Amazon.com
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.
The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.
A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham
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Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry. |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis. |
Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling
Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.
Did You Know?
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The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. |
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Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. |
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Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. |
A Few Words from Mary GrandPré
"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.
Customer Reviews:
A Satisfying Ending to the Harry Potter Saga.......2007-10-12
For me, this final book in the Harry Potter saga was a little slow getting started. Somewhere around page 200 I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It stays like that right to the end where all the big questions and mysteries are solved and resolved. I won't spoil it for you, but the ending is satisfying and logical even though some of Harry's friends don't make it to the end. J.K. Rowling is a master story teller. I'm going to have to read the whole story again just to see how everything ties together. I thought this was the best of the seven books. It's one of those books where you say "Wow!" when it's all over.
Great addition to the series.......2007-10-11
My kids loved it and had it read within a day or two. One child thought it was the best and the other one loved it but wasn't happy with the way events happened. Oh well, it's a great book to have.
Harry's Farewell.......2007-10-11
The world will surely miss Harry Potter.
As usual, beautifully written.
Shocking revelations.
I loved the ending... though maybe some people won't like it.. though honestly, who cares if you don't.
THIS IS THE LAST BOOK OF THE SERIES.. IF YOU DON'T BUY THIS, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT ALL THE OTHER HP BOOKS... duh!
kidding aside.. buy this because its (1) a great and grand book.
It's one of my favorites in the series.
(2) You have to support J.K. Rowling, if only to keep her writing more.
(3) For your collection
(4) BUY THIS OR LOSE OUT.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.......2007-10-11
This was my favorite book of the series, too bad that it has ended. I hope J.K. Rowling writes other books soon...I'm in need of something to read.
As expected.......2007-10-10
AS everyone knows by now, the last book was pretty much a repeat of previous themes, style and timing. This book perhaps meandered more in the telling of the tale, as the characters also wandered around lost for a period. The most interesting thing is the appearance of christian themes, particularly about dying and resurrection. Previous books very carefully avoided religion. But when fighting the ultimate evil, well...
Amazon.com
This is serious stuff. The most widely used medical text in the world and the hypochondriac's bible, the Merck has the lowdown on the vast expanse of human diseases, disorders and injuries, as well as their symptoms and recommended therapy. It's intended for physicians and medical students, but though the type is tiny and the language technical, the Merck's a valuable volume for anyone with more than a passing interest in bodily ills.
Book Description
The world's most widely used medical reference now features expanded clinical focus on each category of disorder, as well as more specific guidance on patient examinations. The thoroughly revised and updated 18th Edition is packed with essential information on diagnosing and treating medical disorders to help medical professionals deliver the best care to their patients.
This handy, compact guide was written by a team of clinicians for everyday use. Designed for maximum clinical utility, the new Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy makes it easy to find the right information, right when it is needed. It is a must-have for medical students, residents, practicing physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals.
Featuring:
- All new "approach" chapters
- All-new abstract summaries
- 341 total chapters
- 34 completely new chapters
- 69 new illustrations
- New cross-referencing
- Two-color presentation
- Brand new content on: critical care medicine, metabolic syndrome, acute lung injury, biological warfare and terrorism, SARS, smallpox, and more
Customer Reviews:
Merck Manuel review.......2007-09-21
This product came quick and well packaged. It was sealed well and then packaged in a sturdy cardboard box. It arrived in perfect condition.
great book.......2007-07-14
is easy to understand all the condition very quick... you have also picture to help you... really it's a great medical reference to use.
VERY UNHAPPY CAMPER.......2007-06-26
I ordered this book to be shipped to Puerto Rico. Was told that it would be there by 06/25. Still don't have it. According to Amazon's online tracking the book arrived in Puerto Rico yesterday but still has not been delivered. Customer service tells me that it was shipped via ParcelPool. I made an inquiry at ParcelPool and was told that they work "in partnership" with the US Postal Service. The representative told me that the EARLIEST that we will get delivery of this book will be on Thursday!! Explain to me how that is considered 06/25 delivery and how on earth anyone would consider that good customer service!!!!
UPDATE 06/27/07: STILL NO BOOK!!
Merck Manual 18th Edition.......2007-05-12
The Merck Manual 18th Edition
I have been in the medical field for 50 years, but this is my favorite textbook - I always get the new edition when it becomes available. This book has something about every possible diagnosis - I wouldn't be without it.
MERCK MANUAL IS A VERY INFORMATIVE BOOK.......2007-05-07
I am a medical editor and I find the Merck Manual very, very helpful in my profession. The new one tht I just received has so much information that I use on a daily basis. It is one of the best medical information books that I have in my library.
Customer Reviews:
Book Purchase.......2005-09-03
Pay close attention to the description when you purchase from this place. I have a teachers edition of a book that isn't supposed to be sold on the internet.
Book Description
Enhance your skills as an effective, culturally aware communicator with INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION: A READER (WITH INFOTRAC). You'll find articles -- some commissioned solely for this text --that discuss the classic ideas that laid the groundwork for this field, as well as those that investigate the field's latest research and ideas. This reader presents material in context so you can to read, understand and then apply the concepts to your own life to ensure that theyStrengthened by the InfoTrac online resource, this text will teach you what you need to know and help you to apply it to your own life!
Customer Reviews:
The Text is Excellent........2006-03-24
I have taught with several of the major readers on the market: Samovar and Porter's, Nakayama and Martin, and others. This text has the most well written readings and contains articles on many seminal issues, context (Hall), time (Hall), etc. This text has the LEAST blatantly fluff filled articles intended only to titillate and pander to students. Additionally, if you review some of the other texts, you will see that they often have poorly referenced articles and the work is less than scholarly. It is possible to write a chapter for a reader such as this and support your content with support and references. The articles here are interesting, well written, well referenced, and more-grounded in theory and research than a lot of the competition. I recommend it highly. MLK
Great Book!! Very Informative.......2003-07-09
I was lucky enough to take a class from Professor Samovar. This was a great book and a good introduction to intercultural communication.
Order: Intercultural Communication : A Reader.......1999-09-12
Intercultural Communication : A Reader by Larry A. Samovar (Editor), Richard E. Porter Paperback 9th edition (July 1999) Wadsworth Pub Co;
Book Description
Completely updated every year Frommer's Italy features a completely redesigned section of gorgeous color photos and maps of the most of the ancient and modern cities, classical architecture and ruins, vineyards, villages, and gorgeous countryside vistas that await you. Much more detailed and comprehensive than the major competition, this is simply the most reliable and in-depth guide you can buy. It's personally researched and full of candid opinions. Our authors have chosen the very best places to stay, from the grand hotels of Rome and the chic resorts of Capri to charming and affordable inns and small hotels in regions like Tuscany and the Lake District. And of course, we'll make sure that you dine memorably throughout Italy, whether you're splurging on a world-class restaurant in Florence or looking for a little-known trattoria that serves all the classics. Wherever you go, you'll rely on Frommer's for authoritative but fun-to-use coverage of all the historic, artistic, and cultural treasures. You'll get a complete shopper's guide, the latest trip-planning advice on everything from bargain airfares to rail passes, and a complete shopper's guide. Frommer's Italy even features a color fold-out map!
Customer Reviews:
updated?.......2007-09-01
I'm not sure I trust the quality of update in this guide. First, the Rome metro diagram was not up to date...by about five years. It didn't include the Cipro and beyond stops. And, at least one of the addresses in Milan was not correct. I ended up knocking on the business' back door!
Frommers Itally 2007 .......2007-08-03
I received Frommers Itally 2007 book before the seller indicated that it would arrive! It was in excellent condition and has been very useful thus far.
Frommer's Italy 2007.......2007-07-04
This is an excellent book to use if you are planning a trip to italy, in terms of the quality of the information, it is informative and is also up to date, furthermore, the maps are both accurate as well as in proportion; the only fault we found with it, is that it lacks pictures, thus, it is excellent as a guide and planner, but has to be used in conjunction with the net, to be able to view images of the sites.
A lot of SMALL WRITING & hardly no pictures!.......2007-05-14
If you like to read small print and not see any pictures, then this is the guide for you. I was disapointed. I have ordered several different guides for Italy and this was not a good one since I enjoy visual displays to go with great writing. This was a lot of dull small printed writing with no visual effects.
I WOULD SUGGEST "DK Eyewitness Travel Italy"it is wonderful with the visual displays and historic lessons. It was very colorful and had the everything I was looking for.. maps, photographs, area color codes to divide sections, shopping suggestions, survival guide. bus and tram routes mapped out, and historical/travel lessons.
Frommer's Italy 2007.......2007-05-12
No where can I find such good value other than at Amazon. The shipping is waived most of the time, and the prices are fantastic. The delivery is always timely. Even though I can purchase some items locally I try to use Amazon more often than not. This item is for our upcoming Mediterranean Cruise and we are finding it exceedingly helpful for planning our journey.
Book Description
The U.S. health care system is in crisis. At stake are the quality of care for millions of Americans and the financial well-being of individuals and employers squeezed by skyrocketing costs--not to mention the stability of state and federal government budgets.
In Redefining Health Care, internationally renowned strategy expert Michael E. Porter and innovation expert Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg reveal the underlying and largely overlooked causes of the problem and provide a powerful prescription for change. The authors argue that participants in the health care system have competed to shift costs, accumulate bargaining power, and restrict services rather than create value for patients. This zero-sum competition takes place at the wrong level--among health plans, networks, and hospitals--rather than where it matters most: in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of specific health conditions.
In spite of competition among these systems, the patient care cycle is poorly coordinated. The fractured system undermines both efficiency and quality of outcomes.
Redefining Health Care lays out a breakthrough framework for redefining health care competition based on patient value over the full cycle of care—from prevention and diagnosis through recovery or long-term disease management. With specific recommendations for hospitals, doctors, health plans, employers, and policy makers, this book shows how to move to value-based competition on results that will unleash stunning improvements in quality and efficiency.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent analysis with some weak points.......2007-09-01
This book has received probably disproportionate attention due to Prof. Porter's notoriety as a strategic thinking theorist. There are better overall books on healthcare policy available. In particular I recommend the Bodenheimer/Grumbach books, one on healthcare policy and one on primary care, Dr. Arnold Relman's book, A Second Opinion, Strained Mercy, an outstanding and thorough analysis of healthcare economics with particular regard to Canada's healthcare system, among others.
I find the analysis of the USA healthcare system by Profs. Porter and Teisberg to generally be excellent, although I find it wanting in regard to their disparagement of a single-payer/single-insurer system and to their description and analysis of healthcare systems outside the USA. From my perspective private health plans play only a net negative role in the system. The authors' analysis of how the health insurance market works is quite good. However their recommendation that a system of private insurers should persist is refuted by their own analysis! A single payer/insurer system will not cure the problems of the US system, as they clearly point out, but it does remove the inherently dysfunctional characteristics of private insurance, not least of which is its failure to meet the needs of the uninsured - a very large number - and its inherent propensity to exclude the very people who need coverage and care. The authors rightly point out that mandatory health insurance along with risk-pooling among insurers to spread the costs of those insured individuals who generate the highest costs is a "solution" to the current non-functioning system, but the same result, at lower cost and with much greater simplicity, can be achieved through a single payer/insurer.
The other key aspect of healthcare - how it is delivered - is ultimately more important than the financing/insurance side. The authors provide excellent analysis and recommendations in this regard. They correctly address the aspects of the healthcare market that prevent its functioning as a "competitive" market, specifically the abysmal lack of patient information on prices for services, on outcomes of actions by providers, comparative statistics on provider performance and similar. They also provide an interesting report by the Cleveland Clinic on outcomes, i.e. results, of the Clinic's heart surgery activity. They appropriately use this as an example of the kind of reporting that is needed.
The authors' analysis of healthcare systems outside the USA is skimpy and inaccurate in my opinion. The authors underplay the demonstrated efficacy of government-funded systems that outperform the USA system almost across the board in gross measures of outcomes (infant mortality and longevity) and vastly outperform the US system in regard to cost. They gloss over the fact that per capita costs in the USA are 2.5 times! the average of other OECD countries. It is not as though the costs are say 10% above the average with comparable outcomes. They are 150% higher with worse outcomes. Instead of noting this and analyzing it thoroughly, the authors assert that waiting times and rationing of care are significant problems in those countries, assertions which are simply not borne out by a closer examination of the facts. Also the fact that (mostly) single-payer/insurer systems function well universally does not fit the authors' main thesis, so rather than revise the thesis based on this evidence they choose to ignore the evidence.
As a consequence of these limitations I rate the book with 4 stars rather than 5. Too bad, because most of the book is excellent.
Redefining Health Care.......2007-05-23
Book Review
Redefining Health Care by Michael Porter
I am writing this review to help share some excellent ideas on the availability and quality of medical treatment in the United States and on the U.S. economy which is being dragged down by ever-increasing medical costs. The economic impact is not just on corporate profits and stock prices but also on U.S. employment because everything that raises costs makes it harder for U.S. manufacturers to compete with foreign suppliers and makes it harder for U.S. manufacturers to sell in foreign markets.
Unfortunately, the book is long, turgid, and full of details, which help to substantiate his conclusions and also provide guidance on implementing improved policies. I am afraid the book does not appeal to executives, politicians, or doctors. It also proposes radical changes in all aspects of the medical system and its financing and operation. Dr. Porter proposes major changes on the part of all parties involved in delivering and paying for health care.
The book begins with a review of health indexes and health care throughout the world and shows, while the U.S. has the greatest expenditures by any set of measurements, it does not have the best results.
Then, Dr. Porter introduces his most important concept: that any medical treatment should be measured by its results; how much lost time and discomfort did the patient have, is he or she completely cured, or how much disability measured over the entire span of the illness or even the life of the patient. We tend to think of an operation as being successful if the patient left the hospital in good condition. But how much additional recovery time, disability, or reoccurrence was there? If the patient doesn't come back to see him, a doctor doesn't know whether he was cured by the treatment or if the patient was so dissatisfied he went to another doctor or simply gave up on a series of treatments. The goal is to develop a scoring system for each group of illnesses that can be compared with the cost of each individual's treatment and their results to determine what is the best set of procedures and the best doctor or group of doctors to do the work can be used to guide providers and treatments. Porter has some reason to believe that the best treatments are generally less costly even though the individual item costs may be more, the greater effectiveness and the less chance of complications reduces overall cost. Included in the overall cost should be lost wages, which is a reasonable proxy for the patient's time.
The goal is to develop a health plan that pays for results not for treatments. In many cases, that would be a single payment to the provider for a whole series of treatments from diagnosis on through operations, post-operative care, and follow ups which could extend over a long period of time. This is a radical change from the present system which pays for treatments and tends to produce more treatments and does not have any effective means for either the insurers, or the employers, or the patients even to compare one treatment option with another. This is an extreme, radical change and would take a long time to implement, but there are pieces of the program in operation. A number of these are explained at length. Health insurance companies could hire these firms for their specialized expertise and would not have to do the work on their own. An example of what is done is how the firm studies the history of heart transplant patients and will give an insurance company a single payment for the entire course of treatment providing it is done in the manner and by people they specify. They would particularly focus on caregivers who have an outstanding record of success. It appears that for most illnesses, there are organizations that are substantially better than others and this program could be extended broadly.
Another area of development would be to have counselors which would be part of the function of the insurer to advise a company's employees with a list of particularly well qualified doctors and suggest treatment elements.
Government would seem to be poorly adapted to facilitating these changes because they are radically different from Medicare. Medicare seems to promote cheap, but not necessarily effective treatments and set arbitrary pay scales which do not allow the better providers to charge more for their services and thus encourage more providers to be in the high performance category. Companies that pay for the insurance are the ones that have to put pressure on the insurers to implement the above changes. This could not be done over a short period of time but would eliminate a lot of the wasted time that is now involved in the payments for each little step of the process and for each treatment step.
Chapter 8 is a detailed discussion of how to implement the aforementioned concepts using modifications of Medicare and other laws. This is too complex to summarize here but it appears doable if Congress and the Executive are sufficiently motivated. It is likely that few people would understand what is happening, but the benefits to cost ratio is sufficiently great that the changes would probably be supported and accepted. On the other hand, the situation is so complex, it is questionable whether lawmakers and administrators would be willing to undertake the many complex tasks required. On the other hand, the downside risk appears quite small.
Porter approaches the whole subject from the points of view of business strategy and the problems of decisions with very imperfect information. While the government frequently acts with very imperfect information, its strategy for doing so is not well developed and poorly applied.
Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results
A new look.......2007-05-20
Though a little dry, and at times repetitive, this book offers practical information. In a mess of books describing the massive problems in healthcare today, this book was at once motivating and up-lifting. I bought it for a class, but it is one of the books I'll be keeping instead of passing along at the end of the quarter.
Disappointed but Some Might Find Value.......2007-04-05
I'm a big fan of Porter, but I was somewhat disappointed by this book. Let me be frank. The first problem I have with the book is that the authors try to capture as large of an audience as possible, being careful not to place blame on certain providers within the health care system. That approach might get better reviews and sell more copies, but it is not delivering real value. One cannot escape mention of the realities of corruption and fraud by every player in health care and expect to address the problems.
The second problem I have is that Porter fails to recognize that health care is distinct from any other industry in America because it is highly politically influenced. Much of the health care system is public (government funded). This is a main reason why competition in this industry is highly ineffective. How can you have a pure competitive environment when poor performing providers continue to receive government-funded contracts? How can you have full competition when Washington merely fines providers for fraud with no jail time? How can you have competition that creates value when Washington places the burden of increasing costs upon taxpayers, letting the industry charge what it needs to deliver earnings that Wall Street expects?
Overall, by failing to address the harsh realities of politics and big money within America's health care industry, Porter's book is too idealistic and therefore falls short of offering a real solution. Regardless, it is a quality book and at least does what no other has in trying to approach the problems from a reasonable standpoint. I expected more from him, but clearly this book is a view from academia and is far detached from many realities of big industry in America. There are many good points in the book, but without addressing the main problems of a system whereby lobbyist groups who control health care policy, very little will change.
Redefining Health Care.......2007-01-09
Overall the book is a very good essay on how our healthcare system needs to evolve. From my vantage point, many of the points are relevant. It is a relatively lenghty book, being 400 pages, but the book does have a good, logical flow. It is worth reading to better understand our current healthcare system and ways to improve it.
Book Description
What forces drive competition in an industry? What moves will competitors make? How will one's industry evolve? How do strategic planners respond to competitive actions? How can a firm be best positioned to compete in the long run?
Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy is the definitive work on the subject of "competitive strategy," the hottest new concept in American business today. The book addresses major questions of vital concern to managers, and presents a comprehensive set of analytical techniques for understanding a business and the behavior of its competitors.
Step-by-step, Porter provides the techniques and tools managers need to successfully conduct an industry and competitor analysis. Just a few examples:
- The fundamental factors determining the nature of competition in a business.
- The three generic competitive strategies for coping with industry structure: cost leadership, differentiation, and "focus."
- How to recognize and act on "market signals" from competitors.
- Forecasting how the structure of an industry will evolve.
- The costs, risks, and returns of a "preemptive" strategy.
- Competing effectively in an emerging industry.
- Selecting new industries to enter.
Beginning with a comprehensive set of tools and techniques for analyzing any industry and any array of competitors, the book moves on to examine competitive strategies for fragmented industries, emerging industries, maturing industries, declining industries and global industries. The final section of the book provides analytical techniques for making the important strategic decisions that confront firms -- vertical integration, major capacity expansion, divestment and entry into new businesses.
This book will enable managers to anticipate and prepare for -- rather than simply react to -- sudden competitor moves, new entries into their business, and shifts in industry structure, as well as to take forceful positive action to improve a company's position through tested competitive strategies. Competitive Strategy is destined to become the Bible for Fortune 500 managers, company advisers, and securities analysts.
Customer Reviews:
A Classic.......2007-04-16
This book is perhaps the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The book together with Porter's "Competitive Advantage" and "Competitive Advantage of Nations" has remained as the model or classic work on business strategy. Although the business world has evolved significantly since 1980 when the book was published, the framework and analysis of the book is still applicable and relevant today. Therefore, this book is a "must-have" for anyone involved in Strategic Planning and Analysis since many of his concepts can easily be applied to the current economic environment, with some necessary adaptations. The framework Porter lays out is a great starting point for any analysis of industries or competitors.
The book is well written in a clear and straightforward, and easy to understand format, although sometimes I got the sense that the book can tend to repeat itself. However, the clarity of the concepts is a welcome change from some lesser textbooks you sometimes meet in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves to reinforce his message.
However, the rapid advances of technology mean that there is need for some adaptation of some of the concepts to take into account the changing paradigms such as the need to delight the customer with the competitor not being the centre of gravity but rather the customer. In this regard, the book has some limitations, because the competitive dimension is frequently less important than the customer element in the current environment.
Despite these weaknesses, this book provides an excellent start of how to think about competitors, as long as you keep a close look at the additional dimensions after grasping the analysis.
Comprehensive checklist.......2007-02-17
This book is a checklist, a great checklist for anyone doing analysis on industries or companies. Porter is a hard to miss if you work in this area, so you might as well get through this book, and you'll know what everyone is talking about, and you'll also get a good framework that ensures that your analysis doesn't skip important points.
Reading Art of War and those kinds of books gives you another kind of strategy, which is very useful in combination with the things Porter gives you. Basically, I think Porter has done a great job of "summarizing" the strategy-process, and this is why the book is fo famous, and it is also why I give it 4 and not 5 stars. With sound theory and thorough work you will get the same insights as with Porters framework, and you will also be better equipped to deal with the peculiarities in every situation. Nevertheless, many peole don't have time/the interest for more than a summary, so for them this book is great. And for the rest it's great to get through it to learn the "common language" that is prevalent in the industry of strategy and anlysis today.
Landmark Book on How to Think about Competing.......2006-10-11
"Competitive Strategy" was one of my favorite books when I was studying for an MBA. It continues to be one of my key reference books. It will help you learn how to think about competing. Although the concepts contained are now viewed as common sense, so many people ignore these basics and fail. This is a must read for anyone in business.
You Know It's a Classic -- So Just Buy It.......2006-07-20
There's no point in me telling you something you already know (this seminal book came out over 25 years ago -- its REQUIRED reading at every respectable MBA program I can think of).
What I will say is that this is a critical book to own if you want to understand how and why firms choose to penetrate (or avoid) markets. Speaking from my own experience, this is also a MUST HAVE if you want to understand industry dynamics if you are a consultant, or in my case, an aspiring equity research analyst.
An excellent book.......2006-06-17
Much has been written about Porter in these reviews and elsewhere, so I won't repeat that information. Instead, I will focus on what drew me to this book, and from that, what its strengths and weeknesses are.
I heard about "Competitive Strategy" because it was referenced by a number of stock analysts seeking to determine or project earnings of a particular company going forward. Read with that position alone in mind, "Competitive Strategy" is fairly esoteric. The book itself is written more from the perspective of a consultant or "big picture" thinker than it is from, say, the view of a financer or investor. While that was somewhat of a drawback for me for my purposes, it certainly does not detract from the overall value of the book.
The book itself is quite readable, despite the academic credentials of the author and much of its audience and its theoretical bent. However, readers seeking quantafiable information will not find formulas or other information of a comparable nature to guide them. This is not unexpected, yet Porter's book is cited or referenced by a fair number of stock market analysts seeking support a variety of conclusions they've reached. After reading the book myself, I am forced to conclude that (i) there is no crystal ball for anyone to determine the future, and (ii) while Porter's book is an invaluable tool for management of a particular entity to use in assessing its competitive environment and strategy, it does not provide the individual investor with the ability to read futur events.
In all, Porter's book is a great read, and should add greatly to any person's ability to analyze the environment in which a particular corporation exists. However, investors might wish to supplement it with methods from other disciplines (such as Benjamin Graham, Mary Buffett, Marty Whitman, etc.).
Book Description
Heralded by New York magazine as one of the city's most popular diets, macrobiotics has become the latest trend in dieting, thanks to high-profile supporters like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Speaking to the generation of young women looking to extend their healthy lifestyles beyond yoga and Pilates, macrobiotic chef and instructor Jessica Porter offers fresh, contemporary, and accessible insight into one of the world's oldest, yet most popular, diets. She explains that by eating good quality whole foods, any woman can experience physical, sensory, emotional, and intellectual freedom.
The effects of eating a macrobiotic diet can extend beyond basic health to weight loss, beauty, better sex, and peace of mind. Cooking tips and recipes are combined with Jessica's no-nonsense philosophy and witty anecdotes to create a lifestyle book that will inspire women to hit the kitchen with an understanding of how to strengthen their minds and bodies through food.
Customer Reviews:
Funny & Practical.......2007-07-28
The book gives a great overview of Macrobiotics. The author is humorous and doesn't take herself too seriously. An easy read through or reference text.
Making macrobiotics sound less crazy.......2007-06-24
Jessica Porter's light hearted approach to macrobiotics sets this book apart. She doesn't take herself too seriously and admits how nuts it all sounds to someone who has been eating a typical American diet their whole life. It makes the macro philosophy accessible to the most cyncial of us!
The Hip chicks got it going on when it comes to macrobiotic cooking.......2007-04-17
A fun and easy read full of useful information. Couldn't wait to get started. Waiting for her next book. The author has a great sense of humor and explains the theory behind macrobiotics in a clear and concise way. My husband and I love the fish wraps with asian slaw so much we have them at least once a week.
Amazing!.......2007-04-07
Simply one of the best books I've read on macrobiotics! It gives you a good introductory course on how to become macro and how to maintain the philosophy/diet. Jessica's anecdotes are just one of the great reasons to pick this up. Even if you aren't interested in macrobiotics as a lifestyle, there is some great info in here, with some great recipes! I loved her tempura recipe, and I'm going to be trying some more this weekend. This is just great advice for anyone looking to cleanse their bodies and minds or just to eat and feel better. A+
Easy reading.......2007-04-06
This is a wonderful book for anyone considering Macrobiotics. The book is written with wit and humor and is very easy to understand for someone unfamiliar with Macrobiotics. Even if you do not choose to do Macrobiotics you will still find this book enjoyable. I have recommended it to friends, relatives and the occasional stranger.
There are simple suggestions in the book which will give you a small insight into the possibilities of macrobiotics that do not require a complete lifestyle change or even a purchase -- a way to basically 'test drive' macrobiotics. I was amazed at what a few changes in diet can do.
Book Description
The World Economic Forum continues its tradition of excellence with the 27th edition of the annual Global Competitiveness Report featuring the latest national statistics and results of the Executive Opinion Survey, which captures the perception of over 10,000 business leaders. The report provides the most comprehensive assessment of 117 developed and emerging economies. Produced in collaboration with a distinguished group of international scholars and a global network of over 100 leading national research institutes and business organizations, the report presents individual detailed country profiles highlighting the competitive strengths and weaknesses of each economy as well as an extensive section of data tables containing country rankings for over 160 indicators. The report also showcases the latest thinking and research on issues of immediate relevance for business leaders and policy-makers. The forthcoming Report is scheduled to include thought-provoking papers by Jagdish Bhagwati, Nicholas Eberstadt, Michael E. Porter, Kenneth Rogoff, Beatrice Weder and John Williamson.
Book Description
In the decade since the first edition of this popular text was published, the metallurgical field has undergone rapid developments in many sectors. Nonetheless, the underlying principles governing these developments remain the same. A textbook that presents these advances within the context of the fundamentals is greatly needed by instructors in the field Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, Second Edition maintains the simplicity that undergraduate instructors and students have come to appreciate while updating and expanding coverage of recently developed methods and materials. The book is effectively divided into two parts. The beginning chapters contain the background material necessary for understanding phase transformations - thermodynamics, kinetics, diffusion theory and the structure and properties of interfaces. The following chapters deal with specific transformations - solidification, diffusional transformation in solids and diffusionless transformation. Case studies of engineering alloys are incorporated to provide a link between theory and practice. New additions include an extended list of further reading at the end of each chapter and a section containing complete solutions to all exercises in the book Designed for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students of metallurgy, materials science, or engineering materials, this is an ideal textbook for both students and instructors.
Customer Reviews:
Best quality/price ratio.......2007-07-30
The Porter & Easterling book is the best help to organize a course on Phase Transformations or Physical Metallurgy. The low cost allows students to buy it. Edited first in 1981, only minor corrections were introduced in the second edition, but the contents are still up to date.
Must have for MSE major.......2007-01-12
An excellent introduction to the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of phase transformations.
Useful for themo.......2007-01-05
This book has done more to teach me about thermodynamics in solids (or at least the fundamentals thereof) then any of my other thermodynamics books.
Has some good info, but unorganized.......2006-03-22
The book is somewhat helpful, but if you don't remember exactly where something is, the index will pretty much be useless. The book is also kind of hard to read/follow... I definitely wouldn't recommend this book unless you absolutely have to buy it for a class.
A well-written elementary text on Phase Transformations.......2005-08-20
To the curious minds of today and tomorrow:
The book by Easterling on Phase Transformations has been very well received throughout the world since its publication in the early 1990's (if memory serves me correctly).
The book is very accessible conceptually and mathematically as it is an elementary treatment. Yet, it is rigorously written and the important underlying principles are well discussed. I highly recommend it as an introductory textbook. Those interested in learning Phase Transformations may also consider Verhoeven and Reed & Hill --two classical texts on Physical Metallurgy. For more advanced treatments, take a look at the books by Christian, Wayman (Martensitic Transformation) and Khachaturyan (it's the bible of Structural Phase Transformations).
Cheers,
Dr. E.
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- Hungary (Culinaria)
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- It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
- Key to Chinese Cooking
- La Dolce Vita: Living in Italy
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Humorous
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 4)
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Widescreen Edition)
