Research Books

I run a very small business that designs and manufactures products for a crowded micro market. We were looking for a book or resource that would help gather our thoughts into a concise executable plan.

Wow does it feel like this book came through for us. It is quite literally a well structured set-by-step guide at how to look at your brand, dig down into its nitty gritty and focus on building a better brand. The end of each chapter has numerous questions that it wants you to answer. Though not every business can answer all of these, they do force you to take a deeper look into what the heck you are really doing.

Of all the business, marketing, branding, positioning books I have read, this has to top them all.

This book should have far more positive reviews and should be at the top of your list!

Don't believe me? then get it from your local library first as I did. I now have my permanent copy on its way. I will forever reference this book.

I'm half way through the book at this point and find it to be very useful as a marketing tool. I teach at the college level and have my own marketing services company (SkyLimit Marketing, Lebanon, Pa). I am a firm believer in the integrated marketing approach to the whole marketing process for my clients. Everything begins with customer needs and works out from there.
The input found in Brand Aid is consistent with this approach and sheds light on the value and power of "the brand". The book is structured in a practical and useful way for any marketer or teacher of the subject. Good work! Jack Cantwell

Our company does web design, graphic design, corporate communication. I like this book that is not only an easy reference guide, but also a comprehensive approach to branding. The book can stand alone as a Brand teach-in, and require no prior knowledge about branding. The book is also relatively complete and can be used as taxt book or self-learning Branding book. This book is good.

Most helpful marketing book I ever read. It had information I never knew I needed in a brief,descriptive format that I put to use while finishing the book. The reference materials were also very helpful.

"Brand Aid" is the most comprehensive of all the materials that I've read on brand management. It is packed with resources to gain understanding in what branding is and how it can be implemented to benefit an organization. The case studies are engaging and relatable, and the checklists are thought provoking. The succinct content in each chapter makes this book an invaluable reference tool.

Even the most basic branding concepts in the early chapters were insightful and deepened my belief in the importance of building strong relationships with customers and employees.

My organization began a branding initiative earlier this year. I now wish I had read "Brand Aid" before we started. This book should become required reading for all business leaders responsible for driving the growth of their organizations.

Thomas J. Miller
Product Marketing, Director
Newport Corporation, Inc.

Coffee at Luna's is a really excellent read - both my fiancé and I agreed. He said 'this book is describing my life for the past 10 years!' We both found the book very practical, realistic, and relevant, and very good advice. We certainly will apply the principles in both our work and personal lives.

Chuck Martin has cut right to the chase. He highlights the way to rediscover the essential vitality and soul that our businesses have lost. He provides a simple and concise method for re-igniting the flame. Every time Teacher caused me to mentally ask a question, the characters would answer it within a page.

I loved it! Short and to the point..I also thought the "story like" writing style was great.

Coffee at Luna's paints a vivid picture of our high speed society and A types trying to make a difference. It touched a little to close to home for me and was a thought provoking reminder of the importance of balance in our lives. I particularly liked the renewable aspect to the strategy presented. Stop, look, listen, execute and then teach! So often, we are presented a plan for success in our lives and careers but it fails to include that key renewable component. The power of recognition and the simple thank you can not be overstated. This fable makes that abundantly clear.

Coffee At Lunas has a real common sense quality about it. When you read the story, you will find yourself in familiar territory. Why? Because we have all traveled down both the right and wrong paths in our relationships (both business and personal). In this "Out For Myself" world, Coffe At Lunas is a real affirmation of Leading By Example and how caring enough to trust others produces significant rewards for everyone. A good short read that will make a difference!!!

Glantz's book is a must read for any serious student of the Eastern Front in World War II. While it may be long and dry, it covers the Soviet Army at an important time in the war. It is not a book for those who are new to the conflict. Glantz covers it all, so if you want to understand how the Red Army beat the German Army, this is one you have to read.

David Glantz may not write in the most exciting way or use tons of hyperbole or focus alot on the human facet of his stories on the Russo-German war, however as far as wealth of information on the Soviet side of things go there is no one better equipped in the western world to write about The Great Patriotic War. His access to Soviet military information is unprecedented and his attention to detail of the military operations second to none. When I first began reading Glantz's tomes on the war I had preconceived notions about this conflict. If Hitler had stayed on course for Moscow after the battle of Smolensk, if he had not split Operation Blau into a Stalingrad and a Caucauses dual front and kept those troops together for a concerted drive to the Volga, if Barbarossa had been launched in May instead of late June, if the Rasputista and bitter Russian winter had not intervened, if if if. And i truly believed Hitler could and should have won this war. After starting on Glantz's books around the year 2000 or so, and truly realizing the awesome potential in manpower and equipment the Soviets had, and realizing in these readings how unprepared materially and logistically the Germans were to fight this war my whole mindset has changed. I believe even if the Germans had taken Moscow Russia would still have won this war. Other then the Germans developing atomic weapons before anyone I have radically altered my view on Germany's chances here. The Soviet Union was destined to win this war no matter what the cost. Barbarossa more then anything else, was Hitler's greatest mistake in the war. I owe this new view to the works of David Glantz. His information is incredible, his summaries superlative, his conclusions inescapable. Dry and technical it may be, but for my money there is no better writer on The Great Patriotic War then David Glantz. Remember, Germany lost the war and 90 percent of her casualties on the Eastern front. Remember, the Soviet Union lost 27 million dead and most of her agricultural and economic bases and STILL won this war. She probably could have done so, although at even greater cost, without a second front in Italy in 1943, and in France in 1944. The Russian contribution to World War II must not be downplayed in the west. The war against Germany was primarily a Russian one, and David Glantz deserves accolades for being one of very few western writers to acknowledge this fact.

So, this is something that's only for professionals and hardcore fanatics, but it is highly recommended for them. It contains everything you ever wanted to know about the Red Army between 1941-43, and even more.

OK, nothing's perfect (5 stars means it's as perfect as it could be in our imperfect world), I can tell you one complaint. At one point he claims that command turbulance wasn't that bad even during Barbarossa. He cites statistics. But what I would've needed is some comparison. It's fine to know that less than X% of certain types of commanders were relieved of command, but it would've been nice to read some comparison: how was it with other armies... Without those, the data just hang in the air... (There were a few similar points - it's not much in a book well over 600 pages. So I still give it the 5 stars.)

Glantz does his usual excellent job on the Soviet military in World War II. He covers the campaigns, and the structure and development of the red army during the early part of the war. Separating much of the formation, commander and OoB material into the companion volume is actually a plus. Both volumes are easier to handle becuase of the size and it is easier to use two books to cross reference material.

Although hundreds of histories of Soviet-German war have been published in the last decade or so, they have for the most part either focused on large-scale operations, told the story from a predominantly German perspective, or, most likely, done both. Another unfortunate result of this has been the number of revisionist works, in some degree or another based on Viktor Suvorov's Icebreaker. In part this was out of necessity due to a a number of factors, including the lack of access to former Soviet archives as well as the repression of histories deemed embarrassing to important wartime heroes. David Glantz has once again answered this dearth of reliable Soviet-perspective war history with his newest volume Colossus Reborn. Using a massive number or Soviet primary sources he has written the comprehensive history of the Soviet-German war.

Glantz' book is divided into three parts to tell this story. The first is a chronological discussion of the first 30 months of war, subdivided into the initial period, which covers the war up to the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad and then the second period, which covers the remaining 12 months. This first part of the book not only discusses the conventional view of the war but also clearly exposes the many Soviet operations that have lay hidden in virtual obscurity since war's end. Glantz also does a fine job showing how the Soviet-German war affected the course of WWII in general. Perhaps out of necessity this part of the book is rather concise. In any case it is still eye opening to have the vast number of counterstrokes, counteroffensives and strategic offensives laid out as they are here. As he himself points out, prior histories of the war have led to an almost constant and simplistic portrayal of operations as smooth periods of Wehrmacht offensives in the summer and Soviet offensives in the winter. He also clearly dispels the myth that the Red Army was simply along for the ride after the surprise attack and shows how Stalin and the Stavka repeatedly during the initial period of war attempted to organize counterstrokes as well as full counteroffensives.

Part two of the book is a very thorough look into the force structure of the Soviet army. This section is as comprehensive as one could possible ask for and retain a modicum of readability. Even as such, it is certainly the most difficult section to work through as it is basically a detailed look into how every aspect of the Soviet forces were reorganized from Front down to battalions in some instances. As such is feels at times to be comprised of endless tables of organization. This should not be overstated however, as this type of attention to detail is what most readers of Glantz have come to expect. Furthermore, it is this level of detail that sets him apart from most other widely published WWII historians. He does not simply explain to the reader that a particular type of unit was employed in a particular defensive or offensive action. He thoroughly explains how that type of unit came to be and gives the prior organization of similar units and why they failed to work.

Part three is a thorough analysis of the leaders of the Red Army and those that they led. The first subsection is broken up primarily into mini biographies of every major general, commanding every Front, Army, and Corps and all of their variants. It does so and gives a very interesting breakdown and percentages by year of the surviving and thriving general staff as well as command failures and traitors. Glantz then gives a very enlightening look into the soviet soldiers; who they were (ethnicity and gender are investigated here) how they survived, why they fought and what methods were used to keep them toeing the line, particularly after the hideous and demoralizing losses of the first six months. This section is probably the most readable of the three and is a very well written look into the human aspects of the war.

Finally, Glantz has once again written a history of the Soviet-German war that is groundbreaking, to say the least. Using sources that only he seems to be able to gain access to, he has delved more comprehensively into the factors that allowed the Red Army to first survive and eventually defeat Hitler's Wehrmacht, than anyone else before him. Yes, this volume reads quite dryly at times and the tables of organization can seem daunting but it must clearly be understood from the beginning that this is not a book for the casual history reader by any stretch. This book is meant for the dedicated historian of the Soviet-German war-those who need more than a basic overview of the military operations and geopolitical ramifications of the war. With all that said the only weakness that this book has are some instances of sloppy writing and subsequent poor editing. At times-particularly in Part I-this poor editing is truly frustrating and frequent. For the most part though, this is never more than a minor irritation. As a whole Glantz can, once again, be said to be the undisputed master of Soviet-German war history.

This book is fabulous. We are expecting our first ever foal in October 08 and I have read this book from cover to cover. It is a must in my opinion for anyone who wishes to breed horses. It is a comprehensive manual easy to read in a logical sequence for easy reference. This will be placed in my foaling kit when the time arrives for my new baby to be born. I highly recommend this book, well done.

Theresa Jones has created a wonderful, easy to read and understand manual that is a must for the first time or experienced horse breeder. The book is accurate, written so it is very understandable by the layman, yet full of good medical advice and knowledge. To supplement the book Theresa Jones provides an advice column online to answer specific problems encountered in foaling.

When my mare was near term this was the one book that I had with me at all times. Where other authors of foaling books tend to emphasize foaling horrors and disasters, Theresa Jones emphasizes what is normal. She makes you very aware of what can go wrong, and gives ample instruction on how to recognize an emergency or abnormal situation, but she does it in a way that helps you remain confident rather than helpless.

Foaling horses is definetly a very long process especially if you intend on being there for the whole delivery. This book explains what to look for and what will happen during the foaling process. It also tells what to expect and the musts for after delivery. It was very easy to read and understand by real people. I drag it out for each foaling I attend even though I have read and re-read it more than once.

This book is an excellent book on the foaling proceedure and what you have to do, and know. What I most liked about it was its common sense approach and though the problems that the mare and foal can encounter were mentioned, advice was given on how to handle these problems. Some of the other foaling books on the market emphasis all the problems that can occur to the point that one feels that a mare should never be bred. This book is not at all like that.

This is a particularly well-written guide book for doing Grounded Theory. Grounded theory is one of the qualitative research methodlogies in which there are deep philosophical divides (i.e., Strauss, Corbin, Glasser). Charmaz manages to strike a middle ground between prescriptive, post-posivist approaches and some of the highly interpretative approaches emerging in qualitative research.

I would strongly recommend this as a "how to" book for those desiring to employ the disciplined and rigourous approach to grounded theory, without giving up on the creative process.

My only negative on this book is the quality of the binding. For $40+, I am disappointed that the pages are starting to fall out. However, that is probably because I am using it a lot:)

This book is a must have for anyone doing grounded theory research or dissertations. Kathy Charmaz helps the fans of qualitative methodology into the 21st century with this wonderfully written guide through grounded theory. The book promises to be of value to students or experts in the field, then delivers as promised!

Can't wait for her next book for my collection!!!

This is by far the best and most detailed introduction to Qualitative Analysis I have seen. Charmaz is thorough, clear, to the point, and the book is well-written so that even beginner analysts could follow her points. Excellent find.

Charmaz has used her vast experience in qualitative analysis to produce an excellent resource for qualitative researchers. Whether novice or experienced in qualitative research, Charmaz' book "starts at the start" for newer researchers; assists the reflective process of the qualitative methods; and leads the researcher to a firm research outcome thoroughly grounded by informant experience. Charmaz provides substantial examples from her own research to illustrate methods and techniques which encourage the researcher to remain on track, grounded by informant experience and to persevere with reflective and inquisitive thinking. Her book also offers suggestions for creative writing of the project report. I will be prescribing this as a basic text/reference for future qualitative research students.

As the title suggests, Kathy Charmaz's 'Constructing Grounded Theory' is a practical and thoughtful guide to the intricacies of undertaking qualitative research. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect with numerous 'hints' and examples from her own work. Charmaz is an excellent teacher, unafraid to challenge the work of Glaser & Strauss with humility and commonsense. Highly recommeded to all aspiring qualitative researchers.

Avigdor Haselkorn provides a very serious examination of the weapons of mass destruction available to Iraq during the Gulf War and presents a sobering insight into the dangers that the possession of these weapons by the Iraqi regime presents to it's neighbours and the West today.

A very well-timed book in view of current events.

The book also examines the circumstances surrounding the reasons why the Gulf War was so abruptly terminated. Some arguing that the coalition might have collapsed if any further advances had been made into Iraq, others of the opinion that such allied actions would have forced the use of Iraq weapons of mass destruction. Other opinions leave the matter open to some debate.

Although a military defeat for Iraq, it was a conflict that did not remove the Iraqi dictator's regime from power. We now face the inevitable consequences and the world is in a turmoil as to how to approach the present situation.

The contents of this book are disturbing. The weapons of mass destruction available are examined in some detail together with the effects that the delivery of these weapons could have on the military or the civilian populace. One cannot but remain convinced that this matter is as dangerous and significant now as it was at the time of the Gulf War. Recommended read.

Excellent book!!! Haselkorn brings a new dimension to our understanding of the Gulf War. In a nutshell Haselkorn argues that the reason the Coalition did not go "all the way" to Bagdad was due to the Chemical/Biological threat posed by Saddam. This is a fascinating thesis, though Haselkorn, in my opinion places to much weight on some flimsy evidence. Haselkorn argues that when the Iraqis fired a Scud missile at Israel with a concrete block attached instead of a warhead it was intended to warn Israel and the coalition that Saddam was prepared to fire missiles with biological warheads. Haselkorn further argues that the concrete block was intended to be seen as some kind of biological delivery vehicle. Is it not far more likely that in the heat of battle the Iraqis fired a missile with a dummy training round or that due to the pressure of the coalition bombing explosive warheads were not available? There are any number of reason why the Iraqis could have fired a missile with a concrete warhead, I think its a stretch to say that because the Iraqis fired a concrete warhead they were signaling their intenion to escalate to Chemical and Biological weapons. Nonetheless, this is an informative, well researched and well written book; moreover, it forces the reader to take a new look at the more conventional histories of the Gulf War. Good read, worth the money!!!!

"[The Continuing Storm] is the mother of all books on the gulf war written by one of today's most brilliant political-military analysts, Avigdor Haselkorn...The author's extraordinary documentation--the encyclopedic footnotes alone are a sort of volume two--and reasoning must be attended two."

"'As long as we accept the arguments of Bush and his colleagues as they struggle to explain their stated reasons for ending the war,' writes Mr. Haselkorn,'it will be impossible not to conclude that the president was either dangerously out of touch with the events at the close of the war or was simply acting irrationally. It is far better to believe that he and his cohorts are simply less than truthful.'"

Arnold Beichman in WASHINGTON TIMES, April 18, 1999

"This is an impressive and well written book about the part played by biological and chemical weapons in the Gulf War, their impact on in-war deterrence and their continuing relevance as the war drew to a close and thereafter. There are lessons to be learned from the Iraq experience that must be applied in the future not only in Iraq itself but further afield. quiescent alongside the Kosovo turmoil, we should stay aware of savagely unfinished business of vital interest." part played by biological and chemical weapons in the Gulf War, their impact on in-war deterrence and their continuing relevance as the war drew to a close and thereafter. There are lessons to be learned from the Iraq experience that must be applied in the future not only in Iraq itself but further afield. quiescent alongside the Kosovo turmoil, we should stay aware of savagely unfinished business of vital interest." Rear Admiral Richard Cobbold, Director Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (RUSI, RUSI Journal, London, August 1999

"[This book] is an essential companion to whatever other reading one does on the Gulf War. The Continuing Storm is a highly readable and extremely valuable book for understanding not only the American decision to end the war and the continuation in power of Saddam's regime, but also the impact of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of ruthless regimes and the psychology of 'terrorist deterrence.' Its insights are keen and its scholarship is thorough, as evidenced by more than 900 footnotes, many of them containing multiple citations and informative content. This is not a book just for scholars and experts, however; it is written also for the interested layman."ÿ

This is a must-have for your autism library. The book begins with a brief history of modern medicine and then defines what separates science from fad and anecdote. Other reviewers here have discussed the way this book debunks modern fads and pseudoscience so I will focus on two other areas that really impressed me.

First, the editors concisely describe how to go about determining whether or not a treatment suggested for your child is based in science or not. After reading Controversial Therapies, I now have red flags that go up when someone suggests chelation or brush therapy or other therapies based in anecdote. Also I learned to expect specific goals from therapies and not the vague improvements usually promised.

Second, the authors debunk many fad treatments for developmental disorders, but doesn't discount all of them. Instead, the authors teach the reader how to set up a scientific trial of one for your child based on facts. For instance, if your occupational therapist prescribes brush therapy to help overcome a certain behavior, you must define the behavior, measure the behavior without brushing, then measure it with brushing. In my son's case, like the case given in the book, my son's violent behaviors increased after brushing. I have since performed a trial on the effect of small doses of caffeine on his self-stimulatory behaviors (it helped).

This book is an important work in developmental disability literature and I highly recommend it. I also wish you strength, laughter, and success on the way to recovery for your loved one with a disability.

Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities is an excellent book that describes a variety of approaches for the treatment of children and adults with developmental disabilities. There are 28 chapters that point out inconsistencies amongst therapies that claim to be effective for treating autism and other disabilities. This book points out in detail the difference between what is pseudoscience and what is science by pointing out important information about therapies such as sensory integration, facilitated communication, and other ineffective treatments. Many of the therapies described in this book are advertised as fun, loving, caring, and able to create relationships between care givers and children, which sounds appealing to parents. These therapies are not science-based rather they are based on intuition, and personal values and opinions. Take sensory integration for example, which lacks evidence that its effective for children with autism or for people with developmental disabilities, however some parents and professionals provide this treatment to individuals based off of claims that are made from other people and from the therapists that used this so called treatment.
Because of such claims uninformed parents spend a lot of time and money on therapies that have not yet been proven to be effective. This book can help such parents avoid potential dangerous treatments for their children. It's unfortunate that there aren't any laws that prohibit the use of treatments that have not been proven to be effective for the treatment of developmental disabilities. I think that it's unethical to provide such "treatments" and this book advocates for people with developmental disabilities about the truth of bogus therapies.
The book also discussed why applied behavior analysis is an effective treatment compared to the other treatments described. It would have been great if the authors provided more information about the evidence for its efficacy in comparison to other methods. Nevertheless, this is an informative book for educators, parents, students and professionals. I enjoyed this book because I have new ways to articulate many of the fads described and provide rationales why it's not an effective treatment for people with disabilities.

As an teacher educator this is a breath of fresh air - common sense and a spotlight on the ridiculous fads in education abound.

Finally, a book that takes an objective view on the current "quick fix" and "miracle" treatments that are seen in developmental disabilities, specifically in autism.

Controversial Therapies exposes the ugly, inconvenient truth about sensory integration, auditory integration training, facilitated communication, positive behavior support, and a host of other fads and bogus treatments. Jacobson, Foxx, and Mulick have complied a set of chapters, and written many themselves, that provides all the ammunition that anyone needs to shoot down these wasteful and chronic malignancies that pervade the field of developmental disabilities and especially autism.

I use this text in my ethics course along with Ethics for Behavior Analysts (Bailey & Burch) and find that the combination makes for a great foundation for logical and responsible thinking about important treatment issues in our field.

Jon Bailey
co-author "How to Think Like a Behavior Analyst"

This book is an amazing book and essential for firefighters, as well as enthusiasts or people who just wants to learn something. From start to finish, this book is packed full of facts, based on the history of FDNY and exploring the truth behind the brotherhood involved in the fire house. I have yet to place this book aside, it is an utmost favorite of mine.

This book from start to finish is packed with information that you would otherwise never have heard about. The history of one of the most famous Fire Depts in the US is more than I ever imagined, naming some of the early firefighters who would have otherwise slipped into the sandglass of time. The accounts of fires and incidents in the citys history do more credit than you will ever hear about anywhere else. It shows why today Firefighters of the modern day FDNY fight so hard to keep hold of their history and tradition. Before you make judgement on these guys read this book. This is what they are all about.

In these post-9/11 days there have been a number of histories of the FDNY written, but this one is my favorite. It reads like a novel, yet is packed with solid history. And while clearly an admirer of the Fire Department, the author does not get overly sentimental, which is quite easy to do.

For someone who loves New York City and has an admiration for firefighters, this book would be a valuable addition to any library. While providing a fascinating account of the history of the FDNY, the book also gives the reader a wealth of information about the city itself. I would recommend it for firefighters, fire buffs, and any reader who is interested in a fascinating account of the Fire Department of the City of New York and the incredible men and women who have joined its ranks over the years.

Loved it! Been looking for something like it ever since. I recommend it to my "reader" friends often. As a New York City history buff I found it to be readable and enlightening. And as a fire buff, since 9/11 I can't get enough of this stuff, I found it to be well-researched and thorough. I knew what I was getting into when I read the jacket. Golway's firefighting roots make him a fan of The Bravest but I didn't mind the sentimentality because that's partially why I picked the book in the first place. A fitting tribute to working class heroes of the past 300+ years.

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to read, review and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to read, review and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

Tuhiwai Smith's masterpiece is a must-read for any discipline. Her work questions the most basic assumptions upon which academic research lies; her influence is widely felt in fields as diverse as anthropology, social work, women studies, film studies, indigenous studies, psychology, history, sociology, and ethnic studies. Smith is the Fanon of the indigenous world, and the contemporary academic cannot afford to miss her work.

The chapters are absorbing and surprisingly straight-forward for theory, and can be read separately or in sequence. The work is accessible enough for undergraduate students, but rich enough to serve as a valuable addition to the graduate student's bookshelf.

She reaches both Native and non-Native audiences, and concludes her work with indiginizing projects that detail real alternatives to current practices. An investment you will not regret!

I first read this book for a course in Sociocultural Theory in Anthropology. It has stayed on my shelf ever since. Linda Tuhiwai Smith provides insight and deeply meaningful commentary on the field of social research and its place in the indigenous community. This work should be required reading of all students in the social sciences.

This book outlines important and useful methodologies for decolonization, and should be required reading for anyone who makes public policy.

Smith provides a coherent and detailed alternative perspective for those researching in fields related to indigenous populations. She presents both a theoretical framework and offers very practical suggestions. I have found great value not only in what Smith presents but also in following up readings through those she references. I believe this is a necessary book on any shelf of those involved in such study.

Looking at Western research practices from the ýundersideý of a positivist paradigm deeply entrenched and diffused throughout public and private educational, governmental, and corporate tentacles, Linda Tuhiwai Smith is a Maori (New Zealand) intellectual presenting a counter-methodological narrative stemming from a collective indigenous historical cynicism and whose voice bespeaks the refusal to be objectified by an inherently racist and imperialist mode of constructing knowledge and re-presentations of non-Western peoples. Deconstructing Western research paradigms is simply an act of defiance and resistance for Smith, particularly since she constructs a radical alternative methodology rooted in self-determination, social justice, intellectual property rights, and active participation in all knowledge-making, contributions to the research processes, and dissemination of ýfindingsý. The exigency of articulating a research methodology aimed at critical praxis for Western and non-Western peoples interested in indigenous issues emerges at a point where globalization and neo-liberal imperial practices and investments are opening new spaces for the unilateral and/or predominant benefit of Western research regimes that continue capitalizing and objectifying indigenous peoples through racist and incorrigible projects that erase human dignity, i.e. Human Genome Diversity Project.

The book can strategically be divided into two main sections: the first section explores the contemporary and historical legacy of an imperial tryst between Western scientific, economic, and ideological formations shaping relations with alterity (Chapters 1-5); the second section outlines a radical alternative methodology for conducting research on indigenous peoples and issues (Chapters 6-9). The first chapter reveals the ýEnlightenmentý and positivist threads that weave imperialism, history, writing, and theoretical practices that continue to shape current research and socio-political policies on an international level. Smith states: ýresearch within late-modern and late-colonial conditions continues relentlessly and brings with it a new wave of exploration, discovery, exploitation, and appropriationý (24). Deconstructing the historical legacy of imperial practices is also a call for rewriting and rerighting history with indigenous perspectives. The second chapter outlines the Baconian processes by which Westerners come to view the world as a standing reserve of objects for empirical inquiry, discursive appropriation, and mimetic comportment processes aimed at subjugating and ýcontrollingý nature and indigenous peoples with an intellectual will to power stemming from racist ideologues who trace some form of theoretical lineage back to Bacon, Kant, Hegel, Hume and others. Borrowing from Stuart Hall, this process moves from classification of the world and others, to collapsing images for a convenient system of representation, to presenting a reified model for comparative analysis, and, finally, establishing criteria for hierarchical positionality. Chapter three delves further into deconstructing research, as viewed through imperial eyes, and how this methodology produced a self-perpetuating apparatus comprised of multifarious disciplines for the construction and future survival of colonial ýknowledgeý and all those who invest in these truth regimes that purport to be ýuniversalý, ýneutralý, objectively sound, and constructed on a foundation of ýabsolute certaintyý.

Chapter four and five highlight many instances of how imperial research regimes continue to invest in the discursive and ýscientificý construction, re-presentation, and exploitation of indigenous peoples for profit and social control. The globe has become one large information colony where research is the means to inscribe social and ideological control and Westernized fabrications of history on the backs of indigenous peoples around the world. The most infamous example of how the imperial research regime continues to exist is through scientific projects stemming from private corporate entities mainly subsidized by governments. The Human Genome Diversity Project attempts to subjugate indigenous peoples by mapping and reifying DNA and possessing it as ýintellectual propertyý for future use. The attempt to patent the genetic make-up of the Hagahai people (New Guinea) by the U.S. government is indisputable proof of how these scientific projects threaten the future, autonomy, and human rights of indigenous peoples.

The second part of the book focuses on constructing an indigenous alternative to decolonize indigenous peoples from Western regimes of research based on emergent tribal social issues, practices, and beliefs. The center of this decolonizing project is constructed through Polynesian metaphors of ýspace-timeý. The center of social activity and identity is an archipelago comprised of self-determination in terms of tribal autonomy on a social, economic, and research level, as well as the full participation in inter-tribal and inter-national relations. Healing, decolonization, transformation, and mobilization are the four main ýdirectionsý that frame the spaces of this project. Survival, recovery, and development are the main ýtidesý that connect and transform all directionality of the project. This methodology is intended to transform indigenous peoples from passive objects in Western research to active-participants in an indigenous process of reconfiguring themselves and the world around them. Respect becomes the main affective principle for the survival of indigenous peoples and the project: ýthrough respect, the place of everyone, and everything in the universe is kept in balance and harmonyýthe denial by the West of humanity to indigenous peoples, the denial of citizenship and human rights, the denial of the right to self-determinationýall these demonstrate palpably the enormous lack of respect which has marked the relations of indigenous and non-indigenous peoplesý (120). Without respect, there is no dignity.

Chapter seven outlines a means of articulating such a project to indigenous and non-indigenous peoples and the challenges associated with it. Chapter eight provides a list of current indigenous research projects. Chapter nine provides a case study of the Maori peoples in which the method outlined in chapter six was put into practice. Chapter ten details with the methodological transformation of passive objects to active agents and lists tactics for strengthening and sustaining critical research for decolonizing processes.
Generally, when the researched become researchers, self-determination and healing can take place, communities can create and control research processes and the subsequent naming of the world, and they can define their relationship with others and the environment.

If a critical theroetical/methodological ýflawý or problematic of this decolonial methodology exists, it might come to presence from a post-structural disdain for outlining a process by which people can ýliberateý themselves from Western imperialist research regimes. But then again, post-structural thought is mainly a Western construction and/or response to
'modernity' and its discontents.