Sales Books

Shipley Proposal Guide is an outstanding resource for the rookie as well as the seasoned proposal manager!

I'm starting from scratch. I've been on the side line helping but never managing the proposal activity. When the day came to be the Proposal Manager I turned to an expert and was refered to Shipley's Guide. What a time saver. Everything in one place and easy to understand. Major or minor proposal is no different--The guidance in Shipley's can be tailored. Get it! Best investment you can make.

Shipley Associates has hit another grand slam! The third edition is a must-own, must-read, must-keep-on-your-desk, one-stop-general-and-specific resource for any serious business development, capture management or proposal professional who wants to "kick it up another notch!" The clearly stated messages are underscored by textual and graphic examples that reinforce the written word. It is very easy to use because it is organized alphabetically, printed on quality heavy-duty paper, and bound with spirals that ensure the book remains open at your page of interest. Use the principles in this book and tailor them to your enterprise and you will win/capture more business at lower cost, reduce your risks, and increase your profits.

Great book. It helps very much when submitting quotes to the Federal Government, in response to RFQ's and RFP's.

I recently joined the small business world, having left Northrop Grumman after 25 years and joining my wife's woman-owned, 8(a) small business doing consulting and training in project management and systems engineering. As a result, I now write proposals (among other efforts), and The Shipley Associates Proposal Guide is without question THE BEST proposal guide I have found thus far. I first bought Tom Sant's "Persuasive Business Proposals", and I liked it, but it doesn't come close to the value this book brings (I also have a couple of others as well, which I have used for comparison purposes).

The layout of the material is excellent, making it a ready-reference for casual use also. There are many different examples, best practices, and suggestions that are very helpful, even for small businesses. I also like the way the book is bound - it's a plastic spiral-bound hard cover, which makes it so that you can easily lay the book open (flatter) on a desk.

The interesting thing is, I liked the book enough that if I get the chance, I may take the class they offer (especially if they ever bring it to Hampton Roads, VA). If the book is this good, the class surely must be of value as well.

Well-organized and clearly worded, this book also includes a lot of visual examples and cues that help the reader. I really appreciated the use of guidelines accompanied by explanatory text and examples. Having managed a proposal center for a defense contractor, it was evident that the author has a lot of practical experience to share with the reader. I think this is one of the best texts available on this topic and anyone who responds to federal RFPs should find this book very helpful.

Even if you don't agree with the conclusions of the authors, this book is a 'must-read'! The authors lay out a very convincing argument for the validity of their 'Simplicity' approach to marketing, and the recommendations they make to encorporate the simplicity message in your own marketing, (or otherwise) plans are straightforward and well thought out. I have found the material to be compelling and easy to read, with just enough graphics to add value without clutter. (It seems that even while writing the book, the authors to care to embody the message through the medium!) The materials in the book can be applied to a number of areas in both business and personal life to increase your 'value', and I highly recommend this!

"Simplicity Marketing" rings particularly true in the most developed economies around the world. Businesses and consumers are often overwhelmed with the complexity of choosing goods and services available to them, many products are full of functions and features that only a small minority of users will ever utilize. To end the prevalent brand complexity, clutter, and confusion denounced above, Steven M. Cristol and Peter Sealey offer their audience four strategies called the 4 R's: Replace, Repackage, Reposition, and Replenish. Cristol and Sealey apply each of the 4R's to a multitude of situations in which the life of businesses and consumers can be made it easier at the profit of marketers cognizant of the importance of stress reduction, simplicity, and convenience. Cristol and Sealey correctly point out that only few companies are ultimately insulated from the 4 R's imperative. Cristol and Sealey also rightly draw the attention of their readers to the fact that the 4R's must be integrated into the brand and product strategy so that the product offered is perceived as part of the solution to the growing complexity of people's lives.

Even if you don't agree with the conclusions of the authors, this book is a 'must-read'! The authors lay out a very convincing argument for the validity of their 'Simplicity' approach to marketing, and the recommendations they make to encorporate the simplicity message in your own marketing, (or otherwise) plans are straightforward and well thought out. I have found the material to be compelling and easy to read, with just enough graphics to add value without clutter. (It seems that even while writing the book, the authors to care to embody the message through the medium!) The materials in the book can be applied to a number of areas in both business and personal life to increase your 'value', and I highly recommend this!

There have been a lot of bad books written about marketing especially for technologists. This is the one shinning light in the category.

It is as much a thesis for life as it is for the way you run your marketing and sales worlds. Having read the book twice, once for practical and once for pleasure the book is an excellent combination of examples, ripe for metaphor and theory.

As a head of strategy for a leading e services company this book was well worth my time and the time of all our senior managers. The four "R's" are the best way to simplify a horribly complicated world.

If I could give six stars I would

An excellent resource for anyone deeply interested in marketing, considering a new business model, or developing a new product.

Finally, marketing professionals who will intelligently embrace and (with ease) outline "repackaging" and "replenishing" strategies. These sections made the book worth the price for me.

The only drawback(s) with the book (though I gave it a full 5 stars), are the case studies. Too many of the online grocers are performing poorly in the marketplace to rely on them as standards, whether or not their marketing strategies are exciting and workable.

This book is perfect for a first six sigma book.
There are no negative points.

It is amazing book for study six sigma. Good explanations and practical examples in combination with Minitab software. For those who are dedicated in learning six sigma, this book can offer enough information and practice.

I was surprised by the well balanced and complete coverage of the Six Sigma methodology from DMAIC, including managerial steps, all the way to statistics up through Design of Experiments. The all inclusive topics seem to parallel full Black Belt training. I would expect green belts to be offered selections from the book in a standard course. I would say no other book has this "textbooky" look and feel (that is not meant as a criticism). At the end of chapters find Minitab instructions including screen shots. The material is well written, hence understandable, hence I think this is one of the best overall introductions to the subject without slamming the reader with high levels of mathematical theory.

I think this book is an excellent resource for experienced Six Sima managers. However, if you want to buy this book as a study guide for the SSGB certification test, or as an introduction to Six Sigma, it isn't going to help you out much. I guess my lowered rating is due to the fact that the book didn't meet my expectations as it was described on the Amazon site.

This book was well worth my time and money! Being a Six Sigma beginer, I found this book to be easy to follow and comprehend.

Explained is the DMAIC process model, Voice of Customer (VOC), Voice of Process (VOP)and Design of Experements (DOE) in clarifying detail. Best of all, it includes step-by-step explanations of project experiments and the statistical analyses from the expereiments using Minitab 14!

Whether you want to learn the basics of the Six Sigma process (Chapters 1-8) and / or basic Six Sigma statistical tools and methods (Chapters 9-15), I highly recommend this book!

Note: Minitab 14 (Statistical software)is free for 30 days and the associated minitab-formatted excercise worksheets are down-loadable from the publisher's website.

Elinor Stutz makes it easy to make cold calls (or any calls) with her warm, personable writing. With clear instructions and great stories, she illustrates the various parts of the sales cycle, leading up to the dreaded "close" - which is not to dread at all! If you have any fear or reluctance around the selling process, or you know anyone who does, please get this book for them.

Reviewed by Cynthia Baute for Reader Views (4/06)

As someone who has worked in sales related jobs for my entire professional career, I've read several books dealing with sales. Hence, I opened this new book, "Smooth Selling: A quick course in building relationships," with a mindset already skeptical that it could impart anything new. Sales is a long standing profession, and sales-related books and information sources abound.

"Smooth Selling," written by Elinor Stutz, has succeeded in bringing to light both sales-related revelations and reminders that enable the reader to focus in and become successful. Through a technique that combines personal stories followed by directly related and insightful morals of the story, the book succeeds in imparting over three hundred key points.

In one of my favorite examples, Stutz describes going to visit an irate customer that has refused to do any further business with her company, only to find that the machines that have been causing problems were provided by her competitor.

The only issue I can take with the book is the overly positive spin on the outcomes of every story. I'm forced to think that in real life, sometimes even the very best salesperson can't turn a bad situation around, and I didn't find a lot of information on the lessons that can be taken from these situations. But then, it is a book about sales, not overcoming failures. Kudos to Stutz for finding a new and engaging take on an old topic.

Smooth Selling is more than a guide to improved success in sales. This delightfully refreshing read, which may have you both in laughter and in tears, creates a whole new climate around the sales process, a culture of consideration, dignity, humility, and grace. Author Elinor Stutz shows you from her warm, evocative, and often poignant stories that you're not alone out there. Elinor has been there, and taking your hand, helps you chart your course with a few special tactics, enabling you to experience the measurably enhanced success you deserve. Straight from the trenches, and into your heart, Elinor will help you make your sales transactions a win for all concerned, every time.

"Smooth Selling" is filled with tips to help new and experienced sales persons and business owners succeed. Every chapter is laced with examples from Stutz's 13 year sales career. The author doesn't hesitate to share fantastic successes and some strategic missteps that really bring home her message that customer service before, during and after the sales process are key to meeting and exceeding your sales goals and getting referrals from satisfied customers. The list of sales tips at the end of each chapter means I will refer to "Smooth Selling" time and again to sharpen my sales skills.

The book is a great blend of entertainment and practical advice on how to sell.

The book covers the entire sales cycle with easy to follow tips for both the experienced and novice sales person. Every phase of the sales cycle is covered with tips on how to improve your results.

The book also has entertaining anticdotes from Elinor's experience and how she handled difficult situations.

It's an essential read for anyone in sales.

service throughout the day, throughout the month, throughout the year....100 stories of giving...the notes at the end of each story to jump into service in your community are a link to giving. .My favorite story was Christmas in April---I must admit I cheered for Frances as she conquered the steps--I read later that she and the writer are enthusiastic pen pals...what inspiration. Thank you to the 100 stone soup writers. You gave me a taste of who inspires you.

......one of the chapters in this book, these stories reflect movements that we should let sweep the nation!!!! Read and be inspired...told simply, the 90+ writers for this book brought these community heroes home....

such a pleasure to read these stories... such an opportunity for all involved with the project to share their words...you never know, maybe someone was inspired to do something today...by simply reading...as long as Stone Soup for the World is available to America's youth we know we have a bright future ahead... My favorites: The Forgiveness Party, Table for 6 Billion Please, and Peace for Their Grandchildren....and there are 97 more to read and pass on....

On occasion one of those books comes along that I can't put down. This collection of short (3 - 5 pages each) true stories are of people about whom, after I have read the story, I consistently say, "Why didn't I know that before reading this?" This book is truly an insight into past and current history through the prism of what stirs the heart and spirit.

Stone Soup for the World is a set of 100 stories about compassion and volunteerism. From the intro by Colin Powell to the story of Ms.Larned's young brother, the whole book was a joy to read. I especially loved the Nelson Mandela and Paul Newman stories. This book has stirred me to be a better person and to help others. I recently walked in honor of my aunt who passed away from cancer and raised money doing it. It felt good just as these stories felt good. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to people from 9 to 99.

Very well written book!
If you are involved in sales this book will be of great
value to you and your organization!I especially liked michael
Zabecs approched to soft selling"no pressure" sales. The day
of hard selling is over,the public is more educated with in home
sales people and have ability to distinguish the difference
between a "sales pitch" and the presentation of a quality product!
This book will teach you the steps necessary to sell in a professional non threatening manner.This is a book that all sales professionals should keep close by!If your not on top of your game-"Read the book"
It has helped me stay focused-getting back to the basics of selling.

It may very well help you also!

As someone who has also read numerous sales books, I agree that this book is a gem. It has great practical advise to serve your customers and your bottom line with integrity.

It breaks down the sales process into an understandable science that's easy to implement. I highly recommend this book to anyone who's serious about having a long and prosperous sales career.

Very well written book!
If you are involved in In Home Sales,this book will be of great value to you.I especially liked Mike Zabec's approach to soft selling, "no pressure" sales.The day of the hard sell is over. The public is more educated with In-Home sales people,and have the ability to distingush the difference between a "sales pitch", and the presentation of a quality product. This book will teach you the steps necessary to sell in a professional non-threatening manner.
This is a book that all sales professionals should keep close by.If you are not on top of your game- read the book. It has helped me stay focused-getting back to the basics of selling.It very well may help you also.

Wow!
Consider this a sales bible for in-home-selling! I just breezed through this book and even used a yellow high lighter for references.This is a must read for sales people who close in the home.Mike Zabec left no stone unturned while preaching honesty & ethics along the way. Business associates & friends have echoed the same sentiments.
Sincerely,
Nick Chirigos

In the 31 years of direct sales, I've read just about all the books. Some by famous authors and some by not so famous authors. What makes's Zabec's book different is that he has accumulated years of Industry "lore" and "methodology" and put into an amazingly simple form. The fault of most how-to books is that they rely on stories and histories. Zabec's book tells you in easy to understand terms WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY! Unlike most authors who spend their time writing, Zabec's Bio tells us he is still in the middle of the action. Teaching and selling!

Most experienced sales people have a personal system. It takes a very special sales person to become a teacher. Zabec has clearly put his system into usable form for everyone. I salute him! I recommend this book to any aspiring sales star!

Books written by people who have gone beyond merely mastering their craft are always fascinating. I had to find my copy used, unfortunately, but I will have it on my shelf for the rest of my life. If art classes were taught seriously, this would be 1 of 3 important texts.

Many of us procrastinate because we can't "see" where we're going. We can't imagine it. But everyone has an imagination that can be brought to play. But how? Think with a pencil. Yes!

For those of us who are visual learners, this very straight-forward book on drawing is a wonder.

Often what holds us back from going forward on a journey is our inability to show someone where we want to go with a concept.

This elementary instruction offers the encouragement that makes it possible to seal a concept on a napkin.

With practice, such handy visualization comes easier and communication much more thoughtful.

Highly recommended.

In the field of rapid visualisation, there are only two books I would often recommend to others:

For left-brainers, i.e. people who are naturally logic-oriented: get hold of 'Thinking with a Pencil' by Henning Helms;

For right-brainers, i.e. people who are naturally creative &/or imagination-oriented: get hold of 'Rapid Viz' by Kurt Hanks;

Both books cater to all those who wish to use a simple drawing as a tool for thought & communication. They explain how to draw &/or sketch quickly as well as how to use graphic illustration as a thinking tool & as a means of organising & presenting ideas on paper. This, in a nut shell, is essentially the process of rapid visulaisation.

The only difference between the two books lies in their approach to the process, even though both have a free-hand style.

'Thinking with a Pencil' has a more structured approach, with a slant toward technical drawing. It has almost 700 technical illustrations.

'Rapid Viz' has a more free-form or creative approach, with a emphasis on speed & simplicity. In essence, it's more wholistic in terms of the process. It has some 900 illustrations & is also packed with ideas, games, puzzles & exercises to guide the reader.

As an engineer by training, I have owned the first book since the late sixties & the latter book since the early eighties. During my engineering days, the first book has been my field guide.

I have found that both books are written for the novice in mind. They provide easy-to-follow step by step instructions.

They are the only two true classics in the field!

Thinking with a Pencil is the best book I have read on how to make your concepts into recognizable sketches that can convey your ideas to other people. You do not need to know how to draw to use Nelms's ideas. I had a copy of this book, gave it to a graphic artist, and now want another one myself. Please, publisher, reprint it again.

...this is the sort of book that causes its readers to long for it well after it has been loaned to a friend for good. Once you break through the "I'm not a drawing sort of person" wall with teh helpful advice of Henning Nelms, you are empowered to communicate your thoughts in a more powerful way.

I would love to see this book back in print, or in a new edition that extends the concepts to the digital age and teaches us also to "Draw with a Digital Pencil."

Great. Clancy's three best books in one. Impossible to put down as you never know what is going to happen next.

This book has three excellent titles in one. A must buy and a great price too.

There certainly seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to how they throw together Tom Clancy novels together in these collections. Here we have the 3rd, 5th and 6th of Clancy's novels, which are the 2nd, 4th and 5th of the Jack Ryan novels (except that while "Patriot Games" was written 2nd it actually takes place before the "1st" Jack Ryan novel, "The Hunt for Red October"--are you taking notes?). However, the two common denominators are that of the first six Clancy novels these three are the three better ones and that all three books have been turned into films.

"Patriot Games" explains why the English keep calling Ryan "Sir John" in "The Hunt for Red October." I always fancied that Clancy had written this novel first (or, at least had the idea for the story first), but that having Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth be characters in a fictional novel was frowned upon; however, I consider the relationship between the Ryans and the Royals to be one of the most compelling aspects of the novel. Certainly "Patriot Games" shows a great leap forward in Clancy's writing style. The novel literally begins with a bang as Ryan thwarts an attack by a I.R.A. splinter group. What happens afterwards brings him into the fold of the C.I.A. The ending of the novel, decidedly different from that of the film version, refutes the idea that Clancy is a reactionary conservative.

"Clear and Present Danger" presents a scenario that remains one of the most attractive as a real world solution to a continuing problem, namely the use of the U.S. military to put the Columbian drug cartels out of business. The problem, of course, is that the President decides to make this a covert mission, which provides ample opportunity for things to go too far. This is the novel that introduces Ding Chavez to John Clark, and Clark to Ryan for that matter. In terms of the characters in the Jack Ryan novels, "Clear and Present Danger" is the one that probably has the most resonance with the rest of the series. Much is made of the way Clancy incorporates cutting edge technology into his narratives, but his strength has always been his characters. There is no better example of this aspect than in the beginning of "Clear and Present Danger," when Clancy introduces us to the character of Red Wegener with such wonderful detail that we are surprised to discover he ends up being a minor character in the novel.

"The Sum of All Fears" is one of Clancy's novels where you certainly hope that he is not prescient. Middle Eastern terrorists get a hold of a nuclear weapon and decide to detonate it at the Super Bowl. However, this is not a simple act of terrorism but part of a larger game that seeks to have the United States and the Soviet Union skip over a return to the Cold War and go right for a nuclear exchange. Meanwhile, Jack Ryan is caught in the switches as a new president comes into office and his National Security Advisor wants our hero's head on a platter. When the bomb detonates events escelate beyond the speed of those on both sides to process the information and make decisions than hurtle the world towards oblivion.

As always, you are urged to read all of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels in order even though what we have here qualifies as the essence of the first part of the Jack Ryan saga. After this point, following an interlude with the first John Clark novel, we move from Jack Ryan the CIA years to Jack Ryan the White House years. Although his recent novels have seen like they were written by rote, these three novels will more than evidence why Clancy has a devote following who love to consume his massive tomes as soon as they come out in hardback.

This product contains three of the most action packed novels by Tom Clancy: Patriot Games, a book about Irish terrorists bent on killing Jack Ryan, which is far superior to the movie; Clear and Present Danger, which is deeper than the movie, but slower moving, and The Sum of All Fears, which is destined to the theater, has a plot of peace in the Middle East and an excellent ending. Well worth the price.

For sentimental reasons only, I view 'Hunt For Red October' as Clancy's best book, but these 3 cannot be far behind, especially 'Clear & Present Danger' and 'The Sum Of All Fears'. Absolutely riviting novels that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clancy truly has his finger squarely on the pulse of what is going on in the world -- or what COULD go on.

'Patriot Games' is a phenomenal story of revenge from an IRA Terrorist who's plot to assassinate Charles & Di is thwarted by Jack Ryan, who is completely unaware of the horrific consequences of his actions. GREAT read.

'Clear & Present Danger' is a VERY complicated story of the war on drugs and a few people in high places making some pretty rash decisions that creates a completely incredible situation and Clancy ties it all together in one of his all-time best stories. Highly recommended.

'The Sum Of All Fears' is another Clancy rocket-of-a-novel with many plots and sub-plots, all of which are tied neatly together in the end revolving around a few middle-eastern bad guys who get their dirty fingers on an actual Israeli atomic bomb, converting it into a thermo-nuclear device, and their plans of actually using it on American soil. A true Clancy masterpiece.

All three of these books are worth buying, but if you can manage to grab this particular book with ALL of them, do NOT hesitate, just DO IT! Any Clancy fan worth his/her salt cannot call their collection complete without this. Just hours and hours of absolute thrilling reading.

I found this book to be very thoughtful specific to the email marketing space. From beginning to end it's logically stated and proven. His examples are endless and really get you thinking. It's on my recommended books to read for anyone wanting to get started or take their email mktg to the next level.

Not many practise examples . However very good in terms of marketing & promotion .

If you are looking for the "success guide" in email marketing this book covers it all. From Spam Compliance to ROI the Truths, all are highly relevant and easy to follow.

When someone mentions email marketing the first thing that tends to pop into our head is spam. We all hate spam and are inundated with spam on a daily basis. Just the notion of becoming an email marketing expert is offensive.

With this said, like me, you probably have a variety of email newsletters or company updates that come to your inbox everyday. Often they are full of valuable information, tips, discounts, etc. Moreover, they are extremely convenient. Really these newsletters and company updates hey are just about the furthest thing from spam.

This is what true email marketing is about: building newsletters and company updates that are useful to those who want to receive them. The Truth about Email Marketing not only gives some tips about how to send great content but also how to make sure that these important resources aren't at all spam-like and that only those who want the information receives it.

this is a phenomonal resource and a must read for everyone currently in or entering this space. I would recommend this to everyone and I have actually purchased extra copies of thisbook to give away.

A great book to have on the shelf.. Easy read, wonderful resource. I can't say enough.

I obtained this book when it first came out in print. If you read the introduction, you will discover that the author was a war correspondent assigned to U Boats during WWII and took thousands of pictures while accompanying a U-Boat on at least three war patrols. In the 60's he discovered a box of undeveloped 35mm films in his attic taken during these voyages. The author had them developed, high-graded what he had, and using them, produced "U-Boat War". This book, in my opinion, is the best documentary of what it was like to be part of a U-Boat crew on a war patrol.

Pictures portray the boredom of "frigging around", looking for prey and then the chaos of depth charge attacks after a successful attack. You are literally inside the submarine with the crew enduring the terror of the escorts' attack and then, having survived, enjoying the after-action celebration. The pictures and the narrative are spectacular.

If you have seen the movie of Das Boot, you will be amazed at the similarity between the physical attributes of the actors in the movie to the actual officers and crew of the U-Boat in "U Boat War". This documentary is a must for any serious student of the U-Boat war during WW II and is also a very easy read.

Das Boot, again in my opinion, is one of the best U-Boat novels and movies to depict the many facets of Germany's untersee boots in World War II and this documentary provides credibility to the accuracy of the the author's novel. Read this book, follow it with reading "Das Boot and the movie.

I was knocked over by Das Boot when it first appeared in the theater and it prompted me to hunt down the book. Though I usually find the original book superior to the film, in this case I was not as impressed, I suspect the fault may have been a lackluster translation.

Years later I ran across this book by the same author in a used book store and picked it up. It is a treasuretrove of factual material on which he based his semi-autobiographical novel. The amazing photos and the engaging text combine to create an experience that will leave the reader astonished at the hardships these men and boys had to endure. Sadly, it now seems to be out of print. I hope someone sees fit to issue a new edition one day... the book is quite unique and should be available.

There is no comparable record of the war at sea - especially the U-Boat war at sea, if only because no similar collection of photographs exist. The author, who was not a submariner, was ordered to join the crew of a U-Boat and to bring back photographs for propaganda purposes. Very soon he became appalled by what he saw and, using his unlimited stocks of film, began to photograph everything around him. Eventually he secreted away over 5,000 photographs until the war was over.

More than 200 of those photographs are reproduced here as Buchheim takes us on a journey that is no joy-ride. Instead it is a blow by blow account of the lives of men inside their tin coffins who's only real orders were to kill or be killed. It is an incredible account of war inside a U-Boat and an excellent read.

NM

For anyone who is interested in the history of submarines, submarine warfare, and WW2 specifically this book is a must. The photos in it take you into the heart of the depths along the crew. The text is well written and enhances the what the photos show. Reading through the book made me count my blessings, and ideology aside it will make you respect the men who served in the U-Boats.

The English translated text is very good. The original book title was 'U-Boot Krieg." However, I believe the authors anti-war views after WWII detract from the epic story of U-96 and its captain and crew. The photos taken during WWII are excellent for the time and the conditions under which they were shot. Especially, the photos of the meeting of U-boats during the Atlantic Storm. The two conning towers appear and disappear between the Atlantic swells and valleys. It makes you wonder how these little boats could ever survive the elements, let alone a depth charge attack from a British Corvette or a U.S. Destroyer. In addition, You get an insight as to how the crew and captain handle being the hunted. The 29 year old captain, Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, was a man of steel who earned the respect and confidence of his crew. The crew placed their lives and fortunes into his abilities to out fox the enemy. He was one of the very few U-boat captains to survive WWII. He was born on December 11, 1911, and died on April 18, 1986, in Bremen, Germany. If you are interested in U-boats and want to see what it was like to be onboard in time of war, then this book is for you! ...