Economic-Life Books

"...an interesting and useful resource for any industry insider..." (Chemistry & Industry)

"Dhanda applies a case study approach to four timely topics: genetically modified foods, DNA databanking, personalized medicine, and stem cell research. In each case, Dhanda gives a very basic review of the science, discusses the potential benefits of the technology and the ethical issues, and then uses prominent corporate examples to raise relevant issues and draw lessons." (JAMA, January 22/29, 2003-Vol 289, No. 4)

Finally, someone has written a book from an insider's perspective that analyzes both bioethics and industry. Having worked in the biotech industry for years, and having an amateur's interest in philosophy and bioethics, I was amazed at how clearly Dhanda was able to synthesize the two. This is a book I wish that I had written, but I cannot imagine how he was able to draw on so much literature from both fields; few in the world could have written such a book due to the immense specialization and division of labor we find in both fields. Not only does Dhanda prove that he understands how both science and business really work (something that I have found few people writing in the field of bioethics have any knowledge of), but he also does a remarkable job of clearly framing the issues confronting the fields today. Guiding Icarus is a book that, while offering insights and wisdom to anyone interested in the general realm of industry, philosophy, and ethics, is particularly recommended to anyone working in biotechnology. Executives in the industry ignore this insightful, indispensable work at their peril.

I heard about this book from a friend and got a copy for myself. What I expected was a fairly narrow guide for astrologers (I'm not one). Blaschke's book really goes far beyond that. Yes, it has everything the professional astrologer needs to know about setting up and running a business, but it's actually very useful for ANY self-employed person.

Robert covers virtually everything you need to know to go into business for yourself, and then build a successful company. From leasing office space to creating a company identity to marketing to prospects and clients to writing and publishing -- even a section on handling income, expenses and taxes -- it's all there. And he does it in a completely candid style that lets the reader benefit from his experiencs (and mistakes) along the way. The book is full of samples -- forms, artwork, teaching outlines, spreadsheets and the like.

Blaschke has grown his professional standing from private practice to teaching, then publishing and now is an in-demand lecturer across the speaking circuit. This path is the same for any consultant who wants to escape the "why doesn't my phone ring?" trap. I found his book a big help -- and his anecdotes make it a very enjoyable read.

I heard about this book from a friend and got a copy for myself. What I expected was a fairly narrow guide for astrologers (I'm not one). Blaschke's book really goes far beyond that. Yes, it has everything the professional astrologer needs to know about setting up and running a business, but it's actually very useful for ANY self-employed person.

Robert covers virtually everything you need to know to go into business for yourself, and then build a successful company. From leasing office space to creating a company identity to marketing to prospects and clients to writing and publishing -- even a section on handling income, expenses and taxes -- it's all there. And he does it in a completely candid style that lets the reader benefit from his experiencs (and mistakes) along the way. The book is full of samples -- forms, artwork, teaching outlines, spreadsheets and the like.

Blaschke has grown his professional standing from private practice to teaching, then publishing and now is an in-demand lecturer across the speaking circuit. This path is the same for any consultant who wants to escape the "why doesn't my phone ring?" trap. I found his book a big help -- and his anecdotes make it a very enjoyable read.

Robert Blaschke is one of the emerging top astrologers of our time. In his first two books "Progressions" and "Sabian symbols" he had us spellbound by his impeccable astrological technique and insight. In his latest book, he has us mesmorized with his amazing Virgo rising accuracy and practicality.

Here Robert shares generously with his readers all of what has worked for him ( and what has not worked) as he changed from a lucrative career in corporate america to the more risky and adventurous path of becoming a professional astrologer.

This book is valuable for many reason. If you have been a self employed person in the healing arts field, you will share with knowing in the realizations, struggles and successes of a fellow traveller on the path. If you are just starting out, you will have hundreds of fabulous tips to take from Mr Blaschke's book and will probably avoid many pitfalls. If you are neither and the profession of the astrologer is not for you, I can assure you you will still delight in reading about Blaschke's journey as a human being in a material world that manages to stay faithful to his calling dispite the road not always being easy.

I thoroughly recomend this book , as well as all of other written by this delightful man of keen intellect and spirit!

I ordered this book because it was perhaps the only book relating to hard work; and at first I was pretty pessimistic about it since it was only a biography of someone I didn't know. I did; however, found it to be one of the most inspiring books I have ever read.
This guy tells it straight; no philosophies, no wanders. He tells his story, a successful story, which is simple, yet so few get to understand and appreciate it.
It's all about hard work and diligence. If you think you are going to get rich by reading this book: don't buy it. If you think you are ready to face life realistically and be ready to commit yourself to working hard then this book will only show how others have done it.

This book is a wonderful blueprint for anyone to build upon. I found the book easy to read, entertaining and insightful.
The main theme is uplifting because it is basically that there is no secret to success. Just work...Hard Work.
That is a liberating idea. Work, focus, perserverance and vision. That is the "secret". Now you have it. But read the book, too!
I would recommend this book to anyone.

I learned many, many wonderful, exciting and new things from Michael Crews' book, HARD WORK: Success Made Easy. His 16 "Crews Controls" are simple and common ideas that we simply forget to incorporate in life... yet, they will definitely make it easy to succeed if followed. Readers also learn what a generous and amazing man Michael Crews is and how he has used his success to make others succeed. It truly is inspiring. And super easy and quick to read. I learned more by far in HARD WORK than in any other success book I've read to date.

This book is a difference maker and is the one book that I would recommend to any professional, young or old. Everyone will face ethical dilemmas in his or her professional career. High-Performance Ethics is a roadmap through those difficult times, as well as a reassurance to leaders that it does pay to do the right thing - always. This book made such a difference in my life that, as Predident-elect of the South Carolina Public Relations Society of America, an organization that lives by a strict code of ethics, I immediately invited Mr. Cantrell to come speak to our members. A must read.

There's a lot of books out there talking about ethics, and most of it is surrealistic. You couldn't apply it in real organizations - you couldn't even apply it in the ivory towers where they're writing this stuff. There's also a lot out there on performance. Some of it even gives a nod to "being ethical." But this book is totally different. It's a book about ethics that will actually help you perform at higher levels. It has insights for individuals and for leaders of organizations. I really like the approach the authors take in going back and forth, one laying out the concepts and the other illustrating it with stories from his career. An enjoyable and profitable read.

On a day of June 2007, I flipped through as many business management books as possible -- on 8 fully loaded 6-foot Barnes & Noble bookshelves - because I was desperately in need of professional books to help me with my job. 60 minutes passed by, I couldn't find a book that I felt worth my money and my time commitment to study at home. I murmured to myself, "God, tell me which book I should buy.... my eyes are getting blurred and my legs are tired." a newly published High Performance Ethics suddenly stood out right in front of me. I slothfully opened to the middle of the book because I was too tired to start from the beginning. I was immediately engaged with Cantrell's perspectives on how to deal with various types of leaders, wise and especially unwise, when we have to submit to their authorities due to the hierarchy. I paid for the book at the cashier literally seconds after I first saw it on the shelves.

The layout of the book presents an interesting juxtaposition of coherent and convincing theories with Cantrell's real life experiences during his time as a CEO of an international business organization. Cantrell and Lucas are not only great writers but fantastic teachers. I enjoy so much gaining solid knowledge through reader-friendly writing style. I am well related to Cantrell's insisting on the importance of having both competence and characters as a High Performance Ethics (HPE) Leader. I couldn't agree with him enough because I have witnessed at many workplaces the negative impacts by people having either competence or characters but not both.

Through reading, by surprise, I realized that Cantrell is actually a Christian and a son of a local minister. I myself am a 3rd-generation Christian and a lay music minister for many years. However, the older I am, the more dissatisfied I become towards the church culture. In my observation, many Christians have been drawing an extremely bright-color line between Faith and Profession. On one side of the spectrum, many Christians are with little or no professional trainings (or intentionally avoiding high-level professional trainings). They quoted that it is harder for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God than a camel going through the eye of a needle. On the other side, many houses of worship are polluted by skilled Christians with undesirable characters.

Cantrell's life experience shows me that long term success is birthed by in-depth understanding of true prosperity and it is attainable and can be expected. He said "Prosperity, for those who haven't been given everything from the beginning, is a by-product of passion, commitment, and good thinking - and a willingness to limit desires. "The leader who basically focuses on himself or herself is going to mislead, "warns Peter Drucker. (p.208)" I personally was very encouraged by the book and therefore strongly recommend it to any potential readers.

Amazingly perceptive into both human and horse mind, a most valuable read ! Strongly recommended !

I first read this book over a year ago. I picked it up again recently and was struck by how many of the ideas and insights had stayed with me and worked a sometimes subtle, sometimes profound change in my life. If you want to take control of your life and need a place to start, this book will set you on the path.

This is a fantastic book by a gifted teacher and horse person. If you are looking to learn more about yourself and how to develop clarity and intention in your life, this is a great read. The author gives a thorough education about the natural instincts of horses and humans and how those instincts affect our behaviors and outlook on life. Learning to recognize how we can work with these instincts to enhance our experience of ourselves and improve our interactions with others is the core gift of this book and of the workshops that the author teaches at her ranch. I recommned both very highly.

The late Mac Douglas was very active as a speaker/trainer in the 1970's. especially in the southeast. Aside from being a top trainer, he was also a top network marketer. His books, tapes and appearance were inspiring.

This book in particular, How To Make a Habit Of Succeeding is quite good. Mac talks about habits and how some habits can be good. In this case, Mac Douglas suggests the habit of succeeding.

I believe that Mac Douglas was/is one of the best trainers and also one of the most under rated authors ever as well. If you can find this book, read it. It's outstanding!

The first time I ever heard of Dr. Mack Douglas was in 1975 at a business seminar & rally for Seyforth Labs, Inc. Dr. Douglas was the keynote speaker. I bought this book and several tapes by Dr. Douglas and have been a fan ever since. Dr. Douglas mixes humor with content. I highly recommend this book and any tapes by Dr. Douglas that you can get your hands on. He was one of the best.

Dr. Mack Douglas was one of the top motivational speakers during the late 60's and through the early 90's.

I bought this book over 20 years ago. One of Dr. Douglas's popular phrases is: 'the greatest use of life is to so live your live so the use of your life will outlive your live.' Wow! Talk about purpose!

Mack was a powerful speaker and an equally powerful writer. His words will excite and motivate you.

Highly recommend for allserious achievers.

I am continually fascinated by the great works of the late, great Napolean Hill. Being familiar with Hill, I was surprised to find this title, one which I never heard of before on my favorite books tore shelf. I appears that with the renewed interest in personal development, pma and motivation, many of Hill's previously published works are resurecting. And I am glad for that.

This booki s divided into two sections, 21 chapters and over 200 pages. It is pure meat, no nonsense. Great stuff from the master himself. In particular, the chapter on the top qualities of the master salesman and insights into Henry Ford's philosophy were outstanding.

I know some of Napolean Hill's detracters will attack this book based on it's age, but this information is timeless. And who wouldn't want to take a peek into the minds of great business/salesmen like Henry Ford? This book shows you how.

There is a lot of talk today about consultative selling techniques. In How To Sell Your Way Through Life, particularly in chapters 10 and 11, Hill talks about consultive selling, qualifying the prospect and neutralizing your prospective buyers mind.

In chapter 12, The Art of Closing The Sale, Hill explains how to close sales and how to keep them closed; produce happy customers and practilly eliminate buyers remorse. He tells an interesting story of a cadillac car salesman from Maryland and how these strategies made a huge difference.

Of course some of the information will be familiar to Hill fans like The MAster Mind strategy and others. Overall a great book by a great man. Must reading for all serious salespeople.

This book was strongly recommended by Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible. Jeffrey said that the only complaint he had was that he didn't write it and that it was in his opinion the best sales book ever written, even better than his own books.

This book has some of the same content as Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion but also has much more information as well. When I first saw it I thought it was the same book with a different title.

This book is more like the psychology of selling. You won't find any fancy, smancy selling technique in here. Read Tommy Hopkins for that. There are chapters on qualifying your prospect and closing the sale, but this book more than anything, shows you the person you have to become to become a great salesperson.

To wit, both Tom Hopkins and Jeffrey Gitomer, probably the two greatest sales trainers in the world today place a great deal of emphasis in their training to attitude and personal development in addition to sales techniques. No one teaches attitude better than Napolean Hill.

The bulk of the material is in part I. In part two, Hill tells us how to develop a sales personality, how to find a job and even how to create a job and how to manage your time. The final chapter, chapter 21 tells us how to put it all together.

Overall, I was very impressed with How To Sell Your Way Through Life. And a recommendation from no less than Jeffrey Gitomer stands on it's own merit. Read this along with Tom Hopkins How To Master The Art of Selling and Gitomers The Sales Bible and you can't go wrong.

I own a pretty extensive library of books on Sales & Marketing, plus 7 other books by Napoleon Hill (Including Selling You!, which offers excerpts from this book). It was actually Selling You! that encouraged me to buy this book. The excerpt on qualifying prospective buyers was just so condensed and direct and useful (like most of Napoleon Hill's writing) that I went to a local book store and browsed through How to Sell Your Way Through Life: Highly Proven to Help Make Millionaires!. The simple fact of the matter is that regardless of how many Napoleon Hill books you own, if you are in Sales...either as your full-time vocation or as the primary driver of new business in your own company...you need this book.

As others have pointed out, the "meat" of the book...what makes it essential...is in Part One:

Definition of Salesmanship
You Need Intelligent Promotion To Succeed
The Strategy of Master Salesmanship
Qualities The Master Salesman Must Develop
Auto-Suggestion, Your First Step In Salesmanship
The Master Mind
Your Improved Concentration
Initiative and Leadership
Qualifying Your Prospective Buyer
Neutralizing Your Buyer's Mind
The Art of Closing the Sale

The above chapters fill the first 136 pages. The remaining half of the book focuses on material largely found in other Hill books such as Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored and Revised, as well as advice on choosing / creating your job and time management.

So many modern Sales authors have dipped their cup in Hill's well...Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Jeffrey Gitomer...you probably can't name a single author of merit who has not.

Highly recommended, essential reading.

Susan Quinn's Human Trails blends science with medical insights as it draws unusual and important connections between scientists, investors in scientific and medical research, and how drug trials are financed and conducted. Hers is written from lead investigator diaries and closed-door meetings with investors, offering more than an outside look at the facts.

I knew Susan Quinn's HUMAN TRIALS would be an engaging, informative inquiry into the intricate process of bringing a new drug therapy to market. What I didn't expect was that the book would read like the best of thrillers -- it takes the reader on the suspenseful and sometimes heart-wrenching journey into the very heart of the war against disease. HUMAN TRIALS is ultimately about the people who populate the closed society that chronic, degenerative illness creates (in this case, MS and rheumatoid arthritis): the patients and their families who suffer and hope, and the doctors, scientists, and investors who, from motives that mix intellectual egotism, financial gain, and selfless dedication, bring their best weapons of mind and spirit to the battle. Quinn does an admirable job describing and demystifying the strategy involved in one novel approach to conquering, or at least containing, MS and RA; the reader learns in compelling detail just what it takes to develop an untested theory into a viable, marketable protocol. However, HUMAN TRIALS goes beyond scientific process to tell a story of risk and courage on both sides of the line. On this particular journey, failure is simply a subset of perseverance, knowledge arrives in unexpected ways, and victory is really a matter of the heart more than the body.

This book grabbed me from the start since I also have one of those incurable, untreatable autoimmune diseases that rarely threaten your life, but certainly ruin it. Scleroderma patients had a recent, similar roller-coaster ride with what was thought to be a promising therapy. I could easily relate to everyone involved - patients, treating doctors, researchers, and investors. Ms Quinn took very complex material about MS and the research surrounding it and made it understandable, while telling an exciting and emotionally engaging story. Though it doesn't help me to cope day-to-day with my disease, it does make me understand the processes and people involved in the search for a treatment.

Nathan Griffith's "Husbandry" tells how anyone can achieve a good living in the country, even if they don't have lots of money.

It's the only book of its kind I have seen, giving the author's first-hand, no-nonsense accounts of good living by sustainable management of rather small, cheap parcels of land.

The author is a classically trained musician, but for many years has lived primarily from the amazing bounty of his little bit of marginal land in a rural part of Appalachia.

He tells how to find and evaluate country places, how to examine their titles at a courthouse, and how to buy them cheaply.

Then comes a great deal of in-depth guidance on:

1. Preparing the land to support you.

2. Getting drinkable water from it.

3. Raising all types of poultry and livestock on it.

4. How to milk a cow and make butter, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

5. Butchering meat and making ham, bacon, and excellent sausages.

6. Training draft horses and oxen (even for beginners).

7. Managing pastures and meadows, field crops gardens and orchards.

8. Harvesting sugar, honey and molasses.

9. Preserving food.

10. Rustic Construction, Repairs, Blacksmithing.

11. Making soap, charcoal, lime, leather, etc.

12. Rural sanitation.

13. Saving and improving seeds and crops.

...And on and on. And all of it without dependence on debt, drugs, petroleum, chemicals, gimmicks or outside help.

The book is only about 300 pages, but there's so much on every page it takes quite a while to read it all. There are also plenty of helpful illustrations.

This book is a fascinating look into making a very good living, whether or not you have a "respectable" income.

Reading it has set me to seriously pondering chucking it all, and do like the author has done: Namely, achieve a peaceful, leisurely and independent life, while making the planet a better place to live--at least for myself.

Of all the farming/agricultural/rural/back-to-the-land books out there, this one stands above them all. It is concise, easy to read and practical - - It is the only book you need (we've all heard that before, but it's true in this case!)

Nathan Griffith's "Husbandry" tells how anyone can achieve a good living in the country, even if they don't have lots of money.

It's the only book of its kind I have seen, giving the author's first-hand, no-nonsense accounts of good living by sustainable management of rather small, cheap parcels of land.

The author is a classically trained musician, but for many years has lived primarily from the amazing bounty of his little bit of marginal land in a rural part of Appalachia.

He tells how to find and evaluate country places, how to examine their titles at a courthouse, and how to buy them cheaply.

Then comes a great deal of in-depth guidance on:

1. Preparing the land to support you.

2. Getting drinkable water from it.

3. Raising all types of poultry and livestock on it.

4. How to milk a cow and make butter, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

5. Butchering meat and making ham, bacon, and excellent sausages.

6. Training draft horses and oxen (even for beginners).

7. Managing pastures and meadows, field crops gardens and orchards.

8. Harvesting sugar, honey and molasses.

9. Preserving food.

10. Rustic Construction, Repairs, Blacksmithing.

11. Making soap, charcoal, lime, leather, etc.

12. Rural sanitation.

13. Saving and improving seeds and crops.

...And on and on. And all of it without dependence on debt, drugs, petroleum, chemicals, gimmicks or outside help.

The book is only about 300 pages, but there's so much on every page it takes quite a while to read it all. There are also plenty of helpful illustrations.

This book is a fascinating look into making a very good living, whether or not you have a "respectable" income.

Reading it has set me to seriously pondering chucking it all, and do like the author has done: Namely, achieve a peaceful, leisurely and independent life, while making the planet a better place to live--at least for myself.

This is a collection of articles brilliantly composed. Factual quality and research depth reflected by these well-written articles are impressive and respectable. A light touch humor made the reading even more enjoyable - at least for those who are not offended by the truth about corporate America.

From global warming issue to deceptive schemes in marketing strategies, the over-the-law and Enron-flavored attitudes of corporate Ameica were finally addressed and brought to the attention of the public. This book deserves to be a part of all students' education and thus, should be introduced to all highschool and college students. My 16-year-old really enjoyed the book and has lent it out to many friends.

The editors do a great job taking writings from diverse journals and magazines and putting them into a great anthology.

One subject area flows well into the next, and we are brought further and further down the road of a very terrifying trend in modern capitalism.

Even if your goal is to become a CEO, read this to understand just how corrupt and twisted is modern business. Read it to understand what kind of pact you are making with Satan.

Amazing work guys. more!!!

As a former corporate CEO and advocate for getting special interest money out of our political system, I found this supporting my goals and was naturally drawn to it. It contains many essays adding weight to the subject.

Campaign funding allows corporations to get away with murder (sometimes literally) and it's just a matter of time before the public rebels strongly enough by throwing the current breed of politicians out. This book gives them reason to make that sooner rather than later.