Economic-Life Books

Summary:

This book is mainly about how to switch on the employees and customers become inspired, passionate and alive, so that the organization could earn profits. Thus a question would be raised, how to create such a passion in an organization?

The answer would be regulating employees and customers by the leader in the organization. There are both the internal side and external side.

Internally, a leader should guide the values system, promote leadership in all levels, renew them regularly and care everyone in the organization. In an organization, a strong foundation should be built and a goal should be set. Also, it should simplify the structure of organization and make use of technology to measure and enhance the efficiency of process, so that the organization could run smoothly. The organization should also need to nurture their employees to build a winning team, the head and heart should be hired by the organization, thus the organization should provide resources for them to learn and compensate their contribution. Moreover, the organization should try to make everyone feel special, so that the workforce would able to work hard and loyal to the organization.

Externally, it¡¦s not easy for the organization to tackle with the customers as each customer has their unique emotion, needs and desired. Thus the organization should employ a new rules, present the choices for customer to choose, provide customerized service and develop personal relationship with them.

Comment:

I think this book is really great as it¡¦s easy to understand and I get many feelings after reading the book.

For the leader part, I agree that it¡¦s really a hard job to be a leader as the leader should be a person who is able to energize the team members, able to be divided the job equally according to their strength and wants. There is no ¡§perfect¡¨ person in the world, so a leader should contain both competent, able to deal with personal relationship that include dealing with the conflicts between the team members.

Also, a leader needs to energize the others. Just as Horst Schulze in Ritz-Carlton said, ¡§he said a leader is hardly to find someone to energize himself.¡¨ Thus a leader should energize by renew themselves.

In real life, I have tutorial with a 7 years-old girl and I¡¦m just like a leader whereas she is just like an employee. It¡¦s not easy to control her as she thinks that learning is a difficult and hard job for her. If she finishes two works today, she needs to work three in the other days. Thus, she would not like to finish the work and shows a very slow speed, lack of passionate attitude to me. It¡¦s really annoying to me as I do not know how to deal with her.

Thus, after watching this book, I learn something. I try to let her know that homework is her responsibility as a student. She plays happily in school with her friends and so she also needs to do her homework, happy and homework is together. No matter how difficult, she needs to finish all for everyday. Of course, it is not an easy to let her understand as she is just 7 years-old girl. So I use many examples to illustrate, e.g. I tell her what¡¦s the responsibility for me, her parents, etc. Also, her friends are able to do her homework without the others¡¦ help, so she is lucky that there is somebody helping or accompanying to do the homework. Moreover, I try to increase her interest to do the homework by giving her stickers. I design a table to make record. I hope that these all tools could help me to solve the problem.

One of the most important things in life or business is a sense of optimism and possibility. This book helped me renew mine in a big way. I recommend it highly.

One of the most important things in life or business is a sense of optimism and possibility. This book helped me renew mine in a big way. I recommend it highly.

This is one of the most inspirational, motivating, and empowering management books available. After reading just a few pages, you find yourself picking up other copies to give to coworkers, clients, and friends.

Dow and Cook have found the ingredients to successfully attract, excite, and retain employees focused on customer-centric goals. Having read their insights, I now know why companies such as Marriott and Schwab are so successful. An excellent, must-read.

A great book with stories that exemplify the main ideas contained in the book. Contains an "Insight to Action" after each chapter which helps you apply the concepts. If anyone is interested in finding ways to provide extaordinary service to customers, or become a better leader, read this book.

The world says 'do it your way', but when the top rung is reached, too often our ladder of life is leaning against the wrong building. Seekers of success should find this book enlightening and encouraging.

Frank Beaudine's personal stories, examples and analogies all blend well to portray the heart of his overall message - encouraging those who would seek God's success on His terms

There are many men and women who are chasing the perception of success at the expense of true happiness. Frank Beaudine presents ways to refocus and come back to an equilibrium that includes self, family and God. This is must reading.

This book does a wonderful job of turning solid concepts into practical understanding and actions. I wish I had read it as a youth.

"The author is right on target! In this busy, overstressed world, Frank Beaudine redefines our choices and shows us a road map toward true success."

Unemployed - A Memoir takes a look into the heart, mind and soul of the unemployed - his/her fears, frustrations, hopes, and dreams. Reggie Goodwin weaves the tapestry of emotions he's gone through with being laid off from the high-tech industry into a short but powerful work of art, filled with not only first-rate quotes from the works of others but also his own exquisite poetry. He is truly a gifted, ingenious writer, especially in the area of poetry [...]. Each chapter builds upon one another in a crescendo of suspense, wonder, and emotion - even humor -- to the point where you can't put the book down when you start to read it. I read it in one sitting. I love the imagery evoked in the prose and poetry, my favorite being the passage about his dying father. I also liked the chapter about Reds, the shooting range. The writer has a way of drawing you into the book. Although the book is emotional, it does not get lost in the emotion - it is very well structured, contained, and sculpted into a passionate work of poetic prose. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the plight of the unemployed, outsourced and downsized. Unless something is done, these kinds of layoffs will continue to be the norm and the Achilles heel of our economy.

This is a work of passionate poetic prose that connects with our desire to be independent, self-sustaining earners in a time of ever-looming lay-offs. So many of us fear the instability of downsizing corporations and are concerned to the point of anxiety as the options to pick ourselves back up dwindle with age. Here we see the consummate breadwinner, first lose his job and then question his self worth before teaching himself to triumph over both.

Taalam Acey, International Slam Champion, Performance Poet and Author, www.taalamacey.com

Reggie:

Once I sat down to read your blog, I could not stop. I've always known you to be an intelligent and extremely talented wordsmith and reading "Unemployed - A Memoir" seals that knowledge. These "spiritual bread crumbs" are needed in today's world.

"I've been on a two-year journey. I've documented the pains I've felt, the self-doubt, the despair, and the hopes. This is a process, long, complicated." This quote, from the chapter entitled Surrender, is the theme that truly underlies the memoir.

From "Great Games of Cat and Mouse" to "Epilogue", I was pulled into a world interlaced with poetry, poignant and pivotal life moments, prolific premonitions and a journey on "Horizon Road" to F.I.N.E (Fired up, Inspired, Naturally talented, and Ecstatic)

I was especially moved by the account of your father's illness, visiting him in his last days. Your undying devotion to him pulled at my heartstrings. "I saw the strong will that kept me from experimenting with the drugs that savaged my community become weak and...frightened." Your dedication to family and the continued support of your wife is wonderful. The Heathcliff Huxtable and Mr. Mom chapters showed a side of the black family that is often overlooked in society.

Your chronicle from the corporate world to living free and in the confines of talent is real and tragic, yet beautiful. I found myself reading certain passages over again and the Biblical references were well placed. The chapter on Faith was eye opening and clearly displays your extraordinary grasp at physics.

I applaud you especially for the mention of the Sun Poet that took her life. It is true that people suffer in isolation to the point where they feel going on here in this realm is useless. It's a sad testament to not really knowing what a person goes through inside. Depression and suicide is a topic that is not touched on as much as it should be. Many people suffer in silence and find it hard to escape the glass cage.

All in all, I thank you for including me on this project and wish you the best. Be blessed and continued success.

Clarissa LeVonne Bolding, poet and author of Life is a Song Worth Singing.

In the beginning, the blog seems to be too harsh and reads like a person who is very bitter. The reader can feel the honesty, which draws you to continue through this seemly brutal journal.

Next, the blog moves into a vivid description of a person's dreams and vision for living in America. It's as if the painter's brush touches your eyes to view a masterpiece.

I got this book yesterday, and could hardly put it down until I finished it. It is really good.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, Reggie and I worked at the same large company for quite some time. We never worked in the same department, but we had mutual friends, and saw each other from time to time.

I knew him as an engineer, first in process (making semiconductors in a clean room), then in device (understanding how the process affected the device's performance). So, I saw the technical side of him, and knew him as a good engineer, known and respected among the bunch I worked with.

What I did not know, was that he has a strong streak of poetry within him, and can write well. (It hardly ever comes up among us engineer types).

I was laid off a few months before he was, at a similiar age and with similar family responsibilities, so our trials and tribulations have been somewhat the same. Some of the emotions he felt really resonated with me, while others were specific to his journey. Still, for those of us who have walked down the long road of unemployment, you can not help but read his story with a feeling of deja vu.

His story is moving and affecting, and occasionally funny. For me, it really hit home. I hope he will update his blog from time to time, and let us know how his journey through this dark wood (Dante) goes.

Dr. Mackie is the true embodiment of the American Dream. His book provides an effective roadmap not only for yourself, but for those whose lives you touch. As an educator, I see many young people who have become discouraged about their own future and the possibilities they face. Dr. Mackie provides hope, methodology, humor and wit. Every young person should read this book.

"A view from the roof" has come along and provided a rare road map to seeking your full potential! Thank you for providing the blueprint for success in a simple format that encourages. You've allowed me to dream again!!

I've known Dr. Mackie for over 7 years and everytime he has something to say I have paid close attention. He has always had a way with bringing out the best in individuals. Dr. Mackie's energy, spirit, and attitude is contagious.

This book is an accurate example of how true, raw talent and simplified understandings of life, where some people find life awfully complicated, can give birth to a new person from within.

I highly recommend this book to any person from all walks of life; from the jobless to the high ranked executive, from the single to the married. We all should find the best 'view' we can find from the roof of the tallest building or from the ground beneath our feet.

In ten easily readable lessons, Dr. Calvin Mackie inspires his readers to achieve more than they dreamed possible. "A View from the Roof" provides as its subtitle promises, "Lessons for Life and Business". Through a series of powerful personal vignettes, Mackie tells how his father transformed what could have been a bleak childhood into a character developing adventure. Mackie reveals how to instill discipline and orchestrate personal and professional success. He clearly shows, how as his father "worked hard just to give you [Mackie] boys the chance to do whatever it was you wanted, and you shouldn't take that lightly."

Straightforward prose clearly demonstrates the messages Mackie illumines. A quick enjoyable journey, the ten self contained chapters brim with wisdom from a variety of sources. Willie's View provides yet another perspective. Parents can profit from what he presents. A must read for educators and anyone who works in unlocking human potential.

As a mentor to young, disadvantaged, and often impoverished inner-city African-American males, I am always on the watch for new ways to reach the hearts and minds of my "kids." I was very excited when I learned that Dr. Mackie, a wonderfully dynamic motivational speaker, had finally put onto paper his inspirational and hope-filled message. The author's growth from Calvin the grandson of a sharecropper and son of a hard-working but un-educated roofer to Dr. Mackie Phi Beta Kappa, tenured professor, and business entrepreneur is a veritable roadmap of success (especially for young black men). "A View from the Roof" provides its readers with the skills to accelerate their spiritual, educational, physical, and emotional growth. Dr. Mackie uses humorous and poignant anecdotes to drive his messages home. Every chapter ends with clearly enumerated steps to achieve any of a number of objectives from conquering fear, to accepting and inviting criticism, to becoming a master of your "craft." Although Dr. Mackie has a PhD in mechanical engineering, the text does not read like an academic treatise. Instead, the reader flows from page-to-page effortlessly. I plan to purchase copies of "A View from the Roof" for all the young men I work with. I highly recommend this book for anyone with a desire to succeed or help others to achieve their goals.

This book distills the essential elements of planning and conducting effective meetings into incredibly down-to-earth concepts. The subject matter is based on powerful psychological principles, yet the author presents them as simple common sense. You can't go wrong with this little book and what it has to offer.

I am going to keep this book on my desk as a reference book for how to promote productive, inspiring meetings. Mr. Kausen has the unique ability of being able to awakening the reader to the little things that make all the difference in having productive meetings, such as listening and open-mindedness.

This book should be given as standard equipment to anyone promoted to a leadership position.

If you've had it up to here with marathon meetings that drain energy and accomplish little, this is a must-read. Robert Kausen shows that anyone can master the art of the brief (yes, brief), productive,and inspiring meeting. You'll want to get a copy for everyone you meet with regularly.

This is a wonderful book. I read right through it. It is well written and easy to read. It is important information for anyone who works with others in groups or meetings.

The principles in this book are profound, and Robert explains them in an easy, common sense, and accessible way. I have been using these principles in my work for over ten years, and I found myself learning new things as I read nevertheless.

It is a pleasure to have a really simple, yet effective way to think about a topic that can be so confusing at times.

Robert brings a great deal of experience which was a joy to learn from. I loved reading his stories.

Robert Kausen has written a thought-provoking book that could help any business person get greater leverage in the workplace. I am a business consultant and lead Leadership Seminars for business executives and their companies. It is refreshing to come across a book that addresses head on the critical link between a person's state of mind and their effectiveness at work. This book is very user-friendly. The first part of the book helps you to feel confident that you have ready access to healthy states of mind and what you need to realize in order to live more consistently in these states. The second part of the book does an excellent job of conveying how you can bring this understanding into practical application. Mr. Kausen presents information that will not only be helpful in the workplace but will also help many people to improve their relationships at home. I am recommending this book to all the business people who attend my trainings.

This is a quick book to read that has what I believe is some sound advice. Definitely found some areas I need to work on to move my career forward. Recommended.

Who Gets Promoted is an extremely effective book. After reading this book, and following Asher's tips - I actually got promoted! And this is after I worked with a career counselor for a year! I would highly recommend it.

I have read 4 books on career advancement (I also reviewed them) and this one provides the best practical and streetsmart insights into the dynamics of corporate promotions.

Promotion usually happens to people with the following characteristics:

1)You must be available. If you are tied up in an important project and pulling you out will jeopardize that project, then you might be bypassed for a promotion. It is important to have a replacement for your skills since promoting a person who have a ready replacement is less risky. In other words, minimize all risks associated with promoting you , such as the cost and risk of replacing your current position, your bad relationships with key organizational people, and personal (alcoholism, lack of self control etc.) problems.

2)You must show (sell) you can do the job at the next level. Do not assume you are have shown the capacity for the next level by being competent at your current position. Learn to talk, to dress, and to possess the skillset (knowledge) required for the next level.

3)Anticipate organizational needs and changes. Do not merely be a passive player amongst the corporate changes. Anticipate organizational needs, develop a knowledge base to provide for the need, and sell yourslf as the answer to the anticipated organizational problems to the influencial senior managers.

3)Develope a network of good relationships. Do not be a jerk. In the modern workplace, it is better to be loved than feared since the knowledge workers have more leverage than ever. Talented people do not need to accept your fear tactics. It is important you are perceived as someone who is good to have a beer with.

4)Be a constant learner. This is even more critical in the knowledge based economy. Success comes to those who learn critical skills, especially in anticipation of future trends.

Overall, I have found the book provides excellent street sage advice. This one is definitely worth its price and a read.

There is no shortage of "get promoted quick" books on the "career" shelves of bookstores these days. Many of them have recommentations that should be fairly obvious to anyone with a pulse, such as "do not wear sandals to work" and so on. I did not have very high expectations when I started this book, but I found "Who Gets Promoted.." to be a refreshing exception. It is a short, but enlightening read with some pretty good advice that draws upon the author's experience in HR. I particularly found the real-life stories sprinkled in the book to be fairly insightful and interesting. Overall, a pretty good book for the new graduate and experienced cubicle-dweller alike.

This is THE book for people who are "doing their best" job and wondering why they aren't getting promoted. The ten steps Asher spells out may seem intuitive to some, but as a career management coach, I can tell you that so many people don't get it.

I now use this book as a "travel guide" for my clients in their journey to move up or move on in their careers.

Mark Amtower has taken his great speech and written a book around it, and it is wonderful!

This is classic Amtower: Straight talk, real meat, honest and important. His principles of life--especially business life--are what is needed when forming a career.

This is a treasure to be read and re-read every few years; it gets better with every reading; one of those must-have books that stays on the shelf in a familiar place for easy finding.

Don Libey

Edgy as ever, Amtower amuses and enlightens at the same time. Speaking from his heart, Mark shares his journey and in doing so, has us reflecting on our own paths. In a world of two many choices Mark has devised a code of ethics that he uses as a guide. It makes his life simple and therefore less stressful and leaves more room for joy. Amtower's law resonates.

Some of us are looking for a life of sanity - a rock solid island in the swirling craziness of the world today. Mark's "Epiphanies" book encourages us all to define what anchors us to sanity. Bravo Mark - you get people to look within. It's the only place we'll find the answers.

I read an advance copy of Mark's and found the concepts and content insightful and helpful without leaning towards dogma and jargon, all too commonplace in today's self-help book category. Worth the money and the reading time, Mark's book and common-sense approach to life's challenges is something we can all (couch potato or not) readily benefit from!

Feeling confused and battered by conflicting priorities in the hurly-burly of scratching out a living?

Buy this book, refresh, and re-set your perspective. It won't take long, won't hurt a bit, and sets out a gentle challenge to re-discover your own ethical ground in life and work.

Mark Amtower shares ten fundamental, straight-up truths about creating and living an authentic ethical life. He writes from the heart and bares his soul with raw honesty that draws you up to his fireside to listen at his knee. By opening up his life's lessons, and generously crediting all his teachers on the path, Mark reminds the reader of the power of basic things that we should always remember, and so often forget to practice.

He tells you straight up: "Here are the lessons my life has delivered to me -- as a business owner, and as a person who walks the earth like everyone else -- and why you should pay attention. He leaves you nodding, thoughtful and humbled, reminded of the vital importance of living your values...and how you WILL reap what you sow.

I had the opportunity to review the book in draft and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a first person approach to the role that integrity and ethics play in the world of Mark Amtower who has been a very successful business person - largely by sticking to his ethical principles. In the book Mark chronicles his family history that has positioned him for success and then informs the reader concerning major epiphanies in his life that would likely not have occurred had he not adopted the philosophy and lifestyle dictated by the very epiphanies. The book is an easy read over a day or two and you will enjoy the genuine homespun humor and honesty that has become Mark's trademark. It will make you want to reach out and touch the writer even if you have never met him before. Mark is such a warm and caring person (to those he trusts) that if you asked him he would likely give you the shirt off his back (and it is a large shirt- for a person with a large heart).

This is a quick read, broken up into short "lessons"--the last 20 of which are Ludwig's riffs on quotes from the famous, from George Bernard Shaw to Oprah. While it's aimed primarily at salespeople, the book has some wonderful things to say about many of the principles I discuss in this newsletter and in my own book, Principled Pro fit: Marketing That Puts People First: integrity, honesty, how to be an effective listener. The story he tells about Gandhi's integrity (I won't spoil the surprise) is worth the whole book right there.

Shel Horowitz's award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, demonstrates how to build a business around ethics, environmental sustainability, and cooperative practices--and how to develop marketing that highlights those advantages.

As an Author, Coach, and Motivational Speaker I read alot of books about people, their motivations, and their relationships. Wise Moves provides loads of education and inspiration in the form of 60 short stories. The first 20 are about life, the second 20 about sales, and the last 20 are stirring quotes from people like Ghandi, John F. Kennedy, and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Some of my favorites are:

Power Physiology - Creating a physical presence that speaks of success.

Involving the prospect in the sales presentation - engaging them at multiple sensory levels allows us to judge their interest by watching their actions

Victor Frankel - The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.

I agree with the statement that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Wise Moves is a book that gives me 60 opportunities to be ready for a teacher to appear. Buy yourself a copy today.

As George quotes on his web site, "If you want to change what's happening in your life, you have to change what you feed your mind." In a small, easy-to-read book, George has compiled a wealth of wisdom to feed your mind that will enrich your life, energize your personal and business relationships and hone your sales skills. Whether your business is sales of a product or service, or just selling yourself and your ideas, you will gain from his proven sales techniques and insightful understanding of human nature. George has a passion for helping people utilize their unique gifts and reach their potential. This book is a great "first step" for those beginning the journey, and a practical refresher for those who desire to achieve and maintain a level of peak performance.

"Wise Moves" is filled with lots of tips that are made even more meaningful by great illustrations from the lives of the author and other notable people. You can read this book in small bites if you want, but I quarantee that once you start, you'll want to keep feasting! "Wise Moves" goes beyond mere sales tips to include strategies for your personal and spiritual life. This book not only empowers, it inspires!

I REALLY like this book! I'll admit I'm a sucker for the quick tip format because I like being able to pick up a book like this and get a payoff in just a few minutes.

Ludwig has packed this book with excellent advice and he has organized it so it is instantly accessible. The guy obviously has a lot of experience and he shares it very effectively.

I've read lots of self-help books by some of the top authors; I've moved my cheese and swam with the FISH! But this book is as good as or better than most of the books I've read in the past couple of years.

The author offers so much more than the typical "improve your life" books. For the stressed-out, overworked cubicle slave, it's a must read.

Are you struggling to balance work with your personal life? You are not alone. Most workers don't know exactly what they want, but they know they want something different. Cali Williams Yost warns that her book will not hold your hand and present you with the perfect solution. Instead, she says, the job is up to you. Nevertheless, she manages to be surprisingly reassuring. She provides practical exercises at the end of each chapter, explains time-tested strategies and presents case studies to illustrate her claim that anyone can find a satisfying balance between his or her career and personal life. We recommend this book to any employee seeking a better work-life fit. Managers may feel reassured to hear that Yost places the responsibility on the worker, rather than simply blaming companies for being too rigid.

I read this book both from a personal perspective as well as an employer's perspective. How do I attract and RETAIN the best and the brightest for a long period of time? This book is so compelling and full of actionable information that a copy now resides in my company's library.

If you are thinking of quiting your job, read this first.

Cali Williams Yost shows us that the largest of changes are indeed possible AND she demonstrates that even the smallest of changes can make the world of difference.

Susan Torroella, CEO

After the birth of my first child, I found that the corporate 8-to-6 grind was no longer for me. Cali Yost's practical, easy-to-follow and well-thought-out approach helped me to consider, not only my personal needs, but also the realities of my work when tailoring a work+life fit that works for me. As a result, I am now working as an independent consultant, which allows me to have the flexibility I want while continuing to do the work that I love. With all of the negative articles of recent months focusing on women "opting out", Cali Yost's message that "work doesn't have to be all or nothing" is not only positive, it is empowering. I have now creating a work+life fit that works for me and I have never been happier!

As an at-home mother who has slowly let her work-life fade out, this book was an inspiration. I knew I could bring work back into my life, I just wasn't sure of how to do it. Yost walks you through the steps of identifying how much or how little work you want at a given point in your life and how to attain that schedule. The personal stories throughout bring up the common fears of missing promotions or losing the all-important "edge". Yost knows her business. She realistically addresses both the benefits and compromises of identifying your wants and making them heard.

This book has helped me create boundaries around my at-home work so I have time for some career. Making the boundaries helped me focus my time, my energy and my long-term vision.

Thank you Yost!

What a great book! Matt and Luke spotlight the inanities of life and how your life needs to have more of them. They provide a clear reminder not to take yourself, your circumstances, or your life too seriously. It's the next best thing to having your own personal therapist help you keep things in perspective -- and a lot cheaper as well!!" -- Bob Nelson, President Nelson Motivation, Inc. Author 1001 Ways to Reward Employees & 1001 Ways to Energize Employees

Do you want to improve YOUR working environment? Buy a copy of this for your CEO or manager. Have a singing messenger deliver it, and watch your place of business turn into a place you WANT to go to. These examples and stories are useful even outside the workplace...in your everyday life. In an period of low unemployment, where employee retention is difficult, these ideas can give your company an edge on your competition.

Work Like Your Dog contains some nuggets of wisdom, and lots of advice on how to play at your job, approaching it as if it were a game. I LIKE many of the ideas, such as treating your employees even better than your customers, but I can't imagine applying them in my own straight-laced, uptight work environment. Unless you're the president or the CEO (and perhaps, even if you are), implementing most of the ideas in this book would likely undermine your credibility. For example, the authors suggest things like decorating coworkers old shoes with glitter and plastic flowers, and wearing the "fun" shoes at work. One of the authors attached the metal runner statuettes from all of his running tropies to the roof of his car, creating a "race" car -- and suggests that similar activities create a fun environment. (Yes, but if someone drove such a car into the parking lot where I work, they'd be dubbed hopelessly crazy.) The authors also suggest that acting like a fool in the middle of a heated argument can be particularly effective -- In suggesting ways to turn fights into frolics, they suggest cracking a raw egg against your forehead in the middle of a domestic dispute. Some of the advice is funny -- One Shell trainer created a "swearing room" next to her office, a place where her coworkers could sound off. She then gave prizes for the most impressive swearing (which was "Gods' bees, and scrunties alight!) The book is a fun, creative, quick read. How applicable it is to you & your work environment depends, in large part, on you & your work environment. I'm not sure these techniques would get you very far in a large corporate environment, but they'd be great if you run your own business.

I've just returned from a reading of this book by my philosophy professor, Dr. Luke Barber. Although he only read from a couple chapters, it was easy to figure out that this book is definitely a must have for anyone who loves life (or would like to learn how). Containing good, useful (not to mention funny) stories, you will be able to relate to the text easily and effectively! I plan on purchasing this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested (and even those that are not!).

If you ever get the chance to share an office with Matt Weinstein or Luke Barber, don't pass it up. These coauthors, respectively a management consultant and a philosophy professor, tell hilarious stories and exhibit both fiendish creativity and charming warmth in this worthwhile manual of making work fun. The anecdotes are superb. When Barber recounts spending a summer moonlighting from his job as a college professor by working as a yardman, it's as funny as a classic "I Love Lucy" episode. When a con artist scams one of the authors out of $110, you feel for him as deeply as if your own cash had been lost. The lessons live up to the packaging. They're simple, effective, and somehow surprising. Sure, work would be a blast if your company hired a masseuse to roam the cubicles giving out free neck and shoulder rubs. And if your boss gave you $100, took you to the mall, and told you not to report back to the office until you had spent it all, Monday would definitely look less black. Why has no one suggested this before? The authors provide far more than fifty ways to make work fun. They propose an entirely new mind-set about work, one that makes it less about earning a living and more about simply living.