Jewish Frontiers: Essays on Bodies, Histories, and Identities

Average customer rating:
Jewish Frontiers: Essays on Bodies, Histories, and Identities
Sander L. Gilman
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
Holocaust | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
History of Religion | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Jew's Body

Jewish Self-Hatred: Anti-Semitism and the Hidden Language of the Jews

Freud, Race, and Gender

Unheroic Conduct: The Rise of Heterosexuality and the Invention of the Jewish Man (Contraversions - Critical Studies in Jewish Literature, Culture and Society , No 8)

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel

ASIN: 1403965609

Book Description

Jewish history has generally been understood as the history of a people displaced from their homeland, and this has played a defining role in how we understand Jewish identity. Looking at the representation of Jews and Jewishness in film, literature, and history, Gilman suggests that we study Jewish history as the story of people living on a 'frontier,' instead of focusing on 'diaspora.'

Customer Reviews:

Good book for people with familiarity with Indian coustume.......1998-07-31

This book goes into great detail about the costumes shown in the available period sources. The author is careful to point out when a figure is mythological or a deity and so is not a reliable source for what people were wearing. The book's major fault is that it assumes a great deal of familiarity with Indian dress. If the reader is not familiar with all of the Indian terms for clothing items, it is a little hard to understand.

Also, most of the pictures are the author's line drawings of the original artworks. So the reader must rely on his interpertations.

Book Description

After meeting the arachnoid Kamaji and the slug girl Lin, Chihiro encounters the giant, all-powerful sorceress Yu-baaba, who renames Chihiro "Sen." This graphic novel is based on the highest-grossing animated movie in Japanese film history and a collection of its artwork by worldwide famous anime author Hayao Miyazaki.

Customer Reviews:

The Sister and the Golden Seal.......2003-05-08

Now that we are past the middle of this story (this is volume for of 5) the action picks up quite a bit. No Face, the spirit that young Sen let in earlier has turned into a disaster, determined to eat whatever food the bath house has to offer and paying in showers of gold. On the down side, however, the spirit has a tough time differentiating staff from the food, throwing everything into chaos.

As this is going on, Sen sees a white dragon being chased across the sky by paper birds. This is Haku, the young mage, who is badly wounded in his efforts to steal magic. Surprisingly, Sen shows fierce loyalty to her friend, courageously facing the dangers of the bathhouse in order to save his life. The girl has come a long way from the spoiled child who first happened into this strange work.

When I first found this series, the film was still unavailable to US audiences. As such they were the only option for English speakers who wanted to see Miyazaki's latest work and get a sense of the flow of the film. They do this quite well for what is essentially a still medium, spending a lot of frames building a chain of movement. This is done with cels from the film, so the normal comic approach doesn't prevail. When I look at the illustration, I think of a parent reading a book to a child and pointing to a string of pictures as, say, a dragon twists and loops in the sky.

Indeed, this set is perfect for that purpose. It is also a delightful memento of a wonderful film. Miyazaki's imagination is always stunning and unique. There are many good anime artists, but fewer great artists who happen to do anime. Film or no film, I intend to own the entire set.

Beautiful!.......2003-03-29

This is another GREAT book of Miyazaki's. The pictures are beautiful... the story is cute... what more can I say?

"If you forget it, you'll never find your way home".......2003-03-27

Imagine being a typical, slightly self-centered 10-year-old girl, and suddenly finding yourself the only human employee at the Abura Ya, a bathhouse for the spirits. Your parents have turned into pigs, and if you cannot find a way, they will eventually become snacks for customers of the resort. Your employer is a giant old woman named Yubaba, who drives a hard bargain and intends to make you work every moment.

This is Chihiro Ogino's lot in the manga version of Hayao Miyazaki's 'Spirited Away.' Certainly a tough role for an adult to deal with, one cannot help but admire Chihiro (now called Sen) for her fierce determination. In the world of Abura Ya she manages to find friends like Haku, a teenage boy with magical powers, and Lin, the co-worker who looks after Chihiro and helps her snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

In this third volume Chihiro starts her job as a bath attendant, performing the backbreaking labor of scrubbing floors and baths and waiting on customers. When an awesome stink spirit shows up for a wash, no one wants to go near it. Naturally, Chihiro gets stuck with the job. What ensues is a surprise for all as Chihiro discovers that she has strange friends in even stranger places.

Some notes. These beautifully colored manga are done in Japanese order [right to left, top to bottom]. At first, this is a bit confusing, but after a while, it gets to be fun. In addition, it preserves the effect of the original manga page layouts, which really is the best way to present them. Japanese sound effects are left as is, but a translation guide is included.

"Aren't you even going to knock?".......2003-03-21

Having little or no will power, I have succumbed to the temptation to pick up more of these little specialty manga created from the cells of Hayao Miyazaki's latest anime creation, 'Spirited Away.' This film has been a runaway bestseller in Japan, and is due for release in the US shortly. When I bought the first volume as a novelty, my greatest concern was that the books would 'spoil' the plot. However, after reading two volumes, I find I'm even more interested in seeing the film, which looks every bit as remarkable as 'Princess Mononoke,' another Miyazaki hit.

These are the story of Chihiro Ogino, a young girl whose parents have inadvertently wandered into a bathhouse for spirits and been turned into pigs. Chihiro is determined to rescue them and discovers that she must find a job in the bathhouse or suffer the same fate of her parents. This volume is the story of her quest for employment, starting with the spider-like Kamaji who runs the hot water system to the giant Yubaba who is the matron of the resort. One has to admire Chihiro's determination, even though she is actually a bit irritating in a little girl way. Of course, I might be a bit self-centered and panicky if I found myself in the comic version of Motel Hell.

The styling is classic Miyazaki, with great work on the expressions of both the human and non-human characters. These last come in every shape and type imaginable. The dialog is minimalist. Often, the plot is moved forward by the visual story, full of both menace and sight gags. Another thing I like is, since the sound effects are in Japanese, someone has gone to the immense trouble of providing a frame-by-frame translation of them. Just the thing for an adult who wants to read these aloud to a child.

One warning. These manga done in Japanese order [right to left, top to bottom]. At first, this is a bit confusing, but after a while, it gets to be fun. In addition, it preserves the effect of the original manga page layouts, which really is the best way to present them. If these manga aren't over-distributed, then they may very well be eminently collectable.

Book Description

G. F. H. Shadbold, a lifelong poseur and literary manque lives, for the most part, in fear of discovery. A friend, Cedric Winterwade, whom he evidently seduced in his college days, writes a novel almost as insignificant and badly written as Shadbold's own literary output. As time passes, however, and the friend is killed in the army, Winterwade's novel begins to be rediscovered, creating panic in Shadbold and a hilarious series of events in which Powell pokes fun at the writing community, academic life, and a whole generation of memoir-toting literati.

Anthony Powell, who recently died, is one of the great comic writers of Britian in the 20th century.

Customer Reviews:

A biting tale of minor players in the literary world..........2000-04-11

'O, How the Wheel Becomes It' was the first of Powell's books that I ever read, and the one that made me want to sit down and work through 'A Dance to the Music of Time' (which, after some bad experiences with long multivolume novels...ahem, Marcel, I wasn't so keen on doing, however attractive the books appeared to be). Fortunately, 'Wheel' is such an amusing read that any trepidation washes away in anticipation of a good long story.

'Wheel' is the story of G.F.H. Shadbold, a second-rate author who, in his declining years, has established himself as the sort of literary critic and general hack who appears on television chat shows as the venerable old man of letters, which, of course, he is not. Shadbold's fortunes begin to change, though, when the diary of a companion and fellow-novelist of his youth, Cedric Winterwade, who authored the forgetable 'Welsons of Omdurman Terrace' and later died for his trouble in the Second World War, appears on the scene, and Shadbold attempts to suppress it, fearing the unfavourable exposure that it will bring. The result is one of quiet hilarity, sure to bring a smile to any reader who enjoys a clever lampooning of literary fashion, and the literary establishment as a whole.

So, while not a book rising to, say, the level of Wodehouse or Stephen Fry, this comic work is well worth the time of the reader with a taste for the ironic, yet devastatingly accuracte, exposure of human nature that Powell has penned.

Average customer rating:
O How the Wheel Becomes It!
Anthony Powell
Manufacturer: HOLT, RINEHART & WINSTON
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O5TTRQ

Average customer rating:
O' HOW The WHEEL BECOMES IT! A Novel.
Anthony [Dymoke. 1905 - 2000]. Powell
Manufacturer: Holt Rinehart Winston,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZ91AI

Average customer rating:
O, How the Wheel Becomes It!

Manufacturer: Holt Rinehart & Winston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000F6VRPQ

Product Description

Average customer rating:

O, How the Wheel Becomes it.
Anthony. Powell
Manufacturer: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OA9JPI

O How the Wheel Becomes It 1ST Edition Uk

Average customer rating:

O How the Wheel Becomes It 1ST Edition Uk
Anthony Powell
Manufacturer: HEINEMANN @
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000U09STY

Customer Reviews:

essential cinema reading.......2005-12-16

It's hard to believe that Sam Arkoff wrote this over a decade ago because all of his words of warning are still true. He points out that what made AIP last 25 years was because they didn't want to become a major studio. Oddly enough this is the exact lesson the guy who made Veggie-Tales didn't get taught till he tanked his studio when he tried to become the next Disney. AIP made movies - not productions. And if you pick up the MGM Midnite Movie collections, you'll discover that they made so many kind of films.

Sam does an amazing job of balancing his tales of how he got in the business, AIP's history and tips for anyone who wants to make low budget films.

Recently both Dreamworks and Miramax fell off the horizon as active "indies." Neither of these two studios rate up to AIP. Miramax went from a lowbudget indie wonderland to a bloated entity that just wanted to make $100 million epics. This was a company that died when they passed up on "Company of Men" because they couldn't figure out how to market it. While Sam didn't hesitate to edit or dub a film - he didn't hide under "but he loves film" guise that covered Harvey Weinstein. Sam cut up a foreign film cause he didn't want butts to leave the seat. He wanted to be entertained and didn't care about winning Oscars. Dreamworks set itself up as a place for artists. In the end, it treated its talent like every other studio. Sam always let his "artists" know that they had to make a film he could follow in 15 days or less.

The biggest revelation in the book is how Sam hated movies that preached to the kids. No teenager wants to hear an authority figure babble on about the right thing to do - they'd hear enough about that when they got home from the Drive-In after midnight.

If you decide to skip film school, read this book as a Master Class. Sam knows what hes' talking about when it comes to filmmaking. Remember - the audience needs to be entertained.

A real maverick's eye view of the movie business.......1999-07-27

Mr. Samuel Z. Arkoff is indeed a ground-breaking movie producer, and this is his story. It's loaded with insights about a Hollywood we shall never see again. His company, American International Pictures, allowed directors like Scorsese, Demme, Stone, and countless others to cut their teeth, and gave the then-untapped teenage market "a lot of enjoyable Saturday nights."

Above all, the book is great fun. Mr. Arkoff is a master storyteller, and is as amazed at his own success as anyone else. I couldn't recommend the book any higher. By the way, the movie mentioned in the title is MUSCLE (not "music") BEACH PARTY.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from American Music Teacher, published by Music Teachers National Association, Inc. on April 1, 2005. The length of the article is 846 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Career development: Part II.(Forum focus: collegiate chapters)
Author: Derek Mithaug
Publication: American Music Teacher (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2005
Publisher: Music Teachers National Association, Inc.
Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Page: 83(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Career takes a step forward with release.: An article from: Wind Speaker

Average customer rating:

Career takes a step forward with release.: An article from: Wind Speaker
Brian Wright-McLeod
Manufacturer: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Wind Speaker, published by Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) on December 1, 1996. The length of the article is 670 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Career takes a step forward with release.
Author: Brian Wright-McLeod
Publication: Wind Speaker (Newsletter)
Date: December 1, 1996
Publisher: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
Volume: 14 Issue: 8 Page: 10

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Forum to examine the study of black music.(Focus: careers and education): An article from: Westchester County Business Journal

Average customer rating:

Forum to examine the study of black music.(Focus: careers and education): An article from: Westchester County Business Journal

Manufacturer: Westfair Communications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Westchester County Business Journal, published by Westfair Communications, Inc. on January 5, 2004. The length of the article is 2394 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Forum to examine the study of black music.(Focus: careers and education)
Publication: Westchester County Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 5, 2004
Publisher: Westfair Communications, Inc.
Volume: 43 Issue: 1 Page: 22(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

Totaly dissatisfied with this book

A must have

"THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE.

Good Chess, BUT ...

A note to neophytes: Kramnik is now the World Champion.

Kramnik: My Life & games
Vladimir Kramnik , and Iakov Damsky
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Vishy Anand: My Best Games of Chess

Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 5 (My Great Predecessors)

Petrosian vs the Elite: 71 Victories by the Master of Manoeuvre 1946-1983

Fire On Board: Shirov's Best Games

Garry Kasparov on Fischer: Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 4 (My Great Predecessors)

ASIN: 1857442709

Amazon.com

Vladimir Kramnik is something of an anomaly in the chess world, a top-seeded grandmaster who has refused to devote all his energy to the game. "By nature, I am not ambitious," he says. Nevertheless, the Russian-born prodigy has managed to float to the top of the chess world, ranked just behind champion Garry Kasparov at the turn of the millennium.

The subtitle to Kramnik's book is "My Life and Games," but there is, in fact, little distinction between the two; the game has dominated Kramnik's life from the age of 5. By age 16, he was playing on the world chess scene, and at age 25, in 2000, he is one of the few players who can regularly hold his own against Kasparov.

Kramnik reads less like a traditional autobiography than a transcript of 50-plus games from his career. They include key matches with Kasparov, Karpov, Anand, Topalov, Ivanchuk, Shirov, and other greats, stretching back to 1984. Colorful biographical tidbits appear between games, offering glimpses of Kramnik's life outside chess--we learn he's a lousy cook, suffers insomnia from the pressure of the game, and tries to stay philosophical about winning and losing. But most revealing are the interior dialogues that accompany his matches; they are deeply annotated. Kramnik explains exactly what was running through his head as he pushed a pawn or sacrificed a queen at key points, and it's a marvel to watch his mind at work. His comments are never boastful and even betray a self-effacing wit--a refreshing change in a profession known for its outsize egos. Chess enthusiasts should find plenty to occupy them in Kramnik and would do well to take a page from his playbook. --Demian McLean

Customer Reviews:

Totaly dissatisfied with this book.......2005-10-29

I have a lot of game-collections/biography chess books in my library, considering the best ones Life & Games of Mikhail Tal and I Play Against Pieces by Svetozar Gligoric but, belive it or not, this Kramnik one is the worst I have encountered with. Every game is tipically anotated as quick fix for some second rate chess magazine, without any wish for explaining itself or its background to the reader. And authors own biography is just short of unexistent, although it is known that he had a rich life chesswise, before going on top (working in famous Botvinnik chess school, playing junior games against famous oponents of today etc.) Its a shame, and I hope that updated version would be much frendlier and filled with important games played in last five years, and with extended biography.

A must have.......2004-05-23

This book is a fantastic book and for once i have to disagree with Goldsby about a book . This book is divided into 2 parts,the first by damsky and the second by kramnik. The first part i admit doesnt have much anotations, but has alot of games. The second part is by kramnik, it has his best games FULLY! analysed. It is a phenomanal book and even the young 13 year old GM who drew to kasparov rated this book as one of his favourites. If your looking for a games collection book this is for you. However you must understand if you are looking for an agrresive repetoir as white i recommend shirovs book fire on baard as that deals more with e4 then nf3/d4 or c4. However as black the two books are much the same both players play the botvinnik, the meran and sveshnikov (which is in fashioin currently, most probably due to kramniks addtions to the opening.) DO not make a mistake andnot buy this book as i almost did, or you'll be jeoulous of the next person who does!

"THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE........2003-07-17

This book is entitle "My Life And Games"

I think everyone who buys this book has to understand the title its not just a book of openings. This book the world champion is telling you more about himself. If you dont like the book its kinda of your own fault. Kramnik is very straight forward about his book. The 80 games that are listed in the book are much more simplier to read than any of kaasparov's books of openings. this is because the moves are listed up and down and are better spaced out! Chess books can be boring but if you want to learn how to play chess read and look at his GAMES. I THINK your wasting your time reading the othr books. If you wanna learn how to play chess you should only get books by kramnik and fischer. It's because the moves are easier to read because its spaced out better and easier on the "eyes"
Kramnik went 80 games without a loss. kasparov has never acomplished that goal ever.

When Kramnik defends his world title next january. If he beats or ties kasparov to retain his title. I think he will make a brand new book of openings. This man beat the most powerful computer ever made "Deep Fritz7". It is better than deep blue by 2 times. Deep blue beat kasparov. The people who true want to understand how to play chess openings. I STRESS you only get KRAMNIK or BOBBY FISCHER'S book. The other books are JUNK AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ!!!

Good Chess, BUT ..........2001-06-30

If you would like to see a book of some of the games of a great player, you may be interested in this book. But a few words of warning first.

#1.) This book came out BEFORE Kramnik won the chess World Championship, so already it is a little dated.

#2.) This is some of the dryest text you may ever see in your life. (Few, if any good stories.) In fact, if you suffer from insomnia, this may be a good book for you. I also get the impression that Kramnik either accepted factually that he was very talented, or he is one of the most conceited individuals on the face of the earth.

#3.) Many of the Soviet books are "ghost-written" by other chess players - trainers, analysts and such. I get the impression that this is what happened here. (A few of the errors in analysis are too basic to have been perpetrated by Kramnik. Indeed, I. Damsky is probably responsible for the majority of this book.)

Having given the above harsh criticisms, you may get the idea that I hate this book. This is simply not the case. I am a Master who makes a great part of his living from teaching chess. I consider it my responsibility to give as an honest review of every chess book as I possibly can. I also feel it my duty to reflect what many of my students and contacts on the Internet have told me about this book.

If you are looking for a book with some of the best annotations by a top player available, this would be a good book for you to choose. (Many of the annotations are gleaned from magazines where Kramnik had a direct hand in reviewing the games.)

What this book lacks in great stories, and perhaps quality, it makes up for in quantity. You get almost 200 deeply annotated games by the current World Champion. You will get one of the most COMPLETE chess educations available in one book by carefully studying ALL of these games. (And I estimate it would take the average player nearly two years to do this!)

Warning: Most of these games are highly technical. Many of my students decribed them as "dry and boring." (In the style of Capablanca and Karpov.) The average player may not have the skill to appreciate just how hard it is to play like this. Careful study of these games will definitely improve your chess.

....

A note to neophytes: Kramnik is now the World Champion........2001-02-04

Kramnik has defeated Kasparov in their 16-game match a few months ago.

I thought that this simple fact would enlighten potential purchasers.

Average customer rating:

Good Buy for Developing Strategic Thinking

THE way Business Bestsellers should be written

The Opportunity Grid is a real gem!...worth the value of the whole book!

A handy and easy-to-follow guide for managers and planners

A puzzle no more . . .

Strategic Thinking: A Four Piece Puzzle
Bill Birnbaum
Manufacturer: Douglas Mountain Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Strategic Thinking: A Step-By-Step Approach to Strategy, Second Edition

Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide for Busy People Who Want Results Fast!

Applied Strategic Planning: How to Develop a Plan That Really Works

Essential Managers: Strategic Thinking

High Impact Tools and Activities for Strategic Planning: Creative Techniques for Facilitating Your Organization's Planning Process

ASIN: 1932632131

Book Description

Strategy consultant, Bill Birnbaum, shares his lessons learned during 24 years helping management teams develop their business strategy. His anecdotal stories offer important lessons and also an enjoyable read. He offers techniques for...(1) Achieving and maintaining focus, (2) Understanding and responding to markets and customers, (3) Leading and motivating people, (4) Managing both projects and processes.

Customer Reviews:

Good Buy for Developing Strategic Thinking.......2007-10-02

The book offers a refreshing explanation of the most important concepts and techniques in strategic thinking based on what the author terms "a four piece puzzle" made up of focus, process, people and markets. This is a practical no-nonsense book, based on the author's extensive experience and sharp intellect.

The book should be required reading for those interested in strategic management, organizational change, the future of business and industry as well as strategy consultants. The stories and examples are right-on, enlightening, useful and very meaningful. This is a unique book which is a significant and welcome advance from the traditional strategic management process.

I particularly enjoyed reading about the opportunity grid which helps managers conceptualize and envision their specific strategic options. I also highly appreciated the insight and advice on how to successfully build knowledge in my organization which is key to be successful and competitive in today's highly competitive operating environment.

All-in-all, a well written book that is among the good books that you will find on the subject.

THE way Business Bestsellers should be written.......2007-06-27

If you've read many business books, you'd notice they often can be summed up in 3 pages. The rest are all padding and fluff to make it into a book.

This one's different. This book gives you a great overview of the most important things relating to strategic thinking. It covers a lot of ground, and everything it covers, it covers enough so you can apply to it. No fluff. Bill's style is easy to follow and is jargon-free. Probably the kind of consultant you want to hire.

The 4 pieces of the puzzle certainly covers it - Focus, Markets, People, Process. All in a small book. Only an EXCELLENT author could put so much in so little. Read 10 other books on the subject if you're busy, but read this if you're busier - this book should cover those 10 books!

If you are looking for an excellent treatise on strategic thinking without all the bull and fluff you find in many books (and some consultancies), then this is it. Quick read, quickly reap rewards.

The Opportunity Grid is a real gem!...worth the value of the whole book!.......2005-09-05

I generally share most of the sentiments expressed by earlier reviewers who gave positive responses to this book.

In the light of my own consultancy work, understanding the Opportunity Grid (Chapter 6) alone, with its many diverse applications in business, is worth the value of the whole book.

Let me share a little secret with readers. If you synergise the power of this Opportunity Grid (with some adaptation, of course) with the power tools introduced in 'Innovation Formula' by Michel Robert, your analytical as well as opportunity sensing capabilities become exponential. Trust me!

The Opportunity Grid is really a brilliant piece of work by the author (even though it has its origins from George Steiner's pioneering work). Kudos!

The author's artful illustration of Pareto's Law or the 80/20 Rule in business, although it is not a new concept, is refreshing.

This wonderful book can be best summed up by using the author's own approach to strategic thinking, as outlined below:

"Successful managers or succesful mangement teams focus on the four critical pieces of the strategic puzzle:

- rather than try to accomplish "everything," they diligently maintain F-O-C-U-S;
- they develop & maintain intimate understanding of their M-A-R-K-E-T-S;
- they truly care about their P-E-O-P-L-E;
- they carefully manage their P-R-O-C-E-S-S-E-S;

This is one more good book to be added on to your Strategic Thinker's Bookshelf.

As a conclusion, & without hesitation, I rate this book a 5.

A handy and easy-to-follow guide for managers and planners.......2004-06-04

Skilled strategy consultant Bill Birnbaum presents Strategic Thinking: A Four Piece Puzzle, a handy and easy-to-follow guide for managers and planners concerning basic business concerns. From adapting to the product life cycle in a market (such as by anticipating the inevitable decline in demand for most new products and compensating by introducting a new product as the old one decreases in popularity) to getting the best out of one's people, to judiciously applying the "80-20 rule" (i.e. 20% of the input is usually responsible for 80% of the output, and total output can be significantly improved by focusing on that 20% - but the rule is not an absolute), to learning how to focus on a few objectives and get them done right, Strategic Thinking is an overall winner written in straightforward, accessible terms. Recommended for business managers and decision makers of all skill and experience levels.

A puzzle no more . . ........2004-05-03

When I received this book from Mr. Birnbaum, I was immediately excited, intrigued, and impatient to get to the reading. For several years now, I've been working with Bill on various projects for the Association of Professional Consultants and I've had the pleasure of reading his bi-monthly Newsletter. So I was familiar with his writing and speaking style, which is why I was so interested in getting to his new book.

I wasn't disappointed. This book is written in Bill's warm, down-to-earth style, giving the reader the impression that they are spending quality one-on-one time with a senior consultant and coach. Birnbaum's unconventional wisdom comes through in this most readable book on Business Strategy. How often do you hear someone say that it's "okay to be mediocre?" Well, Bill let's you know that as long as you are excelling at those few important strategic goals, it's okay to be mediocre at everything else. Refreshing, isn't it? Honest, straightforward thought.

Bill continues in the same vein to give us practical advice on process and procedures. Not only does he share with us what we might consider doing, he goes about explaining how we might do it. Most of us in the consulting business are willing to share what we believe you should do, it's when we get to the "how" that we start issuing proposals and contracts! But throughout this book, Bill shares with us the how as well as the what and the why!

Besides reinforcing some of the things we know, such as "focus on doing the right things more than on doing things right," we are treated to lively and real life examples and stories exemplifying the strategies Bill lays out. As you would expect, the book is laid out in four sections, one for each of the major puzzle pieces - focus, process, people, markets. There is a very useful index as well, and some of the best information in the book can be found in the Appendix, so don't skip them! He keeps our interest up and he delivers on his promise to - "steepen your growth curve, brighten your profit picture, and help you to lead your management team." I highly recommend you put this book on your must read list!

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books