Smooth in Meetings

Book Description

A management shake-up blindsides Ward Wittman, a highly political divsional CEO at a high-tech company. Now, Ward has to prove his loyalty and effectiveness to a tough new boss, as corporate adversaries snipe at him and a fading product-line threatens his record of growing quarterly profits. Compounding this stress is Ward's bittersweet personal life, which features a gifted daughter and troubled son in an elite school and an ambitious wife who is lifting the family to social prominence. Feeling entitled, Ward risks a brief office liaison, expecting a sexy haven, free from the demands of his family and the pressures of his career. In telling this story, Ward limns his strategy for corporate and personal survival. For Ward, the indispensable skill is to be smooth in meetings.

Customer Reviews:

Corporate Anthropology (3.5 *s).......2007-05-29

This book is far more one of corporate anthropology and psychology than it is a novel. The author examines in elaborate detail the behavior and appearance of execs and their subordinates. Details of dress, grooming, posture, gestures, voice, words chosen though often coded, order of speaking, props, protocols, etc are all carefully examined. In the corporate world detailed by the author, it is absolutely essential that image and persona be in step with position; missteps will immediately alert both superiors and others that one is not worthy to be part of the club.

The setting for the story is TriTech, a manufacturer of computer related items, which is struggling to maintain market share. The narrator is Ward Wittman, the head of a division at TriTech, who uses every bit of his understanding of corporate behavior to maintain his position. Those requirements of managing his image extend to his broader social life involving his family with a social-climbing wife and two prep-school teenagers.

The book consists of a series of loosely connected scenes seen through the eyes of Ward ranging from the CEO's office, Ward's office, a well-heeled customer's suite of offices, a socialite's party, his daughter's tennis and soccer matches, to even a hotel room where Ward has several trysts with his secretary. In all of these, the need to read the other person and adjust suitable responses predominates.

The book certainly does not have the story line and depth of a great novel, or even a good one for that matter. Character development is minimal beyond descriptions of self-serving behavior. The constant interpretation and descriptions of behavior does get tedious in spots. How many times does the crossing of one leg over another accompanied by a count of foot shakes have to be repeated? However, the book is interesting in its clinical look at corporate culture. It is probably not far off the mark in its depictions of the personal mechanizations required in the corporate world.

Will the golden boy slide home safely?? Turn the page & see.......2004-07-01

Ethan Cooper's "Smooth In Meetings" is a stylish, fast-paced narrative with distinctively strong characterizations that engage and challenge the reader, all the while pushing that oft-searched-for button that turns pages. Our protagonist, Ward Wittman, finds himself waist-deep in boardroom intrigue after a shakeup at his company leaves some executives by the wayside and those left on board scrambling for position.

One of the most compelling elements of Mr. Cooper's polished storytelling is his use of highly charged descriptions of sporting events to either embellish or mirror the action. Two prime examples are a domestic argument between Ward and his wife that is played out on the sidelines of a girls' soccer match and the vivid recounting of a Thanksgiving Day football game Ward uses to avoid answering probing questions from his son about a mysterious woman from Ward's past. Also key to propelling this story are the incisive descriptions, lavish detail and careful diction Mr. Cooper has labored over so as to fully bring to life the world of office politics, meeting room hierarchies, and verbal chess matches whose stakes are sometimes as high as one's life.

The material may not be for every taste, but those looking for a mature, clear-eyed view of contemporary palace intrigue (without the iambic pentameter) will have found their perfect getaway book with Ethan Cooper's "Smooth In Meetings".

A guy with everything who craves more!.......2004-06-15

This novel tells the story of a rising star in business who sees others as tools to achieve his own ends. He seems to have an instinct for using other people to achieve his goals whether in the office or in the bedroom.

If you want insight into the character of corporate chieftains in the tabloids today, here is a chance to see one grow up in his natural habitat.

A fascinating psychological drama, beautifully written with rich detail!

Does one really know thyself?.......2004-03-23

Author Ethan Allen in 'Smooth in Meetings' again has delved into the corporate mind and the executive persona. In this excellent work, the reader is introduced into the machinations of modern manufacturing and provided a rare insight into the scheming mind of an industry leader. Ward Wittman believes he's skillful in the corporate environment, always on guard to do the right thing, speak the correct language, and exhibit the proper demeanor. That's important to him. Image is what it's all about.

But while he's been a success in business, he's less of a success at home with his dysfunctional family. And, as a social climber, he's not adept, but must rely on his wife to lead the way.

Smooth in Meetings is a powerful display of how one can be so on top of a situation and in charge in the business world, yet, so out of sync when trying to apply some of the same principles to a social situation or family matter. It's a good read, fast-paced, and recommended as a study into at least one corporate mind.

A Man for these times.......2004-03-17

Ethan Cooper has created another enthralling book about life in the corporate world. In a time when everyone wants to be the next Donald Trump, but only one survives being fired, it is fair to ask what happens to those who don't quite reach the top. Ward Wittman, Cooper's protagonist in "Smooth in Meetings," gives the reader at least a partial answer to that question.
Ward faces pressures of office politics from bosses, from his equals on the corporate ladder, and even from underlings. He knows how to manipulate through these pressures, down to the most minute gesture or inflection. He is a motivated leader who has achieved his goals for his company. Despite this, his real success at his level results more because he is smooth in meetings.
He tries with less success to use the same tactics in his personal life. His persuasiveness is less effective outside the corporate structure and we see his struggles with his family and his occasional mistress.
Is Ward a hero? I didn't think so, but he is a man for these times. Though he knows the intricacies of the boardroom, he really doesn't know people outside these confines.The tale of Ward Wittman gives an unsettling look at the people who run American business.
I was gripped by Ward's tale from the very beginning. This is a compelling and well-written book. I recommend this book to any reader looking to be entertained, but especially to those interested in the inner workings of business.

Smooth talk on the disruptive mobile video market: the trajectory of products sometimes goes backward, before going forward.(Cover Story): An article from: Advanced Imaging

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Smooth talk on the disruptive mobile video market: the trajectory of products sometimes goes backward, before going forward.(Cover Story): An article from: Advanced Imaging
Hank Russell
Manufacturer: Cygnus Business Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B000ALS6FK
Release Date: 2005-07-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Advanced Imaging, published by Cygnus Business Media on May 1, 2005. The length of the article is 2455 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Smooth talk on the disruptive mobile video market: the trajectory of products sometimes goes backward, before going forward.(Cover Story)
Author: Hank Russell
Publication: Advanced Imaging (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2005
Publisher: Cygnus Business Media
Volume: 20 Issue: 5 Page: 12(3)

Article Type: Cover Story

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Uniform Practices Smooth Competition.(Brief Article): An article from: Energy

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Uniform Practices Smooth Competition.(Brief Article): An article from: Energy

Manufacturer: Business Communications Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008HETIE
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Energy, published by Business Communications Company, Inc. on June 22, 2000. The length of the article is 429 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Uniform Practices Smooth Competition.(Brief Article)
Publication: Energy (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2000
Publisher: Business Communications Company, Inc.
Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Page: 23

Article Type: Brief Article

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Book Description

Corporate Governance in the US and Europe provides a comprehensive and concise overview of the most recent developments in corporate governance. It is based on a recent joint conference arranged by New York University and the London School of Economics, which brought together eminent academics and practitioners, including Michael Jensen in Finance and Martin Lipton in Law, to discuss the stock market boom-and-bust, and the recent corporate scandals. The book is aimed at practitioners, policy makers and academics who have to deal with corporate governance.

Book Description

After your casebook, "Casenotes" will be your most important reference source for the entire semester. It is the most popular legal briefs series available, with over 140 titles, and is relied on by thousands of students for its expert case summaries, comprehensive analysis of concurrences and dissents, as well as of the majority opinion in the briefs.

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The Torts Process
James A. Henderson , Richard N. Pearson , and John A. Siliciano
Manufacturer: Aspen Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0735527091

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Teacher's Manual The Torts Process
Jr. James A. Henderson , Richard N. Pearson , Douglas A. Kysar , and John A. Siliciano
Manufacturer: Aspen Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0735563535

Product Description

Seventh edition, 291 pages

Book Description

This book is an excellent exposition of the basic models covered in ecology. Each chapter provides full explanations of the derivation, dynamics, and implications of each model with problems and simulation exercises that illustrate the issues. The Populus software is an excellent tool for illustrating quantitative concepts in a non-threatening way to help readers develop an intuitive connection between model behavior and the equations. Integrates simple mathematics into the flow of ecological ideas. Covers demography, population growth, Lotka-Volterra competition, diseases, and more. Ideal for readers interested in ecology, evolution and population genetics.

Book Description

The Feynman Lectures on Gravitation are based on notes prepared during a course on gravitational physics that Richard Feynman taught at Caltech during the 1962-63 academic year. For several years prior to these lectures, Feynman thought long and hard about the fundamental problems in gravitational physics, yet he published very little. These lectures represent a useful record of his viewpoints and some of his insights into gravity and its application to cosmology, superstars, wormholes, and gravitational waves at that particular time. The lectures also contain a number of fascinating digressions and asides on the foundations of physics and other issues. Characteristically, Feynman took an untraditional non-geometric approach to gravitation and general relativity based on the underlying quantum aspects of gravity. Hence, these lectures contain a unique pedagogical account of the development of Einstein's general theory of relativity as the inevitable result of the demand for a self-consistent theory of a massless spin-2 field (the graviton) coupled to the energy-momentum tensor of matter. This approach also demonstrates the intimate and fundamental connection between gauge invariance and the principle of equivalence.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2000-04-14

This is a wonderful book which shows how a classical field theory like General Relativity can be derived from a quantum field theory. It also points out the extreme difficulty of accomplishing this in the case of gravity and ending up with a consistent, anomaly free theory.

Readers of this book will benefit from familiarity with both quantum field theory and relativity as well as a certain amount of mathematical sophistication. Don't be fooled by the similarity of title to other "Feynman Lectures on..." because this book is based on an upper level graduate physics course and assumes the background of a typical PhD student in physics.

Deep, complex and difficult going but well worth the effort to see the elegance of the connection between General Relativity and QFT.

General relativity as a quantum gauge field theory........1999-02-06

Feynman gave a series of lectures on gravitation at a graduate seminar at Caltech in 1962. The lectures were recorded and transcribed by Morinigo and Wagner. A very readable introduction on quantum gravity was added by the editor, Brian Hatfield (whose book on quantum field theory and strings, I also recommend.) This is the only book I've seen which develops GR from a quantum field theory point of view. Feynman's lectures show that the GR field equations result from the requirement of gauge invariance under Lorentz transformations for a massless spin-2 field (i.e graviton). This is a more fundamental approach than the usual differential geometric framework and shows what the equivalence principle really means in terms of fundamental symmetries. Highly recommended for a modern field theory viewpoint of GR.

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Feynman Lectures on Gravitation
Richard P. Feynman
Manufacturer: Sci Tech Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KYI85U

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Feynman Lectures on Gravitation
Richard. Edited by Brian Hatfield Feynman
Manufacturer: Addison
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PGJDTS

The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 13, Feynman on Fields

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The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 13, Feynman on Fields
Richard P. Feynman
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B00094OCRE

The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 20, The Very Best Lectures

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The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 20, The Very Best Lectures
Richard P. Feynman
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0009FJKPM

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Lectures on gravitation, 1962-63
Richard Phillips Feynman
Manufacturer: California Institute of Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006WM1U4

Book Description

There are few American families that feature such a collection of characters, both heroic and ignoble, who have made such a mark on history as the Lees. In The Lees of Virginia, Paul Nagel chronicles seven generations of Lees, covering over two hundred years of accolades and scandals. We meet Thomas Lee, who dreamed of America as a continental empire, and his son, Arthur Lee, who created a political storm with his accusations against Benjamin Franklin. Arthur's cousin was Light-Horse Harry Lee, a controversial cavalry officer in the Revolutionary War, whose wild real estate speculation led to imprisonment for debt and finally self-exile in the Caribbean. One of Harry's sons, Henry Lee, further disgraced the family by seducing his sister-in-law and frittering away Stratford, the Lees' ancestral home. It was a third son, Robert E. Lee, who would become the family's redeeming figure, a brilliant tactician still revered for his lofty character and military success. In these and numerous other portraits, Nagel discloses how, from 1640 to 1870, a family spirit united the Lees, making them a force in Virginian and American affairs. This Bicentennial Edition, celebrating the birth of Robert E. Lee in 1807, features a new Preface by the author in which he discusses the ways in which family biographies can contribute to the ongoing debate about what constitutes "family values." Paul Nagel is a leading chronicler of families prominent in our history. His Descent from Glory, a masterful narrative account of four generations of Adamses, was hailed by Chicago Sun-Times as "a magnificent embarrassment of biographical riches." Now, in The Lees of Virginia, Nagel brings his skills to bear on another major American family, taking readers inside the great estates of the Old Dominion and the turbulent lives of the Lee men and women.

Customer Reviews:

Family History.......2007-02-11

I live on Leesylvania and bought the book to find out more about the family that owned that plantation. It is a successful family and a tragic family, but a family nonetheless. Debt, drugs, laziness, control, and the dead hand in passing legacies are a part of the story.

Deadbeats and success. That may be the history of all families. The book was worth reading.

I do not think that Robert E. Lee should be the saint that he has become. Some of his faults are disclosed, but all in all he is portrayed as a great hero. That is not my opinion of him. For example, others were at fault at Gettysburg. This is an age old controversy, but I think Lee himself answered the question when he said that it was "all my fault".

He is personally responsible for more deaths of Americans than practically anyone else in Amerincan history. Had he stayed true to the Union there would have been fewer deaths. Had he recognized the futility of the confederacy and refused to prolong the ordeal there would have been fewer deaths of Americans. He did neither.

But the book is not just about him. It is a good portayal of a family from generation to generation. I drive north on Highway 28 near Dulles from time to time. One can see the buildings of Sully off to the east. I will visit the estate as I was tempted to read this account.

History is biography.......2005-07-12

This book is a fascinating look at a famous and influential family in a time and place I happen to find among the most interesting in all American history: Virginia from its founding until 1870. Within a few decades of the founding of Jamestown in 1607, the first Lee arrived in the Tidewater. For the next three centuries, more or less, the Lees were at or near the center of Virginia's -- and later America's -- history. For readers familiar only with Robert E. Lee, it may come as a shock to realize just how important his family was before and during the Revolution. But even for those for whom that's not a surprise, Paul Nagel's work is still richly rewarding.

That's because "The Lees of Virginia" isn't really a composite biography of each individual member of the vast Lee family. Many of them do receive pretty thorough portraits, of course. But Nagel's main purpose is to chart the connections and relationships within the family, and to explore the influence of the family *as a* family.

In so doing, he paints a fascinating picture of how characteristics and traits passed from generation to generation -- and how, just as importantly, subsequent generations learned from, and tried to do things differently than, their forebears. Perhaps the most interesting contrast here is between the erratic and debt-ridden "Light-Horse Harry" Lee and his son Robert Edward. R.E. Lee, in this analysis, comes across, frankly, as something of a moralistic prig, and one who more or less chained his daughters to their invalid mother's bedside. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to say about someone, "Well, he came from a messed-up family." I have more appreciation for Robert E. Lee's greatness, as well as his human failings, for seeing that he, too, came from a messed-up family.

If I do have a complaint about this book, it might be that ending the narrative at R.E. Lee's death in 1870 seems a little arbitrary. Certainly, General Lee could be seen as the last truly great or influential member of the family. But as Nagel himself mentions, the General's sons and nephews continued to play relatively important roles in the history of Virginia, including service in Congress and as governor of the Commonwealth. Families wax and wane in their influence, as Nagel's book on the Adamses also proved. But I would have been willing to follow Nagel's reporting for another generation or two, just to see what happened.

That aside, though, this is a fine book about an interesting family in interesting times. There are several members of the family I hope to find out more about -- especially Francis Lightfoot Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose relatively reclusive personality -- at least as contrasted to his more attention-seeking brothers -- was especially intriguing to me. I've always thought one sign of a good book is how much it makes you want to explore related topics, and "The Lees of Virginia" delivers in that regard too.

A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Family.......2003-07-22

"The Lees" tells the story of a remarkable American family from its establishment in Virginia to General Robert E. Lee. It gives us a glimpse into their lives and the stages on which they played.

One theme which runs through the book was that this family had many failures. Although there were shining lights, such as Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee, the more typical Lee was R.E. Lee's father, Gen. Lighthorse Harry Lee, who squandered his wealth, spent time in debtor's prison and ended his life in flight from his creditors.

The two leading figures of the family are Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee.

Richard Henry was one of the leaders of the call for American Independence. As the sponsor of the Independence Resolution, he would have been a natural for the Committee to draft the Declaration. His opponents in the Virginia delegation blocked his appointment, insisting on the conservative Benjamin Harrison. Less conservative delegates blocked Harrison, with Thomas Jefferson being the compromise choice. Oh, how history could have been different! Richard Henry had a long and, on the balance, distinguished career during which he led the "Lee Party" consisting of himself, his brothers and other Lee relatives.

The coverage of Robert E. Lee amounts to a biography lite, with an emphasis on his involvement in family matters. There are better sources to learn about him.

Much of the book consists of quotations from letters and the provisions of wills of many people who would have never been mentioned in a book had they not been related to Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee. This makes portions of the book rather boring.

I picked up two ideas which emerged from this book. One is the tremendous importance of inheritance for the Lees. This may have been exaggerated because wills are documents which survive, but many people's destiny seems to have been dependent on the inheritance of a farm or a plantation. The other is that it seems that, but for a few government positions, few of them ever aspired to any job other than to manage their farms. This may reflect the nature of the economy and may also reflect the social limitations on their class.

Overall this book has some merit. One could read biographies of Richard Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee and forget the rest, but then the reader would miss the story of how this family worked together over the centuries. Make you own choice.

Amazing.......2000-05-30

This was a very enlightning book about the Lees history. Some very fascinating stories about the lees and their roots

The LEES Of VIRGINIA. Seven Generations of an American Family.

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The LEES Of VIRGINIA. Seven Generations of an American Family.
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYF3N2

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of American Family

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The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0786115858

The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly

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The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
W. Kirk Wood
Manufacturer: Mississippi State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Mississippi State University on March 22, 1993. The length of the article is 1063 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family. (book reviews)
Author: W. Kirk Wood
Publication: The Mississippi Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1993
Publisher: Mississippi State University
Volume: v46 Issue: n2 Page: p337(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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The Lees of Virginia : Seven Generations of an American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKEA3Y

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The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family
Paul C. Nagel
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK9QZQ

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