Book Description
In Everything About Me Is Fake...and I'm Perfect, the hilarious and candid follow–up to the national bestseller No Lifeguard on Duty, Janice Dickinson tackles our society's unattainable standards of beauty and reveals the secrets behind her own lifelong struggle to achieve perfection –– from her bra–stuffing days as a flat–chested teenager through her career as the world's first supermodel to her ultimate comeback as a bestselling author and television star on the top–rated reality television hit America's Next Top Model.
Even as she graced the glossy pages of Vogue and Cosmo, Janice had to struggle to keep up the image of brazen self–confidence and bravado that became her trademark. Behind every smile and pose was a sea of self–doubt and insecurities. Now, after years of experience as a supermodel –– being stitched into clothing, starving herself, and undergoing cosmetic surgery –– Janice debunks the beauty myths and breaks down what's real and what's not. Drawing on her vast knowledge of fashion, beauty care, and fitness, Janice offers no–nonsense advice and tips on how to look and feel your best on your own terms.
you see on the magazine pages starve themselves for weeks on end, smoke up a storm, and scarf down enough diuretics to blast out the Pacific Ocean.
No one tells a story like the world's first supermodel, and Janice's eagerly awaited follow–up is filled with outrageous anecdotes from her personal life, including how she stole Donald Trump's heart after jacking his limo, her steamy date with JFK Jr., and the wonders and pitfalls of going under the knife. In a fabulous fashion that only Janice can deliver, she tells all about her bumpy and unpredictable road to a healthy self–image and pulls back the curtain on the modeling industry, as well as her own life, proving why, as Janice explains: "Everything about me is fake . . . and I'm perfect."
Customer Reviews:
Horrible........2007-08-30
This woman is a joke. No talent. I know her personally and she didn't even write this book.
Luv Janice.......2007-08-18
I loved this book. Janice is a very interesting person. I thought this was a great read. Lots of good info about dating,exercise, beauty tips and living healthy. Yeah, she's into Yoga, meditation, exercise and good nutrition. She's a real survivor and of course the world's first supermodel. a strong and fascinating woman. I think she's fabulous. I have read all her books. I loved them all. When she publishes again I will buy it. Okay now I have to go down to CVS to buy some Bag Balm.
Everything about her...........2007-07-31
is purely fake but it was a cute read to read when there is nothing else to do! There is a lot of fowl language so if you are offended by that, it's not for you. And be warned that it's a lot of talking trash about certain people!
The real deal.......2007-04-18
Janice tells it straight up the way it is! She doesnt sugar coat anything! She doesnt try to make things sound way better then they are in the modeling world and she is honest about it all! In this book she is open about the life lessons that she has learned and shares in her knowledge! I loved the book!
..........2007-01-16
Bought this for my girlfriend, she said it was a good book. She also has her other books No Lifeguard, & Check, Please! which she says are also good.
Average customer rating:
- girls girls girls
- a empowering book
- Awsome Book
- i wanted to dislike this book, i really did.
- This novel-inspired manga is an engaging read!
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Kamikaze Girls Novel, Volume 1
Novala Takemoto
Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
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Kamikaze Girls
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Socrates In Love: Novel (Socrates in Love)
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Soundtrack
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Gothic and Lolita
ASIN: 1421502690 |
Book Description
Meet Momoko, a "Lolita" decked out to the nines in the finest (and frilliest) of Victorian haute couture. The only scion of a drunken interlude between a cowardly yakuza and an inebriated bar-hostess, Momoko's mom has since split the scene, and, after various ill-fated scams that involve imitation brand name merchandise, Momoko's dad relocates them to the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture. To escape her humdrum existence, Momoko fanaticizes about French rococo, dreams of living in the palace of Versailles, and buys all her extremely lacy clothes from an expensive Tokyo boutique.
Meet Ichiko, a tough-talking motorcycle grrrl (on a tricked-out moped) who leads a ladies-only biker gang known as the Ponytails. Together, this unlikeliest of duos strike out on a quest to find a legendary embroiderer, a journey on which they encounter conniving pachinko parlor managers, legendary street-punks, and anemic costumers. Who knows, they might just make it big...if only Ichiko would stop head butting Momoko in the forehead. Novala Takemoto's break-though novel KAMIKAZE GIRLS, already a cult-classic in Japan, is more than a wry coming-of-age picaresque, it's a new way of life.
Customer Reviews:
girls girls girls.......2007-10-03
awesome book. one of those books u can finish in one sitting cos its just so entertaining! definitely a one of a kind story. i wish there were more books like this one.
a empowering book.......2007-08-21
okay probably not words you think of when you think of a Japanese novel about a Yanki and a Elegant Gothic Lolita. Probably few if anyone that reads manga would probably even think to pick up the book. Yet I say EVERY girl should read it.
Because, its about the bonds that are the very beginning of any life long friendship. The friendships that actually last and will stand the tests of what ever is thrown at one during life, and what you'll throw back at life to keep that friendship.
Its just a wonderful book, that every girl should read. Even if its about two wildly different Japanese girls and neither is really a 'mainstream underground' in America, everyone LUVS a E.G.L. and who doesn't want to be a big bad Yanki sometimes?
word of warning, there is some cussing. artfully and tastefully done. and yes I apply those types of words to cussing.
Awsome Book.......2007-04-15
I love this book. The art work is OKAY, not the best, but it fits the story well. Momoko is a sweet lolita, not a gothic lolita. There is a BIG difference. Ichigo(AKA Ichiko) is a yanki, who seems a bit clueless at times. There are some pretty big differences between the movie, then novel, and the manga, so try not to get too confused if you own all three! This book also includes 2 bonus stories, "The Pinky Finger Princess", and "The Middle Finger Princess". My favortie of the two is "The Middle Finger Princess", which might not be suitable for younger readers. There's some cursing in this book, but probably not as much as there is in the origional novel, so I reccomend this book for younger readers, as a substitute until they can handle the language.
i wanted to dislike this book, i really did........2006-10-04
but fourtunately i was unable to. the book is better than the movie, because the characters are clearer. in the end of the movie, i didn't really understand momoko's desicion not to (thing she decided not to do because i don't want to spoil it for others)but in the book i understood it better.
like another reviewer said: it would help you to know a bit about japanese pop culture, but most of the time important things are explained pretty clearly.
so read the book, even if you aren't interested in lolita fashion, you'll laugh, worry, feel sad, w00t... and come away feeling good about being different, which is not something i can say for a lot of books written for brokemold teengirls these days.
This novel-inspired manga is an engaging read!.......2006-04-04
Based on the cult-classic novel by Novala Takemoto, Kamikaze Girls is a story about two girls on different ends of a fashion/culture spectrum: a yanki, (slang for a bad boy or girl, often members of a gang) and a Lolita (a.k.a. Gothic Lolita because the style comes from Gothic, Victorian era). Ichigo, the yanki, is an impulsive member of a local yanki girl’s-only biker gang. Momoko, the Lolita, will stick to her “Gothic Lolita” code of conduct even if it means walking everywhere, and travelling three hours by train to get to Tokyo instead of by motor bike, which only takes one hour, because the wind might mess up her headdress or clothes. These two girls form a friendship based, at first, on a common ground for most girls their age: clothes, or rather, their passion for fashion. They later discover that they want to be friends because they really like the person inside the clothes. They are soon comforting, supporting, and saving one another as they start to spend all their time together as best friends. These girls protect their friendship to one another so recklessly, some might say they’re suicidal!
The continuation of Ichigo and Momoko’s misadventures, written by the manga artist, Yukio Kanesada (with Novala Takemoto’s approval), are sweet, romantic, and fun! There are two other extra stories, “Pinky Ring Princess” and “Middle Finger Princess” that are also a treat to read (although due to some adult/sexual situations in them, they're not for anyone younger than 16—which is the rating VIZ Media gives this manga, anyway).
It was through this manga that I really got to see the non-stereotypical aspects of being a yanki and Gothic Lolita, and where I got to learn more about their culture. While the yanki community often attracts delinquents, Ichigo’s sense of loyalty, honor, and fighting for what you believe in is almost samurai-like. Ichigo shows you don’t even think twice about doing something contrary to your style if your motivation is for love. Momoko teaches that Gothic Lolita isn’t about young girls calling themselves "Lolitas" and behaving like the famous Lolita (having sex with adults to become “adult” yourself). Gothic Lolita according to Momoko is about being frilly, pretty, feminine and going back to a more innocent, romantic time of history: the Victorian era. To Momoko, being a Lolita means being radiant, graceful, elegant, calm and always beautiful. But also Momoko shows that if it’s for a best friend, a Lolita, “must, even if she can’t be elegant, even if it’s a losing fight, must join the battle” and be tough enough to scare the wits out of a gang of yanki biker-chicks! This is a great manga. I recommend it to anyone who thinks the stereotypical things about yankis or Lolitas as a really delightful re-thinking of "those types of people". I plan on buying the novel that the manga was based on as soon as I earn up the funds to do so.
Book Description
Warning: the truth can be shocking, seductive, offensive, outrageous...even disgusting!
Are you perplexed by the mysteries of the universe, confounded by the workings of the human body, prone to pondering the great imponderables? At long last, the answers are here for every inquiring mind that's not afraid to face up to the cold, hard facts of life. The author who brought you That Book . . . of Perfectly Useless Information now addresses the quirky, the eclectic, and the essential conundrums of our age in Why Girls Can't Throw . . . and Other Questions You Always Wanted Answered, including:
- What's the kindest way to tell a friend he has halitosis?
- Is it cheaper to send yourself as a package to Australia rather than fly on an airplane?
- Are there any benefits to smoking?
- Is it true that Keith Richards used to regularly replace all the blood in his body?
Download Description
"
Warning: the truth can be shocking, seductive, offensive, outrageous...even disgusting!
Are you perplexed by the mysteries of the universe, confounded by the workings of the human body, prone to pondering the great imponderables? At long last, the answers are here for every inquiring mind that's not afraid to face up to the cold, hard facts of life. The author who brought you That Book . . . of Perfectly Useless Information now addresses the quirky, the eclectic, and the essential conundrums of our age in Why Girls Can't Throw . . . and Other Questions You Always Wanted Answered, including:
- What's the kindest way to tell a friend he has halitosis?
- Is it cheaper to send yourself as a package to Australia rather than fly on an airplane?
- Are there any benefits to smoking?
- Is it true that Keith Richards used to regularly replace all the blood in his body?
"
Customer Reviews:
Unbelievably funny and fascinating!.......2006-02-15
I've only just got this book and already I've finished it. The fact is I couldn't put it down. The questions I found most entertaining were the ones about philosophy - Do Two Wrongs Make A Right anbd Can You Trust The Cretan Who Tells You All Cretans Are Liars and What Is The Meaning Of Life.
Thoroughly recommended.
Book Description
Award–winning journalist Richard Abanes clears away the confusion many readers experience over fantasy books and films. He delves into the differences between various forms of fantasy and digs out answers needed by every parent, youth worker, teacher, and student.
The stories of Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling—and films based on them—have touched millions of lives. How are these authors similar...and different? Where do they fit into today’s ever–growing desire for the mystery and magic fantasy provides? Abanes—himself a fantasy and science–fiction fan—helps shed light on this form of entertainment and its effects on today’s youth.
Readers will come away thoroughly equipped to differentiate between stories and films that are harmless, even inspiring—and those containing spiritual dangers.
Customer Reviews:
Book Title Is Slightly Misleading though..........2007-03-21
This book contains a pretty in depth comparison of three influential series of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia however the book as a whole does not fully revolve around these works alone. This is the first Abanes work I have read and I am quite delighted by his depth of research and care for the very influential art forms of literature and visual media. The author demonstrates and sounds a warning bell to parents about the need for greater discernment when it comes to media choices for children.
The book's subtitle, in my opinion, more acurately depicts the content. Direct quotes from a variety of sources are quoted in the copious notes at the rear of the book. A side comment about the notes is the usability of them with page references as well as chapter references. Kudos to the publisher/ editors. One of the more helpful insights I received from this book is the information about how a child develops cognitively and when they are able to best distinguish between fantasy and reality.
Giving the reader as much information as possible about the franchises and how they can be interpreted for good or ill.......2006-03-14
Written by a devout Christian who is pro-literature and pro-fun, yet at the same time aware of the vulnerabilities of the developing minds of young Christian children, Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings: What You Need to Know About Fantasy Books and Movies is a balanced appraisal of the positive and negative influences that popular fantasy novels and movies can have upon the Christian youth of today. Though the text focuses especially on the three franchises in the title, Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings also discusses broader implications of children's fantasy literature in its depictions of the occult, its connections to Wicca and neopaganism, and its usage by corporations to mass-market products and cement a consumerist mentality in young people as early as possible in life. Do not mistake Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings for a book that unilaterally condemns the franchises of its title, fantasy literature in general, or even non-Christian religious beliefs; for example, the author does not denounce Wicca or neopagan faiths as "evil", but rather warns against the relativistic morals of these beliefs (which often follow the basic code that doing harm to others is unacceptable, yet leave the nuances of deciding what is or is not harm to others up to the individual - thereby allowing individuals to justify such actions as sexual promiscuity). Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings devotes itself to giving the reader as much information as possible about the franchises and how they can be interpreted for good or ill, leaving the reader to decide whether his or her children are ready to experience the literature and movies without jeopardizing their spiritual development. Highly recommended.
Must read for parents.......2006-01-09
I read the first four Harry Potter books and enjoyed them, but after reading Abanes book, I've decided not to let my children read them--at least until they're adults and can separate fantasy from reality.
Children need to know that God is the only one who can guide and direct their lives, and they should turn to Him for guidance in all areas of their lives. Harry and His friends practice the magic arts, which is an abomination to God. Children will come to believe they can cast spells or do other things to solve their problems when the only one who can solve their problems is Jesus Christ.
Please do not let your children read the Harry Potter books. The books are just an opening for Satan to take hold of them and draw them away from God.
Well written book and very enlightening. But I think many readers will say, "Don't confuse me with the facts when my mind is already made up." I think in the next few years we're going to see the effects Harry Potter has had on our children when the kids reading the books become teens.
I dislike seeing reviews by folks who obviously haven't read the book. If God blesses Abanes with profits from the sales of this book, then let it be so. It is profits well deserved.
Abanes challenges to be discerning.......2005-11-09
Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings by Richard Abanes is a dissection of three of the greatest fantasy phenomena around today. Is fantasy harmful? Can we learn from it? Are there different types? How does fantasy affect us?
These are just a few of the questions Abanes answers in his informative book. As a mildly interested reader and watcher of fantasy, this book surprised me as it disclosed the impact that reading or observing fantasy can have on a person--especially a child or teenager. Yet parents are often very lax in supervising what their children read or watch, resulting in a decline in morals as well as an increasing interest in the occult.
Abanes compares the three above-named fantasies to show what each is preaching or teaching. With the Narnia and Lord of the Rings series, he shows how Christian values and morals can be taught through the fantasy medium.
With Harry Potter, he raises a few questions. Some in the Christian arena have said it teaches Christian morals. Abanes disputes this by asking: Do we have a clear-cut example of good and bad in Harry Potter? How can we call the hero "good" and yet watch Harry lie, cheat, and steal? What about all the occult spells and paraphernalia explored in the books?
In the last chapters, he shows how television and movies are delving more and more into the occult, including horror movies and even prime-time weekly television programs. "Children are big imitators," asserts Abanes. Many of the crimes being perpetrated today--especially by children and teenagers--are copycats of scenes watched in movies or television.
Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings is enlightening while remaining highly readable. Abanes challenges Christian authors and pastors in a friendly way, but calls us all to be discerning of what we put before our children and grandchildren. ..
just what I think.......2005-11-05
Instead of doing a good cristian thing (and if he wants to PROTECT children) and write how to be a good parent, raise your child to become a good person, he invest his time on debunking Harry Potter .. WHY??? because he makes more money this way..
I wouldn't let my children read ANY Abanes book, maybe they'll turn into narrowminded persons like this man, who in my opinion are what's wrong in this world.. (Just kidding, I think children are smart and deserve the same respect as adults, as JKRowling thinks. And Richard Abanes clearly doesn't. I woudl let my children read Mr Abanes' books I would just sit with them and explain how and why some people are like that)
Average customer rating:
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Color by Interval: Book 2 (Color by Note)
Sharon Kaplan
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
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Binding: Paperback
Piano
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ASIN: 0769284698 |
Customer Reviews:
Great use of page space.......2000-06-14
This book provides a great look inside the persona of a Ranger. It's a great reference for Role-Playing and a handy guide for a few new proficiencies, skills, and items. In addition to being a great guide through the life of a ranger, this handbook also features some of my favorite art work.
Wonderful book for colorful characters.......2000-06-09
The PHBR (Player's Handbook Reference) series is one of the most highly-regarded, and yet much-maligned, series of supplements ever created. Each sourcebook takes one of the races or classes of the AD&D game, and adds to it huge amounts of new detail - new equipment, spells, kits (sub-classes), lore, new rules, etc. The problem is that the players love these so much that the DM often feels compelled to buy into the rest of the series - an expensive proposition! Fortunately, these works were "reprinted" in the excellent AD&D Core Rules CD-ROM. This one includes everything you need to know to design and play a Ranger - chapters include requirements, level advancement, spell use, weapons and armor, tracking, animal empathy, natural lore, strongholds, followes, kits (such as the Explorer, Falconer, and Giant Killer), proficiencies, new spells and magic items, equipment, role-playing, religion, forgatherings, and more! An indispensible tome.
Disappointed, Good for higher level Rangers.......1999-10-20
The book is well organized. Writing style is reader friendly. However, over 60% of books is of interest only to players running Rangers above 7th level. I bought the book because I knew nothing about Rangers, and wanted more information for running a beginning level character than found in the Player's Handbook, or the the Skills & Powers book.
Excellent work.......1999-09-17
The book is excellent, I have always been a fan of Rangers( all of my most successfull characters have been of this class) I think it is the outdoorsman in me that draws me to them like a magnet. The book was put together well, I especially liked the entries about forgatherings and the times of the year they fall under, another thing I respected about the forgethering entrys was that they left you only with a vauge impression of how they opporate, leaving DM's such as myself with complete artistic freedome, It's a must buy for anyone even considering playing a Ranger of any type
Adds a lot to an Already Strong Character.......1999-02-17
Excellent book with a lot to add for anybody that is playing a ranger or wants to play one. Some very strong kits (pathfinder, stalker, mountain man, etc) and a few week ones (what's up with the plant ranger?) Also recommended for a DM that wants to add an interesting ranger NPC into play.
Book Description
The world's most exciting, fastest-growing new market? It's where you least expect it: at the bottom of the pyramid. Collectively, the world's billions of poor people have immense entrepreneurial capabilities and buying power. You can learn how to serve them and help millions of the world's poorest people escape poverty.
It is being done-profitably. Whether you're a business leader or an anti-poverty activist, business guru Prahalad shows why you can't afford to ignore "Bottom of the Pyramid" (BOP) markets.
In the book and accompanying CD videos, Prahalad presents...
Why what you know about BOP markets is wrong A world of surprises-from spending patterns to distribution and marketing
Unlocking the "poverty penalty"
The most enduring contributions your company can make Delivering dignity, empowerment, and choice-not just products
Corporations and BOP entrepreneurs Profiting together from an inclusive new capitalism
"C. K. Prahalad argues that companies must revolutionize how they dobusiness in developing countries if both sides of that economic equation areto prosper. Drawing on a wealth of case studies, his compelling new bookoffers an intriguing blueprint for how to fight poverty with profitability." Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect,Microsoft
"The Bottom of the Pyramid belongs at the top of the reading list forbusiness people, academics, and experts pursuing the elusive goal ofsustainable growth in the developing world. C. K. Prahalad writes withuncommon insight about consumer needs in poor societies andopportunities for the private sector to serve important public purposes whileenhancing its own bottom line. If you are looking for fresh thinking aboutemerging markets, your search is ended. This is the book for you." Madeleine K. Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State
"Prahalad challenges readers to re-evaluate their pre-conceived notionsabout the commercial opportunities in serving the relatively poor nations ofthe world. The Bottom of the Pyramid highlights the way to commercialsuccess and societal improvement--but only if the developed worldreconceives the way it delivers products and services to the developingworld." Christopher Rodrigues, CEO, Visa International
"An important and insightful work showing persuasively how the privatesector can be put at the center of development, not just as a rhetoricalflourish but as a real engine of jobs and services for the poor." Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme
Customer Reviews:
Saving the World.......2007-10-02
The author loves his TLA's (3 letter acronyms)! I wish someone had told me how technical this book was; those with an MBA will get the most out of it. But I love Prahalad's outlook and creativity. Perhaps with a little advice I can take my ideas and come up with a formal business plan.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and anecdotal evidence is not proof.......2007-06-24
Last year this book became a best seller hit among the developmental community at Washington, D.C., to the point that all bookstores at Metro DC run out of it. With notorious and well publicized praising comments from Madeleine Albright, Bill Gates and the like, I bought it too, but just to discover all the frenzy was undeserved from the viewpoint of poverty eradication.
Undoubtedly Mr. Pralhad's research demonstrates there are plenty of opportunities to do good business among the poor at the BOP (bottom of the pyramid), for them to benefit from the products and services not available now, and for some of them to go out of poverty by becoming entrepreneurs (market penetration is always limited). I agree on these conclusions, as commented extensively by the previous reviewers, and without a doubt this book will become a reference in many Business Schools. But to assert that this strategy will eradicate poverty and bring development is plain sophistry. As Carl Sagan said "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".
Why sophistry? Regarding the poverty eradication claimed by Mr. Prahalad I will try to highlight some of the main flaws in his rationale and lack of sufficient evidence:
1. Despite the consideration of several cases from around the Third-World, most of the discussion and arguments to build the framework are related to India, excessively. The conditions of the poor in Latin America are quite different, and often, they have better public services available to them. On the other hand, many African countries have worst conditions. So you can not reach valid conclusions based solely on a country with such unique cultural and ethnical conditions. For doing business the cases are fine, especially for India or China because they are such huge markets at the BOP.
2. Wealth creation is hugely overestimated. Poor entrepreneurs and their immediate family will undoubtedly benefit from these new economic activities, but the framework lacks an explanation about how these oases of welcomed capitalism will trickle-down to the rest of their neighbors and poor villages. The implicit assumption is that everybody at the BOP has to become an entrepreneur for this strategy to work, because by just having access to affordable consumer products it seems very unlikely that poverty will be eradicated. The proposed framework is just good for doing business and for the poor to have access to new services and products, but where is the sustainable "fishing industry" for the rest of the poor population? The cases are very unique, islands of excellence, and with limited potential for a population the huge size of the BOT to bail out of poverty in significant numbers.
3. The analysis lacks the historical, cultural, legal and socio-economical background for a given country or region, and this consideration is fundamental for a proper analysis on sustainable development. Even when Mr. Pralhalad correctly identifies lack of education, corruption and the size of the informal sector as barriers for development and doing business, he then oversimplifies a lot on how to overcome these key issues, and again, an isolated Indian case is used as the magic formula to solve the problem through information technology. In fact, at the end of Chapter 6, within the conclusions, he recognizes that the illustrations he provides "are but islands of excellence in a sea of deprivation and helplessness". As the development community knows well, these successful stories are very hard to replicate. In Latin America we have the outstanding cases of Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica. In Brazil, we have the cases of the Southern states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. All of them very developed as compared to their neighbors (in terms of income, education, health, etc.), but despite all efforts, no one has successfully reproduced these islands of excellence at a scale that makes a difference.
4. An example will help to understand how superficial the cases are from a point of view of development and poverty eradication. The Brazilian case of "Casas Bahia" lacks the consideration of the socio-economic environment of the country, especially the case omits to mention key characteristics of the financial and credit markets (for those interested in this particular case from the point of view of business, I recommend you read "Samuel Klein e Casas Bahia: Uma trajetoria de Sucesso", Novo Seculo, 2005, this is a real and really impressive business success story). Mr. Klein successfully, by trusting the poor, built an empire that today is still one of the few option many mid- and low-income families have to buy the first computer for their children going to college in Brazil. But, let's see why the market share for credit cards is only 4%, and why it is not a real threat for Casas Bahia own financial system as stated in the book, as well as why there is not much in here to help eradicat poverty in Brazil. Annual inflation today in Brazil is in the order of 3-4%, and the Brazilian currency, the "Real" have been steadily revaluating against the dollar for the last 3 years. However, interest rates in Brazil are sky-high, a legacy of the hyper-inflation times of twenty years ago. Interest rates for well-known international credit cards are 9-11% per month, which compounded translates to an annual rate close to 180%, regardless of whether you're poor or rich. Today retail chain stores of this type charge around 3% per month, embedded in the price of the consumer products, so the consumer doesn't know up-front the real price. This translates to a compounded rate of 43% per year. Often if you try to pay upfront, there is no discount. So where is the real benefit for the poor? Or are they just getting every day more indebted, and spending money on fat interests that they could have used to buy more or better food or better health services for their kids. I do not see where poverty eradication fits in this case. Obviously Brazil has a problem of lack of real competition in the capitalist sense; even the branches of American Banks doing business in Brazil charge these exorbitant rates. As a reference for the readers, you can buy a 30Gb iPod in Brazil for the "reasonable" amount of US$1,000, payable in 12 installments, and for the high price we also have to thank the federal government high taxes on almost everything. Coming back to the case, as an additional "benefit", you only can make the payments in person at stores of the retail chain, just to make sure the poor are tempted every month and come back for more when they are close to payback that debt. That's why there is a 77% of clients who make reapeat purchases as the book reports. Not surprisingly the case description mentions the criticism "that Casas Bahia simply exploits the poor and charges them exorbitant interest rates", but neglects to present a due explanation of why this is not truth, and simply disregards the cristicism.
5. Finally, Mr. Prahalad is extremely optimistic. At he end of Chapter 6 and in his own words: "I have no doubt that the elimination of poverty and deprivation is possible by 2020". This prophecy speaks by itself about the reliability of the analysis. And again, let's remember that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. All the book presents is anecdotal evidence, which is not proof as any scientist knows, and the framework presented has no predictive power, much less to assert that poverty will end by 2020.
Unquestionably an excellent business book, and a very innovative one, but just for that, business. That's why to me it only deserves 3 stars. On the other hand, not much value-added in there for doing real sustainable development across the board, as the author insinuates and some of the readers think, and certainly not much for real poverty eradication. For that outrageous addition to the book's title I took the other 2 stars. The "Erradicating poverty through profits" part of the book's title should be erased, so the book really deserves the 5 stars most reviewers gave to it (and as the previous reviewer rightly complained, the cases were really awfully edited for the paperback edition, even with repeated sentences). Definitely this book is not recommended if you are serious about new ideas for sustainable development. For a real book on that subject, read the recently publicated "The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It" by Paul Collier, though its scope refers mainly to very poor African countries, it is an example of a serious and proper approach to the problem of eradicating poverty. To understand the complexities of promoting development, you may also read "Making Globalization Work" by Joseph Stiglitz. These two books will clearly ilustrate why "The Fortune at the BOP" is not a book on development, and absolutely, no Nobel Prize is deserved.
Hardcover and tradepaperback are different!!!.......2007-04-13
Here is a note I sent to the editor after buying the tradepaperback version.
Your editorial staff has done something so dumb I am astounded! (Also really $%^& mad.) The hardcover and trade paperback versions of CK Prahalad - The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid, are NOT the same. I assigned readings from this book to my class of 100 students. They went and bought the book and found that the case studies aren't there. On closer investigation I see that you shortened the case studies and renamed the chapters. Unfortunately the editing on the shortening is terrible and I simply can't ask my students to read such badly written material.
You did several things wrong
1) You sell two books with identical titles and covers, which have different content
2) You edited very very badly
3) You did this on an award winning book with high visibility
As far as I can tell there is no way for anyone to figure out that the content is different except in the very rare case that they own both versions.
This is a black mark on the Wharton name. What were you thinking?
-james
at last a pragmatic approach to develpment.......2007-01-09
Prahalad'book "the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid" demonstrates the importance to get the people we are "supposed" to help to get involved. The bottom up approach is in line with William Shaffeerly and David Bornstein books where the people are key to any lasting development. The top down approach a la Jeffrey Sacks are fine for the politicians but did not bring much results after all these years. It is time for a change in approach and the Nobel Price to Dr. M.Yunus is very encouraging.
Magical .......2006-08-29
FBP is an intriguing concept and the model can be scaled up or down in size in all parts of the world. The book serves as a wake up call to businessmen across the world.
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