Art of Shibata Zeshin: The Mr. and Mrs. James E O'Brien Collection

Book Description

Survey of the works of lacquer master discovered by Western experts.

Book Description

Originally published in 1987, Joel Sternfeld's now-classic view of America is here remastered, redesigned, and reprinted at a larger, brighter, truer scale. Finally, photography and offset printing techniques have caught up with Sternfeld's eye, and this new edition of American Prospects succeeds in presenting Sternfeld's most seminal work as it has always meant to be shown. A specially-commissioned essay by Kerry Brougher, Chief Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, considers the historical context in which Sternfeld was working and the pivotal role that American Prospects has played in the course of contemporary filmmaking and art photography. In American Prospects, a fireman shops for a pumpkin while a house burns in the background; a group of motorcyclists stop at the side of the road to take in a stunning, placid view of Bear Lake, Utah; the high-tech world headquarters of the Manville Corporation sits in picturesque Colorado, obscured by a defiant boulder; a lone basketball net stands in the desert near Lake Powell in Arizona; and a cookie-cutter suburban housing settlement rests squarely amongst rolling hills in Pendleton, Oregon. Sternfeld's photographic tour of America is a search for the truth of a country not just as it exists in a particular era but as it is in its ever-evolving essence. It is a sad poem, but also a funny and generous one, recognizing endurance, poignant beauty, and determination within its sometimes tense, often ironic juxtapositions of man and nature, technology and ruin.

Customer Reviews:

Rust Never Sleeps.......2007-02-08

What a refreshing twist on the usual coffee table photography book. Sternfeld's photographs of the natural and manmade environment are so interesting. They almost have an old-fashioned hand-colored postcard-feel to them, but the images are often startlingly futuristic. Great contrasts of the ugly and rusting and vacant with beautiful natural landscapes. The publishers did a wonderful job of cleanly presenting the photos to speak for themselves and putting all the verbiage up front.

Joel Sternfeld book American Prospects.......2007-01-18

JOEL IS A GOOD NAME AND THIS IS A FABOULOS WORK.This man is travelling a lot!!!I want only says that J.Sternfeld is able to meet people and discover particulary little object too that can be fundamental for go inside these pictures,he use colour in a cool way too,soft traditional in colours but in meanings is not really traditional expecially if we related his work in the world of landscape's photography.He use landscape like it was reportage.It is a way for put something else inside.That picture could be sometime strong somentime enchanting but always are intresting me.Put something strange in your picture and maybe that landscape could change his own value.
I like a lot
ciaoooooo

a landmark poetic document recorded and built by a master.......2006-07-16

if you want to know where the comtemporary obsession with large format color "street" work came from, this is it. newer books, by artists like alec soth and other color documentary artists, are excellent, important books, but it must at least be noted that the true groundbreakers were working a generation ago, putting out these kinds of books before it was the accepted trend. and simply put, this work along with shore's 'uncommon places' and eggleston's 'guide', are still, in my opinion, unsurpassed.

on top of that, the size and reproduction quality of this book are mind-blowing. i can't imagine any photography fan not loving this book, or any serious student not wanting it (for a decent price, of course, which this actually is with the discount.)

American prospects.......2005-09-23

This a great photography book, but the parcel in which it was sent was not strong enough, and the book arrived a little bit damaged.

Essential American Art.......2004-11-16

He was there first -in color. If you didn't know that, you should, and "American Prospects" will show you where "there" is.

Great art and great artists have the power to bridge many a divide. Whether in the deep red states or the deep blue states, our great country has never looked so epic, as when it is seen though Mr. Sternfeld's great big view.

Average customer rating:

American Prospects

Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

First published in 1987 to widespread critical acclaim and hailed by People magazine as one of the ten best books of the 1980s, Joel Sternfeld's startling visual chronicle is at once funny and despairing, calmly beautiful and grim. Sternfeld may be America's greatest fineart color photographer, and here his luxuriant landscapes are full of sly surprises and deadpan wit: a renegade elephant lies exhausted on a road; beached whales daintily punctuate a majestic seascape; a fireman buys pumpkins while a house burns behind him. Now published in an exquisite paper-bound edition with a new preface, these pictures carry even more weight than when they were first seen; they have the poignance and resonance of an America uneasy about its past and uncertain of its future.

AMERICAN PROSPECTS. Photographs by Joel Sternfeld.

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AMERICAN PROSPECTS. Photographs by Joel Sternfeld.
Joel; Andy Grundberg Sternfeld
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LT8QL0

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American Prospects
Joel; Grundberg, Andy Sternfeld
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P1B9L8

Book Description

A new student comes to the Maunaloa Institute for International Studies in Hawaii. His name is Hiroto Nakadai, and he is something of an enigma. He is handsome yet distant, and wants nothing to do wit the other kids in his class. Still, tender-hearted Ikuko likes him all the more for the mystery that surrounds him. She will discover, however, that the mystery runs far deeper than she could have ever imagined. Hiroto is actually a prince from another dimension, on the run from a mad despot who murdered Hiroto's family to gain the throne. Hiroto seeks refuge on present day Earth, but it is only a mater of time before the enemy tracks him down. Together with his newfound friends, Hiroto will have have to flee from world to world, hoping someday he will be able to return home. This publisher is a new client to Diamond Book Distributors!

Customer Reviews:

Great art, fun story, what more could you ask for?.......2006-07-15

Last Hope is very good, considering the fact that it is an Original English Language (OEL) manga. The art is exceptional and the story, though lightweight, is a lot of fun.

The story follows Hiroto, who is a prince from another dimension. At the beginning of the story, Hiroto is on the run from his nefarious uncle, Lord Kumagi, who murdered his family. Hiroto escapes to Maunaloa Academy in Japan using a dimension traveling device which is promptly damaged. Hiroto decides to enroll in Maunaloa Academy until he can find someone who can help him fix his traveling device so he can return home and re-claim the throne from Lord Kumagi.

The story is a lot of fun, very exciting, and the art is great. The characters are drawn very distinctively, so it is easy for the reader to tell them apart (unlike some other manga I could name; Dragon Knights, for example). The dialogue is a lot better than most manga, too; there are no "I will rule the world! Bwahaha!" speeches here. Although there is some romantic content (several of the students have crushes on other students), it doesn't became sentimental and angsty.

Last Hope may not have the most original story ever written, but it's still a lot of fun and has great art. So, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

could have been better.......2006-07-03

The way this book could have been better is if the second volume didnt take so long to come out. Anyway, other than that, the artwork was very nice, the story was cool, and I think Colleen and Hiroto could make a good item ;)

Love it!.......2005-07-09

I really like this book its great. I can't wait for the next one to come out. If you are thinking about buying it, then you should.Man this book is great! I love everything about it it has a good story line from what i can see and gets you excited. You should really buy it you will injoy it no doubt about it.

Is this where manga in america is going?.......2005-06-13

This is a really nice entry into the manga market from Seven Seas, the publisher that seems to handle exclusively content from western/american creators. Storywise, it's passable, mildly intriguing characters, a bit more derivative than typical manga fodder, but considering the general type of work I've come to expect from most manga it's not surprising.

Artistically, though, it's a real gem. The artist on this is easily better than a lot of Japanese artists that are way more famous (Eiichiro Oda, I'm looking at YOU...) I think boosting the visual quality of the work produced under the American Manga genre is the first step to a real establishment of this type of work in this country. The next step will be making stories that are acceptable and less derivative of obvious Japanese story-models, and focusing less on the gimmicky Japanese aesthetic sales point. Americanization of this type of work is really going to be the decisive move in whether manga (in the US) dies as a short-lived fad or lives on as an established storytelling genre, and hopefully this book and others like it will begin to lead the market in that direction.

a great melding of Japanese and American styles.......2005-06-04

I really enjoyed this book. As a manga fan, I've been skeptical of most American efforts to duplicate the look and feel of manga, especially since so many of them seem to just be attempts to cash in on the category's success. But Last Hope's amazing art and crisp dialogue proved to me that you can take the best elements of Japanese manga and American storytelling to create something new, different and exciting.

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 1, number 2 - Winter-Spring 1950: Gunurrs Come from the Voodvork Out; Return of the Gods; Every Work into Judgment; Rope for Lucifer; Last Generation; Postpaid to Paradise; The Exiles; Gavagan's Bar

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FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 1, number 2 - Winter-Spring 1950: Gunurrs Come from the Voodvork Out; Return of the Gods; Every Work into Judgment; Rope for Lucifer; Last Generation; Postpaid to Paradise; The Exiles; Gavagan's Bar
Anthony (editor) (R. Bretnor; Robert M. Coates; Kris Neville; Walt Sheldon; Miriam Allen DeFord; Robert Arthur; Ray Bradbury; Anthony Hope; L. Sprague de Camp; Fletcher Pratt; Margaret St. Clair; W. L. Alden; Damon Knight) Boucher
Manufacturer: Fantasy House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HLAX36

America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War (Unabridged)

Average customer rating:

Good general coverage on US History
I actually LOVE history now.
History at its best
Wonderful Review of American History
Something has to be done.............

America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War (Unabridged)
William J Bennett
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000GFKU3G

Customer Reviews:

Good general coverage on US History.......2007-10-02

Many reviews state this book is void of great detail and only scratches the surface. Bear in mind it's a two volume set on the entire history of the US. How detailed could you be in just too volumes. I contend the book serves its purposes wonderfully. Yes, it's concise but a pleasure to read and a great refresher on the History we were taught in our high schools days. I wouldn't expect the book to go into exhaustive detail as the book is on US general history. I'd use this book as path to lead me to explore US history topics in greater detail. I like the un-political correctness usually taught these days - poor Indians, white man bad, stealing of lands from Mexico, Jefferson and Washington were terrible because they were slaveholders... The injustices taught nowadays can go on and on. But this book does not conform and gives us something we should truly be proud about - our heritage. The author is proud of his heritage as he conveys it. He uses humor and whit while the book moves along keeping the readers attentions. Its refreshing to read a positive view our history. My only negative is that this book does have some obvious spelling and grammar error better editing should have been used. The "story" is told of the founding and existence of a great country. It will undoubtedly leave the reader more proud than when he/she starting reading. And rightfully so! We live in a great country of rich history. Enjoy!

I actually LOVE history now........2007-09-23

I never wanted to learn history. Seemed boring. I opened this book and now can't put it down. It's so wonderful to learn these things and be able to relate them to our lives today. This should be a mandatory book for all students.
Thanks Bill!

History at its best.......2007-09-10

I bought this book after reading volume II, which I also loved. History is one of my weakest areas - I was never good at memorizing names and dates and am embarrassed about my lack of knowledge. Bennett makes American history come alive. After you read it, you feel like you know the previous presidents and their contemporaries personally. There is sometimes a little repetition between chapters, perhaps that was intentional. Other reviewers said that this book reads like a novel. Perhaps not as "quick" as a novel, but it's really a pleasure to read. Both volumes were so good I would read them again.

Wonderful Review of American History.......2007-09-04

Mr. Bennett not only provides a well researched and documented review of American History but makes it a pleasure and entertaining to read! I bought it to read and can't pull it away from my 18 year old son who doesn't like to read... until now!

Something has to be done....................2007-08-28

to rebuff the garbage written in the mandated leftist history books forced upon teachers. There may be mistakes in this book, but not nearly so many as in today's current crop of leftist propaganda.

I never ceased to be amazed by the leftist America-hating perverts who use the rights given to them by their Constitution to rage against the very system that gave them every right and freedom of life we all enjoy. I have to be honest, I despise these people for ruining the greatest free country in the history of the earth. I see it slip farther and farther into the depths as every day goes by and I mourn for our youth as the leftists, atheists, and other perverts dismantle our freedom and attempt to rebuild our country with their own "values".

America: The Last Best Hope (Volumes 1 and 2)

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America: The Last Best Hope (Volumes 1 and 2)
William J. Bennett
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SV8XJG

Purnell's History of the Second World War Volume 1 No. 91 Japan's Last Hope 28 Million Volunteers

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Purnell's History of the Second World War Volume 1 No. 91 Japan's Last Hope 28 Million Volunteers
Purnell
Manufacturer: BPC Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LDJB0Q

STRANGERS AND BROTHERS: Volume (1) One; (2) Two; (3) Three: Time of Hope; George Passant; The Conscience of the Rich; The Light and the Dark; The Masters; The New Men; Homecomings; The Affair; Corridors of Power; The Sleep of Reason; Last Things

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STRANGERS AND BROTHERS: Volume (1) One; (2) Two; (3) Three: Time of Hope; George Passant; The Conscience of the Rich; The Light and the Dark; The Masters; The New Men; Homecomings; The Affair; Corridors of Power; The Sleep of Reason; Last Things
C. P. Snow
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TGM7N8

Customer Reviews:

Hilarious!.......2007-08-21

I loved the cartoons and illustrations in this book. I especially liked the piece where he studies how Saturday Night Live's entertainment value was conversely effected by the involvement of Franken in the show. The guy is the kiss of death to any form of entertainment he touches. Why the only way HE could get his own radio show is if someone bought him a radio station...

Oh yeah. I forgot about Air America.

If you dislike Franken and had your sense of humor surgically removed . . ........2007-03-09

This book is a bad response to a well written book by Franken. Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot is a side splitter even if you do not agree with Franken's politics.

This is a tired response to Franken's book and an attack on him. I can live with a public person I like being satirized. I am sure that Al Franken would probably agree that no one is above being poked fun at. I was hoping for a good laugh.

The problem I have is that this is completely unoriginal and tries to mimic Franken's style too much. Satire requires a subtlety that Mauro fails to deliver. What makes it bad is that it just comes across as an attack and what is worse is that it's just not funny. I think it takes a bit of brilliance to mimic and come across as fresh Mauro just does not have the talent to pull this off. Good effort that falls flat.

Payback Publishing says it all.......2005-11-19

J.P. Mauro's Al Franken is a Buck-Toothed Moron... made me laugh out loud.

It's not a book that everyone will appreciate. But I sure did.

A humorous collection of political short essays, it begins with the Mauro-Franken letters. Allegedly an exchange of correspondence between Mauro and Franken regarding Mauro parodying Franken's "Rush Limbaugh.." book.

Mauro continues with scathing bite against the left, making this a book that any conservative will love.

Sure Franken folks may not appreciate their "fearless leader" being satired, but the name of the book's publisher says it all "Payback Publishing."

If the shoe fits..........2005-08-08

...then it's not "name calling".

Thirty years ago, Al Franken was genuinely funny. Sadly, like everyone else who was involved in the original-cast of _Saturday Night Live_ (execpt for Bill Murray), Franken stopped being funny and switched to "preachy".

I don't know why being liberal and being humorless go together so well, but being humorless and thoughtful don't.

Anyway, this book does to Franken what _Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man_ does to Michael Moore. Hoist them on their own petards! Give them tastes of their own medicine! And if they don't like it, let them move to a country where the government shares their political philosophy, like Cuba or North Korea.

Not quite funny enough for the Catskills.......2005-07-13

Despite the clever manipulations exercised upon the photo at the front of this book's jacket, I do not believe that Al Franken actually has buck teeth. At least, it is not anything that I have ever noticed before. This error, regrettably, tended rather to taint the entire book for me, so forgive me if my observations fail to accord with your own.

Al Franken is a funny guy. Now, it has been said by some that actors, musicians, or funny men should just spend their days engaging solely in the practice of their own vocations for which their own, specialized gifts and training (i.e. acting, singing, being funny) have adequately prepared them. They should likewise spare the rest of us from having to listen to their political views. After all, they say, these people are not professional, licensed, or board-certified politicians and thus should not venture into such fields that their own professional degrees or training (i.e. Acting, Comedy) have not properly prepared them (as opposed to, for example, the professional study of Law, Political Science, or Country Music). Concerns of this sort are, as often as not, voiced by pundits (whose own unique place in society exempts them from having to be qualified for anything). Often overlooked by these pundits, however, are the multitudes of non-comedians who seek to be funny--seek even to be regarded as funny men--though they clearly do not possess the natural ability, training, or board certifications to lawfully do so.

J. P. Mauro is not a funny guy. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this. In AL FRANKEN IS A BUCK-TOOTHED MORON, Mauro's cleverest bit is the title itself, albeit this cleverness is borrowed from Al Franken himself. What could have been a good idea is ultimately a failure. For a book like this to succeed, it needs to depend upon humor which is sadly lackluster in this attempt. Conservatives should purchase this book and leave it on their coffee table unread. Their friends will appreciate the joke, but then again, they hardly need a reminder of their own righteousness.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

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Re-examining the Legend

John Ford Made Westerns: Filming the Legend in the Sound Era

Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Invention of the Western Film: A Cultural History of the Genre's First Half Century (Genres in American Cinema)

The Searchers: Essays and Reflections on John Ford's Classic Western (Contemporary Approaches to Film and Television Series)

Horizons West: Directing the Western from John Ford to Clint Eastwood (Film Classics S.)

John Ford and the American West

Stagecoach (BFI Film Classics)

ASIN: 0253214149

Book Description

Nine major essays by prominent scholars of Hollywood film cast new light on the sound-era Westerns of John Ford. They place the films within contemporary critical contexts and regard them from fresh perspectives. While giving attention to style and structure, the volume also treats the ways in which these much-loved films engage with notions of masculinity and gender roles, capitalism and community, as well as racial, sexual, and national identity.

Customer Reviews:

Re-examining the Legend.......2001-11-20

This is an interesting book of essays on John Ford's Westerns. A number of topics are covered, such as Ford's use of music, the relationship between Ford and Frederick Remington's image of the West, the way Ford depicts different ethnic groups in his films.

By and large, the authors are sympathetic to John Ford (a good thing in my mind) and they clearly appreciate the movies. I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 since there is some repetition among the different authors. (For example, everyone is compelled to discuss the last scene of "Fort Apache.") Still, it is a pleasure to read a jargon-free academic book on Ford's Westerns.

Book Description

For two decades, beginning in the early 1870s, Robert Keller, music editor for N. Simrock Verlag in Berlin, worked with diligence and devotion to usher into print most of Johannes Brahms's major compositions, including all four of his symphonies, the Violin Concerto, the Double Concerto, the Second Piano Concerto, and numerous chamber, choral, and vocal works.

This volume collects for the first time the complete extant correspondence between Brahms and Keller, as preserved in the collections of the Library of Congress and the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. To read their correspondence is to witness a relationship of mutual respect and increasing friendship and to gain an appreciation for the meticulous labor that went into the publication of Brahms's masterpieces. Keller’s admiration for the composer's genius was answered by Brahms's affection for Keller’s diligence and musical expertise. The vicissitudes of the publication process from composer’s manuscript to printed score are documented in fascinating detail.

This edition includes a transcription of the letters in the original German.

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The New York Times Large-Print Crosswords for Your Bedside: Light and Easy Puzzles
The New York Times
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crosswords | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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The New York Times Large-Print Big Book of Easy Crosswords: 120 Easy-to-Read Crosswords from the Pages of The New York Times

The New York Times Large-Print Crosswords for Your Coffee Break: Light and Easy Puzzles

The New York Times Large-Print Easy Crossword Omnibus Volume 1: 120 Easy-to-Read, Easy-to-Solve Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (New York Times Large Print Crossword Puzzle Omnibus)

The New York Times Large-Print Crossword Puzzle Omnibus Volume 6: 120 Large-Print Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (New York Times Large Print Crossword Puzzles)

The Ultimate Large Print Crosswords Omnibus : 2: Spiral (Ultimate Large Print Crossword Omnibus)

ASIN: 0312342454
Release Date: 2005-04-21

Book Description

One of the most successful New York Times crossword titles-now in large-print format for all solvers to enjoy This large-print edition of the popular The New York Times Crosswords for Your Bedside features: -Easy-to-read large type with two pages per puzzle -Seventy-five easy Monday and Tuesday New York Times puzzles -Edited by the guru of American crosswords, Will Shortz.

The New York Times Large-Print Crosswords for Your Bedside: Light and Easy Puzzles

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The New York Times Large-Print Crosswords for Your Bedside: Light and Easy Puzzles
The New York; Shortz, Will Times
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTAA2U

Book Description

Verna Allee, whose groundbreaking book 'The Knowledge Evolution' helped usher in the exploding field of knowledge management, has brought her experience-tested insights into an exciting new synthesis, penetrating to the very heart of value creation. 'The Future of Knowledge' strips away traditional business thinking to reveal the new patterns of management thought and practice essential for success in a more complex world.

With a gift for making the complex simple and practical, Allee weaves together diverse threads such as business webs, communities of practice, knowledge technologies, intangibles, network analysis, and biology to show why organizations must be supported as living systems before their natural networked pattern of organization can emerge.

Embodying Allee's visionary approach, 'The Future of Knowledge' brings forward a practical view of new theories, frameworks, tools, and methods offering businesses a guide to managing the increasing levels of complexity within their organizations and in society at large.

'The Future of Knowledge' works on many levels:
* At the strategic level, the new tools are intangible scorecards and understanding value networks
* At the tactical level, the knowledge management tools for exchanging and applying knowledge are knowledge networks and communities of practice
* At the operational level, a wealth of new technologies is supporting the codification, storage and delivery of the knowledge people need to complete their routine tasks.

* Leading expert takes us to the next stage of
value creation in business
* Provides the next step in creating a framework and a tool to manage intangible assets to build high peroformance in the knowledge-based economy
* Author of the bestselling 'The Knowledge Evolution'

Customer Reviews:

A great piece!.......2006-03-23

I'd definitely recommend it not only to the Knowledge Management professionals, but to the general public. It's a fun and easy read.

Value Networks: Seeing the unseen value of intangibles.......2003-11-11

In today's crowded marketplace of business publications, it takes something that bit special to stand out and be noticed. A decade ago, Peter Senge's The Fifth Discipline was widely regarded as one of the seminal business books of the 1990's, introducing to an appreciative and expanding audience the integrated concepts of systems thinking and the "learning organisation". This new book by fellow American author Verna Allee carries the potential to compete for similar accolades in this current decade.

The idea that there should be any enthusiasm about another book on knowledge would normally be questionable, given the number of books published on knowledge management in recent years, and the attendant hype accompanying such new challenges to business thinking. What makes Allee's contribution special is the elegant manner in which she takes a living systems approach to connect knowledge and value in a profound yet pragmatic way.

The focus on value is particularly appropriate for business given that profitability, the lifeblood of any commercial enterprise, depends on the discovery and creation of value. With the new era of the "extended enterprise" model of the organisation, in that any company competes in a supply chain and wider business ecosystem of customers, suppliers, joint venture partners and other stakeholders, the value network approach is a potentially powerful one in helping to identify, investigate and, ultimately exploit key relationships within the network.

Where Allee perhaps scores highest with her approach is in her treatment of intangible deliverables within value networks, and the introduction of a simple, practical set of tools to assist with the mapping of both intangible and tangible relationships. Because value networks take a living systems perspective, it deals with real people - either individuals, small groups or teams, business units, organisations, industry groups, communities or nation states - dealing with value exchanges flowing between participants in the network, linked by arrows showing the transactions and deliverables of value exchanges.

The power of value networks lies in its simplicity and practicality. As well as providing a structured framework for dealing with intangibles, it also raises interesting questions and challenges assumptions about the real nature of networks in action and the value being created (or destroyed) within these networks.

If business leaders aspire to understand the deeper dynamics of value creation in their extended enterprise networks, The Future of Knowledge will provide them with the philosophy, the roadmap and the tools to guide them.

A refreshing new look at established concepts.......2003-02-19

In this book Allee considers the changing nature, structure and identity of organizations, and the larger patterns of change that are currently unfolding in society. Taking the view that businesses are evolving into 'networked patterns of living systems', Allee observes that we require a different mindset and management tools to respond to these changes. This new mindset includes thinking of organizations as living systems, understanding the principles of networks and how they operate, taking a 'whole-system' view of the organization, understanding how intangibles go to market, and the significance of value networks, people and relationships.

Overall, the book offers a fresh, thought-provoking look at what have become already become well-worn concepts in the knowledge management field. Allee has synthesized a diverse array of ideas and concepts and theories from multiple disciplines to this work.

Part I tends to be a little abstract and theoretical and some of the ideas here about the new knowledge economy and intangible assets will not be new to anyone familiar with knowledge management. However, it does provide a useful context for subsequent chapters. At the end of chapter 5, the checklist of 'where we are now in the learning journey or knowledge continuum' is a useful summary of current thinking. Allee takes an organic view of knowledge networks and communities, such that rather than trying to create them in organizations, it is better to simply find those that already exist and make them visible to themselves and the rest of the organization.
The discussion on how intangibles 'go to market' challenges the notion that we can create value from them in the same way that we do from tangible assets. But perhaps the most interesting section of the book is that which discusses mapping value networks, and the practical examples that are provided. It is here that Allee brings together the concepts discussed in Part I and we begin to see the whole picture that she is building. These chapters will be of particular interest to practitioners who are attempting to grapple with creating value from knowledge in their own, or their client's organizations, and identifying where to focus their attention.
Allee has the capacity to discuss complex issues in a simple and straightforward way without allowing us to feel that we've been shortchanged. Essentially, each chapter offers a simple message. In her discussion of communities of practice, there is a clear message is that knowledge cannot be separated from the human networks that create it, use it and transform it. Similarly, in Chapter 6, she argues that the best technology infrastructure does not guarantee knowledge sharing - organizational intelligence is not a technology question, it is a human question.
At one point, Allee refers to the ancient saying that one cannot step into the same river twice (pp. 143) because the water is never the same water. This is analogous to what Allee has done with in this book - although the concepts, and ideas may seem familiar and have certainly been discussed previously in the plethora of books and articles currently available, she has presented them in a refreshing new way and brought together diverse ideas to challenge our assumptions. It is well worth reading.

Accounting for Intangibles.......2002-11-19

Verna's work makes it clear that the future belongs to those that can manage traditional assets and intangibles alike.
It is time to expand our accounting to reflect this reality.
Increasingly people choose to patron a company not as much by its numbers but how genuine and pleasant its people are.

A must read!.......2002-10-18

This book again shows Verna Allee's great gift for making the complex simple and practical. In this book she builds and explores the metaphor of enterprise as a living network, successfully weaving together such diverse threads as value network analysis, communities of practice, social network analysis and biology. She shows us what to focus on now and, as always, provides a glimpse of the future. If you want to know what's coming next in this rapidly evolving field, read this book

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