Smith Books

Precisely detailed and imminently readable; the authors do an excellent job of injecting personal and fascinating stories into what might otherwise be a droll recitation of tactics in the desert. A fine read.

Well, maybe not THE BEST but a damn fine read. I've been reading about the Desert War since 1962 when i bought Donald Crisp's classic "Brazen Chariots" so if i like this book its worth reading. Even the maps are OK, better certainly than most "real" histories. The chosen anecdotes and award citations all move the action in a comphrensible account. They even have the possible origin of the Monty Python Classic: "I'm not dead yet!"
--"Turner had been touring his perimeter, helping a short-handed gun crew or tending the wounded when he could, exhorting when he could not. Bird sometimes wished he could find a happier choice of words. 'Come on, you're not dead yet,' he growled at the shaken occupants of a slit-trench who had been almost buried alive by a near-miss." pp. 304-305.
And the title seems to come from Rommel's prospective but never written book on the war: War without Hate.
pete saussy

War Without Hate tells the tale of the war in North Africa from the opening days in 1940 between the British and Italian soldiers, till it's conclusion in Tunis. In this book, the authors look at the soldiers from all levels (particularly the generals, but good attention is paid to the officers and other ranks) and describes what they did for their side. Most of the attention is paid to German and British soldiers who fought (the Italians are talked about lightly, while French and American soldiers get only a passing nod), their heroic actions, and the sense of camaraderie between the two of them. About half of the book deals with the pre-Alamein battles (from the Italian push past the wire, thru the first battle for Alamein) while the other half deal with Monty taking over thru the 8th Army's march to Tunis. This book does bring out many different interesting facts, including the cracking of the Americans Black Code (this was the American Diplomatic code) and it's contribution to the Germans, the LRDG (also known as the Libyan Desert Taxi Service), and the story of the English Patient. The photographs are excellent and there are a number of good area maps of the strategic battlefields.

Having written all of this I'll say that this book is a solid 4.5 stars on the Amazon scale of 1-5. However, since I can't rate in half stars on Amazon, I'm giving the book the nod to 5 stars because the authors did a very good job of presenting the material and that made reading the book a pleasure. I will say though that I did prefer the first half of the book to the back half, partially because I feel that An Army at Dawn did a much better job of wrapping up the end in Tunis.

Interesting and well written book with a fair description of men and events of those days

Ive always been interested in the Africa War of World War II and this was a great book on ihe German Side and the British side of the war, from Rommels and Monty's HQs all the way down to the squad level where the the action is. It starts out with the British just beating the heck out of the Italians, and then Rommel coming and being the greatest Genearl ever. But it shows how Monty made great decisions to lead to the British victory and the German evacutation. If you like World War II books, this is one for u.

Whale Hunting presents a great model for selling to larger companies. As the owner of a small manufacturer and the book taught me the thought process of whales and how best to interact with them. If you are looking for understanding of how to attract large companies AND how to clsoe the sale this book is it.

Kudos to Tom Searcy and Barbara Weaver Smith for this unique and high value business strategy for successfully landing transformational accounts. Having been on both the sales side of a small entrepreneurial company (a whale hunter) and the chief executive of a corporation with revenues in excess of $1B (a whale), I can relate to both the challenges that face small companies when they attempt to land and serve a very large customer and the complicated and complex processes and barriers that exist in large companies. Whale Hunting provides a clear, concise strategy for success in this area and, perhaps most notably, provides the tools necessary to implement immediately. A must read for prospective whale hunters and whales alike!

As a professional educator most of my adult life and a president of a small business, the title of this timely and well-written book caught my attention immediately. The "whale hunting" metaphor aroused my curiosity and got me into the first chapter. The people-oriented concepts put forth by the authors --and the blueprint they provide for big sales success-- sustained my interest in the practical, often profound, ideas I encountered throughout the remainder of the book. I couldn't put this remarkable book down or refrain from writing marginal notes on almost every page. However, this is more than a book about landing big sales. It's a book about the power of collaboration, teamwork, and developing an "all for one, one for all" company attitude. Kudos to Tom Searcy and Barbara Weaver Smith for landing "the big one" in the world of popular business books!

Richard T. Vacca, Profesor Emeritus and President,
Vacca Authors and Consultants, Inc.

As the owner of a small company, finding ways to educate, inspire and motivate my sales team is one of the most difficult challenges I face - especially because I am a fervant believer in a team selling approach and in involving everyone in the company in the sales process in some way. Whale Hunting provides an insightful, memorable, focused and useful method to tackle complex sales and to land large accounts.

Whale Hunting gives concrete examples that have worked for real companies and inspired me to be more creative in how my company handles certain aspects of our sales process. Also, the analogy of landing a large account to the Inuit people's whalehunts hangs the entire process on a framework that is easy to remember and creates a new language and excitement. (We are already talking about "celebrating the whale" and "searching for ambergris!") It also makes this book an interesting and quick read. Although if you are like me, you will read it several times and end up taking notes and keeping files of things you want to apply to your business right away.

I encourage all small business owners to not only read "Whale Hunting - How to Land Big Sales and Transform Your Company" but to make it mandatory reading for your entire management team ( And don't forget to download the useful and applicable forms).

Many times when small business leaders buy a book looking for support and specific process strategies in becoming great, they find only general, nonspecific advice and insights. Whale Hunting is a welcome relief in that it provides both a clear structure that outlines specific process steps with tools to support action, but also insight into possible pitfalls and the world of the big company that must be managed along the way. If a small company wants to change how it does business, this book not only presents clear language and processes that are necessary inside one's own company, but also the significant expectations of the big company that must be met in becoming truly competitive. This is a must read for any small business that has reached a glass ceiling and wishes to push into new market space to achieve accelerated growth and the culture change necessary to sustain such long-range growth.

After reading this book for the umpteenth time (I've read it more times to myself than to my kids), I had this very strong urge to run to my computer and send off a note of appreciation to Linda Smith, the author, telling her how her book has touched me to the point of tears. When I searched for her on the internet, I realized that she wouldn't be getting my words of praise. I wanted to tell her that I think her book is one of the most beautiful children's books I ever read. She died at the age I will be next year, 41.


So, Linda, if you can hear me...Thank You for sharing the beauty of your soul with us in your book about a divine friendship between a cow and the moon. It will always be on my shelves.


Sandra W.

Have you memorized Goodnight Moon? I have. And I read Owl Moon until I could hoot with the best of them too. But, beautiful as these books are, I was looking for something else to suggest when my two daughters (ages 6 and 2) screamed, "Goodnight Moon!" for the hundredth time. I found it. When Moon Fell Down is the perfect rhyming bedtime story. In lovely prose:

"The rye smelled sweet; the night winds whirled, circling moon in a misty wreath; And he gazed in awe at the wonderous world, the sky above and the earth beneath . . ."

When Moon Fell Down tells what would happen if the moon came down to earth one night. What would he see, and how would he see it? Sometimes soothing, sometimes surprising, this book's melodic text and dreamy artwork brings a smile to my children's faces and a tear to my eye.

When Moon Fell Down is one of the most lyrical books I've read lately. Smith's words have a musical quality about them, and when you read them out loud, they give satisfaction both to the tongue and to the ear. There's also a wonderful playfulness to the story. This one is going to be a classic.

"When moon fell down one night.../Fell upon a farmer's lawn,/Rolled about in sheer delight/On fields he'd only shined upon." So begins Linda Smith's lovely picture book about a night the moon fell to earth. Having seen everything from only above for so long, the moon is eager to see the world from another vantage point. "He'd never seen the trunks of trees/Or blades below the farmer's plow./Moon didn't know a horse had knees,/But things were strangely sideways now." Moon meets up with a friendly cow and travels the night away on a delightful adventure through this small farming town, until at dawn a perturbed farmer sends both back where they belong. "Moon! he cried. This isn't right!/Cow, how dare you roam!/A moon belongs in the sky at night,/And a cow belongs at home."..... Ms Smith's evocative, rhyming text is soft, soothing and full of imagery and magic and beautifully complemented by Kathryn Brown's subdued, detailed and expressive artwork. Together, they've authored a charming bedtime story the entire family will share and enjoy, again and again. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, When Moon Fell Down is a treasure and a book that's sure to become a classic in the years ahead.

When Moon Fell Down, he could have had any kind of adventure on earth. But instead, he chooses to spend this one special night with a friendly cow, in a small town, looking at the world through a whole different perspective. As author Smith notes, "He'd never seen the trunks of trees/Or blades below the farmer's plow/ Moon didn't know a horse had knees/ But things were strangely sideways now." Not since Eugene Fields wrote Wynken, Blinken, and Nod have I read such lyrical text! At the end of Moon and Cows night of adventure, the farmer sets things straight, "Cow ran off to the bran to fret/ Moon rose above the town/ But niether one would ever forget/The night when Moon Fell Down." Brown's soft watercolors compliment Smith's soft text to create a book that feels organic and huggable. Perfect for bedtime!

If you like animals, the environment and laughing out loud...this book (as al of Durrel's books are) should not be missed!

Even for a person with an insufferably short attention span, I was not once bored during this book. It's not a thriller, or anything of the sort, but it managed to truly involve the reader in the author's journey.
The story of an Englishman who is on a trip through Patagonia to collect animals for his own private zoo, this book manages to bring out the animal lover in any reader. The descriptions of the land, the people, and the animals are beautifully crafted in well done, straight forward prose. I highly recommend it.

Even for a person with an insufferably short attention span, I was not once bored during this book. It's not a thriller, or anything of the sort, but it managed to truly involve the reader in the author's journey.
The story of an Englishman who is on a trip through Patagonia to collect animals for his own private zoo, this book manages to bring out the animal lover in any reader. The descriptions of the land, the people, and the animals are beautifully crafted in well done, straight forward prose. I highly recommend it.

Gerald Durrell will make you roar with laughter even in a whispering land. The fact that this book is still in print after half a century gives you some idea that it is still quite readable: In fact, it reads as if it were written yesterday.

I devoured this book as part of a reading program I planned for myself for a trip to Patagonia. The first half of the book is set in two areas in Patagonia that I planned to visit: Puerto Deseado in the south, once visited by Darwin on his circumnavigation of the earth on the Beagle, and the large wildlife preserve at Peninsula Valdez, near Puerto Madryn. There, Durrell visited penguin rookeries; saw the breeding grounds of sea lions and elephant seals; and saw guanacos, Geoffroy's cats, rheas, and tinamous.

From Patagonia, Durrell went to the area around Jujuy in the tropical northwest of Argentina. There, he went into collecting mode as he employed locals to track down wild animals that were being kept as pets by the indigenous population.

Durrell's encounters with the local people are funny and at times heart-wrenching, as when he finds a self-taught naturalist named Coco who must work at a sawmill to make ends meet. But Durrell's encounters with animals are utterly hilarious, as his attempts to tame a captured Geoffroy's cat (gato montes).

One of the best chapters relates to the difficulties that Durrell has in exporting his animals and getting all his bureaucratic ducks in a row. His final departure on a ship bound to Europe is held up until a last minute solution satisfies a particularly mule-headed customs official.

I enjoyed this book so much that I plan to read several more of Durrell's works soon. It is hard to believe that the author is the brother of novelist Lawrence Durrell, author of THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET.

A charming little book about an animal collecting trip in South America. Durrell paints both an enchanting picture both of the Argentine people and of the flora and fauna of the country. He encounters vampire bats, a puma, and many birds. He rescues an ocelot from a cruel local owner who is starving the cat and convinces a baby Geoffrey's cat to eat by pairing it with a lovable tabby kitten who sets the example and provides it with company.

Durrell was one of the first naturalists to develop the notion of captive breeding to ensure the survival of endangered species. He obviously cares deeply about the animals that he collects and goes to extra ordinary lengths to make them happy and keep them healthy. His descriptions of caring for a sick taper, even sleeping beside her to comfort her, are delightful. His wrangle with custom's officials are amusing, and his description of a plain trip in Argentina is particularly hilarious.

Also, Durrell's tireless work and observations were sometimes the first and best studies into how to care for these animals in captivity. When possible, he takes his specimens from private owners, rather than taking them from the wild. People like Durrell were not responsible for the endangerment of these animals. He worked for the salvation of many species and was probably responsible for the continued survival of some today.

These are two books that I read when I was in school (w-a-a-a-a-y back
when). Was pleased to find them at Amazon. Good books that brought back
old memories.

Wild Trek is a story about a trapper, Link Stevens, and his loyal companion a snow dog named Chiri. Wild Trek tells the story of Stevens and Chiri as they travel together to find a Naturalist and a Bush Pilot who are stranded in the far out reaches of civilization because their plane crashed in the remote back country of Northern Alaska. Stevens and Chiri must cross the Caribou Mountains, a place from which no man has ever returned, to save these men.

From the first page of the book, I was hooked on Alaska. The author Jim Kjelgaard describes every detail of the Alaskan landscape with much detail and color. Stevens and Chiri experience many ups and downs during their journey to safety. There were many turning points in the story; just as soon as one problem was solved another one would arise, creating new challenges to be overcome.

Wilderness survival books are my favorite and this is by far one of the best I have read. If you like wilderness survival and action packed stories then you will like Wild Trek. Read this book and join Stevens and Chiri as they try to return the stranded travelers to civilization.

This is the sequel to "Snow Dog". These are my favorite books by Jim Kjelgaard. Intrepid trapper Link Stevens and his semi-wild dog Chiri are in for a big adventure when an injured ranger rides into their camp. The ranger is tough, but his arm is badly broken and he cannot complete his mission: to find a naturalist and his pilot whose plane crashed in the unexplored virgin wilderness of the Caribou Range to the north. Link sets up the ranger in his cabin and sets out to find the downed plane. Link and Chiri's home territory is sparse and hungry this year. It is early spring. After a bad winter of trapping, Link is amazed at the bounty of nature he finds as he and his dog journey north on foot. The Caribou Range is mythic and virgin territory. Link only knows of two others who earlier ventured there, and never returned. A sign of earlier visitors to the Caribou Range is a grizzly Link is forced to kill. Its body contains the remenants of an arrow fashioned from spent ammunition. Things get complicated when Link finds a human footprint. This book is filled with even more outdoor adventure, survival, and natural beauty than the first book, "Snow Dog". It is really exciting reading.

Truely a well developed masterpiece. The plot was exiting and everything is in wonderfull discription. I just recently read ''Snow Dog'',another Kjelgaard favorite of mine, and now I see where Chiri came from. Read ''Snow Dog'' first to get the full story of Chiri's history. This is by far Kjelgaard's greatest work. If you are a dog lover,like me, or you need a thrilling adventure book this is a must read. And thank's Jim for all of your books,they are all captivating and thrilling.

This wilderness adventure story starts slowly, but the action picks up once our hero, Link Stevens, finds the men he was sent in the mountains to find. Thats when the chalenlege of bringing these men to safety begins. The story begins when Link Stevens volunteers to retrieve two men who crashed a plane in the mountains. Link brings his loyal wolf\dog Chiri. After some time Link finds the men alive, yet one of them has gone crazy from the isolation. Link must then battle the elements, wild animals, and all of the challenges of the mountains. all the while his dog Chiri helps greatly in this struggle. In fact, Link could never make it without the protection of Chiri. This great story will appeal to all readers, as long as reluctant readers can get through the first few slow chapters.

llego rapido, en buenas condiciones y sellado. y pues en general el libro es super!! recomiendo este provedor.

Smith's style is so detailed and colorful it is almost hypnotic. The rich blacks set the stage for everything that follows. There is an honesty in these paintings that brings the women to life, it feels as though you know them just by looking at their portrait...amazing work.

Zak Smith is a brilliant alchemist. For my taste he is one of the first bona fide twenty-first century artists. I collect artbooks, and art when I can scrape the coin together. If I had the money today I would buy an original work by Zak Smith, (that is if there were any available for sale), but in lieu of an original work I bought his book. The full color pages of his art capture some of the excitement I feel whenever I look at his work. His use of color is outrageous especially when combined with the black and white tones of the ink drawing. The book Zak Smith pictures of girls shows off his mad skills, and I only wish it were a bigger book. BUY THIS BOOK!

Victoria Gladstone

I first saw work by Zak Smith when in New York for the Whitney Biennial in 2004. His illustrations for Gravity's Rainbow were included in the show, and I was stunned not only by the scope of the project but also by the remarkable amount of attention and care that he clearly poured into those pictures.

Having recently purchased the book Pictures of Girls, I must say that I'm as blown away by the work collected in this volume as I was by what I saw at the Whitney. Smith is obviously enamored of his subjects - there's no other way someone could capture so precisely the mood, the sense of place, the idiosyncratic beauty that the artist manages to convey. Stark lines and bright colors provide an arresting framework for the overwhelming degree of intricacy with which Smith infuses his paintings of the "girls." Gorgeous.

I also enjoyed the interview with Smith by curator Shamim Momin included at the beginning of the book - it's a great glimpse into the working methods of such a talented artist, and it will certainly inspire the next generation of artists to pursue their vision with the same unapologetic abandon.

As an avid collector of art books, trust me when I say that if you care even the tiniest bit about the state of contemporary art, Pictures of Girls is a necessary addition to your library. Every time I look through it, I notice something new to like about Smith's work. It's fresh, vivid, infinitely absorbing, and just plain beautiful. Whether you're an occasional museum-goer or a fanatical connoisseur, I honestly believe you will adore this book.

The first thing that I notice about this artwork is its stunning complexity - papers and animals and characters repeating in almost fractal-like patterns. This may sound odd since they are all 'Pictures of Girls" - and the girls are also gorgeous, with bedroom eyes and clothing of varying scantiness. Nevertheless, it's the colors and lines and shading that capture my imagination. Sometimes I am shocked to find that I am staring at pictures of girls in compromising positions with octopuses - so beautiful but yet somehow underscored by a tingle of creepiness. That ambivalent excitement is the mark of true art, in my opinion. This is a great book.

Gerald Durrell has written quite a few books and this is one of the funniest. He travels to Africa to find rare and exotic animals and has laugh out loud funny adventures. He also has a serious message about preserving animals and their natural habitat.

This would be a good book for middle school type readers.

I could not recommend any book more wholeheartedly than I do "A Zoo in my Luggage", along with all books by Gerald Durrell. Young and old will find the information of great interest, the writing style hilarious and entertaining, and the geographic descriptions factual and vivid with local color. I have read all of his books when I was a young mother living in West Africa, and I have ordered these books now for my grandchildren to enjoy.

Gerald Durrell's books have touched the hearts of naturalists for decades and I admit that I have only become a fan of his in the recent years. I was introduced to his books through my local used bookstore, where I was looking for copies of James Herriot's books that were not offered at my local bookstore, and decided to pick up a few and try them out.

His stories have a incorporated a vivid energy and hilarity into his passionate memoirs of unique nature experiences that will entertain any nature-lover. While some of his scientific practices may now be considered obsolete, we are given a rare glimpse into the love and respect for all things living that has been a core aspect of any naturalist throughout the ages.

I have since bought as many of Durrell's books that I have been able to find, and treasure each and every one of them.

Naturalist/writer Gerald Durrell, with a writer's eye for unusual detail, a great sense of humor and absurdity, and an unquenchable enthusiasm for finding unique animals, recounts his third animal-collecting trip to the Cameroons in this classic 1960 memoir, recently reprinted. Supplying other people's zoos for many years, Durrell, on this trip, intends to collect specimens for his own zoo, one which will be open to the public and which will become a "self-supporting laboratory" with a captive breeding program to prevent the extinction of these species.

Arriving on the west coast of Cameroon, Durrell uses pidgin to converse with the Africans and refers to all animals as "beef," but he soon acquires many rare animals from the local population. A frightening canoe ride through hippo-infested waters, an attempt to capture a fifteen-foot python, a search for the blue-scalped, bald-headed Picanthartes bird, and the experience of smoking out a hollow tree keep Durrell and his staff energized and excited before they head to the highlands. There, Durrell stays with the charming Fon of Bafut, a elderly king with many wives, and he and Durrell enjoy many long evenings of talk, dance, and whisky. Soon the Fon's compound fills up with hundreds more captive reptiles, birds, and animals, including a half-grown baboon, a five-year-old chimp, and a baby chimp, all of which provide innumerable, often hilarious adventures.

Durrell provides details about the care and feeding of these animals, and he and his staff prove to be very "hands-on" caretakers, often having animals creep into their beds. The logistics of building cages and, eventually, packing them for the trip home, reveal the level of detail necessary to keep these animals healthy and calm so they can survive the trip to England. Upon his return, Durrell then begins the daunting task of trying to find a place to house these rare specimens, a task he neglected ahead of time.

A lively writer with a commitment to conservation and a tremendous sense of fun, Durrell gives the flavor of the whole trip, not just the academic details, providing realism at the same time that he reveals irrepressible humor, much of it directed at himself. His sensitivity to his surroundings, which he conveys through vibrant descriptions, makes the countryside come alive, while his anecdotes about the animals and the people he meets show his interest in expanding his knowledge while fully participating in events around him. Though there is no epilogue to bring the reader up to date on the success of Durrell's zoo or its captive breeding program, this information is readily available at: http://www.durrellwildlife.org/index.cfm?a=11 Mary Whipple

Gerald Durrell spent most of his life collecting interesting animal specimens and Durrell is an interesting human specimen himself. His well chronicled life (mostly chronicled by Durrell) begins with the hilarious, and very succesfull, "My family and Other Animals". It is ably followed up with the equally hilarious "Birds, Beasts and Relatives". Both books are full of tales from the Durrell family's years on the Greek Island of Corfu, pre WWII. Little Gerry dives right into the flora and fauna of the island, including its human fauna. I own very few nonfiction books with such a plethora of memorable characters. Now, of course, we get to the volume in question. It is plenty good, and worth multiple readings over years, as is "The Overloaded Ark" and several other books detailing trips to collect animals. A word of warning, don't go nuts and buy all the zillion Durrell titles. Some of them are out of print for a reason and were most likely dashed off by Durrell to finance a collecting trip or two...

This book has the most casserole recipes that i have seen and most are mighty good.

Yummy!
I can easily find a recipe to fit what I have in my cupboard.
Easy instructions.
Quick and simple.

I am a cookbook addict and I bought this book on a whim. It is my FAVORITE cookbook. All the recipes are delicious and a big hit with the kids! The recipes use pretty basic ingredients, so its great for last-minute dinner plans. I highly reccomend it!

101 Things To Do With a Casserole contains hearty down home cooking for breakfast and supper meals. Though the majority of the one pan meals are meat-based, there is a whole section devoted to vegetarian cooking. Most of the dishes take about half and hour to cook but many can be prepared beforehand and then slipped into the preheated oven. Preparation is kept very simple with many of the recipes asking for commercially prepared soups, spaghetti sauce, pasta, crescent roll dough, etc.

Though definitely not the fanciest cookbook I have on my cookbook shelf, I think that a few of the recipes in this book are destined to become family favourites. The recipes in this collection are easy to make without a great deal of forethought and the results fill my family's stomach with good tasting food. Really what more could you ask for in a cookbook

As an ocean going chef the "101" cookbook series is the chef/cook's best friend. I found a collection of these very handy cookbooks on my last ship and I knew I had to have my own copies. The ship was short handed and it ran out of basic cooking & baking supplies. These cookbooks gave excellent and simple meal preperation ideas with the few supplies & staff we did have. It's all common sense but these ladies take the brain damage out of meal planning. Most importantly, the crew was always satisfied. I'd recommend the series for the beginning cook or one that is short on time.

Updated and modern look of the stitches make them look fun to try. Clear and full of gorgeously colored illustrations. Actual examples of finished garments and accessories at the end of the book made me want to start on a project right away.

It would be great if the author could include a note on how many stitches it uses per repeat for the pattern. It's a great little book, though, one I keep picking up for inspiration.

I highly recommend due to the beautiful array of crochet borders. Borders can be used on many crochet;knit and other crafts. A must for your collection. I would purchase it again!
J Porter, Jefferson, GA

I love crochet books! But I was getting a little disappointed with what was out there. The same old same old. However, 150 Crochet Trims really delivers and then some. There are trims, braids, motifs, plus projects to put your new skills to work. I enjoyed the beaded, sequined and dangly-bits that can be crocheted with a minimum of time and effort but looking like what you'd see on a designer's drawing board. I highly recommend this book for you needlework reference library.

I loved this book. Beautifully illustrated, has detailed instructions, and even has a basic skills instruction section in the back. It showed how to do beaded crochet trims, textured trims, fringes, and motifs. Also in the back, it showed how to do textured crochet, crochet in the round, working spike stitches and more. It is an excellent book for anyone who crochets because everyone needs to trim something at one point or another when creating a crochet project.

150 Crochet Trims by Susan Smith is a wonderful and helpful collection of trims and edgings and motifs. I recommend it to anyone who is wanting to add a beautiful touch to any outfit. I was glad to find a recent book with so many trim ideas. This book has also been very inspirational in giving me ideas of some new edgings that I had not thought of.

I needed a refresher on strategic planning and found this to be a good resource. There are some great ideas to assist with the process.

Well, I didn't have high hopes...it sounded too good to be true. But I really did end up with a strategic plan in about 50 minutes. And it was an easy read. The authors kept the tone light with nice touches of humor and practical insights. I recommend this book for anyone who has any sort of problem or issue they need to resolve. As the authors say, the 60 Minute process helps you make better decisions faster. This book is a must-have for business owners wanting to take their businesses to the next level. Bravo!

The "60 Minute Strategic Plan" authored by John E. Johnson and Anne Marie Smith could be your guide to spending 60 of the most strategic minutes you ever spent in the life of your business. This book presents one of the most innovative planning and problem solving systems I have seen in my professional career of over 35 years. The genius of the system is its simplicity and its characteristic of being user-friendly. The book presents a "universal system" that can be applicable to any business and any issue. This book is an easy read and is a "must read" for CEOs and management teams. If you want a strategic advantage in developing rapid responses to the rapid changes in the world of business, then this is a book for you. John Johnson And Anne Marie Smith have taken a process that is too often viewed as intimidating and made it into a non-intimidating, straight-forward, and easy to understand process that can pay huge dividends for you and your business. Their process certainly passes the KIS (Keep It Simple) test. They deserve a STANDING OVATION for this book. Reviewed by: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive, J. G. EBERSOLE ASSOCIATES and THE RENAISSANCE GROUP (tm), Lancaster, PA. and Author of "Glenn's Guiding Lines - Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach" newsletter www.businesscoach4u.com

60 Minute Strategic Plan is a great business book! As the back cover states ".... an innovative planning and problem solving system." It is 147 pages that engage both the logical left-brain and the creative right brain to develop and implement a workable strategic plan. I really see it as a complete workbook.

The authors have put together a workbook that actually takes the drudgery out of planning. The material is laid out well; it is entertaining, instructional, and informative. The material is presented in a building block method; each chapter builds on the previous, and is filled with samples, examples, and provides a sample company to illustrate actual execution.

In the preface the author mention working with entrepreneurs and how a quick planning tool was needed, given the tremendous time commitment required building a business. I can see how this workbook can reduce the time commitment to strategic planning. Please don't think this is a shortcut, it is not. The book will get you focused as you complete the exercises.

In summary, while this book was an output from working with entrepreneurs, or what we think of as small business people. I can see the flexibility of using this workbook to tackle most, if not all, business issues in any department of any size company.

This is a good book. It was short, and easy to read. It is the fourth book covering strategic planning that I have reviewed for Amazon. And unfortunately, it is the fourth book on strategic planning which could only muster a 4 star rating from me. For some reason, authors seem to have a problem making the subject interesting, and presenting the subject material well. But don't get me wrong, I think this book is definitely worth the read. And I suspect anyone in charge of running a business OF ANY SIZE will get considerable insight into strategic planning from turning the pages of this book.

The main strength of this book is how the authors have condensed its content into a fill-in-the-blank diagram that fits onto a single sheet of 8.5x11 paper. The diagram puts strategic planning into perspective and after studying the different components of the diagram a bit will probably become part of the executive's arsenal of leadership/management tools.

My favorite chapters were:

1. Why Plan?
2. On Quantification and Consequences
11. Step 8, Vital Signs
16. Implementation (From Paper to Shoe Leather)

To me the messages included in the above 4 chapters were the strong points of the book. There is so little planning going on in the business world, that the argument presented in Chapter 1 really rang true for me. And plans need to be quantified and consequences need to be evaluated. Thus Chapter 2 was good. I thought the authors did a particularly good job of talking about a plan's vital signs: measurements to audit, track, and identify behavioral adjustments. And a plan that doesn't get implemented is worthless. So Chapter 16 was great!

I would have liked the book better if more had been written about business plans. The authors say business plans win battles and strategic plans win wars. I don't see it that way. I see it more like business plans are GRAND strategic plans. And strategic plans are merely plans to "fix" or "make better" a business plan. As a result of my difference in opinion, I thought the chapter on Issues could have been expanded and made much better. And coming up with less than great issues (questions or problems to solve) will doom an entire strategic planning pocess.

I also would have liked the book better if the Second Step in the book were titled "Consequences" rather than "Assumptions." It wasn't until I read Chapter 5 about the Second Step that I understood that consequences had to be listed - not assumptions. 4 stars!