Backfire: Carly Fiorina's High-Stakes Battle for the Soul of Hewlett-Packard

Book Description

An insider's look at the internal turmoil at one of the world's premier high-tech companies
This is the inside story of Hewlett-Packard Company's struggle to regain its former glory, and of the high-stakes battle between CEO Carly Fiorina and family scion Walter Hewlett over how best to achieve that goal. For decades, HP was admired not only for its innovative products and soaring stock price, but for its egalitarian corporate culture and father-knows-best integrity. Backfire explains how the company fell on hard times, recounts the historic decision that made Fiorina the world's top-ranking female executive, and brings to life the backlash that resulted when she tried to impose her charismatic salesmanship on the aging icon. Top BusinessWeek journalist Peter Burrows gives the dramatic blow-by-blow of Hewlett's effort to kill Fiorina's most controversial move of all, her $19 billion purchase of rival Compaq Computer. Fiorina won by a whisker, after the most expensive proxy fight in history and a dramatic lawsuit that accused the company of illegally fixing the vote. This gripping, ongoing story includes fascinating personalities and dramatic boardroom and courtroom drama.
Peter Burrows (Alameda, CA) has been a technology reporter for BusinessWeek for nine years and has covered the HP saga from the start. The department editor for BusinessWeek's computer coverage, he has been the principal chronicler of Fiorina's tenure at HP, and has written three cover stories on the subject. He has also written numerous other cover stories, including looks at Steve Jobs's Apple Computer and Sun Microsystems' Scott McNealy.

Customer Reviews:

OK intro to HP, but stops short.......2006-05-10

HP is a company in transition. For decades one of the fastest growing companies in history, it is now seen as a beleaguered giant, risk averse and unable to transform itself.

This book situates the company's crisis in the context of the ascension of Carly Fiorina to the position of CEO and her brutal fight to acquire Compaq while changing the company.

The origins of Hewlett-Packard have become the stuff of legend. During an electrical engineering class at Stanford in 1934, Bill Hewlett and David Packard began to formulate a vision for a company; their professor, Fred Terman, immediately recognized their talent and set about to mentor them. Four years later, in a rented garage with just $538, Hewlett and Packard, flipping a coin to decide whose name would come first, founded Hewlett-Packard. From the start, HP strove to create innovative technology products, predominantly in the instrumentation and measurement field. Their first big break came with the Disney company's purchase of an audio oscillator, which it used to fine tune the sound track for the experimental music film Fantasia. As the company grew, the founders articulated a series of objectives ("the HP Way"), which included the necessity to make a profit with a focus on innovation in the electronics field, but also an egalitarian culture that emphasized employee profit-sharing, career opportunities, and a contribution to the community.

According to many employees, the HP Way helped to create an exceptional work environment, in which individual opinions mattered and strong personal relationships of trust grew along with professional engagement. Many HP employees spent their entire careers at the company. According to David Packard, HP sought to balance entrepreneurship against insubordination: if an employee chose to continue to develop a product on his own after it was officially terminated, he often would be allowed to do so within limits. Time and again, Packard found, such entrepreneurship resulted in breakthrough instruments, such as oscillator viewer screens, that generated millions of dollars in revenues. To maintain this entrepreneurial spirit, as profitable groups grew within HP they were allowed to function as near-autonomous divisions. This was particularly well suited to the booming electronic instrument business: with a few hundred thousand dollars, a small group could develop a product for a unique area of need and then sell it on their own. For decades, this structure worked. From 1958 to 1998, the company grew an average of 20.2 percent per year, a record that no other company has surpassed.

As Burrows relates, during the late 1960s, HP began to develop computers and related product lines and technologies. This represented a major departure for the company, away from its core business of electronic instrumentation. While the move opened huge new areas of potential profit - from printers and personal computers to pocket calculators and specialized semiconductor processors - it vastly increased the complexity of the company. Not only did R&D often require millions of dollars over decades to develop competitive product lines, but by the end of the 1990s there were over 80 quasi-independent businesses under the HP umbrella; often operating in separate geographical regions, each of these groups had its own sales force, its own engineers and designers, and its own software developers. By 1997, when HP began to miss its financial targets for the first time, many in the company began to fear that it was losing its way, that its structure had become wasteful, unwieldy, and worst of all, risk averse. Furthermore, after having invested so heavily in computers, HP executives recognized that the industry was becoming increasingly commoditized. In the opinion of industry observers, the moment had arrived to shake up the company.

After a few attempts to transform the company from within, the HP board chose Carly Fiorina as the new CEO in 1999, an acknowledged high tech "rock star" who recently had headed sales at Lucent, the communications hardware giant that had spun off from the AT&T breakup. From the start, she was a controversial presence in the company. For example, her specialty was marketing, which automatically branded her as an outsider in an engineering company. Moreover, as a media darling, the personal publicity she attracted made many longtime HP executives uncomfortable. However, others argued that she was bringing a fresh perspective on where the company should go, that she could gain an overview that few insiders had and would formulate a new strategic direction. In particular, Fiorina argued that with the unmatched breadth of its product lines, HP might somehow combine them into a more coherent whole, perhaps by focusing on the internet. Nonetheless, this vision of strategic synthesis remained to be defined in detail.

So far so good. This background was extremely useful for me and covers to about 2004. But from this point, Burrows goes into excruciating detail about Fiorina's personality and style as well as adds several chapters on the civil war within the company that the acquisition of Compaq sparked. None of that interested me much, though this is the "intrigue" that many readers found most interesting. Then, the book ends as she obtains the acquisition, well short of the aftermath in which she was fired. So in addition to being too gossipy for me, it is already outdated.

Burrows is a good journalist and covers a lot here in a better way than I have found elsewhere, but it is not very deep and glosses over many of the others issues that Fiorina was concerned about, such as the creation of synergies between the 83 largely independent businesses that make up the company.

Recommended tepidly.

You will understand why she raised to the top and ...fell!.......2005-09-16

This book will give you some good understanding how Carly Fiorina got the top job at HP and how she reingineered the company before falling into disgrace after the merger with Compaq.

CEO impact on lower-level managers needed in book.......2004-08-05

This book contained a lot of good material concerning the interaction of Carly Fiorina and her highest-level executives. However, Burrows' coverage of her impact on lower level managers in critical positions was inadequate. The failures of such managers can have major impacts on HP for potentially decades and thus deserve scrutiny. A good example prior to the Fiorina era was when HP lost over 60 points of market share in the technical workstation market in the 1980s which also led over time to a weakened server market position, due to lost technical and financial leverage. The current value of this loss may be as high as 10 billion dollars in revenue yearly.

The keynote address by her Vice President for Linux at LinuxWorld yesterday illustrated well the huge risks HP is taking by having lower level executives like this VP adopt her approach. While this area is currently too small to register on the Board of Director's radar, critical market battles are currently being fought that will strongly influence HP financials for a long time. Carly Fiorina's bad influence was evident in VP Martin Fink's keynote address. This speech spent a lot of time promoting Linux, which customers can buy from many vendors, and virtually no time promoting HP's value-added. HP makes money whether it sells Linux or Windows-based machines. There is no real incentive to for HP to sell an HP-Linux machine instead of an HP-Windows machine, or vice versa.
Why is HP's Martin Fink wasting valuable time in front of a huge audience promoting one side of an issue that is a don't care situation (with respect to Windows) and potentially a losing proposition (with respect to HP_UX) to HP financially? Note that HP has no time to waste in this market, the market leader at present, due to earlier HP missteps, is Dell Computer, not HP.

What Martin Fink should have been promoting is why customers should buy HP Linux systems as opposed to IBM or Dell Linux systems, instead of arguing customers should buy Linux instead of other alternatives that HP also makes. Martin Fink's mistake yesterday is a typical Carly mistake, to get caught up in promoting what is fashionable, rather than what is best for HP. The lack of loyalty to HP implicit in his address has also been a familiar issue to Carly observers - that she is promoting herself far more than she promotes HP.

The central theme of this example, the appalling deviation from business basics that Carly inspires in her team, is one that was deserving of much more attention in Burrows book. Corporate marketing resources need to be focussed on beating the competition, not on taking market share from one HP division and transferring it to another, or promoting the next job for some executive, whether that executive is Fink or Fiorina. It seemed yesterday that Martin Fink was promoting himself for some more senior Linux position at some other firm, which would explain his lack of HP advocacy, something Fiorina is thought to do in promoting herself for political office using her HP soapbox. It is also a good demonstration why the point of view prevalent on some unengaged Boards, that a CEO as just a public relations representative is adequate, is so misguided.

Computer server business assessment needed in book.......2004-06-20

I enjoyed this book as it contained substantial original reporting that is not duplicative of the work that others have done. I would have liked to see more material concerning bottom line issues. The bottom line issue that has the most resonance for me is the Wall Street assessment, both now, and at the time of the merger, that HP's non-printing businesses have no value on the Street. In other words, if HP were to be bought by some other firm, the Wall Street consensus is that such an acquirer should simply eliminate the other businesses. HP's value is actually less as currently structured because eliminating these other businesses has closing costs associated with this shutdown activity.

The clear implication here is that Walter Hewlett was absolutely correct in opposing this merger, since the result clearly is that 20 billion dollars was completely wasted, and precious time is still being lost on ineffective strategies to revive these businesses. With the benefit of hindsight we can say that Walter Hewlett should have been given more credit than he received, even from Burrows, for opposing this capital and job destruction, even in the face of Fiorina's personal attacks.

This book should have pointed out that these at-risk businesses can still be saved, particularly the server and server-related businesses, with the appointment of proper management by the Board of Directors. What they need to be looking for this time is not someone whose picture has been on the cover of "Fortune" magazine, as was Carly's before she was hired, but someone with the knowledge and interest in saving HP. Carly not only does not have the engineering expertise, she simply creates the impression that she has no interest in HP's existing businesses, even printing, which she has left to wither on the vine in a new investment sense.

HP has had a computer server business for over 25 years. It is a big market, roughly 50 billion yearly and rising. HP has 27%, but has failed to gain any share at all from the collapse of Sun Microsystems. Instead, customers are transfering to IBM and Dell, which should be a big wake-up call for the Board. Dell Computer is number one in market position for the key Linux server business, perhaps because of HP's totally insular and uninformed approach to this market. A lot of hard work by HP employees went into building a formerly successful server business, it is senseless to discard this potentially excellent business because Carly is more interested in trying to sell MP3s at Starbucks, something that will never generate much profit.

I would have liked to have seen a clear statement in this book that if in the summer of 2004 if HP's non-printer businesses are still worth zero, that the HP Board of Directors needs hire a new CEO. Doubtless they prefer to have a charming dialogue with Carly about her boneheaded hipster ideas involving HP products in Starbucks rather than argue with some computer nerd about computer enterprise/service-provider product investments, but I would argue that being true to their responsibilities requires that they do the later, whether they like it or not. It would have been good for Burrows' book to say so.

Insightful!.......2004-06-09

Peter Burrows offers insights into high level business, where personality matters more than economics, as he explores the mammoth HP-Compaq merger. Most mergers fail to make money or to produce the promised "synergies" so, he asks, why - other than ego - do CEOs pursue them? Though stylistically somewhat trite, this book successfully explores the HP Board's decision to approve the merger, with Walter B. Hewlett's vote in favor, and his subsequent lonely, ultimately quixotic battle against it. The most contentious issues in contemporary business are all here: shareholder rights and value vs. CEO power; employee-oriented cultures vs. "re-engineering;" corporate integrity vs. sharp practice; and the interesting spectacle of a ruthless, hard-headed female CEO pitted against a sensitive, cello-playing man. The author says Hewlett-Packard executives were told not to speak with him after he quoted merger critics in Business Week, so there is an inevitable Walter Hewlett bias. We found this to be a very good read, even a must read, for corporate warriors.

Carly, we hardly know you -- still. (Book Review).(Perfect Enough: Carly Fiorina and the Reinvention of Hewlett-Packard)(Backfire: Carly Fiorina's High-Stakes ... An article from: Chief Executive (U.S.)

Average customer rating:

Carly, we hardly know you -- still. (Book Review).(Perfect Enough: Carly Fiorina and the Reinvention of Hewlett-Packard)(Backfire: Carly Fiorina's High-Stakes ... An article from: Chief Executive (U.S.)
William J. Holstein
Manufacturer: Chief Executive Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Chief Executive (U.S.), published by Chief Executive Publishing on March 1, 2003. The length of the article is 681 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: Carly, we hardly know you -- still. (Book Review).(Perfect Enough: Carly Fiorina and the Reinvention of Hewlett-Packard)(Backfire: Carly Fiorina's High-Stakes Battle for the Soul of Hewlett-Packard)(Book Review) (book review)
Author: William J. Holstein
Publication: Chief Executive (U.S.) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2003
Publisher: Chief Executive Publishing
Page: 17(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

OSHA Medical Recordkeeping teaches the manager who has to adhere to OSHA rules how to keep medical records and fill out the necessary forms. The course covers terminology, logs, medical and training files, posting rules and forms 300 and 301.

Book Description

Seed testing centers exist in almost every country in every corner of the globe. More and more students are enrolling in programs that require knowledge of the complex and fascinating science of seed pathology. The implications of seed pathology for human health remains an important issue. For all of these reasons and more, this book is a necessary and timely reference that covers the full range of related topics, including techniques for detecting and studying microorganisms associated with seeds, their epidemiology, and control.No other book like this exists. Until now, the information has been widely scattered in journals and other sources. This is an excellent new edition - ideal for students and teachers in the agricultural and life sciences; individuals involved in seed certification; members of plant quarantine laboratories; plant pathologists doing research in seed pathology; and producers of planting seeds for the next season's crops.FeaturesoDiscusses methods for detecting seed-borne organisms and viruses so the reader can choose the most appropriate technique to useoPresents a summary of scientific name changes for fungi associated with seedsoPresents an historical perspective on the development of the science of seed pathologyShelving GuideEnvironmental and Life SciencesAgriculturePlant ScienceAudienceoStudents and teachers in the agricultural and life sciencesoIndividuals involved in seed certificationoMembers of plant quarantine laboratoriesoPlant pathologists doing research in seed pathologyoProducers of planting seeds for the next season's crops

Customer Reviews:

Principles of Seed Pathology.......2002-05-13

Very usefull and high quality information

Book Description

This proceedings volume is of the 10th International Conference of the well established series on Photoacoustic and Photothermal Phenomena. The Conference is concerned with the interdisciplinary applications of the acoustic and thermal phenomena generated in matter by the absorption of electromagnet fields. The application areas include: PA and PT spectroscopy; PA and PT imaging and microscopy; thermophysical properties; laser ultrasonics; ultrafast PA and PT phenomena; nonlinear phenomena and inverse problems; electronic and optical materials, thin film and devices; biological and medical applications; industrial applications; new instrumentation and methodology; NDE characterization; agriculture, food, and environment.

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))
Average customer rating:

Up to the usual Peterson Field Guides standards

excellent seller and product

Wonderful

Not quite as good as the medicinal

perfect choice

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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Botany | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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A Field Guide to Wildflowers : Northeastern and North-Central North America (Peterson Field Guides)

ASIN: 039592622X

Book Description

More than 370 edible wild plants, plus 37 poisonous look-alikes, are described here, with 400 drawings and 78 color photographs showing precisely how to recognize each species. Also included are habitat descriptions, lists of plants by season, and preparation instructions for 22 different food uses.

Customer Reviews:

Up to the usual Peterson Field Guides standards.......2007-03-23

Although this book is well written and organized, I have one minor complaint...

If you are going to depend on a book to decide whether or not you can eat something without poisoning yourself, the pictures next to the plant descriptions ought to be in color rather than black and white sketches.

excellent seller and product.......2007-02-13

Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!

Wonderful.......2007-01-10

This is a very comprehensive book that I am learning much from. It is exhaustive in showing edible plants, many that I didnt realize.

Not quite as good as the medicinal.......2006-08-17

The pictures aren't good enough to make identification easy. Good information if you have another book to identify the plants with.

perfect choice.......2005-09-13

As usual the Petersen Guide did not disappoint me. It's exactly what I wanted for plant identification

Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

Very helpful
A Side Note

Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America
Merritt Lyndon Fernald , and Alfred Charles Kinsey
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))
The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America
A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides (R))
Feasting Free on Wild Edibles; A One-Volume Edition of Free for the Eating and More Free-For-The Eating Wild Foods.

ASIN: 0486291049

Book Description

Authoritative, information-packed guide offers a detailed enumeration of 1,000 species of edible plants and ferns. Arranged according to uses: purees and soups, cereals, salads, nibbles and relishes, condiments and seasonings, much more. Also, helpful data on poisonous plants, mushrooms, seaweeds, lichens. Indispensable for naturalists, hikers, campers. 129 figures. 25 plates. Bibliography.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful.......2002-11-15

I first came into contact with this one at a school library. After looking at it once, I found myself buying a copy. It actually surpasses its title. It claims to be only about edible plants, but it also directs you in the process of making Mescadine Grape leather (a type of cold drink) and other recipes, and it even tells about edible fungi.

A Side Note.......2000-01-30

I have not yet read this particular book, however, I am interested in edible wild plants. I have found a good book by Tom Brown, Jr. on the topic and thought I would inform other interested persons of this author because it seems not many people except those on the east coast have heard of him. So, if you are into edible wild plants, check it out! : > )

The Edible Wild. A Complete Cookbook And Guide To Edible Plants In Canada And Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

The Edible Wild. A Complete Cookbook And Guide To Edible Plants In Canada And Eastern North America
CLARE AND BOLSBY
Manufacturer: Burns & MacEachern
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KFYSS0

The Edible Wild: A Complete Cookbook and Guide to Edible Wild Plants in Canada and Eastern North America,

Average customer rating:

Good Stuff

The Edible Wild: A Complete Cookbook and Guide to Edible Wild Plants in Canada and Eastern North America,
Berndt, Berglund
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))

ASIN: 0684127598

Customer Reviews:

Good Stuff.......2005-11-08

This book is both a guide to common North American wild edible plants, as well as a recipe book with ideas for what to do once you find the plants. It contains the following sections: shoots and leaves, roots, nuts and seeds, fruits, fruits, beverages, tobacco and sugar substitutes, wild seasonings, and poisonous plants. Within each section, there are articles about selected individual plants. The articles begin with a general description of the plant, including a pen-and-ink drawing. The description is followed by 6 or 8 recipes using the plant. Some of the recipes are designed for camp cooking in the bush, while others are basically old standard recipes that have been modified through the addition or substitution of the edible plant at hand. Although some of the recipes are vegetarian, this is neither a health-food nor cook-from-scratch kind of book, with its recipes calling for canned soups for flavor or potato chips for crunchiness. Nevertheless, the book does include excellent instructions about how to prepare wild edibles, many following traditional Native American methods. If you've heard that a plant is edible, but you're not sure how or which parts to eat, this book can help you figure out where to begin.

Edible wild plants of eastern and central North America (Roger Tory Peterson field guides)

Average customer rating:

Edible wild plants of eastern and central North America (Roger Tory Peterson field guides)
Lee Peterson
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00070WIAS

Average customer rating:

Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America
Merritt Lyndon Fernald
Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers, NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6D7M8

Average customer rating:

Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America
Merritt Lyndon Fernald and Alfred Charles Kinsey
Manufacturer: Idlewild Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UV48G6

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America

Average customer rating:

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America
Lee; Peterson, Roger Tory Peterson
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J4XJF0

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America

Average customer rating:

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America
Lee Allen Peterson
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J4XJEG

Shoots and greens of early spring in Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

Shoots and greens of early spring in Eastern North America
Steve Brill
Manufacturer: The Author
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00072COIM

Book Description

Boats require constant care. Any boater who doesn't know the difference between a silicone-modified alkyd enamel and a one-part urethane needs this book for its invaluable advice on:

* How to save money with generic substitues
* Product recommendations for every job
* Keeping weekly, monthly, and seasonal maintenance schedules

Customer Reviews:

Lots of products not available in Europe.......2007-03-18

This book covers washing, cleaning, polishing etc your boat. There are instructions and a lot of ideas on household chemicals which can replace expensive boat-labelled products. There are a lot of product recommendations - not only generic advice. The downside of this is that a lot of the products described are not available in Europe.

Excellent Book to keep forever!!.......2006-07-14

Being boating enthusiasts, this book provided our family with the detailed information needed to keep "our baby" (Boat) in tip top shape! We have been looking for answers to the many questions concerning grooming and upkeep of our boat for years. We just ordered two more copies to pass onto other boating friends, as well.
Too bad they didnt make the pages water proof!!
This is the BIBLE for your BOAT! A must have! A must Keep!

Gold.......2002-12-06

Excellent book, buy it. Packed with insightful tips for the novice. If you are set to begin a boat project, start here.

already wearing it out.......2002-04-27

I love it, it gives so much info that, I have already read thru it twice to get it right.

Finally, a book devoted to boat maintenance........2000-05-22

The people at International Marine know a subject that was in desperate needed of a book. This book not only describes methods to keep your boat looking great but also names names! It provides the brand names you can buy from your local marine store. This is a must buy for any boater's library.

Boat Maintenance: The Essential Guide Guide to Cleaning, Painting, and Cosmetics

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Boat Maintenance: The Essential Guide Guide to Cleaning, Painting, and Cosmetics
William M. Burr
Manufacturer: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OG2WOC

Free Money to Pay Your Bills
Average customer rating:

Not as expected

Misleading

A reprint of the Blue pages.

Don't waste your time or money

Misleading commercials for a worthless book

Free Money to Pay Your Bills
Matthew; Martello, Mary Ann Lesko
Manufacturer: Information USA Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Public Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1878346652

Customer Reviews:

Not as expected.......2005-10-04

This book offered more disability programs and veteran programs available to those people, not just anyone. I expected to find out about things offered to people who did not fit this type of profile, but who might be able to acquire government grants or money through programs not known to the general public. Everyone knows about the programs offered in this book, or can easily find out about them through their local government offices. I was glad I did not pay the full $30 + price at a book store for this book. I would really have been upset. The only thing that might be useful to me specifically is college money for my daughter, who has already graduated with a Bach. of Science degree, but who may have to go back and take some additional classes in order to get her teacher's certification. I would not recommend this book to people I know as a great source of help.

Misleading.......2005-07-18

In the infomercials it states "millionaires are eligible" and the title is "Free money to pay your bills" It is obvious that the author wants you to think of this book as a way to get rich quick. Thank God I at least checked mine out from the library. Seriously folks if the government was just giving away money we'd all be millionaires. That being said it still doesn't justify the authors tailoring this reference in such a misleading way. Using human greed to feed one's own greed...how ironic.

A reprint of the Blue pages........2005-06-21

If you are out of work or are someone with a low paying job this book might be of some help. I would ask for a copy from the library first before I would buy it though or better yet, I would go out to the websites of HUD, HHS, or one of the other State and Federal Human services websites in your area and check out what the assistance programs you might be eligible for.

For anyone else this is a waste of money.

Don't waste your time or money.......2005-05-12

I'm sure the information in this book is useful, but only if you're over 65, have kids, or need goverment assistance. Sure you can get free money for food he suggests signing up for food stamps. He also states money for rent, but it's through state run section 8 programs. I love the idea of if you need money to buy a house get a mortgage. Most of the information contained in this book is for families needing goverment aid or the elderly and most single people can't qualify for most of the programs. It's a great goverment phone number book but don't waste your cash most of what's in this book is common knowledge and there's no free gold at the end of the rainbow.

Misleading commercials for a worthless book.......2005-01-24

I had high hopes for this book after seeing those late night infomercials which made it look like a wonderful source for grants and financial assitance.

Unfortunately, this book is simply a directory of public/government agencies that MAY offer assistance. The programs are very limited, and the majority of them are so restricted based on age, income level, or state that the average joe wouldn't qualify.

This book offers very little/no insight as to how to obtain the money when it comes to writing grants to the government agences.

The only people who will receive money as a result of you purchasing this book are the 2 authors. Don't buy into the hype of the commercial. Pass this one up.

Average customer rating:

Free Money to Pay Your Bills
Matthew Lesko , and Mary Amm Martello
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MM5GKU

Average customer rating:

Free Money To Pay Your Bills
Matthew Lesko
Manufacturer: INFORMATION USA@INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7792W

Book Description

Matt Bruckner, a brilliant violinist, is left paraplegic after a tragic car accident that also claimed the life of his sister. When sixteen-year-old Sammie Franklin visits him, she just wants to run away from his pain and the unfairness of it all. But somehow she can't. By staying can she help Matt find a reason to live? As their difficult friendship develops, Sammie must come to terms with another pain - the recent death of her father.

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