Smith Books

The book & reason for this essay is his autobiography All the Strange Hours. Its subtitle hints at both the man's existence & its aim: The Excavation Of A Life. Eiseley (henceforth LE) was a well-respected anthropologist, scientist, & essayist. In his spare time he was also a poet. Many years have passed since I had read his engaging essays. He mastered what might be called the Covert Inner Essay- i.e.- those which tie in the ostensible subject matter at hand with whatever the essayist really sought to speak of: personal axes, incidents, or other such muses. Think of this not then as much an essay nor an homage- per se- but rather as an experiment in persuasion. OK?
The book by LE is divided into 3 main sections: Days Of A Drifter, Days Of A Thinker, & Days Of A Doubter. The 1st of the 3- Drifter- concerns mostly LE's youth through college & mid-20s. It has some of the most beautiful & poetically heart-wrenching prose I have read. His detailed episodes as a rail-riding hobo, assorted illnesses, his call to the natural & an episode in Mexico with an ex-hood from Detroit are marvelous. LE resurrects the Great Depression & Dust Bowl iconism with an eye & ear greater than Steinbeck. This section's closest literary antecedent is Kenneth Rexroth's Kenneth Rexroth: An Autobiographical Novel, however- as good & even great as that book is in sections- as a whole it never coheres nor moves 1 to the totality of empathy that LE's work in this section does. It is this fidelity to the unnoticed conflated almost effortlessly with larger themes, & the utter Occam's Razor-like detailing, that draws me because it is so resonant with my own writing style- both prosaic & poetic. There are a number of passages & images that will be with me always. Not only that, but it is the very way he uses words to damn-near holographically duplicate the scientific process of inspecting & investigating things. In my aforementioned poetic struggles of late it has been a combination of lack of time plus an exhaustion of `ins'- or approaches to poetry as a craft & myriad subjects.
I was struck by time's distort during its reading. Not only did the craft of writing consciously do that upon the page, but within my cranial nook time ebbed & dashed in varied rhythms to such an extent that my both my emotions & intellect were disjuncted. So much so that I realize that I may have sinned. I have not excerpted pieces of LE's craft. Did I write an essay? Did I review & critique it? Did I merely effuse? Did I declaim more copiously on the book's apportive effect on my creativity than draw you to it? Did I put trust in you that yours in me & my words would kindle you to be where I am? Perhaps. But, maybe, I shall just content myself to reread it & you shall desire our company in some small resurrections. & if this experiment of mine has failed do not blame poor dead LE, or what was his life- the brunt is rightfully all mine. So, too, his book.

A fascinating look into the man behind such a creative literary & scientific mind! He is quite 'bare bones' about himself. Also suggested bio.: "The Lost Notebooks of Loren Eisley" ed. by Kenneth Heuer.

Thoughtful writing, and interesting, but Eiseley sure was a bitter and despairing fellow. He held grudges forever and never forgot a slighting, even from childhood. It appears that he wrote this at an advanced age, when his friends and associates were dieing off seemingly all around him, and he wasn't very happy about it and his own mortality. Interesting, but definitely a downer.

An excerpt from 'All the Strange Hours'

"...Oncoming age is to me a vast wild autumn country strewn with broken seed pods,hurrying cloud wrack,abondoned farm machinery,and circling crows..."
Frankly I lost my reference notes.But this is a wonderful read.You enter deep into the thinkings and passions from the heart of one man.Eiseley will invite you into his thoughts and observations about life and people like a quite and unassuming gentlemen.These stories bring you deep into the core of the Midwest cast of mind.
Great Read

There are few books written today that I don't want to rewrite. All the Strange Hours is one of them. This is the real thing- forget "Magical-Realism" and forget all other memoirs. This is unlike any memoir, or book I've ever read before, and should be getting out to a larger audience. You don't need to be into science, archeology, or even know who Eiseley is to appreciate this work. His writing is so good that it doesn't matter.
He also doesn't delve into the mundane things that most writers would- in fact, you go through the entire book, and you don't even know his wife's name. If I met Eiseley, I'd feel that I'd know little about what he likes to eat, or what kind of music he enjoys, or if he's a morning or night person. But none of that matters- because I feel like I know him on the inside. People who knew Eiseley say that those who read his works often knew him better than those who knew him in person. I'd list Eiseley easily as one of the greatest writers of all time, and at minimum I'd put him in the top 3 of great prose writers. Check him out, and you'll see. You won't be disappointed. Trust me- - I don't like most contemporary stuff, and if you don't either, this is great literature for you.

I had a good time reading through this reprint of Morris Morgan's 1893 translation of Xenophon's "The Art of Horsemanship" (350 BC). Unlike many of the other ancient Greek translations and authors, this one is very easy to read.

The text itself is fairly short and reads quickly, sprinkled with wisdom. After the text is another short portion from 1893, which talks about "The Greek Riding-Horse", based on Xenophon and all the other available sources. Additionally, the footnotes to the text are quite interesting--I read them, for the most part, en block after reading the text.

As the title implies, the text is a very hands-on, practical guide to "everything you need to know" about how to take care of and look good riding a horse, reading like a "Horsemanship for Dummies" book. If you're interested in Ancient Greece and horses, you've got to read this short "instruction manual", though if you're only interested in the ancients, it's still fun to breeze through this text, nevertheless.

If more people took the time to educate themselves about horses and horsemanship in general and Xenophone's book in particular, perhaps we not see so many "show horses" of various popular breeds so physically manipulated by in breeding for only one or two specific traits rather than breeding for the whole horse. What was true in Ancient Greece is truer still today - without good feet, balance in the body and common sense a horse is worthless. Bravo to Amazon for bringing us this excellent book dirt cheap!

The material in this book is thousands of years old but amazing in how modern the approach is to horsemanship. Most of Xenophon's advice is timely even today. It shows how little has changed over the centuries.

This is a must if you are passionate about horses. It is so clear and to the essential point that it is a pleasure to read.

Xenophon covers several aspects of horsemanship, from grooming, leading, and choosing a horse, to mounting, riding, and training a war mount. Very, very interesting to see what is still applicable today. While this isn't a "training" or even a "horse care book," its a great historical reference from those interested in how horses we cared for and trained 2000 years ago. However, for those looking for a story or a book to teach riding skills, I suggest you look elsewhere. Those interested in dressage will find this worth-while, as it is considered the oldest text on the subject.

This book is a boot lovers dream come true! The quality of photography is excellent and the historical discussion brings the art of bootmaking to life. There are so many styles of boots represented here as well as bootmakers past and present from all over the United States. The art of the boot is a love affair that covers the world and this book gives ample voice and photographic interpretation to that subject.

This book is worth more than it's monetary cost. Simply by the historical content so hard to find. I enjoyed reading it. The pictures are great and the fine examples are totally mindblowing. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning of "boots".

Big rich photo detail (that many baby-boomers will appreciate.) The cowoby boots in this book are the closest you'll ever find to life-size.

Tyler Beard asked America's finest bootmakers to send him their most spectacular boots...and they did, many remarkable pairs were made especially for this book. These new and vintage cowboy boots range from wowzie-zowie to "museum-quality." No pair could be counted as plain, or the least bit ordinary.

This book is a must for every collector. Tyler gives an unmatched, detailed history of cowboy boots and portrays the life and lore of America's top bootmakers. (A few who have since retired or passed on.) This book is one of my favorites.

Howdy, For all of you boot fanatics around the world, Jim and I will be serving up a new helping of bodacious beauties in the form of "photographed boots" in an upcoming book, which will complete our boot trilogy. Start hollerin' and stompin' and callin' 1-800-748-5439 to demand what is rightfully yours!!!! The book will be published by Gibbs-Smith Books in 2005.

Cowboy boots aren't just your functional black or brown work boot; but can be works of art in themselves: just take a look at Tyler Beard's ART OF THE BOOT for evidence! In 1992 THE COWBOY BOOT BOOK was published to celebrate this fact; since then the number of boot-makers around the country has nearly doubled. ART OF THE BOOT combines Jim Arndt's lovely color photos throughout with in-depth surveys of the companies and bootmakers involved. Highly recommended for any with an interest in cowboy culture or boots.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The Children's Book, Beach Day, is an excellent book for children. The illustrations are so rich that the reader can talk a great deal just about the pictures without even reading the text. We have other books by this author and they are consistently fantastic!

This helped us prepare for our week at the beach, and it was delightful to read upon our return! This book is great for children under 4 or 5 because it is very simple but really captures the special qualities of a day on the beach.

This is an excellent book for summer reading. We checked out a libray copy and renewed it all summer long. This is definitely one to add to the home collection.

Fun rhyming beach book for the young and young at heart! Sweet illustrations and a story line that takes you right through a cherished day at the beach. Reminds you of happy beach memories or helps the young anticipate their next trip to the beach!

This book is as much fun to read when your front yard is covered with snowdrifts as it is when the temperature is soaring! I began borrowing this book from the library in mid-December when my daughter was 2 1/2. Since then we have reached the renewal limit on this book a number of times. It is always a pleasure to find a children's book whose illustrations and text are equally appealing as happens in Beach Day. Maggie Smith's delightful, detailed watercolors will capture your child's imagination and inspire them to look at the book over and over. Karen Roosa's poetic text captures the essence of a day at the beach with lines such as "Waves roar, rush and soar, rolling crashing to the shore" and "Noon light, shimmers bright, in the distance, hot and white". I knew I needed to buy my own copy when I heard my daughter (now 3) reciting verses from Beach Day while playing in her swimming pool. This book is a must-have for any child's library.

I bought the book for a grandchild who was interested in sewing. This book has wonderful practice pages for the beginner sewer. The book explains and illustrates in a very easy way for the beginning person. I think this book would help anyone who wants to learn to sew, yes, even an adult.

Bought this for my granddaughter and hope she finds out the the sewing machine isn't too scary.

Great tools to help your child (or yourself) get used to using a sewing machine.

This is a great book. Inside it has actual patterns for your kids to practice tracing with their machine stitching. Very colorful and excellent quality...thick pages. Can't wait to try it out with my daughter after we give it to her at Christmas.

I purchased this book for my 9 year old grandaughter. What a wonderful introduction to sewing. First and formost, it is fun, visually attractive, in a easy to use spiral format on durable stock. It begins with some nice graphics and games that involve learning the parts of the sewing machine, moves on to some FUN drills that teach little hands how to control sewing lines, curves, points and so on. It ends with some very basic projects that kids can complete on their own giving them a real sense of acomplishment. This is a must have for children learning to sew.

The Children of the Lens are the culmination of the Arisian breeding program, and are to be their weapons in the final assault on Eddore.

Kimball Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall have had four children. Born with the abilities Kim possesses, these kids will become the 'third stage' with an ability to join their minds in an all-powerful gestalt.

They are talented enough that they can shadow the Second Stage Lensmen without them knowing, and help them out. Each of the four has a favorite among the Second Stage Lensmen, even if they won't admit it.

This book has a different feel, in that it is a tiny bit focused on family, and the mental war part of it means the insane space battles are a much smaller part of the whole thing.

The end is the final battle between the Arisians and the Eddorians, with the third-stage Kinnison gestalt as an important part of the assault.

Afterwards, what the Arisians tells the Children comes as a bit of a surprise.

All six books went fast and furious...but what reading!!! Terrific stuff! Smith definitely had the jets to tell one of the best yarns in all of science fiction. All the other reviewers citing how later movies, series, and stories were influenced by these books...WERE RIGHT!!! One of the best science fiction series you will ever read. Period.

Galaxies wide adventure. This is the last book of the Lensman series. While the book can stand alone, the earlier Lensman books lead up to this conclusion where the combined mind powers of the Lensman children, together with super science manage to defeat the super villains for the victory of good over evil.
E.E. Smith wrote these books around the middle of the century, and some of the writing style appears less sophisticated than current authors. However, I enjoyed the extremely positive depiction of the human nature and future - similarly to what the author did this in the Skylark series. Highly recommended..

Having started the six book series with Triplanetary and ending here, I thought the series started to trail off after Galactic Patrol. Triplanetary has been heavily criticized as giving away too much of the series and of the pro- and antagonists too soon. However when the Eddorians are finally confronted here I didn't feel as much as a build up to their powers as Triplanetary instilled. In Triplanetary you really felt that the Eddorians were almost omnipotent beings and the task before the Arisians in seeding planets, including Earth, preparing for the eventual confrontation to save Civilization. Galactic Patrol really carried on the beginning of the series with Kimball Kinnison, but I thought the quality dwindled starting with Gray Lensman and the dated 50's slang really picked up then. It's not just because it's written in the 50's, I've recently read several works by Alfred Bester, Arthur C. Clarke, and others written in the 50's and they have no where near this level of 50's slang.

Another thing I started to find unappealing is Smith's heavy regard for the `wide girth' of Kinnison and of his space-ax swinging cohorts. In reality, strong ambition comes often from those that have not been so physically gifted in life and so have to fight their entire lives against people's initial reactions to their appearance. Lois McMaster Bujold's Mountains of Mourning of a diminutive protagonist's personal battle against his grandfather's attitude, and possible disgust, of his physical stature comes to mind. So it is with irony that I can picture some skinny kid sitting outside in the 50's reading this book and `barrel-shaped chests" as the big neighbor kids come up to him and say `hey poindexter, whatcha reading...' or something.

However, the originality, and impact this series had upon science fiction cannot be understated and is why I am giving it a respectable four stars. Several reviewers have mentioned that they can see scenes from Star Wars lifted from this series. What I see even more so is what Star Trek lifted from this series. Even down to small details such as a ship having to lower shields in order to fire a weapon against an enemy. And many other movies, tv shows, and books influenced comes to mind including Alien, The 5th Element, Heinlein, certainly the original Star Trek as well as the Next Generation and Deep
Space 9, Wing Commander and others.

255 Pages, Publ 1954.

I have read this series at least 4 times. If you like SCIFI, you will cherish these books and buy the whole collection (as I did).

This book was purchased for a college research project and it was just perfect. It talks of Kandinsky's color theory and how music and color co-exist. The seller was professional and I got the book when it was promised. I would order from this seller again...definately!

Wassilly Kadinsky was a 20th century painter and his CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL IN ART provides a blend of philosophical, spiritual and artistic reflection as it examines the premises and presence of spirituality in art. This new edition is a recommended pick not just for art students of modernism, but for readers of spiritual works: it includes letters between Kadinsky and Sadler, unpublished prose poems, and a fine attention to artistic reflection and analysis.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I enjoyed reading the book. At times it was over my head,but still it was worth the effort!!!!

Kandinsky had risen to positions of influence in other disciplines (political science/economics and law) before directing his considerable intellect to painting. His insights extended into the historic 'meta' trends of the arts and sciences, including the physical sciences, and had his interests been directed more to the history and philosophy of science instead of the history and philosophy of art, he might have written Kuhn's observations regarding paradigm change a half century before Kuhn did: "Here and there are people with eyes which can see, minds which can correlate. They say to themselves: 'If the science of the day before yesterday is rejected by the people of yesterday, and that of yesterday by us of today, is it not possible that what we call science now will be rejected by the men of tomorrow?' And the bravest of them answer, 'It is possible.'"

Instead, Kandinsky extended the frontiers of painting and authored philosophic writings on the future of art that are among the most important of such works. M.T.H. Sadler, who translated this work into English, was a friend of Kandinsky's and was among his early admirers. The notes he has written in the front of the book (Translator's Introduction) are therefore more helpful than could be the opinions of many other critics, including myself:

"Anyone who has studied Gauguin will be aware of the intense spiritual value of his work. The man is a preacher and a psychologist, universal by his very unorthodoxy, fundamental because he goes deeper than civilization. In his disciples this great element is wanting.

"Kandinsky has supplied the need. He is not only on the track of an art more purely spiritual than was conceived even by Gauguin, but he has achieved the final abandonment of all representative intention. In this way he combines in himself the spiritual and technical tendencies of one great branch of Post-Impressionism.

"The question most generally asked about Kandinsky's art is: 'What is he trying to do?' It is to be hoped that this book will do something towards answering the question. But it will not do everything. This--partly because it is impossible to put into words the whole of Kandinsky's ideal, partly because in his anxiety to state his case, to court criticism, the author has been tempted to formulate more than is wise. His analysis of colours and their effects on the spectator is not the real basis of his art, because, if it were, one could, with the help of a scientific manual, describe one's emotions before his pictures with perfect accuracy. And this is impossible.

"Kandinsky is painting music. That is to say, he has broken down the barrier between music and painting, and has isolated the pure emotion which, for want of a better name, we call the artistic emotion. Anyone who has listened to good music with any enjoyment will admit to an unmistakable but quite indefinable thrill. He will not be able, with sincerity, to say that such a passage gave him such visual impressions, or such a harmony roused in him such emotions. The effect of music is too subtle for words. And the same with this painting of Kandinsky's. Speaking for myself, to stand in front of some of his drawings or pictures gives a keener and more spiritual pleasure than any other kind of painting. But I could not express in the least what gives the pleasure. Presumably the lines and colours have the same effect as harmony and rhythm in music have on the truly musical. That psychology comes in no one can deny."

Some aspects of Kandinsky's color theory are dubious, at best they cannot be universalized, and Kandinsky sees this. But other of his ideas and arguments are widely accepted among artists, even as being self-evident. Stating that "there is no 'must' in art, because art is free," that is, free to address external representations OR "the inner need," to merely chase after material 'objects' OR to wrestle with the mysteriously spiritual, to somehow meld the two visions OR to stay purely to exploration of the spiritual high ground, Kandinsky absolutely rejects the materialistic expectation of an art "explanation" that has been articulated by EO Wilson in his unfortunate daydream 'Consilience' (Wilson knows ants better than he knows humans, and is given to understanding humans to be essentially ant equivalents).

Anyone interested in art history, painting of the past century, or the relationships/correlations/divergences of the various arts (visual, musical, literary), as well as anyone interested in the meaning and purpose of art, or in the philosophy of aesthetics, should read this important book, perhaps more than once.

Kandinsky throws his ideas out in a slightly esoteric manner. It make take a few rereads to really grasp the quality of discourse he presents. But, in the end, his commentary shines brightly through his comparisons of music to painting. The spiritual triangle is comparable to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It is important to remember that Kandinsky is not using the term "spiritual" in a religious sense.
This book is a very good read for anyone feeling slumped in their art making. And for anyone who wants to expose themselves to ways of thinking about art. By the third time I had read the material I had underlined and highlighted almost every line and filled all the margins with notes. The book is fantastic. It is especially good when paired with Hans Hofmann's essay "In Search for the Real." Although the ideas in the two books do not parallel. In fact the lines aren't even on the same page. Kandinksky's critiques of other familiar artists are very interesting too. Names like picasso and Cezanne pop up quite a bit.
I'll stop rambling now. Read the book, it is very good.

After personally speaking to Mr. Smith, I was convinced of his sincerity and committment to helping those applying for SSDI. I purchased this book, used the forms, and I got it on my first try.

His forms that I filled out(daily activities) and attached to all of my Doctor's forms were extraordinarily helpful and I believe essential in the decision making process for Social Security. It also proved helpful to the doctors who were making their reports. As long as your doctors know you, they still cannot be with you all day to know your moment to moment activities. These forms give them a birds eye view of what one deals with on a daily basis.

I recommend this book very highly.

When a neurological disorder forced me to resign after 32 years of working, I was overwhelmed, depressed and not sure what to do next. Fortunately, I had ordered this book 2 weeks before and had somewhere to turn. I completed the worksheets (LOTS of information that Social Security needs but does not request) and followed Mr. Smith's suggestion to have a personal interview with Social Security. The employee was visibly delighted with the detail provided in the worksheets and I just received approval of my application only 2 1/2 months after applying! (Locally, according to a story in today's paper, only 25% of applications are granted the first time around - and hearings take over 600 days.) I firmly believe that this book made a difference in my life.

You need this book. You need this workbook, even if you think your disability application will be successful, and even if you have an attorney. Most importantly, it keeps you organized while you are stressed from illness, financial insecurity, and uncertainty. It provides a framework to keep you organized, especially if you have many disabling conditions which must be considered in combination, and must be presented together to SSA.

After assembling your information in the format provided by this workbook, you can see if anything is missing, or needs updating, or is conflicting, and requires further explanation. You can also be confident that you are communicating your data completely and consistently to the many interviewers, on the multiple SSA forms and through the numerous levels of review, that you may encounter in your application process.

Another advantage of this book for yourself and for your application, is that it allows your individual medical specialists to get a complete picture of your overall health and of the conditions that disable you. For example, it might help your orthopedist decide whether you can walk on uneven surfaces, if he is aware that your field of vision is restricted. And once the workbook questionaires are filled out, they can serve as the beginning of a health diary, which will help you manage your health and deal with the periodic SSA reviews of your disability once you get it.

Finally, the biggest advantage you get from this workbook, is that it puts the SSA employees on your team by making it easier for them to do their jobs. You are providing them with the information they need on your case in an accessible format which is simple for them to process and evaluate.

Do yourself a favor. Get the Disability Workbook by Douglas M . Smith.

If you are applying for disability, this is the only book you need to guide you through everything. I've highly recommended it to thousands of people with chronic illness through HopeKeepers Magazine.

This workbook consolidates the information needed to prove disability claims and win benefits. It guides applicants through the application process with the goal of getting benefits promptly, without unnecessary appeals. The new edition discusses the "proofs" that the Social Security Administration processors look for, and it tells you how to keep your benefits through periodic disability reviews. The book is important because two-thirds of claims for Social Security disability benefit are denied initially.

Be sure to visit the author's web site too at http://www.disabilityfacts.com . It includes a variety of free articles for personal use, including: Prospects Improve for Winning Disability Quickly, Social Security Disability Outline (What to Expect), and Daily Activities Worksheet (very helpful when filling out the forms). Many frequently asked questions about applying for benefits are also addressed.

Resources available for a small purchase price include helpful items such as "Disability Evaluation in a Nutshell: A Three Minute Guide to Effective Medical Reports," to ensure that your doctor is keeping medical records and being an advocate for your health.

You will feel like you've got an inside scoop on how the system works. .

I wrote the above title and have been in touch with Doug. Little did I know there would be a time when I would need to apply for SSI for someone in my family. Doug's book is indespensible to the SSDI/SSI disability claimant. He lists the information you'll need and plenty of forms are included. He's also got some hints like "get a face-to-face" interview. It's your right. What more can I say, I wrote a book on the subject and for additional help I turned to Doug's book immediately and it comes through with the goods. I think my book "How to Get SSI and Social Security Disability" still has vital and helpful information to add, despite some self-styled "expert" who says my book is a lie. This same expert has the same opinion of Dr. Morton's book by Nolo. I am an expert and I give Doug's book a full 2 thumbs up.
Mike Davis

Divide or Conquer offers fascinating insights into inter-personal working relationships. The portion of the book which addresses the value in sometimes "manufacturing hope" in challenging and seemingly "hopeless" situations is insightful, honest, and powerful. The book forces the reader to self-reflect on their own management and leadership style and is incredibly thought provoking as it weaves in real stories to help the reader contextualize the learnings.

Which sounds better to you? HAVING your relationships or being HAD by them?*

It might take a minute to think about this distinction, but I'd bet most of us would prefer the former. How do we gain perspective on the relationships we're in, particularly in business settings when bottom lines, bonuses and promotions are at stake? And if the relationship aren't working, how do we improve them, while preserving our dignity and our job?

In her book, "Divide or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict into Strength", Smith shows us how to look below the surface, to see the underlying patterns of our relationships and eventually, to transform them. The key though, is first to put the relationship patterns on the table. As Smith so aptly puts it: "To change the game, you have to see the game." And this is where "Divide or Conquer" hits a home run, especially for the visual thinkers among us. The book is filled with diagrams, cartoons, systems maps, and charts that make "relationships" -- a topic that some may think of as soft and abstract -- tangible and practical.

To top it off, Smith has the unusual combination of academic rigor, profound insight (based on years of hands-on experience) and a killer sense of humor.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to strengthen relationships, at work, or in any setting.

Linda Booth Sweeney

(*Thank you, Bob Kegan).

I'm burned out on business books at the moment, but Smith's book is different -- non-intuitive insights, distinctions that help you resolve complexity into useful patterns, ways of seeing and acting differently. And then there's the author's mischievous sense of fun. Who else quotes Woody Allen, Marvin Gaye, and David Foster Wallace (twice!) in a business book?

Divide Or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict Into Strength by Diana McLain Smith opened my eyes as to why business and personal relationships can start out so strong and then seemingly self-destruct for "no reason". Once you understand the structure and pattern of this event, you can start to take steps to correct it.

Contents:
Part 1 - Understanding Relationships: The Life and Death of a Relationship; The Anatomy of a Relationship; The Key to Resilience
Part 2 - Transforming Relationships: Disrupting Patterns of Interaction; Reframe How You See Each Other; Revise What You "Know" to Be True
Part 3 - Making Change Practical: Focus the Change Effort; Choose the Right Strategy; Motivate Change
Part 4 - Relational Sensibilities: Sensibilities for a Change;
Appendices: Appendix A - A Thinking Person's Guide to Behavioral Repertoires; Appendix B - The Ladder of Reflection
Acknowledgments; Notes; Bibliography; Illustration Credits; Index

The problem makes sense once you have it pointed out to you... It's a circular pattern of "how X acts, how Y frames things, how Y acts, how X frames things." The author uses John Scully and Steve Jobs as a prime example of this. When they both met each other and started out, they unconsciously chose to see only the parts of their personalities that they were focused on bringing into the partnership. Scully had the professionalism that Jobs needed and wanted, while Jobs had the enthusiasm that Scully admired. But as time went on, these same traits started to be perceived differently. Scully was acting as the coach and mentor, making exceptions for Jobs' failures. Jobs saw Scully as an indulgent father figure who was to pleased. Jobs then acted like the spoiled child, begging forgiveness to get back in Scully's good graces, but never making permanent changes. Scully was framing Jobs as the prince/king of Apple, and felt he had to maintain discipline. Over a relatively short period of time, this cycle led to Scully's failure and ouster from Apple as Jobs consolidated power and left Scully out of the loop.

Using a more down-to-earth scenario, she then takes you through this same type of spiral and shows how the simple act of stepping back, acknowledging there are other forces at play, and then asking how the other person is really feeling can bring the spiral to an abrupt halt. Once both parties understand the loop they've gotten themselves into, as well as the false assumptions they're making, then they can both choose to approach the relationship from a point of reality instead of assumptions.

Granted, this isn't an easy "do this, this, and this" process, and both sides have to be willing to open up and be vulnerable. But if you're dealing with a number of poisoned relationships at your job, Divide Or Conquer could be the first step to regaining control.

When I first got this book on hand, there was only one review in the Amazon.com. And when I finished the book, and wanting to write my comment on it, it already goes to nine (reviews)! And this is only one month's time. And I must say the responds to this book haven't surprised me. It deserves a full-hall stand-up applause.

I have heard about Smith's name for quite a while, mainly from the field of organizational learning, which her mentors Chris Argyris and Donald Schön are both big names in that field. Since I am a big fans to Argyris and Schön's work, and since I live from quite a remoted place (another side of the globe), the easiest and the most accessable way to know about these masters' work is through their writings. However, Argyris and Schön's work is never easy to penetrate, frustrated but not deterred by the difficulty, I started to cash after their disciples' work, which includes Roger Schwarz, Peter Block and etc, all are very good works indeed. Nevertheless, no one previous work is quite like Smith's new book.

Though there were so many writings written on Argyrian intervention. The sad thing, however, is, there's a group of very VERY good consultants in Action Design (google it, please), which by now they are the one whom most live-up to Arygris and Schön's spirit, they rarely write. Maybe because the work is so embedded in actions, and maybe they knew clearly that it is never easy to convey the practice, on paper.

And at one time, I stumbled on Diana's "A Reflection on Donald Schön" (after the death of Donald Schön), it was such a poetic piece, and indeed very beautifully written. And at that time, I am waiting for her work, really on her own, to get published. I didn't know when, I even didn't know if she had such plan, but that was really my wish, to see her work appears in this planet. And after reading Divide Or Conquer, I must say this is far better than I could imagine.

Interestingly, this book is one of my slowest reads. I read, I stop, I contemplate (on how the scene happened), I hold my breath, and I sigh, occasionally. Every word tells, is what I can say. If Action Science is such a tacit knowledge, such that practitioners know more than they can tell, then I think Smith has stretched the limit of `telling' to a new dimension. I guess, and could only guess, that her strategy to use a lot of narratives is a key to convey the message through the media, which usually would drained away by other ways of informing (like, writing in a third-person stance). Smith has put all the gems in those stories, and make it highly readable, and with a lot of funs and humors.

The whole book is nearly jargon-free, and Smith particularly picked Steve Jobs and John Sculley's story to set the stage, which she immediately showed her sophisticated ability to narrate, to analysis, and to pin to the heart that not many of us willing to and have enough practice to discuss: how key relationship turns bad, really bad.

Though the whole book is full of dialogues and stories, it still maintains a balance to give a very useful and actionable structure for serious practitioners to follow, and try out the similar intervention. I vow to follow and to practice on this structure. And I must say, it's not quite like Argyris, or I would say, it's beyond Argyris.

I once read Bob Putnam's (of Action Design) commented on the possible breakdown of applying action science, and he said, when it deals with the `relationship structure,' it is not quite useful to continue to use that knowledge. But I was hanging out there, until I read Divide Or Conquer, I start to know what relationship structure really means, and how to get out that kind of mug. It's definitely 30 years of practice in one shot. I bet this is not quite possible for one whom didn't gone through David Kantor, Donald Schön, Chris Argyris, and of course, Bruce Patten and Roger Fisher (all are the best practitioners in their own field), one couldn't possibly wrote a book like this.

I doubt that if this book could change the world, as our world is now in such a deep trouble. Nevertheless, I am quite sure, and have high hope that, this book could definitely transform a lot of relationships, and makes our live more appreciative and meaningful, including mine, hopefully.

H. J. Poole, in DRAGON DAYS, turns attention to beating our opponents in "The War on Terror". His basic approach is to enforce International Law utilizing Unconventional military techniques.
First, Poole addresses the question of whether or not the Red Chinese are involved in promulgating terror. Given that Afghanistan is proximal to its border, and that Pakistan has been a long time ally against its traditional foe India, Chinese involvement with Islamic radicals may well reflect their regard for their own interests. From a strictly national perspective, the Chinese are cogent to counter increasing U.S. and Indian influence in their own back yard. While radical Muslamic terrorists have their own agenda, Chinese involvement may not be based on ideological concerns. Indeed, a total U.S. disaster may mean that the Chinese won't receive a return on money borrowed from it by the U.S.(!)
The "War on Terror" - is it a military struggle - or International Law enforcement? Here, Poole is on solid ground recommending, in the second section of his book, that the U.S. and its allies approach terrorism in a law-and-order context. A relevant illustration is a recent event in Indonesia: after a night club bombing that claimed the lives of several western tourists, as well as Indonesians', the Indonesian authorities brought the radical Islamic perpetrators to trial and subsequent conviction. Though largely a Muslim nation, Indonesia wasn't rocked by civil unrest after the terrorists were convicted.
The techniques profiled in Poole's book are similar to those the TV viewer can find on "CSI" type programs. Poole rightly compares how a criminal case is pursued by the NYPD versus how a U.S. military unit would respond to a similar incident in Afghanistan or Iraq. Civil authorities in the "Big Apple" - and their elected representatives holding national office - would be justly outraged over military operations in New York City as these are conducted routinely in the Mid-East. Repercussions for such conduct would be swift - and career ending.
International terrorism is a breach of International Law. When the international terrorist is regarded as the equivalent of the serial rape-murderer, rather than the representative of a just cause, all societies, Western, Eaastern, Muslim, developing world - all societies will pursue his elimination. Trial by World-recognized judicial authorities, based upon forensic evidence with internationally-agreed upon validity, is the surest means to undermine any moral authority of the terrorist.
When Poole discusses small unit tactical operations, he is on his own turf in the final section of his book. While one may question his political analyses, there is no denying his experience and post military career tactical studies. The sources of Poole's tactical craft are Asian in origin. He relies heavily on North Vieetnamese/Viet Cong, Japanese Ninja and North Korean "Light Infantry Bureau" sources in his depiction of appropriate techniques, even providing the outline of a training program on "unconventional warfare".
Poole holds that U.S. "Special Operators" need a different direction in their tactical techniques, and that these unconventional skills should be promulgated to the level of the common infantry units. He stresses the significance of tactical finesse at the squad level versus the large-unit operations favored by the U.S. Military establishment. He decries the unnecessary reliance upon technology and firepower at the expense of good field craft and tactical skills. While the applicability of his touted "flying column" assault may be questioned, the tactical competence required to execute it is one the U.S. ground forces should definitely seek to achieve.
More astute readers may pay closer attention to Poole's focus on China's role and debate its applicability. There is room for a wide dispersion of viewpoints on these matters. Poole has presented his conclusions. Others may agree or disagree with him. His discussions in the tactical realm will doubtless draw more criticism: many western-inluenced military enthusiasts will, no doubt, decry his approach to "unconventional tactics". Certainly the U. S. Military establishment's predilection for hi-tech and lots of firepower aren't reflected in Poole's techniques.
However, two aspects are to be noted: 1) The current conflict in Central Asia and the Mid-East call for a much more sophistacated law enforcement-cum-light infantry approach, especially when operating among a civilian population. Enraging this population is counter productive; and, as has been noted by other observers, the U.S. forces cannot "kill their way" out of their tactical problems. 2) If only at the outset of their employment, Poole's recommended "Unconventional Tactics" may just succeed, simply because our current foes would never expect a tech-heavy, firepower-reliant U.S. force to fight in such a manner.

The author is well-known in the military and academic environments. With the last FM-100, it was supposed that everything was now mentioned. But, not. A tradition, inherited from the Civil war, exists in the USA, of saving grunts lives, avoiding the combats at close distances and using with profusion the heavy fire support to win always.
It does not serve to gain the hearts and the minds of the people, intermingled with the rebels in cities or open land, thanks to a degree of constraint that always exists from the rebels. Henry Poole offers a heap of counterinsurgency tactics. He also speaks about the own character of the possible rebels. And, especially, he creates the mixed units, at a very low level of action, of proffesional soldiers, self-defense forces and civil elements of construction, promotion and education. With them it is possible to interpose a "swarm", more active, effective and professional of loyal units, to the swarm of the guerrilla units. And to go isolating them slowly, reliably and progressively from the people, of their bases and of the rest of their operational and strategic goals.

John Poole knows how to combat Islamic and Chinese-backed insurgencies by blending in both measured military & police actions. In his newest & my personal favorite book, "Dragon Days" Poole weaves in various apsects of unconventional fourth generation warfare, to include how aspects of police anti-gang operations would serve the infantrymen to disrupt the IED networks that are causing most of US casulaties. Operations in Iraq must become focused on investigating the various "networks" (terrorist & criminal) to disrupt them & turn the people against the behavior that does not allow them to return to a normal life, and their children are not killed by US forces in an attempt to dislodge militants. Police operations focus on identifying & eliminating the "bad guy" from the neighborhood. Use of force is used only IF the suspect(s) do not comply & actively resist. As in gang "hoods" in the US, even if the police are right & kill a suspect, the residents blame the police. As Poole states in the latest edition of his great books on unconventional warfare, this condition also exits within Iraq or Afghanistan. We are still considered the Great Occupiers in Islamic lands & all bad things come with this title.
Poole's book also goes over how to improve multiple counter-insurgency fucntions & methods & what has not worked in the past & why. All of his book are great reading,and full of very useful information for military & law enforcement professionals involved in 4th GW. My advice is to recommend Poole's book to fellow professionals, and buy an additional copy for yourself since once your copy is "loaned" out, it'll be passed on to others, which is how all great knowledge should be treated. Pass it on!

John Poole see's the cycles of "modern" warfare well before even the military services and three letter agencies are willing to shift focus of effort; especially in pre-deployment training programs. I used his "Tactics of the Crescent Moon" as a primer for my team before we deployed into Ramadi in 2005. It was extremely accurate and my men were able to operate without delays as soon as we arrived.

"Dragon Days" brings us around full circle to meet an organized and nationalized global threat that has proclaimed "total war against the U.S." and allies itself with insurgent and terrorist organizations as its surrogates. It won't be long before the State Department has to admit the DOD will be needed for other "troop deployments" as the Chinese continue to shape the world through asymmetric warfare. This book of Poole's has it all in there. Open source intel to study and verify and the proper tactics, techniques and procedures to meet the variety of threat we should expect to encounter once our infantry and SOF operators are distributed on the ground.

Mark S. Mosher
MSgt. USMC (Ret.)
Program Manager
Combat Training Systems Division
BMI Defense Systems

I think that John Poole set a good example for us all to follow.
If we all were as productive and current in our analysis, and furthermore managed to put out tactical and technical advice to our troops in the field, the current conflicts would end sooner with much less casualties.

But wait, we don't need to do that. Because John Poole does this for us. We only need to pick up his latest book and start to apply the tactics that he describes.

I think that John Poole's later books are improving in readability but they still keep that cutting edge of current and life saving advice.

I urge you all to pick up this book and learn.