Independents Books

Evangelical families are committed to the authority of the Bible. As such, there are two dominant marriage models, both of which are based on the book of Ephesians. These are the wife submissive model and the mutual submission model.

The author does an excellent job of first examining the historical writings on the subject. Then, he presents the leading writers on the scene today. Dobson, LaHaye, Dillow, etc. on the wife submissive model and Littauer, Smalley, Bilezikian, Groothuis, etc. for the mutual submission model.

Following this, he examines Parkview Evangelical Church in Texas, which is a representative large church that emphasizes family ministry, to see what they are teaching, both from the pulpit and in small groups, about which model to follow. Finally, he interviews 4 couples in the congregation to see how gender responsibilites are negotiated in their specific situations.

I found the book extremely well written with enough detail that I was eager to get to the next chapter, but not so many minor points that I became bored with any particular situation. If you enjoy seeing how well the actions of families match their stated beliefs, then you will be delighted by this book. I highly recommend Remaking The Godly Marriage.

I think Bill Clinton hasn't done anything wrong that he should quit

This book is just what every teacher needs. It shows how to teach kids the art of researching. It is easy to use and full of very useful and fun ideas to use with kids. Every child needs to know about presidents, and this book is essential.

This Directory provides and orients the reader to the better retirement communities throughout the U.S. Extremely well organized and laid out. Thoughtful presentation of many of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of each facility. Not a critique but good overview information. The 16 page Introduction includes a history of retirement communities, how to choose a retirement community, a list of important questions and terms, and, basic financial, legal and medical considerations from three leading experts

Based on a recommendation from a friend, I was happy to find this easy to read, well laid out book on retirement and investment advice for people without children.

Raymond Mignone covers a wide breath of topics that I found helpful with both the emotional and the financial issues involved with transitioning into retirement. It is refreshing to learn the strategies that a Fee-Only financial advisor actually uses when working with his clients rather than getting advice from authors who's profession is writing and don't have actual experience working with real people and real money. I was able to apply many of the ideas presented in the book to my own situation.

I found the chapters on creating a retirement portfolio and how to take retirement distributions helpful, especially the flowchart on how your monthly monies should flow in order to save on taxes.

The author's advice on how to select a trusting financial advisor is very sound and practical. He makes a sound case for establishing a long-term relationship with a good financial advisor to help with complex money issues in your golden years.

All in all I think this is an excellent book for anyone in or near retirement and I highly recommend it.

Clearly written, with a minimum of repetition, The Role of Independent Directors after Sarbanes-Oxleyby Bruce F. Dravis is an excellent general guide to board duties. Those who seek greater depth can readily attain it through the accompanying CD.

Chapter headings, as follows, provide a broad overview:

-Director Independence
-Fiduciary Duties, Director Liability, and the Evolving Corporate Governance Standards Committees
-The Shareholder's Role in Governance
-The Impact of "Gatekeeper" Regulation on Independent Directors and Corporate Advisors
-Securities Trading Obligations of Independent Directors

SOX effectively federalized elements of corporate governance for publicly traded corporations and its standards have been incorporated into some state laws governing nonprofits. Additionally, private corporations considering an initial public offering or acquisition need structures in place to make a good "fit" if they should choose to go public. Therefore, the topics covered are critical to any type of board. Dravis makes quick review of major director responsibilities short work and the CD expands 165 brief pages to a ready reference guide with thousands of pages.

For example, we read that a waiver of the company's code of ethics, like those given by the Enron board, now gives rise to a reporting obligation. Failure to make accurate and timely disclosure is a violation of the securities laws. The reader might wonder, "What does such disclosure entail?" Easily locate the footnote that refers to Form 8-K, Item 5.05 on the CD and quickly review exactly what the report requires by locating item 5.05 on the hyperlinked form.

With hundreds of footnotes as a guide, the reader can drill down on virtually any legal responsibility. In addition, the CD also includes the text of statutes, regulations, forms, stock exchange rules, speeches, SEC releases, enforcement actions, important case law and other material, including links to important sources on the internet.

In this fast-moving field, some information quickly becomes dated. For example, Dravis notes that by mid-2006 more than 25% of Fortune 500 had implemented some form of majority voting or modified plurality voting policy or standard. As of early 20008, that figure had risen to about 66%.

However, the director responsibilities reviewed have not changed and Dravis presents them concisely. The Role of Independent Directors after Sarbanes-Oxley and accompanying CD could serve any board member as a valuable reference library in one thin volume.

Robert Nisbet is not usually classified as a historian, he is usually placed in the pigeon hole labelled 'sociologist'. This assessment is, of course, unfair as anyone who has surveyed his 'sociological' writings will attest. Nisbet usually manages to survey sociological and political thought, linking the philosophy and biography of his subject, whether it is Rousseau, Tocqueville or Kropotkin, in his works. So Nisbet was always a "historical sociologist" if such a classification exists. This book however is straight history and Nisbet shows his strength both as a writer and historical analyst. Nisbet's writing is always crisp, clear and precise. It doesn't stray and, like most good writing, it makes for quick paced reading.

Nisbet's analysis of Roosevelt's "Failed Courtship" with Joseph Stalin relies on secondary source material, notably the "Complete Correspondence" between Roosevelt and Churchill, edited by Prof Warren Kimball of Rutgers University. He also relies on biographical and memoir material from FDR cabinet members and close advisers. So if there is any 'bias' in the selection of sources, the odds are, if anything, stacked in FDR's favour. Unfortunately for the world the picture that emerges of FDR is not the patriotic portrait or hero of liberal hagiography.

FDR had plenty of advice, not just from Churchill, but his own diplomats and foreign policy experts, Keenan for example, warning him of Stalin's ruthless ambition. FDR chose to ignore advice and advisors who contradicted his own deep seated belief that Stalin and the Soviet leadership generally, were deep down merely fellow progressives like himself. Progressives with a nasty predisposition for violence, perhaps that's a fault understandable considering the vile Old Regime and it's old world meddling imperialist friends that they needed to overthrow and outfight. Perhaps this fault might be overcome with example, solid help and understanding from fellow democrats abroad. Well that's how Roosevelt saw things anyhow.

Nisbet documents the sound advice ignored and FDR's unrequited concessions to Stalin in detail. FDR believed 'he could handle' Stalin, all that was required was just more noblesse oblige and postwar harmony would be assured. Stalin got FDR's number early, and played him like a fiddle. Eventually it should be possible, one hopes, for documentary evidence from the Russian side to be unearthed to confirm or deny Nisbet's thesis here.

Many liberals recoil at any and all criticisms of FDR's handling of the great power conferences, perhaps in reaction to McCarthyite claims and oft repeated right wing condemnations of the Yalta Conference. The usual apologia for Yalta is that the allies could not reverse what the Red Army had achieved on the ground so Yalta, rather than a betrayl, was merely the cold recognition of strategic realities. Nisbet "island hops" both these arguments, thus outflanking both the McCarthyites and liberals. He agrees with the liberal view that by the time of the Yalta Conference, Soviet domination of East Europe was a fait accompli. But he counters that it was at the earlier Tehran Conference that prior agreements for Soviet domination was granted. If a stronger stand, some negotiation, had been made there, then we would be in a better position to discern accommodation from appeasement at Yalta. George F Kennan noted the idealistic crusade sketched out by the Atlantic Charter and "Four Freedoms" essentially became obsolete once Stalin became ally. Nisbet paints a picture of FDR as the Neville Chamberlain of the Cold War. If anything this is unfair to Chamberlain. At least Chamberlain in hindsight brought the western allies more time to rearm.

Nisbet leaves his speculation on FDR's motives to the last chapter. His conclusion would disappoint FDR's McCarthyite critics. FDR's advisors included many who were ultimately correct. FDR chose to ignore them. Nor was FDR being manipulated by high placed Reds, he was captain of his own ship. He only followed advice he wanted to hear. He was a man of his times and pursued his own vision, and it was a vision shared. Like most Ivy League graduates of his era, he was a thorough going Wilsonian. FDR had in earlier decades worked on the construction of the Wilson's project only to see it collapse at home and abroad. When WW2 came, FDR was giving Wilsonism one more college try. FDR believed that by making concession after concession to Stalin he would be able to achieve post WW2, the new era Wilson dreamed of post WW1. FDR, like Wilson before him, reserved his primary suspicions, suspicions perhaps confirmed by the scavenger like behaviour of the Versailles victors, that "old world imperialism" was, in the long run, the prime enemy of progress and world peace. "The devil you know". The new devil of 'totalitarianism' did not loom as large to FDR.

Nisbet's analysis here is thus more forgiving and sympathetic than Harry Elmer Barnes's. Barnes was also a sociologist and historian, but unlike the Burkean conservative Nisbet, Barnes was a progressive, social democrat and a liberal. Barnes saw himself as an 'old liberal', among those who initially drawn to Wilson learned from the failure and who were determined not to repeat it. FDR, another old liberal, decided to redouble not revise the effort. Barnes attributes FDR's global activism from 1937 onward to the failure of the 'second New Deal' to cope with a renewed downturn, the swing back to depression conditions, despite the apparent short term successes of the early New Deal. Nisbet touches on this point but lets FDR off lightly. Barnes blames not just FDR but the whole class of 'new liberals' now addicted to the power that comes with office. With the puff disappearing from their reform agenda, war seemed preferable to a spell in opposition and the risk that any revived Republicans may reverse New Deal reforms.

We have all heard the truism that generals' plan to fight the last war. In a sense FDR was making this error in his diplomacy and grand strategy. With the world and US policy today going through another generational change following the Soviet collapse there are lessons here for modern policy makers. The Bush administration's drive (shared with the previous two incumbents) for 'global hegemony', the strategy to prevent the emergence of rival superpowers, seems old fashioned in an era of "fouth generation" warfare, non-state terrorism and globalisation. So maybe FDR's folly is being repeated by a new generation.

Nisbet's book makes the lesson clear and concise. Highly recommended.

Another killersmart addition to the Rough Guide series, this volume manages to be uber-informative and addictively entertaining -- you'll never get off your toilet! hehe... The section on B-Movie Mogul Roger Corman perfectly gets across whats great about even his not-so-greatest films, and the study of Miramax and Sundance is illuminating and demonstrates the enormous and positive influence these 2 entities have had on the medium. After pouring through this book, its impossible not to make a beeline to Netflix and add dozens of finds to your cue. One aspect of history that this book really nails, is the indie roots of stars like Jack Nicholson, Scorsese, etc and its fun reading about their early and raw cinematic adventures... Also, it was nice to see so many genres represented, the horror section full of ghastly gems...

Jill Freeze does an outstanding job in explaining the world of shopping online to people who might want to try it, but is concerned about privacy and safety. This is the perfect book to read if you've wanted to try online shopping, but need more information first.

Jill's style is entertaining and the book is quick-moving. You won't realize how much information you've accumulated while enjoying reading about the ins and outs of shopping online!

I highly recommend this book for newbies to shopping online. Jill explains everything clearly step-by-step. She also includes how to shop at Ebay and other online auctions. Most newbies would prefer to start their online shopping experience with something a bit easier, like buying this book at Amazon, for example, but everything you need to jump into the Ebay auction world is there if you decide to do that!

The book discusses how to look at the "big ticket items" online as well - things like houses and cars and colleges! You can do research online even if you end up buying the product at the local mall.

Jill Freeze is visually impaired and she is a perfect example of how online shopping makes life easier for SO many people in SO many different situations. I have been shopping online for a few years now, and have bought stuff from lots of e-tailers, including Amazon (yes, it was the first, and my favorite!), Webvan, Ebay, Half.com, Lands End, Drugstore.com, and many others. There's very little that you can't buy online, actually!

Jill discusses how to research the item you're looking to buy - she gives you lots of websites to check, but I found that she left out a few of my favorites:

BizRate.com - gives detailed reports on the different online stores - comparing on-time delivery, easy navigation of the website, prices, quality of items sold, etc. Yes, Amazon is very highly rated on Bizrate.com!

DealOfDay.com - looking for a deal? Check out what special offers are available at the online store of your choice ($10 off a $50 purchase, for example!)

BestBookBuys.com - My favorite thing to shop for online (and off-line, for that matter!) is books, and this website is the best for finding which store has your book at what price. You type in the title, author, or ISBN number, and it looks at about 30 different bookstores online and comes up with an easy-to-understand chart giving you the price (lowest price first), shipping cost, tax in what states, and best of all - AVAILABILITY of your book! Many shopping bots leave out this important fact. You can see the bottom line price - including shipping, and how soon your book will get to you. If you find that Amazon is your best bet for your latest must-have book (and it often is, all things considered), just click on "Buy" and BestBookBuys.com will take you right to the book detail page on Amazon (or whatever other e-tailer you click on) and there you are! Before buying from a bookstore that you aren't familiar with, check it out at Bizrate first.

Thanks, Jill, for a complete guide to the wonderful world of shopping online!

After wading through a few 300 to 600 page books recently, it was nice to come across a nice focused book. This is less than a hundred pages, but page for page it is a very informative book.

The author's start the book with something that everyone knows, the current education system is broken, so very broken. He mentions that in 1983 an education commission commented that "We have done something to ourselves that would be seen as an act of war if a foreign power were to blame."

His basic premise is market forces are very effective in stimulating reform. Either you meet the needs of consumers, or you go out of business. Not all consumers have to be expert consumers, we all benefit from knowledgeable consumers. Our country is largely successful because we use market forces to constantly improve most parts of our society.

The author goes on to say that while back in 1955 Milton Friedman proposed something like a voucher, but over the last 50 years we've never had a real competitive education market. The few places that vouchers have been tried have been very laden with restrictions and limitations.

John Merrifield convincingly argues that we need a true education market, or the children of the United States will continue to get a sub-optimal education.

There were a couple interesting points in this book:

Currently teachers are mostly motivated to please administrators, parents have very little influence.

In response to people who claim a true education market is too risky, the author responds that changing a badly broken education system doesn't risk much. (How could it get worse?)

If you are interested in education and/or school choice, this is a good book to start with.