change Books

As other people have stated that changing your handwriting and emphasizing certain cognitive change could lead to self-improvement, the "Vimala" alphabet I believe is not a practical in today's business environment. There are plenty of much better self-help books if that is what you need.

Hey. Nice to see a book on handwriting analysis with the idea that people can change. How hopeful. The idea of practicing (to write) a specific alphabet sort of gives me the creeps. Is'nt it enough to change a few "flaws" in the writing to get it within a field of the norm? Just reading this book creates an awareness of ones behavior and handwriting, enough to start making small changes here and there. It's a short, quick read, packed with great info.

I stopped handwriting in junior high and developed very neat printing instead. For years I felt vulnerable about my handwriting. I also felt a longing to shed myself of my handwriting discomfort and thought changing my writing patterns could have a profound positive influence on me. Then I attended a 3-day workshop which taught the principles found in this book. I was ready to confront my uneasiness with handwriting once and for all but also wondered if I would really be able to do it in a natural, flowing way. I actually wondered if my hand would cooperate! Well, not only did I discover some very plausible reasons for why I stopped handwriting in the first place but I also found out that, yes, much to my astonishment and delight, my hand was capable of beautiful handwriting.

For me, simply handwriting--without implementing the daily letter and writing practice she recommends--
brought a wonderful shift in me. I felt a deeper calm, more at ease. Perhaps not coincidentally, four months after switching to handwriting I became pregnant after five years of struggling with fertility issues. A couple of months ago I began the daily writing practice Vimala recommends and have already experienced many inner and outer miracles. For anyone who feels inspired to harness their positive qualities, dig for buried treasure, fulfill their dearest dreams I highly recommend Your Handwriting Can Change Your Life! Vimala's book is filled with wisdom and hope for us all.

I have been one of those people who hated the sight of their own handwriting. I always chose to type my assignments through college, even some math homework, when I was going to be turning it in for a grade. I finally realized that I wanted to change my writing and Vimala gave me a great book to assist with my desired change. The book is very informative and directs you in how letters should be written. At the sametime she allows you to choose exactly what changes you make. The book's name says it all, I no longer look at my handwriting like I want it to go away, now I want it to stay!

Interesting book. I can't say I gave it the time recommended, which was 40 minutes or more a day patiently practising the letters and the aspects of your writing you wish to improve. Its thesis seems hyperbolic and the actual writing style I didn't like. Instead, I now practice cursive italic, a style designed for fast, legible handwriting. It seems both more functional and aesthetically attractive to me than the Vimala style. Whats more, cursive italic was the chosen hand of the Italian middle ages; if Leonardo Da Vinci managed to struggle along without the benefits of the Vimala method of handwriting self-development then so can you and I.

My final impression? - I think there is something to the notion that diligent practice of a well thought out hand will have cognitive and character benefits. Vimala Rodgers is to be admired for her work and insights. What I'd really like to see is a similar method developed using cursive italic as a basis, and dare I say, with a bit more of a 'male' feel, to both its appearance and the associated character traits. I suspect that the Vimala method could be further developed/adapted according to one's own preferences once a good feel for it had been gained. For now, however, it's overall style fails to appeal.

A MENDING AT THE EDGE satisfyingly concludes Jane Kirkpatrick's Change and Cherish trilogy, based on the true-life story of Emma Wagner Giesy, a strong-willed woman who seeks to find her place in a restrictive Christian colony in Oregon during the mid-1800s.

If you haven't read the first two installments, stop here and begin with book one, A CLEARING IN THE WILD. These novels are much richer as a series than they are as stand-alones.

In A CLEARING IN THE WILD, we're introduced to Emma, a teenage girl in the Missouri Bethelites community who rebels against gender roles and longs for adventure. She wangles her way to accompany her husband, Christian Giesy, on a trip west to explore possible new locations for the colony --- historically, the only woman to help found a communal society in this time period, Kirkpatrick tells us.

The second novel in the series, A TENDERING IN THE STORM, is written from two points of view --- Louisa Keil's and Emma's. It finds the feisty Emma living in the Washington Territory with Christian and little ones Andy and Kate. Readers will enjoy seeing Emma's gifts unfold and watching her grow as a woman of faith and as a mother who deeply cares for her children. Her mistakes, however, will cost her dearly.

A MENDING AT THE EDGE finds Emma and her four young kids back with the repressive Bethel colony, after escaping from her abusive second husband Jack. Although offering her shelter and work at the colony, its mercurial and autocratic leader, Wilhelm Keil, is clear that Emma must do what she can to reconcile with Jack.

Kirkpatrick weaves information about women and divorce during this time period into the storyline, and continues her exploration of gender roles as she has throughout the series. Divorce, we discover, while not impossible, would likely result in Emma's dismissal from the colony. Divorced women of that time in Oregon also lost custody of their children, the author tells us.

However, as Emma labors in the colony and her work is credited towards the community for goods she wishes to acquire, Jack shows up and threatens to use his privileges as her husband to claim goods for himself that she has earned. And shockingly enough, the community does not protest, as he is her lawful husband. For the modern reader, Emma's situation and those of other characters introduced later in the story provide a startling realization of how women's rights were not protected in this era, and how little recourse females had if they were abused by their husbands. Kirkpatrick is a clinical social worker, as well as a novelist, which may explain her knowledgeable grasp of this plot thread.

Things smooth out a bit when Jack leaves, and Emma is free to press for the building of a home for herself and her family. However, to remain in the community, Emma finds that she must give up more than she ever dreamed. Will her sacrifice be worth the pain it will cause? Readers may find her decision shocking, but the author casts Emma's actions in the context of her time period, which aids understanding.

Kirkpatrick paints an intriguing portrait of a woman who chafes at the conventional and longs to live an extraordinary life. Emma's creativity is repeatedly stifled, but she finds ways to use conventional means (crafts, quilting) to express her gifts in unusual ways. Her impetuousness often has consequences, especially her unfortunate marriage to Jack, but she has matured since book one and learned patience and tact. These things help smooth her path as she finds a way to become a part of the colony yet remain true to herself. Emma also learns that even as she grieves the loss of family members she loves, she is able to reach out to others in need and help them heal.

I appreciated how Kirkpatrick helps the reader at every turn to understand the story, from the cast of characters at the beginning (an extensive number by book three) to the rich historical details, for which she includes a glossary of terms and German words used by the colony.

Readers fascinated with Emma's story will find information in the author's notes about the Western colony founded by German Americans as it is remembered today. Kirkpatrick notes that it is possible to visit the novel's historical village of Aurora (population 600) and the Colony Museum today. She has also written a nonfiction book about the colony, its quilts, music, food and culture that will be published in the fall of 2008.

Fans of the Change and Cherish series will appreciate A MENDING AT THE EDGE and the forthcoming nonfiction title, which provide more windows into this fascinating and sometimes shockingly restrictive community and this time period of the Old West.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Jane Kirkpatrick has done it again! This is a wonderful story woven into Oregon history and is a joy to read. The characters come alive and stay in your heart long after the last page is read.

Emma Wagner Giesy has escaped from her abusive second husband, Jack, and she is going to the Oregon Territory to help found a communal society. But she isn't truly free. She is forced to live in Keil's house, Keil is the "commune" leader, who is married with children-but he is "BOSS" no one does anything without his permission. So since Emma is a woman she is not entitled to have her own home so she is forced to live in a small room with her four children in Keil's house until she "reconciles" with her abusive husband.

Emma works hard to support herself, but every penny she earns goes to her estranged abusive husband. A woman doesn't have any right to have any money of her own.

When Jack shows up at the commune, Emma is scared for her children's safely, and her own. After all, she hasn't completely healed from the last time Jack beat her. But Jack leaves the commune of his own free will, something Emma isn't allowed to do when her parents come out to the Oregon Territory.

Illness threatens the commune and Emma is forced to work harder than ever. When death comes calling, everything changes. But will they change for good?

A Mending at the Edge is based on a true story and is the third and final book in the Change and Cherish series. At times the way the story is told, keeping me from being completely engaged in it, but knowing that this story is actually a historical account keep the pages turning. At the end of the book, author Kirkpatrick shares where she got all her information, and fills in some of the missing pieces to the best of her ability.

I never did fully connect with Emma, but I did feel sympathetic toward her plight--a woman, in a man's world, separated from her abusive husband, yet everything she had and would get would always belong to that husband. I hoped things would work out for her.

Armchair Interviews says: Discussion questions are included at the end of the book useful for book clubs.

I have read the entire series of the Change,and Cherish Historical Series. In this final book, Emma comes into her own. She has gained wisdom through her trials. She has lost many people along the way. In this book, she shacks free from danger, but there is a price to pay. I just loved this series, as I have all of Jane Kirckpatrick's books. But this one is different. I find myself drawn to Emma, maybe because I have been through several of her trials.

Don't miss this lovely conclusion to the Change and Cherish series. A Mending at the Edge honors the American West and the roles of women who endured the hardships of the trail. This novel will inspire readers to choose hope in life. This reader highly recommends A Mending at the Edge. And be sure to read books #1 and #2 so you can learn more about Emma.

Outsourcing buyers, clients, advisors, analysts, investors, managers, executives and media all quote this book as the "bible of outsourcing"! We're looking forward to the 2008 edition which is coming out next year.

The book successfully provides a 20,000 foot view of key aspects of outsourcing, including a deeper focus on Business process outsourcing. The content of the book is divided into three key parts
* How to plan, lead and manage outsourcing initiatives
I found this section really relevant to sourcing professionals, especially for those focused on `buy' side of sourcing
* The indispensable guide to finding an outsourcing career
This section is peppered with a few interesting ideas, especially for those in the west who are coming to grips with the Outsourcing elephant in the room
* The indispensable guide for outsourcing entrepreneurs
More of a Business 101 with a bit of sourcing focus

The topics covered are vast so doing justice to every aspect of sourcing is hard. I only wish the authors had brought in further depth in a topics like Risks (with a capital R) Governance, SLAs and other operational challenges .

Overall a good guide book for those looking for an overview on the topic.

This book is excellent. It discusses why outsourcing is essential for doing business and the process requried to do so. It is straight forward, good for not only for Companies interested to outsource, but also anybody who is interested to learn about outsourcing.

The book offered very useful information and guidelines that could immediately apply to our work. Additionally, the author has revealed a new path to business knowledge, offering further opportunities to pursue the successful implementation of company strategic goals in an ever-changing and challenging business environment.

With Lou Dobbs and a host of others focusing only on the negative aspects of outsourcing, it's refreshing to see someone talk about how outsourcing can drive economic growth also. The dominance of service businesses is restructuring the economy and, like all change, some of it will be painful. Good jobs will come from value-added activity, not by bemoaning the inevitable. Outsourcing is just another way that the market exposes management inefficiency.

Jesse Stone is a strong character. After seeing the TV movies with Tom Selleck, I picture him as I read each book. Tom Selleck is also a strong character, so......why does the author keep up this relationship with the ex-wife. To me it protrays a very weak person. I personally am getting tired of reading about the ex-wife in all the novels, one of whick took place 10 years after the divorce. I would have told Jenn to get lost a long time ago! How do you other readers feel?

Not all that great. Wow did this one drag on! Lot's of story about Jesse and Jenn and whomever they are sleeping with. Lot's about Jesse's therapy. Lot's about Jesse's drinking or not drinking. Not a whole lot about the story. The story itself twists and turns with some dead ends and it seems to take forever to get to the conclusion.

I didn't think much of this one.

This was an easy book to read. The plot was good and easy to follow. The characters were also true to life as was the depiction of a rich, scum filled lifestyle.

The book also had short 'breezy' chapters which made it a quick read, something that I appreciate.

I would highly recommend this item.

After seeing some of the positive reviews about this book and the gushing praise for Parkers writing, I am beginning to wonder if I am just being too critical or if part of my problem with this book might lie in the fact that I listened to it on compact disc.

First let me say that it was very difficult to keep my mind focused on the plot because I was so annoyed by the repetitious dialogue. When it came to any lengthy verbal exchange between the characters all I heard was "Jesse said", "Molly said", "Kelly Cruz said", "Healy said", etc. I believe that most readers (as well as folks listening ) could figure out who was saying what once any given exchange between the characters began. Also, why was it necessary to keep identifying the Florida detective as " Kelly Cruz"? I knew her last name the first 20 times I heard it. Was it really necessary to keep repeating it......after all she was the ONLY Kelly in the story.

Okay, now that I have vented let me say that I did enjoy certain aspects of the story. The laid back demeanor of the Jesse Stone character is appealing, his assistant Molly is likable, but the star of this caper is the Kelly Cruz character. She is one smart cookie who could probably keep Jesse on his toes, both professionally and personally, if Jesse would just get over Jenn, his ex.

Most of the other characters that pepper the pages of Sea Change can be summed up in three words, shallow, spoiled and self-indulgent. As for the overall content and plotline.........well let's just say that in this humble reviewers opinion, Sea Change has run aground.

I have been reading Parker since I discovered Spenser some 20 years ago.

As I today, I can officially say that I am dead tired of the constant psychobabble that turns up in the alternating chapters of nearly every one of his books. Did he start the Jesse Stone series just because he had realized he'd worn out the welcome of Susan Silverman and her dreary "insights" years ago and needed to give us a new shrink?

Jesse and his crew are an interesting bunch, written in Parker's classic spare prose style, but the entire divorce/recovering alcoholic subplot bores me silly. I'd much rather have every one of those alternate chapters filled with more characters, more plot and, bottom line, more interesting story development.

OK. You get the point.

This book covers the history of Intel, some great stories, his management approach and even the daily regime of a business warrior. I highly recommend. And another thing I like - it is relatively short.

I had wanted to read this book for some time because I was intrigued by the title. This book does provided some good insight into how to anticipate and manage the natural boom-bust cycles that affect all businesses. However, the stories about the emergence of GUI based computing and the Internet, as examples of strategic inflection points for Intel, were not particularly enlightening for me. I suppose the material is too familiar given my background in the tech industry and as an investor in Intel.

I was more interested in Grove's exploration of the internal organizational dynamics that can accompany strategic change and chaos. His insights into the challenges of keeping focused, leading by strategic actions (vs. plans) and balancing the competing dangers of too much focus vs. too much hedging thru periods of crisis were particularly relevant.

This book is rhetoric and boring with a few examples of successful and unsuccessful ventures so I started reading about Grove and his background.

The influence of communism in his early years seems to have put Grove in the paranoia groove. The culture of paranoia is clearly seen in Intel's business today- slow decision making, trust issues with employees and even customers!
Hire and fire culture has made the remaining employees work the system to `survive' rather than innovate and thrive.

Compare and contrast this Apple or for that matter even AMD and you will realize these companies are more in tune with their customers and employees (and hence their stock holders) in terms of basic trust.

We are not in a communist environment anymore. By being paranoid Grove's Intel has proved, you can only survive and barely at that.

Contrary to popular opinion on this website, I found this book to be boring, repetitive and badly written. It was so boring I struggled to finish it during a journey where I had little else to do. This book summarizes a few events that were significant to Intel and offers advice on how similar business changes should be handled. Being an engineer, and not a manager, I found this to be vague and rambling. However I do agree with the book's title - Only the Paranoid survive. I think this outlook is useful for everyone, and not just business types.

The real value of this book is that it is written by someone, Andrew Grove, who has actual experiences and managed a start-up right up to a mega successful corporation. There are tons of management and marketing books written by people, based on case-studies and analysis, but lack actual experiences managing or working in a corporation.

The main concept of this book is on strategic inflection point, which is a time in the life of the business when its fundamentals are about to change. This change can either infer an opportunity to rise to new heights or signal the beginning of the end. Hence, this book is about the impact of changing rules, guidelines to assist in identifying those situations and about finding your way through those uncharted territories. This book serves to raise our awareness of going through cataclysmic changes and to provide a framework in which to deal with them.

This book uses Porter's competitive analysis strategy in terms of the 6 forces as a base. The 6 forces are
1. Power, vigor and competence of existing competitors
2. Power, vigor and competence of complementors
3. Power, vigor and competence of customers
4. Power, vigor and competence of suppliers
5. Power, vigor and competence of potential competitors
6. Power, vigor and competence of substitutes

Once a very large change happens in one or several of these 6 forces, a "10X" force is in effect. Very often the transition from a normal business environment to that of a "10X" business environment is very gradual and thus, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time in which the "10X" force came about. Strategic inflection point comes about when this balance of forces shifts from the normal environment to that of the new "10X" environment and it is difficult to pinpoint its exact occurrence.

The circumstances that help to identify this strategic inflection point are
1. Presence of troubling sense that something is different such as changes in customers' attitudes, entrant of new competitors, etc.
2. Growing dissonance or misalignment between corporate statements and operation actions.
3. Emergence of new framework or actions.
4. New set of corporate statements is generated.

Andrew gave an analogy of working your way though a strategic inflection point to be just like venturing into the valley of death, the perilous transition between the old and the new environments. It is difficult to know the right moment to execute the appropriate actions. Since timing is everything, it is attractive to undertake these changes when the company is in a healthy financial state. This means "acting when not everything is known, when the data aren't in.", merely relying on "instinct and personal judgments" (Chapt 2). Hence it is a matter of training your instincts to pick up a different set of signals.

The only way we know whether a change signals a strategic inflection point is through the process of clarification that comes from broad and intensive debate. This debate should involve technical discussions, marketing discussions and considerations of strategic repercussions (how will it affect our business if we make a dramatic move; how will it affect if we don't?). The more complex the issues are, the more levels of management should be involved because people from different levels of management bring completely different points of view and expertise. The debate should involve people from outside the company, customers and partners with different areas of expertise and interests. When dealing with emerging trends, you may very well have to go against rational extrapolation of data and rely instead on anecdotal observations and your instincts. (chapter 6). Constructively debating tough issues and getting somewhere is only possible when people can speak their minds without fear of punishment.

Andrew offers a few guidelines to discern "signal" from "noise"
1. Is your key competitor about to change? Suggested using the "silver bullet test": If you had just one bullet, whom among your many competitors would you save it for? When the answer to this question stops being as crystal clear, it is time to sit up and pay special attention.
2. Is your key complementor about to change? Does the company that in the past years mattered the most to your business seem less important today? Does it look like another company is about to eclipse them? If so, it may be a sign of shifting industry dynamics.
3. Does it seem that people who for years had been very competent have suddenly gotten decoupled from what really matters? If key aspects of the business shift around us, the very process that got us where we were might retard your ability to recognize the new trends.
Generally you cannot judge the significance of the strategic inflection point by the quality of the first version or release of the product. You will need to draw on your experiences to discern its possible impacts.

Strategic dissonance is the divergence between actions and statements; saying one thing and doing another. Strategic dissonance is an automatic reaction to a strategic inflection point that probing for it is perhaps the best test of one.

Clarity of direction, which includes describing what we are going after, as well as, describing what we will not be going after, is exceedingly important at the late stage of a strategic transformation. This book defines strategic plans as statements of what we intend to do, whereas strategic actions as steps we have already taken or are taking. Strategic plans are abstract and are usually couched in language meant for the company's management. Strategic actions matter because they immediately affect people's lives. The most effective way to transform a company is through a series of incremental changes that are consistent with a clearly articulated end result.

This book mentions the "Taillight" approach - some companies may profitably wait for others to test the limits of technological possibilities or market acceptance and then commit to following, catching up and passing them.

A question that often comes up at times of strategic transformation is whether you should pursue a highly focused approach, betting everything on one strategic goal or should you hedge. It takes every erg of energy in your organization to do a good job pursuing one strategic aim, especially in the face of aggressive and competent competition. It is hard to lead the organization out of the valley of death without a clear and simple strategic direction. Demoralized organizations are unlikely to be able to deal with multiple objectives. Thus, hedging is expensive and dilutes commitment, and is not recommended.

"Most companies don't die because they are wrong; most die because they don't commit themselves... The greatest danger is in standing still" (Chapter 8).

The leader needs to show interest in the elements leading to the strategic direction, by getting involved in details that are appropriate to the new direction and by withdrawing attention, energy and involvement from those things that do not fit. At times like this, the calendar is the most important strategic tools in communication. Andrew emphasizes that communicating strategic change in an interactive exposed fashion is important and necessary such as corporate email announcements and meetings, etc.

Companies that successfully navigate through strategic inflection points tend to have a good dialectic between bottom-up and top-down actions. Bottom-up actions come from the ranks of middle managers, who by the nature of their jobs are exposed to the first whiffs of the winds of change, who are located at the peripheral of the action where change is first perceived and who catch on early. But by the nature of their work, they can only affect things locally. Their actions must meet halfway the actions generated by senior management. While those managers are isolated from the winds of change, but once they commit themselves to a new direction, they can affect the strategy of the entire organization. The best results seem to prevail when bottom-up and top-down actions are equally strong. When the top management lets go a little, the bottom-up actions will drive towards chaos by experimenting, by pursuing different product strategies, by generally pulling the company in a multiplicity of directions. After such creative chaos reigns and a direction becomes clear, it is up to senior management to reign in chaos. A pendulum-like swing between the 2 types of actions is the best way to work your way through a strategic transformation. What is needed is a balanced interaction between the middle managers, with their deep knowledge but narrow focus and senior management, whose larger perspective could set a context.

An organization that has a culture that can deal with these 2 phases - debate (chaos reign) and a determined march (chaos reined in) is a powerful, adaptive organization. Such an organization has 2 important attributes:
1. It tolerates and even encourages debates. These debates are vigorous, devoted to exploring issues, indifferent to rank and include individuals of varied backgrounds.
2. It is capable of making and accepting clear decisions, with the entire organization then supporting the decision.

This book emphasizes on the concepts by reliving a few of Intel's crisis; the mid-80s shift from memory to microprocessors business, RISC vs CISC architecture and during the fall of 1994 the floating point bug associated with Intel's flagship device; the Pentium processor. The magnitude of this crisis is so significant in that a tiny flaw in the microprocessor's floating point unit could mushroom into half a billion dollars' worth of damage in less than 6 weeks. This was later narrowed down to 2 key factors. First the success of Intel's merchandising "Intel Inside" program, which has projected a strong Intel image right to the end-user, became a double-edge sword in that end users directly contact Intel for a replacement microprocessor. In a normal incidence, it is likely to be the computer manufacturers who will perform the recall and replacement. But Intel's identity is so strong with the end-users that they became the ones asking for a recall and replacement. Second, the other factor is attributed to Intel's sheer size. Intel had become gigantic in the eyes of the computer buyers. And thus the huge cost in replacement.

This book also relates the transition of the computer industry in the 80s vertical alignment to that in the 90s; the horizontal alignment. This came about with the appearance of the microprocessor and then the personal computer. The "10X" force came about when the technology permitted the integration of several chips into one single chip and this same microprocessor enabled the production of all kinds of personal computers. As the microprocessor became the basic building block, economics of mass production worked its charm giving extremely cost-effective PCs. Over time, this changed the entire structure of the industry and a new horizontal industry emerged. As a result of this trend, companies previously successful in the vertical alignment, but who failed to adapt or recognize this "10X" force failed and no longer existed today. Examples are Wang and Cray. At the same time, this change also spelled opportunities for new entrants such as Dell and Compaq. Thus when an industry goes through a strategic inflection point, the practitioners of the old industry may have trouble, while on the other hand, this new environment provides opportunities for new entrants into this industry.

The key characteristics of horizontal industries is that they live and die by mass production and mass marketing, bringing cost-effective solutions and more specialization, i.e the best in class for that particular market segment such as TV monitors, memory, storage devices, etc.

The new rules of the horizontal industry are
1. Do not differentiate without a difference. Do not introduce improvements whose only purpose is to give you an advantage over your competitor without giving your customer a substantial advantage. Example is a "better PC" departed from the mainstream standard and hence giving rise to software incompatibility.
2. Grab opportunity when there is a technology break or change coming along.
3. Price for what the market will bear. Price for volume. Work like the devil on your costs so that it becomes profitable. This leads to economies of scale whereby by being a large-volume supplier, you can spread and recoup those costs. In contrast, cost-based pricing will often lead you into a niche position.


To be a leader or survivor in a horizontal and commoditized industry, this book provides some food for thought. A prime example is Intel exiting the commoditized memory industry in which they were once in the lead, until the entrance of the Japanese manufacturers.

This book is my favorite devotional book. I was given this book as a gift and was surprised, fantastic book. Helped me in so many ways that I bought another to give as a gift to a friend. It also has a workbook and I'm recommending it for a bible class at my Church.

Wow, what a book . To the point and the chapters are not long at all . Makes me feel like I am accomplishing something as I read . Easy to go back in the contents and look up something specific to help you just at that time .

Purchased December 2008.

Positives: Brief, interesting comments with both a relevant Bible quote and a prayer. She weaves a lot of her personal experiences into the story. I start my day with this devotional because it gives a positive start. I no longer am a Christian, but, overall, her message about God gives me a lift.

Deltas: Nothing major.

I suggest that if you haven't seen Joyce Meyers on TV get the sample first, and read that before purchasing.

This book will open your understanding of our everyday battle! It is an eye opener and a help to our daily Bible Study! It has been taken off my hands by my friends!

I received a teaching once that basicly said that when you get right down to it the Devil really only has two methods for tempting us: 1. Pressure 2. Pleasure. The Devil has three maxims which allows him to pull this off : 1. You (your own thoughts, bad habits, exc.) 2. The environment (Government, religious oppression, the systems of the world, exc.), and 3. Other people. Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield Of The Mind" is mostly geared at the one maxim each of us have the most control over (You, yourself, your thoughts, and YOU).

Joyce masterfully explains how that old Advesary The Devil works by waiting for the right moment (he`s not only a parasite but he`s also a predator). He waits to see where your weak, when your most vulnerable moment is, and he waits for that moment to attack. The Bible says "Resist the Devil and he will flee from you." Perfect example is Luke chapter 6, The devil waits for Jesus to be 40 days and nights in the wilderness before he attacks. He didn't come the first day to attack him when our Lord was at his strongest. Oh no, our advesary doesn't play fair; he bides his time and waits for your weakest moment and attacks. Jesus resisted him and the devil fled from him (for awhile). Best thing is we have victory through our risen Lord this very day if we claim it. Joyce does a great job of illustrating this in this book(though I don't know if she used the Luke example I used above or not).

I really got a lot of insight from this book. For example, one of the concepts in the book (in my own words) was "what comes out of your mouth had to originate in your brain." Sounds simple enough , but Joyce had a masterful way of describing every thought we commonly have today and referring it to biblical passages. About half way through the book I began to realize that the grumbling, griping, complaining, and various other human emotions and thoughts I have are not uncommon to our time. The children of Israel went through these same emotions and they are all recorded in Gods Word. I used to ponder how stupid these people must have been, but now I can see myself in them. It really was a humbling experience! Many of us make the same mistake over and over again and ask God, "Why don't you do something?" Truth is God has always been willing to help us. We are the ones who get in God's way by not bringing our thoughts into the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Read this book and find out how you can change and train your mind to shut the door on The Devil and how to allow God to do what he's always been willing to do. BLESS YOU!!!

Hebrews 13:5b "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

P.S. This book comes in many formats. There's the traditional version, teen version, devotional version, exc. It doesn't matter which one you use. Just read one of them. You will be blessed.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU'RE SELF TEACHING!

This is book is required for my general chemistry for science majors class. What a terrible book, I hope that there is a better chemistry text out there.

My first complaint is the large number of mistakes I've found in the book, usually a missing division sign or unit. Without searching I've found at least five in the two months I've been using this book. This is a fourth edition, for the price of the book and this many reprintings I expect a better editing job.

Secondly it is written from the stance that the reader has a science background and often I find myself puzzling over a single problem for up to an hour trying to figure out how the author arrived at the conclusion (And I have a science background). The writers make too many assumptions when writing out an example problem and don't adequately explain their reasoning. Each concept has two example problems, the first has the solution written out. IF you want to know the solution for the other "example" you're going to have to buy the solutions manual for an additional $65.

Third, the solutions manual has mistakes as well, even comparing the answer from the back of the text to the solutions manual the authors are not consistent.

There are not very many simple problems to drill a student with a concept, the authors approach is the exact opposite. Assume the reader "gets it" after a single example problem and then at the end of the chapter increase the difficulty level of the problem ten fold. The problems are good if you want a challenge and want to develop problem solving abilities, but are useless for developing the fundamental concepts that the book is supposed to teach.

I would recommend the Silberberg text to someone who wants a refresher, but if you're new to chemistry, avoid at all costs!

along with chemistry the central science by brown, this is a great book. i think using both books in tandem is well worth it.

It is a very good text book and it was cheaper than the bookstores at the university.

Although this book essentially starts from scratch, I'd recommend it to people who have already had high school chemistry. If you haven't had that, you should still do okay, but you may have to spend some extra time and effort since some of the most basic concepts are only skimmed over. They spend much more time on the material that you probably didn't cover in depth in high school chemistry.

First off, I would say that the book's content is excellent. It is an introductory (sort of) textbook, but it covers most of its topics in plenty of depth (at least as much as you would expect from an introductory general chemistry textbook). Also, the book does a great job at explaining the material in a clear fashion and it provides tons of illustrations. It is a very visual text and the author is obviously aware of the fact that visualizing chemical structures is extremely useful in understanding many of the concepts. This is especially useful in the section on covalent bonding.

The book also provides tons of useful exercises at the end of each chapter. The exercises range from very easy to fairly challenging, but they never seem too frustrating. Generally, I'd say that the exercises leaned more towards "easy" and are mostly just straight-forward applications of the material. Note: If you're having trouble, check out the ChemSkill Builder site. The exercises help a lot and it gives you useful feedback.

Whether it's for a class or for self-study, I would pick this book over any other.

This book is in very good shape. It is a paper back version but the contents are exactly the same as a hardback version. The pages and chapters are the same. The cover of the book has slightly curled edges due to it being used. Other than that, the book is in good condition.

Every woman should read this book before asking for a raise. The studies conducted are a harsh, yet empowering reminder that men often get raises, promotions, projects at work, etc. because they are not afraid to request what they think they deserve (or don't deserve!). I've recommended this book for young women just starting out in the work force, as well as seasoned executives at major companies and they have all found it useful. The information is presented in an intelligent, interesting manner- not a self-help or 'business' book, which in my opinion, is a good thing.

Babcock and Laschever have presented an excellent -- thoroughly researched and well-written -- discussion of the rationale behind, and costs of, the problems encountered when women negotiate (including a resistance to doing so). They build a damning case against gender stereotyping and socialization based on extensive scientific research and present clearly the ways in which this has hampered many women in their approach to negotiating. In particular, the discussion of the impact of disparate levels of perceived entitlement between men and women (of all ages) is extremely illuminating. It is not a book that levels blame (which does not mean that it is a comfortable read; as a professional woman I found it decidedly uncomfortable at times), but does seek to highlight ways in which we, and the society in which we live, have solidified an aversion to asking for what we want, need, or deserve.

The touted "strategies for change" are minimal (although the idea that feelings of entitlement lead to stronger bargaining is useful). Instead, the benefits of a more stereotypically feminine approach to negotiating (i.e. collaborative) are discussed, as are the ways in which modern negotiations are tending in that direction.

All in all, a book very worth reading (and one that almost all my friends will be getting!).

Another in my series of reading books that my wife has left lying around the house. This book studies why women don't seem to ask for things as frequently as men do - and the impact of not asking. I was fascinated by the data presented - in short, that (in general) men seem to view everything in life as negotiable, while women consider most things as non-negotiable. In fact, I noticed this yesterday at the local Big 5 store - the guy in front of me just flat out asked for an extra discount - no reason given - and he got 10% off, just for asking. I asked about a AAA discount, but the clerk seemed to have run out of freebies. This book was certainly useful to me as we bought a car and arranged to have our house painted during the period I read it. (Total savings, $700 and I could have done better).

This book was also very relevant to me as a parent, as I see Matthew always asks for what he wants, with no qualms at all - whereas Emily is more hesitant as she considers the ramifications of her request (will I get mad, will relationships be endangered, perhaps I will guess what she wants without her having to ask, etc.). All in all, lots of good lessons for Emily and I.

Also, the book does not simply say "men ask for more, they get more, women should be like men" - but rather point out ways in which women's typical negotiating style (relationship oriented) can work out well in the long run and how women can leverage that style to be more effective. But I think it also helps women to realize that much of life is actually negotiable and that there are opportunities waiting to be grabbed.

Women Don't Ask is one of the best blends of "journalism + academic writing" that I have seen. As I have noted before, journalist writing is often "light" - statements are not deeply justified, ramifications not fully explored, objections not effectively countered. On the other hand, academic writing (which has none of those flaws) can be dense and unreadable. This book is a near-perfect balance. Probably helps that one author is a journalist and the other is a professor - but the book is co-written seamlessly.

This book does a wonderful job of sharing all the research which explains why women are less likely to negotiate, less likely to ask for what they want, and less likely to get what they want. However, what's missing from this book is how women can overcome these barriers. The sequel to this book, "Ask For It", does a great job answering that question. If you're looking for ideas of how to improve woman's likelihood to negotiate and a woman's likelihood to ask, buy the sequel. If you're interested in WHY women are less likely to ask, stick with this book!

To say I was a little disappointed with this book is probably an understatement.
I was expecting a hybrid of the psychology behind why women don't ask and coaching or mentoring points (checklist if you like) of actions and strategies to improve.
This is not what I found.
The book was interesting to some degree but it was difficult to pinpoint actions or strategies for improvement, they weren't spelled out in easy to read format, nor were they easy to identify.

Thank God for Patricia Evans. I began by reading her previous book: The Verbally Abusive Relationship then found this latest one. Both took me through the leaving of my husband with a relative comfort that I was doing the right thing. I carried them around like a bible that I would consult as I would a therapist. A TRUE emotional life saver!!!!!

I read this book and presented the "Agreement" to my husband about one month ago. First off - It really got his attention! He was almost speechless for a few days! It has made a remarkable difference in the tone around our house. He read about half the book and is now reading "Controlling People" also by Patricia Evans. He admitted that he has done "some of that and doesn't want to do it anymore." The Verbal Abuse Level is down by about 75 % or so! Not only has he stopped most of his verbal abuse, but I've stopped tolerating it, so I'm feeling better about that. I know this isn't all that needs to be done to heal our relationship. I do believe it is a major beginning in tackling the behaviors that have caused a great deal of pain in our relationship. I recommend this book to anyone willing to do the work and follow through with the agreement!

This book is amazing in how true to the real life situation of verbal abuse it is. All I have to do after hearing my husband plead that he is changing is read a chapter or two of this book and I realize he is not changing at all. Ms. Evans tells us how to determine whether or not all of the criteria for change are being met as well as gently guides us to a deeper understanding of verbal abuse through real-life examples and well structured chapters.

I am very happy Patricia wrote this book and I appreciate her work very much and have recommended it to a lot of women, but I would also like to recommend all of you to also read "Why does he do that". It is written by a man called Lundy who has worked with hundreds of abusive men in his clinic. I think his book is the best one around on this topic, it was an eye opener for me and I never allowed myself to be abused again after reading "Why does he do that". Because this book made it so clear what the game is the abuser plays. Lundy tells us that only a few brave men change. Why is that? Because being abusive pays off - abusive men get to manipulate others and have them do what they want them to do. It is a POWER OVER game! Most abusive men do not want to see what they have done, it takes a lot a courage to face your own deamons. So most do not change. They go on and find another lady to abuse. When you feel abused, you are abused! Do not allow such thing in your life for any reason what so ever. It's not worth it. And relationships without respect just does not last.

Communication specialist Patricia Evans explores the issue of verbal abuse in heterosexual relationships. She builds on her previous work in The Verbally Abusive Relationship and Controlling People by posing the question, "Can a verbally abusive man really change?" What is particularly startling about verbal abuse, Evans explains, is that in almost every case the abuser feels that he is the one being attacked. (Rarely, abusers are female, but such cases aren't discussed in this book.) Getting him to own up to his damaging behavior is not easy. Motivating him to change is even more difficult. Evans supplies tools you can use to determine if your partner is likely to change and a program that can help him do so, if you think he can alter his abusive behavior. Evans uses her book as a pulpit to preach against unqualified therapists, verbal abuse in all its forms and the male-dominated society that has made such abuse possible. But, her cause is just, and we recommend this important resource to anyone who is struggling to survive an abusive relationship and to therapists who are seeking solid information.

Since Climate Change is now all the rage, and many partisans have taken decidely striden sides, this book may be a bit controversal. Dr Fagan is niether an Earth Scientist nor a Climatologist. However,he is a well known anthropologist with a decided interest in how Climate Change affects civilizations and individuals. This book was written for the layman and not for the professional climatologist.

This book focuses mainly on how Climate Change -namely a cooling climate- wrought misery and hardship to the Europeans. The period 1315 to 1860 has been dubbed the Little Ice Age (LIA). The main thesis of The Little Ice Age is that a cooling climate does not just bring colder temperatures, but an entire host of extreme weather events(floods, droughts, scorching summers, as well as frigid winters). Unlike the Medieval Warm Period), where the climate was more or less very warm and tranquil (mild winters, hot summers, occaisonal rains), the Little Ice produced an entire spectrum of disasterous weather phenomenon. Dr Fagan gives plenty of charts, and graphs to butress his arguments. His focus is primairily on the North Atlantic Oscillation (a weather oscillation that controls the prevailing winds and storm track for much of Europe and the Atlantic. He also takes advantage of forensic meterologists from Oxford who, using ships logs, were able to recreate synoptic weather patterns for much of the Atlantic and North Sea during this time period.

Dr Fagan's biggest success in this book is to write in vivid deatil the affect of the Little Ice on the individual. He recounts the histroy of the Great Famine (1315-1321), the catastrophic advanced of the Alpine Glaciers, the plight of the Norwiegian settlers in Greenland, as well as the role of climate in political affairs (The Spanish Armada, and French Revolution). As an anthropologist, Fagan's main concern is how humans lived and suffered during this period, and to his credit, he dug through farm journals, diaries, and mountains of forgotten documents to paint a very real narrative. Ultimately Climate Change is not about abstractions such as Principle Component Analysis or radiative forcing equations, but how it effects the individual. This book, paints in detail a tapestry of human suffering brought about by a cooling climate.

This book predates the partisan bickery over Dr Mann's Hockey Stick graph. This is important as Mann -a professional climate scientist- argues that the Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period were only local events to Europe. Mann's famous temperature reconstruction has, however, come under severe scrutiny from professional statisticians in recent years. Despite its fall from grace, many climatologists still abide by the conclusions of the Hockey Stick. As a result, many people will dismiss Dr Fagan's book as mere ancedotal evidence done by a non-professional.

The biggest flaw in this book is that it was Eurocentric. Dr Fagan does extend his studies briefly into North America and New Zealand, where he gives evidence of the Little Ice Age in colonial times, as well as providing refrences to growth of New Zealand's Franz Joef Glacier from 1400-1850. The other flaw is the repitition. Readers may find his constant references to this drought or that famine a bit tedious. However, others may find that these repetions in detailing of human suffering only reinforce his thesis that cooling climate is very unhosptibale.

Overall, this book was written for a layman. I think the reader should also buy his other book The Great Warming, and read them back to back. Both books serve as a good reference point when examining the human implications of Climate Change.

While doing research for a school project, my son checked this book out of the library. When he was done, and before it needed to be returned, I decided to read it. It was time well spent.

Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
Author's Note
Part One: Warmth and Its Aftermath
Part Two: Cooling Begins
Part Three: The End of the "Full World"
Part Four: The Modern Warm Period
Notes
Index

Brian Fagen's, The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300 to 1850, takes the reader to a specific period in time, during a significant climatic event. It is, arguably, the most important environmental in the last thousand years and one that may predict future events (even the current "climatic change"). Fagan, an archeologist, fleshes out the story using personal diaries, contemporary sources, and manual temperature and climate records. Adding current data, provided by a wide variety of sources, including analysis of ice cores and leading historians, he is able to present a very readable and interesting book on the effects of a major climate change on the population of the Earth (this not only includes humans, but also fish and animals).

I think when you mention "global warming" or "climate change" in this day, most people think of rising temperatures. That is only a part of how the environment changes. In the period described in the book, you had areas that experienced extreme cold, scorching summers, and increased volcanic activities. All of these factor contributed to how humans interacted with each other and nature. One interesting fact was that the cod fisheries, very important to the time period, couldn't continue to live in the eastern Atlantic and moved to the western Atlantic. The effect was catastrophic to the known world. But what it brought was determined fisherman to the New World, following the cod, including the Pilgrims. Wild swings in temperature also meant that subsistence farmers weren't prepared for a season, or more, of bad crops. Some societies relied on one basic foodstuff. And when that crop crashed, you had the Irish Potato famine, the worst famine Ireland had ever seen. Another offshoot of the Little Ice Age was the development and use of technology and farming methods. While the English were able to adapt to new farming methods and techniques, the French didn't adapt at all. Fagan argues that this led to social breakdown and revolution in that country. All of this leads to Fagan's research to suggest that the current issues facing humanity started in 1850, when the American colonialists started cutting down trees and burning them, throwing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. He finishes by saying the global warming only increases the wild swings in climate, making world weather extremely unpredictable to predict.

No matter your thoughts on climate change, or global warming, this was a fascinating look at not only the weather during a specific timeframe, but also how the affected societies functioned. Fagan, drawing on contemporary writings and his access to historians, is able to weave an incredible narrative of the time. He has a nice ability to bring history alive and to present scientific findings in a very understandable manner. While the title may seem dry or uninteresting, the writing is not. It may not be part your normal reading, but the Notes are a wonderful look into Fagan's sources, some of them quite amazing.

Well written and informative, THE LITTLE ICE AGE is an approachable book on climate change and its effect on European history.

Interesting with several unique approaches. The problem for me rests with his intricate explanations of causes of climate changes from North Atlantic Oscillation,Sun spots,solar flares, ocean currents, polar melting, volcanoes. methane release, and a host of other causes. Yet,he speaks in unsubstantated conviction that todays warming is due to mans fossil fuel use. Then he concludes with "The Little Ice Age reminds us that climate change is inevitable, unpredictable, and sometimes vicious.I would ask him does he believe this is really caused by man?

The author would have done well to refrain from extensive repetition of facts for in the end their use results in inconsistencies and make for annoying reading. The author probably refers to the great famine and the dates associated with the famine 500 times in different contexts. One is left with the impression that there were some scorching summers, some frigid ones, some dry ones, some rainy ones, etc. In the end one can not really discern what the weather was like during those years and how it contributed to the famine. The inconsistencies diminish the authors otherwise laudable attempts to show patterns of climate change and weather that influenced culture and civilization. A fascinating topic, but poorly executed book.