Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States Offering Time and Space for Creativity

Book Description

This is the definitive guide to residence opportunities in the United States for visual and performing artists, composers, and writers, offering information on: facilities, length of residency, admission deadlines and fees, selection process, programs, institutional history, and much more. Includes an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Stanley Kunitz, an overview of artists' communities, and photographs of each community.

Customer Reviews:

This is a very comprehensive, helpful and inspiring resource.......1998-05-12

Don't skip the introductions and preface - they present an excellent overview of what artists' are and what they can provide for creative people. The standardized format of the individual entries and the categorized indices make it easy to narrow your choices and decide which communities you want to find more about.

Book Description

Lavishly produced and illustrated, Cinematography covers the entire range of the profession. The book is not just a comprehensive guide to current professional practice; it goes beyond to explain the theory behind the practice, so you understand how the rules came about and when it's appropriate to break them. In addition, directors will benefit from the book's focus on the body of knowledge they should share with their Director of Photography.

Cinematography presents the basics and beyond, employing clear explanations of standard practice together with substantial illustrations and diagrams to reveal the real world of film production.
Recognizing that professionals know when to break the rules and when to abide by them, this book discusses many examples of fresh ideas and experiments in cinematography. Covering the most up-to-date information on the film/digital interface, new formats, the latest cranes and camera support and other equipment, it also illustrates the older tried and true methods.

*The definitive guide to cinematography

*Up-to-date coverage of technical topics, including High Definition and digital imaging

*Full color throughout brings issues of color and light to life

Customer Reviews:

Great print quality!!.......2007-01-10

A very informative read for the beginner as it does not delve too deep into the theory of cinematography but just enough to make you want to research more if needed. It has lots of great information and some good movie suggestions. The book's print is on seemingly expensive glossy stock which is a nice touch. I'd have to say that this is one of my favourite cinematography books.

A major distraction however is that there are numerous spelling & gramatical errors throughout the book which make comprehension difficult in some places.

I would also recommend the classic '5 C's of Cinematography' by Joseph V. Mascelli

The jury is out... this filmmaker likes it.......2006-03-16

Obviously people have mixed opinions of this book. I liked the in-depth info, the readability and the color plates. I'm a director who is interested in learning more about cinematography from that angle. The Filmmaker's Handbook on Plume, or Bordwell and Thompson's Film Art will cover a lot of the same info for a cheaper price, but I like this book's illustrations and more advanced technical info, especially on video. Ultimately you gotta go out and do it, a book will only go so far. But as books go I find this one pretty great.

Great Student Book.......2006-02-24

As a film student myself, I've found this book incredible helpful. Not only is it a great window into understanding how lighting and shot composition work, but it explains clearly and in detail many technical aspects of cinematography. Of course it's not perfect, but it's a great beginners guide.

Best of the bunch.......2005-12-22

I have read most of the books Amazon sells about cinematography and there is not question in my mind that this is the best of all of them. It's really comprehensive and covers all sides of camerawork, both technical things like lens and color and exposure etc, but also composition (which he calls visual language) and maintaining continuity, coverage and what he calls "the language of the lens."

Bottom line: there is a wide range of things you have to learn about if you want to become a professional cinematographer and this book covers all of them. I also read his book on lightingm, which is also very thorough.

The chapter on storytelling with lighting is a really interesting look at how you tell stories with visual images, which is really the job we are doing as filmmakers.

Finally he has really in-depth chapters on techinical things like various formats and HD and doing special effects and operations on the set.

No doubt in my mind I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about cinematography.

A comprehensive, professional view of cinematography.......2005-12-11

I was working on a camera crew with a recent AFI grad and she told me this book is "the bible" at AFI, then a fellow I know at USC grad school had it as a required book in his cinematography class so I checked it out.

I see why these schools use it. It's comprehensive, thorough and most important, it takes a really professional view of how cinematography is done. I must have a dozen books on cinematography. Some of them are sort of student/amateur and some of them are just reminiscences of old studio DPs. Interesting reading, but doesn't tell me what I need to know to shoot a scene.

This book covers technical issues like exposure, optics, color, special EFX, etc but it also covers aesthetics. The chapter on "Lighting As Storytelling" is the best article on the aesthetics of image making and visual storytelling I've ever read anywhere (and I have a degree in cinematography). I have found this chapter on the web. You can download it at several websites that feature this book.

For best results, you need to buy this book in conjunction with the author's book on lighting, which really goes into standard techniques and equipment in much greater depth, as you would expect -- he can cover it better in a whole book than he can in a single chapter (which is how some cinematography books try to do it.) Although this book does have a couple of chapters on lighting that serve as a pretty good introduction.

Worth the price alone is the chapter on Set Operations, which goes into great detail on the job assignments on a set, how things are done and procedures like proper slating technique, etc. The chapter Visual Language is like a mini-course on composition, visual techniques and creating powerful images.

Throughout the book, the illustrations are from great films and the excellent printing makes it a beautiful book also, something that seems to always get mentioned in the magazine reviews I've read.

Since buying it (and reading it three times) I've run into lots of people (both students and working pros) who swear that this is THE book on cinematography. I agree totally. It covers camera stuff, but also set practices and also all the things the director needs to know about cinematography: coverage, screen direction, continuity, etc.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in cinematography, including not only camera people but also directors.

Book Description

This full-color second volume of the Spirit Archives continuesto tell the legend of young criminologist Denny Colt, who, after beingpresumed dead, returns to life to fight crime as the enigmatic costumedcrimefighter, the Spirit. Collecting the original Sunday newspaper stripsfrom January 5 to June 29, 1941, this hardcover edition contains the firstappearance of Silk Satin and new tales about Denny Colt, CommissionerDolan, and his daughter Ellen.

Customer Reviews:

..........2003-07-13

I am very dissapointed with volume 2 of "The Spirit Archives." The stories were dull and the art was average. Hopefully with the next couple of archives I will start seeing the material that was reprinted by Kitchen Sink Press in the Eighties. The only value this book has is the historical interest of seeing these stories as they appeared sixty years ago. I'm sorry Mr. Eisner, as much as I respect you for being the comic book legend that you are I am just not moved by what I've seen in the first two volumes.

The Spirit Returns.......2003-05-23

This is the second volume of Spirit stories, by master graphic storyteller Will Eisner. This is great stuff, and Eisner hadn't even reached his peak yet when these stories were produced. If you're a comics fan, you should buy all the Spirit Archives.

Will Eisner is the master of comic book storytelling............2002-03-23

What can one say about Will Eisner and the Spirit that has not already been discussed in length since his beginnings in the 1940s? Eisner's stories still resonate today and are as fresh as ever. DC is doing an excellent job of re-presenting all the Spirit tales in chronological order in a beautiful deluxe format.
Hopefully, when this Archive is complete, maybe Will Eisner can present one final new Spirit tale. The fans can only hope for something like this....

Will Eisner's Spirit Part 2!.......2000-09-14

This is the coup de grace of the comic book medium! Not only does artist/writer Will Eisner strive to establish comics as a mainstream art, he did it over 40 years ago with this awesome collection of dailies from yesteryear. This reprints the weekly Spirit newspaper sections that originally appeared from January 5 through June 29, 1941. This period saw writer/artist Eisner's storytelling talents continue to mature as he developed new levels of sophistication, introducing new characters such as Silk Satin (with her first two appearances included in this volume) and revealing new details of Denny Colt, Commissioner Dolan and his daughter, Ellen, in stories that find the war in Europe beginning to influence the Spirit's stateside adventures. All in all this is the pinnacle of storytelling and cartooning. Nowhere else will you find such a stirring account of characters, places and events than here. This is the original pioneer of the comics industry and he did it long before anyone ever thought of trying to mainstream comics. This is not just a bunch of funny books...its a huge chunk of americana. Our history and parts that should be recounted for generations to come!

Average customer rating:

Are all Gary's stories true?

Clearly the Worst Book Ever Written ...

I thought it was decent

Entertaining and peculiar

Don't quit your day job

Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists
Gary McCord
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425161641

Amazon.com

In his 20-plus years as a touring pro, CBS golf commentator Gary McCord may never have won a tournament, but all those hours on the course obviously honed his skills as a raconteur. His memoir, filled with pithy observations of his fellow pros, is funny and self-effacing, enjoyable from tee to green.

Book Description

Gary McCord has been playing the PGA tour for the last twenty-three years, and broadcasting for CBS for the last ten. His tournament success has been, shall we say, mixed. But during those years, he admits, "a number of strange and interesting things have transpired." Now, through his unique greens-eye view, McCord brings them to us: the Tour, the personalities, the culture, the very sights and smells of professional golf. Inside you'll find people named Norman, Nicklaus, Pavin, Watson, Mickelson, and Daly. But you'll also find deeply funny tales of terror on everything from Qualifying School to the Masters. In all, Just a Range Ball... is a work of pure delight from Gary McCord, television's number one golf commentator and iconoclast.

Customer Reviews:

Are all Gary's stories true?.......2007-09-06

McCord's story about the annual ex-wives' golf day at his home course is, by itself, worth the price of admission. It is the funniest, most wicked thing I have ever read.
I don't make a habit of reading Pro golfers' memoirs (except Jack's,big John's and, of course, our Greg's), but I am glad i made this book another exception to the rule. It is a collection of very short stories about his life on the Tour and his golfing adventures with his club mates. You couldn't invent the profiles of some of his mates. Birds of a feather....?
Gary throws a lot of adjectives and adverbs into some of his sentences and sometimes get tangled up amongst them. As you would expect he doesn't take himself too seriously and is often the butt of his own jokes. No doubt this is why we don't get his account of his famous conversation with Hogan, and the low down on his eviction from Augusta.
Buy, Buy, Buy.

Clearly the Worst Book Ever Written ... .......2006-02-13

As someone who has read a lot of inane sports book (if you took out all the f-words in Lenny Dykstra's book, it wouldn't even make for a pamphlet) but this clearly is the worst book ever published by someone who can seems to be able to speak English.

He is entertaining and witty holding a microphone and in the forward, he pretty much admits he just took the money but clearly so did the "editor" and publisher - nothing wrong with that - we don't expect most sport bios or sport commentary books to be very substantial in tone or language but to be pointless, dull and pointless and dull - yes, it's that's pointless and dull.

The premise seems pretty simple - basically give us a rundown on the year on the PGA Tour - give us insights or take us there? Doesn't sound too difficult. Can't write - not a problem - why not just talk into a recorder and someone can type it up, an editor can move things and so forth but to fail on every level?

Nearly every sentence starts out with one idea and wanders off to another completely.

After being a golfer and a commentator for nearly 20 years, you'd think he'd offer some insights - any insights? Except that golf is hard and sometimes unfair ... really? Is it saving it all for the TV?

Funny stories? Nope. Says some stories are funny but can't them to us or writes it in such a manner, it's not funny.

He's infamous as an announcer for being banned from the Masters Tournament - how about setting the record straight? Nope. Gives us some general info everyone knows and then goes into another subject IN THE SAME CHAPTER.

On TV, he is a raconteur and witty but gives ZERO evidence here. Unless you just want it on your shelf to own every golf book or if you intend to hollow it out and store valuables, there's no real point to owning this book as reading material.

For golf fans, this this clear a whiff, the grip slips off, the driver goes flying and knocks us loopy. Even in that condition, we could've written two coherent sentences that McCord is clearly incapable of ...

In contention for the worst book ever published.

I thought it was decent.......2000-12-30

If you are familiar with Gary McCord then you should know that he is a little off the wall. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise that this book was off the wall. As a golfer, reading this book helped me to relax and enjoy the game more. It also helped in putting a smile on my face. This is not a book that should be taken seriously. Rather, it is a book that can help you find joy in the little things you do.

Entertaining and peculiar.......2000-05-26

This is an entertaining and somewhat peculiar collection of essays from Gary McCord. I say somewhat peculiar, because I'm never sure whether they are truthful or tall tales. Probably somewhere in between. But what does it matter whether they're literally true or not--it's not as if I have some kind of personal reference what life on the PGA TOUR is like.

McCord has been funnier and is funnier when he's speaking. This book has a weird, atmospheric style. More deadpan than you'd expect. It's as if he's speaking parables to you and you're never quite sure which parts are supposed to be funny. There's something else about the style ... as if he is trying to stay one notion ahead of the reader, which he accomplishes by leaving out a thought or two from time to time. I can't say it's bad, but it's not what one would expect.

I'd rate this 3-1/2 stars but I'm stuck with whole numbers. It's definitely better than average ... but not great. If you want side-splitting, colorful tales, you'll want to check out Peter Dobereiner's work. This book provides a stranger, more meditative experience.

Don't quit your day job.......1998-07-20

I have always enjoyed the light humor and spontaneous comments that McCord brings to television commentary. However, this is a boring, and disappointing book. Gary would do well to have someone else edit his transcripts for literary flow. The choppy sentences and introduction of too many characters in each chapter, makes the book difficult to read. I got through the first two chapters then tossed it back on the shelf to collect all the dust it deserves.

Average customer rating:

Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists
Gary McCord
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HWZ47A

Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists: On & Off the Tour With Gary McCord

Average customer rating:

Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists: On & Off the Tour With Gary McCord
Gary McCord
Manufacturer: DH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0886464382

Book Description

A. E. Hotchner did not come to the task of adapting Hemingway’s seven-page short story “After the Storm” with apparent disadvantages. After all, he personally knew Ernest Hemingway; he had traveled with him to Paris, Pamplona, Venice, the Riviera. He had studied Hemingway’s work and already adapted for the television or movie screen fifteen of the Nobel Prize–winning writer’s works, including For Whom the Bell Tolls. Still, in the matter of adaptation, as Hotchner shows in the essay that opens this volume, close familiarity with an artist’s work or personality does not necessarily simplify the challenge to the adapter. In addition to Hotchner’s essay, which identifies the problems posed by adaptations of works not written for the screen, the book includes the complete texts of both Hemingway’s story and the screenplay that converts it into a full-length feature film—making this volume invaluable to film students, movie fans, screenwriters, and Hemingway readers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Somewhat entertaining, but little substance.......2001-04-03

This book presents the screenplay for the recent television movie "After the Storm" and the six-page Ernest Hemingway short story on which it was loosely based. The adapter A. E. Hochner also throws in an informative essay on the art of adapting. While this will certainly interest would-be playwrights and Hemingway afficionados, there is little else of substance here.

The short story is little more than a premise--a poor Bahamian fisherman finds a sunken luxury yacht and tries unsuccessfully to scavenge it-with no supporting characters and an unsatisfactory resolution. Hochner adds villians, conspiracies, and two love triangles to spice things up. The result is a better-than-average TV movie, due to solid performances by Benjamin Bratt and Armand Assante, but it is still too slow and formulaic to meet the standards of a feature film.

Book Description

When used appropriately music can be a powerful tool to support and enrich learning. Developed for music specialists and nonspecialists, this annotated bibliography helps you find print and nonprint materials that support the integration of music across the K-8 curriculum. Arranged by subject area and topics within disciplines, the annotations describe the works and provide information on format and media, musical arrangement, individual song titles (for recorded material), and grade appropriateness in addition to standard bibliographic information. Emphasis is on educational resources and materials with practical applications rather than on theoretical works. Author/title and subject indexes provide quick and easy access.

Book Description

Japanese Ukiyoe aesthetics and symbolism enhance this colorful deck. Cards show numbers and titles in both Japanese and English.

Customer Reviews:

The sound of one cards shuffling..........2005-12-23

This vintage classic was presented long before the Tarot decks became best sellers. Not one for pop-bubble gum card enthusiasts. I would almost say this is an art deck only, that is not the case. Surprisingly accurate divination and insight can be presented. If sheer beauty is what you appreciate, then this is the Tarot for you.

Commissioned U.S. Games/Mr. Kaplan by a Japanese artist; Koji Furuta and printed in Japan in 1982, It was never intended for the "Miss Cleo" set. Indeed, it is a rare treasure among collectors today. Good luck finding a copy!

The cards are done in the always appealing Japanese silk screen style. This captures the very visual presentation of the culture that now has grown into animation and beyond. There are many contemporary decks that have been published in Japan since, most of them not available in the U.S.A. The Tarot is distinctly a European invention, as far as modern history is concerned.

The cards themselves are sturdy and hold up well with multiple reading. The backs are beautiful, with a Japanese maple leaf falling upon an autumn pond. I do not read with them any longer, though the are very conducive to a "Zen-like" mood. It is shoji screens, bamboo and fine Japanese incense(koji) on silk brocade cushions...

The images themselves are like watching Kubuki theatre unfold. The major trumps cannot be described in words. They are simple and evocative in style. Buddhist mythology is used to rapturous effects. The minors trumps are given subtle reference that skilled readers can pick up on: the 3 of wands has morning glories climbing upwards. The subtle drama is carefully played out in each card. The accompaning booklet explains some cultural difference as well as similarities.

U.S. Games has taken this and its other Asian gem the Chinese Tarot sadly out of print. Both decks really helped me out in my early career. There is the Royal Thai deck available. Serious collecters take note: U.S Games will take important decks out of print for more "fluffy-bunny" best sellers. Maybe this is good in some respects. Time will tell...

Inspired art elevates this unusual, powerful deck.......1999-12-04

The historical symbolism of the tarot does not make it a natural match for oriental art and cultural expression. In fact, IMHO, many of the "cross-cultural" decks are imagistic train wrecks. However, as strange as it may seem, this tarot is not only stunningly beautiful, but it really works. The traditional Waite-style images have been tweaked just enough to make sense with Japanese figures and designs, but not so much to make a mockery of each. In fact, the Buddhist/Japanese sensibility seems to highlight different aspects of each card and bring out further subtleties of the same truth -- the real value of cross-cultural enterprises. The images have a surface serenity because of the gorgeous Ukiyoe stylistics, but reveal passion and power the more one looks. The suit cards do not have pictures, but the backgrounds are very evocative of the mood of the cards. Anyone with more than just a passing knowledge of the Rider-Waite tarot will be able to recognize them and use the deck. This would be a valuable addition to any collection, though perhaps not the best choice for a first and only deck. (On the other hand, I would choose it strongly over many of the more traditional decks that have far weaker, poorly executed art and wacko symbolism.)

Excellent for elegant images and floral motifs.......1999-09-18

Elegant images and floral motifs in traditional woodblock print styles are highlighted and well-designed. Beautiful colors and fabric patterns. The small booklet explaining the cultural correspondences with traditional Rider-Waite imagery is very good

Average customer rating:

Necessary Reading For Entrepreneurs

Good basic treatise on marketing

We probably all need a good, hard kick - I know I did!

Great on validating the market in early stage start-ups

Disappointing

A Good Hard Kick in the Ass: Basic Training for Entrepreneurs
Rob Adams
Manufacturer: Crown Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0609609505
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

Rob Adams--an ex-Marine and former technology executive who now runs an "accelerator venture fund" that works like an entrepreneurial boot camp--offers A Good Hard Kick in the Ass to wake up and shake up today's would-be business owner. The era when virtually any wannabe could turn an intriguing idea and slick presentation into a hefty bankroll is long past, of course. Adams believes the current environment calls instead for a return to elementary but oft-ignored rules expressed here through blunt admonitions (good ideas are a dime a dozen, you don't know your customers as well as you think you do, you don't need big bucks right out of the gate) meant to counter the "startup myths and misconceptions" many hopefuls still harbor. Each chapter breaks down one delusion-busting assertion into specific suggestions (assemble a team with solid "execution intelligence," validate the market, forge a strategy for getting out there quickly) and is fleshed out with the real-life experiences of both big-name techno-ventures and some of the embryonic participants in Adams's AV Labs. Any time you step up to the plate to start a company, you take a chance on striking out, he says, but following these steps should at least get you into the game. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Every day, Rob Adams helps entrepreneurs find true markets for their products, design solid business models, and hire great teams—because that’s what it takes to build a successful company. While this sounds self-evident, far too many entrepreneurs have forgotten these fundamentals. They’ve been influenced by what Adams calls “business porn,” myths lingering like a bad hangover from the easy success days of the late ’90s. These entrepreneurs believe a unique idea is the key to igniting a great business. They think their industry experience already makes them experts on customer needs. They have simplistic, self-defeating illusions about sales, marketing, financing, and more.

They say things like “I have a million-dollar business idea for a new product.” Wake up, says Adams: Good ideas are not scarce—they’re a dime a dozen. Businesses are successful not because of a unique idea but because of extraordinary execution. They offer a better, faster, or cheaper product or service, or they change the way the world solves a problem.

In short, these entrepreneurs need just what Adams doses out in the pages of this book: a good hard kick in the ass. Adams debunks the myths and smashes the illusions—and he knows what he’s talking about, because he stands at the hub of many new startups. His firm, AV Labs, provides entrepreneurs with early financing as well as the management expertise they need to get off the ground.

A Good Hard Kick in the Ass offers detailed, hard-hitting guidance for smart, sophisticated entrepreneurs and established businesspeople alike—along with vivid, in-depth examples of companies that are walking the walk right now. Adams’s straightforward, no-nonsense approach is just what’s needed in the post-bubble economy.

Customer Reviews:

Necessary Reading For Entrepreneurs.......2006-12-19

This book is a great place to start for any entrepreneur. Despite the slightly odd title, the book does kick some reality into readers. The book is very interesting, and I'd highly recommend reading it to get some ideas of what is expected of you when you want to develop an idea into a business.

Good basic treatise on marketing.......2006-11-10

Rob Adams delivers a fair amount of info about marketing for new high tech products. Most of what is said is very sound and based on practical experience.

We probably all need a good, hard kick - I know I did!.......2005-07-06

What a wakeup call! Too bad I didn't read this book sooner - before I learned some of the lessons the hard way. All entrepreneurs and those aspiring to be entrepreneurs "need" this book.

If you're starting up a company, then read this book. If you've already started a company, stop and read this as soon as possible - before you screw things up even worse.

Adams runs AV Labs, with plenty of time in the trenches. So listen up. The 1990's really messed with entrepreneurs heads. Instead of identifying a solid market need and building products that meet those needs, entrepreneurs were told - by Venture Capitalists, and the Media, to take on the world. Business models were thrown out the window. Forget profits, or even revenues, just catch as many "eyeballs" as possible and you'll be the next Microsoft. Well, we all know what happened ... Crash!

Assembled into ten kicks, the book is overflowing with true wisdom:

1. Good Ideas Are a Dime a Dozen
2. You Don't Know Your Customer As Well As You Think You Do
3. Don't Wait to Ship a Killer Product---Get to Market Fast
4. You Don't Need the Big Bucks Right Out of the Gate
5. Investors Fund Great Teams---Not Business Plans
6. Investors Will Wait for Quality Returns---from Quality Companies
7. Advertising and Marketing Are Not Synonymous
8. Nobody Else Can Sell Your Product for You
9. Big Companies Need to Act More Like Startups

Final Kick: This One's Yours to Give in the Marketplace!

We probably all need a good, hard kick - I know I did. Focus first and foremost on knowing who your customer is and that they really will open their wallet (validate your market). Second, Be sure you can make money - preferably lot's of it (create a profitable business model). And third, remember it's all about people executing strategy.

My final piece of advice - If you read only one business book this year, this should be the one.

-----------------
Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

Great on validating the market in early stage start-ups.......2005-05-09

This excellent book describes the early start up stage of a new business in great detail. The author has experience with pre-funded start-ups and their efforts to validate their markets. There are few books that describe this early stage activity for entrepreneurs, where it's difficult to judge a market. Thus, this book is highly recommended.

Pluses
- Puts proper weights on crucial start up tasks with an emphasis on the execution team. The author says execution and the execution team is more important than the idea. He makes a good point but I don't think having a good execution team is adequate reason to create a startup. You still need an organizing idea that offers overwhelming advantage.
- Recommends that you apply new technology to existing market to ease an existing pain. He particularly likes applying new technologies to business processes (of course Dell is one of the examples here).
- Asks you to repeatedly hypothesize and then prove/disprove the pain of your prospects. The area of customer need has to have a felt pain. The search for pain increases the likelihood of success, and makes marketing easier.
- Recommends rigorous upfront market research into prospects and influencers. Talk to at least 100 potential customers. After doing this the author says the business plan is easier to write.
- I liked his comments on talking to affinity groups, trade pubs, user groups, trade shows, and industry influencers.
- Get to the market quickly with a product that solves their immediate pain.

Minuses
- Relies on quantitative market research for initial phase instead of one-on-one. His defense is that our goal is to be doing market research, not selling our solution. However, I believe the best market research comes from one on one discussions. See Barry Feig's books on market research for more on this, "Marketing Straight To the Heart" etc..

Questionable Items
- Your idea does not have to be unique. "There is no new idea." To the author, ideas are commodities, it's teams that can execute that are scarce. While I agree, I can't see starting up a company unless you have a competitive advantage that goes beyond our subjective opinion of a start-up crew.
- First to market is no big thing, it's an unsustainable advantage. Execute to dominate, not define a space. I generally disagree, but he makes a good point. I also believe in first mover advantage made popular by Geoffrey Moore ("Crossing the Chasm") and also in Ries's recommendation to create a new niche to dominate (See "The Origin of Brands" by Al and Laura Ries). But I also believe, like the author suggests, great execution is often a deciding factor. I think he gives these other ideas short shrift because he sees so many companies failing on execution.
- Partner, partner, partner. I think the startup should try for a complete product rather than give up large pieces of the solution. But I can see how some situations demand this.

There's a lot more to this book than the few points I listed above. He gives more details on the execution team which were particularly good.

Overall, I think this is an excellent book. It should be required reading for all MBA students of entrepreneurial studies as well as anyone in the early stages of a startup who is trying to validate the company's market.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

Disappointing.......2005-03-04

Like other reviewers have noted, this book is aimed at a very particular audience: successful executives with significant experience, starting a technology company.

I figured I was close enough to that audience that I'd love the book. Turns out, I was wrong. This book is overwhelmingly focused on enterprise companies. I am the CEO of a consumer-focused company, and felt like the book was misleadingly positioned. Maybe "Basic Training for Entrepreneurs selling into the Enterprise" wouldn't have been as catchy... but it would be much more accurate.

I also found Rob's book troubling for softer reasons. For me, probably the most important decision I ever made was my choice of co-founders. Absolutely, you want a smart team just like Rob recommends... but you also want a team of people you can *trust* with your life. I was surprised by Rob's total focus on hard skills/experience in hiring.

But upon reflection, his focus on hard skills makes sense here, since the book is overwhelmingly about making money. If you want to build a team of people who want to change the world... or make a difference... this book is not for you. I'm not talking about non-profits or government; I'm talking about creating products that have an impact on the world (Apple, Sony, Google, Harley, Ben & Jerry's, Intuit, etc.).

This book has zero talk about creating a shared sense of purpose/mission. That's ok, because companies targeting the enterprise rarely have that sort of vibe. That's too bad, because I think that every company can use a "soul". And to be frank, creating a sense of purpose/mission can dramatically increase customer and employee retention. Maybe all this soft stuff can translate into hard dollars after all...

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