Book Description
Customer service is the single most pressing problem for business managers and people in any service or sales operation, especially at the retail level. In fact, many experts believe that you build a business from the customer up. In Customer Mania!, Ken Blanchard, one of America's biggest bestselling authors and inspiring business leaders, writes of the key to customer service -- creating a people-oriented, performance-driven, customer-first organization. Along with coauthors Jim Ballard and Fred Finch, Blanchard explains why the customer is the right starting place from which to build a successful business. By drawing on examples from the world's largest restaurant company, Yum! -- owner of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's, and A&W Restaurants -- the authors explain how any company, large or small, can develop a unified, people-first, customer-oriented culture. Packed with practical insights, Customer Mania! emphasizes four critical steps:
• Set Your Sights on the Right Target. The bottom line grows from taking care of customers and creating a motivating environment for your people.
• Treat Customers the Right Way. Determine the kind of experience you want your customers to have as they interact with every part of the company.
• Treat Employees the Right Way. Use strategies ranging from smart hiring to training and development to managing performance and creating a recognition culture.
• Build the Right Kind of Leadership. You can't do it all yourself, so let your people put their own brains to work and then support them all the way.
By relying on these concepts, businesses everywhere can cultivate passionate and engaged team members who contribute to the company's overall success. From CEO to middle manager to the person facing the consumer, Customer Mania! is a vital tool for enhancing their experience -- and their customer's.
Download Description
"Customer service is the single most pressing problem for business managers and people in any service or sales operation, especially at the retail level. In fact, many experts believe that you build a business from the customer up. In Customer Mania!, Ken Blanchard, one of America's biggest bestselling authors and inspiring business leaders, writes of the key to customer service -- creating a people-oriented, performance-driven, customer-first organization. Along with coauthors Jim Ballard and Fred Finch, Blanchard explains why the customer is the right starting place from which to build a successful business. By drawing on examples from the world's largest restaurant company, Yum! -- owner of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's, and A&W Restaurants -- the authors explain how any company, large or small, can develop a unified, people-first, customer-oriented culture. Packed with practical insights, Customer Mania! emphasizes four critical steps: . Set Your Sights on the Right Target. The bottom line grows from taking care of customers and creating a motivating environment for your people. . Treat Customers the Right Way. Determine the kind of experience you want your customers to have as they interact with every part of the company. . Treat Employees the Right Way. Use strategies ranging from smart hiring to training and development to managing performance and creating a recognition culture. . Build the Right Kind of Leadership. You can't do it all yourself, so let your people put their own brains to work and then support them all the way. By relying on these concepts, businesses everywhere can cultivate passionate and engaged team members who contribute to the company's overall success. From CEO to middle manager to the person facing the consumer, Customer Mania! is a vital tool for enhancing their experience -- and their customer's. "
Customer Reviews:
A page-turning read steeped in the senses of yesteryear........2006-11-06
Former college instructor and journalist R. D.. Snowcroft presents The Blanchard Brothers Film Company, a novel set at the beginning of the twentieth century - when motion pictures were just beginning to spread as a form of popular entertainment in the nickelodeons frequented by the lower classes, while the upper classes watched theater and the middle classes attended vaudeville. In these times fraught with potential, the hub of motion pictures in America was on the East Cost, not the West; The Blanchard Brothers Film Company is a tale of two brothers whose vibrant studio flourished and faded. One brother was destined for fame and greatness in Hollywood; the other would fall into obscurity. The dynamics of the dog-eat-dog world of popular cinema, even in its infancy, make for a page-turning read steeped in the senses of yesteryear.
Another good book from Blanchard.......2006-10-30
This is an easy to read book with leadership principles for people in all levels of leadership.
This should be called "The CEO's Bible".......2005-08-24
I had worked for YUM! for 4 days when I went to my first Founder's Day celebration -the day that Ken Blanchard and David Novak (YUM! CEO) gave out these books. I didn't know what to think! The environment was SO different from what I was used to. Why were these people standing on chairs, hooting and yelling, cheering and clapping and having FUN at a biyearly meeting? How did they get so many people to volunteer to speak in front of a 3000+ crowd, when most meetings of under 20 you hardly ever get anyone to speak up?
I took the book home and read it cover to cover, trying to figure out what Customer Mania was and how do I become a Customer Maniac? I have worked in customer service for years, and the answer was simple: Do it right, and do it right the first time, because you WANT to. Things I had wanted to do under other bosses to help my customers get what they need and want, but was afraid to, because the Boss wouldn't understand or it would cost too much, or take too much time, or wasn't our department. At YUM! there is no such thing as "not my department". If that is a customer who needs your help, then that customer IS your department.
The book gives great anecdotes to illustrate his point in an easy to read, easy to understand manner. You feel as though Mr. Blanchard were sitting across from you talking to you in person. YUM! has a ways to go in really winning over its customer base, in assuring the customer that YUM! will be there no matter what to make sure they have a great experience in one of their restarants, but we are getting there.
And the marching band walking through the building to recognize outstanding employees? It's true.
Every CEO of every company should read this. The things that YUM! does to recognize its employees for a job well done on a daily basis doesn't add up to much in terms of time or money, but the return on that investment is phenomenal. Even as an entry level employee, I know that David Novak cares about the work I do and every day I give 210%, KNOWING that my leadership sees it and appreciates it.
I'm a raving fan of Customer Mania ! ! ! .......2004-12-18
Having had the honor and privilege of co-authoring Raving Fans with Ken Blanchard, I waited with eager anticipation for Customer Mania! Knowing Ken as I do I had set my expectations high. Ken has exceeded them!
Along with Jim Ballard, a co-author with Ken on the phenomenally successful Whale Done, and Ken's long time associate and friend, Fred Finch, Ken has crafted yet another typical Blanchard book - an easy read with easy to understand practical ideas that may be simple, but not simplistic. Customer Mania! focuses on the four keys of setting your sights on the right target, then treating customers and employees the right way and finally, building the right kind of leadership. The wisdom and direction on this last point alone make this book a must read for any manager serious about creating raving fans.
One huge strength of this book is that it is based on the real life business experience of Yum corporation. The frontline insights and tips must have cost Yum millions upon millions of dollars to learn. I note Amazon is selling the book for $13.57. That's got to be the greatest deal since the Dutch bought Manhattan!
Customer Mania! is a worthy companion to Raving Fans and I urge every one of the more than a million people who have bought Raving Fans to order their copy of Customer Mania! now!
Book Description
Denys Finch Hatton was adored by women and idolized by men. A champion of Africa, legendary for his good looks, his charm, and his prowess as a soldier, lover, and hunter, Finch Hatton inspired Karen Blixen to write the unforgettable stories in Out of Africa. Now esteemed British biographer Sara Wheeler tells the truth about this extraordinarily charismatic adventurer.
Born to an old aristocratic family that had gambled away most of its fortune, Finch Hatton grew up in a world of effortless elegance and boundless power. Tall and graceful, with the soul of a poet and an athlete’s relaxed masculinity, he became a hero without trying at Eton and Oxford. In 1910, searching for novelty and danger, Finch Hatton arrived in British East Africa and fell in love–with a continent, with a landscape, with a way of life that was about to change forever.
Wheeler brilliantly conjures the mystical beauty of Kenya at a time when teeming herds of wild animals roamed unmolested across pristine savannah. No one was more deeply attuned to this beauty than Finch Hatton–and no one more bitterly mourned its passing when the outbreak of World War I engulfed the region in a protracted, bloody guerrilla conflict. Finch Hatton was serving as a captain in the Allied forces when he met Karen Blixen in Nairobi and embarked on one of the great love affairs of the twentieth century.
With delicacy and grace, Wheeler teases out truth from fiction in the liaison that Blixen herself immortalized in Out of Africa. Intellectual equals, bound by their love for the continent and their inimitable sense of style, Finch Hatton and Blixen were genuine pioneers in a land that was quickly being transformed by violence, greed, and bigotry.
Ever restless, Finch Hatton wandered into a career as a big-game hunter and became an expert bush pilot; his passion that led to his affair with the notoriously unconventional aviatrix Beryl Markham. But Markham was no more able to hold him than Blixen had been. Mesmerized all his life by the allure of freedom and danger, Finch Hatton was, writes Wheeler, “the open road made flesh.”
In painting a portrait of an irresistible man, Sara Wheeler has beautifully captured the heady glamour of the vanished paradise of colonial East Africa. In Too Close to the Sun she has crafted a book that is as ravishing as its subject.
Customer Reviews:
Lackluster.......2007-08-24
This book contained no new information but simply rehashed and quoted extensively from previous books. The writing is lackluster, repetitive, and very awkward in some places; it did not receive proper copyediting. Extremely disappointing.
a life changer.......2007-08-22
Why some books win prizes and others do not eludes me; this one is a prize winner.
Too Close to the Sun has set me on a worthy adventure to understand the Victorian/Edwardian cusp especially in British Africa and for this I am thankful because those were glory days.
Through Ms. Wheeler I have met persons Much More Interesting than me and my friends. Her dogged research has invigorated my life. For her reader's delight, the author darns together memories, letters, and written data concerning a self-effacing gentleman, Denys Finch Hatton. Luckily for us we may now tag along in the glow of his charisma and be voyeurs of his well-born and lively acquaintances. We may celebrate with African settlers as they host a wilderness New Year's dinner 'comme il faut', we may sit in our a.c. as British soldiers portage battleships across a brutal continent during WWI, we may brush dust off our jackets after cavalierly shooting two charging lions with a double-barreled shotgun, we may politely manoevre and entertain a persnickity Prince of Wales.
I thank Ms. Wheeler for her Fascination of What's Difficult, to paraphrase Mr. Yeats, because pulling together a three-dimensional picture of This Time using only carefully chosen evidence is difficult and more honest than throwing together hearsay and calling it a book.
Her talent as a lover of language is evident as she brings us the scents, sounds, atmosphere, gossip, innuendo, mores, jokes, custom, and emotion that enliven her facts and put feet in Finch Hatton's footsteps. Ms. Wheeler's pages rebuild that World before the Wars that we 21st centuriers can't understand and most often wrongly judge.
I sprinted to the bookstore for more news of the largely-lived lives mentioned throughout Too Close To The Sun. I'm now hooked on the soap opera of the Blixens (the 2nd Mrs.,too), Lord Delamere, the Masai, Lord Carberry, various British Generals, the younger Mr. Roosevelt.... I can't think of any group more instructive to learn about!
Beryl Markham's West With the Night was my next read. What a woman, and how fascinating to get to know her from her own writing, so different than her appearance in TCTTS. I have ordered Bror Blixen's African Hunter, to catch his and Dr. Turvey's viewpoint on the Kenyan crowd. I plan to read Elspeth Huxley's book about growing up on a coffee plantation. Like craning to hear the whispered name of someone you love, I want to hear again the names that Ms. Wheeler has called forth.
A good background on Finch Hatton and Africa of the times.......2007-07-30
While the early phases of Finch Hatton's life is a bit dry, and the author makes reference to a lot of different friends/relatives of Finch Hatton's--which is a bit tedious and difficult to follow--she does a great job of providing the historical context to his life and that of his friends, including Blix and Dinesen. Overall, it's a very well written historical biography... makes me want to go back and watch "Out of Africa" again.
Snapshot of the unique society of British East Africa.......2007-06-08
Ever since I saw the movie "Out of Africa" I have been captivated with the lives of Karen Blixen, Beryl Markham and Denys Finch Hatton. "Too Close to the Sun" focuses on the unique life of Denys and tries to explain how and why he lived his life according to his own rules.
The book also describes the history of British East Africa or Kenya as we now know it.
This biography was a facinating read and hard to put down!!!
"Too Close to the Sun"- Denys Finch Hatton.......2007-06-02
This account reads like a novel. All the facts are backed up adequately. I would rate it highly for telling the love story and presenting the exotic background of Africa with this man acting out his life's dream.
Amazon.com
Rosemary and Peter Grant and those assisting them have spend twenty years on Daphne Major, an island in the Galapagos studying natural selection. They recognize each individual bird on the island, when there are four hundred at the time of the author's visit, or when there are over a thousand. They have observed about twenty generations of finches -- continuously.
Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
Book Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
On a desert island in the heart of the Galapagos archipelago, where Darwin received his first inklings of the theory of evolution, two scientists, Peter and Rosemary Grant, have spent twenty years proving that Darwin did not know the strength of his own theory. For among the finches of Daphne Major, natural selection is neither rare nor slow: it is taking place by the hour, and we can watch.
In this dramatic story of groundbreaking scientific research, Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
The Beak of the Finch is an elegantly written and compelling masterpiece of theory and explication in the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould.
Customer Reviews:
The Beak of the Finch.......2007-07-16
Brilliant writing and organization shows that evolution can occur in as short a time frame as two years. Never boring. The non-scientist will find this book of our changing world a good read.
Wonderful science and a great narrative.......2007-04-14
"Beak" is perhaps the best popular book on evolution between Darwin and Dawkins.
Thoughtful, educated persons must know certain facts about the physical world. One of those facts is evolution. Evolution happens, it is not "just a theory."
As the author explains through the story of the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant, we can see natural selection operate in real time, season by season, in fish, birds, bacteria, and throughout the natural world. The explanation of evolution may be somewhat more open to debate but you can't participate meaningfully in the debate without being armed with some facts.
Don't bring a knife to an intellectual gunfight. Arm yourselves.
One of the Best Books on Nature.......2007-02-22
I have read much on evolution, and the evolution controversy in (primarily) the United States. This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating how scientists, right now, are recording and observing natural selection in action. Before I read this book I was not aware of how much information we really have about evolution and natural selection occurring in "the wild" on an everday basis. This book provides thorough mathematical evidence and predictive models of how natural selection changes the morphology of Darwin's Finches on the Galapogos Islands. It interleaves that story with a decent primer on evolution and snippets of other, similar research, going on right now too.
For example, it describes some fasicinating experiments conducted showing how quickly natural selection will change the color of Amazonian guppies based solely on the color of the rocks in the pools in which the guppies live, and the frequency of predation. It is amazing. As I read more about evolution, I see that rates of evolution vary widely. Evolution operating slowly (over 1000's or millions of years) is pretty obvious. This book provides a window into the amazing world of "rapid" evolution.
The best part about it is that it is as much a journalistic endeavor as a well-written book. This is NOT a polemic about why evolution is better than other ideas. This book simply reports the facts. If you don't understand evolution or believe it can be true after reading this book, then you aren't really trying to understand.
Finally, this book deserves the awards and accolades. It is well-written, well-researched, and well-organized. I don't give many books five stars, but this one is worth it. I would recommend it for anyone: scientists, kids, and just people interested in learning and fascinated by the world around us.
Excellent quality -- arrived in good time.......2007-02-10
The book is in excellent shape, and it arrived in a timely fashion.
Beyond Darwin.......2007-01-19
If you're only slightly interested in the ways the evolution works, then this is it. But beware to have some knowledge about the basics of evolution before moving on to this book. There's a bit of a steep learning curve when you're not all to familiair with Darwin's brilliant theory. It also gives a nice insight in the way scientists work.
Book Description
Operations Now introduces operations from a vantage point that encompasses both the entire organization and the broader supply network. The author begins his discussion of operations management by first establishing the goal to which any high quality operation must aspire: the goal of profitability. Operations Now presents operations within a context that acknowledges its interactions both within all functional areas of an organization as well as the supply chain network serving it. Thus, students not majoring in operations management immediately understand why they are studying a subject that had previously seemed to them irrelevant; operations majors receive valuable instruction in how their chosen field affects and facilitates other functional areas within the enterprise and aligns with the overall goals of the organization.
Average customer rating:
- Welder's handbook
- Awesome book for intro to welding/cutting
- Great resource
- very happy
- Welder's Hdbk Hp1264
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Welder's Handbook : A Complete Guide to Mig, Tig, Arc & Oxyacetylene Welding (Hp1264)
Richard Finch
Manufacturer: HP Trade
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1557882649 |
Customer Reviews:
Welder's handbook.......2007-04-04
An easy to understand book on welding. Well laid out, and written in plain English
Ideal for the beginner, or as a refresher for the experienced welder.
Cheap enough to buy one for a friend too
Awesome book for intro to welding/cutting.......2007-02-03
This book is great resource for learning about different techniques for welding and cutting. It focuses on the equipment, safety, and skills and is written in a first person voice that makes the subject very approachable.
Rather than treating the subject as clinically as other welding books do, the author speaks from his own experience, and has plenty of notes about the details that characterize improving skill. The author provides anecdotes about disasters, but also reassures the reader that success is possible as long as they pay attention to what they're doing.
I came across this book in a bookstore along with a few other welding books. This one was by far the best as an introduction. It also provided enough knowledge quickly to be able to make informed decisions about what techniques and equipment would be appropriate for the task that got you interested in welding. Overall, this book is like having a shop teacher with you. The other welding books were like surface level surveys of the subject - sparse and full of disclaimers voiding themselves of responsibility if you blow up your garage.
Great resource.......2007-01-31
I am very impressed with the info provided in this book, especially the charts ranging on info from; types of metal to best methods of how to weld it. Great info for the basic to intermediate welder.
Yes the info is a bit basic, but the only way to learn how to weld is to actually start doing it. I purchased and read this book to gain the basic knowledge, and even with everything explained, you do not understand what it is to weld until you try it and get the feel for it.
very happy.......2006-07-29
Informative. Quick easy read. Helpful for a novice, yet will be even more useful as you advance. Two other welding books I read quoted a lot from author. Clear illustrations.
Welder's Hdbk Hp1264.......2006-04-06
Book is great. Got me back on track. Good illustrations, great info.
Thanks.
Average customer rating:
- Magneto is back for his rematch with the Ultimate X-Men
- The Ultimate Tale of The Ultimate Heroes
- Contains "Ultimate X-Men" issues 26-33 (Not Just for Kids)
- Covers Ultimate X-Men # 26-33
- X-cellent!
|
Ultimate X-Men Vol. 6: Return of The King
Mark Millar ,
David Finch , and
Adam Kubert
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
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ASIN: 0785110917 |
Book Description
Magneto, the X-Men's deadliest villain, returns. They've faced the Weapon X program, Proteus and even the superhuman strikeforce known as The Ultimates. Now, still licking their wounds from their prior battles, can Xavier's mutant team possibly survive the return of their most powerful foe?
Customer Reviews:
Magneto is back for his rematch with the Ultimate X-Men.......2004-02-28
One thing that was always impressive about the X-Men was that it was one of the few superhero comic books where the definitive villain popped up in the first issue. Of course we are talking about Magneto the Mutant Master of Magneticism. The same thing was true for "Ultimate X-Men," where Marvel essentially restarted the series in contemporary times, reconceptualizing some of the core elements. For example, this time around the original X-Men combine Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast and Iceman from the first lineup with Storm and Colossus from the second (with Wolverine being recruited from the dark side so that he can appear on every cover of the trade paperback reprints). The result is a lot of familiar items are condensed into each story arc, which is then collected into a trade paperback.
"The Return of the King" is Volume 6 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series and the title, of course, refers to Magneto. In the first volume in the series the X-Men fought Magneto and not only defeated him, but also apparently killed him. However, this turned out to be one of Professor X's mind games; he convinced Magneto that he was Erik Lensheer, unaware of his past life as a mutant terrorist. When the Brotherhood of Mutants discovers Magneto is still alive they find him and remove the mental blocks Xavier had placed in his minds. We are now back to the beginning in many ways, except this time around both Magneto and all the homo sapiens are very wary. In fact, the Bush Administration has Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. going after all the mutants, including the X-Men. Since they already have Xavier in custody, stopping Magneto is going to be a problem.
Actually, stopping Magneto is always a problem. For a long time I have been convinced that Magneto would actually win and the reason I liked the first volume of this series so much was that I thought it recognized this fact by having Professor X and the X-Men going up against Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants go at it just once for all the marbles. In the end Magneto should have been dead because he should be unstoppable in a rematch; indeed, look at what ends up doing in this one, extending his magnetic reach across the entire planet. Besides, if you can explode nuclear reactors, why stop at just one? Magneto is simply the most dangerous super villain in the Marvel (or Ultimate) universe. When they were retooling him they should have ratcheted down his power level a couple of notches (Actually, they should do the same thing for Xavier as well).
But since Magneto winning would mean coming up with a new title for the comic book, Magneto has to be defeated. Once again the key is getting his helmet off of his head and while I like the way that happens this time around, I still do not really buy that anybody could get close enough to actually do it. Besides, as is often the case with these Ultimate titles, things end up reflecting the blockbuster movies (e.g., Magneto, living in a plastic cage). Clearly one of the defining elements of the X-Men today is the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr and the first issue of "Return of the King" provides an encapsulated version of their history (as well as a new explanation for how Xavier ended up in his wheelchair). Certainly there is something to be said for the ongoing debate that the pair have been having for over a decade.
Collected in "Return of the King" are issues #26-33 of "Ultimate X-Men," written by Mark Millar, and illustrated by Adam Kubert and David Finch, with Ray and Ben Lai. The most interesting addition to the X-Men mythos this time around is the sub-plot in which Wolverine finds a way to get Cyclops out of the way so that he can make a move on Jean Grey, especially given the intriguing idea that Logan and Scott are Charles and Eric, the next generation. Most of the relationships between the Ultimate X-Men (e.g., Colossus and Wolverine, Beast and Storm) are more interesting as well. Sometimes I think the "Ultimate X-Men" is overloaded with ideas, but for those who remember Marvel's Mery Mutants from the very beginning the changes are always something to think about.
Final Question: Since the Ultimate version of Nick Fury is African-American (apparently there were Howlin' Commandos in the Vietnam War), does that explain why Colin Powell was omitted from the White House discussions while Dick Chaney and Donald Rumsfeld were not? Just curious at that rather interesting omission.
The Ultimate Tale of The Ultimate Heroes.......2003-11-26
This TP collection contains the finest story arc yet for The Ultimate X-Men. Magneto is loose. The Ultimates want him after he has massacred hundreds of innocents in bridge collapse, and they figure the best way to get him is through The X-Men. Meanwhile, romantic jealousies lead to tragedy and betrayal as the Wolverine, Scott Summers , Jean Grey triangle goes over the boiling point. This series coincided with The Ultimate War, which you should read as well. Heck, read The Ultimates so you understand what this is all about. Great art, breathtaking plot twists and the great dialogue that only Mark Millar can provide. Don't miss this collection!
Contains "Ultimate X-Men" issues 26-33 (Not Just for Kids).......2003-09-03
I have the hardcover "Ultimate X-Men" volumes 1 and 2 [covering issues 1-25] and the paperback, "Ultimate War". The title page includes a brief synopsis that should help you understand what's going on if you haven't read the earlier volumes. If you want a roll call, this volume includes the "ultimate" line versions of Magneto, Professor X, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, Nick Fury, Sabretooth, Multiple Man, Mastermind, Nightcrawler, Forge, the Blob, Iceman, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Rogue, and a mutant called Detonator whom I have not run across in the regular Marvel X-Men, but I'm still catching up. There's also a cameo by another mutant, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.
This book opens by showing us how Magneto and Prof. X worked together, how their friendship deteriorated over several years, and, in more detail, how Magneto crippled Xavier. Then it moves into the present day and Magneto's progress on his refuge for mutants as well as the unpleasant scene where he deals with plans for a satellite mutant tracker. Meanwhile, the X-Men-in-hiding are dealing with Magneto's brotherhood in the hope of rehabilitating their image.
Is the rumor that Wolverine deliberately left Cyclops to die in the Savage Land true?
In the grand tradition of comic book villains, Magneto tells our heroes something of his frightful plan for eliminating the human-mutant relations problem. The X-Men have only a week to find Magneto's hiding place and save the world. (Let me just say that a machine, different from and much more powerful than the one used in the first X-Men movie, is involved.) The final battle certainly kept my interest.
During most of the action, Professor X is being held prisoner in a S.H.I.E.L.D. detention camp for mutants suspected of being terrorists. He refuses to betray his students, of course. I reread his words of encouragement to a fellow prisoner after rereading earlier volumes and those words became a little unnerving near the end. Why?
Because of what Prof. X tells Nick Fury and what he tells Magneto when they meet again late in the book. You won't have to have read the earlier volumes to speculate on whether or not Xavier is telling the truth. I'm afraid that he *is* telling the truth. If so, that would explain a couple of his moves in earlier volumes that I found incredibly stupid -- and would make this version of Prof. X a little scary.
Ignore the "9-12" age group recommendation. While they might enjoy the action, I think you need to be older than that to fully appreciate this book.
Covers Ultimate X-Men # 26-33.......2003-08-29
First keep in mind that this should be considered an alternate universe version of the X-Men. That way you won't be screaming about the differences from the regular comics. If you've already read through volume 5, "Ultimate War", the opening does not pick up where that left off. It traces the rise and fall of the partnership between Professor Xavier and Magneto for the first 20 pages or so.
Magneto is getting ready to destroy the entire human race, except for a token man and woman. The X-Men are in hiding, although they do make an attempt to rehabilitate their image and track down Magneto. Prof. X has been moved to that detention unit for mutants in Cuba that was threatned in "Ultimate War". Cyclops is not dead (was anyone expecting he would be?), but he's not in good condition. Of course the X-Men will save the day, Prof. X will escape, and Magneto will be foiled, but there'll be plenty of fighting, explosions, and a threatened nuclear meltdown.
Loved the part where Storm meets the Beast's parents, not to mention having my suspicion about Xavier's cat confirmed.
The final scene between Xavier and Magneto is my favorite part of the book.
X-cellent!.......2003-08-17
I enjoyed this volume greatly! This picks up from the very badly drawn volume five, the X-Men are recovering from their attack from the Ultimates, and Professor X is still held captive. Many things are revealed in this volume...and the action is extraordinary! I was a bit disappointed that the cover isn't how it's viewed on this page (of course it has Wolverine on the front; but that pic wtih Magneto rocks), but I got over it. Buy your copy today!!!
Average customer rating:
- Graphic SF Reader
- The New Avengers vs...Ninjas!
- Revelations and resolutions; kind of
- Not as good as the first two.
- calling all spider-woman fans
|
New Avengers Vol. 3: Secrets and Lies
Brian Michael Bendis ,
David Finch , and
Frank Cho
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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New Avengers Vol. 2: Sentry
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House of M (X-Men, New Avengers)
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Secret War (New Avengers)
ASIN: 0785119396 |
Book Description
The debut of the mysterious New Avenger everyone has been talking about all year! Who is Ronin and why has Captain America recruited him into the fold? Bet it has something to do with Hydra helping the Silver Samurai get out of the country after he broke out of prison. And what is Ronin's true identity? Here's a hint: He's not Daredevil! Plus: Spider-Woman's dark secrets revealed! Captain America catches her double-dealing the Avengers and corners her! How did Spider-Woman get her powers back and to whom does she answer? It's all here! Collects New Avengers #11-15 and Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Here we have the quite silly Ronin subplot, a mysterious masked hero that none of them know about except for the boss. The Silver Samuria, ninjas, and other posturing silliness. The best part about this is the Spider-Woman spy saga. She cannot currently tell if she is a triple, quadruple, quintuple or whatever other sort of agent.
The New Avengers vs...Ninjas!.......2007-08-28
Pretty cool ninja fight in the first couple of issues, with some hints about the upcoming Skrull invasion of the Marvel Universe (look really close...). Who's working for who? Does it even matter once the shurikens start flying? The ninja action continues in New Avengers Vol. 6: Revolution! This is the Avengers like you've never seen them before, and that's going to turn some fans off of the series.
Revelations and resolutions; kind of.......2007-03-20
The third collected volume of Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers is nowhere near as good or enjoyable as the first two volumes. In saying that, what we get here in Secrets & Lies isn't bad at all, it's just not as compelling as one would hope. Secrets & Lies starts off in familiar territory with the New Avengers taking on Hydra who is trying to free the Silver Samurai, and leads up to Captain America recruiting a mysterious new member named Ronin. As the TPB continues, Spider-Woman's secrets get revealed, as Cap learns the truth behind the return of her super powers, as well as just who she is working for. The entire synopsis that you just read is actually more interesting than the actual events taking place here in Secrets & Lies, because Bendis just doesn't seem to be that into the story himself. Ronin isn't that interesting of a character in my opinion, and the book focuses on too many single members (particularly Cap) than the group as a whole. David Finch's artwork is his usual great stuff, as is the work by Frank Cho which is featured here as well. All in all, Secrets & Lies isn't at all bad, but Bendis has done much better with the series, and this is his low point so far.
Not as good as the first two........2007-02-17
I liked the New Avengers and am a big fan of just about all of them, but I would recommend to stop buying after Book Two. The first one was the the best of the three of them, (then again aren't they always?) but after that the whole plot started to take a downward spiral. The whole plot with the Sentry was ok, but could have made more sense, but I just didn't get the direction this one took. Spider Woman, who I would like to picture as more of a 'tough cookie' character, was made into a dishonest Barbie girl and Wolverine as well was butchered. (Think slob.) Not much attention is given to the characters other than Captain America (as usual)and Spider Woman(great, when she finally gets publicity, it's negative...)
To sum it up, in my opinion, not the worth the money. Read it at a local book or comic store.
calling all spider-woman fans.......2007-01-08
bendis is always a reliable writer, and he does a good job with these stories that w/ another writer would've just been filler. the first three issues (#11-13) bring the team to japan where hydra and the hand are trying to use the silver samurai to join forces, but the ending is too abrupt and clearly leaves the situation open to future story arcs. we do have the plus of some great fight scenes, attention given to spider-woman, and the reappearance of a character that fans of the daredevil series will enjoy seeing back in action. the 8-page story from giant-size spider-woman #1 and issues #14 and 15 are more interesting, w/ the full story about how spider-woman got her powers back and who she's working for, the public debut of the new avengers, as well as some insight into where ms. marvel's headed. david finch's art is as good as ever, and frank cho's is worthwhile as well. not one for the ages, but a good read and it'll have you looking forward to vol. 4.
Book Description
A newly-updated, state-of-the-art guide to MIG and TIG arc welding technology.
Written by a noted authority in the field, this revised edition of HP's bestselling automotive book-for over 20 years-is a detailed, instructional manual on the theory, technique, equipment, and proper procedures of metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.
Customer Reviews:
Comments for Revised Welder's Handbook.......2007-08-11
Good overview of welding and plasma cutting. Useful information that those who do not weld every day will find to be a nice reference source.
Useful book.......2007-07-27
Just the right amount of informmation for the beginer. I found it to be quite helpful.
Worth having on the shelf.......2007-07-16
I had a previous edition of this book from the library and decided this was one I wanted on my shelf. I was worried by the fact that "Plasma Cutting" was up front and center in the new title, but relieved that hasn't taken over the book. In fact, despite the new title, this is the same old book (which is a good thing) with revisions.
Good review for amature welders.......2007-03-26
I have had some (very limited) experience with oxy-acelylene and stick welding. I found this book very useful as a "refresher course".
Excellent book from start to finish.......1998-08-31
As a recent newcomer to welding, I have discovered this book has taught me a lot of valuable information about the various techniques of the art of welding. The information supplied is well thought out and, combined with useful charts, facts and figures, this book is good enough for the would-be professional and home welder (or weldor!). Read the book to understand.
Average customer rating:
- AMAZING ART ANIMATION
- A fantastic example of concept art for anybody!
- Best of the "The Art Of" series!
- Wonderful graphics, including ones the public never sees
- Great book for animation art lovers.
|
Art of the Lion King, The
Christopher Finch
Manufacturer: Disney Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0786860286 |
Customer Reviews:
AMAZING ART ANIMATION.......2005-07-03
"The Lion King," Disney's 32nd animated film proved to be a smashing success, appealing to young, old, and those in between. As it filled movie houses, Disney mania swept the country again. The breathtaking visual effects that fascinated so many are brought to stunning life in "The Art of the Lion King" by Christopher Finch.
This lavish folio-size volume traces the creative process utilized in making the film, from black and white sketches to glorious full-color reproductions and even splendid fold-outs, one exhibiting the surreal beauty of the African natural world.
Actor James Earl Jones, the voice of Mufasa the Lion King in the film, contributes the foreword, while the text is by Christopher Finch, author of "The Art of Walt Disney."
Those fascinated by the art of animation and those touched by the story of Mufasa, Simba and Scar will treasure this color and fact filled memento.
- Gail Cooke
A fantastic example of concept art for anybody!.......2004-02-18
Apart from the fact that my copy was close to pocket size, i thought that this book was fantastic. Not only does it come filled with amazing concepts, it also is accompanied with the Lion King Storyline. As an illustrator and student animator, it is a wonderful addition to my resources. The sketches through to the complete full colour images are for any Lion King fan, artists or just someone wanting a beautiful coffee table book. If your from overseas like myself and cannot get these kind of books in Australia, i reccommend Amazon and their associate stores. Buy this, its great.
Best of the "The Art Of" series!.......2000-06-06
I received this book as a birthday present last month. To say the least, I was overwhelmed with all the artwork in this book. I love it! The artwork and production animation is breathtaking! It's a really awesome book, I'd get it if I were you! You can't go wrong with "The Art of The Lion King"!!!
Wonderful graphics, including ones the public never sees.......1999-01-22
This book is one of the most exquisite things to come out of The Lion King. The graphics are beautiful. Most of the pictures are ones that are used for the storyboard and layout scenes. I reccommend it to anyone who loves The Lion King, or just Disney in general. Order with confidence - the book is worth much more than its price tag. It is also much more convient than the larger, more expensive version which I believe is no longer being produced.
Great book for animation art lovers........1998-10-01
This book is great if you like to see all the art work that was created during the development of the movie as well as the finished scenes. They show you a lot of the concept art that was used so that you get a sense of how ideas developed and gives you a glimpse behind the scenes. The book is mostly pictures with less explanatory text than you usually see in similar books. So it's mostly a book to look at as opposed to reading. It's great if you enjoy looking at animation art.
Average customer rating:
- 1.5 thumbs up, could have been better
- A good Avengers story well ASSEMBLED!!
- Avengers Assemble! (sort of...)
- A pretty disappointing read
- It was Alright.
|
Avengers Disassembled
Brian Michael Bendis , and
David Finch
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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New Avengers Vol. 1: Breakout
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ASIN: 0785114823 |
Book Description
The powerhouse team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes! It begins with the return of a team member thought dead - and by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed! The event that will rock the entirety of the Marvel Universe starts here! Collects Avengers #500-503; Avengers Finale.
Customer Reviews:
1.5 thumbs up, could have been better.......2007-09-29
This book definately preps you for House of M which for me I loved but from the beginning was wondering what happened to this person etc b/c I am an "x" fan a light on the avengers reading. The first half of this book is great reading and then you think that the details and info are about to start to come in with great detail and then they don't. I love great dialog. The reminiscent crap at the end was (using your best Homer voice) B_O_R_I_N_G to say the least and not needed but could have been a greater part if it wasn't so wham bam thank you maam reading, 5 comics is not enough to end a 40 year history in my opinion. The storyline should have lasted longer especially considering that the avengers as the original group for the most part ends here.
It is a must read though to better understand where people are coming from for House of M and even Civil War.
If nothing else the first 2 comics at the begining of this are worth the purchase alone, they are supurbly written and is marvel at its best just a little loaded with too much going on.
A good Avengers story well ASSEMBLED!!.......2007-09-27
I hadn't ever been an Avengers fan,
not since I read this book,and averything changed.
I knew Bendis for his Sam & Twitch run and for Goldfish, Fortune & Glory, Torso...and for the beautiful Ultimate Universe...I was very curious to see what he could do with old style super-heroes...I couldn't even imagine it would've culminate in today classic Civil War,and in an all-new,all-different marvel universe,demonstrating he has a gold touch!
My feel is that he started to "ultimaze" the classic Marvel Universe,making it more "real",entertaining and for the first time since the Stan Lee era,more connected to today.
This book can be considered the first chapter of the new MU...a classic to read and collect.
Avengers Assemble! (sort of...) .......2007-09-19
Do you like plodding dialog from a hundred confused people? Do you like Dues Ex Machina to resolve your plotlines? Did you like it when New Coke came out just to bolster the CocaCola brand?
If so, then you should buy and frame "Avengers Disassembled".
If not, stay far, far away from his dreck. It has no redeeming comic value. For pete's sake - 50% of it is reprints from classic Avenger stories form decades ago.
Blech.
A pretty disappointing read.......2007-09-14
Something is going terribly, terribly wrong. With disaster following disaster, it seems that reality itself is unraveling for the Avengers. What is happening, and will ANYONE survive?
Overall, I found this to be a pretty disappointing read. There's a lot of non-stop action, but it is given a feeling of pure pointlessness. Indeed, as the title suggests at the end the Avengers decide to disband. Why? I don't know. Apparently everything was too pointless to continue.
So, I must say that while there is some excellent illustration work, and some interesting storyline, this graphic novel just does not come together. I cannot and do not recommend this book.
It was Alright........2007-09-09
Before I read this book I'd never read an Avengers Graphic Novel. The story was alright and the art was pretty good. It killed one of my favorite Marvel Characters however. Overall it was a nice read and it has got me more interested in the Avengers and I'll be picking up some more Avenger books.
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- Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
- Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters
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- Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
- Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
- Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
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