food, wear the clothes, screw the women, etc. and become one of them (depending on which country he was in as a spy) or else he'd be killed. Facing death by starvation, thirst, exhaustion, countless diseases, temporary blindness, attacks from native barbarians during his treks across lands, where in some cases no white man had ever been, he kept careful notes of all he witnessed to be published upon his return. As if that weren't enough, he went on to translate the Kama Sutra and Arabian Nights, before this amazing man died of the ripe old age of 69.

THIS IS a well researched.well written biography of a life that is truly inspiring.

This is a book that may look intimidating with its 600+ pages, but unlike some other reviewers, I did not find a single dull moment. Edward Rice has done a truly masterful job in carrying us through the whole life of this extraordinary man.

Burton had energy and talent enough for any six normal people - perhaps more. Even in his declining years, weak and wracked by sickness, he still traveled, traveled compulsively, though in these latter days the travels did not, as always previously, produce books full of information on the places and people and societies he visited. He was now focused on the translations for which he is (among other things) famous. Yet still, when the old lion was required to return from England to his "official" consular job in Trieste, Rice notes that "Noise, fatigue, hours spent in changing trains or boarding or disembarking from steamboats did not deter Burton. Geneva, Venice, Naples, Brindisi, Malta, Tunis, Algiers, the Riviera, the Alps, with a dozen stops in between, were visited and complained about."

It's hard to give the flavor of this amazing biography - amazing life! Soaking up languages as if by osmosis, dressing and passing for any of a dozen Eastern races and sharing their ways, visiting their secret holy places - hey, what a movie or TV series, would knock spots off Tomb Raiders etc...

The pleasure is increased by Rice's occasional laconic throwaway lines: "The Maratha princes...were patrons of the great god Siva and practiced forms of phallic worship, engaged in by male and female devotees alike in very wild and primitive rites." That's all we get on that. (But then, perhaps it's all we need.)

Rice describes Doughty, another famous writer on the Middle East, as writing "a rich and tortured prose that still wins him admiration but few readers."

Many mind-jolting incidents: on Burton's wife Isabel's difficulties in South America, preaching to the black slaves: "Her only convert was a black dwarf named Chico, who betrayed her faith in him by roasting her favorite cat alive over the kitchen fire." But Chico continued in her service - no others available!

He has an eye for other people's good quotes: Burton's predecessor at Trieste had been handed the post of consul with Lord Derby's comment, "Here is six hundred a year for doing nothing, and you are just the man to do it."

I believe it would help us all to better understand the current Middle East to read this account of the sources it sprang from, 150 years ago. No, they are not like us (Westerners) and never have been. We even see the first mention of the Wahhabis, "a much-feared set of fundamentalists who were noted for their violence and puritanical beliefs..."

The writing is so accomplished that I regret having to raise one correction: in the Royal Navy you don't travel "in the H.M.S Antelope" for instance. You travel "in HMS Antelope - no "the" (and usually no periods in HMS). Doesn't make sense, anyway, when you recall that HMS stands for His (or Her) Majesty's Ship. Contrariwise, "the" is OK with "SS Oldiron" - "the steam ship Oldiron."

But that doesn't reduce the five stars!

A mostly gripping account of an absolutely fascinating life. Rice tells in great detail the travels and troubles of Burton as he searches for the source of the Nile, penetrates the forbidden cities of Mecca and Medina, brings the Kama Sutra to the west, translates the Arabian Nights, and joins a snake cult in India, and that is just a small sampling of the accomplishments and endeavors of Burton, a man who was constantly exploring himself and his world and transforming both in the process.

Rice tells the story with such attention to detail you feel like you are traveling right beside Burton, and when he doesn't know certain facts about a specific incident, he will tell you that he is conjecturing, and how he came to the conclusions he did. The net effect is that you feel like you can trust what Rice has written as being authentic and accurate.

The book is kind of slow during the earlier chapters, but stay with it and you will be rewarded with one of the most fascinating accounts you have ever read. I read it more than 5 years ago and still recommend the book and find and give away stray copies to friends. GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO GET THIS BOOK ! !

This was by far the best biography of the illustrious Richard Burton I have read. The level of scholarship displayed by the author is impressive and does justice to a man whose gifts made him one of the most impressive characters from history. I highly recommend this book as well as those written by Burton himself.

Which book was Dr. Heller & wife promoting on Oprah's show? (so I'll know which one to order) I didn't see entire show , but what I did see was informative & INTERESTING.

I picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore and it changed my life. I started at 153 pounds and my goal weight was 118. I weighed 116 this morning. And I have more energy, am more mentally alert and upbeat than I ever have been. The book is very motivational. The rules and guidelines for the diet are spread throughout the book so you must read all before starting. Only criticisms are that it's wordy and most of the recipes are bland, but I believe it's the best of all the books the Heller's have written.

I picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore and it changed my life. I started at 153 pounds and my goal weight was 118. I weighed 116 this morning. And I have more energy, am more mentally alert and upbeat than I ever have been. The book is very motivational. The rules and guidelines for the diet are spread throughout the book so you must read all before starting. Only criticisms are that it's wordy and most of the recipes are bland, but I believe it's the best of all the books the Hellers have written.

When I began driving a truck I gained 30 pounds in the 1st month. Fortunately I found this book and re-learned how to eat. Doing this diet right is not the easiest thing, breaking food addiction is seldom easy, but if you read this book it will be easier to make happen. I've lost those 30 pounds and more, landing at an ideal wieght that I've never imagined being at again. Good luck, use this book - it's a great resource. Follow where it leads.

This is an excellent, simply written, but well researched, book on the dangers of bad carbs. I found it extremely enlightening and wondered if it was more than coincidental that Dr. Barry Sears, writes in an amazingly similar vein, in his book "Enter The Zone". It seems that more and more scientists, and doctors, are discovering that we suffer from an overabundance of bad carbs in our eating, and it's also imbalanced versus protein and fat intake.I would heartily recommend this book, and for more scientific corroborative data read "Enter the Zone". Combine this with the sensible exercise program outlined in "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips of EAS Inc., and you will do yourself a very large favour.

This is a great, thought-provoking book, as other reviewers have noted, and should be read by everyone who is trying to live the gospel. We read it as a family; even teens aren't too young to grasp and discuss the ideas especially if facilitated by parents or other adults. A good gift for a college student or young adult, or any (reading) Christian for that matter.

This book has been a blessing to read. Foster came through as simple, and yet profound in his writing style; there was ample references to scripture, and Foster brings modern times into perspective with long held biblical spirituality; I plan to reread this book over again.

I have read the Chinese translation of the book. In fact, the translation is sold in a set of three different books. I have read them at different times. It provides direct and biblical insights into how Christians should view money, sex and power. Richard's writing is succinct. If you want to dive further into a topic, a rather extensive bibliography is provided.

PLOT: Money, Sex, & Power, these are the three big temptations of church leadership. The early monks battled these with vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Protestants today are more likely to use the tools of simplicity, fidelity, and servanthood. Foster does an excellent job exploring these three dangerous areas.

POSITIVES: Foster draws from Scripture, other authors, and his own excellent understanding of theology. This is a book I find myself coming back to again and again.

PROBLEMS: Foster is given to strong statements. I didn't agree with all of them. I found myself highlighting certain passages and writing notes of praise. I found myself highlighting other passages and disagreeing with them. This is not a problem for me. I often interact with the books I read and sometimes go back years later and interact with my own notes as I wrestle with myself. But this could be a problem with some readers, who either feel they have a handle on theology or are threatened by ideas they disagree with. Let the buyer beware.

I think this is one of the best books on the difficulty of living in a society driven by money, power, consumerism, sex and continual change.

Foster has a compassionate, realistic view of what life is really like and how to deal with it. His opening chapter, Money, Sex and Power in Christian Perspective lays out the focus of the book - it is difficult to walk the walk. He isn't focusing on the external morality of ethical behavior, but on the social implications. He offers historical views of attitudes on money, sex and power, and divides the books into sections that focus on each issue.

In a small section titled "When Good Things Go Bad," he says, "There is, of course, a proper place in Christian life and experience for money, sex, and power. When properly placed and effectively functioning, they have the ability as nothing else does to enhance and bless life." He goes on to identify what the problem is in each area -the demon in money is greed; the demon in sex is lust; the demon in power is pride. And he tells us that these really are not matters we can be neutral about in hopes that they will disappear - if we ignore them, we will be dominated by them.

How do we avoid be controlled by our own desires, instead of controlling them to our own advantage? In the Power area, Foster suggests that we face the demons within, instead of projecting them on others. In addition, he suggests that we stop trying to manage and control others, and focus on our own spiritual powers.

Foster manages to be 'proper' without being unrealistically 'prim.' Whether read by fundamentalist Christians, small "c" christians, or Buddhists, this book gives food for thought. Agnostics, athiests and many free spirits will be turned off by references to the Bible and the focus on Jesus.

I used to think you had to agree with everything you read in a book, to find it of any use. There are parts of this book I don't agree with, but I took what was helpful, and left the rest. Those who keep an open mind will find that this is not a dogmatic, preaching book, but one that will make you think.

Purchased this book for a gift to an ardent S.C. resident. But read it first. It is informative and detailed - lots of pictures. Also purchased "Red Neck Riviera" - it was great - 5 stars.

In 1886, Charleston, SC got the smackdown. A major earthquake just plain flattened the place, with after-shocks to keep everyone good and nervous. This is the story. Dick Cote always does a good job of research, so that aspect of _City of Heroes_ didn't surprise me at all.

After the disaster came the recovery effort, and that part surprised me quite a bit. It seems that some places, when struck by disaster, just roll over and wave their arms and legs; they expect others to save them, that they need do nothing for themselves. Give me, help me, send me, take me, do it all for me, that's the battle cry. Charleston wasn't like that. It accepted a lot of donations from around the country, got to work, and rebuilt itself. It took charge. It neither had nor needed a FEMA. Civic spirit took the place of government dollars thrown at the problem, because in fact Charleston got few government dollars. The one entity most conspicuous by its non-participation was the Federal government.

Cote rounds the book out with a couple of long discussions (one from the period and one more recent) about the scientific aspects of the quake. Why would one happen in Charleston, seemingly far from subduction zones where such events are more or less expected? They wondered in 1886, and they now have a pretty good handle on it.

Last comes a section I particularly enjoyed: lessons learned. What does a place need to do once it's been knocked flat by Ma Nature? I find it impossible to disagree with his analysis. The results Charleston achieved speak for themselves: within a year the place was nearly back to normal. Evidently they wanted normality badly enough to recreate it for themselves, rather than just lay there screaming to be rescued/saved/paid/fed/etc.

Good for Charleston. I've never been there, but if its people are still like this, good for them. And good for Cote, to have assembled this impressive study on a little-known bit of U.S. history.

As a lifelong resident of Charleston SC I have heard of the earthquake since childhood but had found little information. Mr. Cote has put within reach of the everyday person facts that here-to-fore have been inaccessible. He documents the causes, effects, and long term results. Not only does he relate Charleston's history from her birth in 1670 as Charles Towne, but he emphasizes the strength of her people as they overcame epidemics of disease, devastating fires, British invasion and siege in 1781-82, bombardment and occupation by the Union Army in 1863-65, and the unleashed forces of nature in the forms of tornadoes, cyclones, and now her hardest hit -- the Great Earthquake of 1886. Genealogists will find this a useful tool as Mr. Cote records names of injured and killed as well as the ordinary people who became the heroes. He ends on a sober note explaining the devastation, destruction, and loss of life that will occur with the next big one. Those fault lines which erupted in 1886 are still being stressed, the plates are still moving, and the pressure will release when it builds to the point it can no longer be contained. He warns: be prepared, be educated, and above all don't be complacent. The book contains maps, diagrams, informative end notes and bibliography. This is an interesting read and a valuable addition to one's library.

Charleston, South Carolina is my favorite city, so it's only natural that I enjoy books that deal with the Holy City. City of Heroes: The Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 is a fascinating account of this little known event.

Most people know that Charleston has been plagued by hurricanes, fires and wars. But most are not aware that in 1886, the city suffered a devastating earthquake--the worst east of the Mississippi in US history. On a sultry summer evening on August 31st, Charleston and the surrounding areas were rocked by a major quake. Although seismic equipment was not available at the time, geologists have determined that it was probably between 7.3-7.6 on the Richter Scale. Dozens of people died and dozens more were injured. Two-thirds of Charleston's population (40,000 people) were left homeless. The quake also caused many fires and several fatal train wrecks. Overall, the quake "spread a dry tidal wave of destruction throughout 2.5 million square miles of land." Even towns 300 miles away suffered moderate damage. Soldiers who fought in the Civil War agreed that the quake was worse than "the horrors of war." The quake also took away the sense of security enjoyed by Charlestonians because of the many tremors and small quakes that occurred on a daily basis after August 31st. It wasn't until 20 years later that the quakes and tremors finally subsided. For months afterward, they were a daily occurrence.

Cote' provides us with a fascinating look at all aspects of the earthquake including the after effects, the search for ground zero, the rebuilding effort, fundraising, and the many individuals who performed heroic acts. Part of City of Heroes is a story of science. Every time more knowledge became available about earthquakes, scientists went back and restudied the Charleston quake. Many of their discoveries are fairly recent. But most of this book is a story of history, and Cote' provides us with interesting research. When Charleston mayor Courtenay realized the city would receive no federal or state financial aid, he appealed to the rest of the US for help. This triggered "an outpouring of warmth, sympathy, and financial support the likes of which had never been seen before in the South." But more surprisingly, the biggest contributors were from "the heart of the Union" whose "money flowed like water." Much of the money came from former soldiers. Also, when a week-long gala was held to celebrate the completion of rebuilding, the city was laid out in red, white and blue with tens of thousands of American flags. Not a single state flag was on display and only one Confederate flag. It is obvious that both North and South were anxious to put the Civil War behind them--something that generations today can't quite seem to do.

The earthquake is also responsible for the beautiful, historic Charleston that tourists flock to today. After suffering through the Civil War, a cyclone in 1885 and then the earthquake, Charlestonians were too poor to raze the city and rebuild. So they were forced to repair as best they could using earthquake bolts. This allowed thousands of historic buildings to be saved, and those same earthquake bolts can still be seen on almost all buildings that were in existence in 1886.

City of Heroes is Cote's fourth book, and his third with a "Charleston" theme. I think that he's at his best when writing about Charleston, and City of Heroes is his best book to date.

August 31, 1886, was a night of horror in Charleston and Summerville, South Carolina, when faults gave way, destroying buildings and impacting thousands of lives. Richard Côté, in City of Heroes, takes his readers through the terrifying darkness of that night with the sounds and destruction of the earthquake and fires; he then follows the relief and rebuilding efforts of the next months. With admirable fortitude the people of Charleston put their world back together. Without aid from the state and with unimaginably meager federal assistance, the city organized and financed initial relief and repairs with amazing speed and efficiency. The flood of totally private donations, especially those from northern states, left citizens feeling gratifyingly bound to the rest of the country. The author uses many photographs and primary sources, including Charleston's excellent newspaper, the News and Courier, to develop a timeline and to paint portraits of the men who led the city's recovery. The recovery approaches used in 1886 form the basis of Mr. Côté's Charleston Disaster Recovery Model. A particularly interesting aspect of the book is its discussion of the investigative team from the U.S. Geological Survey and their work and conclusions. The book is rigorously documented, highly objective, and readable. Could it happen again? One of the final chapters brings the reader up-to-date on scientific work in the area and provides both Internet and printed sources of earthquake-preparedness information--just in case.

As a fellow Cav trooper this book brought back fond memories of the great friends and infrequent happy moments made and shared by soldiers growing out of the unreal existance that was combat.
This is a skillfully told story of what could/should have been. It had me smiling almost constantly and laughing out loud at how dinky-dau we and Morris's characters had gotten.
I highly recommend this tale to any looking for a fun and interesting read. Morris presents an unusual take on war and how it's fought.

Five words.. BUY and READ the Book!

The Kirkus Discoveries review (July 13, 2007 ) writes that in Cologne No. 10 For Men by Richard Morris "A soldier in Vietnam invents a uniquely absurd solution to the horrors of war." It continues: "He [Morris] also infuses his war story with the black humor prevalent in many modern American war stories like Catch-22 or M.A.S.H." and concludes that the novel is "A funny and serviceable satire about the gross rationalizations that propel war and peace." I fully agree with Kirkus. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it!

http://www.kirkusdiscoveries.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003611548

When I finally had a chance to read this amazing book, it consumed an entire Saturday, on the bench at our park, and later on the sofa, and then out on the porch, and later by a tree, and so on. I was trying to think of what author it reminded me of, but decided that it is really the author's unique voice, with humor, irony, tragedy, and spirituality all woven together, just as the story weaves together the progress of the various characters. For me, the climax of the story is when the chaplain gives up. As if a railroad train had just crashed into a church. Such an immensly screwed up world is going to need a saviour that nobody would have imagined. And that is exactly what happens, God as expressed through peace, love, truth, laughter, irony, creativity, working through people, finds a way!

Initiated into Vietnam combat by an X-rated spree of sheer killing and sex, Lieutenant Wilfred Carmenghetti concocts a new practice of warfare amid the unraveling of his training-instilled image that bravery, ideals and might are what matters. Does killing produce success? Is sex love? As Wilfred gets to the bottom of these fallacious equations, what's image and what's real turn inside-out. Step by step, the realization of what's human and what's possible sinks deeper into Wilfred's scheming brain while his nonstop creativity comes up with yet another scenario of how not to fight the war. The men in his loyal platoon are there every step of the way and even correct his missteps. Their consummate, battle-tested skill for tracking down the enemy transmutes into increasingly zany - and effective -- tactics that foil the army brass.

Enter the phony body count featured in the book's teaser-preface, and later spelled out in all the gore and putrefaction of recycled, unearthed bodies that sport ketchup blood in their second showing. Eventually a breathing, uniformed GI poses as a fresh VC corpse - until corpses and even body counts become not only a passé ritual, but no longer essential to the overall game plan. The game plan spirals toward its target of peace with an uncanny aim to be envied by the colonel-sniper that shadows Wilfred's every move. Achieving a full, lasting peace means the platoon has to go right back into the violent heart of the war zone. Will they succeed? The future outcome is up to us.

"Cologne No. 10 for Men," Richard Morris (2007). Morris was a rifle platoon leader in Viet Nam in 1967. In this novel based on his experiences there he takes us through the career of his hero, Lt. Wilfred Carmenghetti, from his beginnings as a gung-ho platoon leader to de facto Division Commander. Morris clearly understands the military mind. In telling his story with the dry wit for which he is well known, Morris provides a remarkably ingenious formula for U.S. success in Iraq and Afghanistan that may yet be adopted by the Bush administration; if not by them, then certainly by the next President, whoever that may be. Altogether hilarious; the must-read sleeper of the season - I can't wait to see the movie; too bad Red Buttons isn't around to play the lead.