Book Description
Bestselling author Lynda Gratton?a world-renowned authority on business strategy?takes an extensive look at Hot Spots?places and times where cooperation flourishes, resulting in productivity and excitement. Now, these previously unexplained flares of ideas and innovation are thoroughly examined, as Gratton shows how to develop of Hot Spots within ones own environment.
Customer Reviews:
Hot Spots is well worth a 'truffle'.......2007-05-25
The fundamental equation "Hot Spots = (Cooperative Mindset x Boundary Spanning x Igniting Purpose) x Productive Capacity" is the organising principle of this book. All material is very well organised to illustrate and support this insight. The style is conversational and authoritative. There is a lack of pretension that is refreshing in business literature. The material is supported throughout by real life examples. My favourite is the `Truffles' initiative at OgilvyOne. There are many other examples across many industries.
Professor Gratton uses language in a way that reinforces the main messages and makes concepts memorable: `Signature Processes' describe activities that powerfully convey a company's character and passion; `Boundary Spanners' move in many worlds, share information and connect people. `Big Freeze' and `Country Club' describe sub-cultures unlikely to produce hotspots!
Appendix A contains some fabulous material to help readers interested in creating their own `hot spots' - including many diagnostic questions and ways to map your system. Go on......treat yourself....... you deserve it!
The Power of Thermal Convergence.......2007-04-21
In this volume, Lynda Gratton explains how and why "boundaryless cooperation fuels innovation...why some teams, workplaces, and organizations buzz with energy - and others don't." The business model she recommends is an "open" one. In fact, it is precisely what Henry Chesbrough brilliantly explains in Open Innovation and in his more recent book, Open Business Models. What is a "boundaryless" organization? GE is probably the most prominent example. (Curiously, there are no references in Hot Spots to Chesbrough, GE or its former CEO, Jack Welch.) According to Gratton, a "boundaryless organization" is one within which people are engaged in "purposeful conversation"; there are no barriers to communication, cooperation, and collaboration; and the organization has an ever-widening "net of involvement."
Those whom Gratton calls "boundary spanners" are very important because they break down the "walls" between in-groups and out-groups. They have a network of relationships that form a natural bridge between the two groups. (Chesbrough calls them "innovation intermediaries.") In a boundaryless organization, people feel energized and vibrantly alive. Their brains buzz with ideas as they share with others the joy and excitement of "exploiting and applying knowledge that is already known and genuinely exploring what was previously unknown." Relationships between and among those involved create a Hot Spot.
"One of the most profound insights about Hot Spots is that their innovative capacity arises from the intelligence, insights, and wisdom of people working together. The energy contained in a Hot Spot is essentially a combination of their individual energy with the addition of the relational energy generated between them." Hence the importance of (a) having a "cooperative mindset," (b) "boundary spanners," (c) "igniting purpose," and (d) sustaining sufficient "productive capacity." Gratton acknowledges that there is much of substantial value to be learned by examining best practices in exemplary companies (e.g. BP, PgilvyOne, Nokia, and Linux)but also other types of practices, notably what she characterizes as "signature processes" which embody a given organization's character. They arise from passions and interests within the organization. Whereas best practices "bring the outside in," signature processes "bring the inside out."
To Gratton's great credit, after identifying the "what" in the Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2, she focuses most of her attention on "how" and "why" in the remaining six chapters. I also appreciate the provision of information in three appendices, especially in the first ("Resources for Creating Hot Spots"). And I especially appreciate Gratton's decision to want until the final chapter before explaining how to design (or re-design) an organization in which Hot Spots "emerge." The process consists of five phases best revealed within Gratton's narrative (i.e. in context) but I do presume to suggest that Hot Spots are inevitable and can exist anywhere, both physically and electronically. The challenge is to encourage and support them without institutionalizing ("housebreaking") them. That is a very real danger, one which Bob Taylor obviously recognized when he insisted that the Xerox Corporation allow him to establish - with unlimited funding -- the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) which those at Xerox's corporate headquarters (in Connecticut) viewed as a "renegade" think tank. In fact, Taylor and his associates conceptualized the very notion of the desktop computer, long before IBM launched its PC, and it laid the foundation for Microsoft Windows with a prototype graphical user interface of icons and layered screens. Even the technology that makes it possible for these words to appear on the screen can trace its roots to Xerox's eccentric band of innovators. It is possible but highly unlikely that any of this could have been achieved, had the research center been absorbed within the Xerox corporate culture in the 1970s.
Guided and informed by Gratton's observations and recommendations, senior-level executives will be well-prepared to provide the leadership needed to avoid or overcome barriers to innovation within their organizations by nurturing a cooperative mindset, encouraging and supporting those who are "boundary spanners," igniting purpose at all levels and in all areas throughout the given enterprise, and - as a result -- sustain sufficient "productive capacity."
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out two of Gratton's earlier works, Living Strategy: Putting People at the Heart of Corporate Purpose and The Democratic Enterprise: Liberating Your Business with Freedom, Flexibility, and Commitment. Also When Sparks Fly: Harnessing the Power of Group Creativity by Dorothy Leonard-Barton and Walter C. Swap, Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration by Warren G. Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman, and Juice: The Creative Fuel That Drives World-Class Inventors by Evan I. Schwartz.
Creating a Supercharged Environment........2007-03-13
I've been involved in just a few of what Ms. Gratton calls Hot Sports. These were projects that somehow gathered together a group of people totally dedicated to success. They were good people, working at the limits of their capabilities and an amazing amount of work was accomplished in a very short time.
I had never realized that this would be the subject of academic study, or that it could be managed to occur as part of a regular business environment. Ms Gratton says that there are four criteria that must come together to make a Hot Spot work:
A cooperative mindset: when people are excited, willing, eager and able to work together
Boundary spanning: with people fromdifferent backgrounds, skill sets, and outlooks combine their expertise in new ways
Igniting purpose: there must be a question, task, vision that creates a shared goal
Productive capacity: people must be able to work together, resolve conflicts, and manage the rhythm and pace of their work.
HOT SPOTS is key to building a strong, collaborative organization and shouldn't be missed........2007-03-12
HOT SPOTS: WHY SOME TEAMS, WORKPLACES, AND ORGANIZATIONS BUZZ WITH ENERGY - AND OTHERS DON'T packs in details on what differentiates a thriving, busy organization from a stagnant one, and will find a special place in the busy manager's bookshelf as a basic reference to understanding organizational dynamics. Lynda Gratton has spent a decade uncovering and analyzing what contributes to Hot Spots: her research has uncovered four basic qualities and organization needs to support the creation of Hot Spots of excitement and cooperation. HOT SPOTS is key to building a strong, collaborative organization and shouldn't be missed.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
How to stay "hot" in our "chilling" organizations .......2007-02-23
Lynda Gratton has done it again. An astute observer of high performing organizations, Dr. Gratton offers an alternative way to resolve the endless pursuit of the right answers to the challenging questions of business growth, employee engagement and enterprise sustainability.
Based on her rigorous research and thoughtful reflection, Hot Spots deliver a provocative message. The organizations that buzz with healthy energy and draw talent to themselves produce innovative solutions and deliver results. Those are the outcomes rather than goals. The innovative and sustainable cultures cannot be engineered; they have to be nurtured and let the hot spots "emerge." Dr. Gratton convincingly concludes that focusing on the right things such as collaborative ways of working, cultivating relationships, and motivating people through meaningful purpose, vision, and goals is what really matters.
There is a new art of leadership that is modelled in the study. It is the leadership that knows how to create the environments that become magnets of diverse talent and paradigm changing ideas.
The book is a must for those of us who want to stay relevant in the evolving 21 century organizations.
Book Description
From the bestselling What Every American Should Know … series, a look at the hot spots, hot shots, political muck ups, cross-border sniping and cultural brouhahas across the ocean
With the creation of the European Union and the introduction of the Euro, Europe has undergone a dizzying transformation recently—so much so that even Europeans are scratching their heads. Melissa Rossi brings US readers up to date on what has changed—and what makes each country tick.
* Which European nation most adores nuclear energy?
* Which country's residents are by far the richest?
* Which prominent leader was once a taxi driver?
* Why are the typically calm Dutch getting twitchy?
* What happened to Czechoslovakia?
With her trademark investigative flair and wry humor, Rossi gives the inside scoop on every nation in the European Union, with vital facts about local culture, politics, tourist attractions and recent events. From Portugal to Poland, What Every American Should Know About Europe is a no holds barred, humorous and comprehensive guide for anyone interested in what our transatlantic cousins are up to these days.
Customer Reviews:
A keeper.......2007-09-20
After reading this from my library, I decided that it fit my own collection of travel books. I learned more history here than in a wealth of textbooks.
endlessy fascinating.......2007-08-17
This is the third book by Ms. Rossi that I've read now. They are bursting with information and extremely readable and informative. This book gave me a quick education on the current political climates in the various countries of Europe as well as outlining each countries history, naming some of the key landmarks, and giving brief biographies of notable people both past and present. Eye-opening and fascinating.
a factually unreliable journalistic romp - needs thorough fact checking.......2007-05-05
I saw this book in a bookshop in DC on the last day of a holiday thinking it would be an outrageous and entertaining American serial character assassination of every single European country, one after the other pulverised in turn - a good read for my seven hour flight back to London the next day.
When I got on the plane and opened the book I then realised that the book was in fact a serious attempt to write an accurate guide to Europe.
It is a good journalistic romp through each of the 27 members of the European Union in turn with each country's history and politics energetically summarised.
It leaves out all other countries wholly or partly in Europe but not in the EU: Iceland, Switzerland,the whole of former Yugoslavia (except Slovenia), Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Norway.
But, like a lot of journalism written to tight news deadlines, it is littered with factual errors, particularly historical ones, and questionable judgments.
A few examples of historical errors that particularly struck me: (i)(p 57) the 'United Kingdom' was created in 1707, not 1927!;(ii)(p67) English Civil War only lasted six years not forty-eight!; (iii) (p347) Hitler took Prague and abolished Czechoslovakia in March 1939 (before his invasion of Poland and the start of World War 2 in September) not 1940 (the year he took Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France, whilst the US was distracted elsewhere); (iv) (p 126) in 1918 "all Ireland's elected politicians" were not from Sinn Fein - at the last All-Ireland elections in December 1918 Sinn Fein won 73 seats, the unionists won 26 (the 73 Sinn Fein MPs boycotted London and set up their own parliament in Dublin while the 26 unionists took up their seats in the UK parliament in London to try to keep Ireland as part of the UK).
What the book needs is a careful thorough 'fact check' for a second edition. In the meantime, only read those parts that cover things that you already know about.
What the heck is a Malta?.......2007-01-15
I'll admit: I have never been to Europe.
Second confession: Despite majoring in political science in college, I left school knowing very little about the real intricacies and tangles of history that make up this small, diverse section of the world.
When Rossi's "What Every American Should Know About Europe" came out, I sought a copy for these reasons. The bold "What every American should know..." title hooked me after her first book of the series hit the shelves, and I bought it on a whim, looking for a quick reference overview of the world and to see if the claim held water.
After digesting her brand of humor and the way she presents information often overlooked by other current affairs books, I felt it was worth the money and doubled the impact (and, saved time) of regular texts specializing in the plethora of topics she covers.
Rossi's style of writing uses humor and her snappy perspective to deliver loads of information with ease. She has a knack for making what would otherwise be garbles of boring facts fun to read, and at the end of the book, you realize you actually learned something. I still keep her past books around to reference when their various subject matters pop up in the news.
In the Europe book she covers hoards of locales and summarizes them cleverly and without hesitation to address the most sensitive topics in the region. Sprinkled throughout the books are also countless photos, maps and side-boxes to retain the attention span of even the most ADD readers. More importantly, it keeps the book - about 400 pages, sometimes seeming a little long - enjoyable and moving fast.
As for the previous comment about her politics, a reader always has to take into account that even if an author claims to not assume any bias (which I don't think Rossi does), all authors write with perspective. In my opinion, perspective gives the reader a better understanding of the material at hand, and moreover, offers interpretation to it based upon a certain train of thought.
Every situation can be looked at from innumerable angles, and it would be impossible to write about something as vast as the whole of Europe while feigning a nonsensical notion of objectivity the entire time.
Regardless, to me the book wasn't scribed in a "liberal" tone, but rather in the voice of someone who has actually traveled the region and made her own personal (and seemingly experienced) observations.
A catch with the book, as in all current affairs books, is they must be constantly updated to keep pace with the ever-shifting situations in different countries. It will still retain the historical information, however, which serves to explain much about why the countries stand - or fall - the way they do today.
USA TODAY REVIEW SAYS IT ALL.......2007-01-13
USA TODAY REVIEW - The Ugly American rap slapped on many U.S. travelers abroad has less to do with appearance (the enduring popularity of those his 'n' her tracksuits favored by many a trans-Atlantic flier notwithstanding) as it does with cultural ignorance.
What Every American Should Know About Europe by Melissa Rossi (Plume, $16) seeks to wise up those Americans who are considering a trip across the pond. The book is a revision of her 2005 The Armchair Diplomat on Europe written with the notion that many Europeans themselves were uninformed about the influence of the European Union.
Part tutorial, part guidebook and part trivia compendium, What Every American Should Know offers a country-by-country breakdown of "old Europe" (the 15 Western European nations that made up the EU before 2004) and "new Europe," composed of the 10 Eastern European countries admitted since then. Though it has been updated and reworked for an American audience, it's already a tad outdated given that Bulgaria and Romania, which didn't make it into the book, became the 26th and 27th members of the EU this month.
Nor does Rossi shy away from imposing the sort of stereotypes that might get an Ugly American into hot water. There are references to "gruff French," "oh-so-polite Brits" and "thoughtful Swedes." And some observations are so obvious ("Europe is entirely different from the United States, where culture is more or less homogeneous ...") that if this is news to you, maybe you should just stay home.
Still, the book is a handy mini refresher on pivotal events and people that shaped the nations of Europe -- why Ireland is divided; the basic philosophical differences between Socrates, Plato and Aristotle; what's behind chilly French-U.S. relations. It offers enough basic information that it might even prevent the "gruff French" from finding a visiting American ugly.
Book Description
What is the difference between Kurdistan and Kazakhstan?
Why did North Korea's leader kidnap his favorite actress?
Why is Osama bin Laden so mad?
Which countries still have slaves?
Why is Kashmir "the most dangerous place in the world?"
What country has the most Muslims?
Why are they fighting in Chechnya?
What little box prompted Hutus to kill Tutsis?
Who is Prince Turki and how did his hunting trip change history?
How are cows fueling the fighting between India's Muslims and Hindus?
Which country drew maps that have resulted in the most intractable wars?
What is controversial UN Resolution 242?
What makes Qatar stand out?
What country does Sumatran coffee come from?
What country's fakes forced the US to redesign the $100 bill?
Who is the FARC and why have they been fighting for decades?
Confused about the news? Slip out of the room when friends talk current events? Now you can keep up with ease.
An entertaining guide to political science, current events, foreign affairs, and history, What Every American Should Know about the Rest of the World gives you the vocabulary and background you need to decipher the modern world in a simple-to-understand format.
Customer Reviews:
Uggh!.......2006-11-28
Sit down, kick back, and get plastered while you read this book.
Obviously the author did when she wrote it!
So full of holes, contradictions, and glaring fairy tales that it makes "Peter Pan" look like a history channel documentary!
STUPID AMERICAN ROBOTS.......2006-06-11
M.L. Rossi did it again,blowback,collateral damage,nutralize.The
Robuts retention rate memory wise is ZERO.The Law of civilization and Decay Brooks Adams,War is a Racket,GEN.Smedley Butler,the retart ROBUTS do not remember,no wonder they are Robuts with a consumer,and self destruct program.Georgraphy stupid,only 10 percent travel international,but they know how to be Robuts.20 percent think Canada is part of america.50 percent do not know U.S. history.The head of U.S. bar in speech said this at Boston University Law school.Further bar will organize internationally to enforce law according to constitution, and international law .In 1927 Van Loon historian says children learnd about constitution and Bill of rights in low grades of school.They were proud to be americans,climb trees,play cowboy,wanted to be strong,had manatory physical exercise,went camping,etc.No wonder you are weak now you have been made a ROBUT.No child left behind,destorys our nation.No IQ okay,math,science stupid,cannot add one forth and three eights.Up to 50 percen percent did not graduate high school in 1960.Van Loon in his book america states that it was to late to stop the immigration in 1927,if your read what he said it will make you sick.I say artificial because of the corporat which we have to regulate NOW before they kill us,free trade has to be stopped as it is the driving force of the corporat to destory the world,greed and power dominate.Repeal death tax,they want to pay nothing as always.Their days are numbered along with the supreme court,senate,and congress.The entire government has to be replaced,They are beyond rehab,send them to JAIL.
What every american should know about the rest of the world,and who runs the world another book by author makes every thing crystal clear,but ROBUTS are to stupid to comprehend.These books should be required reading for a PHD what do they know??????,they do not say anything,who owns them???????????????
Central america was not describe in any detail,or if so I could not find it,so I will mention it,index latin america.
Central america start at south border of Mexico and ends at north border Colmbia.Costa Rica is the odd one as they have a different situation than the other central american countries.They are democratic,no army,There has been land disputes with natives and foreigners,resentment,anger.Agraculture main business,coffee,Tourist,Foreign investment.Foreign retirement.
The followng are countries in central america.Belize,Nigaraqua,Hondurus,Guatemala,El Salvador,Costa Rica,Panama.U.S. involment in these countries is not good,Costa Rica may be exception,but ???????.General Butler in is book War is a Racket says it all.Monroe doctrine states U.S. dominates in the americas.Poverty breeds communism,democratic socialism.These nations have been occupied since the spanish inslave them,and other powers that took their place,the game is still the same.What about United Fruit company,what does bananna republic mean.
Rossi gives fast facts at beginnig of each decription of country,also there are E-mail addresses in the back of the book.Rossi did this in both books mentioned,have I lost you MORON.If you are not a ROBUT do not read futher,you know it all.
The Prince,and The Art of War explain how to evaluate a situation,by knowing character you know the animal.A cat is not a dog PHD.For this subject when you look at a country findout what countries border them,What do they produce,and who wants what they have.Who are the investors,maybe international bankers,and their corporat puppets.What did Gen BUTLER say.What have many marines and army generals said about Iraq and U.S. policy lately 2006.CHAracter DOES NOT CHANGE---only who has power changes.It is the peoples turn,it will be first time in history???????????????2006-2008 vote,FREE or SLave ROBUTS.WMD
Hot spots in the world Isarel,nuclear weapons,etc,1967 border,violation UN resolutions,free lunch U.S. tax payer.Spying on US.Neo con Zionist high percent.The chosen people.If people knew the methods to found Israel they would not support it,yet maybe they would since they look at TV and say nothing ROBUTS.Most prone place for WW111.
Korea north and south want to come together.U.S. military pull back from border,possible engagement in future.ally of China north Korea.South korea conflict unions car manufacture,etc
Japan conflict north korea possible cause of wwIII
Taiwan,China,U.S.India, North Korea,Japan what a cup of tea.
Africa,oil,HIV,Puppets of different western countries,chiefs who run them I mean.War LORDS,selling the resourses of their nations to capitalist who only want profit.Do not forget dimonds,medals,agraculture,slaves. Nigeria,Shell Dutch oil,who owns it,how are they treating the natives,Like animal,maybe they think they are.This is what Gen.Butler was talking about it the same all over the formula for explotation.China is in Africa now good luck.
Iran wants nucleur,they have the right,Israel what are they doing with nucleur weapons the english help them which has been expose.They lied about having them.Palestine will be a slave state with a slave puppet for Israel.Gods chosen people,they own all the land according to god.They fought the Romans?????????????They are a world power,and they are SUPERIOR.
Why do more jews live in U.S. than any other place,why do they not go to Israel,were is the new Juruseum.WW111???????????????
Pakistan nucleur weapons,muslems in factions,India ,Pakistan WWIII Kashmir or other provocation world wide.
Middle East hot bed people hate their chiefs for U.S. support in many countries,high unemployment,two examples Egypt,Saudi Arabia,do not like ruler,Egypt paid by U.S.to not fight Israel.
IRAQ WMD no,Why are we in it,what right, we made mistake,no we should not stay>the people who got us in to this war are U.S.,England,Israel,who is running state department NEO CONS who are they on percent,you know who,like homeland security?????????
Bush and his friends the corporats gentiles the same ,but not the same.Why is biggest U.S.Embassy and 12 to 14 military instalations established in ERAQ, setup,Gen.Butler.What stupid Robuts,we are never leaving,unless we have a puppet government,or are forced too,as viet nam.They made their money.
Caucasus Combo OIL,pipelines,border disputes,factions,old soviet countries,who going to have the power Many dead from war and mistakes,are they really.Gazprom,seven sister,international bankers Same old same old.Devide and conquer.
Brazil may have nukes,or will in near future.Trading with china.
Venezuela and other countries going socialist in south america U.S. is losing grip.All these countries have extreme poverty.Small percent rich and puppets control these nations.U.S. Has supported dictators all over the americas.Mexico,central and, south america. Anyone who opposes free capitalism,free trade,The people have to do what the corporats want,or they are communistThey do not need food clothing or shelder.We have heard this lately about Venezuela.Chavez took power away from oil corporat and rich.U.S. says he is bad,did we try to take him out a while back,yes we did.He gave poor in NY oil for winter,bad man helping is country.The rich only love their own unless their is money involve,then they will sell themselves to ,who is 666???????????????????????????????????????????The upper classes think they are loved,but when push comes to shove,the elite only exist.Not in the future they are finished,but do not know it.
Rossi should push these books for college text,but the schools would not permit it.The elite are afraid of you having knowledge ROBUTS,that is why your are stupid americam robuts.
Charles Beard basic history of U.S.,Constitution,etc.Hendrick Van Loon,AMERICA,Story of Mankind,,Georgraphy,etc could help your brain.Everyone should be required to know the constitution,bill of rights,pleg to the flag,and their history.Education was better before 1960.Multiculturallism has diluted our culture.We would not be americans if not for those who fought for our rights.The corporats never gave anything to the people.
You do not have to believe in god to believe in the ten commandment,or to practice them.The jews believe in ten commandments,probably for them only in many cases.Man has to get along with man or there is nucleur war.Charging excessive interest is not christian,or moslem.No wonder the corporat want to do away with religion.It is true that religion is used as a means to control,and has caused much death,yet the ten commandments do not advocate 666.For robuts who think if there is not a god then I can do anything I want.They should consider prison,hatred,might is right,and kill everyone to keep power.You see where we are at today.
Rossi mentions immigration in this book.She states that many countries are opposed to it.Free Trade and Immigration are the cause of the down fall of nations.You can vote out those who support free trade and immigration.The constitution is hated by the corporat as it is blowback,it is blocking there way to the New World Order,Globalism,no borders all third world.KING
There is no energy shortage,there is alternative energy.Our system is artificial a monopoly of the rich,a dead horse.
You can control the nation by stopping all immigration.Legislate to regulate free trade as soon as we change government.No insiders in third party,create after we change government by the vote,or ask the military to enforce the constitution,but high level military who are corporat could not be involved.We must take back our country and our idenity as the american people who created this country.American citizens who are the majority,the democratic way,get rid of electorial college,No electric voting,they have already cheated.
Criminals run our country along with all those who benefit from ripping off the ROBUTS,they are all the same.How did you let these fools sellout our nation.Any cost is worth our freedom.We can ration,they did in world war 11.How could there be an energy shortage.The corporat is expanding.Brooks Adams Law of Civilization and decay.The bankers are relentless they will centralize the governments,the E.U. and north america,and then desentergrate.They are inferior,they must be stopped.I read two books with different conclusions in Adams book Law.The one I remember is the man on the white horse,the military may be only solution,we may have been Robuts to long,we have to fight to the death,better dead than slave.Take our nation back,save america.STOP IMMIGRATION.Augustus will come again,he will arrive in near future.The Old good boy clubs will not stop him,you cannot fool all the people all the time.Those boys are international and in every government.
Russia has enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world many times over.They do not want unlimited immigration.They want to keep their idenity and culture.The west tried to eat them alive after the fall.Putin has fought the mafia and western capitalist.Russia may become the last hope for western culture.
They want demodratic socialism which is dirty word in america.The corporat cannot control everything.They took back the oil company.one in jail one they want in Israel,Isarel will not allow extradition,gods law.Iran,Russia,China,Pakistan,North Korea,south america???WW111
Largest munition dealer U.S.. Against land mine regulation.Encourages countries to buy arms.England arms dealer,Isreal arms dealer.Did Israel have problem with U.S.about what it was selling to China.
Stop immigration,stop Free Trade,vote out the present government period.
Good idea and well organized, but too many errors.......2006-05-27
I bought this book last year because I really liked the concept - a sort of brief guide to the world for Americans. Many of us, myself included, are lacking a good understanding of other parts of the world. And we rely too much on the dominant media to "educate" us on the facts, conditions and histories of countries that are important or where problems make them a place to be concerned about.
That said, this book gets a mixed review from me because it does well in some areas and poorly in others.
What I liked:
It's organized well - starting with the places that are "ticking" time bombs and gradually working down the ratings of volatility to the nations that are "talkers" (as opposed to "doers" I suppose). That concept groups countries with similar problems, outlooks, histories, etc. near each other in the book. Because so many issues tend to cross national boundaries it makes it easy to see how the same situation developed or has been addressed in neighboring places.
It's not a big book, especially since the topic is the world, and so it has to boil down the issues and histories into some brief points. For the most part the author does a good job of identifying what is really important to know.
What I didn't like:
Some of the synopses are so brief as to not be very useful.
Inaccuracies were too common. Both my sons take honors level history classes and while reading this book they complained of statements that they thought were wrong. We sat down together and researched the points that they found fault with - and the boys were on the money. Much of it has to do with how brief some of the author's comments are - it resulted in over simplification of some complex subjects that came across as misleading. Not exactly wrong, but if you are familiar with the subject being discussed you would likely shake your head and say "that's really not an accurate way to describe the facts."
There were several points on which the author just got the important facts wrong. For example, in the section on Somalia on page 143 there is a box containing one very long paragraph that describes what is commonly known as the "Battle of Mogadishu". Among the things the author got wrong was an allusion that warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid might have been tipped off about the US operation by his son who was a Marine "supposedly helping out the U.S. with translation." Aidid's son Hussein Farrah Aydid was a Marine Reservist and had been sent to Somalia to translate and serve as a liaison with his father. However, that had only lasted for three weeks and the younger Aydid had been back at his job the City of West Covina engineering department, updating water maps, counting cars in traffic, etc. for more than ten months before the battle took place.
The same section is full of other blatant errors, some of which are minor - "the image of a dead Marine being dragged through the streets..." is inaccurate because there were no Marines present in Somalia or participating in the operation. The Marines had operated in country earlier, and from time to time there were some Marine units offshore, but not for the events described by the author.
Some are significant errors. Such as the author's statement that the Somali militia forces brought down two Blackhawk helicopters using "land-to-air missiles..." Inaccurate because the Somali's actually used Soviet era Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) which are relatively unsophisticated weapons compared to ground to air missiles. The realization that a Blackhawk was susceptible to incapacitating damage by something as simple and cheap as an RPG was something of a shock. That is an important point. Perhaps more importantly, it is a unproven but widely held belief that Al Qaeda was responsible for discovering this weakness and providing slightly modified RPGs and training to the Somalis in an effort to hurt and embarrass the U.S. The author failed to mention that and it would seem important considering the importance given in other parts of the book to Al Qaeda and terrorism in general.
The same paragraph has inaccurate statements about the goal of the mission that sparked the battle and the basic facts of when and how elements were introduced into the operation and what role they played.
Others have commented on what appears to be the interjection of politically motivated bias on the author's part. It was apparent when I saw it, slightly annoying (just give me the facts and let me make up my own mind about how I feel about what I've learned) but I learned to just discount it and skip past it.
Conclusion:
A darn good idea and well organized, but too skimpy on details in some parts and too many major errors to be trusted. That last part was the kiss of death for the book as far as I'm concerned. If I can find that many blatant errors in one paragraph I have no confidence in anything else I read. I might give it another half star if Amazon would let me, but not a full three stars.
Basic primer for the uneducated masses.......2006-02-04
Hey, I liked the book- its written simply, with some humor, and it punches the major points. In Depth analysis it isn't and wasn't meant to be, but let's face it, most Americans don't want any in depth analysis of world issues- heck, half of them can't point out the Pacific Ocean. This will have to do for those folks. It hits the lowlights and highlights, gives some easy to read charts and maps, and while simplistic- covers enough for the USA TODAY types who want the picture, map, and easy bullet list.
Frankly, I think this book is a necessity for schools- or something like it- it may be the only way for kids to find Africa on the map or understand between Hutus and Tutsis.
not bad but def. left of center.......2005-10-21
I actually own this book and for some reason never thought about it being biased until I delved into topics I know more about than she does apparently. I could go into detail about it but won't bother.
She tends state her opinions as fact and it is obvious that she takes a "blame America first" attitude; almost as if she is taking the standpoint of somebody who lives in Europe who wants to placate her European friends by showing she is subtly embarrassed to be American.
The world is much more complex than she would have you believe, and she is by no means a well read diplomat. I mean c'mon she encourages people to read the BBC. I will credit her with her endorsement of the Economist though, I believe that is a very fair and balanced magazine.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLENT.......2006-11-07
I reccommend all tourist to NY have this book so not to miss all the great historical sites clearly provided in the book!
mob trip.......2004-09-10
I didn't read this book until i was in new york, and i spend the whole morning druising around manhattan with it in hand.
it's funnier than other stuff henry has done- much lighter, but a great read nonetheless.
Funny, cool and nicely done!.......2004-08-04
I loved this book.
It's really easy to read, nicely researched and great fun.
Recommended...
Pathetic.......2004-06-22
As the other reviewers point out, this is another shameless attempt by Henry Hill to profit from the hard work of others, namely Martin Scorsese, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, and Joe Pesci. Any one with a minimal knowledge of organized crime could have written this book. Henry Hill makes the following insightful comments, "New York has four seasons and five crime families." "The worst trip to NYC is if you don't come back (alive)." "If you mispronounce Houston Street, you'll get whacked." Oh yes, Mr. Hill, the SoHo and Village residents will definitely kill when a tourist thrusts such a heinous indignity upon them. Complementing stories that aren't even up to New York Post standards are quite possibly the worst photographs I have ever seen. Photographs include the following: nightclubs at 10am with the shutters closed, an abandoned factor that could be anywhere in the US, a chain link fence at the end of a road, and surveillance shots of fatuously inflated lowlifes hanging around a junkyard. The unfortunate thing about this book is that it could be good. A serious book about the mob by one of its members could very possibly give insight to the rest of us. This is not that book. In Hill speak, other mobsters should have him `whacked' for embarrassing them since readers may assume the average mob mind is as weak as his.
HENRY HILL LIKES TO TELL STORIES.......2004-06-20
This book contains some interesting stuff but most of it is recycled from wiseguy and the wiseguy cookbook. In addition to being extremely fluffy some of the stuff he says is flat out wrong. He says that Vito Genovese somehow posthumously blew the door off of Frank Costellos crypt. Genovese died in 1969 and Costello died in 1973. Most crackheads can see the problem with this little tidbit. Save your money and read it at the store, it should only take about 15 minutes. By the way, I made the oven penitentiary sauce from his cookbook and it sucked.
Book Description
Boasting more than 220 full-color illustrations and maps, this is the perfect practical companion to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. A must-have for birders everywhere, it's as useful at home as on the road, pinpointing the best places to see more than 400 species of birds from coast to coast.
Beginners and casual birders will appreciate the introduction on birding basics, which offers expert advice on how to prepare for the field. Then it's on to the heart of the book, organized into thirteen regions from New England to the Southwest. Each section begins with an overview map covering several states and showing major roads and hotspots. Next, each state has separate close-up maps that identify National and State Parks, bird sanctuaries, nature trails, and many other prime birding locations. Entries give clear directions to major sites along with notes on the birds you're likely to find there, the best seasons and time of day to see them, frequent sidebars on subjects of particular interest, and much more. Each state entry closes with a list of additional key places complete with specific contact information. Finally, a comprehensive index cross-references each bird with every site where it can be found.
A veritable pocket atlas of avian information, this guide will be equally useful to the novice just starting a lifelist and the advanced birder in search of an especially elusive species or a new and unique place to enjoy this enormously popular activity.
Customer Reviews:
guide to birding hot spots.......2007-09-09
My wife and I can't wait to visit the sites mentioned in this great bird manual. Very clear and precise and in excellent condition.
Product Description
Indispensable for railfans who travel, this guide takes you to 100 of the busiest, most interesting train-watching sites across the U.S. and Canada. Each spread includes a color photo and authoritative text about the site written by train-watching experts all over North America.
Customer Reviews:
Informative, but could have been better.......2006-01-20
Fairly complete on where the location is how to get there. Is some-what complicated, although they also inform you exactly where to go (public parking on south side of street). There are two sections dealing with location: 'Directions' and 'Remarks'. The directions are complicated at best but, they make up with the remarks section. However, the directions are listed towards the begining of the article and remarks are towards the end. Should have had them next to each other.
Liked the fact that they give you what you are likely to see, when to see it, and how often you are likely to see the trains. Also, liked that they give you radio scanning codes, places to eat and things to do, close by.
HATED the fact that they could not make up their mind as to wether use page numbers or the 'hot spot' number. The 'hot spot' table of contents lists the spots according to alpha state and gives the page number. No indication as to what the 'hot spot' number is. Then you turn to the map page, and everything there is listed by 'hot spot' number, NO page numbers. So, you are left thumbing through the whole book anyways, trying to find the dang 'hot spot' number. Even then the 'hot spot' number is listed on the inside of the odd numbered pages so you can NOT see the 'hot spot' number. And like I said the table of contents lists only the page so there is NO WAY to associate the page to the 'hot spot' number. VERY DUMB. Map should have used page numbers.
Also, kinda small in size but, i guess that is so you can store the book in your glove box for traveling.
A must own book for the Railfan.......2002-01-23
This is a great guide with complete information for the railfan. It includes items such as how many trains to expect at the site, what types of trains, radio frequency the railroad is using to communicate, etc. I bought three of these books, one for me, and one for each of my adult sons to use while traveling, so that they can show my grandsons all about trains.
Guide to "hot spots" or photo book?.......2002-01-01
I like this book very much. It has all the information I needed for planning a trip to some hot spots. Besides that it has beautiful color photos as well and therefore it is a pity that the paper is rather thin and the size rather small.
But OK, the book had to be a guide in the first place and therefore limited in size and weight, but the book is also nice to watch the pictures.
Guide to "hot spots" or photo book?.......2002-01-01
I like this book very much. It has all the information I needed for planning a trip to some hot spots. Besides that it has beautiful color photos as well and therefore it is a pity that the paper is rather thin and the size rather small.
But OK, the book had to be a guide in the first place and therefore limited in size and weight, but the book is also nice to watch the pictures.
Book Description
This lively hands-on guide is the first book to focus exclusively on all of the body’s titillating hot spots, offering lovers a new realm of sexual exploration and experience. Sexologist Yvonne K. Fulbright gives readers of all sexual orientations a guided tour of the male and female body’s wild attractions and explains how to maximize pleasure from head to toe. Individual chapters detail her hot spots, his hot spots, mind-blowing spots for both sexes, and positions and toys for ultimate stimulation. All four sections help readers find nature’s hidden treasures, dispelling notions of what “can’t” be done. A plethora of sex tips, techniques, and tools that build intimacy and communication skills leads to even greater sexual and emotional satisfaction. The information is delivered thoroughly but not too thoroughly, encouraging lovers to engage in their own sensual how-to sessions.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best books..........2007-10-02
...I've read about spicing things up in a long time. You really get your money's worth with this one. Fulbright is titillating, smart, and informative without being academic and overly comprehensive. The book is full of helpful tips, hot spots often never heard of, and equips lovers with everything they ever need to know to be amazing in the sack.
Touch Me There.......2007-09-30
We have been married for 37 years. For 37 years I have tried to get my wife to tell me what she wants me to do, how and where to do it, but she never would. I gave her this book. It is well written and straightforward as any self-help book should be. Reading it has given her the confidence to speak up, and that has increased our pleasure a lot. With the help of this book and Viagara we are having the best sex of our lives.
Touch Me There.......2007-09-21
It was an excellent written book and it was exactly what I thought it would be. I would recommend to married couples.
Great Advice!.......2007-09-10
This is great guide! Another book that I highly reommend - The Master's Guide to Cunnilingus: How to Perform Successful Oral Sex and Provide the Highest Degree of Pleasure Possible
Both books are amazing and must have!
A great guide to orgamic bliss........2007-09-04
The main thing I zeroed in on in this book was the communication factor. Without communication, sex can be a bit dull. However, communicating during sex (or even just talking about it) can be a bit embarrassing. The author really explains how to overcome this and become a better lover, by concentrating on certain "hot spots". I thoroughly enjoyed this one, as it was one of the better sex guides I've read recently. I also liked Sex Machine: A Man's Guide to What Really Pleases a Woman in Bed for the same reasons and would recommend it also.
Book Description
Praise for FINDING THE HOT SPOTS
"David Riedel's Finding the Hot Spots provides keen insights into the new reality of investing with a global perspective. Internationally diversified investment portfolios reduce risk while enhancing returns, as many American-based individual and institutional investors have discovered in recent years. Riedel succeeds in providing simple, effective tools and strategies."
--J. Craig Chapman Managing Director, Long-Term Asset Management (HK) Limited
"Finding the Hot Spots simplifies and demystifies international investing and makes non-U.S. markets alluring and accessible . . . a must-read for all individual investors."
--John D. Meserve Chairman, BNY Jaywalk, Inc.
"Anyone considering investing in emerging markets should begin by reading David Riedel's Finding the Hot Spots. This excellent book explains how to reap the benefits while avoiding the risks of investing in the world's fastest growing economies. Having worked with David in Thailand during the peak of the Bangkok Bubble in the mid-1990s, I believe few people are more qualified to write about this subject than he is."
--Richard Duncan Author of The Dollar Crisis: Causes, Consequences, Cures
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, Easy-to-Read Book!.......2006-11-07
This easy-to-read book is ideal for the individual investor seeking exposure to overseas opportunities in a world that is becoming less and less US-centric. Readers will gain confidence in investing overseas through shares and ADRs that trade in the US. The book provides interesting examples which enables readers to develop their own analytical framework, which they can utilize to screen for attractive investment opportunities themselves.
Pathetic - don't throw your money away.......2006-10-23
This book is a joke. It is in large print on small pages. Of the 199 pages, 54 are either blank pages between chapters or reproductions of Reuters Finance pages on companies that can be found free on the internet. And the ones on the internet won't be outdated like the ones in the book will be in a few months.
The author uses the stock pages as filler to pad his book. He makes it clear that he's not recommending anything and he doesn't say anything substantive about any of the company names he throws around. The content that is in the book is mostly worthless homilies and rambling on miscellaneous investment themes and stocks that are in less depth than what you'd hear at a cocktail party.
I can't recall ever buying a book which so obviously involved so little effort by an author. I literally flipped through the whole book in 30 minutes. Mr. Riedel should be ashamed. Wiley Finance, which generally has reasonably high standards, should be embarrassed for publishing this slapped together drivel. I feel like I was robbed and hate to give the book one star, but that's as low as Amazon's rating scale allows. Don't waste your money.
Great read for individual investors .......2006-10-13
Finding the Hot Spots is a useful, easy read for those interested in de-mystifying international investing. Riedel explains in straightforward terms how the individual investor can take advantage of the growth opportunities available through investments in foreign companies while avoiding the expenses tied to mutual funds - the most common way to invest in the international markets. As mentioned in a recent column in the Financial Times, this book is a great resource for individual investors. Tips such has how to watch for signals of when to sell are useful and well presented. Investing in individual international stocks is not for everyone, but those who take the time to read Riedel's book and relate the ideas and trends to their own lives and experience will benefit from his suggestions.
bad.......2006-10-12
says mutual funds are not the best way to invest internationally. fine. but the top and only reason he gives is that funds have fees and never beat the market, then says you're better off picking stocks because it is more fun... implying stock pickers get the same market results only with no fees. great. thanks for the advice to only pick stocks that do good. i skimmed the rest. not a serious book on investing.
Finding the Hot Spots.......2006-10-10
David Riedel's "Finding the Hot Spots" shows the US investor how to safely profit from the foreign equity markets. It's not a list of stock picks. This book teaches the reader to turn his own ideas into specific foreign equity investments. It takes us through each step of the selection process; conceptualization, research, diversification, differentiation and selection. Because this book advises investment in ADR's, the reader can benefit from the safety of the U.S. regulatory system. Mr. Riedel's long career and professional knowledge allow you to avoid the common pitfalls of such investing. While written primarily for the individual investor, this book nevertheless contains ideas which the professional will also find extremely useful when making decisions. It is absolutely essential to diversify one's portfolo in today's global economy.This book shows how to do so soundly and specifically.
Book Description
What explains the peculiar intensity and evident intractability of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Of all the hot spots in the world today, the apparently endless clash between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East seems unique in its longevity and resistance to resolution. Is this conflict really different from other ethnic and nationalist confrontations, and if so, in what way? Alan Dowty demystifies the conflict by putting it in broad historical perspective, identifying its roots, and tracing its evolution up to the current impasse. His account offers a clear analytic framework for understanding transformations over time -- and in doing so, punctures the myths of an age-old conflict with an unbridgeable gap between the two sides. Rather than simply reciting historical detail, this book presents a clear overview that serves as a road map through the thicket of conflicting claims. In this account the opposed perspectives of the two sides are presented in full, leaving readers to make their own evaluations of the issues. The book thus expresses fairly and objectively the concerns, hopes, fears, and passions of both sides, making it clear why this conflict is waged with such vehemence -- and why, for all that, there are some grounds for optimism.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Overview of the Entire Conflict.......2005-10-27
If you are looking for a concise overview of the entire Arab-Israeli conflict, this is the book. If you are looking for a book that identifies the essential information needed to understand the conflict, this is the book. And if you are looking for a book that gives both sides of the conflict equal time, this is the book. Professor Alan Dowty has done an amazing job explaining this complicated conflict and helping the reader understand the most likely solutions to the complex issues of the conflict.
The best and most up to date introduction to the subject.......2005-10-07
Alan Dowty's Israel/Palestine is simply the best, most coherent, concise, up to date, and balanced introduction to the tortured relations between Israel and the Palestinians available. It is scrupulously fair and even handed without sacrificing analytical rigor. It provides the historical background and dispels conventional myths; that it is an age-old conflict based on ethnic hatred rooted in religion and insoluble because of endless violence. He accurately and concisely defines the conflict as "the claim of two peoples for the same piece of land" (p.4). Dowty fairly relates both the Jewish and Arab narratives, the emergence of Israel, the "re-emergence" of the Palestinians as active players after the 1967 war up to the first Intifada to contextualize his insightful analysis of the failure of the Oslo peace process and its implications. He devotes a complete chapter to an examination of the core issues; territory and settlements, Jerusalem, security issues, and refugees which he concludes with a general prognosis. I quote just one of Dowty's many profound insights: "The lack of attention to one's own impact on the politics, society, and public attitudes of the other side seems to be a fixed attribute of Middle East conflicts. Perhaps the `winner' in the Arab-Israeli conflicted will be the first party to realize how much power it has to influence the internal dynamics of the other side and to use this power effectively" (200).The concluding chapter, "The Perfect Conflict" examines tragic aspects of the clash of right with right and the mutual sense of victimhood. Dowty critically examines the option of a binational state and rejects it as unpractical and supports the two-state solution as the only practical solution. He analyzes the role of the extremists on both sides and the policy of unilateral disengagement in his concluding analysis. I have used this book as a required text in an advanced undergraduate seminar in political science and my students are very enthusiastic about it. It is so well written without resort to professional jargon that it is appropriate for nonprofessionals interested in the subject. I highly recommend it.
Professor M.J. Aronoff (Rutgers University)
innnovative, perceptive, and insightful .......2005-09-06
Israel/Palestine is simply a great text.Against the backdrop of the plethora of highly polemic and biased works,which approach the Israeli-Palestinian predicament in a highly-charged and partisan manner,Professor Dowty's book is an immensely valuable contribution.The book is balanced,thoughtful and insightful.It is based upon a most scrupulous and comprehensive research.The author manages to beautifully and compellingly combine facts and analysis into a very coherent whole, and the outcome is an integrative,clear and concise interpretation of the origins and evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The book avoids any sweeping generalizations and wholesale accusations of any of the parties.It is nuanced and sophisticated,seeking to elucidate the core and dynamics of the conflict,which originated in certain incompatible ideologies,legacies and cultural experiences rather than in conspiracies or imperialistic schemes.It consistently juxtaposes these perspectives,and the outcome is a most analytical,well-written and powerful text,which is permeated with empathy for both sides and is based upon a most profound understanding of historical processes.It is a must book for anyone interested in the conflict.
Excellent Book on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.......2005-08-17
This is a truly excellent book on one of the most difficult conflicts in today's world, the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians over what Professor Dowty calls, thoughtfully, "Israel/Palestine". This small volume is as great an introduction to the conflict as I have read in a long time.
The book has many strong points. The most important among them:
1. It is genuinely balanced, giving a fair description, analysis and even prescription to a conflict on which almost anything said is considered biased by one party or the other (and often both!). Dowty achieves a measure of "objectivity" (assuming that true objectivity is beyond reach) by letting each party speak in its own voice. You will not find in this book straw men or cartoonish descriptions of what the conflicting parties allegedly believe. This fairness is as refreshing as it is unusual.
2. The book is very well written, as accessible as poissible, and clearly organized. Other books on the Arab-Israeli conflict run 800-900 pages; Dowty does it in 240 pages. While more details are, of course, possible--this small volume ought to be looked upon as an introduction, an invitation to learn more.
3. Professor Dowty identifies correctly the cause of the conflict as "the claim of 2 peoples to the same piece of land" (p. 4) and demolishes convincingly alternative explanations (myths that tend to perpetuate the conflict).
4. Although this is a brief book, I find it highly sophisticated. For example, the author offers a good, rational discussion of solutions to the conflict (pp. 77-79 and in other places)
5. Despite the space limitations that must have been imposed on the author, he makes good use of maps (without which one cannot understand the analysis) and, in general, his use of sources reflects his expertise.
This is a very useful book for college courses, the attentive public and intelligent readers interested in comprehending this highly complicated dispute. It supplies the historical background without which no fruitful discussion of the contemporary dilemmas can take place. If you are interested in UNDERSTADING the conflict rather than in propaganda (on either side), this volume should be on your shelf.
Tries to be fair, but does not entirely succeed.......2005-07-22
Alan Dowty really tries to be objective in this book. But I think that to be objective, one needs to be honest rather than "balanced." When one tells the truth, there will indeed be ugly facts about everyone. But that is all right. The problem comes in trying to achieve "balance" by inserting a few popular but malicious lies. These lies then can serve as a litmus test for some readers, who then consider you and your work to be discredited.
In this book, there is one question I wish the author would have asked more often when considering the Arab position. Namely, had the Jews done nothing offensive in any respect, what would the Arabs have done about it? In some cases, Dowty does admit that Arab "responses" would have been the same had there been no "provocation" at all.
The author begins with five points, none of which I entirely agree with:
1) This is not an age-old conflict.
Although the present violence seems to have started only in the past 130 years, the battle against Jewish rights in the Middle East has lasted for many centuries.
2) This conflict is not caused by ethnic hatreds.
To me, Arabic-speakers and Hebrew-speakers seem to be of different ethnicities.
3) This conflict is not rooted in a clash of religions.
Maybe so, but Islam is often invoked in the battle against Jewish rights.
4) This conflict is solvable.
Obviously it is solvable, but I'm not so sure it can be solved by giving land to land-rich Arabs and by making arbitrary rules against Jewish rights in the region.
5) The core of this conflict is two claims to the same land.
I doubt this. After all, even if the Arabs got every single inch of Israel and the West Bank, I suspect that few of them would be satisfied were Israel merely to move to Jordan or the Sinai (or, worse, Kuwait). I think the core of this conflict is whether Jews ought to have human rights.
To his credit, Dowty does note that the early Modern Zionists saw no problem with the fact that Arabs and others (including Jews) lived in the Levant. After all, the Zionists wanted human rights and justice for everyone. And he shows that one reason why Jews were a minority in the Levant (although they were a majority in Jerusalem by 1880) was that the Ottoman Empire had laws against them moving there, buying land, and building on land. I think those who look on these laws proudly and then claim the land for the Arabs on the grounds that Jews didn't move there are being dishonest, not just hypocritical.
The author does discuss the issue of whether there was a Levantine Arab people 100 years ago. But I think this issue is bogus: the Arabs have fought Jewish rights as Arabs, not as Levantine Arabs. And there is an argument that Arabs ought not allow Jews to "steal" any of their land. But that is bogus too: it would make the whole world off-limits to legitimate purchase of any land by minorities.
There is a mention of Deir Yassin. The Arabs did not like the Jewish victory at Deir Yassin. What is not said is that the Jewish attack on Deir Yassin was close to the very first attack on any town, anywhere, by Jews, as Jews, in well over 900 years. I think many Arabs would have screamed bloody murder about it even had no Arab been scratched, let alone seriously wounded or killed. For this reason, I tend to be somewhat suspicious of Arab claims of great Jewish wrongdoing here. I see the Jewish victory here as part of a triumph over tyranny, much like the Allied victory in 1942 at Stalingrad, albeit on a smaller scale.
The description of the 1967 Six-Day War is reasonable. But it fails to put Arab claims of merely defending themselves in perspective. One could equally well call the German invasion of Poland in 1939 "defensive."
Dowty says that in 1988, Arafat "renounced terrorism." That's untrue. At most, he pretended to say he renounced it. Dowty does point out that the Oslo Declaration of Principles, in 1993, was completely ambiguous. I agree with his implication that this was not very clever and was in fact a fatal flaw in them. The author mentions the 1996 Arab riots over the opening of a door to the Herodian tunnel, but fails to expose these as totally unprovoked by Israel. And while he does admit that the Arabs were the aggressors against Israel in 2000, he gives too much credence to their ridiculous claims that they merely wanted justice!
The author discusses the "demographic problem" in the region as if 5 million Jews are simply too few to dominate 8000 square miles (let alone 11,000) in peacetime. I think that in peacetime, the Jews and Levantine Arabs would each buy at least twice this much land.
The author concludes by asking if this conflict is a tragedy of Right against Right. This leaves me aghast. Would he say that the conflict between the Blacks and the Ku Klux Klan is one of Right against Right? Jewish rights do not preclude Arab rights, and Arab rights do not preclude Jewish rights. In my opinion, if the Arabs are willing to abide Jewish rights, the conflict will be over. There may indeed eventually be more (or other) Arab states. There may even be more than one Jewish state. But I see no need for any of this, and no need at all for a state whose only purpose is to terrorize some other state.
This is an interesting book, but it has some serious flaws.
Average customer rating:
- Not just for Marketing Types
- Highly recommended, especially for marketing professionals
|
Brand Lands, Hot Spots & Cool Spaces: Welcome to the Third Place and the Total Marketing Experience
Christian Mikunda
Manufacturer: Kogan Page
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
Professional & Technical | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0749445734 |
Book Description
A tour of the world's most exciting and spectacular "third places" from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin
Customer Reviews:
Not just for Marketing Types .......2004-12-09
This book is recommended for anyone working in a traditional "third space" such as a library or a museum, anyone who uses libraries, or anyone who likes libraries but spends more time at Barnes and Noble.
The author, Christian Mikunda, suggests that "the experience society has grown up" and that we members of this society look for a combination of "entertainment with big, true feelings, with genuine materials and high-quality design, and help with our problems in everyday life."
As I read, it struck me this could be a description of some of the more architecturally spectacular libraries that have been built in the past few years: the main branches of Seattle Public Library, Salt Lake City Library, and the Vancouver Public Library in British Columbia (the latter two designed by Moshe Safdie) to name only a few. I've heard people express puzzlement about these buildings in an age when the Web has become a replacement for many, for a visit or a call to the library. Why, they ask, would these edifices be built?
William Dietrich in an April 25, 2004 article in Pacific Northwest, the magazine of The Seattle Times newspaper, wrote: "Above all, the [Seattle Public] library is designed to be inviting and intuitive to people who want to find a book. Designers calculated that the downtown Barnes & Noble bookstore had 40 times the people traffic, per square foot, as the old library. Why? What was the public sector doing wrong that the private sector is doing right?"
Mikunda provides an answer. He begins his introduction with a description of what a visitor to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice might do: have a look at the paintings and sculpture, go to the museum store, and have a coffee in the museum restaurant, all the time enjoying the particular ambiance of the location, above the Grande Canal.He describes the experience as being one of a place where one temporarily feels at home, that is emotionally powerful and allows visitors to recharge themselves. The museum is, he declares, a Third Place, one of three "staged habitats" (the others are Home and Work). Malls, theme restaurants, concept stores are all staged habitats too.
So, I think that this trend of building and redesigning libraries to be impressive architecturally is a response to the need people have to spend their leisure time in staged habitats and be entertained at the same time they accomplish something--whether it's browsing books in a library or a bookstore. More people responsible for library and museum spaces should read this book, along with "Better Together: Restoring the American Community."
As Putnam and Feldstein say in "Better Together" "Death-of-the-library scenarios define libraries as information repositories. If they were no more than that, then their eventual displacement by more convenient repositories would make perfect sense. But the library is a gathering place too [...] People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there."
Mikunda's book will give you a different perspective on all kinds of staged habitats.
Highly recommended, especially for marketing professionals .......2004-11-09
Expert marketer, trend scout and specialist in mood management for public spaces Christian Mikunda presents Brand Lands, Hot Spots, & Cool Spaces, an insider's guide to how marketers successfully connect an emotional bond with the customer, placing him or her in the right mood to attract sales, and embellishing public spaces in such a manner that they become locations other than home and work that customers wish to visit regularly. From concept stores and design malls to lobbies and lounges, urban entertainment centers, fairs and expos, and much more, public spaces of all kinds draw upon the fundamental principles that Mikunda clearly delineates to better set their customers at ease and entice them into returning again and again. Highly recommended, especially for marketing professionals seeking to hone the attractiveness of their given projects.
Books:
- How Could You Do This to Me?
- How Could You Do This to Me?
- How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved: Describes 8 Types of Dangerous Men, Gives Defense Strategies and a Red Alert Checklist for Each, and Includes Stories of Successes and Failures
- I Want to Spend the Rest of My Life Everywhere, with Everyone, One to One, Always, Forever, Now
- Just Your Type: Create the Relationship You've Always Wanted Using the Secrets of Personality Type
- King of Hearts: The True Story of the Maverick Who Pioneered Open Heart Surgery
- Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy
- Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time
- Maelstrom (The Twins of Petaybee, Book 2)
- Magic Tree House Boxed Set 1, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't
Beyond HR: The New Science of Human Capital
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Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
