Business Books

I have the rare privilege of knowing Paul Oreffice and his book is a must-read for anyone who has become alienated from "The American Dream". Paul shows that dreams really can and do come true if you work hard enough and smart enough. His book is also a modern day cautionary tale of what happens when we take our wonderful freedoms for granted. Paul has lived through fascism and survived, with the close-knit love of a proud, loving and visionary father and a enormously devoted mother. If you need to rekindle that lost spark of optimism in our country and the opportunities that await you, let Paul's story guide you from the depths of danger and hard times to the pinnacle of success and "the good life". I encourage you to buy this book!

a more contemporary read of a well-known tale - escape a terrible situation, challenge oneself to be the best you can be, and come to America - the only country which allows this level of driven talent to rise to the highest possible levels.

Orrefice crafts a good tale...but never links the truly compelling childhood and early adulthood to the CEO he became. The only lesson gleaned is that America still is the place for the hopes and dreams to come true. But the book would have garnered more stars if Paul could have connected this experience to how he ran a huge company. Rather, the two are almost two disassociated events.

This is a story beautifully written and wonderfully crafted. It is one of those rare books that takes you into the life of an amazing, real-life success story. Congratulations to both Paul Oreffice and the writer Tom Hanlon, on a book well done.

I'm surprised this hasn't been made into a movie yet.

While I am personally familiar with the author and was expecting an interesting book, I had no idea what an emotional thriller some sections would be. Mr. Oreffice was very generous in revealing his emotions, both about the hardships and fears visited upon his family and about the intimate feelings back and forth between himself and his family, especially his father.

It is appropriate that World War II receives so much attention, both from the fact that it was such an overriding influence on people of his generation and from the plain story telling reality that those stories are more compelling than business stories. The tale of his cousin who leapt from a train nearing a death camp is one of the most gripping stories of its kind I have ever read.

The balance is perfect. The lengthy business career is dealt with well, but not in too much detail. Yet, it provides for a full appreciation for the remarkable accomplishments.

All in all, the book celebrates its rather ambitious title and does justice to it. The jacket design is inspired, as that sweet little fact looking back from darkness evokes the Anne Frank images. Thus, to a reader of a certain age, an aura is created before the first page; then that opening story about a little boy wondering where his father was and beginning to learn about how adults struggle to protect children gets the book off to a stunning start.

The images of Mussolini and his troops are chilling, and yet Paul can go to the pleasant tales of his horsemanship without one hindering the other.

With the autobiography complete, we can only hope for a follow-up book made up of more randomly selected tales.

I have known Paul Oreffice for a number of years, throughout which I have come to know him as a truly remarkable, caring, and sincere individual. In addition to being an interesting story, his book is a lesson in history, perseverance, integrity, common sense, and humility. I am confident that readers will find his book to be as fascinating and inspiring as the man who wrote it.

Rardin was the first book I used for OR and I keep a copy in my personal library. It offers a series of examples that are followed up throughout the book, chapter by chapter, to provide insight into the application of mathematics to real world problems. By building the level of complexity, on an ogoing basis through the use of specific examples, Rardin shows the extrmely practical side to why Operations Research is such a fundamental use of applied mathematics. The book is easy to read and should easily meet the needs of any upperlevel undergraduate course in Operations Research.

It is both useful for graduates and for undergraduates.

Explanations are easy to follow but at the same time they don't lack detail or correctness. The book is full of examples and it covers different fields of OR.

For me, the best is Rardin's approach to teach OR: he begins from the base and he builds newer contents over that base. In this way, you feel like "that works!". And for graduates, there are some sections called "primers" where Rardin explains subjects outside the scope of the book, but very useful for beginners.

The book is very well written. A good big effort.

The only bad point I found is the book's font/typeset is not very good (I'd prefer a more TeXified style).

The "Search inside this book" feature was not available for this book when this review was published. Hope it helps.

Table of Contents
1. Problem Solving with Mathematical Models
2. Deterministic Optimization Models in Operations Research
3. Improving Search
4. Linear Programming Models
5. Simplex Search for Linear Programming
6. Interior Point Methods for Linear Programming
7. Duality and Sensitivity in Linear Programming
9. Shortest Path and Discrete Dynamic Programming
10. Network Flows
11. Discrete Optimization Models
12. Discrete Optimization Methods
13. Unconstrained Nonlinear Programming
14. Constrained Nonlinear Programming

If you need more information, Professor Rardin (Purdue University) maintains a website that can be easily located using any web search tool.

Review after 2 years of using this book: AMAZING BOOK. There has never been a better book (and probably never will be) in explaining OR.

Previous Review upon purchase:
If you are taking a graduate or an undergraduate course in OR, this book is a must! I have not seen ANY book able to present OR with such simple, direct examples and WITHOUT sacrificing theory.
This is the best written textbook I have ever read. When I compare it with the hundereds of dollars I spend on badly written books, even as a PG (poor graduate) student I would gladly pay twice of what this book is priced at.

This book presents the subjects in a different and novel way which provides many new insights.

In it, there is a great concern with the practical, professional use of operations research, as can be easily seen in the modeling examples. This book could be named "Optimization theory with realistic applications". This book certainly enables the students to apply the theory learned in practical situations, while providing the necessary mathematical foundations.

Rardin exposes the subject in a very clear and non-orthodox manner, unifying all algorithms through the use of the improving-search framework. The text is also innovative, containing sections on Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing, Tabu Search and Branch and Cut.

But if you want to go deeper in some subject (linear programming for example) you will need another book.

Used to listen to this on tape and wanted to replace it with cd so I could listen to it in the car. If you want to get a taste of life in 1660's London, this is it. The written diaries are also fascinating but fairly hard to read, so Kenneth Branagh helps us out here. Anyone interested in English history will be very pleased with this diary. If you don't yet know who Pepys is then, for sure, you need to buy this. I've listened to it at least twice over the years and alway hear something new with each listening. Highly recommended!

I chose to listen to this book because I felt I "should" be better acquainted with what can arguably be called the most famous diary in history. I looked upon it as a chore that would improve my mind.

I may have, indeed, improved my mind but it turned out to be no chore! What an absolute delight. I've read many historical novels that weren't half as exciting, funny and fascinating as this book. I kept having to remind myself that this man REALLY lived through all these things -- the plague, the great London fire, the machinations of the court.

Plus, his willingness to expose in frank (and sometimes bawdy) detail his personal life, health, sexual dalliances, etc., brought *him* as well as his times vividly to life.

I doubt if trying to read through the actual diary would be as much fun, but the editors' careful selection of entries culled out the best bits while never losing continuity.

And what more can I add to the praise of Branagh as narrator? The man is a phenomenal talent and shows it in this book. Never over-acting, he manages to convey a perfect tone (for instance, just the hint of a whisper at the more personal parts, as though Pepys was confiding in us).

All in all, this book convinced me that improving my mind doesn't HAVE to be tedious.

Of course it is not the complete Pepy's diary but is wonderful to listen to while on long drives. Kenneth Brannagh as the reader brings life into the English language of yesterday. I wonder if a movie is in the offing.

Samuel Pepys' Pepys' Diary is an outstanding classic which comes to life in audio cd format, narrated by Kenneth Branagh whose background in film and direction lend to a vivid narrative indeed. Pepys' classic has lasted centuries because it records in vivid descriptions the bygone world of 17th-century London life: this vivid written word in turn translates well into audio and brings a rich history to life.

I loved these tapes. I concur with the reviews that they are addictive - better for a long country ride than a harried rush hour. Then let Pepys (Branagh) be your witty and engrossing travel companion.

It obviously helps to be familar with the Restoration to enhance your enjoyment of these diaries; though many with even a general background will still find them entertaining. Highly recommended.

"The moment that organisations lose their personality is when their employees become "people" rather than individuals...".

As many of my readers and friends know. I'm very much in touch with the "human side of business", especially forming a connection with people. Revealing, the honest, sincere and human side of your business to your customers has repeatedly proved to be a good thing. It's the key to delighting them and making sure they stay with us for a very long time.

Rohit Bhargava as an author is right up there with the likes of Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki. Why? Because he tells it like it is. Jargon is left at the door and the book uses great worldwide examples of excellent personality branding. It's nice to see an American author who shows a refreshing awareness that we all don't live in America!

Wow. I must admit, Rohit actually had me at "hello" with this book. The book brings together, my own personal experiences of business differentiation. Learning, from companies such as Moo and Innocent Drinks (Also mentioned in the book). Rohit did an excellent job of drawing me in with his great writing style and a clear passion for the subject.

Throughout the book he provides many examples of businesses which are successfully using the techniques within the book. The case studies were almost enough to sell me the book alone. However, learning about each technique and then being given an interesting and detailed example of how each idea can be implemented in real life was fantastic. It was was great to see Steve, Hugh and the Blue Monster also getting a mention - Rock On!

Personality Not Included successfully leads the reader through the process of building a company personality. Rohit's approach impressed me in a number of ways. Firstly he outlined all the key elements. I especially liked his "UAT Filter"- the three core qualities of a company personality:

1. Unique
2. Authentic
3. Talkable

Spot on. Secondly, he presented great examples from several companies for each element.

As I finished reading Part 1, Rohit did something that many marketing writers do not usually do. He wrote a "Part 2?. The second part of the book focuses on how to put the discussion in Part 1 into action. To further guide the reader through the process, Rohit provides a number of tools and frameworks to help. The book is broken down into the following chapters:

Part One

Chapter 1 - Faceless used to work because big meant credible. This is no longer true

Chapter 2 - Accidental spokespeople are speaking for your brand - Embrace them

Chapter 3 - Uniqueness plus Authenticity plus Talkability equals personality. Use the UAT Filter

Chapter 4 - Backstories establish a foundation of credibility. You need onq.

Chapter 5 - Fear of change leads to barriers. Finding your authority overcomes them

Chapter 6 - Personality moments are everywhere and unexpected, but you must spot them

Part Two - (Putting Personality into Action)

* New Styles of Marketing (Ten Techniques are Described in Detail)
* Taking Theory Further (Tools and Guides to Accompany Chapters 1 - 6)

The key theme from the first half of the book is that personality matters, because it is the element of your brand that inspires loyalty more than any product feature or element of your service ever can.

Rohit reminds the reader, that consumers aren't just buying a product or service from you. They are buying "into" a whole experience. If they find the experience positive, they are very likely to purchase again, and/or recommend your business to others. As a text book, Personality not Included could also be used to boost your own "Personal Branding".

If you love Seth Godin, or Guy Kawasaki then you'll love Rohit Bhargava. If you are looking for a refreshing and up-to-the-minute business read, then you could do no better.

To conclude, Bhargava's marketing experiences with the world's leading companies has produced the definitive book that explains "Personality Branding", in a practical, understandable and actionable way. I can't recommend this book highly enough for any entrepreneur, business person, or anyone who wants to better understand how `personality' can impact a business.

This is an easy, but inspiring read. How to use your personality and the personality of your product and company to engage customers and build brand in the marketplace. As an unconscious competant (today a CEO and formerly a CMO)I found it incredibly helpful as a way to structure my thinking about this new marketing world. Rohit blends theory with examples in a way that makes the information easy to absorb and retain.

I don't have a long review to post. I do want to say that I hope to be able to help business owners. I currently do not work in the Marketing realm. However, I believe that talking with business owners and sharing good ideas doesn't have to be restricted to their marketing staff. I have been in marketing in the past and I believe that this book has value to the person that is inside the marketing world or outside the marketing world. Lets hope that your "Accidental Spokesperson" took time to read this book and helps your business. For that matter, you should buy this book and read it so you can bring authenticity back to your business.

Personality is defined as "the unique, authentic, and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about. Personality is not just about what you stand for, but how you choose to communicate it. It is also the way to reconnect your customers, partners, employees, and influencers to the soul of your brand in the new social media era."

Have you ever thought about the fact that your business should have a personality? You might not have thought about creating or developing a personality for your business - but in the twenty first century, your business needs a personality. The time for faceless businesses is gone. We have all been told to develop a brand for our business. But, creating a personality that reflects and deepens that brand is taking the idea to a higher level.

Think about your favorite coffee shop or your favorite restaurant. What do you like about that business? Is it the service, the products, the atmosphere, the location, or something else? The personality includes things that set that business apart from other similar businesses.
This book contains six chapters in Part One. Part Two contains learning guides which expand on the content in Part One and other resources.

Throughout the book Rohit Bhargava provides ample examples of businesses which are using the techniques that he discusses. The case studies were almost enough to sell me on this book, but learning about each technique and then being given an interesting and detailed example of how each idea can be implemented in real life was invaluable. For example, we all know that Starbucks is very popular. In Personality Not Included we are given details on what they did right and how the personality slipped away.

Another fascinating section is chapter two when we learn about the many types of accidental spokesmen that can represent a business. In addition, he tells us how each type of spokesmen is effective and how to make the most of their enthusiasm and appeal. I love to highlight the valuable information in books and my copy has plenty of information marked for future use for me and my clients.

Backstory is critical when writing a novel, but have you ever thought about sharing the story behind your business? This chapter explains why you should have a backstory and how to use that backstory. The strangest thing happened as I read this chapter. I usually share my business and promotional background with people when I give my experience, but chapter four helped me begin to develop a new approach. What story do you have behind your business that would attract the public and help them to see you in a more favorable light?

In the opening chapter and introduction of the book I was patting myself on the back because I've used many of the ideas that are presented. Then Rohit Bhargava said something that really got my attention. He mentioned that just learning to create a personality isn't enough. You need to learn the best way to implement that personality plan in your business and learn to identify even more ways to find opportunities to develop this personality even further.

When you read the book, definitely take the time to read the learning guides in Part Two. There are many "guides" in the book which give you additional information on how to get the most out of the ideas and techniques in the book.

I highly recommend this book for any entrepreneur and business person who wants to understand the need for a business personality. Business managers can also learn so much from the content in this book. It is also for the person who wants to find the different ways to develop this personality. Your business can stand out from the competition in amazing ways - it just needs more personality. When you read the book, keep your eyes open for the interesting ways the author has woven a unique personality into the pages of the book.

I recommend this enlightening book on a number of counts. In an increasingly crowded (and sometimes superfluously smelly) elevator of social media and marketing how-tos, Rohit Bhargava sets himself apart: one of the most noticeable distinctions Personality Not Included has is its non-linear, self-referential structure, which makes it easy (and rewarding) to skip around if you're compelled. I didn't, but the option is there, which can't be said for less adventurous texts.

The book largely deals with personality (of course) and the looming ennui of "faceless" companies that don't connect with their customers, which benefits no one. It sounds obvious, but as staples like The Consumerist hammer home time and time again, even the glaring gets forgotten. I suspect this is due to "idealogical incest", the echo chamber of corporations copying each other on the WRONG things, compounding their screwups by being over-cautious and de-humanizing themselves!

Why did I pick this up?

I read PNI to do some professional development at my job as Resident Enlightenment Manager at Linden Lab, since just about everything I do in Second Life is avatar-centric, and hence, personality-driven.

In solidarity with Seth Godin's teachings, PNI makes a strong case for the benefits of storytelling to compel and intrigue your customers. What I learned within wasn't entirely new, but it did affirm, and reaffirm some independent ideas I had been cooking up for some time -- and now feel more confident about, knowing I'm far from alone here.

I especially found comfort in the overall presentation of PNI: from the colorful cover depicting a unique, rainbow-mohawked rooster who stands out from his peers to the fresh, well-spaced typesetting inside, these details all add to the overall readability and value. These are in themselves aspects of personality which a lot of people experience, yet have a difficult time articulating. Even if you can't put your finger on it, they make a positive difference in aggregate!

Other benefits include valuable numbered lists (e.g., types of company spokespersons) which are punchy, clear, and non-trite (an all-too-easy trap to fall into) and the practical exercises found in Part Two (intriguingly, Part One ends after Chapter 6 since Rohit reasons where this is where the "sweet spot" is). Also see his fresh approach to a non-bibliography, while still backing up his claims. It's rare to see such a self-aware "breaking the 4th wall" perspective in a serious-yet-fun business book, and I must mention the well-designed companion website, which may in itself serve as inspiration for future campaigns you'll do.

It's also nice to see Rohit practices what he preaches: I emailed him with kudos and a correction (he misspelled "Jaron Lanier" as "Jared Lanion"... what a spoonerism!), and he warmly contacted me back, encouraging me to review and spread the word -- here I am!

I love Disney world and I love love The Pirates Of The Carribbean! Great if you like both!

I really enjoed the first chapter on how the concept translated into the final product of a ride. Amazing how these things come together. The second chapter comparing the ride throughs between the four parks I found a bit frustrating - hard to really picture it unless you're there (for me). I was more interested in the ride portion than the movie chapter myself. Worth the buy (though I bought it used).

My daughter just loves all the background information. She's very happy with it.

Know this first: I'm a huge fan of all things Disney, especially POTC the ride.

Imagineer Surrell's book is very well-done. This is one of those (along with his earlier work on the Haunted Mansion) that I go to again and again, like watching a favorite movie or listening to a favorite album. Maybe I'll notice on the 50th reading ONE MORE DETAIL I somehow missed...
I especially enjoyed the look at the other parks' version of the ride. Rock on, Jason!

Con: Woulda liked it in HARDCOVER.

Now, as with any OTHER topical subject, some of the info goes out of date the day the book is published, and will continue to "go stale". The 2nd, 3rd, and even talked-about 4th movies are, of course, not included. The much-publicized ride rehabs are not either. This is the same with Jason's earlier Disney's Haunted Mansion book (a good companion piece, by the way). That said, the HM book goes off into a hopeful description of the actually-miserable HM movie, touting it as the best thing since Bela Lugosi. This was written well in advance of the actual public release of the HM movie, I guess, so they were gambling the public would love what turned out to be a huge embarrasment. ( When I need cheering up, I sometimes imagine HM Director Minkoff at what I hope is his new day job, asking people if they want to add a cherry turnover to their order for just 50 cents more ). Okay, here's your soapbox back.

They shouldn't have pushed the HM movie so hard in THAT book.

Not so in THIS book: Because they "got burned" on the HM movie, there's a decidedly less-throat-cramming push for Curse of the Black Pearl, which, of course, in hindsight, they could have laid on thicker, now that the movie has generated some kind of Star-Wars-level cultural shift.

Buy the book. You know you want it.

I know I want more books on CLASSIC Disney attractions, and I only want 'em writ by Jason Surrell. Amen.

As of November, 2006, a newer, updated version of Mr. Surrell's book is now available! Look for the version with the compass rose in the upper right corner of the cover.

Cheers!

Beck

If you don't learn something about yourself after reading this book, check your pulse.

This book should be required reading for every member of the human race.

This book was my introduction to the spiritual life. A friend gave it to me--with some trepidation, not knowing how I'd take it--but to her relief, I was completely won over. I GOT it. Now that I've read more sophisticated books, Vernon Howard might not speak to me so deeply. But if you know someone who is spinning their wheels, who could lead a more powerful life if they were just shown the way, this is the book to give them. It is simple, easy-to-read, and it works.

I bought this book used for like 1.50 and some change for shipping. If anyone had any idea that the end of suffering could come about by a transformation beginning from a little book on amazon for 1.50, I think they'd laugh at the idea. This man definately knows what he is talking about and although I have already been practicing work on myself, many new ideas are also introduced. 5 stars get the book.

This book is one of the better books on spirituality, not the best but one of the better. It has heaps of good ideas, thoughts and wisdom. every pages is a new insight. The drawback for me was that it was too much on ideas , so many that I could be thinking too much after about it.I cannot be hard on this book because as I say compared to most others on the market these days it is very good.

After reading "Mystic Path to Cosmic Consciousness", and "Esoteric Mind Power", I thought that any other writtings by Vernon Howard would just repeat what I had already read. I can safely recommend this book along with the other two. Some ideas do overlap, but many bring clarification. Just read my reviews on the other two books to get an idea of what this book has to offer.
There may be more sophistocated writtings on the subject of self awakening, but none written in such plain English, squeezing as much insight into one book as there books by Vernon Howard.

Perry Ludy's book, Profit Building examines a powerful dichotomy for business in the new millennium. It empowers commerce to make effective choices to achieve profit building by cutting costs without cutting people.

Profit Building is also an imperative to examine conventional business models during periods of economic uncertainity. This book is precise, concise and truly on the cutting edge of contemporary issues in today's economy.

Profit Building is a must read for savvy business management - or those who expect to join the ranks - to "get ahead of the curve" or virtually reinvent the human possibilities.

Reviewed by former Group Publisher CBS.

If you are looking for a way to increase profits in your organization, I strongly recommend that you start by first reading Profit Building - Cutting Costs Without Cutting People. Mr. Ludy takes you step by step though the process of building an on-going profit build team for your organization. We have used it as a blueprint for our company and it has really turned our employees. The book moves fast and I found it to be an easy read.

Perry J. Ludy, a seasoned executive, presents his strategies for building profits and cutting costs in this well conceived book. He provides a team-based, profit-making plan that companies of any size could implement. In this simple, highly effective book, Ludy dispels myths about cutting costs and building profits. He uses examples from his professional experience to show his suggestions in action. We [...] recommend this book to managers and executives who are responsible for cost cutting and profit building.

As one CEO said to me recently, "No one who has a conscience ever wants to lay anyone off." Yet the headlines are filled with announcements that companies are making massive cuts in jobs and employees. Recently, these cuts are even coming in the fastest growing technology industries. If people don't like to fire anyone and people don't like to be fired, why is this happening?

Mr. Ludy argues that faced with missing budgets, the orders come down to spend less. Most people do know how to fire someone, so that option gets plenty of attention. Most people do not know many other ways to cut costs or boost profits in the short term, so the alternatives get little attention.

Our firm did a study more than a decade ago that has been quoted in dozens of books and magazine articles. We found that the stocks of companies which did layoffs usually underperformed the stocks of companies that did not. By the end of four years, the differences were enormous in favor of those who did not do layoffs.

Many people believe that this is because people do layoffs poorly, and many people do. But it also because the effort that goes into the layoffs could be better deployed in activities that increase profits. Usually, the bulk of those who go are the most employable people. They end up working for the competition, or having to be hired back as expensive consultants. How does either alternative help, while you are paying severance benefits as an additional cost?

Mr. Ludy points out, based on his extensive experience, that most executives, managers, and supervisors know little about profit improving.

Much of the recent training in companies has been on how to reduce errors, and that may help cut costs in main processes. That learning is often of little help in secondary processes and in areas where the processes need to be totally replaced, revised, or outsourced. Xerox and Motorola are both famed for their quality processes, and both companies are struggling now to make a profit.

Mr. Ludy has developed a process described in the book that helps to get people focusing on the best opportunities, and following through to implement the opportunites that they select. He also provides lists of items which many companies ignore, to help get the process started.

Although I have not seen this process working in practice, it is similar enough to elements of successful processes I have seen that is has credibility to me.

If you decide to pursue this process, I suggest that you can improve upon it. First, rather than just having one small team working on this, you should try to get as many people working in small teams as possible. The most successful profit-improvement program I ever saw involved over 14,000 people in suggesting ideas. Second, be sure to compare the performance you are achieving in one part of the company with what you are achieving in another part of the company in the same activity. Most large companies get their best ideas from benchmarking to their own best practices. Third, be sure to create an e-intelligence capability to get more information to everyone about how the company is performing. E-Business Intelligence is a book that can help you understand this point better.

The three strengths of Mr. Ludy's process to me are:

1. The emphasis on finding ways to improve profits, without hurting people.

2. Training people about how to improve profits.

3. Eliciting questions to locate opportunities.

In regard to the second point, you may find it helpful to read Dr. Ram Charan's new book as well, What the CEO Wants You to Know. That book focuses on simple business concepts and metaphors to make everyone better able to relate to the issues of the enterprise.

One of the major weaknesses of companies is that leaders are often asked to pursue tasks for which they do not have relevant information, experience, or training. Where else does your company have this issue? In my experience, two areas stand out.

(1) Finding better solutions to repetitive problems.

(2) Choosing directions that will lead to better results, regardless of business conditions.

May you find more intelligent, and more humane, ways to profit!

It is axiomic that the role of the firm is to maximise profit; some would say to maximise shareholder value. Profit can be increased by selling goods and services at a premium price that the customer is prepared to pay. However, in a highly competitive environment, prices can be depressed and the company may have to focus on cutting costs whilst maintaining an acceptable level of service and quality.

With the various economic shocks that the world is subjected, one typical and favourite target for cost cutting is reducing the workforce. This short-sighted approach to cost cutting not only causes a lot of human suffering but seldom achieves the intended objective of reducing costs in the long-run. Perry Judy proposes a more progressive approach that focuses on profit improvement. The Profit-Building Process that the author proposes appears to be an effective and workable method for building profit without employing the short-sighted and often self-defeating cost-cutting through cutting people.

I work in the airline industry where people cutting is a favourite strategy employed during lean times. Very often, following the drastic reduction in manning levels, service levels are reduced to such an extent that customers are turned away, further worsening the plight of the airlines concerned. The step-by-step approach of building on-going profit through motivated teams appears to be an excellent strategy for companies to employ when cost-cutting is required.

The book is required reading for all managers tasked with the responsibility to cut costs and build profits in any department.

I was immediately drawn into this tale of a simple peasant who wants to make more of his life. The story is largely fiction and takes place in ancient Japan. Nonetheless, I've found myself rereading chapters, pondering how the lessons learned by Jiro and Gonsuki can be applied in my own life. It has made me want to learn more about Japan, its culture and history. Thank you for writing this charming little story!

'The Five Secrets of fortune and fulfillment are as ancient as mankind itself - and each already lies concealed within your own minds" - "The Prosperous Peasant: Five Secrets of Fortune & Fulfillment from the Samurai's Temple School" is the story of a small insignificant peasant, who in the golden age of the Japanese Samurai, was not much more that. He breaks the social caste, and trains under one of the masters to learn his skills and the five secrets that he has only heard legends about. "The Prosperous Peasant: Five Secrets of Fortune & Fulfillment from the Samurai's Temple School" is deftly composed and highly recommended for fans of samurai-era Japan and community library fiction collections with a focus on historical fiction history.

This book is very simple and easy to read. The stories are highly engaging. I found myself wondering who would speak next at the Temple School, and what outlandish life adventure they would share. The stories also caused me to reflect on my own life and adventures.

One story in the book was especially meaningful to me. I have often felt frustrated that one of my children has no particular gift or strength. Nothing comes easily to him, although he is eventually successful in everything he puts his mind to. Through this book I came to recognize that his unending effort and perserverence is in itself a gift.

I hope that others who read this book will find it as engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking as I did. And maybe something will resonate with your life as well!

Somewhere between The One Minute Manager and Siddhartha, The Prosperous Peasant delivers both life enriching concepts and a beautiful tapestry of storytelling. A must read for anyone looking to find, or affirm their own, building blocks for a fulfilling life.

The Prosperous Peasant stands beautifully on its own, but is also an excellent follow up read to Tim Clark's previous book, The Swordless Samurai: Leadership Wisdom of Japan's Sixteenth-Century Legend---Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was that much more enjoyable when characters in The Prosperous Peasant mentioned people or events from that excellent book.

Both books are very engaging and read quickly. Plan to set some time aside as they're difficult to put down! I continue to be amazed at how much the stories stick in my head, coming to mind and offering inspiration during my day to day routine.

Very inspiring messages throughout and a joy to read!

One of my favorite recommendations to non-cognitive psychologist friends in addition to required reading in several of my courses.

I think it is probably the best book on decision-making psychology I read. This book is full of great insights and tips into the decision making. It gives a very well rounded overview of the many aspects of decision making: selective perception, memory, biases and heuristic, behavioral traps, etc. It is also one of the more easily read books on the very complex subject. It has a large number of relevant and easy to digest examples.

Lev Virine, author of Project Decisions: The Art and Science

I write this from the perspective of a social and market researcher, and thought I was quite aware of many of the nuances and pitfalls that can render our scientific research somewhat open to question. But Scott Plous, with his vivid, lively writing style, his acute logic and well chosen case studies shows what a hell of a minefield it is that we work in. The Psychology of Judgment and Decisionmaking is a rich resource book of human insight that is at once vitally useful (this book has opened me up to new insights and led me to rethink many aspects of research design) and awfully humbling: there's a pair of pie charts on Page 54 that show that whatever questions we may have about margins of error, the way we happen to phrase the question may well have a much larger effect.

In total, Plous entertains, he shares wise insights and he challenges the reader. I wish Amazon had room for 6 stars. I'd give this one 7.

If you are interested in getting a glimpse into the way people make decisions under ambiguous, complex, or non-linear conditions, this book is a good place to start. I only gave it four stars, however, because it failed to leave me with a strong impression. Many experiments are covered, but there's little in the way of practical application or insight.

The book starts out with a 12 page reader survey, which I encourage you to skip. It took me an hour to complete, but didn't add anything to my grasp of the material. The author uses it to prevent hindsight bias, which I experienced vividly when telling my sister about one of the experiments covered in the book. "Of course," she said, like the whole concept was so obvious that the average idiot has already figured it out. That's hindsight bias.

Another interesting concept is attitude-behavior inconsistency. One example is the road trip a psychologist took with a Chinese couple in the 1930's when anti-Chinese sentiment was prevalent in the U.S. In the vast majority of cases the couple was treated quite well. After the trip, the psychologist anonymously contacted the places they had stayed at, and asked if Chinese people were accommodated. The vast majority of responses were, "No." Another example of attitude-behavior inconsistency given is when Seminary students on their way to give a speech on being a Good Samaritan ignored a person in an alley dressed as a bum who was coughing and moaning.

Another interesting concept was social loafing, which demonstrated that a person working in a threesome will expend 85% of the effort they would expend if working alone.

There were a few examples in the book, however, that seem to demonstrate a lack of understanding on the author's part. One was the experiment that demonstrated that doctors could be easily misled into diagnosing the odds of a tumor being malignant at 75% rather than the true probability of 7%. This is a fascinating result with practical implications, but this topic was not explored in detail, leaving me feeling quite unsatisfied. This is the second book that has handled this experiment superficially, unfortunately.

Another example was the chart showing weather forecasters versus doctors. The author commented that weather forecasters were more accurate than doctors in their predictions, contrary to popular opinion. In reality, the chart demonstrated that weather forecasters are much more aware of their limitations than are doctors, because they get immediate feedback regarding their predictive failures, and are therefore much less confident regarding their predictive abilities than are doctors who often do not receive such feedback.

The main takeaway I got from this book was that it is possible to make better decisions, if one listens to contrary opinions, and by empathizing with those who hold them. This exercise may not change your decision, but it will help minimize common biases and decision-making errors.

The author does a nice job at the end of letting readers know that even psychological researchers are prone to making many of the judgment errors discussed in the book. He also provides a list of books for further reading, including one of my favorites, How We Know What Ain't So by Gilovich. The Gilovich book is definitely my first recommendation for anyone just starting to explore this fascinating field.

A decade ago Scott Plous produced a very readable summary of research in social psychology and (what is now known as) behavioral economics.
Our understanding of how people actually behave (as opposed to our theories as to how they should behave) has been immeasurably enriched by work dating (variously) from Herbert Simon, Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, Stanley Milgram and many others.
Management education has yet to fully take into account the many insights coming from psychologists, experimental economists and others so nicely summarized in this book.

My grandson loves his new pet rat, Roxanne. Unfortunately, his previously also-loved rat passed into pet heaven at less than a year old. I couldn't tell him much about proper nutrition or care, or how long they may live, so I want him to be better prepared this time. Roxanne will probably also give me a kiss for this. This book is brightly illustrated, with good instructions.

I just wanted to concur with everything that other reviewers have written. This is a superb little book with beautiful pictures of cuddly rats. The only flaw in it I could think of is that it doesn't mention my favorite rat treat (matzoh).

This is the most complete and accurate guide to caring for pets rats that I have ever read. It is a terrible shame that it has been allowed to go out of print. It is an indispensible reference for new and experienced rat owners. Nutrition, training, history, health...it's all here, along with some really cute photos.

This is just about the best rat book I have ever seen! I really think it deserves 6 stars, but that wasn't an option. :-) It is a exelent beginner's book, but even the most experienced rat owner can learn somthing from it. I only dissagree with Mrs. Ducommun on one point- she says to use 1x1 1/2 inch mesh for a cage. This is too big- a rat could get it's head stuck! Other then that, everything you need to know about rats is in here. The book also gives good information about breeding and showing your rats. A must-read! <:8 )~

I concur with the other reviews in this space. It really is an excellent guide, and the author's website...is also quite helpful. I am truly impressed by the detail of this book, which still maintains an easy reading level (so it's suitable for kids in the 9-12 range right on up to grownups) and an attractive layout. In addition, the author states that she is willing to help *you* with any rat questions or problems and gives her contact information, including phone number! That's dedication!

Some day, I hope to get hold of a copy of her Rat Health Care booklet, but for now this book remains my ratty Bible.