Resources Books

Trainers in Motion is a necessity for anyone who is in the training industry. It has become my primary resource for techniques to deliver content that is retained and used. The end result: the participants are enthusiastic about the information they receive and even better they are using this information to enhance the jobs they do for our company. We all WIN!

Jim Vidakovich's Trainers in Motion is published in a binder with dividers, so you can add your own notes and comments. This reader participation workbook parallels Vidakovich's approach to involving participants in their own training. Vidakovich begins with an initial discussion of his approach, but the majority of the book is very hands-on, with descriptions of exercises, illustrations of room arrangements, lists of suggested approaches and questions for you to answer. This notebook is packed with good ideas from an expert on training. The caveat:...it's a little pricey. Nonetheless, we from getAbstract recommend it with confidence to trainers and workshop leaders. If hands-on is your style, you have a very well-informed friend in Jim Vidakovich.

Although the price may deter some buyers, if you are doing any professional training, this book is a must-have. I unconditionally recommend it. There are many other books on conducting workshops (see my other reviews) but a lot of them are either; 1. Too academic on the subject of adult learning (beware of the use of the word 'andragogy'), or 2. Too consumed with team/individual game playing.

Trainers in Motion is my "bible" for conducting professional workshops. Vidakovich goes so far as to distinguish those activities that are appropriate for small groups versus large groups, and how to adapt your approach if the group dynamics change (which they will).

The real beauty of the book is the adaptability of it to almost any subject. I have taught workshops on Leadership, Team Building, Project Management, Sales and Marketing, Creativity, and other subjects, and one standard I have followed is the approach of this book towards generating participation and excitement.

The 3-ring binding of the book is also a benefit, as I have been able to take some of the pages along with me, when needed, as opposed to the entire book.

Use it well!

I have participated in Jim's Accelerated Learning Course, where he taught us many of the ideas & exercises delineated in this book. All of us in the Course felt it was invaluable, and we were all "seasoned" professional trainers and consultants. His book is an excellent extension of his professionalism, enthusiasm, and superior training techniques. I can't recommend it highly enough.As a Trainer, I'm supposed to be professional ... this book has helped me be even better.

I must say that Mr. Vidakovich's book is an essential tool for today's training environment. "Trainers in Motion" has set a new standard in adult learning in the 21st century. We all can learn to utilize this style not only in our academic environment, but also in our everyday interpersonal relations.

If you are in the training field, this is a must see manuel to guide you to an enhanced training environment that not only will your participants enjoy, but you will also have fun in the process.

Enjoy, Jeff Stavitzski Corporate Trainer (Levitz)

I purchased this book through a book club and found it to be PACKED with useful information and illustrations. Every crocheter from beginners to experienced will find something helpful in this book.

This is a totally well put together book, chocked full of clear instructions with easy to understand pictures. So much information, a real compliment to crochet patterns, it definitely lives up to it's name.

I'm basically a knitter who crochets a little and not that well. This book answered all my questions and gave me projects that I've been inspired to make. I learned to make roses, ruffles, and more complicated crochet patterns. It renewed my interest in crochet. Unless you're already a master this book is very helpful.

I have had this book for several months and I am just now getting excited about it. There are excellent colorful photos on every page, there are a lot of techniques and each step is illustrated well. When I first got this book I was disappointed because I was really hoping that those trade secrets as the title suggests would jump out at me. But, on closer inspection I have found that there are indeed valuable tips on making my crocheted work better. I think this book will help immensely when I feel creative and want to design my own stuff. However, most of the tips are a page or less, and I would have liked to have seen some of them expanded a bit. Overall I would recommend this to anyone who crochets and would like some ideas to spark their creativity.

I have been crocheting for many, many years but this book explained things simply with great photos. It answered a lot of questions I have had and showed me new ways to do things. I would highly recommend this for the beginner as well as for the experienced crocheter.

This is a terrific resource and one that I have been using all year in my classroom. We have begun using this book as a book study for a Professional Learning Community at our school for those teaching K-3. My Grade One class has never loved writing more and their enthusiasm for writing has been tremendous.

This book will definitely aid in developing your 6 + 1 writing classroom. It is filled with classroom ideas and great picture books to use to enhance each lesson.

This is a fantastic tool for lower elementary teachers. This is how writing should be assessed. This book is a practical tool. It includes practice assessments and lots of student example papers to help you better understand each trait and how to evaluate it. It also includes many wonderful teaching ideas and picture book examples!

I agree with the positive reviews. The concepts and lessons are great. However, this book must be "all the rage" because when I went online to purchase the trade book from the first lesson plan, I could not find it for less than $50! Of course, you can substitute in your own book selections, but if you want to rely on the lessons as written you MAY not be able to find every book. [...]

We asked. We pleaded. We begged, "Pretty pleeease." Ruth Culham responded to our request with great enthusiasm with 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. And teachers across the globe cheered, "Wahoo!" Finally, a resource book for primary educators who have been searching for child tested ideas that tackle instructional strategies and assessment techniques in one comprehensive book. Thank you, Ruth, for doing a wonderful job of explaining each trait, equipping us with developmentally appropriate focus lessons, and reminding us that teaching writing to young authors is a process in which they need plenty of practice and opportunities, and an extra helping of patience on our part doesn't hurt. This must have book for all teachers - novice and experienced alike - won't be another resource that is shelved after a quick glance. It will be close at hand as it is used throughout the year to help develop the talents of young writers.

I have read both books by Savitch and Deitel, and Savitch is by far clearer, although Savitch could still buff the textbook out a bit more with explaining "Compositon" topic better and clarifying paramater type .

Also Savitch summarizes every subsection and I am not 100% sure this is necessary in all subsections.

Savitch should urge his publisher not to begin a new subsection at the bottom of a page!

Savitch should make available more solutions in a separate manaul for those wishing it.

Overall I would say Savitch saved my day with my 2 JAVA courses. Deitel starts out with graphics, assuming the student will graps Java better but Deitel introduces some rather major concepts when doing this and I don't think the students would appreciate the complex ideas without using Savitch step by step methodologies. Deitel assumes a student undestands the concept of "extends", "implements" etc and this is exactly what graphics class uses and Deitel assumes students will understand these concepts just because they are graphical in nature. Savithc covers these concepts later when other major concepts are covered so that a student will appreciate the "extends" concepts much better.

So Savitch and Deitel cover the same material, but in different sequences. And I believe that Savitch's approach works better and helps the student understand the more difficult concepts later in the textbook.

gerard sagliocca,
gerard_sagliocca@yahoo.com

I learned JAVA language a couple of years ago. As I have to reuse it recently, I borrow the 2nd Edtion from a computer science guy in the school, because many people told me this is the best one. After I read through it, I decided to purchase the newest edtion. It's INDEED the best one of the JAVA guides I've ever read.

However, Amazon needs to find publisher that can scale down the prices on school textbook. The book was expensive!

I've tried three other Java intro books, and they either aren't well-organized or they take such a dim view of the reader's abilities that it's like reading Programming for Pre-schoolers. Absolute Java is well-structured with both breadth & depth: it doesn't ignore programming basics, but covers a much larger scope of material than other books I've tried, while still including detail about intricacies of more sophisticated aspects of the language. Uses lots of good, robust examples. Love it.

It took me a couple months of my own time reading this book to prepare myself for a second round back to school. I have not programmed in almost 8 years and it was in C. I have to say that as an introductory programming book, Savitch did a superb job. You cannot get any more clear on the topics of the basics and foundations of the Java language than this. If you're just a passerby that just wants to get yourself started in Java, I recommend this book.

If I could, I would thank Winonah LaDuke in person for writing such an important, informative and engaging book on the travesty that is the North American government's view of native land and those who inhabit it. The numerous tribes who make the land their home are forced to co-exist with the insensitive, selfish and literally toxic decisions made by government and corporations who dump tons upon tons of toxic pesticides in their water and on "abandoned" land. These lands are also subject to divebombings from military jets. These are illegal decibel levels that drive those within hearing range to points of mental instability, as well as potential hearing loss.

One of the most important quotes from this book that I remember (since I read this book a couple of years ago in a Native/African-American Women's Studies course) was from a Seminole leader who said, "Selling your land for a price is like selling a piece of your mother." [I paraphrase this.] I couldn't agree more. When I remember that quote, I think about all of the animals, vegetation and tribes (consisting of families and friends) who have lived off of the land of the United States, as well as Canada. How can one possibly put a price on something that can't truly be owned by anyone and is its own autonomous entity. Even if people have the illusion that they can occupy land as territory (because of treaties, as an example) does not mean that it is ever their to keep. LaDuke makes several strong examples of this in the book. We can't continue to pollute, abuse and neglect land without paying a price environmentally or in terms of human quality of life and mortaiity. I believe everyone should read this book, regardless of occupation, national origin or territorial location. We need to face the damage done before more of it goes unacknowledged. Thank you, Winonah.

Spoon-fed news by large media corps, few were aware that Winona LaDuke ran for the vice presidency under Ralph Nader in the 2000 elections. Even fewer know that she is also a Native American eco-philosopher with a critical perspective on the health and future prosperity of America. All Our Relations is particularly instructive, in that LaDuke surveys the entire American landscape (and by landscape, I am not merely referring to the political landscape), showing the deep connections that exist between local cultures, their environments, and the corporate-governmental giants that often compromise their health. Although LaDuke has specifically focused on Native American communities, the stories are engaging and instructive for Americans in general. Informative, powerful, and transformative, LaDuke here provides an antidote for our increasing alienation from the land and biota that sustain us. A must read for any conscious American.

ALL OUR RELATIONS by Indigenous Activist Winona LaDuke is a must read for everyone who cares about our earth. LaDuke presents the state of the environment focusing on several land, treaty rights and toxic exposure struggles on reservations across North America and in Hawaii. Since I met Winona when she was an economics student at Harvard, she has been at the heart of struggles and gains made by indigenous communities, always bringing a keen intellect, diligent research, unswerving commitment, and a broad vision of the whole circle to community and tribal issues.
Because I've known many of the people involved in the essential work LaDuke describes in ALL OUR RELATIONS, it was a personal pleasure to read this book and catch up with what Susannah Santos and her cousins are doing on the Columbia River, be updated on Luana Busby and Melani Trask and the Hawaiian indigenous movement and to get the inside details of the complex political fight Winona's son's father and his people are up aqainst at St. James Bay. But this book will fascinate anyone who cares about our earth, families and communities. It is one to read from end to end, then keep around to re-read again and again.
LaDuke calls the work these tribal communities do to protect their people and landbase from pollution and corporate greed, "soul-retrieval." It is work that we all need to do whatever our ethnic background, since as LaDuke's reportage on the presence of PCBs in mother's breastmilk in the Northeast attests, everyone is affected by what we are doing to the earth. Winona is a mother who has no illusions about how the choices we make as consumers affect the earth and our communities' health. What is most inpiring about LaDuke's writing and life is that she offers solutions. Each chapter not only outlines the problem, but it talks about solutions that are being implemented and suggests others that should be employed. Winona walks her talk. LaDuke has been a strong proponent of wind energy and has worked to engage major corporations like Ben & Jerry in developing wind energy projects on Indian Reservations in South Dakota. Native Harvest and White Earth Land Recovery Project have reclaimed White Earth land and developed sustainable reservation businesses that employ and train White Earth tribal members. Winona LaDuke would be a great President because she is the only public figure who has a sensible plan for economic self-sufficiency, the clarity to explain it to the American people, and the discipline and steadfastness to enact it.

Winona Laduke ran as vice president alongside Ralph Nader. It would be truly amazing if this woman had become our vice president (for many reasons). It is my hope that some day she will be our vice president (or president). Her views on the environment and its effect upon animals and people (particularly babies, children and pregnant/nursing mothers) are exactly how I feel. She expresses these views eloquently in these quotes by Lil'wat grandmother Loretta Pascal, "Where did you get your right to destroy these forests? How does your right supercede my rights? These are our forests, these are our ancestors."(p.5), by Ted Strong, "If this nation has a long way to go before all of our people are truly created equally without regard to race, religion, or national origin, it has even further to go before achieving anything that remotely resembles equal treatment for other creatures who called this land home before humans ever set foot upon it...."(p.5), and by Katsi Cook, "Why is it we must change our lives, our way of life, to accommodate the corporations, and they are allowed to continue without changing any of their behavior?"(p.12). Reading this book you will feel sorrow, and be inspired to action. Most of what was said in this book I already knew a little about, but through this book I understood the depth and complexity of all the factors. I can not recommend this book enough. She tells the truth of our world with a powerful clarity. She tells the stories of many Native American Tribes throughout North America (Canada and the United States, including a chapter on Hawaii). She ends the book with the optimism that it is possible for us to make change, but it is up to us.

To think this woman could be our Vice President today. Most people don't even know that Winona LaDuke ran for Vice President on Ralph Nader's ticket. An articulate and passionate writer, LaDuke presents an awareness of the plight of America unsurpassed by any other. She knows what's wrong. She knows what needs to be done. She knows who is doing the work, how and why. She presents her advocacy as human, heartfelt and real. I learned things about what is happening to this country that I would never have known otherwise. You certainly don't see it in the news, and you don't learn about it in school. We're in trouble, folks, and it's not too late to do something about it. With more power she could have made such a difference! But she continues to work on the issues, and it is so important that more people are aware of her work. Please, please, please read this book. It is the most important book you will read all year.

I was never interested in reading books about slavery. But not this one. I liked it.

This book is a life of experience through a boy sold into slavery. Experience the Middle Passage, know what it is like, learn how slaves are sold, how cruel owners treat these what-they-once-called "animals." Walk with him. Run with him. And learn how a great writer put the events into words.

The historic-fiction The Captive written by Joyse Hansen is a phenomena and an anecdote to a third world country, indeed, it is a flashback into how slavery was performed and portrayed in Africa in the midst of the 1780's at the Ashanti kingdom located in West Africa. This book takes place in Africa then travels along the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas; however, it is about a young prince by the name of Kofi Kwame Paul member of the royal Ashanti family that was an inheritant of his fathers throne as a major chief in his tibe and all of a sudden he is captured in the hands of deceitfulness, vast lies, and adversity caused by their former slave Oppong. This becomes the moment when his life is transformed thoroughly from a prince to an enduring slave, and he feels like he has totally lost dignity as an inheritant of the throne, and has been stolen his integrity as an human being.

He penetrated a new world which he recognized it wasn't his home and all of a sudden he realized that his future was absolutely shattered. He was betrayed by his slave Oppong, who he thought highly of and unfortunately he killed his father the great chief and also his brother. He was taken away from his family; yet, his family had no prior knowledge of where he was. As a result, he was abducted by a slave trader; therefore, Kofi tries to come up with a strategic plan for escape. Later, he is shifted to the Americas to a farmer and learns English. In short, all he has to survive is his flute and his English speaking skill. The diverse settings of this book are the ones that give the reader momentum into continuing reading it. For the fact that is fulfilled of so many turning points that leaves you wanting to read more...
-Maria

In the book The Captive, the plot line takes many twists and turns that can be sad, or can be full of action. It takes its first twist when Kofi Kwame Paul, the main character, witnesses his father and brother get shot by their betraying servant, Oppong. This event causes Kofi and his other brother, Kwesi, to be left with a slave trader. The slave trader allowed Kofi to prove his brother and himself a part of the royal Ashanti family. On this mission Kofi finds himself escaping from a trading post he went to to get his flute back. He was caught and sent on a ship to Salem, MA with African slaves. When he arrived there it was to his misfortune that he had become a slave to a farmer. After working there he ran away to Boston, MA with the other slaves to have freedom. Although the twists and turns seem to lead somewhere different, it all ends up in one place.

Captive is a great book that is definetly worth reading. The author puts a visual in your head that makes you feel as if you are actualy there whitnessing the story.the story is about an African American Kofi who gets taken out of his home and is shiped to an owner to be his slave. his only possesions are the clothes on his back and a flute. On the ship the author describes his frusteration and confusion wtih not being able to talk to any one.He meets two other boys and they get sold to a master. his master beats him and tourchers him.The masters wife however teaches him to speak to learn and to write English. Then him and his two friends dreanm of being free again and plan to ecscape. Will Kofi and his friends ecscape?Will Will kofis dream of being free someday come true?
I enjoyed reading this book and I hope you will too.It has all the things that I like in a book action suspence and emotion. so if you are looking for that kind of book this would be a good one.

Captive is a great book that is definetly worth reading. The author puts a visual in your head that makes you feel as if you are actualy there whitnessing the story.the story is about an African American Kofi who gets taken out of his home and is shiped to an owner to be his slave. his only possesions are the clothes on his back and a flute. On the ship the author describes his frusteration and confusion wtih not being able to talk to any one.He meets two other boys and they get sold to a master. his master beats him and tourchers him.The masters wife however teaches him to speak to learn and to write English. Then him and his two friends dreanm of being free again and plan to ecscape. Will Kofi and his friends ecscape?Will Will kofis dream of being free someday come true?
I enjoyed reading this book and I hope you will too.It has all the things that I like in a book action suspence and emotion. so if you are looking for that kind of book this would be a good one.

This is such a useful tool for teachers. It is simple to use, visually stimulating, and fun!! Really great book!

This book for K-6 has a huge amount of graphics for everything from book reports, math, science, social studies and writing to great activities for all of these as well as great art projects. I am a writing teacher so I was particularly interested in the writing activities and graphics organizers. They are awesome! For example, there is one writing activity I found to be really interesting. It is an autobiography recipe. Students write about their personality in the form of a recipe. Very cute idea. I think the ideas can and will be exciting for my writing students. I also teach social studies. There are some great ideas for that subject as well. Everything in the book is great.

I bought this book, along with the Organized Teacher. Both of these books are filled with awesome printables, resources, websites, ideas, and projects for every content area from reading and writing to art and gym. I really enjoy both of these books!

This book is filled with creative ideas. It provides tweaks to assignments and projects one would already use in the classroom.

This book arrived quickly and in excellent condition as promised. Would definitely buy from this seller again!

Customer Service For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

I have several of the dummy books and this is the best of the line that I have read. Whether you are already a professional or a beginner, this will give you tips and insights rarely considered. I would recommend it in a heartbeat!

I have taught a lot of classes in cutomer service in the information technology field. This is a great book to use for reference and discussions.
It teaches on a level almost anyone can understand, provides insites to customer satisfaction, and how to achieve it. It's filled with little gems like "answer the phone with a smile on your face." This book is an easy read and well worth the money.

As a Best Buy Consumer Relations representative we deal alot with the satisfication of customers & the products that they purchase at our stores. The level of service that i recieved with the purchase of my book was outstanding & the follow up on this has been nice. I would reccommend this service anytime , and look forward to my future purchases :)

This book is a must for those who are finding themselves just put in a situation where they must speak with customers. Gives insight into customer types, reminds on proper etiquette both on the phone and in person and in general makes communication more effective. Good for a geek (like myself) who is finding himself talking with the clients that (s)he supports more and more.

This is a good resource, no matter if you have your first survey to do or have a complex service problem to fix - there is some commonsense advice on the whole range between these.

For new or infrequent practitioners of surveys and service activities, this is a valuable resource - worth reading before you buy the more complex books.

This is definitely a must have for any Leader who works with teens and is looking for ways to impact a future generation.

Efrem Smith and Phil Jackson's THE HIP-HOP CHURCH: CONNECTING WITH THE MOVEMENT SHAPING OUR CULTURE provides an important survey which advocates reaching spiritual souls through their own language - the music of hiphop. From understanding hiphop culture to bringing it into the church, any involved in a church and seeking to involve urban youth must have THE HIP-HOP CHURCH: it's an inspirational survey of how to reach out in an alternative manner.

this book is a must read of any minister, youth worker, dj, music worker, or anyone dealing with the youth wanting to use the hip hop culture.

Efremm and Jackson do a great job bridging the gap between the hip hop generation and the church. They engage one without the defaming the the other. Great book and informative. it also gives diffrent ways to use hip hop in youth ministries.

This book has open my eyes to a world that has so much to offer to The Kingdom Of Jesus the Christ....the book will help you understand the Hip-Hop Generation and help take back for the Glory of Christ....this book is a must read for everyone, even if you don't like Hip--Hop....

I have been a full time mediator for seven years. Before that, I was a litigator. At times, I utilized Mr. Krivis' expertise as a mediator. I recall thinking: "This man's an alchemist. He settles all of my cases, but does so in a different way each time. He truly is an improvisational genius." Now, through his new book, Krivis gives me some insight into his practice. This book should be required reading for anyone currently mediating the litigated case. It should also be read by litigators. The analysis sections at the end of each chapter provides a wealth of information for sorting out differences of all kinds. Don't wait for the jury, ladies and gentlemen. The verdict is in: Krivis is a master mediator with an inpired approach to conflict management and resolution.

What do love, money, anger and conflict have in common? Among other things, pioneer Southern California mediator Jeff Krivis. Now this legendary "closer" has written an original and engaging new book "Improvisational Negotiation: A Mediator's Stories of Conflict About Love, Money, Anger and the Strategies That Resolved Them".

Focusing on the "human dynamic" involved in dispute resolution, Krivis' book reads more like a fast-paced novel than a work of non-fiction. In 30 riveting chapters, Krivis takes the reader behind the scenes and far beneath the surface of conflicts that everyday people face and his (and others) strategies for their resolution. Given the general public's overwhelming interest in the law and what lawyers do, this book should enjoy an appeal far beyond the sphere of dispute resolution professionals.

It deserves a wide audience.

Through the gripping stories contained in this book, the reader gets a rare and highly coveted opportunity to observe the author (an internationally recognized mediator) at work in the most challenging of situations. Jeffrey Krivis, known for his skill and success in breaking through even the most difficult negotiation barriers, shares his techniques and tools for achieving resolution and does so in a fabulously entertaining and heart-warming way through these well written stories. It's a must have for every negotiator or mediator's library.

Mr. Krivis has succeeded in creating a very entertaining and resourceful book that anyone in the conflict resolution arena would find a must read, including attorneys, mediators, claims adjusters, negotiators, human resource personnel, private parties in conflict, and the list could go on and on.

I enjoyed the book because it was written with such detail and specificity in a John Grisham type style, yet at the same time it was also very educational and applicable. The material was so good and entertaining that I found myself at the end of each chapter saying, "Okay, one more chapter then I'll go to bed." Then a half hour later, "Okay, really just one more chapter."

Mr. Krivis has shared in this book many valuable tools that I have already applied in my private practice as an attorney and mediator. I can testify that they have tremendously benefitted my clients and my practice. For this reason, I find myself referring to the book weekly and frequently recommending it to my colleagues. Thanks for the great read Mr. Krivis and subsequent enhancement to my practice. This book is a must read!

I often look at reviews for practical advice, i.e., if people like me read the book and get something out of it, then I want it. Well, as a trial lawyer and as someone who would benefit a lot from doing my best at mediation, Jeff Krivis' book is a DEFINITE READ. Mr. Krivis' style is clear and very easy to understand. After setting forth various fact patterns that an experienced lawyer might see, he shows how different approachs to meditation settle the case. This is a window into how to a top mediator thinks about your case and the strategies he uses to help both sides resolve their differences. What could be better?

In case I wasn't clear - BUY THIS BOOK.