Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings

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The Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings by Bert Ghezzi begins with an epigraph drawn from the writings of St. Philip Neri: "The best preparation for prayer is to read the lives of the saints, not from mere curiosity, but quietly and with recollection a little at a time. And to pause whenever you feel your heart touched with devotion." Ghezzi's devotional has a fluid structure that will nourish any aspect of a reader's prayer life. Scores of short profiles of the saints (including familiar characters such as St. Peter and obscure saints such as Pelagia the Penitent) are deftly cross-referenced and indexed so that readers may pursue topical interests ("Angels," "Doubt," "Forgiveness," "Avant-Garde Saints") or explore the personal and historical connections among the saints. The readings are also numbered 1 through 365, for readers who prefer the discipline of a daily devotional (in this regard, The Voices of the Saints follows closely but not exhaustively the feast days of the Catholic liturgical calendar). Ghezzi's brief lives of the saints are complemented by well-chosen prayers and meditations drawn from the saints' writings. This book is a fine preparation for prayer, offering much to give the faithful reader pause.

Book Description

The inspiring stories of 365 holy men and women-from the best known to some of the most obscure-come to life in an engaging collection of biographical profiles, quotations from the saints themselves, meditations, and prayers.

Voices of the Saints opens with an instruction from Saint Philip Neri: "The best preparation for prayer is to read the lives of the saints, not from mere curiosity, but quietly and with recollection a little at a time. And to pause whenever you feel your heart touched with devotion."

With these words of faith and wisdom as his guiding principle, Bert Ghezzi presents the lives of such familiar and beloved saints as Saint Peter and Saint Catherine of Siena; Saint Jerome and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux; of humble, little-known figures like Felix of Nola, Pelagia the Penitent, and Leonard of Port Maurice; and of sainted men and women associated with a particular place, including Margaret of Scotland, Rose of Lima, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Junípero Serra. In lively profiles written for contemporary readers, Ghezzi chronicles their journeys of faith and their contributions to the vitality of the Church. The voices of the saints resound throughout the book, in quotations drawn from their own writings, the works of biographers, and the recollections of witnesses.

Readers can use Voices of the Saints in several different ways. Organized alphabetically, it serves as a helpful, easy-to-use dictionary. It also features a day-by-day numbering system, ideal for daily readings; notations at the end of each entry, enabling the exploration of the lives in historical order; an index that highlights particular themes (including the intriguing "Porcupine Saints"), and a calendar of saints' days. A fascinating look at disparate and unusual lives-each one a rich source of illumination, inspiration, encouragement, and motivation-along with prayers and meditations, Voices of the Saints is a valuable companion for members of Catholic, Episcopal, and other traditional churches, and an enlightening introduction to the saints for general readers.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

This will become a classic reference for its topic.......2004-08-14

Bravo to the author! In an age increasinly bare of heroes, it's helpful to look backward to read about these very human creatures who, through grace and faith, moved beyond what we think of as 'do-able'and established Rules, schools, hospitals, monasteries and colonies, or who did none of those 'great' things but showed us, instead, how to build interiorly, in faith. I am particularly happy to see the author's habit of pointing out those qualities of a saint which shout of their flawed humanity, thus joining them with us. These are not pastel-flavored hagiographies but strong, bold portraits of strong, bold people - from both ancient and modern times. A job well done, and yes, this is an excellent gift idea, especially for a family raising young people. Give it to them and tell them to put it on the coffee table. I did that and I'm very gratified when I see my kids pick it up and thumb through it, reading a little here, a little there. It is highly readable, and a good thing to 'keep around'.

A Superlative Work.......2001-01-23

I am immensely impressed with Voices of the Saints, which I began reading on January 1 of this year. I have been reading the lives of the Saints by various authors and publishers, including Butler, every day for the past two decades of my life, but I can wholeheartedly proclaim that this book is by far the best, bar none. Most of the renditions I have read paint the Saints with hard to reach (and even harder to obtain) halos, like Blessed Fra Angelico paintings set to words. Bert Ghezzi's account brings the Saints to life--to ordinary human life, with all of its foibles, struggles, and in the end for them...victory. The truly human element in each of these literary portraits, which is brought home by the well-chosen quotations, makes each Saint a true inspiration to the "bumbling their way through" masses like me. His comments on each Saint are insightful and inspired, the writing and research are scholarly yet approachable, and the organization of the book (which allows one to read it by any one of three logical methods) makes this an immensely satisfying book to read. My wife and I look forward to delving into it each day, as Bert Ghezzi invites us to share the lot of the Saints in Light!

A Present for the Year.......2000-12-16

I was given this book as a gift and picked it up with the intention of giving it a welcoming glance and, then, putting it away to use as my devotional book for 2001. I couldn't put the book down. It is a wonderful book--at turns profound, intelligent, poignant, and witty (Yes, witty). Ghezzi's style is concise, graceful, and articulate. This book would make a great present, one your loved ones will enjoy for many years.

Voices worth hearing.......2000-12-15

There's no one who knows the saints better and no one who dazzles with a story as well as Bert Ghezzi. These are readings and stories about people who could live next door, the kind of people you invite over for a cook out and a beer. With the multitude of voices contending for attention in our world these voices are worth hearing and spending time with. This is a jewel.

Past Worlds for this Present Day.......2000-11-17

Reading "Voices of the Saints" is like taking a nostalgic trip back into history with a personal tour guide and meeting some of the most colorful and heroic personalities who ever lived. Bert Ghezzi recreates the lives and character of the saints so vividly I felt I were meeting each saint in the flesh. Ghezzi places the saints in their native settings and skillfully reconstructs their worlds through the sights, sounds, and political and religious sensitivities of their times. I especially liked the quotes and writings in the saint's own "voices," providing relevant glimpses of their joys, hardships and aspirations through their own passionate hearts and keen intellects. More than just a digest, this book opens a door to a close association with each saint that intrigues, touches and teaches. Sitting down with "Voices" creates a way to know these grand and holy people in intimate ways not otherwise possible. Pass this one down. Worthwhile, for years to come.

Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings.(Review): An article from: Catholic Insight

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Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings.(Review): An article from: Catholic Insight
Michael Power
Manufacturer: Catholic Insight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Catholic Insight on November 1, 2001. The length of the article is 959 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: Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings.(Review)
Author: Michael Power
Publication: Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2001
Publisher: Catholic Insight
Volume: 9 Issue: 9 Page: 40

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

Like Kurt Cobain, Nick Traina lived for punk rock (his bands made two CDs, Gift Before I Go and 17 Reasons), succumbed to heroin addiction, and died of suicide. His mom, Danielle Steel, takes us through her 19 twister-like years with Nick in a memoir more affecting than her potboiler novels. Like his AWOL addict father, Nick had good looks, bad behavior, and a yen for the feminine. Five days before he died, he phoned a woman he saw in a centerfold and had a new girlfriend by nightfall. But his fun was ever haunted by manic depression. At age 11, he was a bed wetter who ate all the Tylenol and Sudafed in the house. He first considered suicide at 13, as Steel learned by reading his diaries after his death.

There is tension in this story--one doctor told Steel if she could get Nick to live to 30, he'd probably live a normal life span. (For example, Nick's troubled dad resurfaced, sober, soon after his son's death.) And Steel conveys a sense of the intelligence Nick used to conceal his learning disability, and the irreverent charm that alternated with irrational rages. Oliver Sacks has urged us not to ask what neurological disease a person has, but what sort of person the disease has got hold of. Steel gives us a vivid sense of the costs of the disease to a family--and of the person who was Nick Traina. --Tim Appelo

Amazon.com Audio Review

It's hard to listen to any story that deals with the loss of a child, but Danielle Steel's memoir of her son, Nick Traina, is both tender and engrossing. In this unabridged audio version of His Bright Light, Steel leads us through Nick's battle with manic depression and her fight to help him survive. Although Steel herself narrates the introduction, actress Traci Godfrey, who portrays the author's strong emotions without becoming maudlin, reads the book. Anyone who has known a loved one affected by depression will identify strongly with Ms. Steel's passionate recollections of her son's life. (Running time: 9.5 hours, two cassettes) --Sharon Griggins

Book Description

"This is the story of an extraordinary boy with a brilliant mind, a heart of gold, and a tortured soul. It is the story of an illness, a fight to live, and a race against death.

I want to share the story, and the pain, the courage, the love, and what I learned in living through it. I want Nick's life to be not only a tender memory for us, but a gift to others. . . . I would like to offer people hope and the realities we lived with. I want to make a difference. My hope is that someone will be able to use what we learned, and save a life with it."—Danielle Steel

From the day he was born, Nick Traina was his mother's joy. By nineteen, he was dead. This is Danielle Steel's powerful, personal story of the son she lost and the lessons she learned during his courageous battle against darkness. Sharing tender, painful memories and Nick's remarkable journals, Steel brings us a haunting duet between a singular young man and the mother who loved him—and a harrowing portrait of a masked killer called manic depression, which afflicts between two and three million Americans.

At once a loving legacy and an unsparing depiction of a devastating illness, Danielle Steel's tribute to her lost son is a gift of life, hope, healing, and understanding to us all.

Customer Reviews:

A must read for every woman.......2007-10-14

Bought this as a gift for my mom and had to read it for myself after she raved so much about it. I enjoy all of those real stories that are written well.

i am the mother of a musically talented son with severe bipolar 1.......2007-09-16

I am so frightened that this disease will take my son's life. Ever since his undetermined coma on xmas 2003, he was discharged with only me knowing there was something not quite right. He was diagnosed 3 years later, after 3 years of neurologists, radiologists, nutrienists, etc. No one in the medical field ever suggested a psychiatrist, not until started with hallucenations, auditory and visual. The medications stop working and he needs to get hospitalized. He is a talented song writer and guitarist. I am constantly worried. Unfortunatley the rest of the family have no understanding or knowledge of how sick he really is. I cried for the family of Nick, and for Nick, to be taken so soon when he was just beginning his life. Bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses affect more people than is realized. I've done so much research and read whatever I can from other families so I can help my son and help myself understand his disease. God Bless anyone who has to deal with this themselves. I found a support group for families of people with mental illness so I know I'm not alone in this.

Sharing in his light.......2007-09-04

This book was very enlightening. I'm not a regular reader of Danielle Steel, however I've always admired her writing. This book though caught my attention because of the subject matter. I was grateful to Ms. Steel for opening up such a personal aspect of her life to the public. I hope writing it helped in her healing as well. This book really shows from a young age (infant) just how strong a mother's intuition is and some, what I believe from my experience as well, what can truly be some tell-tale signs of mental illness. I would definitely recommend this book, especially for anyone who suffers from bi-polar disorder, or knows someone with the same.

Parts not completely true..........2007-05-18

I don't think it was fair for Danielle to blame a lot of Nick's problems on his former bandmates (friends of mine as well) of the band Link 80. I understand that writing this book was her way of grieving with her loss, but at the same time there are a lot of parts to this book that was just not true. She even pointed out that Nick had had many problems and considered thoughts of suicide as early as 13. Singing for Link 80 was his way of escaping depression more than anything else, it certainly was not one of the reasons for his plan for suicide. However, I still think Danielle is a good writer. Personally, I don't read any of her books, it's just not my style, but good writer nonetheless.

Sad..........2007-04-10

This is a book that will make you wonder how great a love of a mother can be. But I kept wondering as I read the book, if the mother of Nick is not Danielle Steel, someone who have so much resources and money, what will become of him? I kept imagine how much money she had spent to keep him going.

The love she has for him is really great.

I must say after reading so much autobiography, this is one of the few that come out worthy to spend the money and time.

His Bright Light The Story of Nick Traina

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His Bright Light The Story of Nick Traina
Danielle Steel
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H7N7GK

His Bright Light, The Story of Nick Traina Large Print

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His Bright Light, The Story of Nick Traina Large Print
Danielle Steel
Manufacturer: Delacorte
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1568659725

Product Description

Large Print edition, True story of the life and death of the son of Danielle Steel

Product Description

From the inception of the science fiction film, writers, directors, producers, and actors have understood that the genre lends itself to a level of social commentary not available in other formats. Viewers find it easier to accept explorations of such issues as domestic violence, war, xenophobia, faith, identity, racism, and other difficult topics when the protagonists exist in future times or other worlds that are only vaguely similar to our own. The 22 original essays in this collection examine how the issues in particular science fiction films—from 1930’s High Treason to 1999’s The Iron Giant—reflect and comment on the prevailing issues of their time. The 16 writers (including such noted contributors as Ted Okuda, Gary Don Rhodes, Bryan Senn, John Soister and Ken Weiss) provide insight on how the genre’s wistful daydreaming, forthcoming wonders, and nightmarish scenarios are often grounded in the grimmer realities of the human condition. Films covered include It Came from Outer Space, Godzilla, The 27th Day, Alien and Starship Troopers, plus television’s The Adventures of Superman, the Flash Gordon serials, and vintage space cartoons by Fleischer.

Customer Reviews:

"Maybe this is the dark side of the moon . . .".......2007-02-08

That's what the hero of the 1962 sci-fi classic Nude on the Moon wonders, when he lands on the lunar surface and finds antennae-sporting "moondolls" sunbathing and swimming au naturel.

Nude on the Moon is one of the few films in Science Fiction America that I haven't seen (for some reason Leonard Maltin doesn't cover it in his movie guide either). But it's interesting to read Chase Winsted's essay on voyeurism, comparing director Doris Wishman's Nude on the Moon to Roger Corman's "X" - - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes. One story is liberating, one conservative. It looks like Doris Wishman deserves credit for being an early feminist filmmaker.

Editor David Hogan picked twenty-two essays that reflect America's twentieth century as seen through science fiction movies, from the aftermath of World War I (the British film High Treason) to the first glimpses of the so-called War on Terror (Starship Troopers and The Iron Giant).

It's talking about more than just the usual films you expect (for example, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, Invaders from Mars, and It Came from Outer Space) that makes this book so good (though the chapters on those films are good too). But Fleischer cartoons, Godzilla, TV, exploitation flicks, fifties saucer movies, seventies youth pictures, all tell as much about American life as film noir or Douglas Sirk-style weepy dramas ever did.

Leonard Kohl's analysis of the Flash Gordon serials shows how anti-escapist movies sometimes were back then despite themselves, even when they were trying to take audiences all the way to another planet, like Mongo.

And editor Hogan's own essay on the low budget The Adventures of Superman illuminates the fifties better than some of the big theatrical films (which makes sense, when you consider that it was the beginning of the age of television). We were just learning to talk to ourselves through the box.

Brian Senn's chapter on the seventies movies Death Race 2000 and Rollerball makes you realize how unintelligent recent remakes of classic science fiction films have been, mostly because they go out of their way to pander to a pubescent audience and they don't dare to make a statement (for instance, the remakes of Rollerball and The Stepford Wives).

Ken Weiss's article, comparing Robert Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers to Paul Verhoeven's film, is fascinating, but I think Weiss may be giving Heinlein too much credit as a satirist. I don't think Heinlein saw his future history as a dystopia.

Science Fiction America is as good an example of McFarland & Company's film books as I've come across, and that is high praise.

Read this book!

New dimensions in science fiction.......2006-02-23

David Hogan does a splendid job in bringing together thoughtful pieces on a subject intended to divert you rather than make you introspective. His wide knowledge of the literature, combined with his artistic sense, enables the newcomer (of which I am one) to quickly grasp the range and the depth of science fiction. I suspect that his appeal will be even broader to an expert in the field, for his selection of articles and their authors have an authentic, solid ring that satisfies. Highly recommended to all!

Book Description

This volume is part of a series of 25 full-score volumes of 17th-century Italian sacred music, a repertoire that has largely been unavailable for study or performance. It includes a comprehensive historical and biographical introduction, focuses on composers significant in their own time, and offers modern notation for contemporary performers.

Book Description

Check your equilibrium at the door because you're about to descend—again! A hostile alien race has infiltrated the hundreds of miles of mines on Lunar Base One, commandeering outposts and taking miners hostage. Your charge is to navigate the murderous maze of mines to free the desperate miners, while dusting any robotic foes that come between you and your crosshairs.

Lives depend on you, so don't begin your mission without Descent II: The Official Strategy Guide. Inside you'll discover:

• Special maps showing problem-dodging flight paths for all 30 3-D levels
• Illustrated spy reports detailing the habits of all your alien foes

To complete this mission, you must plunge into alien-infested depths. To be successful, use Descent II: The Official Strategy Guide!

About the Authors
Matthew Norton is a game designer at Interplay.
Raphael Hernandez is the producer of Descent II.

Customer Reviews:

Hard to follow.......2003-11-25

Yes, this book will show you all the maps of all the levels, and the placement of robots, powerups, etc., but I thought it was hard to follow. The maps are all in B&W and take a little study to read and follow. Though if you use them from the start, they are easier to use. I found little in there about strategy. It mainly repeats the advice the game give you. E.g., to defeat the Boss on level 12, its advice is to refer to what the intro to level 12 states. Yes, it's nice to see the maps and where all the robots are located, but this book could've been so more for such a great game!

Good info on single player, but not enough on multiplayer.......1999-05-25

This book has good info on single player. It can lead you right through the 24 levels. That sometimes takes the fun out of it. I mean it just shows you how to get through it and out of there. It also provides good info on weapons and powerups. Some of it disagrees with my opinion though. They really should make an multiplayer strategy guide for it. It is better for you in helping you in single player, plus it helps you in multiplayer. I play on the internet on a gaming service. This does not give jack diddly squat about multiplayer. The 4 pages they put into it provides me with info that is already known. I give this 2 stars because it makes single too easy. I give this 2 stars because it doesn't say anything about multiplayer. And I give it 2 stars because some of the weapons it shows disagrees with what I think.

Descent: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series.)

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Descent: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series.)
Bill Kunkel
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entertainment & Games | Computers | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0761500413
Release Date: 1995-03-29

Descent 3 Official Strategy Guide (Brady Games)

Average customer rating:

don't have the game but want the game guide for the pictures!
Not much here and a lot of empty space.

Descent 3 Official Strategy Guide (Brady Games)
BradyGames
Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entertainment & Games | Computers | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1566868440

Amazon.com

The Descent series has long been a favorite of action gamers, and the latest release, Descent III, is by far the best and most impressive yet. Though its basic design is similar to the original game, Descent III does add a number of new features, such as the ability to fly your craft out of those treacherous mine shafts and cruise around on the surface. Brady's guide to the game explains all of the basics you'll need to be successful. Starting out with some simple piloting tactics and explanations of the game's true 3-D nature, the book goes on to discuss and describe each of the various enemy Bots you will encounter. Flyers, Walkers, Rollers, and Turrets all get their due in this section, so you can always find the dirt on the enemies you're facing. Also, the description of each enemy Bot includes a specific tip for defeating it. Weapons are the focus of the next section of the book, which, though not particularly long, contains lots of good information to digest. Individual mission walkthroughs comprise most of the rest of the book, with a slim section on multiplayer sessions and an interview with producer Jeff Barnhart wrapping things up. --Michael Ryan

Customer Reviews:

don't have the game but want the game guide for the pictures!.......2007-08-31

I don't have the game but I want to get this book at christmas for the pictures! anybody else get it if you like game guides as much as me!

Not much here and a lot of empty space........1999-06-30

Like most Bradygame books, this one is pretty devoid of useful info. The enemy section, with about 20 words for each, is a total joke.

Amazon.com

Challenging the likes of the Wing Commander series and LucasArts excellent X-Wing titles, Interplay's Descent: Freespace is one of the best space combat simulations ever released. This streamlined guide to the game gets right down to the essentials of survival in the hot-and-heavy world of space dogfighting. The first chapter discusses the fighters and capital ships employed by each side in the game--the GTA, the Vasudans, and the mysterious Shivans. The guide lists each ship's speed, shield strength, and weaponry options, along with a brief summary of the craft's overall strengths and weaknesses. The guide also provides a rundown of all of the weapons available to you and your enemies in Freespace. Once you digest all of that information, you can move on to the book's excellent dogfighting primer, which covers the basics for outmaneuvering and outgunning your opponents. Mission walk-throughs present each mission objective, the enemy forces involved, and the keys to winning. A section on the game's 19 multiplayer missions finishes the guide. --Michael Ryan

Book Description

From the creators of Descent, Descent: Freespace The Great War is the first single and multiplayer space combat game to let the player dogfight nose-to-nose against dozens of high resolution polygon space ships.
The BradyGames official strategy guide includes walkthroughs for each mission with recommended ship configurations.
Detailed tips for difficult tasks such as dogfight maneuvers, finding weak spots, enemy ships, how to fly as part of a squadron and how to get the most salvage from your enemies
Complete mission tree to help players experience the entire game and uncover every path.

Customer Reviews:

Great.......1999-10-06

Gives good mission descriptions, walkthroughs. The game is great, the book makes the perfect companion for the game. One problem with the book is the first section. I found the ship descriptions to be mostly useless, except for the speed information. The mission tree was great, allowing players to experience all levels of the game.

Not a bad guide, but lacking in content.......1999-08-11

I found this book well-written and posessing good overall appearance, but lacking in useful content. Over 1/3 of the first part, which introduces the craft and weapons, is mostly the same information that can be found in the user's guide or on the freespace web site. Although the mission descriptions are good, they are not detailed enough to really present new, winning strategies. There were no references to awarded medals, and how to earn them all, and I noticed that at least several "hidden" objectives in some missions were not mentioned. 90% of the strategy and mission content was information I already knew from playing the game for about 20 hours. Overall, though not a bad book, I would not hold very high hopes for learning alot more about the strategies.

A near perfect try, for newcomers in space sims........1998-10-17

Official strategy guides of simulations or space combat simulations (like in our case) have a certain layout. Have used enough of them and be- lieve my saying. The work at hand, is a good to very good guide but it has some defects that make it fail the perfect 5 star rating: Colour. What's the matter ? Are they jealous of flushing, or they think readers can't recognise colours ? We want ship stats and pictures from the game and we want them in colour. Mission branching. Is not present. It's better to say where the player is led to by a certain outcome, and show it by a tree diagram, than to say alternative missions and just lay down words. Picture it to us. Describe to us the alternative mission in a separate chapter. Also, where are the loosing game paths ? Where is the backstory ? It's good to cut into the chase, but a portion of those who buy these books, need a backstory, a reasoning of playing in a certain way. Also a nice touch to exhibit the multiplayer missions, but since we get Acts and different cut scenes that get us into the story, it would be good to picture this information here (look at Official Guide to: Wing Commander 4 and Wing Com- mander 3 with the ISN inserts to get my meaning). Why I wrote the defects ? The book is complete to all other aspects and there's no need to re-tell them: ship stats, foe presentations, weapons, mis- siles, strategies, hints, mission descriptions and briefings, winning notes, just everything. Seems finally that writtings a perfect guide is not dif- ficult, but needs a better planning and a PC gamer attitude towards the final product.

The Official Descent: Free Space II Strategy Guide

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The Official Descent: Free Space II Strategy Guide
Bart G. Farkas
Manufacturer: Illumination Society Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0967356547

Book Description

How do you lead the launch of a product you know will be extremely controversial?

What should you do if a single parent on your staff is falling behind in his or her work?

How should you respond if you are offered an opportunity at work solely because of your race or gender?

This is a book about work choices and life choices, and the critical points-or defining moments-at which the two become one. A refreshing antidote to traditional feel-good, inspirational business ethics, it examines the right-versus-right conflicts that every business manager faces and presents an unorthodox yet practical way for you to think about and resolve them.

When making hard professional decisions, managers often use personal values as a touchstone. Badaracco asserts, however, that resolving such dilemmas is not as simple as the "do the right thing" school of ethics would have you believe. Defining Moments reveals an alternative approach that will help you tackle the more complex and troubling question of what to do when doing the right thing requires doing something else wrong, or leaving another right thing undone.

Drawing on philosophy, literature, and three case studies that reveal the increasing complexity today's managers face as their careers advance, Defining Moments provides tangible examples, actionable steps, and a flexible framework that you can use to make the choices that will shape not only your career, but your character.

Compelling, readable, and absent of ethical jargon, this book gets to the core of what makes being a manager so difficult. For new and seasoned managers alike, Defining Moments explores what it means-and whether it's even possible-to be a successful manager and a thoughtful, responsible human being.

Customer Reviews:

Defining Moments: When Manager Must Choose Between Right and Right.......2007-01-04

When managers are making choices, we typically evaluate them by attempting to determine which choice is right and which is not. Many times both choices are "right" choices which makes the decision more difficult and more frustrating for managers.

Badaracco provides excellent examples of real life situations where managers had to choose between "right" and "right" in making a decision. The decision making process used by each manager in the examples was assessed from the philosophical prospectives of three prominant philosophers, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Machiavelli.

A great read with valuable advice for everyone, not just managers.

Thought Provoking Book.......2005-09-30

The introductory chapters to this book were very good and gave me some good insights. The ending was quite weak and the author didn't have a definite direction in the book. However, I still consider it an interesting read and enjoyed some of his perspectives about ethics.

Required Reading.......2003-03-12

Great choice for any manager or business administration student.

Tackling the Dilemmas of Ethical Choices.......2001-06-18

A few weeks ago a customer of mine asked my assistance to help his organisation to write an ethical code. I knew he had been "working" on this topic for the last 2 years and that he had been applying some of the principles I teach in my emotional intelligence classes. Apparently, this hadn't been enough to solve his problem, but it was enough to come back to me to seek my advice. This was one of the books I bought to document myself on the issue.

This book was a good resource by providing me different points of views concerning the question, and by pointing out that it's not a simple matter of making a choice (for instance, one lead by intuition and emotions, as is recommended sometimes). The cases presented point to several kinds of dilemmas: the personal ones (choosing between what's right for you and for the organisation), the managerial ones (choosing between the organisation and the people that ore working for it) and the social ones (choosing between the organisation and the larger social system it's a part of). The book also points out different sources we have for basing our decisions on.

The problem remains that values and principles often point into different directions. Ethical choice techniques such as the "sleep-test", the "golden rule" and other sources of inspiration do not solve this.

Learning from that, it becomes clear why one should not expect to find the answers to your ethical problems in this book. Finding "the" answer is "impossible". In a "defining moment", you will have to examine which values you are committed to, these values will be put to test (will you go for their implications) and they will shape your future. I believe (with the author) that there are no easy answers to the *real* issues we are faced with. That's why this book shows in what way you have to search for your answer. Reading this book will at least allow you to ask the right questions and to look at various aspects in order to make a personal choice.

If I would have read this book earlier, my own book would certainly have included a reference to it.

What will I tell my customer? Well, writing the "code" won't be enough, in stead we should focus on teaching people how to make an ethical choice.

Patrick E.C. Merlevede, M.Sc is the main author of "7 Steps to Emotional Intelligence"

Excellent Book on Ethics (for everyone).......2001-05-08

While this book may seem catered towards business management issues (and the examples given in the text are), the ideas, values and approaches presented within the text are universal. I, myself, am not a "business person" or "manager" and found this book extremely enlightening and helpful, and can apply the values and examples to my own life and work.

The basic premise of the book revolves around (what Badaracco calls) the "defining moments" of an individual's life; these are instances in which a person is faced with a decision that has no clear "right vs. wrong" answer (which he calls a "right vs. right" question), yet the decision the individual makes will define who the person is in times that follow. He uses three different examples of real-life quandaries that managers have faced in the past (as well as their conclusions). Badaracco does not tell his audience how they should act in a given situation, but instead, gives the audience the introspective tools needed to make better decisions that support who they are as an individual.

Book Description

This is a book about work choices and life choices and the critical points-or defining moments-at which the two become one. It examines the right-versus-right conflicts that every business manager faces and presents an unorthodox yet practical way for managers to think about and resolve them. According to Badaracco, when making hard professional decisions necessitates using personal values as a touchstone, resolving such dilemmas is not as simple as the inspirational "do the right thing" school of ethics would have you believe. Defining Moments reveals an alternative approach that helps managers tackle the more complex and troubling question of what to do when doing the right thing requires doing something else wrong, or leaving another right thing undone. Drawing on philosophy, literature, and three stories that reveal the increasing complexity managers face as their careers advance, Defining Moments provides tangible examples, actionable steps, and a flexible framework that managers at all levels can use to make the choices that will shape not only their careers but their characters.

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