Organizations Books

Straight to the piont: This book answers all our questions and much more. I have given it a shot never knowing that its information are so smoothly spread out and are so rich with essential tips.

If anyone plans on a first approach towards sponsors, this book will let these people avoid some unnecessary and costly steps.

Bravo!

Very helpful. I have used the templates already, and the amount of detail provided makes it easy to actually act on the advice. The author is generous with her information on how sponsor's make decisions. I have no background in sponsorship marketing, so it was good to know how deals really get done!
Our annual Harvest Fest has been angling for sponsors for years. This year, we are fully-armed thanks to Made Possible By: Succeeding With Sponsorship.
If I have any beef, I wanted more. There are plenty of practical tips, examples and worksheets that are really useful. But never having gotten a sponsor, I wanted even more.

Cheers for a book that actually tells me what to say, do, even think about in order to get a sponsor. For anyone who is serious about getting into sponsorship, where you will actually talk to sponsors and make deals, I recommend this book. I have already put to use the advice on cold-calling and proposal writing.

This book didn't leave anything out. Before reading it, I had questions about how to put together sponsorship packages. Patricia Martin answered all of my questions in her very thorough book... including the questions I didn't even know I should be asking! Her writing style is direct and complete. It is refreshing to read a "how to" book that actually tells you "how to!"

She uses examples that clearly illustrate the things to do, and not do, during various stages of the sponsorship process. She includes worksheets that take all the guess work out of the process. She doesn't hold anything back. Everything you need to organize effective sponsorship packages and partnerships is in this book.

I was very excited to read this book because it really is an essential tool to help plan a sponsorship strategy, prepare a proposal, get a meeting, gain committment and ultimately bring in dollars. It is laid out in a very easy step-by-step process that everyone can follow and helps you realize the value your organization can give to potential sponsors. Most importantly, it takes the fear out of selling and demonstrates the correct way to speak to and work with potential sponsors for maximum benefit.

I refer to this book constantly during my sponsorship work with the California Pacific Medical Center Foundation and the Junior League in San Francisco and can say that it has significantly helped me achieve my fundraising goals and advance my career.

There are a lot of books on change. It takes a lot for a book about change to stand out from the growing crowd of books on this increasingly important topic. Making Change Irresistible by Ken Hultman stands tall. The book starts right off by focusing on the primary reason why leaders have difficulty in making change happen in organizations-the failure to really understand human beings. He says that leaders who have crunched the numbers, laid out meticulous plans, and positioned organizational resources are often surprised by resistance and tend to see something malevolent or irrational in the resistance, rather than a natural human response that can be addressed in ways that do make change irresistible. My favorite chapter is the one on the practical ways of building trust-a pivotal topic that seems to be left out of most of the other books on change. I also appreciated the liberal sprinkling of self-assessment inventories and checklists because they made the book so specific and practical.

Ken Hultman has written a brilliant and very practical book on dealing with change. His work on motivation updates Maslow and concentrates on ones sense of worth. The change tests and exercises can be used directly and will assist any organization undergoing change. The work on values is also brilliant and gets to the heart of the matter instead of working around the edges.

This book explains in simple language why and how people get their needs met and how that affects change processes. This book is must reading for any organization that truly wants to change and needs to understand the process.

"Making Change Irresistible" is an engaging book with proactive tools and effective strategies that can help executives and managers alike through the murky waters of organizational transition. This book is the most comprehensive work available on the subject of organizational resistance to change. It led me to discover and rethink my assumptions about corporate change resistance. It presents a fresh perspective on a topic of concern to all of today's organizations, and is applicable to both academicians and practitioners. The Change Opinion Survey and The Psychological Need Fulfillment Inventory provide practical methods of preventing, diagnosing, and minimizing the impact of resistance to change in organizations. Both tools are essential for anyone in the process of managing change. Through an in-depth analysis of human behaviour and with techniques that promote personal growth, this book enables readers to become adept at diagnosing resistance to change. The book also helps readers to develop a more positive attitude toward change, while building a concrete plan of action to overcome resistance to change. In short, "Making Change Irresistible" is a must-read for those who study change, and for anyone whose job it is to lead others through the challenge of organizational change.

"This book is intended to serve as a strategic and tactical manual for battling resistance to organizational change." Covers the key concepts in understanding human behaviour and change and provides tools for diagnosing and overcoming resistance. First class. It uses a simple but powerful framework and offers several useful 'instruments' to diagnose core issues in gaining acceptance of change. The book is intended for anyone whose job it is to lead others through change. It is a useful, clear and well-organised resource and the instruments contained in it are also clear and well explained.

Ken's background includes: PhD in Counseling Psychology; staff and line manager; university professor; counselor for individuals, families and groups; and trainer and organizational development consultant to 100 Fortune 500 companies, including major effort with General Electric.

He provides the best analysis of the reasons change is so hard (for most humans), and a fairly good prescription of what can be done to "make change irresistible". The following are a few of the concepts from his book:

Unmet Needs table spans pages 24-27 Unmet Need for Mastery Unmet Need for a Sense of Meaning and Purpose Unmet Need for Acceptance Unmet Need for Respect Each unmet need is followed by 10-20 Symptoms, Consequence, and Potential Solutions

His unmet needs survey encourages a quick assessment of the group and individual attitudes toward change. 60 Statements are assigned a 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0: 4 = strongly disagree down to 0 = Strongly agree People in my organization: Expect too little from themselves Malign each other's character Judge each other on the basis of personal characteristics Disagree about goals/methods Lack opportunities to use their skills Withhold information from each other Discriminate against others Disagree with each other about priorities Lack the necessary knowledge or understanding Try to make each other look bad Subtly make others feel excluded Etc.

He states that there are 4 combinations of Willingness and Ability to Change (pg 97) 1 - Both willing and able to change = best 2 - Able but unwilling to change 3- Willing but unable to change 4 - Both unwilling and unable to change = worst

His strategies for overcoming resistance span pg 171-175 Establishing a positive climate Encourage and interest in improvement Show people how overcoming resistance to change can help them Help people increase their competence Involve people in decisions Cultivate value for teamwork Don't react emotionally Avoid inadvertent mistakes Concentrate on factors within your control

The explanation of his strategies span pages 181-4 15 Strategies aimed at Thinking 10 Strategies aimed at Feelings 12 Strategies aimed at Deciding 10 Strategies aimed at Doing

He has 5-10 strategies for each way of Overcoming the Common Causes of Resistance (pg 188) Which depend on the current their beliefs: They believe their needs are being met already They believe the change will make it harder for them to meet their needs They believe the costs outweigh the benefits They believe the change is unnecessary to avoid or escape a negative situation They believe the change process was handled improperly They believe the change will fail They believe the change is inconsistent with their values

Other books which I have reviewed on change include:

Approaches to Planned Change: orienting perspectives and micro-level interventions R Golembiewski 1993

Champions of Change 1997 Nadler Changing Organizations Raymon Bruce 1998

Competence and Organizational Change - a handbook Shirley Fletcher 1997

Creating Paths of Change - managing issues & resolving problems in organizations Will McWhinney 1997

Getting your Organization to Change - a guide for putting you strategy into action Dennis Jaffe 1999

Harvard Business Review on CHANGE 1998 Lean Transformation: how to change your business into a lean enterprise Bruce Henderson 1999

Leveraging People and Profit: the hard work of soft management Bernard Nagle 1998

Let's Work Smarter, Not Harder: how to engage your entire organization in the execution of change M Caravatta 1998

Managing Changes: exploring the state of the art E. More 1998

Navigating Change: how CEO's, top teams. and boards steer transformations 1998 Edited by Hambrick

Performance-Driven Organizational Change: an organizational portfolio Lex Donaldson 1999

Re-Creating the corporation: a design of organizations for the 21st century R. Ackoff 1999 - great book

Results Based Leadership, David Ulrich et al, 1999 Taking Charge of Change D. Smith

The Challenge of Organizational Change: How Companies Experience It and Leaders Guide It. August 1992

The Change Management Handbook: A roadmap to corporate transformation Lance Berger 1994

The Dance of Change, Senge et al, 1999 - follow up to the fifth discipline

The Leader's Change Handbook: essential guide for setting direction and taking action 1999 J. Conger

The husband and wife team has made another excellent book. I specially liked the way the authors moved the most important (from my viewpoint) topics first. I and probably hundreds of students here in Manila use their book and it's an outstanding source of information.

Used this book with a group of 18 managers on a management course. All acclaimed it as a very easy to understand book, very well written and comprehsive.

For business students this bok may give you an excellent updated view of Information Systems.

okokok

How Information Use The Information System

This book very beautifully and eloquently conveys the heart of service quality and excellence - building, nurturing, and protecting a strong services brand that revolves around the core humane values of integrity and customer respect. The hallmark of this book is the compilation of inspirational real life stories of staff and patients sharing their experiences of the successful customer-focused culture of Mayo Clinic. Moreover, the book very effectively sheds light on the importance of competing for talented employees and encouraging teamwork at all levels of the organization. Thus, it is a must-read book for the managers, administrators, and service providers across all industries.

How I regret this book was not written 25 years ago when I was developing and growing my international healthcare design practice.
It is elegantly and simply written and frequently uses the power of a story to illustrate "living the values" of this extraordinary organization.
Drs. Berry and Seltman make it clear that the Mayo success is not based on anything complicated. It is based on traditional values and good manners, but the secret is in consistent, relentless application. Thats not easy in any service organization. I am asking all my partners to read this book and we intend to discuss it at length to improve our own service performance.

This is a well written book which steps the reader through the success of Mayo Clinic. The book is laced with real life stories of what makes Mayo successful. This brings the lessons to life. Who would have thought that a small town clinic in Rochester, Minnesota could acquire and maintain a world class reputation for being the best in their field.

There are many lessons within this book for any service organization. Who can argue with:
* The patient's (client's) needs comes first
* Treat everyone with respect - coworkers and patients (clients)
* Work together as a team
* Deliver services efficiently
And, do all of this while being fiscally responsible.

The words are simple and no one can argue with them as core values. It is the consistent execution that is challenging. Mayo Clinic has gotten this right for over 100 years and, as a result, is in a class by themselves.

This book should be mandatory reading for managers and executives in any service organization.

Dr. Berry et al have beautifully gleaned valuable lessons from an outstanding organization that can be applied in multiple settings. The Mayo Clinic has attained a level of service that few organizations can achieve, and the secrets of there success are plainly revealed in their book. As a healthcare provider, I noticed how the authors clearly explained topics very familiar to those in healthcare so that members of all organizations can benefit. I would encourage any manager of a service organization to read this book.

I retired from Mayo Clinic 5 years ago, after spending 25 years with the organization in senior administrator capacities. I now live in Bellingham, WA, where I mentioned this book to the administrator of our local hospital and VP of a high-quality regional healthcare system. She said she had it on the top of her "to read" pile, but before doing so, she asked, "Is it true?"

My answer is a resounding, "Yes!" Kent Seltman was a colleague of mine for a number of years, and I'm so grateful that he and Dr. Berry took on this book. I personally know 90% of those quoted in the book and can vouch not only for their comments, but their personal integrity. For me, it was like a walk back through my career. What a gift.

Mayo Clinic is an amazing, though as mentioned, not a perfect place. I was continually in awe of the complexity and quality of the organization while I was there, and the feeling is only amplified after reading this book.

I also recomend Murray Rothbard's "Education: Free and Compulsory" for in depth historical analysis of government involvement with education. Any politicians that truly give a darn should be reading these books. Democrats rhetoric about "helping the poor" is sickening when you realize how much government involvement in education has specifically hurt the poor.

Many people have proposals for what should be done about education today. Few have looked into history to see what has been successful in the past. This book does that. Few have hard data to back up their theories. This book does. It cites more than one thousand authentic historical and statistical sources. Half of these are original documents (or translations thereof).

The bibliography alone is worth the price of this book. I had been searching for statistics on literacy, and I found so much more here! This book is not only an excellent survey of educational methods throughout history, but also a comprehensive list of sources for future research.

The author is biased toward completely privatized education, and in this book he explains why. He starts where democracy started, in Ancient Greece. Most of us have heard of Athens and Sparta. We know Spartans were dedicated warriors. We know they had to come home from war "with their shield or on it." We know the city state of Sparta was everything, and each individual citizen was dispensable.

We know that Athens, not Sparta, became the capitol in Greece's Golden Age. What I did not know before reading about it in this book was that Athens had no official school system, no regulation of teachers, and no required curriculum. Athenian teachers simply charged parents directly for educating their children. Each teacher specialized in a subject, and the parents simply chose teachers with good reputations who taught the subjects they wanted their children to know. Competition for students kept prices down. Some excellent teachers were wealthy and did not charge, notably Plato and Aristotle. The result of this free market education method was a city that became its country's leader in art, philosophy, and science.

This is but the first exploration in this timely book that examines what has worked in education. My BellaOnline School Reform Forum will be full of references to this book. So far it is the only one of its kind!

I have been doing research on what can be done about the sad state of public education. I read this 391 page book gripped by fascination. Any lover of history, ideas, civilization, or America should read this book. Why are our schools in serious decline? For some of the same reasons the Soviet Union collapsed. Andrew Coulson examines our current system of public education, and argues for revitalization through direct parental control. He looks at times in history when education has been free from state control, and shows that those have been some of the times of greatest cultural flourishing, such as Periclean Athens. He also looks at education in other countries, historically and currently. Public vs. private education in England, and Japan and the Netherlands are particularly of interest. He examines the history of American education, and dispells myths like the idea that people were illiterate until publicly funded education came along. The truth is that the literacy rate was much higher BEFORE Horace Mann first started promoting the idea of state schooling based on the Prussian military model of that time. Coulson also looks at constitutional questions, and deals with the legitimacy of government compelling belief. Anyone who supports the ailing status quo of public education is going to have to come to terms with the formidable research and persuasive arguments presented by Senior Research Associate and former softwear engineer, Andrew Coulson, who devoted four years to producing this book. They will also have to answer the other growing advocates of education liberation, among whom are Thomas Sowell (Inside American Education: The Decline, The Deception, The Dogmas) Stephen Arons (Compelling Belief: The Culture of American Schooling) and Sheldon Richman (The Separation of School and State). I salute Andrew Coulson as having done a magnificent job in writing this well documented and thoughtful study.

We know that our public schools are not providing the quality of education that they should. Market Education does an excellent job of analyzing what the problems with public education are and making thoughtful recommendations for how to improve it. The book should be required reading for anyone interested in improving our children's education.

An intriguing, highly original account of how government-funded schools have driven out superior private schooling, going back to the ancients and concluding with our failed U.S. schools of today. I haven't seen any other book that presents the history of this takeover of the educational market, and how harmful it has been to students in virtually every country and era in which it has occurred. Anyone interested in improving the education of children really needs to read this book. It's a compelling argument for school choice, and it's written in an appealing style by an author who is obviously passionate about his subject. My guess is that public school teachers will find this book particularly enlightening, since it explains a great deal of their frustration with bureaucracy getting in the way of educating kids. Coulson presents many suggestions for moving our educational system towards greater freedom for students, parents, and teachers.

This book gives quite a bit of history as far as religious orders in the U.S. and the kind of work that they have done over the years. I also enjoyed the photos because I feel that they helped me to understand the history better. And it's interesting to see how the nuns and sisters have dressed over the years.

This book was excellent in explaining the history of the many different religious orders of sisters that came to america to educate and heal. Many fine pictures of the different religious habits worn by the sisters. A complete list of colleges and hospitals, and the year they were founded here in the United States. It is the most complete history book representing a sample of the many different orders of sisters, and their good works.

This book was excellent in explaining the history of the many different religious orders of sisters that came to america to educate and heal. Many fine pictures of the different religious habits worn by the sisters. A complete list of colleges and hospitals, and the year they were founded here in the United States. It is the most complete history book representing a sample of the many different orders of sisters, and their good works.

This book has excellent pictures on the nuns in the full traditional habit thru out the book, with quick accounts of the various religious orders. In the back of the book is a dateline of all the religious orders of Sisters and the institutions they founded in the United States such as catholic hospitals, and colleges. Its an wonderful resource on any person researching the history and traditions of the Catholic Sisters (nuns) who have served our country as educators and health care professionals.

A few years ago I took a college course on the history of health care in the US. I noticed that there was a strange neglect to mention all the work that sisters have done in hospital/nursing. It is good to see a book that gives us a good description of this and other work. It is amazing to see these women working against such adversity, and achieving so much. Our usual image of 19th century women does not include administrators and CEOs, but that is what these women were. They served God and their fellow humans in remarkable ways. It made me nastalgic for the days of plentiful vocations.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Dr. Parks' little book online, but quite disappointed that it (I assume) was not available last year when I really could have used it.

Unlike many of the large (and expensive) tomes written to help National Board candidates, this very small book cuts to the chase with succinct and helpful instructions for mentors. Two features which definitely make it an improvement over Parks' book for candidates are the Suggested Activities and the excellent Questioning Techniques, which mentors can utilize with their candidates.

What I really appreciated was the inclusion of some of the finest research available on accomplished teaching (Einhorn), Cognitive Coaching (Costa & Garmston), and Bacal's 'Rules for Facilitating'. These add a depth to this work, which I feel, was lacking in "So, You Want to Become a National Board Certified Teacher?"

Less helpful, but nevertheless nice, are the Mentoring Ethics, the list of websites, and the suggested forms for mentors to use while facilitating their candidates in each of the four entries. I only wish the book had been published in a larger format, since there is a lot of (small print) detailed information on those forms. Oh yes, the Ten Commandments of Mentoring are a nice touch too.

There is no 'fluff' in this book. It is brief, but all in all, very helpful. It presents much of what experienced NBPTS mentors already know, but still helps us fine-tune the process. To new mentors, it will be a Godsend, and is exactly what they've been hoping to find in getting started, but up to now, was not available. Highly recommended.

I will confess I am not a mentor, and although I am a teacher, I am not NB certified, so you may want to stop reading now. But I am in the process of achieving my certification and, needing all the help I can afford (literally), I purchased as much helpful material as I could.

You might ask why I'd want this book, then. Well, I met the author at the 2005 NMSA Conference, and he was very encouraging. So, I wanted to give this, and his book for candidates, a try. Sometime back, after reading the other book, I decided I was NOT ready (you can read that review). Now I am.

Since I haven't passed NB certification, my comments might not exactly be valid. But I found this book sort of 'helpful in reverse'. In other words, I learned what the mentor would teach me if I had one. I appreciated the tips on writing, compiling my portfolio, and as someone else mentioned, the chapter on 'Accomplished teaching' might be the best. Unlike the other book, this one has sample handouts for mentors, but they weren't really helpful in my case.

Maybe I'm just afraid of the process, and need every help I can find, but this book at least made me feel more comfortable. I feel really out of place writing this review, but at least I know what most mentors know, and hopefully, this will enable me to pass.

Good luck to everyone else going through this!

Having read this author's previous work "So, You Want to Become a National Board Certified Teacher?", I was curious to see how different a book geared specifically to mentors could actually be. To be honest, there was some overlap. However, considering that Weekly Reader Press has kept the price low, and the fact that the book contains (far) more research than the first work, I found "Mentoring the NBPTS Candidate" to be one handy little gem.

Especially helpful were the chapters on "How Adults Learn", and "Mentoring Forms". The first appears thoroughly researched, and the information, I found to be especially relevant to any mentor--not just one working with NBPTS candidates. The latter chapter provides information that only an experienced mentor would think of, and will certainly streamline the process for any mentor starting from scratch. I also found the chapter dealing with the unique concerns of 'Advanced Candidates' (those who did not pass) quite helpful.

The premier chapter however, is "What is Accomplished Teaching?". This chapter alone provides cogent information and helpful suggestions for all teachers--not just NBPTS mentors and candidates. While much of this information is not new, it's nicely synthesized into an easy-to-reference format.

Like the author's first work, included is a self-test, this one on the appropriate and inappropriate aspects of mentoring. While a few statements seem subjective, more than a few were specific guidelines from the NBPTS which (I hate to admit) I was honestly not aware of. This test should prove to be an excellent eye-opener to the novice mentor.

In summary, I think "Mentoring the NBPTS Candidate" will be more indispensable to the new mentor than the author's previous work might be to the new candidate. Not because the first book isn't helpful, but because I've seen no other work specifically geared to NBPTS mentors. The two books are quick reads and conversationally written. Considering their inexpensive price, I would recommend putting both on your short list of 'must haves' regarding NBPTS candidacy and mentorship.

Simply put, there are very few pickings when it comes to help for NBPTS mentors. Perhaps because of the need for such, Dr. Parks wrote this book. I don't know, but until something better comes along--and this one's pretty darn good--this book will be the standard.

Let's face it, books on mentoring are not too interesting, but good ones should at least be helpful. As a mentor, I appreciate the author's the low-key 'talk to me' writing style as opposed to pedantic works which read more like Holy writ! But even more, I appreciate the practical and--dare I say it--usable information contained in the suggested activities which make up every chapter. I'm up to here with books long on theory, and short on application!

"Mentoring the NBPTS Candidate" is a 'from the ground up' guide for aspiring mentors, with websites, sample handouts, and checklists for mentors to use in the tutoring process. I heard the author speak at the NMSA Conference last year, and was not aware that this book was in the works. I can say Dr. Parks writes the way he speaks, and I found both his presentation and the contents of this book enjoyable, constructive, and helpful.

I suspect there will be more than a few candidates who will scope out this book, since many of the helps to mentors could also be used by candidates. Whatever the reason to use it, this book is the best thing on NBPTS mentoring out there, and I can't imagine what more information on the subject could be contained in one book.

As a (former) mentor trainer for the NBPTS, I found this work the finest in the field. It is simple, well-organized, and comprises everything a mentorship for the prospective NBCT might need (including a few sample handouts). I would highly recommend this book to candidates also. Adds a third dimension to learning the process that can only prove helpful. Heck--every teacher could benefit from this book.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

"Finally! - A book that takes online fundraisers through the uncertainty of measuring their results and efforts. Raising awareness and money on the web requires attention and resources. Madeline shares her valuable experience and observations in her 'mercifully brief guide'. Real life examples of how organizations use the web to raise dollars online." - Nicci Noble, President - Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter

Whether your nonprofit has dived headlong into email fundraising or is still getting its feet wet, this little book should be in the pool with you.

Written by a fundraising pioneer who has helped nonprofits of all sizes build really strong email programs, really fast (including The Humane Society of the United States, where I work), the book focuses on results. What's the best way to get high-performing email names? What's a good subject line? Is there a "best time" to send emails? What are the key metrics to look at when evaluating how your emails are doing?

Stanionis writes like she talks -- in a fresh, entertaining, and very direct way. She's peppered the book with screen shots of emails from many organizations to illustrate why a series of emails will outperform a single appeal, or how being creative and "speaking from the heart" can drive results, or what an integrated online-offline communications strategy can do to boost membership renewals.

Best of all, you learn all this in about the time it would take you to read an email -- at least, one that doesn't honor Stanionis' advice to keep your copy "simple and short." I'm exaggerating, of course, but just a little bit: This book, so chock full of practical advice, really is mercifully brief. So you can read it during lunch and then, that afternoon, get right to the task of raising thousands of dollars with email.

I've done on-line fundraising for a non-profit for 4 years and I can tell you, if you do what Stanionis says, it'll work for you.

But pay attention. There is a clear path that you need to walk, but at each step you need to make decisions about what will be the best approach for your organization. Stanionis identifies these, gives examples, and stresses their importance. If you skip this extra level of thought, you'll still see results. But if you want real returns, you have to put some energy into it.

I've learned this the hard way, and I'm still learning it. There's something to be said for getting in, getting your feet wet, and treading water until you're really ready to make online fundraising a higher priority in your organization. However, as the field matures, and we learn more about what works and what doesn't, you run the risk that your efforts will look amateurish next to those of other organizations. In addition, if you don't pay attention to the results of your efforts, and don't identify things that don't work with your audience, you run the risk of alienating the very folks you're trying to cultivate. Finally, internet time moves w-a-y faster than most non-profits are equipped to run, and if you're trying tomorrow with techniques that worked yesterday, your audience may be unreceptive.

With that in mind, I look forward to annual updates from Stanionis on "the current state of the art."

Madeline Stanionis' book delivers on its promise: a short, to-the-point, unpretentious, useful and FUN roadmap for online fundraisers.

Online fundraising has been the subject of endless hype, magical thinking, and "sage wisdom" from authors who have never raised a nickel. Stanionis is the real deal -- a pioneer in the field, has the scars to prove it, and speaks from hard-won experience.

Buy it.

The publication of this new book about email fundraising by Madeline Stanionis should be welcome news for nonprofits of all sizes that are trying to harness the Internet to grow their lists, engage constituents and raise money.

The book is written for and about nonprofits though it will be of interest to a wider range of institutions interested in online fundraising such as universities, hospitals, faith-based groups, and political campaigns.

There are several things about this book that make it a standout among recent efforts to cover this topic.

First, it deals unabashedly with what was once the most controversial aspect of online fundraising, namely email appeals. As recently as a few years ago, email fundraising appeals were seen as a type of nonprofit spam, even when supporters and list subscribers had opted in to receive communications. Several pioneering organizations have turned this on its head, and Madeline chronicles the experiences of nonprofits such as Human Rights Campaign, Humane Society of the United States, and Earthjustice, who have used passion, good writing, creative design and opportune timing to conduct successful financial appeals from supporters via email.

Second, Madeline writes as an insider about many email fundraising campaigns that she has personally worked on. Madeline is the President of Donordigital, one of the leading firms that helps U.S. charities raise money online and mobilize constituents for progressive causes. Considering her day job, she really gives away the store in this book. The book is filled with specific nonprofit examples, real-world case studies, email and Website screen shots, strategy ideas, analytical techniques, and other professional insights.

Unlike previous books that were edited compilations of articles from experts in the field, Madeline's book has a cohesive and linear narrative that leaves the reader with a clear roadmap to translate her insights into action.

The one critique that I will permit myself is that all the examples in this book are from multi-million dollar nonprofits with communications staff. To Madeline's credit, she acknowledges this point repeatedly, and goes out of her way in the narrative to offer advice to smaller organizations on more limited budgets.

Third, and most importantly, Madeline offers truly useful material on raising money online, built around real-world examples and screen shots to help illustrate her points.

The chapter entitled "It's all about the list," discusses how much online fundraising is really a numbers game, and covers five different strategies for growing an organization's list. The chapter entitled "It's all about the timing," brings the numbers game into the real world. "If you take no other lesson from this book, remember this one," writes Madeline. "To be successful with email fundraising, you must send the right message to the right person at the right time." With the backdrop of September 11, the Asian tsunami and the Katrina hurricane, Madeline reinforces how important timing is when appealing for funds. Other chapters cover email subject lines, how to get through the clutter of supporter's inboxes, good writing, how to craft email fundraising campaigns, how to coordinate email appeal with direct mail and telemarketing, and how to mine email messaging data. At 100 pages, there's no wasted space, and you'll wonder how she packed it all in.

Finally, the best thing about this book is how easy it is to read. This is not a technical book, it is not boring. It is filled with Madeline's verve and an infectious attitude that says, "here's how we've raised money online for charities across the country."

After you've read Madeline's book, you'll be convinced that you can do it too. What are you waiting for?

Sandra Felton is my hero! I was thrilled to see that I could order her books through amazon rather than having to go through paypal on the messies anonymous website. Although I receive her daily emails, this book goes into more detail about the personality of a messie and why we have a difficult time doing things that come so naturally to "cleanies". It also explains methods that make sense and help me to see how to get something accomplished without sacrificing the rest of my life. After reading several other books on organizing (which suggested Sandra's website in the first place), I feel this is finally the one that will help me truly reach my goal of an organized home. You will not regret making this purchase.

Ok, I admit, I am a MESSIE... I throw stuff down wherever it lands, I "stuff and shove" in a hurry to make my home presentable, I loose things continuously, I have too much and I am overwhelmed by it all!
I really hate the clutter around me, but haven't known how to change and make it stick.

I've read other books and still hold to much of what I have learned there, but I NEEDED to learn more, more about myself- what makes me tick- and how I can work with my own unique personality (Ok, so not so unique after all!) to not just "clean the house"-- but to kick the messie habits and reform.

I am in the process of "recovery." Cleaning out places that haven't seen the sunlight in 10 years. I am learning (with Sandra's help)- to SIMPLIFY, SORT and STORE- sounds easy doesn't it? NOPE! but easier with her help and tutoring.

This book is part of my journey- not just to a presentable house today, but to a truly peaceful home and lifestyle. I recommend this book to anyone who has tried and failed and is ready to try again.

I love being organized - it makes my life so much simpler. But, I raised a "Messie." In fact, long before Sandra Felton wrote "The Messies Manual," I had dubbed my daughter "Messie Jessie."

So, why did I buy this book? I bought 3 copies for: my daughter, and my 2 stepsons - all of whom are in their early 20's. My daughter wasn't reading hers, so I asked to borrow it because I know I don't "know it all" and I am always happy to learn more, new & different, or better!

That's the bottom line - I learned more, new & different, and better ways of organizing! As a bonus, I learned how to help my ADHD husband while saving my own sanity in the meantime.

I want to read ALL of Sandra Felton's books! I love her easy style of writing, her humor, and her interjections of faith along the way.

Funny and easy to read! This book is perfect -has real advice for real messies from someone who has really been there herself!

Has great, practical ideas that were useful both for me (I'm ok at organization), but also for my friend who has 18 inches of "stuff" over every surface of every floor, counter, couch, etc.

If you want more peace in your home through less clutter and are NOT naturally organized and DO NOT like to clean -- this is the book.

I just finished reading this book on a trip to Chicago. I liked that Sandra explains why we are messies. I couldn't wait to get home to utilize her strategies. I'm now on day 2 and I think I'll have my house orgainzed by day 9 or 10.

WHAT A CHARMING PIECE ON THE ANTEBELLUM SOUTH. CRAFTED WITH PURE GENIOUS AND A PEN FOR DETAIL, "THE MODERATES' DILEMMA" BRINGS TO LIGHT THE UNDENIABLE OBSTINANCE OF THE SOUTH'S PREMIERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.THIS WORK IS A MUST READ FOR HISTORY GRADS OF ANY BACKGROUND.

I read the book, it is brilliant collection of writings. The editors offer an interesting, sophisticated analysis of the white response to busing. Being a former student of his, I can attest that Matthew D. Lassiter is an incredibly intelligent, dynamic individual. I highly recommend this book, and anxiously await his upcoming works.

Matthew Lassiter, editor-in-chief of this seminal collection, sets forth, once again, a fresh standard of scholarly excellence and eloquence. His essay, "A 'Fighting Moderate,'" illustrates one of his innumerable intellectual virtues, the ability to electrify his arduously acquired historian's sobriety with an innate psychological acuity.

Matthew D. Lassiter, perhaps the world's pre-eminent scholar of the American South, co-edited this penetrating and resonant collection of essays, to which he has contributed a characteristically elegant and astute study of Benjamin Muse, who figured prominently in the turbulent early years of desegregation in Virginia.

For my senior seminar, I wrote a paper on desegregation/busing in the South. While I was doing research, a librarian found this book for me. I had to wait 2 weeks to get it through interlibrary loan, but it was worth it!! The essays really bring home the complexity of Southern desegregation when viewed through the lens of class issues. I can only aspire to produce such insightful scholarship!