Organizations Books

This is very focused in helping a novice or experienced fund raiser to maintain and develop their passion for contributing their goals to help a charity organization achieve their mission.

We already had a good process for giving a fundraiser. But Carolyn's book made all the difference. We tweaked and polished what we were already doing using her ideas and upped our net by 30%.

Dr. Farbs book is fantastic. I recommend this book for anyone just beginning in fundraising or charity events. Dr. Farbs book guides the amateur through promoting a cause, assembling committees, strategic planning, PR and so much more! The only complaint I have is that I did not buy it sooner!

I had the good fortune of meeting Dr.Farb at a book signing, 2 weeks before I was asked to chair the 40th annual Lunar Rendezvous Festival which celebrates the accomplishments of NASA and the community that surrounds it. Using her book as the basis for my organizational structure, we have implemented the "zero budget" principle and have enjoyed early successes. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning a charity fund raiser. It truly shows you how to avoid the expense pitfalls of throwing a major venue.

THE FINE ART OF FUNDRAISING is the definitive resource for organizations and individuals involved in fundraising. Every aspect of successful fundraising is covered in this step-by-step guide that focuses on a variety of events ranging from bake sales and carwashes to large scale fashion shows and charity balls. Volunteers new to fundraising as well as seasoned volunteers, committee chairpersons, and organization staff persons will benefit from reading this comprehensive book before beginning any new fundraising project. As a volunteer involved in fundraising events for over 25 years I find this resource to be well organized, thorough, and always on target with practical advice that addresses the needs of volunteers at all levels.

Attracting and handling benefactors and in-kind donors, reaching corporate supporters, and applying for grants are some of the topics discussed by Dr. Carolyn Farb. Anyone who chairs an auction will find the two chapters devoted to the nitty-gritty of planning and executing silent and live auctions immensely valuable. Choosing entertainment, selecting a menu, decorating, public relations--they are all covered in this work. Of particular interest to volunteers are the samples from Dr. Farb's own fundraising successes: invitations, response forms, benefactor letters, menus, seating charts, media releases and many more.

Every organization involved in fundraising should have multiple copies of this book available for staff and volunteers. Fundraisers at all levels will benefit from the valuable tips and wealth of ideas shared in this extraordinary resource.

I recently read Bert Berkley's book "Giving Back". I found it an excellent read and a very helpful guide for anyone who is looking for ways to give back to their community.

This book demonstrates the many varied ways that individuals can make a difference in their communities. Having been involved with non-profit organizations for the past 25 years, I know the impact that dedicated volunteers and sponsors have on improving the lives of their neighbors.
Thanks to Mr. Economy and Mr. Berkley for offering suggestions for other business leaders to give back to their communities.

Berkley and Economy have summarized, in a very simply fashion, how regular people with a vision and sense of purpose can step in and make things happen when others, like the goverment or agency, fail. This is a tale of ordinary people mobilizing others to do extraordinary things. It's both inspirational as well as reassuring that people like Bert, Peter and the others in the book are there to take action. We should all follow their lead.

This book brings to light the real impact a business can have on a community. How can we get this message to more business and corporate leaders. The book will jump start your enthusiasm to give back to the community and become involved.

This is in inspiring book! It made me reflect on how I could elevate the contributions of both myself and those I work with to help others in the community. As a company, we are faithful participants in Kansas City's Day Of Caring, the Susan B. Komen run, and multiple other community activities, but based on what others have done, we can clearly do much more.

I encourage everyone to read this book!

As fans of the series know, Dr. Zeus Incorporated operates out of the 24th century, combining its time travel capabilities and its legion of cyborg near-slaves scattered through time from the Neanderthal era on, in order to make a small number of plutocratic technocrats very, very, very rich. Besides the novels, which began with the award-winning _In the Garden of Iden_, Baker has written a number of shorter stories set in the same world -- most of which probably will be very confusing for any reader not already familiar with the characters and themes. Baker's work can be somewhat erratic in quality, but the seven short stories and novelettes in this collection are mostly pretty good. "To the Land Beyond the Sunset" is a rather lightweight yarn featuring Mendoza, the flinty-eyed botanist, and Lewis, the literature-preserver who secretly adores her. They go on a short field trip to the Bolivian rain forest where the weather turns around and bites them -- and then they get mixed up with a family of down-at-the-heel deities. "The Catch" is a grim little story of what can happen when the not-yet-perfected attempt to produce a cyborg goes badly wrong. The story's narrator, Security Tech Porfirio, is also the protagonist of "The Angel in the Darkness," probably the best piece in the book. Set forty years later, it's mostly a very true-to-life depiction of the desperation of an older daughter who carries all the burdens of the family by herself, and of the "uncle" who watches over things, or perhaps controls them. The character portraits in this one are extremely good. And it doesn't matter too much if you don't know who Labenius really is. "Standing in His Light" is about the Company's entirely cynical use of Jan Vermeer to produce works to order that will be worth billions a few centuries down the line. "A Night on the Barbary Coast" is a rather lightweight romp that mostly just gives Baker an excuse to describe Mendoza's entry into San Francisco in 1850. "Welcome to Olympus, Mr. Hearst," which starts out lighthearted and funny but eventually turns somewhat darker, involves Joseph the Facilitator and Lewis again paying a visit to San Simeon to close a deal on behalf of the Company and discovering that it doesn't pay to underestimate certain mere mortals. "Hellfire at Twilight" features the feckless Lewis again in a somewhat sweet story involving Sir Francis Dashwood and the Hellfire Club, which turns out to be something quite different than its reputation would suggest. As I say, many of the references in these stories will mean nothing to anyone new to the series, but for Baker fans, it's a pretty good collection.

A decent batch of stories, at 3.43. This is more than you can say for the book itself though, being one of those cheesy overwide size for some reason trade paperbacks with flimsy cardboard covers that warp and damage in five seconds, not to mention the cheap paper. Completely not worth close to double your mass market price, these things.

In general, it seems that the Company stories are better when there are actually active field agent types up to stuff in them. The more peripheral variety are just not as interesting, so you end up with too many average tales.

Gods and Pawns : To the Land Beyond the Sunset - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : The Catch - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : The Angel in the Darkness - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Standing in His Light - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : A Night on the Barbary Coast - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Welcome to Olympus Mr. Hearst - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Hellfire at Twilight - Kage Baker

Magic poo dirt definitely no fluke.

3.5 out of 5


Broken Bobby ball looper bagged.

3 out of 5


Company cop watch crazy killer compromise.

3.5 out of 5


Flatland picture tech.

3 out of 5


Botany monopoly Frisco misery.

3 out of 5


Media baron longevity.

4 out of 5


Mystery not berry real, but game commences for more than usual fee.

4 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

The most recent couple of novels in the "Company" universe have been a little bit disappointing to me - in fact, in my review of one of them, I stated that it would have been a better book had it been short stories. Well, in this book, Baker proves she is still really good at the stories! I was much happier with these than I had been with the "Machine" books.

The stories in this one mostly involve Lewis. There are references in the stories to things that have happened in the earlier novels; the stories are best enjoyed if you've already read "In the Garden of Iden" although you don't have to have read the rest of the novels - that one will provide enough background. That's not to say you shouldn't read the rest of the earlier novels - all four of the first four Company novels are great!

The first story, "To the Land Beyond the Sunset," contains allusions to a particular disaster that happened to Lewis in another book. The indigenes in this story are very funny. (The dust jacket illustration is probably supposed to refer to this story, but it's not accurate.)

The third story, "Angel in the Darkness," is the one that will provide you with some background about how the Company universe works and who are these cyborgs, anyway?, if you haven't read the novels.

The last story, "Hellfire at Twilight," may particularly appeal to readers of Georgian and Regency romances, who will be familiar with the idea of Hellfire clubs.

Several of the stories have already appeared in magazines, particularly Asimov's, but I didn't mind; I enjoyed re-reading them.

All in all, her best in a while!

The beauty of the universe created by Baker is that the characters may appear in any place and any time (after their own birth). In these seven stories we see Literary Preservationist Lewis, Botanist Mendoza, Facilitator Joseph and others in a range of times and locales. A recurring theme is that they carry out the will of the Company without always knowing the reasons for the assignments and often with any particular joy. Such is the life of these immortal cyborgs, serving the entity that created them.

Personally, I think the short form is Kage's strongest area and this is some of her best.


To The Land Beyond The Sunset.
Mendoza and Lewis in the New World of the seventeenth century

The Catch
Concerning the Company's early and imperfect efforts to create an immortal

The Angel In The Darkness
Set in 1990s Los Angeles - a cyborg watches over family members

Standing In His Light
The life of the painter Vermeer - and the desires of a cyborg for something different

A Night On The Barbary Coast
Set in early San Francisco Joseph and Mendoza on an errand for the company

Welcome To Olympus, Mr. Hearst
Set in 1933 at Hearst Castle. Joseph and Lewis on an errand for the company

Hellfire At Twilight
Lewis on an errand for the company


Does it sound like the cyborgs spend a lot of time running errands for the Company? You are correct.

For those of you who read "The Company" novels, but avoid "The Company" short story collections because you dislike short stories, I highly recommend that you read ALL of the books. The short stories have many important clues that flesh out the many sub-plots, characters, their backstories and motivations in the novels. Without the short stories, you are missing out on a much richer experience.

For instance, in this last collection, I wonder about Mr. Hearst! (Intriguing, isn't it?)

As always, I can't wait for the next installment!

This is one of the best articulations of the inherent problems with modern forms of ecclesiology that I have ever read. Fitch digs very deep in his deconstruction of the 21st century church, and -subject by subject - provides an intelligent, thought-provoking argument of why we should consider getting back to our Christian roots, based on the ancient creeds and practices of the early centuries. All this within the context of a highly technological, ever-changing world... still in need of Christ.

This book rocks! Are you an aspiring pastor, missionary or a person in church leadership? Are you going to church and not feeling that it is satisfying your spiritual longing for depth and relationship? If you fit the above categories, (hint, I think we all do at some time or another) This book is a must read.

David systematically works through the different roles that the church plays in the community and clearly and concisely shows where it is falling short, then proposes ways to change it.

This book is not for the faint of religious heart. If you are looking for a weak and consumer oriented religion this book is not for you. If you are looking for ways to lead yourself, your family, and your church into a deeper relationship with Jesus and his church, read this book.

In his excellent study "The Way of the Modern World," Craig Gay observes that "it seems that the ideas with the most profound consequences are frequently taken for granted. They are the ideas that lie just behind conscious thought, providing a kind of foundation for the deliberations of everyday life." In "The Great Giveaway," Dave Fitch attempts to diagnose and offer correctives to some of the ways in which the evangelical church in North America has come to "take for granted" many of the unconscious assumptions and controlling ideas of secular modernity thus leading it to "give away" being the living Body of Christ in the world. He attempts to uncover the ways in which modern assumptions concerning such things as success, leadership, character formation, and justice have warped our understandings of them as Christians and have lead us to be unfaithful to the Bible and the gospel of Christ. He also attempts show how evangelicals have given away even specific practices of the church such as preaching, worship, and evangelism to the controlling assumptions of modernity, sometimes even when we think we are being the most faithful.

Fitch identifies some of the hallmark characteristics of modernity as being a fascination with technique, a fixation on efficiency and effectiveness, individualism, elevation of experience and self-expression, and an attachment to scientific rationality among other things. Fitch argues that these characteristic assumptions of modernity have infiltrated evangelicalism and have hampered our ability to be faithful to the mission of Christ in the world. For example, he argues that our view of leadership in the church has become more shaped by the CEO model of American business culture than by the teachings of Jesus and the model of the New Testament church. Or again, he argues that our understanding of spiritual formation and personal well-being has been overtaken by the categories of modern psychology.

Fitch is not the first person to express concern about the shape and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Fitch's book differs, however, in the way he uses the insights of post-modern thinkers to expose and undermine the modern assumptions that have shaped the practices and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Many of those who have expressed concern over the state of current evangelicalism have specifically associated some of its negative character traits with post-modernity and have displayed an almost reflexive anti-postmodern attitude. While Fitch does not endorse post-modernism willy-nilly, he sees the insights of post-modern thinkers as a source of help for the church and as a means of deconstructing the pretensions of modernity that hold evangelicalism captive. In some cases this leads directly to controversy, such as Fitch's claim that expository preaching, which for some evangelicals is synonymous with faithfulness to scripture, actually ends up giving away the faithful proclamation of scripture to the forces of modernity while leading us to believe that somehow we are interpreting scripture "objectively" and are therefore protected from error. In other cases, however, I think it clearly makes Fitch's case stronger, such as when he uncovers the interpretive, narrative, non-scientific character of much of modern psychology and shows how it contrasts with the scriptural narrative that should be shaping us as Christians.

Since each chapter of the book deals with a different issue, it is possible to read and benefit from individual chapters without reading the whole book. My guess is that most discerning readers who are alert to the issues and problems of contemporary evangelicalism will find at least one or two chapters they agree with, even if they find themselves in violent disagreement with others. In my opinion, the first, third, and seventh chapters alone make the book worth purchasing. It is also my feeling that reading the whole book will lead to a better overall picture of the state of the contemporary evangelical church and the crisis it faces. If I had any criticism to make of the book it would be that I wish certain parts were better documented, which would make Fitch's overall case even stronger, especially given the controversial nature of some of his claims. Overall, however, I think Fitch strikes a good balance between academic seriousness and accessibility to the layperson. I think he has rightly diagnosed many of the serious problems that currently plague the evangelical church and has offered some helpful suggestions for how we might begin to reclaim being the Body of Christ again in North America. I think this book is must reading for anyone seriously concerned about the faithfulness of the church in our times.

Fitch's overall intention in the book is to show how modernity has transformed clear gospel teaching into modernistic trends, he does this by looking at eight areas including success, evangelism, leadership, the production of experience, preaching, justice, spiritual formation, and moral education. Then the "task" of the book is to (1) examine the ways we have "given away" being the church to modernity by allowing its influence to individualize, universalize, syncretize, and commodify the tasks, truths, and even the very salvation we have been given as a people from god through Jesus Christ, and (2) to offer practices to evangelicals by which we may receive back being the church, the people of God ruled by Jesus as Lord in resistance to such modern influences.

List strengths of book.
With each of the eight areas of discussion there are clear strengths to be found in the explanation and solutions offered, however the strongest areas of the book include the chapters dealing with success, evangelism and spiritual formation. With the topic of success, Fitch contends that we measure success by size because we have accepted the modern values of individualism and efficiency. Instead, success should be measured by measuring faithfulness rather than size. With the topic of evangelism he states that we rely on arguments, presentations, and proofs in our Gospel presentations, rather than embodying the reality of Jesus Christ being lived within our churches. And with spiritual formation we have accepted therapy and psychology, and in many cases have substituted these for the biblical practices of confession, repentance, and speaking the truth in love in the context of community. Additionally, the book includes over thirty pages of excellent notes for further study and reflection.

List weaknesses of book.
While I believe there will be more than a few people who believe Fitch's assessment is incorrect because they find it difficult to see beyond a modern perspective, I find very little not to like about this book.

This biting critique of the modern American church has basically lifted the veil off the capitalistic, consumeristic, numbers-oriented megachurches. David Fitch, Pastor of a church just 20 minutes from the headlining, 10,000 member Willow Creek Community Church, levels a pretty harsh attack on the big churches. While there are positive suggestions for alternative church models at the end of every chapter, it's clear that Fitch has a bone to pick.

He goes systematically through the modern church's emphasis on quantifiable success, evangelism, leadership without moral accountability, emotive worship, expository preaching that does not take place in community, justice that is farmed out to parachurch organizations, spiritual formation that is farmed out to psychiatrists, and education of children that is entrusted to an areligious public school system.

For anyone whose lived in the world of the megachurch, this is a really fun read. It's what we whisper about over coffee on the patio when the sermon has taught us 7 steps to better marriages or when the Good Friday service is "exciting" rather than sobering. Fitch has a determined, analytical mind. I hope he writes more.

The downside is that his alternatives sound like an afterthought that do not admit to their own weaknesses. It's very dubious that he's found an alternative to megachurches that is itself without just as many flaws. He's not nuanced enough to suggest that he's offering a cooperative alternative in a megachurch culture. Rather, they're wrong and he's right. Secondly, chapter seven, on spiritual formation, is a bit insensitive. Though he credits this to modern ideologies, it might be his personal style.

But everyone who's interested in the evolution of church culture and the development of new models of community should definitely read this book. Anyone who's either been to or resented the megachurches, everyone whose ever used or disparaged the word emergent, and pretty much anyone else who wants to know where church is going should read Fitch.

This is a great feat - to take such a complex situation as a disfunctional church and explain clearly and simply the dynamics that may be at play. A few things I thought were very helpful:
* a discussion of the brain's capacity to function at different levels according to stress and anxiety levels
* the nature of anxiety and its role in a family system/congregational system (particularly when shared around)
* ways to reduce anxiety so that we can function at our problem-solving best
* the role of pain in moving us forward in better directions

So much of what has happened in my past and present congregations was resolved in me by reading this book. It is helping improve my leadership greatly.

I would hightly recommend this book because it gets the the heart of the issue about how conflict develops between church members as a result of our family background. Steinke gives practical insight into our own ways of looking at church situations through the lens of the family systems theory. Even though it is a short book it is packed with good things and definitely a must read, especially for church leaders.

I was the pastor of a troubled church and was relocated after 20 months. This book provided me with much understanding of the dynamics of church life. I wished I had it when dealing with my struggles. Now that I am in a new church, I am writing a thesis based on my former church using this book and others to do a case study.
A great read for clergy and lay alike.

Murray Bowen caused a stir in the fields of psychitry and psychotherapy when he suggested that families were emotional systems, and that only by stdying the system could one begin to understand the behavior of individuals within the system. Now that his ideas have gained wider acceptance, many thinkers in this field, like pastor and psychologist Peter L. Stienke, have begun to explore the application of systems theory in other contexts. This book presents an excellent introduction to systems theory in the context of a church or synagogue congregation, which function as their own emotional systems much like extended families. Steinke does an excellnt job of introducing systems theory for pastors, church leaders, and others who may want to better understand the way that emotional reactivity influences not just individual congregants, but the whole congregation. Those who have little background in this area will find Stienke's book clear and approachable.

Peter Steinke is a Lutheran pastor and director of the Interfaith Pastoral Counseling Center in suburban Chicago. His career has been one of studying and advising the dynamics of disfunctional churches and counseling pastors who have been hurt by said churches. "How Your Church Family Works" is an introduction to systems theory as it relates to interpersonal dynamics within a church and has been very helpful for this reader.

Steinke begins by introducing the concept of systems--that every unit in a system effects and is effected by every other unit in that system. He then covers how systems work--always seeking to remain stable, even if that stability harms most or all the people in that system. He then moves into a discussion of forces that stabilize or change a system (anxiety, closeness, etc.). Finally, after weaving theory and example to the point that the reader has a fuller understanding of systems theory, Steinke shows how individuals within a system can effect change for the better.

The overriding theme in in "How Your Church Family Works" can be "knowledge is power." Steinke accurately describes the "tunnel vision," the pressure to conform to others' idea of what your role in a system should be, and the tendency of people within a system to focus on other people in that system and blame them. However, through understanding systems, the way they work, their flaws, and how to be an angent of change, one can make an ineffecient, stifling system a productive, nurturing system. They key is knowledge and "big picture" thinking, and defining one's self.

In all, this book has been incredibly helpful as I continue to reflect upon my experiences at a church with a dangerously crushing emotional system. Steinke's book empowers one to be agents of positive change in situations that may be difficult to understand, let alone control. Highly recommended.

Once again, Jim hits the bulls-eye with an easy to read, user friendly book about Leadership. My favorite books on this topic are dog-eared and have colored tabs throughout. This is one of those bookes! When combined with the Leader's Digest Practical Application Planner its easy to create a personal development plan theat translates ideas in Action. A great Coaching tool!

This book is a great guide with useful strategies to lead yourself and your team more effectively. The way it's laid out, it's easy to read and has great anecdotes and quotes. It also has real life facts and proven strategies to help take your team or your business to the next level. Very enjoyable!

This was the second book of Jim Clemmer's I have read. Following my usual very bad habit, I circled particularly useful and inspiring passages in pencil and turned the corner of the page down for future reference. I've just finished it and virtually every page has its corner turned down. There's a lot of BS out there written about leadership. Jim's book is as far from that as you can get. It is wise, practical, inspiring, enjoyable, illuminating, and you can dip in and out of it easily as it's written in digestible 'bites'. One of the best books I have ever read on leadership (possibly THE best book - can't think of a better one off the top of my head at the moment) - and I have to read a lot of them. I've co-written one myself, but I'd recommend Jim's over mine - It's much better!

The emotional role of leadership became clearer to me after reading Jim's book. He doesn't glorify the power of the position, but rather that "people respond to this leadership because they can clearly see the principles from which it flows." I learned techniques that help me be a purveyor of hope with my team, even though I don't sit in the chair at the top.

Like the Reader's Digest that my father always had around when I was younger, The Leader's Digest is full of powerful ideas packed in bite-size chunks. Jim's book, however, weaves those bites into a meal. Without going the route of the popular business fable, Jim's style makes for easy reading as he sprinkles appropriate quotes around contemporary research presented in a non-academic fashion. Where else can you read "The Anti-Serenity Prayer" coupled with The Serenity Prayer?

Like his prior book "Growing The Distance", Jim Clemmer's "Leader's Digest" is a sampler of high impact ideas. Each chapter (or article) is attractively packaged as a brief essay within apt anecdotes and quotations.

In marketing there is a saying that you sell the sizzle, not the steak. Jim Clemmer sells the rich, savory steak surrounded by the sizzle.

Some of Clemmer's ideas are classic Business School. Some are recognizable from the pop-psych realm. All are uniquely restated in forms that make them quickly and easily accessible to even the beginning leader. And motivationally rejuvenating to the old pros.

You don't read this author's books: you visit and revisit them like wise old friends.

The only reason I didn't give this review 5 stars is because I am just starting to use it for a few MA courses I am in. I will see if it can stand up to the demands of academics. This dictionary was highly recommended as a reference tool by my prof and not a required reading. It seems, then, that it will be a valuable tool.

Plus, it's pretty expensive for a dictionary. It seems it would need to stand up to my classes with a price tag like that! We will see. I probably would not have purchased it if it were not for class.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is without question a de-facto standard text for study in medieval history, church history, or any of the myriad of related topics which fall along such themes. A massive, comprehensive volume that has been put through three major revision editions over some 50 years, the book represents a modern day "summa" that more than admirably fulfills its purpose as a research and reference text. Entries in the dictionary are comprehensive to the point that one wonders why the word "dictionary" rather than "encyclopedia" was chosen for its title, but that oddity is of little concern to us. Looking up a term in the text is just the start of an exploration of the rich and detailed information that the volume contains.

For example, let's say we wish to study scholasticism. In looking up the term, we don't just find a definition of the term as we might expect with a typical dictionary, but we instead find a detailed, expansive description that presents the historical context of scholasticism, its use in the medieval university, the pivotal roles of Abelard and Anselm in scholasticism's development, its connection with the medieval investigation of the notion of "universals," and even its roots in the writings of Porphyry's discussions of "genus" and "species" in the 3rd century AD. For each of the key terms that arise in the "scholasticism" entry, we are pointed also to each of their own specific entries within the dictionary so that we can further explore the topic to any desired level. In the specific case of scholasticism here, we end up with a comprehensive introduction of the term, learn its meaning and history, explore its implications for education, and even its philosophical underpinnings (including objections), and more. We are also given a listing of additional key references should we wish to pursue our studies in additional publications.

The best way for you to see the level of detail that these entries provide is to use the "look inside this book" link (under the listing, above) and read through a few sample entries. I have little doubt you'll be as impressed as I.

The text does not limit itself to conceptual entries. There is wide coverage of personages, philosophical positions, historical items, theological issues, church history, church liturgy, and more. The current incarnation of the text has resulted in an extended collaboration of hundreds of scholars, teachers, historians, and researchers to expand the coverage far beyond its original 1957 incarnation. The most surprising thing about the text is that it doesn't cost three times what it does. How to improve it? Well, the only thing I can come up with is that it would certainly be nice to have the book also released in electronic format, so that we can search by term, print selected entries, or copy selected references together for future study. Nevertheless, the book as it stands today easily takes its place among the premier reference works of the domain. Highly recommended.

Indispensable for many areas of Theological research - Church history, Dogmatic overviews, biographies, editions, and so many many other things.
A masterpiece! If I could afford it, I would give everybody who press the "yes" button by "was this review helpful to you?" a copy! :-)

'The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church', edited by the late F.L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone, is perhaps the authoritative, one-volume encyclopedia of information on Christianity. With over 480 contributors, from a myriad of denominational backgrounds, this book has a completeness that is unrivalled. Scholars from Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and other denominations, as well as Jewish and secular authorities from all over the world, have written or contributed to articles that reflect as best possible an unbiased and authoritative compilation of history, theology, liturgy, scriptural study, art, biographies, denominational and calendrical organisation, and inter-religious attitudes.

The current edition, published in 1997, is the third edition of the ODCC to appear since its was first issued in 1957. It has an unrivalled reputation since first being published by Oxford don and cleric F.L. Cross. After his death, Dr. E.A. Livingstone took the helm to oversee production of the current volume.

There is increased coverage of the Eastern Churches, certain issues in moral theology, and developments stemming from the Second Vatican Council. Numerous new entries have been added and the extensive bibliographies have been brought up to date. Readers are provided with over 6,000 authoritative cross-referenced entries covering all aspects of the subject.

The book is over 1750 pages in length, very much the ready reference rather than the narrative sort, but many of the longer articles provide depth and detail, and articles generally include references for further research at the conclusion.

Topical entries include:

Theology
Discussion of theological topics from the earliest days of creeds and heresies to current topics on Christology, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and other topics Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox.

Patristic Scholarship
The early Church Fathers are covered in detail, particularly in creedal development. Likewise, recent scholarship on Nag Hammadi writings, newer Augustinian sermon discoveries, new scholarship on Gnosticism, and established work on early church history are included in the articles.

Churches and Denominations
Beliefs and organisation of the major denominations are covered, as well as lesser-known and smaller denominations such as the Amish, Shakers, Old Catholics (my own denomination); as well as particular national structures and variants on the Christian scene.

Church Calendar and Organisation
This includes feast days, saints days, calender issues (such as the date of Easter), sacramental and liturgical systems, rites, church and canon law, and discussion of religious orders.

The Bible
An entry on each book of the Bible, including apocryphal and deutero-canonical scriptures, as well as entries on major Biblical figures are included along with major schools of thought on scriptural interpretation and study.

Biographical Entries
Saints, popes, reformers, church leaders, mystics, heretics, kings and emperors, theologians, philosophers, artists, musicians and poets are included among the many people with an impact on Christianity.

New Entries
These entries include ecumenical dialogues, ethics of procreation, contraception and abortion issues, theology of religions and different religions, articles on Black Churches, C.S. Lewis, and the Holiness Movement.

I find this an almost indispensable reference book. Priced at suggested retail of [retail price], it is unfortunately out of the reach of most of those who need it most -- seminary students. But it belongs on the shelf of anyone who has intention of being scholarly in their approach to Christianity.

The third edition of the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church retains its great reputation as the single best reference work for use when studying the Christian religion. Now in the hands of E. A. Livingstone (who took over for the late F. L. Cross), it combines excellent scholarship from all parts of the Church and presents each topic relatively free of ecclesial bias. The topics covered are not short descriptions of a few sentences but multi-paragraph articles that are well researched, very readable, and remarkably complete. For those who are developing an interest in Church history, it will be an indispensible tool for their research. All in all, it is a masterful triumph.

Product Strategy for High technology Companies by Robert Cooper. I purchased the book with the intention of getting my professional certification in product management. The is extremely helpful in the area of product planning and development. It links the technology strategy of a company to its product platform development strategy down to its product line planning strategy. I like the way the book is structured, building up from vision to techniques. His case studies / examples (though not in depth)are very good in illustrating what he was trying to say.

the Core Strategic Vision approach for determining strategy is interesting, and is a good framework to develop a realistic vision.
The boundaries test to determine whether your vision will deliver what you expect (it forces you to expect something!) is something companies can't forget.
And the vision of a set of product's as not only one offering, but as one containing a platform and its pre-planned offerings, with pricing strategy, is essential to get profits for a long time.
It is full with examples, specially from the software arena. Recommended.

This book offers a study of the strategic options for high tech firms. The coverage is wide and detailed. This is a great book.

A big number of business examples, and good explanation of concepts. A deeper vision could be found in another books about this subject, so in my oppinion this book could be a good starting point, not recomended for advanced IT product managers.

I love this book: the concept of a "vector" for product
development is a terrific way to think about competition.
IMHO, this book is a must-read for all product managers,
product marketers and people involved in strategic decisions,
i.e. all senior executives.

That said, speaking as a five-time startup engineer, the advice
and examples in this book seem geared towards the core product
lines in larger companies, where you can credibly talk about
"two years from now" as opposed to wondering if you'll even be
in business, which is also the problem for new product lines at
large companies. The experience for the book comes from the
PRTM consulting firm, which was made famous for their work with
parallel product development at Intel. We hired them in the
early days at Inktomi, and found mixed success with their
process because we were terrified of immediate failure, and
they wanted to talk about version 3. Obviously, there's a
successful middle ground because Inktomi was a huge success in
the short term, but ultimately lost its strategic direction.

This book is EXCELLENT. It is so good in fact that it showed me why a retreat is not for us. Instead, I am using the activities it describes to create a series of training sessions for our senior and middle managers, or what you might call a series of mini-retreats, a couple of hours each once a week over several weeks. The activities contained in this book are intelligent and fun, unlike several others I've read. I highly recommend this book for the activities section alone -- and if you do want to do a full retreat, it will prove even more valuable. Also, the sections on pre-interviewing participants and retreat design components were very helpful, and I am putting them to good use.

I also like "101 Games for Trainers" by Bob Pike, and "Games That Teach Teams" by Steve Sugar. I think these three books together are the best place to start -- there are a lot of other titles out there that are, in a word, garbage, and should be avoided.

This book gives examples of various kinds of retreats and includes sample exercises for each that are simple, creative, and effective with no hint of the flaky factor that makes some retreats go offtrack. In fact, I'd say that the section on "Reasons NOT to hold a retreat" was alone worth the price of this book for its value in clarifying what a retreat can and cannot do.

As a communications trainer with my own non-profit board to deal with, I was most impressed by the fact that the chapter on non-profits identifies as a "most common concern" exactly the thing that causes my board trouble -- complaints of micromanaging on details while sidestepping needs for fundraising. The insight that this is a structural problem rather than a personality issue has been extremely helpful to me -- even without a retreat -- and convinced me these authors must know what they're talking about.

This is a terrific handbook for anyone who wants to (or has been assigned to) organize or lead a retreat for their company or non-profit organization. The authors describe the guiding principles for designing a retreat, they outline the logistics in detail, and they provide all kinds of good advice about how planners and facilitators should work together to get the most out of an offsite meeting. The checklists alone are worth the price of the book, and the activities sections are priceless!

Retreats that Work (Jossey Bass, 2003) is highly readable and valuable resource is a comprehensive guide to retreat planning. Authors Sheila Campbell and Merianne Liteman address medium- to larger-sized organizations in the for-profit, nonprofit and government fields. Campbell and Liteman offer both a "how to" for planning and conducting a retreat and a fine sampling of facilitated group activities for different kinds of retreats.

The overall message is that the top decisionmaker should hold a retreat only for important purposes, he or she must be truly ready to hear divergent views and to be open to real change, including change not anticipated by the decisionmaker. CEOs, boards, division directors and other "head honchos" that are not ready to share control need not apply. For instance, Campbell and Liteman recommend confidential pre-retreat interviews conducted by the facilitator. One of their retreat design principles is that at least some of the participants should contribute to formulating the goals of the retreat. To do so, they believe it is essential for employees to feel safe to share their views in planning the retreat as well as at retreat. Thus, Campbell and Liteman call for anonymity and non-attribution of pre-retreat views and assurance of no negative actions for expressing views candidly during the retreat.

A key strength of the book is the attention to pre-retreat and post-retreat concerns. Pre-retreat matters extend well beyond choosing the meeting facility and menu [although their retreat logistics chapter is first rate] to the more important question: "Why have a retreat?" Campbell and Liteman specify nine reasons to hold a retreat and ten reasons not to hold a retreat. Both lists are enlightening and are foundational to further pre-retreat work.

A retreat is not a conference and not a regular meeting. Campbell and Liteman believe a retreat is best served "off-site," that is, at a location away from the workplace. They do cover the challenges of time and money in choosing an appropriate facility, and the discussion reinforces two more of their principles of retreat planning - designing a retreat to result in action for change and ensuring whatever happens at the retreat relates to the day-to-day work of the organization.

Other pre-retreat elements are: setting the goals, deciding on the format, and inviting people; defining the roles of convener, facilitator, administrator, participants (and non-participants); and a review of fixed-format retreat designs (such as Future Search, Ropes courses, and Appreciative Inquiry). Campbell and Liteman do a fine job discussing the tension between having a small enough group for good interaction and the group being large enough to be inclusive of the key players. In particular, they offer eight common criteria for how to choose participants. I think the criteria are especially helpful as an organization thinks of board-staff concerns, clients or customer involvement in a retreat, and inter-organizational issues.

A logical, but often overlooked, planning proviso is to design the retreat backwards-What is the outcome you seek? Instead of holding a retreat because its done annually, or because someone likes a particular format, or to "boost morale," Campbell and Liteman forcefully highlight the need to have retreats only for special purposes, and to work from the question "How will the day-to-day workplace be different following the retreat?"

The structure of the book opens with coverage of the why, goal-setting, logistics planning and role of leaders at the broadest view of a retreat. From there, most of the guide is devoted to facilitator assistance. Campbell and Liteman cover design issues ranging from pre-retreat work for participants to having "unprogrammed time" as an essential part of a successful retreat. They offer tips on ground rules, giving feedback to the group, and decisionmaking. For in-retreat concerns, general facilitator principles are leavened with brief guidance on how to respond to over a dozen glitches (such as repetitive discussions, disruption by a participant, a participant walking out, or a senior manager violating the ground rules).

A large section of the book identifies activities appropriate for four kinds of retreats: a) strategic planning, b) culture change, c) relationship-building and teamwork, and d) creativity and innovation. Each activity offers a clear description, steps and facilitator notes. Equally valuable are accompanying sidebar notes on the experiential elements, set-up, special supplies and degree of facilitator experience to conduct the activity effectively (easy, moderately easy, or only for experienced/specialized training). While retreat facilitators will probably eat up this part of the book, I hope they don't overlook the earlier "menu-setting" essentials of effective retreats.

Campbell and Liteman know that typically the worst part of a retreat is....after the retreat. Does the great thinking from the retreat get lost in the daily grind or new crises? Do non-participants not support the outcome? While a retreat's impact depends on organizational norms outside of any retreat's reach, Campbell and Liteman nicely select a few post-retreat points. In brief: announce the outcomes to everyone affected, not just the participants; move briskly into the actions steps identified at the retreat; and avoid a letdown by offering a memento, having periodic updates, or celebrating milestones. They highlight "critical leadership actions" for retreat follow-up.

Campbell and Liteman know that retreats have a purpose within the larger context of an organization. They provide a fine guide the knits together the earliest hints of whether to hold a retreat to effective planning to post-retreat steps to offer the best possible assurance that the change initiated by the retreat is converted into a better organization. The book is a must-have for both the senior management and for internal and external facilitators. (...)

"Retreats That Work" could be subtitled "Everything you ever wanted to know about retreats." Just a look at the table of contents told me that there was going to be an answer to any question I might have -- from the basic who, what, when, where and why, to the types of specialized retreats.

I am in a related, but quite different, field. As a qualitative research moderator, I am often asked to facilitate meetings or retreats by clients who are unaware of the differences -- hence, my interest in this book. But, whether you are working for a small or large company and want to hold a retreat, or you are someone needing to actually facilitate such an event, this book is a wealth of information. And for anyone thinking of facilitating a retreat or just understanding what a facilitator must be able to do, they would be advised to read the "definition" or role of the facilitator on page 116!

I found this book very well-written, easy to read and follow. It's filled with lots of practical information and tips, valuable time estimates for the various activities, and additional resources given.

The creative thinking section was particularly interesting to me. As a "left brain" person, I am usually skeptical of these kinds of activities. But the authors' examples and explanations of each exercise gave me a new appreciation for the value of this type of retreat.

I also visited the authors' or book web site, which is a nice accompaniment to the book, including additional resources.

Some books are dangerous; reading them opens your eyes and makes you see the world around you in a different way. After reading them this new understanding of reality lingers and is not easily dismissed. Stories like these drive you to action, serving as a call to take up arms. Somaly Mam's memoir, The Road of Lost Innocence, is one such book.

Born in Cambodia during years of political turmoil, Somaly never knew her parents - she still doesn't know what became of them. Left by her grandmother in a tribal village, her early years were spent outdoors, roaming amongst the huts looking for food. These years were happy compared to those that would follow after leaving northern Cambodia with a man who claimed to know of her parents at the age of six.

This man, her "grandfather" would proceed to beat and molest her, sell her virginity to pay his debts at the age of 11, marry her to an abusive husband at the age of fourteen and finally sell her to a brothel at 16. As you can imagine Somaly's story is not an easy, feel good read. The list of travesties, betrayals and corruption she has known is far too lengthy to detail here.

Catching glimpses of a better life, Somaly is eventually able to escape from the bondage of sexual slavery. Using the only currency at her disposal she begins to make alliances with foreign men - those with wealth and power - and uses them to begin her slow ascent out of prostitution. After achieving her freedom the girls she left behind haunt her. Knowing the devastation trafficking in girl-flesh wreaks she cannot stand motionless while atrocities are committed; hopefully you won't be able to either when this story comes to a close.

Presented in spare, matter of fact prose the writing itself mimics the Cambodian attitude towards life; silent, understated. Coming from a people who disguise their emotions to the utmost - simply writing this memoir is a break with traditional Cambodian culture. Somaly however, has long since ceased to be a traditional Cambodian.

The words seek to describe without betraying the depths of emotional pain behind them, but it still seeps through. Between each and every line, in the silences and pauses the pain is there alongside the fear and anger. The Road of Lost Innocence is the anguished soul cry of a woman who has never truly been loved, the heart breaking sobs of a shattered little girl.

Somaly brutally exposes the truth of modern sexual trafficking in south-east Asia through her own story and that of those she has rescued from slavery. She outlines the beginnings of her non-profit organizations that rescue girls and women from brothels, sketching out plans for their reintegration into society. Free of her physical bonds and able to offer hope to those in chains, she remains a broken woman. The aching sadness created throughout her life's circumstances is still present; only slightly mitigated by her relentless drive to rescue the weak and defend the defenseless.

She tells her story not to evoke sympathy for herself, though her pain is apparent. She writes, offering herself up to the public eye to draw attention to the plight of the girls and women who are still captive; taken against their will and viciously used. Somaly truly wants nothing for herself other than the opportunity to continue working with the victims of sexual trafficking and to draw awareness to their plight.

Truly, every responsible citizen of the world should engage Somaly's work. The difficult stories need to be told, more than that - they must be acted upon. Only with eyes opened to the atrocities surrounding us can we step out in faith, reaching into the darkness to rescue those bound there.

This was a very good book on giving an overview of the sex slave industry and what is done to many young woman and children all over the world. There were times I had to put it down and come back later; especially during the victims chapter. A good read and very eye opening.

I just returned from a mission trip to Cambodia where we visited orphanages & womens' shelters who have been rescued out of sexual slavery. This book is a MUST read, & I'm so thankful People magazine ran an article on the book, or I may never have heard of it. Incredible memoir of an outstanding woman, Somalay Mam is a true heroe!

Somaly Mam's poverty-stricken and orphaned childhood may have begun without promise, but this woman fought her way to survival and is now changing the lives of many young girls and young women. I believe the reason she is so effective is because she was subjected to the same brutality as the young women she is saving. I know that her story might be hard to believe, but I believe every word. As someone who has spent a lot of time in Thailand and who personally witnessed the plight of young girls sold into sex slavery Mam's story brought all the cruelty and horror back to me. My main source of sadness has to do with the fact that over the years the brutality has increased, with the girls taken to be repeatedly raped becoming younger and younger! At what point will the depraved start stealing female infants and sell them for sex to stupid men who believe that sex with a virgin is a guarentee against AIDS! And, to think that women themselves are a big part of the problem, as they buy the young girls and put them to work servicing customers! I really cannot understand the women who foster the sex slave trade.. These women are mothers themselves! And any man who can rape a child who is weeping and pleading to go home to her mother is nothing less than the vilest creature on earth. To stop the sex slave trade of children, the world needs thousands and thousands of people like Somaly Mam. We should all support her in every way possible. One way is to buy this book and spread the word, and the other is by sending her financial support to carry on her most important work... Somaly Mam, you deserve our total respect and support! Jean Sasson Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

I can NOT imagine anyone finishing this book, putting it down, and moving on in life without reacting practically. Without helping with at least a token monetary effort to improve the world described in these pages. The unflinching manner in which Mam relates the stories of sexually enslaved Cambodian women and children simply smacks you in the face.

Mam suggests an explanation for why Cambodia has reached such a point of moral deterioration. "Three decades of bombing, genocide, and starvation and now my country is in a state of moral bankruptcy. . . . During the Khmer Rouge regime people detached themselves from any kind of human feeling, because feeling meant pain. . . . To avoid going mad, they shrank to the smallest part of a human, which is 'me.'"

Read this book and you will step outside that smallest part of a human. You will want to help. That, in itself, is an excellent reason for Mam's having written her story.