Organizations Books

Excellent modern history of the US military from the Vietnam War up until 1995 or so. The history is told through semi-biographies of officers who began their careers around the time of the Vietnam War and chose to stay in the military, despite all of the problems that were evident in Vietnam. The draft, which brought in sub-standard service members, was a disastrous way to build a military. Thankfully, a number of dedicated people stuck around to see the military made stronger. From the all-volunteer military, to the GI Bill, to the Reagan defense build=up, to the Goldwater-Nichols Act, to the Gulf War, highly motivated and intelligent men helped improve the military so that it could overwhelm the Iraqi forces in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

One of the officers who was featured quite prominently was Barry McCaffrey. I have come to appreciate his interesting analysis on television, but I never knew his life story. Though it didn't surprise me as I knew he retired as a general, but what an impressively courageous man he has been throughout his military career! What he went through in Vietnam is enough to amaze even the gutsiest American.

Another interesting aspect of the book was the coverage of contentious social issues that the military has had to deal with: race, women, and gays and lesbians. Kitfield pointed out the increasingly important role that blacks and women have played in the US Armed Forces.

Regrettably we are left to wonder what happened since then when our powerful military get sucked into a war in Iraq, starting in 2003 with no end in sight, without a plan to finish it. It's easy enough to point to Tommy Franks, Richard Myers, and others, but maybe there's a larger institutional story to tell about the debacle that is now Iraq. Hopefully Kitfield will tell that story too. He has a book out about Iraq, but since it was written a year or two ago, it can't possibly accommodate for all that has occurred since publication.

James Kitfield has studied one of the most turbulent times in American military history and distilled its lessons into one tightly written narrative that is both engaging and full of tremendous insight. The passage through the ranks of the Vietnam generation officer corps molded our 1980's military into a truly revolutionary force. Their experiences in the muddle of Vietnam and the lessons they extracted colored every decision and every reform they sought in their service. In the end, while not perfect, these able officers forged a doctrine based around rapid, audacious movement, technology and local authority--all things lacking in Vietnam. The payoff came with the tremendous victory in the 1991 Gulf War.

This book needs to be read by every officer in every service. Study this, extract the lessons. Many of the mistakes made during the Vietnam-Era have now repeated themsleves in the War on Terror. Many of the lessons Colin Powell and others taught us during Desert Storm have already been forgotten.

If you are an officer, buy this book. Let it guide you through the many critical decisions you will have to face during the years ahead as you work your way through your own career. And never forget the most important lesson of all: never chose your career and its future over doing the right thing. Prodigal Soldiers pointedly demonstrates that when senior officers do that, men die needlessly.

John Bruning
Author of "The Devil's Sandbox: At War with the 2-162 Infantry in Iraq"
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I first read James Kitfield's book in 2000 and have just finished rereading it. I am recommending it to my sons, an Air Force pilot working on his master's in military science and an Army combat engineer, as one of the four most influential books on the development of the United States military since WW II. The author traces in a very readable style the coming of age of the officers of all branches of service during the Viet Nam and post-Viet Nam eras and how those experiences shaped our ability to win a decisive victory in the 1990 Gulf War. The book also reveals the back room political wheeling and dealing that goes into watershed legislation such as the sweeping reforms of the Goldwater-Nichols Act. It's a "must read" for every professional military leader and student of the art of war.

When you read a book like this and have seen the Army at its best and worst. That and have seen the gradual improvement to where the Army is today, i.e. one of the most trusted institutions and one of the greatest killing machines since the Roman Legions under the early Caesars. I just feel better and safer. That and I want to thank all those who did not turn tail and run away from the wreck of the post Vietnam War Military but stayed and fixed it. God Bless you all!

From the prologue to the epilogue, and everything in between, this book is fantastic reading. Anyone who has ever been associated with the U.S. military will have a much clearer picture of the totality of resurection within all the services after Vietnam. "Duty, Honor, and Country" does not always mean the same thing to different people, to some it means a career that spans over thirty years, to others the words are just something on a recruiting poster. To anyone who reads the book these three words will take on a much clearer meaning. Some chapters will cause tears in even the toughest of old veterans, and even the young generation of future service members will begin to understand some of the major events which have transpired in the military in the decades since Vietnam. James Kitfield tells a story that is not just a chronicle, or a documentary, but a story worthy of telling, and he does it with style.

I haven't read the last book in this series yet but up until now book 4 "A Quarter for a Kiss" has been the best one so far. I am about to read the next one so I might change my mind. While the first three books started off slow, this one started out from the beginning keeping you in suspense. It was at least 1/3 through the other books before it even got suspenseful. Also in this book we learn a great deal about the mysterious Tom Bennett. We learn about his past and his connection to Eli. We also learn some secrets about Eli but I won't mention it here and spoil the story for you. Callie and Tom's romance grows stronger in this one. Another thing about this book and I believe which has already been mentioned is that this book ends on a cliffhanger. None of her other books have done this. I'm starting book five which is the last. I regret it is the last. I'm going to miss Callie and Tom.

The entire series has been exceptional. I have learned a lot about charitable organizations while enjoying the mysteries. Mindy Starns Clark is one of my favorite authors and she did a great job on this book. Each book has had a major mystery, but a secondary one in the person of Tom. It has been interesting as we have learned more about Tom in each book. I think a movie series could be made of these outstanding stories - expecially this one.

The first book in the Million Dollar Mysteries that you get to see Callie and Tom work so closely together. Clark drives the story along amongst breathtaking scenery, and mounting action. She kept me turing the pages and I finished the story in a short time. The Christianity part wasn't overbearing. I enjoyed being able to see a bit more of Tom, and can't wait to read what the next book will tell of him and Callie.

The only flaw with the series is that the story is "told" to you. I feel as if I don't get to feel and see as Callie actually does, that she is holding me slightly at bay. For a story written in FP POV, I'd like to have more of my senses involved. But it still is a good read.

Tom and Callie finally get to spend some time getting to know each other in person. Almost alone at a retreat in North Carolina, one week has stretched into three, but the real world is calling again and they must reluctantly part ways.

Just as they reach the airport, Callie gets a phone call from Stella Gold. Her husband Eli has just been shot by a sniper and is in surgery. Before loosing consciousness, he specifically asked for the two of them to come. Since Eli is such a good friend, they drop everything and rush to his bed side.

A PI, Callie wants to figure out what happened to Eli. The only clue is a warning from someone named Nadine. When Eli and Stella's condo is searched, it is further proof that someone is after him. Where might he have hidden his notes? And why did Eli request Tom's presence?

As this series has progressed, the plots have only gotten strong, and this book is no exception. It starts with a bang and keeps right on going. Every time an answer comes, it only leaves more questions. Yet Callie and Tom keep digging, getting themselves further and further in trouble. While some things seemed obvious a little early on, there are still several nice twists along the way that keep the reader guessing.

Fans of the series will be happy to learn that Tom is a very active part of this book instead of only a presence like in previous entries. In fact, we even get to learn what he does, finally. His relationship with Callie continues to grow as she continues to move on from her husband's death. In fact, one of the strong points of the series is watching Callie finally truly deal with her grief.

The writing style is still a little rough, keeping the reader a little more at bay by telling instead of showing. It's not a big problem, however, and I found myself staying up too late reading every night to see what would happen in the next chapter.

The only problem with this book is the cliffhanger ending. Even though I saw it coming (I've read the back of the next book already), it still left me wanting to pick up the next book right away. Which isn't really a bad thing at all.

With a strong plot and great characters, this Christian mystery series is wonderful entertainment.

Charity investigator Callie Webber finally seems to be having some joy in her life. Although heartbroken by the death of her beloved husband in a boating accident, she has just started to explore a relationship with Tom Bennett, Callie's boss and the philanthropist behind the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation. As they are ending their vacation together in the North Carolina mountains they receive a devastating call; Eli Gold, Tom's friend and Callie's mentor, has just been shot and his last words before sliding into unconsciousness were to ask for the couple's help.

After rushing to Eli's bedside they discover that he had been tracking down a woman he had thought was dead but is apparently very much alive. Callie also learns that Eli has been hiding his own secret past, namely his history with the National Security Agency and his ties with the mysterious woman. As Tom and Callie follow the trail to the Caribbean island of St. John they find themselves involved in a complicated scheme involving art fraud, secret identities, and double-crosses. Complicating matters is that just as Callie allows herself to believe that it's possible to find two loves in a lifetime she must confront Tom's own past and whether she has enough trust left in her to believe in him.

Although labeled an inspirational Christian mystery, Quarter for a Kiss easily crosses into the mainstream thriller genre with its fascinating plot and fast pace. The action speeds up as Tom and Callie use his rock climbing skills to stage an elaborate break-in into an extensively guarded home and coordinate their investigation with federal agents. One of the most entertaining scenes is the detailed description of Callie's attempt to place bugs within the home of their suspect by using actual bug traps. Additionally, Clark so vividly paints a picture of St. John that the reader feels the breezes and sees the clear ocean. The author successfully creates great characters that are conflicted and very real, from Jodi, Eli's immature adult daughter, to Sergeant Abraham Ruhl, the St. John's police officer who is unwilling to give up his investigation to Interpol or the NAS. Of course, Clark's greatest achievement comes with Callie and Tom, who are both very engaging and slowly building a stronger relationship together. Callie's wit, investigative skills, perseverance, and faith will ensure the success of this fourth entry in the winning Million Dollar Mystery series.

Raising Money Through Bequests is a very fast, easy read but so informative. It is a step by step approach to raising funds through bequests. I wish I would have had this book 18 years ago when I started development work. I have used some of these steps and will continue to use this as a guide for our ongoing quest in this area of fundraising.

Our group is Guardian Angel Basset Rescue, one of the largest purebred dog rescues in the Midwest. We have been in existence for 11 years and have been able to raise necessary operating expenses over that time. Now we are building for the future.

I needed a road map for our next step - "Raising Money..." came along at exactly the right time. It's a very easy read but a powerful read at the same time. Simply put, I cannot recommend the book enough.

It has started us down the road that we now need to follow. I can't wait to see the implimentation of these concepts with our successful group.

A wonderful A to Z primer on how to use this remarkable tool to our organization's advantage, Mr. Valinsky and Ms. Boyd use short snippets of real world experience and humor to make their points. I especially felt that I could hit the ground running with their common sense approach, plus their easy-to-use templates. I was impressed with the emphasis on cultivating and maintaining relationships in order to succeed in this area. Too often the mechanics are hit hard, while overlooking the importance of seeing the potential donor as a human being with feelings and concerns. Simple maxims such as effective listening pervaded this book through. I highly recommend this book to any organization planning a fundraising effort.

Gave me the basics that I could share with the leaders of my church to help get started in the area of bequests and planned giving.

This book is a very good summary that lays out the opportunity, process, and specifics on how to raise money through bequests.

Our charitable organization is using the process and examples to set up our planned giving (bequest) process.

It is very clear, concise, easy to follow, and provides some great examples!

THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT is the classic text for monastic life. Reading it will be interesting to most modern Protestants, much the way that trivia written on a Pringles potato chip is interesting.

HOWEVER, if the modern Protestant reader makes a couple of simple substitutions (i.e. monastery = church life, abbot = pastor, etc.) the rule takes on a new life and makes an excellent devotional booklet.

This short book is all about life within community, which is often an Achilles heel of Protestant churches. Within the covers of this book are hard hitting comments about holding the tongue, silence, humility, submission, hospitality, living a life of prayer, decision making, etc. With a few minor alterations these comments are as applicable to modern Protestants as to sixth century monastics. Do not get hung up on the particulars, focus on the principles. I don't know of many monks today that sleep in common bunk houses, but they still focus on the communal truths contained in the text.

If you are a Protestant, do not shy away from this book. It has the potential to deepen your understanding of the church.

Father Timothy Fry OSB, a monk of St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, Kansas, and editor of RB 1980, died at the Abbey on Saturday, January 20. He was 91 years old. Born in Paxico, Kansas, Fr. Timothy professed first monastic vows in 1936 and became a priest in 1941. The monks will celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday morning, January 25 2007, at the Abbey.

There seems to be some confusion over which edition these reviews are about. If the product details for the page you are looking at show less than 100 pages, this is a basic copy of the Rule of St. Benedict. If you are looking for the Rule (RB 1980), in Latin and English (with excellent notes from Timothy Fry), it should be a little less then 700 pages.

Truly this is the centerpiece, with the Gospels and Cassian and Origen, etc., for any Catholic monastic library, and yet other translations can be found, in particular Doyle's clear and faithful reading version of The Rule of Saint Benedict. I shall give a few reasons for this determination in a moment.

This review refers of course to the 627 page reference work published by Collegeville's Liturgical Press, with Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, which still bear some small significance for some of us, upon the occassion of the 1500th anniversary of Saint Benedict's birth. Surprisingly the product detail page here on amazon gives us few details of this irreplaceable and comprehensive and monumental and historic work. Permit me this disclaimer that my poor summary here in no way can replace a careful personal examination of this necessary book, and space prevents neither such a presentation nor a careful theological examination.

Briefly therefore this work opens with a contextual and historical forward by Martin Burne, OSB, of Saint Mary's in Morristown. What follows is a Preface by the head stylist, Rev. Timothy Fry, OSB, of Atchison, who explains the process of translation by committee as well as explaining the lay-out and the production and producers of this monumental Benedictine work, and assorted acknowledgements. As Father Timothy explains, Part I is the Introduction with a history of monasticism in order to set the Rule of Saint Benedict in its historical and cultural context, including an understanding of the references to other authors made by Saint Benedict. Part II presents the amazing core of this work: a side by side publication of the original Latin text of Saint Benedict alongside (on the facing page) the new English translation, including for the first time in English the Anselmo Lentini 1947 versification. Extensive explanatory notes also grace these pages. Part III contains long expository essays in a way not available in the explanatory notes, with cross references. These essays include long examinations and definitions of terms such as Monk, Cenobite, Nun, Abbot, as well as the Liturgical Code of Saint Benedict. They also consider his Disciplinary Measures, and methods of formation and profession. They examine how Saint Benedict interprets Holy Scripture, and compares him to another early Monastic Rule.

Part Four is an excellent Thematic Index, with Patristic, Scriptural and a General Index. The Thematic Index features a useful explanation of Latin terminology, and especially vaulable is the Selected Latin COncordance which precedes it. This very extensive Concordance indicates Saint Benedict's usage of nearly every term in the Rule, using Lentini's versification, most often within a brief context, and is most useful to students not only of the Rule but of Latin. The Indexing is really very complete and varied in methodologies, and quickly lost among them all is the wonderful few pages indicating Benedicitne Houses in North America, including Regina Laudis, etc.

Now a small note about the translation by committee, which I find a bit academic in style and complex in syntax. Perhaps I have simply grown to love the Doyle translation of the The Rule of Saint Benedict, but comparing it to the original Latin as avaiable here, I find it even more faithful. For example let us look at a few lines before I use up my space alloted here upon the broad amazon.

Latin as you may know arranges its sentences in order of importance, with the verb finally bringin up the rear and breaking that suspense. Thusly we ordinarily read the most important or stressed elements first and less emphasized items later, with the big bang of the verb closing the sentence.

Therefore let us look at Chapter 53 On the Reception of Guests, at line 6 (following Lentini) and seven and part of eight:

In ipsa autem salutatione omnis exhibeatur humilitas omnibus venientibus sive discedentibus hospitibus: inclinato capite vel prostrato omni corpore in terra, Christus in eis adoretur qui et suscipitur. Suscepti autem hospites ducantur ad orationem ( . . .)

This Fry committee translation reads: "All humility should be shown in addressing a guest on arrival or departure. By a bow of the head or by a complete prostration on the body, Christ is to be adored because he is indeed welcomed in them. After the guests have been received, they should be invited to pray ( . . .)"

The Doyle reads the same in the reading for April 4, August 4, December 4: "In the salutation of all guests, whether arriving or departing, let all humility be shown. Let the head be bowed or the whole body prostrated on the ground in the adoration of Christ, who indeed is received in their persons. After the guests have been received and taken to prayer ( . . .)"

I prefer therefore the more substantial reading by Doyle, who speaks of the earth mentioned by Benedict, and who stresses receiving Christ in the guests, as the phrase runs: Christ in them is adored, who is also received. Notice "in eis" immediately follows "Christus," stressing the unity and importance, unlike Fry who moves "in them" to the end of the sentence, leaving the adoration of Christ rather distant and vague. Benedict "autem" here stresses the Eucharistic dimension of receiving guests at a monastery as receiving Christ, in adoration, and elsewhere stresses the greater worshipful loving care with which the poor and homeless are received. Therefore, in this case, I find the Doyle not only more readable but also more closely reflective of the meaning of Saint Benedict. Of course, I would prefer by far to have performed long ago my own "invisibly" faithful translation!

Further reflection on this Chapter 53 reveals this further order in regard to the poor and the homeless, which bears comparative study of the translations. At line fifteen by the Lentini versification, Saint Benedict writes: "Pauperum et peregrinorum maxime susceptioni cura sollicite exhibeatur, quia in ipsis magis Christus suscipitur; nam divitum terror ipse sibi exigit honorem."

Fry et al. translate this intriguing order as: "Great care and concern are to be shown in receiving poor people and pilgrims, because in them more particularly Christ is received; our very awe of the rich guarantees them special respect."

Doyle presents this as: "In the reception of the poor and of pilgrims the greatest care and solicitude should be shown, because it is especially in them that Christ is received; for as far as the rich are concerned, the very fear which they inspire wins respect for them."

Yet clearly any first year Latin student can see how both have softballed this important and strong line. A closer parsing may be, for instance: "The poor and the homeless must be received showing the maximum care and sollicitude, because within them, themselves, is Christ most greatly received; as the very terror of the rich squeezes out for them honors."

Notice how clearly Saint Benedict here defines two important theological currents. From the beginnings of our Church, in Jesus's commands to feed the hungry and clothe the naked and release from debts, etc., in the community sharing of the Acts of the Apostles, through CELAM's definition at Medellin of our "preferential option for the poor" we see the need for practicing our Faith in serving the poor, in whom we meet and receive Christ, eucharistically. This is the second constant current, from the beginning, through Benedict, through the ages, through Father Schillebeeckx's The Eucharist, through Father Tissa's The Eucharist and Human Liberation, through Sacramento de La Caridad: Sacramentum Caritatis, we meet and we receive Christ in one another and especially in the poor, in a Eucharistic sacrament and celebration. Saint Benedict repeats this truth of our Faith on numerous occassions and in numerous places as displayed in this tome's thematic index.

Another interesting line of course is found at Chapter 55, verse 18 by Lentini: "Et ut hoc vitium peculiaris radicitus amputetur, dentur ab abbate omnia quae sunt necessaria ( . . .)" which Fry reports as "In order that this vice of private ownership may be completely uprooted, the abbot is to provide all things necessary ( . . .)." This line of course is soon followed by reference to the Acts of the Apostles: "Distribution was made to each according as anyone had need." And Doyle reads it as: "And in order that this vice of private ownership may be cut out by the roots, the Abbot should provide all the necessary articles ( . . .)" which are basically clothing, shoes, a handkerchief and writing instruments. The Latin reads strongly on this point And so that this vice of private ownership can be amputated (or ripped out) by the roots, it falls to the abbot to provide all that is necessary.

Not much variation here, but read the line preceding this one: Quae tamen lecta frequentur ab abbate scrutinanda sunt propter opus peculiare, ne inveniatur; et si cui inventum fuerit quod ab abbate non accepit, gravissima disciplinae subiaceat.

What does this say to our individualist consumer society, and to those books available here which appallingly claim to apply Benedictine principles to business practices? Do they as Benedict commands give last year's goods and belongings to the poor?

We need to study this good book closely today, and put her into practice in our lives, build our communities, and, as Saint Benedict so kindly and gently and correctly writes, pray we all come together unto eternal life.

In regards to the english/latin version: This book was standard reading in my novitiate, but I fell in love with the historical information as well as the commentary that goes with the rule. I would recommend this book to anybody considering any type of religious vocation as well as to those who are interested in the history of christian monasticism.

Dean William's remarkable book tackles a subject almost completely ignored by most management courses and books on leadership. Context matters when deciding what are the most appropriate responses leaders can have to different situations. His insight about the five different leadership challenges--from crisis to development--creates a taxonomy that is not only useful, but also provides the reader (an aspiring leader) with practical diagnostic and interventional tools. His examples and case studies support his thesis that these different challenges are not dependent upon culture, but on three universal dimensions: The condition of the people, the barrier to overcome, and the promise on the other side. Not only do I use these insights in my own work, I have successfully integrated it leadership development courses on several continents.

One is intrigued early on to read Harvard University's Dean Williams categorize much of what passes today for "leadership" as a "preoccupation with dominance," and not authentic, transformative, long-lasting influence. The book just gets better from there.

Offering a refreshing global perspective derived largely from personal experience, the globe-trotting Williams proposes that the proper function and purpose of leadership is to be wisely adaptive (flexible) to the difficult realities of a given organization's most pressing challenges -- the primary threats or opportunities that must be confronted in order to progress. Adaptive Leadership styles contemplate and correspond to Activist, Development, Transition, Maintenance, Creative, and Crisis modes.

Highly readable and highly useable (typical of Berrett-Koehler publications) material for those charged with leading organizations... which may simply include one's own family.

Coke Newell, MSPR, consultant and author, "Journey to Edaphica"

This book debunks popular leadership notions of the strong visionary charismatic individual who stands head and shoulders above others leading his followers to victory.

Dean William's premise is that at the end of the day a group of people themselves need to confront their reality and themselves contend with conflicting demands on their ingrained values, habits and practices. This is easier said than done of course. The role of someone exercising true leadership is to help the group analyze it's challenges (and it shows how to do so) and help them come to terms with attitudinal shifts they may have to make to respond to these challenges. It provides an excellent framework to analyze context specific leadership challenges as well as the tussle between a groups feeling, the barriers to progress in exercising leadership and potential rewards should progress be achieved.

It goes to the core of the leadership matter and explores issues with examples across the private enterprise, politics, non profits and the public sector. The book is replete with colorful anecdotes, topical and historical examples and news items which help to intuitively clarify the context and challenges of leadership. In order to illustrate concepts Williams examines characters and contexts from popular movies that many of us may have seen (Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia, the Fog of War, The Last Samurai etc) through the prism of his framework. For me this helped to do away with much of the jargon one sees these days in the academic literature on leadership.

`Real Leadership' does not stop at just analysis and interpretation. It also provides valuable practical tools and strategies for one to actually do something about it.

Overall an excellent read and decidedly a book worth buying.

No quick fixes in this book, but instead practical tools to enable people to focus on what Williams calls 'real leadership'. A unique thesis, excellently written. Real substance, not empty management speak and psycho-babble. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This book was so inspirational and useful for me. I am senior manager and I have no doubt my leadership will improve because of this book. Williams's way of distinguishing real leadership from counterfeit leadership is novel and groundbreaking. It really hits what's going on in my organization. But the book also helps you to interpret the quality of the leadership in the country. Are they real leaders or counterfeit leaders? What a great question. The stories he presents are engaging and illuminating in regards to the principles of great leadership. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making a difference in their organization or community. It is very different from all the other books out there.

I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Cindy Gordon and Dr. Claudio Terra recently at the Knowledge Management Conference in New York, where I attended a workshop with them. Their depth of knowledge in this area is world-class, and the insights they shared in their new book demystified the realities of implementing enterprise corporate portals. Their business strategy accumen, and balanced practical experiences make them a refreshing change to consultants with no substance - as they are experts with strong proven credentialing. What prompted me to write this review was their humbleness in their workshop and openness to learn from us as attendees. Their appetite for learning from those around them was very refreshing and I am looking forward to their next book as well.

I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Cindy Gordon and Dr. Claudio Terra recently at the Knowledge Management Conference in New York, where I attended a workshop with them. Their depth of knowledge in this area is world-class, and the insights they shared in their new book demystified the realities of implementing enterprise corporate portals. Their business strategy accumen, and balanced practical experiences make them a refreshing change to consultants with no substance - as they are experts with strong proven credentialing. What prompted me to write this review was their humbleness in their workshop and openness to learn from us as attendees. Their appetite for learning from those around them was very refreshing and I am looking forward to their next book as well.

I've read one book after another about attaining a viable knowledge management solution using corporate portals, and was left wanting because the books either required great leaps of faith or were little more than marketing hype. This book closes all of the gaps between theory and practical application, and backs up assertions with a wealth of case studies that prove the connection between the goal (KM) and the means (portals).

In the first part of the book the authors address knowledge management and portals at the conceptual level. The second part is comprised of case studies that fully support the concepts by showing how results were achieved in a large number of corporate settings. Each case is a study in specific goals and objectives unique to companies that embarked on KM initiatives, and are diverse enough to overlap with your own goals and objectives. The important material covers barriers, how they were overcame, results and how they improved business operations.

The authors are subject matter experts who come across as credible and factual, and the content of this book is accurate and hype-free. I like the way they place KM and portals within the context of business objectives, and the way they impart their extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of KM and portals. It's obvious that they are writing from the trenches, and equally obvious that they maintain an objective view throughout the book. Another aspect of this book that I like is how carefully they chose and documented the case studies. Each goes to the essence of concepts in the first part of the book, and clearly show that KM can be effectively achieved through correctly designed and implemented corporate portals. It's worth noting that Appendix B, "Technical criteria to select a corporate portal platform", is an invaluable tool for readers who are seriously considering an implementation.

If you only read one book about corporate portals this is the one I highly recommend.

I found this book to be a well researched and practical book for senior executives that want to clearly understand what an enterprise portal is, what the value is, and how to execute a portal strategy. I particularly found the lessons learned and best practices as very helpful insights. Highly recommend this book to be read by any one in senior management that needs the fundamentals, but also more experienced professionals implementing portal strategies.

This is the kind of book I actually hesitate to recommend because it is so good my greedy side wants to hoard the valuable knowledge it contains! I am in the "knowledge management" business and believe reading this book has given me a competitive advantage. I also believe that an organization seeking to deploy a knowledge portal of any kind should have this book beside them at all times. José Claudio Terra and Cindy Gordon get to the heart of what all the spending on "portals" is for: to drive value in your business. They also provide a roadmap for ensuring your efforts and spending don't go down as yet another misguided IT boondoggle. The 10 recent and originally researched case studies are like gold. This is a very good book. David Brett, CEO, Knexa.

This English translation of the French "Rule" of the Templars is an essential reference for all students of the Templars, and of the history of "related" organizations such as Freemasonry. The "Reception" ritual will be of special interest to Freemason's, as parts of it are hauntingly familiar.

This book has a lot of valuable information for anyone interested in the Templars. It has historical information in the preface and appendix and its content has every single rule the Knights of the Temple followed. It has every single battle rule and the everyday life activities of templars. The sins and the penitence, how to be admitted and the admittance ritual. How to get a counsil toghether, everything they were supposed to do. I suggest that if you are interested either in Templars or in the Dark Ages, you ought to buy this book.

Excellent. No doubt already on the shelves of those interested in this Medieval Catholic military lay religious order.
For the uninitiated reader, first read the Introduction, Primitive Rule, and Appendix. Then, the rest. To a reader for whom the Templars are "knights who fought in the crusades,"
the Rule will seem most unexpectedly profuse in dwelling upon internal monastic disciplines, religious guidelines, and personal observances. Regulations addressing military issues and a Knight's behavior in the field are present.
An appendix, coordinated with references to the Rule, treats some of the military aspect, especially in regards to the use of armed mounted force and the order's rankings.
If unfamiliar with the Military Orders, it will be an eye-opener as to what the Catholic Church proposed for its monks.
If doing extended reading elsewhere, a reader will be startled at the surprise ending of that now supressed Order. I would alert those who do followup, not to confuse "Templar," as properly used for this group, with some current appropriators of that name, used for purposes of having mystique of lore & legend.

J.M. Upton-Ward has earned my eternal respect for the work presented here. The Rule, so vital to understanding the Order is clearly layed out and explained. Additional information is also included making this the one "must own" book for Templar scholars.

The Rule of the Templars: The French Text of the Rule of the Order of the Knights Templar, Judi Upton-Ward (Woodbridge, UK: The Boydell Press, 1992)

The myths surrounding the Knights Templar range from tales of great treasure to legends concerning a wealth of wisdom kept secret for a thousand years. Many have tried to discover what this great esoteric wisdom was, but, so far, no one has been able to 'decipher' any of the so-called 'clues' allegedly left behind by the Templars. These references to secret wisdom perhaps arose from the accusations of secrecy brought against the order during their trial. What many failed to recognize, or perhaps ignored, was that as a military order, the Templars had many reasons to keep their Rule, which governed their lives and their behavior in battle, a secret. Fortunately for us living nearly a thousand years later, we now have access to this 'secret knowledge' through Judi Upton-Ward's translation of the French version of the Rule, found in her book, The Rule of the Templars. In this work, Upton-Ward translates not only the Templars' Rule but also the statutes and includes an article by Matthew Bennett that discusses the military side of the Rule. In translating the Templar Rule from the vernacular, Upton-Ward points out that this work is just how the Templars themselves would have read it, straight from their native language, rather than being written in Latin by scholars who may not have know the military implications of what they were writing about. The importance of the French text lies here. This was a work written by and for the military men of the order for the purpose of governing their lives and ordering their behavior. Like any well-oiled military machine, it was necessary for the Rule to contain information on how to act on and off the field, information the Templars would not have wanted to fall into enemy hands.

What Upton-Ward accomplishes with her translation of the Templar Rule is an accessible look at the 'secret knowledge' of the Templars and a detailed look at the lives the Templars led, which, it turns out, actually closely paralleled the lives of other religious orders, which a few changes needed to accommodate the military nature of the Templars. The work is easy to read and geared to both scholars and pleasure readers alike.


Jennifer Regan and Dr. Carl Edwin Lindgren

Inspiring, I give it two thumbs up for offering a sane point of view about minimizing bully and violence in schools, while staying sensitive to the young people at the same time.

I also went to the Safe School Ambassador website and saw a 4-minute NBC Today Show clip about this program. The clip gives a good summary of the authors' point of view, and you also get to hear some unscripted responses from young people who have been through the program.

Every school administrator should take the time to read this valuable, well-researched guide to the problem and solutions to the issue of mistreatment in schools. The authors have made a strong case for student empowerment, and have given school personnel the practical tools to make their schools safer and more welcoming for everyone.

The most important aspect of this book is that the strategies suggested PREVENT mistreatment, thus changing the norms. As a facilitator of adults ordered by court to take anger management classes, I would like to see more of this taking place. That way we are up stream solving the problem rather than downstream picking up the bodies. I have shared much of the information in the book in parenting classes I led. Students found the information extremely useful. To my knowledge several of them did go back to their children's schools and obtained information on how the school was addressing bullying. It's the ripple effect. Take the time to read the book and then make a difference in your community. I'd love to work myself out of a job.

As the parent of a girl who was a mistreated in middle school, I have often wondered what can be done to bring about change for students like my daughter. I know from my own experience, that top down discipline does not provide for a safe school climate. If it did, my many calls to the school about how my daughter was being treated, would have brought about change.
What I have learned from this insightful, compelling book is that by empowering the students, we can build safer schools, from the inside-out, an obvious, and simple solution. Research based and well written, Safe School Ambassadors:Harnessing Student Power, is a must read for Professionals and Parents alike.

I have worked with young people for over 30 years as a theatre educator and drama therapist. The problem of schools being unsafe and uncivil places in which to learn is growing around the globe. In addition to providing a clear overview of the problem, I believe the authors express quite eloquently the key to the solution: youth empowerment. It is through relationship that young people develop their behavioral repertoire and, as is expressed in this book, "Outside-In" approaches that focus on rules, monitoring, and enforcement cannot effectively change the social norms that make it O.K. for students to mistreat each other. Kudos to the authors on creating such a valuable resource.

Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict not only explains the rule in clear terms, it shows how it can be implemented (i.e., lived) by an individual living outside of a monastic community. As a married man with children (now grown) who loves his family oriented vocation, the book gave me both insight into, and a way to live out my calling to a contemplative spirituality in a world that rarely appreciates or acknowledges such a mixed vocation. It's been more than 25 years since I first read the book and while I've only re-read it cover to cover a couple of times over the years, I have frequently picked it up to re-read a few pages or a chapter that seems relevant.

"Seeking God" helped bring "The Rule of St. Benedict" into focus for me, enabling me to see clearly the wisdom of Benedict's vision for our day. For two other books that explore Benedictine wisdom for parents, look for "The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Home" and "The Christian Family Toolbox: 52 Benedictine Activities for the Home", both by David Robinson (New York: Crossroad,2000 and 2001). Benedict still speaks relevantly and prophetically in our day!

This is an amazing book in it ability to provide modern day interpretation to the St. Benedict's teachings. The insights of this saint who lived in the 6th century contain uncanny wisdom and direction for us today, whether as religious, lay person, for family and business leaders. Ms de Waal's style is thoughtful, prayerful, inspiring.
I recommend it to anyone who is interested in personal, and/or societel growth.

I found Esther's book to be very insightful and concise. The only thing that trip me up a bit was the very small print and small fonts. Other than that she has a very clever way of explaining the rule of benedict and what it could mean for ones lay lifestyle. This is an excellent read for anyone wishing to become an Oblate.

Seeking God is an elegant, insightful, and extremely valuable treatment of the spirituality inherent in St. Benedict's Rule. The further into the book I read, the better I realized it was. Again and again I was impressed with the wisdom and psychological astuteness of the Rule as deWaal explained it. Benedict's way of moderation, humility, and balance, as interpreted by deWaal, seems one of the wisest and healthiest examples of Christian thinking that I have encountered. It is an excellent antidote to the regrettable tendency of some to want to separate body from soul and the material world from the spiritual world; Benedictine spirituality instead balances and integrates them!

I bought this book with not much idea of what it has got for me.
As a went through some of the initial chapters I really got interested.The book has numerous examples and case studies. This really helps in understanding the concept and driving an analogy to actual life scenarios.
I strongly recommend reading this book.
Thanks.

Thank you very much for sending me a copy of The Smart Organization. I have completed only two chapters, but find the book to be thoroughly engaging. Especially, the six dimensions of decision quality.

My current job is proving to be a daily "case study." The ideas contained in the book have come to life, helping me to better understand my environment at work and make better decisions along the journey.

Frequently organizations face the challange of what not to do. They tend to believe in the person presenting the idea, rather then creating a rigorous process for evaluating the options before them. Companies adopting best practices in managing their investment options realize substantial gains in their long term bottem line. This book quantifies this performance difference, and what the best practices are across a range of industries.

Why aren't organizations more rigorous in selecting projects? The book outlines several barriers which are extremely relevent:

· It will make a popular champion look bad,

· Organizational resistance to change, or cannibalization of an existing business for a new opportunity,

· We confuse the urgent with the important,

· Its hard to agree on measures and success criteria

· People are afraid of making the wrong prediction, so they don't make any,

· Its hard to normalize results from different contributors,

· Business plans are not integrated with new project activity,

· Power and politics, a methodical evaluation leaves no room for interpretation and "behind the scenes" trade offs between groups and individuals,

· Lack of strategy.

The best practices outlined in this book are backed by substantial research. I would have like to have seen a few additional chapters on application of best practices in real companies ... a case study of a turn around.

The Strategic Decisions Group framework for smart organisation is informative. One reason for this is that the authors are reporting a practical benchmark study of R&D which appears to include every American corporate I've ever heard of. They do readers the great favour of synthesising this into a 9 principle framework for Smart Organisation. 3 principles for achieving purpose: -continual learning -value creation culture -creating alternatives 3 principles for mobilizing resources: -open inforamtion flow -disciplined decision making -alignment and empowerment 3 principles for understaning environment: -systems thinking -embracing uncertainty -outside-in strategic perspective What I especially like is that for each principle 5 How do you knows? are given scaling the difference between an organisation which hasn't got a clue about the principle (not smart) to one that lives it (smart org) For example these are the 5 how-you-knows of alignment & empowerment: 1 Examine the strategies at different levels (eg technology strategy to portfolio strategy to project startegy). In smart org: there are clear strategies at all levels taht provide useful guidance for decision making. Strategies at one level are clearly linked to the next. Lower level strategies interpret and carry out the implementation of higher-level strategies. In not-smart: few strategies or they provide little guidance for decision-making. They are viewed cynically as corporate PR. Links among strategies are absent, unclear or ambiguous 2 Examine the value measures used to evaluate decisions at different levels. In smart org: there are clear measures of value at all levels. Value measures at one strategic level are clearly linked through the strategy to measures at the next level. In non-smart: There may be no value measures. If there are, each level sets its own values or decision criteria, with no special requirement that they be related to values and strategies at other levels. 3 Examine the approvals required to make or carry out important decisions. In smart org: Decisions require few approvals because people understand the strategy and are trusted to carry it out. Meetings with upper management are viewed as adding value. In not-smart: Decisions require many levels of approval. Review meetings are perceived as wasting time. Often meetings with upper management are feared because it may redirect efforts and change priorities without clear reason. Upper management often feels overloaded with the need to check on subordinates. 4 Examine the roles of people involved in an important recent decision. In smart orgs: Many people participated in the decision process,at multiple levels in the organisation. A dialogue was carried out in the process that continually aligned and refined the vertical links. Management at different levels collaborated to build a high quality decision and achieved aligned commitment to action. In non-smart: Either few people participated in the decision or so many did that the process got bogged down. Typically, lower level employees make proposals to upper levels for approval or rejection 5 Examine a recent decision that was controversial. In smart org: People unified around the decisions aand carried it out with little intervention. They understood the reasons for the decision and believe the organisation is carrying out a sensible strategy for creating value. In non-smart: The decision did not stick and was undone or remade over and over again. 100+ of us are discussing frameworks like these in a free e-mail group : Organising Creativity Network. e-mail me, Chris Macrae, at wcbn007@easynet.co.uk if you are passionately interested.

Focusing on large R&D intensive organizations, this book explores nine key principles that make these enterprises effective, such as: open information flow, systems thinking, and continual learning. The author's emphasize the decision making process as a means of changing and improving overall organizational performance. If you are seeking new insights into how strategy is developed, excellence can be achieved in decision making, and organization renewal can be realized, you will find this book enlightening and fascinating reading. The insights offered here are by no means limited to high-technology firms; they apply to any organization seeking to be successful in today's fast-paced markets. This work includes an organizational IQ test (a diagnostic tool) for identifying root causes of the barriers to improving decision processes. There is an impressive amount of knowledge about organization to be gleaned in The Smart Company. Whether you are a technology -based bus! iness or not, you will find many nuggets in this work. We highly recommend it.