Warner Books

This book is a collection of essays Liebling wrote for the New Yorker back in the 1950's and early 1960's. Liebling does a great job of capturing the atmosphere around the fights, training camps and boxing gyms. Liebling is a humorous writer who really captures the personalities of fighters, managers, trainers and the overall feel for the boxing game. He points out the eccentricities and oddities of many people he encounters in the sport and while he finds humor in their weirdness and quirks he does so in a funny but affectionate way. I've spent many years around the boxing gyms and for all the bad things that go on, there are also some of the most unique and great people you will ever meet involved in the sport too. There is a certain character that exists in boxing that doesn't exist in major team sports whose players tend to be overpaid, spoiled, pampered, and totally lacking in brains, heart, personality and character.

Essays included in A Neutral Corner are his portrayal of Stillmans Gym in 1950's New York City, along with the local club fight scene in NYC at that time, great stuff about Archie Moore, Floyd Patterson, Ingemar Johansson, Sonny Liston, a young Cassius Clay, Cus D'Amato, the atmosphere and stories around fight cards in England, Tunisia and other places. This is all great stuff that really captures the essence of boxing. Liebling really loved boxing and appreciated the people involved and was far superior than the wormy cynical morons (in all fairness there are a few good writers covering the sport today) that pass themselves off as boxing writers today. This is classic boxing journalism!

It's generally accepted that Liebling's The Sweet Science is the finest piece of Boxing literature ever concieved. The writing was lyrical in a way rarely seen in sports writing (or any other kind of writing for that matter), the world he described captivating. Just when we thought that that was all there was, lo and behold, here comes the second part of Lieblings oeuvre. And it's every bit as potent as the first part!

As with its predecessor, A Neutral Corner makes it's mark by intelligent and cultured writing that captures the atmosphere and culture of Boxing life in urban America in the mid-/late-'50s. If The Sweet Science focused on many characters, then A Neutral Corner chooses as its central hero Floyd Patterson - a fighter not normally held in high esteem in fight circles. Here we see his progression from champion to challenger to champion again and finally to his ultimate destruction. We are also treated to Liebling's by now well-established preference for the artistic rather than the brutal and this seems to be best expressed in his classic observations on a nascent Muhammad Ali ("The Poet"). Reading his initial thoughts on this larger-than-life character compounds the tragedy that he didn't live to see and wax lyrical on the flowering of that talent.

A.J. Liebling was no crude sports hack. The man was a scholar and an individual as these pieces attest. His writing is a poetry in itself.

Leibling's essays are filled with history, humanity and delightful idiosyncracies - all in a prose that recalls a bygone era. This book is not simply for fight fans, it's for anyone who loves to read.

This book is a must for all boxing fans. It contains reviews of BOTH Patterson/Johansson and Patterson/Liston fights, plus Ali's first pro bout. Mr. Liebling was the consummate boxing writer. He gives some very interesting information on the fighters camps and personal lives that make for a great read. An essential addition to any library

A.J. Leibling captures the smokey ambience of the ring and its world with a masterly hand. Joyce Carol Oates ("On Boxing") may be squeamish and over-dramatic, and Budd Schulberg self-promoting and exasperating, but Mr. Leibling the has a touch born of a top flight journalist and ardent boxing fan who also has the benefit of minute observation, a genial sense of humor, a well seasoned knowledge of the world, and a strong classical education. We enter the world protrayed in A Neutral Corner by way of the dingy confines of Stillman's gym in New York City, but on the way over are entertained by a short, amusing and thoroughly knowledgable meditation on the Great Ancients of boxing: 18th/19th century Pierce Egan (whom Liebling calls the ring's "Thucydides") and Jewish greats Dan Mendoza and Dutch Sam. Liebling muses on their significant contribution to the ring and that of the Jewish fighters in general and we finally fetch up at Stillman's gym (an icon of New York Boxing) simultaneously with the reflection that there are few Jewish fighters these (1952) days. "With a good Jew fighter now" One of the managers declares, "you could make a fortune of money." There is the rise of Irish fighters and the economic circumstances that gave birth to both Jewish and Irish fighters, and the availability of day jobs that waylay their ring ambition. Yet this is hardly a dry academic treatise, for it is entertwined and amplified by the thoughts and opinions of the trainers, managers and boxers at Stillman's.

Liebling is interested in everything and everyone, and nothing escapes his pen as he immerses the reader in whichever world he is illustrating with his mixture of scholarly observation and streetwise humor. At one point we arrive in Tunis, where one escapes from the oppressive heat into a museum and suddenly comes upon an ancient mosaic of a boxing match. It depicts one fighter knocking down the other. "The fellow on the receiving end", Liebling muses, "has an experienced disillusioned look, like that of a boy who has fought out of town before..." The Tunisian passion for prizefighting has deep roots, and seems hardly about to diminish, with the buildup to a local match nearly consuming the entire city.

Throughout these essays there is the sense of accompanying Liebling as he chats with the managers, watches the boxers train, pokes his head into training camps and interviews fighters and has a drink at The Neutral Corner, a New York bar and grill, to hash it all out. We sit with him near ringside where his smooth prose in no way interferes with his immediate and lively portrayal of the fights. We become acquainted with Floyd Patterson, a sensitive and intelligent fighter forever in search of his soul, the professorial Archie Moore, a very young Cassius Clay and another side of the habitually taciturn Sonny Liston.

Liebling's prose flows and some have remarked on its pyrotechnics, but is tight and descriptive, and his interests comprehensive. Each essay (originally printed in The New Yorker) builds an absorbing world of its own, though several are connected by common themes (for instance, Stillman's gym, Floyd Patterson's series of fights). This is a book for the die-hard boxing fan, for it there is little in it that does not pertain to boxing, its past and present. It can also be enjoyed by the general reader and lover of good writing, for it is a collecton of essays, each one lively and gracefully written, about the people, first and foremost, who make up the old and sometimes dark world of prizefighting.

Randy Pennington has done an outstanding job of bridging the serious nature of earning a living in business and learning ethics as an adolescent. This slim tome speaks volumes about 'the right thing to do' on a daily basis.

Specific and simple examples are used to support every desired ethical and moral behavior. This is a universal book that should be read, studied, and practiced in business - and at home.

This book sets on my desk next to Jim Collin's book "Good to Great". I am constantly buying and giving away these two books to business peers.

On My Honor is a very emotional story;Exciting,scary,and sad all at th same time.There is two boys (best friends) Tony is the braver one of the two.Something so dredful,so mystrious,so scary
has happened to Tony! The question is, is Tony dead or alive?

Reading this book made me stop and take a good hard look at myself and my honesty. It should be required reading for Bill Clinton as well as any- one in the public eye.

This book talks about what is right and should be mandatory reading for all corporate officers, government employees and people in leadership roles. The book will motivate you, get you to stop and think, as well as give you ideas about how to improve yourself, your organization and your company. Fantastic Book that I am going to make all of my people read!

I took Norene's Food Processing course in Montreal many years ago and have used her tips and techniques ever since. This cookbook is absolutely a favorite in my household. Her Second Helpings book is actually what I consider a 'classic'. It was handed down to me by my mother and I couldn't live without it (torn pages and all)!

I have used the pleasures of your food processor since I married 15 years ago. IT has been my best friend in the kitchen, always providing me with new and different cooking ideas, along with teaching me about the processor. I wouldn't be without it!. I am now buying it for my cousin who bought for the first time a processor( at age 50) and has no idea what to do with it! I have bought thru the years 2 books for myself as they seem to wear out and become illegible. Our favorites are, banana chocolate chip drops( kids go wild over these), easy brocolli cheese pie, scalloped potatoes(friday nite just wouldn't be the same without these) and so many more. A MUST FOR EVERY KITCHEN! Enjoy. P.S. You don't have to be Jewish to use and love this!

Dear Readers,

Over the past two decades, I have received many phone calls, letters and emails from all over the world thanking me for my recipes and letting me know how much joy "The Pleasures of your Food Processor" has given you. Thanks so much!

With a new generation of cooks and a new generation of food processors, I felt that it was time to completely revise, update and expand my food processor cookbook. The result was the creation of a new book with a new look and a new name - "The Food Processor Bible."

I've kept your favorite recipes and added over 100 new ones, with many lighter, healthier variations that reflect the way we cook and eat today. In response to your requests, I've added many dairy-free and vegetarian alternatives, and used many ingredients that were not popular or readily available 20 years ago.

My goal was to make cooking easier and faster for today's busy families. I've added many time-saving tips, tricks and processing techniques, substitutions, freezing, reheating and microwave hints, plus information on food safety. There is a new Smart Chart, which is an expanded alphabetical guide to help you process foods from A to Z in a flash.

Since everyone loves sweets (including me) there are lots of luscious desserts that are perfect for special celebrations - or every day. The yeast breads section has also been expanded and simplified.

Because of my culinary background, I've included many traditional Jewish dishes for today's Kosher (or not) cook. However, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy them! You'll also find a variety of ethnic recipes from the cuisines of the world that provide an international flavor.

In addition to a separate Passover chapter, there is a comprehensive Passover index within the main index. Recipes that are suitable for Passover or that have a Passover variation are marked with an asterik in the index.

Whether you have an old processor or a new model, a large one or a small one (or even if you don't have a processor!) you will still be able to make the recipes in this book.

I know many of you loved the binder format with tabs used for "The Pleasures of your Food Processor" but it has unfortunately become too expensive to continue using this binding. Thanks to new technology, "The Food Processor Bible" has a user-friendly layflat binding with colored tabs printed at the edge of each page to help you find the desired recipe quickly...

With the help of your food processor, it's a snap to prepare food fast - instead of fast food - right in your own kitchen. Discover the joy - not the oy - of processing!

Happy cooking.
Norene Gilletz

This is an excellent cookbook regardless of your ethnic background! I have gathered many cookbooks over the years and this is one of the best I've purchased. If you don't own a food processor, go out and buy one and then buy this book! I just recently purchased this book based on others reviews here, and as far as I'm concerned ALL cookbooks should be published this way (plastic coated, folds to make it's own stand, three ring bound with tabbed indexes, and two plastic "spatter shields" for the pages you are opened to). I have only made three things so far from this book: Best Coffee Cake, Chili, and Orange Corn Bread. My family and friends gave me kudos on all three. I even have adapted some of my friends older recipes to prepare them in the food processor. Just find something similar in the book, and use the techniques and order of preperation described. I can't wait to try out some of the over 697 recipes that remain. Thank you Norene, and I hope you took out a patent on that book style!

Out of a collection of more than 400 cookbooks, Pleasures of Your Processor is my absolute #1 favorite. Flick through this book that always rests on my kitchen counter and you will easily be able to pick out some of my favorite recipes by the condition of the pages - well worn and splattered. Norene's recipes are well-written, easy to follow and always work. Just a few of our family favorites are Super Roast Brisket, Potato Kugel Meat Loaf, Carrot Latkas, Easy Cottage Cheese Pie, Pecan Jam Squares, and the all-time family favorite Blueberry Crumble Cake. Pleasures of Your Processor will make you feel as if you have your very own Jewish mother in the kitchen with you (whether or not you are Jewish) sharing all her secrets of a good cook and helping you put a delicious meal on the table. The hints, tips and techniques alone are worth the price of the book. One of things I like best about the book, is that Norene's recipe instructions always includes a "Yield" amount and lets you know if the recipes may be successfully frozen. Do order this book. Your family and friends will thank you. One warning, be prepared and start practicing how to graciously accept compliments - you will be receiving lots of them when you prepare Norene's recipes.

Hard to put down, and a good read, great story, leaves you disappointed at the end that the comic is over and you want to reach out and grab the next in the series.

The stories in the book aren't anything "Special" As some might say but they are extremely entertaining. If you seen the first movie with Dutch as the main character you'll get to know his brother. I won't spoil anymore but the fight between him and Predators is quite entertaining and for years ago the art is quite good.

For this price you get so much is worth it. This is for both comic fans and predator fans alike!

IM so glad they came out with something like this! For the amount of comics that are inside, its a definitely a great buy! Some of the stuff is a bit far fetched, but then again you are reading some one else's ideas on this wide world, got to have a open mind! So its great :)

all ways been a big fan and this help with a lot of the predator story.

An entertaining collection of predator comics. Highly recommended for anyone who likes the alien hunter.

I book this book back in 1973 and then lost it in a flood but was able to get a copy at a used book store.These were the real champions and pioneers of bodybuilding; Arnold, Nubret, Columbu, Zane, Corney, Waller, Katz etc.You rarely see training photo's like this and heretofore, never saw bodybuilders depicted as real people as Gaines and Butler did with this work and the movie that followed.Pumping Iron and a Mega-Superstar German with a hard to prononunce last name literally took bodybuilding into the mainstream and turned the stars of our sport into household names.While I was lucky to find a copy of this book at a used book store, I really feel that Gaines and Butler should have a reprint for people who would like a new, first class copy; perhaps even a revised version showing where those champions are today.Great book Mr. Gaines and Mr. Butler.

This engrossing documentary/commentary of bodybuilding is the Bible of what bodybuilding IS. It does not drown you with technical detail, nor attempt to teach you HOW to bodybuild. What it does is bring you inside the gyms, (where the competitors work out) the arenas (where they compete) and inside their minds, where the peculiar and fascinating drive for the physical ideal finds its germination, growth and finally fruit on the posing platform. Why they do what they do, and just a smattering of detail of the equipment they use to accomplish their ends, rounds out this book. It is centered around a not-then-well-known Arnold Schwarzeneggar in his quest for the ultimate bodybuilding title, the Mr. Olympia. A few other competitors are also featured along with their quest for physical perfection and recognition of that by the bodybuilding contest judges. The well-placed and very informative pictures of the athletes at work in the gym, at play and in competition were a constant source of fascination to me as a teenaged boy, and I spent uncounted hours slowly flipping through the pages and examining every detail of what I thought a physique SHOULD look like. If you have ever been mildly curious of what essence makes men into bodybuilders, or have wondered WHY they do this, this book is for you. I recommend it very highly, and would probably be flipping through it right now if I had it, so inexhaustible is its supply of interesting information!

I agree with all above that this is a fine book. I wish there were more such insightful forays into other sports. My one quibble with Pumping Iron is that whistles past the graveyard of the great dark evil, steroids. One reading this book would get the impression that all of the bodybuilders within had sculpted their physiques with weightlifting, diet, dedication, and genetics. The truth is, all the stars of that era relied heavily on steroids, as subsequent admissions by such as Arnold Schwarzenegger have revealed. That, and the near-death disaster to Steve Michalik from steroid overdose (the book attributes his great "sea change" gain of muscle mass to heavy weight training and eating a lot of chicken and tuna fish) are crucial facts for the reader to know. To ignore the dirty little secret of big-time bodybuilding is dishonest, and presents a disservice to the readership. I would enthusiastically welcome another edition of Pumping Iron, as suggested above- it's a fine book- but I would repect Messrs. Gaines and Butler the more if they would address the steroid issue.

It is no overstatement to attribute to the publication of this book much of the fitness revolution that first began in the 1970s. It lionized the then relatively obscure sport of bodybuilding, and in particular made much notice of the then only marginally known figure of a relatively young Austrian muscle freak with the unlikely name of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The book proved such a trenchant and penetrating look into the shadowy subculture of fitness freaks and muscle-heads that it created a boom in the gym business, which previously existed only in a few locations where the numbers of bodybuilders reached enough of a critical mass to allow such a commercial venture. In fact, as Gaines points out in the narrative, most of the gyms were owned by guys like Joe Gold, who weren't in the gym business to make a profit, and who merely managed to eke out a living, and who rarely made much of a return on their original investment.

Of course, this affectionate and knowing look at the life and lifestyles of several serious competitive bodybuilders was so successful that it encouraged the photographer, George Butler, to try to find backing for a film version of the book. And it was a difficult sell, for the movie mavens had little appreciation for the degree of public interest in muscles and muscle men then. Indeed, the movie was never released for wide commercial viewing, but was rather relegated to showings at art cinemas and other venues. Yet the book was a resounding success, and was on the best-selling trade books for months and months.

The book can still be found in used bookstores, and is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the history of bodybuilding or the lifestyles of the most famous musclemen of the late 1960s and 1970s. I have several copies, although I lost one in a fire last year. It is a shame it is now out of print, for the book (and the subsequent movie) capture the essence of the exotic little world of competitive bodybuilding as it existed in the days when the sport was marginalized, before it became big business, and before eager young men who want fame and riches got involved for that reason rather than because they just wanted to be bodybuilders. Ah, the good old days! Enjoy!

Before this book, bodybuilding was an obscure sport that nobody cared about or was interested in. Pumping Iron changed all that with it's realistic look at the sport with many pictures of the champions of the 70's & early 80's at work and play. Shattered many of the myths that people believed about bodybuilders and presented them as ordinary people with an intense drive and competitive will.

Great story! I am impressed at how quick and easy it grabs the reader's attention. The description of both the east coast and west coast are wonderful. I hated to see the stop, I wanted to keep reading. Great story.

For a professional reviewer, this was pretty silly:

"Amazon Top Reviewer
The story meddles in Tennessee. Then, sensing the beginnings of literary stagnancy, the author decides to take the main character, Shepherd, and throw a puma at him."

Maybe you were just having a bad day or don't like Tennessee, but that was really uncalled for. In my humble opinion of course.

In any case, I thought the puma attack was very well done, as were the scenes of the hospital. I have no idea what happened in the main character's past, but with a start like this, I'd love to find out.

What an intriguing start to a book. The lion attack followed by the dream sequence portend a journey of a personal nature. I am very interested in finding out what happens. I like the author's narrative style. The lion attack was well described and the dream is vivid. I hope I get a chance to finish the whole work.

The exciting description of the mountain lion's attack was a beautifully written short story unto itself. The hint of the protagonist's mysterious background in Tennessee has me wanting to read more. What happens next? More from this author, please.

This novel grabs you from the first and holds your attention. The author seems to be a good researcher, which adds credibility to the story. Intelligent, mature style and creative concept promises a good read. No sign of a "cookie cutter" concept - for a change!

Thank you for taking the time to write a "real" novel.

Pat Riley is one of the most successful basketball coaches the sport has known. In this book he tells the story of how he made it happen for the Lakers during the 86-87 season.The book is filled with anecdotal material showing how a coach motivates his players. Fans will also enjoy his stories of the big stars, and the inside insights of the relations in a team fighting for the championship.
However I thought I would enjoy this book more than I did. It is choppily written. The supposed humor is not really there. Perhaps this is because the world of sports no longer fascinates me as it did when I was a child, but I found a lot of this slow- going indeed.

The 1987 Lakers IMO were without a doubt the greatest nba team ever assembled. Yes better than the 96 Bulls, 67 Sixers, or the 86 Celtics. The book describes the teams journey to the nba finals. And it states some intresting facts of how James Worthy almost got traded to Dallas. The Lakers finished the season with a 65-17 record. The went 15-3 in thr playoffs. Defeating the Nuggetes 3-0, the Warriors 4-1, the Sonics 4-0, and finally defeating the Boston Celtics 4-2.

Must Have book for Showtime Laker Fans!!!!!

Other reviews miss the point. This is my most recommended book on the art of Management. How do you manage such a diverse group of world class atheletes! That is the problem! Look at what happened with Phil Jackson and Kobe and Shaq. Disaster. Pat Riley's book is a clear set of instructions on how to manage a small group of high-power folks - like a high-power software team. This belongs well dog-eared on the shelves of the quality manager along with the Foundation Trilogy and Harold Geneen's Managing. IMHO.

Pat Riley is the legendary NBA coach who lead the Los angeles Lakers to four NBA titles in the 80's. In 1984-85, the Lakers won their third title of the decade (second under Riley) over their hated rivals the Boston Celtics. There were high expectations for the 85-86 season, but they were knocked out of the playoffs by the underdog Houston Rockets and failed to defend their title. The book takes us through the 86-87 season in which Mr. Riley strives to get his team back on top. We get to see how an NBA season underfolds from the point of view of arguably the best coach in history. He gives an insider's thoughts on all-time greats like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. Mr. Riley has a wry sense of humor and his take on things makes this book a highly entertaining and insightful read.

Coach Riley provides basketball fans of all ages with a game-by-game chronicle of the Los Angeles Lakers' glorious 1986-87 season. Riles explains why complacency drove the previous year's team to an early exit in the Western Conference Finals and tells how he reversed their attitudes. He takes you inside the locker rooms and profiles the club's stars. Peter May's book, The Last Banner, claims that the 1985-86 Boston Celtics are the best team ever. Even though I haven't read this publication, I'd have to disagree with that statement. The Lakers were a very special team in '86-'87 that were on a mission. I would highly recommend for anyone to obtain a copy of this book. It certainly is a collector's item that I will forever treasure.

I read this book when it first was first published.
Over the years I have made reference to it a number of times to students and colleagues. I just mentioned it recently, and decided to contribute here reviewing it.
Amazingly, the same book that I read, is still available on the stacks...
and if I remember correctly, is as timeless as when it was first written. Right after this book "came out", there was a television movie where a child spoke into a reel-to-reel taperecorder, and accidently someone put it on a different speed and the specialists then were able to witness that the child was speaking extremely FAST, and when the speed was changed, they were able to know what the child was saying.

I highly recommend, without reservation -- SONrise!

This book has helped me with my feelings about my twin boys who have autism. It also confirmed a lot of my feelings and intuitions as a parent. I really felt like I had an inside look on this family's life, their feelings, their concerns, and ultimately their actions that turned their child's life around. Incredibly inspiring and I would recommend it to anyone who cares for someone living with autism.

When I was in college I wrote a term paper on autism. It was in my research for that paper that I had the unbelievable luck to read this book. The story had a profound effect on my life. The admiration I have for Barry and Suzy Kaufman to this day has guided my life. A couple of years ago, while surfing the internet, I came upon the Option Institute's website. I was so thrilled to get a return email from them telling me how wonderful Raun is doing. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone who is questioning the power of love and determination. This is an incredible book of hope.

I'd like to weigh in on the "I don't have an autistic child" vote...

I read the original "Son, Rise" back in 1982 or '83. There was an interview with Barry Neil Kaufman on the radio one night, it caught my interest, and I bought the book and read it. Even though I had no direct connection to anyone who were autistic, it was an outstanding read.

I don't read a lot of "true life" stories, but this is probably the one book I remember the best of ANY BOOKS I have read. Period. As another reviewer states - this book had a profound impact on my life. And 23 years later, I still remember not just the book, the story, and Barry Neil Kaufman's name, but the way it affected my view of interpersonal relationships. Heck, I recall the radio interview...

For some reason, other reviewers seem to have missed what I found to be a key point in the story, one that I find valid in all dealings with others: Expectations are a source of much frustration.

We all have "expectations" - all the time, in every situation in life, and whether we realize it or not. When those expectations are met, the effects *usually* range from neutral to mildly satisfied. After all, we *expect* it, so there's not much of a positive upside when the expectations are met. But there's a huge downside when they're not. Because most expectations are not communicated and often not even fully understood by ourselves, those expectations tend to become unfulfilled and thus the source of frustrations. And when positive things happen, they don't *seem* positive - because they're not what we "expected".

Learning to recognize expectations - and either expressing them or deciding to let them go - is a big step towards removing many everyday frustrations.

But I can't describe in analytical terms what the original book so unbelievably well conveys - and how this real life story is simply riveting. I just can't think of a better way to describe it.

The book is a must-read for anyone - or at least the original was. I find it to most likely be unfortunate that the book has been modified, but I haven't read the "...miracle continues" so I can't say. But I'm sure the original message is intact, so if you can't find the original - a rewrite is sure to be at least the next best thing...

Does the book cure cancer, depression, or other physical, mental, or emotional issues? I wouldn't *expect* it to...

Does the book provide a cure for autism? To me, that is a moot question. Would it help someone deal with an autistic child? I can't see how it wouldn't! Any positive effect on the autistic child would be gravy!

At the same time, beware of your expectations! If you *expect* a result of attempting to use the book's approach to "curing" an autistic child - you are walking straight into the expectation trap. Can anyone or everyone rid themselves of their expectations and thereby achieve a maximum result? Probably not. Should someone who isn't able to "cure" their autistic child feel bad about it? Come on - you have completely missed the "no expectations" criteria! If you feel bad about the result, it is because you expected a certain result.

This isn't about results - which are ultimately about expectations - it is about love and acceptance. If or when that leads to an improved situation - that *should* be an unexpected side effect which would be the source of endless joy. If you follow their principles will it happen to you? If you build it will they come? All I can say is - if you DON'T build it - I'm pretty sure they WON'T come. Just don't plan on a sell out every night. Plan on enjoying having a place where you can always get a great seat...

Is Kaufman's personality an ingredient somehow? I'm sure it is - not everyone is capable of letting go of all expectations. But don't get confused by those who claim the book is cultist. Sure - Barry has a certain way of looking at things - or he wouldn't be Barry, and maybe there are some "flower-power" influences in his "love" approach. But is love a bad thing? I would think not. Is unconditional love a bad thing? I, for one, would love to be loved unconditionally!

If you have a dog, you may know what "unconditional love" means. Just think how awesome it would be to have another PERSON love you like that!!! Please - if you are a woman between the ages of ... just kidding ... :->

This is the most beautiful book about autism in creation.Barry Neil Kauffman, his wife Sumitra (then Suzy) and their daughters have shown just how strong and potent love really is.

The Kauffman's third child is a bright, beautiful little boy named Raun. Raun develops an ear infection early in infancy and from that point on develops autistic behaviors. He does not talk, he rocks and spins objects and only rarely looks at people or responds to his name.

Refusing to give up on this child, the Kauffmans devise a one on one program with Raun. They choose the bathroom as their classroom because that is the one room that "has the least amount of distractors." Raun's parents and sisters all participate with him in whatever he is doing, all the while talking to him about the activities. They turn Raun's solitary stimulation into a group activity and little by little Raun emerges from the shadows of autism.

This is truly an outstanding book. You will not only come to dearly love the Kauffmans, you will come to see that they have provided a gift to all -- the gift of a healthy child.

Perfect is so many ways. The grid is particularly helpful: Economic Buyer (you never or rarely see him/her)--the budget setter; technical buyer (they can only say no); real buyer; coach (can be anyone from Economic buyer, to tech buyer, to real buyer).

Perhaps their best info is they way they got sales people to sell: they worked on the good ones to get better. They found mgt always had excuses for why the good were so good (shouldn't have been) and the bad were so bad (excuses).

Marvelous.

This is the BIBLE for customer focused consultative selling!

If you are a sales professional or manager interested in revving things up and taking your sales team to the next level this is the program to do it! Step by step instructions for detailed account management , opportunity assessment , identification and how to build trust, get the customer to help you understand their needs and then to help you close the deal!

The system is like all Miller- Heiman programs- very detailed and filled with examples. This is perfect for helping salespeople who tend to go to one person at a client and not expand into the account- learn about other people and how they can influence decisions. Underlying message is the more your know- the less you hear "NO!"

I first did this program as a salesperson over 10 years ago- since then I have taught the program 4 times- I personally learn each time I do so. Other programs by Miller-Heiman are all built upon this program and its sister program Customer Focused Selling. Their advanced LAMP ( Large Account Management ) program requires this as a pre-requisite.

Clients of Miller-Heiman include big pharmaceutical companies, top automotive manufacturers and suppliers, I took a class in Chicago with the sales team responsible for selling the big 3 transmissions! Telecon companies use Miller-Heiman. Electronics mega-sellers use the system. Can your business benefit from the system designed to maximize the output of every sales call?

Then buy with confidence! Great book to read before your sales team meeting. --.

Strategic Selling is a long time favorite of mine because of the simplicity and structure to the method. Especially for the new salesperson, this book provides the tools to effectively handle complex sales situations.

It would be great if you could develop some new technique for walking into a large corporation and closing a major sale on the first visit, but it rarely, if ever, happens. Chances are, you're in for drawn-out process with lots of players. Most corporate sales professionals meander through this process hoping to "do what it takes" to close the sale. Miller, Heiman finally offer up a way of keeping score -- of knowing where you stand in the process and what you have to do to keep it moving in the right direction. By developing a standard nomenclature to discuss buy types and their relevant position in the sales process, Miller, Heiman allow you to keep track for yourself, but discuss it with your sales management. This is likely the most important book about the strategic side of selling. I can guarantee you this: read this book -- practice the technicques within, and you will never find out you lost a sale after the fact.

_Strategic Selling_ is a valuable book, especially for those of us who are not "salesmen" in the classic sense, but have to operate in the Complex Sales environment. Consultants and Client Relationship Managers will find it especially valuable.

_Strategic Selling_ provides valuable insight into how to set up "Win/Win" situations: it begins by identifying the different kinds of "Buyers" in every sales situation, the roles they play, and what constitutes "Value" to them.

It then provides a mechanism for identifying what you do not "know" about the various Buyers, with the objective of finding out. It is an approach which helps you paint a complete picture of the dynamics at work in a selling situation, so that you can operate effectively within it.

Finally, it provides a mechanism for "keeping the sales funnel full" -- a challenge which most people operating in cyclical industries can identify with.

Following this methodology can help you ensure that you do not blunder around in ignorance in a Complex Sales environment -- you will know at least as much as the next guy, and probably much more. And you will be actively doing something about it.

Rackham's _SPIN Selling_ is a good complementary book to _Strategic Selling_, as it provides a tactical approach -- the "How To" as opposed to the "Why".

_Strategic Selling_ is an interesting -- though not uncomplementary -- contrast to Holden's _Power Base Selling_. Both approaches can provide insight into the inner workings of the Complex Sale; however, _Strategic Selling_ focuses less on manipulating the political forces at work, and may thus be more palatable for some

This is my favorite Constance O'Day Flannery book. I love the story line. It made me laugh and cry and I love how everything doesn't turn out perfect, although the ending is wonderful. This is a warm, funny, sad, romantic, fantastic story about lifelong friends. I love this book.

How could I have lent this and never get it back ? It is a great read... very uplifting, romantic, and even if you don't ever get it back it's the perfect book to share with a friend.

This book is very different from Constance O'Day-Flannery's other books. It is a feel-good book. One that touches ones emotions

This is definitely different from Constance other books. However, her great style shines through. She always has a message in her stories, that we all can learn from. The depth of a friendship's love, the trials, in one form of another, are shared here. I don't know of any other author with her writing style. I'm eagerly awaiting her newest novel.

When my friend gave me this book to read, I looked at her like she was nuts. "I don't even LIKE to read," I told her. "Trust me," she said, "This is not like every other book." And she was right. I could not put it down! If you have a friend who has been with you at the best and worst times of your life--- read this book, then give it to her. You'll cry, you'll laugh, heck--- I even got mad at it and threw it across the room! You will experience every emotion a true friendship is filled with. And in my opinion, any book that can arouse that many feelings in a reader is definitely a well-written one.