Organizations Books

As fans of the series know, Dr. Zeus Incorporated operates out of the 24th century, combining its time travel capabilities and its legion of cyborg near-slaves scattered through time from the Neanderthal era on, in order to make a small number of plutocratic technocrats very, very, very rich. Besides the novels, which began with the award-winning _In the Garden of Iden_, Baker has written a number of shorter stories set in the same world -- most of which probably will be very confusing for any reader not already familiar with the characters and themes. Baker's work can be somewhat erratic in quality, but the seven short stories and novelettes in this collection are mostly pretty good. "To the Land Beyond the Sunset" is a rather lightweight yarn featuring Mendoza, the flinty-eyed botanist, and Lewis, the literature-preserver who secretly adores her. They go on a short field trip to the Bolivian rain forest where the weather turns around and bites them -- and then they get mixed up with a family of down-at-the-heel deities. "The Catch" is a grim little story of what can happen when the not-yet-perfected attempt to produce a cyborg goes badly wrong. The story's narrator, Security Tech Porfirio, is also the protagonist of "The Angel in the Darkness," probably the best piece in the book. Set forty years later, it's mostly a very true-to-life depiction of the desperation of an older daughter who carries all the burdens of the family by herself, and of the "uncle" who watches over things, or perhaps controls them. The character portraits in this one are extremely good. And it doesn't matter too much if you don't know who Labenius really is. "Standing in His Light" is about the Company's entirely cynical use of Jan Vermeer to produce works to order that will be worth billions a few centuries down the line. "A Night on the Barbary Coast" is a rather lightweight romp that mostly just gives Baker an excuse to describe Mendoza's entry into San Francisco in 1850. "Welcome to Olympus, Mr. Hearst," which starts out lighthearted and funny but eventually turns somewhat darker, involves Joseph the Facilitator and Lewis again paying a visit to San Simeon to close a deal on behalf of the Company and discovering that it doesn't pay to underestimate certain mere mortals. "Hellfire at Twilight" features the feckless Lewis again in a somewhat sweet story involving Sir Francis Dashwood and the Hellfire Club, which turns out to be something quite different than its reputation would suggest. As I say, many of the references in these stories will mean nothing to anyone new to the series, but for Baker fans, it's a pretty good collection.

A decent batch of stories, at 3.43. This is more than you can say for the book itself though, being one of those cheesy overwide size for some reason trade paperbacks with flimsy cardboard covers that warp and damage in five seconds, not to mention the cheap paper. Completely not worth close to double your mass market price, these things.

In general, it seems that the Company stories are better when there are actually active field agent types up to stuff in them. The more peripheral variety are just not as interesting, so you end up with too many average tales.

Gods and Pawns : To the Land Beyond the Sunset - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : The Catch - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : The Angel in the Darkness - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Standing in His Light - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : A Night on the Barbary Coast - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Welcome to Olympus Mr. Hearst - Kage Baker
Gods and Pawns : Hellfire at Twilight - Kage Baker

Magic poo dirt definitely no fluke.

3.5 out of 5


Broken Bobby ball looper bagged.

3 out of 5


Company cop watch crazy killer compromise.

3.5 out of 5


Flatland picture tech.

3 out of 5


Botany monopoly Frisco misery.

3 out of 5


Media baron longevity.

4 out of 5


Mystery not berry real, but game commences for more than usual fee.

4 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

The beauty of the universe created by Baker is that the characters may appear in any place and any time (after their own birth). In these seven stories we see Literary Preservationist Lewis, Botanist Mendoza, Facilitator Joseph and others in a range of times and locales. A recurring theme is that they carry out the will of the Company without always knowing the reasons for the assignments and often with any particular joy. Such is the life of these immortal cyborgs, serving the entity that created them.

Personally, I think the short form is Kage's strongest area and this is some of her best.


To The Land Beyond The Sunset.
Mendoza and Lewis in the New World of the seventeenth century

The Catch
Concerning the Company's early and imperfect efforts to create an immortal

The Angel In The Darkness
Set in 1990s Los Angeles - a cyborg watches over family members

Standing In His Light
The life of the painter Vermeer - and the desires of a cyborg for something different

A Night On The Barbary Coast
Set in early San Francisco Joseph and Mendoza on an errand for the company

Welcome To Olympus, Mr. Hearst
Set in 1933 at Hearst Castle. Joseph and Lewis on an errand for the company

Hellfire At Twilight
Lewis on an errand for the company


Does it sound like the cyborgs spend a lot of time running errands for the Company? You are correct.

For those of you who read "The Company" novels, but avoid "The Company" short story collections because you dislike short stories, I highly recommend that you read ALL of the books. The short stories have many important clues that flesh out the many sub-plots, characters, their backstories and motivations in the novels. Without the short stories, you are missing out on a much richer experience.

For instance, in this last collection, I wonder about Mr. Hearst! (Intriguing, isn't it?)

As always, I can't wait for the next installment!

The most recent couple of novels in the "Company" universe have been a little bit disappointing to me - in fact, in my review of one of them, I stated that it would have been a better book had it been short stories. Well, in this book, Baker proves she is still really good at the stories! I was much happier with these than I had been with the "Machine" books.

The stories in this one mostly involve Lewis. There are references in the stories to things that have happened in the earlier novels; the stories are best enjoyed if you've already read "In the Garden of Iden" although you don't have to have read the rest of the novels - that one will provide enough background. That's not to say you shouldn't read the rest of the earlier novels - all four of the first four Company novels are great!

The first story, "To the Land Beyond the Sunset," contains allusions to a particular disaster that happened to Lewis in another book. The indigenes in this story are very funny. (The dust jacket illustration is probably supposed to refer to this story, but it's not accurate.)

The third story, "Angel in the Darkness," is the one that will provide you with some background about how the Company universe works and who are these cyborgs, anyway?, if you haven't read the novels.

The last story, "Hellfire at Twilight," may particularly appeal to readers of Georgian and Regency romances, who will be familiar with the idea of Hellfire clubs.

Several of the stories have already appeared in magazines, particularly Asimov's, but I didn't mind; I enjoyed re-reading them.

All in all, her best in a while!

This is one of the best articulations of the inherent problems with modern forms of ecclesiology that I have ever read. Fitch digs very deep in his deconstruction of the 21st century church, and -subject by subject - provides an intelligent, thought-provoking argument of why we should consider getting back to our Christian roots, based on the ancient creeds and practices of the early centuries. All this within the context of a highly technological, ever-changing world... still in need of Christ.

This book rocks! Are you an aspiring pastor, missionary or a person in church leadership? Are you going to church and not feeling that it is satisfying your spiritual longing for depth and relationship? If you fit the above categories, (hint, I think we all do at some time or another) This book is a must read.

David systematically works through the different roles that the church plays in the community and clearly and concisely shows where it is falling short, then proposes ways to change it.

This book is not for the faint of religious heart. If you are looking for a weak and consumer oriented religion this book is not for you. If you are looking for ways to lead yourself, your family, and your church into a deeper relationship with Jesus and his church, read this book.

This biting critique of the modern American church has basically lifted the veil off the capitalistic, consumeristic, numbers-oriented megachurches. David Fitch, Pastor of a church just 20 minutes from the headlining, 10,000 member Willow Creek Community Church, levels a pretty harsh attack on the big churches. While there are positive suggestions for alternative church models at the end of every chapter, it's clear that Fitch has a bone to pick.

He goes systematically through the modern church's emphasis on quantifiable success, evangelism, leadership without moral accountability, emotive worship, expository preaching that does not take place in community, justice that is farmed out to parachurch organizations, spiritual formation that is farmed out to psychiatrists, and education of children that is entrusted to an areligious public school system.

For anyone whose lived in the world of the megachurch, this is a really fun read. It's what we whisper about over coffee on the patio when the sermon has taught us 7 steps to better marriages or when the Good Friday service is "exciting" rather than sobering. Fitch has a determined, analytical mind. I hope he writes more.

The downside is that his alternatives sound like an afterthought that do not admit to their own weaknesses. It's very dubious that he's found an alternative to megachurches that is itself without just as many flaws. He's not nuanced enough to suggest that he's offering a cooperative alternative in a megachurch culture. Rather, they're wrong and he's right. Secondly, chapter seven, on spiritual formation, is a bit insensitive. Though he credits this to modern ideologies, it might be his personal style.

But everyone who's interested in the evolution of church culture and the development of new models of community should definitely read this book. Anyone who's either been to or resented the megachurches, everyone whose ever used or disparaged the word emergent, and pretty much anyone else who wants to know where church is going should read Fitch.

In his excellent study "The Way of the Modern World," Craig Gay observes that "it seems that the ideas with the most profound consequences are frequently taken for granted. They are the ideas that lie just behind conscious thought, providing a kind of foundation for the deliberations of everyday life." In "The Great Giveaway," Dave Fitch attempts to diagnose and offer correctives to some of the ways in which the evangelical church in North America has come to "take for granted" many of the unconscious assumptions and controlling ideas of secular modernity thus leading it to "give away" being the living Body of Christ in the world. He attempts to uncover the ways in which modern assumptions concerning such things as success, leadership, character formation, and justice have warped our understandings of them as Christians and have lead us to be unfaithful to the Bible and the gospel of Christ. He also attempts show how evangelicals have given away even specific practices of the church such as preaching, worship, and evangelism to the controlling assumptions of modernity, sometimes even when we think we are being the most faithful.

Fitch identifies some of the hallmark characteristics of modernity as being a fascination with technique, a fixation on efficiency and effectiveness, individualism, elevation of experience and self-expression, and an attachment to scientific rationality among other things. Fitch argues that these characteristic assumptions of modernity have infiltrated evangelicalism and have hampered our ability to be faithful to the mission of Christ in the world. For example, he argues that our view of leadership in the church has become more shaped by the CEO model of American business culture than by the teachings of Jesus and the model of the New Testament church. Or again, he argues that our understanding of spiritual formation and personal well-being has been overtaken by the categories of modern psychology.

Fitch is not the first person to express concern about the shape and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Fitch's book differs, however, in the way he uses the insights of post-modern thinkers to expose and undermine the modern assumptions that have shaped the practices and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Many of those who have expressed concern over the state of current evangelicalism have specifically associated some of its negative character traits with post-modernity and have displayed an almost reflexive anti-postmodern attitude. While Fitch does not endorse post-modernism willy-nilly, he sees the insights of post-modern thinkers as a source of help for the church and as a means of deconstructing the pretensions of modernity that hold evangelicalism captive. In some cases this leads directly to controversy, such as Fitch's claim that expository preaching, which for some evangelicals is synonymous with faithfulness to scripture, actually ends up giving away the faithful proclamation of scripture to the forces of modernity while leading us to believe that somehow we are interpreting scripture "objectively" and are therefore protected from error. In other cases, however, I think it clearly makes Fitch's case stronger, such as when he uncovers the interpretive, narrative, non-scientific character of much of modern psychology and shows how it contrasts with the scriptural narrative that should be shaping us as Christians.

Since each chapter of the book deals with a different issue, it is possible to read and benefit from individual chapters without reading the whole book. My guess is that most discerning readers who are alert to the issues and problems of contemporary evangelicalism will find at least one or two chapters they agree with, even if they find themselves in violent disagreement with others. In my opinion, the first, third, and seventh chapters alone make the book worth purchasing. It is also my feeling that reading the whole book will lead to a better overall picture of the state of the contemporary evangelical church and the crisis it faces. If I had any criticism to make of the book it would be that I wish certain parts were better documented, which would make Fitch's overall case even stronger, especially given the controversial nature of some of his claims. Overall, however, I think Fitch strikes a good balance between academic seriousness and accessibility to the layperson. I think he has rightly diagnosed many of the serious problems that currently plague the evangelical church and has offered some helpful suggestions for how we might begin to reclaim being the Body of Christ again in North America. I think this book is must reading for anyone seriously concerned about the faithfulness of the church in our times.

Fitch's overall intention in the book is to show how modernity has transformed clear gospel teaching into modernistic trends, he does this by looking at eight areas including success, evangelism, leadership, the production of experience, preaching, justice, spiritual formation, and moral education. Then the "task" of the book is to (1) examine the ways we have "given away" being the church to modernity by allowing its influence to individualize, universalize, syncretize, and commodify the tasks, truths, and even the very salvation we have been given as a people from god through Jesus Christ, and (2) to offer practices to evangelicals by which we may receive back being the church, the people of God ruled by Jesus as Lord in resistance to such modern influences.

List strengths of book.
With each of the eight areas of discussion there are clear strengths to be found in the explanation and solutions offered, however the strongest areas of the book include the chapters dealing with success, evangelism and spiritual formation. With the topic of success, Fitch contends that we measure success by size because we have accepted the modern values of individualism and efficiency. Instead, success should be measured by measuring faithfulness rather than size. With the topic of evangelism he states that we rely on arguments, presentations, and proofs in our Gospel presentations, rather than embodying the reality of Jesus Christ being lived within our churches. And with spiritual formation we have accepted therapy and psychology, and in many cases have substituted these for the biblical practices of confession, repentance, and speaking the truth in love in the context of community. Additionally, the book includes over thirty pages of excellent notes for further study and reflection.

List weaknesses of book.
While I believe there will be more than a few people who believe Fitch's assessment is incorrect because they find it difficult to see beyond a modern perspective, I find very little not to like about this book.

This is a great feat - to take such a complex situation as a disfunctional church and explain clearly and simply the dynamics that may be at play. A few things I thought were very helpful:
* a discussion of the brain's capacity to function at different levels according to stress and anxiety levels
* the nature of anxiety and its role in a family system/congregational system (particularly when shared around)
* ways to reduce anxiety so that we can function at our problem-solving best
* the role of pain in moving us forward in better directions

So much of what has happened in my past and present congregations was resolved in me by reading this book. It is helping improve my leadership greatly.

I would hightly recommend this book because it gets the the heart of the issue about how conflict develops between church members as a result of our family background. Steinke gives practical insight into our own ways of looking at church situations through the lens of the family systems theory. Even though it is a short book it is packed with good things and definitely a must read, especially for church leaders.

I was the pastor of a troubled church and was relocated after 20 months. This book provided me with much understanding of the dynamics of church life. I wished I had it when dealing with my struggles. Now that I am in a new church, I am writing a thesis based on my former church using this book and others to do a case study.
A great read for clergy and lay alike.

Murray Bowen caused a stir in the fields of psychitry and psychotherapy when he suggested that families were emotional systems, and that only by stdying the system could one begin to understand the behavior of individuals within the system. Now that his ideas have gained wider acceptance, many thinkers in this field, like pastor and psychologist Peter L. Stienke, have begun to explore the application of systems theory in other contexts. This book presents an excellent introduction to systems theory in the context of a church or synagogue congregation, which function as their own emotional systems much like extended families. Steinke does an excellnt job of introducing systems theory for pastors, church leaders, and others who may want to better understand the way that emotional reactivity influences not just individual congregants, but the whole congregation. Those who have little background in this area will find Stienke's book clear and approachable.

Peter Steinke is a Lutheran pastor and director of the Interfaith Pastoral Counseling Center in suburban Chicago. His career has been one of studying and advising the dynamics of disfunctional churches and counseling pastors who have been hurt by said churches. "How Your Church Family Works" is an introduction to systems theory as it relates to interpersonal dynamics within a church and has been very helpful for this reader.

Steinke begins by introducing the concept of systems--that every unit in a system effects and is effected by every other unit in that system. He then covers how systems work--always seeking to remain stable, even if that stability harms most or all the people in that system. He then moves into a discussion of forces that stabilize or change a system (anxiety, closeness, etc.). Finally, after weaving theory and example to the point that the reader has a fuller understanding of systems theory, Steinke shows how individuals within a system can effect change for the better.

The overriding theme in in "How Your Church Family Works" can be "knowledge is power." Steinke accurately describes the "tunnel vision," the pressure to conform to others' idea of what your role in a system should be, and the tendency of people within a system to focus on other people in that system and blame them. However, through understanding systems, the way they work, their flaws, and how to be an angent of change, one can make an ineffecient, stifling system a productive, nurturing system. They key is knowledge and "big picture" thinking, and defining one's self.

In all, this book has been incredibly helpful as I continue to reflect upon my experiences at a church with a dangerously crushing emotional system. Steinke's book empowers one to be agents of positive change in situations that may be difficult to understand, let alone control. Highly recommended.

Children and I use this as a Music Curriculum of sorts & sometimes just listen to the CD to hear great hymns. Very Good for a gift, a must have in any home library.

This book is well written and very interesting to my children of a wide range of ages. The accompanying CD is of very good quality and fun to sing along with. My children look forward to doing a hymn study.

I have used this not only at home, but at school. The stories of the hymn writers are fascintating, and the children enjoy singing along with the cd. I've been amazed at the number of children who don't know My Country Tis of Thee. Each of the stories are short enough to be understood, but they always have a moral principal. Just a great resource for parents and Christian educators.

Great stories to help love the old hymns even more. The music is the only children's singing I haven't felt nauseated listening too! Tastefully done and enjoyable to share with our children.

Wow, what a treasure to have. It is great to have the story about the hymn, the music and a CD altogether in one place. I have enjoyed it as much as my children.

Once again, Jim hits the bulls-eye with an easy to read, user friendly book about Leadership. My favorite books on this topic are dog-eared and have colored tabs throughout. This is one of those bookes! When combined with the Leader's Digest Practical Application Planner its easy to create a personal development plan theat translates ideas in Action. A great Coaching tool!

This book is a great guide with useful strategies to lead yourself and your team more effectively. The way it's laid out, it's easy to read and has great anecdotes and quotes. It also has real life facts and proven strategies to help take your team or your business to the next level. Very enjoyable!

This was the second book of Jim Clemmer's I have read. Following my usual very bad habit, I circled particularly useful and inspiring passages in pencil and turned the corner of the page down for future reference. I've just finished it and virtually every page has its corner turned down. There's a lot of BS out there written about leadership. Jim's book is as far from that as you can get. It is wise, practical, inspiring, enjoyable, illuminating, and you can dip in and out of it easily as it's written in digestible 'bites'. One of the best books I have ever read on leadership (possibly THE best book - can't think of a better one off the top of my head at the moment) - and I have to read a lot of them. I've co-written one myself, but I'd recommend Jim's over mine - It's much better!

The emotional role of leadership became clearer to me after reading Jim's book. He doesn't glorify the power of the position, but rather that "people respond to this leadership because they can clearly see the principles from which it flows." I learned techniques that help me be a purveyor of hope with my team, even though I don't sit in the chair at the top.

Like the Reader's Digest that my father always had around when I was younger, The Leader's Digest is full of powerful ideas packed in bite-size chunks. Jim's book, however, weaves those bites into a meal. Without going the route of the popular business fable, Jim's style makes for easy reading as he sprinkles appropriate quotes around contemporary research presented in a non-academic fashion. Where else can you read "The Anti-Serenity Prayer" coupled with The Serenity Prayer?

Like his prior book "Growing The Distance", Jim Clemmer's "Leader's Digest" is a sampler of high impact ideas. Each chapter (or article) is attractively packaged as a brief essay within apt anecdotes and quotations.

In marketing there is a saying that you sell the sizzle, not the steak. Jim Clemmer sells the rich, savory steak surrounded by the sizzle.

Some of Clemmer's ideas are classic Business School. Some are recognizable from the pop-psych realm. All are uniquely restated in forms that make them quickly and easily accessible to even the beginning leader. And motivationally rejuvenating to the old pros.

You don't read this author's books: you visit and revisit them like wise old friends.

Product Strategy for High technology Companies by Robert Cooper. I purchased the book with the intention of getting my professional certification in product management. The is extremely helpful in the area of product planning and development. It links the technology strategy of a company to its product platform development strategy down to its product line planning strategy. I like the way the book is structured, building up from vision to techniques. His case studies / examples (though not in depth)are very good in illustrating what he was trying to say.

the Core Strategic Vision approach for determining strategy is interesting, and is a good framework to develop a realistic vision.
The boundaries test to determine whether your vision will deliver what you expect (it forces you to expect something!) is something companies can't forget.
And the vision of a set of product's as not only one offering, but as one containing a platform and its pre-planned offerings, with pricing strategy, is essential to get profits for a long time.
It is full with examples, specially from the software arena. Recommended.

This book offers a study of the strategic options for high tech firms. The coverage is wide and detailed. This is a great book.

A big number of business examples, and good explanation of concepts. A deeper vision could be found in another books about this subject, so in my oppinion this book could be a good starting point, not recomended for advanced IT product managers.

I love this book: the concept of a "vector" for product
development is a terrific way to think about competition.
IMHO, this book is a must-read for all product managers,
product marketers and people involved in strategic decisions,
i.e. all senior executives.

That said, speaking as a five-time startup engineer, the advice
and examples in this book seem geared towards the core product
lines in larger companies, where you can credibly talk about
"two years from now" as opposed to wondering if you'll even be
in business, which is also the problem for new product lines at
large companies. The experience for the book comes from the
PRTM consulting firm, which was made famous for their work with
parallel product development at Intel. We hired them in the
early days at Inktomi, and found mixed success with their
process because we were terrified of immediate failure, and
they wanted to talk about version 3. Obviously, there's a
successful middle ground because Inktomi was a huge success in
the short term, but ultimately lost its strategic direction.

This book is EXCELLENT. It is so good in fact that it showed me why a retreat is not for us. Instead, I am using the activities it describes to create a series of training sessions for our senior and middle managers, or what you might call a series of mini-retreats, a couple of hours each once a week over several weeks. The activities contained in this book are intelligent and fun, unlike several others I've read. I highly recommend this book for the activities section alone -- and if you do want to do a full retreat, it will prove even more valuable. Also, the sections on pre-interviewing participants and retreat design components were very helpful, and I am putting them to good use.

I also like "101 Games for Trainers" by Bob Pike, and "Games That Teach Teams" by Steve Sugar. I think these three books together are the best place to start -- there are a lot of other titles out there that are, in a word, garbage, and should be avoided.

This book gives examples of various kinds of retreats and includes sample exercises for each that are simple, creative, and effective with no hint of the flaky factor that makes some retreats go offtrack. In fact, I'd say that the section on "Reasons NOT to hold a retreat" was alone worth the price of this book for its value in clarifying what a retreat can and cannot do.

As a communications trainer with my own non-profit board to deal with, I was most impressed by the fact that the chapter on non-profits identifies as a "most common concern" exactly the thing that causes my board trouble -- complaints of micromanaging on details while sidestepping needs for fundraising. The insight that this is a structural problem rather than a personality issue has been extremely helpful to me -- even without a retreat -- and convinced me these authors must know what they're talking about.

Retreats that Work (Jossey Bass, 2003) is highly readable and valuable resource is a comprehensive guide to retreat planning. Authors Sheila Campbell and Merianne Liteman address medium- to larger-sized organizations in the for-profit, nonprofit and government fields. Campbell and Liteman offer both a "how to" for planning and conducting a retreat and a fine sampling of facilitated group activities for different kinds of retreats.

The overall message is that the top decisionmaker should hold a retreat only for important purposes, he or she must be truly ready to hear divergent views and to be open to real change, including change not anticipated by the decisionmaker. CEOs, boards, division directors and other "head honchos" that are not ready to share control need not apply. For instance, Campbell and Liteman recommend confidential pre-retreat interviews conducted by the facilitator. One of their retreat design principles is that at least some of the participants should contribute to formulating the goals of the retreat. To do so, they believe it is essential for employees to feel safe to share their views in planning the retreat as well as at retreat. Thus, Campbell and Liteman call for anonymity and non-attribution of pre-retreat views and assurance of no negative actions for expressing views candidly during the retreat.

A key strength of the book is the attention to pre-retreat and post-retreat concerns. Pre-retreat matters extend well beyond choosing the meeting facility and menu [although their retreat logistics chapter is first rate] to the more important question: "Why have a retreat?" Campbell and Liteman specify nine reasons to hold a retreat and ten reasons not to hold a retreat. Both lists are enlightening and are foundational to further pre-retreat work.

A retreat is not a conference and not a regular meeting. Campbell and Liteman believe a retreat is best served "off-site," that is, at a location away from the workplace. They do cover the challenges of time and money in choosing an appropriate facility, and the discussion reinforces two more of their principles of retreat planning - designing a retreat to result in action for change and ensuring whatever happens at the retreat relates to the day-to-day work of the organization.

Other pre-retreat elements are: setting the goals, deciding on the format, and inviting people; defining the roles of convener, facilitator, administrator, participants (and non-participants); and a review of fixed-format retreat designs (such as Future Search, Ropes courses, and Appreciative Inquiry). Campbell and Liteman do a fine job discussing the tension between having a small enough group for good interaction and the group being large enough to be inclusive of the key players. In particular, they offer eight common criteria for how to choose participants. I think the criteria are especially helpful as an organization thinks of board-staff concerns, clients or customer involvement in a retreat, and inter-organizational issues.

A logical, but often overlooked, planning proviso is to design the retreat backwards-What is the outcome you seek? Instead of holding a retreat because its done annually, or because someone likes a particular format, or to "boost morale," Campbell and Liteman forcefully highlight the need to have retreats only for special purposes, and to work from the question "How will the day-to-day workplace be different following the retreat?"

The structure of the book opens with coverage of the why, goal-setting, logistics planning and role of leaders at the broadest view of a retreat. From there, most of the guide is devoted to facilitator assistance. Campbell and Liteman cover design issues ranging from pre-retreat work for participants to having "unprogrammed time" as an essential part of a successful retreat. They offer tips on ground rules, giving feedback to the group, and decisionmaking. For in-retreat concerns, general facilitator principles are leavened with brief guidance on how to respond to over a dozen glitches (such as repetitive discussions, disruption by a participant, a participant walking out, or a senior manager violating the ground rules).

A large section of the book identifies activities appropriate for four kinds of retreats: a) strategic planning, b) culture change, c) relationship-building and teamwork, and d) creativity and innovation. Each activity offers a clear description, steps and facilitator notes. Equally valuable are accompanying sidebar notes on the experiential elements, set-up, special supplies and degree of facilitator experience to conduct the activity effectively (easy, moderately easy, or only for experienced/specialized training). While retreat facilitators will probably eat up this part of the book, I hope they don't overlook the earlier "menu-setting" essentials of effective retreats.

Campbell and Liteman know that typically the worst part of a retreat is....after the retreat. Does the great thinking from the retreat get lost in the daily grind or new crises? Do non-participants not support the outcome? While a retreat's impact depends on organizational norms outside of any retreat's reach, Campbell and Liteman nicely select a few post-retreat points. In brief: announce the outcomes to everyone affected, not just the participants; move briskly into the actions steps identified at the retreat; and avoid a letdown by offering a memento, having periodic updates, or celebrating milestones. They highlight "critical leadership actions" for retreat follow-up.

Campbell and Liteman know that retreats have a purpose within the larger context of an organization. They provide a fine guide the knits together the earliest hints of whether to hold a retreat to effective planning to post-retreat steps to offer the best possible assurance that the change initiated by the retreat is converted into a better organization. The book is a must-have for both the senior management and for internal and external facilitators. (...)

This is a terrific handbook for anyone who wants to (or has been assigned to) organize or lead a retreat for their company or non-profit organization. The authors describe the guiding principles for designing a retreat, they outline the logistics in detail, and they provide all kinds of good advice about how planners and facilitators should work together to get the most out of an offsite meeting. The checklists alone are worth the price of the book, and the activities sections are priceless!

"Retreats That Work" could be subtitled "Everything you ever wanted to know about retreats." Just a look at the table of contents told me that there was going to be an answer to any question I might have -- from the basic who, what, when, where and why, to the types of specialized retreats.

I am in a related, but quite different, field. As a qualitative research moderator, I am often asked to facilitate meetings or retreats by clients who are unaware of the differences -- hence, my interest in this book. But, whether you are working for a small or large company and want to hold a retreat, or you are someone needing to actually facilitate such an event, this book is a wealth of information. And for anyone thinking of facilitating a retreat or just understanding what a facilitator must be able to do, they would be advised to read the "definition" or role of the facilitator on page 116!

I found this book very well-written, easy to read and follow. It's filled with lots of practical information and tips, valuable time estimates for the various activities, and additional resources given.

The creative thinking section was particularly interesting to me. As a "left brain" person, I am usually skeptical of these kinds of activities. But the authors' examples and explanations of each exercise gave me a new appreciation for the value of this type of retreat.

I also visited the authors' or book web site, which is a nice accompaniment to the book, including additional resources.

Here is the clarion call to a true life that
glorifies God. Put the lies of culture aside
and learn the real truth.. and live it!!

If you're looking for a challenge in your spiritual walk - this is the book for you. Law's classic book was the transforming resource in the lives of the Wesley brothers as well as abolitionist William Wilberforce - just as it changed their lives, this book will not leave you the same!

I've read an abridged and edited version for the modern reader by John Meister (158 pages) - but it wasn't enough - I had to order the small type 317 page version! This is not an easy read - on the difficulty scale of 1 - 10, this would be a solid 9. I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone in high school or even college - Law deals with real world issues and a little seasoning in life is necessary to get the full effect of his challenge. This is a perfect book for the Christian man who wants more than a Purpose Driven Life, the man looking for a profound, insightful, and challenging read that will deeply impact the core of his being!

You can find these books online. The longer version is a Vintage Spiritual Classics edition and retails for around $13.00. Rare will be the person that will want this book - but if you're the one, don't pass this one up! I give this my highest endorsement and recommendation.

Law deals directly with the concept of devotion to God - and asks some difficult questions about where man places his true devotion in life - in the things of this world, or in the Kingdom of Heaven? Law argues that a wise and reasonable man will wholly devote himself to the things of the Lord for they are far superior to the temporal and worthless things of this world. In fact, Law says that a lack of this devotion is a clear indicator of gross ignorance! The book gives several practical elements necessary for a devoted life including prayer, study, humility and confession. But it is not the elements about which Law writes, it is the manner in which he presents them to the reader that makes this book so exceptional - Law raises the bar and challenges the follower of Christ to live an exemplary life, a life worthy of their calling, a life comparable to the great saints who have walked before us or even to angels who minister above us!

This book should be read by every Christian that can get it. It was a tremendously insightful and humbling book that opened my eyes to the hypocrisy in my own life as well as the church in general. The Christian church in America and I am guessing much of the Industrialized and wealthy west[yes, I am a member of that group] have fallen so far from the devotion and holiness that God requires that it is a shock to see what was the actual New Testament norm just 270+ years ago, let alone at the time of the writing of the New Testament. This was a very easy to read book, compared to say Spurgeon or Calvin. Extremely convicting personally. Would recc. to anyone who see themselves as sinners and wants to know what they should do. Includes excellent examples and is written as a practical guide, though not a how-to book[remember, was written over 270+ yrs. ago, before self-help books where invented;)]Found out about this book from a Word Pictures Program on the subject at their video's are also highly recc. for those seeking to glorify God and enjoy him for eternity[mans chief end]
Sincerely,
Wayne Borngesser

wow - what an inspirational, hard-hitting, right on read this has been. I'm still in the process of reading it but I already love it. This should be required reading for all Christians. Then perhaps the church would live differently than the world and perhaps we'd have less scandal.

So far I can see that there needs to be a balance. One could easily tend towards legalism and a justification by self-works type of mentality. Perhaps he'll cover in later chapters how it's the Spirit of God that now creates the will to do differently and also empowers us to do so as we allow him to lead us in all areas of our lives.

But as long as one is aware of this work of the Spirit in a believer's life, then this book can do nothing but stimulate one to self-reflection and love and good works.

The fact Pastor John Piper in some of his books, "Don't Waste Your Life" and "A Hunger for God" quoted Law in this book several times intrigued me to read it personally. As I went through the chapters, however, it is clear to me and will become clear to the readers as well that Law sounds eerily close to a Roman Catholic minus the devotions to the rituals. Despite many deep, excellent, stinging, uncomfortable, soul-searching reflections and illustrations on the Christian life contrasted against the futility of a self-centered life that I believe are profitable for Christians, particularly to defy the preaching of prosperity gospel that seems to "prosper" more than the true gospel, sadly Law embraces the fatally erroneous doctrine of justification by works. In his view, Christians need to practice the principles of piety, self-denial, generosity, meekness, simplicity of life and all the Bible, particularly the New Testament teaches, the best they can in order to be saved that sounds all too familiarly popish. What he mostly brings up from the Bible is the wonderful teachings of Christ. There is no mention of poverty of spirit, dependence on God's grace to live a sanctified life or to desire to live for him to begin with, let alone the cross, justification by faith, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance of the saints.

Well, the immediate questions that arise are of course, aren't Christians saved already, and that they are saved by grace on the basis of the finished atoning death and resurrection of Christ on the cross, and not by works? How does one know that he has done his best? What is the standard? Whose standard is it to use to determine whether one has done his best, man's or God's? If it is man's standard, which one? The Pope's? How can we be so sure if it is his standard to be used, not someone else's? If it is God's, where is it in the Bible that says God commands us to do the best we can and not rely on him for everything without excluding our responsibilities? Where is it in the Bible that God's standard says we are saved as long as we do the best we can? This is unquestionably deadly because in the end, it points to the perfectionist demand of the law where no one can meet, which is warned against by the Apostle Paul in his epistles, particularly to the Romans and Galatians. The meat of what Law talks about is all about doing and there is no mention of child-like dependence and trusting on God's grace in Christ through the Holy Spirit to enable us to follow what Law, in some cases, biblically and exquisitely exhorts to embrace and practice. To properly describe what Law offers here is a mixture of rich food and poison. The rich food is his biblical heart-piercing warnings, rebukes, reflections, illustrations and encouragements, specifically about prayer, fasting, simplicity, modesty, generosity, humility and self-denial that I must admit are too good, too important, and too bitter-sweet, eye-opening of an exposure and remedy to my own weaknesses to be overlooked as well as too precious to be neglected in practice. The poison is his constant insistence of justification by works. For the fullest benefit to be reaped, enjoy the rich food. Let it purify our souls and reform our lives, but spit the poison out. Instead, embrace and enjoy the even richer food of justification in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, and to the glory of God alone for these are the fountain that enables all true piety.

There's so much valuable information in here. I wear several hats, as an activist, news and opinion site publisher and director of a non-profit and this book provided highly useful facts, perspective and advice for all three.

Taking the socioneurobiopsychology of women and explaining how to use that understaning to more effectively reach women and, at the same time men, just makes good sense. The concrete, specific differences in behavior, perception, and how to approach them that the book lays out are a veritable treasure. I'm using what I've learned routinely now.

This is one book, if you work in activism, advocacy, marketing, campaigns,fundraising, etc., that you will never regret investing your time in reading.

A great read! This book gave me a new perspective on how to be a more effective advocate. It's a must read for anyone trying to change the world.

I highly recommend it.

What a great book! I recommend this to anyone interested in politics, government, communications, or social justice. I've ready numerous books on feminism, business, and communicating messages and this is up there with the best. Witter and Chen are great writers and brilliant thinkers, and they masterfully combine marketing analysis with the most current and innovative social data to explain not only why it is critical to market ideas and products to women, but also how to do so. If you are thinking of running for office, starting a new organization, selling an idea, or marketing a product, this is a must read and a must buy.

Super smart book for super smart shes and hes alike. Thank you Lisa and Lisa for getting us out of the 1970s and writing so intelligently about women and the market now. It's a whole new world out there. Go get 'em.

What a brilliant read and so long overdue. Having attended a women's college and taken my fair share of Feminism and Women in the Working World courses I can attest that this would have been my text book du choix. So insightful, helpful and easy to digest. Really well done - very thankful to have this one in my collection!

Cynthia Friedlob helps us to relate to her cluttered life and her attempts to overcome clutter and become more organized in a delightfully funny way. You will be laughing out loud and thinking, "Oh good, I am not the only one who does that!" Get some great ideas on how to de-clutter and un-stuff your life.

With a generous dose of humor and practical advice, this book outlines how to declutter our homes and why we clutter up in the first place. While other how-to manuals explain technically what to do, this book explains in a very simple, straight-forward manner how to unclutter our homes and how to stay uncluttered. With several stories of her own comical initial efforts to unclutter her home, this author provides inspiration, hope and optimism no matter how little or how much your home is plagued by runaway collections of things. Highly recommended!

Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (7/06)

American people have a great deal of difficulty throwing away useless stuff. If we get too much stuff to keep in our house, we rent a storage unit. And if, heaven forbid, we get even more stuff, well, we can always rent another unit. As silly as this statement sounds, it's the truth. We make all sorts of excuses for keeping stuff; I need to clip out that recipe, it's only a little nick in this cup and I can sand it out, etc, etc.

The truth is, most of us could probably fill a good sized dumpster with stuff we have lying around, unused, in our homes.

Cynthia Friedlob tackles the monumental job of helping us see this stuff as...stuff. Stuff cluttering up our lives, causing anxiety and stress as we sort through all the useless stuff looking for something we need. Why do we have six pairs of pantyhose with runs? Do we really need to fill up the living room with wall-to-wall furniture so that we have somewhere for everyone to sit when the holidays arrive?

Sprinkled through this book are little tidbits: little extra nudges to encourage you to de-stuff your life.

There are also True Confessions: fact-based horror stories. I can guarantee that most people have experienced one of these stories in their lives.

Behind the humor, however, is some sound advice. Without getting preachy, Friedlob shows us how to decide what to keep and what can go, along with several options for disposing of our stuff.

I know that I myself cannot throw away a book unless it's a paperback and even then it has to be damaged. Otherwise, if it won't fit on the bookshelf, it goes into a plastic container that I pile in the basement. After reading this book, I called my sister, who can throw away anything, and we cleared out fourteen 35-gallon plastic containers of books. Most we gave away, some we sold in an on-line auction and some that we couldn't even give away, were pitched. It was one of my proudest moments. Thank you, Cynthia.

Written by self-confessed clutter sufferer Cynthia Friedlob, Sorting It Out: One Disorganized Woman Solves the Problem of Too Much Stuff is part memoir but mostly a self-help guide drawn from personal life experience to expunging excess clutter from one's life. Chapters address how to free oneself from the trap of identifying oneself through one's possessions, how to exercise appropriate restraint when buying new stuff, means of disposing or even profiting from extraneous stuff, humorous anecdotes, and much more. A wonderfully friendly, down-to-earth, and much-needed antidote to the clutter indigestion induced by too much consumption.

"When you clear out your plentiful assortment of excess stuff and things, you not only straighten up your home, you also clear out space in your head." ~ pg. 149

If you feel that excess "stuff" around your house is distracting you from your life goals, many traditions promote organization as a way to also declutter the mind and clean out the cobwebs of your daily existence.

Many people, especially artists, can live in chaos and function on a normal level, but most of us want to be able to find things so we spend less time searching for our keys, looking for the ingredient we just know is in the kitchen someplace and living in fear of looking under the bed. I create very well in chaos, but then I have to take a break and organize myself for the next creative impulse.

Organizing can seem intimidating at first, but with "Sorting It Out" you will let go of old possessions in exchange for new ideas, a less complex lifestyle and a renewed spirit.

`It turns out that the less stuff you carry with you, the less you have to think about." ~ pg. 107

Do you feel overwhelmed by your possessions?

Do you dread coming home from work to find the house is still not how you'd like it to be, so you can relax?

Are you constantly looking for items you know exists but are buried someplace in a pile on the desk?

Do you have time for a garage sale or would it make you feel good to donate your items to a charity?

What do you do about items with sentimental value? Some tricky questions...

Don't give up yet! Help has arrived because Cynthia Friedlob has been there and decided that all that "stuff" was limiting her existence and standing in the way of the life she envisioned. Through her witty advice and humorous tales you can take on household clutter with flair. She also has advice for how to save time by setting up your bank account to automatically pay bills. This has worked very well for me over the past few months. She addresses the issue of "paper" in regards to bills, magazines, catalogues and newspapers.

I now have five big black garbage bags full of stuff to donate to charity and I will say someone is going to find a few good books to read! It really comes down to the decision to buy more bookshelves or help the books I've read find new homes. This year I had spring and autumn organizing and without so much stuff around the house, it is even easier to clean the carpets.

Whether you are taking on one room or one drawer or closet at a time, this book can help you clear out the chaos and find out what is truly valuable.

"Don't get caught up buying storage containers to organize your stuff until you've tossed out everything that you don't need." ~ pg. 38

~The Rebecca Review