Book Description
At the height of his fame Thomas Alva Edison was hailed as “the Napoleon of invention” and blazed in the public imagination as a virtual demigod. Newspapers proclaimed his genius in glowing personal profiles and quipped that “the doctor has been called” because the great man “has not invented anything since breakfast.” Starting with the first public demonstrations of the phonograph in 1878 and extending through the development of incandescent light, a power generation and distribution system to sustain it, and the first motion picture cameras—all achievements more astonishing in their time than we can easily grasp today—Edison’s name became emblematic of all the wonder and promise of the emerging age of technological marvels.
But as Randall Stross makes clear in this critical biography of the man who is arguably the most globally famous of all Americans, Thomas Edison’s greatest invention may have been his own celebrity. Edison was certainly a technical genius, but Stross excavates the man from layers of myth-making and separates his true achievements from his almost equally colossal failures. How much credit should Edison receive for the various inventions that have popularly been attributed to him—and how many of them resulted from both the inspiration and the perspiration of his rivals and even his own assistants? How much of Edison’s technical skill helped him overcome a lack of business acumen and feel for consumers’ wants and needs?
This bold reassessment of Edison’s life and career answers these and many other important questions while telling the story of how he came upon his most famous inventions as a young man and spent the remainder of his long life trying to conjure similar success. We also meet his partners and competitors, presidents and entertainers, his close friend Henry Ford, the wives who competed with his work for his attention, and the children who tried to thrive in his shadow—all providing a fuller view of Edison’s life and times than has ever been offered before. The Wizard of Menlo Park reveals not only how Edison worked, but how he managed his own fame, becoming the first great celebrity of the modern age.
Customer Reviews:
The Man Behind the Myth.......2007-07-01
Thomas Alva Edison was probably the greatest inventor of all time. However, he was also one of the worst businessman to ever run a business. Yes, he invented the phonograph, but then was beaten in the market by the Victor company because he micromanaged the decisions for the selection of the artists to record. In fact, initially, he wanted to use his invention as a dictation device. Many consider him to be the inventor of electricity and the light bulb, and yet, many inventors were working on this at the same time. And, ultimately, Westinghouse beat his company in the market because he pursued the more costly direct current while they pursued the more cost efficient alternating current. Alternating current is what is used today. His life was that of a creative genius who pursued what he was interested in and not what was important to the market, thereby missing many opportunities. However, pursuing what he was interested in resulted in great advances in many fields that were important in the development of the modern world. I think the most important statement of his importance to our world was provided when the US government requested that all people turn off their lights at the time of his funeral in 1931. He was very important to the modern world, but the myths that arose since his death, that resulted in him being close to a deity, were not correct. This book provides the man behind the myth, doing in a very credible and readable fashion. Consequently, I highly recommend this book.
Excellent Re-Look at An American Icon.......2007-04-19
The Wizard of Menlo Park is an reexamination of the life and career of one of the most famous American inventors, Thomas Alva Edison.
It is a myth that Thomas Edison is the sole inventor of the lightbulb. In any event, it was not even his most famous invention. That honor goes to the phonograph that singlehandedly set the stage for the development of the modern music insustry.
Thomas Edison lacked the kind of business acumen that was needed for him to capitalize on his being the pioneer of sound recording. Edison failed to capitalize on his fame. He allowed himself to be distracted from his work to the point that he allowed his lab to become a popular tourist destination.
Although Edison was a remarkable man who was rightfully credited with many useful inventions, the hype surrounding him has actually obscured his real creativity.
This is an excellent book.
The Wizard Invents Himself.......2007-04-17
The greatest American inventor, most would agree, was Thomas Alva Edison, but it may be that his greatest invention was himself, as image in the newspapers and as "Thomas A. Edison", a phrase that was an important addition to any marketable gadget. In _The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Edison Invented the Modern World_ (Crown), Randall Stross has looked at the mechanical and electric inventions, few of which Edison single-handedly originated or developed, but has concentrated mostly on his fame. "Once brought into being," Stross writes, "Edison's image inhabited its own life and acted autonomously in ways that its namesake could not control." Stross, a historian who is a professor of business, makes the case that Edison discovered the importance of the application of celebrity to business. We had celebrities before, of course, presidents and generals, and contemporary with Edison were famous figures like Mark Twain and P. T. Barnum. Edison's celebrity exceeded them all, and oddly, he was famous because he was an inventor. When celebrity came to him, he was not an inventor who had made a practical gadget like a cotton gin, a telegraph, or an elevator; he had invented (and had come far short of perfecting) the phonograph. It was the celebrity from this particular machine that carried him through many ups and downs in his long life.
This is not a complete biography, but a welcome look at particular qualities of Edison's celebrity and its effects on his life and business practices. Edison jumped from the most modern technology of the time, telegraphy, and was working on improved telephones, not on voice recording in 1877. The world was dazzled by the prospect of a machine that could talk, but the phonograph sat in its unperfected form for another ten years as he went about other projects, and this was despite a clamor for the machine and an elevation of Edison in the public mind to "mythic inventor hero". Edison was happiest when he was tinkering wherever his whimsy carried him; he was good at coming up with new ideas, bad at working on perfecting them, and terrible at making them pay. He understood the importance of his fame, and used it, although he could not control all the ways others put it to use or all the ways that it took time out of his other activities. He made himself available to the press, and reporters loved interviewing the plain-talking inventor who would chew tobacco throughout such visits. He loved the role of wise advisor, and the press liked him to pontificate on all sorts of matters that had nothing to do with his areas of expertise, like diet.
Edison was no charlatan. Even though he took credit when it actually belonged to those who worked for him, and even though the public insisted on crediting him for inventions others had perfected, he did have a real role in innovating gadgets. As time went on (he lived until 1931) and his public persona as a wizard continued, people tended to forget his many failures; all of his most famous inventions were early in his career, and all amounted to little while he was the one in control of their manufacture and marketing. It would be unfair to judge him just on his earnings, but one of his sons was probably right when he bitterly complained, "You should have been... a millionaire 10 times over if you knew how to handle your own achievements." Such a skill was not within his wizardry, however. Stross shows that Edison could not focus on a new project and bring it to commercial fruition without getting distracted by other endeavors, and that often the distracting endeavor was that of making himself a celebrity. He was wildly successful in this, but it proved to be a strain that he could not enjoy or control. Stross sums up: "Edison failed to invent a way to free himself from unrealistic expectations produced by his own past."
Thomas Edison is human........2007-04-04
The author brings Thomas Edison to life in these pages exposing all of his brilliance, ineptness, and stubborness. No one can doubt the genius that is Edison, while at the same time appreciating all of the business opportunities lost due to his quirks of personality and failure to recognize them when they are right before his eyes.
It is a fascinating look at someone who I have admired for years from reading about his accomplishments, but now I feel I know him as a person. I had a hard time putting the book down. A must read for anyone and especially people who are innovative and entrepreneurial.
Genius is what genius does.......2007-03-20
Having met a genius in gambling - the Captain - I have become fascinated in what makes certain men or women reach such high levels of achievement. This is a stunningly excellent book that will rivet you to its pages.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! and Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!
Book Description
Wartville is being buried in trash! There are soda bottles under the flowers, juice cans by the mailbox, and newspapers along the road. Every day the piles grow higher and higher.
Then one tidy old man realizes he has the power to get rid of all the trash forever. Wartville will finally be cleaned up once and for all!
Customer Reviews:
Great for teaching kids to be environmentally responsible!.......2005-04-14
I read this book to my first grade class and they loved it! They enjoyed the fun illustrations and I loved the humerous way that it taught them to think before throwing something away. We started a classroom recycling project after reading this book, at the student's suggestion! I highly recommend this book to any person teaching a child the value of keeping our Earth clean.
The Wartville Wizard-Good story, great lesson.......2000-03-31
I recently read this book to a five-year-old little boy who absolutely loved the book. He was intrigued by the pictures (especially the lady with the garbage stuck to her rear-end)and kept finding "clues" to how the story would end. He really enjoyed the plot and the humor. The Warville Wizard spurred on great conversations about litter and pollution. The only downfall is that the book doesn't go into why you shouldn't litter other than for the asthetic value of a clean world. But overall, this was a super book.
Excellent........1999-07-24
Great story to use for Earth Day. Humorous. Lends itself to other classroom activites.
Book Description
The Burning Legion has been defeated, and eastern regions of Kalimdor are now shared by two nations: the orcs of Durotar, led by their noble Warchief, Thrall; and the humans of Theramore, led by one of the most powerful mages alive -- Lady Jaina Proudmoore.
But the tentative peace between orcs and humans is suddenly crumbling. Random attacks against Durotar's holdings suggest that the humans have renewed their aggression toward the orcs. Now Jaina and Thrall must avert disaster before old hatreds are rekindled -- and Kalimdor is plunged into another devastating war.
Jaina's search to uncover the truth behind the attacks leads her to a shocking revelation. Her encounter with a legendary, long-lost wizard will challenge everything that she believes and illuminate the secret history of the world of...
Customer Reviews:
World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred.......2007-09-17
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, with a good plot. If you are looking for a book with a lot of World of Warcraft history, you won't find it in this book. What you will find is a good fantasy story set in the World of Warcraft universe involving "big name" characters.
Good History.......2007-08-09
Excellent history of the Warcraft world and why things are the way they are, especially the relationship between Orcs, Humans and Draenei
Only for the most die hard WOW fan.......2007-08-02
This is without a doubt, the worst warcraft novel ever written. I have read and own all the warcraft novels ( and the manga as well), and for the most part they are well done and greatly add to the richness of the Warcraft universe.
The plot is flat, easily guessed in advance and reveals no new lore. The characters are stale, and worst and most unforgivable of all, the staple characters in the novel don't act at all as they should. I wonder if DeCandido did any research at all before writing. He makes Jaina look stupid and severely downplays her power as a wizard, while increasing her importance to the alliance. He makes Thrall even stupider and a woman hater, which is laughable considering he of all members of the horde actually fights for womens rights.
If we are lucky DeCandido, will never be allowed to pen another Warcraft novel. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this one, unless you can bear to see your favorite characters butchered ( personality wise) in an effort to glean what little lore this novel possesses.
Fantastic if you're a 14 year old girl.......2007-05-01
While I do not mind the concept of a female character being the primary heroine of any story, I was extremely vexed while reading this particular piece of tripe.
Male characters, short of Thrall, are presented as cowardly, conniving, emasculated rags of filthy flesh, too stupid and dishonest to be of much use to Azeroth. If a male character is not flawed on some mental or spiritual level, he is lame or unfit, a mere shell of man when compared to near goddess-like images portrayed by the women in the story. Even a mere soldier is said to wield his sword better than his father ever did but worse than his mother. There is not a single male character in the book who is noble, upright, brave, or the best at anything.
Even Warchief Thrall is seen to blow-up at Jaina Proudmoore at their first meeting in the story. This is not the noble and wise Warchief of the Horde that those who play the MMO are accustomed to; this is one author's seriously flawed perception of the male of the species.
Again, I have no problem with a female heroine in ANY story. But what is present here is NOT the magnification and elevation of women for their own merits, but by the degradation and emasculation of their male counterparts. Even when a female character exhibits deep flaws (Magna Aegwynn) she is allowed the opportunity to redeem herself while males (Major Davin) never achieve salvation but rather slink off, victims to their own insurmountable neuroses.
Further, character and plot development take a back-seat to repetition of the basic lore prior to Jaina's becoming the leader of Theramore. Yes, Jaina betrayed her own father to keep a promise to Thrall. Yes, Thrall and the other orcs were corrupted by the Burning Legion, brought to Azeroth to fight for the demons, defeated and enslaved by humanity, and ultimately freed by the young Warchief. Yes, Magna Aegwynn defied the Order of Trisfal, was inhabited by the soul of Sargeras, and was responsible for the evil that was Medivh. But when these points are repeated over and over, ad nauseum, one begins to wonder if there is more to the story than this? A lot of padding here to support what, in truth, is very little substance.
Further, the author seems to know exceedingly little about the world of Azeroth as it manifests in its most elaborate and versatile medium: the MMORPG that is The World of Warcraft. At one point, a demonic ritual is performed which leaves behind the apparent stench of sulfur and thyme. While a seemingly trivial detail that might be overlooked, ardent fans of the Warcraft universe would wonder, "Why thyme?" Why not one of the herbs found in Azeroth such as Silverleaf, Plaguebloom, or (more appropriately, given its proximity to areas of demonic manifestation) Gromsblood? Did the author of this book even play the game prior to writing it or did he just research the lore of the world and hope for the best?
If you're a 14 year old girl, still prone to thinking of boys as "icky" then this is the book for you. If you're an adult who enjoys all that Azeroth has to offer and finds the lore of the world compelling, you may skip this tome safely.
Two stars because I'm feeling generous today.
Disappointed, but Decent.......2007-02-10
I was excited to start reading this book when I got it. I was a little disappointed though. It's not a BAD book, it's just not good. The plot is not strong and there isnt enough character developement. Most of the book is people standing around talking about who did what and discussing the past. I thought the book started strong and there are some high points and interesting characters, but when I finished the book I remember thinking... "that's it?"
Average customer rating:
- demonstrates basic ideas well
- Not for novice programmers
- Solid Introduction To JavaScript
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Web Wizard's Guide to JavaScript
Steven G. Estrella
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The Web Wizard's Guide to XML
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ASIN: 0201758334 |
Book Description
The Web Wizard's Guide to JavaScript teaches readers how to create Web sites that will have an audience coming back for more. From rollovers to cookies, this quick and easy-to-understand introduction to JavaScript will show readers how to create well-designed, user-friendly Web sites in no time. This book discusses plug-ins and multimedia, presents information on forms and explains the basic programming concepts behind JavaScript. It includes appendices of HTML tags and JavaScript keywords. The Web Wizard Series from Addison-Wesley is a series of brief, introductory books written by instructors on Internet and Web programming topics of interest to anyone who wants to create web pages. Each book includes an easy-to-read, full-color design featuring plenty of hands-on examples and exercises, and is written in a concise and practical manner so readers can use the technologies in no time.
Customer Reviews:
demonstrates basic ideas well.......2005-11-18
Estrella provides a quick introduction to JavaScript. Enough details to understand the basic coding ideas. The illustrations and examples are also well chosen to reinforce this learning.
He demonstrates that JavaScript can greatly enhance the interactivity of your web pages. It complements the static features of HTML, by letting you write dynamic pages, that have behaviour as well as a single visual representation.
The book does not try to give a comprehensive overview of the language. But it should encourage you to seek out more information.
Not for novice programmers.......2003-08-05
I love the web wizard's series, and had high hopes for using this book in an intro-level course. But the programming concepts come too fast for someone who hasn't done any programming. Chapter 1 throws out a zillion concepts without giving enough concrete examples of how they are used, so they will remain abstract to novices.
An example: comparison operators are introduced on page 10, when one has no conceivable use for them. And then on page 20, we get to loops, and on page 21, conditional statements. You just can't pick up javascript this way unless you already know how to program.
This is probably a fine book for folks who already know how to program, but want to pick up javascript. But OTOH, if you already know how to program, aren't you ready for the O'Reilly Javascript books?
I'm not sure what this book's niche is. I thought the web wizard's series was for novices.
Solid Introduction To JavaScript.......2002-02-06
This book does the job. It teaches concepts not just code. You can get lots of code examples for free on the internet. The only reason to buy a book is to learn how things work not just how to make things happen. One nice feature of the book is that it doesn't delve into every possible method or property. instead the author selected the most practical aspects of the language to teach. It is not the last book on JavaScript you will ever need but it makes a good first book on the topic.
Book Description
J. K. Rowling’s novels about Harry Potter and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have captured the imaginations of people everywhere. In If Harry Potter Ran General Electric, bestselling business author Tom Morris (If Aristotle Ran General Motors) uncovers the values and timeless truths that underlie Rowling’s hugely popular books and illuminates the lessons they offer to all of us in our careers and daily lives.
But, you say, Harry Potter lives in a world of magic. What can we possibly learn to apply to our own careers and everyday lives? Morris shows that the most difficult problems Harry and his friends face are rarely solved by the use of magic alone. Rather, they are conquered by intelligence, reasoning, determination, creativity, friendship, and a host of other classic virtues–the very qualities, in fact, that make for success in every aspect of our lives.
Blending an array of provocative examples from the novels with thought-provoking commentary on contemporary management practices, If Harry Potter Ran General Electric offers readers a master’s course on leadership and ethics, told in an engaging and insightful way.
Customer Reviews:
disappointed.......2007-01-05
Though a great idea, the book was not commensurate with the tone and expectations the title gives. It was like reading an old college textbook in philosophy. I wanted more of a 21st century pace and style. Good try but the content wasn't as catchy as the premise.
Dumbledore - The CEO of Hogwarts!.......2006-09-29
I bought this book in preparation for LUMOS 2006, because Tom Morris was one of the keynote speakers. The book is great - Tom is obviously a true Harry Potter fan. The book addresses the wisdom of the Harry Potter magical world and it's attributes within business leadership. I attended his presentation at Lumos and found out that he is a great speaker too! Tom does a lot of business speaking to huge companies and really knows how to hold an audience. Also, I was lucky enough to catch Tom in the hall and got his autograph inside the book! Accio Wisdom!
As a business person and a "Harry Potter Fan" I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for another slant on the magical world of HP or for those business folk who are interested wisdom, virtue and ethics in the business world - but are bored with the stodgy navy suited red tied perspective.
Leadership Wisdom from the Wise and Intuitive Perspective of Tom Morris.......2006-08-14
"Leadership Wisdom from the World of the Wizards" should read "Leadership Wisdom from the Wise and Intuitive Perspective of Tom Morris" as, in many ways it's one and the same.
Tom writes with an energy that contains the kind of 'magic' that captivates and grabs hold of your imagination. One can't wait to see the connections he weaves, creating magic in every day life.
If you integrate even a fraction of what you learn through his words, your world as you know it will be infinitely better and filled with a wealth of possibility.
If Harry Potter Ran General Electric.......2006-07-01
Tom Morris has done it again! His latest book, If Harry Potter Ran General Electric, is an inexpensive means of obtaining Morris's great wisdom. It is likely that Tom Morris will join the ranks of the great stoics. No wonder the book has already hit a couple of bestseller lists, including the Wall Street Journal List!
Those who thought the Harry Potter books are unfit for their children to read should see Morris' take on the books. Where some think only of the trickery of witchcraft and magic, Morris looks at the wisdom, character, and the morality to be gained from reading Rowling's works. It is a study that would make a better corporate environment for anyone who implemented Morris' lessons into their work and everyday life.
Morris touches just about every realm of the human mind with clarity. He takes into account the bad with the good and suggests a means of turning the bad into good scenarios.
My mother used to say, "Be a problem solver, not a problem maker". Apparently, Tom Morris and JK Rowling had some of the same type of education from their parents.
This book ranks six stars out of a field of five stars. Every board room in the world should have it available to their management personnel. It is a real winner. Don't miss out!
Harry Potter - Wizard of Wisdom.......2006-05-17
If Harry Potter Ran General Electric is a bridge between the fantasy world of J.K Rowling's imagination and the world that business and professional people face every day. Both Rowling and author and public philosopher Tom Morris present us pictures of the ethical realities that both the young Harry and the rest of must address in order to be successful without losing our integrity.
Morris's book is more intentionally focused on leadership than his previous books. Whether you own a small business or staff a cubicle in a global corporation, there is something here for you. This isn't a formulaic approach to leadership. There is no leadership matrix revealed here, except that leadership is "always fundamentally a relational, interpersonal role"(p.152). Each chapter explores insights from the Harry Potter stories that illuminate the nature of leadership. Having spent two decades engaged with leaders and their development, I find Morris' perspective is right on the money. That perspective is that great leaders like Harry Potter and the headmaster of Hogwarts School, Albus Dumbledore, display the qualities of "high competence and deep character." (p.156). It is the deep character side of leadership that If Harry Potter Ran General Electric describes.
I've already bought two copies to give to young professionals who will be greatly encouraged by Morris' work. This is a book to share, discuss and celebrate.
Book Description
Hank thought that getting through summer school to get to the fifth grade would be hard enough, but little did he know that it would get worse! Everyone in the fifth grade is starting to focus on a sport—and they're really good. Everyone, that is, except Hank. When Papa Pete suggests that Hank take up Ping-Pong, he decides to give it a try but keeps it top secret, as he thinks the other kids will tease him about it not being a "real" sport. Hank is so good that he manages to Ping-Pong his way to the championship! But when he finds out the contest is being held at "Nick the Tick" McKelty's family bowling alley, will he risk being the laughingstock of the fifth grade?
Book Description
More than 63 million Americans now invest in stock mutual funds. Yet, among the thousands of available choices, less than five percent consistently beat the Standard & Poor's 500 index. The few managers able to surpass this venerable benchmark are a rare breed indeed. Wizards Of Wall Street reveals the secrets of 18 of the world's most steadfastly successful mutual fund managers-all of whom have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past five years, many for much longer.
Kirk Kazanjian, a noted investment expert and personal finance author, presents candid and telling interviews with each manager, tracing their careers and uncovering their successful stock picking strategies. Some, like David Alger, Thomas Marsico, William Miller, and Jim Oelschlager, are prominent in the press. Others, like Ronald Canakaris and William Oates, avoid the spotlight and rarely grant public interviews. Some look for growth at any price. Others keep a strict eye on value. Some buy only established giants. Others prefer small startups. All have indisputable track records, fascinating backgrounds, distinctive styles, and a wealth of knowledge to share.
The book culminates with a penetrating look at the traits these pros have in common and provides a list of ten keys to beating the market. Engaging and enlightening, Wizards of Wall Street will captivate anyone interested in investing for both pleasure and profit.
Customer Reviews:
Big Disapointment.......2004-04-04
I'm not sure I found one decent idea in this book
I would rate this a "sell".......2004-03-07
I bought this book hoping to learn some real insights. What I learned is that this author doesn't understand the business.
Very Good Book.......2002-06-18
One of the finest all-around investment books I have seen. Lots of wisdom from many excellent managers.
There are much better books out there.......2002-06-10
This wasn't one of the better books out there. It may have been one of the worst. I personally liked: "Secrets of the Wealth Makers: Top Money Managers Reveal Their Investing Wisdom."
Excellent reading and great investment tips.......2002-06-03
This book is full of great and timely investment advice from some leading investment managers. I also really enjoyed how the author took the best advice and put it all together to form specific strategies every investor can use to manage a profitable portfolio. It will be an insightful read for investors of all experience levels.
Book Description
Get into the minds of the greatest gamblers of all time with this 2002 release from Huntington Press, Gambling Wizards by Richard W. Munchkin. Read in-depth interviews with eight masters of the games. Learn how they think, how they play, and what made them successful.
The interview subjects include: Billy Walters (sports betting), Chip Reese (poker), Doyle Brunson (poker), Mike Svobodny (backgammon), Stan Tomchin (backgammon and sports betting), Cathy Hulbert (blackjack and poker), Alan Woods (blackjack and horse racing), and Tommy Hyland (blackjack).
Customer Reviews:
Interviews with 8 Gamblers.......2006-01-19
This book contains a series of 8 interviews with gamblers across a range of games (backgammon, horse racing, poker, other) of proportionate length and content. There is a standard range of in each discussion including youth, introduction to gaming, books, going broke, children and recommendations to others. Each interview is structured as an open ended question and answer session.
The author is not famliar with some of the answers as evidenced by reference to Harvel (for Harville) and may have lost other details in the transcription. An interesting aspect of the book is the definition of gaming slang (e.g. going broke). None of the questions are very pointed and the answers are equally dull. There is nothing about the questions or answers which is going to "open the bank" for any one. Instead, the book points to hard work and frequent losing streaks for the interviewees. Recent interest in poker may stimulate some interest. It was interesting to compare and contrast the answers and come away with my own picture regarding the key factors to success.
It is a fiction. Don't expect to find the secrets of the professional gamblers........2005-07-28
Do not expect this book to tell you anything about how the professional gamblers bet or what they perceive the right betting strategy is or how money management is about. This book is just some kind of fiction. By adopting a question-answer or interview approach, this book reveals how those professional gamblers started his/her first betting, how they became professional gamblers and what their interesting experiences were. This book is more of a leisure reading.
My favourite gambling book (out of more than 50!).......2005-02-21
This book has made me more money than any "How-to" book. The first time I read it, it was "only" entertainment. I thought "This was a really funny book, but I did not learn much". However, it was amazing how often I come to think of one passage or another while contemplating how to bet! I kept re-reading it, getting very useful hints on what to look for. It is now two years ago since I first read it and I got another one of these "flashbacks" while reading Ziemba's paper om horse betting markets. I though "Didn't they mentioned this in Gambling Wizards?" They sure did - along with one expert telling you why the PhDs model is flawed! All in all, I have been reading over 50 gambling books and this has given me the most help along the way - even though it is not even a "How to" book! My highest recommendation. Get ready to be both entertained and educated.
A book worth reading!.......2004-08-19
This book helped me incredibly understand the odds and help beat the casino at their games. I recommend it.
Candid Conversations with Professional Gamblers.......2004-03-04
Gambling Wizards: Conversations with the Worlds Greatest Gamblers, gives you exactly what you read in the title. A short intro to each person interviewed then a Q&A format from there on, some questions have some prior research on the part of the author so he knew which way to lead the conversation as well as a couple standard questions asked each person like "If your teenager came to you and wanted to be a professional gambler, what would you say?".
What I liked about this book the most is the personal information learned about these very famous gamblers. How they started on the road of gambling, personality, views on other gamblers and what it is like to be a professional gambler. I didn't expect them to be so candid and honest. The stereotype that most gamblers are liars hooked on drugs and alcohol didn't even come close to being upheld, most of them talk about having a great routine of exercise and are either completely against drinking and drugs or very infrequently touch it, especially while "working".
There are some really great stories about things that they've gone through, some shaken down by the government/police for money or flat out robbed by someone waiting in the parking lot. Being a millionaire one day, broke the next, and back again the day after. The gamblers don't give up secrets about particular games, which is something I didn't expect to see anyway since every time someone does then everyone knows and it doesn't work anymore.
The book is what you would expect if you were buying based on the title, candid conversations with professional gamblers. I enjoyed it.
Book Description
This will be the year of J.R.R. Tolkien when New Line 2001 Cinema releases the first part of a three part epic adaptation of The Lord of the Rings in December and the buzz has already begun among the hoards of Tolkien fans. Michael Stanton, a noted expert on science fiction and fantasy literature, has written an indispensible new guide to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings for readers and viewers alike. Stanton, who has been teaching Tolkien's epic for over 25 years at the University of Vermont, guides the reader through the thickets of characters and places Tolkien creates eschewing academic jargon and an overload of literary criticism to provide an understandable look at Tolkien's fantasyscape. He looks at characters, places, the various books of the epic, dreams, the notions of time and history, providing a rich and wonderful guide to Tolkien's world that no one will want to be without this year.
Book Description
The Wizard shares the secrets of business persuasion that are taught at his renowned Academy.
Customer Reviews:
Review by Irene Watson, author of "The Sitting Swing.".......2005-11-12
What can I say? Having the opportunity to take a workshop faciliated by Roy Williams, I am enthralled with not only the presentation but how he is able to articulate the information into book form and make it fun. It's not too often you get to read a "technique" book and it's fun at the same time. Williams did it in this book.
MorRifkie.......2003-01-01
What is branding? How do people really remember you? How do you build your brand? This book gets back to the basics. There really is a magical formula. For you. For your company.
I bought this book because it was different. It disagreed with everything I had previously learned. This book can change the way you think. Forever. My mind turns in a completely new direction. Seeing things from a complete new angle. How can anybody pass up such an opportunity?
Need Help Understanding Advertising/.......2002-12-25
Perfect for the entrapreneur or business person who is trying to get a handle on advertising expenses. Tells you how to increase the effectiveness of your ad campaigns and explains how to write ads that work. It will definately help you coach your ad reps and get you thinking about what your point of sale difference may be- whatever business you're in. A must have along with the entire set!
Thought Provoking But Not A "Step By Step" Guide.......2002-12-25
This book requires the reader/entrepreneur to invest more than just time to extract true value from the book. It requires the reader to analyze, understand and then apply Mr. William's seemingly random stream of thoughts and ideas to his or her own venture. Perhaps the best description of the book is that it is an anecodotal collection of marketing concepts and essays that loosely portray the author's own creative philosophies and illuminate his thoughts about success, business and competition. Though it lacks the revelatory tenor of a Vonnegut novel it's use of extremely short "Chapters" is reminiscent of that sort of work but in a wholly non-fictional way (if that is possible).
On the upside, the short narratives allow the reader to take in small concepts at a time and then use those concepts to let the thought process wash over him. Used in that fashion, the book can be a fountainhead of inspiration.
On the downside, not everyone who reads the book can muster that type of creative energy and ability and then the book is nothing more than a collection of short stories and essays.
Magical Thinking.......2002-12-24
As a graduate of the "Wizard Academy", I can vouch for Roy Williams: he is a masterful, charismatic speaker. The dark side, though, is that Roy respects scholarship only slightly more than he respects his followers. Roy talks about brain chemistry, but has no training in medicine or psychology. He talks about quantum physics, but never graduated college. His method of self-teaching is the purchasing of many volumes that he skims in search of support (however tenuous) for conclusions he's already arrived at.
Roy is charismatic, yes, but then so are most con artists. What he preaches is pure bunk, overlaid with a good deal of pseudo-sophistication and "mysticism"! Oooh! On the other hand, if this is your cup of tea, Roy pours it better than most.
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