Business Reviews

Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity And Building Talent From Within

Published in Hardcover by AMACOM (2005-05-30)

Author: William J. Rothwell

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Average review score:

Excellent text

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18

I bought this book to help with my transition to a director's position at a nonprofit organization. It contains very useful and concrete ideas, in addition to case studies from different organizational types (i.e., an example of succession in public agency, a non-profit organization, etc.). I would definitely suggest this book for anyone thinking of systematizing succession.

Exceeded my expectations

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-28

Rothwell's book is one of the more comprehensive and well researched books covering this growing topic. It includes a wealth of information following all of the major steps of the Succession Planning process. The book contains useful worksheets and task process flows that allow a reader to rapidly introduce the core concepts into their organisation. A great resource.

excellent reference

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-20

easy to understand and absorb great intro reference

Like a lot of other things---it's only as good as you apply it

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12

The need for succession planning is reaching crisis proportions, yet few organizations are willing to face the crisis and do something about it.

There's nothing magic here---just a realistic, comprehensvie, flexible approach to get the job done. The strenghts in this book:
- Finding the right devleopmental activity for the right level of management
- Design, gain support, and implement, and maintain your succession process.
- Lots of extras, including assessments and a plan to devleop a mentoring program.

A great value.

Extremely Helpful

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-29

Rothwell provides not only an excellent review of the current literature but countless worksheets for practice. If you are interested in succession planning issues this book is a must. I would also recommend "The Leadership Pipeline" by Charan, Drotter, & Noel. And buy a copy of "Strategic Organizational Learning" by Beitler. Beitler has several free articles on his website "[...]" that are also helpful.

Laura Taylor
Baltimore, MD

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Law

Published in Paperback by South-Western College/West (2007-08-28)

Authors: Constance E. Bagley and Craig E. Dauchy

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Best resource out there

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-24

Whether your are an entrepreneur, VC or lawyer, THIS is the book that you must read. It's really everything that you need to navigate the entire startup ecosystem. I've been in the industry for over a decade and I still use it as a reference and encourage both entrepreneurs and lawyers to read alike. I also think it's a great resource for VCs sitting on boards to make sure they are complying with all the latest and greatest regulations.

Concise yet fully inclusive, up-to-date

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-19

Includes all important areas of law for the entrepreneur. Was most helpful for our incorporation. Good, short, to-the-point, comparisons of S-corp, C-corp, LLC, partnership, and sole proprietorship. Still covered all issues and is updated to late 2007. This is important because the tax-code changes frequently (last major update was in 2003), and small changes to corporate structure and court pratices happen every year. Better than "Structuring Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Entrepreneurial Transactions." Better than "Starting Your Own Business" by Stephen C. Harper. Better than searching for piecemeal information on websites like news.YCombinator.

Other important areas covered are Contracts & Lease, Operational Liability, and Intellectual Property. I will be using this book heavily for those areas as well.

excellent guide

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-20

A book that every entrepreneur should read. Read it before you start the company, it will help you a lot.

Great book, just not for me.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-27

This book goes into great detail about all aspects of Business Law. Anyone who currently owns a business or is thinking about opening a business needs to read this book, or at least have it near by as a reference guide.

However, the book is certainly aimed at Corporate USA and those who are looking to start up a BIG business. If you are looking to open or currently own a Small Business, then there are better books on the market that are tailored more to your needs.

Essential Reference

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-06

This book deserves to be on the shelf of every entrepreneur. The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Law will take you on a virtual tour of the start-up process, and beyond, from the legal perspective. As experienced entrepreneurs understand, any business is a web of relationships, many of which are detailed in legal documents. This is the case for the relationship (establishment) of the entity with the state, relationships between co-founders, relationships between employees and the company, relationship between the company and its investors, suppliers, customers, etc. The legal foundation for all of these is clearly explained, and this book includes a wealth of practical information that will help any entrepreneur to work more efficiently and effectively with their legal counsel.

Steven K. Gold
Author, Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture

Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II (Modern War Studies)

Published in Paperback by University Press of Kansas (1998-04)

Author: James Tobin

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A remarkably good book about a truly remarkable man

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-04

This is the story of an unpretentious, self effacing, little newspaper man, who once described himself as a "slightly used second hand man;" a man who through dedication, common sense, and a love for his fellow man and "the God-damned infantry," as they liked to call themselves, went on to become the pre-eminent war correspondent of World War II and likely of any other war -- past, present, or future. But, Ernie Pyle was much more than that. As the war wore on, Ernie, through his thoughtful and heart-felt reports from the European war zone became America's "everyman," a little fellow, who could be your next door neighbor, caught up in the events of war. Many of his readers came to see him more as a friend than as a reporter and, as America's situation improved, became more concerned about Ernie than they were about how the war itself was going.

Once known for his somewhat mundane traveling adventures, a column which he wrote for seven years prior to the war for the Scripps-Howard Newspaper chain, Pyle's reports from North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and eventually broader Europe took on a life of their own. His column spread to other papers and to a much broader readership. But this new found fame, and the prospect of fortune, never went to Ernie's head. He said that he was too old, he was in his forties, had been a reporter too long, twenty years, and had seen too much of the war to be impressed with such things. It seemed funny to him that he should be considering a deal worth $150,000 while soldiers were dying all around him on the battlefields of Europe for only $50 a month. Ernie didn't expect to live to see war's end anyway.

There was only one Ernie Pyle and it is unlikely that there will ever be another, for in his writings he caught the essence of the young men who were fighting and dying in war. His readers got to see what they saw, feel what they felt, and know what they hoped and dreamed of. And it was through his reports that the American people caught a glimpse of World War II and what their sons were going through.

This is a remarkably good book about a remarkable man; well researched and well told. In it, you will get meet the real Ernie Pyle and read some of the writings which won him praise and eventually the Pulitzer Prize. Among them are four of his finest: A Forward Airdrome in French North Africa (pg. 71); In the shadow of the low stone wall (pg. 133); Now to the infantry (pg. 262); and A Pure Miracle (pg. 271).

amazing story, wonderful details

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-26

This is a fascinating book, and this from a reader more into fiction than historical biography - but the best fiction writer would be hard pressed to come up with a character like Ernie Pyle.

A page turning look into World War II from someone who could have been your neighbor but was far more than what you would have expected.

I have no idea why a modern rendition of this story has not hit the big screen - it seems a natural, captivating story that would educate as well as entertain.

a life-changing read

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-19

this must be THE book to read on war - what it's really like in all of its aspects - his description of the beach, after D-Day was gripping and haunting and it has stayed with me many years later -

and how he relates the everyday and ordinary in war -

and how, in any group or organization, it's often a small percentage of the people who are carrying the load - that's just one example of the many insights and truths in this book that relate to all of life, not just life in a war zone -

and it is a great book for anyone to read - a stunning life achievement for ernie pyle -

America's Link to the Front Lines of World War II

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-08

James Toban has written a stunning book in "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II". Toban has succeeded in giving readers the rare opportunity to see the human frailties concealed within one of America's greatest and most valuable World War II correspondents.

James Toban present a picture of the complex Ernie Pyle; a man that entered the World War II carrying only a broken Remington typewriter and a deep desire to describe the life and hardships of the horrific world of the infantrymen to the American public. The reader will learn of the contradictory Ernie Pyle. The Ernie Pyle who despised war, but who could not stay away from the physical and emotional anguish of battle. The Ernie Pyle who loved his wife, but who continually left her behind to travel to the front lines. Ernie Pyle, the seemingly frail and terrified journalist who demonstrated his bravery by traveling to the front lines to be with and write about "his boys". Ernie Pyle, a genius for writing about the common soldier, but who needed constant reminding that he was the best at what he did. His articles became legendary and the hope and news link for Americans with loved ones in the front lines.

James Toban's "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II " is a must read for World War II readers and all readers who wish to know about the human spirit and about a plain old fashion brave American.

Ernie Pyle's War: Thorough and Entertaining Read

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-17

"Ernie Pyle's War" by James Tobin was a thorough read. Tobin described Pyle down to the very last detail, uncovering almost every aspect of his life. After reading this book, the reader had a clear view into Pyle's mind and was able to recognize the feelings he possessed about his professional and private life. The way Tobin intertwined Pyle's messages home with biographical details along with interviews of acquaintances, made this story an easy read. "Ernie Pyle's War" earned five "stars."
Tobin's style of writing was one reason this book was so effective. He used partial quotes from Pyle to title his chapters, which brought an immediate sense of intimacy to the story. Tobin began the book with a chronological introduction to Pyle. This style of writing, although typical for biographies, was well suited for this story and not at all cliché. Readers were able to become acquainted with Pyle as a young man and then mature along with him as he grew into an established adult. By describing Pyle as a young man, readers were able to understand more clearly why he was the way he was as an adult.
Tobin used vivid descriptions to paint a picture of Pyle in the minds of the readers. This was an important aspect because Pyle's physical demeanor was one of the main problems and/or benefits in his life. As a child and young adult, his size hindered his relationships. But, as a war correspondent, the people saw Pyle as more of a hometown boy rather than a studious journalist. This added to his success as a war correspondent.
After transitioning into Pyle's career as a war correspondent, the story line became more tedious. Pyle was in and out of combat and the surface facts of his life were boring. Tobin, understanding the paleness of biographical data, used Pyle's messages home to spice up the story. Like most people, Pyle's life was not what it seemed to be. Besides leading a "glorified" life as a war correspondent, he had major problems at home. Tobin showed the audience this by weaving together Pyle's biographical information with the messages he sent home. This gave the reader a sense of what Pyle was actually feeling. Using these messages instead of his columns allowed reader's to see the "real" Pyle.
Tobin uncovered personal feelings about his professional and personal life, which gave the reader a feeling of empathy toward Pyle. Showing that he did not feel like an outstanding reporter, let readers see Pyle was human. Tobin successfully showed the man behind the pen by opening up Pyle's mind to the audience. He did this by using Pyle's own letters and messages home that contained intimate details of his life. Without the added touch of Pyle's actual writing, the story would have failed to be as successful.

Expect the Unexpected (or You Won't Find It): A Creativity Tool Based on the Ancient Wisdom of Heraclitus

Published in Paperback by Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2002-09-09)

Authors: Roger Von Oech and George Willett

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Average review score:

Excellent Guide for Creative Inspiration

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-29

Roger von Oech is one of the power houses in creativity books. This particular tome is an example itself of a creative endeavor. Perhaps some of these ideas are expressed elsewhere by Oech or others but the presentation here is what makes a difference. I found myself ruminating and thinking of how each of these sayings can help me out of current conundrums and I did find myself at least seeing situations from different perspectives, which can sometimes be the way to start finding a solution. The book is a very quick read and should be a reference in anyone's creativity book collection.

An Ancient Philosopher Meets Creative Think

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-23

Someone who knows me well recommended Roger Von Oech's book "Expect the Unexpected" to me because she knew of my interest in Heraclitus (c. 500, B.C.), an ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosopher. Heraclitus was a master of oracular, enigmatic sayings. He was known in antiquity as the "riddling" or as the "dark" philosopher. There are no surviving complete texts of Heraclitus. We know of him through brief quotations from other Greek philosophers and writers and from their descriptions and comments on his life and thought. Heraclitus is probably best-known for his doctrine that everything is in flux, in constant change. "Everything changes", he said [panta rhei in Greek) and "you cannot step into the same river twice for other waters keep flowing on and on". Heraclitus was a great influence on other philosophers and writers from Plato and Aristotle to Alfred North Whitehead and Martin Heidegger. I have been fascinated by him since youth.

On the surface, Roger Von Oech seems an unlikely person to write about Heraclitus. Von Oech is the founder and president of a firm known as Creative Think, headquartered in California, which is a consulting firm that gives presentations and seminars to large businesses and other organizations on creativity and increasing productivity. A glance at Creative Think's website shows that Von Oech has written several books and invented a number of gimmicky-looking gadgets with the goal of helping people expand their thinking horizons. He is obviously and engaging and successful entrepreneur. This made me suspicious of the book. What could Creative Think have to do with Heraclitus?

From the book, I learned that Von Oech holds a PhD in the history of ideas and that he has been studying Heraclitus since 1971, while engaged in graduate work in Germany. And his book shows that Von Oech has given Heraclitus a great deal of thought. I was impressed with his respect for and understanding of this difficult thinker. I was even more impressed, upon reflection, with Von Oech's ability and interpret Heraclitus's texts in an engaging, lively way to audiences and people that otherwise would have had no use for him. It takes some bravura to write a self-help book such as this with Heraclitus as the mentor. Von Oech has done it well.

This short book begins with a brief overview of Heraclitus followed by a list of what Von Oech terms "the Creative Insights of Heraclitus", consisting of 30 of his characteristic sayings. Von Oech advises that his book can be read straight through, or that the reader can meditate on each individual saying over time, taking the sayings at random or in some form of order. (The time necessary to think through Heraclitus can be measured in years.) Von Oech then explores each of the 30 sayings individually in brief chapters. It is wonderful that he gives the Heraclitus texts in ancient Greek as well as in English for the reader to see, even readers who know no Greek. He offers a commentary on each text, together with questions, printed in red, for the reader to consider in responding to the text. In a short concluding chapter, Von Oech summarizes the lessons he has taken from Heraclitus.

In his interpretations, Von Oech uses many riddles, puzzles, and stories to help readers see things in a new way. What he says is short, but much of it is useful, and Von Oech ties his message in to the sayings of the Riddling Philosopher. Besides jokes and riddles, Von Oech illustrates his interpretations of Heraclitus from figures as diverse as Thomas Edison and Christopher Columbus to Herman Hesse and the Buddha. He stresses ambiguity, the ever-presence of change, thought, open-mindedness, and the elimination of arrogance. The difficulty of the sayings of Heraclitus mirrors the need of thinking closely to discover meaning.

I have some residual qualms about this book. Von Oech uses Heraclitus largely as a way to help managers and employees become more efficient and creative in performing their chosen tasks. His firm, Creative Think, is workplace oriented. Heraclitus's teachings are broader than this, in that they seem to be directed to challenging the fundamental and unexamined assumptions that people make about things such as the workplace, its values, and the importance of material success. Von Oech for the most part accepts these assumptions and uses Heraclitus within them. (He does make some exceptions. For example he tells the story of a coach of a rowing team who taught his crew to meditate to increase their coordination with each other. The team members did so, but they also lost their competitive streak as a result of their meditation experience.) Von Oech does not expressly ask his readers, as Heraclitus did, to reconsider their lives and goals. Thus he deemphasizes an important theme in Heraclitus.

Von Oech still has written a fine book. It fulfills his goal of awakening his readers to the thought of Heraclitus and of encouraging his readers to think about this great philosopher for themselves. There is a great deal of wisdom in what Von Oech says. In this book as in, I suspect, his lectures and seminars, Von Oech meets his task of improving workplace creativity but he opens the door to wider questions as well. One of the sayings of Heraclitus included in this book is "Lovers of wisdom must open their minds to very many things." So it is. I began with a skepticism of Von Oech and his enterprise, but found myself learning from him.

Robin Friedman

A must-have book in your Creativity & Innovation Library, & must-have card deck on your desktop!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-30

I am a raving fan of Roger von Oech's creative work as embodied in his books & card decks, namely:

Books:

- A Whack on the Side of the Head;
- A Kick in the Seat of the Pants;
- Expect the Unexpected;

Card Decks:

- Creative Whack Pack;
- Innovative Whack Pack;
- Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus;

I have used all his creativity stuff ever since I started my own strategy consulting (& book store) business in late 1991.

From my personal & professional experience, I would like to say that the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work has been designed to serve three strategic purposes:

- understanding - & removing - your mental blocks;
- breaking your habitual patterns;
- shifting your focus & changing your paradigms;

As a matter of fact, once you appreciate & commit to these three strategic purposes in your life, you will soon realise that there is nothing in this world to stop you from getting rid of old ideas & getting new & fresh ideas.

Allow me to quote Edward de Bono: "...the mind is habitually uncreative - it is usually preoccupied with organising masses of incoming data into convenient patterns. Once this pattern is established, then the mind tends to rely upon that pattern in future situations, in order to facilitate decision making & action in an otherwise complex world..." (The Use of Lateral Thinking).

Breaking old habitual patterns is definitely the first & foremost priority in your journey to creativity!

Once your shift your focus, you begin to change your paradigms or the way you look at the world around you. Always remember this: Your brain follows the direction of your dominant thought. Once you focus on something, that thing becomes the foreground. Everthing else will fall into the background. Most opportunties are unfortunately hidden in the background. The moment you begin to shift your focus, you are pushing the 'foreground' into the 'background', & pulls the 'background' into the 'foreground'. Get it?

'A Whack on the Side of the Head' will help you to break through your mental blocks. They will open up your mind for innovation. This book is filled with provocative puzzles, exercises, stories & helpful tips.

'A Kick in the Seat of the Pants' takes you on a guided tour through the four stereotype roles of the creative process - Explorer, Artist, Judge & Warrior. Understanding - & applying - these roles will fire up your personal & professional creativity. Tactically, they will change your mental focus as you change to play each of the four roles. I would like to add one more role from what I have learned from the Japanese creativity experts: Antique Dealer. This singular role will allow you to combine all the four roles into one.

'Expect the Unexpected' uses thirty of Heraclitus' (the world's first creativity master) epigrams as creative springboards. It has intriguing questions designed to topple old habits of thought & fire up your imagination.

All the three card decks are basically extensions of the three books, to allow convenient usage during brainstorming sessions.

From my strategy consulting experience, these three card decks have proven to be inexhaustible sources of inspirations.

In fact, the Innovative Whack Pack combines the creative power of both the 'Creative Whacks' & 'Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus'.

I strongly urge readers to seriously consider having the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work added to your Creativity & Inovation Library, & all the three card decks placed permanently on your desk top at all times.

Ancient Greek Creativity Mental Gymnastics

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-25

Roger von Oech, the founder and president of a consulting firm that specializes in stimulating innovation and creativity, has written a very enjoyable and mentally invigorating toolbook for unleashing the power of thirty of the passed-down paradoxical sayings of the ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus (500 B.C.E.). If you want to improve your ability to "think outside the box," then this little book may be just the right tool for you.

Why Heraclitus, and what is his connection to creative thinking and innovation? According to von Oech, "I've been consulting Heraclitus for many years, and he rarely lets me down. Indeed, if creative thinking involves imagining familiar things in a new light, digging below the surface to find previously undetected patterns, and finding connections among unrelated phenomena, then I believe that Heraclitus is the world's first creativity teacher. His ideas not only inspire us to think in these ways, they also provide us with strategies to understand our problems in a fresh manner. For these reasons, Heraclitus is the guide I turn to whenever I need a new perspective."

The book is well researched with a lot of good supporting stories, examples, and historical anecdotes that brought to life the meanings of Heraclitus' sayings. Von Oech did a great job of showing how these sayings can be applied to everyday situations when creative and innovative solutions to problems and challenges are needed. The book also contained many thought-provoking sketches and good introspective questions to further stimulate individual creative thinking.

Von Oech identified three ways to read and use the book. The first is to read it straight through like a creativity workbook to find some ideas you can apply to your life. The second way is as a source for daily meditation by reading and focusing on one saying each day for the next month. Lastly, you can consult it like it was an oracle to help you break out of your normal thinking patterns when you need a shot of creativity. I read it like a workbook, liked how it made me think, and now I am using it for daily meditation. I will also use it as an oracle to help me deal with some challenging issues.

I believe that this book has the ability to unlock the potential of my creative spirit, and I believe it can do the same for anyone who reads it.

Interesting but more of the same

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-11

Seems to me a different approach and format with the same recommendations as his other books. Read the authors other stuff along the way and this one is creative in its layout and approach but found it more of the same. Had trouble staying with it.

Flambards

Published in Hardcover by Peter Smith Pub Inc (1991-09)

Author: K. M. Peyton

List price: $16.50

Average review score:

Mt Bestest Book

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-22

It was a timeless story.I was quite upset cause it wasn't all about horses.

make this one a classic.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-20

This is a very good book. Although it features horses it is not completely about horses. It is a strange--in a good way--study into human nature, from Uncle's disturbing rage to Will's defiance.>>Summary<

wonderfully written, timeless story

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-25

I first read this trilogy 18 years ago, shortly after I had seen bits and pieces of the series of the same name on PBS, and I was unable to put it down. Although the books are geared towards young adults, do NOT let that hinder you--adults of any age will find these novels appealing because they are well-written, the characters are fully developed and engaging, and the storyline, with its triumphs and tragedies, is timeless. They are the stories of Christina, a young orphan who is sent to live with her uncle because she is an heiress and he needs her money to continue the lifestyle he is accustomed to living. The story progresses as Christina grows up, learning to both love Flambards, the ancestral home, and yet despise the backward-thinking ways of her uncle and his eldest son, Mark. It tells of the rivalry between Mark (the favorite) and William (the second son) not only for their father's love but for Christina's as well. It illustrates how life was changing in England at the time (just before WWI), and the hope that those changes brought to many who felt restricted by hide-bound Victorian (& Edwardian) rules. I think that readers will be able to relate to Christina, William, Mark, Dick, Sandy, and Dorothy regardless of their age, or where you grew up. I do suggest reading them in their proper sequence, beginning with "Flambards", continuing with "Edge of the Cloud", and finishing with "Flambards in Summer". I have read these novels again and again, and have loaned out my copy of the trilogy so many times. The author has a rare ability to truly take you back to an Edwardian county estate and to draw you into that world through Christina and her cousins. The books are very emotional, and have touched me in ways that other books depicting this era do not. I think that the best word for them is "haunting". It is too bad that they cannot be rated as 10 stars.

My Favorite Book

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-22

I'll admit it....I'm a Flambards Fanatic. I read this book in the early 80's, after seeing the series on television. I found the book at a local bookstore, loved every word, reread it immediately, ordered so many copies that the bookstore owner started calling me "The Flambards Lady". I was thrilled to be able to get another copy here at Amazon. This book is sometimes considered to be a child's book, but I think adults enjoy it very much. It's a marvelous, unforgettable story of love, loss, and picking up the pieces (or reins) and moving ahead. The series is available on VHS and DVD. I own both but prefer the DVD.

the most emotional book i have ever read

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-03

This moving story of the struggling relationships between Mark, Christiana, William and dick will touch the hearts of anyone who reads it. I finished reading the whole series a few days ago and i cannot forget the effect that these books had on me, i admit that i did cry at times. The book tells the story of christiana, an orphan, who is sent to live at the crumbling Flambards. It tells of her life and loves in the old manor. An excellently written story and a must read, especially for a country lass like myself!

Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers

Published in Paperback by Beaufort Books, Inc. (2008-09-01)

Author: Irena Chalmers

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Average review score:

"Don't be an ant on an anthill" -- an interview with Irena Chalmers

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-18

Reading her book and listening to her advice is like being helped to brush away the confused worries about your future. Like cobwebs, the fears, doubts, insecurities and just plain junk slip away. You can think clearly. Excitement, motivation and a flood of ideas rush to replace the depressing and over-analytical thoughts that slow you down. If you are stuck in what Irena Chalmers calls a WOMBAT job (Waste Of Money Brains And Time), or just confused about where to start, then this book will help you figure out the next step. Food Jobs is not a self-help book or motivational career guide; instead, its purpose is to "match what people love to do with what they can do." Using her experiences and the stories of her friends and students at the Culinary Institute of America where she teaches, she tells of lifetimes of careers in food.

Chalmers' career tells of a woman who is not afraid to take risks and put herself out there - even if she has no idea what she's doing. Her career began as a nurse in England and brought her to America in 1962 to teach courses in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. When her teaching visa ran out, she stayed and ended up in Maryland. At the annual Delmar Chicken festival in Delaware, she was picked to replace the girl who fries the chickens on stage because the festival wanted someone "ordinary looking" and the fried chicken girl was too beautiful. Perhaps they were worried she'd distract people from the chicken? Who knows. Chalmers lands on stage with absolutely no idea how to fry a chicken and then somehow ends up assisting a cook from Le Cordon Bleu for the rest of the weekend.

These things do not happen to everyone. Not many people are picked to be the chicken frying girl and then become a cook's assistant with absolutely no experience. But it does happen to people with the ability to take advantage of the situation. Perhaps she mentioned to someone earlier that she would like to go on stage and fry a chicken, thus making her a logical replacement. In her book, she says to have a speech prepared at all times because you never know who you are standing next to in an elevator. Try to summarize what it is you do and want to do - maybe the person can help you. "Networking is the most important thing because that is where you will find your next job." When you apply to a job online, you become depressed when you don't get it, "why didn't they like me?" But you don't become upset when you don't win the lottery, do you?"

Chalmers' career continued, after a brief stint at Le Cordon Bleu, in North Carolina where she opened a cooking school. Realizing that not many women knew how to cook, she watched Julia Childs and taught them. As a shrewd business woman, she saw that it was the pans and not the cooking that excited the women most about the class- so she began to sell them. Her eventual move into writing cookbooks came from having lots fondue pots to sell and no one knowing how to make fondue. Writing pamphlets with recipes and instructions, she connected with other fondue pot sellers and sold her pamphlets. Her career has taken many twists and turns but perhaps the most fascinating one was her time with restaurateur Joe Baum.

After meeting him at a party, he invited her for lunch and they began working together. She wrote menus, restaurants scripts and eventually became a speech writer with no training in any of it. She emphasized that this is why it's so important to have a speech prepared. She described Baum as a man who did what he wanted and became so successful because he could read the market. A story of a New Year's Eve dinner party that one of his restaurants hosted every year makes her case. She divulged that the restaurant basically committed grand larceny in the prices they charged because they needed to cover the slow month of January. Although usually sold out, one year it was only half-full. So someone draws up an elaborate ad for the Times describing all the fabulous food and events that will take place. Baum looks at it, takes a big black pen, and crosses it out writing SOLD OUT. "Print that." No one could argue with him and the ad ran. That day the phone was ringing off the hook with people trying to get in, "I've been coming to the Rainbow Room for 30 years" (they hadn't been open that long), or "I'm the wife of the former chef" and on and on. They were placed on a waitlist and told they would be called if there were an opening - the dinner was completely sold out. Joe knew the market: this was New York, and he couldn't have pulled it off anywhere else.

Chalmers regaled us with other stories of her time with Baum, a particularly hilarious one involving a Martha ____ in the food world. Visit Chalmers's blog at foodjobsbook.com and convince her to tell you - it is well worth it.

While on her website, look at the many different "food jobs" that she has experienced. She has done it all. Her advice? Follow your dreams and passions to get a job. Doing something conventional is going to be incredibly competitive. When looking for a job, you need to be creative and read the market. Find a niche that isn't filled yet. When the term locavore began, that was a niche someone could fill and write about. Now, it is redundant. Diverging to lighten the mood with some of her humor, she continues on - she admits that she will go on and on if not stopped - to talk about the recent vote in California concerning free-range poultry. She says it's a dangerous idea, "I don't know why you have to turn chickens into humans... it's like having a free-range boyfriend, you never where he's been."

Returning to career advice, her friend once advised her, "don't be an ant on an anthill." A mantra she repeated to us several times. If you have a specific love or talent, find a way to incorporate into your career. One of her students at the CIA told her that she loved making those little flowers on cakes and "could make them all day long." Chalmers suggested going to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens because a lot of weddings take place there. She said to coordinate with the events planner and perhaps offer her services so that the bride can have seasonal flowers on her cake. These are the connections and possibilities that Chalmers opens up for you in her book.

She'll give you realistic and practical advice - it might not be what you want to hear - but it will motivate you to find something new. There is a world of food jobs available; in fact, she filled a rather large book with many of them. Her advice may seem obvious and simple yet it is contrary to what most of us do and aim for in our career goals. She'll give you advice that others won't. When I took a food writing course at the French Culinary Institute a few years ago with Alan Richman, he told us that every food writer must follow the New York Times dining section, the New York Post and other food sections. For keeping updated with the market, Chalmers recommends avoiding magazines such as Gourmet, Food & Wine, etc., and suggests reading Specialtyfoods.com or other trade publications. She personally reads the Economist, the Wall Street Journal and says that the New York Times is good for business and international sections, not as much for their dining.

After describing the career, ambitions and personality of this woman, do you have a picture in your mind of what she looks like? On the day we met, she walked inside with bright blue eyes, short, styled white hair, a slightly red nose and was unbuttoning her thick jacket. Standing before the class, she wore a loose ankle-length black cotton dress, a black cardigan and a thin scarf colored with blends of turquoise, green, navy and beaded ends that she wrapped once around her neck. She spoke softly in a British accent, almost like a whisper and seemed like the magical British aunt you always wanted as a kid. The one who would tell you the stories you weren't suppose to know but was also wise, warm and inspiring. Smart with a witty sense of humor, she was a treat. At 73, she said she has never been happier. Hopefully, we will all be that lucky.

Just in the nick of time!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-26

Everyone's career has ebbs and flows, ups and downs. I, a dietitian, happened to have been in professional "trough" when this book came out. After reading just a few pages, I immediately felt inspired and energized to work toward another "peak." Food Jobs is full of practical tips and creative ideas on how to make my next dream come true - from people who've been there, done it, and done it well. The answers to all the pertinent questions (career outlooks, salaries, how to get started, etc) were presented in an exceptionally easy to read and fun format. Thank you, Irena Chalmers - your book came out just in the nick of time!

Another Brilliant Book From Irena

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-15

I tried to view this book objectively and not have a bias of knowing Irena affect how I saw this book. Even so, I found the book fun, interesting and having a wealth of knowledge. So much time and research went into this book and it shows.

Like many reviewers here, I also attended and graduated from the CIA. While it is a very good school to go to, they present only the most common food jobs in the industry. So if you love cooking but want to persue the lesser known careers, you have a very hard time finding your niche in life.
Unless you have this book. With this book you can combine love of all things food and eating with an interesting career you wouldn't normally hear about or even think to go after (like a Futurist, page 224, or food site blogger, page 195- which I happen like to dabble in)

No matter what you are or where you've come from, if you're looking for something in the food world, this is the absolutely best place to start.

Who would known

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-13

As one of Prof. Chalmers students at the CIA, i thought i knew all the food industry jobs there were out there. Boy was i wrong. I now know that the food world is even bigger and i can do almost anything when it comes to food. Her passion and drive that i see every week show through this and her other books. She is inspiring not just her students but anyone who has the slightest interest in food. Thank you Professor Chalmers.

Culinary Knowledge To Go

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-12

As I gazed (grazed?) through this compendium I, of course, noticed the Irena Chalmers touch. Having read many of her cookbooks over the years I immediately recognized her style; her knowledge of cookery and her delightful sense of humor. I also marveled at the sheer effort and energy it must have taken to amass this behind the scene' opus. I envision the many hours slaving over a hot computer; organizing, editing and checking the accuracy of all of the information. Her knowledge of cookery shines through every page and is a must read for anyone involved in any aspect of the culinary arts

Get the job you want in 30 days (rev.)

Published in Paperback by Berkley Trade (1997-10-01)

Author: Gary Joseph Grappo

List price: $12.00

New price: $34.35
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Fantastic News!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-09-13

I want to share some fantastic news with Gary and readers of his books. Recently, I've found a job in Human Resources with one of the leading vendors in the PC industry! I know one of the reasons I got my dream job was because I was following closely the advice from the book "Get The Job You Want in 30 Days".

The chapters which discuss "Interviewing" and "Following-Up" were literally life savers! I faced many of the book's predicated situations and questions. Thanks for the guidance. I handled them well and managed to convince the panel I am the most suitable one for the job. I appreciate all the help, hints and "tricks" you have shared with your readers. Thank you, Gary and here's wishing you all the best for your next project.

With this book, I started to secure 100 leads per week

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-01-06

I want to express my thanks to Gary Grappo for writing the book, "Get the Job you Want in 30 days". It was an excellent resource for me. Everything down to the example letters of acceptance were most helpful. Originally I started my search by answering adds on the internet, but with your book, I started to secure about 100 leads per week cornering ever aspect of the industry. His book is a lot of help! The motivation was always there in his positive thinking exercises. I got a job offer from one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world. Thank you to Gary Grappo for touching my life and the lives of many others. I will continue to recommend this book to friends and neighbors alike. E. L. Brown

The advice was priceless.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1999-02-22

I used your Book "...in thirty days" and I got an interview from at least 90% of my resumes sent out.

I have read the book from cover to cover and the advice was priceless.

Concise and to the Point

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-16

I just got through reading Mr. Grappo's book on how to get the job you want in thirty days and would like to send many thanks for helping me on the quest for new employment. The book was very concise and to the point. It is hard to believe that a book this small could contain so much useful information.

I am resident of Moscow, Russia.

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-20

I am resident of Moscow, Russia. (I am not a 12 year old reader but I could not get the normal review page to work.) Being specialist in Corporate Finance I had to change the job twice in last 3 years. Purely by chance I bought Gary Grappo's book in one store in Moscow and since then it became my tool to get the job I want in hard today markets in Russian. It helped me twice, the first time I found the job in 1 month after contacting 60 potential employers, second time it was respectively 5 and 100. I must say that the book written by Mr. Grappo helped me to survive in really hard environment and taught me a lot of the ways to become successful in life. I want to thank him full heartedly and to wish him success with his new book Career ReExplosion.

Gifts from the Mountain: Simple Truths for Life's Complexities (BK Life (Hardcover))

Published in Hardcover by Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2007-10-01)

Author: Eileen McDargh

List price: $19.95

New price: $1.92
Used price: $1.29
Collectible price: $19.94

Average review score:

Beautiful and Reflective Book

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-08

The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die (BK Life (Paperback))

This is a beautiful book that quietly dances around your soul causing you to reflect on your own life. Using the metaphor of her own lifelong journey hiking in the mountains, the author takes the experiences of those hikes and connects them to the choices which fill life with joy and wonder. The book is illustrated with wonderful art that is worth the price of the book on its own. Eileen is a great communicator in person and on paper through the written word. This book is a gift from the mountain to your soul. You will want to keep it my your bedside and read more than once.

John Izzo, Author of The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die

The Tao of Switchbacks

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-21

The natural world has a knack for being able to cut all our complications and confusions down to size. And that's exactly what Eileen McDargh does with this lyrical book, showing us through observations on the backpacking trail that the path ahead is right in front of us--if we're really looking. She certainly is, finding lessons for use at home and work in the tenaciousness of a high-altitude flower, the unexpected whims of the elements, and the danger of false confidence on the downhill track. Books that shine the mirror of nature back on us often wind up stuck in the gates from triteness. Not this one. The writing is superb. I kept thinking, I wish I'd seen that on the trail. I wish I'd written that. If you love the outdoors, are a hiking fan, or just want to get some wise words from a pathfinder who can clarify decisions in work or life, check this little book out. It gets you off the bullet train and lets you see the forest AND the trees.

A Wonderful Guide to Life

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-11

I stumbled across this book through a newspaper article that was forwarded to me by a dear friend. (Kathy M. Kristof, "Spend your cash on things that are truly valuable") I was inspired by the article so I ordered the book that the article mentioned: "Gifts From the Mountain: Simple Truths for Life's Complexities"

I can say that the book was not at all what I thought it was going to be. BUT...I am very, very happy with my purchase. I call my experience with this book my happy, little accident. It came to me at a time where I really needed to have simple and clear messages to help me interpret some situations in my life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for some insight into themselves and the world around them.

A remarkable 114-page compendium

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-05

Enhanced with full color illustrations by Roderick MacIver, "Gifts From The Mountain: Simple Truths For Life's Complexities" by Eileen McDargh is a remarkable 114-page compendium of advisory truths for daily living that would be applicable to every man and woman regardless of their situation or circumstance in life. MacIver writes with a kind of lyrical metaphor when dealing with life's demands. The result is a collection of individual wisdoms that are universally applicable and enthusiastically recommended. 'Every Ounce Counts': Hike enough and you trim the weight/of what you carry. You learn that pita bread/weighs less than squaw bread; dried apples weight less than/trail mix; ramen and dried vegetables weigh even less/than some freeze-dried entrees. you discover/you can share a tube of toothpaste. Ditto deodorant,/sunscreen, and bug repellent.//How often do we encumber our civilized life with things/we WANT instead of things we truly need?//Choose what you carry carefully./I never saw a hearse with a U-haul behind.

book as vacation break

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11

When your workaholic colleagues and friends do not let up on their all-enveloping "goal", give them a respite they may pick up and read one day - and feel different when done. Thank you Eileen for this sensory, elegantly-simple gift book of reminders for why we are helped by taking that pause and looking around. Sculling out on Richardson Bay here in Sausalito this morning, I reflected back on her wise insights.
- Kare, movingfrommetowe.com

The Greatest Salesman in the World, Part II: The End of the Story/Audio Cassette

Published in Audio Cassette by Random House Audio Publishing Group (1988-03)

Author: Og Mandino

List price: $9.99

New price: $69.95
Used price: $68.55
Collectible price: $69.99

Average review score:

A True Classic

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-13

I am on my second reading of this book. I have recommended this book to all my Electrical Flat Rate Service Contractors that I consult for. Regardless if you are in business or not, you must read this book. You too will pass it on, to all those that you care about!

Jim Kavallines
The Absolute Best Marketing Company LLC
jim@abscousa.com

Simple Message for Great Wisdom

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25

Please make sure to have read Part I before or it would be like watching the Godfather part II before the Godfather.

Mr. Mandino is a very easy read, and the story is simple so you breeze through it in no time. Then the hard part now begins, because your mind can't ignore the priceless lessons shared by the author. You know he has been through the road before and you will find many of the examples apply to you in the now or in the past; the question is what you will do for your future. I like to read his books two or three times and then give it to a person who has not had a chance to read any of Mandino's books. In time, I will buy another copy and do the process again, we all get different messages but so far they have all been positive and enjoyable which is why I highly recommend not just this book but all of Og Mandino's marvelous novels.

On my MUST READ list

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-21

I didn't think it was possible to outdo Part I... but it did... Parts I & II together is probably the greatest story ever told!!!

Another Good One

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-08

I never cease to be amazed at how simple this author makes it easy to improve a persons life.

Pray it Forward: Daily Meditations

You MUST READ: The Greatest Salesman in the World: Part II The End of the Story

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-30

What a special person! This is someone who changed peoples lives by what he wrote! He was a brilliant author and person. I believe Og Mandino will live forever in our hearts, minds and spirits! This book as well as anything he wrote would be very much worth your time to own in your library.

The Greatest Secret in the World

Published in Hardcover by Frederick Fell (1975-01-25)

Author: Og Mandino

List price: $14.95

New price: $6.95
Used price: $0.82
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

It's a keeper...

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-03

I recently re-read The Greatest Secret in the World, and remember what a terrific book it was for me, in the process of learning to turn thoughts to actions, to realize goals. Most sales books come and go for me, this one stays.

priciples,habits and reference points

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-20

With out doubt one of the really inspired writings ever penned!
Og Mandino led a remarkable career after a rocky start, he writes
in a way that every generation and every level of reader can gain something from.It gives the reader a clearly defined set of principles to live by, the scrolls help to establish new habits and can forever be there for a guiding set of reference points throughout your life.I have studied many of his books and read from this for over 25 years.Thanks to my friend Dave Blanchard, President of the OG Group
I continue to learn from the scrolls that Og so beautifully provides.This book was a tremendous motivation for me to re-write my 1st book that spurred my career immensely, Lessons From Great Lives, learn to be rich in all areas of your life. I love the study of great lives and Og would be one of those indeed to learn from.It has served as a treasure for millions for more than 30 years.I couldn't recommend a book with any more passion.
Dan McCormick Author of LESSONS FROM GREAT LIVES,LEARN TO BE RICH IN ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE!

My favorite

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-14

I read this book everyday and have probably read the entire thing about 20 plus times.

Not only has it transformed the way I look at the world and myself, but it has given me a new appreciation for how amazing life can be if you are courageous enough to work on your bad habits (the main tenant of the book) and to improve your good habits.

This should not be quickly glimpsed at and tossed aside as something rudimentary and simple, but it should be taken very seriously because it can teach you lifelong lessons about values and visions that will make you a person who everyone will want to be around.

Simple...yes, profound and life-alterning...a definite yes.

Ready to Start...

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-12

I'm starting the program on Monday as advised in the book, it's exciting.

This is an intense Og Mandino book as someone said, "no punches pulled"

His other books like the greatest miracle, the gift, the 12th angel, mission:success, are all much more light hearted.

I think it may be beneficial for new Og readers to read those first to truly understand what a sweet, special man Og Mandino is. The intensity of this book is absolutley awesome for success seekers, but I would not want to turn anyone off the other heart touching stories Og has written.

He was an amazing writer and a super sweet man...and I have a plan one day to distribute "The Greatest Miracle in the World Books" to everyone I meet who is in any form of despair or encountering any challenge. It was an answer to my prayers when I read it.

So I would recommend this book to serious success seekers, just for the list at the end of his favorite off the wall success books if nothing else. And I would definatley recommend any other Og book to anybody at all, their beautiful writing.

Phenomenal

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-22

I have read everyone of Og Mandinos Books and all I can say is that he writes with brilliance, clarity, enthusiasm, and spirit. You can never go wrong with any of his books. He points out the path to success and motivates the spirit within to achieve all that we as human beings are capable. He helped me to tap into my innate genuis and create a life of prosperity and creativity. If you havent raed his books, start now and your journey of the spirit will begin. He was a born writer and even after his passing continues to have a great influence on many people old and young. He truly lived a purposeful and divine life. Go buy all his books and enjoy the growth and enlightenment. After that Buy my Book " Your daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present". Enjoy and rememeber you are capable of great things in your life.

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