B Books

I struggled with the concept of second innocence (still do); however, the premise is that we can maintain or recapture a sense of wonder, delight (whatever you want to call it) throughout our lives. And it is this sense of wonder that keeps us growing and allows us to become truly wise. I'm old enough to know wisdom when I see it and young enough to appreciate that innocent wonder in children. Izzo takes us through various aspects of our lives and shows how a sense of wonder keeps us young while allowing us to truly grow older with grace.

At first, this book seemed to me to be trite, full of little aphorisms and such. By the time I reached the end, I finally understood the underlying message. As with our personal relationships, what counts in our daily living ARE the little things. The author presents this insight with a gentle hand that matches the mood of the message. Thank you, John Izzo, wherever you are.

"John Izzo has written yet another fantastic book that has profound impact on the reader's daily life. Upon finishing the first reading, I turned the book over and began reading it all over again. A few weeks later, I picked it up and read it a third time and I just could not stop talking about it! This truly is a book that will not stay on a bookshelf for long.
Written in such a way as to remind us what we already know, but do not practice, Izzo's simple views on life can help the reader realize the full potential of their lives. His compelling stories are useful tools to view our own lives, jobs and families with more kindness, while discovering the peace that was always within our grasp.
A rich, thought-provoking book such as this could very well make the world a better place - one reader at a time." ~ Lillian Brummet, co-author of the book Trash Talk - a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Just wanted to thank John for writing inspiring words that convey wonderful foundational thoughts and feelings. I too am a great believer in an abundance mentality and try to live and act in the "now" every day.

If the population of our world would take the time to slow down enough to contemplate and realize that we all (most?) really want the same simple things from life, what a great place this world would be.

Author writes about rediscovering the wonder and joys of life. Based on his own experiences including death of his father, first love, a family suicide and other compelling stories, Izzo cheers you on to reconnect with and learn from your own life stories. It can be difficult at times to maintain optimism and grace in a world filled with cynicism but Izzo's inspirational book certainly helps you down the right path.

Lee Salz in his book Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager hits the selling nail right on the head! With a clear writing style that speaks directly, and expertly, to the reader, and plenty of graphics and visual aids to augment his points, Lee details in no uncertain terms what today's sale professionals need to know: how to win at this lonely, challenging profession even when your boss does little or nothing to help you, or even keeps getting in your way. This book will help you sell!

All of us who have been in sales can appreciate this book. My sales career started at 15 when I sold Fuller Brush door to door and I progressed through the years to work in telemarketing and sell life insurance. I think the Peter Principle, that you rise until you reach your level of incompetence, is proven out in sales. Great sales people don't always make great sales managers. Anyone who has seen the TV show The Office can appreciate that. I used to have a manager who used to say "just sell, sell sell." Or another who said "just keep telling your story to anyone who will listen." What I like about this book is that Lee Salz promotes a system. You have a methodology to follow. I believe if you want to be successful then you should model successful people. That is what I teach my clients who are professionals and consultants who can't find enough clients. This is a great sales read. This is proven stuff that really works.-- Henry DeVries, author of Client Seduction and the upcoming Pain Killer Marketing and the founder of the New Client Marketing Institute

Pain Killer Marketing: How to Turn Customer Pain into Market Gain

Dodo notes on how this book is both painfully true and insightful;

1) Too many (dodo) sales managers and (dodo) companies give reps neither the training nor the individual coaching they need to succeed.

2) Too many reps blame their lack of success on these dodo managers.

3) Reps develop dodo brains when they won't accept responsibility for their own success and get the skills and brainpower they need to make more money.

Lee Salz's book is meant to keep you from selling extinction. While most of us could use some serious sales training, if you'll just make the initial investment in this book, it'd be a great way to improve performance - in spite of the dodo managers flocking around your career.

When will you realize that you have to adjust to the corporate lack of support for your success?

Your first adjustment is to read, act on the advice of this book, then take flight over the heads of dead and dying dodo reps and managers who are ground bound by their weak, extinct thinking.

Get going, get growing, now.

"I've read dozens and dozens of books on effective selling. I've attended numerous sales training programs. What Lee Salz has done is take the best ideas related to effective selling, combined them with new and creative techniques, and using his own extensive experience, crafted an exceptional book that is a must read for anyone in sales. Sales Dodo will have you looking at the selling process in a new way, whether you are a salesperson or someone who manages salespeople. My only question is...Lee, where were you 20 years ago when I started my career? If I had read your book then, I would have eliminated a ton of mistakes and my income would have been a lot higher!"

Sam Richter
President
James J. Hill Reference Library
Author
Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling

I wish this book wasn't necessary, but it is. Too many sales managers are incapable of giving you the guidance and direction you need to be successful in your sales career.

So, as Lee Salz so vividly points out in his book, you have to take personal responsibility for your own success. The author provides you with an excellent framework on which to build your own sales process which includes:

* Crafting a clear picture of your ideal client.
* Understanding how decision makers buy.
* What it takes to stand out from the crowd.
* How to navigate through a complex decision process.
* What to do if you get stuck.

If your dodo sales manager isn't giving you the help you need, check out this book. Salz fills in the gap and gets you back in control of your career.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies

This is a great book. I haven't finished it yet, but it has already given me many ideas. Unlike so many "self-help" books out there, this book actually gives you small, specific steps that you can take to change certain behaviors that others might find annoying (such as practical ways to teach someone about "personal space").

This is an excellent tool to help children look at their social skills and resolve issues. Children who become bullies and victims often do have poor social skills and difficulty making friends. This does a great job of helping the reader pinpoint the problem and find solutions. Another fabulous book I just finished and recommend to all parents that deals with these important issues is Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying. Step-by step strategies on teaching children about making and keeping friends, confict resolution, expressing feelings and standing up for themselves (assertiveness training)are invaluable.

My 6 year old son and I read this book together. It was very helpful to him. The book is written in "kid friendly" stories. They are easy to understand and make it easy for the parents to explain.

Very well thought out, expertly written and easy to apply in a myriad of social situation that may have you and your child puzzled.
I found it to be very helpful and have been able to apply its lessons.
It could even help adults a little in hindsight and will certain benefit your child.

Finally a book with some answers. Up until now, they all seem to describe the problem, but offer little in the way of solutions. This one has really been helpful.

This book is very inspiring and encouraging. It is one of those books that you have to share. I have shared this book with two other women, one was going through a divorce and the other had just end a relationship and was not handling it very well. When I read it, I wasn't going through a hard time or anything but I had saw the author on televison and wanted to hear what she had to say and I was impressed. I thank her for sharing her story and then helping other women live Godly something that you don't really find these days. May God continue to bless her and I pray that she stays close to Jesus.

Jan has words of wisdom in this book. Wish I would have read it while I was in the midst of some of my turmoil as I might have made some different choices & saved myself additional heartache. Provides a sense of hope for broken dreams and promises. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has suffered ever so slightly or like in my case again & again & again. I find it very soothing to know I am not the only one who has suffered, it is a form of therapy to relate to others in this way. Would be a great gift for a friend in need.

AFTER THE LOCUSTS is just right for those who feel they trying to survive tough times/ wasted years, and want to move on. Author Jan Coleman will take your hand and lead you into fresh hope. The writing is excellent, and you will be pulled into true experiences and personal discoveries---that can make all the difference. As I reader I experienced God's nearness and wisdom through these pages. Scriptures and gems of thought almost leaped off the pages. Now I want to read my Bible more. Women who are single, divorced, lonely, hurting will be especially blessed by this book. Yet it will speak to any woman at any time in her life. It makes a thoughtful gift.

WOW! I couldn't put this book down. God placed this book in my hands at a critical time in my marriage. It helped me realize that I could make it through anything and I would be abundantly blessed if I gave everything to the Lord. Thank you for writing this encouraging book. I am recommending this book to everyone who can benefit from it. I am looking forward to Jan's next book.

Ever read a book that you couldn't stop talking about? After the Locusts is one of those books. Jan Coleman writes as if she's talking directly to you. She shares many stories from friends she's personally encouraged through ruined dreams, and gives you hope that you or someone you know will overcome those wasted years.

This book would be great for a women's Bible study. Highlighting the Book of Joel, Jan Coleman relives her own failed marriage; comparing that loss to the desolation left by a swarm of locusts. After the Locusts touches on coping with the loss of a loved oned, bankruptcy, dealing with troubled teens, divorce, and much more.

You will want to share this book with a friend. I did!

This book has already taken its laurels - what needs to be done now is get it updated and reprinted. I've yet to read a better, more fluent exposition on the subject.

It isn't often that a book wears as well as this one - the material was so advanced at publication that I doubt any current research has caught up! It may be that much extant research claims to have overtaken certain aspects of the innovative metrology (and its performance) in 'Approaches -' but I remain doubtful.
There are no alternative texts available that give the reader so much of an insight into the physical metrology of biotechnology. The concise style and coverage of both the principles and approach to problem solving in measuring biotech parameters is thoroughly enlightened - a novice in the subject gleans as much as an expert.
'Approaches to Physical Measurements in Biotechnology' desrves its reputation - long may it remain in print.

It isn't often that a book wears as well as this one - the material was so advanced at publication that I doubt any current research has caught up! It may be that much extant research claims to have overtaken certain aspects of the innovative metrology (and its performance) in 'Approaches -' but I remain doubtful.
There are no alternative texts available that give the reader so much of an insight into the physical metrology of biotechnology. The concise style and coverage of both the principles and approach to problem solving in measuring biotech parameters is thoroughly enlightened - a novice in the subject gleans as much as an expert.
'Approaches to Physical Measurements in Biotechnology' desrves its reputation - long may it remain in print.

Good, parhaps, says too little about a book which is seriously flawed by a scattering of typos, and yet when these irritations are ignored is essentially an excellent piece of work. This kind of material is difficult to write - had AP done their job 'Approaches to Physical Measurements -' would have been the definitive example of cross-disciplinary authorship. Full marks for the author - curses on the AP editorial staff!

Surely the publishers are going to reprint this book or get out another edition. It is, after all, a quite unique book and still absolutely current in its content and objectives.

This was a really "DaVinci Code" esque page turner! A terrific read and a spell binder. The characters were great as well. I couldn't put it down.

I really enjoyed this one! I travel a lot and read a lot. This is one of the better reads. I compared it to The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.

This was a fantastic book. I enjoy books that have both excitement and character development and this book supplied both. The beginning was what got me hooked; it was a book similar in some respects to the DaVinci Code. The mystery of what it was all about was revealed bit by bit and this was the compelling part.
The book was also well written and descriptive of the events, people and the mystery.
Thank you Mr. Nagle

A thrill ride and a page turner, this book reads like the ultimate action/whodunit movie. Nagle effortlessly hooks his reader then leads him/her through clever plot twists, across continents, and into the dark corners of the criminal mind. In Libra he has created a heroine worthy of our respect and our interest. She alone deserves an encore, though her supporting cast in this novel (Sam, Mario, Figlio) are also richly textured and expertly crafted. The only thing I wanted was a map to help me follow Sam & Libra's adventures--but hey, an atlas works, too. Bravo, Mr. Nagle, I eagerly await your next literary gem!

Knowing I am an avid reader, my assistant put this book into my hand as I left the office for a cross-country flight, armed with my laptop and a pile of spreadsheets. Having never heard of Nagle or his work, I shoved the book under my arm to be polite and forgot about it.... until my battery fizzled. Frustrated as only a non-technical type-A professional could be, I fished the Augustus Conspiracy out of my briefcase and started reading. Here's where the reivew starts:

HOT DAMN! What a pleasant surprise to find an unknown author who hits the mark--again and again--on his first try. Within minutes I was so engrossed in the lives of Mario, Figlio, Sam and Libra, their journeys, their perilous predicaments & etc. that I was actually DISAPPOINTED when my flight landed and I hadn't finished the book. After checking into my hotel I put down my bags, sat on the edge of the bed and didn't move until I wrapped up the last pages. A great, great, read. Engaging and intelligent, alternately nail-biting and a crack-up. It will be a shame if Nagle has to wait until his later novels to get the recognition he deserves (like Grisham, Dan Brown, etc.), but it will be well-placed when it comes. Get this book. You won't be disappionted.

THIS BOOK HAD YOU HOOK FROM BEGINNING TO END. YOU HAVE LISA WHO IS A GOOD CHICK HE WANTS NOTHING BUT FOR HER MAN TO STAY OUT F JAIL AND DO AWAY WITH THE STREET LIFE. BUT THEIR IS ONE SECRET THAT SHE IS KEEPING FROM HER MAN THAT SOONS SURFACE AND HER WORLD IS TURN UP SIDE DOWN BY CHINO AND DONNELL.I AM LOOKING FOWARD TO PART 2 OF THIS BOOK

I can't wait for the sequel. This book kept me interested in the story the whole time. I couldn't wait to get to the end because I knew it would surprise me...and it did.

Betrayal of a Hustler was an excellent written book. This book had excitement, a whole lot of drama, suspense, greed, love, anger, peace and betrayal. This book kept you on edge of your seats that you didn't want to put the book down. You were very eager to find out what happened next and to whom. The author really put her heart and soul into this book. The characters were so well portrayed that you can relate to this book through real life experiences. I give praise to the way the author portrayed the mother's in the book praying for their children's saftey. Discussing this with others, you are amazed at how you get different opinions of what is going to happen next in the second book. I can't wait until the second part comes out, I know it will be on fire also.

BLUNT, God has truly blessed you with such an amazing gift for writing. Keep the books coming and keep working towards your dream! I know that every book you write will be a best seller also. Keep your light shinning and keep reaching for your goals, dreams and most of all the stars.
God Bless, Janice T. Brewer

It has been a long time since I picked up a book that I COULD NOT put down until I finished! It had me on the edge the entire way through! Great storyline with interesting and very real characters; B.L.U.N.T. understands the world she writes about and makes the reader feel like a part of it. I must admit, the ending threw me completely off...I'm excited to see what happens in part II. Highly recommended.

B.L.U.N.T. has certainly marked her spot on the urban literary scene. The first in a trilogy, "Betrayal Of A Hustler" is an exceptionally good tale. Reminding us that no matter how rich and powerful a hustler becomes there is always a sad price to pay.
Written with style, this tale tells of friendship, betrayal, love and power. The characters that are behind the excellent cover of this book have their own magnetism that will draw you deep into the pages.

B.L.U.N.T. girl don't keep us waiting too long for the next installment.

We've all heard the saying, "Life is a choir and every voice is important." But we all also know that very rarely is this humane principle put into practice. Linda Stout, in her book "Bridging the Class Divide", shows us over and over again where these voices reside and how they represent important views, important values, and important cultures. Through life experiences, Stout identifies and calls out important characteristics that, when raised up and valued, create a truly well-rounded, truly inclusive society. She shows us how fragile and faint these voices are at birth, and how easily and mindlessly dominant beliefs can annihilate them. Her account of how she herself became more aware of the values and perspectives that shaped her, and began to believe in them and communicate them, is moving and illuminating. Knowing how to nurture and strengthen such contributions, according to Stout, is key to bringing them to the tables we all sit at every day, whether they be work tables, community tables, religious, race, gender, or age tables. Such affirmations of inclusion have a powerful effect on the political and economic webs that impact all of us. However difficult, giving voice and action to all our perspectives, not just the ones that reflect "the way we have always done things," is necessary. Only when each of us insists on communicating our unique perspectives will every voice truly be important to the song the choir is singing.

I have been working for social change thirty years now. I can wholeheartedly say that Linda Stout is one of the best organizers and resources there is on issues of overcoming class and racial divisions; so that we can be more effective in our work for justice, peace and a wide range of other progressive issues. I worked with Linda back in the 80's and she is still one of my most important mentors. Her book reflects her unique qualities which all come from life experience and wisdom born from life in the struggle and life in the spirit. It is both informative and inspiring -- a book that you don't want to put down and one that can make you a better person in your personal life and in your work for a better world. Herb Walters

Activists will find this book invaluable. Rev. William Sloan Coffin said it all: "Class may well prove a nut even tougher to crack than racism. With a wealth of wisdom, Linda Stout shows how to organize progressive movements that are genuinely inclusive. Grassroots organizers especially will be in her debt, which is where I have happily been for years."

I used this book as a text for an undergrad class on community organizing. it was easy to read and understand, and gave us so much to reflect on and talk about. it has so many practical tips on organizing, it should be a must read for anyone doing community work. i would love to read further reflections on PPP today, and what the leaders have learned about organizing and surviving as an organization since the book was written

If you care about helping to create a better world, this book will help. Class divisions are one of the most insidious, though least discussed, problems impacting our ability to effectively build movements for change. In an accessible style, with great stories, Linda Stout shares her years of organizing wisdom and makes it clear just what it takes to build effective cross-class alliances.

As the Executive Director of Class Action, www.classism.org, I have recommended Bridging the Class Divide many times. It is a useful resource for activists and non-activists alike.

Felice Yeksel

Although the title of this book is catchy the implication of "trapping" a spouse comes across as a negative. The book really isn't about trapping a spouse and it is indeed a good book. The subtitle is more appropriate "A Street-Smart Dating Strategy for Men Who Have Lost a Love."

This book is written by a Board Certified Trial Lawyer from Newport Beach along "with" a Beverly Hills based psychologist who specializes in couples counseling.

Being myself recently divorced and having lost a love I found this book to be very realistic in terms of describing what losing a love is like and what the recovery process is like.

The chapters are:

1.) Coping with Loss
2.) How Life Goes On
3.) Getting Serious about a Relationship
4.) Into the Future

I found each of the chapters to be intelligent, realistic and honest. I felt that the author really has felt what I am feeling and has a pretty cutting edge approach to his understanding and to his perspective on solutions. He is frank about depression, about not being able to get out of bed etc.

The guts of the book are about forming a dating strategy to find your next spouse. The apporach is very structured, precise and well defined. Although that type of approach may have appeal to a limited number of personality types I found the chapters on Coping and How Life Goes On to be worth the price of the book.

In a nutshell this is the only book I've found that is sort of like having a 40 or 50 year old uncle or father give you very accurate, useful, practical advice on the most intelligent way to find a spouse and not screw up your life and end up in divorce.

Having read "Spouse Trap" out of interest in how men think, I can say this is one excellent book for anyone, male or female, interested in REAL LOVE. No psychobabble here, rather real hands-on tips based on personal experience. The author's sincere and helpful stand that one has to do the work on one's self first is unique from most other books on finding love. Wonderful insights on grieving and getting on, good step by step procedures for personal evaluation on what one really wants in love. Highly recommended by this reader.

I've been divorced for 3 years now and trying to find a way to "get moving". I read the sample pages, (and the reviewers' comments)from this book and I got the impression that it would perfect for me. Like the others I've read, it had a few things that explained feelings I've had that I could not put into better words. The "dealing with the grief" part was good but not the "dating again" chapters. In the book, he makes several referneces to "Chapter 11, (I think thats the right number), that is the most important chapter in the book. I was looking forward to getting to it to see what the big deal was. All it dealt with was giving tips on getting a good counselor and how important it is to get someone with a solid background to help. If you're like me getting over a lost, you probably have or had a counselor to help you cope and get moving on with your life.
At the end, it discusses ideas when relationships get serious and also when they go bad. It also gave warning signs of unstable women and good reasons to get away from them. The last chapter has an example pre-nupital agreement.
Anyway, it had some decent stuff but weak on the dating aspects.

As a man and as a Marriage and Family therapist I feel "Build a Better Spouse Trap" is an important book. To me there are two underlying themes that Mr. Wentworth is conveying to the men he talks to so clearly. First, Think! My office is full of men who didn't think. They reacted. They are now in trouble, and they are sorry.

The second important point the author makes is to encourage the reader to Feel! Or better yet, identify feelings that are already there. Too many men make serious relationship mistakes because they don't know how to feel the feelings they already have. The author makes this point well when he encourages men to "stop living on automatic."

The result of following the advice in the book is to make the relationship process conscious. He says we should actually become conscious in the process of finding our life partner.
Finally, encouraging men to find a good therapist is great advice. I find that with a straightforward approach that is cognitive and logical, men make great progress in therapy and they really enjoy the process.

Beyond that, they learn about themselves, what makes women tick, and in doing so gain enormous confidence.

The book is honest, fun to read, and practical. But the phrase from the subtitle "Street Smart" says it all. The book hands you exactly what you need to have on those dark nights as you are forcing yourself to get out of the car and nervously walk up to her door. One is tempted to take the book along and feverishly flip through the pages for the right advice when she is in the lady's room. It doesn't get any more real than "Build a Better Spouse Trap."

I think "Build a Better Spouse Trap" in a shot in the arm to those of us who otherwise would be lost and depressed hoping the random forces of the universe will finally make us happy.

Every patient and male friend, to whom I have recommended this book, has found great straightforward advice that tells it like it is. Wentworth doesn't waste a reader's time with fluff and explanations, he gets right to the point of how to get over the loss of love and work a practical plan to bring real connection and relationship back into one's life.

He points out the pitfalls that many men fall into in new relationships. He talks directly about psychological "landmines" of character-disordered women (i.e. beautiful borderlines) and how to fight fair, break up respectfully and when and when not to use the Internet for dating. He uses humor and refers to a great many resources for further research, if readers want to know more about any topic.

The women I have recommended this book to have also truly enjoyed the practical and easy-to-understand suggestions. It seems both men and women are tired of groping blindly in the dark and just hoping that love will find them. Taking a proactive approach is far more appealing.

This is a great gift for any man you care about who is really interested in finding a healthy relationship!

Anyone who is looking for information about a Eucharist based faith. I found the book full of information on why certain form is followed. Each step is covered fully, with scriptual explanations.

In my opinion Clark's book is worth four years of college theology but without the lectures and exams. It is a simple yet stunning work. Any Catholic interested in his or her faith will surely be inspired by Clark's book. It motivates the reader to reach out for greater understanding of worship and liturgy. Most importantly, Clark provides a powerful Scriptural basis for the Eucharist, as the core of Catholic liturgy.

It is especially helpful that his style is lucid and thought provoking. Clark very adroitly breaks down complex concepts into meaningful, understandable parts and beautifully reassembles the theological thought to move the reader along to the next level. In particular, Clark's examination and explanation of ancient Judaic temple rites and the roles played by different types of sacrifice was facinating.

The book transcends the topic of the Euchrist and boldly challenges the reader to consider the full meaning of the liturgy of the Mass and all its implications. This is a "must read" for anyone serious about their faith. You will not be disappointed.

I have been picking up the Holy Bible recently and began to understand how God speaks to us through the scriptures. My confession is that being a Catholic for more than 22 years, I go to masses but do not really understand the sacrificial ritual of the Eucharist until recently when I start picking up supplementary literatures to help me unravel the complex scriptures. This book is one of these that I hold with great esteem. Right from the Preface, the author quoted from the Book of Haggai which pointed out why the Israelites when back in the Promised Land planted a great deal but harvested little. They tried serving their own material needs and took a lesser priority to the temple of God. God's presence is found in the tabernacle, hence the temple of God. To me, this is a truth manifested from the Scriptures. It also brings out why God loves us so much that He choose to keep his presence with us till the end of time. A Great book and I sincerely recommend this book not only to Catholics, but all Christians, too.

I found Steve Clark's book, Catholics and the Eucharist, an engaging, inspiring, and informative read. The book's theology flows out of Holy Scripture, the Divine Liturgy (of both East and West) and Christian tradition. The result is that one learns not only about Holy Communion but about God Himself and His intention for His children (a little Christian history too). A confession: I'm not even Catholic; I'm Greek Orthodox. But, I have always found Steve's books to be thought provoking, so I gave a book addressed to Catholics a try - and was not disappointed. Great scholarship and a thoughtful presentation! I strongly recommend this book to any Christian - especially Catholics.

I found this book engaging, inspiring, and informative. The book's theology flows out of Holy Scripture, the Divine Lirturgy (both East and West) and Christian tradition. The result is that one learns not only about Holy Communion but about God Himself and His intention for His children (a little Christian history too). A confession: I'm not even Catholic; I'm Greek Orthodox. But I have found Mr. Clark's previous books to be thought provoking, so I gave this book - even thought it's addressed to Catholics - a try and was not disappointed. Great scholarship and a thoughtful presentation! I strongly recommend this book to any Chrisitan - even Catholics.