Professional Books

Excellent resourse for those parents who's children are strong willed. Helps you to disipline without loosing your temper. Recomend for all parents.

"I love, love, love this book. I love it so much I wrote to the editors of our local paper recommending it to everyone who is a parent, a teacher, a caregiver, anyone who works with children. I have worked with children; running children's programs, working in the school system, raising my own children and now working as a nanny for two school aged children, for over thirty years. I've taken many courses, read many books on working, raising and helping children and this book is the best, bar none. I have given it to all friends and family having children, recommended it to friends who are teachers who love it, even the family I work for has read it, and it's so great to have a resource that's respectful and helps you raise courteous and responsible children. I feel it should be in every parent's library. I can't recommend it enough. Theresa, Calgary, Alberta, Canada P.S. I will continue to buy more copies to give to others, I may set a record.

I'm half way through the book, but starting incorporating the discipline tools as I went along...
This book has literally changed my life!
I'm less angry, less stressed, less frustrated, and so are my children!(ages 6 and 3). Respect works!
I highly recommended this book!!

This is an excellent reference book. It's written by a mother of five and deals with everyday parenting issues faced by parents of children of all ages. It contains not only highly helpful tips but also provides a framework for parenting.

This is the best book I have ever read on parenting. While it needs some copy editing and an index, the information it contains is so well informed, so practical, so honest, that it is truly indispensable. I would love to give this book to every expectant parent in the world (I hope it will be translated into other languages). The author explains which parenting techniques work best and why. There are disciplinary examples for every occasion and every age group. She explains each stage of child development so you can understand what can be expected of a child at each age. She demonstrates why every disciplinary action that builds your relationship with your child is a successful method and every action that diminishes that relationship is detrimental. Parents can't be perfect, but this book will give them the tools to do their best. I wish I'd had this book 40 years ago, but at least I've given a copy to my daughter for raising her children. (My daughter loves it, too.)

Exceptional. Damon does a wonderful job explaining ideas and concepts in great deal with fun, true-to-life stories that are real and applicable to anyone's life journey. He shares his intellectual thoughts in a clear, concise manner that is easy to follow and will make you want to keep reading.

No bells and whistles or complicated, superficial language. This book is straight forward and if followed is sure to bring success to its readers! I have not read a book in some time (and very few) from the perspective of a person who is realistic and focused on the true tools to achieve. I will be purchasing one of these books for every athlete I know as well as struggling professionals. If at such an age this man has this much wisdom, it would be a sin not to share. If I were you, I wouldn't let another day go by without this information...this is if you truly want to succeed, or just want to sit around and talk about how you "wish" you could. Buy it today!

Excellent! I really needed this type of book in high school and college. His personal stories about his personal struggles were amazingly insightful. Everyone can relate to this book! This book is great! plain and simple!

It's about time someone writes a book that truly reveals the importance of perserverance. Not only for young black males but everyone. I kind of relate this book to a recent convention I watched on CSPAN. Bill Cosby was speaking At the Rainbow Coalition convention on CSPAN, during this speach he talked about people being overcomers, especially the African-American community. But he explained somehow over the years African-Americans have started to point the finger and make excuses. Rev Jesse Jackson who I am not a big fan made an interesting point that young athletes succeed in athletics because of the training, discipline and preparation but when it comes to education young people specifically young athletes do not have the same approach, therefore they do not experience the same level of success. Point being people succeed because of their level of will power, preparation and discipline which this book explains perfectly. This book "Don't stop the Swagger" is wonderful it actually gives the needed mindset to succeed in not only education, but in athletics, business and beyond. This book is required reading for all people not just athletes. Damon J Smith's website is excellent! Just type "iswagger" in the search engine. This is the type of material we need in our educational system.

"Don't Stop the swagger is a great read! it gives an interesting relationship between corporate moguls and professional athletes. This is a must read for all athletes young and old. But the Author's personal stories can relate to anyone from all walks of life. It's refreshing to see an athlete who can really write and articulate a message that anyone can learn from. The last chapter titled "Inner Man" is honest, thought provoking and different than anything I have read. This is a must read for all people! In the Second portion of this book he talks about essential career skills. He actually breaks career into an acronym meaning: C for communication, A for Attitude(positive), R for Relationships, E for Education, second E for entreprenuerial mindset and the last R for relationships. Just a well thought out book! I found these chapters relevant for the business person, student or whomever.

Anyone who has to hire film or video crews and other production personnel should consider this book. The author covers nearly every production category imaginable - so much so that it's like NAB in a book. With so many new digital and film products on the market today, this book makes it a lot easier to talk the right lingo with essential crew members and stay informed of what new and old options are available for any production budget.

Anyone who has to hire film or video crews and other production personnel should consider this book. The author covers nearly every production category imaginable - so much so that it's like NAB in a book. With so many new digital and film products on the market today, this book makes it a lot easier to talk the right lingo with essential crew members and stay informed of what new and old options are available for any production budget.

I purchased this book as a graduation gift for a friend in film school
and then I bought myself a copy. I've been using it in production
meetings to discuss equipment options with my crew and I plan to add it
to the list of required reading for all of my production interns.
This book really covers an incredible spectrum of production tools
available to filmmakers and video users alike.

This book is full of toys that I didn't even knew existed. I was really impressed with the depth of product and information that they gathered in this book. There is some great gear in this book that I have to get. It contained things that I never would have imagined. And they will help speed up and drastically improve my next film shoot. Good find.

I purchased this book as a graduation gift for a friend in film school and then I bought myself a copy. I've been using it in production meetings to discuss equipment options with my crew, and I plan to add it to the list of required reading for all of my production interns.
This book really covers an incredible spectrum of production tools available to filmmakers and video users alike.

Comprehensive overview of power quality. This book is a very good reference for power quality engineers or anyone interested in power quality.
Needs more example problems. Book needs more refinement as well.

voltage transient - voltage sag - swell - voltage fluctuation - harmonics - noise

This is a must have for any professional involved in Power Quality. Not only are all the topics covered, they are explained in a way that is easy to read and understand.

This is a very good handbook for not only power quality professional,but also electrical engineers. With well organized chapters, it covered comprehensive knowledge of power quality and relevant experience of authors. I really hope it can be translated into Chinese and let more power quality professionals share this valuable resource.

I have recently asked some electrical engineers to recommend me a good book concerning Power Quality. Each of them gave me two or three recommendations and only "Electrical Power Systems Quality" by R. C. Dugan, M. F. McGranaghan, S. Santoso and H. W. Beaty appeared in all recommendations...
Indeed, it seems to me to be one of the best books about Power Quality I have ever read. It is very well organized, complex and up-to-date, and above all it is very useful for my research project as it offers clear descriptions (understanding) of all, important Power Quality issues. I would recommend it as a kind of compendium for engineers, designers and researchers that work not only with Power Quality but also with modern Electric Power Systems in general.

This book is easy to follow and understand. It uses real world examples and is somewhat interesting. For being my introduction to statistics, this book has made it oh so easy. Recommend it for beginners.

This is THE BEST elementary statistics book I have read. Covers all concepts in a very easy to understand manner. The examples and solved problems show you eaxctly how a problem can be approached. For non-statiscians who want to use statistics to analyze their data, this is an excellent starting point. Wont boggle you with extensive formulae and derivations. But will tell you how and why the tests were developed and why and where you should use a particular test. Excellent ready reference for any data analyst.

easy steps approaching to statistics and good examples to practice the text.

I have read many statistics books but never one I understand on the first read. This book is for the true beginner. Excellent.

This is by far the best stats book I've found. I actually used this book instead of the one assigned for my graduate course. Everything is explained very clearly from step 1 and on. The book assumes you have very little or no stats knowledge. There are plenty of examples to further clarify each concept, and full explanations are provided. The book is very well-written and the chapters are well connected.

I also found the pictures/graphics extremely helpful, especially in the sections on probability. I can finally make sense of combinations and permutations and other probability concepts.

Also extremely helpful is the way the book explains which formulas to use when, and why they should be used in that instance. This helps to pull everything together and see how many of the concepts relate to one another. I think this is key to understanding stats.

I've gone from fearing stats to actually enjoying it, all because it now makes sense thanks in large part to this book.

Excellent resource. A gold standard for the field of radiological interpretation. Especially beneficial to newcomers to the field.

I am a PA in the ED and of what I have read so far I have found this book to be very helpful and well constructed. It is an easy read and overal worth the money. It is probably best suited for someone who has some experience with x-rays and wants to expand futher or review. It does cover some basics and a lot of advanced stuff (CT, MRI, some nuclear scans) as well.

As a practicing family/urgent care physician, this book has proven invaluable on numerous occasions. This book is easy to read with a great number of radiographs to look through.
I highly recommend this book to family physicians and internists
looking to add to their library collection. It is practical and a real time-saver.

Easily the best EM radiology book I've seen. Well-illustrated, well-written, well-referenced, addresses current imaging controversies, and is full of great teaching points.

I'm a second year emergency med resident, and I love this book. It's written for and aimed at emergency physicians. There are a lot of black and white photos of x-rays, CTs, and some ultrasound. There are also many hand-drawn illustrations that highlight what the radiograph photos are showing. Because this book is written by EM docs, there is a focus on clinical treatment. The text really focuses on what's important in interpreting and managing pts with these radiographic findings. There are a lot of photos, illustrations, and easy-to-read useful tables. I only wish that there were more ultrasound photos, but despite that criticism, I can confidently recommend this book to any serious EM resident.

Great Book! It's a quick read but every page packs a punch. The author uses history, politics and life experience to really relate to the audience. Makes a great graduation gift too....

This book is key for those who are continually looking for material to grow their next tier of leaders. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is easy to read (it only took me about an hour and a half) and really captures the essence of what it takes to develop as a leader - both in action and attitude. I highly recommend it.

The Emerging Leader is a must read for anyone who wants to improve their leadership abilities. It is clear that the author speaks with the voice of experience. If you want learn proven skills for exceeding in the workplace, this is a great place to start.

This book is as engaging as it is easy to read. It will motivate employees to become leaders and employers to become better leaders. A must-read for anyone looking to make a positive impression on their boss, professor, client, potential client or employees.

This book can be read and the lessons immediately applied by anyone with a desire to lead. I found it insightful as well as thought provoking. Business students at any college would benefit by using this as a supplement text to their required readings.

This book is a great resource for common data patterns. We plan to use these patterns in all future programming.

This book is unfortunately mistitled. It should have just been called 'Enterprise Patterns'. Perhaps the extra bumf in the title is attractive to some readers, but when I see big subtitles with 'MDA' and 'UML' in them, I immediately think of that most unfashionable of things in these Agile times: Process. Ugh! Dirty word! You may therefore be thinking this is a really tedious book full of bullet points and flow charts. But in fact it's a totally brilliant book, with a few flow charts and bullet points in, admittedly.

There's hardly any MDA in this book at all. There's a chapter on using a specific software tool to convert the patterns in this book into code, but I've already forgotten what it was called.

The meat of this book is a catalog of UML patterns associated with the enterprise domain. If you've read Martin Fowler's Analysis Patterns, you'll know what to expect: Customer, Party, Rule, Money, Quantity, Order etc. The authors mention Analysis Patterns, but call their patterns 'archetype' patterns. The difference between the two is that the archetype patterns are much more detailed.

So do you need to read this if you've read Analysis Patterns? I say yes. This is in fact better than AP, simply because when they say their patterns are detailed, they aren't joking. Fortunately, the authors advocate a 'literate modeling' approach, that explains the interactions in plain English, and the authors' writing is clear and unstodgy, effectively highlighting the important parts of each pattern, and where variation can be introduced. They claim their archetype patterns are sufficiently flexible to cover a wide range of enterprise, and I have to say they do a very good job of convincing you they've thought of most of the special cases, and how to unify them in one pattern.

Even if you aren't actually an enterprise programmer (and I'm not), I still highly recommend this book, just for the large number of examples of how to successfully model a complex domain. Plus, no tedious accounting or financial examples - bonus.

Over the last month or so, I've been reading Enterprise Patterns And MDA - Building Better Software With Archetype Patterns And UML by Jim Arlow and Ila Newstadt (Addison-Wesley). This is another one of those books that I thought would deliver one thing and instead produced much more than I expected.

Chapter breakdown: Archetypes and Archetype Patterns; Model Driven Architecture with Archetype Patterns; Literate Modeling; Party Archtype Pattern; PartyRelationship Patter; Customer Relationship Management Pattern; Product Pattern; Inventory Pattern; Order Pattern; Quantity Pattern; Money Pattern; Rule Pattern; Summary; Archetype Glossary; Bibliography; Index

Now, when I requested this for review, I was expecting something in terms of programming patterns and technical material. What I got was a great business tool for modeling typical business objects and transactions. The authors take a business concept like Inventory, and they build a model around it. The model is an archetype, or a entity that exists in some shape in every business. Through UML diagrams, you'll see all the parts that make up the archetype and how to take the parts you need to build your own version of the entity. While the Inventory model is very comprehensive in the book, you can also pull the pieces you need to model the reality that exists in your own business.

There's some very practical benefits you can gain from this book. If you're building an application and need to track a customer (for example), you can turn to the Party model and see all the parts that make up that type of entity. This will help you to understand all the data elements that make up a Party, such as address (web, email, telephone, geographic), organization, person/gender/ethnicity, relationship, etc. These are elements you might think of and/or remember to include, but having the model there helps you get it right early on.

If you're a business analyst, you will really get your value from this book. And if you're a developer who also has to design the systems, you'll look like a wizard when you complete a solid design with features the customer didn't even realize they needed.

The MDA in the title of this book probably overstates the amount of MDA related content in the book. This isn't an MDA reference. There is one small, but well written chapter on it.

But that's a minor quibble. The real value of this book, and the bulk of the book, is in the third part which gives in depth models for the common enterprise application requirements. They start with an excellent object model for a 'Party' (as in a contact database), and continue on at the same level of depth for other common entities and processes, such as orders, payments, purchase orders, business rules, monetary values.

These patterns are probably too in-depth for a small business application, but they serve as an excellent starting point that you can trim to create a model that has the right level of complexity for your application. Don't let the big title of the book fool you. You can find books on how to write SQL, and generally how to model a database for a given problem domain, and other books on how query the database and make transactions. The value of this book is in giving you recipes for models for the basics of your application.

Nominally, this book presents "archetype patterns", using UML and an extended case study. The archetype idea, intermediate between a general design pattern and a specific application, is a valuable one. In the case study, it's a set of business meta-objects, operations, and organizing principles. In presenting the archetype abstraction, those objects are spelled out in enough detail to create a useable framework for routine business needs.

The archetype mechanism is also spelled out in great detail, almost wholly within the UML framework. By itself, this won't be enough to convince any UML doubters about UML's flexibility. Taken as one among many UML applications, however, it's very compelling. It's also the first reference I know that gets down to cases in applying MDA - an interesting view. I fault the technique for only two things. First is a slight dependence on a specific CASEproduct, ArcStyler. That reliance never turned all the way into an advertisement, so I'll let it pass. Second is a baffling section on "rules." The rules and rule mechanisms make sense, but inexplicably seem to re-create the features of the OCL.

Two extras make this presentation very attractive. First is the mention of "literate programming," tying the UML tool suite to user documentation and design documentation. They specifically note XML and DocBook, existing standards, as the vehicle for integrating prose and technical parts of the model. Bravo! Even if their LP tools are weak, use of the idea is a real strength. The second extra is a pervasive awareness of standards. Money is phrased in terms of ISO 4217, nations in terms of ISO 3166, books in terms of ISBNs (ISO 2108), and on and on. Far too few programmers realize how many of their software requirements are already spelled out in external standardslike these, so the consciousness-raising exercise is a good one.

This is an excellent resource, not just for its business objects and not just for its UML case study. The author treat even personal names (table 4.4) with more care than I've seen anywhere else - that care pervades the whole book, and is a lesson in itself.

//wiredweird

Amazing read. Gets to the heart of community, educating children, instilling work ethic, pride, and responsibility. Hands on teaching and learning for students and teachers. EXCELLENT.

Berger's method consists of allowing students to learn through real-world applications the concepts taught in class. To do this he integrates concepts of different subject areas for the completion of a project that has real-world application. Usually the projects are based on the community. He starts a project by showing his current students past student work. This sets the standard for excellence. As part of the project, the students create several drafts and improve their drafts based on peer-review. Classmates critique each other's work in a safe environment and through this process raise the excellence of their work. This method creates meaningful learning that many of his students cherished for the rest of their lives because their projects improved their community's lives.
As you read it you'll also appreciate Berger's passion for his students. It's an amazing book! I highly recommend it.

This book is a great practical example of how to focus as a teacher. Ron Berger brings to light the trouble with current educational trends and shows ways students can be naturally engaged. His students feel mature, bright and capable. Read this book, follow Ron's example. I finished it in a day and it has changed my whole approach to teaching.

"Teaching is hard," Ron Berger writes in this brilliant, inspiring and practical book of craft wisdom. While his primary audience is educators who focus on building school culture, his ideas for cultivating and maintaining an unwavering work ethic of excellence are gems also for parents, clergy and any one with responsibility for developing the mind and character of a child.
"It is through their own work that their self-esteem will grow," he notes citing numerous vivid examples. Berger writes with clarity, candor and humility. His stories inside and outside the classroom form a compelling narrative in support of his case that all children deserve an education that is this demanding and meaningful.

This book is an inspiration! Written by a teacher, Berger outlines how his school has created a culture of excellence. Through the use of project based learning as the core of the curriculum, they inspire the students to create products of high standards. He explains how and why they do this. His stories of his students show us how all students can produce amazing work. This book reminds us of what real can and should look like.

Actions speak louder than words; this is a book about the former. It's all well and good for pundits, preachers, and self-help gurus to opine on how we should run our lives in the real world. Faith and Fortune reports on certain businesses that strive for the ideal. Gunther is a true reporter, his research original and in depth. Herman Miller and Timbaland are two fine examples. I was vaguely familiar with both, and enjoyed learning about the core business, but the people behind them are fascinating. Combine this with Gunther's fluid, crisp, style and it's a book that resonates, that has staying power as a tome that should continue to sell. The thesis: that business can coexist, indeed thrive, when true sharing of good, fundamental values are embraced, that profit is not the only motive. Give an employee wings to advance, the opportunity to learn, reward loyalty, profit-share: it works for these companies profiled. Gunther weaves in philosophers, spiritual rubrics into these case studies so that the reader ponders the issues from a variety of viewpoints. In a world filled with cynicism, by the close of the last page, one is hopeful that all will turn out well. These companies did it. And they are profitable and happy. Highly recommended.

Faith and Fortune, subtitled "the quiet revolution to reform American business," by Mark Gunther of Fortune magazine, celebrates the usual socially responsible corporations and entrepreneurs for their endurance over more massive corporations that disappeared in the last years of the previous millennium as American business experienced its moral meltdown. But while duly celebrating human decency and commitment to others, this engaging book doesn't quite capture the changes in the "atmosphere" of the workplace that contributed to both the horror of Enron and the success of companies like Starbucks, Ben & Jerry's, and Timberland. Rather, Gunther gets on the moral values bandwagon (a characteristic of our age) by focusing on the concept of "values" as they apply--or should apply--to the business world.

I joined corporate America in the early `90s at what had once been John D Rockefeller's original company, Standard Oil of Ohio, and the overarching belief system was that markets would find a solution for everything. The company's social responsibility was still grounded in the same rigid Christian attitude of the founder's era--namely, that the poor were owed compassion and a handout. Over the following decade, the fall of the great tobacco empires--and their miscalculation that Washington, D.C., would never forget all their political donations--spurred self-scrutiny and the realization that nothing lasts forever, that companies need to pay more than lip service to the communities in which they operate, and that corporations need to foster trust among their numerous stakeholders.

Gunther tackles two themes. The first is that the admirable personal values of businesspeople, whatever their faith, need not be compromised in the world of business. Indeed, to project those values is often a characteristic of great products and services--the foundation of great companies. This theme is contrasted with the evaporation of major corporations through greed and fraud. Gunther probably sums up many people's beliefs when he states: "Enron's Ken Lay, meanwhile, was a trustee of one of the biggest Methodist churches in Houston; while he has not been charged with a crime, he is guilty, at the least, of fostering a culture of criminality, arrogance, and greed." Things have moved on a little since that sentence was written.

I would like to read the follow-up on what happens after poster kids of good corporate social responsibility are sold, such as Ben and Jerry's to Unlilever and Odwalla to Coca-Cola. How much does the culture of the parents rub onto the kids, or do/can they in fact change the culture of their parents? Do moral values and good behavior actually win over the desire to make a buck?

Finally, Gunther takes a look at another emerging trend--the increasing use of religious values to teach businesspeople (and presumably consumers) about creating sustainable and nature-friendly businesses.

Faith and Fortune covers familiar territory, but it's the follow-up that is going to be the true report card on how far U.S. society has really moved.

Ian Fowler www.g-think.com

If you are sick of corporate America's traditional way of conducting business, this book is for you. It reveals a way of thinking that not only improves performance, but creates value in the workplace.
Faith and Fortune helped me identify why I really want to get into the field of business. It has given me a more positive outlook on the future, and I am sure it will do the same for you.

I normally eschew religious writing as overly evangelical (regardless of the faith in question). I am also not a big fan of corporate window-dressing-writing. This wonderful book falls into neither category. Faith and Fortune, by Marc Gunther is a marvellous book. It inspires without pretending to have all the answers. For every person who has ever tried to justify socially conscious investing or companies that put some of their profits back into the community, this book is a must read. Unfortunately, this book apparently came out shortly before the 2004 election and did not get the publicity or audience it deserved. This is a terrible shame. Any thinking and moral person tries to combine her financial responsibilities (to her family, shareholders, whoever) with the need to live a moral and balanced life. As our world becomes more interconnected and more susceptible to the ripple effect from one person's actions, thinking about how to combine personal morality with the Darwinian need to succeed becomes more and more important. This book actually makes a great companian to Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Succeed or Fail, which also touches on zero sum mentalities and how to expand the available resources through thinking more altruistically.

Faith and Fortune is inspiring and well-written. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Marc Gunther's superb Faith and Fortune explores a variety of businesses whose managers have been guided by values as well as by profit.

Two aspects of this book are especially compelling: (1)Gunther does not shy away from a discussion of spiritual values-- a subject often greeted with unease or disdain by the business community; and (2)Gunther reports the ups and downs of the companies he covers-- his book is honest, rather than a feel-good tract.

Gunther develops riveting profiles of executives who guide values-driven companies and their efforts to reconcile philosophy with the bottom line. An especfially dramatic example: the furniture company Herman Miller's painful downsizing after the decline of its business in the wake of the 2000-2001 downturn. Was the downsizing necessary? Yes. Was it wrenching for a company that prided itself on taking care of its workforce? Yes. And were the layoffs handled as hunanely as possible? Yes, again. As this suggests, values do not free companies from the need to make a profit-- indeed, the practice of values might raise the bar-- but Gunther introduces us to individuals who have achieved significant success in building more ethical companies while continuing to operate profitably, and that is something to cheer about. Even more cheering is that Gunther-- a senior writer for Fortune Magazine-- has explored this theme with sophistication and compassion, rather than with sentimentality, and that he has recorded both successes and setbacks.

Faith and Fortune honors businesspeople who have conducted themselves in ways consistent with the idea of a higher purpose, while continuing to grapple with the bottom line. The book is inspirational reading for the many in the corporate world who would like to see business make a positive difference, as well as for consumers interested in socially responsible purchasing or investing. Faith and Fortune also should be read widely in undergraduate and graduate business programs to spur discussion of alternative models for business success.

Bottom line: buy this book for a thought-provoking and inspiring read. And thanks to Mark Gunther for his sensitive and sophisticated handling of a worthy and sometimes controversial topic.