Enterprise Books

I bought this for my husband but became involved as I read it myself - a great journey into earlier experiences. Perhaps you have been there, too.
Enjoy!

... this book might resonate particularly well; it could become one of your basic books. If your birthdate isn't in that range, read it anyway because it's a wonderful book. This is a beautiful novel about complex people caught in the overwhelming cross currents of the late '60s. The author's created a complete world, with every character compelling. The writing is down-to-earth and the story flows as naturally as the river. The book has stayed with me; I remember the characters so fondly, as if I knew them. I really didn't want the book to end.

This is a fun and engaging book, and an easy, quick, and suspenseful read. The author is an exceptionally gifted writer and good storyteller, who I think does an excellent job of capturing one of the most unforgettable moments in recent time...the late 60's. It is nostalgic without being overly sentimental, and I found the characters to be "real" people with universal qualities that are instantly appealing. The setting takes place in a small rural town, and I especially enjoyed the author's very lush descriptions of the natural beauty of the area, and how he wove this aspect of the story into the overall plot. Anyone who is a sucker for a "first love", coming-of-age story, but perhaps seeking a fresh approach, should read this book.

I was there! Not really, but I feel like I was. The author's feel for this era transported me from dusty West Texas to the foggy, wet Delaware River Valley. I was a little older than Nick, the main character in the book when Woodstock happened, but whispers of it ran through our tight-knit farming community like wind through the corn tassles. We wanted to be there. So the first week in August, 1969, 3 of my friends and I convinced a long-haul trucker to take us "east"! We ended up near New York City, hot, hungry and dirty with no earthly idea how to get to "Woodstock." But the freaks knew. They pointed us north, and with thumbs out, battered cowboy hats and boots and dirty bandannas, we headed for our life-changing experience.
Read this book, Buy this book, love this book, share it with everyone you know over 48! We were ALL there in spirit. We all wanted "out"! We all wanted "in"! We none of us wanted to go to Vietnam but I did. And I took memories of Woodstock with me. Now with this book, the memories of how free and easy it was back then, when all we had to decide was what to eat for supper, where to go dancin' and who to sidle up to was foremost in our innocent minds.
Thank you Joseph Freda, for putting it all into focus for me and for taking me back to a better time and place.-Scott Johnson

It's been a while since I've read a book that I've so thoroughly enjoyed. Mr. Freda gives us a real river cruise as he extends the metaphor beautifully. His style of writing is lucid, striking, to the point, and certainly no nonsense.

Certainly, this is a "coming of age" story and rather brilliantly done. I understand the author is a product of the Defense Department's overseas schools (he graduated from Kubasaki High School in Okinawa in the late '60s). I happened to be a young marine stationed on Okinawa at the time, personally nervous about Viet Nam (as most of us were) and when I picked up "Patience of Rivers" I felt the author had more than represented an era, of course. His book transcends a single concept. This is Mr. Freda's second novel (I've also read his "Suburban Guerillas" and it's also great!) and I can hardly wait for the next one.

This is a good book for beginners on Peoplesoft. Some of the core concepts are well explained. I am told there are not many books around on peoplesoft that are good and this one ranks high..

It is truly a thorough documentation of every important part of PeopleSoft HRMS. It is a handy-dandy book for anybody working in HRMS. Thanks to the author for taking time and putting thoughts to write such a gem.

I am a DBA and wanted to work on building a warehouse for PeopleSoft HRMS along with generating reports for the client. This book really helped me and my team to understand the hr/payroll concepts quickly. If you are a DBA/developer working in Peoplesoft environment, good to have this book in your library.

This book is a treasure for anyone who needs to get quickly up-to-speed on the PeopleSoft HRMS data architecture and the most common tables against which queries and reports are executed. This alone would make the book invaluable because of the confusing PeopleSoft documentation and the thousands of tables. However, the author goes well beyond by breaking down the most important tables, grouped by function, into attributes and explaining how to create highly useful business reports from them.

In addition to the thorough coverage of the data architecture, the book also provides an excellent compendium of information and tips for using SQR to its fullest potential. Although my main interest is in the tables, I considered material on SQR to be a bonus and learned a great deal from this section.

If you are working with PeopleSoft on either the technical or functional side this book will probably be your most used reference. The author deserves the highest accolades for clear writing, technical knowledge and the ability to distill the essentials into one of the best references and tutorials I've read in a long time.

I have been working with Peoplesoft product since last five years,I have seen may books in the market but this is the only book I have seen which has very usefull information which helps the begenners a lot to understand main tables and also gives overview of HRMS functionality.

I strongly recommend this book for Begenners and is useful as a reference book for any one.

A textbook approach to globalization, however, much of what is found in the book is based largely on organizational theory. Probably a good all around book for the person without a background in that discipline or area of study.

Loved the book, and it arrived on schedule. I work for a large multinational and this really hit home.

If there are 10 management books you must read, this has to be part of the list. Once in 5 years come books like 'Competing for the Future' and 'The Innovators Dilema' that completely change strategic thought and lay open fresh paths to explore. The Quest for Global Dominance is one such book.

Globalisation is clearly going to be the most important item on the agenda for every corporate for the next decade. Every manager is going to face serious challenges in this front. This book prepares you to prepare for these challenges and win the globalisation game. Too good to be missed.

As Jeffrey Garten explains in the Foreword, this recently published Second Edition offers "not only updates, not only new examples, and not only a more confident analysis. There are three entirely new chapters." Given all that has happened since the first edition (2001), these are indeed welcome additions. Anil Gupta, Vijay Govindarajan, and Haiyan Wang focus on four tasks essential for any company to emerge and stay as the globally dominant player within its industry:

1. "One, people must ensure that their company leads the industry in identifying new marketing opportunities worldwide and in pursuing these opportunities by establishing the necessary presence in all key markets."

2. "Two, people must work relentlessly to convert global presence into global competitive advantage."

3. "Three, people must cultivate a global mindset."

4. "Four, in developing global strategies, people must take full account of the rapid growth of emerging markets, in particular the rise of China and India."

As the co-authors would be the first to acknowledge, it is quite easy to offer prescriptions such as these. Presumably they agree with Thomas Edison: "Vision without execution is hallucination." After briefly but precisely identifying the "what" of "transforming global presence into global competitive advantage," the authors devote the bulk of their attention to explaining the "how." They intended that their book be broad in its coverage of issues relating to the creating and exploiting of global presence, and, that each chapter would focus on a specific action-oriented issue such as building global presence, cultivating a global mindset, or the dynamics of global business teams.

While citing real-world initiatives by several dozen exemplary companies (e.g. Cisco Systems, FedEx, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Ikea, Marriott, Microsoft, Nucor, Procter & Gamble, and Wal-Mart), the authors address key questions, issues, and challenges such as these:

Which five imperatives drive the pursuit of global expansion?
Under which conditions are alliance-based entry modes more appropriate?
Under which conditions is accelerated global expansion more appropriate?
When location decisions are made, which criteria should be considered?
Which four factors drive the speed with which to cultivate a global mindset?
What are the most common barriers to effective and efficient knowledge transmission?
How to maximize knowledge accumulation and mobilization?
What are the primary reasons for the failure of a global business team (GBT)?
How to overcome communication barriers within a global organization?
What are the major benefits to be gained by early globalization?
What is a "two-track strategy" and why should it be executed in both China and India?

Gupta, Govindarajan, and Wang are to be commended on the wealth of information they provide and, especially, on the rigor of their analysis of that information. All three are pragmatists. What has worked for other global companies that have transformed their global presence into global competitive advantage? What lessons can be learned from those initiatives? In this context, I am reminded of what Peter Drucker once observed: "We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don't spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half the leaders I have met don't need to learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop." All of the observations and suggestions that Gupta, Govindarajan, and Wang include throughout their narrative share a single purpose: To guide and inform the process by which correct decisions can be made, decisions that will address what not to do as well as what to do. Although their book is a "must read" for C-level executives in companies that seek to transform their global presence into competitive advantage, I think it should also be read by C-level executives in other (non-global) organizations that are within the supply/value chain of those companies.

I also highly recommend Friedman's aforementioned The World Is Flat 3.0, Victor Fung, William Fung, and Yoram (Jerry) Wind's Competing in a Flat World, C.K. Prahalad's The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Kenichi Ohmae's The Next Global Stage, and Operation China co-authored by Jimmy Hexter and Jonathan Woetzel.

If you're looking for a detailed book on globalization that has the qualities, depth, and approach of a college textbook, here it is. The book was written by two professors who met, and discovered a synergy for writing, while they were students at Harvard. They've developed a style that presents their points in a well-organized fashion, with sufficient illustration and documentation to validate the authors' points. The examples they use are well-known companies that have achieved global dominance; now we know how they did it-with plenty of information and understanding between two covers of a modern book.

The book is organized into nine chapters, each strong enough to be a stand-alone publication on its own. We start with Rising Up to the Global Challenge and then move into Building Global Presence. Appetites whetted, we now get a comprehensive case study: Lessons from Wal-Mart's Globalization. Exploiting Global Presence comes next, followed by a chapter on Cultivating a Global Mindset. This is primary theme of the book; it's a mindset that enables dominance.

Chapter 6 gets into some how-to: Building a Global Knowledge Machine, sharing vital information and understanding across national boundaries and cultural divides. The authors then concentrate on the Dynamics of Global Business Teams and Changing the Rules of the Global Game. The final chapter is Globalization in the Digital Age, keeping us right up-to-date and reminding the reader that this topic is real and "present" in today's organizations. A bibliography and two indices follow the footnotes section.

The ordinary lay reader will have trouble with this book. It is an academic work. However, for senior executives, marketing professionals, and students of globalization, this book will be a treasure. Those involved with graduate education in business should not miss this book. It will be valuable reading for self-growing executives engaged in executive MBA programs, giving them solid knowledge and insight to apply in their real world of global growth and dominance.

My thanks to the authors for sharing- honestly, openly and truthfully- what it really takes in business to maximize objectives that include but go beyond the simple pursuit of profit. This is a must read for anyone who wants to launch or scale a socially responsible business venture.

I have discovered Tea Mind! The tea is mine. It is now. It is hot. Oh evenness. Oh flow. Oh swallow of presence. I am a zentrepreneur!

I found a new appreciation for tea in fact before reading this book but now that I've read it I have further confirmed the splendor of this drink and I love coffee too! You have to read this book if you are curious about Tea Mind but you also have to read this book if you are passionate about ideas and need to bring these ideas into the execution stage. Also includes a real business plan - the one used to form 'The Republic;' a living example!

So much beyond the tea but the tea is enough! Check out their Web site and order their catalog then maybe order some tea and taste it to complete the tangibility of this company's birth.

This book has been an extremely usful resource to my company. Although my company also started small, Team 5 Technologies, it is now a large corperation. This book helped me understand more about giving the customer what they want, and putting myself in the customers shoes. After all, a company is only worth the value of it's products. With this is mind my good friends, read the book, Nick J. Frost - T5T

If you're in a partnership, starting a business, or just looking for some inspiration to keep you focused on the direction you're going, then buy this book.

The illustrations and the background "thinking" that are added to the conversation truly give the reader a sense of understanding.

What I found to be the most interesting is how quickly the entire idea of TROT came together. Within a month of meeting, Mel and Bill had the ideas and the philosophy of TROT down. When it comes down to it, there was very little change from those initial conversations until the final product launched.

Mel & Patricia Zeigler are geniuses at creating raving fan businesses. They were the originators of the greatest store I've ever been in, Banana Republic. They sold it to the Gap and it is NOTHING like it's former self, which was reminescent of an Indiana Jones adventure complete with jungle headquarters and a jeep.

This book documents their next venture and details how they developed the business. It is like an adventure as you follow the letters to each other with new ideas.

If anything, I use this as a model for writing business plans. That's the biggest compliment I can give.

I am a Black Australian woman and I found this book applicable to my situation. The information crosses all boundries and the advice useful in many situations.

I found this book to be good. It was packed full of information and is certainly worth its sales price. I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a little less pro black woman and complained less about racism and sexism. But the author apparently thought it was necessary to include such verbage in order to connect with her target audience.

The author is a registered investment advisor who has two businesses that she runs: (1) a financial and small business consulting firm, and (2) a personal financial advisory firm. In a nutshell, she is a consultant by trade. I see some similarities to what she does and what Suze Orman does. They are both basically CFPs who market themselves through writing books, making presentations, and getting media exposure.

As I read this book I wasn't sure if the author in writing it was being a Life Coach, a Financial Advisor, or a Business Coach. The title of this book says that the book is a "Guide to Starting Your Own Business." As a result, I expected to hear exclusively from a business coach. But chapters 1 through 4 about personal faith, purpose, and goals didn't seem to me to relate to starting a business.

For me, a "guide" is something that offers basic information or instruction and shows the way by leading, directing, or advising. As a result, this book was supposed to advise me as to how to start my own business. Unfortunately it did not do this for me very well. While it covered business plans (Chapter 12), choice of entity (Chapter 7), financing your startup (Chapter 8), cash flow and recordkeeping (Chaper 9), and marketing (chapters 14 & 15), it did not do them in a step 1, step 2, step 3 kind of way. That's what I expected when I started reading this book which the title says is a guide.

The book is also dated. Coverage of choice of entity is not current. Limited liability companies (LLCs) are available throughout the US now. And their popularity has basically made partnerships, limited partnerships, and S Corps a thing of the past.

The four types of businesses discussed in Chapter 10 seemed odd to me. The auther suggests the four basic types of businesses are: product, service, mail order, and retail/restaurant. I had hoped that the author in this book would have dissected the following generic business models in detail:

>>Retail businesses
>>Service oriented businesses (part service and part product)
>>Product oriented business (part product and part service)
>>Personal service business (all personal services)
>>Distribution companies
>>Internet companies

Mail order today is pretty much an online business. And that category probably falls under Internet Companies. And what's the difference between a product business and a retail business? Don't retail businesses sell products?

And there is no talk in this book of Web sites as a marketing tool. Just another reason this book is dated. Also, I found the inclusion of Chapter 11 on franchises to be unnecessary. The target audience of this book is supposedly black women who want to BECOME financially independent. For the most part, franchises are only an option for women who are already financially independent or wealthy. I think the book would have been better if the chapter on franchising had been left out. All in all, not a bad book. 4 stars!

I purchased and read this book three years ago when I was a college student. I read it and honesty have to say didn't put much thought into the valuable information and advice until I entered the "Real World" aka life after college. Since working in Corporate America for the last 2 1/2 years I realize I will never be paid my worth unless I go into business for myself.
This book will lay the foundation for women that are serious about taking control of their financial destiny and life. This is a must read for women serious about success.

It is with great enthusiasm that I offer my highest recommendation for Sister CEO: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Your Own Business. This book is a must read for any aspiring and/or established black female business owner. This book has been completely instrumental in my gowth as an entrepreneur and as a reult I regard it as my business bible. The book is both incredibly informative and inspiring. The author does an incredible job of presenting both the pros and cons of starting a business. In addition, Ms. Broussard shares both her personal experiences and those of other successful black female business owners which makes for an excellent read. This book is definitely one of the best books that I have ever read and I highly recommend it for any black woman who is thinking of starting her own business.
Nia Rose

This book gives you exactly what you need to push forward and start your own business. There's nothing like being a SISTER CEO and I will tell everyone I know about this book. Even if your business is an on-the-side part-time gig, this book helps you get moving. It's very inspirational and a MUST READ for the Sister CEOs of tomorrow.

This is an excellent walkthrough of Skype all the way from getting started to using special phones and other VoIP appliances. I'm impressed by the depth of the coverage, and the quality of the writing. This is easily the best book I've seen on Skype.

"Skype Me" is an excellent book for both beginners and advanced users of this free Voice over IP (VoIP) application. With easy instructions for downloading, installing, and using on any system, Skype is remarkably effective, but simple. It allows you to talk by voice in computer-to-computer conversations, conferencing, and even video capabilities with the necessary security features to protect your conversations.
This "family and friends" phone plan could put the phone companies out of business - except to bring us the DSL line. I've seen my wife use Skype to conference with her local partner and their Australian customer.
While basics are great, there's plenty here for the more advanced users including using Skype with other hardware and software (eg, wireless devices like cell phones). The authors also walk you through the security aspects of Skype - absolutely necessary these days.
Overall, a great book to own and keep handy as a reference for expanding your cyber knowledge.

Skype is a simple to implement Voice Over IP (VOIP) solution for the average computer user. If you are tired of long-distance charges, want to be able to tell when someone is online and you can call them, chat in a secure, encrypted environment, engage in video chatting with others, or call someone who has a regular phone system at substantially reduced rates then Skype may be the product you need. This book covers installation, configuration, and basic usage as well as configuring advanced features and personalizing your Skype. While this is useful, I found the software to be so user friendly that it was easy to figure out most of this by just exploring the basic options of the system. That being said Chapters seven and eight were well worth the price of the book by themselves. These chapters cover software and hardware add-ons that can greatly enhance your Skype system and make it work the way you would like it to. The final two sections of the book cover setting up Skype in a business environment and writing custom interfaces to it by accessing the Skype API. This section includes important information on how to set up Skype behind a firewall. Skype Me is a highly recommended purchase and a great way to access the VOIP world for anyone with a computer and good Internet access speed.

Skype Me! is a book that everyone needs to have. It's less technical than Skype Hacks, which makes it more accessible to non-techies. Gough starts off with basic lessons about VoIP, Peer-to-peer technology (as it's used in VoIP), even Skype security. These basics will help anyone who is looking at setting up Skype in their home.

Installation is covered in Chapter 2. Gough gives detailed instructions on testing individual computers setups to make sure that Skype will work properly, and shows how to install Skype on Windows, Pocket PC, Mac OS X, and Linux. Then, in chapter 3, he covers the basics of using Skype.

Gough spends a lot of time on using Skype from Pocket PCs, even Pocket PC cell phones and smart phones. This is something I'd never thought about, honestly - my cell phone bill is pretty small, and we've got a good family plan. I can see where people who use a lot of cell phone minutes each month could save some money.

Skype Me! also goes into detail when it comes to implementing Skype in a business setting. This is one area where I think that Skype is being under-utilized. There's a perception that Skype is for home users, but isn't powerful enough for enterprise use, but it's clear that Skype is a lot more powerful than people think. There's a lot of potential for business use - especially when you look at the call center hack that I mentioned in the review of Skype Hacks.

One disappointment I had with Skype Hacks was that it didn't really talk much about the Skype API. Skype Me! does this in chapter 14, and goes into enough detail that people with a computer background will be able to take advantage of the API in customizing their own installation of Skype. Skype Me! also goes into more detail in discussing the various Skype-enabled devices that are available, or will soon become available. Gough includes mini-reviews of a lot of popular Skype hardware add-ons that will make your Skype experience much more pleasant - and productive.

For new users, Skype Me! is a valuable addition to their library. The fact that Michael Gough is the guy who runs SkypeTips.com and is constantly adding material at that site is just another reason to get this book.

Skype Me! is the perfect introduction to Skype for users of all skill levels. It could serve as an example of how to write a product-centric book that delivers real value. The text is well written, clear, and focused. The material becomes progressively complex as the reader moves from learning about Skype, to installing it, to using it, to extending it into areas I hadn't previously considered. Anyone who wants to get the most out of Skype should read Skype Me!

I believe Skype is an incredibly intuitive and simple piece of software. I didn't spend much time with the first four chapters of the book, since I think the ease of installing and using Skype is one of its main attractions. Beginning with Ch 5, however, author Michael Gough started expanding my sense of what could be done by Skype. With advanced features in Ch 6, software add-ons in Ch 7, and hardware accessories in Ch 8, I was entering new territory. The material was well-covered.

I have no real concerns with Skype Me! I have a minor issue with the author's suggestion on p 270 that using a 900 MHz cordless phone is a sign they need to be "upgraded". A 900 MHz cordless phone is a great way to avoid interference in the 2.4 GHz range used by modern wireless networks and newer cordless phones. I would have also liked some expert commentary by a security professional regarding controlling Skype in the enterprise.

Overall I highly recommend Skype Me! I would feel comfortable sharing this book with my parents as a way to encourage them to try Skype. I would also share it with friends who want to tinker at the edges of traditional Skype usage.

IMAGINATION AND INSPIRATION COMBINE IN "The Spirit of David" to inspire and motivate the Reader to overcome obstacles which others might consider a severe handicap and give the world their best efforts toward making life rewarding and meaningful for themselves and others. Rewarding and inspirational reading.Even though the going was tough, the people in this book got off their duff and accomplished the seemingly impossible.
Pat Dirkson
Author of "The Ink Patch"
"Don't Let Any Dragons
Get'cha!"

The Spirit of David is a collection of stories that make you literally stand up and cheer! The way these people have faced the Goliaths in their lives makes you realize how majestic the human race can be.

There are many books written to motivate and inspire readers. THE SPIRIT OF DAVID in one such book with a twist. The true stories in THE SPIRIT OF DAVID demonstrate the variety of ways people are challenged in life and how they overcome those obstacles.

The format of twenty-eight short stories makes THE SPIRIT OF DAVID easy to read, succinct and poignant. Each of the various stories is inspiring in its own way. Every short story's author writes his story in a heartfelt, sincere tone. The book's overall style was comforting to read.

The story behind the book is almost as interesting as the stories in the book. THE SPIRIT OF DAVID celebrates the life of David Schumacher, a California entrepreneur, real estate mogul and educator. Nearly blind at birth, Schumacher became totally blind later in life. Schumacher never allowed his disability to deter him from achieving greatness. The first story in the book is written by Schumacher's widow and details his extraordinary life.

Schumacher never stopped giving, even after his death--his widow will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book to charity.

I recommend this book be on the nightstand of any reader that needs an occasional pick-me-up from the blues. The uplifting stories remind me that others have overcome setbacks and won against the odds.

Thank you so much for "The Story of David". It too has helped me in my everyday life when I think I have obstacles to overcome. I read these inspirational stories and realize life is what we make of it. We all need motivation to never-quit and find that our glass is really "half full". I wish that everyone could read this to understand how to pursue our dreams everyday with love, kindness and heartwarming goals.

The Spirit of David is a compelling book loaded with inspiring stories. They will not only lift your mind but reach your hearts and take you through your future days. Once you have turned the page to the first story you will be wrapped up into each courageous moment throughout every hopeful story. As you read this encouraging book you will find yourself reading the stories over and over again. You may cherish this book and carry it with you on your daily trips. It will constantly remind you of those people who have overcome - winning against all odds. We are all capable of doing that. I see the book as a gem of hope, friendship and care. We are not alone. We are together.

This is one of those book that you need to re-read every year or two. The lack of strategic planning is what really kills companies.

For instance: anyone could have seen for the past twenty years or so that the price of oil was going to go up dramatically. The American automobile companies, instead of working on fuel efficiency worked to convince people to buy big SUVs and pickup trucks, upon which they make more money. So gasoline goes to $3 a gallon, and the American companies lose more market share to the foreign manufactures. Thousands of automobile workers are laid off, and the Big 3 just may not survive.

Some of the points brought out in the book make such perfect sense - 'Increase Your Prices.' I work with a local civic chorus. They were charging $3 to attend a performance. I raised the price to $5, lots of doom forecasting. Just as many people came. I raised the price to $10 and spent a couple of hundred on posters put up around town. More people came than when the prices were $3.

Get the book. It's simple and fast to read. If you get only one good idea out of it you're way over the few bucks it cost and the few hours it took to read. In a few months, read it again. You'll get at least one more good idea.

This book is a quick reference that is easy to understand.

Strategic Planning for Dummies has helped my business of 12 years to develop tactics that are customized to my businesses needs.
This book is a fast reference for business people like myself who don't have time.

I am interested in learning the nuts and bolts of strategic planning to better apply my company's strategy management software for our customers. This book appears to have received 8 glowing reviews. Funny thing, though: those reviewers who state their location are from Reno NV or other NV locations. The others do not give their location. Looking at the author's profile, she is located in Reno NV. Is that a coincidence or are these "seeded" reviews meant to pump up the book? To be fair, I have not read the book, nor will I give it a bad rating for having clearly suspicious reviews. If I buy it and like it, I will adjust my rating accordingly.

I like practical, actionable advice and this book delivers. You could use it to quickly develop a plan (it gives you shortcuts) or you can use the tools and business examples to go deep into your internal and external analyses. Even though I have done strategic planning before, this book covered several new topics that I will refer to and use as I update our plans. Every time I need a quick refresher, I'll be able to reach for my book and find it. It even helps you with the planning process, like how to hold a strategic planning retreat. No excuses!

After reading Earl G. Graves's bitter autobiography, I fully expected John H. Johnson's manuscript for success to be riddled with distain. I was pleasantly surprised however to find that Johnson; through such works as, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, and How to Win Friends..., by Dale Carnegie, made a fortune turning social negatives into profitable and professional positives. Having met eight U. S. Presidents along the way, Johnson's autobiography is a refreshing treatise on determination. It should be noted that much of Johnson's success came about before integration, when the African American community lived by the, "it takes a village," mentality. The nurturing he was provided during the early years provided for a favorable turn of events ultimately guiding him; not without the requisite obstacles, toward a life of success. John H. Johnson's, `Succeeding Against the Odds,' is a testament to the spoils of desire, determination, delayed gratification and a strong belief in ones self. Bravo Mr. Johnson, well done! I issue this glowing review however with a caveat; there are a few grammatical errors; thus, my conservative rating, nevertheless, this was a fun read.

I bought this Book way back in 1992.I always Admired Mr.John H.Johnson for all that He overcame&also for providing Ebony&Jet into my early childhood all the to the present. what He overcame&what He Accomplsihed is truly incredible. He created magazines that spoke&gave Black America a Fair shake at the Newsstand&also showed our world in a up-lifting light. John H.Johnson is a true Pioneer who trail-blazed so much for the better.RIP&this is a Must have Book.

I could definitely related to Mr.Johnson's story. It is inspiring, insightful, and truly a guide to those of us on the often obstacle laden road to success.

Never allow your personal feelings or emotions to close the doors of oppourtunities. Where the is a will there truly is a way. His story is remarkable and his book enables you to understand that yours is too.

Think and Grow Rich...

This book uplifted the self esteem of me and many other African Americans. It was the story of a black man raised in rural Arkansas who had a dream. He figured out at an early age that African Americans wanted to know about what was happening in their community. There where only so many if any stories about us in Life Magazine. And if they did publish something about us it was negative. Why couldn't African Americans have a magazine of their own? One that told stories, positive stories about our lives, our heroes, and our history. This book gave me hope to know that even a lower middle class, African American boy from the Bronx like myself could grow up and strive for greatness amongst our people and the rest of society. John H. Johnson's publications are over 50 years old now and are still giving us stories that uplift our minds, bodies and spirits. Reading this book is not only a joy and a honor but it should be required reading for all African Americans and focal point of reading for all others.

In his book, Johnson states "There is an advantage in every disadvantage, and a gift in every problem" and "I believe that the greater the handicap the greater the triumph." By this he means to say that disadvantage creates opportunities and forces one to do more with less. He believed that disadvantages were "...challenges to be overcome and not facts to be accepted." A disadvantage provides a challenge that, with the proper motivation and mindset, forces one to try a little harder and work a little smarter.

Two distinct disadvantages that Johnson cites are early in his life: 1) Arkansas City (his birthplace) did not provide a high school education for African Americans, and 2) The economic depression stemming from the Great Depression. These two disadvantages, when taken together, provided a sort of "critical mass" that propelled Johnson on the trajectory that is his story -- his move to Chicago and subsequent business endeavors.

The fact that the disadvantages cited above were realized so early in life is worth note. There is a scientific discipline known as "Chaos Theory" that, among other precepts, states that the time evolution of a series of interrelated complex events is extremely sensitive to the system's initial condition. The analogy that may be drawn to Johnson's life is this: had he not moved to Chicago due to his ambition and his Mother's tremendous sacrifices for her son's education, it would have become increasingly difficult for Johnson to have succeeded to the extent he did, as chronicled in his autobiography.

This statement is supported by the many references he makes in the book about the seemingly random events that led to his success as a businessman; Johnson states, "I'm scared someone with pinch me and wake me up." Thus, it seems that the many disadvantages the author faced throughout life, most notably (in his words) early in life, created an advantage, which led him to great wealth and notoriety.

If you have a martial arts school or just a club, this is a must have book! Go for it immediately!

If you are a martial artist who wants to make a living full time and not just do martial arts on the side then you NEED this book. You'll learn how to set up a very successful school that you can be proud. Every instructor no matter what should get this book!!

...and this time around it should at least ruffle your feathers!

John Graden, Martial Arts Master Teacher, has gone to the heart of what it takes to be an effective Martial Arts teacher today. Without completely disgarding the training ideas of the past, he instead shows how to build on these ideas, how to use what we know about the psychology of learning, the physics of motion and the economics of the 21st century to create a learning environment that firmly turns it's back on the "Dungeon Dojos" of the last century and creates a modern, safe atmosphere where serious, effective and (dare I say it?) FUN martial arts training can take place!

(Lest any naysayers regard the concept of "safety" and "fun" as somehow being contrary to "real" martial arts training, I refer them to the summary chapter entitled "A School Full of Pooh Bears"--it will open your eyes!)

There are lots of things to learn here, lots of great writing, too. If nothing else, I will always remember Mr. Graden refering to the war-like aspects of the Martial Arts and explaining that this doesn't mean that every class is devoted to destroying the enemy. He explains: "...that our foundation is one of peace through superior firepower."

I like that. Get the book. You'll like it, too.

John Graden has a unique way of showing you everything you need to successfully run a top martial art school in today's age.
He does it with the insight of someone who has obviously "been there and done that".
This new book can be used by any martial arts instructor, regardless of style, as a step-by-step blueprint for everything from how to negotiate a lease for your school up to how to train and compensate an employee/instructor.
No one else in the industry has his superb talents. The martial arts industry will forever owe a huge debt to this man for showing us how to be a professional success without selling out!

The content of this book accomplished two very important things for me, as a martial arts businessman - 1) it re-affirmed what I was already doing in my business and, most important, 2) it provided me with new concepts, methods and ideas that will help take my business to the next level. Awesome resource!