Business Books

Even if this book was selling for retail, I'd still suggest heading out and buying a copy as soon as possible. It's THE book that can lead a potential entrepreneur from a vague feeling of "I need to start a business" to actually overseeing a successful venture. There are no theoretical Harvard Business School theories here. These techniques work, and are explained in a way that anyone with an average intelligence can understand. Further, it encourages excitement, and stimulates motivation so that dreamers can bring their ideas to light.

I can't recommend this book enough. I'd give it seven stars if I could.

I stumbled across this book shortly after starting my 3rd company (1991). This baby is chock-full of truly interesting, readable prose.
Invaluable references.
"Real Life" examples of entrepreneur's in the trenches.
VC's at the bargaining table.

Lessons such as "The Okie Mechanic", "Establish Your Mini-Incomes", "The 40-Inch Hardboiled Egg" and others are as applicable today as they were back in '77. Replace "manufacturing plant" with "web development team" and you'll never know the difference.

Richard White and his band of 17+ consultants, VC's and company founders (primarily Silicon Valley but the stories are from all over the map) made this book happen. How Chilton got hold of it, and why they have not wrapped a complete business program around it is beyond me.

At times, you cannot find this book anywhere on the used market. Ocassionally booksellers show a few dozen copies. Either way, get yourself a copy, and pick up 3 for your closest friends, business partners and your kids.

You won't regret it.

I've used this as a sound guide in consulting to hundreds of clients. it never ceases to bring forth some associative wisdom and true-stories from the client... and leads the way in solving many an issue.

Oh, and for those who have loaned it out never to see it again?

Good. Get yourself another copy to give away.
I believe I'm on number 34 or 35.

Mark Alan Effinger
RichContent.com

P.S. Another winner is Mark Paul's "How To Attract More Customers in Good TImes and Bad". Highly recommended for getting clarity in your customer acquisition process and pricing models.

31 years later and on my second copy, this is STILL the one I keep coming back to when it's time to start up something very special. Written by someone who's been there - done that and is willing to tell all. Unlike most business books that claim so much yet deliver so little, this one comes through in spades. Want to fire up a new company --- the right way --- the first time --- and do it with others you can motivate all along the way? If so, then look no further. Definately aging well.

The Entrepreneur's Manual came highly recommended, so I tracked down a copy. I'm glad I did -- it's very good. Don't judge this book by its cover. Or by the old-fashioned printing fonts and style. This book's contents hold up very well for their age. In fact, I have nothing as good on my shelf even today.

Much like Dale Carnegie's books, Richard White's book stands the test of time. Anyone starting up a new company will have plenty of advice. But good advice? That is rare. You will find good advice here. Better, on the topics it covers, than you will find anywhere else.

One of the best, if not THE Best, Business Start-Up book...

Rich White died some years back, he was working on the updated version of EM. The complete revision was nearing completion when he took sick. To the best of my knowledge the revision was never submitted to Chilton.

Rich was a close and dear friend, we sent many a hour *brainstorming* and sometimes *barnstorming* new ideas....

I spoke to him 3 days before he died.

He was exactly as he sounds in his book...

His friends do indeed miss him...

04-23-2007

The author keeps using the term "do this exactly as the IRS states... or your exchange will be toast". He gives explicit advice such as BUY the replacement property within the 45 day ("list") window after selling the old property (instead of the allotted 180 day window) to help ensure the acceptability of the tax-free exchange process. Good solid advice to save lots of money.

Great book. Puts exchange into easy to understand concepts. Also provides detail on more complicated exchanges. Helped me a lot!
Thanks

Real Estate has always been my favorite investment. Deferring Taxes is also good. The book - "Exchanging Up" ties both together. With the clearly written information therein, I have closed at least Three "1031" real estate transactions,without fear of any IRS confrontations. The book removes the mystery of Taxing Authority"s 1031 Provisions.

This is a great resource of information. I sell real estate and often work with customers doing 1031 Exchanges. I refer to this book often throughout many transactions.

I was already somewhat familiar with the material in the book. However we are using a 1031 to build another investment property. I gave my copy of the book to the builder as he was totally unfamiliar with 1031's and what we wanted to do. Gary's book brought the builder up to speed with what we are trying to do. It helped greatly in answering any of his questions and gaining confidence in the process we needed to go thru for the "Non-Safe Harbor Reverse 1031 Construction Exchange" we needed to do.

Remember the old Broadway song, "You gotta have a dream, or how you gonna have a dream come true?" This is the executive version. Author Leslie L. Kossoff maintains that executives must have - and must clearly and enthusiastically articulate - a dream of what a company can be in order to get everyone else in the company excited, aligned and active. As an executive (or as a climber of that ladder), you may find this a pretty reasonable introduction to leadership, though it could also sound fairly simplistic. Kossoff offers a few non-specific examples, either citing news stories or alluding to individual executives, but primarily she tells us how she thinks successful executives should behave. Like the content, the book's tone also is a little reminiscent of a show tune -not too challenging and enjoyable to hum - but its attitude is sincere. We at getAbstract recommend this refresher as a philosophical pep talk that reminds executives how their approach to their jobs affects the realization of their dreams.

Dream, Vision, Mission: Achieved - Begin to think like an executive with dreams. Organizations exist based on and because of dreams. Dreams of success. Dreams of product or service differentiation. Dreams of creating an enterprise the likes of which have never been known before. In Executive Thinking, the Executive Thinker, rising through the ranks, leads an executive team with ambassadors, working ambassadors and associates, ultimately leaving an executive legacy. A good read.

Kossoff delivers in this book. She not only shows you how to dream, she shows you how to reach and realize the new vision of your organization and your place in it. In clear, graceful and logical writing, she gives you step-by-step guidelines for creative, "out-of-the-box" thinking and the means to harness the ideas that emerge. Using compelling case studies, she reveals how this technique energizes management structure to move ahead, empowering individuals throughout the corporation. The book will have a significant impact in maximizing operations. A MUST READ FOR EXECUTIVES ON EVERY LEVEL.

Leslie Kossoff shares with us in clear, easy to follow words, the secret of successful executives. It is like being invited inside the heads of our corporate leaders both today and from yesteryear. The principles in this book are tried and true, yet nobody discusses the thinking process of success. There are no management fads or latest buzz words in here - This is the guide of how to turn dreams into reality. Today's business world is changing at light speed. To succeed in these topsy turvy times, now more than ever we have to understand the thinking proces. Ms. Kossoff has done this for us. No other management book comes close. This is THE book for today's and tomorrow's leaders.

If you've a business that seems to have grown like topsy very likely this little book is for you. Have you been told that communication within your firm is a problem? What does it mean and more important what do you do about it? Call a general meeting only to find that with 200 or more employees things it's different than when there were only 15 or 20. Employees no longer know you, worse they may no longer trust you. Or maybe you decide that a better e-mail system can help. I'd laugh but I've been there. If any of this seems familiar Leslie Kosoff's little book should help. I've just ordered a copy for each of our supervisors. I tired of hidden agendas and office politics, maybe we can finally begin to pull this firm in the same direction.

Feiner's text on leadership should definitely be on the bookshelf of anyone that's serious about the leadership aspect of their career, either because they lead people themselves or work with leaders and may want to lead sometime in the future. There's something for everyone here, whether you're a peon at the bottom trying to learn how to manage (lead) your boss, or whether you're a people leader trying to hone your skills.

There's been so much said about this book already and I don't wish to repeat it, but I will say that this was a quick read and definitely eye opening. There's a lot to be learned here and Feiner fleshes it out in a well structure, consistent manner that makes it a joy to read. This book is definitely worth it, even at twice the price, and like I said earlier, it should be required reading in most professional environments. I can only imagine how different things would be if leaders in our company had the insights that Feiner has laid down in this book.

Take a chance and pick this one up, you won't be disappointed. Five stars, hands down.

I bought this book on the recommendation of students who had taken the class with Feiner. It has surpassed all my expectations. Its the most clearly-written and practical book on leadership that I have ever come across. Most books and articles only say "what" to do - and that horse been beaten plenty. Feiner gets into "why" and "how" these ideas should be implemented, e.g., why resenting, stonewalling or badmouthing an incompetent boss is a recipe for disaster. And his genius is in describing simple ways to put lofty ideas into play. This book is SO GOOD that I plan to read it AGAIN after a few months on the job to reflect on issues that have come up.

On the first page, Michael Feiner disputes the traditional "heroic individual" picture of a leader. This thinking, referred to as "Myth of the Great Man", holds that leadership is an inherently individual phenomenon consisting of solitary heroics, epitomized by Patton, Napoleon, etc... But Feiner states that 90% of leadership is invisible - "the aggregation of hundreds upon hundreds of small interactions - most of which take place out our sight - projected across layer upon layer of relationships, day in and day out". He spends the remaining 250+ pages explaining this, through a series of eponymous Feiner laws of leadership.

Feiner pulls liberally from his experiences at Pepsi. He peppers his high opinion of his own accomplishments with self-deprecating humor, and he shares his mistakes and regrets. His text is very readable and delivered in a conversational style. I found a good many quotable sound bytes I liked, some original and some from other authors.

At times, there seemed to be a repetitive effort to fill pages - laws identified by smug little titles supported by anecdotes from the author's career, then summarized at the end of each chapter and summarized again at the book's end. And occasionally I questioned the logic of the organization of the chapters. However, by the time I finished the book, it all seemed to work.

Feiner offers some really powerful practical insights on treating people right, sticking to your values, and being politically correct where at all possible. No faddish management theory here, just timeless advice and applicable tools that apply to all levels of organizational leadership and interaction. My copy of "The Feiner Points" is full of highlights and notes and I suspect I will be referring to it frequently.

I bought this book few months ago and it was interesting to go through it step by step. As a leader the first thing one must learn is how to deal with subordinates. After going through the 8 laws mentioned in Chapter 3: Leading Subordinates, one can imagine how less we focus on the people who are our main assets. A leader's success depends upon the success of his subordinates and these 8 laws are the basis for that success. One need to read each law multiple times so that it gets engrossed in one's heart. The "Performance contract" is a must for everyone to set clear expectations.

The examples provided in the books are mostly based on author's experience and I found Feiner very sincere in putting them straight. Overall a must for anyone who wants to build lasting relationship with their people.

With clarity, courage and conviction, this book delivers a message conveying the "whats" and, more importantly, the "hows" to successful leadership that enable individual, team, and company performance to grow and succeed. In short, Feiner guides leaders to put the heart and humanity back into business and in doing so, awakens the soul of business - yielding an environment that is embraced mutually and faithfully by peers, subordinates, bosses, and the total organization.

"The Feiner Points of Leadership" is the story of a man's extraordinary career, where past failures have in turn drawn enlightenment, as he builds a leadership model that all leaders and managers "must" understand, follow and instill throughout their organization to obtain competitive advantage.

Feiner guides the reader into becoming a "High Performance Leader," which will drive unprecedented and unlimited success in business - and in life! A must read.

This book was very gripping. It was also a good book to read if you wanted to be a veterinarian because it gives you good information. The cool thing is these books are true. This book also tells you a lot of things that you need to do when you are a vet like how to clean cages. I think this book is definitely good for anyone who wants to be a vet. I think that because this book is about a girl who helps around the clinic.
This book is all about a girl named Maggie who helps her grandma with the vet clinic, but now her grandma thinks that she needs to bring her grades way up, and until then she can't help in the clinic instead she will hire volunteers. Then on top of that her cousin Zoe is coming, and then on top of all of that sick puppies keep coming to the clinic and they might be coming from a puppy mill! What will she do? How can she save those pups?

This book, from my opinion, is really sad and heartbreaking, i mean, someone torturing and starving dogs to death, not to mention dogs dying, is bound to break anyone's heart. However, the book has its happy parts, which i enjoy.

This book changed my life!
It really made be want to go out and save every little puppy. But I realized it's impossable to change every puppy's life, so I should just try to be the best possable pet owner I can be.

Thank you so much for writing that novel. It was heart breaking and heart healing at the same time.

Eleven-year-old Margaret "Maggie" MacKenzie has grown up around animals. Since the death of her parents when she was a toddler, Maggie has lived with her veterinarian grandmother, Dr. Mac, and helped out around her clinic. It has always just been her and Gran - along with a younger veterinarian named Dr. Gabe - working side by side. But, suddenly, Gran has given three new kids from school - Brenna, David, and Sunita - along with her starstruck cousin, Zoe, the chance to volunteer alongside them. Maggie, however, has been placed on an extremely short leash, and been banished from the clinic until she pulls her grades up. Maggie couldn't be more disappointed. She knows everything about animals, while these new volunteers couldn't tell a lab from a golden retriever. It doesn't hurt that she's amazing with animals - especially dogs - and knows all the tricks to keep them calm, and make them happy. Unfortunately, with her homework so out-of-control, Maggie is forced to obey Gran's rules, and steer clear of the clinic. That becomes quite difficult, however, when various puppies begin making their way into the office, brought in by concerned owners. Each puppy is much too small to be away from their mother, and all are extremely sick. Maggie can't stand to see the puppies so close to death, and knows that there must be something she can do to save each pup. But the fact that she's just a fifth grader makes her feel as if there's nothing she can possibly do. As more and more pups pour in, however, Gran begins to suspect that something fishy is going on. And, with a little investigating, she discovers that each puppy was purchased from a scraggly old man at the Penn Street Farmer's Market. It's obvious that each of the dying puppies are malnourished, and mistreated, and Gran is convinced that the man is running a puppy mill. Maggie can't stand to see anymore pups end up hurt. So, pushing all thoughts of homework and extra-credit reports out of her mind, Maggie begins to devote her time to locating the puppy mill owner. While she's displeased to be forced to work with other volunteers, Maggie knows that one person can't solve a mystery as big as this one alone, and enlists the help of her new co-workers to help her track down Mr. Evil. But as she hits more and more dead-ends, Maggie begins to panic, and becomes convinced that, if she doesn't locate the puppy mill soon, more puppies will die!

Aside from Ben M. Baglio's ANIMAL ARK series, it seems that there are so few book series for middle readers that revolve around kids helping animals. Laurie Halse Anderson, however, changes that, with the release of her VET VOLUNTEERS series. While the lead character of FIGHT FOR LIFE, Maggie, seems slightly spoiled, and self-involved, the reader can certainly see where she may feel displaced by the introduction of new volunteers to the clinic. Her evolution from beginning to end is a large one, and certainly shows how much she grows throughout the course of the book. Maggie's compassion for animals, paired with her resistance to do homework, will certainly appeal to readers - especially those who find themselves on a crash course with bad grades. While Maggie's interactions with the other volunteers, as well as Dr. Gabe and her Gran, are quite enjoyable, and really give the reader the chance to choose a favorite character. I really must commend Anderson for her interest in penning a series for young/middle readers, that teaches the importance, and value of an animals life. With all of the animal abuse cases in the news nowadays, Anderson creates an outlet for animal lovers, that shows that they are not alone in their determination to save their four-legged friends. Her characters are interesting, and the dialogue is perfectly age-appropriate. Even more wonderful is the fact that Anderson includes a wide array of information regarding animal rights, puppy mills, and various animal rights laws that give readers the chance to learn more about the subject discussed. While the subject of puppy mills is fairly heavy, and the content of FIGHT FOR LIFE is oft-times gut-wrenching, it is a subject that needs more attention brought to it, and Anderson does just that within the pages of FIGHT FOR LIFE. A tear-jerking story perfect for animal lovers!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I love this book because I love animals and especialy dogs. If you like or even love animals you should read this book. Right now my teacher is reading it to my class because of my reccomondation. If you get sad about animals dying you might not want to read this book.

My boss is brilliant. He's got loads of education, experience, and humor. I love working for him. If you told me my boss wrote this book, I would've believed it.

It's a great read, and more importantly it's full of substantial ideas that can save you a lot of trouble, money, and problems.

The anecdotes are great, the jokes are fun, and it all rings as genuine and earthy as only the best-polished guidance can. I'd recommend it.

Although, a note- my book squeaks when I open it. Working in the bookbinding industry, I actually find this pretty entertaining. It sounds, and feels, weird and somewhat scratchy, but worth nothing =)

Particularly for those newer to the real world of business, this is great guidance delivered uncommonly easy, without compromising into sacarin. Check into it today, you'll be glad you did a dozen times over.

I loved it.

I've read a bunch of management books, but this is definitely different. The writing style for one is very to the point--refreshingly so. I also appreciated perspective of someone who has NOT done everything perfectly, who has learned from their mistakes, and is not a fortune 500 manager. On that level, it was much more helpful to me, someone who is also not a fortune 500 manager.

To the point, quirky sense of humor, practical reasoning and advice, and just plain good. Get it.

For someone who has either started a business, is considering starting a business, or wants to be a great employer/employee is is a great option. No, it doesn't only talk about "Firing someone today". It is a book with business sense which when reading it makes common sense.

Do not judge this book by its core title alone ("Fire Someone Today"). You must keep in mind its full title ("Fire Someone Today - AND OTHER SURPRISING TACTICS FOR MAKING YOUR BUSINESS A SUCCESS").

This book provides a wonderful view into processes/systems that have failed and succeeded and, mostly importantly, WHY they did what they did. The author provides wonderful, entertaining and POWERFUL stories and compelling arguments for each of his points.

The essay-like style of book makes it not only an informative, though-provoking read, but also an academically valuable and easily referenced book for your debates when improving your business.

From small to large business alike, all leadership (from the executive to the micro-manager) should have this on their shelves. It will truly surprise you with its informative and inspiring content.

This book presents the author's advice for owner/managers of small companies. In 200 pages, he presents 22 chapters on diverse and important topics. Here's my reaction to each chapter (where 1 = Not so good, 10 = Great).

1 Fire Someone Today (10, great review for those who hesitate firing slackers or misfits, mentions how to do it correctly)
2 You Are the Reason You Are in Business (10, you need to control the critical process/technology)
3 Nobody Loves Your Baby Like You Do (10, don't delegeate your vision for the company)
4 There Can Be Only One - Plan for Your Partner's Departure (10, be the benign dictator, how to evaluate business partners, how to always have a way out)
5 Don't Hire Anyone You Haven't Interviewed (7, basic information)
6 Cash Is King (7, basic information)
7 Quality, Price, Service -- Prioritize (9, interesting but simplistic model for niching)
8 Nobody Needs an Optimistic Accountant (6, probably true, but basic)
9 You Can Always Find 5 % (8, too oriented on nickling and diming vendors, too oriented away from growth, mentions important reports and methods)
10 Profit is Why You Are in Business (7, basic information, too oriented on profits alone, did not describe why profits are necessary for growth)
11 If You Are Not Growing, You Are Shrinking (10, interesting discussion of market dynamics)
12 Good Systems Protect You from the Perfect Employee (10, discussion on blogs, make it easy to build good systems)
13 The One Who Writes Wins (10, but basic information)
13 Read (10, great information on business intelligence, interesting remarks on business books, biographies vs business histories, novels)
15 Don't Fly Blind -- Build a Dashboard (10, important, basic information that most businesses don't prepare, doensn't and probably can't mention all the numbers any business needs)
16 Visit Everyone in Person (10, excellent reason for supporting the airlines)
17 Press Is Yours If You Ask -- And If You Want It (10, how to use publicity to your advantage without getting skinned by the media)
18 In Acquisitions, the Buyer is the Loser (10, this was really great information, how to use the process to your advantage)
19 Buy Lunch (10, excellent reason for supporting restaurants, like Chapter 16)
20 Winning Takes 51 % (10, how to categorize decisions, when to make them quickly, slowly)
21 Some People Are Your Greatest Assets (10, how to treat exceptional candidates, good is the baseline, follows "up or out" mentality of chapter 1)
22 Business Is a Serious Game (7, your decisions have consequences to your employees)

This book is easy and enjoyable to read for businesses with 5 to 200 employees.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

Excellent book for everyone, especially for those who need help NOW on getting out of debt.

Easy read, and the principles are excellent...... This is a book everyone should read......

I have read a lot of books on becoming debt free but I must say this is one of the very best. More than the book being great the staff at The Money Planner are awesome! I am enjoying becoming debt free because of this book.The Four Laws of Debt Free Prosperity

I purchased 3 books. One for myself, one for my daughter and one for a friend. I have read 3/4 of the book and find it easy to read and to put the suggestions into practise.

My daughter read her book in a few days and sat down with pen and paper and starting tracking their spending so they could improve their lifestyle by becoming dept free.

This should be required reading in every high school. If you can't learn to manage your money from this book, you don't really want to. It makes it so simple. This is the second time I've bought this book because I sent the first one to someone I thought needed it. Now I am trying to get my son to take control of his finances and can't think of a better way for him to learn the rules.

I know this book might be a bit outdated but the principles always apply. This book is not only a Networking book but one of the best books I have read on how to setup a computer business. I am a programmer and this book helped me get my business going. Matthew gives very practical, easy-to-follow examples of how to run your networking or software business.

Matthew Strebe is a professional consultant so he knows what he's talking about. Book is full of practical, detailed advice about running your own business. He tells you about taxes, incorporation, deductions,etc. Also a very good section on marketing. He tells you about his experiences with mailers, ads, etc.

Smart. To the point.

Money well spent.

Wow! I wish I would have had this book 4 years ago. A must read for anyone thinking about taking on side-jobs or going out on their own. Not only is this book packed with invaluable information but Matt's sense of humor made reading this book an absolute pleasure. Two big thumbs up from this reader! :)

Book covers the business, legal, technical ends of consulting. I feel greatly enlightened after reading it. It was recommended on the Cisco Newsgroup, and I thank the person that told us about it. After reading it, the book will now stand as a reference for me, especially the fine examples of contracts included. A real book written by a real professional, and not stuffy like technical books from experienced people can be. I have nothing bad to say about the book, but everything good. If you have any inkling to become a consultant, or need to know more to help you make the decision, read and absorb this informative how-to manual. It accomplishes what it is supposed to in a somewhat enjoyable/light touch manner, and there isn't any more to say!

I was heading out on my own in 2001 and my younger brother (also a network engineer) had a copy of this book and gave it to me. He's a fan of Strebe's writing style from other books, and although the unfortunate cover art almost turned him (and I until he explained) away, he bought it.

The book is really pretty useful. For retainers, I use a version of his retainer agreement. However, there are some things that my experience has found are different than his experience.

For example, mailing DOES work. I bet he sent a letter. You don't send just a letter. You send a letter and YOUR BUSINESS CARD. Because out of 1000 businesses, almost nobody might need you right now, but if your card ends up in 20 rolodexes or 50 rolodexes from that mailing, over the course of a year you might get ten calls from that mailing. Calls are worth the $37.00, if that's the formula. Trust me. .... I don't do it every month or even every other month but it does work, and him dismissing it out of hand because he tried it once and didn't get any calls is a little irresponsible.

Another thing is, this book is I'm sure quite true for Matthew Strebe's experience, but if you're doing this in the post-Tech-bubble world, you're going to have to expect that it's going to be harder to find the relationships and big jobs than it was during the years Strebe was gaining his experience as an independent. I'm doing okay, my business is growing SLOWLY but steadily (which is what every entrepeneur I've met and talked to since I started doing this has told me is completely normal) and if you have solid skills like Strebe and I do, you'll prevail eventually and it is worth it.

One other thing I disagreed with is that while it is true you don't want to be buddy-buddy with your customers too much, to the point that you get exploited, the reality is that non-tech type people are a lot more touchy-feely and relationship-oriented and they need to like and trust you because you are carrying the keys to their kingdom and they know it. People can say anything they want about the sales process but the reality is I walk out of a business with a deal or a relationship 100% of the time if I connected as a person with the customer, so they saw me as someone who had the experience and character to be mucking around in their stuff, and about 0% if I didn't. You can't get that by putting up a 100% wall between yourself and your customers. Getting by in this business is less about making "big scores" and more about having successful, long-term relationships where they call you and don't resent your fee because they know you're the best they're going to find. In the 90's it was about "big scores." Not any more, and remember that when you're reading this book. I wouldn't be surprised if Strebe has changed his focus a bit since then, too.

....

There is no one better at spoofing the foolishness of how business is done than Scott Adams in his Dilbert strip. All quality spoofs are based on fundamental truths and Dilbert is no exception. That is of course why the Dilbert web site is one of the sites most frequently blocked by business managers.
While the truth often hurts, in the right hands it can be hilarious and Adams' hands are the right ones when it comes to business. Reading this book may not make your job better, but it certainly will make it more tolerable.

For some reason, I didn't find this book quite as funny as some of Adams' later stuff, but it still gave me some good laughs!

The funniest humor always has a root in reality. . . that's why Dilbert is so hilarious! Though sometimes outlandish, I can sometimes see similarities between the Dilbert characters and people I work with!

Fugitive From The Cubicle Police is a 224-page collection of Scott Adams' hilarious Dilbert cartoons. Dated from 1993 and 1994, these cartoons are from quite early in the Dilbert story. Most of the normal crew is here: Dilbert, Alice (her hair isn't pyramid-shaped yet), Wally, Dogbert, and so forth, but no Catbert. The cartoons themselves appear as they did in your favorite newspaper, with the big Sunday ones printed in bright color!

This book is great, a must-have addition to the library of any Scott Adams fan. And, the finger-puppets make it that much better. This is perhaps the best Dilbert book of them all - buy it!

Scott Adams has talent. That is a fact. His comics, Dilbert, are basically about this engineer who works in a cubicle and has no social life. They're so funny, and have such original characters. Bob the Dinosaur, who basically goes around giving wedgies to people, is probably one of my favourites. I find it very amusing how a lot of characters are animals, like Dogbert, Catbert, Ratbert, etc. It seems so funny, somehow, to incorporate animals into work at an office building.
So, overall, any Dilbert books are incredibly hilarious. Go buy one.

Monkey: Evolution favors monkeys. Eventually humans will be kept in cages as pets...
Dilbert: Impossible! We humans will never allow ourselves to be treated like that! Now, get out of my cubicle!

Dilbert, the mainstay of office-life critical witticisms, is the concept of Scott Adams, who quit his job to write the column, using it primarily to exorcise the demons that haunted him (and, indeed, seem to haunt all in small-to-large corporate America) during his tenure as a mid-level office worker.

In his introduction, he says: 'I was doing some thinking today. But I didn't enjoy it very much, so I decided to write this introduction instead....'

Who can argue with this? This, perhaps in a brief statement, summarises much of the underlying philosophy of the corporate culture Adams presents in his Dilbert column. It certainly epitomises the prevailing attitude of the boss and management structure. And of course, being in charge of his own column, Adams has graduated (or, perhaps sunk) to the level of management.

This book consists of a generous sampling of Sunday columns (complete with colour -- OOOH! AAAH!) -- colour of course being a Dilbert-ian device to disguise the lack of information. Yet, the information here is timely and timeless (insofar as anything about corporate culture can be timeless).

Dogbert's entry into and rising through the hierarchy is a good case in point, where LOUD equals results. After securing a corner office with a window by being LOUD, a task force ripe for empire-building within the company, the budgetary control of his boss, he is invited, at the end of his first week on the job, to meet with the president of the company.

President: You've made quite a name for yourself in the week you've worked here.
Dogbert: It was easy to grab power, once I realised that other executives were just imbeciles with good hair.
President: I hope you don't think that of me.
Dogbert: No, that looks like a toupee from here...

Onward and upward...

Finally Dogbert becomes president, exercises stock options after a disastrous but stock-market-friendly series of initiative plans (of course, they only have to be plans for the stock market to react), and retires to devote himself to philanthropy, which is 'mostly about watching people beg, and having buildings named after me.'

We are introduced to Dilbert's co-workers, who are variously competent and stuck in their jobs, rejoicing the occasional tiny victories, or, more frequently, plotting grand schemes to gain the minor advantage (a few more inches of cubicle space, for instance). We are introduced to incompetent co-workers who get promotions and jobs in other firms with real offices and perks. We discover what kinds of women will date (and dump) Dilbert. Of course, that might have become a bit of a different problem had Dilbert's boss not been corrected in time...

Boss: My boss says we need some eunuchs programmers.
Dilbert: I think he means Unix, not eunuchs. And I already know Unix.
Boss: If the company nurse drops by, tell her I said "Never mind."

Dilbert does sometimes win after all.

I have listened to this book several times. Zig Ziglar is just wonderful teacher. This is a short book for all intents and purpose but it will give you a solid starting point for why we need goals and how to get going with them.

Mr. Ziglar is simply amazing. He is consistently motivating, inspirational, and right on in all that he says and writes. Truly a national treasure. Every bit of his offerings help me to do, as he says, "what I ought to do when I ought to do it", so that I will be able to do "what I want to do when I want to do it."

I have purchased other Zig tapes and really enjoy them. I thought this was going to be something new. It's not. It is the same stories all over again. I also do not recommend the CD if you are going to be using it as a car audio. CDs can't just stop, be ejected so you can listen to something else, and put back in like a tape can.

Everyone in the world needs to read or listen to what Zig has to say on Goals. Everyone in the world needs to set goals, oh what a better world this would be.

A must read/listen.

This is truly an excellent audio which has been worth many times its price to me. I have listened to it literally hundreds if not thousands of times over the last twenty years and it has helped me in my life to be successful in a variety of positions, through career transitions, etc.

In this tape, Zig Ziglar uses stories, reasearch nuggets and powerful metaphors to drive home his points in an extremely powerful way. He is very present when he speaks and the tape is not only informative, it is funny and entertaining.

This is a perfect tape to listen to over and over again while you are commuting. This is how I used it for many years. As a personal growth coach who does a large amount of public speaking, workshops and one-on-one coaching -- I feel I am in a good position to judge the merit of what is out there.

Zig is a Christian and this might not go over well with some audiences. However, he doesn't push this agenda, but he does at different points use some illustrations that come from the bible. For example, in one section he quotes the bible about money saying, "he who seeks silver, will never be satisfied with silver" and goes on to explain how you can never have enough money, UNLESS the money has you. I think that's a very wise statement and it's not money itself that is bad, but how you use it. The point he seems to be making is that are you a good steward of your money, which I think it a relevant point that requires guts to make in the current business environment. In fact, I would suggest it's an essential point.

Cognitively, I probably knew most of what was in this audio. However, I know it differently now at a deeper level because of using it. This tape is done in such a way that the ideas sink in deeply and become a part of you. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Also, in addition to working in psychology, I was also a marketing person for Xerox when they were Fortune 25. I went through their International Center for Management Development and won their Team Xerox Spirt Award. The point of me sharing this is that I know what it takes to train sales and marketing people and I recognize a good and practical resource when I come across it. I don't think you can go wrong with this audio, especially at the price they are offering it at.