Careers Books

not finished yet ..... need more time for something like this ...
have only briefly leafed ... that's how i gave it the three stars..

Christine Durst and Michael Haaren did an excellent job of presenting the major points of what it takes to become a Virtual Assistant. Their approach was very practical and hands on; and yet, potential pitfalls were also listed and discussed. Overall, their advice was sound and realistic regarding what it takes to be successful in this field.

If anyone is seriously thinking about becoming a VA, then this book is a "must read"!

This is a wonderful book for the aspiring Virtual Assistant. The authors go into great detail on all aspects of running your own VA business, and their insight is timely and comprehensive. In particular, you'll enjoy the extensive chapter on marketing, which details various ways that a VA can capture the greatest share of the marketplace. I highly recommend this book as a must-read and a resource to reference throughout the start-up phase of your business.

90% of what this book covers appears in countless other books for small and home based businesses. And, I'm not so sure that the other 10% is really so revolutionary because the concept of working remotely has been around for several decades now. The authors outstanding accomplishment seems to be giving what they believe to be a revolutionary new job category a catchy name. Still, if you've been living on a distant planet, you may find their mention of the basic components, requirements and legalese of starting a business helpful.

If you could only buy one book about owning your own VA business, I would highly recommend this one! As there are multiple books on the subject in the marketplace right now, I would still highly recommend this one. This is the ONLY book you will ever need - well, maybe one on accounting principles if you don't know any & have no money to hire an accountant! But this book tells you EVERYTHING you need to know, & the questions it asks (or asks you to ask yourself) & the skills assessment it has gets you THINKING about the actual undertaking of starting your own business. Even if you just read it cover to cover (which I also highly recommend) and never do anything else, you will forever think more concretely about owning a business. It's a true eye-opener.

There's a knee-jerk reaction to think of success as being defined by money and material things alone. This book encompasses that,but goes far beyond it into the realm of defining what real gratification means. The author begins by presenting a list of factors that are elemental to achieving success:
1. Optimism
2. Definite vision
3. Willingness to work
4. Discipline
5. An integrated mind
6. Prolific reading
7. Risk taking
8. Realizing the power of expectation
9. Mastery
10. Well roundedness.

"The 50 Success Classics" are divided into four categories: motivation,fulfilling your potential,prosperity,and leadership. The summaries of the classics themselves are excellent. But one of the real added benefits of the book is the author's astute commentaries, highlighting important points,and providing enhancement to the wise words of each classic. This is a terrific motivational book. I use it not just for my own stimulation, but with my management students also.

"The 50 Success Classics" provides wisdom from those whose names are immediately recognizable: Andrew Carnegie,Steven Covey,Michael Dell, Warren Buffett, Ben Franklin,Sam Walton, and many others. Any prospective purchaser can be assured that in spite of the fame of these and others mentioned in the book that there are many new facts and insights to be gained. (The summaries are far superior to the standard re-hash of the familiar that we've all seen.)

While the names above are common knowledge to most,have you heard of Robert Collier,Les Giblin,Gracian,Richard Wiseman,or in the case of men,the well known women's motivator Cheryl Richardson? All of these summaries contain sage advice and excellent guides for daily living. There are other great lessons to be learned from other "unknowns", at least to many of us.

The book also contains a summary of Sun Tzu's classic "The Art of War", arguably one of the greatest military stategy manuals of all time,which has also been recently adapted for use in management. After reading "50 Success Classics" you'll want to continue in the same vein, with Tom Butler-Bowdon's other "Success Classics" on Inspiration, and on Prosperity.They have all been a great help to me.

There are already a number of views outlining what this book is about, how it works, which books are included. I will skip doing that and try to think now of some of the 'lessons' I learned from reading the author's summaries of these works ( which so far as I can tell are done in an excellent way)
One lesson which seems to be paramount is the importance of attitude. 'Trust yourself, every heart vibrates to that iron string" says Emerson who is I believe one of the fathers of this whole yea- saying business. The 'trust yourself' also extends to having a positive attitude towards others, avoiding argument and criticism. An important lesson is to smile and be upbeat in dealings with others. It is also recommended to be honest and forthright in dealing with others.A third great lesson is the importance of 'seizing the opportunity when it is there' having the courage to do so. A fourth lesson which is repeated more than once is in finding 'opportunity in adversity' and in some transformation in life. The idea is here is that life is changing all the time and some of that change is certainly not for the better. And one has to be continually ready to change with it.
I could go on listing the different pieces of advice here, and they truly are various and interesting.
What I am thinking about is about all those like myself who will never take much of this advice, and probably never be 'successes' in the way the people who write here are.
I too am not sure that the sense of what success is here (It is as I understand it by and large- success in business )is the kind of success a considerable body of people truly long for.
I too think of a different attitude towards success,held by those who long for success, and will not attain it. And the fact that not succeeding may in some ways and in certain ways prove a more valuable experience than success itself. Perhaps this is best expressed in these lines of Emily Dickinson.

"Success is counted sweetest
by those who ne'er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires Sorest Need.

Not one of all the Purple Host
who took the Flag today
can tell a Definition
so clear of Victory

as he defeated dying
on whose forbidden ear
the distant strains of triumph
burst agonized and clear. "

This book among the other 3 excellent categories (see below) had a profound impact on my success and level of awareness in jump-starting my career.

Working at a large bank, my level of stress and the resulting time deprivation made it almost impossible to finish ONE book per month.

Now, I enjoy reading, analyzing, and integrating the wisdom of ONE book per day thanks to Tom Bowdon's excellent book summaries.

In short: Read ... @High Speed ... & Succeed !

Here are the other 3 book summaries that I highly (!) recommend:

50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life

50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do; Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books

50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life, From Timeless Sages to Contemporary Gurus
50 Success Classics: Winning Wisdom for Life and Work from 50 Landmark Books
50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

In the first instance, I have bought these three books in one go because I have been fascinated by what the author had done: He has practised what is known as the highest level of reading. Mortimer Adler, in his classic book, 'How to Read a Book', written in the forties, had called it 'syntopical reading'. It's actually reading a number of books of the same genre, more or less simultaneously & then synthesising the key points.

Secondly, the author, who is a graduate of the London School of Economics, somehow impresses me with his ability to synthesise the big picture of each of the books that made up the entire collection. For apparently a left-brain thinker i.e. economist by training, this has been a very remarkable feat, as his synthesising endeavour has been essentially more of a right-brain activity. Well, I must compliment him for a job well done.

Before my final decision on buying the three books, I have been thrilled by the prospect of reading three books, which in turn will give me access to one hundred & fifty books.

For each book, the author has very artfully as well as skillfully selected fifty books to made up one collection. I may not agree with his selection, but I must admit that I can't default him at all.

Take the first book, '50 Self Help Classics', with timeless wisdom, as an example. Out of the fifty books he has selected, I have read only seventeen of them. I have those books in my personal library.

For the second book, '50 Success Classics', I have read & still own sixteen of the landmark books on winning wisdom selected by the author.

For the third & final book, '50 Spiritual Classics', covering timeless sages & contemporary gurus, I have read only & still own three of them, namely 'The Tao of Physics', 'The Way of the Peaceful Warrior' & 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

For those books I have read previously, totaling thirty-six of them (probably stretching over three decades of my life), & upon revisiting them again in the trilogy, which actually took me one whole weekend to complete, starting on Friday evening & finishing on Sunday night, I must say that the seemingly marathon reading experience has been very refreshing & uplifting. It has also given me the opportunity to check & verify whether the author has captured the key ideas or essence of those books. I don't think I can find fault with the author in this respect.

Not only that, in the first book, I am very impressed that the author has cut through the bewildering array of choices to bring the essential ideas, insights, and techniques from the `literature of possibilities'. In works that span the world's religions, cultures, philosophies, & centuries, he summarizes each work's key ideas & finally makes clear how these legendary classics can educate, affirm, & motivate anyone searching for the inspiration to make a meaningful life change.

In the second book, the author is back with his wide-ranging collection of enduring works from pioneering thinkers, philosophers, & powerful leaders, like Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, Kenneth Blanchard, Baltasar Gracian & Christopher Maurer; from the inspirational rags to riches stories of such entrepreneurs, like Andrew Carnegie, Warren Buffet & Sam Walton to the leadership lessons of Sir Ernest Shackleton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln & Nelson Mandela, just to name a few.

In the third book, I believe the author has captured the very best in spiritual writing: They include personal diaries & compelling biographies of such diverse figures as Gandhi, Malcolm X, & Black Elk & Eastern philosophers & gurus including Krishnamurti, Yogananda, Chögyam Trungpa & Suzuki; & Western saints & mystics such as St. Francis of Assisi, Herman Hesse & Simone Weil. For each book in this volume, the author offers insightful commentary on how these classics can help spiritual seekers everywhere bring personal beliefs, values & practices squarely into the center of their every day lives.

Reading the three foregoing books has been quite a breeze because the meaning of each work is initially captured 'in a nut shell' at the onset, coupled with a representative quote as well as cross-referencing to similar work. In each work, appropriate sectional headings in bold print make it really easy for the reader to follow the author's train of thoughts over some six pages. There is also a short biographical sketch of the author of the respective work.

I must admit that the third book in the trilogy has been the most challenging for me to read as I normally do not go for such stuff. To put it bluntly, it's not my cup of tea. On the other hand, the curiosity streak in me has been too overwhelming, since I relish the thought that I could read fifty spiritual classics in just one book!

Overall, & for all those books I have not yet read at all (some of which I have not even heard of), I really enjoyed digesting the author's bite-sized summaries (in actuality, they are only the main ideas, context & impact of each title, to give a taste of the literature, so to speak) in the three collections or volumes, even though some of the titles are relatively esoteric for me. The entire reading journey has been enlightening, inspirational & yet humbling in some areas. Best of all, there are useful tools & practical techniques to take away from each collection!

For the first & last book in the trilogy, namely, '50 Self Help Classics' & '50 Spirtual Classics', the author has respectively provide a list of additional 50 books. The titles are certainly enticing! Well, all I can say is this: I wish the author will repeat his syntopical reading exercise covering these books & add two more volumes, that will make a quintulogy, for all the readers out there, including me!

As usual, all my three books are now scribbled with my own hand-written marginal annotations as well as my fancy colour marker symbols. Additionally, there are also colourful sticky notes in between selected pages. My next personal assignment is to transfer all these notations into mindmaps with Mindmanager Pro.

To end my review, I have one last humble comment to make. Out of the one hundred & fifty bite-sized summaries, I still don't quite get it from 'The Bhagavad-Gita' as outlined in the author's '50 Self Help Classics'. I have not read this work before although I have heard about it. [J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, who is credited for building the airline to what it is today, A Great Way to Fly, has vouched for this ancient Hindu scripture as an inspiration for his leadership success during an interview.] However, in the same vein, I found that I could relate quickly to Deepak Chopra's 'The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success' but simply not this one! I may have to explore other avenue.

In site of the above minor short-coming, I strongly believe that the three books in the author's trilogy are really an intellectual treasure!

Butler-Bowdon is my guide through the literature of inner -development. His books have helped me grow as an individual and continue to help in my research for the books I choose to write to help humanity. His knowledge is exceptional and his choice of books is perfect. He truly is an expert in this area. I recommend his entire series and genuinely cant wait to get Psychology Classics. Thanks for helping humanity with your writing Mr. Butler-Bowdon.

10 stars

Author, Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds and Upcoming Release of Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul.

This book is discussing about personality type. it is a great book one who want to know his or her temperament well.

Great introduction to the fascinating personality theory known as the Enneagram. I've been studying the Enneagram for four years now and I continue to be amazed at its accuracy and complexity. I know many people who are interested in it, too, and who claim to really want to know "What type am I?! Is that a good one to be?!" In the past, I've enthusiastically loaned out the more in-depth, advanced books by Don Riso and Helen Palmer, authors who address the weaknesses of each type as well as the strengths... only to have my friends come back with only part of the book read, turned off to the whole theory because it seems too complicated or talks about the "cons" of each type. "But I only want to see how cool I am," they whine. "If I wanted to hear criticisms of myself, I'd call my mother." Never mind that the whole point of personality books is to UNDERSTAND yourself and others, to learn to appreciate the strengths as well as to learn how to grow and to improve upon the weaknesses...but... (sigh).

So, partly out of my own selfishness to keep some friends into the theory, I checked out "Are You My Type....?" and I am so excited. The authors have done a fantastic job of providing a good, solid introduction to the theory and gently describing some of the, um, less appealing qualities that each of the types has. The cartoon illustrations throughout seem a bit too silly at first, but once you see them in context to the text, you can see that they really enhance the text. A sense of humor with the Enneagrams is nice, too, as it does get taken a bit too seriously sometimes.

I've loaned this book out as an introduction to the theory and have gotten a lot more people interested in the Enneagrams and in learning about themselves. A very good thing!

I have studied the Enneagram for years and take it very seriously. This book is charming and delightful in it's very basic way of explaining types on a surface level. The cartoons capture the essence of the 9 types and make understanding the Enneagram fun and easy, even for the serious scholars! I love it! It will make you laugh and create an even deeper appreciation for the 9 types.

I wanted to like this book. I picked it up as a tool for exploring the chemistry between characters in my writing. I always identify their enneagrams during character development, and it seemed like this might inspire thought and lead to new depths of understanding the way they relate.

Unfortunately, this volume is a bit skimpy. The section on enneagram interrelations runs from pages 9 to 157, and it only gets that much because the book has a large typeface, utilizes bullet points and lots of cartoons. I enjoyed what they have, but it feels like a teaser for a more indepth book.

I'll be looking for that book.

This is a great little book. It's fun to read, has great cartoons and will make you laugh. Just as important, it contains concise summaries and accurate information according to Enneagram theory. It also has great tips for getting along with the different types in relationship.

Although this is a fairly short book, it is very informative and it is easy to read. Most of the information in the book, I already knew about (I've done a lot of research on the band) but, If you haven't done much research yet, this is the book to read. Or if you have family members/friends that want to know more about the band, this would be a good choice for them to read. I have had the pleasure of meeting Jessie, and she knows what she is talking about! She is no nonsense and just wants to make sure everyone succeeds and that the band is the right choice for them. This is a wonderful book, and again its not complicated and anyone would be able to understand it. If you are even considering getting the Lap Band, I would read this book.

This is a very good book and people who are thinking of doing the lapband should review it. Also people who are not doing lapband should also read it as it gives a lot of information about what to expect etc. This is a very good informational tool

If you are thinking about or have recently had the lap-band surgery it is very informtive. I still pick it up and read it as a reference guide and I'm 6 weeks post-op. It has helped me alot.

I had lap-band at Northwest Weight Loss Surgery Center where Jessi Ahroni works. She is a no-nonsense person that tells it like it is. This book is a must read for ANYONE that is deciding if Lap-Band is for them, those who have made the decision AND for their family and friends. I am one of the lucky ones that has been able to work with Jesse as well as read her book. This gives the up front approach and gives you so much information that you want and need to know. I have had HUGE success with my lap band. I was banded 5/22/07 and am down over 100 lbs at my 6 month mark. It's do-able, it's a great decision for me and this book can help you decide if it's right for you. Leigh Bergman

I didn't gain any new information or tips on dealing with the lap band. This same information I have received from my doctor and off the internet. I think it would be good for someone who didn't know anything about the procedure.

I was confused to read reviews that tried to refute Wilson's knowledge in this field such as misusing statistical data or ignoring other important issues within the inner-city. It made me wonder if there is a real denial to the problems that exist within the inner-city. Myself, having worked within the field, experienced very similar stories told by the personal accounts given by residents and general population. Wilson gives a purely rational and valid interpretation of both existing data taken from samples within the inner-city (mostly Chicago - I'm sure D.C. stats are there too;) and statistics he has personally obtained. He uses methods of the sociological, psychological, and economic nature. As a researcher, I see no serious error in his suppositions. This is how academics use the scientific method.
While I agree that Wilson was a little naive about his proposal to changing policy he still is able to point out his own limitations. In general, the job market is up but for a specific population the job market is still weak. I think the greatest message Wilson leaves for the reader is a feeling of empowerment by understanding the underlying issues that goes along with this phenomenon. It's definitely an important read for any urban sociologist.

Living in Washington, DC and seeing the changes in demographics in the city and surrounding area made me pick up this book at a sidewalk sale for 50 cents to see what Wilson's take on the "new urban poor" and his research correlating them to the loss of work opportunities. Reading this book should be mandatory at an advanced statistics course of how to come to bad conclusions through the use of selective and wrong data.
DC has never had a big industrial base, but it had a very strong and influential black middle class early in the 20th century up until FDR's New Deal when the city was swamped with undereducated and socially dysfunctional immigrants from the southern states. It is the same time that DC became a "black majority" city. This is the same time frame that Wilson uses to "prove" that there was a direct correlation with the loss of factory jobs and the explosion of the urban poor. In order to come to this conclusion, Wilson uses a lot of statistics taken out of context, manipulated to support his conclusions, and then come up with a rehash of "new" policy initiatives which are essentially a regurgitation of LBJ's "war on poverty" programs, which were an expansion and rehash of FDR's "New Deal."
What Wilson ignores are demographic shifts and trends that are much more easily explained and much more solidly supported by Charles Murray, Marvin Olasky, and others who were much more thorough in examining the trends that Wilson writes about.
The Washington DC area today has more jobs than ever before, yet the illegitimacy rate for black children is 90%. In the 1920's and 30's, the illegitimacy rate for whites and blacks was the same, even during the height of segregation and discrimination. The city now has a population base 25% smaller than its peak in the 50's. Even though job opportunities were expanding for minorities in DC, the black middle class abandoned DC and moved into Prince Georges County to get away from crime and other deteriorating social norms, but none of this is to be found in Wilson's research. The same is true for other cities where a combination of "white flight" and "black flight" of the middle class made these downtowns more closely resemble cities in third world countries than the USA. Similar problems can be found in Paris and its suburbs, and many other cities around Europe where immigration and a lack of assimilation have created huge ghettos of the "Urban Poor." There is indeed a much greater correlation to be found in the expansion of the size of the urban poor with the expansion of government programs designed to eliminate poverty. None of these alternative, and much more persuasive, reasons for the plight of the urban poor are to be found in this book. It was people like Wilson who "proved" Galileo to be wrong when he said that the Earth revolved around the sun, and this book is about as convincing.
There are many good statistics and arguments in this book. The problem is that Wilson has excluded any alternative explanations of the reasons for the urban poor, which makes this a very dishonest book.

This book is full of excuses and manipulated data that ignores the ultimate moral responsibility of a society. We can correlate joblessness with the number of innercity households that contain black ink pens if we want to. While Wilson presents an argument in an attempt to educate, his words are slanted in such a way that we are left feeling "sorry for them".

The essence of my reading of the book is that concentrated joblessness, not just concentrated poverty, is afflicting many people in old urban areas, and that prolonged joblessness, even more than prolonged poverty, is a profoundly disabling condition not only for individuals, but for communities, and has intergenerational effects.

Support for his theories is drawn from survey and ethnographic reseach with ghetto and non-ghetto residents and Us census data, as well as evidence from projects which involved relocation from ghetto to non-ghetto areas.

Focused on the American urban ghettos, with most of its data drawn from Chicago area studies, Wilson discusses the overlap of ghetto poverty areas, jobless ghettos, and the effects of living in each. He gives significant attention to the role of race- segregation, racially coded policy, ghetto culture, and attitudes of employers towards race and their employees. Of special interest is his aside on the opinions of black employers to black employees (reflective of the general pool of employers opinions towards black employees).

Wilson also examines ghetto related culture, the informal economies of the ghetto, and the place of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) in the decision making calculus of ghetto residents.

What is, IMHO, key to reading this book is keeping in mind that areas of ghetto poverty and ghetto joblessness are growing, deepening, and are not in a position to self-correct. Put simply, if joblessness is a key factor in the creation of ghettos, it needs to be addressed by supply-side solutions (job creation & employment of last resort, fostering adequate social supports (childcare, etc.)), and not simply reconfiguring the stick of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (the successor program to AFDC ).

If you're looking for a detailed set of proposals, Wilson retreads several good ideas (universal healthcare among them), but you'll be able to find far more developed versions of the same proposals elsewhere. If you're looking for a more in-depth look at poverty and joblessness in urban areas, however, this is an excellent place to start.

I found this to be one of the best discussions on urban poverty, and certainly one of the most balanced. I could go on about what I like about the book, but the other reviews do that justice.

I did not have much of a problem with his analysis of urban poverty. Wilson is right on when he blames a lack of jobs, transportation, adequate social support (including the lack of universal healthcare and childcare subsidies), and the cultural conditions created by unemployment as causes of urban poverty. However, like many sociologists and economists, he assumes post industrialist conceptions of these problems. For instance, he cites the "skills bias" as one of the major causes of a lack of jobs for poor, unskilled workers. He rehashes the common view that job loss can be attributed to our post-industrial economy that simply requires people to go to college and get more and more education. However, subsequent sociologists (namely, Michael Handel from the University of Wisconsin) have dismissed the skills bias as a bit of a myth that is used to distract people from the actual problem. If Wilson would have written his book a couple years later, he would have seen how job loss in the high technology sectors of the economy and the high unemployment rates for college graduates make it hard to believe that our economy has a skills bias. However, Wilson does acknowledge the other causes of job loss, including the trade deficit and off shoring production as more realistic causes of poverty.

My major problem is with his policy prescriptions, which like most establishment social scientists fall within the mainstream thinking. Wilson has excellent ideas concerning transportation, which should be a major policy issue in cities like Baltimore where most of the urban poor are without adequate means to get to work. Wilson's ideas about everything else are quite superficial considering the depth of his analysis. He basically advocates No Child Left Behind (national education standards) as a solution to our education problems. However, Wilson, like most scholars and political pundits, never advocates the obvious solution: more equal funding for inner-city schools to make them on par with suburban schools. Wilson himself acknowledges that problem, but it is not part of his solution. I think we do need to improve school instruction, but simply arguing for national education standards is too general. There are many problems with schools, but there are even more problems with students whom get their learning skills from the mass media.

Wilson also argues for more industry partnership with secondary education, and even goes so far to advocate allowing industry to shape curriculum. I think Wilson needs to examine the dangers in such a policy. While I agree that high schools do a poor job at preparing students for the labor market, I also think there is danger in using employer prescriptions as public policy. Employers are looking after what they need today in terms of workers, and by preparing students based on their prescription we might be shortchanging their futures when markets change (i.e. we were all told in the 1990s that computers were the way to go, but look what happened to the IT market). What we really need is to broadly educate students, giving them both skills and knowledge that are applicable to both the economy and in a democratic society where people are more than just workers. Only a broadly educated worker can adapt to this new economy.

Also absent from his education policy is the idea that we should have universal college education. I figured that was a given considering his views on education and joblessness, but it was absent from his discussion.

Wilson advocates creating a New Deal style Public Works program to give people jobs. I think that is essentially a good idea, but Wilson does not go far enough in justifying his arbitrary stance on setting public job wages below the minimum. The whole idea behind a WPA-style program is to decrease unemployment so wages rise, not just to decrease unemployment with no consideration of wages. Wilson shows a blatant disregard for Keynesian economics in this analysis. The problem is demand-side, not only the fact that people cannot find jobs, but because people cannot find good jobs that pay well. Industry is totally committed to keeping workers at poverty-level wages, and government policies for the past 30 years have ignored that struggle. Yes, Wilson advocates expanding the EITC, but why cut taxes? Taxes are not the problem, but the solution. Raise taxes for everyone, especially the rich.

What we need is for the government to create jobs of varying levels of skills and pay to compete with industry. The problem in the economy is that we have excessive amounts of labor slack generated by the decline of unions and the outsourcing of foreign labor. Wilson believes that by making the WPA jobs below the minimum wage it will give incentives for people to leave the WPA for higher paying private sector jobs. For what private sector jobs... McDonalds? How are low-waged WPA jobs going to influence the private sector to raise wages? Why does Julius not call for a higher minimum wage? Why is Wilson soft on making corporations pay their workers decently? Yes, unemployment is a problem, but so is job quality. Again, back to his analysis, the reason these women are on welfare is because it is more advantageous not to work than it is to work. The focus should be on raising wages through reducing unemployment and increasing labor's bargaining power. With a high paying public sector job, labor can tell private power "hey, if you're not going to pay me well, I'm going to go here...".

The last point of contention is where Wilson assumes that the globalization of production is "inevitable" and that protectionist policies are "undesirable". Of course, when discussing trade policy, the assumption is that job outsourcing is a phenomena associated with free trade. Transferring production abroad is not free trade; it is a protectionist policy corporations use to avoid the market discipline of comparative advantage. The phenomenon is the cause of the expanding trade deficit, and has disastrous economic effects. Public policy should aim to reduce job outsourcing by making it more expensive and by putting restrictions on capital mobility (and such restrictions were in place before the 1970s when everything started to go downhill). The federal government and state governments need to tell industry: "hey look, if you are not going to produce here, you can't sell here". That'll put them in line. These kinds of restrictions on capital mobility need to be implemented on a state level too to prevent businesses from fleeing the community anytime a local government creates a pro-labor policy.

It is interesting that private power is absent from Wilson's discussion. What responsibility do employers have to their workers in Wilson's book? None... In fact, public policy should aim to make everyone happy and not piss anyone off, according to the author. Well, the reality is that most of the policies that help working people are going to piss businesses off and may even hurt our competitiveness in the global economy. "Our" competitiveness in the global economy is based on exploiting third world countries and holding down the poor in our own country.

This book is well written for quick reading and also has a lot of good material for anyone to use in the workplace or in their everyday personal and family relationships. I've tagged pages and paragraphs for future reference. Quite a few people in my office have asked to read it so my copy is getting a workout. Some purchased the book after scanning the contents. This book will not end up on the bookshelf but will stay "active" on my desk.

This book was a great addition to my formative years as a professional. It opened my thoughts up to what needed focus in my career and where I was headed. The first part of the book was dry and a little off the topic of strengths. In fact, it seemed to center more on weaknesses. For some reason, I kept reading, looking for the positive reinforcement for which I had hoped.

The second part pulled it through. From catalysts to empowerment, I found more value and direction. It not only provided ideas, but activities as well. Lists were created and action plans set. If you are a new professional, exam the details within. If you are a seasoned executive, remind yourself and your staff of where your strengths lie and allow them to grow.

This has been interesting and provides me a new point of view about takeing decision in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
It is easy to read. I am not very good in english leguage and tor ead it was not a difficult task.

Soar with your Strengths is an inspiring book for business professionals, managers, and individuals seeking to achieve their absolute best.

To open, the authors tell a fun parable "Let the Rabbits Run" which conveys the message of how important it is to focus on your strengths instead of trying to shore up your non-strengths (weaknesses). It tells a story of a rabbit that is going to school to become well-rounded, sound familiar? Moving along, the rabbit excels in hopping and running classes. However, the rabbit didn't do so well in swimming class. Flying class was even worse; he couldn't even get off the ground. He felt like a failure. Naturally, his parents reinforced the school's intent to create well-rounded students. And, the school counselor "helped" the rabbit by canceling his running and hopping classes and putting him in extra swimming and flying classes. Don't worry, there is a happy ending, courtesy of the Wise Old Owl.

Authors Clifton and Nelson offer an interesting book on how we, in business and in life, fail to focus on our strengths and manage our weaknesses. Consider how often the top salesperson is promoted into management, irrespective of actual leadership ability.

The authors advocate "The Power Of One Simple Question" which is "What would happen if we studied what was right with people versus what's wrong with people?"

Applying the principles to my own life, I soon discovered that I too fell deeply into the trap of focusing on my non-strengths (weaknesses) instead of my strengths. In fact, there are some things I'm just better off not doing or at least delegating to others.

In summary, many insights are offered throughout this book. Business owners and managers will do well to read this book and apply the principles, first to their own lives, then to encourage associates to discover and focus on their own strengths. Focusing on strengths is one of the few remaining hidden secrets of unleashing productivity.

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Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

Title says it all, "play to your strengths". No need to read the "book", or if you must, simply skim at your nearest Borders, Barnes & Noble, or fave store with a reputable coffeehouse. My quibble is less with the authors' philosophy and more with their writing. This is simply not a very well written book--no chapters, bold headings every five sentences, and endless laundry lists (43 at last count) of things to do, ways to manage, etc. Although I agree with the need to appreciate the talents of each unique individual and not dwell so much on a person's need-for-improvement areas, I did not think the authors proved their points. They were content to slap down some famous names, rehash a few entrepreneurial successes, and quote the Gallup polls (which were self-serving anyways in light of Clifton's ownership of Gallup). Please try to waste your money on something better written.

"Life has already laid the tracks for the trains that will take us wherever we want to go." ~Roger Leslie

Success Express for Teens presents meaningful and fun activities for individuals or groups. There are also introspective questions and self-assessment checklists. Through the activities, teens are encouraged to develop a step-by-step plan so they can define their life goals and pursue their dreams.

"Make a Lifeboard" is a creative, encouraging project that is similar to scrapbooking, but is more like a mirror of your present life. By looking back at lifeboards through the years, you can remember specific moments that were meaningful to you. When you are in your 30s, this will be helpful to remember what happened when and why.

You will also find ideas for:

Reliving Favorite Childhood Memories
Changing Routines
Discovering Your Life Dream
Time Management
Aligning Actions with Values
Finding a Mentor
Expressing Gratitude
Writing a Goal Statement

This book can be used by teachers, counselors and group leaders. Teens can also follow the self-guided activities in order to take the express train to success. Throughout the book, there are areas where teens can write their life experiences. Imagine reading this later! This will be enlightening to read as an adult. You will really see where you have been and realize which trains you took to get you to your present destination.

I personally remember very little about my teenage years and this book would have really appealed to me as a teenager who was interested in creative writing and art. By reading through the various questions, I was able to remember some of my "forgotten memories." They are still there, they just need to be triggered.

Success Express For Teens would make a perfect gift for Birthdays or Christmas. Many adults have thanked their parents for giving them journals for Christmas. This is similar to a guided journal. It is filled with pictures, amusing famous quotes, thoughtful quotes from teenagers and excellent advice from someone who remembers his choices as a teenager.

Roger Leslie is a book reviewer, author and editor who began his career in education. He visits schools and teaches the concepts from this book to administrators, educators and students. Highly Recommended.

~The Rebecca Review

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (1/06)

Success Express equips teens to move from where they are now to where they want to be by applying the activities found in this exciting book. Each exercise is designed to provide the tools for teens to advance toward their goals and dreams.

The author uses a train motif to compare a journey to a destination with the pursuit of a successful future. The logical steps-from mapping out the journey through traveling on a non-stop route to success-parallel the small, day-to-day experiences that cumulatively define who people become. Leslie's book encourages young adult readers to give their best at each level, paving the way for them to move forward to the next.

The user-friendly book format is presented in small sections so readers can complete an exercise or two and resume later. The readings and activities include sound questions like "What should I do next?" and "How can I use this in my life?" This handy guide even includes an assessment tool that reveals the reader's intrapersonal and interpersonal style based on which activities worked best for that person. Leslie also offers an appendix full of suggestions for teachers, counselors or group leaders.

As a writer and educator, I found his examples pertinent because they mostly relate to his writing and teaching. Although occasional quotes from a teen applying the principles appear throughout, more input from young adults writing about their successes would be desirable for the target audience. However, teens will find Leslie's style appealing and straightforward. His activities and insights are helpful and practical. Here's to a successful life journey. All aboard!

Ably compiled and presented by Roger Leslie (author, teacher, and YA book reviewer for "Booklist"), Success Express For Teens: 50 Activities That Will Change Your Life is a thoroughly "user friendly" resource packed from cover to cover with activities for teenagers and specifically geared toward helping them identify and articulate their life's dreams and starting down the road to making them come true. From listing ten goals on an index card; to finding a successful mentor in a particular field of endeavor; to learned how to do meaningful activities during"dead time" occasions arising during the course of ordinary day-to-day life, and so much more, Success Express For Teens is a strongly recommended motivational, and consumable resource hallmarked with challenging questions and enhanced with lines in which teenagers could write out their own answers.

This is an extremeful helpful book. It helps you focus on the positive side of things and gives you stories and daily affirmations. It has helped me a lot and I would recommend it to anyone!

A wonderful book for opening oneself to abundance. Filled with valuable, useful information and insights. Chellie also offers powerful affirmations to help unlock possibilities. I love it, give it as gifts, and recommend it often!!!

If money were a math problem, our nation would not have so many highly educated people so far in debt. We all learned basic math in elementary school. In our culture, money represents value, power, worth, and wealth. Our debt problems are an outward manifestation of the lack of those things inside of us. I cannot believe how many people I know with a PHD or more than one master's degree who are still living in debt and poverty. Until we learn to find our wealth and power inside, we'll live a life of poverty. Chellie Campbell shows you the path to true wealth. This book is life changing, and I often give it away as a gift! I always have several copis on hand on my gift shelf. I also highly recommend Chellie's other book Zero to Zillionare and Money Magic by Deborah L. Price.

This self-help book is designed to be used a page at a time for a year. The author intends for her readers to free themselves from debt and take control of their finances. A good book for those who feel they are not in control of their money.

Once in a while, if you're lucky, you happen upon a book that can make a positive difference in your life. "The Wealthy Spirit" by Chellie Campbell is just such a book. Arranged in bite-size nuggets of wit and wisdom, the book tackles the serious issue of eliminating financial worries. Chellie inspires the reader to appreciate his or her personal value, to decide what's important in his or her life, and, with the realization "I can do that" to get moving to take the actions and make the positive changes that can make those worries disappear. While I think just about everyone can get some inspiration from this book, it is especially perfect for every entrepreneur and for anyone contemplating getting off the corporate treadmill. "The Wealthy Spirit" is a daily pep talk. I highly recommend this book.

I love the one minute manager series... and so many of Ken Blancahrd and Spener Johnson books. This book, part of the "One Minute" series of books offers some great principles, however, is lacking the delivery of the other books in ther series.

While it was good to read, it didn't hold me. However, for those who need a major life change in respect to their health and work-life balance... it is a good starting point; pick the book up and read it... then make the changes you need.

Ken Blanchard's little One Minute Manager books define a genre.

Neither riveting reading nor high-stakes illumination, they simply get a message across effectively to the management reader who is not too concerned with aesthetics. Even the illustrations are garden-variety basic.

Yet these books have sold millions and they work.

The One Minute Manager Balances Work and Life presents the usual contrived encounter between the One Minute Manager and another of the usual subjects, this time the Professor. Somewhat off the beaten path, this time it is the One Minute Manager Himself who is desperately in need. Since we last saw him contentedly setting the organization world right, he has foolishly transformed himself into an overweight, out-of-breath victim of his own success.

Bad One Minute Manager!

This gives him the chance to narrate his own turn-around process, a conversion that I must admit I find rather inspiring.

Along the way one is treated to the usual locked doors when he tries to slip away from responsibility for the situation. This habit of assigning personal responsibility is perhaps one of the keys to the success of this series.

If you need to balance work and life, pick up one of these little books on the cheap.

This book was originally published under the title "The One Minute Manager Gets Fit." An even better title would have been "The One Minute Manager Takes Care of Himself." The entire volume emphasizes the importance of taking of oneself so that effectiveness in all other areas of life will be at a maximum.

There are four components presented here to insure a fit, healthy life: autonomy, connectedness, perspective and tone. Autonomy pertains to getting control of one's personal schedule so that there is enough time for self-care. Connectedness refers to having a strong, interpersonal support network to keep on track with proper fitness, nutrition, etc. Perspective pertains to how well one views his own life. Tone refers to the actual physical condition and health of a person's body, mind and emotions.

This title should be at the top of the list for "One Minute" fans. The format is the same as all the other books in the series and the principles are life-changing. For some persons, this book may even be life-saving!

For a change, the One Minute Manager is a student in this book. Despite his professional success and fame, he realizes that he has neglected his own physical well being over the years. Then comes a professor who teaches him to put physical fitness first.

There is a simple questionnaire (The Professor's dozen) that the one minute manager needs to answer. It applies to all of us. Depending on the score on this, one may decide the true state of ones "Tone", the word that is used to describe the physical well being of the individual. The four parameters (or moderators that prevent stress) responsible for sustained success in work and life are:

1. Autonomy : The availability of many choices that give good control in life
2. Connectedness : Strong positive relationship at home, at work and in the community
3. Perspective: The direction, purpose and passion about what one is doing.
4. Tone: The feeling about the body, energy level, physical well being and appearance.

In a remarkable way, the clear connection between Tone as the enabler for the other three moderators is brought out in this book. The illustrations that support the concepts are excellent.

Organizations spend billions of dollars in health care and suffer productivity loss due to the lack of physical well being of their employees. Employees on the other hand are sacrificing their health in the process of achieving career advancement. "In early life, people give up their health to gain wealth. Then, later in life they give up some wealth to regain health."

This book is for HR managers and employees at all levels to help achieve substantial gains for the Organization; through employee well being that needs serious attention; as much as we do for career planning.

I'm guessing the book was retitled to what is now to attract more readers. However, the content doesn't match the title. This is all about the importance of staying fit and being healthy. If that's what you're looking for, this book is for you. But if you're looking to balance work/life, there are better books to purchase.

Perfect for the business end of landscaping or design. Things that they didn't teach you in college. This book is an asset for almost any home based business. Thank you Owen, it's just what I needed.

If you want to start a ladscape companey this uis the book you want!
From the foundation to the long run it's full of great advice and instruction. I would recomend it to any new buisiness owner.

The book has plenty of information and ideas for starting a landscaping biz, and presented in a light-hearted style that I appreciate. Thanks to Mr. Dell for sharing his insights.

This was just what was needed. Lots to learn. Explanations were clear and direct. Very useful.

If you are considering starting a business this book is a must read. the principals listed in the book apply to almost any business, but the references are definately targeted at landscaping.

The book is well written, easy to undersatnd, and makes a lot of sense. this is money well spent.