Economic-Life Books

I had to read this book (required reading) in the Business Management class I'm taking. I absolutely had no idea why. I thought our Prof was insane.

After I read it, though, I was like, "Wow!" This is the best business book ever, and at the same time part sci-fi, part philosophy, and part just hysterical comedy.

Read this book. It will change the way you look at things!

Those looking to find political allusions in B.Leve's tome will be taken into the nearest public square and flogged (with a wet noodle).

There I go again! Seriously, this book evidences the genius of a writer who understands the wisdom of the ages, who has experienced the Arab-Israeli conflict up close, and wishes to impart enduring lessons on the burgeoning cybercommerce class. (I made up the word "cybercommerce." Do I get my free toy surprise?)

What are those lessons? That the secular and religious worlds need not, in the minds of cybercommerce mandarins, be partitioned like desks in a drawer. Rather, the idea of feeling "good" in the secular world can and must be consistent with the classical theological ideal of good works.

B.Leve, to his immense credit, avoids a major pitfall. He does not impart the Calvinistic notion that our worthiness to God is based on our personal industry (Ebeneezer Scrooge, please call Marley). In addition, his aforementioned experience with the Arab-Israeli conflict allows him to use the Islamic confusion with the secular-religious balance as a basis from which to explain how harmony between the two can actually be achieved.

I heartily endorse this book, and urge you to read it. You'll believe.

"The Healing Forest" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy." http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

Technical, but excellent. Photos are stunning

Sam tells it like it is and is very candid in stating the facts about selling and customers. In his book he presents 40 years of trial, errors, and some profound success strategies that have been thoroughly tested. He presents a perfect synergy between empathy (heart of selling) and ego-drive (mind of selling) and goes into a great deal about why this synergy is fundamental to becoming a successful sales person.

It's the approach that makes the difference...

Sam Allman does an excellent job at combining unique sales techniques with emotional selling skills that gains and secures customers for life. Too often we are taught traditional sales methods and procedures, however, they have becomes sorely outdated. Sam Allman's book is the key to selling in todays day and age, and not only how to sell, but how to retain a customer for life. A must read for anyone looking to step to the next level of sales and customer retention for life!!

Karey Swan not only shares dozens and dozens of her yummiest and healthiest food recipes, she also gives us a sweet taste of her life style and why we should pursue "homemaking beyond maintenance." The text is warm, witty and candid, and the illustrations are winsome.

I read Hearth & Home for the first time in 1997 and could not put it down. It truly did inspire me to make some major lifestyle changes in our home, becoming more "home oriented". Karey Swan's writing style makes you feel like you've known her for years, and she shares some wonderful recipes. Her thoughts on life in general are thought-provoking and inspirational.

Bauer presents an excellent ethnographic and historical analysis of the changes the people of Dolpo have encountered since 1959, and he demonstrates to us that cultural survival and cultural change are not antithetical to one another. His examination of the resilience and adaptability of Dolpo-pa brings to life the practical importance of local environmental knowledge, human agency, and cultural innovation. As founder of the grass-roots organization DROKPA (meaning "nomad" in Tibetan), Bauer also directs his excellent analytic understanding of pastoralism toward working along with pastoralist populations to respond to the many political, economic, and environmental challenges they face in the 21st century. Very fine research and writing.

High Frontiers makes the landscape and the people of Dolpo come alive. Kenneth Bauer's descriptions are vivid, accurate and heartfelt. His observations in the chapter A Tsampa Western about the filming of Caravan/Himalaya and its impacts on the villagers is timely and thought provoking. One does not need to have an academic background to absorb and enjoy this timely book.

This book is a gem. Clear, explicit, to the point. It is a fun read and the advice is easily understood. Minimum jargon, maximum readability. Recommended.

How do I get this audience more excited? How can I get them more engaged in what I'm talking about? What do I do to get them to better understand my material, or even simply tune in? If you have ever asked yourself any of these questions as a person who is in front of groups for a living or just occasionally, GET THIS BOOK.

I work with a company that is regarded as one of the world's premier facilitation trainers. I own all 3 HotTips books by these guys, and the growth and learning I have gained and been able to use with all the audiences with which I work has accelerated my audiences' learning and created more FUN in both their experience and my facilitation.

HotTips for Facilitators gives the reader over 25 smart strategies that are not only graspable, but immediately applicable. I have used many already and they work wonderfully. Every strategy is presented with icons and quotes for faster recall and understanding, and the most user-friendly design I have ever seen.

This book has made a niche for itself in the forefront of my bookshelf, right next to the other HotTips books. I stongly suggest you get this book, both for you and the groups you facilitate.

I found this book from the library. Everyone has the power to control their own destiny in their jobs, careers and life. The author explains this so well. RECOMMENDED.

Yes, it is a fantastic guide to explore the business world - whatever your age, whatever your job is!

As an IT professional who have been involved in corporate world for more than 8 years and a survivor of one merge, one company shut down and one acquisition: while reading this book I either confirmed my hard way gained experience or discovered new concepts which made me stronger player. As a result, That made me think the writer knows the game very well...

Almost everyone of us, know or at least feel that the rules of the business has been changing at light speed. And we have one common mission: survive, or better improve and catch better opportunities. If you want to know how this would be possible: read this book and get the mentality to be a winner.

I wish Arlene had lived nearby, so that she could be my consultant whom I could ask my career related questions. It doesnt seem possible but her book would be my reference all over my professional life. I also like to note that the content of the book does not only be limited with business life but also in life general. (Well, to my concern these two are not seperate).

Believe me it is worth to try...

I received my copy of this book about two days ago. I can barely stop reading to eat or sleep.

This is a great book. It gives concrete ideas and places to start. The information on plazas is particularly useful and enlightening. If you have a A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series), this book will make even more sense as, How to Build a Village expands on the "patterns" with contemporary photographs.

There is also a section on village planning by indigenous communities. How to Build a Village might be highly useful in helping to eliminate poverty and build viable culturally reflective communities.

If you are an ordinary citizen involved with town planning, a community activist, a builder or landowner, this book will help you and your colleagues create beautiful sustainable places to live.


I remember a quote I read when I was a young girl: "Run away to a village and make it the center of your world." If that seems ideal to you, you'll love this book.

Book Review - 'How to build a village'.

"From questions a dialogue began, first as an interest, and then as a passion, and now as a mission. Why can't we live in places that offer a good life for all, for all ages and incomes; places that remain interesting and beautiful?"

After 40 years of asking questions, Claude Lewenz offers his distilled wisdom on building a better place to live; a place called a village. This village majors in quality of life; and the design reflects centuries of practical wisdom. Claude's vision assumes design for sustainablity, and enduring appeal; when established it will personify the phrase "A thing of beauty is a joy forever".

Building good human habitat is a lofty goal, a forgotten art, a policy minefield and a daunting task. Claude presents an attractive vision, dodges most of the mines and offers enough information to substantially assist anyone wishing to get started.

The book is written for the intelligent layman, with specific chapters addressed to potential residents of varying demographics, policy makers, regulators, professionals, farmers and investors. In this it works fairly well, although it may be a little inaccessible for those who aren't used to reading 240 pages on the same topic. 'How to build a village' is not yet the handy brochure you can give to everyone, but it is an excellent manifesto for those willing to really 'get it'.

'Get what?' I hear you ask... Simply this: that to thrive from now on, our best course is to ditch suburbia as we know it, and set up our lives in convivial walkable villages wherein cars are verboten. These villages are not just ecovillage or cohousing enclaves for 50 or 100 people, but bustling small townships of five to ten thousand, so well designed that they could replace current cookie-cutter housing development as the primary way of catering for population growth.

'How to build a village' is a comprehensive rethink of how we live, solving multiple problems in its design. Without cars it is charming and pollution free; leading edge design ensures connectivity and sustainability; multiple plazas give character and focus; nearby farmers ensure nutritious local organic food; 5000+ people ensure a strong economic base; careful design allows aging in place; smart process cuts establishment time to less than 10 years; thoughtful planning looks to see the village last beyond seven generations; parallel markets ensure artists or young parents are never priced out of a home; a budget for artists ensures beauty in surroundings.. This is generic human settlement design, done well.

For those who consider ecovillages or cohousing to be a similarly comprehensive rethink there are three points worth noting: scale, governance and intentionality.

1.Scale. A Village holds about 100 times as many people as an ecovillage, giving it economic gravitas; we're talking about a settlement that can become close to self-sufficient in its own right; one where you have a very good chance of finding a job.
2.Governance. Small communities often operate on some variant of consensus, which gets very hard to manage for more than 30 or so people. Realising this, Claude proposes the more mainstream idea of representative democracy, with legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and attendant checks and balances. He does note that "one weakness of representative democracy shows up in the inability to listen" (p130), and provides a process to address that. I would however prefer processes of dialogue and listening to be embedded more deeply in the governance structure (perhaps using the emerging system of sociocracy) so we can move on from the current oppositional politics of mainstream. That said, any system of governance in a community of 7000 will be more accessible to its occupants than our existing national system of democracy.
3.Intentionality. Ecovillages, communes, cohousing developments and the like often require residents to live by some sort of creed, which immediately restricts who comes in. In a village there is no such restriction; the streetscape itself will encourage a sense of community, and connection with place. This is good human habitat by design, not decree...

'How to Build a Village' is an inspiring and close to comprehensive take on quality human habitat which will go a long way to enabling anyone to become a founder. When the next edition comes out however, I'd like to see a discussion of options for renters, a wider discourse on governance, and an integration of the principles of Permaculture. As a design system which sets out how to live within the energy flows of nature, Permaculture has no peer - and can scale from a back yard to a continent if required.

You can purchase a paperback version from Amazon; otherwise buy a case of the hardcovers from Claude himself and redistribute them. For further information visit www.villageforum.com.

Buy the book. Then found a village. Someone's got to do it.

Townsend Albright has written a wonderful book about holding it all together financially when the unthinkable happens. I loved his ideas about negotiating with mortgage lenders, and for that matter, negotiating with everybody, as an alternative to bankruptcy or other less desirable options. Albright's book helps you keep the wolves at bay while trying to figure out your next step. When all else is bedlam, this must-read provides a sane approach for making it through the night. As an attorney who has helped financially-troubled individuals and others hitting the financial skids, I thought this book was an excellent, non-legal way to survive it all.

Townsend Albright has written a wonderful book about holding it all together financially when the unthinkable happens. I loved his ideas about negotiating with mortgage lenders, and for that matter, negotiating with everybody, as an alternative to bankruptcy or other less desirable options. Albright's book helps you keep the wolves at bay while trying to figure out your next step. When all else is bedlam, this must-read provides a sane approach for making it through the night. As an attorney who has helped financially-troubled individuals and others hitting the financial skids, I thought this book was an excellent, non-legal way to survive it all.

Anything Pat Morley's ever written is a profitable read, including his seminal best-selling, award-winning "Man in the Mirror" in 1989 and his most recent "Pastoring Men". Given the deepening financial crisis, "How to Survive the Economic Meltdown: Practical and Spiritual Strategies for You and Your Friends" is perhaps Pat's most providential project. For thousands of men who are struggling through job loss, financial hardship, spiritual warfare and a growing sense of helplessness, it is spot on -- concise, practical and encouraging. Grounded in solid biblical principles, "Meltdown" offers men useful advice and strategies to get through these tough, challenging times. This is not academic stuff or even a "feel good" treatment for hurting men and their families. Pat draws on his over thirty years of "down in the trenches" experience in ministering to men. It issues from his own personal battles with economic meltdown. In chapter one, Pat recalls that every day for seven years "I woke up not knowing whether I would be forced into bankruptcy". Pat serves up over thirty practical and spiritual strategies that you can turn into a Personal Action Plan, that is outlined in the final chapter. There's also twenty-six questions throughout the book that are suitable for personal reflection or small group study. If you or someone you know needs good practical help and solid spiritual guidance, this may be one of the few places these days where your investment will pay real tangible dividends.

In his previous books Patrick Morley has always been in tune to the challenges that affect men and as they search for "true" success.
His book "The Man in the Mirror" identifies the problems and pursuits common to most men and offers the Solution. And in addition gives practical advice on how to get on the right track.

"How to Survive the Economic Meltdown" is a similar read yet is more precise in its focus on how men can deal with these very difficult times.
Obviously written in a direct and timely response to what is going on in our economy right now(Fall/Winter 2008-2009), it is of particular value to men who are success minded businessmen who have been ambushed by the myriad of economic woes in our country today. It gives insightful advice to men who need to find strength and perseverence to face the future in these uncertain times. Thanks to Patrick Morley for giving me a tool to help me with my daily "to do" list and to chip away at the barriers to real lasting success.