Book Description
Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police Bureau is summoned by an official of the party to take the lead in a corruption investigation - one where the principle figure and his family have long since fled to the United States and beyond the reach of the Chinese government. But he left behind the organization and his partners-in-crime, and Inspector Chen is charged to uncover those responsible and act as necessary to end the corruption ring. In a twisting case that takes him from Shanghai, all the way to the U.S., reuniting him with his previous cohort from the U.S. Marshall's service - Inspector Catherine Rhon.At once a compelling crime novel and a insightful, moving portrayal of everyday life, The Emperor's Sword is the next installment in the critically acclaimed, award-wining Inspector Chen series.
Customer Reviews:
Bit of a struggle getting through it.......2007-05-13
My wife is from Shanghai. I have read the Inspector Chen series aloud to her over the past few years. She enjoys hearing about and explaining to me the various Shanghai expressions that Qiu Xiaolong uses. She also enjoys hearing and then back-translating much of the Tang dynasty poetry that is included in the stories.
However this time, I'm finding the story heavy going. Qiu is not a native English speaker and he's no Joseph Conrad. The language is pretty pedestrian and the story lacks drama.
With Chen's visit to the USA, I was hoping for similar poignant descriptions of culture shock to what Martin Cruz Smith used in Polar Star when he had his Soviet fishing crew come ashore in Alaska for a shopping spree.
I will continue following the story of Chief Inspector Chen but only because of my particular "China interest".
A Case of Two Cultures.......2007-03-16
Inspector Chen's world is one worth visiting. His character is becoming fully fleshed-out in the later volumes, even as his able assistants take on more crucial roles and more challenging tasks. I learned as much about Chinese culture from Chen's foreign jaunt in the United States as from his adventures in Shanghai. Qiu Xiaolong is one of the few authors whose books I make a point of reading as soon as they are published (even in hardcover), and A Case of Two Cities did not disappoint.
Qiu explores culture through crime; an intriguing portrait of modern China.......2007-02-06
Like Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko in Moscow, Qiu Xiaolong's Shanghai-based Inspector Chen Cao illuminates the darker corners of a political culture very different from our own, while maintaining a precarious balance in his work between principle and practicality.
Rapid change in urban China, particularly the contrast between new rich and ordinary poor, provides the backdrop for a case involving high-level corruption.
A wealthy businessman, Xing, has absconded to America with millions in stolen wealth. Assigned the unenviable job of finding and exposing the tentacles of Xing's vast smuggling operation, Chen, naturally, is as leery as he is zealous. With good reason, as a valuable witness is promptly murdered.
And shortly thereafter Chen is appointed head of a literary delegation to the U.S., though his poetry career is outwardly defunct. Is he being shunted out of the way or is he expected to go after Xing in America?
Using all the pull he can muster, Chen leaves the case in the capable hands of his assistant Yu, who is in turn assisted ably by his father and wife, quirky and resourceful characters who seem to be moving into more prominent roles.
Feints and counter feints keep everything from being too brightly illuminated as Chen continues his investigation in L.A. and St. Louis (meeting up again with U.S. Marshall Catherine Rhon), while communicating with Yu in an unwieldy code by cell phone.
The plot has a resolution, sort of, but the real meat and pleasure of this book is the cultural context, from Chen's use of ancient poetry and the literary delegations' clashes with American academics, to descriptions of food, daily life and the odd little differences in the way cultures think.
Long on poetry, short on action and drama.......2007-01-19
I've enjoyed all his books, but this one faltered. It had a classroom, somnolent feel, lacking genuine conflict and risk. I looked forward to the contrast between America and Shanghai and to the reunion of Chen with the CIA's Catherine. Neither fulfilled the potential of heightened drama. The familiar characters were just that--familiar. Nothing advanced.
Qui Xialong - WOWs me AGAIN!!!!!.......2007-01-04
Qiu Xiaolong writes in a way that is so wonderful on several levels:
1. He is a superb writer.
2. These are very good mysteries/crime stories. No pat endings and detailed characters with complex motives and relationships.
3. This view into modern life in China and the effects on its people of that nations recent history are not to be missed. Nowhere will you find such a detailed and eye-opening look at "real life" in China unless you have friends from there!
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- It is an inspiring addition to the original 7 habits
- Trite
- This is my teacher after prophet Mohammad (PBUH)
- Very uplifting, great paradigm for living
- Seven Habits Come to Life!
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Living the 7 Habits : The Courage to Change
Stephen R. Covey
Manufacturer: Free Press
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ASIN: 0684857162 |
Amazon.com
Stephen Covey's famous 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has been teaching people and organizations how to be more effective since 1989. But how do Covey's principles translate for real people living their lives? Living the 7 Habits presents more than 70 little stories of people as they meet challenges and practice the seven habits. Some are ordinary slices of life; others are pivotal moments or life changes. A 76-year-old man who had overdrawn his wife's "emotional bank account" starts making deposits of chores, favors, and special dates until love is rekindled. A woman changes her life after her husband dies of cancer. Children teach parents empathic listening. A banker-turned-minister, cleaning his gun as his pregnant wife naps on the couch, accidentally discharges it, killing his wife and the unborn child, and learns to recover from grief and guilt. Parents learn to hear their teenagers' anxieties with respect and understanding. A clinical-psychology researcher, moved by statistics that one-third of foster kids never return to their birth parents or get adopted, creates a village for former "unadoptable" children, their new parents, and volunteer "grandparents." The stories are organized thematically into individual, family, community, education, and workplace--with commentary from Covey following each story. If you practice the seven habits and seek inspiration and a feeling of community, this book will help you find both. --Joan Price
Book Description
"To live with change, to optimize change, you need principles that don't change." -- Dr. Stephen R. Covey
Success that endures -- sustainable and balanced success -- can seem difficult to achieve in today's turbulent, complex world of change. But those who achieve this kind of success live by seven universal, timeless, self-evident principles that apply in any situation, in any culture.
In Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change, Dr. Covey shows how successful people have used these principles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and change their lives. By showing how real people have used the principles to thrive in a changing world, he provides practical guidance and powerful inspiration to readers searching for a proven framework for living a meaningful life.
Download Description
In the ten years since its publication, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has become a worldwide phenomenon, with more than twelve million readers in thirty-two languages. Now, Living the 7 Habits demonstrates how to solve problems and overcome challenges by applying Covey's proven principles. In this uplifting and riveting collection of true stories, readers will find hope and encouragement as they learn firsthand ways in which the 7 Habits can bring about tremendous, positive change. Enhanced with the personal commentary and insights of Dr. Stephen R. Covey, these touching and motivating stories will inspire readers with an energizing recognition of their own freedom, potential, and power.
Customer Reviews:
It is an inspiring addition to the original 7 habits.......2006-11-10
I listen to the CDs during my comute and it helps to reinforce the 7 habits of highly effective people.
Trite.......2006-03-10
The audio is delivered in a monotone that almost puts you to sleep. Not a good thing while driving
This is my teacher after prophet Mohammad (PBUH).......2006-03-03
This is real.
It's difficult to give enough praise to what Stephen R. Covey does. I love reading his books and almost anyone will benefit from browsing through the different stories about how people had the courage to face their problems and change by engaging in positive behavior. To state the obvious, 'Living the 7 Habits' is an inspiring read. I would urge a bit of caution, however, in that the laboratory of the real world may not cooperate much with a person living the seven habits. On the other hand, Covey never says it's easy and he at least indirectly reminds the reader that incorporating the seven habits into one's life is an enormous amount of work.
Some of the stories are funny, some are quite sad, and they all demonstrate how the people who were challenged by life had to grow in some way. Living the seven habits is tough, and the reader cannot expect the world to play along, but trying is worth the effort, and the rewards from doing so can be more satisfying than a person ever imagined. I think the people that Covey wrote about in the book would agree.
In addition to about 300 pages of very readable, relevant stories about overcoming adversity and finding a better way of living, the book invites the reader to share stories that are similar to the ones in the book by writing the Franklin Covey Company. Covey also has a Q&A section at the back of the book which is insightful and fun to read. Altogether a very worthwhile book. econ
Very uplifting, great paradigm for living.......2005-02-22
It's difficult to give enough praise to what Stephen R. Covey does. I love reading his books and almost anyone will benefit from browsing through the different stories about how people had the courage to face their problems and change by engaging in positive behavior. To state the obvious, 'Living the 7 Habits' is an inspiring read. I would urge a bit of caution, however, in that the laboratory of the real world may not cooperate much with a person living the seven habits. On the other hand, Covey never says it's easy and he at least indirectly reminds the reader that incorporating the seven habits into one's life is an enormous amount of work.
Some of the stories are funny, some are quite sad, and they all demonstrate how the people who were challenged by life had to grow in some way. Living the seven habits is tough, and the reader cannot expect the world to play along, but trying is worth the effort, and the rewards from doing so can be more satisfying than a person ever imagined. I think the people that Covey wrote about in the book would agree.
In addition to about 300 pages of very readable, relevant stories about overcoming adversity and finding a better way of living, the book invites the reader to share stories that are similar to the ones in the book by writing the Franklin Covey Company. Covey also has a Q&A section at the back of the book which is insightful and fun to read. Altogether a very worthwhile book. econ
Seven Habits Come to Life!.......2005-02-06
I've been listening to Stephen Covey for years, and I think he's one of the wisest observers of the human spirit around.
While all of his programs are inspiring, Living the 7 Habits is probably the most moving - because it brings the 7 Habits to life, by showing how people have used them to change their lives for the better.
I was so moved hearing some of these stories, and even more moved when I realized that, thanks to Dr. Covey's wonderful guidance, I can bring the same wisdom and insight into my own life.
It's pretty clear that I was already familiar with the 7 Habits when I heard this, but you don't have to be - I recommend this as an excellent starting point for anybody who is encountering this way of living for the very first time, as well as for people like me who have heard and read a lot about it but can still use some help putting it to work on a day to day basis.
And what a generous program it is - nine compact discs long, but it doesn't even cost $30 ... even less with discounts!
Customer Reviews:
A cross-section of Wimsey's career, but could've been better organized.......2006-07-17
For anyone new to Lord Peter, this book would not be an ideal introduction; the introductory material contains spoilers for the main text, and in any case the selection and order of the individual stories herein isn't ideal for a stem-to-stern readthrough. That said, I myself first made his lordship's acquaintance through STRONG POISON, the first story in this omnibus, and have yet to suffer by it. :) So while the book *could* be closer to perfect, the fact that it contains a triple dose of Lord Peter is sufficient to justify its existence, particularly since it will resist being worn to shreds longer than the individual paperbacks do.
Rather than discussing the individual novels in detail - each is still in print in its own right, and I recommend consulting their individual reviews - I'll discuss this omnibus edition in particular. Discussing them individually is a problem in any case, as the personal complications of STRONG POISON (the first entry) bear directly on HAVE HIS CARCASE (the second).
Often called ON THE CASE WITH LORD PETER WIMSEY, this omnibus edition of STRONG POISON (1930), HAVE HIS CARCASE (1932), and UNNATURAL DEATH (1927) contains not only the full text of each book - including individual tables of contents, author's notes, chapter headings, and the Dawson family tree for UNNATURAL DEATH - but is prefaced by the text of Lord Peter's entry in Who's Who / Burke's Peerage, complete with a partial drawing of the Wimsey coat of arms (the Saracen supporters are missing, but the motto and crest are there). The text of the entry contains a major spoiler for the later Wimsey novels, unfortunately, since it was taken from a post-1936 edition.
The book also contains a separate "Biographical Note, communicated by Paul Austin Delagardie", which dates from 1935, the same year as GAUDY NIGHT. Mr. Delagardie, brother of the Dowager Duchess of Denver, explains how he took charge of his nephew's social education as a youngster only to watch him suffer a disastrous engagement and cruel breakup at the time of the Great War. The fallout was far worse than the "I took up sleuthing as a cure for wounded feelings" patter that Lord Peter himself usually serves up on this topic. However, I warn new readers that as Uncle Paul was writing five years after the events of STRONG POISON, his information can better be appreciated after reading the first two novels in this omnibus.
ON THE CASE WITH LORD PETER WIMSEY has no overlap with its sibling omnibus THREE COMPLETE LORD PETER WIMSEY NOVELS (WHOSE BODY?, MURDER MUST ADVERTISE, and GAUDY NIGHT). Taken together, the grouping of the stories in these two volumes annoyed me very much when they first came out, since GAUDY NIGHT logically should be in the volume before you as the third story, completing the trilogy of Wimsey/Vane courtship novels. As an alternative, swapping the positions of UNNATURAL DEATH and MURDER MUST ADVERTISE would've made sense, as it is the novel following HAVE HIS CARCASE. Even putting UNNATURAL DEATH first rather than last in this book would help, since an associate of Lord Peter's who is introduced in UNNATURAL DEATH has a significant role in STRONG POISON.
Not to put too fine a point on it, the two omnibi naturally go together, and can be a godsend to those seeking to replace disintegrating paperback copies of the individual books. However, anyone wishing to follow Lord Peter's career from the beginning will need to skip back and forth between the two omnibi, with forays into other Wimsey books not included in either collection.
A very good collection, thanks to the excellence of the ingredients, qualified by minor perfectionist grumbling as stated above. Well worth getting and keeping.
Average customer rating:
- GREAT READ
- Timeless
- Move over Sun Tzu
- Robert E. Lee on Leadership : Executive Lessons in Character, Courage, and Vision
- Great Book
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Robert E. Lee on Leadership: Executive Lessons in Character, Courage, and Vision (On Leadership)
H. W. Crocker III
Manufacturer: Prima Lifestyles
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Leadership Lessons of Robert E. Lee: Tips, Tactics. and Strategies for Leaders and Managers
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Don't Tread on Me: A 400-Year History of America at War, from Indian Fighting to Terrorist Hunting
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The Maxims Of Robert E. Lee For Young Gentlemen: Advice, Admonitions, and Anecdotes on Christian Duty and Wisdom from the Life of General Lee
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Lee
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Stonewall Jackson's Book of Maxims
ASIN: 0761516808
Release Date: 1999-04-28 |
Book Description
Robert E. Lee was a leader for the ages. The man heralded by Winston Churchill as "one of the noblest Americans who ever lived" inspired an out-manned, out-gunned army to achieve greatness on the battlefield. He was a brilliant strategist and a man of unyielding courage who, in the face of insurmountable odds, nearly changed forever the course of history.
"A masterpiece—the best work of its kind I have ever read. Crocker's Lee is a Lee for all leaders to study; and to work, quite deliberately, to emulate."
— Major General Josiah Bunting III, superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute
In this remarkable book, you'll learn the keys to Lee's greatness as a man and a leader. You'll find a general whose standards for personal excellence was second to none, whose leadership was founded on the highest moral principles, and whose character was made of steel. You'll see how he remade a rag-tag bunch of men into one of the most impressive fighting forces history has ever known. You'll also discover other sides of Lee—the businessman who inherited the debt-ridden Arlington plantation and streamlined its operations, the teacher who took a backwater college and made it into a prestigious university, and the motivator who inspired those he led to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. Each chapter concludes with the extraordinary lessons learned, which can be applied not only to your professional life, but also to your private life as well.
Today's business world requires leaders of uncommon excellence who can overcome the cold brutality of constant change. Robert E. Lee was such a leader. He triumphed over challenges people in business face every day. Guided by his magnificent example, so can you.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT READ.......2007-10-05
GREAT READ ON MULTIPLE LEVELS. EMPHASIS ON LEADERSHIP TRAITS AND PERSONAL STRENGTHS. GREAT ALSO FOR TEENAGERS TO STRESS MANY ATTRIBUTES TO BEING A LEADER.
Timeless.......2007-07-30
If business leaders and managers would implement a portion of what Lee stood for, we would all have a more desirable work environment!! Book has absolutely timeless principles. Must read for person who really wants to make a difference.
Move over Sun Tzu.......2007-06-16
Move over Sun Tzu.
Harry Crocker has brought new meaning to the "how-to" book genre of business success. Robert E. Lee on Leadership is Crocker's latest book and specifically addresses the business professional. Using General Lee as the paragon of character and leadership, Crocker deftly compares Lee to the modern businessman and draws the appropriate parallels.
Sun Tzu's The Art of War has become somewhat of a cult classic among business "leaders" with its emphasis on destruction of the enemy and preparedness before battle. It was written over two thousand years ago and has served as a blueprint for success on the battlefield as well as the business field.
Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership, however, is unique. Crocker describes the life of a great figure from the 1800s, takes a detailed look at his leadership style, and concludes that modern business leaders could succeed by emulating the revered Confederate general.
Far from being a book solely for the businessman, Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership is a mini-biography of one of the greatest military generals of all time. Despite his military prowess, however, Robert E. Lee was a humble man, as Crocker points out repeatedly. Lee believed firmly that "obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character." Obedience to God was of primary importance for Lee, and he expected those under his command to adhere to the principles of the Bible. A devout Episcopalian, Lee felt that the good leader teaches responsibility by giving it to others. Delegating authority to those under his command was one means by which Lee could accomplish both his military goals and direct Washington College (now Washington and Lee) of which he was president following the Civil War.
The reader takes away from Robert E. Lee on Leadership a lesson not only in business but also in life. Humility served as Lee's code of conduct. His only rule for his students at Washington College was that everyone "would conduct himself as a gentleman." On one occasion a young mother asked for General Lee's blessing on her son. Lee told her, " Teach him he must deny himself." One must control oneself before being able to control others; the business lesson is clear. Crocker uses instances such as these to draw a direct parallel to the life of Christ. By doing so, he gives the reader reason to hope that one can be both a model Christian and a successful man of business.
In battle, Lee was brilliant; he went up against enormous odds and succeeded, but was insistent his soldiers were not to harm any civilians. Never one to blame others, Lee accepted blame in the loss at Gettysburg when clearly his subordinates failed to successfully carry out his plans. But, when he was forced to surrender at Appomattox, he stated "we must submit ourselves in adversity to the will of a merciful God as cheerfully as in prosperity."
Harry Crocker's Robert E. Lee on Leadership belongs in the hands of anyone who has authority over others, whether in business or not. Its lessons are timeless.
Robert E. Lee on Leadership : Executive Lessons in Character, Courage, and Vision.......2007-05-12
Very well written with lessons for today!
Great Book.......2007-01-10
I did not actually read this book, but I bought it for my father who is/has been the top CEO or consultant for a number of very large corporations. He said the book was terrific.
Book Description
What kind of character strengths must leaders develop in themselves and others to create and sustain extraordinary organizational growth and performance? The author, John J. Sosik, answers this question by reviewing what is known about the connection between authentic transformational leadership and positive psychology. He summarizes a wealth of leadership knowledge in a unique collection of captivating stories about 25 famous leaders from business, history and pop culture: Condoleezza Rice, John F. Kennedy, Maya Angelou, Bill Gates, Brian Wilson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Joe Namath, Pat Tillman, Mother Teresa, Lady Diana, Pope John Paul II, Shirley Chisholm, Governor James Hunt, Andy Griffith, Margaret Thatcher, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela, Warren Buffet, Andy Grove, Eleanor Roosevelt, Herb Kelleher, Anita Roddick, Johnny Cash, and Fred Rogers. What do these leaders have in common? Each possesses virtues of wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence and their associated character strengths that form the foundation of their outstanding leadership. Besides generating astonishing results for their organizations, these leaders reaped numerous physical, mental, social and spiritual benefits from their strong character. Their stories teach readers leadership principles that they too can apply to achieve sustainable growth and excellence. The author includes dozens of interesting examples, vivid anecdotes, and clear guidelines to offer readers an in-depth look at how character and virtue forms the moral fiber of authentic transformational leadership. Individuals currently in leadership positions as well as aspiring leaders will find the book's conversational style, fascinating stories, and practical guidelines both useful and inspiring.
Customer Reviews:
A worthy leader in the literature of leadership.......2007-06-25
The literature of leadership would fill a rather crowded library, but no one can learn how to be a great leader by simply reading about it. But since almost every organization has a strong need for leadership, reading about it may be a start. John Sosik studies how really great leaders succeed in the face of adversity, and he does an excellent job of categorizing the most important qualities leaders must have. A few of his 25 profiles of exceptional leaders lack the specificity needed to be truly instructive. Overall, however, we find that while this book may not teach you how to be a great leader, it may inspire you to become one.
Quick and Easy.......2007-02-13
Thank you very much for getting the book to me sooooo quickly! It was exactly as described with no marks, etc. It looked brand new to me!
Thanks again!
Customer Reviews:
A decent mystery novel.......2003-05-20
Philip Craig's recurring character, ex-cop J.W. Jackson, is back to solve another Martha's Vineyard mystery. Jackson is engaged to Zee, a nurse who one day discovers an additional hunderd grand in her bank account. Zee's windfall disappears as mysteriously as it came. The bank is getting a new computer system and dismisses it as a glitch. When a college student winds up dead in Jackson's driveway near some bank statements revealing she'd just withdrawn a hundred grand, Jackson smells a rat and begins to investigate. Craig's mysteries are intriguing, but they don't have the rapid pace and high body count of many mysteries. He describes the laid-back lifestyle on Martha's Vineyard and the book moves along at much the same pace. In this book, Jackson's buddy shows up with a world renowed pianist in need of some personal time and Zee's mother visits and meets Jackson for the first time. As in all of Craig's books, much detail is given to the dishes Jackson makes. Die-hard mystery fans may not like Craig's style, but I enjoy being transported to the simple life in Martha's Vineyard for a little while.
Average customer rating:
- Fun, But So-So Writing
- my favorite
- He does it again!
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Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Treasure Hunt (Encyclopedia Brown)
Donald J. Sobol
Manufacturer: Yearling
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Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers
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Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (Encyclopedia Brown)
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Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Sleeping Dog (Encyclopedia Brown)
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Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander (Encyclopedia Brown)
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Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints (Encyclopedia Brown)
ASIN: 0553156500
Release Date: 1989-01-01 |
Book Description
Suspects who are identical twins...
A leaking tent...
Magical worm pills...
A zebra's portrait...
And a sheet of toilet paper from Spain that's been swiped!
These are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown must solve by using his famous computerlike brain. Try crack the cases along with him--the answer to all the mysteries are found in the back!
Customer Reviews:
Fun, But So-So Writing.......2005-11-03
I remember enjoying the Encyclopedia Brown solve-them-yourself mysteries when I was a kid. But as an adult, I'd prefer to see kids reading something with a little more writing quality. No characterizations, no drama, cliche descriptions -- couldn't someone do this genre better?
my favorite.......2002-11-07
i like this book alot it has taught me a lot about solving cases. i enjoy this book because i want to be a detective just like him one day.
He does it again!.......2000-06-10
Encyclopedia Brown does it again! This book was just as entertaining as the others! I originally bought this book for my nephew (10 years) and I ended up reading most of it with him! Needless to say, he loved it and so did I! He now wants to read more about Encyclopedia Brown and I can't wait to buy them for him!
Book Description
What makes a good school? A prominent Harvard educator looks for the answers in six schools that have earned reputations for excellence: George Washington Carver High School in Atlanta; John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, New York; Highland Park High School near Chicago; Bookline High School in Brookline, Massachusetts; St. Paul's in Concord, New Hampshire; and the Milton Academy, near Boston.
Customer Reviews:
A nice person.......2007-06-11
At the end of her book Sarah Lightfoot confesses that "the social scientist engaged in portraiture should recognize the potential impact of the work on inidviduals and institutions." Encapsulated within that sentence are most of the things that made me dislike this book.
Ms. Lightfoot wanted desperately to find 'good' in American high schools. She traveled from New Engliand to the Midwest to ferret out this goodness. She openly states that she doesn't care for the negativity that so many writers display in their books and articles about the US secondary education system. She was determined to find good people doing good things. She found them.
Unfortunately the reader is left, after reading "The Good High School" with hundreds of doubts, reservations and questions. Occasionally Ms. Lightfoot peers down dark corridors at the schools she visits; she hints that not everyone is happy, contented, dedicated professionals. But just as she spots potential trouble she quickly steers her narrative back to the sanguine, uplifting, hopeful fairy tale she set out to write.
In Sarah's world all teachers are divided into three groups: bad, good and 'stars'. She reveals that some of the schools she visited steered her to the latter group yet she doesn't seem to find this unsettling. And never does she dare to nuance her judgments about teachers. Could it be that a teacher could be a 'star' in the eyes of administrators and something less to some of his or her students? Could a teacher be good at discipline but bad at pedagogy; a star when it comes to honors students but a chump with non-college-bound kids? Sarah doesn't say. Such distinctions would spoil the nice, two-dimensional (good and evil) world she lives in.
You won't be surprised that the only person who comes in for unmitigated criticism in this book is Jonathan Kozol. She makes no reference to writers like John Taylor Gatto, John Holt, Herbert Kohl or Frank Smith. None is listed in her bibliography. She relates in her last chapter that the book is "portraiture' based on research with an aim toward objectivity, yet no data is produced and little or no supporting evidence is ever given for her assessments of the people and institutions she evaluates.
Sarah Lightfoot is a nice person, obviously. I recommend her for the job of paving the road to hell. She'd be a natural.
An inspiration for shaping organizational change........1999-03-18
Sara Lightfoot is an incredible author that writes with style, candor and vividness that allows one to experience the context as though he/she is actually involved rather than examining the process vicariously. The author recognizes that it is important for readers to be able to place these high schools in context, visualize the terrain, the community and the people. Lightfoot has done this by working through the inside out, much like an artist painting a portrait capturing the essence of truth with a myriad of dimensions. Lightfoot offers a penetrable look inside high schools whhile exploring the inherent goodness of schools. She provides a description of "goodness" as not being static nor an absolute quality that can be measured as a single indicator of success of effectiveness but a mixture of parts that produce the whole. This mixture encompasses less tangible, more elusive qualities that can only be discerned through close, vivid description, through subtle nuances, and thhrough detailed narratives that reveal the sustaining values of an institution. A quality that is evident of Lightfoot throughout the text is that she looks for the"good" in all six schools,even though they are not equal. All too often, rersearchers get caught up in identifying a cause or over-emphasining the negeative aspects while allowing the "good" qualities to go unnoticed. Lightfoot goes the extra mile is this respect by bringing forth the good in each school. It is through work such as this that researchers can learn many transferable lessons that can be utilized in a wide array of research studies. With this in mind, I give Sara Lightfoot's book, The Good High School, a five star rating.
Book Description
Praise for The Science of Sherlock Holmes
"Holmes is, first, a great detective, but he has also proven to be a great scientist, whether dabbling with poisons, tobacco ash, or tire marks. Wagner explores this fascinating aspect of his career by showing how his investigations were grounded in the cutting-edge science of his day, especially the emerging field of forensics.... Utterly compelling."
—Otto Penzler, member of the Baker Street Irregulars and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop
"E. J. Wagner demonstrates that without the work of Sherlock Holmes and his contemporaries, the CSI teams would be twiddling their collective thumbs. Her accounts of Victorian crimes make Watson's tales pale! Highly recommended for students of the Master Detective."
—Leslie S. Klinger, Editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes
"In this thrilling book, E. J. Wagner has combined her considerable strengths in three disciplines to produce a work as compelling and blood-curdling as the best commercial fiction. This is CSI in foggy old London Town. Chilling, grim fun."
—John Westermann, author of Exit Wounds and Sweet Deal
"I am recommending this delightful work to all of my fellow forensic scientists.... Bravo, Ms. Wagner!"
—John Houde, author of Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists
"A fabulously interesting read. The book traces the birth of the forensic sciences to the ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes. A wonderful blend of history, mystery, and whodunit."
—Andre Moenssens, Douglas Stripp Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Missouri at Kansas City, and coauthor of Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases
Download Description
Praise for The Science of Sherlock Holmes ""Holmes is, first, a great detective, but he has also proven to be a great scientist, whether dabbling with poisons, tobacco ash, or tire marks. Wagner explores this fascinating aspect of his career by showing how his investigations were grounded in the cutting-edge science of his day, especially the emerging field of forensics.... Utterly compelling."" Otto Penzler, member of the Baker Street Irregulars and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop ""E. J. Wagner demonstrates that without the work of Sherlock Holmes and his contemporaries, the CSI teams would be twiddling their collective thumbs. Her accounts of Victorian crimes make Watson's tales pale! Highly recommended for students of the Master Detective."" Leslie S. Klinger, Editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes ""In this thrilling book, E. J. Wagner has combined her considerable strengths in three disciplines to produce a work as compelling and blood-curdling as the best commercial fiction. This is CSI in foggy old London Town. Chilling, grim fun."" John Westermann, author of Exit Wounds and Sweet Deal
Customer Reviews:
Forensic Science in the Victorian Era.......2007-06-14
Sherlock Holmes and his times form the main theme around which the early developments in forensic science are presented in this highly entertaining and informative book. The period covered is mainly from about the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, but concentrates mainly on the latter part of the Victorian era. Advances in various disciplines within forensic science are discussed as are many early cases in which these new developments were used and occasionally misused. The writing style is friendly, authoritative and quite engaging. But in particular, the author's very witty prose makes this book doubly enjoyable. General readers who love good mysteries will not be disappointed here, but forensic science buffs, as well as Sherlock Holmes fans, would likely savor this wonderful book the most.
A Splendid Contribution.......2006-07-28
With all of the forests that have been destroyed in providing paper for the many studies of Sherlock Holmes, it would be easy to think that nothing new could be said about the Great Detective. In THE SCIENCE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, E.J. Wagner splendidly proves this is not the case. With the recent interest in forensics provided by programs like CSI, and the rising numbers of characters based on Sherlock Holmes (HOUSE, MONK, Robert Goren of LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, etc.), a book detailing the science behind Holmes' cases could easily have became a piece of exploitation. Instead, Wagner offers careful, intelligent, and well-written analysis. This is one of the best Sherlockian studies in several years--actually, one that should join the ranks of the best of all Sherlockian studies.
Patcat
For the Love of Science of Sherlock.......2006-06-13
This book is a shining example of excellence, an A. Author E.J. Wagner's absolute command of the facts, crisp summaries of the most famous cases, her irony and subtle sarcasm -- I am very, very impressed. And in this genre, I am a hanging judge.
To be honest, I had reservations when I first heard about this book. Sure, there was plenty of excited murmuring among the die-hards in the Holmesian set. But many recent historic crime titles that took on topics of broad scope just absolutely flunked the quiz. As an attorney who has studied historic true crime for longer than I care to relay, I'm a very tough audience for an encyclopedic treatment of the subject. Check out my review of "Homicide: 100 years" and you'll see just one example of an author that butchered a promising premise.
But E.J. Wagner does not disappoint. If the Science of Sherlock Holmes contains any factual errors, I was hard-pressed to spot a one of them. In Wagners quite capable hands, the science, the real mysteries, and the fiction are woven together seamlessly. Wagner fills her early history of forensic science with larger-than-life characters and bizarre murder cases, from "the dark delights of the Borden mystery" to the famous Dreyfus affair, Charles Bravo case, Dr. Crippen, Hauptmann, Jack the Ripper, the Tichborne scandal, Constance Kent, and so on. Many of the interesting cases she mentions are new even to me. And she relays these stories in delightful prose -- I was often reminded of the crisp wit of my all-time favorite crime writer Edmund L. Pearson, and few other authors have ever so reminded me.
She also explains the earliest advances in forensic science -- but doesn't leave out such faux pas as phrenology. And there's Sherlock Holmes in large doses. It's no wonder the book has received glowing review after glowing review after glowing review.
A huge bibliography of Holmes titles and classic true crime books adds even more value to this book. I can't remember ever seeing such a comprehensive bibliography of the best historic crime titles. It would suffice as a "must get" list for a librarian looking to build a respectable collection of the all-time best in true crime. (I plan to photocopy it and give it to my husband in lieu of a Christmas list.)
Anyone with the remotest interest in Holmes, true crime, history, or science would enjoy The Science of Sherlock Holmes. Anyone who wants to write historical mysteries ought to memorize it before putting one word on paper. And anyone who finishes it may well be inspired to reread Conan Doyle with a whole new appreciation for the logician and his role in the development of the incredible systems of crime detection existing today.
A unique hybrid of science and literature.......2006-06-12
This book was very informative, if you are a fan of detection literature or TV. The author uses the stories of Conan Doyle as a jumping off point to get into the history of the science of detection.
The book is definitely for a novice or someone who does not have a background in forensic science. Everything is laid out very well and is easily understandable by a layman. Wagner does talk about the big crimes and discusses how emerging science either helped, or hindered, the detection process. Worthwhile if you enjoy criminal history.
Decent History of Forensics.......2006-06-05
This short book is an interesting history of forensics.
Based upon the subtitle, I thought the author would spend more time applying forensic science to Sherlock Holmes' cases. Instead, Sherlock Holmes, and obviously Conan Doyle, are used in two peripheral ways. They are used to introduce a topic or, occasionally, and more interestingly, Ms Wagner would relate a true crime that occurred before a Holmes story was written, then show the parallels that indicate that Doyle based his story on that true crime.
So, if you pick this up because you are a big Sherlock fan expecting insight into those stories you will be disappointed. If, however, you find forensics at all interesting, you will enjoy this book.
Ms Wagner follows the developing science of criminal investigation from its infancy in the nineteenth century into the earliest twentieth century. Thus, true to the subtitle, she limits her history to around Doyle's time.
Ms Wagner included in the book many many examples of crime solving - or unsuccessful attempts at crime-solving. Her examples are, almost without fail, interesting and entertaining. Those examples keep the book moving and prevent it from being a mere recitation of developments in forensic science. Also included are interesting sidelights, such asthe fact that many autopsies were done on the dining room table of the house in which the murder was committed. These pearls also engage the reader.
As noted, this was a short book. I got to the end and wished there were more.
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