V Books

Product is a great book if you want to learn about Mercy and Grace.
I would recommend this to everyone.

A very good start to any day...Max has a way with words that reach down deep...Get a copy.. you won't be sorry!

This is an excellent inspirational daily devotional reading by Max Lucado. He speaks directly to you and always manages to inspire me.

I searched for a book that would give me the necessary words to start my day right and this is truly it. I like to do a short meditation before I leave the house each morning and this fits the bill just right. I'm always amazed how often the daily reading seems to talk directly to me.

I recommend this book to everyone! I have had this book by my side everyday for the past 3 years and I can tell you this is a fantastic start to the day. It is filled with inspiration, love, hope... Even on a bad day, I'm able to smile and find hope through the words of Max Lucado. I also recommend In the Eye of the Storm and When God Whispers your name, both written by Max Lucado.

I picked this book up out of sheer curiosity and read it to its entirety in one sitting. Jenning's presentation style and narration are excellent - the book flows perfectly and many of the points brought up can be taken and applied.

Stories of successful businesses fill this book. The author got "down and dirty" and did in-the-trenches research to find the best performing companies in the world. Then he spoke with the CEO's to find out what makes them and their businesses tick.

This book is an excellent example of the types of practices and procedures almost any company can follow to be successful both financially and ethically.
Jennings cites numerous companies who have carved out success while still remaining true to their customers, their employees and their values.
Not surprisingly, few of these companies are ones that so called pundits regularly review.
As the other reviews have noted, these companies are very successful financially, but they get there by asking the really pertinent business questions, and not by hiding behind an air of executive invulnerability. The leaders are real leaders, more focused on growing the company, serving customers, and doing right by employees.
What vividly differentiates these companies from the "name brands," is that in the "name" companies, executives are more concerned with their own compensation, preserving their own existence, and with profits at all costs, than long term success.
The questions you should ask yourself after reading this book are, "Where have all the leaders gone?" and "Why don't all companies follow many of Jennings' researched best practices?
After that, I would run, not walk, to one of these companies and see if you can start at the bottom and learn what it's like to work in a real company.

This is not just another book about the secrets of famous companies. It is, instead, a book about the secrets of somewhat obscure but great companies. The principles that author Jason Jennings propounds are familiar enough, but most of his examples will not be familiar to the general reader. That is no drawback. Although some of these companies are less well known, they have all achieved great business success (if not fame) by applying some of the most tried, true and proven axioms of management. Treat people with respect, pay them for performance, focus on one clear and understandable mission - there is nothing new about these principles, except that they keep proving their efficacy even in the unlikeliest places. Do not look for a deep examination of management here. The book provides frustratingly scant background information about the companies themselves. But we assure those seeking a handbook of solid if venerable management advice that you will not go wrong with this interesting little book.

This spring, I had a night-flight from Houston to Europe. I never got any sleep due to this book. It reads like a fiction novel while the focus is very much on the softer issues of productivity businesses. The well-written behind-the-wall stories and interviews with successful top executives give us insight to many issues that usual case stories do not explain.

Business magazines often glorify top executives by telling about the grand strategic plan behind the success. This little book shows us a different story. It provides insight to the many seemingly small traits of the lean culture that only works because they taken serious by the organization and used in combination. These are the 11 traits required for the leader of a highly productive enterprise: attention to detail, high moral fiber, embracing simplicity, competitiveness, long-term focus, disdain for waste, coach leadership, humility, rejection of bureaucracy, belief in others, and trust.

I'm sure you're really not impressed of this list. Neither am I. But try challenging some of the advice. Humility? When was the last time you saw a big company using this as a standard. When you hear the story of many head offices visited in this book, you'll understand humility. Often you'll find a very simple and humble office building for a huge company. No art on the walls! No lavish entrance hall! In these companies, you don't find huge corporate staff creating immense bureaucracy and all sorts of information requirements from their operating companies or business units. These organizations do actually "walk-the-talk" on lean - unlike many fad-driven major firms who's paying lip service to a lean culture.

PERSISTENCE is a word missing from the 11 traits, though attention to detail and long-term focus do include some of it. They never lose sight of their BIG idea or focus. It includes their performance measurement. "Everyone who works for SRC gathers once a week in their respective lunchrooms and takes part in a review of the business's financial performance for the previous week. By DOING IT WEEK IN WEEK-OUT FOR MANY YEARS the exercise has also become a system".

Okay, I'm sure that the book's research on productivity could have been better. And some of the firms reported on may experience difficulties, though most are still flourishing. But don't read this book for the hard stuff. Read the soft issues that over time usually turn out to be the hardest to beat.

I agree that it resembles "In Search of Excellence" to some degree, but remember that this book is on the lean culture of Cost Leadership firms (my interpretation, not the author's).

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

I purchased this kit to be given as a gift to a child who is just starting sewing. It would also be good for a beginning adult, but if you have experience, you will still appreciate the enclosed patterns.

This is a great kit for beginners. I sewed my first patterns easily and plan to do more.

I LOVE the stich it kit... I got one for myself back when they first came out.
This one is a gift for my neice. She opeend it the other day & we started right away, she loved the kit. The book has great stich diagrhams & the patterns are fun & up to date.

I have never emboridered in my life. This book showed in a short sweet step by step work up of how to get started. It touched on the diffrent threads.

I also loved the patterns included!

LOVES IT!!!! BEST GIVE EVER!! I HAD A COMPLETED PROJECT IN 2 HOURS... GREAT CRAFT BOOK!!! WISH I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT YEARS AGO!!! ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES AND PROJECTS.

This book was everything I was hoping it would be. It was filled with easy to find ingredients and yummy receipes. Some will take time, but it was worth the wait!

Like a good date, this book is easy and fun. I take it out as often as I can.

The techniques presented in this book are simple yet spectacular. The discussions regarding some of the more subtle ingredients for building a braise (salt-packed anchovies, salt-packed capers, dried figs, etc.) are priceless. Additionally, the author presents great recipes from the Mediterranean to south east Asia. If you are serious about braising meat, this book is a great place to start.

All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking

This is a must have for anyone who likes to cook. I wasn't sure how much difference braising would make but figured I'd try it. Wow! once you try it you will never want to cook chiken or roasts any other way.

I already owned a copy of this book. My brother was home and borrowed it to make osso bucco. He is a chef and was thoroughly impressed with Ms. Stevens' book. I just ordered another copy to have sent to him for his birthday. I've only had rave reviews from food I prepared out of this book. I think it should be on everyone's bookshelf.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393052303/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

A beautiful story about how friendship can endure despite time, distance, and life's circumstances. I could see pieces of myself in each of the main characters. I bought this four years ago, and , sadly, let it sit on the shelf all these years. Although I haven't been able to find the time to read a book all the way through in the past 4 years, I read this one from cover to cover in 2 days! I highly recommend it! I'm now sending it to my best friend who lives several states away.

Between Friends centers around friends Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski. The two girls are born in the same town, Jillian to wealthy older parents who have long-awaited their first child, and Lesley as a result of an unplanned teenage pregnancy; despite the differences in their backgrounds, the girls become fast friends. Rather than tell their story through traditional narrative means, author Debbie Macomber draws from alternate sources, namely letters that Jillian and Lesley write to each other but also their journals, news clippings, and other correspondence. I enjoyed this unique format, which lends itself particularly well to quick and easy reading.

Jillian and Lesley were both born in 1948, and so they were teenagers in the 1960s, when they struggled to make sense of issues going in their world going on at that time, namely Vietnam. Throughout the book, Macomber does a nice job of working in historical events. Vietnam figures heavily into the plot, but other events, such as the American Legion convention and the advent of the computer age, affect the characters as well. Sometimes these inclusions were a bit predictable or even contrived (eg, one letter contained the postscript "my land, what is the world coming to that people are tainting headache pills with cyanide?"), but even so, they added interest to the story.

This was the first book I read by Debbie Macomber, but it won't be the last. Although this book is likely to appeal mainly to women, Macomber injects a genuineness and warmth into her story that goes beyond "chick lit," and I look forward to discovering what else she has to offer.

I absolutely loved this book. This author is so very talented and this particular book truly showcases her talents for capturing life and friendship.

There isn't any thing about this book that I didn't like. It grabbed my interest from the very beginning and had me reading it until the wee hours of the night, I just could not put it down. I fell in love with the characters and felt as though I were a part of their friendship. I especially loved the format of this book: journal entries, letters, etc.
I highly recommend this book!

Between Friends is the story of 2 girls that became friends at the age of 5 and remained best friends all their lives. The entire book was written in the format of letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings. It was a strange format, and yet it seemed to give us a deeper glimpse into the lives of these 2 very different women.

Lesley grew up the oldest of 6 kids in a working class family. Her dad spent more time out of work than he did employeed, and her mom had to learn to live with him and all his faults. Jillian, the only child of Judge and his wife, grew up in the lap of luxary. And yet, through time and completely different circumstances, they stayed friends. This book encompasses decades in the lives of the 2 friends, through marriage, children, divorce, death and war. At times a little sappy and at times very touching, I found this book very enjoyable.

As a parent who contributed a personal story to this book, I was so delighted to read what all the other parents who contributed had to say. I could find a piece of myself or my child in every story. I agree that this should be required reading for all educational professionals before they enter a classroom.

Lorie B.

This book is a must have for any parents with special needs kids. The stories are riveting and triumphant and heartbreaking all at the same time. True to life stories of how parents deal with these kids. You go from one story to the next. I found it impossible to put down and I don't even have children!

Gerard Zemek
husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

I loved this book! The stories were wonderful. It takes bravery to be so open and honest. Every story had something I could relate to as a parent and as a parent of special needs children. It was wonderful!

If you are looking for an honest book and not a sugar coated foo foo book, this is for you! The title says it all - The extraordinary HIGHS and heartbreaking LOWS...it's all covered. I have read this book, highlighted, circled, folded pages and bookmarked sentimental excerpts. I keep it handy for the rough days and lend it out to other parents who need a little reassurance that they are not alone. No matter what hand you've been dealt, there is something written in this book by someone like you. You will smile as recognize the rewards other parents have experienced and cry because you have been there. This is my personal bible, exactly what I need to pick me up on the hard days and remind me how blessed I am on the good days.

As the mother of a special needs, medically fragile child, I appreciate the honest writing of the essays in the book. Most of them are great. However I found a couple offensive--and I'm not easily offended. A couple parents assume that having kids with physical and easily recognizable disabilities is easier than having a child with an "invisible" disability. Even going so far as to say it's easy for schools to accommodate a child in a wheel chair. Anyone whose dealt with the public school system knows that's not true. I know there is a tendency to feel like your child's disability is worse than any other and that the grass is always greener. But we are one big special needs family and perhaps divisive essays should not have been included.

This story is about David, a boy who has spent most of his life in concentration camps of Eastern Europe. When he is given a chance to escape, he does so with the expectation that he will be caught and returned to the camps at any moment. Eventually, he accepts that he has finally gained his freedom. His journey to this realization and beyond is one of enlightenment and revelation as he discovers the things about the world and its inhabitants that he never knew before. Most touching are his prayers to God for help to get through his the various trials that come his way. This book made me appreciate all that I have and I think it will have the same effect on anyone who reads it. Highly recommended.

An amazing story from the 'inner world' of a lost boy. When one wants to feel its heart touched? than read it!

The movie was wonderful and the book was even better, filling in details the movie had to leave out. I especially was touched by his growth in faith that was absent in the movie. A wonderful book for young people to develop character, but for adults as well. I was a little disappointed in the abrupt ending.

I Am David shows the horror of a country without freedom and what living in a country that holds no love for freedom for all men, shows what is done to men and children "they" find subversive. David is a special child given the strength to trek through difficulities and the unknown looking for what he knows in his heart to be something "lost" and so much better. Even though this is a book aimed for the primary younger crowd, this grandma couldn't put the book down until young David experienced the bad and good from those that journeyed with him in his search.

"I Am David" by Anne Holm depicts years of the tragic concentration camps. A young boy with no parents, in a concentration camp, has to escape or die trying. David meets an older women that is very kind to him. As David asks the older women about some books people are carrying around. The older women explains the book. David realizes the author of this book is his mother, who he thought was killed when they were separated to go to concentration camps. David and his mother are soon reunited at once. this is a good book, I think this it is a god page turner because this book will keep you guessing; what will happen next? Who is he going to meet next? I don't recommend this book to a 13 year old, I would recommend book to 11-12 year olds because it would be more thrilling ate that age. this book is a page turner but I thought it wasn't very exciting. If you are someone who loves happy endings then this would be a great book for you.

I'm in my late twenties and I love this book! I am a huge Tinkerbell fan and this book gives a glimpse into her make-believe world. The picures are gorgeous!

Purchased this for my daughter as a 5th birthday gift. She loves the disney fairy books, and this book gives detail to everything. The size of each fairy and her hobbies. The size of the home tree and all of the rooms. It goes on and on about the fairies (by name) and contains beautiful illustrations! Perfect gift for a little girl.

In the Realm of the Never Fairies: The Secret World of Pixie Hollow, designed by Elizabeth Ryazantseva and Megan Krempels, is a gorgeous look at Tinker Bell's neighborhood. With text by Monique Peterson and lavish illustrations by The Disney Storybook Artists, the book details the hobbies, homes, and habits of different types of fairies that live in Never Never Land. This is a beautiful addition to any art-appreciative library, home or school, and a must-have for any Tinker Bell fan.

Both of my grandaughters (ages 10 and 7) are heavily into the Disney Fairies world. They loved the book. The illustrations are beautiful.

This beautifully-illustrated book is a must-have for fans of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends from Pixie Hollow, the magical realm where they all dwell in happiness and prosperity.

I got this book to read to my preschooler and though the text itself is a bit too advanced and dense for her age group, I sort of condensed it for her enjoyment and of course, the gorgeous illustrations enhanced our appreciation of the book.

This well-compiled book basically answers questions one may have about Pixie Hollow and its inhabitants - how does one identify a Never Fairy, how do fairies come to exist?, where exactly do fairies make their home [the home tree], and so on.

There is quite a bit of coverage on the various inhabitants of Pixie Hollow, especially the Queen of the realm, the beautiful Queen Clarion, and of course, the different categories of fairies, such as Prilla, the mainland-visiting Fairy, Tinker Bell the tinker fairy, etc. It also explains the importance of Mother Dove, and why she is so venerated by the fairies.

The illustrations play an important role in this book, as they provide a visual way of appreciating the various delights offered in Pixie Hollow, be it the beautiful fairies, the special rooms [ Tearoom, Lobby, Library], the clothing worn by the fairies and so on.

All in all, I'd highly recommend this book for those who are fans of Tinker Bell and Pixie Hollow and also for those who appreciate fairies in general. It's a fun and interesting read that will have you clamoring for more!

The art style is ugly and (usually) unrealistic, but at least it's unique. This is a very original manga; the author obviously has a great gift for storytelling. It's worth the buy.

Monkey D. Luffy wants to be King of the Pirates. He has always had this dream, from when he was a kid, and now he is off on a small boat armed with a large heart and a rubber body. Yes, a rubber boy. You see, he ate the fruit of the gum-gum tree which turned him into a boy of rubber. And now he must go forth, fighting pirates and the law, to find the One Piece, the greatest treasure in the world. The problem is nobody knows where it it and he has no training in navigation.

Hehe... this is one of the most awsome mangas ever. Its about a little boy who wants to become a pirate. His hero is shanks and fights several enmey who are powerful... buggy, captain kuro, arlong, krieg, crocodile, mr 1-5, lucci, and enel...( i may have forgot some.) Anyways, he finds new abilities and funny ways to fight enemy pirates... BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

One piece is one of the most popular Shonen Jump mangas, and Eiichiro Oda is still managing to make new volumes of the series. After re-reading this volume, I have came to the conclusion that this is a series that I want to be a fan of. Everything was well plotted. Luffy reminds me a little bit of the young Goku of Dragon Ball. There is quite a bit of humor, but it didn't really make me laugh. It did, however, make the scenes better.

Luffy wants to be the king of pirates, and he has to get the treasure of One Piece. But first, he must get a crew. This is where Zoro comes in. A bounty hunter arrested for saving a little girl from Captain Morgan of the Navy's son's dogs. After Zoro joins the crew, Zoro saves a shipwrecked crew of Captain Buggy, who is also a rubber man. Did I mention that Luffy ate the devil's fruit and now he's like rubber? No? Whatever.

This is an excellent volume. It's one of the best Shonen Manga up to date, but probably not the best. The scenes are better than those dry, desert lands like Trigun. There is humor, and it moves pretty fast paced except when Luffy tries to rescue Zoro and does.

Eiichiro Oda, One Piece: Romance Dawn (ViZ, 1997)

Now, come on, what can be cooler than pirates? Oda kicks off his popular manga series in a way that kind of surprises me: we get the backstory of Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates, before we actually get to the plot. (Well, okay, there's a page or two that sets up the hidden trasure for which the series is named.) A truly pleasant surprise, that-- a manga that actually goes in chronological order! Romance Dawn is the story of how Luffy became a pirate in the first place, his amusing beginnings with his first boat, and the recruiting of his first partner (Zoro). If you've been watching One Piece on Cartoon Network, it's definitely worth digging into the manga-- especially if you wandered in halfway through, like I did. *** ½

I had the pleasure of hearing Sam speak at a recent convention, where she excerpted this marvelous collection of IMMEDIATELY ACTIONABLE tools and techniques for producing breakthrough creative ideas on demand. I bought the book and now it never leaves my desk. Never again struggle for brilliant branding ideas, terrific taglines or compelling copy...use Sam's simple techniques to make yourself, your writing, your product or your brand unforgettable to your audience.

Sam Rocks!

I saw Sam speak at Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Speaking Event and I can tell you, she knows how to captivate an audience. Sam has a genuine style that comes across as sincere, professional, and experienced.

If you've never seen her speak, you're missing out. Sam delivers on content, humor, and info that each of us wants. She helps people re-evaluate their thinking in order to connect in a personal way with your audience by re-creating statements for personal branding.

Sam will teach you how to be creative in away that's practical. Pop is not about hype, it's about bringing your message to your people in a way that is unique and powerful at the same time.

I found that POP is for anyone who wants an edge over the competition because it's not about cheesy tactics to woo people, it's more about reaching people with the essence of who you are and transforming it in a punchy way in order to attract people to what you are selling/marketing.

I recommend it because it's valuable for people wanting to cut to the chase and grab the gems.

Need something different, something special to kick your business into overdrive? You'll find it in POP. When Sam Horn says you can stand out in any crowd, believe her! Rather than just talking about it, Sam Horn shows you how to make your own business "pop."

Like a cookbook, POP is filled with recipes to inspire your imagination with fresh ideas and fun exercises. Start anywhere. Keep going until you arrive at your own unique inspiration.

Way out of the ordinary . . . step out of the mundane and become extraordinary! Innovate with Sam Horn! This book can help you get there.

Five Stars and then some!

This is an amazing book! Sam shares with her readers new ways to grab our audience's interest and attention. She really does know how to help people get noticed in a crowd. This book has shown me how to positively inspire others to read my book, LifeChimes: A Collection of Simple TruthsLifeChimes: A Collection of Simple Truths, when they are looking for simple ways to stop zapping their energy. Because of Sam Horn's book, my work as an author and a motivational speaker has been made so much easier. Thanks Sam!

An awesome book for jazzing up your writing and speaking. Sam Horn crams so many ideas for creating buzz and imprinting your message and brand in the minds of listeners and readers that I found myself making checklists as I ran through the draft of my last book trying to find places I could use her principles and ideas. It's not all about marketing either. She has great ideas on the use of stories and quotes in your writing, how to create memorable content using lists and alliteration, and plenty of other techniques to make your writing come alive.

It's easy and fun to read as Sam is very clearly one of her own best students. Her writing is tight and wonderfully informative with no filler. The ideas are things nearly anyone that has to communicate (verbally or in writing) can use right away.

I felt a little bit self conscious rating this 5 stars: every other reviewer thus far has given it 5 stars as well. But 5 stars it is! I'd say that's a pretty clear message about the strength of the material.

It's the best marketing lesson you can buy for $15.