Business Books

This was definitely a well-done book. Very clear, concise, and with lots of examples. As a fiction author, however, I found it lacking in any kind of examples or tips and was disappointed for this reason. Perhaps the subtitle should more accurately read: The ground rules for creating promotional pieces that sell non-fiction books. Or perhaps in Dawn's next book she could address that issue.

Stop me if you've heard this one before. After months--and sometimes years--of dedicated writing, rewriting, and rewriting some more, you've finally finished that manuscript and even found a publisher. Lo and behold, you discover the real work has just begun.

Once upon a lovely time, publishers--the really big ones, anyway--took charge of marketing and promoting new books. As the author, you might be expected to make a few public appearances, but the publisher handled little things like setting up venues and contacting the media.

But enough with the fairy tales. These days, author's are shouldering more and more of the promotional (and financial) load of getting their books to market.

Was that last paragraph enough to make you quake in your comfy slippers? Relax. This just might be a fairy tale after all, because here comes the hero riding to your rescue. (Or perhaps author Dawn Josephson is more akin to a fairy godmother.)

Putting It On Paper: The Ground Rules for Creating Promotional Pieces That Sell Books is the first book in The Ground Rules Series and a great starting point.

Once you pick up this handy guidebook, you won't want to put it down. Chapter by chapter, Josephson walks you through all the elements of book promotion, from writing press releases to drafting catalogue sheets and everything in between. She supplements each chapter with real-world samples, frequently asked question (and corresponding answers), and a summary of key points. Josephson manages to cover a lot of ground (rules) in one slim volume without ever seeming over-whelming. Carolyn Howard-Johnson's excellent book The Frugal Book Promoter, by comparison, is far longer and thus more detailed. Both books have value, and both belong in any serious author's resource library. However, the novice book promoter might find Putting It On Paper less intimidating as a starting point.

Whether you've written one book or twenty (or even if you're still dreaming of that first completed manuscript), do yourself a favour and invest in your own copy of Putting It On Paper. You won't be sorry.

Dawn Josephson has written one of the most useful "how-to" books I've read in my quest to learn how to market my own books.

She gives lots of examples of cover letters, press releases, "sell-sheets" (I had no idea what that was!), and supplementary materials such as bookmarks, post cards and counter cards (I was pretty uninformed about these, too).

Obviously I needed help, and thanks to this book, help is at hand.

Thank you Dawn!

"If I had more time, I would have written less." ~Mark Twain

Dawn Josephson interviewed book reviewers and buyers from major distribution houses to find out which press kits get a positive response. The promotional pieces you use help to get your book noticed and create an inviting space where the reviewer can view comments, interviews, extra details and maybe even customized bookmarks with a matching business card.

If you have written your book and it is being published, media kits may then be created for The Media, Book Distributors and Individual Bookstores. Dawn Joesephson encourages authors to create customized professional pieces.

You can choose from a cover letter, press release, mock book review, author bio, sell sheet, catalog sheet, a chachki (give-away) item and article. By dividing the seemingly daunting job of putting a press kit together into easy-to-follow steps, the process is much less complicated.

Should you send a book out with every media kit?
How many articles should I include?
Why does personalization impress?

Authors will especially enjoy the Frequently Asked Questions and Key Points that help to keep the project at hand on focus. A Day in the Life of an Editor (or reviewer) gives insight into how much time editors really have to read books and write reviews. Reviewers might enjoy reading about the Basic Anatomy of a Book Review.

A well-thought out media packet can truly impress a book reviewer and give them the needed all-encompassing impression of your work. This gives a reviewer a good first impression of who the author is, what their mission is in life and how they want their work presented.

~The Rebecca Review

Reviewed by Bette Daoust, Ph.D. for Reader Views (5/06)

I have read many books that explain what to do when submitting letters, proposals, and documents to prospects, media sources, and others. I have always had to slog through bountiful text to get to the meat of the book and to find something I could actually use. Too often the writer confuses knowledge with practicality. Therefore tips and how to's are often lost in the abundance of explanations. These explanations are often missing good examples and real life scenarios that help the reader apply the knowledge therein.

In "Putting It On Paper," Dawn Josephson gets right down to brass tacks so to speak. She spells out everything you need to know without overwhelming the reader. Her practical tips are spoonfed to the reader to enhance understanding. Each tip is backed by ground rules and frequently asked questions. Each of these components lead the reader to a better understanding of the point and make it applicable to real life situations. Through her examples and samples, the reader is left with no question about how to apply their new knowledge. If you do not want to read the whole book, read all the ground rules! This book is an excellent source for putting together a press kit, introductory letter, and types of other promotional pieces that sell books. A definite must read!

Who'd a thunk it? Ronald Reagan finally gets his due. At long last, someone of stature finally concludes, as I did long ago, that President Reagan was not only "The Great Communicator" but also a great leader. To me, it seemed obvious. He came to power at a time when many Americans had come to believe that the United States was in decline and that the job of President had simply become too big and too complex for any one man to handle. Jimmy Carter had supposedly worked harder at it than any other president, yet he was a miserable failure. Then along came Reagan, described by his political enemies as a more or less simple minded actor and shallow thinker who had to be stage-managed by his handlers. But strangely enough, Reagan came to power during a period of crisis, a weak national defense, high unemployment, ultra-high interest rates and inflation, and a persistent national malaise, and somehow solved all these problems. How did he do it? In this book, Mr. Strock explains how President Reagan led and managed and how other would-be leaders should do so. He takes Reagan's seemingly "intuitive" leadership style apart piece-by-piece, explains what each piece means in terms of leadership and why it is important, and cites examples of how Ronald Reagan used each piece in the fabric of his style to help put the nation back on track and achieve his ultimate goals. This is an excellent book which is long overdue. It isn't light reading, but I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to improve his or her leadership skills, especially those in the highest levels of management.

Who better to learn from than "The Great Communicator"? Studying President Ronald Reagan will not only make you better at politics, it'll make you a better person! Being decisive, negotiating from strength and crafting a compelling vision are just a few of the lessons you'll learn from James M. Strock's fabulous book about President Reagan's leadership.

A diversely experienced leader and manager with an easy-to-read writing style focused on a great, recent example of truly effective executive leadership and decided to share what he learned. The result was a truly outstanding book of leadership thoughts, concepts, principles, and analysis complemented by exemplary vignettes and anecdotes from the life of arguably the most respected and admired president in United States history. Do not miss this book if you are a student or practitioner of leadership.

The book is a four part study of Reagan's leadership effectiveness: the critical elements of his vision-based leadership approach, his mutually supporting leadership and management styles, the skills that made him the "Great Communicator," and the personal character that transformed his beliefs and vision into powerful realities. At the end of each chapter is a list of summarizing leadership lessons and principles. Strock's thorough research and insightful analysis made each list pregnant with meaning and importance.

Strock made a very strong case that Reagan's brilliance as a leader was his gift of a compelling, five-part vision (family, work, neighborhood, freedom, and peace) and the integrity of his consistent and disciplined actions relative to his vision. Strock also discussed some Reagan leadership flaws and failures-not many, but enough to appear honest and balanced.

Strock's Reagan was an authentic man of vision, purpose, and character. Read this book and you will understand how Reagan was willing and able to communicate great thoughts with authority as the leader of the free world, and why his vision for America was believed in by so many people here at home and around the world:

"Ours is the land of the free because it is the home of the brave. America's future will always be great because our nation will always be strong. And our nation will be strong because our people will be free. And our people will be free because we will be united, one people under God, with liberty and justice for all."

Let's begin accepting the obvious: I'm a foreigner, I'm not part of the system of politics of USA and I'll never be. And let's make the not-so-obvious plainly visible: I'm a real admirer of USA, and don't buy ideas like imperialism and the like and I think they have some of the greatest leaders of all times. Being Reagan himself one of them and one of my greatest heroes since long time ago. I've got a major in mass comunication and I like to study things like messages, followers, leadershp and so on.

And it's in this sense this book became a disappointment. It so... shallow, I think it's the word best suited for it. The author is a Washington insider but not in the higher ranks. He didn't interview (not for the real thing, at least) the president, and he doesn't have a real academic background in topics like the title of the book promised: leadership and comunication. What did he wrote? Well, he knows some things about the life of Reagan, but of course he knows the best the period of the presidency. So he took a set of events, applied to them his method and ideas of leadership and then concludes "That's why Reagan was such a great leader". Come on... the air controller' strike, the Tripoli bombing, the debate with Bush Sr. about "voodoo econonics", everything was reduced to a man with a mesianic message, total control over his values and the values of the cabinet and total rapport with the familiar values of the american people. In this book, Reagan didn't have a single problem, even the smaller one; he didn't hesitate for once; he was the cheerished of the gods and EVERY scandal in his administration (just for the record: going to Nicaragua challenging the express will of the congress; the s&L scandal, which american people still are paying and will do for the next generations; the raise of the junk bonds of Wall Street; the bargaining with terrorists...) is minimized or dismissed explaining how it was impossible for Reagan to have known about those ugly things.

And I closed the book saying to myself: "One of three; one, Reagan was the son of Apollo or Zeus, Captain Marvel himself and being that is not an example for anybody; or two, maybe Reagan INDEED hesitated and wasn't sure all the time about every single decision but the guy who wrote the book couldn't know that because not everybody speak to a president, so he did what he could: he took the newspapers of the time and wonder what should've HE do had he been the president; or three, maybe it's just the real biography and thoughts of Reagan haven't been written yet...

If you want to learn about some lessons of leadership form some greatest men of America, "Lincoln on leadership" or "The founding fathers on leadership" are better options. Not masterpieces, but at least theyhave the advantage of some SERIOUS historic perpective.

President Reagan has always been a hero of mine. At the age of 8, I became intoxicated with politics in large part because of the 1980 Presidental campaign. As a Canadian, I watched this incredible leader from a little farther away then an Amercian, but came away impressed. I therefore began to read or watch anything I could find on President Reagan. The problem was all the information I gathered failed to answer the key question for me: how did Reagan lead? Much material is available on what he did, but I never received the practical tools I was looking for. Reagan on Leadership clearly and concisely describes his techniques. Strock reached deep into Reagan's tool box and paved the road for how I can apply these tools to my life. It is the only book or article I have read that answers the question I have asking about Reagan for years: not what did he do, but rather how did he it.

This book is excellent. Due to it really gives you clear step by step instructions which do not leave you confused. This is an excellent book
for individuals starting out in the real estate business.

Thank you

I am a real estate developer in a family business.
She does a great job at making the complex subject of development easier to understand.
Excellent for beginners.
Great for intermediate.
Very Good for the Big timers as well.

This book is essentially a step by step guide as to how one can enter the real estate development universe. It outlines the various opportunities available and the processes through which a beginning developer can systematically approach the onslaught of obstacles he or she will encounter throughout the development process. The beneficial aspect of this book is that it provides a birds eye launch point from which a person can prepare for and begin to research the intricacies of what is an incredibly complex process. On the other hand, I would argue that the book borders on being uninformative. While I did not expect a comprehensive guide to a successful development, I found the content to be lacking actual substance even short what I would expect from an introductory level text. The author writes the book as if one could carry out the process simply by bringing the book with them as a checklist. However, I think the best use of my time would have been to simply write a list of topics touched upon so as to seek out other books that more comprehensively address those points. But, as I said initially, this book is a fine introduction to real estate development if you are simply trying to understand what is involved in the process.

Once in awhile there is a book that stands out that is well-written and informative. This book has a lot of easy-to-understand insights on becoming a Real Estate Developer and the process and pitfalls that one may encounter.

Almost all Real Estate Developers have to learn the ropes through real world experience; with this comes a lot of trial and error. This book displays the common problems that Developers face, which speeds up the learning curve rather than enduring years of learning the "kept secrets" of Developers. The core of this book covers a lot of Real Estate and Developing concepts!

This Handbook is very up-to-date and provides a lot of resources to turn to for additional help and research; it also has a CD that has useful forms that is sure to be of great benefit.

I am very glad that I picked up this book... I have learned so much and it has saved me years of learning on my own. Thank you!

Well writtan,all the information you are going to need on starting your own Real Estate development company.I flew through this book, I could not put it down.It really gives you the starting building blocks on how Real Estate development works.It comes with a CD,it gives you all the contracts
you are going to need when starting your business.If you plan in getting into Real Estate development,this book is a great head start.

Mike Brooks is a master at success when it comes to teaching the Secrets of the Top 20%. After reading his book, The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, I was thrilled with the results and understanding that I gained! As a consistent top performer, trained by many well-known sales coaches, I always thought that staying in the Top 20% occurred with efficient action items, and a positive attitude. I could never explain to others why or how I had become a top performer, other than by doing certain activities consistently, and then the results were inevitable.

What I learned from The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, however, was how to turn my action items into predictable and repeatable results and how to STAY in the Top 20%, especially during difficult times. To start with, I learned a new skill each week, practiced the skill, and then watched how this new skill transformed me into a more successful sale professional. Over time, this new skill became a habit, and as the habits multiplied, so did my results! Success was no longer a mystery and I could begin to share my techniques with others.

I highly recommend this book as well as Mike's Boot Camp to anyone in sales, as I learned how to refine my sales skills using leading edge sales strategies that only the most successful sales coaches understand. If you are serious about being in the Top 20%, or moving into the Top 5%, do not hesitate to purchase this book. Buy it for yourself and your sales teams and believe me, you'll be happy you did.

Andrea Samadi, author of The Secret for Teens Revealed: How Parents, Teachers, and Teenagers Can Inspire Leadership and Transform Lives

About six months ago our company hired Mike to come in and train our Inside Sales team and help with our cold calling scripts. We had a difficult time finding someone like Mike who truly understands cold calling and the unique challenges associated with it. When Mike came in to meet with us we immediately knew that Mike "got it". Our sales team is seeing great results because of implementing many of Mike's techniques and using his scripts.

Mike's newest book, The Real Secrets of the Top 20%, encompasses many of these techniques and scripts. There are plenty of sales books out there, but few that focus on cold calling like this book does. You'll learn everything from how to overcome reflex responses to closing techniques that really work. All of the scripts Mike presents are easily adaptable to any type of business. Whether you are a sales rep or a Sales Manager, you'll learn something new.

Finally, here's a book that provides real world tactics and strategies for success. It's not filled with the "Look in the mirror and be happy" rhetoric, or sleazy and manipulative techniques. It's filled with solid guidance and scripts that help you close more deals...if you use them!

I have purchased Mike's CDs and scripts before and share his tips with my Sales force on a regular basis. It's hard to find good, usable scripts for telesales professionals. So, I appreciate the easy-to-use format and scripts that don't sound "hokey" when you try them. Mike's closing and reflex response scripts work! I recommend this book to any sales professional or aspiring sales professional who wants practical techniques for selling over the phone.

If you consider yourself a sales professional and ARE NOT in the Top 20% of your game then read this book to get there. If you ARE in the Top 20% then read this book to move yourself into the Top 1%.

After reading the book you'll want to keep it on your desk to reference the quick summary page at the end of each chapter.

This book is not about sales theory but filled with solid how-to advice complete with scripts you can adapt to your own selling process.

Read the book now and start reaping the rewards of the Top 20%.

Well I have just got the book but feel so fascinated as each page moves. It has reinforced my understanding also. How companies waste their time and HR department undertake such a process that will put off any candidate seeking career opportunity. We all know that CVs hide more than they reveal. and the best of the talents do not apply for the jobs.

All that is required in what Chris Resto aptly advises is to reflect contagious energy , fresh perspective and abundance in aspiration.. The job seeker wants is a career accelerator and not a mere job.. The Recruiter wants is a profit accelerator. Unless that bandwidth does not happen, the very exercise shall be futile. Yes one does get a job but managing and growing in it is the real challenge.

Since I happen to run Professional Mentoring Programmes and Pre placement training, the first thing that I advise people is to put the CV into a shredder. Because the Recruiter needs them more than the job seekers.. So first read the Nick Corcidilos ASK THE HEADHUNTER ([...]) That is indeed a must read for avoiding the HR Dept traps. Jeffrey J Fox also advises the same in Don't send a CV.. But now Christ Resto in this new title Recruit or Die explains the dynamics of Job market and best practices.

Read all this if you want the " right job " and never be a CV pusher.

with best wishes

RK Dhanvada
rk@dhanvada.com
India

I have gone through the interview process three times at MIT, twice as a student and once while an employee at Microsoft. I have also interned at Thomson West, which is frequently mentioned throughout the book. From all of my experiences with these companies and others, the information presented in the book is extremely accurate, both from a process perspective and the attitudes of students.

For a company, I loved that the book focused on:
1. Knowing what you are selling - I have talked to many employers who did not have a clear idea of this, and it was a huge turnoff. The book provides a great list of questions to help you identify what you are selling to students.

2. Establishing personal relationships with your recruits - When looking at competing offers, in retrospect, I realized that I have always chosen the company where I had the greatest relationships with the recruiter, other alumni, etc. The book emphasizes building these relationships and provides great suggestions on how to build them.

3. Setting expectations appropriately - This is a prevailing theme throughout the book, and I couldn't agree with it more. The book lists everything from making sure you tell recruits when you will follow-up with them to how to properly set expecations about recruitment goals within your organization.

While the primary audience of the book is recruiters, as a current student, I also found the information in the book helpful in navigating the interview process the second time around. I used the contents to identify companies with great recruiting processes, ask more meaningful questions about the companies, and provide better feedback to companies on how they could improve. While juggling information from so many companies, it even helped remind me of what was important to me about the next company I work at: career growth, opportunities to solve challenging and meaningful problems, and the culture of the company. I can't wait to apply what I read in the book when I start recruiting for the next company I work for.

Whether you are a student, a new recruiter, or an experienced one, I would definitely recommend picking up Recruit or Die!

I graduated college a couple years ago and I think the viewpoints on college students and grads are dead on. That's probably because they're from tons of actual interviews with students and grads ha. The book is definitely well researched and I would be very attracted to any company who practices the things this book recommends.
Also, I found this book applicable to many aspects of recruiting in general. Many of the concepts work great for student organizations on campus, similar to non-profit orgs or small businesses that can't afford to pay large salaries. If you're the leader of a student org, I recommend reading this to improve your recruitment tactics. There are many parallels you can draw between a college org and a business when it comes to recruitment, like applying job fair tactics at your next tabling fair (or whatever your college calls it... a day or days when many/all clubs table and flyer).

I was very excited to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. I am a leading edge member of the millenial generation and I work for a college in career services, so this book is quite relevant to me. Resto and co. are very accurate in describing what college students want out of work and how they operate, as well they should be accurate-they also work with students. Their suggestions are pretty good as well-I will be very curious to see if any of the recruiters coming to our campus employ these suggestions!

If your company recruits new hires by going to college campuses, you need to read Recruit or Die, no matter how good you think you are at recruiting. If you have a formal recruiting program or even if you just attend job fairs looking for good new employees, this will still be a valuable book for you.

The good advice begins in the Introduction, where the authors ask and answer the question: "Why Microsoft, McKinsey and Goldman Sachs?" They point out that all three of these favorite places for graduates to seek employment have a great brand. But other companies do, too.

What sets these three apart from the pack is what they do. The authors identify four things.

They won't settle for anyone other than exactly the recruits they want.
They work harder and smarter than their competitors to know their target audience: the recruits.
They sell themselves better than their competitors do.
They present a united front.

That's strategy. Tactically, the authors tell you that contact is king, that you should sell your people first and your company second and that courtesy and class go a long way.

The authors suggest that if you follow the kind of diligent process that the recruiting stars follow, you'll get great results. I think they're right.

Years ago, when police departments suddenly found themselves facing massive retirements with few recruits showing up at the door, I designed recruiting programs for police departments. Almost everything I learned that's positive is here plus a ton of details that I wish I'd known at the time. You can cut your recruiting learning curve by reading Recruit or Die and applying its lessons.

You'll learn to think, for example, about your company and the jobs you're offering from three perspectives. You'll ask yourself what the differences are between what you have, what recruits think you have, and what recruits want. That set of distinctions, alone, can help you sharpen your offerings and your process.

Again and again you're reminded to build on your strengths. You're reminded to meet the questions and needs of the people you want to recruit. That's all good, but there are some things I wish were different.

There's too much emphasis on "talent" as "people who've done well in school." Sometimes the young person who's dramatically improved performance late in school is a better choice for your company. One Fortune 200 company used that as part of its target recruit profile for years.

There's also way too much emphasis on big schools, big companies and the east and west coasts. Scan the schools whose students are quoted in the book and you're hard pressed to find any schools in the Midwest or in the South below Chapel Hill.

There are virtually no smaller company examples even though the lessons of the book are adaptable to small companies. And there are virtually no small schools represented either.

The fact is that the bulk of college graduates will be something other than first-tier brains and come from something other than first-tier schools. They will go to work at companies of all sizes, all over the country.

I wish the book reflected that reality better. But even if you're a small company recruiting at a small state school in a Midwestern state, there's a lot of good practical nuts-and-bolts advice in this book. You'll find a wealth of information on the operational details of attending job fairs, effective job postings, following up with recruits.

The bottom line is that if you need to recruit, you need to read Recruit or Die.

Professor McMillan has written an eminently readable book on the markets. He uses short sentences, rarely makes use of technical jargon and has thrown in numerous real world examples. As a reader, you will be surprised with the sheer depth of material that he covers.

It is a real pity that he passed away in March, 2007. Perhaps, if he were alive today and were inclined to update this book, he might have added a chapter on Google and its search/ads market place; maybe, even commented on the recent brouhaha surrounding on "Cap and Trade" systems (which have been installed to reduce carbon emissions but in turn might reduce growth!); and most important to me, he might have thrown in an analysis of the role of speculators in oil markets. But all of this is mere speculation on my part because Professor McMillan is no longer with us.

He spends the first half of the book exclusively on the five aspects that are needed for designing a market. They are:

1. Information must flow smoothly.
2. Competition must be fostered.
3. People who form the market must be honest and stand up to their end of the bargain.
4. Property rights must be protected but not overprotected.
5. Side effects on third parties must be reduced.

I've decided to commit these principles to memory as I design my market simulator.

a fantastic review of the idea, basic history, and pros and cons of market economies. McMillan writes in a very accessable and yet erudite way, and his personal experieces (which he shares) demonstrate his authority on the subject. In looking for a good, basic introduction to macroeconomic ideas this is a helpful read. If you ever encounter leftist or rightist ideologues or a college student who is enticed by communism (a great IDEA, even McMillan agrees), this is a good reference book to silence unfounded criticisms. McMillan is empirical in his reasoning and his potent examples from history and real life are very helpful.

I hope I can express how excited I am about this book. As an economics amateur, I recommend this book to anyone with even a sliver of interest in politics, international development, or contemporary social issues. John McMillan's book, Reinventing the Bazaar, presents in a logical and detailed manner the inner workings of markets: both their strengths and weaknesses. McMillan demonstrates very compellingly the idea that markets and all of their necessary appendages are simply tools used to facilitate efficiency. In his words, "the market system is not an end in itself, but an imperfect means to raise living standards. Markets are not magic, nor are they immoral." Usually the goal is increased economic efficiency and therefore increased standards of living, but those same principles which promote efficiency in markets will increase efficiency almost anywhere they're properly applied.
The key, he explains, is to establish the framework and the rules in such a way that the principles acting through the actions of the market participants can work to create an efficient outcome. It's basic economic theory to state that markets are the best way to coordinate the actions of millions of people, but McMillan explains further. Those essential building blocks of market economies, that is prices, and the pursuit of profit, and competition, are necessarily sustained by a good market design. Good "market design" he explains, entails well defined property rights, the free flow of information, and other critical ingredients. In today's modern and incredibly complex economy, more often then not this requires that the government take some hand in establishing this efficient market design.
One of the most exciting things about this book is that I truly feel it gave me a rational basis on which to judge government policies. If anyone, from the right or left, has any desire to gain a greater grasp of what constitutes good public policy, I recommend they read this book. For example, both China and Russia have privatized in the past several decades but with completely different results; chaos and economic stagnation in Russia while smooth growth in China. The difference is how they implemented their market policies. The same with an example of California's privatization of energy in the 1990s; inefficiency and price gouging because of stupidly designed government policies. McMillan's point is that some things work, and other things don't. The key is to have the right supporting market conditions, either by government policy or by culture, or else the market economy can't work.
Anyways, this book is amazing. Click the button, buy it, read it, ponder it deeply, and walk away with a new perspective on the world around you.

Well organized, very well researched, surprisingly readable prose for an academic, and a well balanced mix of case studies from a wide variety of actual markets and more abstract reflections based in good part on these studies. I'm not giving it the full accolade of 5 stars because of some repetitiousness and a "target audience" problem: most readers will either find themselves reading relatively long passages that teach them nothing new (if they're already well-grounded in microeconomics) or else faced with some concepts that are pretty hard and not adequately taught in this book (if the readers lack any previous study of microeconomics) -- that's a difficult problem to solve, and I don't claim to know a solution, but Professor McMillan hasn't found one either. Nevertheless, I'd recommend the book to all levels of readers, as just about everybody will get many useful notions and ways of thinking from it, and it is, all in all, quite pleasant to read from cover to cover.

I had never expected to give a 5-star review to a book about markets. But this book is a very even-handed description, favoring a case-by-case approach to "market design". Government is neither all bad nor all good, and markets are neither all good nor all bad, in this view. Nor does McMillan wrap markets in the mantles of politics and/or religion, a la Milton Friedman, George Gilder and others. The writing style isn't as felicitous as Tim Harford's "The Undercover Economist", which covers a lot of the same economics theory as this book; nor is this book quite as quick a read. But it has more real-life examples and more intellectual depth overall, while still being very much a popular, non-technical book. Like Harford's book, this one gives orthodox neoclassical economics theory (Arrow-Debreu, equilibrium, supply and demand, and other "Econ 101" stuff) more credence than it merits, but McMillan's pragmatism and professional humility somewhat compensate for this defect. Sadly, John McMillan passed away in March 2007 from cancer while still in his 50s. This book assures us that such a reasonable voice won't vanish completely -- which is lucky for us, since such voices have always been in short supply.

Simon,

I appreciate you for sharing your own personal journey to find your brilliance. Your book inspired me to write my own book! You helped me to find my brillinance. I highly urge you all to read Simon's book!
Do not waste time! Do it now! I am grateful to you, Simon.


Sincerely,

Lana

Through four simple steps in the book, RELEASE YOUR BRILLIANCE, author Simon T. Bailey explains how to discover and activate the unique individuality in each one of us that will make the world a brighter place for all of us. He uses the analogy of diamond hunting and developing. He points out that no matter what our limits we have hidden abilities that define purpose, a "universal assignment."

Unfortunately society's stereotypes of "average" behavior encourages repression of peculiarities that could be channeled into productive, self enriching patterns, if we only knew how. This book is the guide that reduces what sounds like a monumental job to an easy, common sense approach based on eight aspects of personality. It furnishes everything needed for the task, including a website, www.releasingbrilliance.com, and an offer for a free CD.

I particularly like the comfortably embracing tone which will motivate everyone who wants more satisfaction from life regardless of priorities. Reading the book RELEASE YOUR BRILLIANCE by Simon T. Bailey is a single New Year's Resolution that will encompass all the details of a long list of "do's and don'ts" and result in a more productive, contented, shining NEW YOU!

I bought this book a month ago at the airport for a quick read on the way to a business meeting. Being in sales, I am always looking for a quick pick-me-up to get me moving in the New Year. I was completely shocked to be moved to tears in the first chapter. The exercise of finding my "Universal Assignment" or true purpose in life caused me to dig deep and really think about what I am doing with my life. Subsequent chapters gave me a roadmap and hope that I will be able to achieve my ultimate goals for my family and career, while motivating me to leave a positive mark on the world as well.

I found this book incredibly inspirational and the exercises caused me to create an action plan and not just read it and think "What a great idea!" put it down and never think about it again. Bailey shows us how simple it can be to become the person you always wanted to be--before your life got in the way. I have been truly moved by this book and I have read hundreds.

This is not just an interesting way to spin the same old thing, it is a new dimension in self discovery. So simple and yet so poignant, it will leave you with a real sense of who you are and where you are going.

"As Americas' first Sales Stylist I know how important it is for professionals to feel their ideas are..well.."Brilliant". Simon T. does a tremendous job of making the reader believe they are the diamond in the rough just waiting to shine! I now give my coaching clients "Release Your Brilliance" to further incent them to bring their true genius to the world."

Jennifer Abernethy
The Sales Lounge
[...]

So many self-help books are long on details of how to improve but short on an analytical framework that would help a reader to remember much about the book even one week later. Author Simon Bailey has skillfully used the analogy of each of us being like a diamond to provide an easily understood framework for polishing our god given blessings.

This is a power packed gem because of the way Bailey builds self-help concepts around the diamond analogy. For example, Zig Ziglar was the first to introduce me to the "wheel of life" concept wherein one evaluates ones status in eight different aspect of one's life (e.g., spiritual, physical, financial, etc.). Bailey has beautifully retrofitted that concept to tie into his diamond analogy.

I especially liked the author's chapter on "authenticity." Many are writing on this subject, but some who do so give me goose bumps what with their stretching of their credentials even as they challenge the reader to be authentic. Bailey seems to be much closer to the authentic he pleads for us to be than some of the new wizards on the self help scene. I felt incredibly comfortable with the author, his personal stories, and his positioning of where he is on his life journey.

Likewise, his comments on investing in relationship capital were very thoughtful and seemingly from the heart.

I could go on and on, but doing so would have me standing between my review and your reading this gem. Sure you will find more comprehensive self-help books, but few provide a better framework for a life companion. Definitely a five star book.

I purchased this book as a gift for a friend of mine and he said it's a great book and helped him alot

Kevin Eikenberry's book is especially useful to anyone who wishes to become a better leader. Not only does Eikenberry outline what skills remarkable leader's posses, but he helps to show the reader how he or she can improve their own skills. Each of his chapters begins with a self assessment set of questions which helps one to think about their current skill level. Eikenberry then provides tools and techniques relevant to each of the leadership areas that he discusses. After the reader has been exposed to the leadership skill within the chapter, there are "your now steps" which are provided at the end of each chapter. These are suggested actions for one to take to immediately begin their development of the leadership skill. In addition to these steps, Eikenberry also supplies the reader with two more helpful resources. These are Bonus Bytes and Remarkable Resources. Bonus Bytes indicate additional information on the subject found on the web. They are tools to help apply a specific concept. The Remarkable Resources are websites utilized to find information that it is more in depth on the subject.
What I particularly enjoyed about this book is how interactive Eikenberry's writing is through the use of the self assessment tests and the additional websites provided. I honestly didn't find this book to be as boring as much leadership readings can usually seem to be. I also agreed with Eikenberry when he discussed the fact that all great leaders are constantly learning; a concept which many people seem to forget. At the beginning of the book he asks the reader to list out the qualities of a great leader and he expresses the fact that many people do not realize that learning is essential to being a remarkable leader. Within this book Eikenberry presents a learning process or cycle which I found to be useful.
I believe this is a great read for anyone who wishes to improve their leadership skills whether it is at work or even home or personal life. I would definitely recommend this book!!!

This is a handbook for improving your leadership skills. Each chapter starts with a self assessment on skill level and then it carefully lays out what you can do to improve. He gives tips, tactics and techniques to implement and measure how you are doing in each area. It is a valuable book, but I had a tough time completing it. What was missing for me was a method to engage me personally/emotionally in the book. I was taken by his comment on Q/As after a presentation. He suggests that the Q/A is never the thing you end on. You invite Q/As throughout and just before the end. But, after the Q/A you must wrap up and summarize the talk yourself in order to best present and control the key messages and call to action. If questions do continue, answer and then do a condensed close again. Borrow this one from the library.

Kevin Eikenberry and I met in December 2007 at 800-CEO-READ's Pow Wow for business authors. His new book entitled Remarkable Leadership is impressive. I'm not surprised. Kevin is an energetic individual who combines a passion for leadership with a bright mind and extensive experience. Reading Kevin's book is like working with a great leadership teacher and leadership coach combined in one individual. The teacher in Kevin explains leadership concepts in understandable ways and the coach makes practical suggestions about how to implement the concepts.

The book is exhaustive in the issues it covers and it is well-organized into a logically-sequenced presentation of concepts and practices. Throughout the book Kevin also points the reader to additional downloadable content available at RLBonus.com.

Let me mention several other reasons why Remarkable Leadership is a standout among leadership books. Kevin's positive attitude and conversational writing style make this book easy to read. I liked that Kevin shares gems he discovered in other leadership books. It says a lot about Kevin that he has the humility and curiosity to read extensively about leadership and that he has the confidence and integrity to share with us what he learned from others while conspicuously noting his sources in the text. He gives credit where credit is due (like a remarkable leader should). Kevin emphasizes that becoming a remarkable leader is a journey rather than something that can be easily and quickly accomplished. He also encourages reflection, including the use of a Learning Journal.

If you aspire to be a remarkable leader, you would be wise to purchase this book, read and reflect on its advice, and then put it into practice.

Kevin Eikenberry's book "Remarkable Leadership" has been a transformational read as I try to incorporate many of the leadership methods into my job and personal life. While I have tried to find information about various parts of leadership and communication from a variety of different mediums, it was with great pleasure that Eikenberry's book brought together views on the topic from many different sources.

"Remarkable Leadership" is one of the most authentic leadership books that I have come across, as evidenced by Eikenberry's willingness to reference other sources throughout his work. It is as if Eikenberry understands that there isn't always one perfect way to be a leader, but that there are several aspects to the role. Those feelings are evidenced from start to finish, especially with his "Now Steps".

The "Now Steps" are fantastic, and encourage immediate use of the tactics discussed. I found them especially helpful, since there are many aspects covered in each chapter and each category of Eikenberry's 12 leadership qualities. The "Now Steps" help secure the information and encourage a reader uncomfortable with one aspect of communication to take positive steps and put the practices into work. The steps provide a blueprint to follow without mandating that all of the methods are incorporated to be successful.

This book is also my first truly dual-platform experience, and I am not sold on that aspect. As a member of the "old-school" way of thinking, I expect all of the information to be present in the book that I am reading. It was a new experience to have some of Eikenberry's valuable information limited to the internet. I visited the Web site and downloaded some of the "Bonus Bytes", but did not enjoy having to take those steps to find out more about a topic I was interested in.

Taken as a whole, I would highly recommend "Remarkable Leadership" to anyone interested in improving not only their leadership abilities, but communication in general. So much of what is discussed by Eickenberry easily transitions to use away from work. I still count Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People," as the most influential book I have ever read, but Eikenberry has put me on a similar path by encouraging the use of his methods much more effectively than other books on the topic.

Remarkable Leadership is a fine work, and I intend to continue following Eikenberry's methods for insight into both my professional and personal communication.

Hsu fills in a niche which has remained empty for a long time. Chinese history written by self-styled western experts presents a real challenge for fairness and perspective. In Western eyes, the colonial period is often seen through rose colored glasses and this hampers their ability to present it objectively. With this book we can get a different perspective from someone who has lived the Asian experience from the Asian side. Good work!

This really is an excellent book. Although scholarly it is not dry and one might even call it exciting at times. It remains the definitive work on the period (most Oxford History books tend to have that distinction) and the latest edition (6th, I believe) contains additions and corrections well worth the bump in price.

The only reason I cannot give this book a full five stars is because in spite of the scholarship, it remains fairly light on ideas and when compared to other Oxford Histories such as "Battle Cry Of Freedom" or "What God Hath Wrought" it cannot hold its own.

Nevertheless, this book is a worthy addition to any historical library and is heartily recommended.

I needed a book for my university studies on China, and this was by far the best. It is detailed, sharp and well written. I cannot see much bias either way, or if there is the other side is shown.

A very good treatment on the subject.

This book by Immanuel Hsu used to be my school text 23 years ago! Now in its 6th Edition, I must say is an excellent piece of work. However, there are still certain words which are wrong, for eg, page 100, 2nd Paragraph, "...He was "found" of Adma Schall von Bell, whom he appointed..."
The word should be FOND and not "found"....
I have detected several similar errors in the book.... Otherwise, this book would almost be near Perfect!
Steven Lim. RSTN Consulting (Singapore).

While Spence's "The Search for Modern China" may be currently the most popular survey of modern Chinese history, Hsu's work is indispensable for the student of wants a deep understanding of China and the Chinese. I was fortunate enough to have studied the material covered with Hsu at Santa Barbara, while he was working on the first edition and still using the then only good English language Asian history by Fairbank (+ others) as a text. While I still have my copy of Fairbank's two volumes, which remain useful for Japan and Southeast Asia, it is to Hsu's text I still refer on matters of Chinese history.

Don't take everything he says literally and you'll be fine after reading this book.

The book is entertaining and very well written. The stories used to illustrate the points made are usually an adventure in themselves.

Richard Marcinko practices what he preaches and this book will tell you how to do the same.

Buy this book!

When I first put this tape in I thought to myself what the heck is this guy going on about. But I kept on going. It will grow on you. Richard's navy seal strategy to success is definitely one of the original motivational tapes out there. With a warriors attitude and what the author describes as "Testical Fortitude" you know your in for a ride. The author takes real navy missions and turns them into business strategies. With a philosophy of breaking rules only hurts the person who made the rules Richard just puts a foot in the face of whoever stands in the way. Dont be a follower. Set the standard not live up to it. Its a very inspiring look at a different approach to success. Exciting and motivating.

Great book. I like Dickie's straight forward, everything goes approach. Very practical and useful advice you can put to use right away no matter what your career is.

Another good motivational book from the Rogue, but I have seen much of the same ideas in a lot of his other books. I would still recommend it to anyone intrested in looking for a good motivational book.

I have read several business success books but none of the others even came close to this one. Marcinko cuts through all the politics and political correctness and delivers an excellent set of principles applicable to any industry. His war stories are more than just entertaining, they really drive home the points that he is making about the importance of planning, training, etc. This is must reading for everyone who is a warrior at heart regardless of their field of endeavor.