The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Average customer rating:

An insightful perspective

Interesting, but...

Rigo's TEST REVIEW.

A Paradigm Shift For Business and Life

Development of Trends!

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Malcolm Gladwell
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.

Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

Customer Reviews:

An insightful perspective.......2007-10-11

There aren't many books that I feel compelled to pull out the highlighter as I'm reading, but this is definitely one of them. Malcolm Gladwell manages the unlikely combination of being profoundly insightful and entertaining at the same time. Despite the seriousness of many of the examples used throughout the book, this is a relatively easy read. In a world where every book seems to be targeted to a narrowly defined niche, The Tipping Point is good reading for anyone who likes to think.

Interesting, but..........2007-10-10

I read this while traveling, and was able to absorb Gladwell's viewpoint despite airports and hotels and the general on-the-road melee. However, while the theories and case studies Gladwell presents are fascinating, he fails to demonstrate the practical applications of his assertions. His Afterword makes clear that some of his readers have gone on to apply his approach in various ways, but it is their ingenuity and not any "on the ground" practical insight from Gladwell that is the cause. It will be interesting to note if his positions notably influence any policymakers, of if the world in general, despite his bestseller status, continues with its status quo mindset. No doubt if that is the case, Gladwell will enlighten us with a book about the reasons for that phenomenon too. It will be interesting reading.

Rigo's TEST REVIEW........2007-10-09

Test review. It looks like a good book to analyse how modes start and get spread.

A Paradigm Shift For Business and Life.......2007-10-05

This is one of the books that "skates to where the puck is going" instead of where the puck is at. A must for business and anyone studying the sociology of man.

Timothy KendrickPTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

Development of Trends!.......2007-10-02

This book presents an interesting thesis for the parameters under which a new trend is construed. The flu, for example, can be held in check for a long time without being an epidemic. But suddenly, once some threshold is crossed in terms of number of people infected, things get much worse very quickly. Gladwell's premise is that in addition to applying to viruses, this type of pattern is observed in many other situations. The book is filled with far-reaching examples, from the resurgence of Hush Puppies shoes to the popularity of Sesame Street to an epidemic of teen suicides in Micronesia.
Perhaps the most well-known example described is the rapid fall in crime levels in New York City in the mid-1990s. Murder rates fell by 64.3% in a five year period, with other types of violent crimes dropping by 50%. This happened after years of steady increase. Gladwell argues that the factors conventionally cited as causing the improvement (improved policing, declining crack use, and aging of the population) are not sufficient to explain the suddenness of the change. All three factors included gradual shifts in behavior, and yet the drop in crime occurred very rapidly. Gladwell makes a convincing argument that the police in New York put into place certain conditions that suddenly "tipped" the crime epidemic, sending crime rates into a decline.
So, what are the parameters of dramatic change?
Gladwell quotes the following three laws: -
1. The law of the few
2. The stickiness factor and;
3. The power of context
The law of the few says that there are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting `epidemics'. All you have to do is find them. The lesson of stickiness is the same. There is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible. All you have to do is find it. The lesson of the power of context is that we are more than just sensitive to changes in context; we are exquisitely sensitive to them - what really matters is the little things.
The book includes a collection of case studies. These include Paul Revere's ride, which alerted American colonists to activities of the British garrison and led to the War of Indepence and the success of New York in reducing crime by cleaning the subway cars.
He then explains the significance of the number 150. "The figure of 150 seems to represent the maximum number of individuals with whom we can have a genuinely social relationship, the kind of relationship that goes with knowing who they are and how they relate to you. At a bigger size you have to impose complicated hierarchies and rules and regulations and formal measures to try to command loyalty and cohesions. Below 150 it is possible to achieve the same goals informally. In smaller groups people are a lot closer. They're knit together, which is very important if you want to be effective and successful in community life. If you get too large, you don't have enough work in common."
The conclusion is that when groups or organizations reach 150 they should split and operate in smaller numbers, and he gives examples of organizations that have done this.
Although not intended as a management book, The Tipping Point
has many lessons for managers and organization development consultants.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

Average customer rating:

Required reading
Great bookI
A pleasant read
A must for anyone developing products
2107: "You People Lived in Filth!" - A sort of book review of Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart's Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
William McDonough , and Michael Braungart
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865475873

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Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not just doing less harm--they're actually doing some good for the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money in the process. Cradle to Cradle is a refreshing change from the intractable environmental conflicts that dominate headlines. It's a handbook for 21st-century innovation and should be required reading for business hotshots and environmental activists. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism

"Reduce, reuse, recycle" urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, "cradle to grave" manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.

In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, "waste equals food" is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as "biological nutrients" that safely re-enter the environment or as "technical nutrients" that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being "downcycled" into low-grade uses (as most "recyclables" now are).

Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.

Customer Reviews:

Required reading.......2007-10-11

This book should be required reading by all CEOs, and all engineering, architecture and design students. (I read it as a class assignment in Sustainable Interior Design). The author dismisses the idea that "ecological" has to equal "sacrifice" and points out that our problems will require more than band-aid type fixes. He proposes a radical rethinking of the way we approach design and manufacturing and backs it up with rational thought and real world examples. Despite its heft (literally, it weighs a ton because of the unusual paper stock), it's not a "heavy" read. It's very engaging and thought provoking. Highly recommended.

Additional recommendations: watch the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car"

Great bookI.......2007-10-09

I'm a student so it's really hard for me to find time to read books that aren't required for a class. No time! Anyway, great book, easy to read and compelling ideas. Definitely recommended.

A pleasant read.......2007-09-24

Definitely would recommend this to anyone who would like to learn about how societies will/should change to conform to the processes of nature. Significant change need to occur to shape a planet where humans can survive for a longer duration (than the current forecast). This means alleviating environmental threats that were initially caused by our own doing.

A must for anyone developing products.......2007-09-19

This book put a new light on the manufacturing process. I am currently studying to be an engineer, and upon reading this book, I feel I have gained important insight into how to ethically create products. The focus of the book is to show that being "less bad", as the current way of thinking promotes, is not the right mentality to have. Instead the book proposes that products need to be looked at in a renewable sense, that is, how can it be completely reused to make something new when its useful life has been spent (hence Cradle to Cradle and not Cradle to Grave). I found the book to be very inspirational and look forward to applying its ideas in my career.

2107: "You People Lived in Filth!" - A sort of book review of Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart's Cradle to Cradle.......2007-08-18

One hundred years isn't a long time. Yet, in the last one hundred years we can account for radical changes in the expectations that we - in the West at least - have concerning the standards of the food we eat and the conditions that we live in. We readily expect that our waste will neatly leave our homes, our malls, our schools, workplaces, and public spots en route to some place where it disappears from sight and smell forever. In fact, we rarely think about whether our waste ends up burnt, buried, or recycled, nor whether the food we dine on is thoroughly inspected and safe. We can think back to 1907 as a period in which there was nothing in the way of food safety standards (though a movement in that direction was initiated as a result of Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle, which was published that same year). Nor was there any notion of labor rights, environmental protection, and many of the sanitation procedures that we often take for granted nowadays.

Looking back through history ever further, to the crowded city streets of Paris, London, or Rome in the 17th and 18th century, reveals a more distasteful reality of how people lived. The blood of slaughtered animals, along with human excrement and other waste flowed through the sewers of these magnificent cities. "How did people live like this?" we might wonder. We shutter to think about living in such conditions, which allowed for the rapid spread of pestilence and sickness, not to mention unthinkable stench. While this may still be the experience of too many in the developing world, a signal of the progress and greatness of the modernized West has been our ability to escape the condition of living in our own waste.

Yet I've wondered recently how those living in 2107 will look upon the collective condition of the world as it stands today? Will they think that we live in filth? Despite the fact that we can split atoms, fly space crafts around the solar system, cure many illnesses, make electricity from the sun's rays, and communicate with each other in a myriad of digital ways, I wonder if they will ask why we still chose to live in our waste? I think that they will find it extremely perplexing that a society as developed as ours, who has the self awareness and knowledge about the harm that we inflict on ourselves and for posterity - not to mention the multitude of living systems that we are embedded in - refused to develop a different course for humanity.

When I say that we live in filth I mean that we continue to choke on unsafe air from the cars we drive and the outdated and dangerous ways that we engage in mass industrialization. I mean that we continue to produce millions and millions of consumable products made from an array of unsafe chemicals that we know little about and which we simply burn or bury after we use them one or two times. I find it so perplexing that industry continues to spends so much time and energy developing products that will only be used for a small fraction of time by consumers, yet will spend hundreds of years in landfills (I'm thinking especially of the enormous amount of plastic packaging that most products come in, only to be discarded immediately).

We dump many of the items that we have no more use for into ever expanding landfills that are getting closer and closer to the places we live and the sources of water we eventually come to drink. We are, in effect, living in our own waste. We put zero amount of effort into thinking of ways to design the same products that we rely on daily so that they are not harmful for humans or the environments in which we live. Scratch that, we have the technology and the know how for making safer and better products, however we lack leaders (both political & business) with the will, courage, and vision to bring humanity into the next industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution centered on extracting resources from the Earth (with little thought of replacing them) and putting these resources through production processes that have amounted to harming both human and non-human life for many years to come. The next industrial revolution will be about reengineering the production of consumer goods so that the stuff we make is in accordance with our natural environment. It will be about plastics that are biodegradable and the eradication of materials that are not. It will be about more intelligent approaches to designing buildings, which will utilize natural light, wind patterns, and the surrounding ecosphere to produce happier places to work and live, and which no longer rely on burning fossil fuels for cooling, heating, and sanitation. It will be about re-conceptualizing how we design, plan, and imagine the cities that most of humanity has come to chose to live in.

I'm currently drinking a soda out of a plastic bottle made from polymers derived from petroleum. This bottle, which not only is derived from the most contested resource of our time (though clean water is quickly taking its place) will be intact for those living in 2107 to view and touch as an artifact of an era which may be known in the future as one of reckless disregard, ignorance, and waste. Even the popular notion of recycling many of the products that we use only serves to slow down the rate in which we are harming ourselves. Recycling for many products is really a process of downcycling - a term coined by Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book Cradle to Cradle. The process of recycling a product essentially causes it to loose its quality each time it is put through the recycling process (assuming that individuals keep recycling each new plastic reincarnate). Even though I will recycle this bottle, and it will become another plastic product again, it will eventually have to be disregarded after going through a few recycles. Alas, we are really just slowing down the rate by which synthetics eventually reach our waste graveyards or incinerators. In addition, while it is thought to be a socially responsible activity, the process of recycling releases into the atmosphere dangerous toxins emitted by the burning of plastics during the recycling process.

What is radically different about the world from 1907, or 17th century European cities, is that we fully understand the consequences of continuing down the path we are on. Furthermore, we have the knowledge and creative ideas of how to alter that path. What we lack, sadly, is the will to cause massive social change in how we consume and live. McDonough and Braungart's text urges product designers, city planners, and architects to approach their designs with the future of humanity in mind. Interestingly, they are not saying that we need to save the planet, for the planet will still be here long after homo sapiens has expired. Their message is that we need to save ourselves from the harm we are inflicting on ourselves. Their cradle-to-cradle philosophy urges designers to make products that can easily be disassembled after their use and put back into the production cycle as something else. In this sense, products should have an immense shelf life, being able to become that same product again or easily transformed into some other consumer product. The idea is to rid ourselves of the current approach to production which is based on a cradle-to-grave approach: extract resources from the Earth to make consumer products which are then discarded (thrown away) into landfills or burnt up in incinerators, expelling unknown synthetic chemicals into the ecosphere which we rely on for life.

It's time for us to recognize that the approach to mass production and living brought on by the industrial revolution is antiquated. If anything, it's insulting that humanity has yet to update itself from what seems to be such an archaic paradigm of not only how we make things, but what are relationship ought to be with the multitude of living systems that we are embedded in. All other living species exist in an interdependent cyclical system in which their "wastes equals food" for some other set of beings. It's high time that we apply this age old and ubiquitous principle to how we manufacture and produce all the things that we need to live as well.

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Penny into a Radio, Make a Flood Alarm with an Aspirin, Change

Average customer rating:

must like stores like radio shack
Useless - not worth the money
Greasy Kids' Stuff
More for kids
A little silly, but fun

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Penny into a Radio, Make a Flood Alarm with an Aspirin, Change
Cy Tymony
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
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Do you know how to make something that can tell whether the $20 bill in your wallet is a fake? Or how to generate battery power with simple household items? Or how to create your own home security system?Science-savvy author Cy Tymony does. And now you can learn how to create these things¿and more than 40 other handy gadgets and gizmos¿in Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things. More than a simple do-it-yourself guide, this quirky collection is a valuable resource for transforming ordinary objects into the extraordinary. With over 80 solutions and bonus applications at your disposal, you will be ready for almost any situation. Included are survival, security, self-defense, and silly applications that are just plain fun.You¿ll be seen as a superhero as you amaze your friends by:¿ Transforming a simple FM radio into a device that enables you to eavesdrop on tower-to-air conversations.¿ Creating your own personalized electronic greeting cards.¿ Making a compact fire extinguisher from items typically found in a kitchen pantry.¿ Thwarting intruders with a single rubber band.By using run-of-the-mill household items and the easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams within, you¿ll be able to complete most projects in just a few minutes. Whether you use Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things as a practical tool to build useful devices, a fun little fantasy escape, or as a trivia guide to impress friends and family, this book is sure to be a reference favorite for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

must like stores like radio shack.......2007-06-15

This book describes how to make gadgets. If you already know about electricity and magnetism and basic physical science, buy this book and impress your young cousins/nephews/ nieces. there is survival stuff like collecting water from plants, safety stuff like making a fire extinguisher, and cool stuff like building a magnetic ring or wand to do things (hence the radio shack title).

Also a good purchase for budding mad scientist and science teacher.

Useless - not worth the money.......2007-05-23

I found this book to be useless and lacking in creativity. I think I'm actually dumber for reading the section on how to connect things. It says to twist wires together or tape things together. I hate the fact that my first review is negative, but I felt compelled to write because I don't want others to be as disappointed as I was.

Greasy Kids' Stuff.......2007-03-10

Color me disappointed. This would be a fun book for pre-teens to early teens, but the Make magazine / Burning Man crowd should stay away. Anyone with a basic grasp of physics or electronics probably won't find much to astound or amaze here.

More for kids.......2007-01-05

The theme of this book is more for kids with nothing to do and have a little MacGyver in them. Not a bad bathroom read, but I don't really see myself ever using more than one or two of the projects described in the book. The theme is more for sneaking around which may be better for child thieves than survival tips.

A little silly, but fun.......2006-11-19

This book is a sort of training manual for MacGyver wannabes. It's a collection of low-tech, cheap little projects that one can do in order to simulate "real" technology. You could certainly use some of these in an emergency, which is what the author suggests, but that's not really the point of the book in my view.

The real use would be for kids-- or, even better, kids and parents-- who want to mess around with some every day items in ways they haven't previously, have some fun, and enjoy some "Wow! Look at that!" moments. Had the author designed the book explicitly for that purpose, many of the negative reviews here wouldn't have been written.

So, the book is both pretty silly and enjoyable, but it's not any sort of survival manual. A word of advice: Avoid the sequel; the author used all of his good ideas in this volume.

101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married: Simple Lessons to Make Love Last

Average customer rating:

A Must Read Book Before Getting Married
really renews my belief in love
very good book
A must have for those just married or about to get married!
Worth reading

101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married: Simple Lessons to Make Love Last
Linda Bloom , and Charlie Bloom
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

With the divorce rate spiking at a dizzying 60 percent, it’s safe to assume that young couples and experienced partners alike may lack the skills and understanding necessary to sustain a committed relationship. Psychotherapists Linda and Charlie Bloom present 101 techniques delivering practical guidance and make it clear that, regardless of past experience, anyone can develop the basic strengths, skills, and capacities needed for a great relationship. Each lesson is presented as a simple, one-line thought followed by an explanation using real life examples — from the authors' own experiences in sustaining their marriage of 31 years to those of the thousands of couples they've professionally counseled or who have taken the Blooms' life relationship seminars. This book demonstrates how anyone can find ways out of a painful relationship, and how couples can enrich their own relationships through working through love's challenges.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read Book Before Getting Married.......2007-09-30

Don't let the title fool you. This book is great for anyone who is in a relationship.

really renews my belief in love.......2007-02-05

this book is amazing. i stumbled upon it in the bookstore and it was the last copy on display. i picked it up and thumbed through it and i was hooked. i'd never heard of the authors and this book. unfortunately i think we give a lot of credit to authors who get on major television shows and some authors that have good stuff to say don't ever get the credit they deserve....

back to the book...it's a great book the chapters are short and sweet (but not too short) and as other reviewers have mentioned the couple has lots of experience as therapists and a real married couple. i plan to suggest to my boyfriend that we read a couple of chapters an evening and discuss them. i really like the concepts in the book and think if you're in a serious relationship leading to marriage you owe it to yourself to get this. i suspect if you're already married you can still benefit too!

very good book.......2006-11-18

this is a must have book, whether or not you're married or even after! My husband and i highlighted sections that meant something to us and discussed them. really helped us over a hump! Highly recommend and it's an easy read.

A must have for those just married or about to get married!.......2006-03-13

Background:

I am getting married in about 10 weeks. My fiancé and I have recently had to deal with several issues that have surfaced. We are both very open, well educated and understanding, but all of a sudden we had trouble communicating well regarding several topics. We both come from parents who are remarried, and the overall divorce rate is very high in our family which scares us both. Furthermore, my mother's second marriage is one of those wonderful relationships that are written about in children's fairytales, and lately I have felt pressured that my relationship must to compare to hers.

Review:

If you are married, thinking about getting married, or recently married, you owe it to yourself read this book! If you aren't hooked on the book by the end of the table of contents I would be shocked!

I found this book at a local bookstore while browsing through the relationship section and it is GREAT! The book is basically a compilation of mostly lighthearted tips and pointers drawn from real life experience which would take a newly married couple many years to figure out. The book tackles many subjects, which after reading seem so simple and straight forward that I would have felt silly had I not understood them; however the truth is, I had never thought about these subjects, let alone how to deal with them.

After about three hours I am half way through the book and really feel like I am learning lessons that take others years of marriage to learn. The book has also helped my confide in, and understand the many benefits of a long enduring relationship that I had not thought about. Many of the books' subjects also revolve around the controversies and hurtles that a long term relationship will eventually face. The wonderful wisdom that Charlie and Linda Bloom present, is not how to try and avoid these rather unavoidable circumstances, but instead how to use these difficult times to help your marriage grow and become stronger than it would be had these situations not occurred. This is a great feeling, especially for men whose married and single friends often say very derogatory things regarding relationships in general.

Worth reading.......2006-02-02

For newlyweds or those married for a number of years, this book has many gems of wisdom to offer. My husband and I have been married for 28 years and read the book together and found it refreshing and helpful in some areas where we recognized chronic tension in our relationship. The authors' overall assessments of a variety of relationships and wisdom for handling various issues that arise between committed couples is on target. It is worth reading and would make a good gift for weddings (or anniversaries!)

Dealing with the Stuff That Makes Life Tough : The 10 Things That Stress Teen Girls Out and How to Cope with Them

Average customer rating:

Teen Books
Mad Mother
Excellent Book
Good book but deals with some tough issues
Excellent True to Life Book. Would highly recommend

Dealing with the Stuff That Makes Life Tough : The 10 Things That Stress Teen Girls Out and How to Cope with Them
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Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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GirlWise: How to Be Confident, Capable, Cool, and in Control
33 Things Every Girl Should Know: Stories, Songs, poems, and Smart Talk by 33 Extraordinary Women
Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks: A Real Girl's Guide to Getting Through the Day with Smarts and Style
Organizing from the Inside Out for Teenagers: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Room, Your Time, and Your Life

ASIN: 0071423265

Book Description

With compassion and insight, an expert counselor shows teen girls how to find the solutions to stress and anxiety that lie within

Parents, schoolwork, boyfriends, college . . .it's enough to make any teenage girl wish she could just snap her fingers and make it all go away. But with the click of her heels, she'll soon discover that the means to dealing with stress were always within her power. Dealing with the Stuff That Makes Life Tough helps teenage girls find the wisdom within to overcome stress in their lives.

A serious self-help guide for teenage girls that is neither preachy nor condescending, Dealing with the Stuff That Makes Life Tough uses real-life anecdotes to help readers triumph over difficulties. Common teen anxieties include:

Body image
Dating
Divorce
Depression
Insomnia
Friends and bullies
Substance abuse
Gay and lesbian issues

The book also includes short introductions of each subject, expert quotes, statistics, key points, reading lists, Web pages, and toll-free numbers.

Customer Reviews:

Teen Books.......2007-02-24

great book, my teenager seems to be carrying it with her with interest and is actually reading it and interested in it.......with self help books you never know but this one seemed to talk to her

Mad Mother.......2006-12-15

This book tries too hard to be PC(Politically Correct) in my opinion. The lesbian chapter was over the top. Having sex was too easily accepted as what you do when you want to. My 14 year old is fairly mature but is definitely not ready for this book. I returned it.

Excellent Book.......2005-09-12

This is by far the best self-help book for girls that I have ever come across. It addresses issues--some very difficult--that pre-teen and teenage girls are faced with today. I thought that every chapter was sensitive and well-written. My 14 year old daughter thought the chapters on body image, anxiety and insomnia made her feel better about herself and more in control of her life. I thought that the last chapter, on lesbian teens, was appropriate and helpful as it showed that most girls are not gay, and that tolerance for others who are different is important. My 12 year old daughter found this reassurring as she was beginning to worry that she was a lesbian because of something she read in a magazine. This book is a must-read for every adolescent girl and her parents.

Good book but deals with some tough issues.......2005-09-06

My 14 year old daughter enjoyed most of the book, however the last chapter about what to do if you like someone of the same sex was a little "gross" for her. She isn't sexually active and found some of the issue a little too explective.

Excellent True to Life Book. Would highly recommend.......2003-12-06

I read this book two weeks ago and it has really changed my attitude about myself. It was extremelly helpful and I would recommend it to anyone. This book will definetley help you with all of life's little problems.

Projects for the Birder's Garden: Over 100 Easy Things That You can Make to Turn Your Yard and Garden into a Bird-Friendly Haven

Average customer rating:

Great book for birders
Fun
Excellent book for bird-loving gardeners!
Projects for the Birder's Garden
GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR LIBRARY - RECOMMEND HIGHLY

Projects for the Birder's Garden: Over 100 Easy Things That You can Make to Turn Your Yard and Garden into a Bird-Friendly Haven

Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Furnishings | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)
Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard: Watch Your Garden Come Alive With Beauty on the Wing (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
The Complete Book of Birdhouse Construction for Woodworkers

ASIN: 0899093930
Release Date: 2004-08-26

Book Description

Create your own private nature preserve-with dozens of ingenious ideas to turn a typical backyard into a beautiful natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Experience the gratification of watching birds gobble seeds and other treats from your homemade bird feeder. Look on with delight as a mother bird tends to her babies in the protective hideaway of a birdhouse you have lovingly constructed from a dried gourd. Create a sunflower plantation, a bird teepee, a tent-style twig feeder, a pedestal birdbath. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this book, and your yard will quickly become an enticing playground, breeding ground, and feeding ground for colorful songbirds. And that's not all-there are also projects specially designed to attract beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden.

Among the book's special features:
- Projects require only a few simple tools and supplies and most can be easily and inexpensively assembled using only scrap materials found around the house

- Information-packed sidebars include tips for identifying the nests and eggs of songbirds and unusual facts and figures about birds and bird behavior

- Instructions show how to create baffles and barriers to keep squirrels, raccoons, and other unwanted guess away from the birdseed-along with projects for tending to these feeder-raiding marauders too!

The simple pleasure of viewing birds in your backyard is something to treasure every day of the year. Whether you are a seasoned bird watcher or are new to the hobby, you will find a wealth of inspirational ideas here to attract more birds than ever before to your backyard. And you'll increase your enjoyment of this soul-satisfying pastime.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for birders.......2007-02-21

This is a great book for anyone interested in backyard birding, no matter what size your backyard may be. There are articles on how to attract, feed, and house different birds.

Fun.......2007-02-16

I like this book. I'm a new bird watcher. I've made some of the projects mentioned in this book and they work quite well.

Excellent book for bird-loving gardeners!.......2007-01-12

Numerous, easy to follow instructions on how to create wide variety of projects! Includes illustrations also. Must have for those that want to attract birds to their gardens without spending a fortune buying items ready-made. Would be a good resource for those wanting to learn how to make garden produces to sell also.

Projects for the Birder's Garden.......2006-11-28

The book arrived promptly and was a good bargain price. It had very good information on attracting and taking care of birds.

GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR LIBRARY - RECOMMEND HIGHLY.......2005-09-07

I have been a "birder" for over 45 years and a gardener (in a very sloppy, haphazard way) for just about as long. This is a wonderul work that fits well into my hobbies. It is simple, practical and a joy to work with. As another reviewer pointed out, the ideas put forth in this book actually work! I was also thrilled that most of these projects were ones that my four grandsons were more than able to help with and in doing so, actually taught them something. I happen to live in a rural area, infact, I live in the middle of the woods. Most of the projects in this book were non-intrusive and blended in well with the natural look that my wife and I strive for. Recommend you add this one to your library. Now if I can just train my nine barn cats......

Power, Influence, and Persuasion: Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen (Harvard Business Essentials)

Average customer rating:

Excellent, very readable
Insightful, Eloquent, Practical,...and Convincing

Power, Influence, and Persuasion: Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen (Harvard Business Essentials)

Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Harvard Business Essentials Guide to Negotiation
Time Management: Increase Your Personal Productivity And Effectiveness (Harvard Business Essentials)
Business Communication (Harvard Business Essentials)
Manager's Toolkit: The 13 Skills Managers Need to Succeed (Harvard Business Essentials)
Managing Projects Large and Small: The Fundamental Skills to Deliver on budget and on Time

ASIN: 159139631X

Book Description

The Harvard Business Essentials series is designed to provide comprehensive advice, personal coaching, background information, and guidance on the most relevant topics in business. Whether you are a new manager seeking to expand your skills or a seasoned professional looking to broaden your knowledge base, these solution-oriented books put reliable answers at your fingertips. To be effective, managers have to be skilled at acquiring power—and using that power to persuade others to get things done. This guide offers must-know methods for commanding attention, changing minds, and influencing decision-makers up and down the organizational ladder.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, very readable.......2007-06-27

Excellent for new & existing managers or anyone else in the corporate world who wants to pitch an idea to an individual or a group. It is an easy read touching on all areas of selling your idea. This even discusses the unethical use of influence.

Insightful, Eloquent, Practical,...and Convincing.......2005-07-09

This is one of the volumes in the new Harvard Business Essentials Series. Each offers authoritative answers to the most important questions concerning its specific subject. The material in this book is drawn from a variety of sources which include the Harvard Business School Press and the Harvard Business Review as well as Harvard ManageMentor®, an online service. I strongly recommend the official Harvard Business Essentials Web site (www.elearning.hbsp.org/businesstools) which offers free interactive versions of tools, checklists, and worksheets cited in this book and other books in the Essentials series. Each volume is indeed "a highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience." And each is by intent and in execution solution-oriented. Although I think those who have only recently embarked on a business career will derive the greatest benefit, the material is well-worth a periodic review by senior-level executives.

Credit Richard Luecke with pulling together a wealth of information and counsel from various sources. He is also the author of several other books in the Essentials series. In this instance, he was assisted by a subject advisor, Kathleen K. Reardon, a professor of management and organization at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, who is a leading authority on persuasion, negotiation, and workplace politics.

Together, they have carefully organized the material as follows. First, they explain why power is necessary in organizations "even though our society distrusts power and those who seek it." Next, they examine the sources of power. Then they explain why power is realized only through some form of expression. In Chapter 4, they examine influence in sharper focus, illustrating three specific tactics which any manager can use. Then in the next two chapters, Luecke and Reardon shift their attention to the concept of persuasion. They identify the four elements of persuasion and discuss how various audiences and people with diverse decision-making styles are receptive ("susceptible") to different forms of persuasion. Then in Chapter 6, they explain how to appeal both to the mind (with logic and/or evidence) and the to heart (by anchoring the given proposition in a human context). Hence the importance of compelling details, vivid images, similes, metaphors, analogies, and especially stories achieve resonance with an audience.

In Chapter 7, Luecke and Reardon provide some excellent suggestions to increase and enhance the impact of a formal presentation. "It suggests a presentation structure and a number of rhetorical devices perfected by the ancient Greeks. It also explains the various learning styles used by people and explains the importance of adapting each formal presentation to the needs, interests, and temperament of the given audience.

I also appreciate the three appendices provided. "In Leading When You're Not the Boss," Luecke and Reardon offer useful tips on how to be productive and effective in situations in which (usually lower-level managers) are expected to lead but have no formal power or authority to do so. Appendix B includes two forms by which to assess an audience and to assess one's own ability to persuade others. (Please check out Figures B-1 and B-2 on pages 135-139.) In the the third appendix, Luecke and Reardon offer seven "Rules" to follow when preparing visuals for presentations which will have maximum impact.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Robert B. Miller and Gary A. Williams' The 5 Paths to Persuasion and Annette Simmons' The Story Factor as well as Doug Lipman's Improving Your Storytelling (he wrote the Foreword to The Story Factor), Stephen Denning's The Leader's Guide to Storytelling, and Storytelling in Organizations co-authored by John Seely Brown, Denning, Katarina Groh, and Laurence Prusak.

150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken (And 50 Ways to Roast It)

Average customer rating:

Creative, useable, AND delicious
What's not to love

150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken (And 50 Ways to Roast It)
Tony Rosenfeld
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress Free Strategies for Busy People
Fine Cooking Annual: A Year of Great Recipes, Tips & Techniques (Fine Cooking Magazine)
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A Twist of the Wrist: Quick Flavorful Meals with Ingredients from Jars, Cans, Bags, and Boxes
Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

ASIN: 1561588458
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

Who doesn't love roast chicken? And the best part is that it's so easy to make. 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken takes a good thing and makes it even better. Instead of one, roast two chickens (or a big roaster) on Sunday night and you've got leftover makings for at least one deliciously simple weeknight meal--choose from 150 recipes for casseroles, soups, stews, stir-fries, and rice and pasta dishes, as well as a raft of chicken salads and wraps and meal-worthy salads featuring chicken. And to keep things interesting, you can put a different spin on your roast chicken for almost every week of the year, with rubs, glazes, marinades, and sauces.

Customer Reviews:

Creative, useable, AND delicious.......2007-09-08

I've been using this cookbook for about a month, making mostly salads (it's late summer), and am pleased with the recipes so far.

I have been cooking longer than I'd like, and for health reasons we eat chicken often. So I was pretty desperate for some new ideas, and am pleased with these recipes.

The salads are imaginative and delicious, and best of all the recipes WORK without me having to fiddle around much. (So often you have to guess what the writer or food stylist actually meant for you to do, or they leave out a critical step, or you just know you have to add more garlic.) I look forward to the casseroles and soups this fall.

It's not the very BEST cookbook I've ever used (that might be the Sarah Leah Chase Open House cookbooks or the New Way to Cook). But I feel it deserves 5 stars because it is so practical and helpful. Thank you Mr. Rosenfeld.

What's not to love.......2007-07-24

I love chicken but do not like to cook (at all). Since not cooking is not an option, this book makes the dreaded chore easy. The recipes are simple and delicious - the best kind - and the perfect way to disguise leftovers for those people in my family who won't eat them.

Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Calculator into a Metal Detector, Carry a Survival Kit in a Shoestring, Make a Gas Mask with a Balloon, ... a Styrofoam Cup into a Speaker, and Make

Average customer rating:

wonderful fun in a yellow cover!
Better for kiddie-types
Don't waste your money on this book
Cool ideas.

Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Calculator into a Metal Detector, Carry a Survival Kit in a Shoestring, Make a Gas Mask with a Balloon, ... a Styrofoam Cup into a Speaker, and Make
Cy Tymony
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Experiments & Projects | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Penny into a Radio, Make a Flood Alarm with an Aspirin, Change
Gonzo Gizmos: Projects & Devices to Channel Your Inner Geek
Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices
The Unofficial MacGyver How-To Handbook: Revised 2nd Edition
MythBusters: Don't Try This at Home (MythBusters)

ASIN: 0740754963

Book Description

How to Turn a Calculator into a Metal Detector, Carry a Survival Kit in a Shoestring, Make a Gas Mask with a Balloon, Turn Dishwashng Liquid into a Copy Machine, Convert a Styrofoam Cup into a Speaker, and Make a James Bond Spy Jacket with Everyday Things

Did you know that your standard issue of Sports Illustrated magazine can be turned into over 20 useful gadgets? In author Cy Tymony's Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things, you'll learn how an average magazine can become many extraordinary gadgets such as a compass, hearing aid, magnifier, peashooter, and bottle opener.

Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things covers 40 new educational and unique projects that anybody can successfully complete with simple household items. The book includes a list of necessary materials, detailed sketches, and step-by-step instructions for each gadget and gizmo. Among the sneaky schemes are:

" Creating a electroscope out of a glass jar

" Turning a drinking cup into a speaker

" Using an AM radio as a metal detector

" Making a spy gadget jacket with over 20 individual sneaky uses ranging from a siren and

whistle to a walkie-talkie and voice recorder

These days, "be prepared" applies to more than just the Boy Scouts. Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things provides loads of practical ideas, science projects, and captivating solutions for dealing with life's unexpected challenges. Great fun for the curious, inventive, and creative of all ages.

Customer Reviews:

wonderful fun in a yellow cover!.......2007-03-26

The uniqueness of this book is in it's humor and lively spirit. I'd recommend it to anyone seeking odd knowledge.

Better for kiddie-types.......2007-01-05

This is a good bathroom book, but a little too cheesy for adult readers, but there are some neat activities.

Don't waste your money on this book.......2006-11-11

I bought this along with the author's first "sneaky" book (I'd give the first one two stars) and now wish I had saved my money. Cheesy is the best description I can give. The sneaky uses are completely obvious and, in many cases, too flimsy to survive construction. The author apparently is fascinated with safety pins, magnets, etc. but who needs a book to explain how to make a wire out of a paperclip? Also, the art is as amateurish as the ideas. Not exactly rocket science.

Cool ideas........2006-08-28

Book bought for fun. Styrofoam speaker idea is cool. Some of the ideas are a real stretch but I enjoyed the book. Not as many ideas that I could use in my classes, but overall, worthwhile.

Nature Crafts for Kids: 50 Fantastic Things to Make With Mother Nature's Help

Average customer rating:

peaceful, creative, and attractive
True Crafting Book
Nature Crafts for Kids

Nature Crafts for Kids: 50 Fantastic Things to Make With Mother Nature's Help
Gwen Diehn , and Terry Krautwurst
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Models | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Kids' Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences (Williamson Kids Can! Series)

ASIN: 0806983728

Customer Reviews:

peaceful, creative, and attractive.......2006-10-03

This book combines fairly simple craft projects with an eco-friendly approach. Ideas are divided by season, as the availability of materials will vary, and projects range from animal sanctuaries and feeders to rustic toys and arts. The whole book strives to foster a love of and respect for nature, discussing natural phenomena and facts about the everyday things we know little about. The whole feel of the book really worked for me, and I think imparting this respect for our planet is always a good idea, not only because we have to live here and treat our surroundings well, but because nature has so much to offer us. These ideas make for great shared experiences with a family or class. Great fun, educational, and filled with lovely photos and ideas.

True Crafting Book.......2006-05-11

I recently found this book at my local library and and loved it so much that I am looking to add it to my collection. This is not a book filled with cutsie fifteen minute projects that the kids do on their own, rather it is for adults to explore with kids, actually spending time with them.

My children detest most children's crafts; they would much rather create something that gets used in real life. They can hardly wait to try out the cement birdbath, and are already making the pocket sundials. I am overjoyed to see them finally taking joy in crafting. Projects that take time and effort to finish help teach kids to see things through to the end and give them a greater appreciation for the work others put into their creations.

Another great thing about this book is all of the extra information tucked in. There are boxes and pages dedicated to subjects such as types of bark, how to find the north star, and which birds eat which types of food. There are even sections on tracking animals, wind power, rain facts and how seeds travel. The information is interesting enough without over-doing it.

All in all, an excellent rescource for a parent who wants to spend time exploring nature with kids, or for an older youth who likes nature.

Nature Crafts for Kids.......2000-04-05

This book contains wonderful ideas for a wide range of ages using items found in nature. The crafts are arranged according to the season in which most of the materials will be found. They give alternate places in which to find some materials or replacemant materials. There are great illustrations and very good step by step instructions for creating the items.

Children that have this book available to them and have the help of an interested adult need not be bored any time of the year.

Projects are fun, instructional and varied. Children can learn to enjoy nature,science and make many useful things using this book. Learning filled with fun and excitement could be a subtitle for "Nature Crafts For Kids".

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