Reviews (73)

a must read for people of all ages
This quick and easy read is a life-skills book suitable for ordinary and extra-ordinary people, professionals, non-professionals, basically people of all ages. Unlike many other books on the market today that are trendy, this book is a "timeless" treasure with a practical, common sense approach. In most corporations, personal accountability is one of the top 10 core competencies, and the QBQ! book, together with its support tools (licensing agreement, training program, posters, etc.) provide the foundational pieces for organizations to create the culture of "personal accountability"; it cannot be mandated. Organizations need to embrace the notion of "flying the plane differently" (Stacey's story, page 28), and provide the environment for employees to translate this concept into their daily work life.

From a personal viewpoint, QBQ! helps individuals deal with change in their life and eliminate victim thinking that holds people back from being their best. QBQ! provides the "how to" steps to have a peaceful and successful life.

Key themes that support both corporate as well as personal success include "How do I let go of that which I cannot control?", and "I can only change me." This little book has helped me tremendously both as a business person/consultant in my work, and personally. I am so glad I discovered it. Others I have shared this book with have told me it has "changed their life". A must read, and one that you will want to share with others.

Meat mixed with brevity and wit
QBQ! really give some meaty solutions to the problems of blame, victim thinking, and procrastination. It's a quick read with short chapters which I just love. I am able to reread the book or just a few chapters and immediately go use the content on the job. It teaches how to ask questions that enable one to practice personal accountability and how to take ownership. It also makes me aware of what questions to not ask. So much that happens at work requires a response of accountability - not blame and finger pointing. Clearly we need our politicians to ready this book. Unlike many popular biz books that just provide parables and fictional story lines, QBQ! provides a tremendous "how to" so it can become part of my daily walk. The supporting stories are fun and real life.

QBQ! continues to work
As a district mgr in a retail firm, I find it necessary to stay on top of my personal accountability game. It's easy - as John Miller writes in QBQ! - to slip into blame and victim thinking. We have big goals and quotas and we all want to win, but it's easy to ask the worng questions like "When will others carry their weight?" and "Why can't corporate support us more?" But then I work to create what Miller calls QBQs - questions that help me eliminate the blame and complaining. I begin to ask "What can I do?" and "How can I contribute?" and it's amazing how fast I am refocused. We are using the QBQ! training program with all our managers along with the book, and this whole concept of accountability is taking root. Our culture is changing and as we gear up for the end-of-year, it's apparent that people are asking QBQs and we will have better results. I know I will. Miller's book is a fast read, practical and humorous - I recommend it to any person or company wanting to really take personal accountability seriously.

Stop Whining and start working
For everyone forced by management to read this book and/or take the class I will summarize it for you: Quit you're whining and accept the fact that your company is the way it is, just concentrate on what you can do now. There's alot of motivational talk about personal accountability and not blaming others, just concentrate on what you can do to rectify the situation.

That's it. Seriously. John Miller also goes on and on about how we learn by repitition, so read that 5 times and you don't have to read the book or take th class. Serously though, I understand that the book has good points and I understand why corporations all over the US will have their employees take this class, because it just says what I said above. But in the end it is very demotivational and a little insulting. This is from a person who truly feels he has learned quite a bit from reading many CEO biographys, management books, and books such as the 7 habits and six hats. I don't necessarily but into motivational hype, but I keep an open mind and try to pull in as much useful information as possible. I took the the DVD/facilitor-led class and then read the books in hopes of more inspiration and just left a little insulted.

QBQ! does work!
I am in the real estate/investment business and when I read QBQ! it changed completely for the better the way I think. I had been blaming my tenants/customers, property mgrs, the marketing dep't, etc. for my results and when I read QBQ! I sat down that night and asked "How can I be more effective?" and then set about writing out a new plan for my approach to my business. Since then things have improved greatly. The chapter on how I can only change myself has made me a better manager of my people, by far. The book took me an hour to read and then I went back through and re-read and highlighted. I take it wherever I go as it is such a practical message on personal accountability I can use it in all areas of my life. QBQ! deserves 5 stars ... maybe 6. I've read a ton of business books and QBQ! has made the difference for me. ... Read more

Book Description

Real estate titan, bestselling author, and TV impresario Donald J. Trump reveals the secrets of his success. Over the years, everyone has urged Trump to write on this subject, but it wasn't until NBC and executive producer Mark Burnett asked him to star in The Apprentice that he realized just how hungry people are to learn how great personal wealth is created and first-class businesses are run.

In Trump: How To Get Rich, Trump tells all -- about the lessons learned from The Apprentice, his real estate empire, his position as head of the 20,000-member Trump Organization, and his most important role, as a father who has successfully taught his children the value of money and hard work.

With his characteristic brass and smarts, Trump offers insights on how to:

• Invest wisely
• Impress the boss and get a raise
• Manage a business efficiently
• Hire, motivate, and fire employees
• Negotiate anything
• Maintain the quality of your brand
• Think big and live large

Plus, The Donald tells all on the art of the hair! ... Read more

Reviews (147)

The Worst Book Ever Written
Yes, this is the worst book that I have ever read - I would imagine the worst book ever written. For someone that brags endlessly about being a perfectionist, he should be embarrassed. If you want to spend your money to have Trump brag non-stop and then ultimately learn nothing, this is the book for you. There have to be at least 30 pictures of the guy. He somehow manages, between headings and chapter spacing to add an extra 100 pages to the book. One word: pathetic.

Very good read but not exactly true to its title
This book is everything that you would expect it to be: well written, entertaining, full of insight into Trump and his accomplishments. However, it is missing one essential ingredient: any formula for how to get (financially) rich as the title states/implies. I use the word "imply" as well because the title does not specifically have to mean how to get financially rich. The underlying theme of the book is to find the field you are happy in and work hard at what you do. Of course, that in and of itself will not make everyone financially independent. However, throughout the book Trump continually speaks about the strong relationships he has with not only his family (ex-wives included), but with his employees, who tend to be very loyal to him and the Trump organization. But in the end, I was entertained and enjoyed reading the various stories and loved that each chapter was no more than a few pages, which helps prevent boredom on any particular subject that one may not find interesting.

Attention to detail and seeing the big picture...
Personally, years ago, the first time I read about "The Donald", there was something about him that I really liked - I couldn't actually put my finger on exactly what it was, but there was an instant admiration, and a clear, instinctive impression that he was straight forward, honest and tremendously hard working. A true American character.

Through the media we watched his well-publicised divorce from Ivana, and his near bankruptcy in the realm of 9.2 billion dollars. At that time, particularly here in Australia, we had our own 80's millionaires fall from grace, and the public at large loved every minute of it. As a society, we love to see the mighty fall; it seems to be in our natures. But unlike some of our fallen entrepreneurs, The Donald came back and came back with a vengeance, which was an astonishing feat, and for me, very inspiring. Unlike some of my friends and family, I enjoy watching the reality television show, The Apprentice - its value lies in its believable portrayal of the business world and the skill and personality required to survive in that world. This is what prompted me to read Trump's latest memoir, and without reservation, I was thoroughly impressed.

The book is organized in six parts: Business and Management, Career Advice, Money, The Secrets of Negotiation, The Trump Lifestyle and Inside the Apprentice. One can glean from these pages a wealth of advice to achieve success and potential wealth. This advice is from a man who has succeeded many times over, rising from the ashes of defeat like the proverbial phoenix. The writing style is breezy and chatty, as if you were sitting in front of the man in his office. Some of his anecdotes are entertaining to the point where I actually laughed out loud. My favourite chapter would have to be, A Week in the Life, written in a diary format hour by hour through a five-day week. From this one gets a true picture of the man's immense energy level and genuine passion for what he does every day. In fact I was a little exhausted after finishing the chapter and amazed at his capacity for work. And this is the secret: dogged hard work, attention to detail and grasping the big picture. I believe he would be a hard man to work for because he's such a perfectionist, but the experience would be well worth the time and potential anguish.

Because the writing is simple and flowing, the book can be properly read in a few hours. His advice is practical and can be applied immediately. Reading How to get Rich was absolutely an afternoon well spent. Highly recommended.

Thin gruel
Trump is a fascinating character and great at being a celebrity. He's a big believer in the American Dream, and one can't fault him for that. This book is interesting if you approach it wanting to hear his voice in your head and get a little inspiration to keep moving and working toward your own dreams. If you're looking for specific advice or detailed plans, go elsewhere. This is not a book for deep thoughts.

Great look inside Donald's business dealings
Short, concise, and to the point. That's the way the book is written and that's the way I like it. Get to the point, don't B.S., then move on. The brief sections makes it easy to read and reference. Just like his buildings, the layout and design of this book makes it enjoyable.
I don't believe he's given away all of his secrets, but it's very interesting to see what goes on in the day in the life of Donald Trump. I also beleive he was hamming it up a bit (probably to some perspective clients, lenders, and customers), but that's ok. I wouldn't expect anything less.
The way he describes handling obstacles that cross his path is actually inspiring. It kind of keeps things in perspective. He may deal in millions, but I figure anyone's obstacles can be overcome if they use his processes with dealing with them.
Even if you don't like him, it's fascinating to see how his life works (and that's just the part he let's us see). I, for one, appreciate the doors being open for others. ... Read more

Book Description

This is not your typical self-help book. You won't find any of your typical motivational platitudes or cute little business parables here. This is more of a "your results are your own damn fault, no one cares about your problems, get off your butt and go to work" approach that can help you achieve more success, make more money, improve your business, and have more fun.

Larry Winget doesn't pull any punches here. He believes that business gets better when the people in the business get better—sales improve when salespeople improve; customer service improves when the people delivering it improve; and employees get better when their managers get better. It works the same way in your personal life—husbands and wives improve each other when they improve themselves and kids improve when their parents do. In other words, everything in life gets better when you get better, and nothing gets better until you get better.

This book can make you better. However, it will tick you off. Winget is direct, in-your-face, caustic, and controversial. You won't like or agree with everything he has to say. Yet his advice is full of wisdom and truth that can't easily be argued with.

Words from Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life that prove that this book is anything but typical:

"If you don't have much going wrong in your life, then you don't have much going on in your life."

"When you work, work! When you play, play! don't mix the two."

"What you think about, talk about, and do something about is what comes about."

"When it quits being fun—quit."

"Time management is a joke."

And that's just the beginning!

This is a one-of-a-kind book, from a one-of-a-kind author, that will help you live a one-of-a-kind life. ... Read more

Book Description

You're educated and ambitious. Sure, the hours are long and corporate politics are a bane, but you focus on getting the job done, confident that you will be rewarded in the long run. Yet, somehow, your hard work isn't paying off, and you watch from the sidelines as your colleagues get promoted. Those who make it to management positions in this intensely competitive corporate environment seem to understand an unwritten code for marketing and aligning themselves politically. Furthermore, your strong work ethic and raw intelligence were sufficient when you started at the firm, but now they're expecting you to be a rainmaker who can "bring in clients" and "exert influence" on others. The top of the career ladder seems beyond your reach. Perhaps you’ve hit the bamboo ceiling.

For the last decade, Asian Americans have been the fastest growing population in the United States. Asians comprise the largest college graduate population in America, and are often referred to as the "Model Minority" – but they continue to lag in the American workplace. If qualified Asians are entering the workforce with the right credentials, why aren't they making it to the corner offices and corporate boardrooms?

Career coach Jane Hyun explains that Asians have not been able to break the "bamboo ceiling" because many are unable to effectively manage the cultural influences shaping their individual characteristics and workplace behavior -- factors that are often at odds with the competencies needed to succeed at work. Traditional Asian cultural values can conflict with dominant corporate culture on many levels, resulting in a costly gap that individuals and companies need to bridge. The subtle, unconscious behavioral differences exhibited by Asian employees are often misinterpreted by their non-Asian counterparts, resulting in lost career opportunities and untapped talent.

Never before has this dichotomy been so thoroughly explored, and in this insightful book, Hyun uses case studies, interviews and anecdotes to identify the issues and provide strategies for Asian Americans to succeed in corporate America. Managers will learn how to support the Asian members of their teams to realize their full potential and to maintain their competitive edge in today’s multicultural workplace. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Loudest duck does NOT get shot...
Must read for Asians who work because they have to, not because they want to.As a typical Asian, first-born male, I've been brainwashed to support my family whether they want it or not...of course they're not going to say anything, but their actions speak louder than words.

This book explains that we do not have to change ourselves to succeed.It gives us insights as to how we can utilize our various skill sets to enhance our careers and personal experiences in corporate America.

If you're upbringing has been influenced by your culture and heritage and you're not aware of how it impacts your career, or even if you're aware of how it impacts your career, but you don't know what to do about it...pick up this book.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil ...
However, having grown up in a traditional Asian immigrant family, I was told over and over again by my parents that "empty can makes louder noise".I learned the virtue of being thoughtful (think twice before saying anything needless), which apprently has not helped me much in the ways of advancing my career as a manager.

This book is a MUST read for anyone working in a multi-cultural corporation, especially for those who comes from Asian heritage. It will help you better understand yourself, and provide you with the corrective lense (if you will) to get a better sense of how others really see you (or don't see you) when you keep your thoughts to yourself.

Very well written, and it is easy reading. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This is a nice book for all working people.
I received this book from U.S. and decided to translate it to my language (Farsi). I think it's a nice book for all working people and it should be bought by all the employers, in order to use by all the workers and employees and even the employers. It gives a sense of freedom and relaxation to all of us (who are working with somebody else.) I would like to thank Dr. Carlson for his nice book. (SORRY FOR MAKING MISTAKE IN GRAMMER AND DICTATION). SOHEILA M.RAZAVI

A Great Investment in Your Career
Let me first express that I typically have great condescension for most "self-help"-type books. Most of them seem very intent on getting one to do yoga or meditation or breathing exercises....activities I'm just not naturally inclined to do. This book, in contrast, suggests improved perspectives and outlooks. So, it is "intellectual" in that way, rather than the typical "touchy-feely." It provides gentle, insightful wisdom into modifying the only things you can control: your own outlook, your own behavior. Quite frankly, I'm very impressed by this Richard Carlson. This book was exactly what I needed to help me through a very negative phase of my career as a government lawyer, with bizarre stressors coming from every direction, including judges, opposing attorneys, and peers. I can't say this book made me glad that I became a lawyer, but it helped quell the storm. This book is written so that virtually anyone can understand it, and yet it contains brilliant insights and what I would have to almost call "ultimate truths." Some of them are so obvious that it's disconcerting I couldn't identify them by myself; others are more transcendental, and Carlson very sagely unveils the phenomenon and associated principles.

I think anyone in a stressful work environment would benefit from reading this book. I read it very closely and highlighted about half the book. I know it will take some time for me to assimilate all of the suggestions, but this book planted the seeds and should surely help me cope better in the future with work-related difficulties.

You should be forewarned: you'll probably realize a lot of your stress is self-induced. I found myself cringing with the sudden realization of several self-destructive behaviors which I've had through the years. I think you need to be particularly open to effectuating personal change and breaking out of bad habits. For example, I never previously thought of myself as a "back-stabber"; instead I thought of myself as a rhetorically amusing and insightful critic and identifier of "office realities." Carlson really sensitized me as to the need to be circumspect about any kind of negative commentary about others, bearing in mind that whatever one says about someone or something is inevitably going to be spun by office gossips into the most negative light conceivable. That results in tension and resentment and stress. I now try to reserve my commentary (usually humorous anecdotes) about co-workers, etc. to acquaintances far outside my office. He also really brought home to me the principle of the destructive effect of complaining and griping about one's job; all that is accomplished is that one's negative view is reinforced, emphasized, perhaps even exaggerated by those other parts of your mind that hear you complaining. It becomes a vicious, snow-balling cycle of discontent. I suspect a lot of people intuitively think of it as "ventilating" one's frustrations and being helpful as such. I try now to not complain (in my case it was about boredom and the lack of professional growth). This has freed me up to seek out a remedies both inside and outside my employment scenario.

But, I cite the above only as examples. Carlson lays his recommendations out in 100 small chapters. I would say I learned something very useful from about 80 of them. I am very confident the long-term professional benefits will be significant. We're living in a very stressful time and a stressful culture. Focusing on the art of managing stress is almost mandatory if you want to thrive.

Don't Waste Your Time or Money
The book was short on practical suggestions and long on worthless "reprogam your own mind to accept the situation" advice. I'll save you reading the 384 pages. Don't worry, be happy.

A few nice snippets on how to minimize stress at work
Dr. Carlson's book provides some keen insights on how to reduce stress when employeed by a large corporation, or for those shackled to a cubicle for eight hours at a go. While helpful overall, the book is less beneficial to those employeed in the retail sector or other public service areas, where dealing with cranky customers and unmotivated staff seems to be the prevailing problems.

Interesting, applicable, and timeless...
The "Don't Sweat" series provides the reader with tools to organize and prioritize ones life. With the many different pressures placed upon us in our lives, Carlson hits home with this short read regarding the balance between our worklives and our homelife.

Broken into extremely small chapters only one to three pages long, it is easy to take some time out and read a few chapters -- appealing to even the busiest of schedules.

The only caveat is that one might be bored by the continual emphasis of the same points over and over again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Dilbert and Tom Peters ever attended the same party, they'd probably find themselves in opposite corners. The cynical cartoon character would have a hard time in Peters's upbeat, high-energy world of "Cool-Beyond-Belief." The Brand You50 is Peters's manifesto for today's knowledge workers. It joins his Reinventing Work series, which includes The Projects50 andThe Professional Service Firm50.

In The Brand You50, Peters sees a new kind of corporate citizen who believes that surviving means not blending in but standing out. He believes that "90+ percent of White Collar Jobs will be totally reinvented/reconceived in the next decade" and that job security means developing marketable skills, making yourself distinct and memorable, and developing your network ability. His list-filled prescriptions cover everything; for example, "You are Your Rolodex I: BRAND YOU IS A TEAM" (no. 22), "Consider your 'product line'" (no. 25), "Work on your Optimism" (no. 35), "Sell. SELL. SELL!!!" (no. 47). While the book is overwhelming at times--its hyperactive typography pretty much shouts at you--any baby boomer thinking about his or her career will find much to consider. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Worth the money even if you just read one page
It is thought provoking and an interesting read. Tom Peters has an abrupt rock-n-roll style that tells you what he means in a minimum of words. This is just one of his trademarks.

"Brand You 50" is a challenging read for anyone currently employed or seeking employment. This book gives guiding words to help you reinvent your workplace and make it a place for the type of success you are after, whatever that may be. A must read for anybody who wants to know about career management in the next century.

Peters - Love Him or Hate Him
For more than a decade, Tom Peters has come to represent a push against the envelope of normal boring white collar work - so why should he change direction now? The Brand You 50 is the first volume in a number of of books that Peters plans to write over the next while under the umbrella moniker of 'Reinventing the Work'.

Again employing his trademark in-your-face style, Peters takes his 'Circle of Innovation' one step further by providing the reader with some great, whacky, and often off-the-wall ideas about how to thrive in the work world of tomorrow today.

While not quite worthy of a five star rating, I found this book to be entertaining, if not engrossing. It was easy to pick up and read tidbits over and over agian. I found the 'Todo' ideas at the end of every chapter (& I use this term loosely) to be the most valuable part of the book.

The mechanics where a little disoriented, and the presentation was real and meaningful, if not a little raw at times. If you have never read TP before, you might find this volume a little offensive and strong, but once past the rough exterior, I imagine most readers will not only learn something, but also come away with lots of ideas for personal use.

With this being an indicator of the flavor of the remaining '50' books, I suspect that we're in for a roller coaster ride in the world as TP sees it.

Rah Rah, not How-to
Professor Peters is/was a Harvard professor of business who concentrated on researching and teaching competitiveness. I liked his serious books and text books. He's a really high energy speaker and has a quite lucrative business in coaching. Therefore, I should not be surprised that this little book is full of gimicky fonts, colors, buzz words... and is closely associated to the sales-oriented web site of the same name. Maybe there's good content there, but the presentation screams: motivational, not content-rich. And that's what I think the book is good for.

daily snippets
I just got this as part of my daily readers. One tip a day keeps the creditors away.

Unconventional book
The message of this book is conveyed, in a sense, by the way it is written. Tom Peters uses lots of exclamation points (!!!), words in all caps (LIKE THIS!!!), different font faces and font sizes to demonstrate his message that we must be different, we must be bold and energetic, in order to make ourselves distinctive in the working world. The book is divided into fifty mini-chapters that each contain a lesson on how to "brand" ourselves.

What is "branding"? It's developing a talent or a skill that you become known for -- one that will give you job security even if you find yourself skipping from job to job. Peters urges you to become an expert at something, to become the "best" at some aspect of your job. And you make your talent known by being a little bit rebellious, unconventional, and fun.

However, some may think this book is a bit too cheerful and optimistic. It reads like a relic of the outrageously high-flying dot-com days, when people could skip from job to job and demand higher and higher salaries each time they moved. Those days are over. A new sobriety prevails. But even if their persuasive power is somewhat diminished in this moribund economy, Peters' lessons still have some value -- the value of being an individual, being unique and trumpeting your accomplishments in myriad ways.

For a slightly harder-edged look at the working world, try reading my book, "The Rules of Ruthlessness," which offers a different view of making yourself distinct in your career. Some of my strategies resemble those that Tom Peters advocates. "The Rules of Ruthlessness" is available here on Amazon.com -- ... ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A contemporary as well as classical guide to happiness....
Perhaps you're now asking the same question I once did: "Given the fact that he lived almost 2,400 years ago, what could Aristotle possibly have to say that is directly relevant to me?" In fact, a great deal. So many of us today -- especially those at mid-life -- are engaged in a search to find meaning and happiness. We often ask, as Peggy Lee once did, "Is that all there is?" The purpose of this book is show how Aristotle is an effective guide on that search, and how he can help each of us find our own practical answer to a critically important question, "What's next?"

In an interview to appear in the July/August (2005) issue of Chamber Executive magazine, O'Toole observes that "Aristotle was the most practical of all great philosophers. His audience was the business and political leadership of his day. He offered them wisdom they could apply in their own lives -- practical advice on matters ranging from ethical business practices to effective philanthropy. Aristotle even describes 'virtuous non-retirement' -- the lifelong commitment to engage in leisure work which is characterized by pursuit of the 'highest good' of individual excellence and the 'complete good' of community service. He offers practical tests to help us determine how much wealth we need to support us while we engage in those activities."

O'Toole goes on to say, "So my challenge was not making Aristotle relevant to today's successful professionals and managers; instead, I faced the nearly impossible task of making his difficult language clear to modern readers [begin italics] without dumbing it down [end italics]. I had to find a way to explore the depth and complexity of Aristotle in a way that makes sense in an age of sound bites and blogs. After all, who ever heard of a [begin italics] serious [end italics] self-help book?But that's what I set out to write."

As O'Toole explains in this book, Aristotle struggled with many of the same difficult circumstances (more than two centuries ago) which most of us face in 2005: "...in his career as a teacher and a consultant to leaders of ancient Athens, Aristotle thought long and hard about what it means to live a good life and how much it takes to finance it. His thoughts on this matter are particularly applicable today, given the baby boom generation's anxiety over insufficient retirement savings and shaky investments: Aristotle shows how we can find happiness at almost any level of income. Moreover, he argues that the ability to find true contentment correlates only tangentially with the amount of money one has cached away. Unlike so many of today's `life advisors,' Aristotle integrates financial planning with the broader task of life planning."

Throughout human history, there has been a constant challenge to get lifestyle and quality of life in appropriate balance. As O'Toole notes, "Aristotelian ethics concern moral decisions related to how we should allocate the limited time of our lives. We must each plan how we will allocate our energies among such activities as earning, learning, playing, being with friends and family, and participating in the community. As we make these choices, Aristotle warns, we will fail to achieve 'the chief good' -- that is, we will fail to be happy -- if we pursue the wrong ends."

If the pursuit of philosophy is to serve as a practical guide to action, and I believe it is, then the wisdom which Aristotle gained from his own experiences will guide and inform our own pursuit and achievement of "the chief good": personal happiness. In the Foreword to one of O'Toole's previously published books, The Executive's Compass, Lodwrick M. Cook (former chairman and CEO of Atlantic Richfield Company) explains O'Toole's use of the central metaphor: "The beauty of the compass is that it provides a framework for the executive to create order out of the growing chaos of cultural diversity and conflict of values. Like a real compass, [O'Toole's 'value compass'] helps us to find where we are, where others are, where we want to go, and how to get there. Like the Aspen experience itself, O'Toole's compass is aimed at developing executive judgment by expanding our understanding of the interrelationships of fundamental values."

Cook's comments are also relevant to Creating the Good Life. For those now struggling to define and then create the good life for themselves, whatever their current circumstances may be, Aristotle's wisdom can indeed serve as a "compass." In this volume, O'Toole prepares his reader to use it effectively. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides the essential foundation necessary for the aspiring professional.It covers personal appearance, money management, job campaigning, values, ethics, and other key topics. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than two decades, Dr. John Hoover has written books on leadership, creativity, and organizational performance, extolling the virtues of flattened organizations, collaborative leadership, and shared responsibility. His clients welcomed him, praised him...yet (he felt) completely ignored his advice! This book contains the confession of a recovering "I-Boss" (Idiot Boss). After decades of writing and consulting, Dr. John finally realized that the vast majority of people he kept trying to "energize," "motivate," and "enlighten" were, well, idiots. Also he was an idiot for trying to change them. Instead, he has decided to enlighten you, who actually have to continue working for difficult and demanding bosses. You cannot change them. You cannot challenge them. Yet, you can survive them, even thrive under them, if you learn how to deal with them using this book. It offers hope for the spirit and strategy for the mind to help you deal with your work place situation. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Good Read!
John Hoover, an organizational leadership consultant, discusses how to deal with an "Idiot Boss" - or I-Boss - who does stupid things. Hoover distinguishes idiots from other tricky bosses, including those who think they are God, or who are paranoid, sadistic or Machiavellian. He leaves the reader with a couple of issues. First, you'll think no good, caring bosses still exist. Second, he doesn't tell you clearly where to set boundaries or when enough is finally enough. He often advocates appeasing bad bosses, although his other counsel on how to deal with them has some effective pointers. To his credit, Hoover is very candid about how he has learned from experience, including his mistakes. He offers personal examples from his experiences at Disney and elsewhere, and tries to write in a light-hearted or whimsical vein. We found the book strongest when it is strategic and weakest when it tries to be funny, given that with bad bosses you only laugh to keep from crying.

Reviews are Piling Up
USA TODAY/March 2004:
"Anyone who has to work should read How to Work for an Idiot."

Wall Street Journal/March 2004
"Dr. Hoover recommends admitting that you are 'powerless' over the jerks in your life. Otherwise, 'harboring all that resentment is like drinking a cup of poison and waiting for the jerk to die'."

New York Times/January 2004:
"There is no question that 'How to Work for an Idiot: How to Survive and Thrive Without Killing Your Boss' is a subversive book. People will pick it up expecting a tasty blend of commiseration and advice. They will put it down thinking, to paraphrase the famous line from the cartoon character Pogo, "We have met the idiot, and he is us."

Weekend TODAY SHOW/Campbell Brown/January 2004
"'How to Work for an Idiot' contains a lot of humor, with plenty of good information as well."

FOX NEWS/Neil Cavuto/January 2004:
"Dr. John's 'How to Work for an Idiot' is very funny stuff, with some stinging jabs in there."

The Miami Herald/January 2004:
"As amusing as his vignettes may be, the proffered advice is pretty sound and includes solid steps for coping and surviving a daily dose of determined and authoritative stupidity without committing any capital crimes. Hoover closes with a bibliography that includes three of the author's own books, so maybe he's not as much of an idiot as he claims to be."

Dallas Morning News January/2004:
"[Dr. John Hoover] is creating a New Year's buzz with his just published 'How to Work for an Idiot'."

Bloomberg Television/December 2003:
"If you have the unhappy experience of working for someone you think is a real jerk, Dr. John Hoover says there is hope."

Bloomberg Radio Network/December 2003:
"Dr. John's book about working for idiots is so cleverly disguised; you might think you're reading Norman Vincent Peale."

CNNfn/December 2003:
"...an irreverent and realistic look at what people must deal with every day at work."

Philadelphia Daily Local/December 2003:
"Hoover, a self-acknowledged idiot boss himself in recovery, says American workers should stop whining about their clueless bosses and learn to make the most of it."

Minneapolis Star Tribune/December 2003:
"There's more than humor in this fresh look at the perennial problem of incompetent leadership at work."

Orlando Sentinel/December 2003:
"Idiot bosses are so common, writes John Hoover, that he shortens the term to I-Bosses in How to Work for an Idiot."

More than words
This is an excellent book. Having suffered for four years from an idiot, sadist, masochist, and all the other categories that Dr. Hoover describes, I found it of excellent encouragment to have read the book. With funny real (or unreal) stories, the author goes through different bosses' personalities and how to approach them. I've tried a few things for a few days and I've felt marvellous, when long before I would have felt miserable. Even if some of the things Dr. Hoover says are things we already know, it was great that someone reminded me what the true nature of boss-employee relationships are all about.

Funny but no meat
We've become used to catchy titles for books. And for obvious reasons, they sell more books. But catchy or humorous titles usually are just that...titles. In the case of this book, the humor doesn't end with the title. It is in fact an entire book of humor. Upon completion of it, I felt like I had just spent a night at the Improv, rather than learning about a serious business issue. Now don't get me wrong, it is an enjoyable book to read and at some parts I found myself laughing quite often. However, I was looking for some serious knowledge to go along with the chuckles. This book simply does not deliver that. Throughout the book, the author makes conscious (or possibly unconscious)choices to divert the topic towards humor rather than dive deeper into the serious aspects of what an employee is do when they work for a terrible boss. In short, he "chickens out" when real dialogue is necessary.
If you're looking for a book to make you laugh, or something light-hearted for a Sunday afternoon read, this is it. If however, you work for an "idiot-boss" and need some serious guidance and direction, skip this book altogether. It will be of no use to you.

BULLIES - FAMILY / WORKPLACE / SCHOOL / NEIGHBORHOOD
Excellent compliments to this book are: Emotional Blackmail: When People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation and Guilt to Manipulate You by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier; Why Is It Always About You?: The Seven Deadly Sins of Narcissism by Sandy Hotchkiss and James Masterson; The Angry Heart: Overcoming Borderline and Addictive Disorders by Joseph Santoro and Ronald Cohen; The Narcissistic Family: Diagnosis and Treatment by Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman and Robert Pressman; Understanding the Borderline Mother: Helping Her Children Transcend the Intense, Unpredictable and Volatile Relationship by Christine Ann Lawson; Living with the Passive-Aggressive Man by Scott Wetzler; Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited by Sam Vaknin and Lidija Rangelovska (Editor); Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up's Guide to Getting Over Narcissistic Parents by Nina Brown; Treating Attachment Disorders: From Theory to Therapy by Karl Heinz Brisch and Kenneth Kronenberg; Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job by Alan Cavaiola and Neil Lavender; Bully in Sight: How to Predict, Resist, Challenge and Combat Workplace Bullies by Tim Field.

And if you want to pursue the subject even further, you may be interested in reading The Narcissistic / Borderline Couple: A Psychoanalytic Perspective On Marital Treatment; Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility by Jim Fay and Foster Cline. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There are more high-salaried women in the workforce today than ever before, yet most females remain seriously underpaid when compared to their male counterparts. Motivational speaker and financial journalist Barbara Stanny decided to find out why by identifying the differences between those who draw the big bucks and those who don't. In Secrets of Six-Figure Women she reveals what makes the leading edge tick, as well as how others can use the information to boost their own paychecks and self-esteem. "For far too many women, financial limits have become a fact of life. The thought of making more is like climbing Mount Everest, a colossal, if not impossible task," writes Stanny. "That's exactly how I used to feel." By examining scores of top moneymakers, along with dozens of those earning below their potentials, Stanny discovered what works and what doesn't. After analyzing the subsequent lessons (i.e., you actually can boost your income without selling out, the requisite traits to do so can be developed by virtually anyone, money really can't buy happiness), she proposes specific strategies for maximizing their impact (intend from the start to succeed, stretch yourself, manage any payoff with care). Stanny professes throughout that she desires to offer "insight, hope and guidance to any of you who aspire to earn more." With this surprisingly practical and ultimately inspirational guidebook, she delivers. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Even for Women Who Are Already Doing Very Well, Thank You
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Award-winning author

This review is the most whole hearted endorsement of any non fiction book I have reviewed this year. This book is so sorely needed, even by most women who are already doing very well, thank you. It is also because it is well written. Barbara is the bestselling author of Prince Charming Isn't Coming and she knows what she is talking about. She has been there, done that . All you'll need to do is read one chapter, "Raising the Bar," and you'll have enough information (if you choose to listen to the advice) worth a whole lot more than the price of one little book!

This is a book about strategy. How many women do you know who actually have a strategy?

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. Her newly released Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remember has won three. Her new book of poetry, Skyscapes: A Woman's View, is looking for a home.)

Finally a book on successful women that has depth!
If you are a woman (though I think this book would help men as well) and want to earn more, this book will provide the information you need. In fact, the author, with the knowledge she gained from writing this book, dramatically increased her own income. So many books that profess to help you earn more are just fluff. This book has depth. Of course you need to follow the advice given, but the author handholds your way there. I found much advice that I can immediately implement. One of the best career/business books I've read and I've read many!

The secret is how you use your internal resources
This book is written in a very upbeat and casual style and very liberally sprinkled with quotes from a fairly large selection of the hundreds of women interviewed. It is easy to read and very thought provoking. While many of the ideas and strategies seem like common sense, a few of the strategies are ideas that women (and mean) can benefit from employing no matter what their career and salary level. I enjoyed this book and gained a lot of insight.

One of the strategies called "The Trap" that especially caught my eye was given the motto "bite off more than you can chew, but not so much you choke," This idea involved stretching yourself but not too thin and also emphasized that some women can be too hard on themselves, extremely impatient or overly meticulous. This dealt with taking some risk and possibly get in over your head and not realizing you need to cut yourself some slack and instead pushing even harder until you snap. The author used many interviewees comments and experiences as well as her known to clearly illustrate both the danger and the handling of "The Trap".

The bottom line of these strategies is that it is not what type of career you pick (all different fields from musicians and artists to CEO were represented), what company you work for (or not),what your education or your background is, but how you use your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual strengths and improve them by following the laid out strategies that will determine whether you can be a "six-figure woman" or man.

Strategies for using ALL your strengths to move ahead
This book is written in a very casual style and very liberally sprinkled with quotes from a fairly large selection of the hundreds of women interviewed. It is easy to read and very thought provoking. While many of the ideas and strategies seem like common sense, a few of the strategies are ideas that women (and mean) can benefit from employing no matter what their career and salary level. I enjoyed this book and gained a lot of insight.

One of the strategies that especially caught my eye, called "The Trap", was given the motto "bite off more than you can chew, but not so much you choke." This idea involved stretching yourself but not too thin and also emphasized that some women can be too hard on themselves, extremely impatient or overly meticulous. This dealt with taking some risk and possibly get in over your head and not realizing you need to cut yourself some slack and instead pushing even harder until you snap. The author used many interviewees comments and experiences as well as her known to clearly illustrate both the danger and the handling of "The Trap".

The bottom line of these strategies is that it is not what type of career you pick (all different fields from musicians and artists to CEO were represented), what company you work for (or not), what your education or your background is, but how you use your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual strengths and improve them by following the laid out strategies that will determine whether you can be a "six-figure woman" or man.

Attitude really IS Everything
There's a wealth of information for women in this guide to increasing your income.

Barbara Stanny begins by explaining why so many women are low earners. (She illustrates her point well with interviews.) She then goes on to give seven strategies for overcoming the fear, lethargy, self-sabotage, and false beliefs that keep women stuck in low earning situations.

Perhaps the most important lesson in this book is that a woman's ATTITUDE about her right and ability to earn more money is what will make the difference in her financial life.

Eye-opening reading, with great practical strategies. Recommended.

Reviewer: Linda Painchaud ... Read more

Book Description

Don't let the conservative nature of many fixed income intruments mislead you! These are complex, potentially risky investments, and Fixed Income Mathematics is required reading if you are to maximize both income and capital growth from fixed income investing. An expert, thorough analysis of this volatile market's latest developments is presented in the straight-forward, comprehensive style that has become a Fabozzi trademark. It will leave you with a greater ability to utilize and take advantage of basic strategies as well as the newest advances in fixed income analysis and research. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Classic, but dated.
This book covers the territory of fixed income as it existed 4 to 5 years ago. Now credit derivatives trade relative to the bond markets, and have a pricing structure all their own. First-to-default baskets and credit derivatives are important fixed income products. There has been a paradigm shift in the market in the past 4 years. Credit default swaps came out of nowhere and are now $2 trillion in size and continue explosive growth, and that's just one product in credit derivatives land.

I highly recommend Tavakoli's book: "Credit Derivatives and Synthetic Structures" (2nd Edition).

Good reference
Ok, so Fabozzi is the ultimate in reference material and general fixed income awareness. The book is good, it provides most of what you need to understand fixed income valuations, particularly essential bond pricing. However, the book really serves well mostly as a reference. There are few true explanations of formulas. With a little effort you can figure out the derivations yourself, but still, is not the point of buying a book with "mathematics" in the title to have something to guide you through that step? Again, worth having, but not the ultimate to explain the nitty gritty, though not sure that that text exists.

A good bridge between math and fixed income products
Even though this is not really a advanced book on fixed income products analysis/modeling. It is, for technical background, a good induction book for basic fixed income products with basic analysis tools.

This is a real beginner's guide
The book was a great disappointment to me. The title and subtitle (Analytical and statistical techniques) led me to think that the book covered fixed income securities at a sophisticated and advanced level. Not so. If you need to learn how to calculate a PV, FV or IRR, this is the book for you...otherwise probably not!

The ¿Perfect¿ Book For Me
Many of us will be retiring in the next few years, or may already be retired. Fixed income from our financial investments will be an important part of our lives. How many of us really know what Yield To Maturity (YTM) means? Or, for that matter, the myriad of other measurements associated with fixed-income instruments? As a retired engineer with a propensity for computational mathematics, it is my natural desire to optimize my fixed-income portfolio. This "Perfect" book gives me a good head start in my endeavors. The text is logical and easy to understand. The mathematics is "cookbook" simple. As a minimum, I will better equipped to determine the correct price for most fixed-income investments. With enough effort, I should be able to manage my own near "Perfect" portfolio. Fabozzi picks up where most writers stop, namely, the quantitative analysis.
Thank you Frank. ... Read more

Book Description

We've all heard of "IQ"...but what's "EQ?" It's "EmotionalQuotient" (aka Emotional Intelligence), and experts say that EQ is a greaterpredictor of success at work than IQ. Companies are increasingly looking forways to motivate and develop their employees' emotional intelligence. This bookpresents trainers and coaches with 50 innovative exercises to be used for eitherindividuals or groups.

The activities found in the book are grouped according to the various corecompetencies associated with Emotional Intelligence:

* Self-Awareness and Control: an awareness of one's values, emotions, skills,and drives, and the ability to control one's emotional responses * Empathy: an understanding of how others perceive situations * Social Expertness: the ability to build relationships based on an assumptionof human equality * Mastery of Vision: the development and communication of a personal philosophy

The book also includes suggested training combinations and coaching tips. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

MORE A BOOK ON GUIDE QUESTIONS THAN ACTIVITIES
I was disappointed with this book. Most of the activities were introspective questions (pencil and paper tests).

I was expecting activities that participants can use to improve their EQ. It was not like that at all. I wouldn't recommend this book to trainers who are looking for activities to make their EQ based workshops more interactive.

Perhaps that is the reason why no sample of the "activities" were included in the preview of the book.

Rare Find
A book that has good EQ activities is a rare thing. I was also pleased to buy it for only $17 new at Amazon from a vendor called Talentsmart in the "More Buying Choices" section. They sent their catalog with the book and I bought another book from there that was really great called The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook. It was more of an overview of the whole field with a free online EQ test and it had the latest findings in the field of EQ.

Great book for leaders
I think the Emotional Intelligence Activity book is very useful for anyone who is a supervisor or manager. The activities really made me think about how I interact with my employees. I was surprised at how much I learned about my attitudes. I'm pleased to be able to recommend it to other supervisors or managers who want to improve their relationships with their staff.

Great Book!
The Emotional Intelligence Activity Book is a great book for trainers. I've used several of the exercises and have found the participants responded quite well. I especially like the notes to trainers and coaches. I found that the information was very helpful to increase my understanding of the subject.

Great Resource
I liked the Emotional Intelligence Activity book because it was so different than most of the exercise books on my shelf. I am an Executive Coach and I am often looking for material that challenges my clients. The activities in the book are characterized by difficulty which helped me to make decisions about which exercises to use with which clients. I also found the notes to the trainer and coach very useful. It deepened my understanding of what Ms. Lynn was trying to accomplish with the exercise. ... Read more

Book Description

Translated by V. Harris.Japan's answer to the Harvard MBA...Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, the book has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen-or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics for outwitting the competition. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Places Musashi in an Historical Context
What I prefer about Victor Harris's translation of Musashi Miyamoto's book is the fact that Harris has gone through exacting lengths not just to present an accurate translation in the context of a 17th-century samurai, but to present Musashi in his proper historical context. As opposed to every other English translation I have read, this one includes a chapter which gives a biography of Musashi, and shows many of his creations, such as paintings (including a self-portrait), tsuba (swordguards), etc. We can see where Musashi stayed, and what his grave looks like, etc. For clarity in understanding, this volume, along with the translation by Thomas Cleary, are the best. I should justify that by explaining that I practice martial arts--for those of you looking for a business oriented edition, there are several translations and interpretations out there which are geared towards your needs. For those of you involved in the practice of martial arts, sports, or with an interest in historical strategy texts, I heartily recommend this translation!

Whay does this book discuss? Musashi's masterpiece eschews practice, and decries vanity, ego, and "secrets". Musashi was a practitioner of Zen Buddhism, and the influence of Zen philosophy can be seen everywhere in his writing. This is however, definately a book on the strategy of swordsmanship, and not a treatis on religion. Musashi Miyamoto fought in a number of duels--back in the era of true challenge matches--when usually the victor was the man left living! The realities of his times, the fact that life was so cheap and had to be guarded fiercly, and that Musashi succeeded in doing this is what makes his writing even more precious. This was the book Musashi passed on to the students of his school, the unusual two-bladed Ni-to Ryu (two-sword school). For more on the historical Musashi Miyamoto, read Makoto Sugawara's excellent (non-fiction) "Lives of Master Swordsmen".

Lacking Commentary
Many of these books are difficult to understand because they are meant to be used as study and reference guides along with a teacher. The Book of Five Rings (of which I've read 3 of the 5, and am just a few pages away from finishing) is a treatise describing Musashi Miyamoto's personal school of fighting - the school of two skies. He eschews other schools as too this or too that. They concentrate, he says, on technique rather than what swordfighting is all about - killing your opponent.

The text is dry, and the sections are short. They are intended (a) for swordfighters, and (b) to be meditated on. The principals in this book would take a swordfighter years to master. In fact, at one point he says one should study for about 3 years (he gives a specific number of weeks) and then practice for 30 or so more years.

How does this translate into my life? I'm not sure. I don't have enough of a background in swordfighting, the culture, etc. to know how these concepts apply to my life. If perhaps I had a guide, in the form of commentary, I could more easily integrate these concepts into my life. As is, however, this book isn't of much use to me, except as reference for the day when I do have commentary.

I reccomend, instead, Cleary's Classics of Strategy and Counsel. This trilogy of books includes the Art of War, Mastering the Art of War, The Lost Art of War, The Silver Sparrow Art of War, Thunder in the Sky, The Japanese Art of War, The Book of Five Rings, Ways of Warriors, Codes of Kings (which includes several works), The Art of Wealth, Living a Good Life, The Human Element, and Back to Beginnings.

In addition to the text, there is often commentary, and supplementary material that can put the text in context and aid the student on his or her journey. Amazon lists several of these as the same book...

Like poetry it suggests more than it says
Okay, so I really have no clue as to what compelled me to buy this book. I hate to admit it but it looked "pretty" and it looked "historical," so I got it. I also love the Japanese film classics starring Toshirô Mifune as the ultimate samurai warrior. Many of them illustrate a combination of charm, sophistication, humor, even comedy, with violence, ruthlessness, and arrogance. The comparative lack of graphic bloodiness tends to focus the viewer on the human dynamics and art of the situation, and while some of these classics have been translated by the Hollywood film industry for Western tastes, what transpires still has a "foreign" feel. One sees the action and senses that something going on here is different, uncomfortable. Upon reading a few paragraphs of the Book of Five Rings : The Classic Guide to Strategy, I understood why.

For one thing, I had not understood that the character in the samurai collection that Mifune had been portraying had actually been an historic individual living in a unique period of Japanese history. Why I should have been surprised, I don't know, since the exploits of the likes of Pat Garret, Wyatt Earp, and Doc Holiday became the basis for a good deal of 19th and 20th Century pulp fiction, TV series, and movies in the United States. In fact, the period in Japanese history that the translator describes sounds not unlike the "Wild West." The sod busters and the ranchers have made their peace, leaving hundreds of gunmen unemployed. The lucky ones find work as lawmen while the unlucky wander the country looking to enhance their reputations by lethal confrontations to see who's "fastest on the draw." The winner may ultimately find a job as a peace keeper; the loser finds a spot on boot hill. In the case of the American western, the contestants use guns; in the case of the Japanese samurai, they use swords and other equipment. Still there seems something more to it. The something more, I think, is a philosophy, a school, an etiquette, even an art that leaves the Western mind a little uncomfortable.

With some of the techniques of sword work and battle strategy, I think that as Musashi himself informs the reader, it is very difficult to "write" how to do a mechanical task. One can only convey the "feeling" that performing such a task has for the expert writer on the subject. In modern times this facet of the learning process is overcome by photo illustrations, but even then only to a very limited extent. As the author points out, there is no substitute for experience with the process and practice, practice, practice. Even the very limited experience I acquired years ago when I took fencing lessons helped me picture more clearly some of the moves the author described.

Part of the difficulty in connecting with the author's experience as he performs the various actions of sword fighting may be that this book is a translation from the Japanese, was originally written in an older version of the language, and embodied an ancient version of the culture itself, one that is no longer available even to modern Japanese let alone a Western translator. A warrior of Musashi's time may well have connected far better with the similes he uses than a modern person. The unique benefit of this fact, however, is that a great deal can be read into the work. Part of this is the author's intention, but part of it is due to the very ambiguity of the work. Just as the author himself suggests, the reader who does not concentrate on the words but allows the mind to float over them makes all sorts of interesting discoveries. For instance a book on dealing with problem people suggested a technique much like Musashi's "To Know the Times," essentially to match the rhythm and intensity of the subject until one can gain control of that rhythm to de-escalate it. His "To Become the Enemy" immediately brought to my mind the individual characters of Civil War generals Robert E. Lee and his opponent George McClelland. As Musashi suggested, the enemy always feels he is outnumbered which means that a few may defeat many if they are trained in The Way. Or as Lee is reputed to have said before a battle, "The Army of the Potomac is a very good one, unfortunately General McClelland brought himself along." Lee understood The Way. He knew that McClelland's personality, or lack of The Way, produced vast armies of the enemy in his mind.

In all a very interesting and surprising book, one I expect to read again and again to mine for concepts. For a slender 95 pages, the author, like a good poet, has packed each word with a maximum of information because they encapsulate concepts and principles.

Valuable for the Martial Artist
The Shambala Dragon Edition of Musashi's Book of Five Rings was passed on to me several years ago by a close friend and fellow martial artist after the death of our teacher, who had given it to him. I have kept it and read it numerous times as a reference that is applicable to my own martial arts studies. Throughout, Musashi gives insight into his theories and strategies regarding what he describes as "his" martial art, namely the art of Kenjustu (Japanese Swordsmanship), specifically his own "two-sword" or "Two Heavens" school. Although it is an interesting and insightful look into Musashi's strategies for individual and collective combat, the Book of Five Rings is short on technical details, and therefore difficult to apply to one's own martial arts studies in any specific and systematic manner. This being said, Musashi's writings are still very applicable to any martial art in a generalized way. With its lack of specifics, it is easy to see how publishers and readers alike could make the stretch that the Book of Five Rings is an excellent book on personal or business strategy-- rather than trying to sell it as an outstanding treatise on martial arts. After all, there are a lot more business people and self-help readers to sell books to than there are serious students of martial arts. However, these claims are more wishful thinking and skillful marketing than actual truth. If one wants to apply Musashi's strategies to business or the non-martial life, they will have a tough time trying to translate techniques such as those "on footwork" or "stabbing the face" into effective business management or personal growth strategies. One could certainly apply Musashi's techniques metaphorially, but to do so would be to take the author's instructional commentary entirely out of context. It must be understood that Musashi's Book of Five Rings was not written for business people, or those interested in self-help techniques. It was written about martial arts, for martial artists, by an undisputed master of martial arts, and must be read with this fact in mind to be truly appreciated and understood. Every serious martial artist should own it, and study it and apply its general lessons throughout his or her martial arts career. The Shambala Dragon Edition, includes Yagyu Munenori's masterful "Book of Family Traditions and the Art of War" which is an added bonus for serious students of Japanese martial arts.

Multi-layered
On the surface this book appears to be about the martial arts, warfare, swordplay. However, a careful reading with an open mind will surprise the reader not particularly focused on those aspects. Readers who've trained themselves to read complexity and symbolism as an overlay for everyday life experiences will find a strategy for the human life experience hidden here barely beneath the surface. It's only one strategy, and not necessarily the one you'll choose to lead your own life, but it's still worth studying and comprehending. In fact, readers completely unfamiliar with martial arts will find many 'lessons in life' worth digesting.

I believe it's worth the time and effort for study in the same sense as classic Chinese and European works of similar ilk. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Helpful Ideas for Adults -- not kids
THE TIME TRAP

I would recommend this book to anyone who works for a business company that has even a little management trouble. This book teaches you how to manage your time, avoid time consuming problems, keep organized, and much more. It tells you the top twenty biggest time wasters like drop-in-visitors, pointless meetings, and telephone calls. It teaches you how to solve these and many other problems that may not be as common as the twenty-magor wasters. This book is the newer addition of the best seller The Time Trap that came out in 1972. This one tells you better ways to solve problems and new problems that can be solved. This is the best time management book out still from when it came out in the 90's.

I read this book in seventh grade just to read a book and so I would not recommend this book to any of the seventh graders because they would probably think it was lame and pointless.

The Time Trap - Time Waster Eradication
The Time Trap by Alec MacKenzie is the single best "to-the-point" book I've found on time management. I have re-read the book at least 4 times from cover to cover since the early 80's and have found the advice to be excellent. Each time I re-read the book I find that I am able to accomplish at least a 100% improvement in my time management techniques. I always discover some new tricks which are proven out by my experiences during the time span between readings. It is absolutely amazing how successful his techniques are in application. Through the use of this book I was promoted to a Production Manager position at a music publishing company and dealt with over 2500 new publications a year in addition to keeping a 7500 title catalog of products in print (we averaged approximately 35+ print jobs received each day of the week). I placed orders and maintained production schedules with over 35 different outside printer-suppliers and didn't even have a secretary. I owe ALL of my production management success to this book. I double dirty-dog dare you to read it!

Larry Norred

Good, but seems to stress technics for manager or higher
Good book but alot of the technics and examples seems to be for managers or higher. I'm just a regular salary guy that is trying to optimize my time at home and work. I am not a manager that have 10 people under me. So I found it hard to relate sometimes. But it does have some sound general time management advice.

This book could probably be titled, "Time Trap for Managers."

I would recommend "How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life" by Alan Lakein for a starter time management book. And probably all you need too.

time to rethink about time
This book has helped me organize and keep track of time. It has changed my perpective on time. I always though I managed time in a reasonable manner, but this book has told me other wise. It's very helpful, but not for you little sister. Younger children findi t boring because they really don't need to manage their time. I do recomend it for the working adult, it has worked wonders with my father.

Very practical and effective advice.
Draws from Alan Lakein's book on managing time, but contains some very good practical methods to help you identify where you waste your time and how to keep on track doing your top priorities. Also contains some simple and effective advice for dealing with interruptions as well. Well w