Sales Books

A lot of it is common sense, but you won't notice it until you read about it.

Very practical, trustworthy, hand on insight. Gives you a lot to think about, and unfortunately also some "deja vu" experiences. Should be mandatory reading for all managers in companies doing well!

My favorite section of this entire book, and that is high praise indeed given my opinion of the rest, starts on page 200. Sheth mentions how academics are often criticized for existing in an ivory tower and how the accusation is false; the real inhabitants of an ivory tower are corporate CEOs and their immediate minions. It is the job of academics to interact with raw beginners and to do the best they can to teach their students the breadth and depth of skills needed to survive in their chosen profession. From the first day they step on a college campus, students are interacting with their professors; there are very few barriers between the student and the head of a department.
However, the executives at the highest levels of a corporation are much more sheltered, which is a significant part of the problem. Many fly on private jets, have their private elevator, washroom and cafeteria. So many of them interact with only a few of their employees and almost never with their customers. The information they receive is carefully filtered and in the most rigid of organizations, it is unthinkable that a line worker would ever exchange meaningful words with an executive.
Sheth also describes many of the other problems that good companies face, although I don't believe he is complete in his analysis of why companies fail. He is quite correct that many of the companies initially succeed largely due to luck and being in the right place at the right time. However, the eventual failure of so many companies is due to the creative destruction that is an inherent feature of capitalism. The advance of technology and social mores cannot be predicted or stopped; so many companies simply outlive their economically effective life. In my opinion, that point is not stressed enough.
Sheth is quite correct in pointing out that the greatest point of failure is when companies become "fat cats", content to bask in their success and believe that the good times will continue indefinitely. Or at least as long as the current executive team remains in their positions. He also commends companies who have the policy of term limits in executive positions. By rotating executives from position to position on a regular basis, no person has an opportunity to build a "protective silo", where it becomes more important to protect their executive turf than it is to advance the company.
Another very amusing point that I agree with; is when he points out that there is less of a cultural divide between Christians and Moslems than there is between engineers and marketing people in the same company. As a former software developer, I remember some of the very hostile barbs that went back and forth between the marketing people and the programmers. We spoke a different language, not only in how the product should be built, but we strongly, vehemently disagreed about what should be said to potential customers.
In conclusion, Sheth does an excellent job in describing the history of some of what used to be the most powerful companies on Earth. Now, many of those companies no longer exist, some are in serious trouble and the successful ones are nothing like they were when they were at the peak of their power. The common theme leading to their downfall was an inability to see or even acknowledge that the world associated with their products was changing. The first step in any attempt to keep your company from being added to the list of failures is to recognize that it is possible for yours to fail. Sheth drives that point home with an effectiveness that may make you wince and take an honest look at the state of the company you work for.

Never too late to learn more, even if you've been in the business for decades. I feel like translating this book into Korean language, provided that the author and publisher would agree.

During the early 1980s, Tom Peters and Robert Waterman penned a business classic named In Search of Excellence. In it, they cited 62 "excellent" companies. Many, including Sears, Xerox, IBM and Eastman Kodiak, have faced serious problems since.

Some recovered; some struggle to recover. Some are dead; others soon will be. Although the word "institution" implies permanence, Jagdish N. Sheth argues the average life span of a corporation is plummeting. The genius of Joseph Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction," is becoming widely understood.

The author, a business professor at Emory University, argues that companies that rise to the level of great often sow the seeds of their own destruction. He argues the following kernels soon blossom sapping the "great one's" potential:

1. Volume Obsession - rising costs and falling margins.
2. Denial - substituting myths, rituals and orthodoxy for vision and insight.
3. Arrogance - Need I say more?
4. Complacency - success breeds failure.
5. Competency Dependence - the curse of incumbency.
6. Competitive Myopia - a nearsighted competitive view.
7. Territorial Impulse - culture conflicts and turf wars.

The careful reader is forced to shine a light into every corner of his or her organization. Using insightful illustrations, Sheth urges business leaders to identify their self-destructive behaviors before they lead are destroyed. I particularly enjoyed the description of a company in his chapter on the Territorial Impulse described as "complex of 50-story office towers, connected only by common areas at the bottom and the top."

This is an entertaining and insightful book. Management and executives will ignore its lessons at their own peril.

I read this book quite some time ago. It is filled with 100's of positive affirmations to be used in almost any situation. I have used it to create personal change and would suggest it.

Donald Ryles PhD, CH
Author of Hidden Secrets of "Many, But One"

It's been a few months since I got the book. Currently I am using the scripts that are included in the book.

This review is to testify, that ones you do it with intent, focus and passion, the rewards are very obvious.

There are scripts covering virtually every area of your life. I give this book my highest recommendations as it helps me manage myself and to direct my thoughts.

You will have to take the time and to be passionate about it, but once you do, the pay-offs are enormous.

Positive self-talk just flat out works and this books provides explicit scripts to use. I've worn out two copies and I'm very disappointed that Amazon doesn't currently carry it in stock. This is one classic that will never be out of style.

This book, and its predecessor What To Say When You Talk ..., has been a godsend. It has helped raise my self esteem and my low moods. I spend about a half hour most days reading the affirmative essays in Part 2. This daily practice plus a half hour of meditation have done wonders for my emotional well being. I am almost completely convinced of the author's premise that we can undo our negative programming and live a more productive and enjoyable life by frequently reading the essays. This is a book I will treasure for life. I am giving copies to friends.

I was frustrated and depressed when I first picked up this book. I was jobless, flat broke, nearly homeless. "I can't do anything right. I should just quit. I should just kill myself."
In fact, I was suicidal.

With a little counselling and "The Self-Talk Solution" I was able to revolutionize my life. Dr. Helmstetter's book offers a practical method to change the patterns of your thinking: what you are saying to yourself, and to consciously take control of your mental thinking- and consequently your entire life. These are more than simple affirmations, or "postive thinking" - instead Dr. Helmstetter shows literally how to re-train your entire mental processes into powerful, enabling, patterns that you choose. What if you could re-program your thinking?

In the five years since discovering this book I picked up my life, got a job I love, found a loving relationship, went back to University and travelled to five countries in Asia. But really, the best part is how I now think about myself, I never again have to deal with the depression and low-esteem that previously plagued my life. I hope you will enjoy this book.

Like any book in this genre this book will not actually help you unless your "motivated" to change your own behavior. It's simple, easy to read, and practical. It shows you the keys to changing your perspective on on how motivation actually works in yourself and others. I enjoyed it.

Being a cardiac rehab nurse and spending a lot of time each day trying to get people to change their lifestyles to create better health, this book caught my eye. After reading it, I found the principles instantly useful for me to use at work. They can help anyone get motivated to get past the barriers that keep them from making changes to improve their health. Additionally, the book is short and to the point which is good for a busy Mom like myself.

Along with helping to build my motivation, this little book was straight to the point and very easy to read. In this short story, the author combines his personal experience, and research to convey the importance of motivation through how ready the person is to change their daily habits for the better. The author tells about the patients he encountered during an internship opportunity and how change (no matter how big or small) helped them become motivated to do better. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels as if small change wouldn't be significant in their life. This book would dramatically change their opinion and make them want to strive for a better lifestyle. The Sixty-Second Motivator offers its readers simple steps (referred to as "secrets") to follow through with their improvement. It was enjoyable to read and very eye opening!

I read this short book within a space of an hour. It is straight to the point, and is written in the style of a story. The author is a Physical Therapist and tells the story of when he was a student and he visited a senior Physical Therapist in a hospital as part of his training. He learned how to motivate someone within 60 seconds to undertake therapy by increasing importance + confidence in the patient. Although this book was essentially about how someone was able to increase his patients' motivation, this can also be applied to other areas of your life - for any goal. It is an easily understandable read and if you are looking for a way to increase motivation quick then look no further than this book.

This is a great book for anyone to learn about how to motivate yourself or others. It's in a very simple story format without a lot of exercises like other self-help books. Very good book - I highly recommend it to anyone that needs to know more about motivation.

"Everyone is in sales. No matter your title or profession, anyone who has succeeded at anything is an effective salesperson. You sell your knowledge. Talents, abilities, experiences, point of view, beliefs, values, and your enthusiasm daily."

Spiritual Tools for Successful Selling reminds the reader if you believe in what you do and allow yourself to be enthused about your job you will automatically be more successful. Too often money becomes the sole purpose of our work creating a cycle of stress, decreased enthusiasm about one's work, and reduced ability to perform. However, once the job becomes more about being present, helping others with their needs, and enjoying the experience, we naturally become less stressed, passionate, and creative about our work allowing success to follow naturally.

Sometimes we all need a little reminder that our chosen life work isn't just about money. Yes, money is pretty helpful to have but often we get so stressed about earning it that we never really get to enjoy the things we do have: our friends, our family, and others that we make connections with each day.

Lee Milteer's book, "Spiritual Power Tools for Successful Selling" has helped me greatly in my everyday life. As a small business owner and not a "professional salesman", it has helped me to put my marketing efforts in perspective. In my opinion, my business and myself are better for having read this book.

This book has a rather unusual, somewhat low-key approach toward sales expertise, but it is couched in such logical, practical, useful terms that it brings a different perspective to selling. Granted, it does emphasize the fact that one should like, or feel good, about whatever one sells, as though it was a joy and privilege to offer people something useful and desirable. The book offers specific guidance to this end. Lee Milteer, author of the previously well-received "Success is an Inside Job," makes a strong case for merging the spiritual aspects of one's life with a professional career. The rewards of such a merger, both personally and professionally, are worth examining. If anyone on your gift list is involved in sales or marketing, this could be a welcome offering.

Spiritual Power Tools is an amazing book that will keep you from every feeling rejected again in the business world. Lee Milteer encourages the reader to not take what others do personally. This book goes beyond the average self help-sales book to tell the reader how important it is to acknowledge your true nature, stay in integrity, use your imagination to create your own reality. This is a rare book of insight, wisdom and uplifting tools to assist anyone in the business world blend their own personal spiritual beliefs with the reality of the business world. After reading Lee Milteer's other books I can say that she continues to share the most practical and useful information in an easy to use format. Guaranteed to make you feel more successful.

This book is an inspiration! The more you read, the more motivated, enthusiastic and inspired you become. The book teaches you how to approach any situation positively so you will succeed!

I truly recommend this book to everyone, even if you are not directly in sales! You won't be disappointed.

Excellent book! It contains nutrition label and shopping information, menus and detailed menu planning. The recipes are quick and easy to make, and the meals nutritious and balanced. It has made my shopping excursions a breeze, by taking the guesswork of what I should buy to eat and live a healthy lifestyle! I highly recommend it!

It is time I write a review for this book. I weighed about 150 when I was in my early twenties. in my mid twenties to early thirties, I went up to 235. I wanted to lose weight for a long time, but didn't really know how.

This book starts by explaining the simple scientific truth: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The trick is to eat the right foods in the right amounts so you can do that and stay full enough to stay on a diet long enough to lose the weight you want.

My girlfriend and I started by using their recipes only. We used the meals in the supermarket cookbook, because it had pictures (I prefer cookbooks with pictures), and the meals were EXCELLENT. There was no reason they shouldn't be, they were steak, pastas, etc., using normal foods from the grocery store.

After about three weeks, we switched to just using the nutrition guidelines, but using what we had learned in the recipes/meals... high fiber, whole grains, etc.

The first few weeks were difficult... not because of hunger, but simply because we had to change a lot of habits... cook more, plan ahead, keep a journal of calories. But here is the fantastic thing: After those few weeks, when our habits had changed, we didn't notice we were on a diet at all! I was eating better and with more variety than I had been pre-diet, and I wasn't hungry. My girlfriend stuck to 1500 calories a day, me to 1800, as the book recommended. And these are skill I now have for life... I know how to eat healthily, and I can adjust my calorie intake and weight as needed, without pain. I am back to 165 and still dropping.

Of course, it wasn't the book alone. I had to make weight loss a priority. But honestly, one of the most difficult lessons I had to learn was that pain did NOT equal gain (or loss in this case). The weirdest thing was feeling like I was doing nothing, and reminding myself that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be. Every month, I would drop 12 pounds. I exercised too, but only in ways I enjoyed (they talk about sensible exercise as well). Mostly hiking up a hill near my house.

So, I obviously highly recommend this book! Oh, and my girlfriend lost 25, and is still going as well!

My husband and I travel a lot in a RV. This is an easy diet to follow as there is little clean up and not a lot of ingredients to buy. The diet is well rounded and satisfying. My husband was happy on it. (That's worth the price of the book) Also, Good Housekeeping has a great web site for support and ideas. It even has a version of this diet called "Convenience Food Diet". All frozen and prepared food lists. I don't want to think about cooking and menus when I diet. This diet is a no brainer!

I have never written a review about anything, but I love this diet so much that I wanted to share it with others. I trully love this diet and I have REALLY tried them all. I have never lasted more than a week on a diet until now. I don't feel food deprived, hungry, moody, my energy is slowly returning and I'm still in the early stages of the diet (first two weeks), and I have already lost a few pounds too. The book is well written, easy to understand, and most importantly easy to follow. The author makes it all so simple. You are provided a shopping list broken down into catagories which makes your store visit quick. The diet is presented a week at a glance, with menus and recipes - it is so organized!!! This diet is superb for those like myself who are super busy, don't like to really cook, and like to grab things to eat quickly. The recipes are so simple to make and quick - less than 20 minutes! If you make a recipe for dinner, you eat it the next day for lunch so there is little waste and there is plenty to share with others even after you take your portions. Since the author teaches you the basics to eating healthy, and shopping healthy, it is a life style change that is longterm. I trully am very pleased with this book and so glad that I purchased it. Good luck!

This book shows you how to live and diet with ordinary food. Common sense and smart shopping can really be fun and easy if you follow the guidelines in this book.

I love this book
Especially love the way it lays open flat when
so many are so hard to work with as they keep closing
Love the tabs for sections & the way the Author uses
more than one card design in examples
Highly recommend this to anyone loving tarot and
wanting a very well put together book heaped with
information
A+++++

This is a great book. I use it all the time, and I'm a professional tarot reader. It has good insight into the cards and gives alternative card meanings. I like the layout of the book too. It's a must have for anyone trying to learn the tarot meanings.

Firstly, I love the spiral-binding of this book! It is so handy and practical as I can examine my deck of cards without having to hold down a page. The book is also well-organised, and is divided into several sections:
How to use the book
Different decks, different influences
Tarot basics - history,symbolism, learning to trust the tarot, delving beneath the surface, illuminating our inner selves, more decks, more influences
The Major Arcana
The Minor Arcana - cups, wands, pentacles, swords
Preparing for a reading - choosing a pack, setting the scene, synchronicity & practice, reading for a friend
Case Histories - the Celtic Cross, the Three-Card Spread, the Horoscope Spread, the Triangle, the Star Spread, the Consequences Spread, the Five-Card Horseshoe Spread, Creating your own spread

And at the end there are lists of useful websites & books, and an index.

There are full-color illustrations of the different decks which is not just a visual treat but practical in enhancing one's interpretation.The different colored tabs for each section makes it easy to find the headings.

Overall, a great value for those interested in Tarot, and an invaluable asset for beginners.

I am very new to tarot and this book has taught me alot.

I often turn to this book when I can't make sense of a spread. It almost inevitably gives me a down-to-earth perspective. I also like that although it offers clarity, it does not give cut-and-dried silly predictions. I've found this sort of thing in other books -- most often in books that come with tarot card decks -- and they never fail to amuse.

The one complaint I do have is that there is apparently nothing offered about reversals. I tended to avoid them in my readings until I got a deck of round cards that would not allow me to do so. Since then, I've always been curious about reversals and have not been entirely satisfied with the wide variety of explanations I've found in books. Too bad this author doesn't offer opinions (if she did in the text prior to the card interpretations, I missed it).

Thin Within takes all the unnatural/unhealthy eating habits you may have developed over the years and gently, lovingly teaches you how to turn them into natural and healthy habits - while genuinely encouraging you in every chapter to eat & enjoy the foods you love! Thin Within is absolutely *not* a "diet" - rather, it teaches you how to recognize - and trust! - your body's own hunger signals, the following of which will lead you safely, easily and quickly to your ideal weight. I still marvel at how finding this book on a friend's shelf five years ago allowed me to release 75 pounds in six months, and how simple it has been for me to maintain this reduced weight. People who meet me now don't even suspect that I was ever overweight (yesterday a child of an old friend asked, "You were FAT? " after hearing us discuss my weight loss), though I had been - from mildly to morbidly - since the age of 7 (I'm now 26). Judy Wardell honestly respects and cares about her readers, and by writing Thin Within has generously shared the results of her years of research and practical experience in helping people develop intrinsically excellent eating habits. I give Thin Within my heartiest recommendation, and thank Judy Wardell for changing my life and preserving my health!

This book taught me the SIMPLE WISDOM of my OWN BODY. To trust what my body tells me. This is something that we are ALL BORN with but it gets beaten out of us as we grow by all of the adults in our lives saying, "this will make you fat", "that will make you fat" etc etc.

This book has helped me win my weight battle and helped me to be a better mom by allowing my kids to trust their own bodies!

I was obsessive about my weight from the time I was 10, when I started my first diet. At 18, after two years of bulimia, I found Thin Within. I have lived by the principles presented in this book for the past 24 years, and have NEVER dieted since. My weight has fluctuated by about 15 lbs. over the past 24 years, even after two pregnancies. When I recognize that I've gained weight, I just pay attention to these principles and address the issues in my life that are causing me to overeat, and the weight falls off. No worries, no obsessions, no diets, no counting calories or carbohydrates, just a simple paying attention to your body. As an extra bonus, the principles help you ENJOY the food you most love EVEN MORE. I have re-read this book a number of times, and continue to be amazed at how simple yet powerful the messages are.

If you can do what is in this book--and it's not hard, not a diet, no deprivation!--you will no longer have a weight problem. The most difficult part is to get out of your own way!

Thin Within: How to Eat and Live Like a Thin Person is the first and only book on the subject of weight control which worked for me. The book outlines a philosophy and program for living which does not separate the "overweight" person from the "thin" people. For the first time in my life, I have been able to consider myself to be someone who is healthy and attractively slim as a natural state of being, rather than as a result of putting forth extraordinary effort just to have the body that "normal" people have.

I am grateful to have this book to refer to on a regular basis. It has given me a kind of freedom with regard to weight control issues that I never thought would be possible. I very highly recommend it.

When I first came across this unique book about 10 years ago, I was quiet desperate. I had read probably 70+ books on the topic of weight loss and was ready to give up. As I read through the pages of Thin Within I knew I had finally found the true answer to permanent weight loss. It is so simple to follow because there is no diet! It's been over 10 years now and this no-nonsense approach to losing weight and keeping it off for good has never failed me. Buy it, you won't be sorry!

Lyle Leverich, a theatre artist himself, paints (with the participation of the late "Tom" himself) an intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait of the closest The United States has come to producing her own Shakespeare.

Tennessee Williams' ability to place passionate and visual poetry into the mouths of the commoner and gentry alike makes his work, in my opinion the finest ever produced by an American playwright. The towering and beautiful fragile characters of his plays combined with his devotion to the utter magic the physical theatre provides, allowed America through Tennessee Williams to finally place itself rightly next to Ibsen, Strinberg, Chekov and The Bard himself.

Of course "Tom" did not develop in a vacume and what Leverich provides here in this excellent biography wrapped in the guise of a psychological thriller worthy of so great an object, is a portrait of a man often crippled by acute sensitivity who saw the writing muse as a means for survival. Leverich manages to paint the man behind the myth, bring him down into a real space and time while also managing to lift him to the angels.

This is one of the greatest biographies ever written about a theatre artist- of which Williams was a supreme being. I, and many others, eagerly await volume two.

This is a very thorough, fact-filled biography - up to THE GLASS MENAGERIE of 1945. Leverich approaches his subject in a business-like manner, generally sacrificing artistic concerns for factual ones. Some of these interesting facts include:

Williams spent his childhood with his grandparents in Clarksdale, MS
Went to the U. of Missouri to study journalism
Hated his father till the end of his life when he learned his mother was actually "the villain"
Often broke
His sister was schizo, like Blanche in STREETCAR
Loved to swim
His homosexual lifestyle was pretty sordid
Met D.H. Lawrence in Taos
Laurette Taylor, star of GLASS MENAGERIE on Broadway, was ill on opening night and would be throwing up while off stage during the performance

Anyone interested in Tennessee Williams will find much to think about and be fascinated with in this biography. Recommended.

This is a wonderfully done book. I feel I've lived in "Tom's" shoes and appreciate who he was and the struggles he faced. It's a loving portrait that doesn't shy away from the honest details of the life of the young Tennessee. I hope the sequel that's to take us from the Glass Menangerie to the end of Tennessee's life comes out soon----I'll be waiting!!!

This was the most interesting biography I have ever read. I found that I was even reading the footnotes and bibliography!

The book begins with a delve into Tennessee Williams' genealogy (including a chart, which I referred to frequently while reading the book). The author goes on to describe Tennesee's formative years, home life, and young-adulthood. The book takes the reader up through Tennessee's overwhelming success with "The Glass Menagerie."

I found the book (and, therefore, Tennessee Williams) so interesting that I began researching Williams' works and also his favorite writers (Hart Crane, DH Lawrence). I call a biography a complete success that could have such an effect as it has on me.

I look forward to the next edition, though I wonder if it will ever be in print.

Meticulously researched and sensitively written, this book is the definitive biography of Tennessee Williams, even though it only covers the period up to the beginning of his success. I haven't found any others that can rival its quality. The depth and detail are unsurpassed in Leverich's finely crafted portrait, revealing the many facets of one of America's greatest playwrights. As a "theater person," Leverich brings a special authority to his work, infusing it with expert analysis and theatrical history. A really great read!

The Wal-Mart behemoth-beast's unchecked onslaught on our landscapes and local economies continues, but now there is more help to at least momentarily stymie the beast. With small victories here and there (the meatcutters' union win, for one, and that decision rendered right there in ARKANSAS, no less), this is one of the books that shows how we can be as good a friend to Wal-Mart as that it is to us, and we can learn from that very intelligent, mutating virus. This book helps a person think about retailing in the shadow of Wal-Mart the way an FBI profiler thinks about a criminal. It's not fighting fire with fire, but learning the weapons of the opponent and then thinking beyond them, to a more advanced level. It's an escalating fight. But it's a fight the little guy will win because Wal-Mart is now TOO big. The little guy is far more agile.
Learned about this book at sprawl-busters.com, a very helpful site (Al Norman's book is great as well!).

Don Taylor and Jeanne Smalling Archer explain how to prosper "in the shadow of the retail giants." This is quite literally a "how to" manual, filled with hundreds of specific examples, suggestions, strategies, and cautions which can be of substantial benefit to literally any small-to-midsize retail operation which is currently struggling to survive and then succeed. Of course, the David and Goliath metaphor is invoked. The co-authors stress the importance of courage, ten survival strategies, and "about 500 stones." (David needed only one well-placed stone. Today, he would need more "ammunition" because there are so many different "giants" to conquer. It is worth noting that David did not wrestle Goliath.) Interestingly, the "Big Three" (Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target) all opened their first stores in 1962. They were not the first discounters but they had learned a great deal from pioneers such as Ann and Hope, Korvettes, Zayres, Arlands, and Gibson's. Once "Davids" themselves, they eventually became "Goliaths", demonstrating (in process) the importance of the ten strategies which are examined in Up Against the Wal-Marts.

The authors organize the material according to three overriding themes: change, improve, and succeed. In the 1990s, change has been the only constant. Improvement is not an option; it is an imperative. With regard to success, the co-authors leave their reader with this final statement: "Many small businesses are going to be successful competing with the giants, and we can't think of any reason why yours shouldn't be one of them."

I can see that this book may have added value in 1994, but it is entirely out-dated at this point. The copywrite itself is from 1994, and the examples are dated back to that point. I am interested in seeing if the customer examples they list are actually still in business. Although I am sure they are, the techniques recommended in this book are only 1/2 the story for a modern day business. Perhaps the authors could update the book, with new statistics for the Wal-Mart's of the world, along with strategies to succeed on the Internet. It is a little strange to read a book that talks about how important it is to fax, and to trim phone bills by dialing after 11pm... as I said, this book is for the dinosaurs.

The Wal-Mart behemoth-beast's unchecked onslaught on our landscapes and local economies continues, but now there is more help to at least momentarily stymie the beast. With small victories here and there (the meatcutters' union win, for one, and that decision rendered right there in ARKANSAS, no less), this is one of the books that shows how we can be as good a friend to Wal-Mart as that it is to us, and we can learn from that very intelligent, mutating virus. This book helps a person think about retailing in the shadow of Wal-Mart the way an FBI profiler thinks about a criminal. It's not fighting fire with fire, but learning the weapons of the opponent and then thinking beyond them, to a more advanced level. It's an escalating fight. But it's a fight the little guy will win because Wal-Mart is now TOO big. The little guy is far more agile.
Learned about this book at sprawl-busters.com, a very helpful site (Al Norman's book is great as well!).

I have no relationship with anyone connected with this book - it just sounds like I do. We stumbled across this book- and have now bought more than 12 copies for our key staff over three years. IT IS the BEST TRAINING BOOK for RETAIL MANAGERS I HAVE EVER SEEN. Whoops - sorry I get excited - but you get my point.

It is NOT about Wal-Mart - it is about being smart in operating your own business - and when you are smart - you have a much better chance of success.

Every chapter is solid with good info -- no fluff.

Try it

This was the first chapter book I ever read by myself. It was a great adventure. It is about a family of black pioneers. I was sad in the beginning when I read that the Muldie boys' Mom had died on their way west. When they made their first friend out west, and learned to make a dugout, the story began to get exciting. My favorite part was when they made friends with a group of Native Americans. Later, the three Muldie boys traveled over a hundred miles on their own to find their father on his new homestead. I was thrilled to read on the back page that my first reading adventure was based on a true story. I would recommend this adventure to any new reader.

You should read Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner and it is historical fiction. The Muldie boys and their dad were going to the West. They came to Kentucky to make their wood house. In Kentucky, it was a free land. One day the Muldie boys' dad went to find a new place to build a new house. It is a good book because the Muldie boys try to find their dad. It makes me feel very happy to read the book because it was historical fiction. I learned about the Homestead Act and I learned that you can help each other.

This novel is about an African American family who moves from Kentucky to Nicodemus, Kansas during the time of westward expansion. The father left his sons in Nicodemus, while he went on to find a place for them to settle, the children followed. The family has a positive encounter with Native Americans, who give them food during the harsh winter. The family experiences a prairie fire, wild animals. This easy-to-read yet adventurous story about boys of various ages would work well with the informational book about Nicodemus.

The main idea of Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner is how the Muldie boys survived when their father went to find free land. The book is historical fiction. The Muldie boys went to look for their father because their dad went to find a place to live better. The important events are that the Muldie boys and their father went to find free land. The Indians helped the Muldie boys by giving them food to eat. I like the book because it was interesting. It was based on a true story. It was good and made me want to read it again. I learned that families help each other when they have a problem.

Another great offering from the "I Can Read Book" series. This book is also a Reading Rainbow Book, and it is a true story!

My kids loved the fact this amazing little story about black pioneers in 1878 is true. Considering that I used to have qualms leaving them alone in the house while I went to our mailbox at the end of our pipestem, they find it fascinating that three boys (8, 11, and 3) were left alone while their father went further west to find a good piece of land to settle. Then he sends a letter with a map and tells them to come find him 150 miles away - which they do. Simply amazing.

Straightforward writing, simple sentences, my 1st and 2nd graders loved it.