Book Description

What is the self? The question has preoccupied people in many times and places, but nowhere more than in the modern West, where it has spawned debates that still resound today. Jerrold Seigel here provides an original and penetrating narrative of how major Western European thinkers and writers have confronted the self since the time of Descartes, Leibniz, and Locke. From an approach that is at once theoretical and contextual, he examines the way figures in Britain, France, and Germany have understood whether and how far individuals can achieve coherence and consistency in the face of the inner tensions and external pressures that threaten to divide or overwhelm them. He makes clear that recent 'postmodernist' accounts of the self belong firmly to the tradition of Western thinking they have sought to supersede, and provides an open-ended and persuasive alternative to claims that the modern self is typically egocentric or disengaged. ... Read more

Book Description

THE bestselling four-color book/multimedia package in the field, this introduction to criminal justice provides a realistic description of the American criminal justice system and how it works—police, courts, and corrections. Using a three-pronged thematic approach, it provides an intricately woven picture of contemporary American criminal justice, assumes a forward-looking perspective that recognizes the importance of individual rights, social order, multiculturalism, and high-technology as they affect the day-to-day practice of criminal justice, and gives serious emphasis to terrorism as a crime. Incorporates the most authoritative, reliable, and current information, statistics, and court cases, and provides citations to online criminal justice mega-sources that are constantly updated. Features a variety of issues-oriented, career, and “the future” boxes throughout. An accompanying simulations CD features real-life scenarios based on actual U.S. Supreme Court cases that enable readers to put themselves in the role(s) of police officer, judge, probation officer, legislator, and corrections official.What Is Criminal Justice? The Crime Picture. The Search for Causes. Criminal Law. Policing: History and Structure. Police Management. Policing: Legal Aspects. The Courts. The Courtroom Work Group and the Criminal Trial. Sentencing. Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections. Prisons and Jails. Prison Life. Juvenile Justice. Drugs and Crime. Multinational Criminal Justice. The Future of Criminal Justice.For those in law enforcement, the court system, corrections, juvenile delinquency, probation, parole, and private security. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION
Relatively up to date (September 11 and law enforcement reactions, USA PATRIOT Act, etc.), and very informative, this textbook provides an excellent survey of the Criminal Justice System. The prose is streamlined, clear, and somewhat non-biased. Minor corrections may need to be made (e.g. the textbook states that the majority of female sexual assault victims do not know their attacker. . .), but these flaws are minor for a textbook of this scope. The book is extensively source documented, making it perfect for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of the Criminal Justice System. The CD-ROM and online tools are comprehensive, and give the reader/student a more intimate view of the author's vision.

Criminal Justice.
This is the best book I have read on Criminal Justice. It is fun to read and easy to enjoy. I advise anybody that is interested on the field of criminal justice to begin with this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrumsof American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no other -- a journey to the pit stops of American political murder and through the myriad ways they have been used for fun and profit, for political and cultural advantage.

From Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue -- it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and -- the author's favorite -- historical tourism. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Wierd but Funny - A Great Way to do History
This book is just a touch wierd. Who would take a vacation with the specific intent of going to see where the presidents got shot?

OK, I'll admit having visited the Texas Book Depository building in Dallas. But that was because of the publicity that was high at the time regarding who actually shot him. An aside -- anyone who has ever gone rifle shooting can look out the window he used and will think, "I could have made that shot."

Still, her dry wit can't help from coming through, "Going to Ford's Theatre to watch the play is like going to Hooters for the food." She makes the study of history come alive much better than the dry history books I remember from school.

As now the author of five books, television appearances on several shows, and the voice of Teenage superhero Violet Parr in "The Incredibles," Ms. Vowell is a budding great voice in American literature.

For Presidential History Geeks Only
I like Sarah Vowell's personality and normally enjoy reading her books and listening to her on This American Life.Plus she kicked ass in The Incredibles.

I found this book really dull reading though. Unless you, like Sarah, are obsessed with the tiny details of President Garfield's presidency (and other subjects equally dry) you may be as bored as I was. She herself keeps saying how the companions she brings along on her research trips are bored to tears by the subject matter.

I look forward to her next book and a return to more interesting territory.

It's No Coincidence...
This book is great! The wit and humor of Vowell's essays, collected in Take the Cannoli and The Partly Cloudy Patriot, translate well to this more focused tale of her visits to sites related to presidential assassinations. Filled with Vowell's quirky observations and animated by the rapid-fire connections her mind makes, Assassination Vacation is a page-turner AND a history lesson at the same time. Vowell's deep appreciation of and enthusiasm for her subject matter is infectious. Highly recommended, especially if you're planning a trip that includes visits to historic sites. Vowell's viewpoint will give you a new way of enjoying them that will definitely enhance your experience!

quirky history tour
Very informative, hilarious and even moving at times. One other reviewer mentioned Vowell's Bush bashing, but they should read or listen to more than a snippet. The "current president" only pops up a couple of times and briefly. The rest of the book is for the most part a quirky nonpartisan journey through American political history. Vowell's narration in the audiobook abridgement is broken up with some interesting guest voices. Stephen King as Abraham Lincoln for instance.

Charming, Witty and Funny
I just, today, discovered Sarah Vowell's work. It is a wonderful treat. She looks at history in an amazingly honest way. Her history is never boring, of course. I was fortunate to see Sarah do an author presentation on C-Span2 BookTV.

She presents history in a quirky, honest and humorous way. This book is about the history of the people and events surrounding the assassintions of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. You will learn historical details that you never knew or even thought that you wanted to know. You will be very pleased with Sarah's look into history. ... Read more

Book Description

For the better part of 30 years, liberal bias has dominated mainstream media.But author and political journalist Brian Anderson reveals in his new book that the era of liberal dominance is going the way of the dodo bird. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Very interesting read examining a new conservative thought
Modern-day conservatives are a lot different than the conservatives of the last few generations. This book examines what new, college student-conservatives are really like.

Also, this book examines how new media (that is, talk radio, cable, south park, and blogs) is defeating the liberal old media (newspapers, network, and most of cable). It is a fun-to-read book that examines the ways in which conservatives are finally getting a voice in the media. If you are a conservative or an open-minded liberal, you should read this book.

Good Snapshot of Today's Media Situation
It isn't surprising that most of the media is quite liberal. After all, the people who major in journalism are liberal arts majors. Dan Rather and the like are not physicists or computer scientists. Indeed if he were, he would have looked at a supposedly typewritten document from long ago and noticed that there were superscripts. Superscripts are easy to do with Microsoft Word and ink jet printers. But you didn't do them thirty years ago with military typewriters. But what can you expect of a liberal?

As for the national news, I'm not so sure that they have been defeated by the conservatives so much as having self destructed. I watch any of the three (four if you count CNN) and I don't see much liberal bias. After all, you have to report on things like the news if you spend all of your time on the trivia that they seem to consider the important stories of the day.

I mean, we have real problems to talk about, who really cares if some guy in California killed his wife. That happens all the time? There is nothing magic to draw me to Scott Peterson. Who really cares about a nutty pop singer who somehow gets young boys to come visit? If you are going to show only such fluff, how can you be accused of having any bias at all? They are entertainment shows, not news.

This book talks about the growth of the conservative media: talk radio, Fox News, and the internet Blogs. It's interesting to see, but as of yet, the big networks and CNN still dominate the airwaves, and the big newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post still have tremendous readership and influence.

The future's not ours to see, will the big media recover, will the "rebel" conservative press grow to dominance, will electronic media grow to match the traditional? Let's keep watching.

Thanks to negative reviews I bought this book.
After reading all the negative reviews by "cry baby liberals" I can only assume that it must really hit the "donkey" on the head, so I bought it. I find it interesting that so many libs who never read this book are so quick to jump in and add their own personal heart felt opinion about just how wrong this book must be and how it is really the right wingers who are bad. To me they are saying "THIS BOOK IS 100% CORRECT!" It just proves the main point of this book, you libs have no sense of humor all you got is anger, hatred, resentment, frustration, bias and narrow mindedness. I recommend Prozac, get help, it is available, there is a brighter life out there guys, you can be happy, focusing on everything that is wrong in the world is a sickness and it needs to be treated. Just as Michael Savage's book says, "Liberalism is a mental disorder". I think a more honest title, for some of the negative reviews, would be "WHAW! We lost the election!"

"All Humor Conservative"?HA!
All humor is conservative, and all of my condom loads are "precious life".Seriously guys, if conservatives are finally catching up to South Park, then Parker and stone can retire their titles as anti-establishment provacateurs.For all the nihilist posturing these guys do, it's really hilarious that they're being embraced by right-wing tools who will sit idly by while the fringe of their party strives to pass legislation that would not allow South Park to be on the air.What a country.

By the way, South Park has been far surpassed by real cutting edge comedy like "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "Wonder Showzen".You Reaganites can have Dennis Miller and Colin Quinn (good riddance!).We'll take Mr. Show, Bill Hicks, Patton Oswalt, Jon Stewart, Mitch Hedberg, and almost all of the planet's other funniest people.

As smart as "W"
This book tries to belittle and skew what being a liberal means, but if being a liberal means being honest, intelligent, and thoughtful, everything that Bush is not, count me in. ... Read more

Amazon.com

New York City in 1977 was in the middle of wild upheaval on all fronts, from the hunt for the Son of Sam killer and the citywide blackout to a brutal mayor's race and the rise of punk rock and the zenith of disco. In Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning, journalist Jonathan Mahler revisits all those storylines through another drama, which grabbed tabloid headlines all summer long: the outrageous--and pennant-winning--New York Yankees. The Yankees weren't the greatest baseball team ever assembled--they weren't even the greatest of the era (the talent-laden Cincinnati Reds were superior player for player). But no modern team has earned more type than the "Bronx Zoo" Yanks of the late '70s, thanks in no small part to such characters as meddling owner George Steinbrenner, firebrand manager Billy Martin, and flashy slugger Reggie Jackson.

But what more is there to say about a ball club, even one as stormy and successful as the '77 Yanks? Mahler wisely strays out of the dugout and into the chaotic city to give his chronicle breadth and shape. Mahler deftly brings together a host of characters and developments--from doomed old-school catcher Thurman Munson to congressional hellraiser Bella Abzug, from media kingpin Rupert Murdoch to battling politicos Ed Koch and Mario Cuomo, from downtown punks to the glittery decadence of Studio 54. The result is a lively read that will entertain readers who wouldn't know an RBI from CBGB. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Takes one back
I lived just outside of NYC, in New Jersey, during this summer of 1977, and reading Mahler's book was like traveling back in time.He captures the weirdness of the Yankee's season perfectly, in which one never quite knew whether Billy Martin was going to implode or not.He captures the tension of the blackout-related looting and the fear surrounding the serial-killings of Son of Sam.Looking back from this vantage point, it's somewhat amazing how far back from the brink NYC has come.Mahler chronicles the events of that time extremely well, and is a wonderful storyteller.My only question is:to what end?If he sees that year as a turning point, he was too subtle in discussing that significance.The takeaway is that he simply saw it as an interesting year, with large events occurring simultaneously, with no relation to one another, and little relationship to the outside world as a whole.If you were not there to witness -- or read about -- these events, you might say, "Interesting, but so what?"What was missing from the end of this book -- which so many books similar to this have -- is a "where-are-they-now" section.A coda such as that may have answered the question as to why these events and stories were significant and why we should care about them.

The Big '77
This book is for everyone who grew up in New York, survived the City's dark ages, graduated Jamaica High School, rode the 1 train to Columbia University, loved (or hated) the Yankees, remembered the blackout and the looting, didn't sit in parked cars because of the Son of Sam (first called the ".44 caliber killer"), danced to the "hustle" and the "walk," saw Star Wars fifteen times, tried to get into Studio 54, avoided 42nd Street, and wondered how the City didn't sink into the East River. Those were the good old days. I love this town, and The Big '77.

A year that stunned New York
Jonathan Mahler's new book, "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning" is a terrific accomplishment that weaves together many fractured elements which helped to contribute to a year that was quite unlike most other years in New York City. It was, by and large, a depressing time for New York but the enormous boost New Yorkers received by the Yankees' World Series victory that October, coupled with a change in mayors shortly thereafter, began to lift the city out of the doldrums. As one who remembers New York in 1977 very well, Mahler has reminded us of a place which seems light years away from the present. It's a walk down memory lane for some of us.

"The Bronx is Burning" is told in three parts and the least effective part is the first. Necessarily introductory, Mahler's narrative style in Part One never gains much traction. Betweenthe political landscape of the early part of the year and the problematic Yankees, the author doesn't quite bounce back and forth so much as he diarizes. If there is tension to be found in what's to come, it's not found here. Reggie Jackson's ego is certainly a reportable topic but Mahler spends far too much time on him. It's filler that doesn't quite sate. Mahler, however, has plenty of good stuff to come. With Part Two he begins to build a story of intense proportion. From this point on, I couldn't put down the book. He begins by giving us an account, rich in detail, about the first hour of the summer blackout and the hapless Con Edison systems operator who was at the heart of it. Continuing on through the night's ensuing riots, "The Bronx Is Burning" begins to breathe new life. From here the links in the book become clearer. As the events of July, August and September unfold, the city of New York is forced to take a sharper look at itself and there is no better focal point than the upcoming Democratic primary and its characters from central casting. Mahler brilliantly connects the dots at the same time adding an exceptionally good section about the murderer known as the "Son of Sam", who terrorized the city for over a year. The author's final chapters regarding the Yankees' championship are told with clarity and passion.

It's hard to remember that all of these events happened in one calendar year but maybe we were so benumbed by those happenings that we tended to overlook their confluence. Jonathan Mahler has brought them all together in "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx is Burning" and has done so in a way that puts that year back in some of our minds and gives a great account to those who were not yet around to experience it.

I'm a huge Yankee fan.
I'm a huge Yankee fan and I read everything about them.I had high hopes for this book; the reviews I saw were good.But it was a major disappointment. Mahler can't keep his political leanings out of the story (please tell me what his antipathy to neoconservatives has to do with 1977) and that spoils it for me.
If I want Ann Coulter or Al Franken, I'll buy their books.

Highly Addictive -- A Home Run
Jonathan Mahler has hit a home run with this excellent examination of New York City politics, baseball and social life in 1977.The dual narrative focuses primarily on the titanic, four-way struggle for Gracie Mansion involving Koch, Cuomo, the incumbent Abe Beame and Bella Abzug, as well as the incendiary Steinbrenner-Martin-Jackson triangle of animus in the Bronx.

The sweltering summer of 1977 also featured the Son of Sam serial murders and power-failure-induced rioting - the City's worst civic disorder since the Civil War - and Mahler skillfully weaves these compelling events into a captivating, past-faced narrative.Ground-zero of the rioting was the Bushwick section of Brooklyn - less than a decade before a stable, working class neighborhood - and Mahler provides a vivid portrait of the chaotic mayhem that took hold there (as well as in other poor communities) when the lights went out on July 13.

Mahler also shows how the ghetto rioting transformed the Mayoral race.In mid summer, Ed Koch, then a relatively low profile Congressman, was fourth in the polls, mired in the low single digits. However, the erstwhile Greenwich Village liberal recognized that New Yorkers were ripe for a stern, law-and-order message. In particular, Koch's embrace of capital punishment and his get-tough policies generally found resonance with an electorate that had grown weary of the culture of lawlessness that increasingly pervaded their lives.The long-shot candidate - David Garth, his campaign guru, placed Koch's odds at no better than 40 to 1 - rode voter outrage to a first-place finish in the Democratic primary, and after besting Cuomo in a runoff, to City Hall.

Meanwhile, up in the Bronx, the season-long hostilities between the egocentric Reggie Jackson and his combative manager flared famously in an ugly confrontation in the visitor's dugout at Fenway Park.Steinbrenner sided with his million-dollar superstar (Mahler calls Jackson New York's first black superstar; I'm not so sure), the fans overwhelmingly with the pugnacious Martin.Despite the team's success, the melodrama off the field eclipsed the drama on the field for much of the season - until Jackson's prodigious, three-homer performance in the last game of the World Series.Mr. October's Ruthian feat helped the Yanks capture their first world championship in 12 years and set everything right - at least until next season.

I am a compulsive reader, but found this book especially addictive.I think you will, too. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (694)

An Important Book
The value of Barbara Ehrenreich's troubling, but remarkable investigation of the dearth of opportunity faced by working class Americans, is evident from the gamut of highly emotional reactions it has raised here.

Many readers seem enormously offended simply on the grounds that Ehrenreich was not actually a member of the working class, and only "visited" a life of poverty and toil. These readers take great pains to say that poverty is a serious issue, while discounting the book on the grounds that Ehrenreich - who holds a PhD of all the horrible things! - has no right to raise it. This is a willfully deluded argument which would seem to white wash all kinds of investigative journalism across the board. The attacks on Ehrenreich's credentials appear designed to avoid a discussion of the book itself, a low but familiar critical tactic, shooting the messenger to destroy the message.

It is understandable, however, that people would seek to look away from the experiences that Ehrenreich relates from her sojourns in the waitressing, housekeeping, and retailing industries. The pay is meager, the work is often backbreaking, and the management is consistently exploitative. You may already have suspected this to be the case, but the hard details in Nickel and Dimed - of trying to find housing, of applying for community aid, of unpaid overtime, and a thousand other tiny indignities - confront the reader with the vivid reality of how many of their fellow human beings are forced to live.

Terrific book, terrific writing
I love this book. Some people seem to find it hard to believe that a person can't "get by" on minimum wage, or that people get stuck in low-paying jobs - some claim that "everyone starts at minimum wage in life, but they get promoted and make more", etc. That doesn't always happen, or even happen that often. Ms. Ehrenreich's book shows the struggles she faced in just a short term experiment, but imagine trying to do it for the long haul - there are other crises that occur in the lives of working people - such as, lack of medical insurance - a HUGE problem - and car troubles, to name a couple. In this book, Ms. Ehrenreich was working during the warmer months - God knows what she may have encountered during the winter in Maine or Minnesota!But this terrific book gives a glimpse into the lives of the working poor, even with everyone seemingly going right for Ms. Ehrenreich. By the way, several reviewers have claimed that she has 'contempt' for the poor, and has a snobby, yuppie-ish attitude. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don't know why people make false allegations in a book review, I suspect it's to dissuade others from reading the book and deciding for themselves. Read this book, you'll be glad you did. And pass on a couple copies to your state reps, senators, etc. Teach them a few things. I look forward to future works by Barbara Ehrenreich after reading this - she's wonderful.

The Working Poor of America get a voice
This case study in, as the subtitle says "(Not) Getting by in America" was in many ways surprising. I thought I had a pretty good handle on the fact that there are people in desperate straits out there, that being in desperate straights is awful, and that it would be better if no one had to do it. But some of the problems that are described in this book were things I had never even thought of. One of her main contentions is that many of the working poor are borderline homeless, living, ironically, in expensive motels because they can never get far enough ahead to save the deposit for a real apartment. The lack of medical care and desperate penny-pinching wasn't surprising, but what struck me was that the author, daughter of a union organizer and left wing journalist, was consistently surprised at the importance that her co-workers placed on the jobs they were doing, quite apart from the monetary rewards or managerial incentives.

This struck me as especially tragic, because it just reinforces the fact that most people take satisfaction in doing something well, and it's obvious from the lives these people lead that they aren't in the habit of shirking work. Shouldn't hard, quality work bring you a life with the basics we should all have? A thought provoking, if not especially surprising book.

STAYS with you forever!
I read this book 3 years ago, and I'm STILL experiencing recall and flashbacks to some of its passages. For example: I might be doing nothing much in particular, as I set myself down to dinner at a family style restaurant...and WHAP!!! I will recall a passage from "Nickled and Dimed" concerning the not very pretty or easy plight of many waitresses and cooks who work at such establishments. And "Nickled and Dimed" does it all with a sense of humour, to boot!

Very thought provoking and enlightening for anyone who wants a better understanding the working poor and the flaws in our socio-economic system.

"Nickled and Dimed" should be required reading for every politician and social worker in the United States.

Try Living it for Real
The biggest problem with the "realism" here is the fact that the author knows, throughout all of it, that she will be going back to her 'real' job and some serious money along with her yuppie lifestyle. She doesn't even pretend to want to find out how it feels to live this life for real. Try having $5.00 in your pocket on the 2nd of January to last you the rest of the month, with 2 babies crying because there isn't any heat in your house. And then come to the realization that you REALLY only have $5.00 in your pocket with 2 crying babies and no heat. And try realizing that the reason you are in this situation is because your town was hit by a flash flood that wiped your home away and your insurance company refused to cover the damages because they don't cover "floods." Suddenly you are poor and desperate and nowhere to turn. Try that. Then write your book. The only problem would be finding someone to publish it. The general public still doesn't want to hear about the true struggles of the working poor or what the circumstances were that lead to that poverty... they only want to be entertained and feel "enlightened" because they now "understand the plight of the poor." Sorry... you really don't. Next time you sit down to a full meal, consider there really are people out there eating ketchup on noodles and nothing else. All week... maybe even all month. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Therapeutic activities ... in school and in treatment
Alanna Jones is a certified recreational therapist who has compiled an interesting set of 104 games and activities that social workers, recreational therapists, and some educators and school counselors (in substantially separate classrooms for behavior/emotional disorders) can use. The book is organized into activities that build (1) teamwork, (2) self-esteem, (3) communication, (4) self-discovery, (5) anger management, and (6) coping skills. Almost all activities are designed for elementary school aged children, but Ms. Jones, under each activity, presents variations--either in the activity itself or in the intended age group.

The crucial part of using these activities occurs after the activity is done. This is the "debriefing" part of the activity. It is absolutely necessary to do this debriefing in order that the youngster(s) arrive at some understanding of the activity just completed, and its possible meaning to them. It is assumed that the reader is comfortable with this type of debriefing, and has the skills to intercede in case the activity or debriefing are going south.

The things I liked about this book are: (1) Ms. Jones' energy and positive thinking about youngsters and her desire to provide them with challenging and thoughtful moments; (2) She explains each activity or game fully, provides lists of materials needed, gives some advice on structuring the activity; (3) This is therapy "in action," so it attracts the interest and energy of the youngsters.

I had two small questions about some of this book: (1) Self-esteem comes from accomplishing something, and I thought self-esteem activities were the weakest section of the book; and (2) In regard to anger management, these activities must be regarded as an adjunct, not the central core, of an anger management therapy program. When readers have a good therapeutic anger management therapy program at their facility (in their classroom), Ms. Jones' activities can help.

I was impressed by Ms. Jones' selection and believe it will help counselors, therapists, coaches, and recreational therapists.

A Very Useful Resource
This book is a great resource for anyone working with children or adolescents! I bought it because I needed ideas for activities for elementary school students, but it has been useful for the adolescents I work with, too. There are a lot of really creative ideas in here, and I have used it consistently since the day I got it. All of my coworkers think I am so creative now! This is a very useful book and well worth the money.

Money well spent
As a middle school counselor, I have used the activities in this book with kids of various ages and ability levels. While some of the activities do take some prep time, there are also many that you can use with what you have on hand, which is great for the busy school counselor. The activities are a lot of fun and teach great skills such as teamwork and decision-making. Well worth the money!

Not as Good as her other Book...
This book is pretty good, but not as good as her Teamwork book. The key is that this book does not have team building activities like the other book. It only covers what is stated. I would still recommend this book for the topics it says it covers... but dont buy this for teambuilding...

There are better ones
I got this book hoping it would have simple, easy to use exercises to utilize in groups, with individual clients, and with families. However, it is not. Many of the exercises require extra materials and some require a good bit of creativity. I prefer the workbook types and have those are much more helpful than this one. If you are just looking for a good place to start and some creative ideas, then this book is for you. If you all ready have some resources you like and use, you may want to check this book out from a library or bookstore before buying because I was disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The best reading methods textbook I've found
I teach a course in elementary reading methods for undergraduate education students. This is the third textbook I've tried, and it is excellent! It has what students need to know about the theory and practice of teaching reading, written in a very readable, non-overwhelming way. Plus it has lots of practical teaching ideas. Our lab school saw it and ordered several copies for its teachers also. I highly recommend it.

A must have!!
I was first introduced to this book in one of my graduate literacy courses and I have been hooked every since. The teachers at my school pass it around constantly looking for ideas. My favorite aspect of this boks is the fact that there are real teachers giving real examples of what works in their classrooms. There are no strategies that seem too hard implement in your classroom, because the layout is right there!! You know it can be done and it words because the examples in the book are proof! You don't feel like you are reading about some ideal or Utopia of a classroom. You are reading about REAL classrooms. I absolutely love it!

Excellent resource for teachers
This is an excellent resource. It is concise and contains a wealth of information. I teach second grade and am working on a Master's degree in literacy. I am finding this book to be invaluable. Much of the information is sorted into charts for easy referencing. So many of the books I have read lately seem to ramble on and on. This book makes it's point and moves on to other salient information. I get rid of so many of the professional books I purchase after I read them. This one is a keeper. It is very pertinent to the current trend in improving the literacy of our children.

Chock-full of good information!
We dived right into this book in our Teaching Reading credential course. This book is worth the price just for the internet resources (web sites, discussion boards, etc.) alone! Includes a great appendix which defines key terms, such as book talks, word webs, readers' theatre, etc. These are the "buzzwords" that are important for the RICA examination. A wonderful resource!

A Balanced Approach
This book is a great resource. Ms. Thompson believes that it is imperative that teachers offer students a comprehensive, balanced approach. She reasons that one should mix whole language with phonics. This resource is very readable and practical, and not riddled with lofty, educational jargon. ... Read more

Book Description

He has been cited by The New York Times Magazine as "probably the most important economist in the world" and by Time as "the world's best-known economist." He has advised an extraordinary range of world leaders and international institutions on the full range of issues related to creating economic success and reducing the world's poverty and misery. Now, at last, he draws on his entire twenty-five-year body of experience to offer a thrilling and inspiring big-picture vision of the keys to economic success in the world today and the steps that are necessary to achieve prosperity for all.

Marrying vivid eyewitness storytelling to his laserlike analysis, Jeffrey Sachs sets the stage by drawing a vivid conceptual map of the world economy and the different categories into which countries fall. Then, in a tour de force of elegance and compression, he explains why, over the past two hundred years, wealth has diverged across the planet in the manner that it has and why the poorest nations have been so markedly unable to escape the cruel vortex of poverty. The groundwork laid, he explains his methods for arriving, like a clinical internist, at a holistic diagnosis of a country's situation and the options it faces. Rather than deliver a worldview to readers from on high, Sachs leads them along the learning path he himself followed, telling the remarkable stories of his own work in Bolivia, Poland, Russia, India, China, and Africa as a way to bring readers to a broad-based understanding of the array of issues countries can face and the way the issues interrelate. He concludes by drawing on everything he has learned to offer an integrated set of solutions to the interwoven economic, political, environmental, and social problems that most frequently hold societies back. In the end, he leaves readers with an understanding, not of how daunting the world's problems are, but how solvable they are-and why making the effort is a matter both of moral obligation and strategic self-interest. A work of profound moral and intellectual vision that grows out of unprecedented real-world experience, The End of Poverty is a road map to a safer, more prosperous future for the world.

From "probably the most important economist in the world" (The New York Times Magazine), legendary for his work around the globe on economies in crisis, a landmark exploration of the roots of economic prosperity and the path out of extreme poverty for the world's poorest citizens. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Poverty and the Professor's Plan
Jeffrey Sachs, the director of Columbia University's Earth Institute and special advisor to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, tells us that about 20,000 people die daily due to extreme poverty (that's about 8 million people annually).Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than a dollar a day.About 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day, one third of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.Thisbook makes us aware of the extent of this tragedy and it offers a global plan to do something about it.

The global plan, of course, requires big money and big debt relief.Sachs has calculated that it would take anywhere from $135 billion to $190 billion per year of donations from rich countriesover the next two decades in order to eliminate extreme poverty by 2025.

Not surprisingly, the conservative critics, such as the economist William Easterly, will disparage this plan as so much utopian social engineering and call instead for a more piecemeal approach (Neoconservatives, however, are different: they have a propensity for lavish spending and risky foreign adventures).

Sachs' plan is not entirely new.The development models of the 1960's and 70's were similar.Huge amounts of money were allocated for building infrastructure and human capital; instead this money ended up in the bank accounts of dictators and corrupt aid officials.The development focus of the 1980's and 90's was more toward ending corruption and state ownership, encouraging deficit spending and free trade.The results have been equally disappointing: still 20,000 die daily.

The Sachs' plan calls for some swift, aggressive, and large-scale "neoliberal" economic interventions.His recommendations on how this $135 to $195 billion should be spent are staggering: it goes from how to plant trees, to soil fertility, to antiviral therapy for Aids, to mosquito nets for malaria, to specially programmed cell phones, to battery charging stations - just to name a few.He proposes that the secretary general of the UN run the overall program (with the requisite oversights), and that this would lift poor countries out of the poverty trap by 2025.This is, admittedly, a tough sell in conservative circles.

It is disingenuous, however, for critics like Easterly and others in this column to call this plan utopian.The goal of ending "extreme" poverty is getting countries to the first rung of the economic ladder so that they can participate in the gobal economy.For example, Sachs considers sweatshop labor a step up from no labor at all - this is hardly a utopian goal.Ending extreme poverty only prepares people and countries for the marketplace, it doesn't make them wealthy.

It is true that an ambitious plan such as Sachs' would have its excesses and unforeseen consequences.One of Sachs' problems is that he accuses people who disagree with him of being uninformed, or, worse yet, in the case of Africa, racist.Surely, someone who became a tenured Harvard professor at aged 28 and saved a handful of countries from economic disaster is not lacking in ego.He would do well to be a little more diplomatic.

From this book one should remember the mission: to save 20,000 lives a day.Instead of labeling proposals left-wing or right-wing, liberal or conservative, we should look deeply within our technocratic selves to end extreme poverty.

Fighting Poverty, says J. Wallis, is a Moral Value.
Sojourners magazine editor Jim Wallis is also an evangelical who has lately been speaking out on the current administration's politics which infer that anything having to do with fighting gay rights or abortion is a moral, Christian thing to do. Wallis says that although he cannot find many references in the Bible regarding abortion or gays, he can find thousands of verses regarding poverty, and fighting poverty is a moral, religious issue folks everywhere should do what they can to end.

Coincidentally--and I don't know whether these gentlemen has ever met--we have another popular economist, Jeff Sachs who is head of Columbia University's Earth Institute--who coincidentally has a hot book out that's causing waves. Causing waves for the end of poverty in our lifetime. Already he's been seen rubbing elbows with Kofi Annan and Bono of U2. He probably would have been a better candidate for the US ambassador to the United Nations...but, I politicize. The main thrust of this work here is that taking into account geography, infrastructure, political leanings, corruption of public officials, and other development issues, we (rich nations) can conceivably end grinding poverty by 2025 in most of the worlds under developed countries. How? By supplying medicine and education in AIDs ravaged areas of Africa and Asia, by aiding production of foodstuffs in these rural area (rather than by putting big thinking growers who tend not to understand the region and the traditions of people), by control of for example mosquitos in South Africa. We will help the poor survive and teach them how to survive.

Sachs says that by taking a pro-active stance, addressing problems that are able to likely be solved with enough appropriate effort, we can improve lives. The Millenium Project Report under the UN is designed to help these areas solve their problems.

The book is about the nature of the world's poverty (in for example Bilar, Pakistan, India, Africa) some of Sach's general observations of the poor and the steps to take to curve poverty.

Why should you read this? Even if you are not a Christian, it seems that as a citizen of this world two of your responsibilities are to feed the hungry and to help the poor. This is a valuable, current day, rational dissertation on a 'zero poverty by 2025' goal. It also teaches that civilization will be judged on how it treats its poor. Let's avoid having a bad report card.

An Exciting Overview
A very exciting book.Professor Sachs describes his round the world adventures in working to solve some of the most severe economic conditions in modern history.Thrilling was his account of making his proposal to an unbathed Eastern European leader into the night (while the leader consumed a bottle of whiskey and smoked an untold number of packs of cigarettes), working through the night to have a written economic strategy proposal by morning and then, months later, watching with fingers crossed the behavior of the economy after his plan was put in place.Jeffrey Sachs is a high stakes player.The well-being of millions is often at stake.Disappointing was his account of how Russian and other world leaders ignored the majority of his proposals to transform the Russian economy.I've read books about Geronimo and Crazy Horse, climbing Everest, and revolutions, and this book was just as exciting.

Thrilling also is that it is possible to, maybe not eliminate, but greatly reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty.Disappointing is the fact that the necessary assistance from the wealthy governments of the world probably will not materialize.

This book is merely an overview of Professor Sachs's plan to eliminate the poorest of the poor.This is about how to give the absolute poorest of people (those living on less than $1 per day) a boost up to the bottom rung of the economic ladder of development.The poorest of the poor, Sachs claims, with no infrastructure, no education and no capital, are often achieving negative per capita economic growth.Sachs claims that, once on the bottom rung of the ladder, these poorest of the poor will then be able to begin climbing.

Professor Sachs suggests using "differential diagnosis" to determine the causes of deep poverty and devise a strategy to alleviate it and begin economic growth.Decades of experience have taught him that different countries and different regions and villages may be impoverished due to different causes.These impediments to growth must be first diagnosed through careful analysis followed by a strategy specifically designed to overcome these impediments.His method is not a one size fits all approach.

This book is not about enhancing development in economies that have are already on the economic ladder and growing.Countries like Bangladesh, although poor, are already on a path to economic growth and, with small accomplishments in read per capita GDP growth every year, will be able to continue to improve standards of living.

Criticism of this book began before the book was even available.It's not surprising that the harshest criticism comes from those who obviously have not read this book.Sachs is often criticized for failing in Russia.The critics never point out, probably because they are not aware, that neither the Russian government nor outside governments and institutions followed his advice.

A popular criticism of this book is that Sachs's solution involves merely throwing money at a problem.This is perhaps the most misguided criticism.Sachs's plan does involve development assistance from wealthy countries; however, the amount he suggests that is needed is no more than countries have already pledged to contribute.Moreover, Sachs is clear that financial aid without a development strategy will produce little results.Sachs proposes an analysis of the impediments to development at the village level followed by a diagnosis and strategy to overcome them.A stable, honest government is essential in carrying out the plan.

Another popular criticism is that aid has shown to be inadequate in addressing the problems of development.Sachs addresses this issue in the book.His argument is that the amount of aid has been so low in the most impoverished countries that it could not possibly have a significant long-term effect.The governments in the United States invest 30% of GDP in public goods - roads, bridges, ports, police and courts, education ($10,000+ per student in many areas) - in order to achieve a growth rate of 2% in real per capita GDP.Should we be surprised that an investment of a few dollars per citizen is ineffective in Africa?

Sachs is also criticized for suggesting that aid be given to corrupt governments where the money will merely end up in an off shore bank account.Sachs is very clear throughout the book that it is imperative that the recipient countries devise and implement a poverty reduction strategy and stick to it.Countries that are not committed to this "need not apply".

In the end, Professor Sachs has made a good proposal that WILL be effective in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of deep poverty and a track record to prove it.Unfortunately, his plan WILL NOT be implemented primarily because of resistance from Washington.

Fascinating look at development economics
Professor Sachs gives a great tour of the world and its economic problems.He gives personal accounts of helping the economies of Bolivia, Poland, India, Russia and to a limited extent China.Most attempts at helping were successful (Russia, which had deeper and more entrenched problems, was a notable exception).Sachs gives sound advice on what works and what doesn't in really really poor countries.He also lays out how little it would take from America and other developed nations to make it all happen.

The one downside is that for Sachs' plan to work, foreign governments have to be willing to cooperate.It's kind of a Catch-22.The US is not willing to donate large amounts of money if it is used poorly, and foreign governments aren't going to be able to spend wisely if they don't have very much. But really - we are spending hundreds of billions fighting the war in Iraq to "help the Iraqi people".But we could help many more people much more efficiently if we just committed to do it.

Overall, one of the most interesting economics books I have ever read (and I have read a few).

A few problems
If there is a more tireless and indefatigable advocate for the poor and downtrodden, and a more vigorous campaigner fighting the evils of poverty in dozens of countries around the world than Mr. Sachs, I don't know who it is. Sach's book provides a sweeping and compelling overview of the dire effects of poverty and the possibilities for aid and assistance, economic reform, and development in third world countries, discussing the successes and failures in many countries and how and why they either failed or succeeded.

Before I get into the rest of my review, I should say something about my own prior and perhaps naive views on foreign aid. Before reading Mr. Sach's book, I believed in helping poor countries as much as possible and putting as much money into it as one could afford. Unfortunately, after reading his book, I was somewhat dismayed to find that so much of what he said could just as easily be used to argue against it. So, like a number of the reviewers here, although I agree that some sort of action is necessary, most of these solutions unfortunately still seem to come down to throwing more money at what in many cases have already turned out to be bottomless pits, lining local dictator's and beaurocrat's pockets and accomplishing very little else in the way of long-term gain. One shudders at the number of countries in Africa where aid is desperately needed and yet so little seems to reach the actual populace, not to mention several former Soviet countries, such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, and countries like Cambodia, that have similar if not worse situations.

One of Mr. Sach's favorite countries, for example, is Ethiopia, one of the world's poorest nations, where less than 1 dollar is spent per year per person on medical aid. However, Ethiopia still has not come to grips with its population problem, and every generation or about 20 years, there is another famine and the world sends vast amounts of food and money to rescue the starving populace.

This happened back in the 60s, and again in the 80s. That one I remember well because of all the TV ads featuring actors/actresses like Sally Struthers, one of the stars from the TV sitcom, All in the Family. While this generosity is commendable, nothing had changed since the 60s, and Ethiopia was again starving as a result of a couple of years of crop failures. Again, the U.S. and the world again sent huge amounts of aid, which did save many lives, but again, it just postpones Ethiopia's need to deal with the population issue in a more realistic and timely way.

Although I learned much about the different circumstances and strengths and weaknesses of many countries around the world in regard to their economic problems and opportunities, sometimes the book tantalizes as much as it explains. For example, Mr. Sachs discusses the amazing progress China has achieved, contrasting that with the failure of many Latin American countries to continue to progress, not to mention the problems of Russia. He attributes the success of China to the development of TVEs (township and village enterprises), which became small but dynamic production and profit centers, as opposed to the inefficient Soviet state operations, and the failure to develop true capitalistic institutions where profits are plowed back into capital spending, growth, and expansion rather than into the new elite industrial leadership's pockets.

However, this doesn't really explain why local village enterprises in China really succeeded over the larger state concerns in Russia. Larger operations enjoy certain advantages such as economies of scale and access to governmental funds for loans. Deciding to follow up on the question, I did a Google search and came up with the following excerpt from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization document number 4536 (I apologize for the long quote but it provides info that Sachs leaves out, and also, I'm going somewhere with all of this):

"China's township and village enterprises (TVE) are rural, collective economic organizations established at the township or village level. They also include the city branches of township enterprises. TVEs had become a major component of the Chinese economy, contributing significantly to GDP, employing large numbers of people and contributing to social development.

The development of TVEs has varied across China's regions and economic sectors. TVEs in some sectors are hi-tech or export oriented, and they face regional and international competition. However, TVEs in the brick, cement, coking and metal-casting sub-sectors were set up primarily to absorb rural labour, to provide essential low cost products, and to contribute to improving livelihoods in a localised area. In these sectors TVEs relied heavily on direct interventions from local governments for access to resources and marketing opportunities. As a result of the limited exposure of TVEs in these sectors to the market and to market forces, development in these sectors was characterized by expansion, without technology and technique development.

Despite their general dynamism and growth, TVEs still have many disadvantages compared to state owned enterprises (SOE). A key one is the shortage of workers having significant professional skills. Another is the lack of access to finance. These gaps are also found between TVEs in Central China and those in the coastal regions.

While the building material, coking and metal casting sectors provide key inputs to China's economic development and have been a major contributor to China's economic growth over the last 20 years (TVE provide more than half of the total output from these sectors), the level of technology in these sectors is low. Accordingly, TVEs in these sectors are characterized by high pollution levels. Notably, these four TVE sectors account for a staggering one sixth of China's total emissions of CO2. Their average relative energy consumption is 30% to 60% higher than state-owned-enterprise sector using currently available technologies. In addition, the low quality of their products leads to additional energy inefficiencies in product use (notably, poor building materials have low insulation levels, leading to heat loss in buildings). TVE are also major contributors to local air and water pollution and health hazards for employees."

Unfortunately, the impression I get from this article in the way of explanation is that this apparent miracle won't last. The most likely explanation to me for the success of the TVEs is that the interior of China was so backward (it consisting mainly of literally of tens of thousands of small and relatively isolated villages) is that almost any improvement in industrial capability and capacity was a big improvement over what had existed before in the region. The same thing happened in the Soviet Union, where initially industrial output increased due to some fairly simple and basic improvements in manufacturing technology and production. Like the TVE's, they also initially seemed a big success, only later peaking and going into decline. However, the interior of both countries was so backward industrially that almost any improvement was likely to succeed in the short term, whether it was more collectivized as in the case of the Soviet Union, or smaller scale, more private enterprise type operations as in the case of TVE's.

My point, unfortunately, is that we still don't know whether TVE's will truly succeed or not in the long run, as much of the profit can also be explained by the low cost of labor. If labor is cheap enough, you can still make a profit not matter how inefficient and low tech and non-competitive your operation is.

So overall, although I applaud Mr. Sach's willingness to be an advocate for eliminating poverty around the world, we still don't really know what we're doing in many cases economically, and the practical problems are still daunting. Development economics is itself a developing academic area (by the way, John Kenneth Galbraith, an advisor to many U.S. presidents, did his Ph.D. dissertation on farm economics, although he became known mainly for his book, The Age of Affluence), and hopefully we will continue to learn more and be able to apply more rational and scientific solutions to the elimination of poverty in the future.

In the short-term, however, our efforts continue to be hampered by inefficient and corrupt governments and inefficient aid organizations--although I still believe that we must continue to provide help despite the small percentage of it that ultimately reaches those most in need. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

All models evaluation book
Even though it is not an Evaluation Manual which sometimes comes in handy for conducting evaluation studies, it is a very good book. I have used it for my Masters Program (at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala) and found it very useful both for the theoretical and for the practical parts.It covers all major models tracing their origins. I plan on using it for my Doctoral Program, at Universidad de Costa Rica.

Very Thorough
I've been using this book as a resource for evaluating programs at our college and for my doctoral research. The book is well organized and contains several examples and paradigms with which to evaluate programs in both govermental and corporate settings. Expensive book but one that you'll keep handy! ... Read more

Book Description

Behind The Wheel French is the ideal way to learn to speak French while you drive because there is no confusion, no reading, no looking up meanings, and no guessing. It's all on the CDs. Use your commute time to effectively learn to speak a new language with this delightful course whose method will have you speaking your first sentences in your new language within minutes of receiving your course, and enjoying it. At last, a French CD coursewhich requires no reading and which teaches you to actually speak and understand authentic conversational French in a minimum of time and effort. Designed by the experts at Language Dynamics, 'Behind The Wheel' courses take the learner from basic to intermediate speaking and comprehension level without the guesswork and pain usually associated with language learning. A native speaker of French teaches you her language the way it's really spoken while a trained accentless American instructor explains it all in clear English so you always understand everything you're learning.Most language learners spend over 50% of their time looking up meanings instead of learning the language. With Behind the Wheel courses the language learning process is speeded up by giving you immediate answers to exercises, clear English translations, dynamic sentence building techniques, and high frequency vocabulary that teach you the language naturally like you learned English as a child. Behind The Wheel Courses are the ideal way to learn any language while you drive because there is no confusion, no reading, no looking up meanings, and no guessing. It's all on the CDs. Use your commute time to effectively learn to speak a new language with this delightful course whose method will have you speaking your first words in your new language within minutes of receiving your course, and enjoying it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

great features and instruction!
I've tried other CD sets to learn French and this is the best! The CD's are multiple track and although each track is rather long, I simply use the fast forward button on my car's CD player to skip through parts I really know. At first it seemed strange to learn without written materials, but the results speak for themselves (no pun intended). I highly recommend this course.

These Are Wonderful Multiple Track CDs!!
Me and my car player loved these MULTIPLE TRACK French CDs. They're easy to understand and will teach you to speak French FAST. I learned so much French with this 8 CD set that I can speak more than my friend who was a French major in college. How 'bout them nanners?
The tracks are laid out thematically so that you can fast forward on the run, go back, etc ... Ideal for the car. No reading or dictionary required. Great native French speaker and fantastic instructor who speaks clear American English.
Don't be frightened away by those planted reviews that urge caution. I highly recommend this course and the quality of the recordings.
P.S. I suggest to those who get an error message on these quality CDs (see above) to buy a new player and keep the CDs. The CDs are Taiyo Yuden, the folks who invented CD technology and the world's leading producer of high quality CDs. I checked all this out before I bought my course.

Très Bien et Merci!
Many thanks or 'Merci Beaucoup' to Language Dynamics for coming up with Behind the Wheel French. A truly great course.
Friendly voices come at you in a non threatening way to teach you how to speak French while in your car, jogging, etc. ..
I really appreciated the natural, non grammatical approach and the native French speaker. I also liked the fact that the American instructor has an advanced degree in French and was rated as an excellent instructor by his university students. This level of expertise is evident in the CD presentation which is low key but extremely effective at getting one (me in this case) to speak and understand basic French.

I Highly Recommend This Course
I saw Mark (the founder of Language Dynamics) on Good Day New York on WYNW Fox 5 a few weeks ago. I was so impressed by his philosophy of language teaching (and his fluency in 5 languages) that I bought his 'Behind the Wheel French' 8 CD course. From the perspective of a New Yorker who spends time driving, (many of us don't) this course is a godsend. It is my opinion however, that you could learn French anywhere with this course, not just in your car.
Just like Mark said in his interview; Behind the Wheel French teaches you the building blocks of fluency in the language, not just a few canned phrases. Once you learn the basics from this course, you can pretty much learn on your own because you already speak the language.
About the production. My CDs and overall package was of the highest quality. The voices on the CDs have excellent diction and are crystal clear. I thank Fox 5 for presenting this excellent method and course to me and others in their segment 'Foreign Language Courses 101'.

Great Method and Content!!
The learning technique used in Behind the Wheel French is excellent. With this course I have learned useful French content for shopping, ordering food, and lots of numbers practice. What I consider most valuable is the foundation I received by learning to speak basic French sentences. I returned my Pimsleur French course because it lacked the content I needed on shopping, ordering food, etc ....
I am much more satisfied with Language Dynamic's Behind the Wheel French. ... Read more

Book Description

Business Law Today, Standard Edition is an accessible law text with high interest and exceptional visual appeal. This is a book that professors like, while students appreciate its thorough, dynamic coverage of traditional business law topics and summarized cases. This text meets the AACSB curriculum requirements. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not Only For Students
I am using this textbook in several of my classes, and let me just say- it has everything I could have hoped for. The chapters are laid out well, many cases are cited, and the student is given actual cases to figure out, with the citations given at the end so he can find the actual outcome. I've found this to be among the best textbooks. It is so good, in fact that I've reccomended it to several of my friends who are going into business for themselves. This covers nearly everything they'll need to know regarding contracts, secured transactions, warranties, etc.
Love the law!

Business Law Today by Jentz et al.
This is an excellent text. It incorporates the law, as well as
legal research methodologies. For instance, a standard chapter
contains an outline, common law sources,constitutional,
statutory and administrative laws/rule-making. The work cites
computerized legal research in WESTLAW and LEXIS. Relevant
international legal citations are listed. The applicable
United States Code is cited by Title and specific paragraph.
In some cases, individual state legal codes are cited. There
are exhaustic sets of historical and statutory notes, cross
references and federal practice notes. Each chapter has a
comprehensive case study with a brief synopsis, cited case
and final disposition. There are teaching suggestions at the
end of the instructor's manual together with discussion
questions, research assignments and an explanation of footnotes.
In addition, there is an exhaustive section on essay question
answers.

Here is a model answer:
Stare decisis is a doctrine that prescribes following earlier
judicial decisions in deciding a current case if the facts and
questions are similar. Courts attempt to be consistent with their
own prior decisions and with the decisions of courts superior
to them. Stare decisis is important because part of the function
of law is to maintain stability. If the application of the law
was unpredictable, there would be no consistent rules to follow
and no stability.

The volume has detailed coverage of the following areas:
o Business Ethics o Int'l Business Law
o Employee Rights o Employment law
o Occupational safety o Accounting and the law
o Securities o Mergers and acquisitions
o Insurance o Real Estate
o Financial institutions o Unfair competition
o Advertising o Environmental law
o Health Care o Sports and entertainment
o Hospitality management o Communications
o Government contracts o Legal representation of business

There are significant software support systems; namely,
o Legal Clerk Research Software System
o Computerized Instructor's Manual
o Computerized Questions/Answers
o Case problems on diskette
o CD
o Lecture Builder Software
o Westest
o A Classroom Management System
o WESTrain
o Transparency Masters
o Sample Moot Court and much much more

This text is an excellent purchase for collegiate law students. ... Read more

Book Description

Leadership and Self-Deception is the first book to identify a single, underlying cause of every form of leadership failure. Through the story of Tom—a “shluck” in his manager’s words—readers discover that identifying and treating individual leadership problems as if they were separate and distinct is not enough to transform people into successful leaders. The authors suggest that the key to leadership lies not in what we do, but in how we "are." They explore this compelling secret: Self-deception is the central player and trap underlying all leadership failures, relationship issues, and performance problems in organizations. Leaders who live in the box of self-deception are trapped: they cannot lead, no matter how hard they try and no matter how many skills and techniques they employ. With convincing examples, the authors show clearly how self-deception operates and how to overcome it. While other books cover people skills, this one goes deeper, fully illuminating the secret to leadership success. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

In the box
I think the "Light on content" reviewer is in the box! The concepts in this book COULD perhaps be contained in a small pamphlet, but Terry Warner's book guides the reader through useful and practical applications. Most people, including me, cannot simply read a pamphlet and expect the concepts contained therein to immediately change us. This book takes the time to help the reader internalize potentially life-changing ideas.

Good Stuff--Not For the Timid
Don't read this book if you're not willing to confront yourself about how you see, feel about and treat others in your life--spouse, boss, children, co-workers, subordinates, the janitor. It's a short and simple book with a surprisingly simple message. You'll find yourself constantly stopping throughout the book to reflect upon some situation you could have, and should have, handled differently by thinking about those involved in a different manner. This is a truly fresh and human approach to leadership and performance. Read it!

Remarkable
So much of this kind of writing is common sense once you're done the book... but this kind of common sense needs to be reinforced over and over again.

Written in an easy to follow narrative you find yourself relating to the main character, coming up with the same questions he has, and feeling the same feelings as he finds the truth about what he is living, feeling & learning.

A quick read and a remarkable look into how you can live & work everday.

I suppose it could be useful ...
... but like most "leadership" books, it presents material that is more common sense than anything. However it may be the most obvious things that people overlook.

Nonetheless, the book can inadvertently create even more of "a box" between those who believe in the book's mantra and those who don't. The former will accuse the latter of "being in the box" while the latter may argue how the content oversimplifies things. In reality, like most philosophies, the answer is probably in the middle somewhere. The book recommends that we should evaluate our relationships as those between people, rather than objects, and that any problems we see may really be problems with ourselves. This ignores the fact that there are in reality (albeit hopefully uncommon) low performers, disrespectful, and dishonest people, and sometimes the problem really is with them.

Get Out of The BOX
This book is outstanding in helping with judgements and self-deception. The principles are taught and reflected in a business relationship enviorment. The new guy ends up learning how to deal more effectively with people at work and at home.

This book is not just for business people. Leadership of Self-Deception is about every relationship. The story and concepts in the book help to open the veil that covers our minds and hearts which cause difficulties with people.

The ideas within this book take you to the deepest levels of judging and dealing with people. You learn how to change your viewpoint to have healthy vibrant relationships with coworkers, family, friends, and anyone you meet. This book took me to a deeper level then Who Moved My Cheese and The One Minute Manger.

There are twelve inches which seperates are head and heart. This book helps to bridge the gap and open us to better relationships. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I noticed a definite left tilt as well.
After having spent a semester taking a class requiring this book, I definitely noticed a rather liberal-leaning bias throughout most of the text.One of the obligations of national government, as stated by the text, is its "matter of fact" attitude that more wealthy individuals owe it to "impoverised" people through literally "taking money from more wealthy states" and giving it to poor states.Give me a break, there is so much socialism and liberal drivel in this book it made reading it a headache.

Profs and teachers, PLEASE find something a little more objective than this textbook.Sheesh!!!

Leftist propaganda not science
This book presents the issues in a twisted manner, and never teaches fundamental values. It does not discuss at all the Declaration of Independence, does not give nearly enough historical background and generally mystifies the foundations of American politics. The meaning and value of the Electoral College is not explained nor compared to the structure of the Senate and House. Well if that was mentioned it would tell too much. Instead you get the usual leftist posturing, "uh - it's so complicated - let us fix it for you". The misery of this book is most evident in the discussion of the First Amendment - it is declared contradictory. Of course their interpretation is contradictory but this is what they like, so this is what you get. Once a conflict is introduced, the familiar soap opera style takes over. If you are not into MTV this book is not for you. BTW, editions galore and the price is definitely not "for the poor".

The Toooo!!! Politcal Side
The book was ok. I took it as a summer class, and there was too much information to be packed in this book. Some side issues were rather interesting, but I would not recommend it unless you are into political science. And I mean "into it". ... Read more

Book Description

If you're in new product development, or simply work in management and depend on new products for your livelihood, this is definitely the must-read of the decade. You're going to love the increased productivity and the freedom to be creative of this new product development system.

Where do you suppose it originated? Toyota, wouldn't you know. Iffamiliar with what's going on in industry today, you're already aware that the Toyota Production System is the envy of Western manufacturing. Companies like Dell Computers and Pella Windows are using it to sock it to their competition. But did you know that Toyota's new product development system is just as important to the ongoing success of Toyota? Consider this. Toyota's new product engineers are 400 percent more productive than those employed by most companies. Talk about productivity. It's enough to make top management want to dance a jig. This book explains that system and how it can be implemented.

Hold on. Before you click the order button, or surf to another site, let us make you aware of one more very important thing. The Toyota new product development system this book explains has very little if anything to do with the Toyota Production System. The former is how Toyota develops new products. The latter is how Toyota manufactures them. Both systems deliver extremely high productivity, both free people to do their best, but beyond that, there really aren't many similarities. You need to read this book to find out why. Believe us when we say, no company that depends on an ongoing flow of new and improved products can afford to ignore the revelations it contains or the potential advantages in terms of productivity and creativity that can accrue from following the method outlined in Product Development for the Lean Enterprise. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Thought Provoking Mental Nourishment
Michael Kennedy's book, Product Development for the Lean Enterprise, gives an experienced insight into the dilemma faced by some of North America's largest organizations, those who have embraced management science in all of its complexity to win national awards, only to find they are unable to compete successfully at the customer level. Using an engaging fictional narrative, Kennedy provides a fresh insight into product development; this book will challenge your beliefs and understanding and likely intrigue you sufficiently to investigate how aspects of the process can be made applicable in your enterprise. It is a treasure trove of information on, not just its principal topic, Toyota's unique product development process, but details on establishing and operating "a process renewal team" and "large group interventions for organizational change".

In Michael Kennedy's very readable book, one is introduced to Toyota's design concepts, unconventional to the majority of us in corporate North America. Imagine your product development process stipulating:
• explore not one, but multiple design solutions at the same time;
• delay the design's narrowing process to as late as possible in the process;
• demand the building and testing of multiple design models and prototypes for performance conformity;
• have the development, retention and reuse of engineering knowledge and skills a top priority for the company;
• eliminate the use of complex integrated task based program and plans by delegating each program designer to prepare his/her own time-lines to meet fixed review dates and performance levels; and
• have functional engineering managers focus on teaching and mentoring engineering talent, not administration.

In addition to product development, Kennedy's book gives the reader an overview of change management issues from strategy, to personal and political conflict, to presentation and implementation tactics. The book stimulates thought; it proposes possibilities; it gives a glimpse into the future of an enlightened company's product development process. It is beyond a wake-up-call; it is mental nourishment to everyone whose enterprise relies on engineered products.

Entertaining and Compelling, a unique perspective on Toyota
Michael Kennedy has created a most entertaining and informative book which explores an, heretofore, unexplored aspect of why Toyota, and companies like Toyota, excel at bringing new products to market with 4 times the efficiency of their North American competitors. The book is written in a fictionalized style, ala "The Goal", and conveys the philosophies and paradigms that Toyota embraces which set them apart, in time-to-market and profits, even in this post-bubble economy. Kennedy draws from his life experiences, both as an organizational developer of concurrent engineering processes at a Fortune 100 company, and from his involvement with a National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) collaboration which studied and documented this subject. His volume chronicles how IRT Industries, struggles with their product development processes, their discovery of how Toyota uses knowledge-based paradigms, and how IRT grudgingly realizes that major paradigms shifts, not process changes nor process compliance is required to be a world class product development company. And, maybe best of all, he provides a detailed plan and methodology by which enlightened companies can implement what they learn from this volume. ... Read more

Book Description

Members of the Harvard Negotiation Project--which brought you the mega-bestseller Getting to YES--show you how to handle your most difficult conversations with confidence and skill.

Whether you're dealing with an underperforming employee, disagreeing with your spouse about money or child-rearing, negotiating with a difficult client, or simply saying "no," or "I'm sorry," or "I love you," we attempt or avoid difficult conversations every day. Based on fifteen years of research at the Harvard Negotiation Project, Difficult Conversations walks you through a step-by-step proven approach to having your toughest conversations with less stress and more success. You will learn:
how to start the conversation without defensiveness
why what is not said is as important as what is
ways of keeping and regaining your balance in the face of attacks and accusations
how to decipher the underlying structure of every difficult conversation

Filled with examples from everyday life, Difficult Conversations will help you on the job, at home, or out in the world. It is a book you will turn to again and again for advice, practical skills, and reassurance.

"Does this book deliver on [its] promise of an effective way through sticky situations, whether 'with your baby sitter or your biggest client'? It does."-- The New York Times

"These talented communicators blend a daunting array of disciplines into highly readable and practical advice."-- Booklist

"Brilliant. . . . I've already re-read most of it. I'm using it. What more could a reader ask?"-- Tom Peters

"Emotional Intelligence applied to life's tough moments."-- Daniel Goleman ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Difficult Conversions
Stone, Patton and Bruce have written a very useful and critical work on the dynamics of all conversations - the ones we've had and regret; the ones we don't have, because they seem too risky; and the ones we need to have to enhance our personal and professional relationships. They argue that there are three categories of conversations, which encompass every aspect of what transpires in our daily exchanges. They are: (1) The "what happened?" conversation (2) The feelings conversation and (3) The identity conversation. We can become more skilled and efficient in our conversations, if we begin to check our often flawed assumptions about what happened, how we're feeling and how our self-perceptions impact our understanding of what others say. Typically, we assume we are right and others are wrong, we assume the intentions of others, we don't treat feelings as facts, and we associate our identities too closely with the contexts of specific conflicts. To have productive difficult conversations, we need to change the way we talk to ourselves and how we approach our communications with others.

One can't help wondering, however, if the only people reading this book are already self-actualized or so well on their way that they are, in fact, the best communicators among us. The authors' failed to address the lingering doubt left with the critical, reflective reader: that most difficult conversations are the fruits of difficult people, who, unless they read this book, have little capacity or motivation to be anything but difficult. In any case, Difficult Conversations is mostly devoted to explaining and analyzing the three conversations and how one can use these categories to have more productive exchanges. The book has many useful graphic organizers, including a checklist and a roadmap for engaging in difficult conversations.

In effect, Stone and his colleagues argue that we must shift from a perspective of "knowing" to "learning". Meaningful conversations can take place when we don't permit our assumptions to rule the moment, rather when we take control by being curious, open, and self-aware. To find out what happened, we need to explore each other's stories, separate intent from impact, abandon the blame framework, and to consider all conflicts as a system ("the contribution system"), to which every party has contributed in some way. They argue that the blame framework is a clue that feelings are playing a significant role in a conflict. Feelings often get translated into judgements, attributions, characterizations, or solutions. The key to managing feelings is to treat them as facts by acknowledging them, and considering how they are part of the problem and exploring them fully. All too often our feelings emerge from the sense that our identity is somehow at stake. Most of us frame our identities around one or all of three core themes: competence, virtue, or worthiness. When we feel any of these is questioned, we revert to fight or flight. We can best manage the identity issue by understanding ourselves as complex, by knowing we make mistakes, by acknowledging that our intentions are not simple, and by recognizing that all parties contribute to problems. The "learning" must begin within ourselves before we can understand issues or problems with others.

We can affect our own conversational "learning" by engaging in "the third story" conversation, which requires us to consider how a third party would describe and analyze the situation. This sets up a process of internal dialogue, which is necessary to check our own perceptions, feelings, and interests. Further, the authors encourage listening from the inside out, speaking for yourself, and taking the initiative. While the book combines theory, examples, and description, it is also a very handy guide to improving one's communication style in the workplace or at home.

very highly recommended
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't very optimistic about its content. I've got a rather solid background in conflict resolution and communication, have even taught courses in listening and small group communication. I assumed the book would be more of the same -- here's where you should nod, here's how you reflect, etc.

I was pleased to find that I had misjudged the authors. Reading this book and truly incorporating its advice and philosophies can be a life-changing experience. The content here goes beyond technique and finds firm ground (surprisingly) in speaking about inner issues that arise during difficult conversations -- and it manages to do so without coming off as didactic or flakey. In fact, I would have to say that this is the first "self-help" book that didn't make me a little squirmy and rebellious -- I soaked up the information and found myself relying on the content in real life on a daily basis, and right away.

I also have found myself evangelizing the book to a great extent, and have recommended it to friends I know who are having difficulty with family members, bosses, their children their neighbors -- as well as to a number of my clients who have expressed difficulty in managing up and/or down.

There's something of value for just about anyone here -- even if you are already well-versed in communication and negotiation skills.

Concepts and techniques that work
I find this book to be helpful because I have had a life-long struggle with difficult conversations. The section about understanding what is said and unsaid is a key piece of information which has given me greater awareness. The procedures require commitment and practice. Don't expect to get it right the first time or every time. I put an extra piece of information into practice every few days. I would also recommend another book, Crucial Conversations for another perspective on emotionally charged conversations, and Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self to learn how to make the most of any situation.

Too obvious...what we need is a difficult relationships book
The stuff in this book should be obvious to most reasonable people. If you're having problems at this level, you still have a long way to go in terms of dealing with truly difficult situations. Seeing so many people liking books like this gets me worried... (Is it just me who feels like I'm back in kindergarten when I take these corporate self improvement classes (come on, be honest now).)

If you can generally gather the gumption to talk with people through awkward issues, this book will not help.

My really difficult issues in life are with severely complexed people who are either defensive to the point of being anti-social or with those who never learned the skill to listen. You know people like this, right? Their bad behavior inevitably drives away their friends and they often have trouble with their other family members.

I'm not saying that I'm always in the right when having difficult conversations with people like this. What I struggle with is dealing with really hard headed people, and this book only belabors obvious points like "there are two sides to every story" and "you have to try to stay reasonable if you care to get through".

Everything in the book is good, if that's what you want to learn about. I just found it too obvious, and it assumes the case where the other person is a relatively well adjusted person.

"A Dangerous book in the hands of morons"! (NY, USA)
Well the reviewer has got a great sense of humour! I was laughing my a*se off!

It sems so many people do not practice what they preach. This guy's bosses whoever they are or were seem to have 'lost the plot'.

Isn't it strange that the 'Golden Rule' in business I was taught is not often used. It is as my Mum still says, "Do as you would be done by". Very simple but common sense is not usually common action!

My invitation to this person is please make contact with me as I have some questions I'd like the writer to answer before I buy the book! Dear Amazon.com, can you arrange that? Give the writer my e-mail address please. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive, readable and written for the student, Haviland/Prins/Walwrath/McBride's market-leading text, CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, is a highly relevant, high-quality teaching tool. The narrative voice of the text has been thoroughly internationalized and the "we:they" Western voice has been replaced with an inclusive one that will resonate with both Western and non-Western students and professors. In addition, gender, ethnicity, and stratification concepts and terminologies have been completely overhauled in accordance with contemporary thinking and the narrative streamlined using more fully developed, balanced, and global examples. In CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, the authors present students with examples of "local responses" to challenging globalization issues, designed to provide students with a "cross-cultural survival guide"for living in the diverse, multicultural world of the 21st century. This edition is a truly exciting and unique examination into the field of cultural anthropology, its insights, its relevance, and the continuing role of cultural survival issues. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I agree with the previous reviews...
This text was required reading for my anthropology course and although I was looking forward to learning about the subject matter, I felt that Haviland wrote in a way that made it much less enjoyable than it should have been. Often repetitive, always with his own biased version and even his terminology (using such phrases as *something like* when using descriptives)were not what I expected from someone of his caliber. To make matters worse, the *Original Study* segments which were some of the most interesting parts of the book were printed on a green background with the print lightened so that it was barely readable...what were the publishers thinking? I was greatly disappointed.

Book Sucks
This book is down to earth stupid! Through out the text, haviland insults Western countries by saying that they are all uncivilized and their way of life is far inferior when compared w/ other indegineous cultures. If he has a Ph.D., he should know better that insulting any culture is the trait of a narrow-minded person - not a guy who holds a ph.d. He also mocks religion constantly and the book repeats the same thing in several chapters...its like after a while you'll say "dude, we get the point, move on!". Don't buy it, unless u are a college student and your teacher requires it (I don't know y they would).

Intolerable
This is among the most frustratingly uninteresting textbooks I've ever read.Every chapter takes the same dull, sensationalistic view of its subject, citing a limitless number of redundant examples of life in lesser-known cultures while condemning every aspect of modern, industrial cultures.Each unit restates the same cliches ad nauseam, and reading this material does nothing to enhance one's appreciation for humanity or for science.It is a terrible and tiresome introduction to anthropology.

Disappointing for the Educated Reader
The editors' review would lead you to believe this is an unbiased, thorough and scholarly examination of cultural anthropology.It is not.There is subtle age, gender, cultural and religious bias.Although it is a thorough look at various cultures, it is by no means comprehensive or accurate.It is inaccurate in highlighted descriptions of minor aspects of Native American culture, especially of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.It seems to imply Western European cultures and various organized religions are the greatest evil on the planet.The portrayal of some cultures, such as the Malaysian, Pacific Island, and a few of the African Bushmen cultures, are very nice but that is the only redeeming quality of this text.Real scholars should avoid this text at all costs!

Misleading text
This text explores human nature in a completely dry, systematic, and cliched manner. It conveys none of the realities of human experience.It describes the customs and practices followed by only a handful of societies in the world, and it does so in a distorted and often sensationalized manner.For example, it portrays Christianity as a simple religion of snake handlers, and it describes the Christian practice of eating the body of God in the COMMUNION WATER!The text communicates that there is no meaning or reason to human existence, and it picks apart each aspect of humanity until there is nothing left but the absurdity of all human thought and belief. If you wish to understand Man's history, get a firsthand look at what Man has written, built, believed, and striven for throughout the ages. Don't go to this book to have your questions answered.I don't know who wrote that ridiculous one sentence review about this book being wonderful, but they were a moron to do so. ... Read more

Book Description

Brings together the disciplines of economics, political science, law, and ethics to address a class ofmanagement issues of growing importance to the performance of companies.Provides conceptual frameworks for understanding issues in the environment of business and their development; strategy formulation; analysis of the news media; political analysis; the economics and politics of government intervention in markets (regulation, antitrust, and torts); the economics and politics of international trade; the political economy of countries; and ethical analysis and decision-making.For all business professionals, including managers looking to enhance their knowledge of an ever-changing, increasingly global field. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The book for dilettante readers
The author provided some good examples to demonstrate some business's environments. The book is very readable. You will get bored if you have exposed to industrial organization or some applications of game theory.

Pretty Easy Reading
I've read a good chunk of this book during a B-school elective on non-market strategies, and found it imparted some valuable information. It's not very prescriptive if that's what you're looking for. But it made me feel like I got something out of the class despite an unstellar professor. ... Read more

Book Description

Make no mistake about it. You need legal guidance and business solutions specifically for NPs—not RNs, PAs, or physicians. Nurse Practitioner's Business Practice and Legal Guide, Second Edition focuses specifically and in-depth on the legal and business issues that NPs face, and provides comprehensive, state by state coverage of the Nurse Practitioner's scope of practice and state regulations.The second edition to this best seller also covers:

Federal regulations; Prescription and hospital privileges; Negligence and malpractice; Risk management;and Owning your own practice. Written by a nurse practitioner who is also a practicing attorney, this book provides the unique point of view of an author who knows what legal and business problems arise on a daily basis. Buppert draws her knowledge from the law, actual legal cases, and her own personal experience in starting and operating her business and assisting NPs in setting up their own practices. This second edition will serve as an excellent reference for practicing nurse practitioners and those planning to set up their own practice, and also as an excellent text for graduate nursing programs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

2nd edition
I found Carolyn Buppert's second edition of Business Practice and Legal Guide to be very helpful. The additional chapters are useful for my practice and for research on a state wide level. I would recommend this book to nurse practitioners and students of the profession. It is proving to be a valuable resource for improving NP practice in Alabama. Be sure to get the second edition (2003/2004)as the first was published in 1995.

Information is outdated
As a grad student interested in starting my own practice upon graduation, I found this book to be useless. It has been reprinted by another publishing company and its original copyright date is 1999. Between then and now - 2004 - a lot of things have changed. Therefore, I would recommend that anyone who requires current information should look elsewhere. This is a very expensive book as is not helpful at all!!!

Excellent resource for any nurse practitioner
I had the pleasure of reading this book while finishing my last year in nurse practitioner school.

Ms. Buppert is a master in defining how to negotiate business contracts.

I met the author at a nurse practioner conference in Nashville Tn and she was very down to earth and truly magnificent in her knowledge of laws affecting nurse practioners.

I highly recommend this book.

Informative, helpful
This book is a great way to access state-by-state information related to NP practice. I do recommend that readers not solely rely on its information. They should still contact each state's board of nursing. I found discrepancies between Ms. Buppert's requirements for practice in Ohio and actual law.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to both NP students and clinicians. ... Read more