Audits of Providers of Health Care Services With Conforming Changes As of May 1, 1994 (012427)

Book Description

In order for training to be effective, it has to be based on the needs of both the organization and its employees. This book gives trainers the information and step-by-step instructions they need to determine the training requirements of everyone from newly hired, recently promoted, or just-transferred employees, to those who need training as a result of changes in operations, technology, or systems in the company. Dozens of reproducible forms -- all included on a CD-ROM -- as well as checklists, formulas, and interviewing guidelines help readers:

* Gather the information necessary to identify and prioritize training needs of individuals, departments, and groups * Analyze and report results * Translate organizational needs into specific training programs * Gain support from senior management

Customer Reviews:

Valuable Resource for Employers.......2003-03-09

Employers in all fields are challenged to find, develop, and retain top talent. Their people are their most valuable strategic resource, though many executives don't realize the importance of having highly competent people on their team. Too often employers allow themselves to be satisfied with less that adequate capacity.

As we have warned in our book, "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People," this decade will see the most severe shortage of skilled workers in history. A major strategic advantage in this highly competitive environment will be the opportunity for training and education. Workers, dedicated to managing their own careers, will be increasingly hungry for training to build their skills so they can stay marketable. Sharp employers will invest huge amounts of resources to enhance the capacity of current employees to avoid the need to spend heavily to recruit qualified people from the outside.

No longer can employers just throw training at employees, like spaghetti, watching to see how much sticks. Now the focus must be on understanding exactly what is needed-to meet the needs of the individual employees as well as the current and future needs of the employer. This book is filled with powerful information that will enable wise employers to accurately assess training needs to those needs can be met in whatever ways are appropriate.

Note: this book is very focused. Do not expect to wander into topics like how to convince the boss to pay for more training or how to use computer-based training to teach skills. The power of this book is the tight focus on assessing training needs and your organization's effectiveness in meeting those needs. Using the methodologies presented in easy-to-understand practical fashion, the reader will be able to avoid the course-of-the-week training mentality. No more stress training just because it's Tuesday. No more customer service training because it's a nice thing to do. Focus now on true needs that, once met well, will influence the organization's bottom line.

Using this book will enable you to evaluate the effectiveness of your training function, assess various tools to determine the prioritized needs of your constituencies, and how to apply the information gathered to design a training program that will make a real difference for the organization. Resources are tight, so the better you are able to assess before you act, the more efficient you will be.

The text is supported by graphics showing forms to use, checklists to follow, and a book design that makes even this thick a book comfortable to use. The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM with the forms and a step-by-step approach to this vital information gathering and assessment-before-implementation process.

While this book will be most useful for corporate training and human resource professionals, it will also be helpful for senior executives striving to understand the power of effective training. Owners of mid-sized and many smaller companies that don't have training directors will find this book to be a tool they can use to build and maintain a strong work team. Work methodically with this tool; take your time in reading and application. There's a lot here.

Roger Herman, Certified Management Consultant specializing in
workforce issues.

Good Book On The Subject.......2003-02-27

For many trainers or HR professionals out there, it can be difficult to discover what the organization's true training needs are. This book is designed to tell you exactly how to get the information you need to make the best decisions when determining what coursework to offer your employees. The book lays out, systematically, how determine how well your training department is meeting the needs of the organization and how to improve that.

My only complaints are that he gives you a copy of all the forms he shows in the book, but they are all mashed together in one long pdf format, which makes it harder to work with individual documents. In addition, the writing style can be slightly dry and confusing from time to time.

That said, I would still recommend the book for all training professionals looking to do need analysis.

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Use a collaborative process for conflict resolution, instead of a costly legal battle

A Solid Effort!

Conflict Resolution: A wonderfully Simple Approach

Don't buy this book!

Oustanding for couples, families, businesses, lawyers.

Getting to Resolution: Turning Conflict Into Collaboration
Stewart Levine
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Eight Essential Steps to Conflict Resolution

ASIN: 1576751155

Book Description

What is the greatest impediment to productive and satisfying business and personal relationships? According to empowerment guru Stewart Levine, it's inadequate conflict resolution. Levine's seven-step model integrates two skills essential for success -- collaboration and conflict resolution -- and emphasizes the importance of a shift in attitude, assumptions, and approaches when facing a problem.

Customer Reviews:

Use a collaborative process for conflict resolution, instead of a costly legal battle.......2006-02-16

Stewart Levine, lawyer and management consultant, has a unique view on resolving conflict. He spent 12 years settling conflict in court, and has spent the last 19 years teaching business people a less costly, more collaborative way to resolve conflict. Conflict is unavoidable, says Levine, but learning to deal with it in a more productive way is not. In Getting To Resolution, Levine has outlined a step-by-step plan for turning conflict into collaboration.

· Get in the right frame of mind. The first essential step to resolving conflict is to want to resolve it. Open up and be truthful. You must commit to and invest yourself in the process.
· Stop thinking of conflict as a win/lose proposition. Arguing over who's right often does not lead to a resolution that anyone wants. When you are committed to collaboration, you will disarm those who are committed to a fight. Focus on what the conflict is costing everyone and what everyone can gain from a resolution.
· Tell your story and listen to the story of the other side. Resolution arises from sharing information, while conflict arises from withholding it.
· Test out your preliminary vision about how the conflict can be resolved. As you get more information, check to make sure that your vision meets the concerns of all the parties involved.
· Get current and complete information on the issues. You must be up-to-date in order to move forward with a resolution.
· Reach an agreement in principle. Come to a broad understanding of what the resolution will be.
· Create a template for agreement including the following elements: Intent, specific vision, roles, commitments to action, timeline, measurements of satisfaction, concerns and fears, renegotiation, dissolution, consequences, dispute resolution, and management of the process.

A Solid Effort!.......2001-03-20

Reluctant attorney, Stewart Levine, provides a rational framework to justify spending his life avoiding conflict and confrontation. Even in the business world, he takes a pass on legal action and other logical ways of fighting back in a conflict. Instead, when opinions differ and arguments flourish, he seeks a higher course of reconciliation and collaboration. His seven-step resolution process saves time and money, launders egos, and advances clarity. Although each chapter is summed up almost too tidily in a final paragraph, or even a final sentence, Levine does not stint. In each chapter, he shares real world examples from his life and career. We at getAbstract recommend this book to anyone who wants to rationalize a business deal based solely on trust, to anyone searching for a deal-making scenario where lawyers are not invited, and to people who are looking for the words to express their desire to just get along.

Conflict Resolution: A wonderfully Simple Approach.......2000-12-02

One of the wisest sayings in history said that 'one will never know true happiness unless they have experienced true sorrow.' It is this idea that drives our lives, that keeps it interesting and worth living. Conflict is what makes the joys in life so beautiful, but it is also one of the most misunderstood facts of human existence. Conflict is not bound by negative or positive. Conflict is the act of "engagement, learning, creativity and the opportunity for creative value," (xiii) according to Stewart Levine.

It is he who wrote Getting to Resolution: Turning Conflict into Collaboration. It is this book that we will now consider. From its definition of conflict to its detailed process on how to turn conflict into collaboration, Stewart Levine simply presents what role conflict should play in each of our lives.

Stewart Levine defines conflict as a process of creation and discovery. He criticizes many sects including law, government and other business groups that view a good resolution to conflict as being one sided. Levine argues that a true resolution has not been reached until both sides are satisfied. That is why he has developed a 7-Step model for conflict resolution. It goes as follows:

1. The attitude of resolution

2. Telling your story

3. Listening for a preliminary vision of resolution

4. Getting current and complete

5. Reaching agreement in principle

6. Crafting the new agreement

7. Resolution

Levine states his points very eloquently and simply, which is his greatest strength. He eliminates a lot of the corporate jargon and disciplined mumbo-jumbo from his rhetoric, which simply leaves the meat of the subject - how to resolve conflict. Levine begins his text by showing the costs of conflict, both physical and intangible. He points out that time wasted in conflict can cost a company or organization thousands, whereas a quick and efficient resolution can move an organization forward at an even greater rate. He then presents a model on how resolution is attained and ten principles necessary to finding that resolution. They include such traits as creativity, vulnerability and responsibility.

Later in the book, Levine even presents a short section on where to go to find assistance in resolving conflict. He discusses the law community, not specifically but in a broad sense that shows what could happen in a court setting, arbitration or a mini-trial. Levine also discusses the attributes of an arbitrator or resolutionary as he calls it.

All of his definitions and processes make a considerable amount of sense and could be easily applied to every day conflict. Whether in the home or workplace, these processes should be strictly adhered to. When you consider the seven steps above, one can see the obvious need for each. Firstly attitude. One must be in the right mindset in order to seek resolution. Then you must tell your story - frankly and unbiasedly. Next you must listen to the other side and consider possible points of resolution in what you both said. The fourth step would be to clarify your understanding, or becoming current and complete as Levine puts it. Then you reach a preliminary agreement, then solidify it and finally implement the resolution. It is simple and if done efficiently, could take but moments to work through. Levine should be congratulated for his work with this book. Its simplicity and frankness made it extremely enjoyable and with little time to spare, it was nice to take up a book that read so quickly. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking a more definite way to find resolution in all the conflicts of life. Ultimately, finding that resolution will make your life more gratifying and complete.

Don't buy this book!.......1999-08-02

The books "Getting to yes" and "Getting past no" gave me hope that I could take steps toward an agreement with my daughter's mother, instead of mearly waiting for the lawyers to work toward an agreement or waiting for time to heal the wounds we both inflicted on each other.

When I read reviews for this book, it seemed like maybe I could also get some more ideas of how to resolve our conflict, and this book seemed to be pointed more at a conflict such as mine instead of the business and international conflicts addressed in "Getting to Yes" and "Getting past no". So, I got it and discovered that the above two books seem to give a better road map toward resolution.

I suggest not buying this book, but buying the other two that I mentioned. THEN, if you have $15 to throw away, buy this book.

Oustanding for couples, families, businesses, lawyers........1999-04-03

Having worked for 475+ lawyers in 3 states and the District of Columbia, I've seen the critical need for the insights in this book.

Too often, people with disputes want to place blame or take revenge rather than find a way to be whole again. Particularly during my tenure as a paralegal in family law, I saw how the legal system fanned the flames of pain and frutration. This wasn't just a waste of time and money -- it made the pain worse.

Stewart begins by having people tell their stories, then grieve, create an attitude of resolution, and work from a vision of healing. It's powerful, but it's also practical.

I're recently recommended the book to family therapists because it lays out practical methods for dealing with disputes among parents and teens. I cannot recomend this book too highly. Now I would like to see more. When is the sequal coming out?

Pat Sullivan, president, Visionary Resources, Oakland, CA.

Book Description

Gamma-ray astronomy began in the mid-1960s with balloon satellite, and, at very high photon energies, also with ground-based instruments. However, the most significant progress was made in the last decade of the 20th century, when the tree satellite missions SIGMA, Compton, and Beppo-Sax gave a completely new picture of our Universe and made gamma-ray astronomy an integral part of astronomical research. This book, written by well-known experts, gives the first comprehensive presentation of this field of research, addressing both graduate students and researchers. Gamma-ray astronomy helps us to understand the most energetic processes and the most violent events in the Universe. After describing cosmic gamma-ray production and absorption, the instrumentation used in gamma-ray astronomy is explained. The main part of the book deals with astronomical results, including the somewhat surprising result that the gamma-ray sky is continuously changing.

26th International Cosmic Ray Conference: ICRC XXVI, Invited Rapporteur, and Highlight Papers, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 17-25 August 1999 (AIP Conference Proceedings / Astronomy and Astrophysics)

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26th International Cosmic Ray Conference: ICRC XXVI, Invited Rapporteur, and Highlight Papers, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 17-25 August 1999 (AIP Conference Proceedings / Astronomy and Astrophysics)

Manufacturer: American Institute of Physics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The 26th International Cosmic Ray Conference was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from August 17-25, 1999 with over 800 attendees. This book contains the invited, rapporteur, and highlight papers. These papers summarize the most exciting new results in the field of cosmic ray physics and detail their importance to the larger fields of astrophysics and high energy physics. Some of the topics included are cosmic rays, solar physics, high energy particles, neutrinos, gamma rays, astroparticle physics, cosmology, and experimental techniques.

Astrophysical Sources of High Energy Particles and Radiation (AIP Conference Proceedings / Astronomy and Astrophysics)

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Astrophysical Sources of High Energy Particles and Radiation (AIP Conference Proceedings / Astronomy and Astrophysics)

Manufacturer: American Institute of Physics
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ASIN: 0735402906

Book Description

The main purpose of this conference was to present an overview of the current state of research in the area of high energy astrophysics. In particular, the mechanisms of particle acceleration, generation of high energy radiation, and polarization properties of such emission were discussed. A broad range of compact and diffuse sources, ranging from stellar to extragalactic objects are covered.

Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy and Atomic Physics: 7-11 August 1989 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)

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Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy and Atomic Physics: 7-11 August 1989 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)
Charles J. Hailey
Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy III (Proceedings of S P I E)

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Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy III (Proceedings of S P I E)

Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0819409162

Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy IV (Proceedings of S.P.I.E., Vol 2006)

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Euv X Ray and Gamma Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy IV (Proceedings of S.P.I.E., Vol 2006)

Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0819412554

Euv, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VI: 12-14 July 1995 San Diego, California

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Euv, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VI: 12-14 July 1995 San Diego, California

Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0819418773

Euv, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII (Euv, X-Ray, & Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII)

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Euv, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII (Euv, X-Ray, & Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII)

Manufacturer: SPIE-International Society for Optical Engine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Euv, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy II: 24-26 July, 1991 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)

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Euv, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy II: 24-26 July, 1991 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)
Oswald H. W. Siegmund , and Richard E. Rothschild
Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0819406775

Euv, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy V: 27-28 July 1994 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)

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Euv, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy V: 27-28 July 1994 San Diego, California (Proceedings of S P I E)
Oswald H. W. Siegmund
Manufacturer: Society of Photo Optical
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ASIN: 0819416045

Book Description

This review shows that the measurement of viscoelastic properties is a powerful tool in the study of thermoreversible gels. Although many conclusions may be drawn about network development and its structure, it is also shown that the use of additional techniques (e.g. small angle S-ray and neutron scattering techniques and optical rotation) and the combination with thermodynamics and network models, widens the insight in the crosslinking process and the gel structure temendously. A general Introduction is followed by eight Chapters concerning synthetic polymers (PVC, PVAL, PMMA, PS, PAN, PE, ABA blockcopolymers and LCP's) and four Chapters concerning biopolymers (gelatin, agarose, carrageenans and gellan gum).

Book Description

Just 12,000 years ago - at the height of the last Ice Age - saber-toothed tigers, giant ground sloths, camels, hippos and the great herds of proboscideans: giant mastodons and mammoths, extinct relatives of the elephant, roamed the land where skyscrapers now stand. Why are these splendid creatures no longer with us? This compelling book explores the reasons for these extinctions and provides a tour of mass extinctions throughout earth's history, including the great comet crash that killed off the dinosaurs. Brilliantly written, The Call of Distant Mammoths is an engaging exploration of the history of life and the importance of humanity as an evolutionary force.

Customer Reviews:

I Bet Al Gore read this book to: Complete Fantasy.......2007-07-10

Ok, I Will just give my thought on this book because anyone who understands Science and God will know this book is crap! Just like how the Government is trying to scare the world into Global Warming Terror
(REMEMBER Y2K) To profit themsleves. We may have Global warming but anyone who has studied the history of the Ice Ages (humans didn't pollute in the mammoth days)and has also studied the melting ice caps on mars will realize that Global warming is far from being man made. We may have contributed to it, but we didn't cause it. Global warming is a cycle the earth goes through. We have been blessed the last few years with climate stability, but we live in an unstable world that does change. We are the generation that will see that change and the upcoming cycle occur.

Don't listen to eveything Mr,Gore and these unresearched books try to teach you. Listen to God and learn your facts.

If you wanna know what killed the Mammoths-->read up on Noahs Flood and really study it hard. Also read the Book of Job and Enoch--->Then apply some Science knowledge to it and you will have your answer to what killed the Mammoths

Fine fairy tale but scientific rubbish.......2005-03-21

What a disppointment. The author, a geologist, falls flat in this book. He strays into areas of expertise with grand claims and zero proof. He does not refer to his ideas as theories but as fact. Aside from the joy ride around good questions, the book is filled with extreme political correctness... Why are SUV's, Republicans, and present day humans always the ones that are to blame for extinctions that happened thousands of years ago (now you get an idea of what light that this book was written in). Pure rubbish as a science book. Great for "politically correctness" fans.

Zero Stars
.......2003-03-08

It remains mysterious that humans are held to be the cause of any kind of phenomenon that is otherwise unexplainable within a uniformitarian framework. The mammoths went extinct precisely where they'd have had no food supply to build their population to such high levels, nor indeed to support so much as a herd.

In other words, they didn't go extinct because of conditions that exist today, but they did go extinct due to natural conditions. And not due to fictional bands of ravenous human hunters.

This book should appeal to the knee-jerk reactionaries who sanctimoniously hand down judgments about the lifestyles of the rest of us. This book is worth less than fossilized mammoth dung.

Ward nailed it!.......2002-04-17

Some truths are self-evident. That human beings are likely responsible for the mass extinctions of the Pleistocene megafauna is one of these truths. That we are still in the process of exterminating the remnants of the Pleistocene megafauna is another of these truths.

Mr. Ward, in addition to being a fine scholar, is also a very talented writer who adds a generous touch of humanity to what could have been a very dry and intellectual read. I highly recommend this book. It's eye-opening, sometimes frightening, but largely on target. All in all, it's the best book on the disappearance of our era's megafauna since Leakey's THE FIFTH EXTINCTION, and the two books will share shelf space in my office.

The real elephant graveyards.............2001-08-07

The extinction of ice age mammals and other megafauna is not just a periphereral topic. It is important because, as Mr Ward duly points out, in a sense WE are Ice age megafauna. The mammoths and mastodons and their extinctions are particularly interesting, not just from their romantic appeal, but because they are indeed representative of much that we can learn about what happened to other megafauna at the same time, and indeed about ourselves. A selection of both the probiscideans (elephant line) and hominids wandered out of Africa during the last few million years. Both hominids and the various probiscideans are large and adaptable to varying environmental conditions, including ice ages. Both seem wanderers by nature. Both are intelligent and social animals. Both have few natural predators. Both were very successful during climatic change, including the Ice Ages. Emphasis on WERE. What happened to the mammoths, and other megafauna? This book seeks to answer such a question- the causes, and moreover, the lessons we can learn from this about our own selves.

Their extinction is not simple. Overhunting by humans is considered the most likely and significant cause, although there may well have been other contributing factors. Mr Ward contends that the end of the last ice age(s) created stress for mammoths and some other megafaunal species, which humans were then able to push over the edge through overhunting. It is true to say that without humans, they never would have gone extinct, as they survived many other climatic changes. However, the stress that was created by these climatic changes reduced their natural 'immunity' to such predators as humans in the first place, making it easier for humans to drive them to extinction. Basically, we kick other species when they are down.

There are interesting discussions on wave front (killings), species threshhold and the like, stress, environmental change, elephant-and by correlation-suspected aspects of mammoth behaviour and nature, including gestation, rate of birth, mortality and its causes, and so on. Studies on modern elephants help us gain insight into what the mammoths might have been like, and so this book is also a good read for those who are interested in elephants in general. Some snippets include how elephants increase birth rates under stress, neglect their young in times of drought, the problems of poaching, their eating habits, and why they survived in Africa (they are already extinct in the wild in India).

The basic thrust of the book concerns the debate between overhunting and the Clovis hunters which are suspected to account for their demise, and environmental causes. There are also some discussions on the extinction of other Ice age megafauna such as the diprotodon of Australia-a very large extinct elephant-like marsupial herbivore (there is a skeleton in the Coonabarabran Information Centre in NSW, Australia, recently found, which I have seen, with what looks like a spear point in its ribs), and others. There are overviews from various studies on Quaternary extinctions in general, throughout the world, although Mr Ward focuses primarily on mammoths.

It is a very readable and entertaining book, neither long-winded nor self-congratulatory. However one criticism is that perhaps Mr Ward could have discussed other megafauna in more detail, especially in places like Madagascar, New Zealand and Australia. He does mention these places and their extinct megafauna, but only really in passing. (There isn't much on Australia Mr Ward!). But of course the book is about *mammoths*, I suppose.

The book is quite readable, entertaining, and anything but dry. And I also think it gets better as it goes along, towards the end he introduces some interesting possible twists to the tale of mammoth extinction, and about ourselves, but you will have to read them yourself. Suffice to say those ice ages we have come through may have had more influence on human prehistory than we have formerly given credit.

It really is an excellent book which thoroughly deserves more circulation, full of rare insights and romance. For science enthusiasts, animal and murder mystery lovers, put it on your shelf. I doubt you will regret it.

Book Description

All papers were peer-reviewed. The main goal of this conference is to combine the theories of statistical physics and random graph with the fundamental principles that govern the structure, function, and evolution of biological networks and modules. Applications to the Internet and WWW are also considered. In this proceedings, the reader will find an overview of the state-of-the-art of the new and fast growing field of complex networks.

Book Description

The next page-turning installment in the phantom-detective mystery series that has won the hearts of cozy mystery fans everywhere

Feeling a touch world-weary, Lori Shepherd decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she can spread a little good cheer. There she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary with no family, except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared. But after only a few visits, Miss Beacham suddenly passes away, leaving Lori to tie up the loose ends of her late friend's life. Lori soon discovers that hidden among Miss Beacham's belongings are clues that Lori believes her friend left for her to discover. Armed with the generous help of a handsome neighbor and, as always, Aunt Dimity's supernatural skills, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham's secrets and, ultimately, the surprising truth about her next of kin.

“Atherton's series is for those who like the puzzle of a mystery minus the corpses. . . . Put on the teakettle and enjoy.” —Rocky Mountain News
“A charming mystery, filled with warmth and affection.” —Deadly Pleasures

Customer Reviews:

There is hope for the world.......2006-09-17

I like the description of the Aunt Dimity mysteries as "Nancy Drew for grown-ups." If you are feeling down and discouraged, grab an Aunt Dimity story, a plate of cookies, and pot of tea for an afternoon. No four-letter words, no sex, and good always triumphs over petty in these books. My only criticism is that Lori is especially obnoxious in Next of Kin (she always is but seems more belligerent, judgmental, and inflexible here). Her moral reclamation is that much more dramatic after her childishness, so it's easy to forgive Atherton's portrayal.

Whimsical Endearing Gentle.......2006-06-02

I bought this book on a whim a few months ago and finally got around to reading it. I am going through a very difficult time right now and my concentration is scattered. I picked up this book and it is a blessing. I was drawn into the warmth of Lori and Ms. Beacham and for a little while was able to transport myself to the cozy English village and Ms. Beacham's neighborhood. I look forward to reading the other books.

Love the book, hate the cover-art on the paperback..........2006-03-29

The Aunt Dimity series is the first mystery series I've read. I really like the "family-friendly" nature of the book, the setting in England and endearing/interesting cast of characters.

What attracted me to the series initially was the "cozy" cover-art, I hope they re-release this paperback with the original cover-art. It's not the same without Reginald and Hamish!

A Life of Riches is more than money.......2006-03-21

I love this series. The premise is that Aunt Dimity, who is dead, can communicate with Lori Shepherd via a journal. Lori talks and Dimity writes her responses for Lori to read. I can accept this because these stories are rich in friendship, love, trust, caring, and community.

Lori's twins boys are now 5 and as active as ever. Lori stays active in the town of Finch, the church, and now visits at the Radcliffe Infirmary those patients who have no other visitors. It's at the Radcliffe that Lori meets Elizabeth Beacham, a retired legal secretary. They hit it off immediately and become friends. But as is the nature of cancer, Miss Beacham dies and Lori is devastated. Then she learns that Miss Beacham has left her a desk in her will. Lori feels that she has to find Miss Beacham's brother who disappeared years ago to find out why his sister died with no family at her side.

Of course this starts the chain of events that cause Lori to learn that Miss Beacham was more than she appeared to be. She also learns that cities can also have communities as tight knit as Finch. She recruits helper on her journey to find Kenneth Beacham and manages to lose her temper, jump to conclusions, and finally approach her goal.

As usual, there is a message to the book. This one examines our preconceptions of people and their roles. If you haven't read any of the previous Aunt Dimity books you can start with any of them including this one but why rob yourself of a wonderful, relaxing, reading experience--start at the beginning with Aunt Dimity's Death. Enjoy.

I sneezed and almost lost the book!.......2006-02-16

What to read after finishing a gut-wrenching, action-filled Star Wars novel? How about a little light mystery? Sounds like a smashing idea! Luckily, I was able to obtain the two latest Aunt Dimity mysteries, by Nancy Atherton. Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin was first on the stack, so I plowed through it. Actually, plowed isn't the right word. Perhaps traipsed? Yes, the book is that flimsy. Enjoyable as it was, if I wasn't holding it in my hands, it probably would have fluttered away on the breeze that flows through my apartment. But is it good, you ask? If you like a mystery that's less dense than the proverbial "cozy" mystery (and those are pretty thin at times), then you'll love it. It's good, but not really my cup of tea.

Lori Shepherd is an American woman living with a nice lawyer husband in Finch, a small English village outside of Oxford. She is rich, but does her part by contributing to various causes and helping out around the town, going into Oxford to help at the homeless shelter, picking up trash at the church with her two young sons, and volunteering at the hospital. She visits patients who don't have family or friends to visit them. There, she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a terminally ill woman whose only family is a brother who seems to have disappeared years ago. Lori becomes determined to track down this brother who couldn't even be bothered to visit, and with the help of one of Beacham's neighbours, begins unraveling the mystery. Lori thought she was a lonely old woman living from hand to mouth, but the reality is much different. As always, the ghost of "Aunt Dimity" plays the sounding board to Lori's problems and theories, until the truth finally comes out.

The concept behind the Aunt Dimity series is kind of cute, with Lori coming home to talk to the ghost who communicates through the act of writing in a special journal. It's intriguing, but ultimately doesn't mask the utter silliness of the plot. There's no real tension behind the story and not much meat to it either. If there was, we wouldn't need the subplot of Lori playing matchmaker for Beacham's neighbour. And isn't it a nice coincidence that the perfect suitor just presents herself while they're trying to figure the case out! There's no real conflict in the story, with just a little at the end when everything's wrapped up nice and tidy, Lori's found out the truth and has to get her two cents in before leaving the scene. Even that's over in a few paragraphs. What's amusing about this lack of tension is the number of times that Atherton ends a chapter on what appears to be an ominous note, only to have any shred of anxiety dissipate within the first paragraph of the next chapter.

There's really nothing wrong with a nice story about nice characters who have a flaw or two, but no really bad traits. Yes, Lori can have a bit of a temper, but the only time it really asserts itself, she quickly realizes she's been rude and moves to apologize. The other time it comes out is the comeuppance at the end, where the story has justified it. And that's the perfect word for this book: nice. It's a pleasant read, not very taxing, and it can be fun at times. The interplay between Lori and Gabriel (the neighbour) is nicely done, if a bit forced at times. Aunt Dimity is neat too, when she's in the book (which isn't all that often, considering her name's on the front cover...she should sue for more screen time). She's wise and always helpful, and Atherton captures her small English-village sensibility perfectly. In fact, she captures the entire village, making Finch a place I'd really like to spend time in (though I'm probably much too reserved for all the busybodies that live there).

There are two main problems with the book, aside from what I've mentioned earlier. First is the fact that Lori really doesn't do that much to solve the puzzle. She has a lot of information just fall into her lap. Her friend Emma does the Internet searches for information on the brother, a couple of her homeless charges provide her with information on where he used to live, and Dimity provides the perfect clue that opens up everything (maybe that's why her name's in the title). Lori has the wrong idea almost from the outset and refuses to think otherwise until she finds out the real situation.

The second problem is that I don't buy the setup to this story at all. We're led to believe that Miss Beacham set up the beginning of the trail of clues for Lori to sniff out based on the knowledge that Lori has told her that she likes mysteries and has solved a few in the past. That's fine. However, Miss Beacham never leaves her sick-bed at the hospital, so how could she do this? She must have had some outside help to plant everything just right. Sure, the ending of the book explains it to the reader, but for somebody supposedly as intelligent as Lori, that should have been the first question on her mind. How did Miss Beacham do this, and who helped her?

There are a lot of complaints about Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin, but ultimately I didn't feel like I had wasted my time. It won't take that much time to read for any but the slowest reader, and it is the perfect tonic for someone who just wants a really quiet book. There is a running theme about being alone and how humans need social interaction to thrive, but that's about it. This book is not for everybody, but if you like this sort of thing, it's a great example of it.

David Roy

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Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: VIKING PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDG6KU

Average customer rating:

Aunt Dimity And the Next of Kin
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJDHGG

Thorndike Mystery - Large Print - Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin (Thorndike Mystery - Large Print)

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Thorndike Mystery - Large Print - Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin (Thorndike Mystery - Large Print)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MCPDQM

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