Facilitating Organization Change: Lessons from Complexity Science
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Universal Framework for OD Work
  • The Best Practical Guide to Using Complexity
  • practical book about promising org. change approach
Facilitating Organization Change: Lessons from Complexity Science
Edwin E. Olson , Glenda H. Eoyang , Richard Beckhard , and Peter Vaill
Manufacturer: Pfeiffer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. Changing Conversations in Organizations: A Complexity Approach to Change (Complexity and Emergence Inorganisations, 6) Changing Conversations in Organizations: A Complexity Approach to Change (Complexity and Emergence Inorganisations, 6)
  2. Organizational Survival in the New World: The Intelligent Complex Adaptive System (KMCI Press) Organizational Survival in the New World: The Intelligent Complex Adaptive System (KMCI Press)
  3. Edgeware: insights from complexity science for health care leaders Edgeware: insights from complexity science for health care leaders
  4. Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (The Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series) Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (The Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)
  5. The Handbook of Large Group Methods: Creating Systemic Change in Organizations and Communities (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) The Handbook of Large Group Methods: Creating Systemic Change in Organizations and Communities (Jossey-Bass Business & Management)

ASIN: 078795330X

Book Description

Looking for a highly effective alternative to traditional change models?
Finally, an alternative to traditional change models-the science of complex adaptive systems (CAS). The authors explain how, rather than focusing on the macro "strategioc" level of the organization system, complexity theory suggests that the most powerful change processes occur at the micro level where relationship, interaction and simple rules shape emerging patterns.
* Details how the emerging paradigm of a CAS affects the role of change agents
* Tells how you can build the requisite skills to function in a CAS
* Provides tips for thriving in that new paradigm "Olson and Eoyang do a superb job of using complexity science to develop numerous methods and tools that practitioners can immediately use to make their organizations more effective."
--Kevin Dooley, Professor of Management and Industrial Engineering, Arizona State University

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Universal Framework for OD Work.......2005-03-21

I read this book when it was written several years ago. The book has staying power. I find that I have adopted the concepts from complexity science as a framework for my organization development work. I think in terms of the simple, yet powerful, metaphor of breadmaking when consulting and facilitating.

5 out of 5 stars The Best Practical Guide to Using Complexity.......2002-01-17

This is the best practical guide in existence for using Complexity to transform an organization. The authors give valuable tools and techniques for concrete processes which promote Complexity transformation, along with examples of real business situations where the tools have worked. Especially valuable for those who have a background in organization development. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars practical book about promising org. change approach.......2001-10-04

This is an interesting book about an approach to managing and changing organizations, which is quite different from traditional change approaches: complexity theory. You might think: "Ah, here we go again.... Is this just the next new management hype, destined to be forgotten soon?" I don't think so. I think complexity theory is to be taken a bit more serious than that. What is it? It is a rapidly developing theoretical framework that describes and explains fundamental processes of complex adaptive systems, like organizations. What is a complex adaptive system? The authors of this book, Edwin Olson and Glenda Eoyang, explain that in a complex adaptive system, a multitude of different players (called agents) held together by some cohesive force (called a container) and constantly interacting with each other in all kinds of ways (these interactions are called transforming exchanges).

The self-organizing nature of human interactions in a complex organization leads to surprising effects. Small actions, events and interactions can lead to dramatic outcomes affecting the whole system. Human interactions in complex systems lead to so-called emergent properties, which are features of the system that the separate parts do not have. (For example, brain cells don't have consciousness, but the human brain does). All of this explains why it is often impossible to understand let alone predict or control events and developments. This is a rather big departure from the traditional view, which tends to see organizations as understandable, predictable and ... controllable!

Then how exactly is the complexity theory approach to change management different from the traditional approach? Ed Olson and Glenda Eoyang summarize the main features of the CAS approach to change as follows: 1) Achieve change through connections between agents (instead of trying to control the change top-down), 2) Adapt to uncertainty (instead of trying to use predictable stages of development), 3) Allow goals, plans, and structures to emerge (instead of depending on clear and detailed plans or goals), 4) Amplify and value difference (instead of always directly focusing on consensus), 5) Create self-similarity (instead of difference between levels), 6) Regard success as a matter of fit with the environment (instead of focusing on one dimensional success measures).

It's hard to accurately summarize in a few words what's in this book. So, if you're organizational development consultant, perhaps you'd better read it yourself. What you will find is that the book is a nice mix of theory, case descriptions and practical tools which (some of which are very nice and handy). I think this is the first book that makes complexity theory so practical.

Stress Management in Work Settings
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    Stress Management in Work Settings
    Lawrence R. Murphy , and Theodore F. Schoenborn
    Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: 078810165X

    Book Description

    The contributors to this volume address current issues and problems in the field of stress management and provide guidance toward the development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of stress management programs in work settings. The authors' aim is to shift the present "mind set" of brief stress workshops toward more comprehensive actions which target both the organization and the individual worker as intervention points for stress reduction. Collectively labeled as stress management, methods such as muscle relaxation, meditation, biofeedback, and cognitive strategies have been taught to workers as a means of reducing psycho-physiological and subjective distress. These preventative strategies have focused exclusively on the "healthy" individual worker. As presently defined, stress management has a negligible role in reducing organizational stress. The authors suggest that a more appropriate application would be a complement to job redesign or organizational change intervention. They also argue that conceptual issues are as important as logistical ones in determining program success. The book is divided into three parts. Part I deals with organizational stress and its assessment. Part II describes aspects of stress management as applied in work settings, and the third part is a collection of resources for training materials, products, and equipment. Stress Management in Work Settings is a professional book aimed at the "users" who will ultimately make the decision to offer a stress reduction program, decide what type of action will be taken, and actually implement the action.
    Daily stress management can work in classroom setting.: An article from: Clinical Psychiatry News
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Daily stress management can work in classroom setting.: An article from: Clinical Psychiatry News
      Mary Ellen Schneider
      Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Digital
      ASIN: B000MDFP32
      Release Date: 2007-01-02

      Book Description

      This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2006. The length of the article is 523 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: Daily stress management can work in classroom setting.
      Author: Mary Ellen Schneider
      Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
      Date: November 1, 2006
      Publisher: Thomson Gale
      Volume: 34 Issue: 11 Page: 34(1)

      Distributed by Thomson Gale
      Measuring work attitudes in the early childhood setting ;: Technical manual for the Early childhood job satisfaction survey and Early childhood work environment survey
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        Measuring work attitudes in the early childhood setting ;: Technical manual for the Early childhood job satisfaction survey and Early childhood work environment survey
        Paula Jorde-Bloom
        Manufacturer: Distributed by Psychology Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding
        ASIN: B000728QWU
        Stress Management in Work Settings
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          Stress Management in Work Settings
          Lawrence R. Murphy
          Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000ORE4I8
          Stress Management in Work Settings
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            Stress Management in Work Settings

            Manufacturer: United States Government Printing
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Recovery | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
            ASIN: 0160025281
            Stress management: Applications to work settings in the human services : conditional release centers training evaluation, June 18 and 25, 1982 (Report ... Research Center, University of Hawaii-Manoa)
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              Stress management: Applications to work settings in the human services : conditional release centers training evaluation, June 18 and 25, 1982 (Report ... Research Center, University of Hawaii-Manoa)
              Michael J Manos
              Manufacturer: Youth Development and Research Center, School of Social Work, University of Hawaii-Manoa
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Unknown Binding

              GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: B0006YJB1Y

              Cato: On Farming / De Agri Cultura
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                Cato: On Farming / De Agri Cultura
                Andrew Dalby
                Manufacturer: Prospect Books (UK)
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                MedievalMedieval | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: 0907325807

                Book Description

                This work of Cato the Elder is essential to our understanding of classical Roman domestic economy, as well as being the first extended Latin prose work to have survived to this day. This is a new translation and detailed edition composed with a mind to the culinary historian by Andrew Dalby, whose book on classical Greek cookery, Siren Feasts, was so admired when it appeared in 1995.

                Cato has information for everyone: on planting and maintaining olive groves, on supervising the stag, on making various loaves or gruels out of grains, on the manifold curative properties of cabbage, on getting good prices at market, and much, much more. Although modern translations exist, this is better: more readable, more accurate, more alert.

                Earth-Moon Relationships
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                  Earth-Moon Relationships

                  Manufacturer: Springer
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover

                  AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
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                  CosmologyCosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
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                  ASIN: 0792370899

                  Book Description

                  The Galilean Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts in Padova (Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti) was founded in 1599 by a group of distinguished scholars and noblemen, with the name of Accademia dei Ricovrati.
                  Among the founders, Galileo Galilei helped to design the first logo. To celebrate its 400th anniversary, the Academy has promoted a series of initiatives focussed on the far-reaching intentions of its founders, namely to achieve a truly interdisciplinary dissemination of knowledge.
                  The Conference on the Earth-Moon relationships was one of these initiatives. It brought together a number of distinguished scientists from different fields - such as Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Chemistry, Geology, Medicine, Natural Sciences - but also scholars of Literature and Art, to discuss these relationships, their origins and their influence on human activities and beliefs.
                  On the relationship between the Apollo 16 ancient regolith breccias and feldspathic fragmental breccias, and the composition of the prebasin crust in the ... of the moon (SuDoc NAS 1.26:207231)
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    On the relationship between the Apollo 16 ancient regolith breccias and feldspathic fragmental breccias, and the composition of the prebasin crust in the ... of the moon (SuDoc NAS 1.26:207231)
                    Randy L. Korotev
                    Manufacturer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Technical Information Service, distributor
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Unknown Binding
                    ASIN: B00010YJXI

                    Blue Meridian: The Search for the Great White Shark (Classic, Nature, Penguin)
                    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                    • Did I miss something?
                    • One of the best natural history books ever written
                    • great, informative book.
                    • An excellent work about sharks
                    • Great adventure
                    Blue Meridian: The Search for the Great White Shark (Classic, Nature, Penguin)
                    Peter Matthiessen
                    Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    1. Devil's Teeth, The: A True Story Of Survival And Obsession Among America's Great White Sharks Devil's Teeth, The: A True Story Of Survival And Obsession Among America's Great White Sharks
                    2. Great White Shark Great White Shark
                    3. Great White Sharks: The Biology of Carcharodon carcharias Great White Sharks: The Biology of Carcharodon carcharias
                    4. Shark Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance Shark Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance
                    5. Cousteau's Great White Shark (Abradale Books) Cousteau's Great White Shark (Abradale Books)

                    ASIN: 0140265139

                    Customer Reviews:

                    2 out of 5 stars Did I miss something?.......2006-02-02

                    This book started off very good, but as I read on the reading became ardious. I found it hard work to finish this book. I don't know why I had such a hard time enjoying the book while all the other reviewser thought it was the best thing since sliced bread, but I would read another shark book, such as Shark Trouble or Close to Shore rather than waste my time on this book.

                    5 out of 5 stars One of the best natural history books ever written.......2006-01-02

                    Before Peter Benchley scared everyone out of the water with his 1974 novel "Jaws," Peter Matthiessen was writing eloquently about the Great White shark, the apex predator of the oceans. The film "Blue Water, White Death" was based on this book. His writing, along with the journals kept by diver Valerie Taylor, make this a must-have book for anyone interested in marine biology.

                    5 out of 5 stars great, informative book........2001-06-25

                    If you are interested in great white sharks, this is the book for you. It's fun and informative. I have to disagree with one fact the book gives, however. The great white shark is not the most dangerous predator of the ocean. That would be the killer whale. They are larger, smarter, faster, more agile, and able to hunt cooperatively. Also, very recently a famous marine biologist observed predatory sharks larger than the great white (at least thirty feet long) deep in the Pacific ocean. They apparently live very far down, however, and could never be a danger to humans.

                    4 out of 5 stars An excellent work about sharks.......2001-05-29

                    I have very much enjoyed reading this book again and again, especially in conjunction with the film that the book describes being filmed, "Blue Water White Death", which so far as I am aware has not appeared in video form or I would surely have it in my collection by now. The film is acknowledged to be one of the better shark films in existence, and the book somewhat pales in comparison, but a worthwhile read nonetheless. I have read the hardback edition and now own the paperback. I must say I miss the color plates which are in the hardback edition. I sincerely hope someone will transfer the film to video at some point.

                    5 out of 5 stars Great adventure.......2000-05-18

                    It's wonderful to be able to read the narrative of shark dives from the safety and comfort of home.

                    This is a great narrative of the expedition to search for the Great White shark...hopefully the numerous "specials" on TV and the recent article in National Geographic will help "save" this treasure of the ocean.

                    You can't help but get involved with this book, just as exciting and fascinating as any novel.

                    If you enjoyed this one, try _Snow Leopard_ or _Indian Country_.
                    The Collected Poems of Jean Toomer
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Toomer was NOT African American but European-American
                    The Collected Poems of Jean Toomer
                    Jean Toomer
                    Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

                    20th Century20th Century | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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                    Similar Items:
                    1. A Jean Toomer Reader: Selected Unpublished Writings A Jean Toomer Reader: Selected Unpublished Writings
                    2. Cane Cane
                    3. To Make a New Race: Gurdjieff, Toomer, and the Harlem Renaissance To Make a New Race: Gurdjieff, Toomer, and the Harlem Renaissance
                    4. The Collected Poems of Sterling A. Brown The Collected Poems of Sterling A. Brown

                    ASIN: 0807842095

                    Book Description

                    This volume is the only collected edition of poems by Jean Toomer, the enigmatic American writer, Gurdjieffian guru, and Quaker convert who is perhaps best known for his 1923 lyrical narrative Cane. The fifty-five poems here—most of them previously unpublished—chart a fascinating evolution of artistic consciousness.

                    The book is divided into sections reflecting four distinct periods of creativity in Toomer's career. The Aesthetic period includes Imagist, Symbolist, and other experimental pieces, such as "Five Vignettes," while "Georgia Dusk" and the newly discovered poem "Tell Me" come from Toomer' s Ancestral Consciousness period in the early 1920s. "The Blue Meridian" and other Objective Consciousness poems reveal the influence of idealist philosopher Georges Gurdjieff. Among the works of this period the editor presents a group of local color poems picturing the landscape of the American Southwest, including "Imprint for Rio Grande." "It Is Everywhere," another newly discovered poem, celebrates America and democratic idealism. The Quaker religious philosophy of Toomer's final years is demonstrated in such Christian Existential works as "They Are Not Missed" and "To Gurdjieff Dying."

                    Robert Jones's clear and comprehensive introduction examines the major poems in this volume and serves as a guide through the stages of Toomer's evolution as an artist and thinker. The Collected Poems of Jean Toomer will prove essential to Toomer's admirers as well as to scholars and students of modern poetry, Afro-American literature, and American studies.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Toomer was NOT African American but European-American.......1998-07-06

                    Jean Toomer should not be classified as "African American." He rejected that racist "one drop" classification and deserves praise and admiration for doing so. Toomer's parents and grandparents were not "black middle class" but looked whiter than many Americans who call themselves "white."
                    Blue Meridian
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Blue Meridian
                      Peter Matthiessen
                      Manufacturer: Signet
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                      ASIN: B000V6ED4C
                      Blue Meridian
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        Blue Meridian
                        Peter Matthiessen
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000REITDE
                        Blue Meridian
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Blue Meridian
                          Peter Matthiessen
                          Manufacturer: Signet
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback

                          GeneralGeneral | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
                          ASIN: 0451053591
                          Blue Meridian : The Chronicle of the Expedition That Filmed Blue Water White Death
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            Blue Meridian : The Chronicle of the Expedition That Filmed Blue Water White Death
                            Peter Matthiessen
                            Manufacturer: Signet
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                            ASIN: B000NTZL7A
                            Blue Meridian the Search for the Great W
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                              Blue Meridian the Search for the Great W
                              Peter Matthiessen
                              Manufacturer: NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback
                              ASIN: B000UD8JGE
                              Blue Meridian the Search for the Great W
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                Blue Meridian the Search for the Great W
                                Peter Matthiessen
                                Manufacturer: NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback
                                ASIN: B000SFBWLI
                                Blue Meridian--the Search for the Great White Shark
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  Blue Meridian--the Search for the Great White Shark
                                  Peter Matthiessen
                                  Manufacturer: Random, New York
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Hardcover
                                  ASIN: B000TJULJC
                                  Blue Meridian: The Hunt for the Great White Shark
                                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                                    Blue Meridian: The Hunt for the Great White Shark
                                    Peter Matthiessen
                                    Manufacturer: Vintage/Ebury (A Division of Random House Group)
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback

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                                    ASIN: 0002730111

                                    Zamboni Rodeo: Chasing Hockey Dreams from Austin to Albuquerque
                                    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                                    • Zamboni Rodeo for RW
                                    • Hard to follow at times, but a good read
                                    • Zamboni Rodeo
                                    • Great title. Very good book.
                                    • Awesome book!
                                    Zamboni Rodeo: Chasing Hockey Dreams from Austin to Albuquerque
                                    Jason Cohen
                                    Manufacturer: Greystone Books
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback

                                    GeneralGeneral | Hockey | Sports | Subjects | Books
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                                    1. They Don't Play Hockey in Heaven: A Dream, A Team, and My Comeback Season They Don't Play Hockey in Heaven: A Dream, A Team, and My Comeback Season
                                    2. Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey
                                    3. Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places
                                    4. The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association
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                                    ASIN: 1550549456

                                    Book Description

                                    Hockey is booming in the minor pro leagues south of the Mason-Dixon line, with the epicenter being the Texas Sunbelt, home to more pro hockey teams than any other province or state including Ontario and Michigan. Zamboni Rodeo follows the fortunes of the Austin Ice Bats as they wander across Texas, living on junk food and beer, practicing in deserted malls, and navigating slushy ice in too-warm arenas. Writer Jason Cohen joined the team in the locker room between periods, suffered through every lurching bus ride and fog-delayed game, and even spent a night in the penalty box in his quest — hilariously documented here — to know heartland hockey in all its sorry glory. Photographs add to this lively, irreverent ride through the heady world of bush-league hockey.

                                    Customer Reviews:

                                    5 out of 5 stars Zamboni Rodeo for RW.......2006-03-09

                                    Zamboni Rodeo is about Jason Cohen, the Author, who whent on the rode with the Austin Ice Bats and followed them through one whole season. There Cohen found out what Texas Hockey was all about: booze, broken buses, late games, practicing in broken down malls, and potato chips. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was full of laughs and excitment. I think Cohen is a really good writer who puts exteme amounts of detail into every scentence in the book that makes it seem like your are right there next to him. This book is great, and I would recomend it to everyone.

                                    4 out of 5 stars Hard to follow at times, but a good read.......2005-09-03

                                    It's tough at times to keep up with all of the players, but for anyone interested to see what goes on behind the scenes of low level minor league hockey this is a great book. I really enjoyed it.

                                    4 out of 5 stars Zamboni Rodeo.......2005-08-02

                                    A nice slice of Americana, viewed in the context of a vehicle that gets (sadly) little respect in this country. As a hocley fan you can pick up the lingo and imagine what is going to happen, as a sports fan you can identify the heiarchy of the athletic food chain, as a human being you can see the pathos of striving to attain a goal or just surviving to the next day.
                                    A good read....recommended.

                                    3 out of 5 stars Great title. Very good book........2004-07-02

                                    I enjoyed it, but then I have three sons playing youth hockey.

                                    It's another depiction of the stark truth for anyone dreaming of fame and fortune through athletics. Each of the players portrayed in this true story was outstanding as a kid, but here they are in small towns, far from their homes in the frozen North, playing in front of enthusiastic but mostly oblivious audiences, and worse yet are soon to be retired by minor league hockey's equivalent of term limits. But they're having fun with each other and getting paid. Problem is their fame is fleeting and spread narrow, and their fortune is short-lived and small.

                                    The book is also a good introduction to life on the road for anyone willing to try it for a time, hopefully after laying a solid foundation for the future (college degree or whatever fits the particular kid). The "where are they now" appendix should be sobering for anyone who is college-bound but instead chooses minor league hockey.

                                    There are plenty of funny anecdotes, but it's not a joke book. I couldn't keep the characters straight, maybe since I read it in bits and snatches over a period of weeks, or maybe because they aren't that well drawn, given so many players doing the same basic job in this relatively short book.

                                    The book could also entertain someone who just likes sports in general or who is interested in this region of the country (New Mexico to Louisiana), but no character or theme is fully developed. Not that the author intended to or must do.

                                    5 out of 5 stars Awesome book!.......2004-01-08

                                    For anyone who loves hockey, this is a GREAT book! Especially for minor league hockey fans. You feel like you are on the bus, in the locker room, etc. I can't say enough how much I love the book. Great job Jason!

                                    An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
                                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                                    • An excellent book: A "MUST BUY"
                                    • Great book for the amature Mayanist!
                                    • Already a classic
                                    • Gift from the Gods
                                    • The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!
                                    An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
                                    Mary Miller , and Karl Taube
                                    Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback

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                                    1. The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript
                                    2. Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of
                                    3. The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs
                                    4. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Fifth Edition) Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Fifth Edition)
                                    5. A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya

                                    ASIN: 0500279284

                                    Book Description

                                    The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. Yet, until now, no single-volume introduction has existed to act as a guide to this labyrinthine symbolic world. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya is the first-ever English-language dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion. Nearly 300 entries, from accession to yoke, describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Topics range from jaguar and jester gods to reptile eye and rubber, from creation accounts and sacred places to ritual practices such as bloodletting, confession, dance, and pilgrimage. In addition, two introductory essays provide succinct accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion, while a substantial bibliographical survey directs the reader to original sources and recent discussions. Dictionary entries are illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line drawings. Mary Miller and Karl Taube draw on their research in the fast-changing field of Maya studies, and on the latest Mexican discoveries, to produce an authoritative work that will serve as a standard reference for students, scholars, and travelers.

                                    Customer Reviews:

                                    5 out of 5 stars An excellent book: A "MUST BUY".......2006-05-14

                                    -- *VERY* COMPREHENSIVE; an excellent book: A "MUST BUY"

                                    Anyone serious about understanding the Aztec mind and social order should read both "Time and Sacrifice in the Aztec Cosmos" (K. A. Read) and also, "THE JADE STEPS" by Burr Cartwright Brundage (University of Utah Press; (c)1985; ISBN# 0-87480-247-4). FYI, Dr. Brundage has authored nearly a dozen extraordinarily well written and researched books on Aztec civilization; most are (sadly) tough to find.

                                    5 out of 5 stars Great book for the amature Mayanist!.......2003-03-21

                                    This is a great refereance book for the amature Mayanist. "Gods and Symbols" is filled with specialized facts, covering subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in good detail. It is readable for both beginners and experts. The amount of information can be overwhelming at times; it therefore is useful to have some background knowledge beforehand to be able to place facts in a larger contextual framework. However, the book's intent is to be a refereance work so this should be expected.

                                    5 out of 5 stars Already a classic.......2001-03-05

                                    One of THE definitive reference works for everyone even remotely interested in the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, "Gods and Symbols" well comprises the most important as well as more specialized facts, covering all its subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in the same amount of detail. It's written to be accessible to both beginners and people more firm with the subjects, and certainly offers more than enough for both groups. However, although the cross-references are fine, the encyclopaedic, culture-jumping approach makes for a somewhat fractured read, and the sheer amount of information can prove overwhelming at times; it therefore could be useful to have some background knowledge beforehand that can help you place facts in a larger contextual framework when you need to. However, this hardly is a reason for criticism given the book's intent, and it doesn't stop it from being a highly readable standard work I can unhesitatingly recommend to just about anyone.

                                    5 out of 5 stars Gift from the Gods.......2000-11-22

                                    I am not a seven year grad student of the authors but a curious amateur anthropologist, former history teacher who loves art. That said this is the perfect book for the average layman, not too technical or with an overabundance of esoteric jargon. ... This book is filled with just about everything you need to know about the fabulous cultures that existed in Meso-America. All the famous cultures are covered including the Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs and every other "tec" or "mec" you could imagine. Although the focus is the Gods, it is nearly impossible to cover the Gods without adressing the issue of culture. Some very fascinating information that even the most knowledgeable of readers will find captivating. Upon first getting the book I went through half the book in one sitting!! No matter your base of understanding there is something to learn here. A reference book but yet very readable as it is well written and full of great illustrations and photgraphs. The good thing is that if you don't feel like reading page after page, some drawing will catch your fancy and the next thing you know you are reading about it. So whatever the mood there is something here for the reader at all times. The paper is of thick stock and the size is handy enough to put in your backpack to take anywhere. Since I am not a scholar and have a limited understanding of the subjects, much clarification was given to issues I knew about but didn't fully understand. ... So the book is full of information that clarifies and breaks down all aspects of ancient Mexico, even those that have somehow been lost in the shuffle of modern times. Arranged as any dictionary alphabetically, it is a valuable source of information for all interested in Meso-American Gods and symbols and their meanings. There is a brief introduction that gives an overview of the time periods covered and the cultures that is very concise and informative. This is followed by an index that has the subjects covered in an easy to find format if you are looking for a particular subject. The end includes a guide to sources and a bibliography for furhter study. Especially recommended for students, artists or history buffs this is a book that compliments any library that features books about Mexico prior to the conquest. Truly a gift of the Gods, the ancient symbols are preserved and explained here in this compendium by way of the east coast to the Pacific rim. I'll learn much from this book for years to come.

                                    5 out of 5 stars The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!.......1999-04-07

                                    I am a seven-year graduate student of Dr. Karl Taube, at the University of California, Riverside. I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in the gods, religion, or iconography of ancient Mesoamerica. There exists no book in English comparable to this one. This book is concise, yet packed with a plethora of hand-drawn illustrations by the authors and laden with inumerable useful tidbits of interest to scholars, lay-men, art historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians. Quite honestly, this book is perfect for anyone needing a quick but poignant and on-the-mark "dictionary" type reference from two of the best cutting-edge scholars in ancient Mesoamerican studies today. You will definately get your money's worth with this choice - buy it today! By-the-way, this is an unpaid advertisement; strictly a humble review by a graduate student who worships the ground Drs. Taube and Miller walk on - tanslated, not biased in the least.
                                    The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion
                                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                                      The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion
                                      Mary Ellen Miller , and Karl A. Taube
                                      Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Hardcover

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                                      Similar Items:
                                      1. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
                                      2. The Maya, Seventh Edition (Ancient Peoples and Places) The Maya, Seventh Edition (Ancient Peoples and Places)
                                      3. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Fifth Edition) Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Fifth Edition)

                                      ASIN: 0500050686

                                      The Unforgiving Land
                                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                                        The Unforgiving Land
                                        Paul Sullivan
                                        Manufacturer: Royal Fireworks Publishing Company
                                        ProductGroup: Book
                                        Binding: Paperback

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                                        ASIN: 0880922567

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