change Books

Poppy King's self-deprecating approach is refreshing for an entrepreneur. She is very open about her periods of self doubt and how she overcame those challenging times. She shares her mistakes and makes suggestions on how to avoid the same pitfalls. Reading this is like having a very close, successful friend thoughtfully take you under her wing. Poppy is an excellent mentor. The one thing I keep wondering: does she really know how much she has truly accomplished? I don't think she appreciates the magnitude of her accomplishments. Lucky for her audience-she believes anyone can accomplish the same and she wants to help! For people who want to judge-I'd like to pose the question: What were you doing at age 18? After becoming a huge success before the age of 20, she could have easily blown the money and "retired" to the beaches of Australia- however-she stuck it out in the boardroom and is still thriving. Poppy has staying power. She knows how to adapt. She knows how to write an engaging story. Thank you, Poppy!

I bought this and couldn't manage more interest than casually flipping through to read the "My Story" sections. The advice itself seemed too vague and general to really be helpful.

Possibly helpful for someone who just needs some inspiration. Not so helpful for anyone looking for specific advice.

Poppy King, a self-taught entrepreneur who started a multi-million dollar company at age 18, shares her insight and wisdom in this beautiful book. Her specific lessons - ranging from how to make a fantasy an idea and an idea a decision, how to benefit from SWOT analysis, and how to shrewdly navigate the market - lead the reader through the journey of creating and maintaining a successful product (something she has done more than once!)

King's honesty and humor inspire but never overwhelm. Her advice is generous, logical, and level-headed. Keep it simple, keep it true, and be YOU, she tells us.

Having this book on my shelf makes me feel like I've got a big wonderful secret at home. It is truly hard to put down. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever dreamt of making a difference - in any field.

While many of us may sometimes have an original idea that we think will make us rich and famous, that same many will probably toss the idea aside thinking, Oh, I could never put that across" or "It probably wouldn't work anyway." And therein lies the difference between many and Poppy King.

When she graduated from high school in Australia (not too many years ago), Poppy didn't seem to have much of a future. Her grades had not been outstanding; she didn't really excel in any field. What she did have was a desire for something which eventually became an idea - an idea that grew into a multimillion dollar company. Within three years of her high school graduation Poppy headed the company that produced her own lipstick brand, Poppy Industries. She had sold her product to Barney's, and in 1995 was named one of the "Global Leaders of the New Millennium" by Time magazine.

Not bad for a young woman with a lackluster future! She accomplished all of this by dint of energy, enthusiasm, and a firm belief that she could do it. She shares her path to success, including setbacks and roadblocks, in "Lessons of A Lipstick Queen." As Poppy says, "I have taken everything that I have learned and plotted it out to show you how you, too, have what it takes. You can find, explore, and make any idea happen."

"Plotted it out" she has in 12 chapters, beginning with "You Already Have Ideas" in which she shows us to recognize the ideas that all of us have, and concluding with"Keep the Flame Alive," reminding us, among other things, that the customer is always right, and that our workers are treasure troves of ideas.

A motivational story at heart Lessons of A Lipstick Queen is geared to bringing out the entrepreneur in each of us.

- Gail Cooke

This book is about following your dreams and learning from your mistakes along the way. It is about never giving up even though the journey ahead appears hard and painful. It is a truly inspiring positive book filled with insight and wisdom.
Poppy King's honesty and humor makes this book a real joy to read.
Enjoyed thoroughly the "My Story" sections that were written with the specific lessons.
This is a truly beautiful book!!

Excellent Study Guide. Provides a summary of the theory required to understand each math topic, many worked out examples and supplementary problems with answers at the end of the book.

Based on my experience with this series, I bought this for a college freshman in need. She loved the book and has since bought two other math books.

The book is well organized and clear on its points. Also includes tons of practice problems of every level of difficulty. I would recommend this to anyone who needs to review or self-teach the material.

I would highly recommend this outline! This book shows step by step explanations of problems that helped my daughter understand sections of precal that she did not understand from her professor's explanations. She considered it a great help in passing the course with a higher grade than she would have made without it.

Although this would also make a nice supplement for college students taking Precalculus, it really shines as a test preparation manual for students preparing to take the COMPASS math placement test that is required in many junior colleges. It starts with very basic material on the sets of numbers used in algebra, axioms for the real number systems, and precedence of operators and then moves on to cover everything that you should have seen in two years of high school algebra, trigonometry, and analytical geometry. Plus it even has a few chapters at the end on solving systems of linear equations and even some material on partial fraction expansion.

This is not a book with any proofs in it. It is strictly applied mathematics - a "how to" book. The outline is careful to define all terms used, and shows general methods and alternate methods of solutions for different types of problems using clearly numbered steps. The examples and exercises are both excellent illustrations of the concepts involved.

Thus, if you are starting out in college calculus or if you need to pass a college math placement exam at the precalculus level so that you are eligible to enroll in calculus, this is the book that I recommend you use. Remember that it is important for many college students to be eligible to enroll in calculus, since the vast majority of engineering and science undergraduate degrees do not count any math class of a lower skill level than calculus as credit toward their degree plans.

Reviewed by Maya Landers (age 10) for Reader Views (4/08)

"How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate," by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch, was both interesting and informative. I didn't know anything about Global Warming, or how scientists know about it, but this book explained it to me. It also told me ways that I could participate in helping scientists get more data, which I thought was fascinating. I didn't know that there was anything that I could do to help. One of the ways that the book said that children could help was to record and chart when the first birds began to appear and when the first buds began to blossom.

The pictures were clear and sharp, and they featured extraordinary and beautiful views, as well of pictures of the some children who helped the scientists to collect their data. The type was large and easy-to-read. The book laid its facts out in a simple, easy-to-understand way that young children could understand, and there were definitions for most of the words, making everything even clearer still. While it could be for any age group, I thought that it was best suited for six-to-twelve-year-olds, although children and adults of any age would be able to understand and enjoy it.

The combination of pictures and information helped balance the book so that it was not too much like a textbook. Throughout the book, the authors show pictures and write articles about children who helped scientists collect data. In addition, readers learned facts about Global Warming and how scientists know about it. I thought that this was a very good balance between scientists and non-scientists, something that I do not find in many science books.

There are also photographs in the book that compare "now and then" -- for instance, what the Athabasca Glacier looked like in 1917 compared to what it looked like in 2005. The difference was astounding! I wasn't aware of the changes that Global Warming has provoked, and this book explained it to me. However, it wasn't a discouraging book. It told the facts, and then told you what you could do to help, not dwelling unnecessarily on gloomy or dispiriting things.

I would recommend "How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate" to my friends because I thought that it did a good job separating fact from fiction, and also because it showed real-life situations where children were able to help scientists.

How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming is a nonfiction science book for young people about a hot-button modern issue. Written with the assistance of top scientists in the field, How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate goes into depth on climate science. Though How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, its meticulous attention to detail and mere quantity of text is well beyond that of an ordinary picturebook, making it best suited for young adults teenagers, and even curious adults. "Ornithologists were finding that birds were arriving earlier and changing their range - the places animals or plants can be found year after year... But why, they wondered, were these changes happening?" Of particular interest is the final "What You - and a Million Kids - Can Do" section, which lists positive ways kids can help the environment and reduce their carbon footprint, such as recycling, using compact fluorescents instead of light bulbs, minimizing use of appliances and unplugging those not needed, eating less meat, buying less, and getting involved in the community. Highly recommended especially for public and school library collections.

In a unique partnership, photojournalist Gary Braasch, and children's author Lynne Cherry have teamed up to fill a gap in the myriad of books coming out about global warming. This book focuses on students as a vital part of the research teams assisting scientists in documenting the changes in our environment. The book is a pleasure to read with all its beautiful pictures and clearly explained concepts.
The first section of the book is about where clues about climate change are found. Students are featured gathering data about migrating birds and butterflies, the changing of the seasons, water quality and flow, tree growth, plant diversity and range, and frog populations. Clues are explained such as tree rings, levels of carbon dioxide, changes in penguin and polar bear habitats, melting glaciers, rising ocean levels, and information gathered from mud and ice samples.
In the second section, the focus is on the interconnectivity of all life. Hypotheses are presented with graphs and other visuals to explain some of the effects we are already seeing and those thought to be on the way. Throughout the book, kids are introduced to the scientists doing the research.
The third section is about what kids and scientists can do together to both gather data and mitigate the effects of global warming. Projects are featured along with their teachers and students. Concrete suggestions are presented on how to reduce your carbon "footprint" or impact on the environment. The power of one voice is shown with political action and environmental advocacy. The book is one of hope about such a serious topic.
The resource section contains internet sites and books for further reading for the topics presented. A teacher's guide is available for order.

I was thrilled to see a second book from these authors..what I am appreciating most about Change the Way You See Yourself is the awareness it is bringing into my life. There are many simple exercises, and lots of great stories to draw attention to how my own thoughts ultimately manifest my personal happiness. I bought it for my best friend for her birthday, and she's already called me raving about it!

I have been a fan of asset-based thinking (ABT) since learning about the concept in Kathy and Hank's first book, "Change the Way You See Everything."

What I love about ABT is that it provides a language for those of us who focus on what we have/strengths versus dwelling on what you lack (deficits).

All too often if you look at the positive side of things, you become labeled a bright-eyed optimist, or a Pollyanna. Asset-based thinking is much more than a 'the glass is half-full.'

This second book in the series, "Change the Way You See Yourself" maps out the tools step-by-step to help the reader discover their strengths, source of power, ways to influence and more.

It's perfect for those trying to figure out what they want/should do with their life... It's just as good for the seasoned leader hoping to refine their focus.

What's also great is asset-based thinking is a strong foundation for other self-help methods... It doesn't conflict, but serves as a base... a foundation.

I highly recommend "Change the Way You See Yourself," as well as their first title "Change the Way You See Everything." (You don't need the first to understand the second... but they *do* support each other).

Change the Way You See Yourself is a nicely written and packaged book about the power of positive thinking.

The book begins: "Asset-based thinking is a way of viewing reality. Asset-Based Thinkers embrace the positive side of life and free themselves of the deficit-based negative side (DBT.) ABT reveals how even the slightest shifts in your thinking can lead to seismic differences."

I liked how, in "Call yourself to action," the reader is encouraged to be proactive, not reactive. Being proactive means gaining control of our lives.

There are lots of photographs and white space in this attractive book. Some pages have only a couple of sentences with photographs to slow down reading and make us ponder the phrases.

For example, on the left side of one page is the following: "Showing up is a straight forward act, but it's how you show up that makes the difference...And that is not as simple as it sounds. Showing up emphatically can feel awkward at first...

On the right side of the page is a half inch strip of a photograph that runs across the page. The photograph depicts a red curtain with a face popping out. The rest of the page, along with the preceding page, is white.

This book is inspiring and uplifting.

By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.

Josan the monk and Lucius the playboy prince have come to an uneasy truce in the body they share, but peaceful coexistence gets exponentially more difficult and dangerous in this excellent sequel to The First Betrayal. A considerable number of people have a vested interest in keeping Emperor Lucius from wielding any real power - and if anyone learns his dreadful secret, staying on the throne will be the least of his worries. Meanwhile, Lady Ysobel Flordelis finds herself persona non grata in the Seddonian Federation, having carried out her last mission a little too successfully.

I've always been a fan of second acts, and this is a great one - a satisfying amount of action and intrigue, and an ending that left me wondering how on earth the protagonists are going to extricate themselves from their various predicaments. It also contains what was probably the most gruesome and appalling torture scene I've ever read - and you can be sure that after reading it, I understand exactly why the victim will do just about anything to avoid a repeat performance.

I'm eagerly looking forward to book 3!

The Sea Change is Patricia Bray's exciting follow-up to her The First Betrayal, and it's better by far than "middle" books of trilogies tend to be. Everything good about the first book continues on, from the political intrigue to her depiction of a protagonist at war with himself. Intrigue, betrayal, magic, and politics are here in plenty! One of the greatest thrills of the book is the even deeper characterization throughout. Bray's characters face sometimes impossible choices and come through their trials with flare and luck, even as they sometimes end up damaged. They suffer and succeed as humans do, and you will find yourself thinking about what you would do in their places.

Contrary to the book description on this page, the story follows three major characters -- Josan, Lucius, and Ysobel. The viewpoint switches back and forth between these three characters, accounting for two storylines. Josan and Lucius carefully navigate the treacherous shoals of politics in Ikaria, finding out in the process just how rough a game politics can be. Ysobel's story if that of a trader caught up in Seddonian politics and forced to make choices that affect herself, her country, and her family. Through this dual storyline, the reader gets multiple perspectives on the interaction between nations, and the effects on one character from events in the other's world. If you've read Big Fantasy Books -- the giant bricks that would break your foot if you dropped one -- and wished for fewer viewpoints and more depth, this is the book for you.

When Josan/Lucius finds himself unexpectedly Emperor - but one with extremely curtailed powers he must find a way to survive without revealing the soul sorcery that has been cast on him. While this book continues to develop the story to some extent for me, overall, I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first book. It didn't seem as meatier in content as the first book and the secondary characters in the story didn't seem to be developing particularly well in this instalment with the exception of one character. Overall, this seems to be developing into a rather average fantasy series that doesn't incline me to pick up book 3 in a hurry.

Brother Jonas is sharing the body of Prince Lucian. The two men are still attempting to work together as they share the body of the prince. As their struggle continues, the empress and her family have been murdered and suspicion falls on the Prince.

I found the first book in the series to be mediocre at best, but this second book was much improved, in both description and action. The struggle between both Jonas and Lucian is wonderfully described.

I look forward to reading the conclusion of this series.

The Sea Change by Patricia Bray is the second book in the Josan Chronicles. The first book is called The First Betrayal and the third book (scheduled for release in the summer of 2008), will be called The Final Sacrifice. I came upon this series purely by accident last year, and I must say, I am very pleased to discover these books. This series will be enjoyed by most fantasy fans, particularly fans that enjoy political intrigue and character development.

Much like the first book, if you are looking for a fantasy book with a variety of monsters, large scale battles, wizards hurling fireballs and gallant knight on a quest, you may want to look for a different novel. This book, and series, are very much fantasy novels. However, this book focuses more on character development, internal struggles, and a large scale plot. Sure, there are battles and deaths, but at no time are those battles the prime focus of the book.

The plot of this book picks up after the events of the first book. Josan is a `guest' of the emperor, though just what being a guest means is different from what most guests would expect. Events quickly occur that throw not only Josan's life into disarray, but the lives of everyone in the empire as well. There are actually two large plots that are covered in this book and a slew of sub-plots. The two plots involve Josan and how the events impact his life, as well as the plot of Lady Ysobel as part of the Federation and decisions she is forced to make based on the events from the first book. The sub-plots of this book mostly involve political in-fighting and people looking out for their own interests. Overall, the plot(s) of this book is well written and well thought out. This novel also does a very good job of following up on the events of the first book and adding more to the story.

Several of the characters in this book are also present in the first novel. This familiarity allows the reader to immediately jump into the story without having to establish new characters. Of course, there are several new characters as well as quite a few characters that were introduced in the first novel, but are much more fleshed out in this book. Josan, as expected, continues to be the focus of the story and his character development is very well written. His interactions with Lucius are well done and convey the appropriate internal struggles. Ysobel's development is also well done. It is fairly evident that she will be a major player in the next novel. The secondary characters are also just as well written, and are developed just as much as the main characters. Ms. Bray has a gift of writing believable, interesting, and engaging characters. They are no where near the clichéd characters present in many fantasy novels being released in today's market.

As a whole I enjoyed this novel very much. It was exactly what I expected it to be. A solid, entertaining read. Ms. Bray's prose has a flow to it that allows the reader to breeze through several pages with no account of the time. There are a few scenes that were rather disturbing, these involve Josan and Nizam. Be prepared for a couple graphic torture scenes is all I will say. The pacing of this novel is also spot on, there is a constant pace with little to no slow down.

Overall, as with the first novel, I will continue to recommend this book to fantasy fans. Again, I am very happy to have stumbled across this series and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. Definitely a very solid addition to the fantasy genre.

This is an excellent book and covers the entire process thoroughly. Well written and organized book.

This book is very readable unlike many higher education academic texts that can be quite boreing. The accompanied CD learning guide is average and could be structured better; however, overall, the text is up to a quality standard.

This is one of those books that I wish I had written. As an experienced deal maker, I know what works and what doesn't. This book explains from a highly practical perspective the "art and science" of the deal. The author clearly has done his share of transactions in terms of his ability to capture the dynamic nature of the deal structuring and acquisition process. The author, as the chess master, goes through the development of alternative deal structures and strategies designed to consummate the deal. The process of offers and counter-offers is illustrated in a delightful and comprehensive case study at the end of the book.

The book is written with a fluid style that brings what for most are very difficult concepts to life in a readily understandable yet rigorous way. The author's nummerous insights are documented through references to recent academic and practitioner studies and illustrated by using recent case studies. I find the author's frequent use of brief studies of transactions to illustrate his current point very enlightening.

This book is far more than a reference or textbook; it is the reader's ticket to learning how to do deals and implement corporate restructuring activities. The book abounds with numerical and non-numerical examples to illustrate how to do things. The CD included with the text is easily worth the price of the book in that it provides numerous complex deal structuring and valuation M&A and LBO models. The CD also contains a wealth of other information including question lists for conducting due diligence and solutions to case study questions and problems contained in the text.

Yes, I wish I had written this book. But, then, those things are best left to those who can.

Many business books take a pedantic, ponderous approach to what could easily be characterized as a challenging subject. However, I found the lively writing in this book to be very helpful to keeping my attention and to making difficult material more understandable. While the book is exhaustive, I found each chapter to be largely self contained. This text is clearly the most useful I have read on this subject. The CD included with the book contains models, presentations, chapter outlines, problem sets with answers, etc., all of which make this book the best available on the market.

This book is a one-stop shop for those interested in M&A. It covers all the relevant topics from how to develop a rigorous business plan appropriate to undertake an acquisition, to identifying and approaching target firms, to succesful negotiation, to planning and performing due dilgence, to planning and implementing successful integration, to financing the transaction. The book also addresses how to design effective takeover tactics and defenses. I was most impressed with the extent of the explanations about how to design and implement acquisition plans from a real world perspective. The author also addresses how to design effective takeover tactics and defenses. I also found the material on the M&A implications for governance very valuable.

The book is also very well documented. The extensive list of publications is very helpful for locating more articles and books on this exciting subject. I found the glossary of M&A terms among the most useful I've seen. It could be published as an M&A dictionary. The numerous case studies sprinkled throughtout the book are very helpful in demystifying the subject.

The CD included with the books contains a wealth of material often available on the internet for hundreds of dollars. The detailed M&A models and leveraged buyout models and due diligence question lists are available for customizing to meet your specific circumstances. I found the buyer due diligence question list in electronic form to be very valuable when it came time to making changes for my own needs The chapter outlines, study guides, and presentations also included on the CD are very helpful in internalizing the material. The CD also contains ansewrs to many case study questions and chapter questions.

All things considered, this book is a must have for anyone serious about learning the subject.

I was amazed to find out how much I was perpetuating the very things that were making me crazy. If you are having trouble in any type of relationship this book will help you turn it around. Awesome

At first glance, the title may seem manipulative, but really, when you are trying to change a situation, aren't you doing just that? Stop the nagging, threats and poor results from those efforts, life is too short. Stop wasting your time. Michele does a super job of keeping every word interesting and understandable - for the masses! I am ordering a few of her other books as well, since I like her approach and writing style so much. It's not all about changing others, it's about changing you too and the way you think. You won't be sorry.

Making small changes in the way you do things really can affect the way the people in your life view you and act toward you. I loved Weiner-Davis' fresh approach to the problem of dealing with life's problems. For anybody who feels like their life is a constant reliving of the same old arguments with spouses and kids or in their day-to-day routine, here's real hope that you can make effective changes. For the first time in years, I'm feeling much more in control of my life!

Wow. This book has to make my top 10 books in terms of what I got out of it. I had read one of Michele Weiner Davis's other books, Divorce Busting and thought that was really useful. But it is targeted solely at romantic relationships, primarily marriage.

Change Your Life and Everyone In It on the other hand is about changing any aspect of your life -- work, marriage, your kids, your irritating mother-in-law, you name it.
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Weiner Davis will prompt you to create a soluation to your problems. Yes, a big point of the book is that YOU, not some expert, are the one most qualified to figure out the solution to your problems.

But if I knew how to solve my problems, don't you think I would have done so already?

Yeah, I thought that too. But the book takes you down a creative problem-solving path, asking you to think about what part of the current equation you can change. I got a ton of good ideas from this book and will be rereading my copy from time to time to come up with more. In fact it was from this book, that I got the solution to my problem of social dessert eating.

I think this book is most useful when you feel you need advice on how to get unstuck on some aspect of your life. Do you find yourself making the same mistakes over and over again? Having the same arguments with a loved one? Making the same New Year's Resolutions each year? This is the book for you. Grab it now and drink it in slowly, giving the ideas plenty of time to soak in.

You will love this book and will find all kinds of ways to make changes in your life that actually end up changing your relationships with other people. If you feel stuck in a rut in your marriage or with your kids or even at work, making these teensy changes described will improve your life and your relationships. I shared the book with my therapist and she is sharing the book with other therapists, it's that good.

Dr Wagner has provided us with a introductory and thought provoking primer for kingdom thinking and action for the 21st century. Even for those who will disagree with his thesis, it provokes a creative and challenging new way of pursuing ministry. I heartily recommend this book, and I look forward to watching the ripples of it spread.

Dominion by C. Peter Wagner - is a book for the times we are now in. If you are a believer or someone wanting to explore a deeper relationship with God by understanding God's timing for your life. This book has helped me to answer questions or dare me to seek God more with what I have come to know, believe and experience from God's move in my life on a deeper level.

I highly recommend this book to ministry Leaders and every believer wanting to experience God on a deeper level. Sheila Moore - Baltimore, MDDominion!: How Kingdom Action Can Change the World

For centuries we have prayed "thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" - Dominion tells you how we can accomplish it. Straight forward, logical and Biblical - this is a book you've got to get if you are Kingdom minded or want to be.