Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks: A Story of Global Success

Book Description

The story of the Zambelli family, the world's largest manufacturer and exhibitor of fireworks, unfolds in this biography about an Italian family that came to America in search of a better life and, through hard work and determination, achieved extraordinary success in the pyrotechnic industry. The Zambellis have been in charge of some of the largest and most prestigious firework displays and have contributed to more than 100 years of Fourth of July celebrations. The moving stories behind the family and their business are intertwined with information about how and where fireworks are made, what goes on behind the scenes at a fireworks show, and what bigger and brighter fireworks will ignite the future.

Customer Reviews:

World's Best Fireworks..........2006-07-03

Without a doubt, the Zambelli Fireworks are spectacular.

When I was young, we were disappointed if windows in nearby houses didn't blow out during the annual Mount Carmel show in a town near their factory.

Most years, the windows blew out.

A must read.

Boom boom boom boom!.......2006-01-03

Wow! What a treat this book is! It's a biography on the Zambelli family, a history and the how-to of fireworks, a cookbook of wonderful recipes for every holiday of the year, and the most colorful presentation of various fireworks show. Here in Louisville (Lawvil to y'all), the Zambellis do "Thunder over Louisville" and it makes your heart stop and mouth drop open. What a thrill! And what a thrill this book is, too. Great writing by Gianni Hayes.

Unbelievably DYNAMITE Book!.......2005-12-25

I loved everything about this book: From the family history to the manufacturing of fireworks, to how to display them, their history...right up to the recipes. I bought this for my wife for Christmas because of the recipes (yeah, sure), but it is a fantastic biography. The author did truly good job! The Zambelli family is incredible.

KABOOM!.......2005-11-27

This is more than a biography of a famous familyl it's a history of pyrotechnics which also explains the manufacturing and exhibiting of fireworks. It even has holiday recipes that correlate with fireworks. Well written. Interesting family.

Unique Biography.......2005-11-25

When you find a good book you need to treasure it. This one on the Zambelli family has to be first choice. I like how the author combined an extraordinary family's life with the history, techniques and manufacturing of fireworks. Everything is exceptional about this book, and the writing is enjoyable.

Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks: A Story of Global Success

Average customer rating:

Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks: A Story of Global Success
Gianni DeVincent Hayes
Manufacturer: Paul S. Eriksson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QYE146

Customer Reviews:

Very moving and inspiring.......2005-12-04

What a great read. I loved this book. I read it some time ago, but it's still fairly clear in my head. Monica wrote about life before and after her attack and how difficult it was to move on. It's very inspiring, because she looked fear in the face and overcame it. It's such a shame this even had to happen, because she never really got back to the top of her game. She could have been the best female ever ever ever to play the game, but that was taken away from her by a deranged moron. This book will capture you from start to finish. You'll shed tears for sad and happy reasons, and any sports fan should read it through. She's one tough cookie. I highly recommend this.

Good Story.......2004-08-06

I just got done reading this book and am really impressed. This books shows how much character, heart and love for the game Monica really has. It lets you into all the dark and happy times of her life, and helps you to realize that this girl really fought to be where she is.

Realy "A sickening read".......2004-02-14

I almost agree with the point "A sickening read".
After I read this book, I totally lost my respect to Seles, except sorrow and pity.
Is this what she wanted from the fans and readers? Just sorrow and hatred.

In this book, Seles expressed her hatred to Steffi, not in the sun but secretly and ironically. Should she hate Steffi that much? Did she ever in this book mention that the CUT just "HALF AN INCH", (ironically, I saw the details about the stabbing from the US newspaper) why did she ignore the fact, but exaggerate the mental trauma? I really could not understand. Did she mention that her shrink in Colorado always thought she should have come back to the court after 3 months after the stabbing, which is not 9 months or 27 months. What could she complain about her staying away from the court for such a long time? Just because WTA rejected her greed to freeze her No.1 ranking until she could return to the court? This is what she mentioned in this book. I guess this is the only reason she rejected to come back until 1995. But at the same time she expressed her discontentment, always appearing on shows, just because her rival Steffi always won the Grand Slams? She thought she could have won the same awards and got the same money if she had not got stabbed. However, winning GS and defending No.1 title will not depend on both imagination and blah, blah talking.

See what happened after this book published. After 1996 Australia Open title (just because Steffi missed that for personal reason), she could not get any GS tiltes any more. However, I always heard her noise in the past 10 years about if there had been no stabbing, she could have won ....blah, blah..... (her interviewing with the reporters). Is that the fact? Why was she always lost to Hingis, even eating double donuts? Why could not she beat Steffi even when Steffi had so many physical and mental problems from 1995 to 1999? Even in 1999 French Open? Whose fault?

This book is called "From Fear to Victory", it means she truly got victory, right?
So what else could she excuse for her lost in the past 10 years. Why was she still always indulged in the stupid stabbing, even just half an inch cut? Does that mean someday she will write another book, called "From Victory to Hell again"?

Is she a loser? I guess she knows it herself definitely.

a must read for all Monica's and tennis fans.......2003-02-20

I think Monica is the coolest tennis player of all time, with two fisted forehand and backhand, hitting the ball like cannon and always goes for the lines no matter she is leading or behind. From this book, you had a chance to know the other side of Monica. She is gracious, humane and always willing to give. She is just a great champion on and off the court. In contrast, you can also see the personalities of many top players. They are selfish and never showed symathy for Monica's tragedy . I learnt a lot from the book and understand why Monica was voted as the Sanex Hero of the year.

A sickening read.......2002-10-02

I`m sure no reader will rate this review as helpful - negative reviews are never appreciated. But this is a very boring read, and makes the stabbing out to be the only remarkable event in Seles` life. There is plenty of wallowing in selfpity. Understandable about the stabbing, but the objections to her grunting, deaths of people in her life and every other bridge she has ever crossed in her life are written in meticulous detail so the reader is left in no doubt about what a hard life Seles has had.

I used to like Monica Seles before I read this book, but this nauseating read made me think otherwise. It is deservedly out of print.

Average customer rating:
MONICA FROM FEAR TO VICTORY
MONICA SELES
Manufacturer: HARPER COLLINS TRADE DIVISION
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000KVANYM

Average customer rating:
Monica: From Fear to Victory
Monica Seles;Nancy Ann Richardson
Manufacturer: Harpercollins (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF0NPS

Book Description

Editor of People.com leads us through comedic depths and dramatic shallow of the great stage, screen and offstage scenes of envy, rage & revenge with full-color art and photos.

Customer Reviews:

Wild and Witth.......2001-12-16

A send-up of Hollywood by someone who knows and obviously loves movies. Great photos in it, too.

Book Description

On May 11, 2003, The New York Times devoted four pages of its Sunday paper to the deceptions of Jayson Blair, a mediocre former Times reporter who had made up stories, faked datelines, and plagiarized on a massive scale. The fallout from the Blair scandal rocked the Times to its core and revealed fault lines in a fractious newsroom that was already close to open revolt.

Staffers were furious–about the perception that management had given Blair more leeway because he was black, about the special treatment of favored correspondents, and most of all about the shoddy reporting that was infecting the most revered newspaper in the world. Within a month, Howell Raines, the imperious executive editor who had taken office less than a week before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001–and helped lead the paper to a record six Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of the attacks–had been forced out of his job.

Having gained unprecedented access to the reporters who conducted the Times’s internal investigation, top newsroom executives, and dozens of Times editors, former Newsweek senior writer Seth Mnookin lets us read all about it–the story behind the biggest journalistic scam of our era and the profound implications of the scandal for the rapidly changing world of American journalism.

It’s a true tale that reads like Greek drama, with the most revered of American institutions attempting to overcome the crippling effects of a leader’s blinding narcissism and a low-level reporter’s sociopathic deceptions. Hard News will shape how we understand and judge the media for years to come.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Hard Facts.......2006-08-10

Goes after the sacred cow, the New York Times. Put things in prospective of why and how news is reported. Also lets you into the inner circle of the mainstreet media and how it operates. Good education for the person who is not familiar on behind the scenes of news organizations.

A Journalism Junkie's Must Read! .......2005-10-18

Read it. It's a great book. Five stars.

Hard News has three parts (Before, Spring 2003, and After), and provides a good overview of the history of The Times, the workings of the newsroom, Blair's quick rise as a reporter, details of the Blair fiasco, and how the Times dealt with it.

Mnookin concludes the book with a thoughtful Note on Sources, more than 250 source notes, and a good bibliography.

If this is a topic you followed, or you are a journalsim junkie or a Times-ophile, this book is a must read.

Exciting Arc of a Tale.......2005-09-22

Hard News is about the brief and troubled reign of Howell Raines as executive editor at the New York Times. It is a powerful story and is ably suited for the book form with its sweeping arc of great success (winning six Pulitzers early) and then a great scandal followed by defeat and resignation in tight twenty-one period (although the author kindly expands this a little to give the reader context concerning life at the Times). The troubled writer Jayson Blair fits into this narrative but it is definately not his story. Besides being both gripping and informative, this is also a book for anyone who cares passionately about the concept of unbiased news, an idea that is sadly almost becoming quaint and old-fashioned in this new Fox-centric universe. This is also a story for those who actually care about the New York Times because despite its troubled period, the passionate people who work at this paper come out very well in this book. It is a book that is hard to put down, a tale told well by Seth Mnookin. Highly recommended.

A Now Familiar Tale Retold Well.......2005-09-05

"Hard News," Seth Mnookin's fascinating and well-researched account of the now-infamous Jayson Blair scandal that shook the foundations not only of the New York Times but also the way journalists do business, is a crisp read. The author is always objective, and his sourcing would seem to be impeccable. For the most part he uses sources who will speak on the record, and when they would not he claims to have verified what they've said with others. And source notes and a bibliography are provided.

In Mr. Mnookin's version, the story focuses on what happens to people who make wrong choices that they easily could have avoided--that is, if they were not the prisoners of their own ideology and life experiences. The account starts with the misguided notion of New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. that the head of the op-ed page, Howell Raines, a narcissistic, inflexible left-wing ideologue best known for his invective-laden editorials against, mostly, conservatives, but also Bill Clinton, could function as the newspaper's executive editor, in which position he would be in charge, not of a small group of like-minded ideologues, but of a newsroom with hundreds of employees of varying opinions and, of course, abilities.

Generalissimo Raines couldn't function in that job, and in the process of failing he managed to alienate most of the staff while turning the newspaper into the journalistic version of a banana republic, led of course by himself.

Then, the author moves on to the equally bizarre decision by Raines and his no. 2, managing editor Gerald Boyd, to send Jayson Blair out on big stories (the DC Sniper, Jessica Lynch). Blair, a dimestore sociopath, fantasist, and substance abuser, had already been warned by his direct supervisors about his job performance, but Raines and Boyd would eventually claim, improbably, not to know of this when the scandal broke.

And scandal there would be. Blair would repay their trust in him with plagiarism, after which he graduated to fabrication, and ended up writing stories with out-of-town datelines without ever having left the Times Building on West 43rd St. in New York. (In the process, as Mr. Mnookin outlines, he demonstrated creative uses for cell phones and photo archives.)

When Blair was exposed and forced to resign, the Times assembled a group of reporters and editors to investigate every story Blair had written, and the result was the sensational report that appeared in the paper one fateful Sunday in May 2003.

That report made the Times the butt of jokes, and within two months Raines and Boyd were fired; then, after a brief interregnum in which the previous executive editor, Joe Lelyveld, who Raines disdained, returned to pick up the shattered pieces, Sulzberger selected Bill Keller, who had been passed over in favor of Raines two years before. Keller moved rapidly to restore order and institute changes, among them the hiring of the Times's first public editor.

As for Mr. Sulzberger, he escaped unscathed--which is unsurprising: his family owns the New York Times Corp.

The book is compulsive reading. Even though the outcome is known, "Hard News" nevertheless has the feel of a police procedural. Maybe you'll start imagining who might be cast as the principals if (or should I say when) there's a movie made of this cautionary tale.

an insider peek.......2005-08-18

Yes, Hard News tells the story of the Jayson Blair scandal, but that's really not the most interesting part of the book. What's more interesting -- and more the point -- is getting to see inside the institution that defines East-Coast intelligentsia, scares politicians, and produces Sunday Styles. And what better time to peek behind the curtains than when the editorial staff is slinging mud and the paper is in shambles?

It's weirdly suspenseful, too, for a book whose ending you already know (hint: Blair made up sources). In the end, the book begs the question of whether the Times' handling of the crisis was a staff revolt against a tyrannical editor, an exercise journalistic navel-gazing, or a fight for the standards of media integrity. It's a pretty juicy read for a book that's also thought-provoking.

Book Description

Intelligence in the field of counter-terrorism is a different and, in many aspects, arduous and dangerous task. The lives of many agents are in continuous danger. The rules of the game are cruelas moral and ethical considerations are negated by the bullet. There is no honor between rivals on the streets of Beirut or Baghdadonly the most quickwitted survive. A modern spy must blend in, live among the enemy, speak the language, befriend, and exploit the enemy at very opportunity. They are required to be streetwise, rough, tough, and ruthless. The Spycraft Manual is a step-by-step instruction book on the tradecraft and skills that spies use. Each individual subject contains masses of fascinating, previously undisclosed information, all graphically illustrated with simple black and white line drawings. From the seven basic drills of agent contact to satellite surveillance, The Spycraft Manual is a perfect reference to the whole world of espionage. The techniques and strategies used by actual spiesmuch of it revealed for the first time! The first and only practical guide to reveal the secret tradecraft techniques used by spies today. Step-by-step illustrated instructions, riveting case history sidebars, and complete history and current uses of techniques.

Customer Reviews:

James Bond it ain't.......2006-10-15

I am writing this primarily as a counter to another poor review that expected more, and said that this was only for children and uninformed adults. How he decided that a real world example given in the book of a British operative seducing an Irish contact and having sex with her repeatedly to mine her for information on local IRA members, or an examination of using sexually compromising situations to recruit sources, or illustrations of how to seriously harm people and set booby traps is for kids is beyond me.

It's true that this is intended as a introductory work, but it is pretty much spot on. I've been trained in some of the methods described in this book and the portrayals are accurate, if a bit simple. There's a disclaimer early in the book warning that because of legal implications the author could only discuss things that already exist in the public sphere, and gives a bibliography of other private works as well as publically available military works for reference.

After reading this you will not be a secret agent able to HALO jump out of a Big Bird and infiltrate Damascus. You will, however, understand intellectually how it is done and might even have a leg up if you go to an agency or unit that does that kind of thing. This manual is good enough that when I was reading it in a cafe on a military base, (not a secret one) a Combat Diver NCO (read: special operator) in the US Army who happened by did a double take at the book and stopped to ask me about it.

For $15 or $20, it's a steal, unless you already know these kinds of things.

Sounds good on the web, but is lacking in person.......2005-12-04

I was quite excited about the premise of a well written guide book for tradecraft, but sadly I was dissappointed by the book in person. To me, it's more of book geared toward children and uninformed adults than any aspiring or practicing security professional. Alternatively, there are several books on the market that cover the same material in a much more indepths and professional manner. This book isn't that big, so you cant expect a full experience on all the topics. The surveillance section is only a few pages in length, while whole books have been written on the subject. Most of the book is a broad overview of several items and lack any real details that the book promises. There are several books similar to this that don't make you expect a full course in tradecraft like this one. In the end, its a good read for the inexperienced or those seeking a basic intro, but it definately is the bible of tradecraft that the description promises it to be.

Average customer rating:

A high-quality book, highly recommended.

Spycraft Espionage Handbook
Aeg
Manufacturer: Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1887953434

Book Description

SPYCRAFT is a role playing game set in a world of dark secrets and high espionage, where players become larger-than-life super spies poised to take on threats of global scale -power-mad dictators, eccentric billionaire industrialists and much more!

Fully d20 Compatible! Action-packed mechanics bring the feeling of the spy genre to vibrant life -using a system everyone knows.

The Only Espionage Role-Playing Game You'll Ever Need! Everything required to play any spy movie, television series or novel!

288 pages, stunning 2-color interior, chock-filled with great art, hard cover.

Customer Reviews:

A high-quality book, highly recommended........2003-01-21

First of all, the quality of this book is absolutely outstanding. The exterior is hard-bound, and very durable. The interior of this book is amazing, it's beautiful. All of the headings are lined in high-quality silver ink.

Now let's get to the actual game. It uses the Open Gaming License d20 system, which works surprisingly well with this game. Each agent has Action Dice, which can be used to augment rolls when in trouble. This represents the spark of a heroic character. The equipment section is superb. From pistols and sub-machine guns to assault rifles and machine guns, it's got everything (check out the Modern Arms/Equipment guide for more).

Overall, I can't stress enough how awesome this book is. The game system is great, the quality is superb, and the atmosphere is absolutely amazing.

Average customer rating:
Spycraft Gentlemen's Agreement (Spycraft RPG)
B.D. Flory
Manufacturer: Alderac
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N6WDAQ

Product Description

For years, wealth and power have been indelibly linked, and those with fortunes greater than some Third World countries have guided history with a confident hand. Back room deals and clandestine bargains have determined the fate of nations and the petty desires of a select and secretive elite have touched the lives of every man, woman, and child on the planet. Now, a decades-old gentleman's agreement and a dangerous game of brinksmanship threaten to plunge the world into ultimate disaster.

Average customer rating:

Spycraft Espionage Handbook
Aeg
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MU9WHA

Book Description

Market-Driven Strategy speaks directly to the needs of health care executives, physician leaders, directors of planning and marketing, clinical managers, and professionals throughout the health care industry who formulate and implement organizational strategy.

Filled with practical advice and up-to-date examples, this detailed playbook of strategies and planning pinpoints the breakdowns in the strategic planning process. It describes effective models, activities, and processes for identifying areas of past strategic failure and reveals concepts for ensuring future success. It also examines the key factors for sound and effective strategic decision making:

Payer assessment and position
Physician network assessment and position
Organizational and financial capabilities and performance
Merger and alliance positions
Getting and keeping customers
Action plan development
Market-Driven Strategy is a breakthrough resource that offers surefire techniques for building on the contributions of the entire organization to win more health care consumers and increase overall market share.
Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Overview.......1998-05-10
We recommend this book to clients of ours who serve on Boards of health care systems. McCracken provides an excellent overview of what is going on in health care delivery today, using up-to-date examples.
The author takes many of the current models of strategic thinking and shows how each model applies or does not apply in a health care environment. She lists the warning signs that something is wrong with the strategic planning---very helpful.
McCracken is well suited to author a book like this.
She has had marketing/strategy roles with urban health care teaching health care systems as well as more rural community hospitals. She thus understands both worlds.
Larry Stybel The Board of Directors' Resource Center
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