Art Nouveau Jewelry and Fans

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Coffee Table Book for the Leg or Foot Lover.......1998-10-12

This book contains many different pictures throughout the ages of the shape of the woman leg in every possible situation. In stockings, bare leg, with platform shoes, or flats, you will find a picture for your foot or leg fancy.

Average customer rating:

Minimalisms: A Sign of the Times
Javier Rodriguez Marcos , Anatxu Zabalbeascoa , Tom Johnson , Rafael Moneo , Helmut Federle , Donna Karan , Kasimir Malevich , Anni Albers , Andreas Gursky , Mona Hatoum , Eva Hesse , Donald Judd , Sol Lewitt , Mark Rothko , Richard Serra , Frank Stella , Josef Albers , Dan Flavin , and Jean Nouvel
Manufacturer: Actar/Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and Aldeasa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Criticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Rather than limit the minimal to being a type of visual art, the curators of Minimalisms: A Sign of the Times conceive of the minimal as a way of life, as a spirit that impregnates nearly the whole of modern culture and its surroundings. After an exhaustive overview of classic Minimalist works by Dan Flavin, Frank Stella, Agnes Martin, Carl Andre, and Elsworth Kelly, Minimalisms looks further, at artworks by Andreas Gursky, Candida Hoffer, Richard Serra, Jean-Marc Bustamante, and Gunther Forg, architecture by Peter Zumthor, Dominique Perrault, Claus En Kaan, and Rafael Moneo, furniture designs by Donald Judd and Shiro Kuramate, and fashion designs by Anni Albers, Donna Karan, and Issey Miyaki. Linking them all is a simplicity of form and ornament, a technical precision, and the essential and concrete nature of structure.

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Donna Karan: America's #1 Fashion Designer
SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GET A PRESS RELEASE!!!

Donna Karan
Ingrid Sischy
Manufacturer: Assouline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Commercial | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Designers | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Dolce & Gabbana (Memoirs)
The Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan
Yohji Yamamoto (Memoirs)
Gres
Valentino (The Universe of Fashion)

ASIN: 2843237130

Customer Reviews:

Donna Karan: America's #1 Fashion Designer.......1998-11-23

I would highly recommend this book for Donna Karan fans. The interview portion of the book is excellent - Donna tells how she revolutionized the fashion world by designing clothes for REAL women with REAL figures, not runway models. As a male, I appreciated it greatly when she branched out into menswear in the early 90's. I have a number of DKNY and Donna Karan New York Jackets, Shirts, Jeans, Sweaters, Vests, Athletic Gear, etc. and now I have a great coffee table book on Donna, America's #1 Fashion Designer!

SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GET A PRESS RELEASE!!!.......1998-06-30

I am a HUGE Donna Karan fan and could not wait for this book to be releases, but I was extremely disappointed when I recieved it. The first few pages are an interview with Karan. Every question asked is answered in her press release and is talked about in just about every magazine article ever written about her. The other 65 or 70 pages are old pictures of her clothes. Most of the pictures are old ads and if you follow her collections, you have already seen them. My advise is to call Patti Cohen's office and ask for a press release or to start reading magazine articles about Karan. It is a lot less expensive and is more informative.

The Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan

Average customer rating:

haven't recieved
GREAT: THE BOOK OF THE SEASON

The Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan
Ingrid Sischy
Manufacturer: Assouline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Donna Karan
Tom Ford
Lanvin
Yohji Yamamoto (Memoirs)
Carolina Herrera: Portrait of a Fashion Icon

ASIN: 2843236193

Customer Reviews:

haven't recieved.......2005-07-12

i ordered this book, but have yet to recieve. ordered several weeks ago. my account was charged, but no book. please credit my account.
thank you.
william h. brown jr.

GREAT: THE BOOK OF THE SEASON.......2005-01-19

This book is fantastic! Better than Tom Ford's book. Filled with the most beautiful images from her advertising campaign.
Beware that the slipcover is very sensitive and damages easily!
Wow, i love this book!

Average customer rating:

Donna Karan (Wizards of Business)
Sherill Tippins
Manufacturer: Garrett Educational
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Designers | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560740191

Average customer rating:

worth the time to at least read chapter one
Just What I Needed!
dissapointed in the "new"(and unenlightened) age
Did SHE ever try it???
Changed my life!

3 Day Energy Fast
Pamela Serure
Manufacturer: Vermilion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

3 Days to Vitality: Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind, Claim Your Spirit
Juice Fasting and Detoxification: Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great : The Fastest Way to Restore Your Health
The Master Cleanser
Lose Weight, Have More Energy & Be Happier in 10 Days, Second Edition

ASIN: 0091817404

Book Description

Are you longing to change your life?To detoxify your body, to be renewed and replenished, but feel as if you don't have the time or the money? Now you don't have to go to a posh spa to rejuvenate -- you can restore yourself in your own home in just three days. Pamela Serure's The 3-Day Energy Fast makes available for the first time her legendary ultimate life detox program -- an integrated body, mind and spirit health plan that will help you get your juices flowing and feel physically renewed and spiritually replenished.

Every one of us needs cleansing because we live in a world that is becoming increasingly toxic -- environmentally, chemically, physically, emotionally and spiritually. From the polluted air we breathe to the chemically laced food we eat, from the unfiltered water we drink to the negative relationships we tolerate, we are filled with toxins, but you can change the quality of your health. You can detoxify your body, and you can start doing it today.

With The 3-Day Energy Fast you can clean yourself out, top to bottom -- mind, body and spirit. Say good-bye to all the chemicals and toxins trapped in your body, the negative ideas that are lodged in your head and the destructive behavior patterns that are ingrained in your psyche. Serure's program allows you to break with the past and create new beginnings.

She offers an easy-to-follow three-part approach: "The Fast" shows how to make simple combinations of fruit and vegetable juices, along with easy vegetable mineral broths for the evenings; "Meditating and Breathing" offers exercises specifically oriented to the process of cleaning out emotional, spiritual and physical toxins, finding quick energy, calming down, balancing the body and spirit and helping to support fasting and healing; and "Creating Ritual and Discipline in Your Life" teaches you how to set up your own "sacred space" to which you can surrender your fears and dreams, and to schedule daily meditation and journal writing.

By following this extraordinary plan, you will experience a new dimension of health, vitality, beauty and clarity, including a healthy body, clearer skin, brighter eyes, weight loss, enhanced energy, minimal anxiety and maximum creativity. The 3-Day Energy Fast lights the path to an approach to food, wellness and spirituality that can last a lifetime.

Customer Reviews:

worth the time to at least read chapter one.......2006-03-18

I've often been attracted to fasting over the years, partly because of being fat, but mostly as a spiritual discipline and practice.
However i have also been singularly unable to properly do it, never lasting more than 4 days. That won't start me from continuing to try, only a warning that i can not practice what they are preaching.

So, in anticipation of trying again, more consistently, over a longer period of time (not fasting but attempting to make fasting part of my lifestyle)
i emptied the local public library's shelves of books on fasting, juicing and the like.
I read the first, last and skim the rest of the book when they come in the front door, or make a good attempt to do so.
This book struck me then as being heads and shoulders above the rest, it is literally the only one of the pile i'd actually recommend reading.

First, she is just simply a passionate and interesting writer, in her case practicing what she preaches consistently over the years.
Second, she is aware of the spiritual dimension not just of herself and people but of the topic-fasting. None of the other books even gave it (spiritual dimension) a passing note, except in one case that referenced fasting as a buddhist spiritual pathway. It is a significant part of the book, of her practice and i think of the topic in general. Even in our materialistic age, fasting as a spiritual discipline, as a spiritual exercise is obvious enough to at least warrant attention.

The book is half way between a polemic and a how to do book. It's first priority is to relax people and lead them into her particular 3 day fasting program. To take us by the hand, convince us that reading the book is just a first however good and necessary step, only that a first step, the second step is to commit to doing it. If the idea just stays in her book, without anyone practicing it, she will have counted the book a lose. The how to do section is mostly step by step, chapter by chapter introduction to the why and how of her fasting program, with attention paid to keeping a journal and asking yourself sets of related questions as you go along.

It is advice like keeping a journal (i think one of the most important things a person can do, to talk to themselves through time in a systematic way), doing particular kinds of juices during different parts of the day and of the fast, silence, bathing, exercise etc that are the reasons this book is superior to the average one i picked from the shelves. It's specificity, its instructions borne of experience, the structure inherent in following her particular plan for a 3 day fast. These beat the rest of the genre hands down with their generalities and nonspecific friendly advice.

Its a breezy read, i practiced my speed reading techniques on it, if you are going to do her fast, you'll need your own copy, the organization is by the day of the fast. The best part of the book is probably the 1st chapter "Take my life, please" which is her story and how she got to where she was when she wrote the book, so start reading there to see if you like the book. It could benefit with a little more medical advice or to science of what is going on inside during a fast. It could use some pointers to longer fasts and advice on where to go from here, just enough to tie this book into the literature and the field. Like i said above the spiritual dimension is obvious and part of her process, it would be nice to have tied it into particular religious traditions a little more, but that is difficult without driving other people away. And there is nothing in the book that attempts to do anything but attract and soothe people, trying to pull them into her fasting program.

so it achieves it's goals, looks ok to try, is a competent and interesting book. if you're interesting in the topic, at least read the first chapter.

Just What I Needed!.......2002-01-28

I decided to do the 3-Day Energy Fast right after New Year's. It was exactly what I needed after the holidays. During the three days, I felt great mentally and spiritually. Physically, I experienced some caffeine withdrawal (which is addressed in the book)that passed without too much discomfort. What I really liked about the book was the way that Serure not only provided me with recipes and menus for the three days of drinking juices and vegetable broth, she also included suggestions for meditations, walks and journalling. This was truly a mind-body-spirit experience! And, I was not hungry at all during the fast. My only criticism of the book is that it does not provide the reader with enough information about how to change eating habits after the fast is complete. While Serure does address what to eat immediately following the fast, I would have liked more information about how to change eating habits on an ongoing basis.

dissapointed in the "new"(and unenlightened) age.......1999-11-16

If you are interested in learning about the healthy benefits and factual information on nutrional fasting and detoxification this is not the book for you. Serure's ideas on the benefits of healthy nutrition and the need to reduce stress in one's life as well as examine fundamental aspects that make us unhealthy are well meaning. But like so many alternative health guides today, its credibility comes into question with her descriptions of "psychic visions", new age superstition,as well as descriptions of visits from dead friends from the nether world (Really, would you trust someone like this with your health?) Starting out on the right track to healing she asks the reader, as a part of her healing program, to take a step back into ignorance and delusion (and eventually unhealthy denial), by surrendering to a higher being. Is this what unhealthy people need--to bury themselves in more unrealistic dogma? Lets get real, boycott ignorance by not purchasing this book.

Did SHE ever try it???.......1999-09-15

My reactions to this book, and to the fasting method it promotes, are mixed. I have strong suspiciouns that, like most self-help books, the need to pad a small amount of essential information has led her to add many things that don't need to be there--the daily routine she prescribes is utterly unrealistic for a person eating three solid meals, let alone existing only on juice and broth. But my biggest complaint is with the juice recipes, which she clearly has never actually made. About the "morning drink" recipe, made in a blender, she says, "If there's any left over, have that for an afternoon pick me up." Lady, if you follow your recipe, it makes nearly a half gallon of the stuff. Sorry, but I'm getting a little cynical about the new age cash cow.

Changed my life!.......1999-07-21

You read this statement over and over from people in this book and it really is true. Some of the things in it I thought were odd at first, but I did them anyway. I feel calmer and happier than I have in over a year. I feel for the first time I have a handle on my life and my weight. I lost 125 pounds 3 years ago and have kept it all off but the 25 pounds I gained back 2 years ago. I have struggled so much to keep control of my life and my weight. This book helped me not only to lose the weight, but to keep my weight EASILY stable-and more than that-much more-it helped me to work out some tremendous personal problems, get things I've wished for and made me a better person by 100%. If you ever buy any book on fasting/self improvement, it must be this one. The weight loss you'll experience is such a small thing compared to the other things that you'll learn that will truely change your life for good!

Average customer rating:

amazing
Paper version of a dream
Good book to put on your coffee table!!!!

Colours of the Vanishing Tribes
Bonnie Young
Manufacturer: Booth-Clibborn Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

amazing.......2002-10-09

Fantstic book covering vast countries, with incrediable pictures that are captured with such elegance and beauty.
Bonnie Young has created a book of dreams.
It is also nice to have such a great collection of pictures that are of such a great quality and without useless text, as in this case the pictures speak for themselves.

hopefully there will be a follow up book to this, although she has captured the world & her subject fully and truely that nothing could top this book.

Paper version of a dream.......1999-02-12

This is more than a coffie table book. If you insist to display it make sure you open everyday a different page, and everyday you will immerge yourself in a spectacular dream. Bonnie Young has great talent in capturing the best of the moment. She focuses on the details with so much visual power. The book is a moving post-card. It is capable to transport you among the most beautiful places on hearth. Not only, but in the most creative sadisfactory way. The colors, the colors are the true protagonist of this book. The viewer is left with emotions and memories of mesmorizing beauty. Donna Karan, once again, is the most progressive of the american designers. She truly incorporate fashion with art, spirit and soul. She undestands that everything is connected in a whole concept and, for me, she is the testimonial of a Modern Soul...as the title her other must-have book.

Good book to put on your coffee table!!!!.......1998-12-12

This is an interesting compilation of world photos meant to represent persons and cultures in naturalistic settings. Although the photos are obviously posed, they are well-photographed and the book is beautifully edited. This is a great gift idea for persons of any age or walk of life.

Average customer rating:

Donna Karan New York
Donna Karan (Firm)
Manufacturer: Donna Karan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KW6PZ2

Donna Karan New York: An American Woman Observed

Average customer rating:

Donna Karan New York: An American Woman Observed
Donna Karan
Manufacturer: The Donna Karan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KYO2KK

Donna Karan New York: Modern souls, photo

Average customer rating:

Donna Karan New York: Modern souls, photo
Herb Ritts
Manufacturer: Donna Karan Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006RRRTE

Book Description

From Lillian Gish in Way Down East (1920) to Ren裠Zellweger in Nurse Betty (2000), DiLeo takes movie fans on an unpredictable ride through 80 years of film history, showcasing a variety of genres and performing styles, and providing fresh spins on the careers of Hollywood's top stars. In this collection of short, informal essays, the author bypasses mainstream cinema and pays tribute to overlooked performances while bringing a necessary dose of renewed attention to those once-heralded and now forgotten.

Customer Reviews:

Classic Film Buffs Must Get This One!.......2005-07-09

Anyone who loves watching classic movies should buy this book! The author gives thorough reviews of all one hundred movies. He doesn't focus on just one genre and there is a good mix of comedic, dramatic, and musical performances. Some of my favorite performances are here including Jeanette MacDonald in Naught Marietta, Vivien Leigh in Waterloo Bridge, and William Powell in Libeled Lady. After reading this book there are many more films I want to see.

Don't Overlook this Book.......2003-01-12

Overlooked performances from the movie stars of old or the present crop, take your pick. Whichever you prefer make sure you read John DiLeo's book. He captures the performances in such a way that you feel you are watching the film while reading his eloquent, captivating description. It is an absolute joy for any movie buff.

I CARRY THIS BOOK WITH ME!.......2003-01-06

My newly discovered hobby is tucking this book under my arm, stuffed with an array of bookmarks, old business cards and straw wrappers -- to help seek out these cinematic gems when I enter my video store. Author DiLeo has unearthed a wealth of fantastic performances in films that I never would've thought to view or even knew existed! I actually called in sick to work one day after viewing three of his recommended classics back-to-back till the wee hours. What a glorious night! Mr. DiLeo... you're gonna cost me my job! BUY THIS BOOK!

I CARRY THIS BOOK WITH ME!.......2003-01-06

Brilliant and scintillating!.......2002-10-19

John DiLeo's opinions and quips are quick, tart, and fun. But this book wouldn't be as fascinating if that was all that was going on. The depth of his film knowledge, his obvious love of movies, and the acuteness of his recommendations make this a wonderful book for anyone--from cinemaniac to cultural reader.

7 Danzas Cubanas Tipicas: (Seven Typical Cuban Dances)
Average customer rating:
7 Danzas Cubanas Tipicas: (Seven Typical Cuban Dances)
Thomas Tirino
Manufacturer: Marks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Piano Music: Piano Solo

Ultimate Collection

ASIN: 0634013831

Book Description

A prolific and gifted composer, Lecuona was the dominant force in Cuban music for many years. This book of seven typical Cuban dances is the first completely new edition of his music in more than 30 years. It includes a preface and introduction by arranger Thomas Tirino, plus helpful performance notes for each piece.

Customer Reviews:

NOT Confusing . . ........2006-08-04

The game format in this book is explained very clearly in a brief section called "HOW TO PLAY THE GAMES" in the front matter of the book. If you just sit for a few minutes, read these instructions, and take a good look at the diagram examples of the games' page-to-page "Q&A" format, you will see how easy and clever this trivia game really is. And you'll be amazed at how they got more than 900 questions (and the fact-packed answers) into a handy-dandy little book that can fit quite comfortably either in your pocketbook or even your jacket pocket. Don't be confused -- get hip to the format instead and be amused!

Confusing.......2006-07-29

This book is extremely confusing to find the answers. First I had to read the instructions and even after that I had trouble finding the answers. I would not recommened this book to anyone that just wants to sit down and peacefully read some trivia.

This book puts the pop in Pop culture.......2004-06-25

If you're obsessed with old time radio, television, films, music and movie icons (pop culture in general), you should most definitely check out this book. There are over 900 questions here and every one of them is intriguing. Where else can you find a book that mentions Bing Crosby and Frank Zappa on the same page, or Veronica Lake and Spinal tap in the same paragraph? Mr. Memory Lane has out done himself here. If you're looking for a definitive trivia book on that magical thing called "showbiz" look no further than Joe's book.
Thanks for the memories Mr. Franklin.

A Winner from the King of Nostalgia!!!.......2003-01-12

The Wizard of Was Mr. Joe Franklin hits one over the fence with his latest offering! This is an interesting, fun, challenging book that will put your knowledge of the world of entertainment to the test. Questions relating to the silent era of films right up to the present can be found in this easy to read book. In addition to the questions, Joe tells some wonderful stories about his experiences and about some of the thousands of guests he has interviewed throughout his 50+ year career.
Joe's Memory Lane radio show can still be heard on NY's WOR 710AM station midnight Saturday untill 5AM Sunday!

Book Description

"In The Well-Timed Strategy, Navarro provides a useful primer on business cycle risks and opportunities. Recognizing that business success depends most of all on human capital, he makes the crucial observation that the trough of a recession is the best time to find good people and the most important time to focus on retaining them. This and other insights about investment, production, and marketing give today's executives a useful checklist for building and maintaining competitive advantage."

-Michael Milken, Chairman, The Milken Institute

"Navarro's conclusions should be an integral part of any management strategy playbook. Timing is indeed everything, and this book shows you how to master it for a successful business."

-Bruce Karatz, Chairman and CEO, KB Home

"The business cycle bedevils all companies, yet few take it into account when plotting strategy. Peter Navarro provides a powerful set of tools, insights, and examples that will help every executive master the all-important art of timing."

-Nicholas G. Carr, Author of Does IT Matter?

"What surprised me the most about this wonderful `Big Ideas' book was not how incisive, useful, and far-ranging its strategic prescriptions are but rather how much fun I actually had reading it."

-Mark Zandi, Chief Economist and Co-Founder of Economy.com

"The overriding approach to real estate success used to be `location, location, location,' but it is an absolute fact that `timing, timing, timing' is the ultimate driver behind maximizing return on investment. Peter Navarro illustrates that point with compelling examples of some of the best companies that have proactively navigated the business cycle as well as those that have faltered. The Well-Timed Strategy is an insightful look into the critical concept of knowing not just how to make a move, but more importantly, when."

-Richard S. Ziman, Chairman and CEO, Arden Realty, Inc.

"Don't miss this guide to surviving-and thriving-during topsy-turvy industry fluctuations."

-Kirkus Reports

"This book is a virtual tour de force of strategies and tactics being used by some of best `Master Cyclist' business executives in the world. Using a wealth of real-world examples, Navarro clearly explains the dos and don'ts of timing important executive decisions to the business cycle-so much so that after reading this book, you'll view the business cycle more as a strategic partner rather than an economic adversary."

-Lakshman Achuthan, Managing Director, Economic Cycle Research Institute

"A path-breaking book full of useful war stories from the front lines. As Lance Armstrong would advise, you don't win a race in the flats-but in the mountains, by managing the ascents and descents better than your competition. Navarro shows us how the same is true for how businesses navigate the ups and downs of the business cycle."

-Stephan G. Richter, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, theGlobalist.com

"Peter Navarro is that rare academic whose expertise spans both strategic management and technical economics-and writes like a dream. Here, he clearly explains how an understanding of the economics of business cycles gives managers a huge advantage in strategic planning while offering many compelling examples of how companies have succeeded or failed according to their reading of the impact of macroeconomics on their industries."

-Peter Passell, Senior Fellow at the Milken Institute and Editor of the Milken Institute Review

"Peter Navarro has written a remarkable, path-breaking book about strategic management of the business cycle that is destined to be a classic in both corporate boardrooms and business schools. Using a rich array of real world examples, he shows why corporate leaders must always be proactive, often counter-cyclical, and ever nimble."

-Bernard Baumohl, Executive Director of the Economic Outlook Group and Author of The Secrets of Economic Indicators

Most companies ignore one of their best opportunities for honing competitive advantage: proactively managing the business cycle and broader macroeconomic turbulence. In The Well-Timed Strategy, Peter Navarro reveals why the business cycle is an even more powerful P&L driver than you may realize, and demonstrates how it can be profitably managed.

Navarro distills a set of clear and compelling strategies and tactics for managing economic upswings and downswings, oil price spikes, currency crises, trade wars, and other severe macroeconomic shocks. Navarro's "Master Cyclist" management principles address everything from inventory, production, and supply chains to marketing, pricing, acquisitions, and long-term capital investment. Navarro presents examples and case studies from around the globe, ranging from high tech to heavy industry, from Broadcom, Micron, and Cemex to Paccar and Xilinx, from Chinese entrepreneurs to large multinationals.

Clear, concise, and exceptionally readable, The Well-Timed Strategy makes complex business cycle strategy and tactics easy to understand-and even easier to act upon.

Customer Reviews:

Making informed decisions on when to move (and when not to)..........2006-12-07

There are plenty of business books that tell you *what* to do and *how* to do it, but few which talk about *when*. That's the key difference in Peter Navarro's The Well Timed Strategy: Managing the Business Cycle for Competitive Advantage. By understanding the timing of business cycles, a business person can make moves that position them well for the coming up- or down-tick in the economy.

Contents: Strategies and Tactics of the Master Cyclist Executive; Countercycling Your Capital Expenditures; The Acquisitive Master Cyclist Buys Low and Sells High; The Art of "Cherry Picking" and Other Well-Timed Tactics of the Human Resource Manager; "Macromanaging" Your Production, Inventory, and Supply Chain; Master Cyclist Marketing Through the Business Cycle Seasons; Pricing the Cycle and Managing Credit and Account Receivables; Proactive Profiting from Oil Price Spikes, Interest Rate Hikes, and Exchange Rate Risks; When You Can't Beat the Business Cycle, Hedge Its Risks!; Surviving - and Prospering from - the Economic Shocks of War, Terrorism, Drought, and Disease; The Master Cyclist's Favorite Forecasting Tools; Concluding Thoughts; The Master Cyclist Project's Treasure Trove of Data and All-Star Team; A Business Cycle Primer; Notes; Index

Navarro argues that a close examination of the business cycle (becoming a Master Cyclist) can help you make the right choices for your business in terms of when to do certain things. Based on economic forecasting tools (covered near the end), it's possible to have a better than average view into where the economy is headed, whether it's a recession or an expansion. These indicators, when followed, almost appear to make you look like a bit of a contrarian. If a booming economy has signs of an oncoming recession, the cyclist will take actions like dramatically cutting back on capital expenditures. Most other businesses will still be spending like there's no tomorrow. But when the economy turns, these spending companies are caught with large debt payments with high interest. The cyclist, however, is sitting on a pile of cash at a time when cash flow is king. Continuing to follow the indicators can show when the recession is starting to ease. The spending companies are all cut to the bone at that point, while the cyclist is able to start expansion with little competition and cut-rate pricing. Same with advertising... Spending on advertising at the peak of the recession can often be more effective as everyone else has cut their ad budgets. Fewer voices, more visibility. Then when the economy turns, guess who has mind share heading into the recovery?

I think the points made here are very valid and bear consideration. I will admit to thinking on more than one occasion that "hindsight is 20-20" when reading some of his examples. Granted, many of the bone-headed moves *were* just plain ill-advised and stupid. But at the time, you don't have the luxury of knowing how the story turns out. Also, many of the company demises outlined here are presented in such a way that it makes it look as if there was a single reason for the collapse. In reality, company failures are normally a combination of things, not just a single failure to do (or not do) something. In any case, the point remains that there are economic signals available to executives that are more often right than wrong. Ignoring them because you have a hunch or you've been reading your own press releases doesn't usually turn out to your advantage.

This is an interesting book to add to your business bookshelf, and it can definitely help you chart your course in these strange economic times...

A savvy strategic approach to managing business cycles.......2006-10-24

This handy, concise compendium offers managers a series of tips on managing through changing business cycles, and illustrates its advice with intriguing actual cases. The book originated in the five-year "Master Cyclist Project," launched to teach business-cycle management to MBA students at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California in Irvine. Author Peter Navarro's lively evidence shows managers who take the right steps but at the wrong times and, thus, invariably meet ill fortune. He also shows managers taking steps that conventional wisdom regards as foolish (e.g., upping advertising during recessions) and meeting with invariable success. It may seem just a bit too neat. But, even if you don't agree with every detail of this analysis, the book's cases are strong and its underlying principles are sound. Ride the business cycle or it will ride you. Just as a contrarian investor buys in bad times and sells when times are soaring, so the counter-cyclical manager invests during bad times and spends cautiously during the good. We recommend this book as a useful antidote to groupthink.

Well-Rounded and Useful.......2006-07-23

"The Well-Timed Strategy" can be applied to you, your company, and your investing. This is a very informative, practical, and useful book that deserves a lot more attention. There's a lot of variety that's relevant and each chapter can be read in the order you choose. The index is very useful to go straight to the topic or concept, also.

Many specific examples and companies are noted, such as Xilinx, Nucor, United Airlines, Intel, Lowe, Soho China, Dupont, Labor Ready, South West Airlines, FedEx, IBM, Cemex from Mexico, the United Airlines Contract, and many more.

One of the many useful points in "The Well-Timed Strategy" is hiring through the the different economic cycles. Tapping the best available talent and also securing the best deal. Here is a paraphrase from page 73: A "Reactive Cyclist" keeps hiring employees at premium wages into the late stages of economic expansion. When the recession emerges they start massive layoffs which often leads to other employees leaving because of low morale. The Master Cyclist use a variety of means at this stage to avoid to pit-falls and also retain talent.

At the bottom of the recessionary trough the labor pool will be deepest and wage pressures least. This is the time to hire the most talented employees at bargain wages (Navarro, 73). By "Cherry Picking" this Master cyclist maintains a solid competitive advantage in getting a skilled and talented workforce and lower labor costs (Navarro, 73).

Spending throughout the cycles:
Be watchful of too much capital expansion during boom times. A concept referred to as "build the empire syndrome." This creates large cash flow needs. Revenue may fall. Cut back when a recessions seem imminent. The Master cyclist will engage in capital expenditures during a recession, to be ready for new innovation when the recovery begins (Navarro, 37).

A good detailing of diversification is covered. Once case study is IBM vs. Hewlett-Packard. IBM is diversifying into such areas as outsourcing, web hosting, and services, why HP remain in computer hardware.

There are many well-chosen quotes by known industry leaders, and they are edited to fit perfectly with the chapter and topic at hand, to augment the point Peter Navarro is making. (Even Robert Frost's "Road Not Taken" gets a plug.)

The constant array of natural and human-made events affect the cycle and influence what needs to be done and what is, actually done. The concept of "Chaos Theory," when a butterfly flaps its wings in China it causes a metaphorical typhoon half-way around the world. El Nino affects coffee and cocoa prices, Tsunamis in South East Asia cause increased demand for medicines to counter the resulting epidemics of cholera and typhoid. A massive earthquake in Taiwan drives up semi-conductor prices. "If it's raining in Brazil, buy Starbucks." The chicken restaurant 'El Pollo Loco' acted swiftly when they foresaw a drought in Australia and the simultaneous mad cow threat hit. They knew the price for beef would increase, followed by chicken, so secured fixed priced contracts before the price spikes (Page 176). Oil prices, Terrorism, disease, war, foreign government subsidies, and many other are listed.

"The Well-Times Strategy" is Well-rounded, useful book. The index is is excellent.

Tomorrow Will Not Be Like Today.......2006-03-07

I always enoy those shows on televiion where people are predicting the future. The overwhelming tendency is for the forecasters to predict that the future is going to continue about what it's doing now. If we're in a recession, they see nothing that looks like it's going to pull us out of the recession. If we're in a boom, the general consensus is that we are just starting a boom and that there's nothing that looks like it means the end of the boom.

Instead we have a lot of evidence that whatever is going on will change. Boom cycles, bust cycles happen. Most companies, it seems, ignore any idea at all of a long term trend. This quarter is down, fire people (really good for morale), cut back everything you can. This quarter is up, try to expand like crazy, making up for lost time -- just in time for the next down turn.

Dr. Navarro understands the business cycle and in this book explains the cycle that business follows with special attention to people, production, credit and so on.

Then there's a chapter on forecasting tools. Knowing what to do is a lot easier if you know what the future holds. Here the model shows weakness. There are a lot of stories about companies that guess right, or wrong about the future. Predicting the future however reminds me of the old saying: 'Predicting the future is easy, it's being right that's hard.'

Management talent is doing the right thing at the right time and to the right degree.......2006-03-03

I love this book. Being a contrarian by nature, I enjoy this way of examining the business cycle for the best strategic moves that often use moving AGAINST the obvious move of the trend. While this is often the correct move, it is oftentimes exceedingly difficult to see and even harder to time just right. Still, the rewards can be great when it can be pulled off.

The book draws on real life examples for the things that work and the things that did not work. The author has a concept of the Master Cyclist (meaning a master of the business cycle) versus a reactive cyclist who always seems to be getting into trouble by doing the wrong thing and too late. The old saying that one shouldn't confuse a bull market with management skill holds true here. It is understandable that people tend to stick with what they THINK made them successful until it is too late, but we shouldn't applaud them for it either.

Another issue about being a Master Cyclist and especially for those times when going against the trend of the majority, is that what the majority trend is tends to change. So, a successful method tends to breed copies, so the way to counter-punch also changes.

Peter Navarro uses the image of a bicycle wheel with the spokes dividing it into a six slice pie to present his points. The six slices the Master Cyclist must master are: Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Human Resources Management, Production & Inventory Control, Marketing & Pricing, and Risk Management.

Obviously, not all these topics matter in every situation or for every business. But the Master Cyclist understands which matter and when they matter. He knows when to acquire cash and lower debt. She knows when acquisitions, no matter how attractive strategically, are not worth the price. He knows when to add staff and cherry pick talent from the competition when the competition is shedding staff. She knows how to manage capacity and inventory to not get caught short as things take off and to knot let inventory build up that is not only eating up cash, but is becoming obsolete. She knows how to price for market share and profit and to not pretend they can set prices when they are really are price taking enterprise. And especially, he knows how to manage risk in the best way so that price swings in core commodities don't eat up profits, and when profits are at risks from exchange rates.

This is a very fine book and I recommend it for anyone interested in corporate strategy. It isn't just about doing the right thing, it is also about doing the right thing at the right time and to the right degree. Pulling that off more than once is evidence of real management talent. The only thing I would encourage you to do is to dig into the illustrative stories provided in the book to be sure you understand ALL the details. You know what is in the those pesky little facts....

The Well Timed Strategy : Managing the Business Cycle for Competitive Advantage

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The Well Timed Strategy : Managing the Business Cycle for Competitive Advantage
Peter Navarro
Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHUOZA

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