Economic-Life Books

Bev Worth's book is excellent. Ministers and religious workers everywhere can save big $$ in taxes legally if they will follow her guidelines. On the other hand, her tax service business in Warsaw, IN has slipped because Jackson Hewitt took it over. I do not think Bev Worth involved any longer on the day to day operation of it. Not as good as it was. FYI, [...], does good service and is helpful.

This book is an excellent tax guide for the ordained. It provides current comprehensive tax information that is easily understandable.

I have used B.J. Worth's tax guide ever since it was a small 1/2 page booklet and now has grown into a major volume. I have run into "expert" tax service companies who know nothing about clergy and minister's taxes and this book gives them a full education on the special situations of clergy as well as the extra deductions available. The book is worth every penny you pay for it as you will find all the forms and advice you need to save yourself headaches and avoiding taxes that other tax preparers do not know about. B.J. Worth has been THE leader in clergy taxes and there is not a tax guide on the market that can compare to her publication and the services her company provides over the telephone (although rumor has it now that she has retired and sold her company to another group that does not provide the phone consultations...that would be a huge loss). But, the book can help any group set up their books, run their quickbooks with ease for clergy and avoid any questions. A MUST BUY for any minister.

As usual, the Worth's Income Tax Guide for Ministers is most helpful in preparing my taxes. Not only does the guide go through a step by step process in its help, the people in the Worth office are likewise very helpful. I have been using this guide for over 15 years, and find it always excellent.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy, yet intelligent read. The information and exercises were pertinent to any of us wanting to do our destiny (and get paid for it). The exercises helped me to focus on what I do best, and helped me realize what the next step will be for me to get there. Brava Tami!

No matter your job or stage of career, Tami Coyne's excellent book will help you figure out where you really want to go and how to get there. The book is not a step by step guide (which can be off putting) but easily gets the reader thinking in very concrete and productive terms about their own path to work they will enjoy. Anyone will benefit from reading this book. I heartily recommend it.

YOUR LIFE'S WORK by Tami Coyne is a rare book. The author doesn't tell the reader how to live or give one-size-fits-all instructions on what the reader should or should not do. Instead, the reader is taken on a journey of self-discovery. I enjoyed the journey immensely and, by listening to Tami Coyne, I learned to listen to my own inner voice. "There is only One Life," Tami Coyne writes, "and you are it." It is so easy to forget that vital message. Tami Coyne brings it home on every page. YOUR LIFE'S WORK should be the next book you read!

A great summer read for anyone desiring private consultation with a 90's "life coach," Tami Coyne delivers an approachable, entertaining, yet profound glimpse into the heart and soul of career angst to anyone searching for more soul satisfaction on the job. From the opening line, any reader will be drawn into a gentle self-explporation process, and more so for those readers who hate their current jobs and are looking for more from life than job title and paycheck. Through the author's examination of the negative and positive emotional states, we are led to discover that transmuting such negative emotions is the essential, alchemical first step to realizing your dream job and life aspirations, i.e., "your LIFE's work." The author also dares to ask us in our culturally conditioned quest to get ahead, do we know where we're going? Chapter 5 entitled "Make a Spiritual Resume" offers great brainstorming exercises (really soul-storming exercises) to uncover your core beliefs and examine your circumstances, which will elicit "answers" from even the most casual reader. This book is witness to the paradigm shift of our time and one of its hallmarks, the integration of the soul into our careers. You'll never ask simply "what do you do?" of someone after reading this book, but you'll be compelled to ask "what makes you tick and are you doing it?" beginning or further actualizing your own reevalutaion process in that moment.

Although it is not the most exciting book to read, it offers a lot of insight to many different aspects of the workplace.

Updated version of a comprehensive classic on workplace rights from hiring through firing

I'm a paralegal, you would think I would know these things. However, I was in a position where I knew I was being wronged, but would have to research and learn an entirely new form of law to make my case. This book had already done that for me. It has simple answers to complex questions; it is organized into a format which allows the reader to make educated decisions. I highly recommend this book whether you are in a situation now, or want to be prepared should you ever find yourself in a situation later.

Even after working in Corporate America for several years as a manager, it wasn't until I started my own business that I started paying attention to employment laws. And then I was amazed at how little attention I had paid to my rights in the workplace when I was an employee! I now realize that I didn't know anything about my privacy rights, or when I was being illegally discriminated against or what to do if I got fired. Part of the reason was that I had been lucky enough to work for good employers (and especially great bosses) who were very fair and I never felt the need to understand my rights because they took care of protecting them proactively through their internal guidelines and implementation.

I realize now that everyone isn't as lucky when I started hearing the horror stories that some of my friends had to endure. If I had continued working for Corporate America (I started my own small business a few years back) I believe that eventually I would have encountered situations where I would need to know my workplace rights.

That's where this book comes in. It gives a fantastic overview of almost every law imaginable that could apply to you if you are an employee. It is a very detailed book with countless pages spent on comparing the laws as enforced in various states so you can find your own state law and see the details. A good example is the chapter on wages - there are tables comparing the rules for overtime, meal breaks, minimum wages, etc. for each state. In this chapter, I also found an interesting tidbit of information on meal and break periods. It describes the different situations under which your employer is required to pay for meal time!

The entire book is full of helpful and valuable information on your workplace rights. I personally believe that it is good to have this book handy even if you don't need it right now. It makes for interesting reading and you will feel more in control of your behavior at work and not as afraid of your lawful actions. Here's something else to think about - the book has information on the time period in which you can lodge a complaint against your employer after something unlawful has happened to you. Even if you decide not to do anything about something that has happened to you, at least you know the expiration date on your right to complain under the various circumstances!

This book also happens to be one of the more inexpensive books from Nolo. If you are new to Nolo books, you will quickly realize that they do a fantastic job of explaining the law in plain English. And they are very detailed. Enjoy!

As a Human Resource professional, I found Mr. Gregory's book very helpful.All employers should be aware of the rights of their employees. This book makes us totally informed.

This is the best book explaining the rights of employees. Unions should use this book as a manuel directing their members to totally understand their positions and how to defend against unfair discriminations.

I read an advance copy of this book I was able to get a hold of and I thought it was, on the one hand, as enjoyable as a novel with a compelling story line, and, on the other, as informative and up to date as it could possibly be. Its like receiving real world practical advice about your workplace woes from a trusted down-to-earth yet very wise best friend. I loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone including employees and managers alike. I think it would be great in the college classroom and for seminars and conferences as well. This is one of the best on the subject! Buy it - you need it! I sincerely hope the author updates with a second and third edition.

As a human resources manager, I read this book to gain insight into why employees file EEOC claims, and how to maintain a fair, equal-treatment working environment to prevent disparate treatment of employees. It gave me excellent insight into the EEOC process and educated me about employment law in easy to read language. I plan to share this book with my staff to provide a better working environment for our employees.

It takes the honesty of reflection about what truly happens in the workplace, to possibly deeply appreciate this work... William Warriner captures all the subtle nuances of 'relationships' in offices, all the 'usually unsaid'behind the statistics! savour.......
Heat shimmers from cars / surrounding my parking space; /they all want my job.
He has a certain sense / that history begins / with his arrival.
In youth, we learnt that / a company must grow; now/we teach it to shrink

I treasure this book!

My copy is an integral part of my reference library, and is frequently referred to, and often quoted:

'Truly, the Wise One
is creative: he invents
his own statistics.'


Humour and truth: an important combination.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

A fantastic book with some real gems.

Here's an example ... " A tropical beach, at last. I trace in the sand a lazy spreadsheet."

At first look it may sound trite and yet on consideration the thoughts behind are so deep. We all look forward to get away for a holiday, and yet so many of us have got so caught up in routines and our fast paced lives that we've forgotten how to really enjoy our leisure.

William says it beautifully ... and in 17 syllables :-)

I found this book an easy guide to help in healing what ails you in the work place. Just about everything in the brief, yet succinct chapters of this book can be applied to improving interpersonal skills in other areas of your life. This knowledgeable author has "left no stone unturned" with her offerings in this book and her voice is real, practical and humorous. There is truly something for everyone at every turn of the page. Great quotes and situations that you can imagine and relate to easily. This book personally continues to be a great reference for me in times of need and I keep it close at hand at work and at home and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to my co-workers, bosses, friends and family. This little dynamo of a book would make a great stocking stuffer, it's so tiny and cute!

This is an inspirational yet practical guide to discovering (or remembering) why you love your job. The book is laid out in an easy-to-read format, and Stephanie has a straightforward, humorous, relatable writing voice. The advice, tips, and techniques are appropriate and applicable to most any industry.

101 Ways to Love Your Job would be perfect for a college grad just figuring out the workplace, or for a seasoned veteran who needs a pick-me-up. We all want to feel that we make a difference with what we do from Monday to Friday - this book will help you refocus and get the most out of your career!

This little book is full of not just inspiration, but insight into what you may not even be aware of how you are sabotaging yourself on days you feel like you are just in the wrong job or want to quit. You can just pick it up and open to a page...and walla'...there is the perfect insight you needed to get you through the day. Stephanie has not only depth but humor and insight into what we all do to ourselves and this book can help bring you out of those little dark places we sometimes find ourselves in.

It is also a thoughtful gift for someone you know who may be having a difficult time at their own job! I highly recommend it.

Seriously he is.
I didn't think so at first but he worked me over for hours until I snapped. I ended up getting 3 sequined beads and a shower cap...He got the keys to my car and my undying affection. Yeah, he's that good.

I much prefer the audio tapes to the book.
Translates better I feel for this subject.

Once again Roger has amazed me with the way he explains his knowledge. I read 75 books a year, this is one book that I really had an easy time learning and applying, and that is what we are all looking for isn't it? A quick painless way to success? This is so clear that an elementary student will possess the skills to achieve anything in their life.

I don't know how "secret" Dawson's ideas are, but as one of the very few top-level professionals on the speaking circuit, he delivers a lot of motivation to get you off your duff. He gives you plenty more than just stale ideas to think about. I personally use his time management system, because he was the first person to show me the real value of having one that actually works. Sharing several of the ideas in this book with the clients I coach has helped my clients reach specific goals much faster.

Cheri achieved a great goal here as she shares with the reader a wealth of tips and tricks to revamp one's life in no time...well, in 30 days :)
To achieve your perfect life you will need to commit to te program and do your exercices. It works!

Cheri Baumann's techniques offer a simple no-nonsense way to getting your life together and enjoying the possibilities of a life worth living. This was an empowering book where life strategies are set in motion that will transcend all the areas in your life. This was a great read and an excellent tool in achieving my goals.

Wow. If you're looking to gain personal success in every area of your life this is the book for you. This book provided me with an easy to follow approach to build a realistic life strategy based on "my" beliefs, values, wants, and needs. The material is accessable and the exercises in the book are written in a way that is like having a personal life coach with you on every page. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's the best self help book I've read.

-Bruce Roberts

Academic Life: Hospitality, Ethics, and Spirituality is a page-turner, a description I most often reserve for fast-moving books of fiction. However, even before I turned the first page, I knew this was a book I was not going to be able to put down. Bennett's conceptual framework of academic life is as captivating as it is sound.

While reading Academic Life, I remembered how excited I was during my early career as a professor, actually believing that I - along with other scholars - could help solve some of the pressing needs of humankind. My enthusiasm was short lived. I quickly discovered the obstacles that Bennett describes, particularly the "significant proclivities toward individualism." And I soon saw how "healthy academic ethics and spiritualities struggle for breath." As Bennett writes, "Insistent individualism promotes the isolated self - it advances disconnection among faculty and staff as well as between faculty, staff, students, and institutions. It works against internal integration and separates personal from professional lives. It encourages exclusiveness rather than relationality, self-protection rather than openness to the other. It celebrates instrumental rather than relational knowledge. Insistent individualism encourages disciplinary and specialty boundaries, isolated departments, and fragmented institutions."

Bennett is a gifted writer and a profound thinker who engages and challenges all of us who care about higher education. He makes a strong case for relational individualism where leaders "model the importance of conversation by practicing hospitality and honoring covenant." Bennett explains: "Being a hospitable leader means recognizing that colleagues and students have different contributions to make to each other and to the classes and groups of which they are members. Practicing this kind of leadership means modeling and enabling contributions that are thoughtful and sensitive to the humanity of the other - that are respectful of individual dignity, even though that respect may not be initially returned."

"Only when education leaders and all who participate in higher education allow themselves to be truly formed as well as informed by conversation and hospitable teaching, scholarship, and service, can the academy remain true to itself. Only when we see ourselves as members of a covenantal collegium can higher education stand against the elements of anti-intellectualism that threaten our work as educators - reducing education to the transmission of information and credentialing. When pursued with genuine openness, learning makes a difference in who we are," Bennett advises.

If I were to recommend only one book on higher education this year, it would be Bennett's thoughtful and profound book, which examines hospitality, ethics, and spirituality as a part of academic life. It is indeed a page-turner.

At last a book that tells it like it is in the world of academe, a world described by John Bennett as characterized by "persistent and possessive individualism in which self-promotion and protection become central values." Quite the opposite, in fact of the values suggested by the word "collegium," values such as connectedness, reciprocity, mutual purpose,and community. But, says Bennett, there is an alternative scenario what woul result in enhanced teaching and learning and in greater personal satisfaction for students, faculty, and administrators alike.

For Bennett the better path is grounded in the practice of hospitality. Ub the broadest sense, hospitality connotes welcoming, civility, sensitivity, and communication. Deemed an esssentail virtue, hospitality demands the cultivation of reciprocal relationships between groups and between individuals. We learn in this fine book how institutions and their constituents can become more hopsitable through, for example, altruism, philosophic inquiry into the self and into our professional calling, and establishing a balance among "...rights, responsibilities, and prvileges." Conversation, we learn, promotes listening and sharing and leadss to connectedness, empathy, and participation. Conversation and debate with students and colleagues foster mutual inquiry and break down the barrierss that exclude, thereby reducing "persistent individualism" and building community founded upon a covenant of mutual purpose and responsibility.

Bennett, it must be stressed, is neither an idealist nor a dreamer. He acknowledges the campus realities that make change so difficult - finances, reward structures, institutional size and complexity, protectionism. Nevertheless, under strong leadership, change can occur and a better path adopted, leading to the esstablishment if a true collegium This is a beautifully written, thoughtful, and important book. It should be read by all who care about the future of higher education in the United States.

Janice S. Green
Independent consultant to higher education

This book has rekindled my faith in the humanizing potential of academic life. Bennett seeks to move beyond the "insistent individualism" that so permeates faculty and administrative life in colleges and universities, with its competitive, performance oriented, and self-protective focus. He offers instead a vision of hospitality. Grounded in covenantal relationships of mutuality, respect, open conversation, and genuine support, hospitality is a virtue that can foster communities of trust rather than fear. At first, this kind of vision might seem "soft" and ineffective, but the research Bennett marshals suggests otherwise--teaching can be enriched, scholarship empowered, curriculums enhanced, leadership energized.

The use of the word "spirituality" in the title, however, might be misleading to some readers. While religiously affiliated colleges and universities will find much in Bennett's argument that resonates with their own mission statements, the basic argument of the book does not rest on "faith claims" of one sort or another. The discussion of spirituality mainly stresses personal life-philosophy, a way of seeing one's self in meaningful relation to others and the cosmos. This is a strength that makes the book relevant to all readers, "religious" or not.

Perhaps more might have been said about problems of gender and racial equity, freedom of expression, and power structures in academia. For, as the author knows, hospitality is not merely an easy cover to "leave things as they are." It can and should be a vehicle for critique and resistance, for transforming distorted systems of communication (pp. 101, 110-12). And yet there are real socio-economic pressures that run counter to this ideal.

Overall, I highly recommend the book. The writing is clear and the argument balanced. It will provoke many fruitful discussion in the academy.

It was wonderful to read this book and feel so empowered to go after my goals in life. It's about achieving success and knowing how to get there! Mr. Murphy's guidelines taught me how to get my mind working together with my body to achieve happiness and health. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to get ahead and feel good at the same time!

Practical steps you can take that will help you accomplish what you want to do. First you have to know what you want to do.

I bought this book not to improve my athletic performance -- though I used it for my swimming -- but for other areas of my life, and I found it to be very helpful. It's easy to read, doesn't contain the wild hype and intensity of some other books on similar subjects, and is nicely formatted so you can quickly refresh your understanding of helpful techniques.