Teams Books

Well, what a gem this turned out to be. I almost passed over it in the bookstore because the cover art seemed a little blah. Turns out you really CAN'T judge a book by it's cover! I actually didn't notice that this book was the second in a series until I was at home and settling down to read it. Fortunately, this book can be read just fine as a stand alone.

I am very impressed with the quality of writing. Good suspense is so hard to find...especially in the Christian market...so it was with great joy that I read well past my bedtime (and all common sense) to finish it up. The characters are likable and the spiritual message is conveyed with care and conviction.

My only complaint (and it's a small one) is that it takes Dani a ridiculously long time to figure out Will isn't the reporter he claims to be. That got on my nerves after a while but not enough to ruin the book....or even lower my rating.

Pick this one up right away, you won't regret it. Now, I'm off to buy the first in the series...

I loved the first book in this series and this one did not let me down! This was a wonderful, romantic Christian suspense novel.

Will and Dani are great characters that you truly want to get to know. I really like how Will developed and thought that was a great addition to this book. Definitely a close look at how to develop into a Christian.

Take the time to read this entire series - you will be glad you did!

Couldn't put it down! I have a love/hate relationship with writers that get you so into the story that you panic when the characters panic, etc. Worse yet is when you cannot put it down...you try to rationalize with yourself that it will still be there in the morning (it's 3am and you have to get up at 6am) and that it won't change if you close the book for a few hours of shut eye.

Loved it! I own/have read every book Susan has written. I have loaned several out and have had to purchace replacements because no one wants to give them back!

-Bis

Escape To Morning is a wonderful book full of intrigue and danger and romance. Living on the Canadian border as I do, brought this book to life for me.......I could picture Fadima running though the woods with Will and Dannette tracking her!
What a wonderful story. It is a must read! Way to go Susan.

Dannette (Dani) Lundeen is a Search and Rescue worker who is more than capable of handling herself in difficult situations. Will Masterson, Homeland Security agent currently undercover as a reporter, is immediately impressed by her.

Dani however, does not think very highly of reporters, so Will has an uphill battle on his hands to get past Dani's defenses. But when Dani begins an independent search for a missing teenage girl in the woods near the Canadian border and runs into Will, also looking for the same girl, she wonders why a reporter is so determined to help with the search. And Will is bound to keep the truth from her.

Dani & Will quickly found a special place in my heart. Their personal & spiritual journey's were ones I recognized in my own life. Will is trying so hard to learn how to be "God's man." And Dani thinks she has a solid relationship with the Lord, until she begins to realize that there are some areas of her life she has not really trusted Him with.

Susan does a wonderful job weaving spiritual truths into a suspenseful storyline.

I was not a Jerod Haase fan at all, unitl I read this book. I am 44 yrs old and have never played basketball, but I have joined a league and want to play now. Jerod is an inspiration to all special people everywhere. Way to go Jerod! I salute you my brother! I especially liked how he credits his friends with his metoric rise. Tahoe sounds like a good place. Wonderful read!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It takes you behind the scenes. It shows you that these guys aren't just b-ball players....they're real people. Any true Jayhawk fan NEEDS to read this book!!!!

I thought this was an amazing book. I loved his insights. I am curantly coaching Jerod's nephew, Zac that was mentioned in this book several times, and reading this book has helped me out a lot as a coach. Good job.

Floor Burns was a great book. It was full of emotion and I cried and laughed. It made me think of what its like to be a college athlete. After reading this book Jerod Haase is my hero.

A chronology of Jerod Haase's senior season at Kansas, taken from e-mail correspondence to co-author Mark Horvath. I admire Haase's courage and frankness in baring his soul, although at times the accounts get pretty cliche. If Horvath's primary role in this project was copy editing, he should be ashamed! The text is full of grammatical errors that eventually become distracting.

Warning: Missouri fans will not be pleased; they might be downright ashamed after reading about some of the Tiger antics described in this book!

ive been a packer fan since the lombardi era, but only vaguely knew the pre-50s history of this franchise and players, this is a well researched and informative history of the earlier years . there are lots of pics and sidebars highlighting the packers own hall nof fame greats, as well as how the fans and citizens of green bay have stuck by this team through many trials and financial hardships . in the fight for survival,( that is the money generated to keep a pro franchise in town), this book exposes the great character and love of a city and its inhabitants to support above and beyond the call of duty, the glory as well as the lean times , my love for this, the last of the small town teams from the beginnings of the nfl has renewed my passion and makes me want to move to green bay to live the dream, unique among the nfl and at the top!!!!!!!!!

This book gives a comprehensive history of Green Bay Packers from the beginning. It highlights great players and coaches. It is hard to put down.

Very good reading for a Green Bay Packer fan.

This is a great book. A very comprehensive history of the team with tons of great photos. I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of the team!

I purchased this book for my brother as a Christmas present. Upon receiving the book I shared it with several fans and they were so excited. I thought it was a great book and know that my brother is going to Love It!!!! We have been Packer fans since the 60's.

My 88-year-old father grew up in Wisconsin. He's a lifelong Packer fan. I haven't seen or read the book, but he's absolutely enthralled by it. We talk frequently, and he brings the book up often. Every page has a memory for him.

So, don't take my word for it: take the word of a man who watched Don Hutson catch passes on blustery Green Bay Sundays.

This was a gift for my husband. He loves it! It is about more than just football. It has heart.

"Hurricane Season" is a true story about triumph through hardship for a private Christian school's football team in New Orleans overcoming the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. This book takes a personal look at the devastation that Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita caused within six weeks. It's about a High School football coach's and his players' commitment to their school and team in midst of chaos and turmoil. It's about how football can pull a community together. I particularly liked reading how the coach motivated his players and how he taught them to be men. It was heartwarming to see how much the coach loved his players and cared about their personal lives and not just how they played football.

Another aspect that really touched me was J.T.'s close relationship and admiration for his father. His father built the school and was a big part of the football team. After the father died, J.T. still thinks of him often and wishes he could still run things past him. He feels a real sense of responsibility to make his dad proud and run the school well.

The ending of the book is very moving and emotional when the team finally gets to play football after it looked like they wouldn't even have a season. As I read about the games, it felt like I was right there in the stands watching and cheering for them. This book started out slow and was pretty sad, but is definitely worth reading to get an inside look at what the people of New Orleans went through during Katrina and how a football team really jelled. It certainly made my few problems look totally insignificant in comparison.

Karen Zemek, author of My Funny Dad, Harry

I can't say enough good things about this book!! This book is remarkable!! It tells the story about how people dealt with Hurrican Katrina and the aftermath and a remarkable man, J. T. Curtis, Head football coach and principal of the John Curtis Christian School. How he and his family brought together a school and the football team is an unbelievable story. Their story will make you cry, laugh and cheer!! I really enjoyed this book A LOT!!!

Gerard Zemek
Husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

Hurricane season is an excellent complement to Douglas Brinkley's " The Great Deluge." While Brinkley provides an excellent analytical and scholarly account of Hurricane Katrina that should set the standard for many years; Hurricane Season captures the powerful emotional dimensions. Though grounded in the story of a high school football team, it transcends normal sportswriting by speaking to the bigger panorama of life, suffering, loss, and inspiring tales of recovery and fortitude.
With so many aspirations and dreams hanging in the balance, the J.T. Curtis School and football team regroup after enduring catastrophe and devastation and become a beacon of hope and solace for many of the victims.
Replete with an abundance of anecdotes and personal accounts, Thompson weaves their stories into a gripping narrative that will find appeal among readers of all genres. This is a stirring and fast paced treatment of those perilous days that is both wrenching and redeeming.

The Patriots are a football team that plays for a Christian school John Curtis. Members of the founder's family, his five children and grandchildren make up part of the faculty members at the school. They aren't just a school; they are more like a family. They have taken football members into their homes for extended periods of time.

The Patriots have a great team due largely to their head coach J.T. Curtis, son of John Curtis. "Hurricane Season," the story, takes place in August 2005. The Patriots are preparing to play their first pre-season game, which they do, and it's a shut out in their favor. Unfortunately, hurricane Katrina is coming through the state. Katrina will drastically change John Curtis School and students' lives dramatically. Readers glimpse the struggles shared by each family during and after the storm.

J.T. is determined to get his football team back together for some normalcy. While many of the players have been relocated, J.T. realizes that getting the guys back on the field will be a big help to them mentally.

Neal Thompson has written a very good book that should be read by everyone. A true story, while reading you feel as if you're actually there in New Orleans and very much apart of the school, their family and face all of their triumphs. After finishing "Hurricane Season" I went to the website just to get information on the school and the players.

Reviewed by: Carmen
Also agree with the one reviewer who says that if you enjoy Friday Night Lights.

This book was amazing. I could not put it down. It is a must for Ohio State fans. I will remember Woody after reading this.

This book was amazing. I could not put it down. It is a must for Ohio State fans. I will remember Woody after reading this.

This book shows Woody Hayes as the true person, not just the ranting coach on the sideline. As an aspiring coach, I see Woody as an excellent model for success. His genuine love and concern for his players is unique and inspiring. This book is a must read for those who want to see Woody as his players, friends, and family see him. Great book about a Great man.

I was surprised that such a complete collection of stories and experiences existed. Woody was bigger than life but at the same time he was only a simple man that expected the best from everyone he touched. A must read for all fans--not just Buckeyes!

being woody's grandson, i liked it, there was a wide array of people talking to the author about him. I thought that my favorite section was the last, the friends, foes and fans part. it seems as if many people here in columbus have their own personal run-in or encounter with him and for me, those stories are infitley more interesting than anything else.

the recollections from the players and coaches were good, but they kind of blurred together under the "they may be smarter than me but i can outwork 'em" mantra.

overall, good job. the photos were pretty interesting. we have a few at home that will never make it out, including one of woody in my darth vader helmet at christmas (i must've been ten or less).

I was 16 when the Browns marched through the 1980 season as the Kardiac kids and I followed every game. Knights book brings back memories, many good and one bad.

History has put the season in perspective. Rutigliano recognized a bit faster than most in the NFL how the rules changes around the passing game meant the game itself was changing. Luckily he had Brian Sipe and a great group of receivers, including running backs like Calvin Hill who could catch. On offense the Browns had the right group to capitalize on the rules changes and on defense they really were quite average but made the best of what they had.

The book really sums up the season really well. Also for die hard 1980 fans, there is now a DVD available with one game from that season, (Greatest Games Series). It's the Green Bay game that Sipe hit Logan late for the game winner. I am not sure why they choose that game other than legal reasons, but watching the full game from beginning to end is a real pleasure and it does put into perspective that the 1980s team really was mediocre in many ways, but won because they were ahead of their times, and the credit for that season really lies squarely in the hands of Rutigliano.

I may have been born in 1979 but this book is a must-read for all Cleveland Browns fans. It is nearing the end of the 2004 season and things are not looking well but reading this book will help you get through tough times like these.

The author provides an accurate description of each and every 1980 game along with a nice prologue, epilogue and "Where are they now?" type information.

I will buy every book by Jonathan Knight!

I have to be truthful here. I really didn't like the book after reading it once. When I went back through it for a second time, I began to understand Knight's thought process when he put the book together, and even though some parts were tough to get through, I was glad I re-read it by the time I finished. If you don't know much about the famous Kardiac Kids, I'd recommend that you give it a thorough read. If you're a self-proclaimed Browns expert, check it out from a library somewhere.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD READ CONCERNING THE 1980 CLEVELAND BROWNS ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE ON THEIR WAY TO THE PLAYOFFS. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB RECALLING ALL THE EXCITING, FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING MOMENTS OF THIS MEMORABLE SEASON FOR THE BROWNS. HE COVERS HOW THE TEAM WAS PUT TOGETHER, INTERVIEWS FROM PLAYERS AND COACHES FROM THAT TEAM, AND GAME BY GAME REVIEW. ALSO COVERS DRUG ABUSE, TEAM COVERAGE OF PREVIOUS AND NEXT SEASONS. JONATHAN KNIGHT CERTAINLY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND RESULTS ARE A GREAT JOB. VERY RECOMMENDED.

i am 15 years old, and a browns fanatic. i am unfortunate enough to have not experienced the 1980 season firsthand. however, this book makes me feel as if i had. i picked it up because my dad would always tell me stories of how good they were and it made me want to be a part of it. it is very well written, blending accounts of the PD (clevelanders know what that is) with insights from the players and coaches. this is the best book about the brwns i have ever read, and aside from friday night lights, this is my favorite book of all time.

Better than most guides I've seen out there. Great detail!

Good game. You need to like cartoon characters, which I do.
Children and the young at heart would enjoy this game.

I was very happy with the speedy delivery and the book itself was very helpful

I got this a week after i got the game and it was so much easier and better.
It has good tips for dungoens. It tells you what happens in the dungeon, what you need, and what you can get.
Full pokedex with all 386 pokemon!
ITS AWESOME

It's the most awesome book where you can learn about dungeons and see what items you need before going into them. It helps your ranking to go up. It has an awesome Pokedex. I learned about new items that I didn't know about before. I highly recommend this book; it's one of the greatest I ever saw.

There's nothing funny about murder... or is there?

Simon Read's "On The House" could have been mistaken for a Monty Python script. Drunken derelict Michael Malloy is insured by the Murder Trust, an aimless band of low-level hoodlums who headquarter at a shabby New York speakeasy. The Trust members, which include an undertaker, the speakeasy's syphlitic owner, and a deranged cabbie who wants to try murder for the first time, make one attempt after another to kill Malloy and collect the insurance money. They pour him drinks of pure wood alcohol and serve him poisoned oysters and sandwiches crammed with rotten sardines, glass, and metal bits. They try to run him over with a cab, and leave him on a park bench during a winter night after pouring freezing water over his unconscious form. After each brush with death, the cheerily oblivious Malloy keeps coming back to the speakeasy, convinced that his would-be killers are his friends. Finally their plan succeeds, but the victory is only fleeting. The Murder Trust becomes the target of first suspicious insurance claims investigators, then the police, and finally the electric chair at Sing Sing.

"On The House" is infused with a dark humor that manifests itself in sentences like the following: "At twenty-seven, Marino was a mess of a man, being not only a shabby dresser but also syphlitic. By his own account, he was harangued with frequent bouts of the clap and blue balls." The victim, Mike Malloy, is described as someone whom life has "kicked in the crotch." Malloy's murderers are distinguished only by their ineptitude and homicidal mania, but Simon Read has given the whole story a 'car crash' treatment that keeps you turning the pages, shaking your head and, yes, cracking a smile or two.

Read is a natural storyteller. Using dialogue and descriptions scraped from news accounts of the murder, he presents a morbid and entertaining picture of Depression-era New York and its lowlife. Victims rights advocates might consider his treatment of Malloy's death to be breezy and offensive, but the entire murder plot was so slapstick and surreal that any solemnity could only come across as phony.

A friend of mine was talking about how dark and funny this book was. I picked up a copy because I was out of reading material, though I wouldn't normally read true crime. But this was fabulous! The story itself is one of those too-crazy-to-be-true stories, and the writing is dark, funny, and vivid. Ever since I read it, I've been cruising through other true-crime books. I think Simon Read made me a convert! I'll definitely read his future books, as well...

On The House is the fascinating story of the murder of a lonely alcoholic man by his "friends" and aquaintances for a minimal amount of insurance money. The story is interesting, primarily due to the the sleazy, greedy and totally incompetent plotters, and it is well researched. Author Simon Read moves the story, which takes place in the early 1930's, along well, and his outstanding description of the ambience makes the reader feel as though he is actually in the barrooms with the characters.

Unfortunately, though, Mr. Read has stated that he considers this story to be a "black comedy." I do not consider myself humor impaired, but for the life of me I cannot find anything funny about the murder of a pitiful, harmless man for insurance. Mr. Read therefore attempts to artificially introduce "humor" by employing a style of writing I can only describe as annoyingly juvenile. Among many possible examples, Mr. Read writes that Michael Malloy had been a fireman "before life kicked him in the balls," and on no fewer than four occasions in On The House he refers to a doctor as "the good doctor" for no apparent reason than to introduce a smirky tone.
Mr. Read is clearly a talented writer. However his attempt, for whatever reason, to write this story as a comedy, injects far too much of his own personality into the book, which ultimately adopts the tone of having been presented by a precocious 10th grader. On The House is still well worth reading, but a grown-up approach by Mr. Read would have made it more so.

Mr. Read's dreary look at the life of these speakeasy dwellers was entertaining and delightfully dark...
I really liked Read's well-written desciprtions of his novels characters. I found myself able to connect to the characters and understand why they acted the way they did.
I look forward to more of his writing in the future and would encourage others to get off the computer and get On The House.

A sort of nonfiction version of the hard-boiled "noir" novel, dripping with black comedy. The author hits the perfect mordant tone & captures the sordid desperation of the 1930's perfectly, down to the sardine sandwiches & rotgut booze slung in cheap speakeasies. The running gag focuses on a mark who is being set up to be murdered for an insurance scam, and who proves inconveniently durable despite increasingly desperate measures taken by the bungling plotters.

This book is a fascinating read to see how everything started. It explains what baseball was like B.R. (before Red Sox) and gives us a sense of our fandom ancestors. It truly is like a family history with all the crazy characters and situations that come with every family.
I'm most amazed to find that the past is very similar to the present in that the team was formed by luring great players, including Cy Young, away from other teams (today's free agency), and dumping salaries. Not to mention the parallels between the fans and their taunting of the Pirates players in 1903 as today's fans mock Yankees players.
The only problem is that there is SO much to talk about, everything is given equal time, and if you want to immerse yourself in more detail about specific moments, then you're out of luck. But that's why there are books on each subject like the selling of Babe Ruth or the Impossible Dream, etc.
This book gives you the overview. It's up to you to take your education further. -- Andy Wasif, author Green Monster University: Creating Die-Hahd Fans Since 1901

Must read for the followers of RED SOX NATION

What else can be said but win another RING.

Half the book are quotations, and some quotations run for pages and pages. In my opinion, that's unprofessional. It's like the author published his rough draft. He must have been paid by the word.

A long time Red Sox fan, I've been let down countless times. The biggest being in 1985. But, after the 2004 season, all my anguish and woe as a Sox fan diminished after they swept the Cardinals in the World Series. When this book came out, I immediately picked it up and read it as fast as I could. From the first page on, the book just grabbed me and I couldn't let it go. The pictures are well taken and well represented in the book. After the 1970s, I could remember these moments in Sox history. Then I read about the 1990s, about Pedro and D-Lowe. Then the forgettable 2003 ALCS. Then the greatest pages of all, the 2004 season, with the book ending on a high note, for once! All the Red Sox books I've read, all of them have ended badly, this one though, ended great! Read this book, you won't regret it.

As they say in the book
"And when Red Sox fans in the future travel to stadiums around the country, they "1918" caps and taunts of "Bucky Dent" or "Bill Buckner" will ring hollow. Bucky who? Who cares? Bill who? Doesn't matter.
"History starts today" became the battle cry. The Red Sox had done it. Red Sox fans, like Humphrey Bogart, will always have Paris."
- Red Sox Nation: An Unexpurgated History Of The Red Sox

I've been a Red Sox fan since the early 1960's - around the time that Carl Yastzemski, my all time favorite player, came up - and in common with all Red Sox fans, have suffered through some of the most heart-breaking losses imagineable..

And, unfortunately, this book does not pull any punches or try to sugar coat the losses. It's all there - the loss to the Cardinals in 1967 after Yaz almost single-handedly carried the Red Sox to the Impossible Dream and took the Cards and the brilliant Bob Gibson to a 7th game.

Or the 1975 World Series against the Big Red Machine - the Cincinnati Reds. Again, the Sox went the distance only to lose in Game 7. But they gave us a win in Game 6 which, in my opinion, was the greatest game ever played in the best series ever played.

But it also brings back the heartbreak of the 1978 season when they blew a huge lead in August and ending up losing to the Yankees after Bucky F*****ing Dent's homerun.

Or the 1986 World Series against the Mets when they lost Game 6 after being just 1 strike away from winning. Thanks Bill Buckner / Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley.

And let's not forget the 2003 "Cowboy Up" season..!!

You know, I never bought the "curse of the Bambino" nonsense and this book only confirmed what I always suspected / knew. The ONLY thing that the Red Sox were cursed with were Managers who, at times, were clearly brain dead - they were simply in over their heads and couldn't do the little things that separate the great coaches from the merely good or "mortal" ones.

For example, Don Zimmer sticking with Mike Torrez late in the one game playoff with the NY Yankees back in 1978 when he should have gone with Bill Lee's fresh arm. Unfortunately, Zimmer thought "Spaceman" Lee was a flake and so he decided to keep him on the bench. Between this bonehead play - and Zimmer's decision to get rid of one of the greatest pinch hitters around (remember Bernie Carbo's heroics in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series..??), is it any wonder that the player's couldn't get the job done..??

Or in 1986, John McNamara elected to keep a gimpy kneed Bill Buckner at first instead of pulling him for a healthier, better fielding replacement.
And we all know what happened..!!

And, of course, we can't forget Grady Little staying with Pedro Martinez late in the game in the 2003 ALCS when every Red Sox fan - alive and dead - was screaming at Grady through their TV to "pull this guy and get a fresh, strong arm in there..!!!??. After giving up a bunch of hits, Little pulled Martinez, but by then the damage was done..! And when Boone hit that home run, it was deja vu all over again..!

No - there never was a "curse" - just some of the most incredibly inept and stupid managing in the history of this great game. Some day, Zimmer and Little and McNamara should all get together and compare notes on who the biggest bonehead is..!

But enough of the negative stuff.

I loved the commentary from the players /fans / reporters etc that are sprinkled thorughout the book. It really gives you a flavour of the time and the emotions that we all experience when you're a Red Sox fan. The bookj talks about the beaning of Tony Conigliaro, who never properly recovered from that terrible accident. We can only wonder how great his numbers and career might have been had he been healthy.

Or the numerous stories of Ted Williams - or the Yawkey's (Tom and Jean), Luis Tiant , Jim Rice, Freddie Lynn and on and on it goes.

Of course, we all know that it has an incredibly happy ending with their World Series win in 2004. Yes,three years later in August 2007 as I'm writing this, it still feels great to be able to sit back and know that these guys won it all in our lifetime...!!

And to win it the way they did against the Yankees is still the BEST memory I will ever have in baseball. No matter how many incredibly painful ways the Red Sox found to lose throughout the years, ONLY the Yankees have been ahead 3 games to 0 in the ALCS and then proceed to lose the next 4 games. Yes - the Red Sox have had some bitter losses, but only the NY Yankees have choked so bad that no other team in baseball history has ever equalled it. The World Series win was the BEST cake in the world - and beating the Yankees the way they did was the best icing on the cake a Red Sox fan could possibly ask for..!!

I hope the Yankees and their fans still choke on that thought from time to time.

Anyways, if you're a Red Sox fan - and you should be if you're not - you MUST own this book. it's a great read from the first to last page and it's a pleasure to read about the teams and players that pre-dated your own interst.

It's a pleasure being a Red Sox fan..!!

Everyone may agree that creating a sense of responsibility in employees and managers is a benefit to an organization. But what is meant by responsibility? And just how can you go about creating a sense of responsibility within a company? These are the questions the authors of this book have tried to answer.

To begin with, it is more important for employees to be responsible for results than for them to be responsible for activities. Employees may, in fact, be able to prove that they performed several activities, without actually achieving the desired result or goal. A good manager, say the authors, must make employees understand that their responsibility lies in achieving the goal behind the work, and not just the work itself. Responsibility has two dimensions. You are responsible to somebody, and you are responsible for something. Employees must be responsible to the customer and the organization. They must also be responsible for results, not just activities or tasks.

Motivating workers to be responsible to the company and for results must proceed from four necessary conditions:
1. The company must be an organization that workers are ready to commit themselves to.
2. Employees must understand what results they are expected to produce.
3. Employees must have a proper reward and recognition system.
4. Employees must have the skills and knowledge necessary to create the results.

The authors focus a bright light on the vital role and enduring quality of personal responsiblity in the work place. Imagine if each of us really did take responsibility for customer satisfaction, getting the right results, and problem solving! We could really make our workplaces stages for personal satisfaction, even joy. This is the future the authors believe in and they've provided a strong tool set in the book to help us get there.

In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker reluctantly agrees to "try" to salvage his spaceship. The Yoda replies, "Do or do not. There is no try." The authors of this book agree with the Yoda. They suggest that responsible managers insist on achieving results. While chairman and CEO of Pier 1 Imports, Clark Johnson observed that he always encouraged effort but only rewarded performance. Johnson may not have read this book but he certainly agrees with the key points its authors make.

In Chapter 1, they revisit and redefine the concept of responsibility. In subsequent chapters, they discuss a leader's responsibility to the customer, to the organization, and to everyone within the organization. They view the responsible manager as a problem solver and, in Chapter 5, provide a problem-solving approach "that works." They then shift their attention to "Getting the Right Answer" and "Getting the Right Result." For the authors, judgment is the foundation of responsibility. They also assert, in Chapter 9, that there is "a rationale for teams that work" and then explain what that rationale is...also, what it requires of everyone involved. In Chapters 10 and 11, they answer two key questions: How to design an effective team? and How to maximize productivity among the members of a team? In the final chapter, the authors explain what is needed to keep responsible change alive.

According to the authors, "most change efforts fail because of an inadequate understanding of what produces value in the business or of how human beings change." They then offer eight specific reasons why change efforts fail:

1. We like to feel good. [change threatens comfort levels]

2. No top leadership support [if "they" don't care, why should anyone else?]

3. Change efforts do not address the whole system [a fragmented approach tends to focus on symptoms rather than on causes]

4. We hide failure [success is reassuring...failure could involve blame and guilt]

5. Misunderstanding of what has changed [See #3]

6. Too few understand the rationale for change efforts [ie those who are expected to support change initiatives are not told how and why their support is so essential]

7. Neglect of transition [failure to understand that change is an incremental process, not a quantum leap from "here" to "there"]

8. There is no structure for change [within the organization, there are no policies and procedures to resolve the conflict between "what is done now" and "doing better"]

Hence the importance of having a sense of responsibility to help solve problems shared by everyone, of having patience during the inevitably slow process of organizational change, and of having self-discipline throughout that challenging process. The authors correctly point out that (1) "everyone must be willing to carry his or her share of the load", (2) "Sustainable efforts take two to three years but result in dramatically more healthy and more exciting organizations", and (3) "The discipline of change refers to the regularity with which change is pursued as well as emerging skills that are developed through devotion to change." A responsible leader understands all this, conducts herself or himself accordingly, and requires everyone else to do so also. Working together, they identify problems and then solve them. "There is no try...." and excuses are unacceptable.

One final point: Recent research suggests that by 2025 at the latest (but probably much sooner), organizational rewards will be completely based on performance. To varying degrees, responsible leaders have been supporting that policy for decades.

The focus here is on the end results, the outcomes of management action. The authors present a systematic, thoughtful, practical and step by step method of achieving better results by becoming more effective as problem solvers and its told in story format with interesting and captivating vignettes. Includes several chapters on team building, the elements of team effectivness, and teams that work.

This is one of the most entertaining and useful books about leadership and management I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone in any position of responsibility. Both the concepts and the techniques are invaluable.