Organizations Books

This fat but interesting book about the rise and fall of Heritage USA, Jim Bakker and his strange episodes with Jessica Hahn (among others) should serve as an excellent guide to what can happen if a single person gains too much control of an organization. What happens if that individual loses it mentally? Well, that's what is explained in concise and explicit detail by Charles Shepard, a newspaper reporter from the Charlotte Observer who covered the story of PTL's fall in the mid to late 80's.

The clear moral of the story is that if an organization's head is doing things that seem odd, don't just go ahead and do them anyway!

The book is out of print, but well worth getting if you can find it.

This book may be out of print but it's definitely worth finding and reading.

A driving, devastating indictment of the greedy "televangelists" who reached the peak of their financial powers in the 1980's and then saw it taken away from them in a series of humiliating scandals that made people question their faith...in TV preachers anyway.
I remember chatting with a book store clerk at that time and learning she was a born-again Christian. Shaking her head at the Bakker/Swaggart/Roberts scandals, she said, "The devil really won that round."
"How do you know it was the devil that brought them down?" I asked. "I have the impression that maybe God had had about enough of their shenaningans."
But that's about the extent of my stone-throwing. I end up feeling pity for these people. And feeling horrible for the millions who poured their millions into these lavish lifestyles. My great grandmother could have been referred to as one of Bakker's "Granny Grunts," the elderly ladies he always beseeched to fess up with the cash.
I could see through Bakker even as a kid and felt sorry that my great grandma couldn't. If anything, I think the PTL scandal made her realize where her real devotion should have been: on the savior mentioned in every PTL sales pitch, not the bawling, over-dressed con artists pleading for dollars for that big water slide in their amusement park.

Charles Shepard, the author and reporter for the Charlotte Observer, was the perfect person to write this book: he'd been covering Bakker for years and seeing scams and abuses up close for a long time.
Definitely worth your while to read.

This text is a fascinating detail of the rise and fall of the PTL ministry, Jim and Tammy Bakker, and Jessica Hahn. I felt that Shepard's reporting of the paper trail that eventually undid this infamous televangelist was incredbily educational and compelling. The book reads easily and is a balanced and fair account of all involved in the PTL scandal, especially those peripheral to the Bakker family themselves.

This an excellent book written by an attorney and business person. I have purchased other books on corporations but was vastly dissappointed. This one is excellent.

Highly recommended!

J.W. Dicks is a busisnessman with actual in the field experience and an attorney with the legal background.

While there are many books on how to incorporate, this one is written by a man who has/is in business, thinks like a businessman but also understands and knows the legal jargon.

I highly recommend this book along with the Small Business Legal Kit also by J.W. Dicks and Inc. Yourself by Judith H. McQuown.

Whether you are contmplating starting your own business or are already in one and need good, accurate information on how to incorporate, this book is a must read for. You will find all of the information you need and the necessary forms. Also recommend The Small Business Legal Kit by J.W.Dicks which is 450 pages of with a disk and easy to fill in the blanks forms. You can become your own lawyer.

A very good handbook when you live in a very uncertain world with no job tenure or job security. Anyone reading the book in the context of career management will find it useful as the sections are generally short and to the point. Also key points are 'bulleted' so it is easy to 'digest' them. The cycle of separating => redefining => positioning => sustaining is very lucidly explained and supported with short case stories. Many of us have to re-invent ourselves; this is a useful handy book to have for thriving in a world that will eventually be dominated by free agents. Even though the book is written for an American readership, it is equally applicable to anywhere on planet earth!

Whether you are a contract or temporary employee, a consultant or freelancer, or working internally in management or on the front-line, FREE AGENTS is a wonderful gamebook for understanding the new world of work. It clearly explains the new rules of the workplace, and what individuals need to do to succeed, adn what organizatitions need to do to attract the individuals that will enable them to succeed. FREE AGENTS presents a clear and accessible four step process for individuals to become FREE AGENTS. It provides strategies and tips for individuals to answer four critical questions: What is the market that I want to serve? What are the unmet needs of this market? What are the assets I bring that can meet these need? How can I continue to acquire new skills, experiences, and relationships that enable me to sustain my employability in that market? This book helped me understand how I need to change my attitudes and actions to create and sustain my own employability. It also helped me see what companies are doing to attract individuals with the skills they need to succeed.

A well-written and logical exploration of the new workplace for both the "employee" & "employer". Defines roles and scenarios for "Free Agents" who shape their careers within one company as well as those who move from company to company. It goes well below the surface (and platitudes) of most self-help books to give real concepts and tools for developing your career and marketability, independent of a specific job or title. It also gives usable guidelines to employers on how to maximize the strengths of "Free Agents" to help grow the company. Case studies highlight the key elements

Vanier is a rare, authentic individual. I don't know of a smaller book that is so large on wisdom. If you ask those that have been through a formation program for the gem of their experience, it often comes in the form of "embrace your shadow." From Brokenness to Community makes the same point.

Vulnerable, we become approachable. Community is possible.
Aware of our shadow, we become less judgmental. Community is possible.

The residents of Vanier's community have severe physical and mental handicaps which soon test the souls of "regular" community members who support them. Once anger, jealousy, rivalry and impatience is exposed, it can be acknowledged and dealt with. The "evil" is not so much in the community as it is in ME. Contact with the handicapped residents is healing, transformational. People become "real." Community results from the relationship established among authentic people.

"Elitism is the sickness of us all...Healing takes place at the bottom of the ladder, not at the top."

-Jack H. Bender, author of Disregarded: Transforming the School and Workplace through Deep Respect and Courage

After nearly 20 years, Vanier's words still ring true. His insights are at the heart of the gospel. One of his more powerful observations is that Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, not those who serve the poor. We all need to attend the "university of the poor" to learn of our own brokenness and so enter into community.

This book takes only couple of hours to read, but will take years of living to digest.

This deceptively brief yet measurelessly profound collection of talks given by the late, great Jean Vanier as part of the Harvard Divinity School's Wit Lecture series, after invitation by the great Catholic theologian Father Henri Nouwen, has been happily presented by the fine and faithful Catholic publishing house Paulist Press, from Mahwah, New Jersey, first printed fifteen years ago. Time now to read and pray with this book as we seek reconciliation and community with one another, in repentance and forgiveness, as Our Holy Father exhorts us, compelled by the mystery of the Eucharist, in his recent Sacramentum Caritatis: el Sacramento de la Caridad: una Exhortacion Apostolica Postsinodal

Father Henri Nouwen, renowned and prolific author of such spiritual classics as Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life, Spiritual Journals: The Genesee Diary, Gracias!, the Road to Daybreak and Clowning in Rome Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation, as well as so many others, gladly writes the inroduction to this book, putting clearly and concisely the spiritual and social significance of this work. Ronald F. Thieman, Professor at Harvard Divinity, then delivers an historical and theological presentation of the two lectures, which were given in Cambridge Massachusetts in November of 1988, the twenty fifth anniversary of the Kennedy killing.

Although now nearly twenty years have passed since the delivery of these lectures, we need them now more than ever, as our broken world breaks more and our hearts turn against our brothers and our sisters and our neighbors, as we forget the commandments of Our professed Lord Jesus Christ to Love our Enemies and to do good to those who harm us, to love one another as He has loved us.

This book, though brief draws us to fulfill the climactic and closing words of Our Holy Father's Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis mentioned above as, compelled by our participation in the Holy Eucharist, we are compelled in all humility to seek reconciliation and forgiveness with one another, and a more just and peaceful world.

The great Jean Vanier therefore illustrates this path from Brokenness to Community, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, in his usual direct and compassionate manner, full of examples from his worldwide communities of the broken, the disabled, the rejected and the hurt, finding made real one with the other God's Love for once and for all in their long, lonely lives. I wish an audiobook of these lectures were available, even though we have now lost forever in this world the great and prophetic voice of Jean Vanier, not only as mine own eyes grow dim, but for that Word to suffuse me and to inspire me and to carry me towards the humility of reconciliation and compassion, the seeking of forgiveness and of God's Love.

Please, you will not be disappointed by this brief book, now so affordable, a bargain at any price, for how may we measure the cost of GOd's Love? Come from our divided and individual brokenness into the joy and peace of God's Community with this book in hand, reading every step of the rugged way.

A good book to have.

Anyone interested in community organizing, legal advocacy on behalf of community groups, and environmental justice work will benefit from this book's in-depth analysis of the struggles and achievements of neighborhood groups battling environmental injustice, and its valuable insights into community organizing strategies and the role of lawyers and the legal system in promoting social change. Although the authors fully acknowledge the prevalence of racism in our society and the lack of easy fixes to the problems faced by disadvantaged communities, they nevertheless convey an inspiring sense of idealism and optimism about the future possibilities for "the movement".

The story tells about history and environment racism. It has a very good idea of racism. It also talks about environmental justice. People would like this book. Two thumbs and eight fingers up!

For those people who want a wide-ranging introduction to the environmental justice movement and its legal arm, this is the place to turn. Written by a movement lawyer activist and a legal academic, this book captures the social and legal evolution of the environmental justice movement in a way that highlights the work of the communities themselves. Vigorously written, the book would be worth the price just for the chapter on transformative politics and its comprehensive annotated bibliography. A must have.

If ever there was a textbook that could turn America's drive toward mediocraty, this is it. Demming would be ill with envy if he had only a chance to read it. This book is also very interesting to read, filled with captivating stories that relate to real-life situations that the author, Mr. Cappels, has solved. It reamins out of print, it will be worth a trip to the locat library.

This novel exceeds in character depth , beauty of language,and historical resonance like no other I have ever read .Incomparable.Some may attempt to feel American; some may come close..........but this is, unquestionably, the finest novel written by an American, about Americans,(ideal, imperfect,heroic, and oh so gracefully flawed) as one can ever hope to dream of reading.......This book is my restful dream, my hot summer night, my broken heart, my bullet-proof vision, and the reason my first born son will bear the name Augustus...

This book literally changed my life. This book is packed with a plethora of portent. A must have for anyone who is anyone. I liked the authors style and wit. I could not put it down.

I have used almost every idea in this book. These things really put the responsibility back on the kids. Pinellas County, FL is really into CLS and total quality management. This book gives you all the help you need to change your classroom. I would recommend this book to any teacher!

This book is filled with ideas and concepts that are simple to implement. Best of all, the kids LOVE the things we do from this book. I teach fifth grade and use this book on a daily basis in order to have "Total Quality Management" in my class. The ground rules and expectations started out this school year with a BANG and my students love that they are stockholders in the classroom. They respect each other better than I ever thought imaginable and encourage each other throughout the day! This book should be purchased by every teacher, administrator, and superintendent.

This book is a useful resource guide for teachers. It helps develop capable kids by providing them with the right 'tools' for learning in the classroom environment. McClanahan and Wicks answer the question of how to introduce quality principles into the classroom that encourage a focus on process, the customer, and continuous learning in order to improve the standard of education for students. They have designed and produced a set of principles, skills and strategies that enable children to be continuous learners, prepared for contributing in the 21st century. This book is a practical companion to Glasser's "Quality School Teacher", (1993).

As a college student and aspiring civil servant, I definitely recommend this title to all young people who are interested in the nonprofit world. Dr. Raymond's explanations are clear, understandible, and precise. Even in the community work I do as an extra-curricular activity, I have seen the beginnings of some of the trends Dr. Raymond outlines. A friend even used this book as a reference for a sociology paper.

For any young person who hopes to spend part of their professional life in nonprofits, this book is a great introduction to the field. You really get a sense of the kinds of issues that will be faced by organizations in the next 10 years.

This book should be read by anyone who is interested in the future of philanthropy. The author shows how economic trends will affect donors and recipients alike, and points out the challenges -- from ethics to fiscal responsibility -- that nonprofits will increasingly face. The style is refreshing and the scholarship superb.

As usual, Dr. Raymond excels at asking the tough questions, even if easy or pat answers are not available. She realizes that nonprofit status - that philanthropy itself - is a grant made on the public commons and that therefore, nonprofits and those that support them must hold themselves to a higher standard. I've been reading her newsletters forever. Get this book!

I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is mainly about Galileo's theory of universe and the trial of Galileo which was caused by his conflict with the Catholic Church. This book also talks about Galileo's life briefly. I learned about theories that influenced Galileo's ideas and his opinion toward Copernicus's theory which stated that the all of the planets, including the earth, revolved around the sun.

This is a brief, well balanced account of the conflict between Galileo and the Church. It opens with an insightful look at the world view and astronomy of the late 1500's, including a detailed look at the role of Scripture in these views. This is followed with a thorough description of Galileo's life and how his conflict with the church unfolded. The final chapter is a fascinating overview of the relationships between faith, science and philosophy since Galileo's time. It's not overly difficult reading, though it deals with science, theology and philosophy. The book is a fair account, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of Galileo and some Church officials in how they approached the issues. It also critiques some long held cultural assumptions about the causes, events and meaning of this case (ex: Galileo was never tortured; some lower Church officials who disliked Galileo gave the Pope misleading reports, etc). Definitely worth reading!!

Langford is even-handed and doesn't withhold criticism of academia and the Catholic Church for its handling of Galileo and his books.

What I was taught by public school and the popular press:
The Catholic Church persecuted Galileo because he asserted the Earth revolved around the Sun, and was threatened with torture and death. Copernicus delayed publishing his theory for fear of persecution from the Church, finally publishing it on his deathbed in 1543.

What Langford convincingly shows from research into primary documents:
The Catholic Church was more receptive to the heliocentric theory than the universities. Pope Clement requested a hearing of Copernicus' theory in the Vatican gardens, and was "quite favorably impressed" with the theory. Copernicus was afraid of persecution from his peers, the universities, not the Catholic Church. His fears were well founded, as Galileo discovered years later. Galileo received the full weight of academic condemnation and ridicule for daring to buck the Ptolemic status quo. When professors realized peer pressure wouldn't silence Galileo, they turned to the Church for help. Fortunately, a good portion of the Church was behind Galileo. The head of one Jesuit college wrote to Galileo to say that his astronomers and mathematicians had confirmed his theory, but wanted more proof. Galileo's efforts were further encouraged by Pope Urban. His first trial resulted in being admonished not to teach it as fact, but was welcome to teach it as theory. Unfortunately, by the time of his second trial in 1633, he had managed to alienate his support, partly by insisting his theory be taught as fact. One of his proofs was tides--he believed they were cause by the Earth sloshing the oceans. He also insisted on circular orbits, and refused to consider Kepler's calculations on elliptical orbits, which would have corrected errors he and others found in his model. He was tried a second time for teaching the theory as fact, not for teaching the theory. He was never tortured or shown a dungeon. His house arrest consisted of a five-room apartment with a servant at his disposal, and was free to roam Rome while awaiting trial. After the trial, he was released. True he was threatened with imprisonment, but at his age, Langford asserts, both he and the court officials knew it would not be carried out; the sentence would have been mitigated.

In short, Galileo and Copernicus were treated by the academia in much the same way they treat new ideas today. For an explanation of why the geo-centric theory isn't Biblical in principle or origin, read Sampson's Six Modern Myths.

There is a good reason that Peter Brinckerhoff is the only person to win the McAdam Award for the best nonprofit management book of the year twice: its because he writes the best nonprofit management books. Generations is a must read for anyone who wants a vital, dynamic, forward thinking board for the 21st centuary. Carol Weisman, CSP, MSW

Last week, one of my senior staff members complained because I call too many meetings and am always trying to build consensus when everyone knows that the job of a boss is to tell people what to do. At the same time, another younger staff member came and asked if we could have more meetings because they feel "out of the loop" in the decision making process. Clearly there was a difference in generations talking!

J.B. Priestly once wrote, "There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age - I missed it coming and going." As an aging baby boomer, I have often felt like Priestly, especially when leading my nonprofit organization and dealing with everyday generational issues like the one I cited above.

However, Peter C. Brinkerhoff's book, "Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Your Nonprofit", offers some practical ways of looking at the dilemma of generational diversity. Like most of Brinkerhoff's books, this one is a practical guide. He has discussion questions, practical examples and exercises for thinking about this grossly engaging and extremely complex subject. He examines generational differences in the way that staff members interact. In one of the best sections on Board and Volunteers, he talks about the way generational diversity changes the way boards make decisions and the way volunteers are recruited. In the final sections, Brinkerhoff talks about changes that will occur to the people that your nonprofit serves and how you can market your services to them.

Brinkerhoff outlines "Six Big Actions" that are at the core of generational planning. He shows how each of these Actions can be used to look at generational issues with staff, boards and constituents. This is a wonderful framework to examine and to structure change within any nonprofit (or for profit) organization.

Finally, Brinkerhoff builds on the great work of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and talks about what has been referred to as "The Nonprofit Leadership Crisis" - the great turnover in nonprofit executives that will occur in the next ten years. As the Casey Foundation has reminded us, the "Next Shift" in nonprofit leadership will change not only the faces in nonprofit leadership, but also in many ways will change the perceptions of leaders. Leaders with different generational issues and values will occupy seats previously held by the Baby Boom Generation. How these generational shifts change the nature and complexity of our nonprofit organizations will be fascinating to watch. Beyond that, Brinkerhoff gives us some practical ways of evaluating that change yet keeping our nonprofit organizations focused on our true missions.

Hello, I work for the publisher, Fieldstone Alliance. "Generations" is our most popular book this year! Author Peter Brinckerhoff has been requested to speak on the topic of Generational Change by groups all across the nation. Amazon does not currently offer this title for sale. In the meantime you may order it directly from our website as well as use all of our free tools and articles. Search on Fieldstone Alliance to find us easily.