The First Venture Capitalist: Georges Doriot on Leadership, Capital, and Business Organization

Book Description

General Doriot created the first institutional venture capital fund in 1946 and set a standard for VC forever.

Customer Reviews:

disappointing.......2006-06-08

I was looking forward to this book, but was quite disappointed. While Doriot is a fascinating historical figure, this book is a compilation of his written work, and his writing style is best described as "turgid". Keep a double espresso by your side and you'll make it through. This is no reflection on Gupta's work, more on the material he was given to work with.

Long Overdue Book on a Legendary Figure.......2004-10-14

George Doriot was a remarkable individual who achieved success as a teacher, a businessman, and a general in the US Army. Some of his students at the Harvard Business School kept their notes from his course in their desk drawer throughout their business careers. Even if they did not go that far, they never forgot the man or his teachings; nor did the employees of the many companies which he launched as the president of American Research & Development Corporation. This is the first book about George Doriot, and it is a perfect first book: it is in the form of a source book, drawing from the many facets of Doriot's career as seen by many different people, and sometimes in Doriot's own words. All the texts are interesting and highly readable.

Book Description

This interdisciplinary and creative study examines how African American culture in presented in American films and other media, and is a provocative re-reading of the historiography of black culture. The author examines a number of cultural texts deriving memory as interpreted by Freud and by Franz Fanon mixed with Black Liberation Theology and even some Islamic mysticism, shedding new interpretive light on known and less-known texts. The book will appeal to scholars of the black diaspora, media studies, literature, and acculturation and identity politics.

Book Description

In a substantial new afterword to his classic account of the collapse of American triumphalism in the wake of World War II, Tom Engelhardt carries that story into the twenty-first century. He explores how, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the younger George Bush headed for the Wild West (Osama bin Laden, "Wanted, Dead or Alive"); how his administration brought "victory culture" roaring back as part of its Global War on Terror and its rush to invade Saddam Hussein's Iraq; and how, from its "Mission Accomplished" moment on, its various stories of triumph crashed and burned in that land.

Customer Reviews:

Nice and easy.......2007-08-31

Nice and easy - I was very pleased with the service and timelyness. Plus the book is in great condition

Book Review: "The End of Victory Culture : Cold War America and the Disillusioning of a Generation".......2006-04-10

American "triumphalism" and the American "war story" began its decline after WWII and collapsed completely after Vietnam (or so the author thought). The victory myth is constructed out of an America history that has its roots in the Puritan struggle. The US had always fought against the evil oppressors of freedom, democracy, and the freedom of peaceful worship. The myth of American triumph was part of 1950s "boy culture" and was depicted on screen in the justifiable slaughter of Indians on the western frontier; cowboys and /or Cavalrymen who rescued families and females from savages; science-fiction and vengeance movies, and eventually in galactic villians and Evil Empires. War stories and movies consumed by Baby Boomers vindicated the annihilation of (usually non-white but always non-American) villains.
Central to the maintenance of the victory culture in American is the "war story" a tale in which there is an evil Other who threatens the United States. Contributing to the end of victory culture was the almost immediate reevaluation of the atomic bombing of Japan after WWII; an event that left the United States looking more terrifying than protective . The Cold War followed the euphoric victory of WWII . In the Cold War there was no victory or defeat; and the enemy and self became blurred and threatened to merge. Many of the villains in the Cold War were other Americans; rather than victory, the US sought containment. Then came Korea, a failed police action, better off forgotten. The Vietnam War was a disaster. Even the president lost enthusiasm for a battle where there appeared to be no definable enemy. Even the sacred cowboy was attacked as racist during the d?nouement of the victory culture. New westerns depicted sociopathic bad guys in cowboy hats rampaging around the West hunting down innocent Indians. In the late 1960s, even military toys were transformed into action figures. "Boy culture" was not recaptured until Ronald Reagan appeared on the scene with his Star Wars rhetoric. George H. W. Bush seized on the opportunity to eliminate the evil dictator Saddam Hussein; only to have his efforts to win a "war to re-establish war, American style" and capture the bad guy fail.
Engelhardt is an active journalist and writer who was surprised in 2000 when the United States elected George W. Bush President. Geroge W. Bush, he says, is a man "who had stayed way too long in those dark movie theaters" watching cowboys and Indians; a man who managed to evade both sides of the Vietnam War debate; a man who glories in the victory clture and wants to relive a period in American history when bugles blared, crowds cheered, and flags waved. In The End of Victory Culture Engelhardt failed to predict that 2005 would see a US President whose dream is to "dress up like G.I. Joe, [and] appear in front of massed ranks of soldiers chanting "hoo-rah," and assure the crowd he was going to bring `em back dead or alive (tomdispatch.com). This book's value is in its examination of the impact of popular culture in shaping public perceptions of the US and its place in the world. Sources include popular culture products such as Mad magazine, TV shows, monster movies, and westerns. Tom Engelhardt graduated from Yale University; he is a book editor and a freelance journalist. He maintains a website, www.tomdispatch.com; is co-founder of the American Empire Project; a consulting editor at Metropolitan Books; a fellow of the Nation Institute; and lecturer at the Graduate School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley.

one of my favorites..........2006-03-23

With the outcome in Iraq still uncertain more than 3 years after the U.S. led invasion, many people have blamed the media for not being critical enough at the outset of the war. Additionally, as the war rages on, comparisons to Vietnam are becoming especially noticeable as a growing number of people continue to question our involvement in Iraq.

These two relatively recent phenomena of questioning the media's role in wartime and the tendency for U.S citizens to be skeptical of their government during war took root during the Vietnam war.

According to Tom Englehardt in "The End of Victory Culture," prior to Vietnam the media played a key role in perpetuating the idea of a noble and just United States battling savages of color including Native Americans and Japanese soldiers in World War II.

The public eagerly imbibed this "victory culture," regularly attending movies featuring John Wayne defending America by battling Indians; playing games like "cowboys and indians;" and reading cartoons featuring horribly caricatured Japanese and Chinese soldiers, never questioning the integrity of the government or doubting United States policies.

A seismic shift occured during Vietnam when, for the first time, Americans became especially frustrated over a war that could no longer be justified by statements from the President. Demonstrations raged throughout the country as the once sacred tenants of U.S. heroism and leadership were shattered.

During this time, the media's role transformed as well. Rather than mindlessly trumpeting American nobility, the media worked doggedly to unearth the truth. David Halberstam's coining of the term "quagmire" when referring to war and Morley Saffert's piece revealing the horrible killings of helpless Vietnamese villagers are just two examples that Englehardt cites.

Although accounts from Vietnam and World War II comprise the bulk of Englehardt's thesis, he provides copious examples of the movies and excerpts from television programs when talking about the 1980's in an effort to further demonstrate the dismantling of the "victory culture."

Brilliantly written and extremely well documented, Englehardt has written a gem of a book that remains as relevant today as it was 11 years ago when it was first published.

A different perspective on post-war culture and history.......2006-03-07

Tom Engelhardt's dense but throughly readable cultural history presents the past fifty-six years of American history as an investigation of narrative. A common theme in analysis of nationalism and nationality is the concept of an historical narrative that members of a nationality look to for explaining their present position within their world. Engelhardt investigates a time period that saw, as he argues, a violent uprooting and reconfiguration of the American cultural narrative.

This narrative makes use of a wide ranging set of metpahors and images, such as the frontier and its mythology of American innocence, that have helped Americans understand their position within a complex and ever changing world. World War II provided the last war in which the innocence of America was posited with little debate (although the dropping of the atom bomb indeed challenged this innocence).

The beginning of the cold war and military endeavors in Korea and Viet Nam saw a gradual erroding of this narrative of innocence. As the enemy became harder to identify, at times even looking like ourselves in the case of anti-communism, the moral clarity and absolute innocence of American military actions disolved. Engelhardt takes a sweeping view of the last half-century of American history and tracks the profound shift in narrative and cultural understanding that we are still dealing with. It would be interesting to see what Engelhardt would say about September 11th. I would argue it has restored much of America's innocence, allowing us to attack Iraq with little domestic objection.

Engelhardt writes with an engaging voice helping to make what could be a tedious read quite enjoyable. At times his ideas can be difficult to connect, making this a book to be tackled as quickly as possible so that the plethora of information and full scope of the analysis can be engaged without loosing what was written in earlier pages. Do not expect any sort of 'traditional' work of history. This is for the students of American culture and anyone interested in the intricacies and complexities of the American identity. When you read this book, to a large extent you are learning about yourself.

Good on Media, Bad on History.......2005-09-12

Although he provides an in depth analysis of the modern media's role creating stereotypes of "non-whites", he actually attempts to say that this was the primary motivater to fight our "enemies" for centuries. This, of course, is nonsense. The Revolutionary War, Barbary Wars, War of 1812, World War I, and a large portion of World War II against the Rome-Berlin part of the Axis were against "white" people. And I'm probably missing other major conflicts.
Further, to say that America is unique among countries in using color or ethnicity to denigrate a people it is either at war with or has hostility towards is totally absurd. It's par for the course throughout the history of warfare and culture as a way to motivate its people to carry out and tolerate the acts of war. Unfortunately, he lets his biased political opinions biasedly spill into the pages of his book.
Nevertheless, he does an excellent job describing the power of the media to work as the Government's collective propaganda machine in their portrayal of the "eastern bloc" countries as the Cold War rose from the end of World War II.

Average customer rating:
Family History Made Easy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Discovering Your Heritage
Sandra Hargreaves Luebking , and Loretto Dennis Szucs
Manufacturer: Ancestry.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0916489728

Book Description

Here it is, the long awaited Family History Made Easy by Lou Szucs. In her growing list of top sellers, Lou has given us another wonderful book to learn from and enjoy.

Alex Haley, author of Roots, said "...in all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we have come from." Such a simple desire can often seem overwhelming. Where do I start? What records should I look for? And what can they tell me about my heritage?

Family History Made Easy guides the reader through the sometimes confusing world of family history. Family History Made Easy is just that - made easy. Noted author and lecturer Loretto (Lou) Szucs covers the basic tools and provides essential instruction to get you started on your family history adventure. She teaches you in such a friendly, unassuming way, that you hardly realize you are learning until you are done.

Enjoy this wonderful book. The Online Store staff recommends this book to all of our readers.

Book Description

A fascinating detailed guide to discovering family roots and unearthing the secrets of ancestors.

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Genealogy Made Easy
Karen V. Sipe
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Genealogy | Reference | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0486299775

Book Description

A simple, concise guide to genealogical research, this volume offers step-by-step instructions for those who wish to know more about their ancestors. Discusses locating records and enlisting the help of genealogical societies, organizing and storing research, developing charts and other documentation, and much more. Includes addresses for archives and suggestions for further reading.

Writing Family History Made Very Easy: A Beginner's Guide

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Writing Family History Made Very Easy: A Beginner's Guide
Noeline Kyle
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1741750628

Book Description

Offering practical and innovative suggestions, this no-nonsense guide to writing family histories helps aspiring genealogists beautifully preserve their legacies for centuries to come. Featured samples of writing by family historians illustrate the range, diversity, and styles of writing that effectively capture family traditions and memories. All aspects of the writing and researching process are explained, from choosing a format to publishing a family history. Presenting instructions and writing exercises, this innovative resource offers creative suggestions to help readers turn an amateur family tree into a well-written, publishable family history.

Ancestor searching made easy: A guide to finding your ancestors

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Ancestor searching made easy: A guide to finding your ancestors
Jonnie Sisler
Manufacturer: Sisler Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: B0006QQ2BE

Family history made easy: A complete workbook and directory : an easy, step-by-step workbook and directory to help everyone compile their family history : includes forms, addresses, and Internet sites

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Family history made easy: A complete workbook and directory : an easy, step-by-step workbook and directory to help everyone compile their family history : includes forms, addresses, and Internet sites
Lynda Fay Katers
Manufacturer: Family Histories
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006RN0T0

Family history made easy;: A simplified method

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Family history made easy;: A simplified method
Edward Sims
Manufacturer: B.F.R. Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B000738FQG

How to do special tasks in PAF (PAF made easy)

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How to do special tasks in PAF (PAF made easy)
Royden G Hill
Manufacturer: Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006QJ0TK

Life history writing...made easy: My life (Life history writing series)

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Life history writing...made easy: My life (Life history writing series)
Peggy Luukkonen
Manufacturer: Sacramento Senior Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006QRMWC

The newly revised 2001 edition of... the "search engine secrets made easy for genealogy researchers" guide: Step-by-step instructions in plain english

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The newly revised 2001 edition of... the "search engine secrets made easy for genealogy researchers" guide: Step-by-step instructions in plain english
Robert Ragan
Manufacturer: R. Ragan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006RNZMW

Book Description

Lean Machines: Learning From The Leaders Of The Next Industrial Revolution provides readers with a unique compilation of interviews with some of the country's most respected executives who have deep intellectual and emotional experience in implementing lean.

CEOs, vice presidents, consultants, Wall Street analysts and accountants provide readers with their perspectives on how to implement a lean business system. They are the architects of such successful implementations as Pratt & Whitney's Achieving Competitive Excellence program, the Danaher Business System, the Alcoa Production System and Freudenberg NOK's hugely successful six-step lean process.

Each of the 15 offers advice on how to overcome the barriers from the shop floor, to mid-level management, to the board room. They provide their personal experiences, insights and recommendations on the most important aspects of embedding lean systems within a corporate culture. All have successfully implemented a fundamentally different and often counter-intuitive system of running their business based on the lean principles of build to order, continuous improvement and the elimination of waste.

The interviews were conducted by Manufacturing News Editor & Publisher Richard McCormack and include the following individuals:

o George Koenigsaecker, Former CEO, HON Industries and Principal, Simpler Consulting;

o Michael Joyce, Corporate Vice President of Operating Excellence at Lockheed Martin;

o Robert Weiner, Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Exide Technologies;

o Mark DeLuzio, Architect, Danaher Business System & President of Lean Horizons;

o James Womack, President, Lean Enterprise Institute and author of Lean Thinking and The Machine That Changed The World;

o Dave Logozzo, Director of Manufacturing Operations, Delphi Corp.;

o Cliff Ransom, Director of Research, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC;

o Ken Kreafle, Vice President of Quality at Toyota, Georgetown, Ky.;

o Keith Turnbull, Executive Vice President, Alcoa Business System;

o Allen Haggerty, General Manager of Engineering, Boeing;

o Brian Maskell, President, BMA Inc., Lean Accounting;

o Art Byrne, President and CEO of Wiremold Co.;

o Major Gen. Dennis Haines, Warner Robins AFB;

o Joseph Day, CEO, Freudenberg-NOK; and

o Dan Yurovich, CEO, Barry Controls

o Lt. Col. Fred Hart, Commander, U.S. Army Red River Depot

Customer Reviews:

Very useful insights into lean manufacturing, on target!.......2002-10-19

A lot has been written about lean, but nothing yet compares to what this book has done.... It's the first time anyone has provided straight answers about the true nature of lean. The author asks the right questions and gets surprising responses. Having spent 20 years in the automotive business, I found this book extremely useful.

Virtuosos of Lean Production.......2002-09-16

This is a hot book! I coached a team of manufacturing managers who worked in a large traditional factory. Our job was to study manufacturing operations in companies that had adopted Toyota's productivity methods and policies. While the men and women on the team had read about lean production, they were disquieted and perhaps even disturbed by obviously highly performing plants that were organized and operated according to principles foreign to their beliefs. At each plant we visited their discomfort deepened. Then, somewhere between the second and fourth visit, each manager had an epiphany. There was some kind of logical reorganization of the manufacturing furniture in their minds and they "got it", as they described the event. Others said, "the light came on." They saw the fundamental logic and sense underlying each lean factory even though each facility assembled pieces of Toyota's productivity methods and policies into its own unique manufacturing system. Interestingly, each member of the visit team became a passionate believer of lean manufacturing. The greatest skeptics became the most outspoken advocates. They called it "getting religion."

People who successfully implement lean manufacturing must be strong believers and must have a personal mental model of lean that functions at the level of a craft - a creative skill for assembling productivity methods and policies into powerfully efficient manufacturing machines. As the great Japanese coaches from Toyota teach Westerners, there is no cookbook, lean is a way of thinking.

The literature on lean production is disappointing. Lean manufacturing books tend to be long dreary laundry lists of productivity methods and technical techniques for quality. There is little available that gives insight into how the great master craftsmen and craftswomen put together marvelous lean machines of production - until now.

This book by Richard McCormack finally brings us face to face with the creative processes of great designers of production systems. Imagine yourself as a novice artist sitting down for a conversation with Auguste Renoir, Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec or Michelangelo. That is what McCormack brings us in this book - chats with the virtuosos of lean production. Forget those paint-by-numbers books. Either go see the real thing or read "Lean Machines".

Virtuosos of Lean Production.......2002-09-15

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