Transportation Books

As a merchant mariner and retired USN Operations Specialist I have spent nearly thirty years sailing the world's oceans and observing the ubiquitous container ships on every sea lane and in every port. This book has given me a new appreciation for these giant cargo vessels and their vital role in global commerce. Not a scholarly treatise but a readable, comprehensive look at the history of importance of container shipping. Highly recommended!

Like a lot of other significant advances in technology modern dry cargo carriage was really put together by one man, Malcom McLean. Fifty years ago McLean, the president of McLean Trucking came up with the idea of taking trailers directly on board ships for transport to a port near their final destination. To minimize the space requirements, he had a special trailer developed that would carry a standardized trailer body. The idea of the container was born.

The first shipment in the spring of 1956 used a converted ship that could carry fifty eight trailer bodies. The idea was successful beyond the wildest dreams. The concept of a trailer body being loaded anywhere in the world, trucked to a port, transported by ship to another port, and then trucked to its final destination has literally changed the way business is done. It is largely responsible for the way today's world of manufacture being anywhere in the world and still supplying the world's markets.

This book is about half a biography of McLean, and his life. But his life largely paralleled that of the container business. The other half tells the story of the rest of the industry.

Malcom Mclean is little known outside the shipping industry. But his creation of the way the world now ships products deserves to be better known. He is one of the titans of industry.

I found the book dreadfully dull. Its in-depth discussion of container ships has little whatsoever to do with an analytical overview of their impact upon the global economy.

Certainly this is suitable for box-boat enthusiasts, but will hold little interest for political scientists or economists. Perhaps a better subtitle would have been "the history of container ships."

BOX BOATS: HOW CONTAINER SHIPS CHANGED THE WORLD tells how the first container ship in 1956 changed the entire shipping industry, introducing a concept and transportation idea which would revolutionize the costs of shipping goods. From the Pan-Atlantic's owner who first thought about loading his trucks on board to his evolving line which grew into a giant container service, Cudahy charts not just the evolution of one company, but its impact on and changes within the world shipping and steamship industries as a whole. A fascinating, detailed account.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a really excellent book for beginner pilots. Full of experience and common sense. Should be compulsory to read before taking the practical PPL test!

The formal FAA test is just so inadequate for assessing judgment and common sense. This fills the gap!

A good overall book, but with a lot of information that is really common-sense. Good for the beginning pilot, though.

This book answers very well the question, "Now that I've got my pilot's license, what can I do with it?" The author shows that there can be so much more to being even a casual pilot than just shooting three touch-and-goes every 90 days to stay current and legal. Very well organized into bite-sized chapters, each of which covers one particular suggestion, the book was inspirational to this low-time pilot. Even if you only take advantage of a small fraction of the suggestions, and even if there are parts of it that you have no interest in, you should still get a lot out of this excellent book.

You would think that after you got your license you would not have any problem finding stuff to do. Well, not so easy. This book covers everything from grass fields, prepping your family for flight in small aircraft, basic engine care, it is all here. This is a good book for the newly licensed

If you are expecting a book on tips and ideas as to how to apply your PPL knowledge, don't be mislead by the title as I was. Instead it focuses on honing your skill as a pilot and is still very valuable.

I enjoyed reading the book and the reading is not difficult at all. No advanced or difficult concepts are used or assumed and as a PPL (NR) I could relate to all the topics.

Thomas & Friends: Go, Train, Go! (Beginner Books(R))
Stuff happens! A well-dressed tidy judge boards Thomas the Tank Engine for the ride of her life in Go, Train, Go! Off comes her hat and on goes the mud as they hurry to get to the train show. Reverend W. Awdry's famous train wins yet again in this Beginner Book Story illustrated by Tommy Stubbs. Wholesome, healthy, and moral, Thomas and his friends are always a safe choice for children.

Kids love Thomas and will find reading easy in this book with short sentences and small words that repeat. The colorful illustrations will be familiar to fans of the television show. The text of this story finds Thomas and his passenger at odds. She urges him to go fast, but the little train encounters multiple obstacles to overcome. Goats and cows, logs and mud, Thomas labors to satisfy the needs of his rider while staying safe. What little boy, however reluctant to read, could resist a book about Thomas that includes an authority figure getting quite messy?

My 2 yrs + 2 month old grandson loves this Thomas book! (his other favorite is Crack in the Track). He now "reads" it to us and has pretty much the entire book memorized. We love to hear his little voice saying "faster than fast he goes" - He also has decided that the "Judge" is "Ga-Ga" (me) and inserts that instead of "Judge" in the reading.

He related the logs in this book very early to trees and cut firewood logs he sees in the real world. At 18 months he would point at a pile of cut logs and say "Logs like Thomas!"

The rhymes are corny, but kids love them!

Any Thomas fan will enjoy this story. It is a favorite with the children I work with.

My sons are HUGE fans of Thomas & Friends and they love this book. I personally find it rather dull, but its still a cute little story about Thomas trying to get the judge to the train show on time. She tells him to "Go, Train, Go!" but just when Thomas gets going "faster than fast," something slows him down. My kids totally anticipate what it's going to be: "Logs! A dark tunnel! A cow!" This story has a charming ending, and my boys always want to read it again.

This book has a picture of the Cat in the Hat in the corner of the cover. Don't let that fool you. The writing is awful. It sometimes rhymes, like a Dr. Suess book, but then sometimes it doesn't. There is sometimes a rhythm, but mostly it is lost and muddled. It is so poorly written that they don't even tell you who the author was (maybe it was done by committee?) Don't waste your money. Get a real Dr. Suess, or a Real Rev Awdry Thomas.

Gift for great grand son. He seemed to enjoy it greatly. so did his Mother.

Busy Boats is a simple picture book with very few words per page. It tells about all sorts of trucks in the world. Each page has a picture of a boat with the job that it does. Each of the boats are operated by cute little cartoon like animals that caught the attention of my 2 year old sister. This book is really neat for boys and girls for all ages.





The pictures are very colorful. In back in has a page where it explains parts of a boat if you are not familiar with some of the words used in the book.

I would recommend this book to children ages 4-7. Lots of kids like to read about boats and transportation.

It's tough looking for a book that is about boats! My nephews birthday was fast approaching and I still hadn't found a book on boats until I happened upon this book! What I love about this book is that it's about all sorts of boats from dinghys to race boats the author Tony Mitton pretty much mentioned every type of boat that floats, except a Chinese Junk or a cannoe! And he some how managed to make each sentence rythm as well.The characters aren't too cutesty, so boys and girls should like this book a lot! There is lots of terrific information and on the last page has drawn pictures and a mini explaination for words like lighthouse, anchor, propeller, oars, deck, cabin, name and cargo.

To give you as small taste of this wonderfully written book - " A boat sits on the water like an empty bowl or cup. It's hollow and it's full of air, and that's what keeps it up." Pretty clever!

don't you really want to know it all works? my father always said if you want it done right you probably should do it yourself!!! 911's are the best, if you haven't done it you probably won't get it.

This is a "must have" book for anyone that wants to work on their 911. There are quite a few sections that could use more detail, but a book can only be so big.

I am a long time Porschephile, 20 years plus, and I bought this specifically because I needed some technical info for a 1989 911 Carrera cabriolet top repair, and there is absolutely nothing in this manual in that department. I was very disappointed in that regard. If you have a coupe, it'll be useful, as there are great photos, etc, but to say "Cabriolet" on the cover is totally false advertising. There's more info in your driver's manual about that aspect than there is in this book.

This manual is a must for every 1984-1989 Porsche 911 Carrera owner or potential owner. Even if you don't do your own maintenance, it makes you a more informed and effective owner when dealing with your mechanic.

Also, you might discover as I did, that there are many things you can do yourself, thus saving time and money -- with the bonus of more fully understanding what a fabulous machine your Carrera is!

This book is, in my opinion, invaluable for the owner of the Porsche 911 3,2 Carrera.
It covers all aspects of repair step by step and is clearly written with good supporting photographs. Each chapter has a paragraph about faultfinding. In many aspects it goes beyond my abilities as an amateur, but it helps me to tackle the occasional service and repair and to know what my mechanic is doing. Surely the next best book to an original Porsche Workshop Manual.

My wife and I have cruised a lot on many different cruise lines over the years. Our first cruise was on one of the first ships Carnival deployed, the Carnivale. To have seen this industry from the earlier years to what it has become is well chronicled by the author. If you want to learn how an almost pure capitalistic approach works in a global market place, this is a must read.

If you have ever been on a cruise, especially lately, on one of the big new ships, this is a must read. It provides you with the history of the cruise industry, primarily in the United States, with a little Europe thrown in. You might be thinking that a history of this industry would be boring, but Garin is an exceptional storyteller and reporter (the source notes are very impressive). He does an excellent job of introducing you to the men behind the ships, the Port of Miami, and the mergers and acquistions that led up to two companies owning 90% of the cruise market.

And yes, he talks about The Love Boat. :-)

The book isn't all about the good stuff; he reports on corruption (both on and off the ships), sexual assaults of passengers by crew members, environmental issues, and why most of the employees come from impoverished nations. Not only does he report on these issues, he illuminates how the industry allowed these to occur. As for the last point, labor is the most expensive cost of a cruise - Garin explains the process that the companies use recruit people to work on the ships (and to keep them there).

Even with the reporting of the above blemishes, it is still a facinating book. If you are interested in any aspect of the cruise industry (even as a simple vacationer), Garin explains how each company operated and marketed themselves. How they were able to work the travel agents, Congress, tax and maritime laws to their advantage. I came away with a much better understanding of the nature of Flags of Convenience and what that means to you, the traveller, as well as to the bottom lines of the cruise companies.

A great book on the rise and maturation of an industry. But I don't think that your cruise staff will appreciate you reading this while on-board.

As an aside, I bought the book from Amazon for $7 (Borders had it for $25). When it arrived, I found that I had an autographed copy! What a deal.

I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. It takes you beyond the marketing collateral of the cruise lines to the full story behind the industry's birth and development. The book is a wonderful narrative of the industry's short and eventful life. The author is fairly even handed in his treatment but there are times when you can sense when he likes or dislikes his subjects.

The author's assessment of the cruise line labor policies, environmental record and negotiation with Caribbean Governments was slanted. His view comes off as wanting the cruise lines to be vehicles of social change rather than commercial enterprises. I think he fairly criticizes the cruise lines for not living up to their environmental rhetoric but if the labor conditions are so bad onboard the ships, why are the positions so prized? If the Caribbean Governments are being abused so badly in their deals with the cruise lines, why do they continue to build larger piers to accomodate more ships?

The best parts of this book deal with the business deals that created the cruise industry and the characters that were involved. I have cruised for years and reading this book gave me a better perspective on the strategies and coincidences that shaped the industry. A good read!

Travel agents and veteran cruisers alike will get a big kick out of this book.

It's a behind the scenes look that pulls no punches but manages to remain affectionate. Garin simply proves that you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. I certainly hope it doesn't discourage any non-cruisers from taking the plunge.

My favorite bit: Carnival's Meshulam Zonis' line, "A passenger is like a wet towel," which he illustrated by hand motions that wordlessly said, "First we squeeze them this way, then we squeeze them that way."

In the first chapter, Garin writes of the last day on a cruise ship which any cruiser knows is every man, woman and child for themselves....no longer are passengers royalty but more like refugees! He captures the irony of the debarking day that has always made my family chuckle as we tell stories of things we see on that last day! E.g. one poor passenger's luggage broke open outside an elevator...not one steward or other crew member offered assistance....they walked right over his strewn belongings. Anyway, Garin knows cruises and gives a wonderful history of the makings/history of the cruise industry from its humble beginnings to the big business it is today (and the two major cruise lines left). I was particularly fascinated with the evolution of the ships themselves! This was an easy read (and if a portion got dry....I skimmed!). I am cruising in 17 days...will do so with even more appreciation for the experience!

This book is AWESOME! Although Enterprise is a car rental company, many of their methods can be successfully applied to other businesses. Another great companion book to this is The Ultimate Question by Fred Reicheld. They both make the assertion that you have to turn first time customers into "promoters" who will return AND bring others with them. When I need to rent a car I will Pick Enterprise...They Pick Me Up!!!

Enterprise is the best, and this book tells us exactly why. Take care of your customers and employees first, then the profits will follow. Well written, easily understood, this is a book that anyone having anything to do with customer service should read. Learn the secret that makes Enterprise Rent-a-Car so succussful. Well worth the read.

The author uses Enterprise to uncover critical insights that he distills into clearly stated key points. The essential focus of the book is on people...employees.

This is an first-rate analysis of a winning company, giving the reading important guidelines for success in any highly competitive market. Human resource professionals (yes, HR folks) should read this book, along with those who are concerned with business planning and marketing.

If you are looking for a book to give your employees for customer service skills this is the only one.

EXCEEDING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS by Kirk Kazanjian may be viewed in a variety of ways. Many will consider this book nothing more than a marketing campaign, and in large part, they would be correct. However, I find no fault in that. If that were the intention of the people at Enterprise, it is ingenious. They certainly won my loyalty, not that I ever have much need to rent a vehicle, but if I ever do,....

Others might view this book just as the title opines, an instructional treatise on customer service. They too would be correct, but only to a certain degree. I say that because I found the book to be more of a business model. In fact, I would say this book is broken down thusly; 50% business model, 30% Enterprise company history and 20% customer service. Therefore, my only big knock on this book is the title, which leads the reader to believe customer service is the primary focus here. It is not. That is not to say, however, that readers will not glean valuable information on customer service, just not as much as this reader would have liked.

The book reads well and Kazanjian is to be commended for his work, but I do not believe the story paints quite the intended picture. I found in large part, the Enterprise Company bumbled its way into prosperity because a few headstrong employees refused to follow company policy! A good example is the Enterprise "we'll pick you up" mantra. I won't give too much of the book away, but this and other business innovations within the company happened by chance. Please do not mistake this as ridicule of the company. Enterprise is certainly a gem in today's marketplace, just understand that according to this book, much of the company's success wasn't planned that way. Perhaps that in and of itself is what has made them successful; their ability to adapt.

I would like to make one other observation about the title of the book. My fear is that many will miss out on this book because of the title. This is an excellent resource for constructing a business model and is, at best, a mediocre source on customer service. If you are on a quest for knowledge on "exceeding customer expectations" you will likely be disappointed here as there are certainly more informative volumes available.

The book edition was not specified on the internet page presentation. So I've got the third edition, wich is not usefull for me, while I did need the fourth edition. I've spent U$74 and yet I don't have the correct book.

As a Harbor Pilot who handles ships in and out on a daily basis, I recommend this book for someone who is going to get the hands on the job. It's stuffed with very helpful hints and tips that I still use after ten years on the profession. It could not be otherwise as the author is himself a pilot.

Besides, the author's narrative is really smooth and humorous what makes it not only a great book, technically speaking, but also turned it into a nice reading.

Only don't recommend it to graduate or postgraduate students interested in ship's dynamics as it lacks the mathematical tools necessary. But is great for some one who will actually handle ships.