Richards Books


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Richards Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Richards
Serendipity Bible
Published in Paperback by Zondervan (1996-10-01)
Author:
List price: $27.99
New price: $17.37
Used price: $12.00

Average review score:

Great for small groups
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-23
The Serendipity Bible has been an excellent resource for our small group leaders for ChristCare at our church. As we train new leaders this has been a gift that we have given to each of them. Time and time again they say what a wonderful resource it is.

Great small group study Bible
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-27
If you are weary of looking for Bible study material for groups - this is your solution. This Bible has many study topics already indexed. Study questions are thought provoking though geared just a litte to youth. If I were to purchase again I would get the hard copy for such a large book.

Intuitive
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
It's a very user-friendly approach to group study of the Bible and how to apply it to daily life.

Great Resource
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-11
We use this bible in our Weekly Bible Study and to prepare for our weekly Sunday School. It provides good concepts and thoughtful questions that we use to facilitate our classes. I like how it presents a mini learning series by several different categories and topics.

Thought provoking
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-24
I am enjoying this Bible as it has questions that are thought provoking. I have read others that give you information and where to find more information but this is the only one that I have come across that asks you questions and makes you think of what is written.

Richards
Simple Justice
Published in Paperback by Vintage (1977-01-12)
Author: Richard Kluger
List price: $25.00
New price: $7.62
Used price: $0.78
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

Simple Justice: Masterful Story Telling of Historical Events
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-12
have a problem with using words like "brilliant", "masterful" and "intelligent." But willing apply all words to this brilliant book, masterfully research and intelligently told.

The author gives a very full and complete treatise on Brown versus the Board of Education, but of greater interest, he writes of all the history that lead up to the ruling.

An exceptional book chronicling an extremely important issue in our country's history.

one of the best books ever written
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-07
This is certainly the best book ever written -- the best book that ever will be written -- about race, law and American society. It is a remarkably insightful history and one of the most stunning existing examples of narrative journalism. It is a masterpiece.

Moving and Informative
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-07
I'm a fan of nonfiction works and this easily moved to my top 5 favorite books. When I was growing up there were no courses on the contributions blacks made to America. There was no black history month. And I was cheated. I'm a 50+ white woman who lived through desegregation and had no clue that it was a struggle. I honestly don't remember a time when my elementary classes were all white but they must have been. I do remember clearly when my elementary class stopped being all white. That was when Richard Harris became my Batman buddy. On the aftenoons following the show we would go to the neighborhood soda shop and have a coke and discuss all the action of the previous evening's show and check for new Batman bubble gum cards with the intensity that only 5th graders can bring to such an important endeavor. It felt normal to chat Batman with Richard; and I'm so sorry for all the children that had such a dumb practice as segregation rob them of those moments.

This book read like a thiriller for me. Couldn't put it down. Underlined and highlighted parts. Read other sections out loud to my husband and to some friends at work. This is American history. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn about the value of education, the value of varied experiences and the perseverance to acquire the rights that should never have been denied to the black people. It's made me hungry to know more and I'll be keeping my eye out for other works by Kluger. Excellent author.

Compelling and original arguments and a fresh analysis of America's black & white race relations
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-13
I just finished this book, A Simple Justice, and it is fantastic. It's the story of Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, which is the landmark Supreme Court case that desegregated compulsory public schools in America. But it's so much more than that. After reading this book, I felt almost ashamed of my previous ignorance to the struggles and condition of black america at the hands of almost everyone else in the country. It is comprehensive in its scope and perspicacious in its analysis, sparing no feelings on either (or rather, any) side. I believe myself to be, for the most part, a judicious man when it comes to philosophical or sociological observations, but Kluger was able to open my eyes to angles I had previously missed on issues I thought I had resolved long ago. So if you're not too scared of big books, this one's worth the time.

Separate but Equal is Inherently Unequal
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-09
Long a mainstay of every 1L's pre-law school summer reading list, SIMPLE JUSTICE is more than a retelling of the tortured history of the landmark cases now known collectively as Brown v. Board of Ed. It is more than a retelling of the agonizing struggles of both gifted and ordinary people---black and white and every other---to reverse the four centuries of racial disparagement that make up the ugliest of all underpinnings of the American Experiment. What SIMPLE JUSTICE is, is an exhaustive sociological history of race relations in the United States to the 1950s.

It is a book every American should read. The endemic quality of racism in the American psyche is so overwhelming that it is easy to lose the human element. SIMPLE JUSTICE restores that element with sensitive, intelligent writing, exhaustive and documented research, and a tone which is pitch perfect, strident when need be, reasoned and thoughtful throughout. Ultimately optimistic, SIMPLE JUSTICE will renew your belief in the American system even while tempering it.

In it's retelling of nightmarish incident after nightmarish incident (the explosive and hideous lynchings are often easier to understand than the equally hideous and more subtle segregation and caricaturing that endured for, it seems, ever), SIMPLE JUSTICE shows us an America riven by its view of itself as a noble nation being eaten by the canker in its soul.

Although many Americans now consider race discrimination passe, it is not so hard to see the continuation of a pattern of violence toward blacks and the denigration of the black experience, even today. And yet, there is more, for not only are Black Americans denigrated, but White Americans as well, both suffering because this nation is only a fraction of what it might othewise be.

SIMPLE JUSTICE is a crucial Civics lesson. Read it to learn. Read it to know. Read it. Read it again.

Richards
Slow but Sure: How I lost 170 pounds with the help of God, Family Circle, and Richard Simmons
Published in Hardcover by Doubleday (1999-02-02)
Author: Sandra Dalka-Prysby
List price: $22.95
New price: $3.93
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Average review score:

FINALLY someone who took it off the RIGHT WAY!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-04
I loved loved this book....I checked it out at our local library and read it cover to cover in two days...Thats a record for me...I love that this woman took a sensible approach to her weight loss and over a course of 4 years, took the weight off. I find it frustrating when all the books tell of 100+ weight loss in a matter of 10-12 months...It made me feel lazy and inadequate to have lost 60 in a year...but not anymore having read this book. So many of the things she went thru I can relate to and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel gives me so much added motivation to keep doing what I am doing and it will pay off...It has already...Definately a book to read over and over again:)

Truly Real
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-27
This is a wonderful book showing some ups and more downs of the scale. This woman shows by example in her experience that if we don't follow a food regiment 100% you can still attain your goal of loosing weight. It is really refreshing to read that you can make a goal even when you slip away from it now and then, but you have to not give up. A good read hard to put down.

Slow But Sure
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-11
I bought this book on Saturday and finished it on Tuesday. I could hardly put it down. I also weigh what Sandra did and then some. This book was really motivating and I saw so much of myself in it so I could relate to it. It really gives me hope and shows me I am normal. I have been going to T.O.P.S. since April 2001 and have lost over 30 pounds and began backsliding. Now I see that may happen from time to time and I just need to stay motivated. Thank you for this book.I am a 37 yr. old widow with 2 children and really need to stay on track to be here for them and I think this book will help me.

Slow but Sure: How I lost 170 Pounds
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-19
I enjoyed the spirit with which this book was written. By the time I finished I felt as though I knew Sandra and her wonderful supportive family. I was cheering her on throughout the book. Not only did she lose weight for herself but she chose this time to help others and start up aerobic classes for women who feel left out at most health clubs. Her relationship with Richard Simmons made me smile. They had such mutual respect. It is wonderful that she accomplished what she did, helped others and at the same time wrote an enjoyable uplifting book.

In particular I liked the way she did not hold back her feelings or her problems. She tells it "like it is". I recommend this book even if weight loss is not the goal. She puts a positive spin on other things as well.

5 stars isn't enough!!!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-24
Not only is this book the bargain of the year, but it is literally the best diet book ever written. This lady tells her story from the beginning to what is going on today. It is like reading her diary. There are no gaps to the story-which I really appreciated. She tells you every step she took to lose the weight including what exercise she did along the way. She also tells you how your family and friends will react to your weight loss. For anyone who wants a "Step by Step" account of how a friend lost her weight, this is a "must" read. After reading Sandra's book, you feel like you are her friend. Very inspiring with an honest approach to weight loss. I can't say enough about this book!!

Richards
Transcend: There are Rights, There are Wrongs... And then, There are Truths
Published in Paperback by Stoic Press (2001-06-20)
Author: Richard Joseph
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New price: $12.99
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Average review score:

I also recommend "Chinese Characters" by Kanson Hsu
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-18
Sadness I feel as I just finished reading Transcend by Richard Joseph, what is going to captivate me now? -- But I then see the sun trying to peak it's head through some departing storm clouds as I'm told Richard Joseph will have a guest writing forward on Kanson Hsu's Chinese Characters (due out later this year by the way, a nice stocking stuffer...) If you liked this book, you'll like Characters. Gossip from the literati that Rich and Kan are related somehow, or could quite possibly be brothers -- diff mothers same fathers?

Author reminds me of Eric Hoffer
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-25
I was talked into buying and reading this book. I thought I didn't have time. After I started, I didn't have time for anything else.

The writing reminded me of Eric Hoffer. I'll be looking forward to his next book.

The other reviews pretty well cover other aspects; I found little in them to dispute. One critique took exception to the philosophy, but I am 60 years old and enjoyed the second section as much as the first.

Captivating story, great insight on how to be truly ALIVE
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-15
I really liked this book because it reads like the author is just talking to you, conversationally, and the stories are thoroughly engrossing, as he recounts his experiences traveling in Asia and India, as well as across the US. What he has to say about our modern culture and it's effects on us as individuals is true. The last part of the book is a very thorough description of how to break out of the negative conditioning we all are exposed to as we try to survive within the commercial culture that dominates the globe. We all need to learn how to live a life that enriches and fulfills us, and the information and experiences Richard sets down are an important piece of knowledge.

Another thing I liked was that there are a few creative spellings throughout the book, making it seem all the more like readingl real journal entries, personal and right from the source. The lack of slick perfection increases the sense that you are hearing from your friend from New York, who has been through a lot, and has some good stuff to pass along about his travels...

Wonderful, worthwhile reading
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-11
Richard Joseph's "Transcend" is a wonderful and worthwhile read. Mr. Joseph possesses a true gift for storytelling that makes the tale of his travels and subsequent revelations as compelling as anything you're likely to find littering the latest bestseller list. The story is made all the more enjoyable by a unique, honest, and refreshingly unpretentious style. Yet, in the end, the true value of "Transcend" is that it manages to be somehow more than the sum of its many parts. It is more than a travelogue, a coming-of-age story, a philosophical treatise, or a call to action. It is really the only kind of worthwhile book -- an encounter with someone for whom the reader comes to know and feel great affection. Without sentimentality and with the raw, single-minded force of a man who truly has a story to tell, Mr. Joseph bravely bares his soul and also goes the extra mile by inviting us, the anonymous readers, into a real live conversation. Entertaining, harrowing, and timely, "Transcend" is an ambitious undertaking boldly realized. Congratulations, Mr. Joseph.

Read and transcend...
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-19
This is not exactly a quick read, but it definitely captures and engrosses you from the start and makes the rusted gerbil wheel turn in your head.

While not being a huge reader myself, I mean, who in the heck is Howard Hesse? I found myself enthralled with the travels and roads taken in this book, and actually laughed out loud at some points, while at others, a weird "sigh" of dispair comes over me.

I just need to share this with you, find a nice place to read, whether it be in a coffee shop, or under a tree in a park, open up your mind and this book, read and transcend.

Thank you Richard Joseph.

Richards
What it Takes: The Way to the White House
Published in Hardcover by Random House Value Publishing (1994-05-31)
Author: Richard Ben Cramer
List price: $8.99

Average review score:

An epic book...absolutely timeless
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-28
This is a book people might shy away from since it deals with the 1988 campaign, and those candidates are basically ancient history (except for Biden). However, what the book really describes it literally 'what it takes' for any man or woman to believe they can be President.

We look at the people running today, and we see them as TV characters and sometimes buffoons, but forget that in their youth they were probably the smartest, most popular, most driven people we would have known. Just to get to a place where one can entertain the idea of running for President takes a life of very, very few wasted opportunities.

So, while this book doesn't talk about Obama or Clinton or Huckabee, etc., you can read it and at least get sort of a sense of what the candidates are like behind the masks they put on.

The best thing that can be said about "What It Takes" is that you will read it and you will appreciate that Presidential candidates actually are qualified, and while they might make terrible decisions, they really are the best we have.

"What It Takes" is an antidote for cynicism.

Great insight into the psyche of candidates
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-17
It's a great insight into the psyche of candidates, the jargon of campaigns -- and a demonstration of just how tough campaings are. (The author of this book is also a frequent contributer to Rolling Stone and Esquire. Some of the language in this book certainly isn't appropriate for younger readers).

A true classic on presidential elections
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-20
Ben Cramer follows the major candidates in their races to become president in 1988. He reproduces their speaking and thinking styles in such an incredible way that you will never be able to think of any of these people (Bob Dole, GHW Bush, Jesse Jackson) in quite the same way you did before.

His intense focus on how the candidates act differently when in private than they do when they're out giving their stump speech makes for fascinating reading. If you're tired of dry books that are "nothing but the facts, ma'am," you'll love this well-written story.

"What it Takes" to write the perfect political book
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-20
No study of modern American politics is complete without reading this book. At the center of the political universe is the presidency. What kind of people seek this office, and all of the attendant scrutiny and hardship that even the most fortunate candidates endure? What personal attributes set one candidate above the rest?

Essentially, one of these men will be the most powerful man in the world, and have a chance at shaping history. This book answers the questions "why" and "how."

Cramer understands his subjects, and the profiles of each candidate would be excellent stand-alone biographies. Extremely readable and well written, without sacrificing substance.

A truly unique and indespensible work. To find out what it takes, read this book.

Simply put
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-09
As a lifetime Democrat, I was horrified to read this book and feel not only sympathetic towards Bob Dole, but also admiration.

Of course, the author goes on to confirm my worst fears about George H.W., Reagan and some of the Democratic party's candidates from the era.

A stunning work. It is inspring and depressing at the same time.

Richards
The boat of dreams: A Christmas story
Published in Unknown Binding by Freestone Press (2001)
Author: Richard Preston
List price:

Average review score:

Boat of Dreams
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-07
I just finished reading this book to my Nursing home residents. They were rapt in attention as we read the final two chapters quickly realizing this was not a "normal" Christmas tale. The ending is lovely, and considering WHEN it was written... true at this date.
A wonderful read for old and young alike....The tale will help you send your dreams to others for the holidays.

A message to those listening to the clues
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-18
My interest in Richard Preston goes back to "The Hot Zone" and recently I was thinking about him and wondering if he had written any new books. I found this book listed in the card catalog and picked the worn out book from the stack and took it home to read. Like many of the lessons from God, this one was apparent only when I opened my heart to it and looked for the hidden message. If you are reading this review, then something has guided you to this book, and it will contain a lesson you are supposed to discover.

Engaging, delightful and funny!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-28
The Boat of Dreams by Richard Preston is a heart-warming tale of hope and love, which was originally written for his friend who was dying of breast cancer. This is a wonderful story to share with the entire family, especially during the holidays.

Preston brings Santa to life in a very `realistic" way, much to both the horror and delight of thirteen-year-old Will and his six-year-old sister, Lila. "Santa" teaches Will and Lila to dream their biggest dreams, allowing their love to flow for everyone, as they transverse the world on Christmas Eve in their departed father's beloved lobster boat. Magic and miracles are in the air as Will and Lila have the adventure of their life on this unforgettable night. They learn that things are not what they seem and that love does indeed create miracles.

This Christmas tale will fill one with hope and love, with several chuckles along the way and will leave the reader with a warm spot in his or her heart along with a tear or two!

I heartily recommend this book!

Well Intentioned Christmas Tale for a Time of War
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-15
The Boat of Dreams is a simple Christmas tale of a brother and sister in 1969 whose dad is missing-in-action in Vietnam. Their mother works day and night to support them and sitting next to their trailer home is a shiny, beautiful boat, the Sarah Ann named after their mother - their dad's pride and joy. Not surprisingly, the children are saddened and angry by the apparent loss of their father.

In steps Santa Claus - an unkempt Santa Claus that reminds me of the sometimes drunk uncle played by Jim Belushi or Randy Quaid. Santa turns the Sarah Ann into a magical flying boat and takes the children on an adventure to brighten their spirits.

At times this book is fun; mostly during the interactions between the boy - getting to that defiant age - and his younger sister that he protects. But, unfortunately, it is also a bit predictable; especially, the ended - which I won't give away.

I bought this book when it was $15.00 - reasonable for a small, seasonal hardcover book, but now it appears to gone up to $27.00 for the 2006 Christmas season; what a shame - that is too much for such a thin book.

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A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

Dissenting Point Of View
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-16
Contrary to other opinions posted here, which appear to me as flavors of a press release, not a very good book. An attempt to interleave fictional characters with everyday reality to construe an inspirational teaching fails because the foundation is not developed or more often because it is established on arbitrary sentimental perspectives. This book is a conglomeration of possessive infantile clichés that are prevalent throughout mass media in present day society.

Richards
Contented Cows Give Better Milk
Published in Audio CD by Saltillo Press (2003-08-15)
Authors: Bill Catlette and Richard Hadden
List price: $34.95
New price: $34.95

Average review score:

Strong Argument for an Employee-Friendly Workplace
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-23
How could Southwest Airlines achieve 23 consecutive years of record revenues and profits while other airlines were hemorrhaging red ink? How could GE produce refrigerator compressors at a cost substantially less than its foreign competitors, despite an unfavorable cost differential of $15 an hour? This fascinating book suggests an answer.

In 1996, authors Bill Catlette and Richard Hadden noticed that every single one of the top 15 companies listed in Fortune's "Most Admired Corporations" were also widely recognized as exceptional places to work! Hmmmm.... Catlette and Hadden conducted a study of such companies over a ten year period, with interesting results: Compared to their top competitors, the "Contented Cow" companies consistently enjoyed big financial gains in every important way--productivity, revenues, and growth.

The book is not without its flaws. For example, Wal-Mart is listed as one of the "Contented Cow" companies--a designation that Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America certainly puts the lie to. Still, CONTENTED COWS makes a strong case for the connection between sound human resource management and successful financial management--a connection far more direct than many managers think. So in my opinion this book is highly relevant for today's globalized-and-outsourced Corporate America.

Doni Tamblyn is author of Laugh and Learn: 95 Ways to Use Humor for More Effective Teaching and Training and The Big Book of Humorous Training Games (Big Book of Business Games Series)

Who's Milking Whom?
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 19 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-06
Don't be deterred by the title (initially I was) because it is appropriate to the authors' purposes in their essentially serious analysis of why only some companies sustain market supremacy and profitability...and why the others don't. Years ago, Jack Welch (then CEO of GE, one of the six companies featured in this book) explained why he admires entrepreneurial companies:

"For one, they communicate better. Without the din and prattle of bureaucracy, people listen as well as talk; and since there are fewer of them they generally know and understand each other. Second, small companies move faster. They know the penalties for hesitation in the marketplace. Third, in small companies, with fewer layers and less camouflage, the leaders show up very clearly on the screen. Their performance and its impact are clear to everyone. And, finally, smaller companies waste less. They spend less time in endless reviews and approvals and politics and paper drills. They have fewer people; therefore they can only do the important things. Their people are free to direct their energy and attention toward the marketplace rather than fighting bureaucracy."

These remarks are directly relevant to the key points which Catlette and Hadden make in this book. It is no coincidence that the most highly admired companies (i.e. those for whom employees of their competitor companies prefer to work) are also the most profitable as they dominant their respective marketplaces. They include FedEx, GE, Hewlett-Packard, Southwest Airlines, 3M, and Wal-Mart. Revealingly, each of these six was founded by entrepreneurs and each has since retained its entrepreneurial spirit. They are among the "Contented Cows" which have outgrown the "Common Cows" (e.g. Consolidated Freightways, General Motors, Texas Instruments, United Airlines, Xerox, and Sears) by a margin of roughly four to one. Catlette and Hadden explain why.

At one point in their book, they assert that "just as productive employees are not always satisfied, satisfied employees are not always productive." A "Contented Cow" company offers generous employee benefits, including those which address personal needs. For example, EDS has a car repair facility, bank, store, day care center, and dry cleaners on-site. However, a "Contented Cow" company also has leaders (at all levels) who recognize the importance to their employees of meaningful work to do, high standards to which everyone is held accountable (a "level playing field"), a clear sense of purpose and direction, feeling appreciated, and finally, meaningful opportunities for professional growth.

There is a "Summary" at the conclusion of each of the 14 chapters. These lists of key points will be invaluable to those who may wish to re-read the book (all or in part) as they attempt to formulate strategies and tactics to transform their own organization into a "Contented Cow." I hasten to add that these key points are relevant to ALL organizations regardless of their size or nature. "To become Contented Cows. companies must realize that just as they have choices, their employees (particularly the better, more skilled ones) do so. The new rules of the game have been set, and now it's only a matter of time before everyone learns how to play, and play it to their advantage." Quite true. Contented employees should never become complacent employees. I am among those who believe that great leaders inspire rather than motivate others: they activate in them what is, in fact, self-motivation. Davenport and Beck address this in The Attention Economy, correctly suggesting that there is a form of ADD in the business world which has serious, indeed profound implications for managers at the executive level.

Decision-makers in "Contented Cow" companies understand full well what will attract the attention of those for whom they are responsible. The challenge is to involve and then engage them productively and enthusiastically, indeed passionately in the given enterprise. Only if and when they are can the nature and extent of relationships with customers ensure sustainable profitability. Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out David Maister's Practice What You Preach. His key point, with which Catlette and Hadden obviously agree, is that individuals as well as organizations must have impeccable integrity. "Contented Cow" companies are nothing more and nothing less than human communities within which such values are constantly affirmed, not merely in word but in deed.

Business Bovines
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-02
We are using this wonderful book as a tool for understanding why companies are successful. As future investors and entrepreneurs this book will always be our guide. Want to know how and why a workforce is happy, get a Contented Cow. ZM Stevenson, 7th grader

Facts vs. "Flavor of the Month"
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-24
Having spent eleven years in one of the winning companies profiled in Contented Cows, I can personally vouch that the strategies and methods recommended by the authors will truly produce a world-class, highly-motivated workforce that will in turn produce exceptional customer service and financial results. Not occasionally, but every time! What is so impressive about the authors approach is that they first thouroughly researched the "people" practices of truly great companies, then show how those practices in turn naturally and inevitably lead to great bottom-line performance. Too many business authors first create a "neat" model or premise, then go out and find examples to validate what they hope will be the next management "magic pill," establishing correlations that in reality, if they exist at all, are quite tenuous. These guys have done their work the old fashioned way, and you can (and will) take their recommendations to the bank!

What dairy farmers already know!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-02
This is not rocket science! No matter what our managerial "level", we all have a boss somewhere. Don't we perfom our best when we are treated as some who is valued, someone who matters? That's all this book is telling us, with facts and examples of successful companies, large and small, who "walk the talk"! Read this book and them commit yourself to leading your folks based on it's simple principles (which are not new, we just just needed the authors to write them down for us!)

Richards
The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang
Published in Paperback by Three Rivers Press (1992-11-24)
Authors: Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann
List price: $21.95
New price: $13.10
Used price: $9.10
Collectible price: $21.95

Average review score:

A Must Have For Our Gang Fans
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07
Excellent book....Leonard really digs deep to document and convey all things "Rascal". It's worth the purchase price.

A Nostalgic Treasure
Helpful Votes: 29 out of 33 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-26
Revised in 1992, Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann's "The Little Rascals" is a must for anyone who has enjoyed the antics of Spanky and the gang. The authors' exhaustive research and warm-hearted nostalgia is evident as they chronicle the history of these enduring comedy shorts. Along with biographies of the ever-changing cast and crew, the book offers a detailed critical analysis from the golden Hal Roach period (1922-38) to the sad decline at MGM (1938-44). It's the ultimate Our Gang celebration, with a treasure trove of rare photographs and publicity material.

Brought back many old memories.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-30
I have been looking for this book for ages.Answers so many questions about all the Little Rascals.Some didn`t live long and very few are still with us.Being from Long Island I watched them on CH.11 on the Officer Joe Bolton Show every day after school.Kids today have nothing like them on TV.The facts in this book are fantastic and the pictures are great.If you love the Little Rascals buy this book.

Sweet Book [ Sweet both Ways!]
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-02
Seriously, this book has all you would ever want to know about Our Gang, and some stuff you don't want to know! Complete write ups on all the movies and even some extra bits, a complete biographical section and SO MUCH MORE!! Completly indispensible! If you love Our Gang as much as I do, you definitly want this.The pictures are so CUTE, and there are a lot of them! I loved it!

Highly Recommended
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-30
The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang is the most comprehensive book available about the popular short series. Leonard Maltin, longtime fan of both Hal Roach comedies and the Our Gang series itself, writes both intelligently and lovingly about the series with the help of Richard W. Bann.

This book opens with a short history of the Hal Roach film company and the Our Gang series.

Then, it leads to a collection of all of the shorts made for the series including the cast, release date, and highly effective synopses and analyses of each short. These are listed chronologically and noted according to ownership and distributor and silent and sound. Some of the silent have been lost, but they are not neglected. Instead, Maltin has used reviews from the time period to give the reader a sense of the short and an idea of its quality. Opinions are used, but they are obviously separate from the factual information and are supported by facts. They add to the effectiveness of the synopses and paint a more vivid picture of the shorts that are unavailable. What is also unique about this book is the listing of the MGM shorts that are often regarded as the worst quality episodes of the series. Skipping these films, although understandable, would have made this book far less complete.

Next, the spin-offs and pop culture effects of the series are addressed, including the Saturday Night Live spoofs of Buckwheat and the cartoon versions of the show.

Last, the book includes a brief history of all of the major stars of the series and a few sentences about the more minor players. Sadly, this section needs to be updated because of the deaths of the cast members after this second publication. However, the information that is included is accurate and valuable, as much of it cannot be easily found anywhere else, especially interviews.

One must also comment on the abundant photographs utilized in the book including rare publicity stills.

Overall, this is a high quality history of The Little Rascals.

Richards
New Orleans Cookbook
Published in Hardcover by Knopf (1975-02-12)
Author: Richard Collin
List price: $18.95
Used price: $1.90
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

Want a taste of New Orleans? This is the book for you
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-15
Origional New Orleans recipes! Easy to work with and helpful hints for substuting what you have on hand. How to make the special seasonings that make Cajun/Creole food unique! Spicey does not necessarily mean, hot! Great history of the different folks and festivals that make New Orleans special. Great place to visit and taste the food for yourself. Or buy the cookbook and cook it for yourself.

One of the Best New Orleans Cookbooks
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-19
"New Orleans Cookbook" By Richard Collin is a terrific introduction to the cajan and creole cooking styles that NOLA is known for. To be able to understand how typical New Orleanians cook, one must attempt to understand both the culture and the region of Southern Louisiana. The recipes within this cookbook resonate with the traditional and innovative varities. Anything and everything that has come out of that area is easily found within these pages. The layout of the book is charming, and is very readable. The directions are not overcumbersome, and the reciepes are all simply preparable. A novice or an experienced chef will appreciate this cookbook.

Break Out The Cast Iron !
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-10
I've got the Eighth, July 1980 printing. On page 40, The Collins' indicate that the Oyster & Sausage Jambalaya is their favorite. Use the cast iron for preparation, follow the directions explicitly (You'll use a little "elbow grease" on this one), and you won't be disappointed. It's my favorite Jambalaya, too !

You probably don't need my 2 cents at this point...............
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-24
10 years I lived on the Gulf Coast and spent
many, many days in New Orleans. When the time came I knew I was eventually going to leave, I spent months searching for a book which would allow me to take the food I loved with me. This is the book I chose & have loved it for years!!!!!!!!!!
It is authentic New Orleans food.....pre-Paul!!!!
You can open this book and trust that any recipe you choose will be successful.....except for the Red Beans & Rice which has too much meat to be the REAL LOCAL AUTHENTIC version.
I am a Chef & I can't imagine being without this book. It's REAL New Orleans food!!!!!! This
book is a REAL WINNER!!!!!!!!!! A CLASSIC!!!!!

Thank-you Rima and Richard Collin!!!!!!
K & Roo & Tessa TOO!!!












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No Need for Another Creole Cookbook!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-14
My husband received this cookbook for his birthday, by my sister, some 15 years ago. But I am the one that used and took it over!!! I didn't even know how to really cook, but was able to make superb dishes, without fail, everytime. And since then, this cookbook has been well used!!! There are stains and pages slipping out from frequent use!!!

Richards
Prospect Street
Published in Hardcover by (2002-07-01)
Author: Emilie Richards
List price: $23.95
New price: $11.15
Used price: $6.37

Average review score:

A sad commentary....
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-05
....on today's society. A woman who blames herself for all the shortcomings in her marriage, a man whose indiscretions destroy his marriage and scar for life his family, a teenage daughter who is disrespectful and deceitful, a mother who doesn't have the backbone to discipline her daughter or the inclination to even parent her. All that wrapped around the girl-meets-guy, girl-dumps-guy, girl-gets-guy-back storyline, laced with acceptance of immorality and distorted Christian views. Disappointing.

TERRIFIC !!! DID NOT WANT IT TO END.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-09
Wonderful story and mystery, realistic characters. Thank You Ms Richards

Wow! Wonderful!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-25
What a great book, and having lived in Dupont Circle several years ago, the images painted of Georgetown, DC, Booeymonger's, etc brought back vivid and accurate images. I'll bet I can even guess the name of the restaurant from which Pavel brought curry, rice and daal to Faith's home! Enjoyed every page immensely!

I loved this book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-26
I loved the characters, the plot, and the mysteries. I feel like I've just been to Georgetown for a brief holiday. This book is going on my "favorite books" shelf. Thank you, Emilie Richards, for a wonderful read.

A Rewarding Prospect
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-04
I haven't written a review in a while but I was so excited to have found a new author (to me)whose writing I really loved, I couldn't let the opportunity pass to offer encouragement to Ms.Richards to keep writing and to readers who are wondering whether to delve into this latest novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the character development and sublte mystery in this novel. The issues addressed by the author were sensitively probed with an expert understanding and depth of
prose. There was no gratuitous sex or distasteful language. The author writes with feeling about a family in trouble; their needs, secrets and the people who enter into their lives to help.
You finish the read realizing that everyone has a story and truth and love and doing the right thing is the only way to live a life. Wrongs can be set right and forgiveness is possible.
I found the insight particularly helpful since the author worked in the counseling profession and knows the nuances of charter human beings are capable of displaying and the deep reasons for their actions. Read it! It's like being in therapy without even knowing it!!


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