Customer Reviews:
Admirable, but Faulty.......2006-04-28
"Athenais" is a book detailing the life of Athenais de Montespan, Louis XIV's best mistress. While it is an interesting and richly detailed book, it boasts a problem which only serves to muddy it completely.
It's obvious that Lisa Hilton is not only interested in Madame de Montespan, she emulates her. While she has very few kind or even fair words for Louis XIV's other mistresses, she is brimming with praise and admiration for her subject. All others are conniving and undeserving when Athenais is concerned. If Athenais commits a heinous act, it's either for the greater good or simply not her fault. If one of the others does so, however, they are open to complete defamation. Hilton goes out of her way to try and justify the actions of Athenais de Montespan, and it seriously interfered with my enjoyment of the book.
This is further worsened by the fact that Hilton calls this a "biography," though her favoritism and bias can be found on almost every page. If she had approached the subject in an objective and scholarly way, the book would have been much better overall.
There were many admirable things about this book. One is the attention to detail that Lisa Hilton took. The book can only be described as rich and vibrant. Another is that it is full of little historical facts about the French court and its courtiers. You learn quite a bit from reading this.
All in all, this is an entertaining and informative book. I only wish the author hadn't taken such liberties with it, seeing as it's supposed to be a biography.
Athenais and the world of Louis XIV.......2006-02-07
As a scholar of Louis XIV and his times, I must say that "Athenais: The Life of Louis XIV's Mistress" is a truly excellent addition to the library of anyone interested in the period.
Louis XIV was the king of France (not Spain as the previous reviewer wishes you to believe) during the height of its "superpower" days. Married to a Spanish princess in a loveless political marriage, he carried on a series of affairs with various women. Three became truly important, and each corresponds to the major phases in his life: Louise Francoise de la Valliere when he was youmg and new to power, Francoise Athenais de Montespan during the height of his golry, and Madame de Maintenon during his waning years, when the king became religious and gloomy, while France suffered economic hardship and war with much of Europe.
The author captures the characters well, showing them as real people in their true environment, without putting a modern day spin on their thoughts or actions. The writing is well done and detailed, without becoming bogged down or tedious.
I believe that this is an excellent book for one to spark an interest in this fascinating time in history.
The fake queen of France.......2005-12-22
People have always been fascinated by beautiful, glamorous royal mistresses. They are the ultimate bad girls, beautiful and sensual, and one of the baddest was Athenais de Montespan, the longtime love of the Sun King.
Unfortunately, "Athenais : The Life of Louis XIV's Mistress, the Real Queen Of France" is so tilted in Athenais's favour that it's impossible to take Lisa Hilton's work seriously. She's a good writer, but she also apparently has the sensibilities of a airhead prom queen, to whom baubles and beauty are everything.
Athenais de Montespan was in trouble before she encountered King Louis XIV, the handsome young king of France. With a crazy, debt-ridden husband who pawned her earrings to pay his debts, Athenais was all too willing to lure in the King, in the hopes of becoming his new official mistress -- and displacing the lovely Louise de Valliere, her old pal.
Athenais did become the new mistress, and soon became the center of cultural life around the Sun King's court, as well as bearing him several illegitimate children. But as time went on and she made some terrible choices, Athenais was replaced by the most unlikely of romantic rivals -- an older governess who looked after her children.
Even infamous figures like La Montespan can be cast in a compelling light, if shown realistically. Unfortunately, Hilton doesn't seem to realize this; apparently she's too dazzled by Athenais's beauty, sex appeal, wit and intelligence (most of which were focused on keeping the king in bed with her), as well as the love story between Montespan and Louis XIV. And, of course, roasting any women who infringed on that love story.
Don't expect the other women to get such, ahem, royal treament. The poor queen is given a little slack for her deformities, but Hilton sneeringly calls her a "dreary object" with a "lumpy Hapsburg nose." Louise de Valliere is portrayed as a scheming, whining idiot who tries to steal (back) the king from Athenais, and kindly old Madame de Maintenon as a prudish, scheming old hypocrite... apparently because they were neither as acidly witty or as beautiful as Athenais. Louis himself is painted as a gullible man-child who desperately needs Athenais to make Versailles and himself suitably glamorous. Yes, it really is that shallow.
While these women are accused of hypocrisy, scheming, emotional blackmail, and of luring the king to bed via shrewd plotting, Athenais does all these things as well. And whatever flaws aren't ignored (Satanism) are painted as the marks of a strong, intelligent woman, who is even gushed over as a "goddess."
It must be admitted that this book is written beautifully; Hilton brings Versailles at its peak to life, and describes the beautiful rooms and clothing with excellent prose. Unfortunately, the slanted focus of the book is too much to stand. So, it was okay for Athenais to abuse Louise, because Louise had an "infuriating lack of dignity"? Sorry, doesn't wash.
While beautifully written, the shallowness and cattiness of Lisa Hilton's book makes it a squirmingly biased read. This is Athenais de Montespan... high school clique-style.
Book Description
As lovely and charming as she was shrewd and calculating, AthÈnaÔs de Montespan became the most powerful noblewoman of her day by brilliantly manipulating her forbidden role as mistress of King Louis XIV. With a lively narrative style that reads like fiction, Lisa Hilton reveals the woman behind the most dazzling days of the Sun King's reign.
As a lover, AthÈnaÔs risked the disgrace of adultery to conduct an affair that scandalized Europe. As a patron, she supported the leaders of the cultural renaissance, including MoliËre and Racine. As a mother, she was the ancestor of most of the royal houses of Europe. The greatest beauty of her day, she lived publicly and sensationally until bizarre accusations of witchcraft forced her from grace in the "Affair of the Poisons," a mystery that remains unsolved.
ATHŠNA¦S is an informative and thrilling look at a true age of extremes and a woman who achieved the heights of power at a time when it was denied to most of her sex.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book.......2006-03-05
I've been reading some of the reviews here and I must say that I disagree with almost all of them. I don't think this work is meant to be read as a scholarly biography. I believe it reads like a novel. If you read it keeping that in mind, you will greatly enjoy the unfolding of this passage in history.
I do agree that Lisa Hilton is beyond biased on the subject of this historical personage. One almost gets the feeling that she believes herself to be an Athenais of sorts. Whatever. That's not for me to judge. I greatly enjoy reading it every time- and that's what matters.
Shallow "Athenais".......2006-01-12
People have always been fascinated by beautiful, glamorous royal mistresses. They are the ultimate bad girls, beautiful and sensual, and one of the baddest was Athenais de Montespan, the longtime love of the Sun King.
Unfortunately, "Athenais : The Life of Louis XIV's Mistress, the Real Queen Of France" is so tilted in Athenais's favour that it's impossible to take Lisa Hilton's work seriously. She's a good writer, but she also apparently has the sensibilities of a airhead prom queen, to whom baubles and beauty are everything.
Athenais de Montespan was in trouble before she encountered King Louis XIV, the handsome young king of France. With a crazy, debt-ridden husband who pawned her earrings to pay his debts, Athenais was all too willing to lure in the King, in the hopes of becoming his new official mistress -- and displacing the lovely Louise de Valliere, her old pal.
Athenais did become the new mistress, and soon became the center of cultural life around the Sun King's court, as well as bearing him several illegitimate children. But as time went on and she made some terrible choices, Athenais was replaced by the most unlikely of romantic rivals -- an older governess who looked after her children.
Even infamous figures like La Montespan can be cast in a compelling light, if shown realistically. Unfortunately, Hilton doesn't seem to realize this; apparently she's too dazzled by Athenais's beauty, sex appeal, wit and intelligence (most of which were focused on keeping the king in bed with her), as well as the love story between Montespan and Louis XIV. And, of course, roasting any women who infringed on that love story.
Don't expect the other women to get such, ahem, royal treament. The poor queen is given a little slack for her deformities, but Hilton sneeringly calls her a "dreary object" with a "lumpy Hapsburg nose." Louise de Valliere is portrayed as a scheming, whining idiot who tries to steal (back) the king from Athenais, and kindly old Madame de Maintenon as a prudish, scheming old hypocrite... apparently because they were neither as acidly witty or as beautiful as Athenais. Louis himself is painted as a gullible man-child who desperately needs Athenais to make Versailles and himself suitably glamorous. Yes, it really is that shallow.
While these women are accused of hypocrisy, scheming, emotional blackmail, and of luring the king to bed via shrewd plotting, Athenais does all these things as well. And whatever flaws aren't ignored (Satanism) are painted as the marks of a strong, intelligent woman, who is even gushed over as a "goddess."
It must be admitted that this book is written beautifully; Hilton brings Versailles at its peak to life, and describes the beautiful rooms and clothing with excellent prose. Unfortunately, the slanted focus of the book is too much to stand. So, it was okay for Athenais to abuse Louise, because Louise had an "infuriating lack of dignity"? Sorry, doesn't wash.
While beautifully written, the shallowness and cattiness of Lisa Hilton's book makes it a squirmingly biased read. This is Athenais de Montespan... high school clique-style.
Wish there was a 1.5 rating :-).......2005-11-09
The reviewer who claims "Athenais's true love is NOT Louis XIV, it's Lisa Hilton!!!" has hit the nail on the head. I've read this book three times now (for some inexplicable reason I keep hoping it'll improve with age) and each time I get the overwhelming feeling that the author believes that she was Athenais in a previous life. She bends over backwards in an effort to paint Athenais' every action in the most flattering light possible, while at the same time maligning every other female character. If Athenais does it, it's noble and gracious; if (fill-in-blank) does it, it's grasping and self-centered. *sigh*
I give the author credit for taking on a subject that has been (for the most part) ignored as a major character in English print. I just wish that she could have avoided blatant bias and shown a well-rounded character. I can easily picture the Lisa Hilton Athenais saying, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful"... this Athenais has every action justified, and every other woman is The Evil Enemy. (One comes to expect the obligatory words smug, malicious, envious, jealous, grasping, etc., whenever another femme appears.)
Maybe if we're lucky Ms. Hilton will try again in 20+ years... she's ernest, but her extreme bias overshoots the mark and creates a character better titled, "The Real Witch of France." (Feel free to substitute another word for "witch".) Athenais has received a great deal of negative treatment, but the solution would be an unbiased bio, not one that tries to raise the subject by damning her contemporaries.
Athenais's true love is NOT Louis XIV, it's Lisa Hilton!!!.......2005-05-15
I've been fascinated with the decades of the Sun King's reign and the impact of his egomania on his country since I was 7 years old. Obviously, his women were a significant part of his life.
There are several things in Hilton's book that disturb me, not the least of which is her persistent effort to justify Athenais's worst personality traits as well as to either villify or ridicule her rivals. I mean, honestly, it's pushing it to depict Athenais as being "right" in abusing her friendships with the Queen and Louise de La Valliere (Louis's first mistress, who Athenais replaced) in order to "get closer" to the King and secure his "favor," only to turn around and depict Madame de Maintenon (who supplanted Athenais) as some sort of horned monstrous ingrate for "taking advantage of her benefactress to steal her love."
The reality of that era is that virtually the only person who had any real control over who he favored and slept with was Louis himself.
The speculation/conjecture about the Affairs of the Poisons, while perhaps not entirely unreasonable, still clings to the idea that Athenais was some sort of heroine ill-used and abused by the system of the times.
The book is not a total loss, but its extreme bias leaves me wondering if the author has first-hand experience of being the "other woman who got cheated on." Athenais is an intriguing figure in history, there was no need to canonize her less than admirable behavior at times. I would have had more respect for the work if there had been a little more objectivity to that point.
Poorly written.......2004-12-23
I purchased this book some time ago and after several attempts to "get through it" chalked it up as a sunk cost: Publishers Weekly's review on this web site is generous. However, they do answer the question for me having read it some time ago -- why was that book so impossible to read? The first couple of chapters lead the reader to believe that the book is well-written and interesting. The truth is that Lisa Hilton's writing style is extremely erratic and well, the exact opposite of a 'page turner'. Indeed, I had looked at the excerpt before buying and I'll admit that the opening got me then and again just now as I gave it a quick glance before stringing together this review.
Average customer rating:
- Mick, a bit too quick
- Fun, but...
- fun look back from one of the game's true "characters"
- Disappointing
- A Great Read
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Ain't No Sense Worryin: The Wisdom of Mick "the Quick" Rivers
Mickey Rivers , and
Michael DeMarco
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Baseball
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Baseball
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1582617201 |
Book Description
Former New York Yankees great Mickey Rivers offers entertaining and humorous quotations, stories, and memories from his years with the wild "Bronx Zoo" Yankees teams of the '70s.
Customer Reviews:
Mick, a bit too quick.......2006-01-30
This book by Mickey Rivers is truly unique. It reads more like a loosely connected bunch of stories somewhat covering his life and career. Mickey breaks the rules of proper grammar in favor of telling a story in his own words.
The book is interesting, but lacking in any real depth. You can probably read it quickly in one setting, but I would rather have a meatier book from one of the true characters of the game, a man who spent time on one of the craziest and greatest baseball teams ever.
Fun, but..........2004-04-16
In a sense, this book IS Mickey Rivers - humorous, irreverent, oddly distracted, and in a sense somewhat disassociated from the reality that the rest of us live in. On the surface, the book is little more than a collection of mildly to moderately humorous stories: other than (arguably) Billy Martin, Rivers does little to expose facets of the people he discusses that we aren't already well aware of.
Yet in the telling of the stories Mickey does expose much of his inner self to the reader, and in so doing he more or less validates the title of the book. Apparently, Mickey truly didn't believe in worryin' about anything: his marriage, taking care of himself physically, what others thought of his various and sundry antics. Having said all of that, though, Rivers does come off as quite likable - he may have more or less unconsciously made his way through his career, but at least he did so with a smile on his face and a desire to do the best he could with those talents that he could readily muster.
In the end, I gave this book three stars because one doesn't get the feeling that Rivers put much thought into it, but what the heck... if the book was full of deep self-contemplation, it wouldn't be Mickey, would it?
fun look back from one of the game's true "characters".......2003-12-07
A great book for Yanks fans as well as other baseball fans, and a great trip down memory lane for those of us who remember and treasure the late 70s Yanks and Sox.
I bought this because Mick's odd yet wise quotes were legendary during his playing career, kind of a next-generation Yogi Berra. (A nice touch in the book is that it includes many of these quotes in his own handwriting.) Mick recalls his baseball life with humor and a deep sensitivity, especially for those teammates who are gone -- Thurman Munson, Billy Martin, Catfish Hunter, Jim SPencer, etc. For example, he recounts his post-game activities playing ball with kids around the stadium and racing them down the street, and talks about the importance that today's players - Jeter, Williams, etc. - be role models for children.
A quick read that will bring you back to the Bronx Zoo. (Particularly enjoyed the story about how Mick's wife played bumper cars w/ his Benz and Cadillac in the Yankee Stadium parking lot - bet The Boss loved cleaning up...)
Disappointing.......2003-11-29
I had hoped this book would be a lot more of a biography. Instead it was written as if the reader was a 10 year old. Not informative and a waste of money.
A Great Read.......2003-09-10
I purchased this book at the Yogi Berra museum in Montclair, NJ during a book signing by Mickey Rivers himself. I always liked him, and knew about his witty quotes, however, I never realized what a genuinely nice person he was. At the book signing, he talked to me for more than 5 minutes. The fact he's a nice person comes across loud and clear in the book as well. He tells tales of his childhood, the minor leagues, the Angels, Yankees, Rangers, and other experiences. The book is written in a conversational style, as if Mickey is talking right to you. You get a feel for the man, and you get to hear good stories as well. As you read, you'll laugh and come to like Mickey more and more. For me, I started to long for the days of my youth when the Yankees Bronx Zoo team battled with the Boston Red Sox, the KC Royals and the LA Dodgers. All in all, this book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you enjoy humorous baseball stories in an easy-to-read format, I highly recommend Ain't No Sense Worryin'.
Book Description
Offers step-by-step instructions on how to use the Internet to find the right agent, producer or buyer for your movie script.
Customer Reviews:
great resource, but an update is needed.......2007-05-19
Despite the dotcom crisis, the Internet has become one of the most important assets for screenwriters everywhere. However, it's not easy to find your way through the maze of websites, lists and newsgroups, and many very interesting sites might be hard to find or practically unknown. Christopher Wehner, creator of Screenwriters' Utopia, has written a guidebook to lead internauts to the good stuff out there. And the sites list is very impressive, and will keep many a screenwriter surfing happily along. Wehner does not just list screenwriting sites, but also gives some extremely interesting research links which will greatly benefit any writer.
However, Screenwriting On The Internet is not a glorified favourite links-collection. Wehner also provides very hands-on information on using the internet as a new way to break down the padlocked doors of Hollywood. To this purpose, he has added chapters on how to query by email, lists of agencies looking for new writers, and a large amount of production companies who take email pitches and queries. Most impressively, Wehner actually comments on each of these sites, in many cases adding query tips from the executives in charge. To many writers, this information will be pure gold.
But there is more : a listing of the recent script sites where writers can submit their log lines, synopses or scripts to interested producers, and a detailed presentation of a number of script consultants - including Syd Field. A chapter on marketing your screenplay online and some interviews with professionals round off this tome.
It should be clear that Christopher Wehner has produced a review-proof book. Sure, there are a few typos, and there are a few surprising omissions (Larry Brody's essential [...], Bill Martell's classic site and Nick Smith's more UK-oriented Scriptwriting Success are not mentioned). And for the inevitable next edition, I would like to see more international screenwriting sites mentioned, as well as a listing of internet screenwriting workshops. But the enormous amount of hard-to-find information and the practical tips on some very new aspects of the screenwriter's life make this an essential resource. Unfortunately, it hasn't really been updated since it was first published, and Wehner's site [...]which promised to provide updates is not accessible today (May 18 2007). This is definitely a book which deserves a second edition.
NEEDS TO BE UPDATED!.......2006-05-13
You may notice that the great ratings for this book are almost all pre 2002.
It's now 2006.
The idea is great, but the info is outdated and needs to be revised.
Many of the links are dead and gone, or changed.
The Authors website also needs an updates links page,
which is mentioned in the book, but not to be found on the website which he refers.
Solid Book.......2002-08-29
Not bad, not great. About half of it I could do without, but the other half is rather good. The producer and agent listings are good, and the chapter about e-mail querries is excellent. There's also some good instruction on how to use the Internet to market your script. All solid stuff. So is it worth your money? Yeah, I think it is. This is a book for someone wanting to sell a script.
Solid Resource.......2002-08-27
A solid resource that provides instruction on email queries, pitching, contacting agents and producers. It's not just an "Internet" book. It's much more than that. It really is. And it's well written by someone who knows what they're talking about.
Very Comprehensive Guide.......2002-04-01
I currently have this volume sitting on my desk. I have been waiting for a book like this one for some time and this book gives you that reassuring pat on the back: "It's okay to query by email. It's 21st century for God's sake!". I was worried upon purchasing the book that it would spend too much time on the subject of researching your work on the internet, but only one small chapter is dedictated to how to use Google and the like. The rest of the book is fantastic with reviews on those "pay to post your script sites" and what producers think of those sites and a very detailed listing of prod. companies that accept email queries, what type of material they like and quotes from a number of the producers on what catches their attention when you query. The book also contains a number of success stories of those who have used the internet to sell their work and tips and tricks for getting your work read. I would definitely say this is a book you should add to your screenwriting library.
Average customer rating:
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The Oxen: Christmas Music
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0571501672 |
Book Description
The right side of your brain specializes in recognizing shapes and visualizing them in space. Engineers, architects, carpenters and map readers are strong in this skill. This is brain-candy for them and a test of knowledge for collectors of antique household items and tools. Sharp, detailed photographs of collectible antiques and curiousities with descriptions of their use plus old-time household tips and remedies. If you can identify 10% of them before you have to turn the page for the answer you are doing well. Featured on The David Letterman TV show.
Customer Reviews:
A refreshingly different kind of brain teaser book.......2004-01-27
Being a life-long lover of puzzles and mind games, I've collected lots of brain teaser books over the years. The title of this book really caught my eye. After all, aren't all brain teaser books "left-brained" by definition? Not necessarily so with this book.
The format is quite simple: each page shows a house-hold invention from the 18th or 19th century, along with the real life dimensions of the object written at the bottom of the page. Your challenge is to find out what exactly the device was used for. This forces you to think about things creatively, not just in a linearly logical way. Each answer also includes some very interesting history on how the tool was put into overall practice, and other related customs for the times.
There are countless puzzle books in print, most of them dealing with the same old word problems and lateral thinking problems. But this one offers something creatively different than the rest.
Little discernible purpose behind the selection.......2002-12-05
This volume contains a large selection of photographs of primarily Victorian artefacts. Readers are invited to discern the purpose of each oddity - hence the claim to 'right brain' strengthening. I could not discern themes, trends or any guiding cognitive theory holding the assembly together. What the reader gets is a mish-mash of images more suited to an antique store fetishist. If poring over images of Victorian apple corers. toasters and other assorted early industrial artefacts, is your hobby, then this book is right up your alley. On the other hand, if you expected this book (which I bought on the assumption that it might have something interesting to say about right brain visualisation and cognition)to be of some intellectual value, you will be sadly disappointed. Ironically it is a book largely about rubbish; the rubbish of a bygone age. Happily, this book, a testimonial to that age, I suspect will soon be numbered among its ranks.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2006-04-07
This is an incredible inspiration and manual for taking charge of your own career. I'm afraid to let the word get out because the fewer people applying the principles, the less competition I will have. This is a must read!
A fascinating read.......2006-01-26
The traditional organization of work, since the age of the Industrial Revolution, in which work is parceled out into permanent jobs is coming to an end, says the author. More and more, people today work on temporary projects in teams, either as part-time workers or as contractors from outside organizations. There are six fundamental forces today that are changing the way people work, says the author.
1. Knowledge work: This work is hard to divide into distinct, repetitive tasks, and usually ad-hoc project teams are more effective.
2. Technology: Information technology is making it easier for people to do their work anywhere, anytime.
3. The rapid pace of change: Traditional jobs aren't flexible enough to keep up with the rapid pace of change in today's business climate.
4. Management initiatives: New management initiatives from reengineering to TQM have created greater flexibility in companies and eroded the rigid, job-based structure.
5. Unbundled organizations: To enhance organizational flexibility, management has been breaking up the traditional, integrated organization into its component activities.
6. The baby boomers: The individualism of the baby boom generation, currently dominating the work force, has led them to seek work outside of traditional job roles.
In this changing business climate, you must find work, not a job. To find work, it is necessary to seek unmet needs and create solutions for them. Companies aren't looking for a resume anymore. Instead they are looking for a new set of criteria, that Bridges has grouped under the acronym DATA: Desires, Abilities, Temperament and Assets. In this new workplace you must position yourself as someone whose "DATA" enables you to solve problems and get things done.
If you don't create your own job, who will?.......2005-09-08
William Bridges branches out from his work on transitions to state another fact that is so obvious, that we often overlook it. In Creating You & Co, he notes that we are each individually in charge of identifying the product our client - whether our boss, employees, or customers - need, and then providing it. If you want to feel secure about your ability to earn a living, read this and then act on it.
If you don't know where you're going...........2004-05-18
I read this book when it was first published several years ago and recently re-read it, curious to see how well its core concepts have held up. In fact, they seem even more relevant now than they did before as more people, each day, become -- in effect -- free agents.
Here's a hypothetical question: How many of those who (let's say) retired five years ago now wish they had read this book when they first went to work full-time? (Yes, yes, I realize that this book was first published in 1997. As I said, a hypothetical question.) As Bridges carefully examines several key issues concerning career manning and management in this book, I was again reminded: If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
It may now be too late for retirees but assuredly this book could be of substantial benefit to their children and, especially, to their grandchildren.
I share Bridges' fascination with transitions during which new paradigms reveal themselves. Some may involve countries (e.g. those in the Third World), others involve organizations (e.g. Roman Catholic Church, IBM, Nissan), and still others involve human lives. I know of no one else who better understands than does Bridges the probable causes, consequences, and implications of transitions nor anyone else who offers better advice on how to manage them most effectively.
In this volume, he focuses on a subject of immediate, indeed urgent importance to anyone now encountering difficulties with managing their lives. More specifically, those who are dissatisfied with their work because it fails to satisfy and/or support them. This book is NOT about finding another job. "When you look for a [in italics] job, you are looking for something that is fading from the socioeconomic picture because it is past its evolutionary prime." Bridges goes on to explain, "This book is a do-it-yourself career development program....[Rather than seek a job,] a better course of action is to find work that that actually needs doing and present yourself to whoever needs it as the best way to get it done." Bridges offers a practical path toward locating such work and then securing the best terms and conditions by which to do it.
He introduces an acronym when developing a key concept in this book: D.A.T.A. (Desires, Abilities, Temperament, and Assets). Thereby, he effectively stresses the importance of
* Doing what you REALLY want to do
* Developing the skills needed to ensure success as well as satisfaction while doing it
* Doing what you REALLY want to do
* Developing the skills needed to ensure success as well as satisfaction while doing it
* Having an appropriate temperament for the given vocation
* Recognizing and leveraging the assets you need (some of which you may already possess)
In Part One, Bridges explains (a) how and why the workplace is now changing, (b) why traditional jobs no longer fit this world and why companies are abandoning them, and finally (c) what the alternatives to jobs are. In Part Two, he explains how to "mine" D.A.T.A. Then in Part Three, he shifts his and the reader's attention to locating appropriate opportunities, creating her or his "product," running her or his "microbusiness," formulating a plan, and then implementing it.
Think of this book as a "map" which you will need to complete successfully your journey to the destination you seek, whatever and wherever it may be. The value of this "map" is increased substantially by the questions, checklists, inventories, exercises, and related activities which Bridges provides at the end of each chapter. Obviously, a map is not a transportation vehicle. It guides and informs sound decisions but does not make them. It indicates the nature and extent of whatever fuel may be needed but does not provide it. It remains for the "traveler" ("pilgrim"?) to commit sufficient intelligence and energy to the journey. Extending the metaphor further, I also presume to suggest that Bridges expects his reader to be the DRIVER of this difficult but necessary process, not merely a passenger who passively reads his book and nods with approval without taking the requisite initiatives.
In essence, this is a book about life management. Oh sure, it will help many to find more rewarding work, rewarding in terms of both satisfaction and income. But if I understand Bridges' key ideas, then I am correct when asserting that his ideas offer guidance to personal fulfillment. Those who share my high regard for Creating You & Co. are urged to check out David Whyte's The Heart Aroused, Phillip C. McGraw's Self Matters, and Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine's Fire Your Boss.Having an appropriate temperament for the given vocation
* Recognizing and leveraging the assets you need (some of which you may already possess)
In Part One, Bridges explains (a) how and why the workplace is now changing, (b) why traditional jobs no longer fit this world and why companies are abandoning them, and finally (c) what the alternatives to jobs are. In Part Two, he explains how to "mine" D.A.T.A. Then in Part Three, he shifts his and the reader's attention to locating appropriate opportunities, creating her or his "product," running her or his "microbusiness," formulating a plan, and then implementing it.
Think of this book as a "map" which you will need to complete successfully your journey to the destination you seek, whatever and wherever it may be. The value of this "map" is increased substantially by the questions, checklists, inventories, exercises, and related activities which Bridges provides at the end of each chapter. Obviously, a map is not a transportation vehicle. It guides and informs sound decisions but does not make them. It indicates the nature and extent of whatever fuel may be needed but does not provide it. It remains for the "traveler" ("pilgrim"?) to commit sufficient intelligence and energy to the journey. Extending the metaphor further, I also presume to suggest that Bridges expects his reader to be the DRIVER of this difficult but necessary process, not merely a passenger who passively reads his book and nods with approval without taking the requisite initiatives.
In essence, this is a book about personal development and life management. Oh sure, it will help many to find more rewarding work, rewarding in terms of both satisfaction and income. But if I understand Bridges' key ideas, then I am correct when asserting that his ideas offer guidance to personal fulfillment. Those who share my high regard for Creating You & Co. are urged to check out David Whyte's The Heart Aroused, Phillip C. McGraw's Self Matters, and Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine's Fire Your Boss.
Not everyone is ready for thinking like a CEO!.......2003-08-06
Brand this and brand that. I'm all for "personal" branding as a step towards professional success. But newcomers to this process need to take it a bit slower. What it all boils down to is understanding who you are, what you have to offer, and how to target your audience. So before you take a giant leap into the CEO's office, or towards the front covers of "Time" and "Newsweek," your community newspaper - or even the company newsletter - keep in mind that you never, ever get a second chance to make a first impression. The image you present is the one you will have to live with, or live up to! Step ONE in the art of self-promotion is to do an honest self-assessment of who you are, what you have to say - and why anyone would want to listen to your story! Following a careful step-by-step process will help even the most timid become comfortable with the concept of self-promotion. Women, especially, show far too much humility about their talents and skills. If we want people to hire us, promote us, buy from us or invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! But how we tell our story is critical. Self-promotion isn't bragging. It is a valuable business tool that career women must add to their strategies for success - but do it right from the start! (from Marion E. Gold, award-winning author of "The Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU")
Product Description
No one is better at explaining the new world of work than William Bridges, inventor of the term "You & Co." In Creating You & Co., he provides workers with a practical guide to overcoming the employment trends illuminated in his bestsellers Managing Transitions and JobShift. By seeing beyond outdated notions of the job and learning to think as a business leader, you can find work that over the years will be both more fulfilling and more secure. Creating You & Co. provides self-assessment tests that help you to identify your Desires, Abilities, Temperament, and Assets. This "D.A.T.A." is more than a window to what you like doing; it reveals your unique advantages in the work market. Other exercises lead you through the process of defining your "product" and spotting your "market." By the end of this book you'll think about your work in a new way - you'll think like the CEO of You & Co. As Bridges shows, true security comes not from clinging to a job, but from doing the work you're best at for the employers who need it. By learning that approach you can cement your value to your current employer, shape a new job for yourself, actually start a small company, or blaze your own path. No matter what shape your You & Co. takes, we will all need to learn the Creating You & Co. approach to prosper in the years ahead.
Books:
- Blood and Oil: Inside the Shah's Iran (Modern Library Paperbacks)
- Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
- CHARLES VICTIM OF VILLAIN?
- Childhood at Court: 1819-1914
- Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III
- Class Power and Agrarian Change: Land and Labour in Rural West Java (Studies on the Economies of East and South-East Asia)
- Contemporary American Success Stories: Famous People of Asian Ancestry Florence Hongo; I.M. Pei; Maxine Hong Kingston; Sammy Lee; Joan Chen (A Mitchell Lane Multicultural Biography Series)
- Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours
- Das Reich III 1941-1943
- David Bowie: Una Extrana Fascinacion
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- Modern Quantum Mechanics
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- Management Innovators: The People and Ideas that Have Shaped Modern Business
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The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV
Madame de Pompadour: A Life
Madame du Barry: The Wages of Beauty
Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King
Madame de Pompadour (New York Review Books Classics)
