Richards Books

Its strategic location on the outskirts of formerly glaciated areas, but with the moderating climatic influence of the sea along the coast, as well as vast areas of mountainous terrain cloaked in rich deciduous forests, makes the state of New York an incredible hotbed of herpetological diversity, including some very rare and unusual species. In this beautifully composed guide, each and every one of these is described in detailed accounts accompanied by absolutely stunning color photos which almost seem to come alive before your eyes. The hardcover edition is of superb quality with leather binding and sewn pages, and is rather expensive but well worth the price. The size of the book is small enough to make it useful for taking into the field, although it might be best left on the shelf to preserve its quality! Highly recommended.

This the best book anyone can buy if you are interested in a total guide on the Amphibians & Reptiles in NY. It is extremely well done and easy to understand.

"What's so good about this book? Without being long-winded and pedantic, the text is incredibly thorough. Species descriptions are marvelously detailed, putting their field-guide forbears to shame. Every time I pick up this handsome volume, and I do often since it arrived in my office, I stand in awe of its clever, user-friendly organization. Each species is described in six sections: "Quick Identification," "Description" (a greatly expanded version of the preceding), "Habitat," "Natural History," "Status and Distribution" and "Other Intriguing Facts." There are chapters, too, on environmental threats, conservation and folklore... With the help of this extraordinary book and its color photographs, the reader, young or old, novice or veteran, will get to know [New York's amphibians and reptiles] intimately."

Edward Kanze, Adirondack Explorer Vol. 10(2) March/April 2008.

The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State is a very well written, compact, and excellently illustrated account of the species found in the state. The 6 authors are highly respected herpetologists, which lends a greater credence to the book than is often present in books that summarize species' natural histories. I appreciate the citations throughout the text. The colors in the photos are realistic, the photos are sharp enough, and the captions are extremely informative. I appreciate that several photos are shown for most species, including juvenile or alternate color morphologies. The essays, figures, and tables are interesting and succint. This book could be your primary guide to herps of New England, with the caveat that range maps are shown solely for NY state.

This Book is long overdue for those of us who had to consult with the online herp atlas everytime we needed to find out if a species had been recorded in a certain county. This book is set up and flows very nicely with excellent pictures and species accounts, habitat descriptions, counties of occurance, and so on. I have been very impressed already with this book and how much easier it will make things when I need New York based data for site evaluations and habitat assessment. This book is very informative and well written and my hats off to the authors for compiling all of the data used and keeping it readible. This book is an invaluable resource and is cheap enough to keep it accessible to everyone. A must have for anyone in NY that is interested in herps, some of the information is also valid for surrounding states.

This is a highly effective book for building a basic marketing plan. I highly recommend it.

Formal Market Planning requires a structured and organized methodology to comprehensively formulate a series of initiatives to support goals, objectives, and a company mission. Let there be no misunderstandings, the Analysis for Marketing Planning is the gold standard to guide the reader through the process. Replete and well structured with excellent templates and good example, the reader is able to develop the proper content to complete a marketing plan. As professor of marketing at several universities and a practicing consultant, Analysis for Marketing Planning is the reference and text used to educate PhD candidates in the "best practice" of market planning. Get this book and be informed and armed with the best.

This is a good step-by-step detailed tool. It is not for a beginning student or business person. You do need some understanding of terms before you use this book, but once you have a background, this book can be a great asset.

It is a touch overpriced, but then again most textbooks are.

A whole marketing planning course into 200 pages! I am a MBA who was required to read this. This should be required reading for anyone in business - students and professionals. It covers everything from Competitor Analysis to Market Potential and Forecasting. You can become a marketing guru in less than a week.

While most marketing books talk at a very high level (targeted towards high-level managers in the organization) this book is the first of its kind that talks at the implementational level. This is a MUST READ for anybody interested in putting together action plans that can be used to get some real-world real-work done. I cannot stress enough how helpful this book has been to me in putting together my marketing plans (product/service based, product/service line based and brand based). Whats fascinating is how easy it is to read this book and quickly start to formalize executional plans. It covers varied topics in small concise chapters detailing different methodologies and where they can be applied. Topics covered range from competitive sets, industry analysis, customer analysis, forecasting markets, segments and everything a marketer needs to develop working marketing plans.

I constantly keep coming back to this book to evaluate how I am organizing my action plans and if I'm doing the right thing (from a process perspective).

BUY THIS BOOK AND BUY IT NOW.

This book is simply the best source for 20th Century Brazilian poetry. As well-known American poets from Elizabeth Bishop to W.S. Merwin have publicized and translated Portuguese poetry, the Brazilian poets in this volume are becoming better known. Several of these poets have individual volumes of poetry available in English translation.

This book contains poetry of Manuel Bandeira, Oswald de Andrade, Jorge de Lima, Mario de Andrade, Cassiano Ricardo, Joaquim Cardozo, Cecilia Meireles, Murilo Mendes, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinicius de Moraes, Mauro Mota, Joao Cabral de Melo Neto, Marcos Konder Reis, and Ferreira Gullar. Bandeira, Drummond de Andrade, Melo Neto, and Moraes are the best known of these poets. This sampling of poetry is heavily weighted to Melo Neto who is "difficult" - as noted in the introduction.

The translations are very good because the translators are all poets in their own right. Some of the translations are not very exact and the descriptions can be altered significantly, but in general, these translations would be difficult to surpass. The poems are en face - that is on the left page is the orginal Portuguese poem and on the right facing page is the translation. This is the only way to publish bi-lingual poetry and greatly aids the English speaking reader, even if he is fluent in Portuguese.

The quality of the poems is uneven. The more recent poets, like Melo Neto, are increasingly linked to American Poetry so you will find the poems less regional the more recent they get. Since I find most modern American Poets to be needlessly dense and obfuscatory ("difficult" if you will), it is no surprise that I like the earlier poems much better. They are clearer, less baroque in the sense that there is less decorative but useless wordiness, and speak more to the human condition. Melo Neto, who the editors call "dense" and "difficult" reminds me very much of Wallace Stevens. Like Stevens, you put in an awful lot of mental work to get a few thoughtful, interesting phrases from a poem that is much too long for the subject covered. (Can you tell I dislike Stevens?) But if you do like Stevens, generally considered one of the great 20th Century American Poets, you will like Melo Neto.

My favorites in this book are Moraes, Drummond de Andrade, and Mendes. Poetry is one of those art forms that is as much dependent on the knowledge and experience of the viewer as it is the content of the artwork. For example, when Mendes speaks nostalgically of "meu quarto modesto da Praia de Botafogo" (my modest room on Botafogo Beach), I am transported to the sights, sounds and smells of when I lived in a modest room on Botafogo beach.

I also note that the introduction of this book is essential in understanding who these poets are and the ambience from which they write.

At any rate, give this book a shot if you're looking for good poetry full of introspection. 4 stars.

Not only does this book (edited by no less an authority on poetry and Brazil than Elizabeth Bishop) contain poems by such greats as Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinícius de Moraes, João Cabral de Melo Neto and Manuel Bandeira-- but it has on the facing page translations by such respected greats as James Merill, W.S. Merwin, Mark Strand and Bishop.

The selections are neither too much nor too little. If, like me, you are learning Portuguese, the originals can be studied easily. The quality of the English translations is exceptionally high, many of them great poems in their own right. I credit Bishop and her co-editor Emanuel Brasil, whose introduction is brief and effectively sets the scene.

In Brazil, poetry is widely respected and read. The poets in this anthology are part of the generation that has broken away from the more rigid forms and themes of Portuguese and continental poetry. Poets like Vinícius de Moraes deserve to be known for more than writing the lyrics to "Girl from Ipanema" (he needed the money). This is their due. This anthology has introduced me to several poets I now plan to explore in greater depth.

Brazil is famous for its gems. It is clear this literary gem comes from a very rich mine.

This collection is an absolute classic and is particularly recommended to anyone learning Portuguese. How often are readers of English able to see both the original text and brilliant translated verse? And the selections are magnificent, from Oswald de Andrade to Vinicius de Moraes and Carlos Drummond de Andrade, many of the poets most influential both in literary circles and on the Brazilian songwriters who seem to be more and more prominent on the world stage. Also worth noting are the spectacular poets credited as translators: Elizabeth Bishop, James Merrill, W.S. Merwin, Richard Wilbur...

The poems are broadly chosen, from playful to mournful. Many are unforgettable. Highest recommendation I can give is that it influenced my decision to learn Portuguese.

This is a great book, especially for the native English speaker who is an advanced student of the Brazilian Portuguese language. On each left page is a poem in Portuguese. On each right page is the poem's translation into English. My Portuguese teacher (from Brazil) is a student of literature. She has reviewed the book and thinks it has a really good selection of poems. Not only are the poems great, I love to read the translations to improve my Portuguese.

Initially published in 1972, this anthology stands as one of the first to introduce English-speaking countries to Brazilian modern poetry. Fourteen poets in all are represented, a few more heavily than others (with Carlos Drummond de Andrade and Joao Cabral De Melo Neto receiving nearly half of the space of the book.) Aside from this imbalance, it introduces many poets who are still unfairly obscure in English-speaking countries, even among those with an extensive grasp of modern poetry. Like any great anthology, it has since prompted a few publishers to release book length works of individual poets, esp. Manuel Bandeira, Joao Cabral de Melo Neto & Carlos Drummond de Andrade. Unfortunately, the poets who caught my attention the most such as Murilo Mendes, Cecilia Meireles & Vinicius de Moraes have not received the same attention due to them. From lyrical incantations & meditations of love through pieces of anguish, they prove that they are just as competent to write on these subjects as the world's other great poets. The multiplicity of voices & styles so noticeable in this anthology, proves that Brazil's modern poetry deserves a lot more notice and consideration.In "The End of the World" Joao Cabral de Melo Neto writes, "Instead of the last judgment, what worries me/ is the final dream." This anthology will provide us with numerous dreams for a long time.

Also highly recommended-the recently release "Pip Anthology of World Poetry of the 20th Century Volume 3: 20 Contemporary Brazilian Poets" pub. Green Integer.

A true story that will take you back through the years. It will teach a lesson for all of us to know. Very touching.

Wonderfully crafted story depicting life in a small midwestern town. Reminded me of my own father's workshop. He and Dick Probert would have been great friends. Causes one to ponder what really is important and how values are formed. As an instructor in a technical college, I would like to have this book on the reading list for every student and faculty member.

I was fortunate to read a bound galley of ARCHIE'S WAY. It reminds me more of TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE than JOE AND ME, but no matter what you compare it to, this is a book to share with friends. Funny, sad, sweet, and imbued with the scent of sawdust and cutting oil throughout, it's the kind of book that anyone who has ever done any kind of woodworking or metalworking should read. Through work (which may be art without your knowing it), the best kind of lasting friendships are built.

This short memoir is a true love story. The author loves both shopwork and his friend Archie. It is hard to tell which this book is more about. You need not be a shop - either metalworking or woodworking - enthusiast to enjoy the book. Archie was a truly interesting guy and the author portrays him well. The memoir is appropriately brief. Mr. Probert does not waste time nor is there any hint of self-aggrandizement (always refreshing in a memoir). An enjoyable quick read.

Some of us are lucky enough to find a true mentor in our lives, someone who opens our eyes to a special world, and in so doing, gives us a glimpse of ourselves. Such a person is Archie Raasch, the subject of Richard Probert's book Archie's Way. A man of few words and many talents, Archie is an unforgettable character whose down-to-earth wisdom is vanishing from our hurried world.

Archie's Way sparkles with the joy of discovery implicit in new relationships. Probert's mastery of visual, sound and textural detail gives the book sensory complexity without being overbearing. A few of the mechanical descriptions, though were a little too technical for one unfamiliar with the landscape of the workshop. But this was only a minor flaw and did not distract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

There is a line of tension throughout the book that is skillfully drawn so as to tantalize the reader to discover the true nature of Archie and to tap the wellspring of his enigmatic quirkiness. The later chapters move from the technica of the machine shop to the mysteries of the wood shop and the labyrinthian paths of Archie's woods. There amidst the fragrance and beauty of the natural world, the layers of Archie's character are respectfully revealed, the book takes on a warmth, much like the patina of well-worked wood.

Probert is an engaging storyteller with a wonderful sense of character. Archie's Way is a rewarding glimpse into a sadly disappearing way of life.

Forget how great the book is, the author is one of the best guys I know. Buy it because he is one of the best architects out there, insightful, concise and germaine - no frills, just functionality. He is also a price of a guy. I know, we went to high school together.

It is and excellant planner. I have one on my desk. The cartoons are great. I know a lot of time and thought went into this product. I hope it is the first in a line of many.

Concisely arranged, with elegant graphics. The book is chocked full of unusual, architect-specific information. The Construction Documents, ADAAG Compliance, and Environmental Design Checklists are especially handy.

As someone with a busy and varied schedule, tools such as this are necessary to help maintain control. I even enjoyed the sense of humor included in the planner. It is rare that you find an item that is as on target as this book.

Wonderful book. It is obvious that the authors did months of research

Having read some architectural acoustics books, I can recommend this one as one of the best. It is an excellent resource. In fact, I should not have spent some of my money on some oldie books, which were cheap but not as good.

This is an up to date book, and it is worth every penny you spend. If you are a student or someone interested in the topic architectural acoustics, it is a good resource but it has many formulas (sorry if you do not like physics).

With it I have been able to specify to an architect who does not know hardly anything about acoustics how to correct his design for a contemporary church. I also recommend "Handbook for Sound Engineers" as a compliment to this book, for people that are trying to get the best of both worlds -- acoustics and audio. These are both good buys, and can help you very much. Remember that to be a good consultant you need to have a good library of books and this one would be an excellent part of your reference library.

The ultimate guide to architectural acoustics covering many topics in a single and nice priced book, It has everything covered and explained to a good level, my only complain is that only basic measurement techniques are explained. However it is a great complilation of knowledge in a single package.

I just received my copy, and have yet to dive into. However it appears up to date (2006) in that it covers modelling and auralization concepts. The scope of the book is expanded compared to Eagan's excellent text. Take a look at the table of contents on line for an idea of the topics.

It appears to be well written. The mathematics of sound are covered. This should be a standard reference text for a general knowledge of architectural acoustics.

July 2007 - I use this book as one of my primary references. It has excellent breadth and detail.

In his preamble the author refers to the fact this book took him more than 10 years to write. Given the level of detail and the comprehensive nature of this book, this is not surprising.

There may be better acoustical books available relating to specific niches of acoustics, such as Beranek and Barron's works on concert halls and there are certainly more simple introductions to the subject, such as Egan's book of the same name, but for anybody who doesn't mind grappling with some mathematical equations, this is definitely the best and most comprehensive book on this subject of the 15 or so that I possess.

Like the author, I am also a practicing acoustical consultant and a lecturer in this subject. It's probably splitting hairs, but I suspect that my architecture students might not respond well to this book due to the fact that the illustrations are generally limited to fairly simple black and white drawings and the mathematical approach may intimidate some, but for other acoustical consultants and engineers interested in the field of building acoustics, I would definitely recommend this text.

I have a copy of Long's Architectural Acoustics and have read a number of sections. The book is remarkably complete and Long has correctly embodied current literature. I recommend it for professionals and architects who have some mathematics. Leo Beranek

This collection of art from the Rath Cycle is a must have for any MTG enthusiast. Excellent art work adorns every page and serves to reveal the complexity and beauty of the world of Rath. The various characters, races, places, and machines behind the story of the Rath cycle are detailed through writing and colorful artwork. Without reading the MTG novels surrounding the Rath Cycle, this is the best way to get familiar with the story and setting of the MTG expansion packs: Tempest, Stronghold, and Exodus. You can tell by the price of this book on Amazon that it is a valued item in people's collections. I'd say its worth the seemingly high price.

Highly reccommended.

This book is amazing. It includes backround drawings and doodlings of such great Magic artists as Mark Tedin and Pete Ventres. One of the most interesting parts of the book was the inards of the Weatherlight and the Predator, showing engine rooms and cabins. Also, main characters and races have backround stories explained in detail.

I double highly recommend this book, it's fantastic, even if your not an artist or a Magic fan.

I got this book not too long ago and I've gotta say, this is one for the records. It centers all around the great and wonderful art of Magic: The Gathering: The Rath Cycle. I got this book because the Rath Cycle is my #1 favorite add-on for Magic, and I love the art. It tells you behind the scenes stuff about all the different characters and places in the Rath Cycle. Now, don't get this book thinking that you're gonna get every picture in the set. They have alot of the art, but not all of it. I thought that, but I was still amazed when I got it. I use the book to help me sketch out the stuff I couldn't on the cards, they were too small. But they blow them up for the book. It's a great book, a must-have for everyone who appreciates the art and magic of Magic: The Gathering.

Although I don't know the Rath Cycle or MTG really well, I was drawn to this book for its artwork. Really nice suff! Lots of versions of images, artist studies (b/w and color), and schematic plans (of the ships), so you can see what diffrent artists were thinking. There is a good bit of text (back story for the game I assume) if you are into that. Basicly, a great fantasy art refrance book!

The Art of Magic represents the visual glories of the Rath Cycle: a set of three expansions named Tempest, Stronghold, and Exodus that depict the adventures of Gerrard Capashen and the crew of the Weatherlight as they seek to liberate the kidnapped Sisay and unravel the evil mystery that lies behind the universe of Rath.

The book is filled with the lavish illustrations that have made Magic: the Gathering among the most aesthetically pleasing card games in history. Famous artists such as Pete Venters, Quentin Hoover, Donato Giancola, John Avon, and Terese Nielsen create a stormy world wracked with strife and death. We see the legendary paintings, sketches, and drawings that breathe life into such places as the Stronghold, the Skyshroud Forest, and the Dream Halls. And vivid characters are represented with handfuls of card arts, style guides, and behind the scenes sketches. This book lays out the story, environment, and aura of the Rath Cycle experience in a conscientious, experienced form which shows meticulous preparation and a beautiful final product. Who can forget the legendary Vanguard painting of the Dark Angel Selenia, poised to strike at the onlooker? Or Donato Giancola's Havoc, showing Orim attracting the fury of the Furnace of Rath around her? Or even the paintings of the mischievous Squee, a goblin with a heart and intelligence far beyond his peers. And for a look to the dark side, the City of Traitors, huddled around the gigantic Furnace of Rath.

The Weatherlight, its crew, and every inch of the worlds of the Rath Cycle are detailed beautifully. One will want to look through the glistening pages many times-everything holds a meaning just waiting to be unlocked. Even the title page for each chapter invokes curiosities: we see a depiction of the Null Moon, Dominaria's artificial moon (and possibly something of ill meaning from the Phyrexians?) and an added oval with each chapter's progression.

The Art of Magic: the Gathering is without a doubt among the best books to come out of Wizards of the Coast and TSR for a long time. A must buy worth every cent.

This book is just a fun with the education about the carousels! This'll tell you much about the carousels ! Charlotte is a great author, and has a good sense of understanding people's psycology. You'll have fun with this book !

The book Art of the Carousel is the best I've read. It gives a full history and it is beautifully illustrated. I showed it to a co-worker and she had to have one to put on their coffee table for all to view. You won't be sorry!

Charlotte Dinger's Art of the Carousel is a must have for any enthusiasts carousel book collection. This book features chapters about all the major carousel artists/carvers and great photographic examples of each carvers style.

There is also a chapter about restoring and collecting these magnificant animals. This book is very similar to "Painted Ponies" by William Manns/Marianne Stevens. Included is a census of operating carousels. Since the book was written in the mid 1980s, many of the carousels that are listed in the census have been long gone. For an updated censue check the National Carousel Association.

ART OF THE CAROUSEL, lavishly illustrated in full color with over 400 photographs, is a complete guide for collectors, museums and galleries, as well as a delightful book for those who simply enjoy the beauty and nostalgia of the carousel.

The author traces the development of carousel art by describing style variations and identifiable features of carousel animals produced by the major American carving companies. Important considerations in evaluating carousel figures are defined, as well as characteristics that distinguish European and Mexican animals from the more valued carvings.

In addition, the book includes descriptions and illustrations of restoration techniques, practical advice on buying, shipping, and insuring carousel animals, and a census of operating carousels in the United States and Canada.

There are two books that any carousel collector or would-be collector must have. Dinger's "Art of the Carousel" and Manns' "Painted Ponies". These are simply the most complete of the carousel reference books. Bruce W. Zubee - Webmaster - [URL]

This book gave me the next steps to what I needed to make winning commitments. I knew all the analytical information to promote myself and business but I was lacking a way to engage the heart and spirits of my prospect. This book has helped me move in that direction.

We enjoy well organized books that get to the point: this is one of them. In a nutshell, the work, based on interviews with leaders, offers practical wisdom and highlights 10 essential competencies of effective leaders: 1) seeing what is, in a new way; 2) vision; 3) storytelling (conveying a compelling message); 4) fostering hope (creating a sense of the possible through optimism); 5) rendering significance (connecting vision with each person's life goals); 6) mobilizing (encouraging right actions, setting high expectations, letting go, encouraging the best in others); 7) self awareness; 8) emotional engagement (empathic connection); 9) enacting beliefs; and 10) centering (developing centering consciousness and improvising). These highlights don't do justice to the book. In its content-rich pages, it delivers an abundance of insights about the meaning of leadership, as well as revealing an inspiring spirit.

To be an effective leader, one must inspire a broad and deep genuine commitment to a team's mission, vision, desired results, and members. A number of books have been written on ways to get people to sign on, to agree, to perform. Applying the principles they promote will generate performance, adherence, and a certain degree of loyalty. Full commitment is a different issue.

Richards presents an approach that is balanced between intellectual commitment, emotional commitment, and spiritual commitment. Emphasizing the art of leadership, he shows how leaders can craft deeper relationships that generate genuine commitment to produce meaningful achievement and fulfilling satisfaction.

In the area of intellectual commitment, four chapters present the elements of insight, vision, storytelling, and mobilizing. Under emotional commitment, the chapters address self-awareness, emotional engagement, and fostering hope. Rendering significance, enacting beliefs, and centering build the understanding of spiritual commitment. The wrap-up chapter is titled Towering Conclusions and Further Strategies. A brief list of resources (interviewees and websites) and an index complement the text. Each chapter concludes with a handful of questions to stimulate contemplation.

The entire text stimulates contemplation. Using a wide range of people and their experiences and philosophies, Richards engages the reader in an introspective and educational journey. In chapter after chapter, I found myself inspired and enlightened, motivated to apply what I was learning in my work.

You will find this book to be a sort of combination of a walk in the woods, a comfortable soak in a hot tub, and time in a classroom with an energetic professor scribbling concepts rapidly across a white board while his writing hand struggles to keep up with his mind. Plan on reading this book twice; you won't get it all the first time. Margaret Thatcher's quote will help you understand that opportunity.

I had always viewed myself as a pretty successful leader, but the insights I gained from reading this book have caused me to step back and review aspects of my leadership style that have evolved over a 25 year period. This excellent book calls on leaders to honestly assess the way they lead and communicate with their people in areas that for some are in uncharted waters - i.e., the emotional and spiritual dimensions. The book is not only insightful but is written so clearly and simply that its messages are very easy to grasp. I recommend this book for any leader who wants to raise her or his performance to the next level.

So much business literature is mind-numbingly and illogically recursive, suggesting that breakthroughs for your business will stem from imitating the techniques of other business people.

In a departure from this tired and arguably broken premise, consultant and coach Dick Richards provides lessons from leaders operating outside of corporations: in not-for-profits, the arts, sports, religion, education, government...

In drawing insights from his interviews with these leaders, Richards argues that leaders succeed by securing follower commitment. He posits that this happens when leaders work on, if not master, ten competencies in four interrelated domains: political, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual (defined as, "the sense of a calling from some source larger than one's self").

When a leader's capabilities coalesce in these four main areas of competence, she becomes, in essence, a fuller, richer human being. As a result, others positively respond to the improved leader by choosing to invest more of themselves in pursuing the leader's mission.

~~~ Familiar but..., Soft but... ~~~
In this framework, Richards proffers a cogent, integrated way of *thinking* about your own leadership. Drawing on historical and personal anecdotes, quoting philosophers, researchers and leaders, Richards both echoes and transcends conventional business literature (including the recent spate championing "emotional intelligence").

It would be fair to argue that there is little new here. But that would be off the mark. As Dick Richards himself candidly points out, there is more than plenty of literature and seminars traversing the broad, overly worn leadership field. Fortunately, the intriguing whole that Richards has woven is more than the amalgam of its recognizable threads.

Likewise, it would be patently unfair (to both reader and author) to dismiss this thoughtful, occasionally lyrical work as too soft, too philosophical, or too New Age-y. By moving past the sterile Insert Tab-A into Slot-B mentality that underpins so much prescriptive management literature, Richards elevates his readers, helping them to transcend the heartless transactional world so many work in. (Still, while there's more than a modicum of practicum in the book, readers probably will want more guidance on how to translate the principles into action. Perhaps Richards is at work on a "field guide.")

Dick Richards proudly writes, as his title suggests, of the *Art* of leading. One senses that Richards thinks as an artist, a world-savvy poet reflecting on leadership. One could mistake the book for a wizened corporate shaman's love letter to meaning-starved managers.

~~~ Bottom Line ~~~
Dick Richards' THE ART OF WINNING COMMITMENT is more gestalt than how-to, more fresh synthesis of the known than breakthrough. It should ignite your little gray cells, kindle your interest in self-development, inflame your own commitment to fostering commitment in your colleagues. And help you become a better person in the process.

Don Blohowiak, Lead Well® Institute; editor, The Leader's Letter

I teach computer classes in Maryland and bought "Ask Mr. Modem" for my classes. I love the book! I love Mr. Modem's lighthearted approach, because I too feel that computers are not mysterious, inhabited beings, but tools or appliances.

The question-and-answer format makes it very easy to read, and you can pick up the book anywhere and just read some questions about email or browsers or any other topic. You don't have to read the book from cover-to-cover, though you probably will.

The questions Mr. Modem answers are questions from real people and it's true what he says, "There is no such thing as a dumb question."

Thanks for a great book, Mr. Modem. I hope you're working on Volume 2.

Mr. Modem has done it again with this new book helping all of us who have questions about our computers and the internet. With a thorough and extensive index and an easy-to-read question and answer format, you'll easily be able to find clear and concise answers to your questions.

How refreshing and what a joy to read a computer book that will make you smile and laugh along the way! Richard Sherman has a gift for demystifying the computer and making it fun. Forget the laborious manuals- just turn to "Ask Mr. Modem".

Five stars and three hearty cheers for Mr. Modem - keep those books coming, as you're the only one we know who can give us clear, easy-to-understand "geekspeak-free" answers. Bless you!

This book is fabulous! I use computers and the web a lot and there are PLENTY of things in this book I find useful. And the price is right: perfect to bring instead of a stupid bottle of wine when you're invited to someone's home for dinner! The recipients of Ask Mr. Modem have been tickled at this gift! Also a perfect holiday gift for someone who I know not that well but wanted to give something. I'm here ordering my fifth copy of the book!

I received a copy of "Ask Mr. Modem!" this past Christmas and it's the best computer book I've ever received (or purchased). I have a shelf of computer books, most of which I can't understand. This book, which is in question and answer format, is very easy to read. Just thumbing through it and seeing all the questions Mr. Modem answers, these are the same questions I've had. It's been a huge help to me and I've already given several copies of it to friends.

Mr. Modem has done it again with this new book as he helps all of us who have questions about our computers and the internet. With a thorough and extensive index and an easy-to-read question and answer format, you'll easily be able to find clear and concise answers to your questions.

How refreshing and what a joy to read a computer book that will make you smile and laugh along the way! Richard Sherman has a gift for demystifying the computer and making it fun. Forget the laborious manuals - just turn to "Ask Mr. Modem".

Five stars and three hearty cheers for Mr. Modem - keep those books coming, as you're the only one we know who can give us clear, easy-to-understand "geekspeak-free" answers! Bless you!