Book Description
Had Elizabeth, the exquisite granddaughter of Queen Victoria, not married the Grand Duke Serge of Russia, she would not have found herself, first, at the heart of the opulent court in St. Petersburg and, after the brutal assassination of her husband, in the embrace of the Russian Orthodox Church and a convent dedicated to Christian charity. Nor would she have battled the mesmeric Rasputin for her sister Alexandra's soul or suffered the bloody consequences of a Revolution that would lead to her martyrdom and, ultimately, sainthood. The dramatic details of Elizabeth's story make this elegant volume a fascinating, compelling biography.
Customer Reviews:
Great voice sloppy history........2006-09-15
What the heck happened at Carroll & Graf Publishers? Where were your fact checkers, your editors, who vetted this material? Dates and genealogies are very important when reading history concerning the Romanov's and grandchildren of Queen Victoria.....Mager....eh....what happened to your history?
Mager wrote with a strong voice and the story had a since of urgency. Even though the facts were waaaaaay off, it was a nice read. For those interested in Ella, start with "Education of a Princess."
Reviewing Romanov Snobs.......2005-08-04
If you are looking for the story of St. Elizabeth's life, this book is a good starting point. Do not be deterred by the snob reviewers here who apparently knew everything about Elizabeth's life before they read the book. Is it a perfect book? Is there any such thing? Of course not, but Mager does cover the relevant details of Elizabeth's life in an engaging manner.
Some of the reviews here are absolute snobbery, penned by people who want everyone to know that they already knew everything there was to know about Elizabeth so this book was a waste of time. The first reviewer states that Mager never gave reason for Elizabeth staying in a sexless marriage. What drivel! It was her belief that marriage was an irrevocable institution, which Mager states several times. The reviewer states that the divorce was rare in those days, but it did happen. Did you even READ this book. Mager goes at some length at the rise of royal divorce at the time, giving example after example who was divorced and how it disturbed Elizabeth.
My point is that this is good treatment of Elizabeth's life, her conversion, her trials and struggles. If you interested in the Grand Duchess, don't let the snobs keep you away.
A Lackluster Romanov Biography.......2004-09-27
Hugo Mager makes many of the same errors as other biographers of royal persons. He understands neither royal geneology nor royal titles. In one chapter, he identifies Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914, as the son of the Austrian Emperor. In fact, Franz Ferdinand was the Emperor's nephew. In another chapter, Mager identifies Felix Yussupov's wife as a grand duchess and calls her "Irene". Her name was Irina and she was a Russian princess. Her mother was the Grand Duchess Xenia, sister of Nicholas II. Her father was Grand Duke Alexander Mickhailovich, cousin of Nicholas II. Emperor Alexander III laid down the rules for Romanov family titles. Only the children of an Emperor, along with the grandchildren of an Emperor through the male line, could by styled a grand duke or grand duchess. Irina was the granddaughter of Alexander III, but only through her mother, Grand Duchess Xenia. Irina's father was the grandson of Alexander II and therefore could not pass the grand ducal title to his children who were instead styled prince or princess. It's details like this that expose poor scholarship and a lack of understanding of the subject matter.
As for Grand Duchess Elizabeth (Ella), the author does not provide much insight into her character. What, for example, made her stay with Grand Duke Serge who is commonly thought to have never consummated their marriage due to his homosexuality? Royal divorces at that time were rare, it's true, but they happened. Victoria Melita, wife of Ella's brother Grand Duke Ernst of Hesse, divorced her husband, refusing to put up with homosexuality. This was never mentioned by Mager. Ella must have known her brother's nature and homosexuality was something she at least knew existed. Yet she stayed with Serge in a sexless marriage. The author never gives a valid explanation for this.
Grand Duchess Elizabeth was one of the more enigmatic players in the great drama surrounding the fall of the Romanovs and the Russian Revolution. Nothing in this book answers the fundamental questions about this woman.
Shadow Princess.......2002-07-23
Elizabeth was a truly remarkable Princess, and unfortunately this
book does not do her justice. Mager has an irritatingly smug
writing style, no feel for his subject, and a way of making sweeping generalizations about which he knows nothing. For
example, in a footnote he declares Nicholas II and his siblings
to have been stupid, "because their mother was probably rhesus
negative." This is nonsense. If Empress Marie was Rh- (not
known) her Rh+ children probably would have died at birth. Throughout the book, I could never see Elizabeth as more than a
shadow. One question: why was such a stunningly beautiful woman
photographed so often from the back? Mager never tells us this,
or so many other things, and the saintly princess keeps her
secrets.
Elizabeth: Grand Duchess of Russia.......2002-04-04
So little has been written about other members of the Romanov family other than Nicholas II and Alexandra's and their children. This relatively brief (in my opinion), but fasinating insight into not only Alexandra's older sister, but also the wife of Nicholas II's uncle and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The author excellently discribes Ella's complex persona as a result of 1) the death of her mother, Princess Alice, daughter of Queen Victoria; 2) being raised by both Queen Victoria and her Father; 3) her marriage to Grand Duke Serge (a son of a Czar, a homosexual, a sometimes distant husband and "adoptive father" of his nephew Dimitri and niece Maria [which could be an excellent story in its own]): and finally as a devouted nun. Mager does an excellent job of weaving through the complex family tree without leaving me lost as to who is who and how they relate or are related to Ella. Always looking for biographies of other members of the Romanov family like "Michael & Natasha," the story of Nicholas II's younger brother Grand Duke Michael(was he really the last Romanov Czar?) and his morganatic wife Natasha.
Average customer rating:
- Strong start, weak finish
- elizabeth and alexandra
|
Elizabeth/Alexandra
Antony Lambton
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Historical
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 052524395X |
Customer Reviews:
Strong start, weak finish.......2003-11-22
When I first started reading this book, I couldn't put it down, I was absolutely engrossed by the story, the writers wit, and wondering how much was fact, and how much was fiction. Instead of writing a compelling, factual ending, the author chose to digress into this absurd scenario that has both the royal sisters going crazy and living out their lives in a remote village. It was ridiculous and dissappointing. Even though the book was written before DNA testing its still unforgivable that the author should have gone along with the theory that the Romanov's were still alive somewhere, a theory that is put about regarding other legendary figures who died tragically young, from King Arthur to Elvis Presley and Tupac Shapur. Why, if any of the Romanov's survived, would they have lived out their lives in obscurity? Its implausible, and Mr. Lambton's constructed theory at the end of the book is lame and unconvincing.
elizabeth and alexandra.......2003-11-16
This is not the book for people interested in the Romanovs.Its a silly,misleading
bizzare, historical novel.So much misinformation is given,that it shouldnt even be called historical. Dont waste your money,like I did.
Average customer rating:
|
Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia
Lubov Millar
Manufacturer: Royalty Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Royalty
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
| Charles II
| Edward VII
| Elizabeth I
| Elizabeth II
| General
| Henry V
| Henry VIII
| Prince Charles
| Princess Diana
| Victoria
ASIN: 1879066041 |
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating book about a fascinating woman.......2000-03-16
Born Princess Elizabeth of Hesse, she married a Russian Grand Duke and converted to Orthodoxy. When her husband was assassinated, she founded the Martha and Mary Convent, took the veil, and devoted her life to the service of the poor. She rejected the efforts of her foreign royal relations to rescue her from Russia during the Revolution, feeling that she was needed in Russia and could not leave her work among the poor, and was murdered in 1918.
This book is a fascinating recounting of the Grand Duchess' life, and includes dozens of her letters-- to her grandmother, Queen Victoria; to her brother, the last Grand Duke of Hesse; and to several friends. The author relied on unpublished sources in two countries and published sources in four languages. The scholarship and passion the author put into researching her subject shows. The religious content of the work, considering the religious nature of the Grand Duchess and the central role religion played in her life, is entirely appropriate and even necessary. In any case, it is nowhere near as militant as the subtitle ("new martyr of the Communist yoke") might indicate. Quite simply, this is a well-researched and affectionate portrait of a fascinating and complex woman, one of the best biographies of her I have read.
Book Description
A new, updated edition of Jack Newfield's hard-hitting unauthorized biography of boxing kingpin Don King, source of the Emmy-winning film starring Ving Rhames. Working his way out of a life of street crime and numbers running - and jail time for manslaughter - King rose to become a powerhouse in the fight game, outnegotiated corporate giants, fleeced the treasuries of entire countries, and amassed a vast personal fortune while ruining the lives and careers of some of boxing's greatest champions. The dying words of the man King stomped to death on the streets of Cleveland in 1966 - "Don, I'll pay you the money!" - became the motif for Don King's ascendancy.
Customer Reviews:
Only in America.......2007-04-03
Only in America, it is possible to have a Don King dominating the boxing scene. Newfield describes all the tricks of the trade King is using to his advantage and delivers recommendations what should be done. There is hope that one of these days boxing will be a respectable sport.
More than a book about Don King.......2007-03-10
A superb, meticulously-researched book by an author who truly loves boxing. The career of Don King is well documented here and is as fascinating as you would have imagined. Yet it's more than a biography - an account of how the collective talents of what should have been boxing's Golden Age were squandered through corruption, er...fight engineering (shall we say) and a ratings system based on money not ability. Don King's rise is vividly described - he arrives at a Frazier-Foreman fight with Frazier, but as the fight progresses creeps closer to the Foreman camp and inevitably leaves with the victor. A pattern repeated again and again. The experiences of Tim Witherspoon, Larry Homes and Muhammad Ali make grim yet compelling reading. Finally, we see the Tyson years as yet another athletic talent wasted.
One of the best sports books I have ever read - and deserves a wider readership: So, Amazon, why isn't it available on your UK site?
Amazon.com
VideoHound's Independent Film Guide is exclusively for lovers of independent cinema, movies made outside the Hollywood mainstream. If you're a fan of epics such as Burnt by the Sun and The English Patient, obscure black-and-white classics such as Dead of Night and He Ran All the Way, foreign oddities such as Matador and The Lair of the White Worm, or contemporary cult favorites such as Crash and Fargo, you'll find much to treasure here and some good tips on what to see next.
Most movie guides are group efforts, but this book was composed by a single author. Monica Sullivan's prose is as free spirited and idiosyncratic as the films she reviews. In reading the volume you'll become well enough acquainted with the author's enthusiasm for the cinema and her personal likes and dislikes to measure your own tastes by them. Digressive, idiosyncratic, but nevertheless rewarding, VideoHound's Independent Film Guide is as much a movie reference as it is an autobiography, the chronicle of one reviewer's personal engagement with some of the most extraordinary films ever made. The guide opens with an introduction by indie actress Mare Winningham and concludes with indices of actors, directors, and alternate titles for the films reviewed as well as a list of indie film Web sites, a guide to movie distributors, and the specialty of the VideoHound house: a quirky category index that classifies the films in the book under traditional headings such as "Action Adventure," "Comedy," and "Foreign," and also under a variety of atypical headings, including "Showbiz Dramas," "Female Bonding," and "Religion"--even "Killer Bugs"!
Customer Reviews:
Video Hounds Needs Real Hounds.......2005-11-12
"The reason films are made outside of Hollywood is usually because Hollywood won't produce films dealing with their subject matter, and the author doesn't understand that."
Adam Tremwhatsky from Merryville INDIANA.
I just have to laugh at the comment from the post hailing from 'Merryville' that so far has garnished the most responses to this book. Why let a confused and opinionated armchair critic speak for this volume? I'm glad Adam isn't reviewing Led Zeppelin's Greatest Hits....
The REASONS films are made outside of Hollywood are multiple. Steven Soderbergh's 'Bubble' is a recent example. It wasn't that Hollywood wouldn't have produced it--Soderbergh didn't want it produced there. Should there be more than one study on independent film? Yes. Is Sullivan's study worthy of your shelf? Yes. Why? Because it reveals an eclectic mix of entries, and it displays a personal style that is consistent, - and provokes discussion. So in the absense of a new VideoHound, and at a generous savings for being five years old, with some obscure and sophisticated titles to the collection to boot this film guide is definitely worth owning - or borrowing. I rate it 4 stars --because its five years old...so VideoHound update please!
Rich and wonderful.......2002-02-11
It is clear that Sullivan has seen everything she reviewed and for that reason it makes the book very special. Even if she dislikes a film, its worth it to me to have this reference when I see it. I certainly agreed with what she wrote about 'A Boy and a Dog. After all, Don Johnson begs for ridicule, and its funny to hear that the press attaché begged her to go back in! And that's an example of a film that people seemed to like.
The same went for'Cold Feet' when the press kit included instructions on what to laugh at or not. I enjoy these insides to a reviewers life, just as all aspects of the movie business. I particularly loved Sullivan's review of 'Jackie Brown'!That was what I was thinking exactly. Pam Grier rocked in 'Coffie' but in Tarantino's film, she remains only an icon. I was also disappointed with the film 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by Almodovar after his brilliant 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown', and the insights of the review point to some reasons why it didn't work.
Check out the review on 'Good Will Hunting' and you can imagine the effects of media bombardment that tells the public to like something, through sheer advertising. How about 'The Player', which Sullivan cryptically warns us if its a case book study: 'Heaven help Hollywood in the 21st Century'. ( And we 'were' warned! I am not looking forward to the Oscars 2002!). And I want to see Altman's 'The Delinquents' now, which she suggests.
I will confess to being a movie reviewer". Further, she says 'I don't want a film to reinforce an opinion I already have. I want to see and hear the world from a perspective other than my own. I love it when a filmmaker shares a world that is wildly different from the one I've experienced up till now. Indies fill that need".
Monica's website 'Movie Magazine International' lives on in between reprints where I can keep up on independent film. I enjoy being a Monica Sullivan fan, she deserves her own cult and I sign up!
Rich and wonderful.......2002-02-11
I enjoy reading books by movie buffs and I think that this book reveals the spirit of a reviewer who sees a lot films and is not afraid to like or dislike what she sees.
She puts it out boldly in her review on 'Valentino'. That is a film most people clearly disliked-- but she loved it. It is clear that Sullivan has seen everything she reviewed and for that reason it makes the book very special. Even if she dislikes a film, its worth it to me to have this reference when I see it. I certainly agreed with what she wrote about 'A Boy and a Dog' ( and I would say BARF, not just WOOF). After all, Don Johnson begs for ridicule, and its funny to hear that the press attaché begged her to go back in! And that's an example of a film that people seemed to like.
The same went for'Cold Feet' when the press kit included instructions on what to laugh at or not. I enjoy these insides to a reviewers life, just as all aspects of the movie business. I particularly loved Sullivan's review of 'Jackie Brown'! That was what I was thinking exactly. Pam Grier rocked in 'Coffie' but in Tarantino's film, she remains only an icon. I was also disappointed with the film 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by Almodovar after his brilliant 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown', and the insights of the review point to some reasons why it didn't work.
Check out the review on 'Good Will Hunting' and you can imagine the effects of media bombardment that tells the public to like something, through sheer advertising. How about 'The Player', which Sullivan cryptically warns us if its a case book study: 'Heaven help Hollywood in the 21st Century'. ( And we 'were' warned! I am not looking forward to the Oscars 2002!). And I want to see Altman's 'The Delinquents' now, which she suggests.
Sullivan demythologizes film demagogues even in the Indie scene for us. I can understand that this is controversial but I love it!. With so much information (and since this in second reprint) I'm sure that any small discrepancies can be patched in for a third book, and I'm waiting. 1000 films are reviewed, and the special inserts are colorful and interesting for example on Lawrence Tierney, Ida Lupino and Sandra Goldbacher, to name only a few. Sullivan reveals so many aspects of independent film history which are valuable such as production code indies. ( 'Who Killed Teddy Bear') and Mary Pickford's work ( 'The Sparrow').
How about an overrated enigma indie like 'Spanking the Monkey', my sentiments exactly. And plots are revealed. 'Take Clay Pigeons' and 'The Journals of Jean Seberg' for example I have to say this is an excellent and personal review book. Critics have to dare to speak their truth, and I can't imagine their lives are always fun when their work is questioned. As Monica says "under threat of social torture, I will confess to being a movie reviewer". Further, she says 'I don't want a film to reinforce an opinion I already have. I want to see and hear the world from a perspective other than my own. I love it when a filmmaker shares a world that is wildly different from the one I've experienced up till now. Indies fill that need".
Monica's website 'Movie Magazine International' lives on in between reprints where I can keep up on independent film. I enjoy being a Monica Sullivan fan, she deserves her own cult and I sign up!
Exercise Your Own Judgement.......2001-03-11
There are over 355 reviews of 'American Psycho' on websites. Some people loved it, others hated it. What is interesting about this debate on 'Videohounds Independent Film Guide' is that it raises gender differences on how women and men perceive film! Because film is so much 'a male territory', I don't hesitate to give the book a read. That it is written by a knowledgeable woman alone compelled me to have a look. It seems that critical reviewers having one thing in common: resentment that their sacred territory has been encroached upon by an alternative thought system. This is an upfront and personal anthology. And I definitely recommend it!
Buy the book.......2001-02-13
I liked the book because of its personal nature. Its a good step in the right direction. I think Sullivan is funny and knows her stuff. A true film buff is rare. Its also outrageously comprehensive. What a way to spend your life--watching fabulous movies or not even so fabulous, and then writing your piece. The reviews are short--and I liked that--also, makes me want to dig deeper. A lot of worthwhile info!
Average customer rating:
|
K for Kochel: The Life and Work of Ludwig Ritter von Kochel, Cataloguer of Mozart
Thomas Edmund Konrad
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Classical
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Theory
| Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Art & Music
| Humanities
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0810839393 |
Book Description
Ludwig, Ritter von Köchel is best known for his work on Mozart's compositions. This book, the first-ever biography of Köchel introduces the self-taught "dilettante" musicologist to the wider musical community. A former tutor to the aristocracy and knight of the Austrian Empire, Köchel set out in 1851 to locate, collate, authenticate and place in chronological order all of Mozart's existing compositions. "The Köchel Register", the result of eleven years of research and compilation, became the backbone of Mozart scholarship. He similarly assembled works by another noted Austrian composers and lectured extensively on music and other subjects. This work traces Köchel's life and professional career. It aims to introduce the general music lover to Köchel and to demonstrate that his achievements in musicology and other fields are worthy of recognition, with or without his extensive Mozart collection.
Customer Reviews:
Dont bother getting this.......2007-07-04
For one, the company is almost bankrupt and out of business. Two, its a terrible game. If you want to play a great heroes game get Mutants and Masterminds.
I bought this and returned it. Save you money for quality material.
Stalwart.......2006-09-14
What Heroes Unlimited lacks in diversity and customization (point buy systems have this staple pretty much cornered) it makes up for in overall playability and dozens of raodblocks to game abuse. Don't misunderstand, any game can be min/maxed, but the Palladiums strict class system makes it much more difficult that games with more freedom.
This is a great game to introduce players to (I, myself, started with Ninjas & Superspies back in the late 80s). It is great as a standalone book (in fact, the sourcebooks are mostly fluff, the game just doesn't need anything else).
Heroes Unlimited revised second edition.......2002-05-10
The original Heroes Unlimited was published by Palladium books way back in 1984 amidst a wide selection of Super Hero genre RPGs.. 2002 and this game is in it's third incarnation while others of it's type have faded into the past. The game is cohesive and features Palladium's universal rule system, the first of it's kind back in the 80's (yes, even before GURPS), so it is compatable with every other game in the Palladium Megaverse. Aside from covering every main type of super hero, anti hero or villian, from aliens to super sleuths; Heroes Unlimited provides a loose framework for creating the entire campaign environment, including quick roll tables for Non player characters and words of advice in how potential game masters can breathe life into thier creations.
Why buy this book?
Two words : It works!
You are buying a reliable product that is supported by Palladium Books ... with an active message board, numerous fan sites and frequent releases of supplimentary titles (such as Villians unlimited, Aliens unlimited, Heroes unlimited G.M.'s Guide and more planned this year).. HU2 is here to stay.
Flawed masterpiece..........2000-08-23
Palladium's contribution to the 'superhero boom' that hit the RPG industry a while ago, and one of the most durable. If you know the Palladium system, you'll find this a doddle to use, and the combat system has been expanded considerably (rules for vehicle and arial combat). The 'power category' system works well (mutants, aliens, cyborgs, psychics etc) and the skill selection system is realistic for a present-day setting. With a little imagination, the rules give the ability for almost any kind of superhero to be (re)created.
Bad points. Firstly, some sections are badly worded. For example, the Robotics section is extremely confusing and the cybernetics listing contradicts itself, giving different listings for the same item. Also, despite a 'Mega-Hero' option, there are few facilities to create powerhouses on the level of Superman or the Incredible Hulk. I can see how something like that would have been open to abuse, but the option would have been nice. And the magic listing is somewhat truncated, though this is rectified in a later sourcebook.
Aside from those gripes, I recommend it. It may be intimidating for those new to roleplaying or the Palladium system, but few games have the sheer possibility on offer here.
Heroes Unlimited II.......2000-02-10
Great both for a stand alone Supers Game, and wonderful as an addition for most other Palladium games. DM's running RIFTS will find it useful when your players are running rampant over the Techno based and Magic based NPC's. Adds spice to your Horror based games. No more seeing the players stake and cross your vampires when they have INVULNERABILITY.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant!.......2007-06-23
Palladium is simple, easy and fun to play, which allows for the world, overtly based on Greco-Roman and Dark Age culture (maybe a rough 6th Century AD date would suit its cultural construct) to be very detailed and interesting. You only need one book and one set of RPG dice (4,6,8,10 and 20 sided) to play, although you would be best buying books two, "Old Ones" and three, "Adventures on the High Seas" as well, so as to have several years of ready-made adventures for you. Probably at some point people are going to realize that real RPGs are better for you than video games: since you actually have to read, talk, create and calculate. Palladium started me off as a teen on the road to academic success. A Master's degree in Classical studies is the result. I see the Palladium game as an excellent way to keep the mind sharp and to keep life skills in shape. The only drawback of the game is that you have to actually get people together to play it. RPGs are really interactive stories and as such are a brilliant modern twist on the traditional art and science of storytelling. Strangely, there is a lot of fun to be had in exploring the world of Palladium even on your own, as a prospective Game Master or as a lone adventurer, since the fantasy world, based as it is on ancient civilizations, is fascinating in and of itself. The writers are clearly widely read in the classics and in fantasy novels. It's really brilliant, fun, interesting and mind-improving stuff!
New and Not-So-Improved.......2006-08-08
If you started out playing D&D in the '70s and '80s and then got tired of how bloated and nit-picky the rules were getting, the original Palladium Fantasy RPG was like a breath of fresh air. Sure, it wasn't the work of smart-alecky college kids who constantly used obscure latin abbreviations like e.g. and q.v., but that was why it was so nice. No fancy words, no cumbersome encumbrance rules. Just dwarves and elves and dragons. And you only had to buy maybe two books. Sweet.
But this is not the original Palladium Fantasy RPG. It is a version (awkwardly) designed to be compatible with Palladium's far more successful Rifts game. So there are lots of rewritten elements that end up unbalancing the oringinal system. Not that the original system was flawless, but its flaws were just part of what made it attractive--the kinds of things you might mess up if you created a game system.
The new version just feels more slick and less charming. Perhaps this is more noticeable if you played the original version for a decade; there are certainly people who seem to like 2nd edition. As for me, I'll stick with my tattered old black and red 1st edition, thanks.
Palladium RPG.......2001-08-28
I give this book 4 stars, and only for one reason, organization. Things are a little out of place, but when you know where they are you should be able to grab them immediately. The AD&D books are just the same, you have to search through endless pages of text for your questions, so there's not even an argument! Why this is the best game system there is. It's open to everything! The whole game is designed for you to edit it slightly to how you like it. The author even encourages players to alter the rules to make fun playing games. Creating your character is fun, not long! You choose the skills you want. Do you want to be a chubby merchant that can sing and dance? Do it! Want to be an assassion who plays the flute? Go for it. With this system it gives you your classes skills, and then lets you choose more. Because they know everyone is different, and that itself makes the game more fun. The races are everything you'd expect from a Fantasy. I can't believe people who say it's a Rifts Junior, because I have played the two and frankly there is a LARGE difference. Everyone in the world except that minority think so, and it's cause they aren't open minded! You have elves, dwarves, even changelings for heavens sake! A variety of weapons. Swords, maces, daggers, down to gnomish weapons and giant weapons. Magical and Rune weapons even! Shields and their strength. The best part, half the classes don't force you to choose a particular armor! You choose what kind would fit your type of character. The combat is flowing. People take turns going first, everyone gets the chance to parry and dodge. This works well with the levelling system, because it's no longer who can just deal the most damage, but who can hit with that damage! Get this book, and enjoy it!
Review by Doc.......2000-08-22
Ok, you've heard the term RPG thrown around quite a bit, and this guy from school/work has told you to get the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons series, and have your friends come over and play. Well, let me tell you this. I have played AD&D for the last 10 years, and played Palladium for 3. Palladium is better, especially for new people. It only takes one book to play (AD&D takes 3, more for world info., even Third Edition), and about 15 minutes to make a character (vs. the hour and a half for AD&D, even if I knew all of what I wanted to do.) New people will find the rules easier than D&D, and love it too.
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING.......2000-04-18
Rifts Jr. is so right. I was very let down by this. When I heard they had revised the ever classic original with the PPE instead of the clunky original Magic System I was quite happy. Then I made some characters in the game to test it. GOD! What a MESS. The organization, in my opinion, was horrible. Hardly any charts for easy flow. They had text write ups for the skill bonusing in Weapon Profs... I was mortified by how hard it was to find info in it. (I spent 10 minutes looking up somewhere where I could find Saving Throws for magic...only to discover it was spread out over a zillion different sections. Every Section had one little piece of info about the saving throws. There was not one place where I could get all the info about saving throws. THere was no chart. I have no problem with redundant info, but I have a problem with it being scattered all over the place like that. WE NEED CONSOLIDATION!) Then, after 6 character creations, my friends and I battled it out to see how well the new system worked in actual play. The characters were horridly unbalanced. My Warrior Monk took everyone out due to the Spirit Strike which makes people drop their weapon.
This is not the Palladium Books of Old. I will never again purchase a Palladium Product. If I ever PLAY Palladium again I will dig out my Dusty 'Crimson' Copy. This new one goes to prove the old adage. New is not necessarily better.
Customer Reviews:
A great sorce book series for any palladium game.......1999-07-09
if you are a fan of palladium games, you need to get all the rifter books, especially number 6 and 7, with a comic strip by ramon perez! -Jiffy
Average customer rating:
- Procurement strategies that add real value
- A "how to" book for CEOs - Beverly T. Bortz, C.P.M., Material Control Manager, Powerex, Inc.
- Supply Chain Management in a "Flat" World
- Complexity Made Easy
- A strong case for executive management
|
Straight to the Bottom Line: An Executive's Roadmap to World Class Supply Management
Robert A. Rudzki ,
Douglas A. Smock ,
Michael Katzorke , and
Shelley Stewart Jr.
Manufacturer: J. Ross Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management Science
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Production & Operations
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Systems & Planning
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Purchasing & Buying
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Production, Operation & Management
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Business Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Incredible Payback: Innovative Sourcing Solutions That Deliver Extraordinary Results
-
The Purchasing Machine: How the Top Ten Companies Use Best Practices to Manage Their Supply Chains
-
Common Sense Purchasing: Hard Knock Lessons Learned From a Purchasing Pro
-
Balanced Sourcing: Cooperation and Competition in Supplier Relationships
-
On-demand Supply Management: World-class Strategies, Practices and Technology
ASIN: 1932159495
Release Date: 2005-10-10 |
Product Description
During the past 20 years, the procurement and supply chain profession has radically evolved. Once a tactical and back-office function, it is now a strategic business opportunity that can be fundamental to the success of any organization. A few leading companies have achieved an enormous competitive advantage and outstanding bottom-line performance by incorporating a procurement and supply chain strategy into their core corporate strategy. Why haven more companies seized this same opportunity? The reason is very simple: a lack of understanding at the senior executive level. Virtually all books on procurement and supply chain have been written for the day-to-day practitioner. Now, there is a book to explain this opportunity to all corporate executives, and also illustrate the leadership role the senior executive needs to play.
Straight to the Bottom Line will enable senior corporate executives to turn the enormous top-line and bottom-line potential of supply chain and procurement into reality.
Key Features:
-Provides a clear understanding of the performance improvement opportunities, and what is at stake if these opportunities are overlooked, written by and for senior corporate executives
-Outlines a powerful and logical approach for assessing the state-of-the-art in their organization
-Offers ways to estimate the specific opportunities related to implementing a change in procurement strategy and practices
-Details a comprehensive framework for organizing the transformation plan across multiple dimensions
-Gives advice on which areas to focus on first, in order to build and ensure success
Customer Reviews:
Procurement strategies that add real value.......2007-01-26
Straight to the Bottom Line makes a compelling argument for why procurement must transform itself into fully integrated supply management. Take care of your supply network-its objectives, strategies, processes and data linkages-and you generate competitive advantage for your organization. In other words, you create value for shareholders and customers.
Although the talk of the shift from the purely tactical to the strategic has been around for many years now, actual implementation of strategically focused supply chain has simply not happened at many organizations. Why? The authors of this book are eloquently blunt: a "lack of understanding of the opportunities presented by supply-side performance" at the senior executive level.
And what is the sine qua non of a truly strategic supply chain? Leadership and understanding from senior executives. So where to begin? Slipping Straight to the Bottom Line into the executive suites would be a good start.
The strength of this text is its clear and lucid presentation of a "step-by-step" roadmap for executives on how to implement supply management transformation that directly produces bottom-line results. Illustrating straight-forward principles with compelling examples, it shows how executives can create an environment in which they can expect to see improved performance quarter over quarter and year over year.
If I have one criticism of the book it is that its subtitle might suggest that it can be overlooked by the non-executive. That would be a mistake. Yes, it's a "must read" for the senior executive, but it's also an essential text for anyone, including the currently mid-career procurement or supply chain professional, who plans to be one.
Vicki McBryde, BA, CPP, CPM
A "how to" book for CEOs - Beverly T. Bortz, C.P.M., Material Control Manager, Powerex, Inc........2005-12-20
Straight to the Bottom Line is an actual "how to" book for CEOs as well as a great tool for management to sell the value of Purchasing / Supply Chain to the CEO's. This book is a "must have" for the corporate library.
Supply Chain Management in a "Flat" World.......2005-11-21
In today's world where "outsourcing" and a "flat" world are becoming commonplace, it is essential that companies recognize the strategic nature of their procurement and supply organizations and taylor them to manage their external/purchased assets. This book provides examples of supply chain management experiences, both good and bad, and practical tools for implementing effective supply chain management processes. An important book for supply chain specialists, it also should be read by every CEO, CFO and COO, so that they can take benefit from supply chain management in their companies, before they are confronted by competitors who have preempted them in the implementaton of modern supply chain management practices.
The authors are an outstanding group of well-qualified experts in the field. They have assembled an impressive combination of significant examples and techniques that should benefit any enterprise (business, government, educational) that deals with external purchases.
Complexity Made Easy.......2005-11-11
Straight to the Bottom Line explains well to the layman why Western companies need a new strategy to cope with the massive shift to outsourcing and Asian manufacturers. I particularly enjoyed the chapter ("A Tale of Two Spenders") describing the lack of collaboration in the American automotive industry in the past 15 years and how that approach impacted Detroit's inability to establish an electronic communications and transactions platform (Covisint). It's a good business book. Very clearly written.
A strong case for executive management.......2005-11-09
I have been in the field of Supply Chain Management for over 15 years. As such, I have reviewed and purchased many of the text on the subject. This book represents a very easy read that crystallizes many of the concepts into useful and understandable formats. Also, many of the current myths are effectively addressed and excellent examples are provided. I would recommned it both for experienced practitioners as well as the uninitiated.
Books:
- Elizabeth I CEO: Strategic Lessons from the Leader Who Built an Empire
- Elizabeth I: Collected Works
- Elizabeth, the Winter Queen
- Elizabeth Woodville: Mother of the Princes in the Tower
- Eugenie: The Empress and Her Empire
- Father Struck It Rich
- Forget Me Not: The True Story of Elisabeth of Austria and the Mysterious Hapsburg Curse (Pocketbook)
- Freud and the Legacy of Moses (Cambridge Studies in Religion and Critical Thought)
- From the Piano Bench: Memorable Moments With Mobsters, Moguls, Movie Stars, and More
- Good Guys Finish First: Reflections Of A CEO And How To Start A De Novo Community Bank
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- The Cold War: A New History
- The Dancer Upstairs: A Novel
- The Expedition of The Donner Party And Its Tragic Fate
- The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers
- Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain
- The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State: Identification, Natural History, and Conservation
- Progress in Activity-Based Analysis
- Tax Treatment of Cost-Contribution Arrangements
- Populations of Plant Pathogens: Their Dynamics and Genetics
Ella: Princess, Saint and Martyr
Michael and Natasha: The Life And Love Of Michael ll, The Last Of The Romanov Tsars
The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II
An Uncommon Woman - The Empress Frederick: Daughter of Queen Victoria, Wife of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Mother of Kaiser Wilhelm
Alexander II: The Last Great Tsar
