change Books

The Breakthrough Company goes where Good to Great left off. Asking the question: How does a company become a Breakthrough Company. An excellent book for anyone to read who is trying to build a company which will turn into a mega corporation.

This was an excellent audio book. You must supplement with printed book as well, however, since there are several graphics that help support the text that you can't fully appreciate in the audiobook. Very good and unique content. I was amazed that there were so few companies that had truly "broken through". It was interesting to read about Roger Staubach's difficult time in his early years in business.

Just think Good to Great for smaller businesses. Well researched with helpful exercises in each chapter to bring the material into context.

The best of recently published business books began when their authors or co-authors were intrigued by a question and conducted rigorous and extensive research to locate the answer to it. Jim Collins offers an excellent case in point. He and Jerry Porras wondered why certain companies were able to sustain their success over a period of 20+ years. What they learned is provided in Built to Last. Later, the managing director of the McKinsey office in San Francisco, Bill Meehan, congratulated Collins on the research and writing in the book, then added, "Unfortunately, it's useless." Why? Because great companies were always great. "Can a good company become a great company and, if so, how? Or is the disease of `just being good' incurable?" Collins provides the answers in Good to Great.

Small world. Years later during a casual conversation with Collins, Keith McFarland wondered aloud what could be learned about great companies closer to the time of their entrepreneurial breakthrough. "What a great research question," Collins replied. Actually, McFarland then formulated three questions that would guide and inform research for The Breakthrough Company:

1. Why do most companies start small and stay that way?

2. What is special about the handful of companies that successfully "break through" the entrepreneurial stage of development?

3. What can a leader do to ensure that his or her company maximizes its chances for a breakthrough?

McFarland and his associates created and analyzed of more than 7,000 of America's fastest growing private and p8blic companies. They spoke with more than 1,500 key executives. They reviewed and cataloged more than 5,600 articles. Moreover, they conducted intensive 90-day studies with 52 firms ranging in size from $9-million to $-billion in annual sales.

This book shares what they learned. More specifically, what proved to be the characteristics that separate those middle-sized entrepreneurial companies that break through to become "significant, lasting, and difference-making organizations" from those that don't. The book also suggests what leaders can do to help their organizations maximize their potential for breakthrough. "We began to see the story of the breakthrough company not as a journey from an entrepreneurial firm to a professionally managed firm, but from a small or mid-sized entrepreneurial firm to [begin italics] entrepreneurial enterprise [end italics]."As with any other journey, this one has a starting point and an ultimate destination as well as several checkpoints in between. As I re-read this book, I realized that rather than a single "journey," this process of transformation (i.e. from small to mid-size firm to entrepreneurial enterprise) consists of six separate but related transitions, each of which proceeds at its own pace. That is certainly true of the nine exemplary companies on which McFarland focuses in this book: ADTRAN, Chicos FAS, Express Personnel, Fastenal, Intuit, Paychex, Polaris, SAS Institute, and The Staubach Company." McFarland devotes a separate chapter to each of these transitions, citing real people and real situations in one or more of the nine companies to illustrate the given point.

In Chapter 3, for example, he explains what it means to "crown the company" during a firm's transition from one in which the leader is sovereign to one in which the firm itself is sovereign. I know from personal experience that Roger Staubach leveraged his visibility and credibility when establishing his own commercial real estate firm but that he "crowned it" as soon as possible. Over time, he has become much less involved in day-to-day operations because the firm may bear his name (and it does so with great pride) but it really is an entrepreneurial enterprise that is greater than the sum of its parts, or any one part such as its high-visibility founder. Who was convinced of that from the firm's first day? Roger Staubach.

I especially appreciate McFarland's brilliant use of various reader-friendly devices such as "The Key Ideas" section in most chapters, accompanied by "Squirts from the Grapefruit" (i.e. surprising revelations), "Breakthrough in Practice Tips," and boxed key ideas. This is the first business book I have read in which Charlie Chan is cited as a source. In one of his films, the star detective observes that surprising findings are "like squirt from grapefruit juice." McFarland acknowledges general "squirts" as well as a few that are relevant to each transition. For example, in Chapter 5 ("Building Company Character"): "Some breakthrough companies had formal values statements and some didn't. The creation of a formal statement of values did not seem to be in any way related to the development of strong company character." McFarland also includes seven mini-case studies of companies in which their real-world situations also illustrate his key points.

I wholly agree with him that "breakthrough is a journey, not a destination. "That there are no permanent breakthrough companies - only companies that engage in practices leading to long-term success. And just as it's possible for an everyday company to achieve breakthrough performance, it's equally possible for a breakthrough company to, without realizing it, fall back into life as an everyday firm." No company can afford to "crown" any of its individuals rather than the entire enterprise, rest on its laurels, play it safe, and allow its character to become a set of platitudes "that no one believes in." Instead, a company must continually find new and better ways to meet customer needs, to reduce costs, and to increase the speed of effective execution. If those involved in any breakthrough company believe, as Marshall Goldsmith so aptly describes it, that "what got them here will get them there" and relent in their commitment to the fundamentals of breakthrough that Keith McFarland explains so brilliantly in this book, that company's performance is certain to become mediocre and its survival problematic, at best.

I also appreciate the provision of seven mini-case studies that offer additional real-world examples of McFarland's most important points. They appear in this order: The Olson Company (Page 26), Shamrock Foods (Pages 109-110), Western Wats (Pages 138-139), Simms Fishing (Pages 148-149), Eagle Global Logistics (Page 158), o2 Ideas (Pages 1869-170), and House of Blues (Page 218). After explaining how to build breakthrough capabilities in the final chapter, McFarland offers a number of suggestions about how to avoid breakdown after breakthrough. It remains to be seen which (if any) of the nine exemplar companies avoid breakdown but of this we can be certain: the potential for a breakdown is inherent in each breakthrough. Keith McFarland agrees with Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Ever wonder why the successes of companies featured in books like "In Search of Excellence," "Good to Great," and "Built to Last" are so ephemeral? The authors almost always violate basic principles of statistical analysis, and so does Keith McFarland.

A major problem is that not all important determinants of organizational performance can be objectively measured - eg. employee morale, organizational leadership, strategy, competitors actions (or lack thereof), etc. Instead, the subjective impressions that are used are strongly influenced by the company's current financial success - creating spurious correlations and invalid conclusions.

Additional significant problems include determining cause vs. effect in correlation data (helped through longitudinal studies - unfortunately these are infrequent), forgetting that the real importance of measured factors may be overstated through correlation with non-measured factors, the "delusion of connecting the winning dots" (studying only successful firms will not identify how they differ from the unsuccessful), and forgetting that useful performance measures identify relative (not just absolute) performance.

Global competition, increasing financial market demands, and much more rapid technological change create enormous pressures to identify the "secrets" of business excellence. This demand has created bookshelves and magazines full of case studies, some seemingly quite thorough and sophisticated. ("The Breakthrough Company," unfortunately, is one of the worst.) Unfortunately, lack of statistical rigor frequently reduces their value to that of bedtime stories. There is no substitute for good strategy and execution, and in my opinion those lessons are best learned from studying the work of Jack Welch, Larry Bossidy, and Lou Gerstner.

Many thanks to Andy Stanley for sharing his process and insights with the rest of us. So many communicators could benefit from this book. I speak mostly to MOPS groups and this book is spot on for communicating in that venue. It's great for anyone who wants to see people remember what they've said so the principles can lead to life change.

My observation regarding preaching is that there are two things necessary to be an unusually effective communicator of God's Word:

1. Extraordinary insight into the Scriptures
2. The ability to communicate that insight in an engaging, memorable way.

In this incredible book, Andy Stanley shares his secret to making number 2 happen on a weekly basis. Expository purists who feel the need to impart every ounce of knowledge they learned in seminary or in the commentaries the night before will struggle with this book. If your goal when you preach is simply to dispense knowledge and let people figure out for themselves where to go from there, then save yourself some money and get a different book. However, if your goal is to communicate in such a way that people's lives are transformed, then you need to order this book and have it express shipped.

If you are a seminary student or a pastor you MUST READ THIS BOOK NOW! Then get your hands on some of Andy's sermons and listen to him in action. Notice how he incorporates the ideas from the book in different and creative ways. Then re-read the book again. I've read this entire book twice and parts of it 3-4 times. Each time I see something that I missed before.

I doubt that in the next 20-30 years there will be a book written for preachers as meaningful as this one. If I could give it 10 stars, I would.

Highly recommend this book. It's an easy read and communicates the technique with ease. Will be trying this style of preaching this weekend!

This was a very enjoyable book. The first half was captivating as I am a pastor who struggles with some of the points the pastor in the book was struggling with. The narrative did go a little lone. The second half of the book was the instruction manual. My only request is that the author would have given a 4-5 examples of this type of sermon, a few sermons that reflected this style. I'm going to give it a try and see what happens.

Love what the author had to say in terms of a one point message, make it sticky, know where you're going and how you're going to get there. These are amazingly good suggestions that I was able to quickly incorporate into my own teaching to make the lessons more memorable and have greater impact. The author's presentation in the first half of the book is outstanding.

However, read this book critically. A constant "Me-We-God-You-We" approach every Sunday is tedious for a congregation. It leads a speaker to always speak topically rather than exegetically. Although this approach is ideal for people who have no Biblical background (seeker friendly churches), it has the unfortunate side-effect of keeping them that way.

Don't get me wrong; I fully enjoyed this book and took many great insights out of it. I just can't in good conscience implement it for every message/lesson.

Excellent and helpful information about dysfunctional codependent intimate relationships. Great for people in recovery from substance abuse as well as others suffering from relationship problems.
Sexist cultural influences not discussed but the useful information outweighs the deficits. Recommended for all readers interested in having healthier, happier and more mature relationships. Helpful for counselors working with adults or teens with relationship challenges.

If you have as many sisters as I got, then you surely need this book. Women tend to be more additive to love. When they are trying to recover, then they should read this book.

In the book, author travel the great length to give you examples of how? Why causes it. Good reads.
It makes women to analyze their dating strategies. Some might work, some might not, get the book called, "Rules" for dating, get this book for healing, and in between, pray to the lady luck.

i hated this book. blames everything on a screwed up childhood & tells you to get counseling.
the author doesnt offer any other explanation as to why you love people who dont love you back.
dont pay full price for this book if you want to read it.

My beloved yoga teacher recommended I read this.

I highly recommend this book.

Personally, it has been a profound experience. I can now see this is a pattern of behavior that others have gone through as well.

I have felt alone. and reading this book has given me assurance and the ground work for change, for growth and healing.
It is simple enough to read in a couple of days, but i have reread it several times now. and am working the suggested exercises.


thank you for reading.

Yes, if you think you are a love addict/avoidant, get this book. If you find yourself back in the same love cycle and never able to move beyond your relationship problems/hang-ups, etc., this book might be for you. If you can't decide if you love or hate your partner/spouse; if you're afraid you might be unfaithful if things don't change in your relationship soon...this is definitely for you! Buy it, check it out from a library...Devour it. I, myself, haven't quite finished it, but I have found it extremely helpful. I thought my marriage was over, but this book is helping us rebuild it stronger and healthier than ever before. I do encourage additional support as you go through this, however. It's intense and a good therapist/counselor can help you and your partner/spouse navigate through the difficult topics. Hope this helps you in your journey...

Good and useful, but probably need some updating and more information on current sources of financial support, specially for projects in developing countries.

I read a lot, almost totally non-fiction, and for the past several years, after accidentally becoming a top Amazon reviewer on the strength of 300 reviews lifted from the annotated bibliographies of my first two books, I have been dedicated, as a hobby, to reading in the service of the public. My goal in life at the age of 55, what I learned from this book is called an "encore career," is to be intelligence officer to the five billion poor, and--I now realize from this book--to the social entrepreneurs that are changing the world on a scale and with a speed that governments cannot match.

This book blew my mind, literally. It has not altered my course, but it has dramatically accelerated my ability to make progress by illuminating a path I thought I would have to discover. This book is the first "map" of a completely new form of endeavor, profoundly individual in inspiration and global in scale, that of social entrepreneurship, not to be confused with non-profit or non-governmental, more traditional forms.

The author, apart from mapping examples (33, focused on education, health, protection, and access to electricity and technology), provides what I consider to be the single best preface/introduction I have ever read. Here are a few of the underlined bits:

+ hidden history unfolding
+ landscape of innovators
+ ratio of problem-focused information to solution-focused information is completely out of balance
+ reality distorted, people deprived of knowledge they could use
+ individual social entrepreneurs advancing systemic scalable solutions
+ new sector of social entrepreneurship now being taught, funded, and respected
+ two Nobel Peace Prizes (2004, 2006)--micro-finance now micro-everything
+ Ashoka, founded by Bill Drayton is the spine of the book
+ conceptual firewalls coming down, "whole brains" being used
+ influencing conventional businesses (going green, good) and governments (adopting unconventional education, kids teaching parents, etc)
+ "social entrepreneurs are uniquely suited to make headway on problems that have resisted considerable money and intelligence"
+ government are looking at problems from the outside, social entrepreneurs see problems--and solutions--from the inside
+ scale still a challenge, but coming
+ Students and local groups actively interested in hearing about this now
+ Students are leading the way, pushing for change in curriculums
+ optimism, hope, energy are being unleashed as never before--but not being properly mapped, reported, or appreciated outside small circles
+ new pathways being discovered every day in every place
+ changemakers far more numerous than any might have imagined
+ many levels of changemaker
+ charaqcterized by first-hand active engagement in reality
+ individuals driven to understand, and driven to remove shackles from others with shared knowledge (e.g. kids learning to fix pumps and spreading knowledge across villages with a speed and energy only quick-witten children could apply)
+ social entrepreneurship network now has sensors everywhere, millions of changemarkers, tens of thousands of organizations
+ far better mechanism to respond to needed than we have ever had before
+ decentralized and emergent force

BAD NEWS:
- not yet properly financed
- lacking holistic public intelligence for voluntary harmonization against the ten threats, with the twelve policies, with a special focus on the eight challengers. (Learn more at Earth Intelligence Network)
+ emphasis on metrics slows down the needed pace of funding for innovation

Core principles for social excellence (chapter twelve):
+ Putting Children in Charge
+ Enlisting "Barefoot" Professionals
+ Designing New Legal Frameworks for Environmental Reform
+ Helping Small Producers Capture Greater Profits
+ Linking Economic Development and Environmental Protection
+ Unleashing Resources in the Community You Are Serving
+ Linking the Citizen, Government, and Business Sectors for Comprehensive Solutions (this is where shared public intelligence and a shared Range of Gifts Table can harmonize disparate capabilities with a common interest in stabilization, reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, and relief)

The book ends with a superb resource section including the following headings for lists of one-line access points:
+ Resources for People Seeking Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities
+ Organizations that Identify and/or Support (or Invest in) Social Entrepreneurs
+ Management, Funding, and Networking Resources for Citizen Organizations
+ Academic-Based Resources
+ Resources for Funders
+ Resources for Businesspeople

The notes and index are totally professional.

I put this book down with one final note: WOW!!!

This is an Earth-changing book, an utterly brilliant, timely, ethical, wonderful piece of scholarship, journalism, vision and information sharing. I actually have tears in my eyes. This book is Ref A for saving the Earth seven generations into the future and beyond.

Other books that support this one, but this one is unique:
A Power Governments Cannot Suppress
The Tao of Democracy: Using Co-Intelligence to Create a World That Works for All
The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today's Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems
The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter
Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World
Escaping the Matrix: How We the People can change the world
Society's Breakthrough!: Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People
Collective Intelligence: Mankind's Emerging World in Cyberspace
The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits (Wharton School Publishing Paperbacks)

See also the books I have written, helped edit, or published, including our forthcoming COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace, edited by Mark Tovey with 55 contributors. It will be on Amazon 1 March 2008, and is offered free online at Earth Intelligence Network.

In addition, I recommend the "52 Tough Questions" with transpartisan answers at Earth Intelligence Network, that address the ten high-level threats to humanity as identified by the UN study on "Creating a More Secure world" (free online and also sold via Amazon), the twelve policies that must be harmonized, and the eight challengers whom we must help avoid our mistakes of the past 100 years.

This book by David Bornstein could not have come into my life at a better time--the New York Times calls it a bible in the field, I consider it to be my inspiration for my encore career. Simply spectacular. AMAZING--not just the book, but every person and organization the book names and discusses. WOW!!!

I enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me of chicken soup where every chapter started a new story about someone.

This is a book "whose time has come"! (read book to understand why this is ironic) Our world is so desperate for change in so many ways. This book gives both the inspiration and the tools for those of us already working to make change become better leaders and advocates for our cause. This is a must-read for all social change advocates. I highly recommend this book and applaud all that Bill Drayton and the Ashoka Foundation are doing to sustain the many people on our planet who are driven to make it a better place.

As a serial entrepreneur and teacher of entrepreneurship at the college level, I see social entrepreneurs emerging all around me. While many of the tools and techniques used by social entrepreneurs are the same as those learned and used by their more traditional counterparts, there's a tremendous amount to be learned from role models who are focused on developing enterprises that target social causes. This book does a wonderful job introducing social entrepreneurship through the stories of people who are actually doing it. The individuals profiled in this book, along with their causes, are diverse and can teach us a lot, irrespective of how we label ourselves as entrepreneurs. In general, I found this book to be well written, informative and inspiring, and believe that it has a lot to offer to anyone who wants to make a difference in the world.

Steven K. Gold
Author, Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture

I enjoyed the novel, the characters were real, it is a quick easy read, I have read Water for Elephants which is her 3rd novel and it is to die for but this one held my interest.

This is a sequel to Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen. Annamarie Zimmer continues to be a passionate neurotic determined to sabotage her own happiness by impulsive behavior. There are changes in her. She is riding again, although not competing. She's rekindled a relationship with her old flame, the one she should have married in the first place. And she's getting her due comeuppance from her daughter, who wants to ride competitively.

Reading a book like this is like getting a visit from the nutty relative that no one can stand. There is a dreadful awfulness, for example, in the scene at the fancy restaurant where Annamarie storms out on her boyfriend and yet, if the reader can cultivate a certain detachment, it is mighty entertaining.

"Flying Changes" was a quick read that kept me turning the pages despite the fact that it annoyed me. The basic premise of the book was very good and the characters did have true=to=life idiosyncrasies, but I was annoyed by many of them.

First of all, if Eva is irresponsible enough to gallop a one-eyed-horse over frozen ground and try to jump him, then WHY would her mother assume she's responsible enough to compete? Second, as another reviewer pointed out, brindled horses exist (AQHA, mustangs, Pasos) but not in red-and-white stripes.

I will agree with a previous reviewer that Gruen doesn't seem to understand that there's a difference between eventing and jumping. My Arabians and I do double-duty 25-30 mile competitive trail and lower level dressage and THAT is very difficult. I can only imagine the effort and money that goes into Olympic level Grand Prix jumping and 4Star 3 day events. It just isn't realistic. Also, a junior rider would not have to wear a shadbelly and a top hat at a 2 star event.

Gruen made Smoky Joe unrealistic for me as well. I would give a Nokota an outside chance to be an excellent jumper, but to also do Grand Prix dressage maneuvers at 7 years of age wiht minimal training?! AND to jump fourteen foot spreads?! The horse is good at too many things for me to believe it. Also, how would Eva have the timing for 1-tempis and passage if she hasn't had that many dressage lessons?

Speaking of Eva, while painted as a very realstic character, I wanted to smack her. I know of toddlers with better manners and behavior than her. To me, she didn't deserve to compete, train with Nathalie Jenkins or be accepted BACK into her program. She's a spoiled self-centered brat, realistic but still irritating.

Annemarie I could actually tolerate. The owner of the place I board my horses at is a rodent-phobic, so I was mildly amused to see "her" as Annemarie. BTW, my vet also lives in a dilapidated trailer.

Overall, it was a decent read. It was fast-paced, quick reading that actually did make me interested to find out what would happen next, even if I didn't like the characters. I am curious if Gruen will publish more about these characters. Two wishes for this reader, though. 1. Read the USEF rulebook before writing about Olympic level competitions. 2. Eva needs to grow up.

I did not care for this book or the prequel. I felt like I was getting depressed, scattered and pathetic as I read the thoughts of the main character.

As a horse loving adult, I will read any fiction I can find featuring horses that is aimed at adults but these two did not make my keep shelf!

I read Sara Gruen's Riding Lessons and then her follow-up Flying Changes and I was amazed at how well the author understands horses, stable management, and eventing. The story was fast paced and as a 40 something women with a teenage daughter and horses...I could totally relate. I hope she writes a third book in this series...I will pre-order...

How they got this much good information in one book is unbelievable! Very, very good.

As a long-time EFT practitioner and energy psychologist, I can recommend this book with no hesitation. Whether you are new to the concept of energy medicine, or an advanced practitioner, I am sure you will find much valuable information in this book. I haven't seen anything better on the subject!

I especially liked the way the different authors each had their own section in which to describe their specialties, from Gary Craig's EFT to Donna Eden's fascinating work with body energetics. This is a book I will always keep in my reference library.

This is an interesting subject matter. It is a beneficial mode of healing and as stated in this book the "methods can be traced back 5,000 years". I like the fact that their is another tool that can heal which can reduce or even eliminate medication. The author provides information that shows this concept as a tool which complements the science of Psychology.

This book includes a 5 minute daily energy routines that can be combined with other disiplines of excercise. Some of the routines can assist with insomia, ADD, and memory to name a few. IMHO-I would not try any of the information in this book without seeing a professional in this field. I highly recommend this for individuals suffering from PTSD and missing limbs.

The title says it all. I found this book at the library several months ago, brought it home and began using EFT on myself. Not long after, I ordered six copies -- one for myself and five for my friends as Christmas gifts.

I used EFT on Sunday to remove a friend's fear of flying. It worked like a charm. I should point out that I am not trained in EFT -- I learned what I need from this book and the book rocks!

This book is clear, fascinating and contains many examples. I have purchased three copies as gifts and am going back for more.

Another book from a writer who says "I was anti-nuclear but I think different now". What sort of message can we expect from somebody who says "In 50 years of operation, they have caused no deaths to the public"? Obviously she has never heard about Chernobyl, or the cancer clusters near Sellafield and La Hague. And still she does not answer the questions that environmentalists raise about nuclear power: What are we going to use when we run out of uranium? what do we do about people living near nuclear power stations who get sick and die? What are we going to do with nuclear waste? Not to mention all the "what-if's" about accidents and possible terrorist attacks. This book shows you one side of the story, and hides the other one.

The good sides of this book are manifold. First of all, probably due to the fact that the author is a professional novelist, one has to say that "it reads like a book": it is difficult to put it down, and the fourhundred something pages are read with ease and fun. The second good side of this book is that it is full of very interesting, and not always well-known information, even to people in the field. It is a mixture of technical issues and human relationships.

However, there were two points that irritated me somewhat. First of all is the somewhat naive attempt at "showing that we are environmental activists too". The arguments put forward should stand by themselves, and not because the authority in the book (Rip Anderson) and his wife are also local concerned activists for one or other ecological cause.
The other point I found disappointing was the somewhat simplistic technical treatment of several key aspects in the nuclear power happening. The main point I found disappointing was the missing of a clear discussion of fuel reprocessing, fast breeders, thermal reactors and so on. These subjects are touched upon, but they are very vaguely treated ; nevertheless, this is an essential part in the future of nuclear power if it is to have a future. In other words, at the end of the day, you have to take some expert's word for it, as the book doesn't give you the means to verify some aspects yourself in a logical derivation, even though most of the information in the book is factually correct.

That said, this book is a very good read for people who have been fed on the vocal absurdities spread around by anti-nuclear activists such as Helen Caldicott. A read of both is probably a good thing, but one should start with "Power to save the world", as it gets most of its facts right.

Ms. Cravens has written a very good book discussing the complete nuclear power cycle from a lay person's perspective. Her discussions concerning power baseloading and comparing nuclear sources to coal sources for powering the national power grid are narratives that are rarely, if ever, discussed outside of the power industry due to the emotional issues that nuclear power brings forth in people.

As a non-technical author and former protester against nuclear power, Ms. Cravens tackles the subject material of nuclear power, the security issues, health issues and comparisons to other major power sources with a thoroughness not usually seen at this level. Her approach to "tag along" with noted retired DOE scientist, Rip Anderson and his openness and patience towards teaching a non-technically trained person the ins and outs of the nuclear power cycle add to the narrative. The unique approach she takes to treat her investigation of nuclear power as a personal journey leads to Ms. Cravens' ultimate understanding that nuclear power must be one of the power sources we rely on for our power needs as we go into the 21st century.

The book provides an excellent overview partly due to the length of time it takes for Ms. Craven's accounts of her travels and interviews to be written. Ms. Cravens does not try to write this book in 3 or 6 months just to ride the coattails of the latest nuclear headlines. Instead she took the time she needed to fully understand nuclear power, other sources of electrical power and the subject of baseloading before finalizing her book. The time was well spent as she is able to competently write about the use of nuclear power in today's world of shrinking inventory of carbon based fuels, greenhouse effects and increasing international tensions.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is truly interested in the discussion and future of nuclear power. It does not answer every technical question but that was never the goal of the book. What Ms. Cravens' book does is address the necessary critical technical and nontechnical questions about the nuclear power cycle and the power needs of the United States from a layperson's level. This book should be used as reference material for any critical discussions or debates concerning the pros and cons of nuclear power.

It's thorough and thought provoking -- enough to motivate me to look up parallel information as I read through the book.

I really like how the author balances risk and benefit throughout, and gets her readers to think in those terms. There seemed to be little glossing over hard facts. Overall, the book takes away my concerns about the risks of nuclear, especially as compared to other sources - like the filthy coal industry. I love the idea of solar, but her perspective on the toxic manufacturing and disposal process for solar cells helps answers questions I've long wondered about. She isn't against other forms of energy generation - just puts them in perspective. Nothing is free, easy, or perfect.

It was amazing to learn about the incredible advances in reactor technology and how it can be done with a tiny fraction of the waste now generated.

Her dissection of the disposal issue takes away the scare factor.

The book informs a highly emotional discussion in a rational, reasonable way and demolishes a lot of mythology. There are parts I had to re-read to digest, but it's written about as easy to understand as it could be to cover the subject with the depth it does for a layperson.

If you like your science with endless, irrelevant narrative concerning facts arbitrarily selected by the author based on their romantic attachment to whatever, then this book is for you. I bought this book for some meat-on-bone reading. What I got was tedium ad nauseam. "The driveway and an area around a garage were occupied by an ancient wooden hay wagon with iron-bound wheels from the Idaho ranch, a battered van, an antique school bus Rip had turned into a camping vehicle, various tools and farm equipment, and a metal-working shop with sheets of corrugated metal, lengths of pipe, and coils of wire". (p.22) Oh PUH-lease. Let's get on with it. The book reads like a kindergartener's first reader, and the name of the scientist involved adds to this feel. "See Rip run. See Rip exhale carbon dioxide. See Rip's exhaled carbon dioxide contribute global climate catastrophe."

The chapters on WIPP and subsea were the best, and are the sole reason for my giving this book two stars. As a degreed engineer, I could seriously have done without the grandma-knows-best, romantic visions of the environment discourse.

This is my first GMAT guide so far but I have found it very helpful. Every section reviews standard test taking as if you have never taken one before. Also, it goes into deep enough details that you feel comfortable when taking all of the sample tests. This book may not be the only book that one should purchase before taking the GMAT, but it is a helpful tool towards doing well.

Apart from the official guide, there isn't much to choose from out there so Kaplan provides a needed resource.


* Questions don't reflect the same degree of difficulty as the real test but at least there is an attempt to present new material as opposed to the "real" questions that you will come across in other resources.

* The coaching style Kaplan adopts in offering advice on strategies is useful. Timing is always an issue so a good tip I would offer is apply the strategies to your weak areas first and test them out.

* Still on timing but from another perspective, whilst everyone is different, Kaplan should recommend a specific prep time and not sit on the fence. Realistically, prepping for the real test requires more than a month - and before you shout you did it in less (!) I'm talking about the least stressful approach.

* Neither the official guide nor Kaplan tackle the complexity of the math tests - I would recommend additional resources if you are weak in this area - possibly EZ.

If you are only just embarking on this path, I suggest that you take your first practice test "cold", i.e. without referring to any guide whatsoever. THEN start your coaching program. You will find the measurable improvement as you continue to take practice tests (and you should take as many as you can)will motivate you and give you the confidence you need to keep going!

In conclusion, could you pass the test without this book - perhaps, but why take a chance? It's not perfect but it's very good. Is there a better one out there? I haven't come across it yet so if someone else has, would be glad to hear of it.

I hope this helps someone out there.

This is a helpful guide to studying for the GMAT, but not an exhaustive one. I recommend using it at the start of your GMAT studies to get a good introduction to the test's mechanics and a general sense of each section. For practice questions and more in-depth, area-specific review, look elsewhere.

The book provides a succinct, easy-to-understand summary of each section and the key takeaways, but if you have any area-specific weaknesses or knowledge gaps, this book will not be enough. For example, there's a great section in the back that provides a review of almost all the basic math knowledge you'll need to have down cold, but the explanations given are short and sometimes represent only one way (and not always the fastest or simplest way) of doing a particular type of problem. Knowing all the basic math is not enough; you have to know how to apply it in many different ways under time-constrained conditions. The Kaplan guide is not going to fill that need for you, and in fact, if you use some of Kaplan's strategies (e.g., plugging in numbers) without a good grasp of the underlying principles, you could be worse off because the GMAT is designed precisely to trip you up on such mental shortcuts.

The practice questions skew toward the difficult side and answer explanations vary from decent to good, but as other reviewers have mentioned, some of the questions are not representative of the actual types of questions you will see on the GMAT. I also noticed a few typos and question errors sprinkled throughout the book and the CD, which seemed sloppy for a guide book to a test where attention to detail is key, and one that has already gone through multiple editions.

In short, if I could do it all over again, this is how I would use the book: at the start of my prepping, read over the strategy sections to get a basic understanding of the GMAT, and later on in my studies, do the practice questions once I've exhausted all Official Guide practice material and have those down cold.

I highly recommend this book to anyone trying to prep for the GMAT. I had previously purchased a Kaplan book in prep to take the PCAT- and it was a great preparation for that test, so I had no hesitation in going to Kaplan a second time for GMAT prep. The format for GMAT was unlike any other test I had taken, but this Kaplan book was right on with explaining how to tackle the different types of questions they throw at you.
I didn't have much time to prepare for the test, so I focused mainly on my weak areas (in math!) - and ended up getting a 600 , enough to get into my intended program.

I think this is a very good review product for the GMAT exam, especially for the ones who work full-time and try to prepare for the exam. The information is very helpful and the explanation is detailed. I am glad that I chose this book to help me to prepare for the GMAT exam.

To say that this book saved my life would not be an overstatement. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease nearly three years ago at age 23. The doctors put me on Remicade (which I stopped breathing during an infusion), Entocort (steriod - so can't take that forever), and Pentasa (which made me throw up for a week and a half straight - couldn't hold down even liquid meal replacement shakes). This was over a time period of about 9 months. I had lost 15 pounds, been on liquid diets, and passed out twice in my apartment alone due to what I can only assume was malnutrition. None of the medicine helped. Finally, I had had enough. My mom found this book, and I decided (against my doctor's advice) to get off all medication and try this diet. About two weeks into the diet, I began to feel so much better. After completing the 40 day diet, I was completely restored. It has been almost two years now that I have not been on any medication, with NO symptoms of Crohn's whatsoever. I follow Phase 3 of the diet most of the time since I completed the original 40 days, but I do cheat once or twice a week. I also did the diet again for 40 days a year after I initially did it. I really do not know where I would be without having found this book and this diet. Probably in a hospital somewhere. The point is, no matter if you have Crohn's or any other disease (that they claim is "incurable"), or if you are just looking to lead a healthier life, this is the book for you. I'm not one to write reviews, but seriously, this book changed my life. If you're still not convinced, put it this way... it can't hurt to try it.

Recieved book on time-fair condition..Interesting take on diets..Am enjoying the book.. Interesting that used books versus new books end up being so cheap but postage is so much higher then either new or used...I'd recommend this site to all my firiends....

Save yourself money and just buy Sally Fallon's book. All the Maker's Diet series are reinterations of her recipes.

I was intrigued by the title thinking that it would offer Biblical food guidelines. But instead this author only wants you to buy bizarre products available only from his web site like special dirt to eat and soap to wash your hands with. Almost nothing Biblical about it. Actually, the Bible just says to eat lots of vegetables, avoid rich foods , shell fish and pork along with several other unclean animals. Good advice.
Forget Jordan; read Daniel and Leviticus

This didn't work for me. I ate dirt for a month. It didn't do a thing for me except give me gas.

Michael Fullan has been working to discover change secrets for years allowing him to amass an extensive data base on the subject. His depth of understanding provides a unique view for the change agent of today. An intriguing aspect of the book is how Fullan goes beyond the work of Collins book Good to Great. If you are a fan of G2G you will appreciate the Six Secrets and how it moves change to the next level. This book will give you ideas to contemplate.