S Books

Stadner's book is well written and fun. She tells her stories in writing even better than she delivers them in person, and this book is loaded with all kinds of memories, each one tugging at a different heart string. She hits home over and over, and that familiarity makes it even more entertaining. At times, I found myself agreeing with her out loud, or calling my sister to remind her of something I hadn't thought of in years. I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Great book! The stories you related, made me laugh and cry with you.It was truly a walk down memory lane. You have successfully memorialized Cote St Luc, forever.Sheila

Hanala Stadner writes an amazing narative of her life, beginning with a childhood of loneliness and need. Her parents, survivors of the Holocaust, do not seem to be able to understand her travails which include normal childhood growing pains. She bitterly leaves home and is able to work as a semi-employed actor. Her pain follows her as she stumbles into drug and alcohol abuse. Just when the reader is totally disgusted with her, she begins a long road to recovery and self discovery. This well written book will make you laugh and make you cry. I would heartily recommend it.

I just finished your book I loved it so much that I just didn't want it to end.
I related to just about everything you went through. My parents also went through the war as Partisans in the woods of Poland and White Russia and then came to Montreal.
Thank you so much for writing this book. I must confess that
I laughed and cried but the last 100 pages of your book brought back so many memories for example singing to my father on his death bed \"OYFIN PRIPITCHEK BRENT A FAYERL, UN IN SHTUB IS HEYS. UN DER REBELY LERNT KLEYNE KINDERLEKH DEM ALDF-BEZ.\"
I saw you at Lynn University when you were in Boca Raton and had the
pleasure of meeting you and Fabrizio,gee I hope I remembered his name, but you know who I mean the cute Italian. You signed my book and I will cherish it forever.
Again, thank you so very much this book really made a difference to me.
Lots of Luck, from one survivor to another Sarah Johnson.

The title grabs you - humor? Holocaust? Then, you begin reading and Hanala grabs you- envelops you, fastens your seat belt for you and takes you on the ride that is her life. And what a ride.

For the general public, it is a story, written with wit, humor, turns of phrase, expressions which you know you have heard before and are comfortable with but which are neither trite nor cliche, in a style that holds your attention. It is the history of a little girl clamoring for something which is impossible to receive due to no fault of her own, a "normal" childhood, filled with love, affection, nurturing, complements, structure, safety, sibling support, reliable friends, - just like in the 50s and 60s TV families into which she delves for comfort; who, not surprisingly grows into a young adult with physical addictions and emotional insecurities - making bad choices, entering into troubled relationships and behaving in a self-destructive manner bringing her near death; and finally, just as you have almost had it with her and want to read her the riot act, but knowing that nothing you say could bring her out of her messed-up life, she surprises you and takes a small step which becomes a deep reach into herself and pulls herself out of the spiral - building inner strength and finally maturing into the positive, healthy person you would be thrilled to have in your life. Hanala lays open her soul to the core, describes behaviors and experiences that most would be embarrassed and ashamed to admit, and demonstrates that we have the ability to heal ourselves, with the help of others, if we only give ourselves the chance. You laugh, you laugh a lot, and you cry, you find yourself repeating statements out loud that you have just read which may well hit deep in your own soul. Frankly, you don't want the book to end and when it does, you are OK, because you know that Hanala's story is continuing and because it is a real life that you feel connected to.

And, for the readership which is made up of the children of Holocaust survivors/escapees, it is an even more special story. Hanala, through her experiences, and her insights gained through therapy, A.A. and Al-Anon programs, gives us answers as to why her parents, and so many other such parents just could not do a better parenting job - whether due to their guilt for not being able to save family or friends or for the simple fact that they survived, magnified by the relative comfort in which they are living; why they too were and are leading lives that are not filled with what many would consider "normal" actions and reactions - which behaviors many have unintentionally passed on to their children. "It is not because she won't, it is because she just can't." For Holocaust survivor/escapees' children, Hanala provides answers to questions we might not even know how to ask.

All I can say is "WOW"! As a new erotica reader, this was a compelling introduction to the genre. Mac and Violet's story was hard to read at times, especially for those not familiar with BDSM, yet so moving, I couldn't put it down. It gave insight into the D/s lifestyle, and a whole new way of looking at those involved in it. I see many more erotica purchases in my future, especially by Ms. Hill.

I ordinarily find BDSM erotica degrading and it makes me uncomfortable. Not this book. I did enjoy it. The charcaters were developed beautifully. I could see the romance/affection//love between them. Not like Most BDSM erotica I have read where Dom meets sub; they engage in sex and other things and you get no character insight.

I have read several romantic erotica books and there are those I like and those I don't, but I have never been emotionally touched by an erotica story until this one! I read the book cover to cover as soon as I received it. I can't stop thinking about these characters. I think it is too far and few between that we read stories that express a strong alpha man's emotional loss of control to the right woman, because there is nothing sexier than that loss. Ms. Hill expressed that loss so vividly in through Mac's actions and in his dialogue that I literally had chills! This is my first written review because I just couldn't help myself from telling others how great this book is.

And the other reviewer is right - 5 stars is not enough for Natural Law!

This is the story of two characters who also appear in The Ice Queen, a story that I enjoyed a lot more than this one. Violet is a sexual dominant, and Mac, a cop, is a sexual submissive, even though he is controlling male, alpha-type outside of the bedroom. It turns him on to have the woman be in control, though in practice, he is caring and controlling in other ways.

Mac comes to the club where Violet 'plays' because he is undercover, looking for a female dominatrix who he believes is responsible for a string of deaths of male submissives.

I really like this author, and have been reading all her material. Unlike many erotic books, she writes with a plot and includes great characterization. This is not just a story about sex, with a little plot thrown in. This book, unlike some of her others, is not about troubled characters, however. Both Violet and Mac are comfortable with who they are. The suspense comes from the murder mystery, and there is just not quite enough of that crime element for this to get 5 stars from me. It is a very good story, nonetheless, and definitely one for fans of Joey Hill to include in their reading list. It is interesting to compare Mac with Jacob from The Vampire Queen's Servant, another character who is a dichotomy interms of a strong male who is a submissive.

I have to admit, I've never really understood the attraction to the D/s lifestyle.

Then I read "Natural Law".

I get it now.

Thanks for the enlightenment, Ms. Hill. :->

Are you and I any different from Heinrich Himmler or Adolph Eichmann? Of course, we want to believe that we are made from entirely different clay than those evil monsters, but reading Stanley Milgram's book, _Obedience To Authority_, will make you wonder.

The book describes an experiment that was conducted in the 1960s by Yale University psychology professor Stanley Milgram. Milgram placed advertisements in local newspapers, soliciting volunteers for an experiment in human psychology. The volunteers were told that the experiment was about memory and learning, but in reality, the experiment was about the conflict between conscience and authority. The volunteers were told to read sets of words to a man, and then test him on how well he remembered them. They were further instructed to administer an electric shock whenever the man made a mistake in remembering the words. The shocks began at 15 volts, and proceeded by 15-volt increments, all the way up to 450 volts. At the 150-volt level, the man screamed in agony and begged to be set free. At each shock level from that point up to 300 volts, the man let out a horrifying scream. At the 300-volt shock, the man stated that he would not answer any more questions. The volunteers were told to treat each non-response as an incorrect answer, and to continue with the shocks. After the 330-volt shock, no further sound was heard from the man.

Happily, the victim of the shocks was an actor who wasn't really being shocked at all. The real purpose of the experiment was to observe how the volunteers would behave when confronted with a choice between cruelty and disobedience.

The results of this experiment were amazing. Two-thirds of the volunteers continued to shock the man, all the way up to the 450-volt shock. Even after the 330-volt shock, when they had good reason to think that they might have killed the man, they continued administering shocks all the way to 450 volts. Only one-third of the volunteers defied their instructions and refused to continue the experiment due to concern for the man receiving the shocks.

This book presents insights into human nature that you will find both highly disturbing and quite fascinating. Think about the implications of Milgram's experiment. Now ask yourself... did Henry Wirz get a fair trial? Did Adolph Eichmann get a fair trial? How can we make sure that there will never be another Holocaust? Did Nelson Rockefeller do the right thing at Attica? Was justice done in the case of William Calley? These are some of the questions raised by this magnificent book. They are questions worth pondering and discussing.

Everybody should read this book.

Just finished reading Obedience to Authority for a graduate seminar, and must say that it is one of the more relevant and insightful books I've read during my training. In this highly ambitious book, Milgram, motivated in large part by the large-scale and gruesome acts against humanity that occurred during WWII, sets himself to the task of identifying the conditions under which "people would defy authority in the face of a clear moral imperative". To his (and this reviewer's) surprise, he finds that when ordinary individuals are commanded by figures of authority to carry out morally reprehensible acts, they lack the intrapersonal resources required to disobey. While his method of inquiry may be shocking by today's standards, I find his experimental designs, variable manipulations, and theoretical contributions as elegant in their simplicity and highly illuminating.

To that end, I strongly recommend this book to scholars and engaged citizens. Not only is it a fascinating read, but it reminds the reader of the importance of moral autonomy in today's world, as well.

The results of the experiments in this book are astounding and make you think about what your own reaction would be.

This book describes years of work in a very intrigant experience of obedience authority and many variants of itself. The author explains very accurately the details of the experiments and comments brightly the results.

This book was written for psichologists and social scientists as for a curious well educated public.

Although I appreciate calmly's critical reading, it is clear that he or she is unaware of the 40 years of social science research that has followed the original Milgrim experiment and built on its findings.

No research exists in a vacuum, and indeed a single study is the beginning of understanding. But research in social science has replicated this study (albeit in ways more kind to its participants) many times with very similar results.

The Milgrim Experiment has been supported by data from the Stanford Prison Experiment, research on fraternity and military hazing rituals (particularly in the death squads of Central and South America), research on whites in Apartheid, etc. The list goes on.

It is true that there are always those who rise above the rest, the Nazi prison guard who used his own money to buy medicine for the concentration camp prisoners. But Kosovo, Rwanda, Darfur, the slaughter and maiming of Quakers by American Puritans, the slaughter of Protestants by the French Catholics, the slaughter of English Catholics by Anglicans, the slaughter of all non-confomists by the Spanish Inquisition, remind us that race, creed, ethnicity, or religion are no magic bullet at resisting evil.

All the book is trying to say is look at your own hubris. We may all feel that we are above all reproach. We may shudder in horror at the final scenes of Biko saying, Who could shoot those children?

But it's much scarier when you realize the answer may be you.

While reading "Our Uncle Sam" I cried, I laughed and I knew that the Sam Cooke that was in these pages was the real Sam Cooke. Even though the authur did not know his uncle he was able to bring out the real Sam. The book was beautifully written and you can see the love in every page. I am glad I bought "Our Uncle Sam" because it gave me the opportunity to know or feel like I know him. I always knew there was more to the story and now I know for sure. Thank you to the authur, Erik Greene, for writing this wonderfully uplifting and eye-opening book about the greatest song writer/singer/performer there ever was or ever will be.

I have read them all. Erik Greene's book is from the source and from the heart, by the people who knew Sam best: his family; not the people who just wanted a part of Sam or to control Sam.

Great read. Well done. If you love Sam Cooke's music you need to read this. If you're new to Sam's music--this will give you a deeper understanding of the man and his music.

This book exposed the contradictions of the autopsy report vs events that were publicized after Sam Cooke's death. Also intriguing sides of his personality were revealed; such as the trailblazer he was on the business side of the music industry and other popular entertainers he groomed.

Both these aspects of Cooke's life have been grossly
'under reported'...perspectives that are way overdue!

As I'm writing this review, I've got my favorite Sam Cooke tunes playing in the background. These are some of the most timeless pieces of music ever recorded. Every so often, I take them out, dust them off, and take a listen. My mood changes and somehow my day gets better.

There are plenty of biographies about Sam Cooke. His life makes an interesting story. Born into a large family, son of a minister, Sam started in gospel music and eventually became an R&B and pop superstar. Sam was also well known as a lady's man, a business man, and a human rights advocate. To this day, people still wonder about the real story behind his suspicious death.

Our Uncle Sam is unique among Sam Cooke biographies. This book is written by Sam's great nephew and includes stories from various relatives. I absolutely loved this concept. Family knows, and still loves you nonetheless, throughout both the good and bad. Therefore, I felt that this biography presented a really balanced story about Sam, where he came from, what drove him to succeed, and what was really important to him. Moreover, I was touched at this family's everlasting love and devotion to Sam's memory and to the loving foundations set out by Annie Mae and Charles Cook Sr.

The casual observer really believes that sensationally sexy singer known as Sam Cooke was killed doing the usual shady celebrity ho-down in a seedy hotel deep in a neighborhood that no sensible person would roam about after dark. Sam Cooke's musical brilliance has been almost completely buried in the scandal of his demise.

Erik Greene brought up many facts about Sam's murder that no one else has talked about. I've read Peter Guralnick that pitches Allen Klein as an angel and I've read David Ritz (w/ SR Crain and Cliff White) that pitches Klein as the devil in very flimsy disguise. Looking at Klein's track record with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and more recently (1997) The Verve, Klein is not to be trifled with or trusted. The spin in the "Legends" DVD on how he helped Sam develop Sam's second Copa show was comedy, even to someone on the outside looking in. It's easy to take credit for the success of a man who has been in the grave for 4 decades.

The details about 55 year old Bertha Franklin's composed neat appearance, immediately following her supposed tussle with 33 year old Sam that resulted in his demise is interesting. The dispappearance of all the police and morgue files and the sham of a interrogation directly following Sam's murder all point to people in high places wanting Mr. Cooke dead. After all, Sam was a black man who owned his own publishing and record companies in the 1960's. Not only that, he was encouraging other artists to do the same. Black people had been killed for much less in Sam's day, like sitting at a lunch countr and asking to be served. Sam posed a huge threat to the record company, much of which was and is controlled by the mob. Mr. Green brought all these factors to the forefront, including Sam's penchant for the finer things in life, from clothes to cars to homes and gadgets. If he was to indulge in dealing with call girls, I truly suspect that he would go to an expensive hotel where he was known and the staff would turn a blind eye. Lastly, a Ferrari idling in the ghetto, complete with keys and nobody steals it? Sam was set up, beat up and murdered.

Now Sam was far from a saint, but he did not deserve to be killed, most especially in such a horrific and humiliating manner. In 1964, only white people could pull off such a complete shut down of proper police and medical follow-up. What about Bob Keane owing the mob and having life insurance policies on some of his artists? Who owned the nightclub PJ's where Sam was last seen alive? What really happened to Bobby Fuller?

This book opens up a wound that has festered and remained a sore spot all these long years. Sam Cooke was an incredibly handsome, amazingly talented man; so much so that to watch tapes of him today still display what a sexy dynamic man he was. His appeal is not dated and he is still relevant with "A Change Is Gonna Come" and his many pop hits continue to play on radio stations that cater to the tastes of a wide spectrum of people.

The book reminds us that Sam, though flawed, loved and was loved by his family. He would be 76 today had he not been murdered. Sam's great nephew reminds us of Sam's great talent, forward thinking and charisma. But most importantly, it brings to the forefront the humanity of Sam Cooke, which makes his loss even sadder.

I literally breathed in every word of this book! It is absolutely the most informative, up to date, thorough and readable book I have read thus far on postpartum mood disorders. As an RN who has worked with postpartum moms for 15 years, and as a mom who suffered from severe ppd, I am always eager to research new literature on this subject. This book reached my soul deeply on both levels - the clinical RN and the vulnerable mom. Thank you, Dr. Shoshana.

Ginger Law
Registered Nurse, Speaker

I just finished reading "Postpartum Depression For Dummies". It is an absolute "must read" for mothers suffering from any aspect or degree of postpartum depression. Their partners and families must read it as well. It is clear, it flows, it's well written and easy to understand. It leaves no question unanswered, every aspect and element of this condition is covered thoroughly. I would not hesitate to call this book a "life saver". The author, Dr. Shoshana Bennett proves herself to be a well versed leading authority on this topic, and a compassionate, kind and caring person who is available for telephone consultations. A huge thumbs up!!

This book is a must have if you are suffering from postpartum depression. I am in recovery from this illness and believe me I read a lot of books on this subject as soon as I was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression. But Postpartum Depression for Dummies gave me more detail on the subject than the others. It helped me to understand the illness, what my options were, and how to deal with my feelings. It also helped my family know how to help me. It guided me step by step and encouraged me not to give up and that these awful roller-coaster of feelings I had were going to pass. And they did.

Gaby

I have read every word of this book and feel so strongly about it that I have wrapped it in a receiving blanket to give to New Mom's at their Baby Showers!! This is a must to have in a household where there are kids. The humor, the tips, the resources, the written...easy to read quality are exceptional! Shoshanna does not preach, she tells it like it is. Where was this book when I gave birth to our first. Congratulations, Shoshonna on spreading the news that woman can take their life back during postpartum. Sallie Felton, Life Coach and International Talk Radio Host, www.salliefeltonlifecoach.com

I suffered PPD after the birth of my second son. As a stay-at-home mom caring for two small children, I felt overwhelmed and lost. I was suffering, as were those around me. After reading Dr. Shoshanna's book, I was able to make positive changes to bring balance to my life and overcome my PPD. I stopped beating myself up for not being able to "do-it-all." I started caring for myself by putting good nutrition in my body, taking breaks to have "me" time, and asking for help with housework and childcare. By doing these things, I saw changes immediately and I feel better than I have in a long time. And this book helped my family understand how I was feeling and how to support me. I wish I would have read Dr. Shoshanna's book before I had my first child. Now that I am pregnant with my third child, I plan to continue with the changes I've made and have a much happier experience with my newborn and my family. Thank you Dr. Shoshanna for writing this book and for helping so many women. All mothers (whether first time or not) should read this book.

Rebels and Redcoats is not the first book to read about the American Revolution.

I know this book has glowing reviews by others. But those readers already know the basic story. If you think you fit in that category, go for it. Fascinating as the first person accounts may be, the context of the war is sometimes lost.

The men who fought the War are not the most literate. Spelling and grammatical conventions of the late 18th century may be confusing to the modern reader.

A teacher or another reader to help with the story line would be good. Or read 1776: America and Britain at War, by David G. McCullough first. You'll get much more out of your reading.

The editor/authors do a good job weaving the tales told by various participants. The reader may find the differing styles confusing. An interesting alternative would be Joseph Plumb Martin's classic account as a teenage recruit during the Revolution.

What else can be said that has not already been posted? Scheer and Rankin nail this book! A must for anyone interested in our amazing revolution and the men / women involved in it. With actual written accounts from people who were there you could not get a more fact based account of what it must have been like. It is very rare that this book gets "dull" as some fear history must be. Written how all history should be - so that it touches you and makes you think of what it must have been like to live through such time, If you want to learn and enjoy history (esp. such an important part of history) get this book and "Angel in the Whirlwind" by Benson Bobrick = both are fantastic! A plus!

"Rebels and Redcoats" is a tremendously good read recommended for anyone interested in a history of the American Revolutionary War written by those that fought and lived it.

Authors George Scheer and Hugh F. Rankin have compiled, organized and edited a comprehensive collection of letters and papers that provide unparalleled insights into the war as it unfolds. Some of the participants, such as Paul Revere, are well known. Most, however, are not, including rank and file American and British soldiers.

The result is an extremely well written and compelling chronological history of the American war for independence through the eyes of those that won - and lost - it.

Lasting eight years, the Revolutionary War was both America's first long war and civil war. By it ends, four times more American had died (percentage wise) than in World War II. The war showed how hard it is for any nation, no matter how powerful and technologically advanced its military and economy, to defeat a people numerous, armed and far away, possessing strong allies, and fighting for their independence on ground of their own choosing.

Anyone interested in a first-hand account of a war that gave birth to the United States of America and changed the world should read this book.

Reads like a good novel. The first hand accounts woven into the narrative are well selected and perfectly integrated. A variety of perspectives was chosen and this is quite even-handed. There is enough detail to make it lively and interesting but not so much that it overpowers. Anyone wishing to pursue further personal study has broad cross section of topics, biographies and events to choose from. This is an excellent book and should be required reading for all high school and college students instead of the the race-gender-class dribble that is probably used today. 1000% better than Langguth's "Patriots".

This is a very good, readable history of the American Revolution. The book does a very good job of giving you the British side of the Revolution. I enjoyed the book, and so did my 13 year old son.

The only thing the book doesn't have is much material about the war at sea, but this is a minor shortcoming.

I am deeply moved and impressed with this captivating work. THE SLASH BROKERS carries a powerful and troubling message and a wake-up call to Americans everywhere. It should be made into a movie, but unfortunately, its substance does not fall within the scope of things that excites Hollywood. Someone like a Steven Spielburg, however, just might see it as an exciting, highly-profitable, worthy, and even a noble undertaking. In my view, it would make a great movie that would draw gigantic numbers of church-going America -- and even many of those who seek to remove God from the fabric of our land. Jeff Barganier has put forth a timely effort to correct an awful moral wrong, and its message needs to find its way to the hearts and minds of us all.

I am deeply moved and impressed with this captivating work. THE SLASH BROKERS carries a powerful and troubling message and a wake-up call to Americans everywhere. It should be made into a movie, but unfortunately, its substance does not fall within the scope of things that excites Hollywood. Someone like a Steven Spielburg, however, just might see it as an exciting, highly-profitable, worthy, and even a noble undertaking. In my view, it would make a great movie that would draw gigantic numbers of church-going America -- and even many of those who seek to remove God from the fabric of our land. Jeff Barganier has put forth a timely effort to correct an awful moral wrong, and its message needs to find its way to the hearts and minds of us all.

The story grabbed me on the first page and kept me deeply involved through the final paragraph. I found it very easy to put myself in the main character's shoes as he began to understand the personal, then the global threat of the "Slash Brokers". It is terrifying to imagine that there are now or ever may be Slash Brokers dealing in human trade. This book is truly an alarming wake up call.

Jeff Barganier has written a fantastic book! The characters are believable and likeable. The story could be fact, which makes it more compelling. I could not put it down! I hope he writes another one soon!

I am amazed and in awe of the gift displayed by this author. What a way to expose the truth, through the light of rich storytelling!

Unfortunately, our blessed, free populous have dug ourselves so deep into a self-absorbed stupor, that we have allowed the enemy to blindfold our very existence.

I remember around the time I was in college (mid-50's to early 60's)that Russia proclaimed they would destroy us from within. I think it was Krueschev who stated that they would take over our media to feed us our own poison. Well today, I don't believe the media has any regard for truth, if such truth is in any way in conflict with it's programed agenda. (The Big Question - who created it's program?)

And our infamous Judiciary! How many years has it taken for our Federal Judiciary to become stocked with a sufficient number enemy-planted judges to do the amount of damage that we are now almost ready to give up our own Constitution. And how was this accomplished - with a few big lies, in the name of social justice, that out sleepy citizens appetites' have been pre-conditioned to follow. .

The fiction portrayed in The Slash Brokers is so real-like that the author's keen eye must have been exposed to many facets of "what goes on in our sleepy existence". What a gift to get it out this way.

Note the January 8, 1998 letter at the end of the book, which must be fact. It's crazy - if such a letter existed naming President Bush, instead of former President Clinton, the media would be all over it like flies on honey. But with Clinton's name in such a letter, it just doesn't fit into their agenda.

Rich in detail and rich in great storytelling, this book gives a compelling picture of where our great country is headed if we let the Slash Brokers to work their games, aided by fake politicians and other power brokers interested only in their personal power.

This book has helped call me to action. While I had some causes that would call me to action, from The Slash Brokers, I now know there are related causes (and perhaps non-related causes) that cry out for action to save our great country. I pray that whomever reads this book would be stirred to wake-up and help clean-up the mess we have allowed in our country.

Tony Di Guglielmo
tonyd@xicom.com

I speak around the world on lead generation and marketing strategy. Neil did an outstanding job crafting "The SPIN Selling Fieldbook" to give you a roadmap on how to master complex sales strategy.

There is no other resource I can think of where you can "easily perfect" your approach and positioning sales strategy.

Neil gives you step-by-step plan that anyone can follow in their quest to excel at marketing their products or services.

The SPIN Selling Fieldbook gives you valuable "hands on" tools. I recommend the "SPIN Selling Fieldbook."

It is an invaluable resource that any salesperson or sales executive should have in their personal library.

Joe Heller, Trust Cycle Selling

This field book is better than the original book was. If you are going to buy just one of the two you should probably just buy the field book. It allows you to apply the ideas very quickly.

This book is a 206 page powerhouse, but I want to direct you to pages 50 and 51:

"The Good News"...

"The good news is that the Spin model has proved to be a versatile sales tool, works across cultures, applies across industries, is equally applicable to selling services or products."

"The Bad News"...

"Our one million users would tell you in one voice: It's a lot harder than it seems. SPIN isn't a magic pill that you can take and turn yourself into an instant sales success. It's hard work. One of the immutable laws of business is that there's always a link between risk and reward. The more rewarding the outcome, the tougher it is to obtain. If SPIN questions were simple and automatic, then everyone would be using them already, and there would be no competitive advantage from the model. "

So there you have it. You will not only have to learn the basic principles of SPIN (Situation - Problem - Implication - Need Payoff), you will also have to personalize these principles into a game plan for each prospect, current customer, former customer...

...and in doing so you will be ahead of the curve. You'll be far down the road from the people who are still fumbling around for a "simple and automatic" approach. You will find few books on sales that are as honest as this one. Author Neil Rackham hands you a powerful set of tools, but make no mistake about it: your success will come entirely from what you choose to do with them. VERY highly recommended.

Usually is not enough to read a book to have the knowledge, you need to practice, and that is what this book helps to, giving you ideas on how to put SPIN method into practice.

I bought this book together with SPIN Selling. I read the Fieldbook after reading SPIN Selling. If you've already read SPIN Selling, this book is not going to tell you much new things.

If you would read the Fieldbook instead of SPIN Selling, then I think the Fieldbook is not thorough enough, at least if you compare it to SPIN Selling.

In general I think the audience of this book is perhaps college students, or clever highschool students, but not really experienced salespeople. Maybe that's also because of the cartoons every now and then which make the book look like it's meant for younger people.

What I expected when I bought both books was that the Fieldbook offerd some transcriptions of salescalls, and an explanation of why certain aspects are wrong and how this could be improved using SPIN Selling. This was not really the case, it was more like a simple summary of SPIN Selling. So not really the Fieldbook I expected.

Anyway, the book is not bad, but I would not recommend to buy both SPIN Selling and the Fieldbook together. Also, if you're a serious and experienced salesperson I would recommend SPIN Selling. If you're new to sales or if you're still in college, I would recommend the Fieldbook.

Not only are the images inspiring but the book has so much insightful wisdom in the art of photography. I've improved and grown in my creativity since reading this. Highly Recommended.

If you want to learn which f stop to use for a picture at the beach, don't read this book. If you want to learn what "ISO Rating" means, go somewhere else. If your pictures now are decent - well focused & exposed - but they seem to look like all the others, and lack _something_, then this book may help you find that something.

I had two pictures that I knew were excellent. I could feel it. They stood over the rest, but I didn't know why! I couldn't make more like them. If you have that frustration, then READ THIS BOOK! Now. Then look what happens to your pictures. They will be different. Mine were definitely better.

Good luck,
Jay

I think the central theme is good. I learned a bit about the Tao, and I like the parallels the author draws between the Tao and good photography. By the end I found some of it repetitive, but overall I enjoyed his thesis and found it thought provoking.

This inspirational publication gives a refreshing and unadulterated alternative to approaching photography as an artist, amateur, professional - indeed any combination one percieves oneself. This book speaks to all levels of photographers regardless of age, skill, financial resources or any other categories that may exist.

I recently read The Tao of Photography by Philippe Gross and S Shapiro. This is, by far, the best book I have found on how to allow the photograph to find you, rather than the other way around. I highly recommend it to anyone who's interested in thinking outside the box, even if you don't have much interest in Taoism as a philosophy. This book might indeed change your views on photography and Taoism both.

This book is full of information that is useful to a Soldier. It covers alot of lessons that are lost to todays young soldiers due to are ability to overwhelm with our technology alone.

While preparing to deploy to Iraq last Summer I embraced two books. The Small Unit Leader's Guide to Counter-insurgency and this one.

Poole took his research of every Eastern military he could muster and outlined the training and expectations of thier lower enlisted, stressing not only the importance of empowering the lower enlisted of the US military and our allies, but just how skilled our enemies may be.
Rather than officers having most if not all of the say in how operations had occurred, or are to be run, Eastern armies such as the Chinese, let all men involved in a battle have a say in what had happened, and how things can be improved.

Having been trained in a top-down military organization I am skeptical of the value of Poole's reccomendations for us to emulate the Chinese and other organizations, but I am not skeptical of his insight that things must adapt to their time. In a recent conversation with him he made reference to the French, stating that they had been an incredible military strength, but lost it over years of remaining as they had been when they were the most powerful military force of their time.
In North Korea they have their men go 10 miles into S. Korea as part of their training. Knowing Marines who have performed sweep operations on the DMZ and having heard stories of S. Korean Marines disappearing from one day to the next, mines being set where they'd been cleared the day before, I believe it.

Poole believes that the US Private should be the greatest warrior on the battlefield, confident in his abilities as he is in his fire team leader. Poole also believes that we should be able to send a Sergeant, Lance Corporal, and two PFCs into Colombia without any officers, and they should be able to accomplish their mission successfully.
After two years in Vietnam and close to 30 years in the Marines Corps as an infantry officer and enlisted man, he may be onto something.

John Poole has written a fantastic treatise on what will be needed to fight and win wars in the years to come. Though it makes for dry reading at times, this book is absolutely fascinating.It not only discusses enemy tactics, it recommends methods on how to develop ninjustsu-like tactics on your own. Spectacular book. A must-read for anyone in, or planning to join, the military. Top-shelf material!

This book is not a guide for people trying to get a grip on what is happening to our forces in Iraq. It is a good basic soldiers book that is made from many different types of 'field manuals', compiled and catagorized. Nothing new, but a good source for a yound Infantry NCO or Commissioned Officer who wants to keep his 'mind in the game'. Much of the information covers Infantry subjects, some of which is of no use in Iraq. However, we are a world-wide force and need to keep looking over our shoulder at the next conflict. The author speaks with some authority and it shows. As a graduate of the Infantry School at Ft. Benning (I wont say when) this book is a good refresher and contains some new information. If you go on patrol, regardless of you MOS or job title, this is a book you cna use.

I have not finished this book, you should know. However, you should also know that this book made enough of an impression of me that I am writing a review before I have finished in violation of my own rules. I am an author myself and I value these reviews greatly - I wouldn't write if I didn't mean what I say.

This is a great book. In short, it takes the premises - as best we know - of Togakure ryu Ninjutsu and applies them to contemporary military arts. Squad mechanics - the focus of every lieutenant who has ever served - are the focus of Poole's tactical revision of the current philosophy of combat in the US military.

I am not a military man, but I am surrounded by them. I am a ninja, studying Bansenshukai Ninjutsu. We also have some Togakure ryu curriculum, and Poole hits hard on the right stuff. Early in the book he points out that the close combat ryuha are not his focus. Instead, he is looking at the understudied arts of Zanson, Intonjutsu, Shinobi Iri and Hensojutsu. This is a book about how to not fight if you don't have to.

Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu practitioners will argue that this `is not ninjutsu' because it isn't what Hatsumi teaches (in public anyway) but they would be wrong. The taijutsu that BBT teaches is just a small part of what the ninja represents, and this book covers practically everything else. Admittedly, the second chapter references books by Haha Lung and Ashida Kim, who are widely discredited. However, even quacks can have good ideas and Poole expertly extracts the choice tidbits. You will not be displeased.