Book Description
On May 16, 2002, Phil and Susan Ershler reached thetop of Mt. Everest and became the first couple in historyto scale the fabled Seven Summits. What madetheir achievement all the more remarkable was that Susanwas not a mountain climber, but a high-poweredFortune - 500 executive who had never hiked or climbeduntil she met Phil at the age of 36. Phil, a professionalmountain guide who was the first American to summitEverest from its treacherous north face, had climbed hiswhole life with Crohn's disease, a chronic, debilitatingillness. Adding to these challenges, just before their finalsummit, Phil was diagnosed with colon cancer, and theresulting surgeries and complications were expected toend his career. This is Susan and Phil's story: a tale oflove set in the mountains, a story of triumphal highsand devastating lows in quest of a seemingly impossibledream.
Customer Reviews:
REMARKABLE STORY - REMARKABLE COUPLE.......2007-09-04
This book was suggested to us as not only a mountaineering story but a story of life's struggles. We weren't disappointed but very humbled. This dual autobiography (each taking turns telling their story) was a fast-paced read, taking us from childhood to mountain top, leaving out nothing. A very intimately detailed sharing of two full lives. Color photographs support the many stories and stages in the Ershler's lives.
If you want to be inspired, buy this book! .......2007-06-11
I read "Together on Top of the World" in 2 nights - I just could not put it down! Incredible story! The best book that I have read in a while and I'm a voracious reader. Certainly one of the best mountaineering books I have ever read, in part, because it is not just another mountaineering book. It deals realistically and holistically with the lives of two inspirational people - their individual histories, their partnership and love. It's about adventure, highs and lows, overcoming life's seeming insurmountable hurdles, success, vision, goals and dreams. Very motivational! This book has got it all!
A Great Story of Mountains and Love.......2007-06-07
Sue and Phil have created a wonderful tale of mountains, challenges and love. Phil one of the greatest guides in the world and guides people up the worlds great mountains. Sue, shortly after meeting Phil catches the mountain bug and sets the goal of climbing the Seven Summits. While you might think he does all the work, Sue ends up inspiring and encouraging Phil as he battles a life long sickness. You will love the great story.
Not just a climbing story........2007-06-07
This book touches all lives not just climbers. It touched all my senses. I laughed, cried, smiled and got angy. I felt like I could relate to it from my own life, of course on a different level. In the end it is a "feel good" story. Even my 84 year old mother loved it!
An inspiration..........2007-05-18
An inspiring story about love, humility, grace, courage ... and mountaineering. Dreams and adversity are a part of living; Phil and Susan show you how to live.
Book Description
The groundbreaking follow-up to the international bestsellera hands-on guide to putting McKinsey techniques to work in your organization
McKinsey & Company is the most respected and most secretive consulting firm in the world, and business readers just can't seem to get enough of all things McKinsey. Now, hot on the heels of his acclaimed international bestseller The McKinsey Way, Ethan Rasiel brings readers a powerful new guide to putting McKinsey concepts and skills into actionThe McKinsey Mind. While the first book used case studies and anecdotes from former and current McKinseyites to describe how "the firm" solves the thorniest business problems of their A-list clients, The McKinsey Mind goes a giant step further. It explains, step-by-step, how to use McKinsey tools, techniques and strategies to solve an array of core business problems and to make any business venture more successful.
Designed to work as a stand-alone guide or together with The McKinsey Way, The McKinsey Mind follows the same critically acclaimed style and format as its predecessor. In this book authors Rasiel and Friga expand upon the lessons found in The McKinsey Way with real-world examples, parables, and easy-to-do exercises designed to get readers up and running.
Download Description
"McKinsey & Company is the most respected and most secretive consulting firm in the world, and business readers just can't seem to get enough of all things McKinsey. Now, hot on the heels of his acclaimed international bestseller The McKinsey Way, Ethan Rasiel brings readers a powerful new guide to putting McKinsey concepts and skills into actionThe McKinsey Mind. While the first book used case studies and anecdotes from former and current McKinseyites to describe how ""the firm"" solves the thorniest business problems of their A-list clients, The McKinsey Mind goes a giant step further. It explains, step-by-step, how to use McKinsey tools, techniques and strategies to solve an array of core business problems and to make any business venture more successful. Designed to work as a stand-alone guide or together with The McKinsey Way, The McKinsey Mind follows the same critically acclaimed style and format as its predecessor. In this book authors Rasiel and Friga expand upon the lessons found in The McKinsey Way with real-world examples, parables, and easy-to-do exercises designed to get readers up and running."
Customer Reviews:
This Book is a Life Changer.......2007-04-20
I didn't read McKinsey Way and you don't have to either to see the impact that McKinsey Mind hypothesis based decision making will have in your life. It uses the same principle that many authors like Polya, Bransford and Stein and many others use. If you work backwards you will get far better results, faster. Why? Simple: Just remember how easy is to solve the labyrinth puzzles starting from the end. Then compare that with the time lost when you try to figure out your way to the end starting from the beginning. This is a simplified analogy of the power and potential this technique has!!!!
I disagree with some reviews that it's a difficult book to read, just read the numerous and very illustrative examples the authors give you and you will find that while it's a different way of thinking IT WORKS! and that's all that matters. This book really changed the way I solve problems
Useful book for consulting.......2007-03-31
This book is based on Mckinseys consultancy practise. Step by step some best practices are shown used in this company. Very useful, when you're i.e. considering a job in this field. On the other hand the Mckinsey brand is a little over exaggarated with all the Mckinsey slang and heroic attitude towards this company. But when you read through this, it stays a valuable book.
This is a terrible book..........2007-03-17
This book is unbelieveably bad. Here's the entire book: Decide what your looking at, develop a hypothesis, test it with data, do some communications around your work. Literally. I expected some real, in depth analysis techniques, and this is total baloney. I am an engineer by trade, well versed in six sigma tools and am close to an MBA; in all of that I've never ever seen something so fluffy and useless as this. The authors and "McKinsey-ites" who contributed should be ashamed.
Gosh, I sound a little bitter ;)
Excellent yet not comprehensive peek inside McKinsey.......2007-02-14
Mr. Rasiel provides a peek inside the methods used by one of the worlds most elite consulting firms. While he does not disclose any secrets he does offer insights into a methodology used for solving problems quickly. The most helpful insight revealed is the MECE principle. This MECE (mee-see) principle requires the mutually exclusive collectively exhaustive breakdown of issues before conducting higher-level analysis. However, Mr. Rasiel never provides detail into the mechanics of effecting 'MECE Analysis'.
While other techniques in the book will help MBA graduates with consulting engagements, the disclosure of the MECE principle as the cornerstone of McKinsey's analytical modus operandi will be this book's legacy.
Please update.......2007-01-09
I suggest you to read this book. You won't find innovative or fresh ideas but you can learn about a methodology used by a great company that could be interesting. More examples and figures should help better the reader.
I wait a new and updated book with fresh methods and way of working. It's not a good thing to read about Jeff Skilling in the Introduction...
At the end a good work. Read it because it is must for your "business library"
Book Description
This gripping and triumphant memoir follows a living legend of extreme mountaineering as he makes his assault on history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.
For eighteen years Ed Viesturs pursued climbing’s holy grail: to stand atop the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, without the aid of bottled oxygen. But No Shortcuts to the Top is as much about the man who would become the first American to achieve that goal as it is about his stunning quest. As Viesturs recounts the stories of his most harrowing climbs, he reveals a man torn between the flat, safe world he and his loved ones share and the majestic and deadly places where only he can go.
A preternaturally cautious climber who once turned back 300 feet from the top of Everest but who would not shrink from a peak (Annapurna) known to claim the life of one climber for every two who reached its summit, Viesturs lives by an unyielding motto, “Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” It is with this philosophy that he vividly describes fatal errors in judgment made by his fellow climbers as well as a few of his own close calls and gallant rescues. And, for the first time, he details his own pivotal and heroic role in the 1996 Everest disaster made famous in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.
In addition to the raw excitement of Viesturs’s odyssey, No Shortcuts to the Top is leavened with many funny moments revealing the camaraderie between climbers. It is more than the first full account of one of the staggering accomplishments of our time; it is a portrait of a brave and devoted family man and his beliefs that shaped this most perilous and magnificent pursuit.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book.......2007-10-03
I enjoyed the book a lot. I only gave it 4 stars because it starts to ramble a little bit towards the end about his family life which is ok but it doesn't compare to adventuring in the mountains. Its an easy read and there are many sections that you cant stop reading.
An Everest of a Book.......2007-08-19
Ed Viesturs may not hold the title of Most Amazing American Athlete Most People Have Never Heard Of, but he's got to be in the team picture.
In "No Shortcuts to the Top," he comes across as a genuine, thoughtful, focused, kind, determined man. But that's not why I highly recommend it: With the help of David Roberts, Viesturs has also woven a masterful account of his remarkable quest to scale all 14 of the Eight Thousanders--without the aid of supplemental oxygen.
I was awed by the extensive detail that courses throughout the book...seems as if Ed has been taking very good notes for quite some time. It's a pleasure to see that effort--a microcosm of his overall attention to detail and day-to-day discipline--bear fruit in "No Shortcuts to the Top."
I also appreciate that Viesturs doesn't shy away from including elements that don't necessarily reflect perfectly on him. He acknowledges mistakes he's made, and he shares frank personal information that others might have glossed over or sidestepped altogether.
Also, you need not be into mountain climbing to appreciate this book. The most I ever climb is a flight or two of stairs, for example.
Full disclosure: I had the pleasure of speaking with Viesturs by phone a few times before the book's release, as I helped edit a cover story on him for Krakoosh magazine. He's as down-to-earth a guy as someone can be after scaling the world-record heights as he's done.
Hard to put down.......2007-08-13
I really liked this book and am quite sleep-deprived from having finished it in the past day, it's slow-going perhaps because it's so thick with information but I thought it was well written and a great account of the world's highest mountains and climbing them. I just finished a book about the negative aspect of climbing and how hard it is on the climbers' partners to wonder if they're coming back, so it was great knowing about a lot of the climbers Ed has climbed with, and reading the story from the climber's perspective as well - particularly a careful climber who did come back each time (so far). I can't imagine liking a book about climbing much more than this one.
I remain unimpressed.......2007-06-18
I too, like many of the other reviewers here, love reading books about mountaineering and climbing the world's tallest mountains. On the other hand, unlike most of the reviewers here, I feel more critical and demanding when it comes to evaluating the quality of that narration.
Vieturs has undoubtedly achieved one of the most physically impressive feats of our age. This does not mean that his narration of those feats will be anywhere near as impressive. Having a ghost writer doesn't help much. The tone is that of a 20-something year old surfer dude. I was completely turned off by the use of inappropriate colloquialisms and tired clichés: "He shot his wad." Is that the best you can come up with as a writer? I think I physically winced more often reading this book than I have watching some gruesome movies. I know my lip curled in disdain all too often.
The story as a whole feels fractured. And as much as I wanted to be engrossed and immersed in this potentially hypnotic story of testing the limits of human capability, I could never get there. Viesturs and Roberts failed to take me there.
I am sure that people who love reading these kinds of books will still read No Shortcuts to the Top, I know I would have. I just wanted to throw in my two cents about what you should expect when you do so.
Fun Book.......2007-06-10
This is a great book about adventure, success and failure. If you like the mountains and or climbing, you'll love this book.
Book Description
Dr. James Canton, a renown futurist, CEO of the Institute for Global Futures, and Fortune 1000 advisor, charts a course to steer you through the volatile changes that lie 5, 10, and 20 years ahead. The Extreme Future is this generation's Future Shock, Alvin Toffler's classic book on what's next and how to prepare for tomorrow.
Get ready for fast, radical, and complex change. Get ready for the Extreme Future. Our world is constantly buffeted by new and dramatic changes that we can't fully grasp. No one is fully prepared for the challenges, crises, and risks that lie ahead. The Extreme Future is a blueprint for what's next and how to navigate these changes.
Get ready for fast, radical and complex change. Get ready for the Extreme Future. Our world is constantly buffeted by new and dramatic changes that we can't fully grasp. No one is fully prepared for the challenges, crises and risks that lie ahead. The Extreme Future is a blueprint for what's next and how to navigate these changes.
An advisor to three White House's spanning more than 30 years, Dr. Canton challenges us that with the right information about future trends it is possible to identify probable outcomes. It is possible, with the right information to navigate the Extreme Future.
The book covers the following major trends:
* How climate change and energy trends will reshape the planet
* How shifting population trends will transform the workforce
* How radical innovation trends will competitively drive business
* How astounding medicine trends will enhance people's life
* How dangerous terrorism trends will threaten the individual.
* How the rise of China will bring on a new global power struggle
The answers to these questions are not only available, but contained within these pages. The Extreme Future is the forecasting handbook for the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Too much preening and raw speculation.......2007-10-09
The book contains a lot of preening; the author seems to think it is important to remind us (anecdotally) how many huge companies and heads-of-state he's interacted with. Many of his predictions range from poorly explored (he talks about a hydrogen fuel economy without addressing the fact that hydrogen is just a transport--not a readily available source of energy) to the absurd (predictions that teleportation will be available within decades, given the fact of photonic teleportation which doesn't even slightly approach the complexity of disintegrating, transporting and reintegrating an object!) There's also a lot of political advocacy here; I'd have simply preferred an analysis of technological and cultural trends along with research to back it up.
THE EXTREME FUTURE is recommended cross the board .......2007-10-07
THE EXTREME FUTURE: TOP TRENDS THAT WILL RESHAPE THE WORLD IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS could've been featured in our 'Business Shelf' section but is surveyed here for its wider interest beyond the general-interest business lending library. Its chapters discuss and define new risks and definitions of opportunity and come from a renowned futurist and advisor to three administrations, and it covers everything from the climate and energy trends certain to reshape the planet to shifting population demographics, medical enhancements, and the spread of terrorism. A key survey, THE EXTREME FUTURE is recommended cross the board for high school, college, and general-interest public library lending collections.
Prediction for the Future: This Book Flops.......2007-05-29
I was very disappointed with this book. Between his shameless plugs for his speaking engagements and various other activities, the author pulls together various thoughts, statistics, and projections that could easily be synthesized by reading a few choice periodicals. If you are a reader in search of innovative thoughts about the future that may help guide your worldview, company, or investments, I would advise you to look elsewhere. I will not read another work by this author.
It will be fun to see how true this turns out to be.......2006-11-29
As I read this book I am reminded of the old saying that 'forecasting the future is easy, it's being right that's hard.'
Dr. Canton breaks down his forecasts into ten areas. Some of them I find very good. Some of them I find OK. Some of them I disagree with. Some of them I'd replace with others.
His view of the future of the individual, Chapter 10, I find totally agreeable. He says that protecting the freedom and rights of the individual is going to be difficult. I absolutely agree. There will be a great deal of pressure to restrict rights (the so called Patriot's Act) in the name of security. The Democrats would like to impose gun control. The Republicans would like to impose abortion control.
His view on energy I find half right. He is right that we are running out of energy. Oil will get progressively more expensive. Then he says, 'Hydrogen is the most plentiful gas in the universe...It's abundant, reliable, renewable, clean and secure because hydrogen is everywhere, America wouldn't have to rely on foreign suppliers.' Yes, but hydrogen isn't a fuel, it's a way to store energy. You have to put more energy into separating hydrogen from oxygen (where it's mostly found, i.e. water) than you get back when you burn it. Nuclear power is the only forseeable place to get the energy to put into hydrogen, and we still have problems of where to store the old fuel rods, do you want them in your back yard?
He sees medicine making all kinds of advances that will lead to longer and healthier lives. I'm not so sure. AIDS is likely to move up to #3 in killing people in the next few years, and there's no cure in sight. Drug resistent forms of TB, malaria, etc. are spreading. New potential diseases like avian flu. If you're interested I'd recommend 'The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance' by Laurie Garrett. It's a bit old, but still the best on the subject.
This is a fun book to read. It will be even more fun to see how correct it turns out to be.
Highly speculative.......2006-11-09
The author makes many speculative and outlandish predictions of the future. His sheer number of intuitive predictions will allow him to be right on many matters, but very off on some.
What is lacking are analysis and technical details of why the future is the way the author claims will be. For example, he claims lack of energy supply and technological progress will bring forth an age of hydrogen powered cars and fusion nuclear reactors. Yet, he provides no technical reasons why these two technologies will dominate the energy industry. Just how will we manage to produce hydrogen in large concentration and quantities which will be cost effective when it takes MORE energy to produce concenttrated hydrogen today than the energy value of the hydrogen themselves? Also, since when was controlled nuclear fusion reactors even possible? An explaination of how we will overcome the technical hurdles is missing throughout this book.
Some of the claims are downright outlandish. For example, the author claims we will have teleporter which will transfer objects throughout the globe. Again, the missing piece is of any scientific backing or explaination.
Some of the predictions are based on facts, and therefore, have strong predictive value. For example, the author claims that we will have a skilled worker shortage well into 2025 and beyond. This is based on a solid demographic data which indicates that we will have a shrinking workforce of suitable age in America.
Finally, the author is a PhD, but he never says on what subject. He also seems to compare himself to Da Vinci.....He claims many of his previous predictions were right on target. But I imagine many of his predictions were dead off target as well. The sheer number of predictions in this book will allow the author to claim that he is a futurist because many of his predictions will probably come true. Just don't expect him to backup his claims with solid science, facts, or analysis.
Book Description
You already know eBay basics. Now you'd like to go beyond with shortcuts, tricks, and tips that let you work smarter and faster. And because you learn more easily when someone shows you how, this is the book for you. Inside, you'll find clear, illustrated instructions for 120 tasks that reveal cool secrets, teach timesaving tricks, and explain great tips guaranteed to make your eBay experience more productive.
Customer Reviews:
Excellant Tips & Tricks.......2007-06-14
Excellant Tips & Tricks even for the experienced seller
Great.......2007-02-10
If you sell on ebay, you should read this. It's a quick, easy read and one you should keep handy for a reference. Good for buyers too. One of the best for ebay sellers.
Easy to read and filled with great tips!.......2005-10-29
I didnt realize how many facets there were to ebay until I picked up this book. For those of you who have an interest in selling on ebay but dont even know how or where to begin, this is a great starter book to learn the market, learn the inside and out of the website and learn how to get started! The layout is simple and there are topics covered which greatly simplify the overwhelming amount of information that is out there regarding buying and selling on ebay. This book is a must if you are serious about starting an online ebay business!
Finally an eBay Book that is Actually Useful!!!!.......2004-08-10
Lets face it...most of those "helpful" eBay books are meant to make money for the author...nothing more. This book is an amazing contrast! The author actually knows what she is talking about. I am an old eBay pro but I have found this book to be helpful. And the beauty of this book is that it is organized in degrees of "difficulty". From easy to understand instructions for the newbie to more sopisticated info for the "pro". Take it from me, this book is worth the $$. Buy it and make more $$ on eBay!
Experienced E-Bay Trading Assistant LOVES IT!!!.......2004-06-02
Yesterday, I picked this book up along with 5-6 other eBay books at my local bookstore. I started reading this book and I couldn't put it down! I spent 3 hours reading & taking notes, the other books couldn't even begin to compare! I just had to have it! It initially caught my eye, because it was so well formated with great graphics and an awesome layout, but it held my interest because it was chock full of great ideas and took me through every possible thing I could want to do with Ebay step by step! A beginner could pick it up and use it just as well as someone like me who has been using eBay for over 5 years. There is information for everyone! Today I used the information that I acquired from the book and have already saved several hours of work! I am so enthralled by this author that I have signed up for her monthly newsletter and am purchasing another book from her today. BUY THIS BOOK, you will not be disappointed! At only $13.99, it's a steal. I paid $19.99 and I have gotten 20 times my monies worth already!
Average customer rating:
- Over the Top - Lets pack and go back!
|
Luxury Hotels: Top of the World (Luxury Hotels)
Patricia Masso
Manufacturer: Te Neues Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Hotels & Inns
| Food & Lodging
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Italian
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Arts & Photography
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All French Books
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All German Books
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Italian Books
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
General
| Diseño Interior
| Hogar y jardinería
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Automotriz
| Ciencias Sociales
| Crimen y Criminales
| Educación
| Estudios de la Mujer
| Feriados
| Filosofía
| Gobierno
| Hechos Verídicos
| Planeamiento Urbano y Desarrollo
| Política
| Sucesos de Actualidad
| Transportación
General
| Arquitectura
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Viajes y turismo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Hoteles y Posadas
| Comida y Hospedaje
| Referencia y Consejos Prácticos
| Viajes y turismo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Luxury Hotels: America (Luxury Hotels)
-
Luxury Hotels Europe
-
Luxury Houses Seaside (Luxury Books)
-
Luxury Hotels: Spa & Wellness Resorts
-
Luxury Private Islands (Luxury Books)
ASIN: 3832791434 |
Book Description
What makes a luxury hotel "top of the world?" The answers might include exquisite linens, museum-quality furniture, stunning surroundings, and of course, impeccable standards and exacting attention to detail. This collection of the world's very best lodgings profiles the ultimate in accommodations across the globe. This generously proportioned addition to the teNeues' Luxury Hotels series contains an extensive selection of delectable hotel interiors, exteriors and surroundings. Perhaps only a select few will ever get to stay here, but now many more can dream of doing so. This special double editon is over 400 pages in length.
Customer Reviews:
Over the Top - Lets pack and go back!.......2007-05-06
This book is beautifully presented and photographed of some of my favorite hotels around the world. The properties chosen epitomize the full sense of luxury and being. I am fortunate being a merchant of the finest in luxury home furnishings that I travel the world searching for more "luxury treasures" and stay in many of the properties listed and showcased. The photography is much "real" of the feeing of the properties. Looking through the pages, I thought, "they missed this or that", but overall its a spectacular presented book....Splurge, pick up the telephone and call the airlines for a dream trip of luxury.
Book Description
You have what it takes to be a CIO. Do you have a strategy for getting there? Now you do.
"Gregory Smith has written the definitive work on how to achieve leadership success in IT. This well-written and carefully researched book is a must-read for any IT professional with aspirations toward the top IT spot. Years from now, seasoned IT leaders will be crediting Smith's book with playing a role in their success."
—Martha Heller, Managing Director, IT Leadership Practice, Z Resource Group, and cofounder, CIO Executive Council
"Wow! Put all the tips, advice, and strategies in this book to use now. The road to the top is rarely straight—follow Gregory's advice and the path will reveal itself to you!"
—John R. Sullivan, CIO, AARP
"While most professions have a distinct road map to the top, there is no standard career path to becoming a CIO. Smith addresses this unique challenge and provides aspiring CIOs with encouragement, advice, and essential skills based on years of his own and other CIOs' cumulative experience -- an important effort for the profession that Smith's fellow members in the CIO Executive Council embrace and applaud."
—Mark Hall, General Manager of the CIO Executive Council
"Teaching students what a CIO really does has been tough. We've had to choose between anecdotal treatments based on trade press articles and integrated academic frameworks that offer little in the way of lived experiences. Greg's book fixes that. By organizing interviews with leading technology executives, trade press reports, and his own experiences as a CIO, he provides an organized and comprehensive view of the job and its important role in modern organizations."
—Fred Collopy, PHD, Professor and Chair of Information Systems and Professor of Cognitive Science, Case Western Reserve University
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Aspiring CIOs and IT Leaders.......2007-08-10
This book serves as a great roadmap to becoming a top IT leader, because it covers the entire spectrum of topics that one should either know or be aware of in his or her quest to become a CIO. Many IT publications may provide articles on some of the topics covered in the book (such as how to manage expectations with your staff), but this book is unique in a number of ways:
1) It is written from first hand knowledge and experience. Every topic, ranging from Methodologies, to IT Governance, to Contract Negotiation includes a "What Did I Do to Prepare?" section, where Gregory candidly recounts examples of things he did in those categories.
2) Every section of the book provides recommendations and advice for aspiring CIOs.
3) Some topics (such as learning golf for business purposes) may not have been obvious for aspiring CIOs. Topics such as learning golf for business is rarely, if ever, in trade magazines.
4) All of the information in the book is well referenced, and there are very interesting statistics gathered from impressive sources.
I actually just finished taking a Graduate level course taught by Gregory himself using this book. I can say that Gregory is a very knowledgeable, experienced, candid, and friendly guy, and the information in the book and the tone of this book demonstrates that.
With his advice and the tips from this book, I have already made a few improvements to my personal IT career path. I feel that most people's IT careers can benefit, too, with the advice from a solid mentor and tips from this book. I highly recommend this book!
Very helpful with lots of insight.......2007-01-10
I'm not too sure about current CIOs, but this book proves to be very informative and concise for a junior IT executive like me aiming for the top IT post. Unlike some IT books which focus on stories and leaving you to ponder how you can relate to them, this gem of a book addresses key issues and tells you straight to the point what CIOs of established companies feel and how they react to these issues. In addition, Smith has given his own input and experience in the form of easy-to-follow guidelines which anyone can put to use immediately.
I'm glad I did not miss this book.
Excellent career guide!!!.......2006-09-26
When I was offered the job of CIO, I only had 1 week to prepare for the interview. I purchased this book immediately based on the exerpts that I read on line. What an amazing and helpful book. Mr. Smith's pointers and recommendations helped me tremendously! It assisted in preparing me for the interview and even though I am now working as a CIO I still review it. I liked his points on the IT Governance Structure document - somthing that I plan to put in place here, I also read with interest his tips on the first 100 days in the job. I also like the statistical data that were included in each chapter. What was also particularly helpful were his personal experience. I like how the book gives direction to aspiring CIOs and new CIOs. I highly recommend this book.
More credible than informative.......2006-09-07
The information contained in this book are not exactly revolutionary. You want to be a CIO? Get an MBA from top notch school, be technically proficient, get project management experience, work on large scale projects, get experience with large scale budgets, and work on your soft (communication and interpsonal) skills.
What sets this book apart from other books with similar title is the source of its information. They are from CIOs and recruiters who have experience placing CIOs.
Too often, many books on becoming a CIO are based on guesses and speculations of the authors who do not have full comprehension of the topic. The author of this book purposely do not use his own conclusions, he merely gathers information and analyze them in an objective fashion.
If you want to read a book on becoming a CIO based on a solid research and survey of relevant professionals, then this book will provide credible, albeit common sense, suggestions.
Upcoming CIO.......2006-09-01
My first CIO book and this made me more excited to get my first CIO position. Good format, excellent recommendations and in-depth knowledge of the CIO position.
You gave good feedback on how to improve skill sets of managers looking to become the next CIO. I like the detailed recommendation you gave to get there but some of the graphics need improvement. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the book and i'll work on my network and hopefully find that mentor I've been looking for all these years...Greg you're on my list!!!
Book Description
When the Boston Red Sox won the World Series on October 27, 2004, they made history. Their stunning comeback against the New York Yankees and their four-game annihilation of the St. Louis Cardinals capped one of the most thrilling postseason runs ever. The World Series victory-Boston's first in 86 years-came less than three years after John Henry and Tom Werner bought the team from the Yawkey Trust and forever changed the way the Red Sox operated on and off the field.
Seth Mnookin was given access never before granted to a reporter in the history of organized sports. He had a key to Fenway Park and a desk in the team's front office. He spent weekends talking business with John Henry and afternoons in the clubhouse with Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. He learned never-before-told details of the team's Thanksgiving Day wooing of Curt Schilling, the jealousy Nomar Garciaparra felt toward better-paid teammates, and the anxiety that impelled Pedro Martinez to insist that the Red Sox guarantee his future. He was there when general manager Theo Epstein's frustration over the organization's ceaseless drive for more media coverage and new revenue streams collided with his fracturing relationship with CEO Larry Lucchino. The resulting narrative -- juicy, gripping, and overflowing with thrilling detail -- reveals how a savvy sports organization tries to stay on top while under the relentless scrutiny of the country's most voracious sportswriters and baseball's most demanding fans.
Drawn from hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews and a year with the team, Feeding the Monster shows as no book ever has before what it means to buy, sell, run, and be part of a major league sports team in America.
Customer Reviews:
Whatever happened to the Idiots?.......2007-10-01
Ever wonder what happened to that self-proclaimed gang of "idiots" that aimed to do what we all knew could not be done, but we believed in them anyway? Who were those guys? What happened to them? Why did they leave? What brought Johnny Damon to the Yankees? Why did Pedro sign with the Mets? What ever happened to Kevin "Cowboy up" Millar? And who was that bulbous little man with the huge head and huge smile seen on virtually every post-2004 Red Sox publicity stunt?
These are the questions you have been asking yourself. This is the stuff of myth and religion, the stuff of Red Sox belief. And now, in Feeding the Monster, these questions and more are finally answered.
What Mnookin reveals behind the Ruby Red curtain is an ownership-managemant-promotional gang that make decisions on the basis of science, not sentiment. The Idiots, we learn, were growing old, bitter, and complacent. They may have had great chemistry, and fans may have loved them, but in 2004 they were an anomoly--a statistical outlier. According to Mnookin, the Brain Trust knew that the value of the Red Sox could not be compromised by player popularity: Franchise decisions had to be made on the basis of intelligence, "good intelligence." The bottom line was that historical patterns demonstrate that winning teams are young teams, with strong arms, and a high on-base percentage. By the end of 2004, Keith Foulke's knees were shot, Pedro's arm was ready to fall off, Damon was old, Trot Nixon was ancient, and Kevin Millar was no longer funny: He was annoying. If history was right, then the idiots had to go.
Feeding the Monster provides an absoutely mesmerizing, insider chronicle of franchise operations and player shenanigans leading up to and after the 2004 season (the reprint edition extends the account through to spring 2007). The book is rich in detail. All I can add is that when read against the backdrop of any given regular season, Feeding the Monster will provide a deeply satisfying, entertaining narrative that helps to explain the logic underpinning the crazy, soap opera of the Boston Red Sox.
Hear From the Red Sox Managers.......2007-04-12
Dispel some of the rumors surrounding the Boston Red Sox with this behind-the-scenes look at the team's management.
These Aren't Your Grandfather's Sox.......2007-02-03
Taking the long view, as Seth Mnookin does at the beginning of this piece of reportage, the Boston Red Sox are a failed franchise, a broken watch.
Much like the famous New Yorker cover that maps Manhattan at the center of the universe with other, lesser places marked as specks on the horizon, Mnookin's story centers on the team that John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino assembled to change that legacy. Off in the irrelevant distance are a dueling Babe Ruth and Harry Frazee, an oafish Joe Cronin, a drunken Tom Yawkey, an overrated and ultimately inconsequential Ted Williams, and some guys called Yaz and Pudge and Pesky. From the get-go, this is not a work of Sawks idolatry.
In telling a front-office story, Mnookin sets himself a difficult task. The rise and fall of management teams makes interesting if somewhat limited reading for the type of reader who subscribes to the Wall Street Journal, but it is no simple oversight that publication lacks a sports page to cover the teams that perform on the field. For those who follow the daily exploits of their hometown favorites, owners and managers generally are figures to be reviled. It is necessary, then, for Mnookin as the teller of what is, after all, a heroic sports tale to jump back and forth between the people to whom he has access -- the suits -- and those to whom he clearly does not -- the players. As a result, we get only caricatures of those who are in fact the face of the franchise: a brooding, Hamlet-like Garciaparra; a blowhard Schilling; a proud and fragile-egoed Martinez; a whacked-out Ramirez; a universally beloved Pappi. Is there any magic here? Sadly, no. Like other sports franchises in modern times, baseball teams -- Red Sox included -- mix and match from year to year with few loyalties and scant long term vision. To hear Mnookin tell it, the club brass might just as well have been trading soybean futures.
Interesting, yes. Compelling, no.
The book is written well and carefully, with some exceptions: were he still alive, no doubt Bobby Bonds would be surprised to learn that Willie Mays is Barry's grandfather. Its background and context give it far greater depth than a compendium of clips from sports pages covering the same subject matter. As a journalist, one suspects that Mnookin disdains his peers on the Red Sox beat. Peter Gammons is the only writer who gets favorable mention, and one interesting but underdeveloped motif of the book is the love-hate relationship -- mostly hate, it seems -- between the team and the writers who cover it.
As hot stove reading, this book is good. But it likely will be forgotten as soon as pitchers and catchers report.
Experts Are Wrong.......2006-12-28
Mnookin nicely reminds us that the experts - both on the inside and outside - often don't know what they are talking about. A great book.
Essential Reading for Those Who Want Another World Championship.......2006-11-22
Although both major Boston papers are filled with Red Sox stories, much of what is written is wrong, biased, or irrelevant. Because so much ink is slung so indiscriminately, many involved with the Red Sox don't really want to open up to the press. In a remarkable departure from the policy of not providing any information, the team's new ownership decided to let the public in to know more about the team. One aspect of that new philosophy was to allow author, Seth Mnookin, unparalleled access to the team's management.
Now, that may not seem like a juicy subject, but it is if you are interested in how the Red Sox can hope to field teams that can compete with the New York Yankees and the unlimited budget for personnel in the Bronx. In Feeding the Monster, you get a realistic sense that the Red Sox are going to have bad years . . . in order to have good years. Now, that's quite a contradiction to the constantly upbeat publicity that the club has put out since the new owners took over. That "promise them anything" philosophy in fact becomes a major bone of contention that almost drives Theo Epstein away.
There are places where the book seems to falter. Some players are dismissed as being a problem for the club based on a few incidents or characteristics. Most of us have our drawbacks. While we're performing, no one cares. When we don't perform, those drawbacks are often cited when we lose a job. The same happens to baseball players.
But the behind-the-scenes look at management is unprecedented . . . and dispels a lot of myths happily carried forward by the local media. I was glad to see the record set straight about how the club came into its current ownership hands, for example.
It was interesting that this book came out describing the 2006 season as a problem year just as the Red Sox collapsed in the five-game series in Fenway . . . and the Yankees went nowhere. In the excitement of the great wins early in the season, it was easy to overlook that the club didn't have the pitching to make it very far. It was all the more remarkable that the early season went so well. Congratulations to the Red Sox for accomplishing as much as they did in 2006.
Wait until next year!
Book Description
The 29,035-foot giant known as Mount Everest tortures its challengers with life-threatening conditions such as 100 mph winds, the dramatic loss of oxygen, snowstorms, and deadly avalanches. Climbers of Everest are faced with incredible dangers, but for Sean Swarner the obstacles he overcame prior to his summiting make his story even more compelling.
Sean isn't just a cancer survivor; he is truly a medical marvel. He is the only person in the world ever to have been diagnosed with both Hodgkin's disease and Askin's sarcoma. He was diagnosed in the fourth and final stage of Hodgkin's disease at the age of thirteen, when doctors expected him to live for no more than three months. He overcame his illness only to be stricken a second time when a deadly golf ball-sized tumor attacked his right lung. After removal of the Askin's tumor, Sean was expected to live for less than two weeks. A decade later and with only partial use of his lungs, Sean became famous for being the first cancer survivor to climb Mount Everest.
Sean's successful summiting of Mount Everest was driven not only by his desire to reach the highest peak in the world but also by his determination to use his accomplishment as a way to bring hope to others facing seemingly insurmountable odds. By showing those affected by cancer how he has conquered some of the most difficult obstacles life could offer, Sean inspires others with the will to live. Living proof that cancer patients can and do recover, his story will encourage those touched by cancer to dream big and never give up. Despite life's setbacks, Sean believes those dreams are always in reach.
Sean's story is not just about illness, heartache, and pain; it's about something greater. It's about hope. It's about helping others and never quitting. It's about personal battles with the elements and coming out on top of the world . . . literally.
Customer Reviews:
Keep Climbing.......2007-07-26
Love the book, but unfortunately, due to the fact I needed it quickly as I'm doing a film about the author, I bought it at a bookstore. My order never arrived. This was the second time this has happened.
I will not be using Amazon again.
Good story, average book.......2007-05-22
This is a great tale of persistence and survival. But the book isn't really fair in its presentation. He isn't really a climber, not in the Ed Vestries or Joe Simpson vein. He is a good kid who twice beat cancer and then started to hike.
His accomplishments are great, but his writing is not. It is evident that he writes this book thinking we know little about climbing, and so for some it maybe enlightening.
But if you have read alot of the classic mountaineering books about Everest or the eiger...you will find this one rather simplistic.
A story of hope.......2007-03-01
Sean Swarner's story is so touching. The power to survive in this young man is remarkable. We all have our own moutains to climb and his story reminds us that all things are possible as long as you keep climbing. A must read book.
Keep Climbing : ).......2007-03-01
The book is amazing. The greatest story of hope, determination and the most incredible strength. Not just a story for Cancer survivors, a story for all people. You feel his pain, struggle, hope, and triumph. I try to apply his zest for living in my own life. A GREAT BOOK!
Keep Climbing.......2007-02-28
Absolutely the best, heart felt, inspiring story I have read in years! Sean truly IS a survivor and success. His experiences with cancer, so young and 2x's, can't be anything but amazing and encouraging to others...and THEN, dedicating his life helping other cancer patients through his Cancer Climber Foundation. The first cancer survivor to summit Everest and only one more climb to reach the "Seven Summits". The climbing dialog is clearly written letting one vicariously climb, too. I know from this great read, Sean will succeed in every dream he has. Keep Climbing, Sean.
Book Description
"A vivid and compelling book." (
Time magazine)
Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoscheses, a degenerative eye disorder that would leave him blind by the age of thirteen. But Erik was determined to rise above this devastating disability and lead a fulfilling and exciting life.
In this poignant and inspiring memoir, he shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment-and by a seeing world. He speaks movingly of the role his family played in his battle to break through the barriers of blindness: the mother who prayed for the miracle that would restore her son's sight and the father who encouraged him to strive for that distant mountaintop. And he tells the story of his dream to climb the world's Seven Summits, and how he is turning that dream into astonishing reality (something fewer than a hundred mountaineers have done).
From the snow-capped summit of McKinley to the towering peaks of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro to the ultimate challenge, Mount Everest, this is a story about daring to dream in the face of impossible odds. It is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming your life into something truly miraculous.
"I admire you immensely. You are an inspiration to other blind people and plenty of folks who can see just fine." (Jon Krakauer, author of
Into Thin Air)
Customer Reviews:
Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.......2007-08-03
Erik spoke at the American Dental Assoc. conference in Denver where my husband got the
chance to meet him. He autographed a copy of the book "To Gray, Reach!".
I happened upon it while cleaning last week and was immediately intrigued. I
used to rock climb but have not been actively involved in the sport for a
couple years. Anyway, I have never written to any author before but was so
impressed with Erik's gift of story telling that I had to write. He is one
funny dude. I laughed out loud at his adventures and dialog with his
climibing partners. It brought back fond memories of previous climbing trips
and the fun times I shared with my climbing buddies. I will probably never
climb any of the seven summits but was able to enjoy expericing these climbs
through his words.
I am an Occupational Therapist and meet people everyday in my work that
exhibit self-limiting behavior that prevents them from living full,
enriched, healthy lives. I am going to recommend Erik's book to encourage
others to REACH! Thanks for a great book! What a refreshing way to look at
life...
Believe the Unbelievable .......2007-03-29
This was a terrific book that I could not put down. The story was easy to concentrate on and I learned a lot when reading it. I learned that blind people are a lot more capable than people say, what the visually impaired go through, and mountain climbing. Though the story is true, it is unbelievable that Erik Weihenmayer could climb the seven summits, especially Mount Everest. Even though I don't really read autobiographies or biographies, this book appealed to me. Erik is an incredible writer, and it is easy to connect with the characters in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to others because you learn to believe the unbelievable.
Great Book - Highly Recommended.......2007-02-10
My company had Erik speak to us and as part of a day long meeting. At the end, we all got signed copies of the book for free. I am not an avid reader but grabbed the book on the way to the airport for a flight. Very quickly I found that I couldn't put the book down which doesn't happen that often. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found myself more fascinated by his life growing up and his experiences outside of climbing. The climbing part was good too but I probably didn't appreciate it nearly as much as a climber that understands the true challenges a person faces on the mountains they summited.
I was very impressed with his overall writing style. He was very descriptive in each story which gave you a feel of being there. Erik also does a good job of making the reader laugh throughout each story. I got several strange looks in the airport as I laughed while reading some of his antics.
It was great listening to Erik speak, also. I wish I had read the book before he talked with us so I could have better appreciated his visit. He was a fun guy to listen to and very friendly.
One of My New Favorite Books.......2006-05-22
Before beginning this review, I read the reviews of others; good and bad. I'm shocked at the venom spewed by people who called Erik Weihenmayer an arrogant jerk based on what they read. I had the opposite impression, but grant that the essence of an individual cannot be captured in the pages of a book. Many, many biographies have been written, yet, all fall short of completely describing the individual. Erik displayed unabashed love for his family, his wife, his friends, even his guide dog. He spent equal time describing his failures and his triumphs. He exposes his frailties by describing the trial and error involved in learning to effectively teach sighted children. He points out that the road to his successes were not his alone, but his, his family's, his wife's, his climbing partners', even his young students who were insightful and helpful when it came to his teaching. I especially liked that he described the antics, the pranks and the everyday 'slice of life' moments. I thouroughly enjoyed this book, so much that I can't imagine how anyone could NOT like it. But, there are all kinds people in this world and we all make it go 'round. I'd give it a perfect five, but it stops short of telling about climbing all seven summits. I'd prefer he'd waited until then to write his bio.
Soar to New Heights.......2006-05-14
I just finished reading the most wonderful book I have ever read. It's personal, it's a journey, it's an inspiration. And I don't even know how to make a tribute to the author. He seems like one of the more wonderful people in this world. The fact that he did what most of us couldn't is phenomenal; the fact that he enjoyed it is more. I was absorbed with this book from beginning to end.
The book is Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weihenmayer. I think it's the book of the year, a must-read, an inspiring journey. Regardless of who you are as a person, you'll want to read this. Imagine a young boy who loses his eyesight totally by the time he's 13, a boy who journeys farther than the eye can see. And a gentleman who wants, no, I think "desires" is a better word, to reach success with humility and a whole bunch of hard work.
When he was young, Erik didn't want to admit to his blindness to himself or anyone else. It took some effort for him to accept this dilemma, which he tells the reading audience about, but it never ever held him back from accomplishing his goals. Admittedly, he had a wonderful family support system that wouldn't let him give into this perceived handicap. In the book, he tells how his family played an important role to help him break through the barriers of his blindness.
Erik climbed Denali, Uhuru, Everest, El Capitan, among a host of other mountains, and reached the summit of each. To Erik, "a summit is less of a physical place and more of a metaphor for the meaning of your life. You can make your life what you want it to be." In his own words: "I don't climb mountains to prove to anyone that blind people can to this or that. I climb for the same reason an artist paints a picture: because it brings me great joy."
Here is a story that could also become your favorite. Erik's life focuses on people understanding their potential rather than making apologies for their limitations. If there is a message in this book (and I believe there is and there's more than just one), it's this:
Whatever you decide to do in this life, don't quit. Don't ever quit. Even when you are at the lowest point in your life and everything seems to be crumbling around you. That's when you should pull yourself, with all your strength and more, up off the floor, sort to speak, and move on with your life.
I highly recommend this book. Yes, he climbs mountains but that's not all he does. He taught middle school and was a wrestling coach, he is a world athlete, and is now a motivational speaker. He is a marvelous person, full of fortitude, tenacity, and extraordinary vision. This is a must-read.
Books:
- Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques
- Understanding Partnership Accounting (Second Edition)
- What to Say When. . .You're Dying on the Platform: A Complete Resource for Speakers, Trainers, and Executives
- When Bad Things Happen to Good People
- When I Was Young in the Mountains (Reading Rainbow Books)
- Where Are They Buried? How Did They Die? Fitting Ends and Final Resting Places of the Famous, Infamous, and Noteworthy
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Why Didn't I Learn This in College?
- Will There Really Be a Morning?
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Distressed Debt Analysis: Strategies for Speculative Investors
- Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interi
- The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Selected Stories
- What Did I Do Wrong
- Writing Broadcast News, Rev. Ed.
- Big Box of Boynton: Barnyard Dance! Pajama Time! Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!
- A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud
- Frank Wood's A-level Accounting: Gce Year 2
- The Support Economy: Why Corporations Are Failing Individuals and the Next Episode of Capitalism
- Hotel Design, Planning, and Development, New Edition
No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks
Mount Everest: Confessions of an Amateur Peak Bagger
Seven Summits
Keep Climbing: How I Beat Cancer and Reached the Top of the World
The Eiger Obsession: Facing the Mountain that Killed My Father
